Online radio sampler highlights CCLXIII

Six standout selections heard today:

KCSM (San Mateo, CA) 

• Knocks Me Off My Feet-Luther Allison (An appealing piano rendition of one of Stevie Wonder's best songs, among many stellar ones, from his "Songs In The Key Of Life" album.)

KHFM (Santa Fe, NM) 

• Johannes Brahms: Tragic Overture, Op. 81 (London Symphony Orchestra/Michael Tilson Thomas, conductor) (Generally, when I listen to Brahms, it's to hear his softer, more lyrical compositions.  This spirited rendition of his Tragic Overture, however, reminds me that he also composed forceful, commanding pieces.)

KRVM (Eugene, OR) 

• Lost You In The Mountains-Cristina Vane (Throbbing guitar and solid blues-rock vocals.  I'd be curious to hear Susan Tedeschi sing this.)

WBYC (Crisfield, MD) 

• Where Will I Be?-Crosby & Nash (The lyrics present honest questions people ask themselves during major life transitions.  "Critical Mass/Wind On The Water" is still the best Crosby & Nash collaboration, in my opinion, but this track also deserves its due.)

WMCN (St. Paul, MN) 

• Polka Dots And Moonbeams-Tommy Dorsey (Wes Montgomery's guitar instrumental is my favorite rendition of this, but I'm glad there's still a place on the radio for an elegant big band/vocal rendition of this.  There's an elegance in the musicianship and an eloquence in the lyrics that you don't tend to hear today.)

WSFM (Asheville, NC) 

• Let It Be Me-Roberta Flack (Let's add this to my list of favorite tracks in my "In memory of Roberta Flack" post.  This has the feel of a '50s doo-wop ballad and is another highlight of Flack's "Chapter Two" album.)

FM dial scan highlights CCLXIX

Thursday morning highlights:

KDHX 88.1 FM 

• The Legend Of Xanadu-Dave Dee, Dozy, Beaky, Mick & Tich (After listening for about a minute, I thought, "Did Herman's Hermits release some wild experimental album near the end of their career?  The trumpet part is fit for a bullfight."  I've since learned that this was a 1968 British chart-topper that wasn't a hit here.)
• In The Waiting Line-Zero 7 featuring Sophie Barker (For days when you're sleepwalking through life on autopilot...) 

WSIE 88.7 FM

• Kings-Kevin Toney (This fresh breeze of a piano melody came up frequently when I worked at KNJZ, and I never got tired of playing it.)
• All Over Again-Roy Hargrove (I don't think I've ever heard anyone blast jazz out of a car with the top down, but this would be an excellent track for that purpose.  There's impressive precision between the trumpet and saxophone, and the piano and drums add to the tune's ambience.)

WARH 106.5 FM

•  Everyday Is A Winding Road-Sheryl Crow (This holds up as one of Crow's catchiest uptempo hits.  Whenever I hear it, it's 1997 again, and WVRV ("The River") is playing this while I work.  One petty quibble, though: As with Buddy Holly's "Everyday," the title should really be "Every Day..." This doesn't detract from the music, but I needed to say that just once.)
• Jessie's Girl-Rick Springfield (Rhythmically, this was one of 1981's stronger hits.  As for the lyrics: If you're going to admit your jealousy so openly, this is a tuneful way to do it.)

An overlooked cover tune CLXIII

I heard James Taylor's version of "Everyday" frequently on soft rock stations in 1985.  With its easy-to-digest midtempo arrangement and Valentine's Day-style sentiments, that wasn't surprising.  I didn't learn until years later that Buddy Holly wrote and sang "Everyday" originally.  Holly's original rendition is noticeably faster, giving the tune a rockabilly I didn't realize it was intended to have.

Somehow, I'd forgotten until yesterday that John Denver also covered "Everyday."  I've never heard his 1971 rendition on the radio, but listening to his LP, "Aerie," jogged my memory.  Denver's vocal phrasings speed up and slow down more conspicuously, but they make "Everyday" sound as if he wrote it.  Given the tune's heartfelt optimism, that's in keeping with Denver's uplifting style.

In memory of Roberta Flack

In honor of distinctive vocalist Roberta Flack, who passed away yesterday, I recommend these six tracks:

• Compared To What (Most jazz fans have heard the Les McCann/Eddie Harris rendition.  Vocally and instrumentally, Flack's version gives off a strong Aretha Franklin vibe. It should be played more often, perhaps on WSIE.)
• The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face (I like Pete Seeger's and Roberta Flack's versions of this for the same reason; both renditions, in their own ways, convey the emotional intensity of a moment in which a person's life changed for the better.)  
• Killing Me Softly With His Song (Flack's voice is naturally compelling and sincere; those qualities come across readily on "Where Is The Love?," "The Closer I Get To You," and "Killing Me Softly...")
• Lovin' You (Is Such An Easy Thang To Do) (Accessible lyrics, fine vocals, strong bass, and a sustained beat...How was this not a pop hit in 1981?)
• Until It's Time For You To Go (This moving, emotive version of a Buffy Sainte-Marie song should be better known.  It's unfortunate that Flack's album, "Chapter Two," is generally overlooked these days.)
• Where Is The Love? (with Donny Hathaway)  (Is there another duet in which the breezy vocals are this appealingly at odds with such ominous lyrics?  In my view, such an effective contrast and lyrics that should resonate in any era make this Flack's best hit.)

SiriusXM highlights CXLVII

Standout tunes heard today:

Acoustic Guitar Instrumentals 

• Of The Harvest-Michelle Qureshi (This would blend well with the quieter tracks on the Windham Hill compilation, "Thanksgiving.")

Escape 

• One Note Samba-Joe Harnell And His Piano Orchestra (This proves that an easy listening cover of a much-covered tune can sound hip--and that piano and flute serve this melody well.)

The Groove 

• Once You Get Started-Rufus & Chaka Khan (A fun, energetic 1975 dance hit.)

Lo-Fi Sleep 

• Time Will Tell-Idealism (A steady, subtle instrumental with comforting piano and crackling vinyl effects.  Aimee Mann's "Wise Up" or Neil Finn's "Addicted" could segue with this.)

The Loft 

• Turning Onto You-First Aid Kit (A forthright way of saying, "This relationship has potential, so let's make it work.")

Real Jazz 

• Central And El Segundo-Brandon Sanders (The rhythm and somewhat expansive, avant-garde nature of this instrumental could make McCoy Tyner's "Rotunda" segue with it.)

Women Of Dance 

• Strangers-Kenya Grace (In a different context, these lyrics about short-term relationships might not stand out to me.  With this compelling underscoring, however, they do.)

Yacht Rock Deep Cuts 

• If And Any Day-Seals & Crofts (This overlooked tune has an appealing bounce and an interesting blend of Doobie Brothers and Stephen Bishop styles.)

The allure of shuffle mode LXX

Yesterday, during my iTunes shuffle mode session, these two tracks came up back to back:

• Holy, Holy, Holy-The Mills Brothers
• Have A Talk With God-Stevie Wonder

While no mortal being can claim to know the mind of God, I think that's the proper order in which to hear those tracks.  It just makes sense to start with reverence before requesting a favor from the Lord.

The allure of shuffle mode LXIX

iTunes sensed today that I welcome one propulsive guitar part after another.  Thus, it kicked off today's shuffle mode session with Nickel Creek's "Strangers," followed by Ken Bonfield's "Homage."

That's yet another example of how well iTunes knows my music library--and me.

Persistent earworm alert CCCLXVI

Originally, I'd planned to write an Online radio sampler highlights post today.  However, after listening to various stations for the past two hours, I didn't hear any striking music to recommend nor did I hear any standout DJ patter or talk segments on which I could comment.  Thus, I abandoned my plan and decided to listen to music from my own collection.  While attempting to listen, however, the chorus of "Back To My Music" by Good Rats, "Might as well get back to my music, to my music...," planted itself firmly in my mind.

The only time I've ever heard "Back To My Music" on the radio was on WMRY in the late '80s, and yet, when I'm about to listen to music, there it is--fresh in mind and ready to overlay any song I might play.  I suppose that's inevitable, though, considering that the singer's plan to get back to his music coincides with my actions.

FM dial scan highlights CCLXVIII

Thursday morning standouts:

KDHX 88.1 FM 

• Trust In Me-Etta James (James's 1961 hit version of a tune that originated in 1937 has a late '50s doo-wop feel with vocals that command attention.)

WSIE 88.7 FM 

• Everything Must Change-The Bosman Twins (A bittersweet saxophone melody with appealing piano underscoring.  I saw this pair of sax-playing brothers performing at an eighth grade career fair and was impressed by their synchronicity.  I'm glad that 40 years later, they're still recording and touring.)
• Good Company-Dawn Weber & Good Company (This St. Louis-based trumpeter/vocalist and her band remind me of Sharon Jones & The Dap-Kings on this track.)

KCLC 89.1 FM 

• Don't Go Alone-Aloe Blacc (The tropical feel of Blacc's vocals and the instrumentation make the lyrics about navigating the unwritten rules of a relationship go down easier.)

KEZK 102.5 FM 

• The Longest Time-Billy Joel (Of Joel's many '80s hits, I think this one holds up best due to its timeless sentiments and cleverly layered vocals.)

K297BI 107.3 FM, a.k.a. WFUN-HD2

• Ralph Vaughan Williams: Suite For Viola And Orchestra: VIII. Galop (Slovak Radio Orchestra/Kirk Trevor, conductor; Yizhak Schotten, viola) (A fun, energetic concluding dance romp that showcases the entire ensemble effectively.)

A likely feline frame of mind

The more I hear it, the more I suspect that a cat might have ghostwritten at least the chorus of The Alan Parsons Project's "Let's Talk About Me."  After all, the subject of the song keeps wanting to call attention to himself and his view of a situation.

If that isn't a cat's perspective, what is?

Persistent earworm alert CCCLXV

It was heartening to read about the protests people held yesterday against the current king-like presidential regime.  Any administration that's as heartless and reckless as the present one deserves loud condemnation, to say the least.

Since reading about yesterday's protests, "Wake Up Everybody" by Harold Melvin And The Blue Notes has been on my mind.  I've always liked the tune since first hearing it as a child in the '70s.  Its lyrics about creating a fairer, more compassionate world are especially resonant now among those of us who voted for the president's opponent.  It's demoralizing to know that the vision outlined in "Wake Up..." will be delayed, at a minimum, over the next four years.  It's encouraging, however, to remember that a great many of us support that vision and are making our voices heard.

A linguistic irritant XXXIV

Recently, a radio personality called out people justifiably for using the phrase, "To tell you the truth..."  He said it made him wonder if everything the person said prior to that was a lie.

I think the same logic applies when people preface a sentence, "In all honesty..." 

Circling the drain, alas... II

"Ideally, where would you like to work?" a broadcasting school instructor asked me in 1993.

"KDHX," I responded.

"They'd think you're Walter Cronkite over there," he responded.

I'm not sure if that's true, but I appreciated the compliment.  Alas, I've never been a KDHX DJ.  At the moment, no one is a KDHX DJ, except through their previously recorded shifts that the station is rerunning.

I want to believe there's a way to save KDHX and give many more generations of listeners the enjoyment I've had in listening to it for so long.  Hopefully, it will also give all former DJs and promising newcomers who want to be on the air another chance to share and spread their passion for the widest range of music heard on St. Louis radio.

Transferable enjoyment

Sometimes, hearing DJs enjoy the music they're playing on-air makes listeners enjoy the music, as well.  One morning during the Fall of '83, a KYKY DJ started singing unobtrusively over the last few seconds of Lionel Richie's "All Night Long," before launching into the next song, "Couldn't Get It Right," with the intro, "Adult Rock KY98, (I) got a request for this; off the album 'Gold Plated,' Climax Blues Band..."

At the time, I thought, "That's the kind of DJ I want to be one day.  I doubt I'll sing on-air often, if ever, due to my limited singing range, but there's a good reminder in what that DJ just did.  If you sound engaged with the music, listeners pick up on that and might listen longer, as a result.  Also, when the intro is long enough to permit it, tell listeners the song title, artist, and even the album title.  That's the essence of being a DJ, after all." 

A seemingly surefire hit

The first time I heard Sneaker's "More Than Just The Two Of Us" on "American Top 40," I thought, "I'll bet this turns out to be a big hit.  The singer is professing how devoted his beloved girlfriend or wife and he are to each other, the tune has a solid chorus, and with so many soft rock stations on the radio, this immediately accessible ballad is bound to be a staple track of request and dedication shows."

To my surprise, "More Than Just The Two Of Us" wasn't the smash hit I'd predicted.  To this day, "American Top 40" is still the only place I've heard it, outside of the recording I purchased.  Maybe it was a matter of timing.  The song became a minor hit just before Christmas in 1981 and disappeared from the charts in early '82.  Perhaps it got lost in the Christmas rush and wasn't promoted heavily.

Still, "American Top 40" is a large platform, and with its easy-to-digest Valentine's Day sentiments, it still puzzles me that "More Than Just The Two Of Us" isn't better known.

Online radio sampler highlights CCLXII

Seven standout tunes heard today:

KEXP (Seattle, WA) 

• Lotta Love-Courtney Barnett (This appealing new cover of the Neil Young tune is closer to Young's plaintive take than Nicolette Larson's glossy version with its soaring vocals.)
• Delaware-Drop Nineteens (I was surprised to hear this track that I used to play on KCOU in the early '90s.  The heavy guitar and bass undercurrent for the first minute and 45 seconds would work as a repeated loop.) 

KUWY (Laramie, WY)

• Ol' 55-Tom Waits (I've always liked the sing-along quality of this tune's chorus.  This is a highlight of Waits's best album, "Closing Time," and The Eagles covered it compellingly, as well.  Also recommended: "Closing Time," the piano instrumental that I used to play at the end of my shows on WEW.)

WCNR (Charlottesville, VA) 

• Steady On-Shawn Colvin (The perseverance with which Colvin sings the title always draws me in.  I'm glad there's a station playing this, along with Sarah Jarosz's "Jealous Moon," "The Only One I Know" by The Charlatans UK, and...)
• What's This About (La La La La)-Kate Bollinger (...this short, quirky tune from last year.  It's a fun lyrical acknowledgement that much of almost everyone's day-to-day life is relatively mundane.)

WWOZ (New Orleans, LA) 

• Good Morning, New Orleans-Kermit Ruffins (Welcoming trumpet, a cool walking bass line, and vocals reminiscent of Louis Armstrong.)
• Creole Love Song-Ellis Marsalis (An impressive piano rendition of a Duke Ellington tune, with a bit of a "Happy Trails" feel.)

FM dial scan highlights CCLXVII

Wednesday standouts:

KDHX 88.1 FM 

• Riding On A Load Of Hay/Carving The Pumpkin-Goldmine Pickers (This instrumental is an appealing fusion of bluegrass and Celtic styles.  The opening minute or so of fiddling reminds me of Natalie MacMaster's approach to the violin.  After that, the tune accelerates and kicks up some dust.)
• I Say A Little Prayer-Aretha Franklin (Dionne Warwick sings my default version of this, but Franklin's declarative "This is my prayer!" gives the outro additional spice.)

WSIE 88.7 FM 

• She Spoke To Me Of Angels-Vincent Varvel (An airy, melancholy guitar piece.)
• Tribe-Andrea Lisa (Sunny, uptempo smooth jazz guitar and appropriately warm backing vocals.)

KWUR 90.3 FM 

• Je M'ennuie-Hi-Fi Set (By American standards, this is an obscurity--laid-back Japanese jazzy pop/lounge vocals and instrumentation from 1976.  The trumpet backing reminds me somewhat of Herb Alpert, which is always a plus.  Don't be misled by the English translation of the title, "I'm Bored.")

WFUN 96.3 FM 

• Don't Stop 'Til You Get Enough-Michael Jackson (One of Jackson's most enduring, energetic pop grooves.  While the album "Thriller" was a smash in its time, I still contend that the four best tracks on Jackson's prior album, "Off The Wall," (i.e. "Rock With You," "Off The Wall," "I Cam't Help It," and "Don't Stop...") hold up better.)

K297BI 107.3 FM, a.k.a. WFUN-HD2

• Thomas Campion: Move Now With Measured Sound (Venere Lute Quartet) (Without any prior knowledge of this composer, I could immediately tell that this is a Baroque-era piece.  Those who don't favor Baroque music might doubt that it's possible to sound stately yet warm, but that's the case here.  This is a spirited melody fit for a music box.)

SiriusXM highlights CXLVI

Standout tunes heard today:

1st Wave Deep Cuts 

• Night Boat To Cairo-Madness (This ska-flavored track could segue with "Gangsters" by The Specials.)

'50s Gold 

• Red Sails In The Sunset-Fats Domino (There are many covers of this, but this is probably the only version with a "Blueberry Hill"-style arrangement.)

Acoustic Guitar Instrumentals 

• Dancing With Angels-Meadowlark/Rick Cyge (This fingerstyle guitar piece would flow smoothly into "Morgan Magan" by The Chieftains.)

Chill Instrumental 

• Adriatic-Che-Yung (Proof that B-flat major is a good key for establishing a groove with a relatively subtle ray of hope.)

Classic Folk 

• Day Is Done-Peter, Paul & Mary ("Day Is Done" contains one of folk music's most endearing tropes.  The lyrics remind listeners that we're all interconnected and that it's neighborly to lend a helping hand when you can.)

Luna 

• Bodegas Groove-Carlos Henriquez (A cool rhuma instrumental, fit for a dance lesson or "Pink Panther" cartoon underscoring.  Santana's "Flor d'Luna (Moonflower)" could segue with it.)

Real Jazz 

• And What If I Don't?-Herbie Hancock (Brass and piano accompaniment for a hip strut or a pony trot, depending on the passage.)

Watercolors 

• It's Time-Eliane Elias (Pleasant piano with Take 6-style vocals.)

Persistent earworm alert CCCLXIV

Passing by the cookie aisle and a Valentine's Day candy display at a store has sparked an odd earworm for me today.  It's especially puzzling because I don't think it exists.  It's Bing Crosby's "I Can't Begin To Tell You," but sung by Cookie Monster as "Me Can't Begin To Tell You."

As you've likely surmised, it's an ode to a cookie.  I'll be gobsmacked if I find out that such a version aired on "Sesame Street," and I've forgotten it all these years.

A lukewarm endorsement III

This morning, a radio newscaster said that approximately 120,000,000 people are anticipated to watch today's Super Bowl on TV.

Will I be among them?

Um, sure...Maybe...At some point, I guess.  In the fourth quarter, at least...

St. Louis hasn't had an NFL team in years, for one thing, so that knocks out any hometown incentive for me to watch.  It was fun to see the St. Louis Rams win the big game, but that was 25 years ago.  Besides, when you're not on the team, what bearing do those victories really have on your life?

It's more pragmatic anyway to save my snack food for later in the week, when it looks like I might be snowed in.

Circling the drain, alas...

At the moment, KDHX 88.1 FM still exists.  Listeners can still hear an eclectic array of music on the station.  However, the station's recent decision to dismiss its volunteers and air only previously recorded programs suggests that the end is likely near for KDHX, at least as St. Louis has known it since 1987.

I hope I'm wrong and that some incarnation of KDHX in its glory days will resurface.  Right now, though, I'm not sure it will.  I've discovered so much music from so many genres over the decades, thanks to KDHX.  Among my favorite shows over the years: Blue Highways, Backroads, Feel Like Going Home, Radio Rio, Sound Salvation, Rocket 88, That Girl, In The Middle Of The Night, Ireland In America, Folks Of The World, The Record Sto', The Big Bang, and On The Media.  It's jarring to think of those shows and so many others in the past tense.  Those 13 shows I just listed encompass a broad tapestry of programming, including singer-songwriter gems, indie rock, jazz, R&B, Brazilian music, Celtic music, international obscurities, retro rock, power pop, and interviews with radio and TV personalities.

Thank you to all KDHX DJs who have enlightened me with their musical acumen over the years.  KDHX at its peak was a valuable resource and a treasure trove for listeners.  Here's hoping we haven't heard the last of it!

Context? CCCLXIX

This morning, a listener called a radio station, saying that he was seeking a particular medication, but two of the pharmacies mentioned in a commercial on the station didn't have it.  He wanted to know which pharmacy would have it.

The host thanked the listener for supporting the station's advertisers but informed him that the commercial he'd heard was a national spot, that he didn't personally endorse the product, and didn't know where to find the medicine. 

I wonder if the listener expected the host to say, "In what city do you live?  OK, hang on while I call ABC Pharmacy and ask them to check their inventory..."

FM dial scan highlights CCLXVI

Thursday morning highlights:

WSIE 88.7 FM

• Up And At It-Wes Montgomery (Cool, uptempo guitar with a kick, which was par for the course with Montgomery.  This could be a prelude to the Smuggler Brothers instrumental, "101.")
• Funktified-Pamela Williams featuring Lenny Nance (An appealingly steady groove for saxophone and piano.)

KCLC 89.1 FM

• I'm Still Fine-The Red Clay Strays (Appropriate lyrics for staying resilient during trying times.)
• Life Is-Jessica Pratt (The echo on the vocals lends gravity to the lyrics about not having life all figured out.)

KWUR 90.3 FM

• North To South-Eliza Edens (Endearing vocals and acoustic guitar.  In a more just world, singer-songwriter tunes like this would be more prevalent on mainstream stations.)

K297BI 107.3 FM, a.k.a. WFUN-HD2

• Ludwig van Beethoven: Symphony No. 6 in F major, Op. 68, "Pastoral": V.  Allegretto (Cleveland Orchestra/George Szell, conductor) (Although I was sorry to miss the first movement, which sounds as pastoral as any other tranquil movement I've played on the bass, I was glad to catch the last movement, which conveys convincingly the relief one would feel after a storm.)
  

Online radio sampler highlights CCLXI

Seven standout tunes heard today:

KMJI (Texarkana, AR)

• Lifetime-Maxwell (An easy-to-digest slow jam.)

KPUP (Patagonia, AZ)

• When You Say Nothing At All-Alison Krauss & Union Station (Heartfelt lyrics about how reassuring it is to know that your beloved has your back--without any words exchanged.)
• Just Blue-The Weepies (Somehow, the guitar underpinning offers a ray of hope.  Lyrically, this is a sound way to acknowledge one's sadness over a breakup without sounding completely unable to recover.)

WCLK (Atlanta, GA)

• The Distance-Kerry Wilkins (Continuous smooth jazz guitar playing with appealing bursts of overlaid bass.)
• Murky Moon-Kayla Waters (Pleasant, uptempo smooth jazz piano playing.  Fattburger's "Good News" sounds compatible to me after this.)

WXYG (Sauk Rapids, MN)

• Watching And Waiting-The Moody Blues (An honest acknowledgment that even at our most misanthropic, we still crave at least occasional human connections.)
• You're So Vain-Carly Simon (More than 50 years later, these are still some of the cleverest lyrics about wishing people would get over themselves.)
  

A petty fixation XXXIX

Admittedly, this is silly.  I bought a pencil at an All-State music convention in the late '80s that I've never sharpened.  In part, that's because I rarely write with pencils.  I associate them with smudged printing, Scantron tests I took decades ago, and general impermanence. 

Subconsciously, however, I suspect I haven't sharpened the pencil because it's a collector's item.  It contains treble clefs, bass clefs, and various types of notes among its designs.  I'm not sure if such pencils are still available today.

I know this isn't entirely rational.  Pencils are meant for writing, after all, and sharpening them isn't akin to severing limbs.  Besides, the designs repeat themselves, so even if sharpening eliminates one set of piano keys and a grand piano emblem, there are identical designs further up on the pencil.

That's today's post on musicandradiomusings.blogspot.com, the blog that bravely tackles first world musical issues.  (I'd insert a smiley face emoticon here, but I'm trying to stay at least a tad refined.)

Context? CCCLXVIII

Heard on an NPR station Saturday morning: "Coming up: Scientists may have discovered vomit from 66 million years ago."

Well, that's one way to make radio journalism enthusiasts switch over to music.

An overlooked cover tune CLXII

Punxsutawney Phil predicts six more weeks of Winter weather, so here's one way to endure it: Listen to Two Times True's version of "In The Bleak Mid-Winter."  Carolbeth True sets a tone of warmth on the piano, giving lsiteners of "...Mid-Winter" and a similar melody, "In The Bulb There Is A Flower," hope about Spring being just around the corner.

Context? CCCLXVII

Yesterday, two radio personalities recalled absentminded things they'd done.  One host claimed to have accidentally left sunglasses in the refrigerator, and another one put a container of milk in the pantry.

I felt better after hearing about those incidents.  I know that I'm in my own world frequently, but I've never had to retrieve chilled sunglasses or throw out milk I've forgotten to refrigerate.