<![CDATA[Sounds of CineMcCollough]]>Three friends on the cusp of their fifties decided to start a podcast in December 2019, just before the pandemic that would make it all that much easier to get together virtually from three different states and talk about all their favorite things. Would it be movies? Television? Sports? Music? Why not all of the above!

So the three - "Lord" Rob McCollough, Jeremy "Jay" Forman, and Patrick "Butch" Brennan started making content. It took a few months to get into their groove when Jay suggested they start doing album reviews, discussing each track by track and then ranking the tracks on the album, and also ranking the albums as they went. Since the podcast was called CineMcCollough, they dubbed the album reviews "The Sounds of CineMcCollough."

The project started with diamond albums, with a focus on classic rock and 80s pop/rock - with each member picking a new one each week, an album that sold at least 10 million copies in the United States. From there they moved on to picking a PAIR of albums by the same artist to compare how their music had changed or stayed the same over time. Then the fateful moment when they brought on a fourth member, "Cold" Jim Perry, to make a foursome that would take on the awesome responsibility of reviewing and raking all of the KISS albums, branding themselves (temporarily) the KISS Army National Guard. Once they'd completed all the KISS catalogue, they returned to their roots of picking one single album at a time. They also occasionally threw in a newly released album or concert review as bonus episodes.

And the Sounds of CIneMcCollough continues going strong to today, releasing new content every few weeks. We will be releasing all of our episodes in four seasons:

-season 1 is diamond albums;

-season 2 is two-album sets;

-season 3 is the KISS Army National Guard KISS album reviews;

-season 4 is back to reviews of single albums.

So climb down into your shag-carpet listening lounge, find a bright orange comfy couch to lounge upon, turn on your black light and lava lamp, and crank your hi-fi to eleven and listen along as we take you on a sonic journey into the SOUNDS OF CINEMCCOLLOUGH.

]]>https://riverside.comRiverside.fm (https://riverside.com)Sat, 03 Oct 2026 21:19:15 GMTTue, 15 Sep 2026 20:41:40 GMT60Patrick Brennan<p>Three friends on the cusp of their fifties decided to start a podcast in December 2019, just before the pandemic that would make it all that much easier to get together virtually from three different states and talk about all their favorite things. Would it be movies? Television? Sports? Music? Why not all of the above!</p><p></p><p>So the three - "Lord" Rob McCollough, Jeremy "Jay" Forman, and Patrick "Butch" Brennan started making content. It took a few months to get into their groove when Jay suggested they start doing album reviews, discussing each track by track and then ranking the tracks on the album, and also ranking the albums as they went. Since the podcast was called CineMcCollough, they dubbed the album reviews "The Sounds of CineMcCollough."</p><p></p><p>The project started with diamond albums, with a focus on classic rock and 80s pop/rock - with each member picking a new one each week, an album that sold at least 10 million copies in the United States. From there they moved on to picking a PAIR of albums by the same artist to compare how their music had changed or stayed the same over time. Then the fateful moment when they brought on a fourth member, "Cold" Jim Perry, to make a foursome that would take on the awesome responsibility of reviewing and raking all of the KISS albums, branding themselves (temporarily) the KISS Army National Guard. Once they'd completed all the KISS catalogue, they returned to their roots of picking one single album at a time. They also occasionally threw in a newly released album or concert review as bonus episodes.</p><p></p><p>And the Sounds of CIneMcCollough continues going strong to today, releasing new content every few weeks. We will be releasing all of our episodes in four seasons:</p><p>-season 1 is diamond albums;</p><p>-season 2 is two-album sets;</p><p>-season 3 is the KISS Army National Guard KISS album reviews;</p><p>-season 4 is back to reviews of single albums.</p><p></p><p>So climb down into your shag-carpet listening lounge, find a bright orange comfy couch to lounge upon, turn on your black light and lava lamp, and crank your hi-fi to eleven and listen along as we take you on a sonic journey into the SOUNDS OF CINEMCCOLLOUGH.</p>episodicPatrick Brennanmusic.cinemccollough@gmail.comyes<![CDATA[S1-E17: Thriller (Michael Jackson, 1982)]]>As we neared Halloween 2020, a year that was already scary enough, Butch decided to use his Diamond Album pick on perhaps the biggest selling studio album in the history of music, "Thriller" by Michael Jackson, an album whose title track definitely evokes the spooky season.

Unbeknownst to anyone else, however, our podcast namesake Lord Rob had established a secret rule - that once someone picked this album as their Diamond album choice, it would end the requirement that each selected album must be certified diamond (selling at least 10 million in the United States). And unbeknownst to all of us, INCLUDING Rob, we made the decision that the podcast would follow the pattern of the previous episode and do TWO albums per episode by the same artist to allow us to compare and contrast.

But first, Thriller - an album that sold so many copies that it was the number one album of 1982 AND 1983, spawning a whole fistful of smash hit singles. Listen in as Butch, Rob and Jeremy give their thoughts and rank the tracks.

TRACKS: 9
RUNTIME: 42:21
CERTIFICATION: 34x platinum

]]>4a7f4a18-75b2-47a8-a336-8f8ec551f788Fri, 02 Oct 2026 21:03:55 GMT<p>As we neared Halloween 2020, a year that was already scary enough, Butch decided to use his Diamond Album pick on perhaps the biggest selling studio album in the history of music, "Thriller" by Michael Jackson, an album whose title track definitely evokes the spooky season.</p><p>Unbeknownst to anyone else, however, our podcast namesake Lord Rob had established a secret rule - that once someone picked this album as their Diamond album choice, it would end the requirement that each selected album must be certified diamond (selling at least 10 million in the United States). And unbeknownst to all of us, INCLUDING Rob, we made the decision that the podcast would follow the pattern of the previous episode and do TWO albums per episode by the same artist to allow us to compare and contrast.</p><p>But first, Thriller - an album that sold so many copies that it was the number one album of 1982 AND 1983, spawning a whole fistful of smash hit singles. Listen in as Butch, Rob and Jeremy give their thoughts and rank the tracks.</p><p>TRACKS: 9<br />RUNTIME: 42:21<br />CERTIFICATION: 34x platinum</p>no01:16:58117S1-E17: Thriller (Michael Jackson, 1982)full<![CDATA[S1-E16: Van Halen I (1978) AND 1984 (1984)]]>We were about to make a selection of our next diamond album to review when news broke in 2020 of the death of Eddie Van Hale, which inspired us to do TWO albums in a single episode - bookending the David Lee Roth years of the band as a comparison piece. It would turn out to be a fateful decision, as this also (unbeknownst to us) would be the penultimate album review of season 1.

Legendary guitarist Eddie Van Halen died on October 6, 2020, leaving behind a tremendous hole in rock and roll. The band that shares his name had its debut album in 1978, which has gone on to diamond status. We paired that album with the band's 1984 album that shares the title of that year, which also achieved diamond status.

To honor the man, we undertook a marathon episode to review BOTH albums, track by track, and compare where the band was when it began to where it was when it hit its highest level of recognition and success.

Listen in as Jay and Rob and Butch compare notes on their favorite tracks, and determine which of the two albums they like the most!

TRACKS: 11 (VH1) and 9 (1984)
RUNTIME: 36:33 (VH1) and 33:22 (1984)
CERTIFICATIONS: both certified 10x platinum

]]>e25b38f3-f127-4f5c-8fc9-27da5ad10821Fri, 02 Oct 2026 20:55:39 GMT<p>We were about to make a selection of our next diamond album to review when news broke in 2020 of the death of Eddie Van Hale, which inspired us to do TWO albums in a single episode - bookending the David Lee Roth years of the band as a comparison piece. It would turn out to be a fateful decision, as this also (unbeknownst to us) would be the penultimate album review of season 1.</p><p>Legendary guitarist Eddie Van Halen died on October 6, 2020, leaving behind a tremendous hole in rock and roll. The band that shares his name had its debut album in 1978, which has gone on to diamond status. We paired that album with the band's 1984 album that shares the title of that year, which also achieved diamond status.</p><p>To honor the man, we undertook a marathon episode to review BOTH albums, track by track, and compare where the band was when it began to where it was when it hit its highest level of recognition and success.</p><p>Listen in as Jay and Rob and Butch compare notes on their favorite tracks, and determine which of the two albums they like the most!</p><p>TRACKS: 11 (VH1) and 9 (1984)<br />RUNTIME: 36:33 (VH1) and 33:22 (1984)<br />CERTIFICATIONS: both certified 10x platinum</p>no01:39:53116S1-E16: Van Halen I (1978) AND 1984 (1984)full<![CDATA[S1-E15: Nevermind (Nirvana, 1991)]]>And STILL Rob continues to be our maverick third member, continuing a dizzying swing through all eras and genres of music from our youth... this week he dips his toe into the music that defined the early to mid 1990s, with the biggest album of the grunge genre, "Nevermind" by Nirvana from 1991.

By the end of the 1980s, music had gone from polished pop to glam and hair metal and started dabbling into heavy metal --- but all that was going to change with the advent of grunge music, a darker, gritter, and rawer type of sound that captured, well, the angst and anger of kids living in the most privileged nation in the world.

But the narrator digresses. "Nevermind" was a galaxy-changing album - but will it hold up to the scrutiny that Butch and Jay will bring, and does Rob fully embrace it himself?

TRACKS: 13

RUNTIME: 49:07

CERTIFICATION: 13x platinum

]]>c311c1f5-8cbd-4827-b7d5-e8f7a1f9e434Sat, 19 Sep 2026 21:39:33 GMT<p>And STILL Rob continues to be our maverick third member, continuing a dizzying swing through all eras and genres of music from our youth... this week he dips his toe into the music that defined the early to mid 1990s, with the biggest album of the grunge genre, "Nevermind" by Nirvana from 1991.</p><p></p><p>By the end of the 1980s, music had gone from polished pop to glam and hair metal and started dabbling into heavy metal --- but all that was going to change with the advent of grunge music, a darker, gritter, and rawer type of sound that captured, well, the angst and anger of kids living in the most privileged nation in the world.</p><p></p><p>But the narrator digresses. "Nevermind" was a galaxy-changing album - but will it hold up to the scrutiny that Butch and Jay will bring, and does Rob fully embrace it himself?</p><p></p><p>TRACKS: 13</p><p>RUNTIME: 49:07</p><p>CERTIFICATION: 13x platinum</p>no01:07:01115S1-E15: Nevermind (Nirvana, 1991)full<![CDATA[S1-E14: Abbey Road (The Beatles, 1969)]]>Butch is back with another not-as-rock-rock album for his fourth pick, and went with one that is, while definitely not the biggest SELLING album, is from the biggest selling ARTISTS in modern music history, and is generally considered not only THEIR greatest album but also is in the discussion for greatest album of all time - Abbey Road (1969) by The Beatles.

The Beatles are so big to almost be a parody of themselves at this point - or, rather, they would be parodies of themselves if there was just one version of the band to consider. No, not different lineups of the band, but rather the band morphed and changed so many times, both stylistically and musically, that it becomes impossible to know which version of which to make such a parody.

Abbey Road, while not the last album released, was nonetheless the last album recorded, and is considered the goodbye album for the band before the four members went on to astounding success as solo artists.

But all those accolades - do they mean our fellas are going to LIKE the album? Might need to tune in and find out.

TRACKS: 17 (or 9 if the medley is counted together)

RUNTIME: 45:03

CERTIFICATION: 12x platinum

]]>bdb6bd2a-5ebf-43f1-8ef0-4a95981be097Sat, 19 Sep 2026 21:33:09 GMT<p>Butch is back with another not-as-rock-rock album for his fourth pick, and went with one that is, while definitely not the biggest SELLING album, is from the biggest selling ARTISTS in modern music history, and is generally considered not only THEIR greatest album but also is in the discussion for greatest album of all time - Abbey Road (1969) by The Beatles.</p><p></p><p>The Beatles are so big to almost be a parody of themselves at this point - or, rather, they would be parodies of themselves if there was just one version of the band to consider. No, not different lineups of the band, but rather the band morphed and changed so many times, both stylistically and musically, that it becomes impossible to know which version of which to make such a parody.</p><p></p><p>Abbey Road, while not the last album released, was nonetheless the last album recorded, and is considered the goodbye album for the band before the four members went on to astounding success as solo artists.</p><p></p><p>But all those accolades - do they mean our fellas are going to LIKE the album? Might need to tune in and find out.</p><p></p><p>TRACKS: 17 (or 9 if the medley is counted together)</p><p>RUNTIME: 45:03</p><p>CERTIFICATION: 12x platinum</p>no01:11:59114S1-E14: Abbey Road (The Beatles, 1969)full<![CDATA[S1-E3: Eliminator (ZZ Top, 1983)]]>The merry go round has made another rotation and now we are back with with another Jay pick --- and he is going back to the 1980s for some Texas guitar rock - with beards - with ZZ Top's biggest hit album, "Eliminator (1983).

While this is the band's eighth studio album, it is often the one that many people of our age remember first, because it is the one that put the band in our face on MTV, and they sure did make a memorable impression, as did their music videos. Three big hit singles really cement the album in our memory, as did that spectacular hot rod on the cover.

Rob and Butch chime in with their thoughts as well - give us a listen!

TRACKS: 11

RUNTIME: 46:00

CERTIFICATION: 11x platinum

]]>343320d8-6cf5-49e9-9527-ceb7f1554265Sat, 19 Sep 2026 21:23:26 GMT<p>The merry go round has made another rotation and now we are back with with another Jay pick --- and he is going back to the 1980s for some Texas guitar rock - with beards - with ZZ Top's biggest hit album, "Eliminator (1983).</p><p></p><p>While this is the band's eighth studio album, it is often the one that many people of our age remember first, because it is the one that put the band in our face on MTV, and they sure did make a memorable impression, as did their music videos. Three big hit singles really cement the album in our memory, as did that spectacular hot rod on the cover.</p><p></p><p>Rob and Butch chime in with their thoughts as well - give us a listen!</p><p></p><p>TRACKS: 11</p><p>RUNTIME: 46:00</p><p>CERTIFICATION: 11x platinum</p>no01:09:38113S1-E3: Eliminator (ZZ Top, 1983)full<![CDATA[S1-E12: Can't Slow Down (Lionel Ritchie, 1983)]]>OK, we know from the picks so far that Rob is prone to leaping off the beaten path for 80s white guy album picks, and we know that Jeremy also showed that he can pull a surprising title when the occasion calls for it - but now, with Rob's third diamond album selection he TRULY surprises, as he went with "Can't Slow Down" - Lionel Ritchie's second solo album after leaving The Commodores and his biggest career achievement.

In Rob's defense, he was surprised to learn that a couple of tracks that he THOUGHT were on this album are, in fact, not present (one was on a soundtrack and one is on his third album). And it COULD have used those tracks, as the album only comes with eight of them. But with that said, this album has a surprising number of familiar songs and has a really nice flow to it. We were all generally surprised with what we heard during our listens.

But will you agree with us? Only one way to find out...

TRACKS: 8

RUNTIME: 40:56

CERTIFICATION: 10x platinum

]]>0d08252f-3865-4081-95d7-eac2e7bc67ecFri, 18 Sep 2026 20:21:52 GMT<p>OK, we know from the picks so far that Rob is prone to leaping off the beaten path for 80s white guy album picks, and we know that Jeremy also showed that he can pull a surprising title when the occasion calls for it - but now, with Rob's third diamond album selection he TRULY surprises, as he went with "Can't Slow Down" - Lionel Ritchie's second solo album after leaving The Commodores and his biggest career achievement.</p><p></p><p>In Rob's defense, he was surprised to learn that a couple of tracks that he THOUGHT were on this album are, in fact, not present (one was on a soundtrack and one is on his third album). And it COULD have used those tracks, as the album only comes with eight of them. But with that said, this album has a surprising number of familiar songs and has a really nice flow to it. We were all generally surprised with what we heard during our listens.</p><p></p><p>But will you agree with us? Only one way to find out...</p><p></p><p>TRACKS: 8</p><p>RUNTIME: 40:56</p><p>CERTIFICATION: 10x platinum</p>no00:50:09112S1-E12: Can't Slow Down (Lionel Ritchie, 1983)full<![CDATA[S1-E11: The Stranger (Billy Joel, 1977)]]>Back to Butch for some more laid back and easier listening music... and for that he went straight to the well for some good ol' American comfort pop/rock music... Billy Joel's biggest charting album (and the only one in his massive catalog that reached diamond certification), 1977's "The Stranger."

This was Joel's fifth studio album, and for reference in his entire career he only released twelve studio albums, it is hard to say that he peaked with this album, even if sales-wise it was his biggest charting STUDIO album... in reality, by far his biggest success was the double-disc compilation album, which is among the highest selling musical products of all time, and encompasses this album. But what you have hear is an artist's early peak.

But will Rob and Jay agree with Butch's love for this album? Only one way to find out - press play!

TRACKS: 9

RUNTIME: 42:34

CERTIFICATION: 12x platinum

]]>4981b9ca-1afa-4192-82e0-9d98de57e156Fri, 18 Sep 2026 20:13:58 GMT<p>Back to Butch for some more laid back and easier listening music... and for that he went straight to the well for some good ol' American comfort pop/rock music... Billy Joel's biggest charting album (and the only one in his massive catalog that reached diamond certification), 1977's "The Stranger."</p><p></p><p>This was Joel's fifth studio album, and for reference in his entire career he only released twelve studio albums, it is hard to say that he peaked with this album, even if sales-wise it was his biggest charting STUDIO album... in reality, by far his biggest success was the double-disc compilation album, which is among the highest selling musical products of all time, and encompasses this album. But what you have hear is an artist's early peak.</p><p></p><p>But will Rob and Jay agree with Butch's love for this album? Only one way to find out - press play!</p><p></p><p>TRACKS: 9</p><p>RUNTIME: 42:34</p><p>CERTIFICATION: 12x platinum</p>no01:05:59111S1-E11: The Stranger (Billy Joel, 1977)full<![CDATA[S1-E10: Born in the USA (Bruce Springsteen, 1984)]]>Back to the top of the order for round four of diamond album selections, and our heavy metal reliable host Jay has stepped off of his beaten path and picked a legendary album that is NOT a metal album - instead, we hop on a ferry and take a trip across to New Jersey for Bruce Springsteen's seventh studio album, "Born in the USA."

Yet another example of an album that shot a semi-niche artist straight into the arteries of American mainstream superstardom, Born in the USA was a singles machine, spawning hit charting singles for almost a year. It also worked in coordination with MTV to make a superstar out of the man himself. And though he has continued putting out albums, some popular and some less so, he'd never again reach the dizzying heights of where he was in 1984-85, and now must settle for living legend status.

So if we were surprised that Jay would pick the album, what will Rob and Butch think about it? Which of the numerous hit songs will be their favorite? Listen to our cast and find out!

TRACKS: 12

RUNTIME: 46:41

CERTIFICATION: 17x platinum

]]>24263b68-ab10-4190-9483-ff5022402f38Fri, 18 Sep 2026 20:06:48 GMT<p>Back to the top of the order for round four of diamond album selections, and our heavy metal reliable host Jay has stepped off of his beaten path and picked a legendary album that is NOT a metal album - instead, we hop on a ferry and take a trip across to New Jersey for Bruce Springsteen's seventh studio album, "Born in the USA."</p><p></p><p>Yet another example of an album that shot a semi-niche artist straight into the arteries of American mainstream superstardom, Born in the USA was a singles machine, spawning hit charting singles for almost a year. It also worked in coordination with MTV to make a superstar out of the man himself. And though he has continued putting out albums, some popular and some less so, he'd never again reach the dizzying heights of where he was in 1984-85, and now must settle for living legend status.</p><p></p><p>So if we were surprised that Jay would pick the album, what will Rob and Butch think about it? Which of the numerous hit songs will be their favorite? Listen to our cast and find out!</p><p></p><p>TRACKS: 12</p><p>RUNTIME: 46:41</p><p>CERTIFICATION: 17x platinum</p>no01:25:45110S1-E10: Born in the USA (Bruce Springsteen, 1984)full<![CDATA[S1-E9: Faith (George Michael, 1987)]]>Rob, as usual, is the wildcard in that you never know WHAT genre he is going to pick --- while Jay is reliably rocking, and Butch is reliably easier listening in comparison, Rob can hit to all fields. This week he pulled a real gem of a diamond album, George Michael's absolute giant solo debut, 1987's "Faith."

Having achieved superstardom already as the singer and songwriter for Wham!, Michael decided to head out on his own without bandmate Andrew Ridgely, and put together an album that he wrote, produced and performed all on his own (with the assistance of a large group of instrumentalists, of course). The result continued Michael's unbelievable run of top 10 (seven) and number one (four) hits,

Now obviously, while Faith is a giant album, it is not for everyone - but the question is, aren't you just the least bit curious? Give the fellas a listen and compare notes!

TRACKS: 11

RUNTIME: 53:58

CERTIFICATION: 10x platinum

]]>d99a74ed-b525-4b99-886d-ace926706593Fri, 18 Sep 2026 06:02:49 GMT<p>Rob, as usual, is the wildcard in that you never know WHAT genre he is going to pick --- while Jay is reliably rocking, and Butch is reliably easier listening in comparison, Rob can hit to all fields. This week he pulled a real gem of a diamond album, George Michael's absolute giant solo debut, 1987's "Faith."</p><p></p><p>Having achieved superstardom already as the singer and songwriter for Wham!, Michael decided to head out on his own without bandmate Andrew Ridgely, and put together an album that he wrote, produced and performed all on his own (with the assistance of a large group of instrumentalists, of course). The result continued Michael's unbelievable run of top 10 (seven) and number one (four) hits, </p><p></p><p>Now obviously, while Faith is a giant album, it is not for everyone - but the question is, aren't you just the least bit curious? Give the fellas a listen and compare notes!</p><p></p><p>TRACKS: 11</p><p>RUNTIME: 53:58</p><p>CERTIFICATION: 10x platinum</p>no00:56:3719S1-E9: Faith (George Michael, 1987)full<![CDATA[S1-E8: The Joshua Tree (U2, 1987)]]>As usual, Butch's job is to bring the temperature and the tempo down a notch (or six) with his album pick. This time, he has decided to spin perhaps his top album of the 1980s, yet another album that took the artists to new heights - "The Joshua Tree" by Irish rock band U2.

In Butch's defense, the band intended this album to have a harder sound than their previous efforts, which it perhaps achieved. But what it did achieve was an album chock full of singles and rich with album tracks that sound like they could have been singles in their own right. It gave the band momentum to sustain yet another shift in tone with their next few efforts before finding themselves, by the end of the millennium, ensconced in the catbird seat as arguably the biggest band in the world.

But don't take Butch's word for it - listen to what Rob and Jeremy have to say and compare it to your thoughts.

TRACKS: 11

RUNTIME: 50:11

CERTIFICATION: 10x platinum

]]>51608936-fdf9-44e4-b050-9d9b12225004Fri, 18 Sep 2026 05:53:40 GMT<p>As usual, Butch's job is to bring the temperature and the tempo down a notch (or six) with his album pick. This time, he has decided to spin perhaps his top album of the 1980s, yet another album that took the artists to new heights - "The Joshua Tree" by Irish rock band U2.</p><p></p><p>In Butch's defense, the band intended this album to have a harder sound than their previous efforts, which it perhaps achieved. But what it did achieve was an album chock full of singles and rich with album tracks that sound like they could have been singles in their own right. It gave the band momentum to sustain yet another shift in tone with their next few efforts before finding themselves, by the end of the millennium, ensconced in the catbird seat as arguably the biggest band in the world.</p><p></p><p>But don't take Butch's word for it - listen to what Rob and Jeremy have to say and compare it to your thoughts.</p><p></p><p>TRACKS: 11</p><p>RUNTIME: 50:11</p><p>CERTIFICATION: 10x platinum</p>no01:04:1318S1-E8: The Joshua Tree (U2, 1987)full<![CDATA[S1-E7: The Black Album (Metallica, 1991)]]>Back to the top for Jay's third album pick and he is keeping it hard with the 1991 massive hit eponymous album by metal band Metallica. Commonly referred to as "The Black Album," this disc definitely broadened the audience for the band, which is another way of saying that while it is definitely their biggest hit commercially, it was not the album that pleased all of their long-time fans. However it not only proved a pure metal band like Metallica could go 'mainstream' but it ALSO demonstrated that the mainstream audience was gaining ever more respect for hard rock.

Let's join the boys and listen track by track as they evaluate and rank them!

TRACKS: 12

RUNTIME: 62:31

CERTIFICATION: 20x platinum

]]>dcf1724e-6804-469d-ab66-ec33266e2f23Fri, 18 Sep 2026 05:47:34 GMT<p>Back to the top for Jay's third album pick and he is keeping it hard with the 1991 massive hit eponymous album by metal band Metallica. Commonly referred to as "The Black Album," this disc definitely broadened the audience for the band, which is another way of saying that while it is definitely their biggest hit commercially, it was not the album that pleased all of their long-time fans. However it not only proved a pure metal band like Metallica could go 'mainstream' but it ALSO demonstrated that the mainstream audience was gaining ever more respect for hard rock.</p><p></p><p>Let's join the boys and listen track by track as they evaluate and rank them!</p><p></p><p>TRACKS: 12</p><p>RUNTIME: 62:31</p><p>CERTIFICATION: 20x platinum</p>no01:02:5217S1-E7: The Black Album (Metallica, 1991)full<![CDATA[S1-E6: Back in Black (AC/DC, 1980)]]>Rob makes his second pick of the podcast, and ends round two of our picks, with a hard rock band from down under you've likely heard of -- "B "Back in Black" By AC/DC. It was the band's seventh studio album, but their first with new lead singer Brian Johnson, replacing the deceased Bon Scott. Would the band manage to maintain their edge and success?

I guess that depends on your taste in some ways, but sales wise, this is their biggest hit album, achieving the elusive diamond album status so few albums manage to reach. It achieved instant success in sales, and also received positive reviews that gave the band momentum in moving into the Eighties, and sold an ungodly number of albums along the way.

But will the three of us all agree on this one? Listen in as Jaya and Butch react to and discuss Rob's pick.

TRACKS: 10

RUNTIME: 42:11

CERTIFICATION: 27x platinum

]]>dbfa5449-cfe3-4530-aa7e-4f288cb01555Thu, 17 Sep 2026 03:41:42 GMT<p>Rob makes his second pick of the podcast, and ends round two of our picks, with a hard rock band from down under you've likely heard of -- "B "Back in Black" By AC/DC. It was the band's seventh studio album, but their first with new lead singer Brian Johnson, replacing the deceased Bon Scott. Would the band manage to maintain their edge and success?<br /><br />I guess that depends on your taste in some ways, but sales wise, this is their biggest hit album, achieving the elusive diamond album status so few albums manage to reach. It achieved instant success in sales, and also received positive reviews that gave the band momentum in moving into the Eighties, and sold an ungodly number of albums along the way.</p><p></p><p>But will the three of us all agree on this one? Listen in as Jaya and Butch react to and discuss Rob's pick.</p><p></p><p>TRACKS: 10</p><p>RUNTIME: 42:11</p><p>CERTIFICATION: 27x platinum</p>no01:15:2516S1-E6: Back in Black (AC/DC, 1980)full<![CDATA[S1-E5: The Dark Side of the Moon (Pink Floyd, 1973)]]>Some albums take the world by storm when thy are released, and some albums never quite achieve full thrust... and then there are those rare albums that attain a life of their own and remain relevant for far longer than anyone expected - or, in the case of Butch's second diamond album selection, longer than anyone imagined possible. Pink Floyd's eighth studio album, The Dark Side of the Moon, was released in 1973 and entered the Billboard album charts... and it stayed there for a record 996 weeks, or 19 YEARS of continuous presence on the album sales chart.

The album's influence exceeds even those startling sales numbers, however - it was one of the first 'theme' rock albums... both intended themes, as well as (possibly) imagined themes, such as the theory that there is a connection to the play order and the movie The Wizard of Oz (1939). It spawned several all-time classic songs, and became an indelible part of the fabric of the music industry. Even the album cover has become ubiquitous!

But it turns out that the three of us are NOT of the same mind on this album... obviously Butch likes it (which is why he picked it) -- but what do the other co-hosts think? Give us a listen as we rank and discuss the whole thing track by track.

TRACKS: 10

RUNTIME: 42:54

CERTIFICATION: 15x platinum

]]>30284e43-02ba-44de-87d6-5f0f094834b3Thu, 17 Sep 2026 03:34:32 GMT<p>Some albums take the world by storm when thy are released, and some albums never quite achieve full thrust... and then there are those rare albums that attain a life of their own and remain relevant for far longer than anyone expected - or, in the case of Butch's second diamond album selection, longer than anyone imagined possible. Pink Floyd's eighth studio album, The Dark Side of the Moon, was released in 1973 and entered the Billboard album charts... and it stayed there for a record 996 weeks, or 19 YEARS of continuous presence on the album sales chart. </p><p></p><p>The album's influence exceeds even those startling sales numbers, however - it was one of the first 'theme' rock albums... both intended themes, as well as (possibly) imagined themes, such as the theory that there is a connection to the play order and the movie The Wizard of Oz (1939). It spawned several all-time classic songs, and became an indelible part of the fabric of the music industry. Even the album cover has become ubiquitous!</p><p></p><p>But it turns out that the three of us are NOT of the same mind on this album... obviously Butch likes it (which is why he picked it) -- but what do the other co-hosts think? Give us a listen as we rank and discuss the whole thing track by track.<br /><br />TRACKS: 10</p><p>RUNTIME: 42:54</p><p>CERTIFICATION: 15x platinum</p>no01:16:0115S1-E5: The Dark Side of the Moon (Pink Floyd, 1973)full<![CDATA[S1-E4: License to Ill (Beastie Boys, 1986)]]>We come back around for another pick from Jeremy on the Sounds, and he pulled from the sleeve, for our listening pleasure, our next diamond album, and another debut album - the Bestie Boys' "License to Ill." Released in 1986, it became just the second rap album all time to achieve platinum status, eventually achieving diamond in 2015. Columbia refused to release the album under its original homophobic name, which is a good portent for the tone of the album.

The album spawned SEVEN singles, including the band's largest hit by far, "Fight for Your Right." It expanded a burgeoning trend of sampling works by other artists.

So we give it a spin and compare notes and rankings on all the tracks. Give us a listen and see if you agree!

TRACKS: 13
RUNTIME: 44:32
CERTIFICATION: 10x platinum

]]>e25ab185-2fe4-46bf-a5cb-22bb4d35fa19Thu, 17 Sep 2026 03:25:28 GMT<p>We come back around for another pick from Jeremy on the Sounds, and he pulled from the sleeve, for our listening pleasure, our next diamond album, and another debut album - the Bestie Boys' "License to Ill." Released in 1986, it became just the second rap album all time to achieve platinum status, eventually achieving diamond in 2015. Columbia refused to release the album under its original homophobic name, which is a good portent for the tone of the album.</p><p></p><p>The album spawned SEVEN singles, including the band's largest hit by far, "Fight for Your Right." It expanded a burgeoning trend of sampling works by other artists.</p><p></p><p>So we give it a spin and compare notes and rankings on all the tracks. Give us a listen and see if you agree!</p><p></p><p>TRACKS: 13<br />RUNTIME: 44:32<br />CERTIFICATION: 10x platinum</p>no01:10:0014S1-E4: License to Ill (Beastie Boys, 1986)full<![CDATA[S1-E3: Purple Rain (Prince and the Revolution, 1984)]]>Rob's pick for our third album is "Purple Rain" by Prince and the Revolution. Released in 1984 as the soundtrack to the movie of the same name, it was Prince's sixth studio album but would become the greatest achievement and biggest success for the Minneapolis rocker. It would become a number one album in just four weeks, and spend nearly half a year at that spot on the charts. The album launched Prince to the pantheon of 80s pop/rock music stardom.

Pull up a set of headphones and give us a listen as Rob, Jay and Butch go through the album track by track and compare their favorites.

TRACKS: 9

RUN TIME: 43:55

CERTIFICATION: 13x platinum

]]>fe83044a-dfc0-449a-ae9a-3fce0ee1cb4eTue, 15 Sep 2026 21:05:03 GMT<p>Rob's pick for our third album is "Purple Rain" by Prince and the Revolution. Released in 1984 as the soundtrack to the movie of the same name, it was Prince's sixth studio album but would become the greatest achievement and biggest success for the Minneapolis rocker. It would become a number one album in just four weeks, and spend nearly half a year at that spot on the charts. The album launched Prince to the pantheon of 80s pop/rock music stardom.</p><p></p><p>Pull up a set of headphones and give us a listen as Rob, Jay and Butch go through the album track by track and compare their favorites.</p><p></p><p>TRACKS: 9</p><p>RUN TIME: 43:55</p><p>CERTIFICATION: 13x platinum</p>no00:49:2113S1-E3: Purple Rain (Prince and the Revolution, 1984)full<![CDATA[S1-E2: Rumours (Fleetwood Mac, 1977)]]>For their second album review, Butch gete the pick and chooses something completely different... "Rumours", the eleventh studio album by Fleetwood Mac. This is the album that truly shot the band to superstardom and became one of the defining albums of the 1970s.

Fleetwood Mac was formed as "Peter Green's Fleetwood Mac" in 1967, and then had undergone significant lineup changes, not the least of which was the addition of Stevie Nicks and Lindsay Buckingham the previous album. This cauldron of twisting and shifting relationship dynamics combined for something that came out of nowhere, an amazing collection of songs that would take the world by storm and endure even to today.

Join Butch and Jay and Rob and give our review a listen to see if you agree.

TRACKS: 11

RUN TIME: 39:03

CERTIFICATION: 21x platinum

]]>c1c66520-994d-4301-926f-210e46bfe893Tue, 15 Sep 2026 20:58:57 GMT<p>For their second album review, Butch gete the pick and chooses something completely different... "Rumours", the eleventh studio album by Fleetwood Mac. This is the album that truly shot the band to superstardom and became one of the defining albums of the 1970s.</p><p></p><p>Fleetwood Mac was formed as "Peter Green's Fleetwood Mac" in 1967, and then had undergone significant lineup changes, not the least of which was the addition of Stevie Nicks and Lindsay Buckingham the previous album. This cauldron of twisting and shifting relationship dynamics combined for something that came out of nowhere, an amazing collection of songs that would take the world by storm and endure even to today.</p><p></p><p>Join Butch and Jay and Rob and give our review a listen to see if you agree.</p><p></p><p>TRACKS: 11</p><p>RUN TIME: 39:03</p><p>CERTIFICATION: 21x platinum</p>no00:55:0412S1-E2: Rumours (Fleetwood Mac, 1977)full<![CDATA[S1-E1: Appetite for Destruction (Guns n Roses, 1987)]]>The inaugural album pick for the Sounds of CineMcCollough is the smash hit debut album "Appetite for Destruction" by Guns n Roses, released in July of 1987, right before our senior year of high school. One of the highest selling debuts of all time, its cultural impact was arguably even greater, heralding in a harder, grittier, dirtier edge to rock music near the end of the Decade of Excess.

Picked by Jeremy, listen in as he and Rob and Butch take you through track by track to pick their favorite tracks and discuss them.

TRACKS - 12

RUN TIME - 53:52

CERTIFICATION - 18x platinum RIAA

]]>2c59396a-c598-442b-9755-6a821ff175cfTue, 15 Sep 2026 20:52:31 GMT<p>The inaugural album pick for the Sounds of CineMcCollough is the smash hit debut album "Appetite for Destruction" by Guns n Roses, released in July of 1987, right before our senior year of high school. One of the highest selling debuts of all time, its cultural impact was arguably even greater, heralding in a harder, grittier, dirtier edge to rock music near the end of the Decade of Excess.</p><p></p><p>Picked by Jeremy, listen in as he and Rob and Butch take you through track by track to pick their favorite tracks and discuss them.</p><p></p><p>TRACKS - 12</p><p>RUN TIME - 53:52</p><p>CERTIFICATION - 18x platinum RIAA</p>no01:08:4411S1-E1: Appetite for Destruction (Guns n Roses, 1987)full