Jump to content
🔒 The Earwolf Forums are closed Read more... ×
Sign in to follow this  
admin

Episode 37 — Guest Vocalist: Ben Garant

Recommended Posts

Is there anyone more fascinating than Ben Garant? We all know about his success as a screenwriter and sketch comedian, but did you know about his impressive toy collection or his amazing charitable past? A guest this chill and easygoing only deserves the best, and he gets it with the ultra chill, hazy Alternative Albums Chart. This Hollywood insider brings his master screenwriter expertise to the Movie Chart and builds an immediate rapport with Hermes the Chart Goose. Learn about Ben's odd adolescence and Howard's cure for homophobia on this thrilling episode of Who Charted?!

Share this post


Link to post

Love the show, gonna listen right now. Just wanted to comment seconds after it was posted.

Share this post


Link to post

"Lighting up the room like it was 1999" is getting worked into my day-to-day vocab.

  • Like 1

Share this post


Link to post

I think I've listened to the Who Charted earwolf commercial about 30 times. Kulap has such infectious laughter. And she is definitely my conduit to the East. Unsure if she's The Ring, though.

Share this post


Link to post

  • Like 1

Share this post


Link to post

Ben Garant's appearance means that OVER HALF OF THE STATE HAS BEEN ON EARWOLF! Yaaaaaay!
-
Also, just a quick note about Schlittebahn and the uphill slides Howard was talking about: When you arrive at Schlitterbahn, you basically put down your stuff, get in a tube, and never stand up until you leave. The whole place is connected by a flowing stream and instead of walking from slide to slide, the water takes you there. So in order to get you everywhere, there are a few points along the flowing stream where these crazy conveyor belts (aided by Schlitterbahn employees) elevate you. It's pretty rad.

Share this post


Link to post

Hey guys, a quick little suggestion: the clips (especially from the music) used to highlight the "hook," but lately it seems like for each song, you're just hitting "play" and hearing the intro of the song. Since you guys don't always know the song, you wind up hearing the intro and asking each other whether "this is it" or it's going to pick up. Maybe someone could find the "hook" and cue that up?

Anyway, keep up the great work... you guys are the best part of my Wednesday mornings!

  • Like 1

Share this post


Link to post

Nerd question for all my fellow Nerdy McNerdensteins: During Chart Goose, when the question was "What's the best way to see America?" did anyone else think the answer was State By State with The State (a rare, out or print guide to America by, you guessed it, The State) ???

  • Like 1

Share this post


Link to post

I enjoy Ben and enjoyed the show in general. However, the music chart was giving me fits. Admittedly, I am punk/garage snob, but you couldnt have been more off the mark with math rock and Ty Segall and The Oh Sees. Not gonna rant, but it is like a pebble in my shoe. I fear that it is going to color my opinions on music charts going forward.

  • Like 1

Share this post


Link to post

Ben, your new book is insanely funny. Like Kulap, I finished it in two days. I would honestly recommend that everyone BUY it. In addition, I will be using all your 'free ideas' from the book and moving to LA to begin my screenplay. I can sleep on your couch, right?

Awesome show guys. Kulap, I am personally requesting more chart exclusives. You need to 'Marc Maron' this info out of your guests.

Share this post


Link to post

Dusted bases their charts off of college/alt radio plays, which can be totally random. That music chart made for uncomfortable listening for a host of reasons. Still a good episode, guys.

Share this post


Link to post

@Michael Wo - Thank you for your suggestion. I am new to Earwolf but this was an issue also brought up by the hosts to me this week. I'll make sure to supply you and the listeners with plenty of hooks from now on.

Share this post


Link to post

I could listen to who charted from dawn to sleepy time you guys <3

As people have noted, the battles info was kind of, um, off (Tyondai wasn't really considered a lead singer, he's an avant garde artist who likes to play with voice looping/modulation etc.) The band's strongest point is timing, which is obvious for any band, but crucial for them because it grounds a lot of the fancy stuff, all owed to the fact of their insanely precise and respected drummer/possible cyborg John Stanier. The keyboardist/kind of invented "math rock" (with Don Caballero), Ian WIlliams controls loops and samples on Ableton via an akai controller and a macbook, he also uses tapping on his guitar and simultaneously hits his keyboard when he's not just hitting his keyboard. The bassist/other guitarist Dave Konopka has an insane effects pedal board, and what looks like an alien processing/looping/compressor/whateveritis unit full of lights. I guess what I mean is that the band is as analog as it is digital, not just some dude dropping samples and randomizing patterns, the drums are laid after all the fancy stuff is worked out I've heard 'em say.

This well directed performance will go a long way to explain the giddy gibberish above



Sooooo, trying to describe music is a lot more boring than listening to and enjoying it, sorry wee-wee and ku-ku, have a lovely rest of summah !
  • Like 1

Share this post


Link to post

Another awesome episode. Harold talking about "shame" might be the funniest thing I've ever heard on here (and that's saying a lot).

Share this post


Link to post

i have to agree with the other poster. Dustin is doing a great job, but the music chart songs need to be played at a point where a "hook" or full instrumentation comes in. 30 seconds of an intro will always suck

Share this post


Link to post

I have to admit, and this is quite embarassing- I've never seen The State. I'm out in the UK and as far as I'm aware it was never broadcast here, and I haven't seen any DVDs or anything on the internet. I've heard so many interviews and appearances but haven't gotten round to handling it... This will be dealt with SOON though, promise.
Another ace episode, and that Turtles rap was a complete trip too... Kulap has one of the most infectious laughs as well- always makes me bust a proper chuckle (alongside the rest of the show, naturally). Bigups.

Share this post


Link to post

Loved the episode as always but the chart songs totally need to be played so that the hook is heard. Tooooooootally.
.
Even so, OF COURSE Unknown Mortal Orchestra were the best and sexiest band on the show. NZ is the best and sexiest.

Share this post


Link to post

@Jeff
I almost cried when I saw that Howard was going to be so close and I wasn't going to be able to make it. I'm refusing to have a summah as a result of no plugs for that Omaha show.

Share this post


Link to post

Yeah, that's like the 2nd time that they've tried and failed to explain what math rock is. I'm surprised none of the guests never know what it is either though. Is it really that obscure?
.
You kind of have the aesthetic part down: angular, choppy, dissonant or abrasive at times, but it makes more sense if you explain it from the structural/compositional aspect because that's where the "math" label came from - either playing in odd time signatures, switching time signatures, or layering instruments that are playing in time signatures different from each other.

  • Like 1

Share this post


Link to post
Sign in to follow this  

×