**One of The Atlantic's 20 Best Podcasts**
On this podcast we believe that all albums are either summer albums or winter albums. But what defines them? The lyrics, the music, your personal relationship with the record? Summer Album/Winter Album is a musical debate podcast with Jody Avirgan (538, 30 for 30, Radiotopia) and Craig Finn (The Hold Steady).
Each episode, Jody and Craig offer their opening arguments, and then with the help of a guest, explore one of the greatest records of all time. Then: a verdict from the artist. New episodes twice a month.
Latest episodes
Showing 20 · updated from the feed
Grateful Dead's "Workingman's Dead" w/ MC Taylor (Hiss Golden Messenger)
Tonight on Summer Album / Winter Album: Workingman's Dead. 1970.
Our special guest: MC Taylor of Hiss Golden Messenger
Craig Finn is arguing Winter, Jody Avirgan is arg
Jul 16 1 h 11 min
Janes Addiction's "Ritual de lo Habitual" w/ Hamilton Leithauser
Tonight on Summer Album / Winter Album: Ritual de lo Habitual. 1990.
Our special guest: Hamilton Leithauser of The Walkmen.
Craig Finn is arguing Summer, Jody Avirgan i
Jul 16 1 h 10 min
Fleetwood Mac's "Tusk" w/ Hanif Abdurraqib
Tonight on Summer Album / Winter Album: Tusk. 1979.
Our special guest: Poet and essayist Hanif Abdurraqib.
Jody Avirgan is arguing Summer, Craig Finn is arguing Winter.
Jun 5 1 h 05 min
Nirvana's "Nevermind" with Diallo & Luxxury of One Song
Tonight on Summer Album / Winter Album: Nevermind. 1991.
Our special guests: Diallo Riddle & Luxxury of the One Song podcast.
Jody Avirgan is arguing Summer, Craig Finn
May 22 1 h 00 min
The Velvet Underground's "White Light / White Heat" with The Jokermen
Tonight on Summer Album / Winter Album: White Light / White Heat. 1968.
Our special guests: Ian & Evan of the Jokermen podcast.
Jody Avirgan is arguing Winter, Craig Fi
May 13 1 h 08 min
Nick Drake's "Pink Moon" with Amelia Meath (Sylvan Esso)
Tonight on Summer Album / Winter Album: Pink Moon. Nick Drake. 1972.
Our special guest: Amelia Heath of Sylvan Esso, Mountain Man, and more.
Jody Avirgan is arguing Win
Apr 24 1 h 11 min
U2's "The Joshua Tree" with Rob Sheffield
Tonight on Summer Album / Winter Album: The Joshua Tree. U2. 1987.
Our special guest: music journalist Rob Sheffield. Check out his latest book on Taylor Swift and his
Apr 10 1 h 16 min
Big Thief's "Dragon New Warm Mountain I Believe In You" with Valerie June
Tonight on Summer Album / Winter Album: Dragon New Warm Mountain I Believe In You. Big Thief. 2022.
Our special guest: musician Valerie June.
Jody Avirgan is arguing Su
Mar 27 1 h 07 min
We're Coming Back! After We Celebrate "Modern Vampires" Day...
It's March 5th! Which means it's "Modern Vampires Of The City" day, since that is the date in late winter that Ezra Koenig pinned his band's record to. So in a new yearly
Mar 5 47 min
Frank Ocean's "Blonde" with Sam Sanders
Tonight on Summer Album / Winter Album: Blonde. Frank Ocean 2016.
Our special guest: Sam Sanders, host of The Sam Sanders Show and Vibe Check
Jody Avirgan is arguing Wi
Jul 10 2025 1 h 06 min
The Strokes' "Is This It?" with Jack Coyne
Tonight on Summer Album / Winter Album: Is This It? The Strokes. 2001.
Our special guest: Jack Coyne, host of Trackstar and Public Opinion.
Jody Avirgan is arguing Summ
Jun 10 2025 59 min
Lana Del Rey's "Norman F***ing Rockwell" with Avery Trufelman
Tonight on Summer Album / Winter Album: "Norman Fucking Rockwell!" Lana Del Rey. 2019.
Our special guest: Avery Trufelman, host of Articles of Interest
Jody Avirgan is
May 23 2025 1 h 09 min
Pavement's "Slanted and Enchanted" with Yasi Salek
Tonight on Summer Album / Winter Album: "Slanted and Enchanted." Pavement. 1992.
Our special guest: Yasi Salek, host of BandSplain.
Jody Avirgan is arguing Winter, Cr
May 2 2025 55 min
Joni Mitchell's "Court and Spark" with Tim Heidecker
Tonight on Summer Album / Winter Album: Court and Spark. Joni Mitchell. 1974.
Our special guest: Tim Heidecker, musician and host of Office Hours, On Cinema, and lots mo
Apr 18 2025 57 min
Is Craig's New Record A Summer Album Or Winter Album?! (Rapid Fire)
Between full episodes, we'll bring you quick conversations with some of our favorite music people -- rapid reactions to a bunch of classic albums: Summer or Winter.
Toda
Apr 14 2025 24 min
Belle and Sebastian's "If You're Feeling Sinister" with Jon Ronson
Tonight on Summer Album / Winter Album: If You're Feeling Sinister. Belle and Sebastian. 1996.
Our special guest: Jon Ronson
Jody Avirgan is arguing Summer, Craig Finn
Apr 3 2025 58 min
Walter Martin on Wilco, Bruce, Outkast, and Donovan (Rapid Fire)
Between full episodes, we'll bring you quick conversations with some of our favorite music people -- rapid reactions to a bunch of classic albums: Summer or Winter.
Toda
Mar 28 2025 8 min
Paul Simon's "Graceland" with Malcolm Gladwell
Tonight on Summer Album / Winter Album: Graceland. Paul Simon. 1986.
Our special guest: Malcolm Gladwell
Jody Avirgan is arguing Summer, Craig Finn is arguing Winter.
Mar 21 2025 59 min
Vampire Weekend's "Modern Vampires Of The City" with Amanda Petrusich (Live from On Air Fest)
Tonight on Summer Album / Winter Album: Modern Vampires Of The City. Vampire Weekend. 2013.
Our special guest: Amanda Petrusich of The New Yorker.
Jody Avirgan is argu
Mar 4 2025 46 min
Modest Mouse's "The Lonesome Crowded West" with Kevin Morby
Tonight on Summer Album / Winter Album: The Lonesome Crowded West. Modest Mouse. 1997. Our special guest: Kevin Morby.
Jody Avirgan is arguing Winter, Craig Finn is argu
Feb 21 2025 54 min
What listeners say
A curated, balanced selection of Apple Podcasts reviews.
It’s easy to learn and get more insight on albums you figure you already understand because the two hosts are deft and generous in their respective roles. Great guests too. Only knock is Craig mispronounces prescient a lot.
Der Bizon · Jun 2026
Fun to listen to, expertly produced. Craig will almost always win. Here is why:
-Craig answers the question subjectively: whether this is a summer or winter album to me. He therefore has two paths to victory: (1) guest agrees with Craig, based on their own (not Craig’s) subjective experiences with the album; or (2) guest, interpreting objective factors (title; production; lyrical content; lore around making; etc,), comes to same result as Craig.
-Compare Jody: Jody is interpreting those same objective set of favors set out in Craig Path (2) to answer the question, leaving him with only one meaningful path to victory: if the guest analyzes those same or other factors to come to the same conclusion. In theory Jody, like Craig, has a second path to victory - if his factor analysis coincides with the guest’s own subjective answer (I.e., if the guest answers the question the way Craig does, even though Jody doesn’t). But guests are more likely to attempt to answer the question using Jody’s mode of analysis than Craig’s, leaving Jody’s second path to victory much narrower. This also explains Jody’s good-natured griping when he loses: if the answer to the question is always subjective, then there can be no right or wrong answer even though Jody thinks that there is, because he is analyzing the album itself, not his own experience with it. Great pod though!
Enrique Armijo · Mar 2025
We strive to present a balanced view by showing a diverse range of reviews from Apple Podcasts.
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