An Album of the Month Event You Should Check Out

We've got a great host and a killer record, all set to go. All we need now is you! Here's how to join the fun.

Album art courtesy of Slash Records

Good Morning!

Today we’re talking Violent Femmes, and well, how you can talk about the band with other like minded people.

Note: As some of you know, I’m one of the editors for an online music publication called The Riff. Each month we host an album discussion (via Zoom), and this month’s is coming up on Sunday. To be clear, all credit goes to

Terry Barr

who facilitates the meeting, and

Steve Goldberg

, this month’s host. These two are doing the heavy lifting.

As you’ll see below, these are low-key affairs; all are welcome! If you want to share some thoughts, that’s awesome. Wanna just sit back & listen? That’s cool, too.

Either way, it’d be better with you there.

KA—

It’s that time again; it’s time for our monthly album discussion!

One of The Riff's core tenets is sharing music. That obviously involves writing about it (we are on Medium, after all) but also talking about it together. We do that monthly here.

This Sunday (23. March. 2025) is that day.

Below is my boilerplate explanation of these discussions and the value you’ll get from joining us. Under that are both the record being discussed and the meeting log-in details.

• Don’t know the record? Doesn’t matter.

• Not comfortable speaking in public? Me either. And you don’t have to if you don’t want to. Heck, you don’t even have to turn your camera on. It’s a safe space, but you control what you share.

• Ultimately, you’re part of The Riff; we want you to be a part of this, too.

So check out the “rules” below, and then plan to dial in.

What is this?

For new readers (hi everyone!), The Riff hosts an online discussion every month.

Here’s how it works:

• A writer (more on that in a second) picks a record to discuss and writes a brief piece about their choice and the meeting details.

• At the meeting, they discuss why they picked it, offer a bit of a backstory/context, and whatever else they’d like to share.

• Everyone else on the call can share their own “hot take,” related story, or anything else you think is relevant.

• At the end of the meeting, next month’s writer volunteers (or is chosen), and the process repeats itself.

NOTE FOR INTROVERTS: If you’d prefer to sit in and listen, that is 110% okay. Keep your video off…stay muted…it’s up to you. It’s a safe place; you can participate as much/as little as you’d like.

This month’s host:

This month’s host is a longtime contributor and friend of The Riff. Steve Goldberg is one of the platform’s leading music writers, and his expertise spans many genres. You can also find him here on Substack, where he writes the incredible Earworms and Songloops. It’s one of my “never miss” newsletters. If you’re not yet subscribed, I highly recommend it!

Cool! So, what are we talking about?

Steve has chosen Hallowed Ground by the Violent Femmes.

From his story announcing the pick:

It wasn’t just the lyrical content that shook me to my musical core. The instrumentation — snare drum, vibraphone, stand-up bass, jew’s harp, marimba, clarinet, saxophone, acoustic guitar — it wasn’t new wave, it wasn’t punk rock, it wasn’t folk, yet it had elements of each. I couldn’t place a label on it or even an easy reference point, and this scared and exhilarated me.

Musical adventure, exploring new sounds, and sharing great music with great people make these discussions a joy. Join us and see for yourself.

Listen:

(Click the record to listen on your platform of choice)

Cover art courtesy of Slash Records

I’m in! How can I join?

Here ya go:

When: Sunday, March 23rd: 4 PM Eastern/ 8 PM GMT

Where: Join Zoom Meeting

Join our Cloud HD Video Meeting

ID: 87634124892
Passcode: Q0=YVbE@

Thanks for being here,

Kevin—

Before you go: As most of you have seen, I am a massive fan of the music streaming platform Qobuz. The sound quality is second to none, and the entire UX is fantastic. Thanks to our friend Kenn Richards, you can now see it for yourself.

I’m thrilled to share this exclusive offer for 2 free months. Not an ad, and there’s no catch. Just hella good sound quality, solid recommendations tailored to your tastes, and editorials well worth your time.

Note: The codes are sent out by an actual human. Please be patient.

Click here to give it a test drive!

P.S. Have you seen Salon Du Monde?