Stereothematica
Welcome to Stereothematica, a podcast where two women geek out over music. When Christina moved from LA to Texas, Christine suggested a weekly challenge to stay in touch: pick a song that fits a chosen theme. This game opened them to new perspectives on each other while deepening their own understanding of the music that shapes their lives. Each week Christina and Christine recreate the magic of their song exchange on a broader scale, deconstructing their thematic picks, providing personal anecdotes and historical insights, and sharing transformative tracks rarely spotlighted on the Billboard Hot 100.
Episodes
Songs can teach you things! Who knew? Our artists knew, obviously. And we've learned a few cautionary tales in addition to our picks this week. Like... don't drink and gamble. Don't be a bad dad! Guns? Not our favorite. But if you're gonna have them, don't take them to town! And above all, if you're a jerk husband like Earl, well, watch out!
Our cautionary tale to you, dear listeners, is to stay in touc...
Today we are waxing nostalgic. Well, more like longing for a moment, a feeling, a history we never experienced. The Germans, of course, have a word for it: sehnsucht. In Korean, it's han, a soulful ache that can span generations. And in English? We’ve got anemoia (thanks to a somewhat newly made-up word rooted in Greek). Join us as we unpack this beautifully complicated feeling through music, memory (real and yearned for), and...
This week we tackle the songs we love with lyrics that confuddle us. Less, "what are they saying???" and more "what do they mean?!"
VIDEOS
The Replacements: Swinging Party (1984)
Sabina Sciubba: Viva L’Amour (2014)
EXTRAS
When did drunks start wearing lampshades?
VPM Interview with Sabina Sciubba (2024)
Penelope and Mrs. Baskets at Costco
The Pleasure of the Text (Not Christine's copy, but some of her favorite p...
Movie magic is back (again)! This time we’re talking sing-alongs! Not the big staged numbers, but those unplanned, diegetic moments when characters just start singing along to a song because they must. Whether it’s in a bar, a bus, or a car, these are moments that sneak up on you and stick around long after the credits roll.
VIDEOS
The Deer Hunter - Can’t Take My Eyes Off You
WHAT DOES NOT COUNT!
Lip Sy...
What happens when music refuses to stay in its lane? It gets some major Stereothematica love.
This week Christina and Christine talk about the artists who blur boundaries, break molds, and bend genres in ways that feel both surprising and inevitable. These are sounds shaped by curiosity, contradiction, and a refusal to be easily defined.
Videos:
Arthur Russell: This is How We Walk on the Moon (1994)
Yellow Magic Orchestra: Simoon (197...
It’s our 25th episode! What better way to celebrate than with a chat about collaboration—the good, the weird, and the legendary. From surprise duets to global jams, we’re talking about musical magic-making that moves our bodies and minds and reassures us that just maybe humanity isn’t doomed after all. Thanks for being a part of the Stereothematica collaboration!
VIDEOS
From the grief-fueled artistry of Ben Kweller to the soulful resurgence of Ethiopian legend Girma Bèyènè, this week, we get into the emotional power of musical comebacks—those triumphant, and sometimes tragic, returns to the spotlight.
Videos:
Ben Kweller: Dollar Store (2025)
Girma Bèyènè & Akalé Wubé: Enkèn Yèlélèbesh (2017)
Extras:
Ben Kweller’s famous nosebleed at ACL 2006
Whether you think the summer song is a relic of the past or you need some tunes to get up and dance--or maybe just for lounging by the pool--we’ve got you covered.
Videos:
Sofi Tukker: Energia (2018)
Charli XCX:360 (2024)
Sofi Tukker Collabs:
Sofi Tukker and Pabllo Vittar: Energia Part 2 (2018)
Sofi Tukker Featuring Charlie Baker: Good Time Girl (2018)
From spacey synth odysseys to hypnotic flamenco boogie jams, these songs turn extended length into a vibe, not a chore…unless that chore is hauswerk.
Videos:
Capablanca & T. Keeler: No Hay Ritmo (2011)
Please note: the vocals on "No Hay Ritmo" are hard to hear in our recording. If you'd like to listen to the parts referenced, please go to 1:31-1:41 and 8:34-8:35.
Extras:
This week, we are burning up with desire to share the songs from our childhood that made us feel sinful, shameful, or just plain wrong for listening them. From religious baggage to misunderstood lyrics, we explore the complicated relationship between early music obsessions and the guilt they stirred.
Videos:
Madonna: Burning Up (1983)
Romeo Void: Never Say Never (1982)
Extras:
Madonna: Get into the Groove (1985)
This week we might actually get canceled... because we're diving into the discussion of those artists we used to love, but we can no longer, in good conscience, count them among our favorites. We're sure you can think of a problematic artist without too much effort. But the tricky part is, can you separate art from artist?
Videos:
This week, we’re facing the music—literally. It’s all about those songs we can’t help but like, even though they make us wince, cringe, or yell “NOOOO” at the lyrics. Join us as we tiptoe through the landmines of musical problematica, and try not to get canceled.
Videos:
Joe Dassin: L’ete Indien (1975)
Jimmy Soul: If You Wanna Be Happy (1962)
Extras:
Kovács Kati: Indián Nyár (1977)
Joe Dassin: Et Si Tu N’existais Pas (1975)
Ugly Woman ...
In this episode, we slow things down with a theme we need right now: soothing. From the dreamy melancholia of John Maus to the tender, ambient layers of Branden Eder, we explore songs that bring calm through the chaos. Tune in for stories of mystery, memory, and music that hold space for stillness.
Videos:
John Maus: Hey Moon (2011)
Brendan Eder Ensemble: Isn’t it True (2023)
Extras:
Moving your body from the bar to the dance floor is easier said than done, sometimes. But these songs do it for us all the time.
In this week's episode we get down, and up, and all around, from the complicated nature of dancing to the gimmicks that make it silly.
“You can dance, for inspiration / Come on, I'm waiting…” (Madonna)
Videos:
Raffaella Carrà: Rumore (Song: 1974/Video: 1979)
General Public: Tenderness (1984)
Extra...
In this episode of Stereothematica, Christina and Christine get into the fascinating world of unusual instruments in everyday band lineups. Now, what counts as “unusual” can vary depending on where you’re from, who you are, and what you like, but whatever your story, it’s always exciting to hear musicians expand their sound with something unexpected.
Videos:
The Octopus Project: I Saw The Bright Shinies (2007)
The Beatles: Being for t...
This week on Stereothematica, we’re diving into the songs we first heard on mixtapes. Whether it was on a carefully curated cassette from a friend, a crush, or a burned CD passed around in high school, these are the tracks that hit different and never left our rotation. We get into the emotional data transfer of mixtapes, and why some songs just stick—even if the relationships didn’t.
Videos:
Devo: Beautiful World (1981)
The Slits: T...
Being caught off guard by a song is a certain sort of pleasure (and possibly pain). Maybe you notice something in the lyrics you've never heard before, or maybe you fall in love with a song from a band you thought you had figured out. Whether you realize you were wrong—or just surprised, discombobulated, maybe even terrified—the unpredictability of music, and more importantly, your reaction to it, is what today's episode ...
Is there anything more exhilarating than hearing a song in a movie for the first time and immediately falling in love with it? Your emotions add to the scene–you become a character, reacting to the music, it changes your life, and your perception of the film.
This week, Christina and Christine get into a couple songs unearthed from the silver screen. Join them as they explore these musical treasures and share the stories behind t...
Do you remember your first radio request? Is this something that people still do?
This week on Stereothematica, Christina and Christine talk about yet another formative experience in their lives as music lovers: their first radio request (that they remember)!
Videos:
Outkast: B.O.B. (Bombs Over Baghdad) (2000)
Eddie Murphy: Party All the Time (1985)
Extras:
A Look at Eddie Murphy's Musical Career
KXLU 88.9 Fundrazor (April 4-12, 2...
This week on Stereothematica, Christina and Christine dive into the elusive concept of the "Perfect Album"—an album so stellar, you'd never dream of skipping a track. As they explore what musical perfection means and reveal their ideal songs from their ultimate no-skip albums, they also uncover deeper insights into their own musical (and personal!) psychology along the way.
Videos:
Pescado Rabioso, Cantata de Puentes A...
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