The Opus

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Consequence and Sony bring you an exploration of iconic albums and their ongoing legacy. Join host Adam Unze as he examines how masterpieces continue to evolve: shaping lives, shaking rafters, and ingraining themselves into our culture. Maybe you’re a longtime fan who wants to go deeper. Maybe you’re a first-time listener curious to hear more. Either way, you’re in the right place.

Recent Episodes
  • 50th Anniversary: Blood on the Tracks: How Dylan Birthed Bootleg Culture
    Jan 26, 2025 – 28:56
  • 50th Anniversary: Blood on the Tracks: Evaluating Dylan's Cinematic Legacy
    Jan 24, 2025 – 32:48
  • 50th Anniversary: Blood on the Tracks: Beth Orton and Kevin Morby on Dylan's Songwriting Process
    Jan 22, 2025 – 22:43
  • 50th Anniversary: Blood on the Tracks: Canonizing Bob Dylan's Human Opus
    Jan 20, 2025 – 29:54
  • Hip-Hop 50: Cypress Hill’s Weed Rap Changed Cannabis Culture
    Aug 25, 2023 – 17:54
  • Hip-Hop 50: Cypress Hill Revolutionized Hip-Hop via Hard Rock and Latin Funk
    Aug 23, 2023 – 21:35
  • Hip-Hop 50: Cypress Hill’s Chemistry Made for Explosive Hip-Hop
    Aug 18, 2023 – 18:43
  • Hip-Hop 50: Cypress Hill - Southern California Was a Cultural Powder Keg
    Aug 16, 2023 – 17:18
  • Hip-Hop 50: The Score - Fugees In the Lab
    Aug 11, 2023 – 26:16
  • Hip-Hop 50: The Score - Fugees In Haiti
    Aug 9, 2023 – 21:13
  • Hip-Hop 50: The Score - Fugees In the Basement
    Aug 4, 2023 – 21:35
  • Hip-Hop 50: The Score - Fugees at the Crossroads
    Aug 2, 2023 – 24:47
  • The Legacy of Billy's The Stranger Lives on at Madison Square Garden
    Jan 12, 2023 – 21:58
  • Billy Joel's The Stranger Plays Like a Greatest Hits Album: The Opus
    Jan 5, 2023 – 23:54
  • Billy Joel and Producer Phil Ramone Captured Collaborative Magic on The Stranger
    Dec 29, 2022 – 20:43
  • Billy Joel Reintroduced Himself to the World with The Stranger
    Dec 22, 2022 – 29:44
  • The Opus: Billy Joel's The Stranger is Coming Soon
    Dec 8, 2022 – 00:54
  • The Legacy of Alice in Chains' Dirt Spans Generations
    Oct 27, 2022 – 21:36
  • Alice in Chains’ Dirt Is a Work of Dark, Personal Lyrical Genius: The Opus
    Oct 20, 2022 – 21:21
  • How Alice in Chains' Sonic Alchemy Led to the Unique Sounds of Dirt: The Opus
    Oct 13, 2022 – 20:03
  • Alice in Chains' Dirt Was a Venn Diagram of Grunge, Metal, and Hard Rock: The Opus
    Oct 6, 2022 – 25:48
  • The Opus: Alice in Chains' Dirt is Coming Soon
    Oct 3, 2022 – 00:49
  • The Real Riot Behind Sly and the Family Stone's There's a Riot Goin On
    Mar 17, 2022 – 21:38
  • Sly and the Family Stone Really Was a Family Affair
    Mar 10, 2022 – 19:56
  • A Message About The Opus: Sly and the Family Stone
    Feb 17, 2022 – 00:41
  • There's a Riot Goin On: Sly and the Family Stone's Musical Riot Still Rages Through Decades of Sampling
    Feb 4, 2022 – 15:53
  • There's a Riot Goin On: Sly and the Family Stone Kicked Off a Funk Riot in 1971
    Jan 27, 2022 – 18:47
  • Ten: The Final Show of Pearl Jam's First Tour Heralded Future Stardom
    Sep 2, 2021 – 24:41
  • The Best Songs on Pearl Jam's Ten Aren't the Singles
    Aug 26, 2021 – 31:54
  • Ten: Jeff Ament's Art Helped Define Pearl Jam
    Aug 19, 2021 – 19:36
  • Ten: Pearl Jam Is Alive Because of an Unlikely Series of Events
    Aug 12, 2021 – 28:51
  • Cypress Hill’s Weed Rap Changed Cannabis Culture
    Aug 5, 2021 – 17:54
  • Cypress Hill Revolutionized Hip-Hop via Hard Rock and Latin Funk
    Jul 30, 2021 – 21:35
  • Cypress Hill’s Chemistry Made for Explosive Hip-Hop
    Jul 22, 2021 – 18:43
  • Cypress Hill: Southern California Was a Cultural Powder Keg
    Jul 15, 2021 – 17:18
  • Just As I Am: Bill Withers’ Songs and Booker T. Jones’ Mind Were a Match Made in Soul Heaven
    Jun 3, 2021 – 27:33
  • Just As I Am Episode 3: Bill Withers' Just as I Am Was Populist Soul for Complicated Times
    May 27, 2021 – 22:51
  • Just As I Am Episode 2: Bill Withers Remains a Voice of Protest
    May 20, 2021 – 20:36
  • Just as I Am: Bill Withers Went from Blue-Collar Everyman to Soul Legend
    May 13, 2021 – 22:16
  • The Score: Fugees In the Lab
    Apr 2, 2021 – 26:16
  • The Score: Fugees In Haiti
    Mar 25, 2021 – 21:13
  • The Score: Fugees In the Basement
    Mar 18, 2021 – 21:35
  • The Score: Fugees at the Crossroads
    Mar 11, 2021 – 24:47
  • Pearl: Janis Joplin, The Feminist Icon
    Feb 18, 2021 – 27:10
  • Pearl: The Last Days of Janis Joplin
    Feb 11, 2021 – 22:19
  • Pearl: The Janis Joplin We Never Knew
    Feb 4, 2021 – 32:13
  • Pearl: Janis Joplin Never Stopped Singing
    Jan 28, 2021 – 26:49
  • Abraxas: The Beats Beyond Santana
    Dec 18, 2020 – 24:21
  • Abraxas: Charting the Influence of Santana
    Dec 10, 2020 – 46:21
  • Abraxas: The Band Behind Santana
    Dec 3, 2020 – 55:43
Recent Reviews
  • Lamar III
    Enjoyed it, but needs edit!
    Just finished listening to The Opus episodes on Billy Joel’s “The Stranger.” I enjoyed them. But the last episode has multiple takes from the host near the end that weren’t edited out.
  • ATL_R
    Great takes on great music
    Listened to the clash series. Outstanding - great production, writing, interviews and perspective. Now planning to go backwards and forwards through the rest of the series.
  • Steveholt_tsl
    Bring Andy back!
    Your new host is awful. Andy has suffered enough for anything he did in his past. Be an example of giving people another chance.
  • Mark Kingsley
    More of a marketing effort than a serious investigation
    I was expecting an enthusiastic deep dive into ALL aspects of this album. Instead I found shallow waters. Santana’s Abraxas is a dynamic, exciting, well-edited, and beautifully-sequenced album which has maintained its vitality for five decades. Host Jill Hopkins is the opposite. There’s a sluggish quality to her presentation, which is very badly edited BTW. Personal anecdotes are fine, but five minute digressions try one’s patience. Her pacing is rather lackluster. And her “jokes” often fall flat. Abraxas was meticulously recorded, and all instruments have audio presence. In contrast, this series really could have used better attention to the sound… especially for a podcast series which focuses on an audio art form. The research is sloppy. And not all the expert commentators are up to the challenge. There’s a poor sense of context beyond frequent references to the Beatles, the late 60’s, San Francisco at that time, etc. So many missed opportunities. Mati Klarwein, for example, was a fascinating figure deserving more time than he was given. Yes, he did the cover art for a couple Miles Davis albums. But how about the racial politics of the moment when he met Yusef Lateef? His role in the psychedelic movement? His friendship with Salvador Dali? Overall, a quickly-thrown together bit of marketing which promises more than it delivers.
  • Sign one
    Old host was better
    Bring back old host!
  • air_and_sea
    Look forward to more episodes
    Stumbled across this podcast on my suggested listens. S11 just started and I’ve listened twice, look forward to more episodes. Love how the host intertwines some personal experiences within her wealth of knowledge on broader content. My only complaint is that she doesn’t record audiobooks or have Terry Gross’s job.
  • minijosie
    Abuser
    Don’t support abusers
  • BfSpodcast
    Exceptional content
    Absolutely fantastic deep dives into records from all genres. Well edited and well paced.
  • dnice11
    Can’t get enough
    Wow. I found this podcast from Andy’s post about the new season about Mobb Deep. As a huge fan I was 100% in. I’ve known and consumed Andy’s music and still do. This season was perfect. I just wish it could have been so much longer as it was so great. I’ve gone back and listened to 3 other seasons (Willie, Jimi and The Clash) already while waiting for the new episodes. They are all awesome. I love Andy’s ability to make any type of music relatable. His knowledge and ability to explain the work makes the content even more enjoyable. I can’t recommend this series enough. Well done.
  • post_punk_moves
    Stunningly Good
    The Opus is my 2nd favorite piece of art/entertainment I’ve discovered since lockdown, and the 1st I came to through the podcast. Andy Bothwell blends information, insight, enthusiasm, and plain good stories to bring a truly complete analysis of these albums. I’m hooked, and would recommend any fan of music to dive deep on the Opus.
  • _valentin
    jubilation.
    andy "astronautalis" bothwell has certainly invested more than 10.000 hours to model so skilfully with his voice — one reason why he fits so well as host for this podcast. through him, i learned to love "blizzard of oz" and understood one of my favorite albums "bridge over troubled water" in a better way. i'm already looking forward to the next season. thank you.
  • Ruckus712
    Holy Wow!
    Just getting into the Jeff Buckley season. It is so great to hear other people talk about one of my favorite albums/ artists. And to talk about him in a way that I can truly relate. Jeff was an amazing artist and a powerful band leader. The whole album is complete and timeless.
  • Luckylucky13
    Awesome!
    Andy Bothwell does an amazing job. It’s really cool to hear this podcast from someone who obviously loves music.
  • bappibubu
    Love love
    This podcast is making me want to listen to music I didn’t even know I wanted to listen to!!! Big fan! The clash season is the best one yet!!!
  • ashleysaturdays
    100%
    Excellent insight and engaging storytelling. Well done. Thx for putting these together.
  • FrixFrixFrix
    Andy Bothwell Forever
    Please keep Andy Bothwell on as host indefinitely. All the other hosts were trash.
  • myteetharegold
    BEST PODCAST EVER!
    Loved it! I learned so much!
  • zoident
    Forgetting Van Halen
    Blizzard of Oz Is a good album but diary of a madman is his best You are forgetting that the Mighty VH was the band and the debut album that created the 2nd wave of Heavy Metal
  • Christopher-Alan
    Fantastic
    So well done - incredible
  • BiggerLarry
    Nailed it
    A+++ the pace, the tone, the stories! Entertaining and perfectly executed. Can’t wait for what comes next.
  • A grateful amateur
    FAV kind of music podcast!!
    A thoughtful, engaging, highly produced deep dive into one album. I crave podcasts like these so I am THRILLED to have stumbled upon this 👏🙌🎧🎉 🎶 If you are a fan of Song Exploder, Say Yes, MTC, Lost Notes and/or BBC Radio music documentaries you’ll love this!!
  • CoS Fan
    Podcast for classic rock albums!
    If you're in to classic rock albums like me, then this is definetely the podcast for you. Lots of great insight!
  • Alex from the North
    Great perspective
    I am excited for a podcast that features three sharp women music critics delving into classic popular music. I’ve only heard the first episode and already I can see how this departs from what has been the norm. Fricke, Wenner, Christgau, Pareles, etc. have all had their say, and I’ll cast no aspersions on them, but I’m hungry for this. I’ve lived fifteen years with a sharp woman and having her perspective on culture has been amazing, but sadly she has no interest in this kind of music. Update: The perspective is back to the expected with the new host. Nothing new here anymore. Boring. I was willing to forgive the Sony-linked commercialism for a fresh perspective, but no longer.
  • Renaldo Valentine III
    Skip it
    The More Blood box has brought out some great new thinking and old stories about the recording process and material on that album, but none of it is here. I assume these are good writers (and at least one real artist) but the commentary is neither informed nor insightful, and there's more than a heap of pretentious pondering. Episode 4 is the only one I'd recommend as Jeff Slate had some real access and stories. Looking for stimulating discussion on this great album? Search elsewhere.
  • Sean Gaillard
    Insightful Conversation: Grateful for the Opus!
    What a sharp and resonating podcast that does justice to a an album that many have a strong emotional tie to in a myriad ways. I am grateful for this Opus and the lending of rich, diverse voices to the Dylan Oeuvre. Exciting to see more deep dives into this album this season! Count me in for the Opus Fan Club!
  • DC Hendrix
    Fantastic
    What a great podcast! Very informative. Consequence of Sound does it again with another great show!
  • Hopscotch Willie
    Intelligent, Digestible
    I've always loved the depth and intelligence Paula Mejia brings to her writing, and now she's done the same with this podcast. The Blood On The Tracks episodes are a must for any Dylan fan, and I'm excited to see what else is in the pipeline.
  • iceofboston
    A well-deserved deep dive...
    ...for a record worthy of the podcast’s multiple perspectives. I’m particularly taken with its function as a forum for a new generation of artists and journalists to excavate the bittersweetness at the heart of Blood on the Tracks.
  • blueseattle
    Incredible series
    Paula Mejia is a joy to listen to and her dissection of what a "legacy" is will change the way critics, fans, and listeners approach classic albums in the future. Loving the Blood on the Tracks series and can't wait to hear how she tackles Electric Ladyland.
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