Thursday highlights:
KHFM (Santa Fe, NM)
- Ludwig van Beethoven: Fidelio Overture, Op. 72c (The Hanover Band/Roy Goodman, conductor) (Precisely the right amount of drama and power in the strings and brass. The forceful crescendos made me sit up and pay just as much attention as I did when playing this piece on the bass decades ago.)
WASU (Boone, NC)
- No Roots-Alice Merton (This rhythmically appealing tune's lyrics convey some of the sentiments in Crowded House's "Weather With You" in a punchier fashion.)
WDEA (Ellsworth, ME)
- I'll Be Around-The Spinners (An honest way of saying, "I know I'm not your beloved, but if you ever need my friendship, I'm here for you." This group recorded a lot of excellent hits in the '70s and early '80s, and this is one of their best.)
- Sweet Seasons-Carole King (Sometimes, life goes your way. Other times, it doesn't. Overall, it's still a pretty great life. "Sweet Seasons" and "Been To Canaan" deserve more airplay than they usually get these days. WDEA deserves credit, as well, for playing such a tasteful mix of soft rock oldies. Too often, adult contemporary doesn't mean what it used to mean; on this station, however, it does.)
WESM (Princess Anne, MD)
- Braziliana-Lynne Arriale (Cookin', percolating piano, bass, and drums. In this case, a rhythm section is all you need. Seek out a live version of this to appreciate all the energy the trio expends.)
- The Good Life-Orrin Evans (Steady, piano-anchored instrumentals with this type of walking bass line get my attention frequently. This June release maintains its vibe commendably for over nine minutes.)
