WFHB Music - Bloomington Community Radio: February 2007

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Wednesday, February 28

Playlist-- 02.27.07 Tues 3pm-5pm Afternoon Mix

PLAYLIST 02.27.07: It’s a “Trip”.

Van Morrison – Astral Weeks / Astral Weeks (WB) 1968
Van Dyke Parks- Palm Desert / Song Cycle (WB) 1968
The Who – Tattoo / The Who Sell Out (Decca) 1969
Monkees- Porpoise Song / Head (Colgems/Rhino) 1969/1994

Os Mutantes- Panis et Circenses / Tropicalia (Soul Jazz) 1968/2005 Compilation
Sagittarius – My World Fell Down / Present Tense (Columbia/Sundazed) 1967/1997
The Association – Barefoot Gentleman / Birthday (WB) 1968
The Pretty Things- The Sun / Emotions (Snapper) 1967/1998
Electric Prunes – Windup Toys / Underground (Reprise) 1967/2000 LP Reissue

The Good, The Bad & The Queen – History Song / S/T (Parlophone) 2007
Deerhoof – Believe E.S.P. / Friend Opportunity (Kill Rock Stars) 2007
(Yoko) Ono (with the Apples in Stereo) – Nobody Sees Me Like You / Yes, I'm a Witch (Astralwerks) 2007
Rivulets – Happy Ending / You Are My Home (Important) 2007

M. Ward – To Go Home / To Go Home (Merge) 2007 EP
Julie Doiron – I Woke Myself Up / Woke Myself Up (Jagjaguwar) 2007
Dean & Britta – Singer Sing / Back Numbers (Zoe) 2007
Andrew Bird – Scythian Empires / Armchair Apocrypha (Fat Possum) 2007

Feminine Complex- Leslie / To Be in Love (Teen Beat) 1967/1997 Compilation
The Alarm Clocks – No Reason To Complain / Yeah! (Norton) 1966/2000 Compilation LP
13th Floor Elevators – Tried To Hide / I Have Always Been Here Before: The Roky Erickson Anthology (Shout Factory) 1966 / 2005 Compilation
The Monks—I Hate You / Black Monk Time (Polydor/Repertoire) 1966/1994
Silver Apples – Walkin’ / Garden (Bully) 1968/1998

The Left Banke – She May Call You Up / Walk Away Renee/Pretty Ballerina (Smash) 1967
The Kinks – Something Else By… (Reprise)1967
Gal Costa – Tuareg / Tropicalia (Soul Jazz) 1969/2005 Compilation
Gilberto Gil – Queremos Guerra / 1969 (Mercury) 1969/2001 Compilation
Bert Jansch – Come Sing Me a Happy Song to Prove We All Can Get Along the Lumpy Bumpy, Long, and Dusty Road / The Squid and the Whale Soundtrack (Ultra) 1969/2005
Montage – This Song is Love / S/T (Laurie/Sundazed) 1969/2001

Missed my last show because of the snow/ice storm. Next show is March 13, 3pm-5pm. Feel free to tune in!

Labels: Community Radio, Music, Playlists, Radio, WFHB

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Sunday, February 25

CD Reviews -- Cathi 2/24/07

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Brown, Clarence “Gatemouth” – “Gate’s on the Heat” (Maison de Blues) A-

Multi-instrumentalist Gatemouth Brown plays with his regular band, then with Canned Heat, and even with Mickey Baker and the London strings. He stops at nothing. Blues fiddle is the most eclectic to me, but he plays mean guitar and the voice still cooked throughout. Good CD.

Memphis Slim & Buddy Guy – “Southside Reunion” (Maison de Blues) B

Though this disc features really fine musicians all the way through, the uneven mix takes a bit away from enjoyment. Slim’s piano overrides all the other instruments and Jr. Wells’ harp is set way back in the mix. Nevertheless, this is a good listen. Phil Guy and A.C. Reed do great support for the “reunion” love affair of piano and guitar between Slim and Buddy Guy.

Robinson, Tad – “A New Point of View” (Severn) A-

Tad’s always rested uneasily between blues and soul and on this CD he leans hard on what I’ve always believed was really his first choice—soul. Bluesy, with some incredible players, really a “dream team” –Schultz, Stupka, Gomes and Anker with the additional help of Willie Henderson and his horn arrangements really put the shine on these urban blues. Nine originals and letting his vocals free really do seem to enlarge on “a new point of view” for Tad, and it’s great to see/hear it. Minimal harp on this disc—more vocal oriented; Schultz turns in amazing stuff, esp. his BB-ish lead on #8; Stupka as always is rock solid; and Gomes LIVEs in the pocket.

Various – “Rough Guide to the Blues” (Rough Guides) A

It would be hard to give this a low grade – it’s a cross section of the blues—from old-time acoustic efforts off a scratchy recording, up through country and urban blues to an African-influenced tune by Ali Farka Toure. Original recordings, live versions, and jam hybrids (Sonnyboy Williamson & the Animals), it’s got a little blues for everyone. Interesting and good for a quick glimpse of a lot.
I wanted it to be good…really I did. Mediocre clear-voiced singer doing kind of bland tunes and covers. Better on uptempo swing tunes, but still, no cigar. Not recommended.

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Friday, February 23

here's more in, international

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Miguel Romero's release; "Welcome to My World" is very cool. Miguel Romero was born in Cuba and moved to the U.S. when he was 10. His mother is a santera, participant of a syncretistic Caribbean religion, and Miguel grew up hearing Yoruba music, thus incorporating it into his repertoire. On this album, you are welcomed to this musical world of Yoruba, jazz, funk, rock, rhumba, charanga, timba…and more. This is a creative compilation with an aged essence.
here are some of the tracks that i recommend:
#2. Middle Eastern sound instrumental
#3. Yoruba
#5. soulful female vocals, residents-esque music.
#7. may skip#9. another good one with soulful female vocals.

Sizu Yantra
Bienvenido al Sueno
Offering playfully electronic pop music, “for the little kid in us all,” Ruben Albarran created this first solo album for his first born. These are mostly instrumental tracks, though you hear some female vocals…his wife’s. I can appreciate his familial intent more then the tracks’ tendency to linger. If you like daft punk, I think you’ll like this.
I recommend these tracks:
#3: Tablas, female vocals
#7: bell beginning & mouth harp, transcends into a robust beat-a-thon.
#8: sampled baby coos, melody & some stringed instruments, male vocals.
#10: an electronic lullaby#11: quiet and atmospheric

Formerly known as Alma Latina, Radio Mundial (World Radio) is “Latin inspired Funk.” This album was produced by Yerba Buena’s Andres Levin, and it’s feel is similarly high energy…even during the slower songs. No soul was lost in the name change.
check out these tracks:
#2: Most catchy track on album.
#3
#8: sweet sounds for the soul.
#11

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Wednesday, February 21

afternoon music mix Wednesday, February 21

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My mix for today: (if no date listed, it is 2007)

1998 For The Masses: Various Artists Smashing Pumpkins "Never Let Me Down Again"

2003 M.Ward Transfiguration of Vincent "Undertaker"

Dean and Britta Back Numbers "Singer Sing"

Jesse Sykes and The Sweet Hereafter Like, Love, Lust and The Open Halls of The Soul "Hard Not To Believe"

2002 Clinic Walking With Thee "Harmony"

Love Of Diagrams "Cool (live)" Pylon Cover

The Good, The Bad, and The Queen (s/t) "Herculean"

2003 Yo La Tengo Summer Sun "Little Eyes"

Rosie Thomas These Friends of Mine "Say Hello"

Elvis Perkins Ash Wednesday "t/c"

The Sort of John Black The Good Girl Blues "Swamp Thing"

Ojos de Brujo Teachari "Sultanas de Merkaillo"

The Shins Wincing The Night Away "Turn On Me"

2005 Judee Sills Introducing Judee Sills "Lady-O"

M. Ward To Go Home (EP)"Human Punching Bag"

Dolorean You Can't Win "Heather Remind Me How This Ends"

Rivulets You Are My Home "Win or Lose"

Sleeping in the Aviary Oh, This Old Thing? "Another Girl"

2002 Beck Sea Changes "The Golden Age"

Andrew Bird Armchair Apocrypha ""Simple X" featuring DOSH

2002 Flaming Lips Yoshimi Battles The Pink Robots "Its Summertime"

Lily Allen Alright, Still... ""Smile"

The Silos Come On Like The Fast Lane "Sunset Morning"

Sophe Lux Waking The Mystic "Girl of Your Tomorrow"

2006 Summer Hymns Backward Masks "Pity and Envy"

Richard Swift Dressed Up For The Let Down "t/c"

Peter Bjorn and John Writer's Block "Amsterdam"

No time for Labels today. Most were Merge, Zoe, Barsuk, Matador, Sub Pop, Yep Roc, Geffen, Wegawam, Capitol, Bloodshot, Elektra and Clermont

Please feel free to leave comment! See you in 2 weeks. Simplicity

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WFHB ADDS 2.12 & 2.19

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DATE: 2.19.07
ARTIST:JJ Grey & Mofro
TITLE: Country Ghetto (Alligator)
GENRE: rock/mainstream
GRADE: A
REVIEW: J J Grey is a singer-songwriter in his late 30s with talent and
historical references. His music borrows from Stax/Volt and Mississippi
hill-country blues, and he sings with feeling, in an unforced deep drawl,
about the condition of poor whites in the South. But hes also got a band
with an excellent groove, and thats what makes the difference on Country
Ghetto (Alligator). His biggest weapon is the drummer George Sluppick, who
puts a lot of funk into a medium tempo, and recalls the kings of heavy
foot: musicians like John Bonham and Gregg Errico from Sly and the Family
Stone, who drove their bass-drum beats into your spine. These songs dont
have to be half as accomplished as they are. It would be a pleasure to
hear this band play covers all night.
RECOMMENDED TRACKS:
REVIEWER: nytimes.com

DATE: 2.19.07
ARTIST:M. Ward
TITLE: To Go Home (Merge)
GENRE: rock/alt
GRADE: A
REVIEW: Kind of a teaser EP, but it's M. Ward so check it out! To Go Home
is from his Post-War album, it's a Daniel Johnston cover. The other three
tracks are all previously unreleased. All in that gravelly, uplifting M.
Ward style.
RECOMMENDED TRACKS: 1, 2, 3, 4
REVIEWER: Jim Manion/WFHB

DATE: 2.19.07
ARTIST:Sophe Lux
TITLE: Waking The Mystics (Zarathustra)
GENRE: rock/alt
GRADE: A
REVIEW:Hailing from Portland, Oregon, Sophe Lux is a theatrically
envisioned troupe that taps into an age-old musical blend of thought and
concept. Interestingly, singer and visionist, Gwenneth Haynes is the
sister of filmmaker Todd Haynes (Velvet Goldmine, Safe, Far From Heaven),
which reveals the currency of their upbringing as it passes hands. From
the menacing cover to the thematic songs found within, Waking the Mystics
is a collection of observations on this current time and its various
stones of realizations. With lyrics that are inspired by the ruminations
of such philosophers as Fredric Nietzsche, combined with the poetics of
William Blake, you will definitively get a mindful of lifes inadequacies
and our entrapment within our own primitively Neanderthal approach to it
all. The album begins with Target Market, a look at how we absorb
ourselves against the political landscape by immersing within the numbing
trivialities of shopping. On Lonely Girl, there is an homage to Kate Bush
with her vocal style and the intriguing witch lyrics and which carries
through in Marie Antoinette Robot 2073, a song in four parts. By Little
Soldier of Time, she is back to a Lovich style. Sophe Lux shows their
greatest disdain for the lack of spirituality that has formed like a
low-lying fogbank over the expressway of humanity in the brilliantly
created God Doesnt Take American Express.
RECOMMENDED TRACKS: 1, 2, 3, 5, 7, 12
REVIEWER: musictap.net

DATE: 2.19.07
ARTIST:Anais Mitchell
TITLE: The Brightness (Righteous Babe)
GENRE:folk/ss
GRADE: A
REVIEW: Anais Mitchell starts her latest album, The Brightness, with this
line: "Come out, come on, come outside ... I wanna see you half-lit ...
laughing with the whites of your dark eyes." With the whimsically simple
guitar part and Mitchell's reticent, pixie-ish voice, it's a tempting
invitation. It may take a few listens, but sooner or later, your bound to
follow Mitchell into The Brightnes. For me, the urge to follow came from
the thickening of this first song. In the throes of a chorus of sorts,
Mitchell's voice is joined by other voices on the one syllable of "Oh,"
which they repeat so many times, it becomes its own invitation. Mitchell,
according to her bio, has spent quite a bit of time traveling the world
and commenting on it through song. The Brightness only adds to her
collection of observations, musings, flirtations, and demands. She tackles
just about every topic here, turning each experience and observation into
a verbal force that straddles the line between the personal and political.
Using piano and guitar, Mitchell plays each instrument until it's dripping
with both sorrow and hope, spinning her way deep into The Brightness
before removing the glare.
RECOMMENDED TRACKS: 1, 2, 5, 6, 8
REVIEWER: folkmusic.about.com

DATE: 2.19.07
ARTIST: Ono
TITLE: Yes, I'm a Witch (Astralwerks)
GENRE: rock/alt
GRADE: A
REVIEW: The worlds most famous cult musician has won the admiration of
jazzbos, new wavers, no wavers, riot grrls and dance DJs in her 45-year
career, and its not just because she can ululate like an orgasmic mental
patient. Caught between crystalline emotion and conceptual play, her
decades of uneven pop and sometimes-bewildering experiments holds
something for every stripe of charismatic weirdo. Here Cat Power, Peaches,
DJ Spooky and others reimagine songs spanning Onos catalogue, typically
layering her original, haunting-to-haranguing vocals over their own music.
For Ono who has made visual art simply by asking that people picture
something in their heads this surrendering of her craft makes perfect
sense. And it works: Her voice, threaded into the idiosyncratic sounds her
acolytes carefully cultivate, morphs into excellent electro hooks and
harrowing confessions. If the students sound like masters, then Yokos
generous legacy is secure.
RECOMMENDED TRACKS: 2, 5, 7, 10, 11, 13, 14
REVIEWER: blender.com

Also added 2/20 at WFHB:

Richard Swift Dressed Up For The Let Down Secretly Canadian
The Silos Come on Like The Fast Lane Bloodshot
Andrew Bird Armchair Apocrypha Fat Possum
The Besnard Snakes Are The Dark Horse Jagjaguwar
Peter Bjorn and John Writer's Block Almost Gold

DATE: 2.12.07
ARTIST: The Soul of John Black
TITLE: The Good Girl Blues (Cadabra)
GENRE: BLUES
GRADE: A
REVIEW:The Good Girl Blues is virtually a dissertation on traditional
blues, as Bigham explores its many variations whilst deftly connecting it
with more modern sounds. He does this brilliantly on "Swamp Thang", at its
core a porch pickin' blues piece that surreptitiously threads its way
straight into hiphop, a style accented by the beats and Bigham's slipping
towards rapping his lyrics. Likewise "Slipin' and Slidin'" is pure swamp
blues, except for the eerie effects and a touch of hiphop scratching that
slithers through. "The Moon Blues" is traditional blues to its very core,
with a sensuous, smokey jazz club aura, but with Bigham's lead guitar
licks hinting at the rock'n'roll that eventually expropriated it. "Fire
Blues" gives a further nod to that progression, blues filtered through
white hands for a decade and landing fore square in the mainstream,
although Bigham's vocals remind us, that simultaneously Black soul artists
were pulling the sound back home. The fabulously funky "Feelin's" tips a
hat to one of the first Black acts to cross the divide between blues and
rock, Sly & the Family Stone. Widening his net, Bigham crosses the border,
digging "The Hole" with Lead Belly's sweat and a shovelful of Latin
rhythms. "Moanin'" digs even deeper to find a link between the blues and
flamenco, capturing the emotion of both, amidst a blur of guitar
strumming.
RECOMMENDED TRACKS: 1, 2, 5, 7, 8, 10
REVIEWER: allmusicguide.com

DATE: 2.12.07
ARTIST:Patty Griffin
TITLE: Children Running Through (ATO)
GENRE: FOLK/SS
GRADE: A+
REVIEW: Collective mourning brings us together. People who need their
music fused with overwhelming positivity may not understand Griffin's
appeal, but for anyone's who's felt a hellhound on his trail or stared
into the glacial isolation of a Northern sky, the bond is strong and
permanent. Griffin isn't one to draw attention to herself. Her best
material has always been her gently unfolding wallflower portraits. She
can wail with the best of them and usually finds a few choice spots on
each album to air out this talent. Children Running Through is no
exception. "Stay on the Ride" sports a funky backdrop with uptown horns
for her to kick up her cowboy boots to, while "Getting Ready" delivers a
kiss-off ("I'm getting ready to let you go") to a demanding railroad
rhythm. But they are diversions we accept as the necessary setup for her
natural forte as a singer of quiet, desperate songs. She begins Children
with "You'll Remember," a modern spiritual constructed in near silence,
her voice echoing off the cathedral walls as gently brushed drums and a
standup bass provide the backdrop with an organ barely puncturing the
ghostly aura. She breaks the spell with the aforementioned "Stay on the
Ride" before settling back in with "Trapeze," a loose duet with Emmylou
Harris that's an emotional tug of war-people are drawn to the daring
adventures of the risk-taker only to find solace when, "one of these
nights the old girl's going down." Griffin's characters may never
completely trust love but they'll always understand conflict. "Burgundy
Shoes" is a snapshot of childhood recollected with simple piano notes that
are suddenly joined by his orchestral sweep, adding a cinematic score to
this modest bus ride to Bangor, while "I Don't Ever Give Up" manages a
quiet loudness that never overpowers Griffin's fragile delivery.
RECOMMENDED TRACKS: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 8, 10
REVIEWER: paste.com

DATE:
ARTIST:Youth Group
TITLE: Casino Twilight Dogs (Anti)
GENRE: ROCK/ALT
GRADE: A
REVIEW: Producer Wayne Connolly, who did an excellent job on Jar, outdoes
himself here, creating an album that shimmers and shines, sparkles and
glows. The Beach Boys Pet Sounds was an obvious inspiration, and one the
band borrowed too, especially for "On a String," but there's plenty of
glamour and elegance shot through the set as well. On "Sorry" the guitars
are positively iridescent, on "Dead Zoo" they glow, and on the surging
"Under the Underpass" they shine and pulse, just a bit blurred to bring
out the song's epic quality. They reverberate on "Daisy Chains," as
Connolly and the band slowly swell the sound, until it finally bursts
forth in full majesty. But for all their luminosity, Youth Group are
capable of tougher stylings, as they prove on the more aggressive "Catch
and Kill." In contrast, the haunting "Sicily" transmutes the sun-dappled
Mediterranean into song. Of course, the glorious music is only half the
band's appeal, of equal import are their emotive lyrics and Toby Martin's
sweet, strong deliveries. The themes range from the sarcastic -- "Sorry"
-- to the serious -- "The Destruction of Laurel Canyon" -- the latter
written about the 2005 L.A. mud slides, and "TJ," a pensive number about
the real life tragedy of a young boy who met his death while being chased
by police. From the savage -- "Catch and Kill," to the savoir faire -- the
ode to idleness "Start Today Tomorrow," Youth Group's poignant and
thought-provoking lyrics and storytelling style have pushed the group into
the emo bag, but with their incandescent music, they're far too glittering
to be left with that label for long.
RECOMMENDED TRACKS: 2, 4, 5, 7, 9, 10
REVIEWER: allmusicguide.com

DATE: 2.12.07
ARTIST: Elvis Perkins
TITLE: Ash Wednesday (XL)
GENRE: FOLK/SS
GRADE: A
REVIEW:As an XL signing theres no doubt a great deal of attention will be
lavished upon him as Thom Yorke and Devandras new bedfellow, but from the
assured sounds of these simple but devastatingly effective songs I doubt
hed even bat an eyelid. Simplicity is the key here I think, Perkins has by
the sounds of it resigned himself to the fact that hes not going to be
breaking any stylistic boundaries, so instead of risking some unsuccessful
experiments he has gone instead, guns-blazing, for perfectly formed pop
music. This is pop music in the same way as the Beach Boys or to a certain
extent the Beatles is pop music; memorable and beautifully handled songs
which drift around your consciousness and haunt you throughout the day. In
fact I wouldnt be surprised if one or more of these tracks was picked for
a trendy advert or two, they just have that sunny (yet mindfully
melancholic) feeling which would endear them to the uneducated masses.
With skeletal but creative production to match the songs, we have gorgeous
moments such as Moon Woman II which echoes the best Jon Brion has to offer
next to downbeat numbers like The Night & The Liquor which sounds like Low
recorded in a broken down bar somewhere, complete with hazy piano and
distant drums. A truly gorgeous record which deserves every success, Ash
Wednesday is something youll no doubt be hearing a lot more of.
INTERSTING NOTE: Elvis Perkins is the son of the late Tony Perkins, who
starred as Norman Bates in Hitchcock's Psycho.
RECOMMENDED TRACKS: 1, 4, 7, 9, 10
REVIEWER: boomkat.com

DATE: 2.12.07
ARTIST:Bethany & Rufus
TITLE: 900 Miles (Hyena)
GENRE: FOLK/SS
GRADE: A
REVIEW: And the second-generation beat goes on. First, there was the
platinum splash made by sitarist Ravi Shankars daughter, Norah Jones. Then
Jen Chapin, echoing the moralist vibrancy of her troubadour dad Harry,
began a slower, though no less impressive, ascent. Now, Bethany Yarrow,
offspring of Peter (of Peter, Paul and Mary fame), is, in tandem with
cellist Rufus Cappadocia, carrying the folk-fueled family torch. In
addition to boasting an iconic dad, Yarrow also shares with Jones and
Chapin the distinction of a keen, dusky-voiced musicianship that blurs
folk, rock and pop. Working her way through more than a centurys worth of
material, traveling from the traditional railroad work song Linin Track
and the antique title tracks wayfaring blues to Jesse Winchesters gently
infectious Isnt That So? and Phil Ochs achingly beautiful No More Songs,
Yarrow sounds eerily like a softer-edged Patricia Barber. Consistently
proficient as she is, it is, though, Cappadocias brilliance that gives
this disc its remarkable sheen. His palette, extending from the baroque
majesty of No More Songs to the Nashville kick of If I Had My Way, is
incredibly rich and, as superbly demonstrated on the Spanish lament
Asturiana with its intriguing dirge/hymn dichotomy, amazingly clever.
RECOMMENDED TRACKS: 1, 3, 5, 6, 7, 8, 10
REVIEWER: jazztimes.com

DATE: 2.17.07
ARTIST: The Last Town Chorus
TITLE: Wire Waltz (Hacktone)
GENRE: FOLK/SS
GRADE: A+
REVIEW: If youve got that deep depression thing going on right now and
with the schizophrenic weather were having, I wouldnt fault you this
record could be your Prozac. No, it wont make you feel better; itll just
mask your symptoms and make you feel like youre not the only one with
weighing thoughts. (Its advised to keep sharp objects at arms length at
least on the first listen.) Megan Hickeys voice guides you on a monotone
adventure through break-ups (Its Not Over), uncomfortable memories of
childhood (Huntsville, 1989) and old lovers (You), in search of an
ultimate understanding. Its depressing and therapeutic at the same time.
The eerie yet beautiful sound of a lap steel guitar, maneuvered by Hickey,
strings the 12 songs together as if the album is one long
stream-of-consciousness session. I feel guilty that my favorite cut is a
cover of David Bowies Modern Love (which was played recently on Greys
Anatomy). Its so much different than the original, it took me a few
listens to find those familiar hooks.
RECOMMENDED TRACKS: 1, 3, 4, 5, 7, 9
REVIEWER: leovia.com

Also added at WFHB this weeK
JJ Cale & Eric Clapton The Road To Escondido Reprise
Ojos de Brujo Techari Diquela/Six Degrees
Dean & Britta Back Numbers Zoe
Lily Allen Allright, Still... Capitol

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Jim Manion - Music Programming Director
WFHB 91.3/98.1 FM - Bloomington Community Radio
108 W. Fourth Street Bloomington, Indiana 47404
(812) 323-1200
Music Tracking: 1-3pm Eastern on Wednesday - (812) 330-1905
email: ionman@bluemarble.net
listen online: www.wfhb.org
WFHB Music Blog: http://wfhbmusic.blogspot.com/
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

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Friday, February 16

a couple reviews, mostly singles

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Somehow I picked up two cd-singles without realizing it. Here's a few reviews:

Artist: The Bird and the Bee
Title: Again and Again and Again and Again (CD single)
Genre: Alternative Grade: A
FCC: 3 & 4

As intoxicating as a Brazilian breeze and ironic as a David Lynch night in L.A., the Los Angeles duo the Bird and the Bee make a soothingly hip, deliriously cool blend of pop. Inara George is a breathy singer who channels Astrud Gilberto via Julee Cruise. Although still little known, she's the daughter of the late Lowell George of Little Feat, and she already has recordings out with a couple of other bands. Keyboardist and producer Greg Kurstin has worked with Beck and the Flaming Lips, among many others, and the duo share a passion for that brand of art pop along with the more whimsical indie strains of Le Tigre. – Amazon.com

The only new thing here not from the album is a Peaches remix that is not FCC friendly, go figure! --CLM

Artist: The Hold Steady
Title: Stuck Between Stations
Genre: Alternative Grade: A

Craig Finn loves books and bars. It's not just that he pinched the title of he Hold Steady's third album from the ultimate manual for boozehounds, Jack Kerouac's "On the Road" ("Boys and Girls in America have such a sad time together"), but that every leery line of every song is crammed with the wayward poetry and passion of someone who is more familiar with the bottom of a whiskey glass than the sun. Thanks to his raucous Brooklyn band, his music--louder than its predecessors this time, with a few more ballads--also happens to make a great soundtrack for an all-night bender where broken-hearts and broken bottles become one. – Amazon.com

Think Jawbreaker mixed with Warren Zevon with Bruce Springsteen and a thousand other anomalies. Somehow, they pull it off, these songs are catchy and radio friendly. Play away!
My favorite: #2, the acoustic version of the single, lyrics are more discernable
#4, cover of Bob Seeger’s “Against the Wind” --CLM

Artist: The Saps
Title: C’Mon Already – Start a Fire
Genre: Alternative Grade: B+

The Saps' forthcoming LP has roots in alt-country of the energetic sort, as if Wilco recorded A.M. on a sugar high and proceeded to invite Stephen Malkmus over for a havoc-wreaking play-date. If that's not ambitious enough, the band even adds dreamy ooos and Cure-tinged riffs to their slightly off-kilter gems. Plus, irreverent lines like "I never brush my hair / No one seems to care" ("Coup de Grace") make it all even more endearingly quirky. – Spin.com

I found this album to be very predictable and generic, but at the same time infectious and catchy. The first track gives a good sense of the entire album and would be a good one for afternoon mixes. –CLM

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Thursday, February 15

playlist for WOMENSPACE 2-15-07

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Here was my playlist for tonight.

Goldfrapp 2005 SuperNature "Ooh La La" (Allison Goldfrapp)
Mazzy Star 1993 So Tonight that I Might See "Fade Into You"
Ane Brun 2006 A Temporary Dive "Song No. 6"
Dean and Britta 2007 Back Numbers "Wait For Me"
***
Camera Obscura 2007 If Looks Could Kill "Hands Up Baby"
Some Girls 2006 Crushing Love "Never Really Mine"
The Bird and the Bee 2007 "Preparedness" (Inara Geroge)
Tin Cup Prophette 2006 Liar and the Theif "80 Days" (Amanda Kupousouz)
***
Over The Rhine 2005 Drunkards Prayer "I Want You to be My Love" (Karen Berquist)
Judee Sill 2005 Introducing Judee Sill "My Man On Love"
Rickie Lee Jones 2007 The Sermon on Exposition Boulevard "Seventh Day"
Brisa Rouche 2006 The Chase "Mystery Man"
***
Lucinda Williams 2007 West "Everything Has Changed"
Hem 2005 No Word From Tom "All The Pretty Horses" (Sally Ellyson)
***
FEATURED ARTIST: KAKI KING 2004 Legs to Make Us Longer
1. "Frame"
2. "Playing with Pink Noise"
3. "Ingots"
4. "Doing the Wrong Thing"
5. "Solipsist"
***
Broken Social Scene 2005 "Her Disappearing Theme" (Feist)
Linda Ronstadt and Ann Savoy 2006 Adieu False Heart "t/c"
Psapp 2006 The Only Thing I Ever Wanted "King of You" (Carivi Clasmann and Galia Duvant)
Kristin Hersh 2007 Learn to Sing Like a Star "Day Glo"
Vienna Teng 2006 Paste Magazine CD "Whatever You Want"
Amy Millan 2006 Honey From The Tombs "Blue in Yr Eye"
Erin McKeown 2007 Sing You Sinners "Get Happy"
Cat Power 2000 The Covers "I Found A Reason"
Lilly Allen 2007 Alright, Still "Friend of Mine"

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Tuesday, February 13

play list for February 13 3-5pm

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Here is my play list for today's afternoon music mix. If you had questions or comments about songs played, please feel feel to leave a comment here. Simplicity filling in for Jeremy today.

Artist: Disc/year: Song:

Nick Lowe 1998 DIG MY MOOD Freezing

Dean and Britta 2007 BACK NUMBERS Teen Angel

Jesse Sykes &The Sweet Hereafter 2007 LIKE, LOVE AND THE OPEN HALLS OF THE SOUL How Will We Know

Calexico 2003 FEAST OF WIRE Woven Birds

Beirut 2006 (?) LON GISLAND Scenic World

Dosh 2004 PURE TRASH Bye Rhodsy

The Bird and The Bee 2007 s/t The Birds and The Bees

Paolo Nutini 2006 THESE STREETS New Shoes

The Shins 2007 WINCING THE NIGHT AWAY Girl Sailor

The Earlies 2007 THE ENEMY CHORUS Foundation and Earth

Psapp 2006 THE ONLY THING I EVER WANTED Eating Spiders

Yo La Tengo 1997 I CAN HEAR THE HEART BEATING AS ONE Return to Hot Chicken

Leonard Cohen 2006 I'M YOUR MAN SDTRK Tower of Song (featuring U2)

The Postmarks 2007 t/a Weather the Weather

Lucinda Williams 2007 WEST Everything Has Changed

Wilco 1996 BEING THERE Sunken Treasure

Deerhoof 2007 FRIEND OPPORTUNITY The Perfect Me

Sloan 2007 NEVER HEAR THE END OF IT Someone I Can Be True With

Sojorn 2006 WHEN THE LIGHTS GO DOWN Feel

The Cat Empire 2007 TWO SHOES Sly

J.J. Cale/ Eric Clapton 2007 RADIO TO ESCONDIDO Danger

The Hollows 2006 DARLINGS OF NAUGHT What Happens in the Night

Leonard Cohen 2004 DEAR HEATHER To A Teacher

Neko Case 2006 FOX CONFESSOR BRINGS THE FLOOD Hold On, Hold On

Labels: feb. 13 mix

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Friday, February 9

latest international addition

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Ojos de Brujo's, Techari. This band originating in Barcelona adopted the name, Ojos de Brujo (Eyes of the Witch/Wizard) because, “witches and wizards are more aware of what is going on in this screwed up world, and we think that music should be helping the world become more conscious and aware.” What’s going on in this world? Gypsy travels, global fusion, and a combination of ancient and modern sentiments. Though flamenco is central to their music, on this album Ojos have scratched in some space for hip-hop, jazz, rock, funk, ragga, and sounds from Latin America and East Asia. And all of it is splendor. This are aspects of certain tracks that stand out most to me, but all tracks are favorable.
#1. Stomp-clap-scratch funk.
#2. Sultry female vocals.
#3. Tablas
#5. Breathy raps.
#6. !Viva la revolucion!
#9. Let us sing, let us dance.
#11. Beautiful feedback.
#14. Hidden track @ 7:53 > 9:03.

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Wednesday, February 7

Clapton-Cale Review

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Clapton, Eric & J.J. Cale -- "Road to Escondido" (Reprise) A+

Ah....my two heroes. J.J. Cale – a master at saying the maximum with the minimum notes (and endlessly catchy beats), and Eric Clapton—guitarist wizard who recognizes “feel” wherever he finds it (BB King and JJ Cale). I’ve long hoped these two would do a CD (Eric has often covered Cale’s tunes), and here it is – living up to everything I’d hoped. Guitar styles are exercised throughout and it’s great to listen to their similarities and differences. Cale’s definitely a Clapton inspirer, and together they work it right. First cut is the big radio hit and worth every note. The rest deliver, with an easy, masterful glide. Can’t complain...keep it coming! Mostly medium tempo grooves.

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Sunday, February 4

Cathi's Reviews 2-4-07

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Blues, Billy – “Blues in My Room” (Billy Blues Rec.) C+

I wanted it to be good…really I did. Mediocre clear-voiced singer doing kind of bland tunes and covers. Better on uptempo swing tunes, but still, no cigar. Not recommended.

Goldwasser, Frank – “Bluju” (Delta Groove) A-

Parisian guitarist who worked with Sonny Rhodes, then moved to San Francisco, and from there on in, worked clubs hard down the coast. Here he appears with Alex Schultz on guitar and Kirk Fletcher too. Music is based on traditional blues, but incorporates fink and swing, New Orleans flavor, etc. Nice change up in tunes…skilled. Vocals ok.

Mo-Tones, Johnny & the – “Get Gone” (Altenburgh Rec.) C+

Were it not for a couple of okay tunes, my advice on this one was to follow the advice of the title. In fact, I’d probably advice that anyway. Not recommended.

Original Delta Fireballs – “Come On With It-Live” (Bottle Cap) C-

Oh my. Bad harp, blown out whiskey vocals, bad covers, two-mic-recording in a toilet of a bar. Nightmare on blues street. Not recommended.

Overman, Mick & Maniacs – “Good Thing Happen” (OhCorina Music) C-

Sometimes Overman has hints of Jackson Browne in his vocals, but not for more than an instant. Otherwise vocals witness the effects of age on a voice, and the songwriting is campy. Record nearly saved by addition of really fine mandolin player Patrick O’Connor, but in the end – sinks. Not recommended.

Pettersen, Ed – “The New Punk Blues of” (Srrecords) C

Artist claims his music is “punk blues” but I would venture it has nothing to do with either. It’s an acoustic folk, singer-songwriter collection of straight down Unexciting Boulevard. Not recommended.

Redding, Lipbone – “Hop the Fence” (BePop Rec.) B

An eclectic record of a street performer who busked in New York, South America, India and California, developing a rhythmic solo repertoire that has flavors of interesting hypnotic beats that lend themselves well to street entertainment I think. Santana-ish. Most interesting is his uncanny (vocal) mimicking of a trombone which he uses to good effect in fleshing out his sound, backed minimally here by drummer and bassist.

Soweto Gospel Choir – “African Spirit” (Shanachie Entertainment) A+

This is an incredible collection of beautiful vocal work…arrangements are spectacular and a person could get religion just listening to the voices. Covers of a few, uniquely arranged, Dylan, Marley and Jimmy Cliff don’t hurt a bit. Less sparkling, in my opinion, was the Bono-live tune, but there’s nothing on this disc that isn’t just excellent. All good for morning mix. Bravo/a

Walker, Phillip – “Going Back Home” (Delta Groove) B+

Old timer Louisiana bluesman Phillip Walker, who’s spent years on the road, and finally got some notice when West Coast producer Bruce Bromberg helped him with a record in the early ‘70s. Promoted by Midwestern agent Tom Radai for years, Walker has been medium-successful and here is backed by the great West Coast Posse Rhythm section with stunning guitar by new blues star, Randy Zinn. Voice showing signs of aging, but still has great phrasing and delivery. Instrumentalization is, of course, great.

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Friday, February 2

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Thursday, February 1

WFHB ADDS 1.23.07 & 1.30.07

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sorry i did not post add reviews last week. here are last week's and this week's....

1.24.07

DATE: 1.23.07
ARTIST:The Shins
TITLE: Wincing the Night Away (Sub Pop)
GENRE:ROCK/ALT
GRADE: A+
REVIEW: Wincing isnt so much a departure as it is an all-out augmentation,
taking the best things about The Shins and amplifying them: the sunny,
impeccably crafted tra-la-la pop songwriting thats always slightly spooky
and off-kilter; the bands propensity to fill the nooks and crannies of a
song with hooks just as compelling as the chorus; and James Mercers knack
for packing untold emotional resonance into even the slightest vocal key
change. Opener Sleeping Lessons wafts in on a delicate keyboard arpeggio,
then explodes into a squall of lickety-split galloping guitars and Mercers
plaintive, liberating, Youre not obliged to swallow anything you despise.
First single Phantom Limb offers gorgeous, sky-scraping melancholy driven
along with crisp tambourines. But theres serious innovation going on, too
the wonderfully strange Sea Legs combines a hip-hop beat and a
Morrissey-esque melody, and in Red Rabbit tinkling piano and acoustic
guitar tiptoe alongside keening woodwinds. Everything is awash in
shimmering production, harmonic flourishes, and rich, unexpected textures.
The Shins have always had an underdog charm, a certain cerebral nerdiness
that counterbalances even their most lilting, overt pop impulses. With
Wincing The Night Away, theyve met the age-old challenge of how to evolve
without losing any of what made them so lovable to begin with.
RECOMMENDED TRACKS: 1, 4, 5, 6, 8, 10, 11
REVIEWER: APRIL LONG uncut.co.uk

DATE: 1.23.07
ARTIST:Backyard Tire Fire
TITLE: Vagabonds and Hooligans (Ole Records)
GENRE: rock/mainstream w/roots
GRADE: B+
REVIEW: Backyard Tire Fire has probably spun Freebird a few times
themselves, and it wouldn't be surprising to find that Van Zant was singer
Ed Anderson's vocal coach. He certainly walks the razor's edge between
hard-partying good ol' boy and world-weary troubadour, and the songs
themselves often swing between those poles as well. The squeaky, crackling
cello on the eponymous title track and the wistful, echo of full-bodied
piano chords on 'A Long Time' cater to the misty-eyed vagabonds, and the
fist-pumping of 'Undecided' and 'Corrine' could hardly be more appealing
to the hooligans if they tried. The only really weak tracks on the album
are the rockstar anthen 'Tom Petty.' and the politcally charged 'Get
Wise.' 'Tom Petty,' Though no doubt intended to be tongue in cheek, is
really nothing more than yet another recitation of the rockstar cliches
(sunglasses, sex, substances) over a bland, B-level Heartbreakers riff.
'Get Wise' starts off promisingly with some nice jabs at political and
religious sloganeering, but falls into the post-Imagine school of offering
oversimplified nihilistic sloganeering instead of solutions. Besides those
missteps and the possibility of being overbeholden to its obvious
influences, Vagabonds and Hooligans is a mostly solid release. Vagabonds
and Hooligans might not be the most original sounding record you'll hear
this year, but chances are, it'll be better than at least five or six of
Ryan Adam's 2007 releases, and with the songwriting chops these guys have,
I only expect them to burn brighter. So lift the lighter, order another
round, and drop the rest of your quarters in the jukebox.
RECOMMENDED TRACKS: 2, 3, 5, 9, 11
REVIEWER: Brent Waggoner firesideometer.com

DATE: 1.23.07
ARTIST: Keller Williams
TITLE: Dream (Sci Fidelity)
GENRE: rock/mainstream
GRADE: A
REVIEW: Jamodelic guitar groover Williams has pretty amazing skills but
his one-man-band routine sometimes rings hollow and recycled. So, it's a
smart move that on Dreams he enlists the A-list cast of guests
on board for studio collaborations (Bela Fleck, Charlie Hunter and many
others). The result: the most varied and satisfying release Willliams has
released in quite some time.
RECOMMENDED TRACKS: 3, 5, 6, 7, 8, 13, 15
REVIEWER: Jim Manion/WFHB

DATE: 1.23.07
ARTIST:Gill Landry
TITLE: The Ballad of Lawless Soirez (Nettwerk)
GENRE: COUNTRY/ALT
GRADE: A
REVIEW: Gill Landry plays in Old Crow Medicine Show. This is his solo
release...
The Ballad Of Lawless Soirez was recorded in Portland, Oregon with
producer Nick Jaina, who brought in musicians from the local folk, indie,
rock and classical music scene to add color and depth to Landrys
hallucinatory travelogues. The overall feel may be downbeat, but shards of
dark sunshine strike the surface to set off exhilarating musical sparks.
Poor Boy is a swampy folk blues, with twanging, feedback drenched electric
guitars dancing arm-in-arm with a baleful whispering organ and primitive,
mountain violin. Landrys vocal has an understated power that makes the
tune sound even more desolate. Dixie is a drinking song named for a famous
New Orleans brew, a mournful dirge driven by minimal guitar, mandolin and
violin. It doesnt romanticize the feeling of the morning after. The Ballad
Of Lawless Soirez bounces along to the blare of Mariachi horns and the
preternatural sound of the musical saw. Its a surreal excursion into the
mind of an exhausted road warrior as tawdry and hopeful as a Saturday
night in a border town. Mexico delivers an impressionistic, disjointed
lyric with an asymmetrical rhythm, wailing clarinet and funereal guitar.
Coal Black Heaven comes from Hells cocktail lounge, a ditty that
celebrates the coming apocalypse with a thrilling jumble of confused
images, the voice of one crying in the wilderness. A ghostly Fender Rhodes
floats over a wash of twangy guitars and a mysterious viola while Landry
prays for a salvation he doubts will come.
RECOMMENDED TRACKS: 1, 2, 3, 9, 11
REVIEWER: landry's myspace page

DATE: 1.23.07
ARTIST: John Mellencamp
TITLE: Freedom's Road (Universal Republic)
GENRE: LOCAL/MAINSTREAM ROCK
GRADE: A
REVIEW: After declaring in 2005 that he was done making new albums,
Bloomington's restless rockstar turns in a set that is more inspired and
outspoken than most middle-aged rockers. Moreso the social commentator
than ever, JM takes a critical view of the current landscape from the
local level to national/international. Most scathing is the hidden track
Rodeo Clown which targets Bush. The overall sound of the album has a great
60s folk-rock vibe, with the Wanchic/York guitar team checking in with some classic sounds.
While a few of the songs strike me as toss-offs, much of the material will
sound good in our mix. I would recommend skipping Track 6 Our Country,
which has already been played to death on a million Chevy Truck
commercials...
RECOMMENDED TRACKS: 1, 2, 5, 6, 8, 9, 11
(to access the hidden track 11 Rodeo Clown, cue up Track 10 and fast
forward through 10 and the silence following it until you hit 7:36. This
is where Rodeo Clown begins.
REVIEWER: Jim Manion/WFHB

DATE: 1.23.07
ARTIST:Austin Lucas
TITLE: The Common Cold (self-released)
GENRE: LOCAL(born here, now in Prague)
GRADE: A+
REVIEW: Austin is Bob Lucas' son and you can hear the musical DNA, for
sure. But Austin has his own creative core as well and has produced an
excellent debut as a singer-songwriter. Bob plays banjo on some tracks. I
love this CD and could write more but I'll hand it off to an English
reviewer for his perspective...

Austin Lucas looks like your typical crusty punk type but if you spin his
record you would never guess he does. This record is full of original
country music with a touch of American singer/songwriter folk tradition.
With touching songs about life the simple way it is and the big feelings
it comes along with this record really found its way into my heart. Even
more stunning is the quality of this record. There is so many punk rockers
who try to play country music nowadays and most of them are average or
worse but this got quality. Every single note makes clear that Mr. Lucas
really knows and loves what he is doing. It is not enough to write pop
songs and play them on country instruments. It takes more and this more is
what makes the difference between this jewel and the heaps of lukewarm
attempts out there.
Jan, Yellow Is The New Pink / (ENG)
RECOMMENDED TRACKS: all, but 2 & 4 really stand out
REVIEWER: Jim Manion/WFHB

also added:
Julie Doiron Woke Myself Up Jagjaguwar
David Vandervelde The Moonstation House Band Secretly Canadian
The Earlies The Enemy Chorus Secretly Canadian
Deerhoof Friend Opportunity Kill Rock Stars

1.31.07

DATE:1/30/79
ARTIST: Caetano Veloso
TITLE: Ce (Nonesuch)
GENRE: INTL/BRAZIL
GRADE: A
REVIEW: Caetano Veloso's songs tend to assume a presidential height and
distance. His voice remains lithe and relaxed, and his records have become
armored in well-rested civility. Implicitly his music teaches forgiveness.
But in ce, even the first track's hammering, compulsive notes turn over
his own stereotype. You hear snare drums, electric guitar and bass,
playing an abrupt two-beat rhythm with a staccato three-note pattern, and
Veloso softly launches the first passive-aggressive shot. Here Veloso, now
64, takes on the petty end of the emotional spectrum, in front of a
post-punk electric power-trio, produced by his son Moreno. Recently the
elder Veloso has been making more playful records in between his more
official-sounding ones, and at first, ce, with its unvarnished sound,
seems to identify that way. But he's still singing with his usual soft,
focused concentration, and in the rough textures and gaping silences of
the band are strong melodies that point back to his simpler records from
the mid-'70s, like Qualquer Coisa and Joia. Embedded in it, too, are some
of Veloso's best lyrics of the last 20 years.
RECOMMENDED TRACKS: 3, 5, 6, 7, 9, 10
REVIEWER: Ben Ratliff, The New York Times

DATE: 1/30/07
ARTIST: Norah Jones
TITLE: Not Too Late (Blue Note)
GENRE:A-
GRADE: FOLK/S-S
REVIEW:Recoils from fame usually aren't as subdued as Norah Jones' third
album Not Too Late, but such understatement is customary for this gentlest
of singer/songwriters. Not Too Late may not be as barbed or alienating as
either In Utero or Kid A -- it's not an ornery intensification of her
sound nor a chilly exploration of its furthest limits - but make no
mistake, it is indeed a conscious abdication of her position as a
comfortable coffeehouse crooner and a move toward art for art's sake. And,
frankly, who can blame Jones for wanting to shake off the Starbucks
stigmata? Although a large part of her appeal has always been that she
sounds familiar, like a forgotten favorite from the early '70s, Jones is
too young and too much a New York bohemian to settle into a role as a
nostalgia peddler. Although it shares many of the same sonic
characteristics as Jones' first two albums, Not Too Late boasts many
subtle differences that add up to a distinctly different aesthetic. Jones
and Alexander have stripped Norah's music to its core. Gone are any covers
of pop standards, gone are the studio pros, gone is the enveloping
lushness that made Come Away With Me so easy to embrace, something that
Not Too Late is most decidedly not. While this might not have the rough
edges of a 4-track demo, Not Too Late is most certainly music that was
made at home with little or no consideration of an audience much larger
than Jones and Alexander. It's spare, sometimes skeletal, often sleepy and
lackadaisical, wandering from tunes plucked out on acoustic guitars and
pianos to those with richer full band arrangements.
RECOMMENDED TRACKS: 1, 2, 4, 7, 8, 11
REVIEWER: allmusic.com

DATE:1/30/07
ARTIST: The Bird And The Bee
TITLE: The Bird And The Bee (Metro Blue)
GENRE: ROCK/ALT
GRADE: A
REVIEW:The self-titled offering from the bird and the bee is about as
eclectic as it gets. The bird and the bee are vocalist and songwriter
Inara George (for music historians, she is the daughter of the late Little
Feat singer, guitarist, and songwriter Lowell George) and
multi-instrumentalist/producer Greg Kurstin. The duo's debut album is a
showcase for ten small, elegant, and strangely sophisticated pop songs
that incorporate French pop (and Europop in general), some tropicalia and
samba, and a postmodern form of space age bachelor -- and bachelorette --
music. Yet, the end product is more musical and complex than all of them.
In its own way, this is as strange as anything by Jane Siberry or Brigitte
Fontaine, as quirky as Jill Sobule or Jane Birkin (during her latter Serge
Gainsbourg period), and much drier than (while remaining as confessional
as) Sam Phillips during her Martinis & Bikinis phase. All of that said,
mood music or a backdrop hanging sound isn't the point or the end result.
Inara George is more than simply hip -- she's savvy, poetic, and
quick-witted. Kurstin wraps her irony-filled lyrics in layers of skeletal
keyboards and beats. The music shimmers, shakes, slightly jerks, and
shimmies. This is a record that gives up its secrets slowly, while being
charming and delightful at every turn.
FCC # 3 DON'T EVEN THINK ABOUT PLAYING IT.
IT'S CALLED FUCKING BOYFRIEND AND THAT PHRASE IS REPEATED ALL THROUGH THE
SONG!
RECOMMENDED TRACKS: 1, 2, 4, 7, 9
REVIEWER:allmusic.com

DATE:1/30/07
ARTIST:Kristin Hersch
TITLE: Learn To Sing Like A Star (Yep Roc )
GENRE:ROCK/ALT
GRADE: A+
REVIEW:Her first solo offering in nearly four years, Learn to Sing Like a
Star is nigh on worthy of rejoicing over. Hersh produced the record
herself, and plays everything on it but drums -- played by bandmate David
Narcizo -- with support from Martin and Kimberlee McCarrick on cello and
violin, respectively. She has a bona fide single in the opening cut, "In
Shock." A fast waltz tempo is ushered in by drums, electric guitar, and
piano and the hook opens itself because in some sense, the rhythm is the
hook. The three-and-a-half-minute "Day Glo," ushered in by both electric
and downtuned acoustic guitar, underscores a single-note lyric line. There
is no lack of pathos on Learn to Sing Like a Star, and the album seems to
be about learning to go on after grief, loss, and perhaps emotional abuse.
Her previous solo records, fine as they are, bring out her dark and darkly
humorous tomes in a steady buildup. Here, surprise is around every corner,
and the potential for it lies behind every word twist or angling guitar
line. The stuttering rocker "Peggy Lee" features some knockout electric
guitar entwined with the strings. Fuzzed explosive six-string and an
expressionistic lyric make this tune addictive. Its middle eight contains
a complete shift that makes the tune an obsessive listening experience.
"Vertigo" is the most poignant cut here; if personal and emotional
disintegration had a theme song, this acoustic ditty would be it. "Wild
Vanilla" could have been done by Lou Reed early in his solo career, and
would have fit well on his self-titled debut, or even on Coney Island
Baby. But it's all Hersh: the guitars swirl, an acoustic keeping rhythm
with Narcizo's kit work along with a psychedelic wobbly, distorted, and
time-warped lead line. "The Thin Man" is one of those tracks, a ballad
that cannot be described. Learn to Sing Like a Star was certainly worth
the wait, and if fans will listen closely enough, they'll understand that
Hersh's sophistication as both a singing poet and composer has grown
almost immeasurably.
FCC #13 SHIT
RECOMMENDED TRACKS: 1, 2, 5, 6, 9, 11, 12, 14
REVIEWER: allmusic.com

DATE: 1.30.07
ARTIST:Ruthie Foster
TITLE:The Phenomenal (Blue Corn)
GENRE: FOLK/SS
GRADE: A
REVIEW:This veteran Texas singer has a strong command of the major roots
genres: blues, soul, gospel, R&B. Her producer, Malcom Papa Mali
Welbourne, has kept things warm and organic, enlisting jam-band guests
like George Sluppick (Mofro) and Hammond B3 ace Anthony Farrell
(Greyhounds). Phenomenal may be an exaggeration, but shes strongly
recommended for anyone who likes Bonnie Raitt or Kelley Hunt.
NOTE: Ruthie has played in Bloomington at a few Lotus concerts and always
goes over well.
RECOMMENDED TRACKS: 2, 3, 4, 6, 8, 10
REVIEWER: backtorockville.com

DATE:1.30.07
ARTIST: Storyhill
TITLE: Storyhill
GENRE: FOLK/SS
GRADE: A-
REVIEW:Storyhill is a duo from Montana whose big thing is harmonies,
energetic intense harmonies that recall Everly Brothers, Jayhawks and
Simon & Garfunkel.
Their songwriting doesn't quite match the excellence of their singing, but
most of the songs are still high quality musical moments.
RECOMMENDED TRACKS:1, 2, 3, 5, 6
REVIEWER: Jim Manion/WFHB

also added:
The Greencards Viridian (Dualtone)
Eric Bibb Diamond Days (Telarc)
John Hammond Push Comes To Shove (Back Porch)
Arboretum Rites of Uncovering (Thrill Jockey)

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WFHB Music - Bloomington Community Radio

Wednesday, February 28

Playlist-- 02.27.07 Tues 3pm-5pm Afternoon Mix

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Sunday, February 25

CD Reviews -- Cathi 2/24/07

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Friday, February 23

here's more in, international

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Wednesday, February 21

afternoon music mix Wednesday, February 21

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WFHB ADDS 2.12 & 2.19

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Friday, February 16

a couple reviews, mostly singles

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Thursday, February 15

playlist for WOMENSPACE 2-15-07

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Tuesday, February 13

play list for February 13 3-5pm

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Friday, February 9

latest international addition

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Wednesday, February 7

Clapton-Cale Review

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Sunday, February 4

Cathi's Reviews 2-4-07

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Friday, February 2

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Thursday, February 1

WFHB ADDS 1.23.07 & 1.30.07

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