Community Radio St. Louis highlights III

I'm continuing to enjoy KDHX's online successor station, Community Radio St. Louis.  Here are two more impressive songs from yesterday that deserve acclaim:

Backroads 

• I Want To See The Bright Lights Tonight-Dori Freeman (I've always found this Richard & Linda Thompson song interesting; on the surface, it sounds like a resolution to set aside one's woes for a while and just enjoy life. Listen more closely, however, and you'll hear that the lyrics are meant to be ironic.  Freeman captures the song's spirit commendably while adding just enough of a twang in the vocals to make it her own.)
• Pot On The Stove-Erin Corday (I've thought about this tune often since yesterday, thanks to its fun, calypso-style rhythm.  Vocally and instrumentally, this is a clever way to mimic food cooking on a stove.)

Now, here are five more standout songs I heard this morning:

Hip City  

• Loving You Is On My Mind-The Meters (You can pick any song by The Meters, and you'll hear the same great consistency in the rhythm section.  I can imagine this tune being cross-faded smoothly with Steely Dan's "Rikki Don't Lose That Number.")
• Bird Of Beauty-Stevie Wonder (This is one of Wonder's more overlooked tunes, but it's a pleasant invitation to take a break from the everyday realities of life.  The descending pattern in the backing vocals punctuates Wonder's lead vocals effectively.)
• Look Around The Corner-Quantic & Alice Russell with The Combo Barbaro (This is a nice, unusual blend of Brazilian, Classical, jazz, and R&B styles.  A cool descending bass line underscores the vocals.)
• Melting Pot-Orgone (For some tunes, a rhythm section is all you need.  That's the case with this excellent cover of a 1971 Booker T. & The MGs instrumental.  This well-sustained eight-minute groove approximates how The Allman Brothers Band might have sounded as a jazz or R&B band.)

Boogie On Down 

• Rockhouse (Parts 1 & 2)-Ray Charles (I'd segue this hip-in-any-era piano rhythm with Stanley Turrentine's "Walkin'.")

Community Radio St. Louis highlights II

Monday morning highlights:

Fresh Start 

• Do You Think We'll Last Forever?-Caroline Rose (I noticed a Prince vibe immediately in the rhythm and vocals.)
• Radio Protector-65daysofstatic (The placid piano intro eventually morphs into a dramatic piano-and-drums instrumental.)
• Cars In Space-Rolling Blackouts Coastal Fever (This rhythmically propulsive power pop track from 2020 sounds like it's from the '80s.)

Backroads 

• Hard Times Come Again No More-Mike Dowling (This pleasant guitar instrumental sounds at various times as if it's about to detour into "Auld Lang Syne." "Backroads" was one of my favorite shows on KDHX, so I'm jazzed about its return to CRSTL.  It continued the spirit of its predecessor singer-songwriter show, "Blue Highways," and this track was a fine way to kick things off.)
• Feeling Good-Nina Simone (DJ Stacy chose this appropriate set of lyrics to acknowledge the joy of launching CRSTL...)
• Listen To The Radio-Nanci Griffith (...as well as these appropriate lyrics.)
• How'd You Know?-Hudson & Franke (Lyrically and vocally, this reminds me of Carrie Newcomer's music, which is always a plus.)

Community Radio St. Louis highlights

One year after live broadcasts ended on KDHX 88.1 FM, a new incarnation of the station is now broadcasting online at crstl.fm.  CRSTL caught me off guard this morning by going live before its advertised starting time of 12 p.m.  Nevertheless, it's great to have a new station that essentially is KDHX.  Most of the programs and DJs on CRSTL originated on KDHX, so it's a pleasure to hear them again on their new home.  Here are some of the first day highlights:

Songwriters Showcase 

• All The Way Around-Kris Delmhorst (This was the first song I heard this morning on a sans DJ edition of "Songwriters Showcase."  Despite its melancholy bent, these are hopeful lyrics about finding your way back to someone.)
• Shotgun Down The Avalanche (Acoustic Edition)-Shawn Colvin (From the first time I heard "Shotgun Down The Avalanche," I was impressed by Colvin's committed vocals.and lyrical metaphor for a rickety relationship that sounds as though it should end.  This acoustic version retains the spirit of the original version.  I also recommend her acoustic and original versions of "Diamond In The Rough.")
• Peace March-Bruce Cockburn (I remember first hearing this appealingly upbeat guitar instrumental on KDHX's "Backroads" in 2006.  I'm glad it made the transition to CRSTL 20 years later.)

The Snappy Lunch  

• Time To Get Into The Change-Jeremy Garrett (Impressive bluegrass pickin' and fiddlin', and a lyrically appropriate way of officially kicking off the new station.  Kudos to hosts Walter and Willa Volz for choosing many similarly appropriate tracks that capture the KDHX to CRSTL transition metaphorically.)
• California Traveler-California (Fast fiddling requiring considerable dexterity.)
• Phoenix Arise-Becky Buller (As I said about Jimmy Garrett's "Time To Get Into The Change...") 

No Time To Tarry Here 

• Blarney's Ghost Medley: Rights Of Man/Old French/Battle Of Aughrim-Hank & Shaidri Alrich (At first, I thought I was going to hear "Bring A Torch, Jeanette Isabella" in a minor key.  The transition from somber to spirited to somber is an interesting one.  This Celtic medley has a nice blend of violin and guitar.)
• Make Me A Pallet On Your Floor (Live)-Mississippi John Hurt (An appealing guitar hook underscores lyrics about feeling weary and needing a good night's rest.  I'd be curious to hear Taj Mahal cover this.)

Persistent earworm alert CDXIX

I'm sure I'm far from the only person who has thought of the Hayley Williams song, "Simmer," frequently this month.  Boiling rage over the appalling situation in Minneapolis is challenging to channel into only legally permitted means, but as peaceful protesters have shown us, it needs to be done.  Instrumentally and vocally, "Simmer" reminds listeners that there are times when rage is absolutely justified--but the ways in which it's expressed need to be appropriate.  

Online radio sampler highlights CCXC

Six noteworthy selections heard today:

KQAC (Portland, OR) 

• Percy Grainger: Molly On The Shore (Rachel Barton Pine, violin; Matthew Hagle, piano) (A brisk, spirited romp.)

WEMU (Ypsilanti, MI)

• Moanin'-Christian McBride Big Band featuring Jose James (An impressive, expansive version of the Lambert, Hendricks & Ross tune that lets James drive home the "Woe is me" aspects of the lyrics and gives the instrumentalists a chance to show their chops.)
• Soul Perspective-Joey DeFrancesco (Technically impressive, fanciful organ and saxophone playing.)

WUMB (Boston, MA)

• Sooner Or Later-Eliza Gilkyson (Disturbingly appropriate for today's political climate.  Rhythmically, this could segue with the "Godspell" soundtrack's "Turn Back, O Man.")
• Sad And Beautiful World-Mavis Staples (This is also lyrically appropriate for the current political climate, as it speaks to the weariness it elicits.)

WVUD-HD2 (Newark, DE)

• SoundByte-Math & Science (Ben Folds Five meets Beck?)

SiriusXM highlights CLXVI

Today's standout selections:

The Bridge Deep Cuts 

• I Can See Everything-Poco (Brave lyrics acknowledge that your significant other might decide to end your relationship--and that you might be at least partially responsible for it.)

Chill Instrumental

• Forever-Rytes (An optimistic vibe and a steady beat fit for pedaling a bike.) 

Classical For Sleep

• Beethoven: Symphony No. 2 in D major, Op. 36: II. Larghetto (Academy Of St. Martin In The Fields/Sir Neville Marriner, conductor)  (This Beethoven symphony is the least familiar one to me, so it was refreshing to hear its second movement without any preconceived notions. The strings and winds rise to the occasion here, displaying lyrical delicacy and swelling heroically when appropriate.)

The Coffee House 

• Rather Be-Jasmine Thompson (This endearing acoustic guitar and vocal version does Kam Franklin's song justice, giving it less of a dance vibe than Franklin's take.  Instead, Thompson's interpretation brings to mind the spirit of Vanessa Carlton's "A Thousand Miles.")

Coffee House Classics

• Diamond In The Rough-Shawn Colvin (It isn't easy to admit that some of life's situations won't play to your strengths, but these well-written lyrics of one of Colvin's best songs are an injection of confidence for those who need it.)

Indie Sleep  

• Life Is-Jessica Pratt (The echo on the vocals serves the contemplative lyrics well.  Lyrically, this is in the ballpark of Shawn Colvin's "Diamond In The Rough.")

Piano Instrumentals

• Twilight Movement-Fiona Joy Hawkins (Not every artist can pull off intense yet warm crescendos, but Hawkins does here.)

Real Jazz

• Sunday-Oscar Peterson/Ben Webster (The upbeat, joint-is-jumpin' vibe in the piano and saxophone would have been exhilarating to hear live.)
• One For Grew-Robert Glasper (I'm primed to like any contemplative jazz piano track with this type of midtempo-to-fast rhythm.)

Spa 

• Longing/Love-George Winston (Winston's entire solo piano album, "Autumn," is worth hearing in its entirety.  "Colors/Dance" is my favorite track, but this track also has a strong hook and a melody fit for a solo trek through the woods or soap opera underscoring.)

The allure of shuffle mode XC

Today, iTunes shuffle mode strung these three songs from my library together:

• Day's End-Jim Chappell
• Jesu, Joy Of Man's Desiring-Herb Alpert & The Tijuana Brass
• Festival Waltz-Al Petteway

All three songs work equally well as station sign-offs, as each one has a "day is done, and what a positive day it was" vibe.  Who doesn't want to leave listeners with that feeling before the next broadcast day?