Free Daily Podcast Summary
Snap, Crackle, POP! with Alec Cumming: Daily Summaries Delivered
by Alec Cumming, WPKN
A show dedicated to unapologetically intelligent & melodic pop music that oft includes adventure, ambition, angst, bass shenanigans, bravura, catchiness, cynicism, curiosity, dancability, deft dynamics, economy, forward momentum, glee, grace, hubris, irreverance, irony, love, maximalism, melancholy, minimalism, modesty, naïveté, overreaching, passion, prettiness, proselytizing, protest, questioning, repetition, ribaldry, sarcasm, sexiness, sincerity, specificity, swoon-worthiness, temerity, understanding, vagueness, wisdom, wit and maybe more than a little nostalgia.
Latest Episodes
The most recent episodes — sign up to get AI-powered summaries of each one.
- 2 weeks ago1h 42m
For Sal: a Snap Crackle POP tribute to Sal Maida
This week's Snap Crackle POP! show was dedicated to the memory of Sal Maida (1948 - 2025), the legendary bassist and New York City icon who left us too soon - and who had played with Roxy Music, Sparks, Milk 'n Cookies, Cracker, Lisa Burns and many other memorable rock 'n' roll combos and projects. The John Sally Ride, a band led by singer/songwriter John Dunbar, is releasing the latest (and last) album: FOR SAL. Sal was the bassist for the band's previous releases; for this one, John wrote a suite of songs based on Sal's epic autobiography "Four Strings, Phony Proof, 300 45s & Bottom's Up", and invited an impressive assortment of guest musicians (including Phil Manzanera, Steve Wynn, Dennis Diken, former Sparks bassist Martin Gordon and Justin Strauss from Milk 'n Cookies) who knew and had played with Sal to help him record the album. This episode features songs from over Sal's career mixed in with interview soundbites and songs from the new album, which is being released on December 4, 2026 on Think Like a Key Records. Please give a listen especially to the "The Kindest Blue Eyes", an deeply touching song about Sal by his wife and collaborator Lisa Burns.Virginia Plain – Roxy MusicMott And Broome – The John Sally RideSally, Go 'Round The Roses – The Jaynetts Get Lost Kid – The John Sally Ride Society’s Child – Janis Ian Pyjamarama (live) – Roxy MusicStranded After Touring Stranded – The John Sally RideChance Meeting (live) – Roxy Music Little, Lost and Innocent – Milk 'n CookiesHow to Make a Cult Classic – The John Sally Ride Tinkertoy Tomorrow – Milk 'n Cookies Big Boy – SparksA Little R and R – The John Sally Ride Fill-Er-Up – Sparks Nightline – Velveteen (feat. Lisa Burns)Science Fiction Daze – Cherie Currie Hello LA – The John Sally Ride School Days – The Runaways Some Girls – Sarah Brightman Gossips Truths n Lies – Edward Rogers The Kindest Blue Eyes – Lisa Burns
- 3 weeks ago2h 32m
This Might Be a Happy New Year! (with John Flansburgh of They Might Be Giants)
This is a VERY SPECIAL SUPERSIZED EDITION of SNAP CRACKLE POP! On Monday, October 19th 2026, I aired a 2-hour version of a show I had originally aired on WPKN in December 2022, when John Flansburgh of They Might Be Giants called in for an interview to help promote his band's New Years Eve gig... in 2022. Fast forward (almost) four years, and I'm noticing that They Might Be Giants will be BACK at New Haven's College Street Music Hall on December 31, 2026! So I decided to replay the 2022 interview on Monday, with my exhortations to have listeners email in for a ticket giveaway. But - check THIS out - now I'm uploading the show, I decided to add in more than a half-hour MORE music and MORE John Flansburg that I had leftover from the 2022 interview! Plus new music from the lads on their excellent 2026 album THE WORLD IS TO DIG. So this is pretty substantial... and I hope you enjoy! Thank you, John. I LOVE THEY MIGHT BE GIANTS. Wu-Tang (The World Is To Dig, 2026)13 [excerpt] (Miscellaneous T, 1991)Boat Of Car (They Might Be Giants, 1986)Number Three (They Might Be Giants, 1986)We’re The Replacements (Miscellaneous T, 1991) Put Your Hand Inside the Puppet Head (They Might Be Giants, 1986)Don’t Let’s Start (They Might Be Giants, 1986) Snowball in Hell (Lincoln, 1988)Piece of Dirt (Lincoln, 1988)Ana Ng (Lincoln, 1988) Your Racist Friend (Flood, 1990)Older (Long Tall Weekend, 1999)I Palindrome I (Apollo 18, 1992)Fingertips (Apollo 18, 1992) Meet James Ensor (John Henry, 1994) Laughing – Pere Ubu (The Modern Dance, 1977)Boots – The Residents (Meet The Residents, 1974)I Should Be Allowed To Think (John Henry, 1994)S-E-X-X-Y (Factory Showroom, 1996) I Can Hear You (Factory Showroom, 1996) James K. Polk (Factory Showroom, 1996) Doctor Worm (Severe Tire Damage, 1998)Mink Car (Mink Car, 2001) No! (No!, 2002)Fibber Island (No!, 2002)Boss Of Me (Mink Car, 2001)Flying V (Here Come the ABCs, 2005) Violin (No!, 2002)Twisting (Flood, 1990)Here In Higglytown (Here Come the ABCs, 2005) Another First Kiss (Mink Car, 2001) Cloissoné (Join Us, 2011)All Alone (They Got Lost, 2002)Memo to Human Resources (The Spine, 2005)Wicked Little Critta (Mink Car, 2001) Can’t Keep Johnny Down (Join Us, 2011)You’re on Fire (Nanobots, 2013)The Communists Have the Music (My Murdered Remains, 2018) Moonbean Rays (Book, 2021)Overnight Sensation (The World Is To Dig, 2026)They Might Be Giants (Flood, 1990) Birdhouse In Your Soul (Flood, 1990)
- Sep 21, 20261h 42m
Snap Crackle POP! is Getting Things Done!
I actually edited out a lot of the complaining I've been doing lately about my laptop and being flustered about being flustered, but you can still hear me bitching at the beginning, and I HAVE TO STOP. It's time to Get Things Done! Inspired by the new Joe McGinty/Paige Siegwardt jam and the stunning new Tom Waits cover by Eddie Skuller, I'm moving forward with a (sassy) New Attitude! Or something like that. Aquarius/Let the Sunshine In – The 5th Dimension Toledo – Elvis Costello Corner Of My Eye – The Lemon TwigsRosy, Won't You Please Come Home – The KinksYours Forever – Bishop Briggs feat. Matt MaesonCharles Atlas/I Can't Reach You – The WhoYou Need a Mess of Help to Stand Alone – The Beach Boys Mom, I’m Going Back to Therapy – Julia Cumming Ruby, Don't Take Your Love To Town – Kenny Rogers & The First EditionAngel On Your Shoulder – Dave Alvin Border Radio – The BlastersI'm Shakin' – Little Willie John Someday, Someway – Marshall Crenshaw The Magic Number – De La Soul Answer Me, My Love – Swamp Dogg Buffalo Stance – Neneh Cherry Get Things Done! – Joe McGinty feat. Paige Siegwardt and The Joe McGinty 7 Wendy – Joe McGinty & Jesse MalinAir on a G String – Baby Steps House Where Nobody Lives – Eddie SkullerRock On – Eddie SkullerDidn't Want to Have to Do It – Ralfi Pagan Coconut Grove – The Lovin' SpoonfulSeptember Song (live) – Rufus Wainwright Mezcal Moth – Ward White
- Sep 7, 20261h 58m
A Labor (Day) of Love
On September 3rd 2018, I had a 3-hour 4-7 afternoon on-air shift at WPKN. It was Labor Day, and before the show I put out a "hive mind" request on Facebook for recommenmdations on songs that would be, well, good to play on Labor Day, about Labor, as this holiday is particularly distant from its reason for being - it's almost completely only thought of the "summer is over, back to school/work" holiday. I got over 400 replies! When I got to the (old) WPKN Studios at the University of Bridgeport, the AC was not working, and boy did I complain. 🙄 I edited out of most of the whiny complaining part for today's show. Now it's September 7, 2026 (zoom!) and it's once again a Labor Day and a Monday, the day on which I now have a weekly two-hour "drive time" 7-9am morning show. I decided to resuscitate, as it were, the 2018 show and songs, with a tiny bit of updated VO and "rewind" sound effects. So I did, and here's what today's show sounded like, with a little "thank you" coda at the end. Minimum Wage – They Might Be Giants Get a Job – The SilhouettesWorking in The Coal Mine – Lee Dorsey Big Boss Man – Jimmy ReedChain Gang – Sam Cooke Back On the Chain Gang – The Pretenders 9 to 5 – Dolly PartonCar Wash – Rose Royce A Day in the Life of a Working Man – David Ruffin I've Been Working – Van Morison Bus Rider – Guess Who Working Too Hard – The Beat Millworker – Bette Midler Allentown – Billy Joel 5 O’Clock World – The Vogues Matthew & Son – Cat StevensI Just Got My Pay – The Beach Boys Government Center – Jonathan Richman & The Rubinoos Manic Monday (extended version) – The Bangles Don't Worry About the Government (live) – Talking Heads The Good Thing – Talking Heads Heaven Knows I'm Miserable Now – The Smiths There Is Power in a Union – Billy BraggTake Stuff from Work – King Missile (feat. John S. Hall) Workingman's Blues #2 – Bob Dylan VDT – Tom Juravich Sick Day – Fountains of Wayne It’s Not My Place (In the 9 to 5 world) – The Ramones Career Opportunities – The Clash Clampdown – The Clash Shipbuilding – Robert Wyatt Unemployment – JJ CaleWelcome to the Working Week – Elvis Costello Thank you for all the song recommendations via Facebook! Mark Sagarin, Bill Holdship, Patrick Trettenero, Daniel Martin Baker, Marice Elizabeth, Larry Stockel, Jimmy Howland, Daniel Martin Baker, John S. Hall, Jeff Samet, David Belgrave, Jhh Lowengard, Darren DeVivo, Bruce Bernstein, Howard Wuelfing and Norm Wallerstein (RIP)(Artwork pictured: "Workers on the Cathedral of Learning" by Harry W. Scheuch, born Elizabeth, NJ 1906, died Pittsburgh, PA 1978.)
- Aug 17, 20261h 54m
Here Come The Coveralls! (and other accidental hipsters)
This show features: - my current long-term Monkees obsession (long live Micky Dolenz and his ongoing love of psychedelia!)- a buncha great new or new-ish songs, as per usual, if I say so myself- a really touching, sad and yet melodically catchy song from a father about a son who passed away far too soon - a sneak peek at an upcoming Gershwin Brothers interview/special (sorry I didn't get to mention it on the air, or even back announce it, I was distracted by my incoming live in-studio guest)- a last half-hour or so where I have head Zamboni (and host of WPKN's Storied Sounds) Dave Schneider on as my guest, as we talk about The Coveralls' August 22nd gig at Black Rock Porchfest 2026, the Zambonis' upcoming ferryboat excursion (next stop: Port Jeff!) and some upcoming Hanukkah (Chanukah? Xanukah?) magic with the LeeVees this DecemberLost Boys – Phoebe Bridgers Waiting for Day – Micky DolenzBirth of an Accidental Hipster – The Monkees The Door into Summer (live) – The Monkees Come to Me – Vicki Peterson & John CowsillOh Dorian – Ben Kweller (feat. MJ Lenderman)Break the Jaw – Madison Cunningham Revel In the Knowledge – Julia Cumming Good Times // End Times – GooseStone Over Water – Death Cab for CutieStray Cats in Spain – Jeff Tweedy Scour Your Heart – Stephanie SeymourBianca Sativa – The Gershwin Brothers Sea Of Heartbreak – Johnny Cash feat. Tom Petty & The HeartbreakersI Don't Like Hockey No More – The ZambonisI Never Lived – Joybuzzer Hockey Monkey – The Zambonis feat. James Kochalka Superstar How Do You Spell Channukkahh? – The LeeVeesBuckaroo – The Buckaroos
- Aug 10, 20261h 48m
Just Another Magic Monday
One of my "new music" shows, which I should probably do more of. Or else I should keep a higher percentage of new-ish material placed alongside the various pop music rabbit holes the show oft burrows itself down into. Anyway, I like this one. "The "Hammond Song" cover is a good 'un, but you knew I'd say that, right? But it really really IS. You Retreat in Time and Space [Time edit] – Boards of CanadaImmortal Hands – Stereolab The Vision & The Call – Laurelynn Dossett featuring Charly Lowry The Hallelujah Trail – Charley CrockettCasablanca – Susannah Hoffs Lilac Wine – Arooj Aftab & Beck The Book of Love – Olivia Rodrigo Sunday Morning – Beth Gibbons Hammond Song – Wolf Alice (feat. Julia Cumming & Bria Saldana) White Horses – Wolf Alice moody – Royel Otis In Spirit – WHY?I Only Ever Wanted to See You Fail – The Reds, Pinks and PurplesLong After Midnight – Flock of Dimes Long Way to Fall – Bedouine Oh My Love – John Lennon Yours Forever – Bishop Briggs (feat. Matt Maeson)Unfinished Sympathy (live) – Hooverphonic Doomscrollin’ – The Gershwin Brothers What Are You Doing for the Rest of Your Life? – Kandace Springs This Is Your Night – The Flat Five Chelsea Morning – Sergio Mendes & Brasil '66Light Flight – Pentangle Summertime, Summertime – Foggy OtisAquarius (partial) – Boards of Canada
- Jul 27, 20261h 54m
It's a very ELECTROFUNK morning with KID GINSENG
I've gotten to know the mysterious, enigmatic, and rather brilliant deejay Kid Ginseng - a producer and turntablist with deep roots in early classic hip-hop and underground dance music - a little bit over the last few years, and I love talking with him about how he puts together his minimalist (or are they maximalist?), classic electrofunk jams. The Kid is living and creating in the present yet is deeply knowledgable about the jam-masters who've come before him. (He's also a really sweet guy.) So a few weeks ago - at the Coveralls gig at Walrus Alley in Westport, to be exact - I asked him if he would join me on my Monday morning Snap Crackle POP! show someday. And on this sunny summer Bridgeport morning he did! And he even debuted his newest mixtape, which incorporates some really deep-stark-funky jams and beats, both new and vintage, alongside his own innovative tracks from the last few years. We agreed to swoop in and out of the mix like we were at a party, which was really really fun and enlightening for me. So here it is, with a particularly boogie-down episode of Snap, Crackle, BOUNCE! (I mean POP!)Big Fun – Inner City Cavern – Liquid LiquidU.F.O. – ESG Last Night a D.J. Saved My Life – IndeepLet the Music Play – ShannonThe Adventures of Grandmaster Flash on the Wheels of Steel – Grandmaster Flash Kraftjerkz Freakout Mix # 3 – featuring: * Don’t Stop (intro) – Kid Ginseng* Looking for the Perfect Beat (instrumental) – Afrika Bambaataa* Love Can’t Wait – Tony “Dr. Edit” Garcia feat. Lil Suzy* I Need a Freak – Sexual Harassment* Night Drive Break* Rock the Planet – The Megatrons* Fix It in the Mix (instrumental) – Pretty Tony* My Tascam – Kid Ginseng* I Go Off – Kid Ginseng* Eye Spy – Unsighted* It’s Nokoman – DJ Technician* East 7 Miles – CEM3340* Crackworld – DJ Di’jital* Armada (DJ Maaco Remix) – DJ Di’jital* 808 Kits – DJ Di’jital Computer Love – Kraftwerk
- Jul 21, 20261h 53m
Woooo! A salute to Freddy "Boom Boom" Cannon and to the post-Elvis-Army/pre-Beatles era
I hope it doesn't seem odd to have a "Wooo!" in this podcast's headline, in terms of the fact that our honoree - early '60s rocker Freddy Cannon - passed away this previous weekend. He was a "Wooo!" kind of guy, and his music was unquestionably joyous rock 'n' roll. (Subtlety was not his forte.) So a lot of today's music was joyous (almost all of it, anyway) as Dawn Eden Goldstein and I took a musical journey through the years 1959 through 1963/4, what one might call the post-Elvis-getting-into-the-army and pre-Beatles pop music era. Did Elvis die when he went into the service? Did Rock 'n' Roll? Maybe Don McLean would differ, but Dawn, Freddy and I say "nay". And then: "Wooo!"Action (theme song for ABC-TV's “Where The Action Is”) – Freddy Cannon Don't Ever Charge – The CricketsClaudette (demo) – Roy OrbisonSweet Suzie – Johnny Burnette Crying In the Rain – Carole King From Me to You – Del Shannon Tallahassee Lassie – Flamin' Groovies Soldier of Love – Arthur AlexanderRock and Roll Will Never Die – Wild HaresTime’s Passing By – Lia Pamina & Dario Persi Dumb Head – Ginny Arnell He’s a Rebel – The CrystalsHalf Heaven Half Heartache – Gene Pitney Killer Joe – The Rocky FellersHippie Hippy Shake – Chan Romero Tallahassee Lassie – Freddie Cannon Transistor Sister – Freddie CannonWay Down Yonder in New Orleans – Freddy Cannon Bony Moronie – Larry Williams Whole Lotta Loving – Fats DominoPalisades Park – Freddy Cannon Stuck On You – Elvis Presley Fortune Teller – Benny Spellman You're No Good – Dee Dee Warwick The Last One to Be Loved – Lou Johnson This Empty Place – The SearchersHave I the Right – The Honeycombs Just What I Needed – Big DaddyOkefenokee – Freddy CannonPalisades Park – The Beach Boys
About Snap, Crackle, POP! with Alec Cumming
A show dedicated to unapologetically intelligent & melodic pop music that oft includes adventure, ambition, angst, bass shenanigans, bravura, catchiness, cynicism, curiosity, dancability, deft dynamics, economy, forward momentum, glee, grace, hubris, irreverance, irony, love, maximalism, melancholy, minimalism, modesty, naïveté, overreaching, passion, prettiness, proselytizing, protest, questioning, repetition, ribaldry, sarcasm, sexiness, sincerity, specificity, swoon-worthiness, temerity, understanding, vagueness, wisdom, wit and maybe more than a little nostalgia.
Customized Recaps
AI-powered recaps with compact key takeaways, quotes, and insights.
Straight to Your Inbox
Get key takeaways from Snap, Crackle, POP! with Alec Cumming in a 5-minute read.
Save Hours Every Week
Stay current on your favorite podcasts without falling behind.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Podzilla's Snap, Crackle, POP! with Alec Cumming daily summary?
It's a free AI-powered email that summarizes new episodes of Snap, Crackle, POP! with Alec Cumming as soon as they're published. You get the key takeaways, notable quotes, and links & mentions — all in a quick read.
How does the Snap, Crackle, POP! with Alec Cumming podcast summary work?
When a new episode drops, our AI transcribes and analyzes it, then generates a personalized summary tailored to your interests and profession. It's delivered to your inbox every morning.
Is this an official Snap, Crackle, POP! with Alec Cumming product?
No. Podzilla is an independent service that summarizes publicly available podcast content. We're not affiliated with or endorsed by Alec Cumming, WPKN.
Can I get summaries of other podcasts too?
Absolutely! The free plan covers up to 3 podcasts, any in the catalog. Basic raises that to 15, Pro to 40 and Max to 100. Browse our full catalog at /podcasts.
What topics does Snap, Crackle, POP! with Alec Cumming cover?
Snap, Crackle, POP! with Alec Cumming covers topics including History, Music. Our AI identifies the specific themes in each episode and highlights what matters most to you.
Start getting Snap, Crackle, POP! with Alec Cumming summaries tomorrow morning.
Free forever for up to 3 podcasts. No credit card required.
Free forever for up to 3 podcasts. No credit card required.