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Tracks On Trial

Tracks On Trial

By: Sam George Amy Joe & Andy Smith
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About this listen

Tracks on Trial is a weekly music commentary and analysis podcast created and hosted by producer and composer Sam George, who is joined by artists and songwriters Amy Joe and Andy Smith. Each episode steps inside the creative engine room of a song, a genre, or a movement, exploring what makes music powerful, provocative, innovative, or culturally significant. The show treats listening as an artform. Every track becomes evidence, every idea becomes an argument, and every episode invites the audience to question what they think they know about modern music.

Sam brings a unique perspective shaped by his work as a writer, producer, mixer, and educator. His background spans metal, pop, electronic music, and immersive audio, and he has collaborated with artists across genres and generations. In Tracks on Trial, that experience is used for one purpose. To help listeners hear deeper. You are not just hearing opinions or reactions. You are learning how a music producer interprets rhythm, harmony, arrangement, texture, intention, cultural context, and emotional impact. The show blends technical insight with accessible storytelling so musicians and non musicians can follow every idea and enjoy the entire journey.

Every episode explores a different musical subject. Punk as cultural detonation, songwriting myths that refuse to die, the evolution of the breakdown, the hidden mathematics of groove, or the way artists reinvent their voice across decades. Some episodes focus on a single track and break it down piece by piece. Others examine entire movements and explain why they mattered, how they emerged, and what they changed. The goal is always the same. Understand music more deeply, appreciate it more fully, and recognise the creative decisions hidden inside every great record.

The tone of Tracks On Trial is direct, warm, and unpretentious. It is neither academic nor sensationalist. It is a place where big ideas are explained clearly, where genres are treated with respect, and where the craft of music making is celebrated. You will hear expert analysis, but also humour, unexpected connections, and thoughtful reflection on how music shapes culture and how culture shapes music in return.

Although the show includes short excerpts of copyrighted material, these are used strictly for commentary, analysis, education, and critical discussion. They form part of the evidence used in each episode’s argument, and they exist solely to help listeners follow the ideas being explored.

Whether you are a producer, songwriter, musician, or simply someone who loves music and wants to understand it on a deeper level, Tracks On Trial offers a thoughtful and engaging listening experience. It invites you into the mind of a working creator and encourages you to listen with curiosity rather than habit.

New episodes release weekly. Tune in, take your seat, and explore the music you love with fresh ears.

2025 Tracks On Trial
Episodes
  • Robert Plant’s Got a Flopper: Country, Americana & the Art of Collaboration
    Nov 25 2025

    Robert Plant’s got a flopper.

    And that’s not just a punchline. It’s the spark for a deep dive into the chaotic, beautiful world of musical collaboration.

    In this episode of Tracks on Trial, hosts Sam George (Spain), Amy Jo (USA), and Andy Smith (Australia) explore the magic that happens when creative worlds collide, and the disasters that sometimes follow. From country and Americana partnerships to unexpected cross-genre duets, they put the art of collaboration under the microscope (and occasionally, on trial).

    This week’s discussion includes:

    • Why authenticity makes or breaks musical partnerships.
    • The African and folk roots that shaped country and Americana.
    • When artistic chemistry ignites genius, and when it blows up spectacularly.
    • Robert Plant and Alison Krauss: brilliance, balance… and a few flops.
    • How collaboration fuels innovation across genres, from Nashville to New Orleans to Newcastle.

    Witty, insightful, and occasionally chaotic, this episode celebrates the risk and reward of working together, because sometimes the best collaborations are built on a little bit of chaos.

    Tracks on Trial - the global music podcast where every song (and artist) faces judgment.

    Subscribe, listen, and tell us your verdict: was it a Topper or a Flopper?

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    1 hr and 19 mins
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