SiriusXM highlights LXXIII

Standout tunes heard this morning:

1st Wave

• The One Thing-INXS (The synthesized sound of early '80s pop, encapsulated in the keyboards, guitar, saxophone, and vocals.  It's puzzling that this wasn't a bigger hit.  Also recommended: "Don't Change.")

'40s Junction

• Route 66-Nat King Cole Trio (Cole is renowned for his rich, pitch-perfect ballads and Christmas carol renditions, but his voice also soared on uptempo chestnuts such as this one.)
  

The Beatles Channel

• Take It Away (Demo)-Paul McCartney (Looser vocals in this early template of one of McCartney's best '80s hits; it's a shame that the finished version isn't played on the radio today.)

The Blend

• The First Cut Is The Deepest-Sheryl Crow (This is a well-sung cover of a Cat Stevens tune that Crow makes her own.  Its lyrics chronicle the torturous process of bouncing back from rejection.  To my ears, it segues well with Clive Gregson and Christine Collister's "It's All Just Talk.") 

Deep Tracks

• Only So Much Oil In The Ground-Tower Of Power (Ecologically sound advice seldom meshes this successfully with jazz and funk.)  

The Loft

• Living For The City-The Soul Rebels (I never expected to hear a marching band rendition of this Stevie Wonder tune, but The Soul Rebels make their unlikely arrangement sound natural.)
• The Pharaohs-Neko Case (Case sings forthright lyrics about settling for something less than desired.  Also recommended: "Magpie To The Morning" and "This Tornado Loves You.")

Stingray Music highlights XLIV

Noteworthy tunes heard this morning:

Adult Alternative

• The Stars Are Ours-Mayer Hawthorne (This is how you seize the day while throwing caution to the wind.  There might be consequences, but as the song says, "we'll never be as young as we are today.")
• Stay Gold-First Aid Kit (Who can't relate to Robert Frost's lament, "Nothing gold can stay?"  Who hasn't wished that certain people, places, and times would stay as they are?  These two sisters convey this universal longing effectively.)

Easy Listening

• One Note Samba-Antonio Carlos Jobim (Jobim extracts impressive mileage from a single note.  Also recommended: John Pizzarelli's vocal rendition.)

Folk Roots 

• Looking Back-Hey Mavis (Strong vocals from Laurie Michelle Caner and ornate violin flourishes from Eddie Caner make this a captivating number.  I would be curious to hear Sara Watkins, Sarah Jarosz, and Aoife O'Donovan cover this.)

Gospel

• I Feel Like Going On-Bishop Marvin Winans (If the resolve Cannonball Adderley expresses in "Walk Tall" resonates with you, these soaring vocals, sung with absolute conviction, should have a similar effect.) 

Jazz Now

• Evening Rain-Alexis Baro (An appropriately titled contemplative mood piece for trumpet, piano, bass, and drums.)

Nature

• Birds In The Evergreens 6-Bernie Krause (A go-to example of prominent birdsong.  Sammy the cat, pictured in previous posts, would have paid rapt attention to this and squealed excitedly in his younger days.)

SiriusXM highlights LXXII

Standout selections heard this morning:

'90s On 9

• As I Lay Me Down-Sophie B. Hawkins (I've realized, over the years, that whenever this song comes on the radio, I let it play out.  In "Damn I Wish I Was Your Lover," Hawkins sings with a more direct edge; she handles this endearing ballad equally well.  Even when you're not paying close attention, and it sounds like the backup vocalists are singing, "You like tacos," the song's sincerity remains intact.)

The Blend

• Live To Tell-Madonna (With the exception of "Holiday," I was never a big fan of Madonna's uptempo tunes.  Ballads were exceptions among her hits, but I always thought she was at her best in "Crazy For You" and "Live To Tell.")   

Real Jazz

• Time For The Dancers-Russell Malone (I tend to think of Malone as primarily a smooth jazz guitarist, but this sublime ballad for guitar and piano shows that he's a traditional jazz artist, as well.)

Soul Town

• TSOP (The Sound Of Philadelphia)-MFSB (Also known as the theme from "Soul Train."  Even if you don't know the song by name, you've likely heard it used as background music.  Listen to the cantina band section of Meco's "Star Wars Theme/Cantina Band," and you'll hear MFSB's hook-laden influence.) 

Symphony Hall

• Erik Satie: Three Gymnopedies (Christopher Parkening, guitar) (Three subtle, contemplative piano movements that sound just as appropriate on the guitar.  Liona Boyd and John Williams play them compellingly, as well.)

Underground Garage

• Surf's Up-The Atlantics (A brisk guitar instrumental.  If you like this, you'll probably enjoy The Challengers and The Aqua Velvets.)

Watercolors

• Desafinado (Slightly Out Of Tune)-Karrin Allyson (Scores of artists have covered this Antonio Carlos Jobim-Newton Mendonca tune.  Allyson's version is a commendable one, with inviting vibraphone and vocals.)

Stingray Music highlights XLIII

U-verse offerings that stood out this morning:

Adult Alternative

• On The Nights You Stay Home-Donovan Woods (A compelling tune about making a relationship work when one partner is more extroverted than the other.)

Chamber Music 

• Richard Strauss: Sonata For Violin and Piano in E-flat major, Op. 18 (Itzhak Perlman, violin; Emanuel Ax, piano) (Just knowing these two giants in their fields are performing, you almost don't have to hear the piece.  You just know they capture every nuance of the pathos with their customary blend of delicacy and force.)

Cocktail Lounge

• The Shake (Avengers Theme)-Laurie Johnson Orchestra (Combine Henry Mancini's "Peter Gunn" theme with some Nelson Riddle-style, "Route 66"-ish orchestral arranging and a bit of "West Side Story"'s "Maria," and you get this theme.)

Cool Jazz

• Sambou Sambou-Eliane Elias (An energetic breeze of a Brazilian melody; Elias excels equally well on vocals and piano, as this track shows.  Elias has a long record of consistency from CD to CD, and her latest release, "Dance Of Time," builds on this.)

Folk Roots

• This Side-Nickel Creek (An advisable outlook to have when jumping enthusiastically into a relationship; Sean Watkins nails this, especially in the closing lyric, "...but I don't think I'm scaaaaaaaarrrrrrrrred!")

Pop Classics

• Luigi Boccherini: Cello Concerto No. 8 in D major, G.478-II. Larghetto (Tim Hugh, Scottish Chamber Orchestra & Anthony Halstead) (Tender and moving, with rationed optimism.  Yet another example of the cello as the most ear-catching of stringed orchestral instruments.)

Retro R&B

• I'll Take You There-The Staple Singers (One of the more effective, attention-getting opening notes and a sense of conviction in the vocals that sounds just as convincing today.)

Persistent earworm alert LXXIII

Since last week, the folk tune, "Billy Boy," has run through my mind.  I remember one of my grade school vocal music teachers, Mrs. S., playing the piano and leading the class in singing it.  The lyric that still stands out to me most is, "Can she make a cherry pie, Billy Boy, Billy Boy?" Understandably, a lot of listeners would find that lyric sexist today, so I suspect the song is probably sung in fewer schools than it was in the early '80s.  The melody stays with you, though, after you've sung it.

Compromised radio drama

Now and then, I listen to old radio dramas.  When they're well-written and acted, it's easy to lose yourself in the story and take in the suspense.  Other times, however, I think, "This story couldn't be done nearly as effectively today."  I can just imagine someone wandering into a haunted house, feeling ill at ease, and then texting someone for help.  The person's spouse, friend, or family member would then drive up and take them home. 

Three cheers for technology and safety there, but there isn't a radio drama in that.

Only in college XXXVII

Heard on KCOU during a visit in 1994: After a prerecorded PSA for a tax filing advice hotline, the DJ added his two cents:

"Yeah, get that money in.  You gotta finance Babylon, you know?  Those politicians are waitin' for your money, man.  So, get it in quick here before they come get you."

Talk about speaking freely...That's commentary you wouldn't likely hear on any commercial station.

Singing about music without sounding trite

Singing about how much you love music is tricky.  It's too easy to simply list a bunch of favorite artists and sprinkle in a few platitudes.  In my September 14 post, I praised Arthur Conley's "Sweet Soul Music" for avoiding this trap. 

Recently, on WSIE, I heard another artist sing skillfully about his appreciation for music.  Bluey's "Life Between The Notes" lists several of his favorite vocalists and elaborates on why he likes their music.  It's a melody you might swear you've heard before.  You haven't heard it exactly this way in any other song, though.  Bluey's breezy, uptempo vocals on "Life..." should fit easily into any smooth jazz station's playlist and, if you're old enough, might make you recall the 1979 hit, "Livin' It Up," by Bell & James.

Singing about music and why it moves you is harder than it seems.  Conley and Bluey pull it off impressively in their respective genres.

"Here's today's news. Does it matter, though?"

A fun perk of broadcasting school was getting to write and say things on mock radio shows that I wouldn't say on the air.  I once began a mock newscast, for instance, with "This newscast is brought to you by The Existential Circus, featuring Jean-Paul, the existential clown."  Then, pretending to be Jean-Paul, I said in a monotone, "Hi, kids.  We are all mere specks of dust in an indifferent universe." 

Looking back, it would have worked even better as a mock TV commercial.

Context? XXXI

Heard on a Texas radio station this morning: "(It's) less of a dance.  The audience is going to be interacting with these science fictiony hand-wired samplers."

I'm middle-aged and haven't heard anyone in my age bracket refer to "science fictiony hand-wired samplers" in any context.  Are "science fictiony hand-wired samplers" all the rage these days, or are these performers ahead of the curve?  Is this performance art for the masses or a select few?  Either way, I'll be surprised if I ever hear another radio announcer or guest speak of "science fictiony hand-wired samplers" in those exact words.

Two superstars...Equal billing?

Back announcing of "Say Say Say," heard on WZEN in October 1983: "Z100, Michael Jackson and that other fella--uh, Paul McCartney, yeah..."

If you don't have the listener's request...

...or it doesn't fit your station's format, why keep responding with a vague non-promise of "I'll see what I can do?"  Just say, "I'm sorry, but we don't have that.  Is there anything else you'd like to hear?"  A lot of radio stations won't take that approach because they want the listener to stay tuned as long as possible.  That's short-term thinking, however.  The listener might stay tuned for a while that day, but they'll likely feel alienated after listening for two hours and not hearing their request; after that, you might lose that listener for good.  If you're honest about not having the song, and you offer to play an alternate, the listener might keep listening regularly because you were honest, and they still enjoy the music overall.

Art or just widgets?

Once, I was telling another DJ how much I liked choosing all the music I played on the air.  I thought I'd picked out a good mix of songs that represented my taste and listeners' requests.

"Oh, really?" he responded.  "To me, this is just a job.  I think most of the music the station has is crap."

That reply reminded me that not everyone likes setting every agenda.

"Meet me at this venue's only location?"

If you're a St. Louisan, you've almost certainly heard the radio and TV jingle, "Meet me at The Muny!  The Muny in Forest Park!"  Even if you've never attended a concert or play there, the jingle is ubiquitous in St. Louis media.  Although the Forest Park identifier tells newcomers succinctly where The Muny is, my reaction to the jingle usually echoes a local DJ's.  As KDHX's The J.B. once asked on-air, "What other Muny is there?"

Stingray Music highlights XLII

Highlights heard this morning:

Alt Country-Americana

• Nobody Knows Me-Lyle Lovett (No one sings lyrics about betrayal quite as effectively as Lovett.)

Classic R&B And Soul

• Walk In The Night-Jr. Walker & The All Stars (Some fine wailing saxophone.)

Cool Jazz

• Brown Grass-Gregory Porter (One of the most eloquently sung and played tunes about squandering a relationship I've heard.  It's one of many strong tracks from Porter's "Liquid Spirit" release.)
• Tiger In The Rain-Michael Franks (Franks sings with his trademark subtlety.  This tune deserves more airplay on smooth jazz stations.)

Everything '80s

• This Time I Know It's For Real-Donna Summer (With the possible exception of "On The Radio," Summer's 1989 comeback hit holds up better, in my view, than her '70s hits.  Its similarity to Swing Out Sister's "Breakout" helps the tune.)

Folk Roots

• Forget About It-Alison Krauss (Lyrically, "Forget About It" segues well with Lyle Lovett's "Nobody Knows Me.")

Rewind--'80s & '90s

• Arthur's Theme (Best That You Can Do)-Christopher Cross (I was indifferent to this song when it was a hit, but over time, I've come to like it.  It's yet another pop hit that we sang in sixth grade chorus class.  It's amusing to recall all of us singing, "When you get caught between the moon and New York City...," at the ages of 11 and 12.  "Sailing" is Cross's best hit, in my opinion, but "Arthur's Theme"'s respectable, relatable lyrics have aged well.)

SiriusXM highlights LXXI

Ear-catching tunes heard this morning:

'50s On 5

• On The Rebound-Floyd Cramer (A raucous piano romp for its time.)

Jam_On

• Time Is Now-Mick Clarke (A spacey instrumental reminiscent of Tangerine Dream.)

Love

• Only Yesterday-The Carpenters (The Carpenters have taken undeserved flack from critics over the years.  Who can't relate to such well-crafted, well-sung lyrics about transitioning from loneliness to happiness?) 

Real Jazz

• Let's Get Away From It All-Billy Taylor (A jaunty steppin'-out-for-the-night piano melody that could segue with just about any version of "Cheek To Cheek.") 

Soul Town

• Just Look What You've Done-Brenda Holloway (Why on Earth wasn't this Motown gem a hit?  Holloway sells it so energetically; so does the backing band.)

Studio 54 Radio

• Stomp!-The Brothers Johnson (Although I usually rate thoughtfully written singer-songwriter lyrics, sublime jazz, and infectious power pop above any dance groove, "Stomp!" is one of the strongest hits of its genre.  It progresses smoothly from verse to chorus to verse while losing none of its drive.  I'm sure many listeners have sung along or mouthed the "Everybody take it to the top..." lead-in to the chorus without being conscious of it.) 

Tom Petty Radio

• You Don't Miss Your Water-Otis Redding (If you like Redding's emoting on "Try A Little Tenderness," "You Don't Miss Your Water" will likely appeal to you, as well.)

Stingray Music highlights XLI

Standout selections played on U-verse this morning:

Cocktail Lounge

• Night Side-Henry Mancini & his orchestra (The cool, sly side of easy listening--for vibes, flute, and orchestra.)

Cool Jazz

• Saudade Vem Correndo-Bebel Gilberto (A fresh breeze of refreshing bossa nova vocals; most listeners who know the tune know Stan Getz's rendition.)

Folk Roots

• We Could Fly-Rhiannon Giddens (A beautifully sung, heartbreaking reminder of how inhumane people have been throughout history.  One of 2017's more bracing songs.)

Greatest Hits

• Cars-Gary Numan (There aren't many tunes about which I'd write this, but the deliberately robotic melody holds up.  I imagine a lot of listeners sing along with at least part of the song without realizing it.)

Jazz Masters

• Message To A Friend-Charlie Haden & Pat Metheny (Subtle, contemplative bass and guitar, from the duo's strong release, "Beyond The Missouri Sky.")

Jazz Now

• Zinnia-Parker Abbott Trio (A dreamy, engaging melody for piano and organ.)

Retro R&B

• Sweet Soul Music-Arthur Conley (Does the title not ring a bell?  How about the opening lyric, "Do you like good music?"  Few artists have name-dropped so many standout musicians in one song, while making it sound this natural and catchy.  Seek out the scene from "Cheers" in which the cast starts singing it.)

Swinging Standards

• September Song-Nat King Cole & George Shearing (Sublime, lush vocals and piano.)
• Stairway To The Stars-Sarah Vaughan (Some of Vaughan's strongest, most elegant vocals, in my opinion; I wish I'd played this on WEW or KCOU's "Jazz Odyssey.")

SiriusXM highlights LXX

Noteworthy selections from the past two weeks:

'60s On 6

• Up, Up, And Away-The 5th Dimension (It's gratifying to hear oldies stations play this of-its-time burst of idealism decades after it was a hit.)

'70s On 7

• I Feel The Earth Move-Carole King (Great synergy between the piano and vocals; with universal sentiments such as these expressed so sincerely and openly, it's no wonder that King's "Tapestry" album has been such a huge seller.)

The Loft

• Rudy, A Message To You-The Specials (A sober-up-and-wise-up plea that gets its point across without sounding heavy-handed.  It's another way of conveying the Nat King Cole/Irving Mills admonition, "Straighten Up And Fly Right.") 

Real Jazz

• Maiden Voyage-Bobby Hutcherson (Sly vibes and piano permeate this just plain cool rendition of Herbie Hancock's tune.)
• Song For My Father-Louis Hayes & Gregory Porter (A compelling blend of vibes, drums, and resonant vocals; this impressive rendition of Horace Silver's tune is one of 2017's stronger jazz tracks.)
• This Here-Cannonball Adderley (The song's rhythmic underpinning brings the Miles Davis tune, "All Blues," to mind.)

Spa

• Wind Of The Western Sea-Bill Douglas & Ars Nova (Vocals seemingly arranged for a solemn Mass.) 

Symphony Hall

• Gabriel Faure: Pelleas et Melisande: Prelude (Boston Symphony/Seiji Ozawa, conductor) (An emotive, sobering piece; the first movement of "Mysterious Mountain," Alan Hovhaness's second symphony, evokes a similar mood.)

Underground Garage

• When My Baby's Beside Me-Big Star (Chiming guitar, a memorable hook, and a sing-along chorus; you'd think that would be a hat trick of ingredients for massive success on the charts.  Inexplicably, for this cream-of-the-crop power pop band, it wasn't.)

Watercolors

• Callie-Joyce Cooling (A breezy guitar-with-strategically-placed-whispered-background-vocals number fit for driving or possibly a hockey game.)

Context? XXX

I heard this exchange during an FM dial scan years ago:

Voice 1: Know that even when no one else can see you, Jesus sees you.  He knows what's goin' on!
Voice 2: I went in my room and got on my knees.  You see, I knew I needed help!

Alas, I switched to another station after Voice 2's plea for help.  I guess I shouldn't be concerned, however.  Presumably, the station wouldn't have aired such an exchange if it ended with Voice 2's unanswered prayers and a resulting life of failure and despair.

The right musical tone on an awful anniversary

One year ago, in my post, "Treating music as a hot potato," I wrote about how inappropriate it felt to listen to music on September 11, 2001.  Today, however, I listened to two Alison Krauss songs that I think are appropriate.  "Down To The River To Pray" is a tasteful request for strength when you need it most.  "How's The World Treating You?" is her duet with James Taylor, and it's an appropriate question to ask those who suffered losses on that terrible day or any other day.

Instant Supertramp recall

During one of my high school classes, the teacher took attendance.  "Rudy?  Is Rudy here?" he asked.  "He dropped out of school," a student responded.  "That's off to a fine start in life," the teacher responded sarcastically.  "Do you all know the song, 'Rudy,' by Supertramp?  It goes, 'Rudy's on a train to nowhere.'"

Fortunately, Rudy returned to school a few days later.  I always wondered if the teacher's reaction got back to him and was one of the reasons he returned.

Pavlovian congregants

Does "Jesu, Joy Of Man's Desiring," played on the organ, make anyone besides me hungry for communion wafers?  At Mass, during the early to mid '80s, that was the organist's default communion hymn.  Consequently, any other hymn, no matter how reverential, played during communion would be as out of place to me as "Take Me Out To The Ball Game."

FM dial scan highlights LXXXVII

Standout tracks heard today:

KDHX 88.1 FM

• Rainy Night In Georgia-Brook Benton (I remember hearing this for the first time in early '80s.  Leo Chears played it on WMRY, and I thought, "Brook Benton sure sings with authority and an appreciation for what's around him, even when it means spending the night in a boxcar."  I've heard the song many times since then, and the richness of Benton's vocals still impresses me.)

WSIE 88.7 FM

• Time And Tide-Basia (Basia's vocals are warm and thoughtful, and this album title track is among her best songs.  During the launch of former smooth jazz station WSSM, when the station was consultant-programmed, Basia was on the playlist.  Surprisingly, when the station started being programmed locally, her music disappeared from the mix.  It's puzzling to imagine her songs, which are immediately accessible, not testing well with the audience.)
• In The Name Of Love-Kenny Rankin (Rankin pulls off some impressive vocal acrobatics here.  Upon hearing the intro, I wondered if he was about to go into Dave Brubeck's "Take Five.")
• Frosty-Albert Collins (Ringing, upbeat blues guitar; that's no surprise for an artist who pulled off the impressive consistency of the "Truckin' With Albert Collins" album.)

 W279AQ 103.7 FM, a.k.a. KLOU-HD2

• That's The Way Of The World-Earth, Wind & Fire (This is one of the most inviting songs about staying centered and positive.  As much as I've heard it, I can't imagine it ever wearing out its welcome.)

Fit for just Autumn or every season?

John Gorka's "Out Of My Mind" conveys the attitude of "Easy come, easy go," better than perhaps any other tune I've heard.  Considering the situation in which the man who takes someone's car finds himself, it's baffling yet strangely refreshing that he can still maintain an "Oh, well" attitude while whistling about his plight.  It's an interesting choice to convey Autumn's aspect of loss on the Philo Records compilation, "When October Goes: Autumn Love Songs."

An overlooked cover tune XXXIX

Roberta Flack's "Killing Me Softly With His Song" has always impressed me.  It takes courage to admit feeling as vulnerable as the protagonist about which Flack sings.  On the Erin Bode Group's CD, "Requests," Bode covers the tune convincingly in the lower part of her vocal range.  I never hear any radio station play it, but it would fit in well on any credible smooth jazz station.

Persistent earworm alert LXXII

After spending more hours asleep than planned one recent day, a rap song I hadn't thought about in years came to mind.  If you listened to KMJM in 1983, you might remember "New York New York" by Grandmaster Flash and The Furious Five.  (To the uninitiated, this is not the tune Frank Sinatra made famous.)  Sleeping longer than planned made the lyric, "I would probably sleep my whole life away," play on a mental loop.  Recalling the tune's other lyrics made me remember what a grim picture it paints.  It's one of the bleakest, most out-of-character-for-me songs that I've ever experienced as an earworm.  Here's hoping my next earworm is more comforting.

Warning: No-window-shattering zone ahead

I've never understood why some drivers feel the need to crank up their music to maximum volume.  Not only is it distracting to other drivers and ear-splitting to other passengers in the driver's car, but the music itself becomes distorted and difficult to listen to.  A former co-worker said he once applauded when one driver's loud music shattered the car's back window.  I can't say he was wrong to react that way.

Persistent earworm alert LXXI

With Labor Day approaching, "Part Of The Union" by Strawbs has run through my mind these last two days.  It's not a song that would infiltrate my thoughts ordinarily.  Although I've never had a union job, I have to appreciate the accomplishments unions have made in making working conditions safer and fairer. 

Knowing how my mind works, Rush's "The Trees" will probably run through my mind repeatedly on Arbor Day.

Wouldn't write that now

Approximately 30 years ago, the conductor of a youth orchestra in which I played asked the bassists not to play a short passage in a piece.  Instead of just crossing out the passage he mentioned, I penciled in, for good measure, "No damned bass!"  I don't remember if I was in a bad mood or just feeling punchy that day.  To any professional musicians who may have used that score later and had to erase that excessively profane reminder, my apologies.  Please know that I wouldn't do that today.

Movie or concert? Hmmm...

The annual brochure for an orchestra in which I played during high school promoted its concert tickets as costing "less than the price of a movie."  Granted, there probably weren't many potential concertgoers who were on the fence between seeing "Platoon" in a theater and watching young musicians play Stravinsky's "Petrushka."  Still, I'd like to believe that the promotional angle of "less than the price of a movie" made some people think, "I go to movies all the time.  I don't see Classical music performed nearly as often.  Why not support some talented musicians?"  At least, that's the illusion I've chosen to preserve these last three decades.

I started this blog three years ago today.  On September 1, 2014, I had no idea if I'd have enough music and radio-related thoughts to sustain this blog for more than a year.  It turns out that I have more memories and more thoughts about the current state of music and radio than I realized. Thank you to everyone who enjoys reading my daily postings.