SiriusXM highlights CLXXVII

Standout songs heard today:

Acoustic Guitar Instrumentals

• Renaca-Nicola Cipriani/Brad Myrick (A somewhat bittersweet midtempo melody.) 

The Big Easy

• Right On-The Dirty Dozen Brass Band ("Use Your Brain" is my go-to track from this band, but this could be effective underscoring for a turbulent scene.)

The Coffee House

• I Thought I Saw Your Face Today-She & Him (Lyrically and structurally, this sounds like a Carpenters song to me.)

North Americana

• The Returner-Allison Russell (I don't always agree with the expression, "That which does not kill us makes stronger," but Russell's lyrics make a solid argument in its defense.)

Piano Instrumentals

• Between Raindrops-Joshua Zimmerman ("After Hours" by Rickie Lee Jones could segue with this, as there's a compatible delicacy between both tracks.)

Real Jazz

• Baby Elephant Walk-Ted Nash (It impresses me that this version of a distinctive Henry Mancini tune sounds like it might swerve into Herbie Hancock's "Cantaloupe Island" at any moment.)

The Village

• Hymn For The Unholy (Live)-Emily Scott Robinson (A well-written, sincerely sung acknowledgment that much of life is uncertain and a certain resilience comes with surviving the curves it throws you.)

Watercolors Instrumental

• Lifted-Phil Denny (A steady, easy-on-the-ears smooth jazz saxophone groove.  I would segue this with Freddie Ravel's "Sunny Side Up.")

Community Radio St. Louis highlights XII

Seven recommended tunes heard today:

The Mix-Up 

• Any Old Fool-Thee Sacred Souls (This April release has appealing throwback R&B stylings in its vocals and instrumentation.)
• You're Never Around-Lake Street Dive (This tale of a dysfunctional relationship is set to a great driving beat.  Rachael Price's vocals pack an effective punch here, and this July release makes its point forcefully in just two and a half minutes.)

Memphis To Manchester 

• Sweet Sixteen Bars-Ray Charles (This classy piano instrumental could stand in for "Saturday Night Live"'s closing theme.)
• These Days-Glen Campbell (When covering this Jackson Browne song in concert, Erin Bode praised Browne for penning such grown-up sentiments at a young age.  Campbell's version, recorded late in his career, shows the gravity these lyrics carry with age.  Thematically, "These Days" pairs well with...)
• Reminder-Margaret Glaspy (...this new lyrically brave release, which acknowledges that some of our decisions will be missteps, but that shouldn't stop us from making the effort.  Sometimes, we have more agency to make people's lives better than we think.)

The Now Sound

• Universal Heart-Beat-Juliana Hatfield (There's an appealing energy in this tune about the inevitability of heartache in everyone's life.  If I'd been at KCOU in 1995, I would have played this on the air.)
• Lifetimeline-The Spongetones (If you're going to remind listeners that a lot of life involves just holding on and riding the waves, it's refreshing to sing about it as The Spongetones do here--in a way that's truthful without being heavy-handed.)

Online radio sampler highlights CCCVII (International edition)

Today, I decided, "Why limit the radio stations I sample for this blog to just American ones?"  Hence, my first international edition of Online radio sampler highlights.  These are seven standout tunes I've heard today:

CJRT-FM (Toronto, Canada) 

• Follow You, Follow Me-Chester Thompson Trio (Thompson's drumming underscores this pleasant jazz piano-led version of one of the best Genesis hits.)

Connemara Community Radio (Connemara, Ireland)

• The Wedding Jig-Gerry O'Connor (I'm always up for this type of spirited, uptempo fiddling.)

FIP (Paris, France)

• I Can't Turn You Loose-Otis Redding (Rhythmically and lyrically, this would segue easily with "I Can't Help Myself" by The Four Tops.)
• Confusion Song-Luna Li (Swirling, celestial instrumentation augments the endearing dream pop vocals compellingly.)
• Melanie-Gary Burton (Warm vibraphone jazz with just enough dissonance to keep things interesting.)

Tilos Radio (Budapest, Hungary)

• New Day (Quentin Harris Remix)-Atelewo (Sometimes, with techno music, less is more.  When you have a beat that works, why not stay with it and keep it relatively undistracted?)
• Relics-Studio Pressure (This track illustrates how critical percussion is in underscoring certain techno arrangements.)

Context? CDXLIX

As I drove to my polling place this morning, a newspaper reporter said on the radio, "You can't be too cynical when it comes to politics."

That's generally true, unfortunately.  A vote for someone is a leap of faith that the candidate is seeking office for noble reasons and aims to make people's lives better.  That's why I always look forward to voting in every election.  When my preferred candidates and propositions prevail, I'm proud of helping to make that happen.

As contradictory as it sounds, I'm an idealistic, jaded cynic.  I'll continue to cast my ballot every chance I get.

A studio fit for a polar bear

In retrospect, I'm surprised that the DJs were allowed to control the thermostat in one particular studio.  I was one of at least two DJs who liked the studio freezing cold, so in the later months of my employment there, I set the temperature to near David Letterman studio levels.  While I still like a cool residence or office on a hot day, I've never set the thermostat anywhere near that low in my own home.

It's interesting how your definition of a comfortable temperature changes when you know you'll have to pay the electric bill.

FM dial scan highlights CCCIX

Sunday morning standouts:

WSIE 88.7 FM

• South Of The Border-Lou Donaldson (To me, this uptempo sax number's joyous spirit reminds me of the standard, "Cheek To Cheek," performed at a faster-than-usual tempo.) 
• Magic In Your Eyes-Earl Klugh (The pace and mood of this upbeat guitar track make it segue well with Al Jarreau's "Rainbow In Your Eyes.")

KCLC 89.1 FM

• Different Kind-Kathleen Hoye (Hoye's vocals really sell these lyrics about a relationship falling apart.  "Different Kind" isn't far removed from the blues, actually.) 

KSHE 94.7 FM

• Peace Of Mind-Loggins & Messina (Not all friendships are built to last, as these lyrics acknowledge.)
• People Of The South Wind-Kansas (This somewhat overlooked Kansas track doesn't get a lot of radio airplay these days, unfortunately.  It's a measure of how well-structured the song is that the guitar, keyboard, and vocals are equally integral to the melody.)

KLOU 103.3 FM

• Alibis-Sergio Mendes (I was pleased to finally hear "Alibis" on the radio again, thanks to an "American Top 40" rerun from 1984.  I've listened to this tune fairly often over the years, and I've always thought it deserved to be a bigger hit.  Joe Pizzulo nails the vocals, which make the lyrics about suspecting that your significant other is cheating on you sink in effectively.) 
• I'm Free (Heaven Helps The Man)-Kenny Loggins (I have nothing against Loggins's "Footloose" title track, but I've always found "I'm Free..." more compelling due to its urgency and sense of risk in the lyrics.  Another "Footloose" soundtrack highlight, Karla Bonoff's "Somebody's Eyes," deserves attention, as well; it always puzzled me that it wasn't a hit.)

Context? CDXLVIII

Yesterday, a radio announcer admitted not knowing a particular R.E.M. song that another staffer referenced.  His explanation: "I'm a hits kind of guy, and that's a deep cut."

Most of us, if we're honest, are in that same boat when it comes to certain artists and bands.  Sometimes, surface level appeal is enough when a particular genre isn't one of your favorites.  Also, there's only so much time, even for music fans like me, to hear all the music you want to hear.  Inevitably, there will be artists whose familiarity to you doesn't extend past the hits--and that's understandable.