Calibrated tactfulness? II

While listening to a top 40 station in college, my roommate suddenly felt the urge to sing along with Madonna's "Cherish."   Being conspicuously off-key didn't dissuade him.  Silently, I ran down the ways I could react.  I could have...

• ...left the room without explanation.
• ...started nodding my head slightly rhythmically, which might have made me look like a good sport despite my indifference to "Cherish." 
• ...announced, "I'm not a great singer, either, but that's...pitchy."
• ...turned toward the wall, pretending that the textbook chapter I was reading was so thoroughly engrossing that I wouldn't even think to notice my roommate's grating vocals or consider smiling or chuckling in response to them.

Those who know me well won't be surprised that I chose the fourth option.

Context? CCCLXXXIX

Recently, I heard someone say, "I heard on NPR, while it still exists, today..."

It's disturbing that it's necessary to include that qualifier.

FM dial scan highlights CCLXXVIII

Saturday through Thursday highlights:

KDHX 88.1 FM 

• Left Of Center-Suzanne Vega (A convincing argument for finding common ground with someone who's quirky and not so accessible.)
• Let It Be Me-The Everly Brothers (Timeless sentiments, appropriate for any era.  I used to play this when listeners requested it on WEW.)

WSIE 88.7 FM 

• (Fallin' Like) Dominoes-Donald Byrd (Could there be a funkier bass line to draw the listener in?  Between the bass, Byrd's trumpet, and the rest of the rhythm section, the tune is set in 1975 in the best ways.  There are lyrics, but the tune would be perfectly complete as an instrumental.)
• Seaside Story-Carol Albert (Pleasant piano fit for a smooth jazz or new age playlist.) 

KCLC 89.1 FM 

• Feeling-Billie Marten (This is one of 2025's low-key charmers, with its lo-fi vocals and acoustic instrumentation.) 

Persistent earworm alert CCCLXXIII

This afternoon, my cat, Collette, struck a pose while sitting in a cardboard box.  She looked as if she would advise anyone who sought her counsel.  As I ran to get the camera, I murmured, "Pure energy," to myself.  I never thought I would use the spoken word extract from Information Society's "What's On Your Mind" as motivation to grab a camera before a moment passed.  Inexplicably, though, I did.  Even more inexplicably, "What's On Your Mind" hasn't left my mind since then.

I'm pleased with how the photo turned out, though.

An overlooked cover tune CLXIX

In need of a song that will give you the boost needed to achieve a seemingly out-of-reach goal?  Try this: If you'd enjoy "The Impossible Dream" with vocals that are just dramatic enough, you might like how The Temptations recorded it.  Strings add gravity to the tune, but the instrumentalists and vocalists never cross the line into melodrama.

An overlooked cover tune CLXVIII

"Alexander's Ragtime Band" isn't a tune I would think to seek out regularly but after hearing Beegie Adair's version on the piano, I'll admit that it underscores a brisk stroll cheerfully.  While fading out at the end would have worked just fine, the definitive hard stop brings the tune to a satisfying conclusion.

A petty fixation XLI

Years ago, I used to listen every Memorial Day weekend to KSHE's "Rock And Roll 500" countdown.  I was always curious to see where the album rock tracks I liked most would fall in their rankings.  It always bothered me slightly, however, that I never heard any of the DJs announce directly how the rankings were tabulated.

"Did the station poll its personnel to come up with these rankings?  Did the program director determine them?  Did the station's listeners fill out surveys with lists of their favorite songs?  Just tell me," I thought.

The closest thing to an explanation I heard from a DJ was when he hinted on-air, "That's the key (to these rankings)--research outside the radio station."

I thought that was a cryptic yet slightly informative way of telling listeners, "Enjoy the music, and don't get too caught up in the numbers."

Persistent earworm alert CCCLXXII

It puzzles me that I've posted every day on this music blog for over 10 years, and yet, it took all that time for the chorus of "I Can Hear Music" by The Beach Boys to enter my mind and stay there.

How to explain this?  My mind just took a detour into more obscure territory for the answer.  I just started singing, "The obvious escapes me, The obvious escapes me," to the tune of Adam Hucke's "The Vegetables Are Singing." 

"Good music ahead--with an asterisk..."

Yesterday, I heard a DJ close his show by inviting listeners to stay tuned for the next DJ's show.  He said, "(The next DJ) might not have as (much) good taste in music as I do, but it's pretty darn close."

I wonder what the next DJ thought.  After all, how do you follow a compromised compliment?  

Online radio sampler highlights CCLXX

Seven standout tunes heard today:

KRFF (Fargo, ND) 

• Flying-Moon Duo (Spacey instrumentation, soft, buried vocals, and a hypnotic vibe; if this track had existed in the early '90s, I'd have played it on KCOU.)

KRSM (Minneapolis, MN) 

• Riders Of The Moon-Arc De Soleil (The guitar underscoring the vocals on this new release reminds me of early '70s, Bob Welch-era Fleetwood Mac.)
• Get Yourself Together-Young Disciples (A compelling blend of modern-for-the-time, i.e. 1991, vocals and early '70s jazz/R&B-style flute and strings.  Also recommended "Freedom Suite," which I heard in its entirety on KDHX, coming home from work one night in 1993.  It was thought-provoking underscoring for a night drive.)

WSLR (Sarasota, FL) 

• Night Train-Amina Figarova (This is not the famous Jimmy Forrest-penned melody that Oscar Peterson and many other jazz artist have performed.  It is, however, warm, inviting, uptempo piano jazz.)
• Don't Misunderstand-Eric Alexander (Smooth, uptempo sax-led jazz with a strong rhythm section.)

WVMO (Monona, WI) 

• Song For A Sucker Like You-Ben Sidran (This is about the catchiest way to tell someone not to be so gullible.  It was a pleasant surprise to hear any station play this 1977 track, which has a great jazz piano bounce underscoring Sidran's vocals.)
• August-Noeline Hofmann (A well-blended merging of folk and country styles in Hofmann's singing and guitar playing.)

Calibrated tactfulness?

After a broadcasting school production class, I talked with the instructor briefly about the rock station where he worked.  He caught me off guard by asking, "What did you think of (a particular shift on the station) when I was doing it?"

I hadn't heard a ton of his on-air work, but what I'd heard sounded...fine.  Not outstanding, not terrible, but simply decent.  It would have been churlish to say his DJ patter sounded serviceable or workmanlike, though, so I said, with not quite enough conviction, "Sounded great."

"Interesting observation," he mused.

Apparently, my poker voice wasn't quite convincing. 

The allure of shuffle mode LXXIX

Today, iTunes shuffle mode paired two songs about relying on a higher power for strength when you feel weary.  Fittingly, Ebba Forsberg's "Carried" segued into "He Leadeth Me" by Sara Watkins.  Regardless of one's belief system or lack of one, both tunes stand up on their own merits lyrically and musically.  It impresses me when songs that are spiritual at heart have easy secular appeal.

One blessing counted

My perspective 30 years ago: When I worked part-time as a DJ on smooth jazz station KNJZ, I felt fortunate just to be there.  While I thought my voice was appropriate for the format, and I was able to share some of my musical knowledge on the air, I thought, "I know I'm low in the pecking order here, but there are only nine DJs on this station--and I'm one of them."

At age 24, that wasn't a bad place to be.

No profane outbursts here

On the first day of eighth grade chorus class, the teacher, Mr. B., told us, "Just so you all know, the administration came up with a new list of offenses over the Summer that can now get you a 'yellow' (discipline slip that requires the offender to go to the principal's office.)"

He said one offense that would result in a yellow was using profanity in class.  

"Some of you all curse bad," he elaborated.  "Like sailors."

Despite Mr. B.'s generalization, I don't remember anyone being cited for using profanity in chorus class.  In fact, I don't remember anyone ever swearing in that class.  The class was an elective, so the students in it presumably wanted to be there.  Also, it was a relatively small class with no major personality conflicts between students.  Besides, everyone in the class already had an interest in music, and the teacher had a laid-back demeanor, so why would we have cursed?  Temporarily forgetting the name of a treble or bass clef note on a flashcard doesn't usually elicit expletives from students, after all. 

SiriusXM highlights CLV

Saturday's highlights:

1st Wave 

• Once In A Lifetime-Talking Heads (This is still one of the band's best builds to a chorus.  Kermit The Frog sang a credible rendition of it, as well, on the '90s "Muppet Show" reboot, "Muppets Tonight.")

The Coffee House 

• One And Only-Michael Kiwanuka (Well-written, realistic lyrics acknowledging that any relationship comes with at least minor bumps in the road.)

Escape 

• Baby Come Back-Lex DeAzevedo (This 1977-'78 Player hit lends itself easily to an easy listening arrangement, especially in the piano and strings.)

HBCU 

• Can't Get You Out Of My Head-Incognito ("After The Fall" is still my favorite Incognito instrumental, but these vocals are equally at home in a smooth jazz or R&B playlist.)

The Loft 

• Bullseye-Shootouts (A Grand Ole Opry-style guitar instrumental.  Tommy Emmanuel would likely cover this effectively.)

Piano Instrumentals 

• Frangenti-George Winston (If I programmed an acoustic music show, I'd play the guitar instrumental, "Jessica," by Dave Evans before this rendition of a Massimo Gatti piece.  The trills that Winston plays mimic a mandolin convincingly, so multiple Nashville Mandolin Ensemble tracks could segue with this.)

Real Jazz 

• Chasin' Kendall-Stefon Harris/Blackout (The sunny mood of this vibraphone-anchored instrumental reminds me of "Groovin'" by The Rascals.)

SiriusXMU 

• Appropriate Emotions-The Bug Club (I like the amusingly clinical, tongue-in-cheek lyrics of this new release.  I can imagine a couple who appreciates this style of humor giving each other deliberately restrained greeting cards with inscriptions such as, "To my favorite carbon-based life form," or "To an endearing amalgamation of atoms..."  I'd be curious to hear Tennis cover this track.)

Symphony Hall 

• Maurice Ravel: String Quartet in F major (Musicians from the Marlboro Music Festival) (This composition's warmth and depth struck me immediately, but that's no surprise, coming from Ravel.  The drama of the fourth movement made me want to scamper down a hillside to keep up with the finale's energy.)

The Verge 

• People Pleaser-Gabrielle Shonk (Good lyrics about resolving not to be treated like a doormat.)

The Village 

• Gypsy Rose-Tracy Grammer (The Kennedys sing my favorite version of this, but Grammer's subtler acoustic-guitar-and-vocals rendition is strong, as well.)
  

The allure of shuffle mode LXXVIII

This morning, thanks to iTunes shuffle mode, two of the warmest tunes in my library ended up back to back; Oscar Peterson's sublime version of "Away In A Manger" flowed into "Merry Christmas Darling" by The Carpenters.  The piano and flugelhorn carry the Christmas warmth instrumentally in "...Manger," while Karen Carpenter conveys equal warmth vocally.

I never mind hearing Christmas tunes that convey the warmth of the season--even in May. 

Context? CCCLXXXVIII

"(This news event) happened, but I don't want to talk about that..." a talk radio host said this morning.  He then added, "...unless you're dying to talk about it."

Admittedly, some news events may be consequential, but when opened up for public discussion, they just lead to predictable, repetitive calls.  Nevertheless, radio is for the people, so if it's reasonable for people to want to discuss something in the news, it's wise for the host to acknowledge that.

Three cheers for giant ears

It was refreshing to see a pedestrian today sporting the largest pair of headphones I'd ever seen anyone wear while walking down the street.  They reminded me of the giant headphones late '70s and early '80s elementary school students wore when listening to lessons on cassettes.

"Good," I thought.  "So often, people wear not immediately visible earbuds.  Their sudden bursts of speech or song make it look as though they're receiving startling messages from beyond the grave.  At least, if this person bursts into song or says, 'I agree,' it'll be obvious she's listening to music or a podcast, and other pedestrians will know she's not speaking to them."

Familiar=good?

After perusing a schedule of Summer concerts recently, I nodded in recognition at two of the band names.

"Oh, good," I said.  "(This band) is performing once again this year.  So is (another band.)"  

Then, I laughed a little.  I've never heard either of those bands play, but for a moment, I'd reasoned, "They must be good since they're asked back year after year."

Familiarity, even just surface level familiarity, is am inexplicably powerful lure sometimes. 

The allure of shuffle mode LXXVII

It was a pleasure to hear iTunes reach into my library yesterday and pair Hagood Hardy's "Silent Night, Holy Night" with Sally Harmon's "We Gather Together."  I never tire of hearing piano-propelled holiday warmth, even when it's out of season.

Context? CCCLXXXVII

It's usually obvious when a radio talk show host is getting a little exasperated with a frequent caller.

Earlier this Spring, I heard a host tell a regular caller to "take the win.  (The venue about which you call regularly) still has cultural events.  Take the win."

Even before the caller responded, I guessed correctly who it was.  I'm still not sure if that means he calls a little too often or I listen a little too often. 

Context? CCCLXXXVI

Provided it's for the right reasons, it's a pleasure to hear someone express pride for their hometown.  This morning, a caller who had an item for sale called into an AM station and said, "My phone number in beautiful downtown Ferguson is..."

The caller's phone number is unrelated to the appeal of his hometown, but it's nice to know some people know they're where they're supposed to be and wouldn't have it any other way.

Ice water never looked so good...

...I was just staring at the cover of Leo Kottke's "Ice Water" album and thinking, "Ice cubes on the brim of a hat...That's one of the strangest album covers I've ever seen--and yet, it still looks pretty appetizing."

There was a water main break here early yesterday morning.  The boil advisory is now in its second day, so my cat and I have refrained from drinking tap water.  We're also thankful that I filled the ice cube tray two days before this fiasco started. 

FM dial scan highlights CCLXXVII

Six standout selections heard today:

KDHX 88.1 FM 

• Ken's Burn-Hobex (This energetic instrumental sports cool rhythmic synergy between the organ and the bass.)

WSIE 88.7 FM 

• Dinorah Dinorah-Butcher Brown (Released in March, this is a strong rendition of an Ivan Lins tune. George Benson covered it previously in a slightly faster tempo.  Butcher Brown's version retains the essence of the tune's Brazilian flavor while modernizing it.)
• Diamond Dress-Lisa Addeo (Uptempo smooth jazz piano with a dash of funk.  The trumpet and backing vocals add spice.)

KCLC 89.1 FM 

• Running Up That Hill-Meg Myers (The low register of Myers's voice captures the grandeur of Kate Bush's original version.)
• Heartbreak-Tune-Yards (Released in April, the rhythm of the chorus has planted itself firmly in my mind.)

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

• Franz Schubert: String Quartet No. 15 in G major, D.887: III. Scherzo. Allegro. Vivace-Trio. Allegretto (Emerson String Quartet) (A deftly performed movement.  It begins and ends with a rapid call-and-response that transitions into and out of a delicate middle section.) 

Context? CCCLXXXV

This afternoon, a Classical radio station announcer said, "We're in the middle of...Well, actually, we're not in the middle, although it feels that way when you're on the air sometimes...We're in the beginning of our Spring fund drive..."

I understand that feeling.  I didn't do many pledge drives as an announcer, but even one day of a pledge drive can feel like an eternity for announcers and listeners.  Regardless of how courteous and subtle you are, it's awkward to say during every break, "You just heard (such-and-such.)  If you'd like us to continue bringing you such great programming, please call us to make your donation..." 

Persistent earworm alert CCCLXXI

My apologies for inflicting the memory of this song on anyone who'd rather not hear it:

Honestly, I'd rather not hear it, either, but the chorus of it has invaded my mind randomly for decades.  Grandpa was watching TV passively at his house in the early '80s.  "Sha Na Na" was in syndication, and Connie Stevens was singing the 1959 Dodie Stevens hit, "Pink Shoe Laces."  I thought at the time, "She sings it well, and this tune's rhythm plants itself in a listener's mind easily, but why would anyone want to hear these lyrics sung--by anyone?  And, tan shoes with pink shoelaces?  Just...No."

I still feel that way.  Besides, Shoe Laces should be Shoelaces in the title.

Context? CCCLXXXIV

Last week, a recorded liner touted a radio station as being "tariff-free for 29 years."  

I suppose that's one way to get a smidgen of humor out of an absurd situation.  Steering into a skid doesn't make a situation less vexing, but if nothing else, it acknowledges how preposterous the situation is.

Revelatory demographic targeting

About 30 years ago, KNJZ, the smooth jazz station where I worked, attempted to reel in new listeners.  The station mailed sampler cassettes to St. Louisans, giving them a taste of the music we played.

The sales director at my other job told me he'd received the tape.  Upon hearing this, another co-worker said he hadn't received his cassette yet.

I told him, "I don't think the tapes were sent to everyone.  I heard that the station targeted potential listeners in upscale zip codes."

Chuckling a little, he said, "That must be it, then.  I live in a downscale zip code."

Props to him for accepting a potentially awkward revelation with good humor. 

The allure of shuffle mode LXXVI

I found it interesting that iTunes shuffle mode paired The Captain & Tennille's "Love Will Keep Us Together" with Milo Greene's "Move" recently.  The theme of both songs is, "You're mine, and I'm yours," but the ways they convey it are markedly different.  The Captain & Tennille's approach is light and bouncy, while Milo Greene's style is dark and sinister.

It's quite the contrast between greeting card accessibility and underscoring fit for a spy movie.

Context? CCCLXXXIII

It amused me yesterday to see an obviously AI-generated fact while "Close To You" by The Carpenters played.  

I listened to a radio station whose website displays the title and artist of the current song playing, along with some biographical information, such as "(This artist) lived from 1940 to 2010," or "(This group's) biggest hit was (such-and-such) in 1972."

For The Carpenters, however, the display read (when paraphrased), "Carpentry is the craft of cutting and installing building materials..."

That's an accurate definition, to be fair.  It's puzzling, however, that AI didn't pick up on any factual information about such a commercially successful group. 

Online radio sampler highlights CCLXIX

Five ear-catching tunes heard today:

KCHE (Cherokee, IA) 

• In The Wee Small Hours Of The Morning-Carly Simon (I'm more accustomed to hearing Simon's strong pop hits, such as "You're So Vain," "Anticipation," and "You Belong To Me."  Upon hearing this, however, I realized how well her voice fits the thoughtfulness and sentimentality of standards.)

KCOU (Columbia, MO) 

• One Last Dance-Baby Rose & Badbadnotgood (A strong '60s R&B throwback sound in the vocals.  Brook Benton's "Rainy Night In Georgia" would flow smoothly into this.)

WBRH (Baton Rouge, LA) 

• Black And White-Barbara Dennerlein (Considerable pep in Dennerlein's organ playing--and the whole combo, for that matter.)
• Skylark-Cassandra Wilson (I liked hearing this standard sung in Wilson's lower register with a more relaxed, unhurried approach than most versions.)

WPKN (Bridgeport, CT) 

• Sweets For My Sweet-The Drifters (This doesn't get much airplay these days, but it should.  The piano part underscores one of the group's catchiest rhythms and some its most infectious vocals, and it has my favorite closing vocal fade of any Drifters tune.  I would segue it with the Raul Malo/Shelby Lynne version of "Takes Two To Tango.")