Online radio sampler highlights CCLXXXIV (Halloween edition)

Halloween decorations don't need to be scary.  Instead, why not lean into the fun, welcoming side of the holiday?  That was my view when putting Halloween items on the bookcase in October 2008, and that's still my view today.

Despite what I wrote on October 26, I'll admit to getting into Halloween a least a little today.  Here are some of the better Halloween-themed selections I've heard this morning:

KZMU (Moab, UT) 

• Spooky-Dusty Springfield (Springfield stays true to the spirit of this Classics IV hit while adding just enough of her own kick to the vocals.)
• Born Under A Bad Sign-Booker T. & The MGs (This tune lends itself easily to Booker T.'s bluesy organ playing.)

WDCB (Chicago, IL) 

• Trick Or Treat-Lionel Hampton (A cool, upbeat stroll of a melody with a rhythmic undercurrent of piano and vibraphone.  Clark Terry's performance on trumpet is commanding, to say the least.)
• Evil Ways-Willie Bobo (Most listeners know Santana's version, but Bobo's rendition also deserves its due as well, for its rhythmic instrumentation and spirited vocals.) 

WOWD (Takoma Park, MD)

• Ghost Town-The Specials (While the vocals complete the tune, the brass and winds go a long way in establishing the song's eerie mood.)

WRCI (Block Island, RI) 

• Carl Maria von Weber: Ruler Of The Spirits: Overture, Opus 27, J. 122 (Philharmonia Orchestra/Neeme Jarvi, conductor)  (Based on the frenzied nature of this overture, particularly in the strings, the spirits are quite the busy bees.)

WXPN (Philadelphia, PA) 

• The Ghost In You-The Psychedelic Furs (Even when we're no longer in someone's life, it doesn't necessarily mean our presence is forgotten.) 
• Is There A Ghost?-Band Of Horses (When you live alone or feel alone in the world, it's easy to fixate on real and imagined problems.)

A petty fixation XLVIII

This morning, while staring at a violin Christmas ornament I've had for decades, I announced to no one, "This violin has no strings."  Everything else about it is an accurate replication of a violin.  Then, I thought, "It's an ornament, just like this trumpet ornament and French horn ornament.  None of these ornaments are meant to be played; they're meant to enhance a Christmas tree."

Besides, who says a violin ornament can't be a violin-in-progress ornament? 

FM dial scan highlights CCXC

Wednesday highlights:

WSIE 88.7 FM 

• It Had To Be You-Janet Evra & Ptah Williams (Evra's voice suits this standard easily.)
• Unlimited-Gregory Goodloe (A steady, upbeat smooth jazz guitar groove.)

KCLC 89.1 FM  

• Planets-Billie Marten (An endearing way of saying, "I'm yours for the long haul."  The instrumental backing reminds me somewhat of "Follow You Follow Me" by Genesis.)

KCFV 89.5 FM

• Out On The Fringe-The Urge (This St. Louis-based band has maintained an appealingly energetic blend of vocals, guitar, and horns since the late '80s.)

KWUR 90.3 FM

• 6-Porch Light (There's a haunting heaviness to this tune, particularly in the guitar.  "Waltzing Back" by The Cranberries would flow well after this.) 

A petty fixation XLVII

I was already watching podcasts on YouTube this morning, so I thought, "Why not call up this song that's on my mind?"  To my surprise, it wasn't on YouTube.  Granted, the artist isn't a household name, but other songs of hers are on that site.  I also have her CD and imported it into iTunes years ago, so it isn't a Herculean task for me to hear it two other ways.

I reflected on how much I reflexively expect YouTube to have everything these days.  I admitted to myself, "If there's a song I want to hear on that site, someone has to post it first."

As much as we might like to think things just fall into place magically, there's still a human component involved.  There's something comforting about that, even when your song of choice isn't available.

Online radio sampler highlights CCLXXXIII

Despite what I wrote yesterday about not being in the Halloween spirit, three of these seven tracks I heard today are ideal for October 31:

KALX (Berkeley, CA) 

• Lester Left Town-Art Blakey & The Jazz Messengers (A cool descending hook propels the melody that tenor saxophonist Wayne Shorter composed.  There's some fine synergy between trumpeter Lee Morgan and Shorter here.)

KXUA (Fayetteville, AR) 

• Broken Chords Can Sing A Little-A Silver Mt. Zion (Grim piano, apt for an eerie Halloween.)

KYAC (Mill City, OR)

• Falling Star-Karla Bonoff (Brave lyrics about grappling with rejection.  I've listened to Bonoff's self-titled LP multiple times, and it puzzles me that such consistently solid singer-songwriter material didn't get more attention when it was released.  Also recommended: "Home" and "Someone To Lay Down Beside Me.")

WLFR (Pomona, NJ)

• Incarnadine-Mary Halvorson (A spooky blend of instruments, fit for underscoring an undercover investigation of a mad scientist's lab.)

WLOU (Louisville, KY)

• Happy Feelings-Maze featuring Frankie Beverly (One of the band's standout tracks that lives up to its title.  Also recommended: "Golden Time Of Day.")

WRCT (Pittsburgh, PA)

• Experiment In Terror-Al Caiola (Spy thriller pursuing-a-suspect instrumental underscoring.)

WUIS-HD3 (Springfield, IL)

• Here I Am-Lyle Lovett & His Large Band (Clever tongue-in-cheek lyrics, with effective alternating between spoken and sung passages.  This 1989 release is one of Lovett's more memorable efforts.)

A late start on the Halloween spirit II

This is another year when I'm not in much of a Halloween mood.  More specifically, I'm not down with the frights that go with it.  It could be argued that escapist fare such as "CBS Radio Mystery Theater" is an effective way to tune out the madness this country is experiencing.  To an extent, that's true.  Given the state of things, however, I'm in no mood to listen to anything eerie--even a work of fiction.

It's best to stick with "The Great Pumpkin Waltz" this year, I think. 

Linguistic bemusement XI

This morning, while listening to an out-of-town radio station, I passed on hearing a song all the way through.  Upon hearing its opening lyric, "As I look out my window...," I thought, "That's a logical way to start one's lyrics.  You look out the window, and see what inspires you."

Immediately after that, however, I thought, "That's also a very cliched way to start a song.  On a different day, I might stick around for a while and see where it leads.  Not today, though."

Hopefully, I didn't miss out on any perceptive insights from that singer-songwriter.

The allure of shuffle mode LXXXVI

How you transition from an enjoyable time back to work, school, or everyday life?  Per iTunes shuffle mode's pairing yesterday, you play Squeeze's "Footprints," followed by ELO's "Last Train To London."  That way, you acknowledge both the good time you had and the necessity of transitioning back to reality.

Playing the odds II

I'll concede that it's a universal certainty, along with the sun rising in the east and setting in the west: Whenever I select the Music For Cats station on SiriusXM, it will be playing a selection by The Piano Guys.

That's not a bad thing, but I'm guessing that my cat, Collette, must have decreed that edict and gotten her way, due to her insistent personality.

SiriusXM highlights CLXI

Today's bumper crop of noteworthy tunes:

1st Wave 

• Oblivious-Aztec Camera (With a guitar intro like this and a hook this infectious, it almost doesn't matter that the lyrics are rather inscrutable.)

The Bridge Deep Cuts 

• Seasons-America (The waltz tempo of this ode to the changing seasons gives this track an atypical sound for this band.)
• That Song About The Midway-Bonnie Raitt (A vocally impressive rendering of a Joni Mitchell tune.) 

Classic Rewind Deep Cuts 

• Behind The Lines (Live)-Genesis (This is how you start a concert.  Any band that can set the bar this high with a great hook, through-the-roof energy level, and technical expertise in its vocals and instrumentation deserves a rousing audience reception.  Seek out any concert video in which Phil Collins and Chester Thompson mount a double attack on the drums before Collins steps up to the mic and sings.)

The Coffee House Discovery 

• Normalcy-Gigi Perez (Lyrically, this makes a sound case for letting a relationship lapse.  Rhythmically, "Normalcy" reminds me of "Iris" by the Goo Goo Dolls.) 

Escape 

• You Are-Paul Mauriat (This Lionel Richie hit lends itself easily to the Mauriat strings treatment.)
• Autumn Leaves-Bert Kaempfert (Played at a slower tempo in its own good time, fitting for the melancholy nature of this melody.)

Luna 

• Aquarela do Brasil-Marco Periera & Cristovao Bastos (Understated, uptempo piano and guitar synchronicity.)

North Americana 

• Youth Not Wasted-Great Lake Swimmers (Particularly in the chorus and mandolin accompaniment, this sounds somewhat like a Nickel Creek song.  Chris Thile, Sara Watkins, or Sean Watkins could likely pull off the lead vocals easily.)

Piano Instrumentals 

• Astral-Jennifer Zulli (Underscoring fit for moments of wonderment or uncertainty.) 

Real Jazz Just Music

• Cempasuchil-Diego Rivera (Sublime, tasteful trumpet, saxophone, and piano cohesion.) 

Siriusly Sinatra 

• It's Only A Paper Moon (Live)-Nat King Cole (For many listeners, the slower, statelier tunes of Cole's come to mind first--"Mona Lisa," "Unforgettable," or "The Christmas Song," for instance.  For contrast, it's refreshing to hear Cole's vocals and piano playing swing on this standard, played for an appreciative audience.) 

Watercolors 

• Take Me Away-Oli Silk (A fresh breeze of uptempo smooth jazz piano.) 

Willie's Roadhouse 

• Orange Blossom Special-Charlie McCoy (McCoy's skillful harmonica playing mimics a train convincingly.  Living near railroad tracks, I was primed to like this; this rendition made the rhythm of passing trains all the more appealing.)

Context? CDXI

Recently, before watching a talk show, I sang, "Calling out hypocrisy..."  I'm not sure what possessed me to sing that phrase to the tune of James Brown's "Living In America," but it summarizes why I watch certain talk shows, even when I know there won't be much new information reported.  Sometimes, it's just reassuring to know that others find a politician's stance on an issue as absurd as I do.

FM dial scan highlights CCLXXXIX

Monday morning standouts:

WSIE 88.7 FM 

• Second Balcony Jump-Dexter Gordon (Gordon's tenor sax playing, in conjunction with the rhythm section's steady energy, sustains the bounce in this rhythm's step for seven minutes.)

KCLC 89.1 FM  

• Cherry Tree-Lera Lynn (This type of acoustic guitar accompaniment flatters Lynn's alto voice well, and this May release has refreshingly candid lyrics questioning whether one has made the right choices in life.)

KWUR 90.3 FM  

• Clouds-Lucy Gooch (This May release uses cloud formations as a metaphor for resetting one's life and being open to new connections.  It's indie dream pop that's not far removed from new age music in its vocals and instrumentation.)
• Sacer Profanare-Kali Malone (Sinister-sounding organ, suitable for Halloween.)

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

• William Schuman: New England Triptych: II. When Jesus Wept (St. Louis Symphony Orchestra/Leonard Slatkin, conductor) (Ordinarily, the third movement is my default choice.  I haven't given this quieter, sorrowful movement its due, particularly when the strings rise up forcefully at the 6:04 mark.  This middle movement establishes a downcast mood almost as effectively as Samuel Barber's Adagio For Strings.)
• John Williams: A Hymn To New England (Boston Pops Orchestra/John Williams, conductor) (Mighty brass and lush strings coalesce majestically here.)

A petty fixation XLVI

Whenever a podcast has a theme song, even when it's less than 10 seconds long, I almost always skip past it.  After all, I'm tuning in for the interview that's about to take place.

For someone who writes a blog extolling the virtues of music, I'm not sure I like what that says about me.

Persistent earworm alert CCCXCIX

Perhaps there's some trepidation in my mind about today's weather prediction.  The forecast calls for a storm that's expected to last into early tomorrow.  As much as I like Chicago's '70s output, the ending of "Fancy Colours" has always unnerved me.  For the last 44 seconds, the horn section repeats one ominous note.  It's a turbulent end to a song fit for nightmares. 

Actually, it's not unlike the ending of the movie, "1776."

Persistent earworm alert CCCXCVIII

If I hadn't known otherwise, I would have sworn this was a recording from the '60s or early '70s.  My brother recommended a jazz instrumental earlier this month by The Lewis Express.  The piano and flute carry "Slice, Diced, And Fried Twice," in a melody that sounds to me like "Pata Pata" meeting "One Mint Julep."

I'd never have guessed it's from 2025, but it is--and it speaks well of the group's ability to craft a throwback pastiche. 

A petty fixation XLV

So...It's possible I overreacted.

This morning, I listened as an online radio station played a decent acoustic cover of "Lovefool" by The Cardigans.  The station doesn't post its playlist online, and I listened for a while without hearing a live announcer.  I did a search for possible song matches and listened to samples of various renditions without finding the one I'd heard.  Near the end of the last version I heard, I exclaimed, "WHO SANG THAT VERSION OF 'LOVEFOOL' THAT I HEARD EARLIER?!!!"

Inexplicably, shouting failed to produce an answer from the heavens. When you're accustomed to finding so many of the answers you need through search engines, it's vexing to come up dry.  I guess, unless I stumble on the answer elsewhere, I'll just need to stick with the original--and admittedly best--version.

The allure of shuffle mode LXXXV

Apparently, iTunes was in a dancing mood this morning.  Sam Cooke's "Twistin' The Night Away" kicked off a shuffle mode session, followed by "What Now My Love" by Richard "Groove" Holmes.  I'd never played those songs back to back before, but hearing them that way made me realize how rhythmically compatible they are.  I also noticed how the central hook of "What Now..." sounds like it's about to mimic "They Can't Take That Away From Me" on the organ before it juts off.

It's difficult to be sour when you hear two full-of-life songs consecutively.

A petty fixation XLIV

Recently, during a radio interview, I heard a spokesperson talk engagingly about the cause she was promoting.  Throughout the interview, though, I kept thinking, "This sounds like a worthy cause, and she's obviously sincere about her commitment to it.  What's with the vocal fry affectation, though?  I understand if she has a sore throat or grapples with dysphonia, as I do.  If that's not the case, however, why would she want to sound like's croaking out her words?" 

Context? CDX

This morning, a radio personality said a pitcher "struck out 13 dudes" in a baseball game.

Presumably, he was just speaking informally about the game.  Otherwise, that phrasing would sound peculiar, even in a sportscast.

Context? CDIX

As with stand-up comedy, when a radio talk show host asks what else is going on, I think, "Perhaps there's a good reason why this person is stretching for topics on which to opine, but that question usually signals that (s)he's not well-prepared.  I'll tune in again some other day." 

Persistent earworm alert CCCXCVII

My mind is craving a respite from all the bad news our country has had this year.  That's likely why a tasteful, sedate Christmas carol, "Past Three O'Clock," has been on my mind since yesterday.  Hearing calming, resonant choirs, even when I have to conjure them up, offers at least a temporary soothing balm.

The allure of shuffle mode LXXXIV

I've listened to The Aluminum Group's "Cannot Make You Out" and Suzanne Vega's "Unbound" many times separately, but I'd never thought to play them back to back.  iTunes shuffle mode did recently, though, and it occurred to me that in both songs, there are just enough electronica elements to complement them without obscuring the lyrics.

Not everyone can pull off that balance.

Context? CDVIII

This morning, a radio talk show host ended his show by saying, "Thanks for puttin' up with me."

That's a good sign-off.  Humility is a good trait for a talk show host to display.

SiriusXM highlights CLX

Today's standout selections:

Acoustic Guitar Instrumentals 

• We Did Not Make The Instrument, The Instrument Made Us-Kaki King (Simultaneously comforting and sobering.)

Lo-Fi Study

• 4Am-Zesik (An interesting instrumental blend of a new age rhythm and a hip-hop beat.) 

Piano Instrumentals

• Clear Night-Jennifer DeFrayne (This tasteful melody proceeds in its own time, allowing the listener to appreciate how contemplative it is.) 

SiriusXM Pops 

• Johannes Brahms: Clarinet Sonata No. 1 in F minor, Op. 120: III. Allegretto Grazioso (Richard Stoltzman, clarinet; Richard Goode, piano) (Melodic and graceful, as I would expect from a Brahms composition.) 

SiriusXMU Discovery 

• Venus In Nadir-Peel Dream Magazine (The warmth of this September release's instrumentation cushions the lyrics about a relationship's deterioration.)

Spectrum Discovery 

• Words-Big Thief (Three aspects of this tune, released in September, drew me in--its upbeat rhythm, quiet vocals, and lyrics about how sometimes, things just need to be left unsaid.)

Watercolors 

• Caribbean Breezeway-Bob Baldwin (This track, released last month, is a pleasant, upbeat blend of smooth jazz piano and steel drums.)

An overlooked cover tune CLXXVII

"Another Star" is one of many standout tracks on Stevie Wonder's excellent sprawling album, "Songs In The Key Of Life."  The power in Wonder's lead vocals, the backing vocals, and the instrumentation makes me never tire of hearing it.  Whenever the song starts, I half-expect the floor to rumble and stationary objects to shimmy off of tables.

Vocally and instrumentally, Althea Rene shows how smoothly "Another Star"'s rhythm works in a jazz context.  The smooth gloss on the vocals and easy-on-the-ears flute and saxophone solos make me wonder why I never hear any radio station play it.

FM dial scan highlights CCLXXXVIII

Monday morning highlights:

WSIE 88.7 FM 

• Ann Springs-Nat Adderley (This is how you maintain a steady walking rhythm while giving ample space for saxophone, trumpet, and piano solos.)
• Stomp Your Feet-JJ Sansaverino (Uptempo smooth jazz guitar with a bite.)

KCFV 89.5 FM

• Adia-Sarah McLachlan (The sing-along quality of the chorus makes this McLachlan's most appealing hit, in my opinion.)

KLOU 103.3 FM 

• Time After Time-Cyndi Lauper (Lyrically, this holds up in any era.  With its timeless sentiments about always being there for someone, that's not surprising.  There's a reason why a wide range of artists--Miles Davis, Tuck & Patti, Erin Bode, and Bill Baird, among others--have covered it.)

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

• Jean Sibelius: Symphony No. 5 in E-flat major, Op. 82L III. Allegro molto (Boston Symphony Orchestra/Colin Davis, conductor) (This symphony's gripping finale is brassy and dramatic.  The crescendos in this performance are so commanding that I started to turn the volume down, even though I was wearing headphones and not disturbing anyone.)  

Online radio sampler highlights CCLXXXII

Six Sunday standouts:

KJHK (Lawrence, KS) 

• Ifyoucall-Parcels (This track, released in September, sports one of 2025's catchier rhythms, a strong guitar hook, solid vocals, and a '70s dance influence.  The vocals and instrumentation pull off the tricky-to-navigate task of sounding contemporary yet old school.  Lyrically, this is as sound a way as any to remind someone, "I'm the cavalry.")

KKJZ (Long Beach, CA) 

• You Go To My Head-Art Pepper (This much-covered jazz standard is a natural fit for a saxophone-and-elegant-piano arrangement.)

KPTZ (Port Townsend, WA) 

• Talassa-Rail Band (Spirited, upbeat vocals and instrumentation from Mali.)

WMED-HD2 (Calais, ME)  

• Gerald Near: O sacrum convivium (Gloriae Dei Cantores/Elizabeth C. Patterson, conductor) (A motet celebrating the Eucharist, sung with convincing conviction.  The long fade on the last organ note allows the reverence to sink in.)

WMUA (Amherst, MA) 

• Now I'm In It-Haim (It amused me to see that my cat, Collette, finds this tune as rhythmically appealing as I do; she kneaded her paws in time to it, giving it the ultimate feline seal of approval.)

WXOU (Auburn Hills, MI) 

• One Flight Down-Norah Jones (One of many examples that made Jones's "Come Away With Me" CD such a big seller.  Jones sells this, as well as all other tracks on that album, convincingly with her vocals and piano prowess.  "Shoot The Moon" has a similar vibe.)

Down the drain, alas--but not for good, hopefully...

Sigh...It happened.  KDHX has ceased operating.  Reports say that the station may be back online within the next two years.  I've praised the station's wide-ranging programs many times on this blog.  Here are three random memories of how the station offered something no other local station could match:

• During the Christmas Eve 2011 edition of "Backroads," substitute host Keith explained his reasoning for not stepping on the outro of Bruce Cockburn's "Early On One Christmas Morn."  "We never speak while the mandolin is still trilling," he told the audience.
• During an August 2004 edition of "Radio Rio," host Andrea explained why she rarely played '80s Brazilian music on her show.  She explained, "It's simply because most of what I've come across by some of my favorite people...They just got swept up in that electronica kind of keyboard synthesized sound that became too overly orchestrated and just ruined a lot of songs."  The example she played proved her point; when the synthesizer came in, I thought, "Blech...That's musically inedible processed cheese."  It's understandable that she'd gravitate toward more natural, authentic arrangements instead.
• The sentiments that "Family Reunion" host Judy expressed in her show promo from 2001 encapsulated KDHX's idealistic ambitions.  "You know, I think there's more similarity than difference in us, most of us," she said.  "Yeah, there's race, creed, accent, politics, but aren't those secondary to the fact that we all have to work, we all have loves and disappointments, and music, and good and bad times?  We all like a good joke.  At any rate, I like to explore the possibility that we are all connected in some way."  She said that during her show on Sundays, "I'm here playing old-time music from lots of different times and places that serves to make those connections."  In the political environment of 2025, such objectives sound lofty and nearly impossible to achieve.  It's comforting to remember, though, that KDHX was an 88.1 FM mainstay for almost 38 years--and might still reappear online.

KDHX as I knew it is no longer on the air.  I was 17 when a group of committed investors and idealistic DJs brought KDHX to life.  Now, I'm about to turn 55.  That's a respectable lifespan for an idealistic, noncommercial endeavor.  I'm choosing to believe that this is a pause, however, and not the end.  Even if the next online-only incarnation of KDHX draws fewer listeners, at least it will exist once again to play everything from jazz to indie rock to Celtic music.  Hopefully, it will have a long run.  The idealist in me isn't giving up hope.

Playing the odds

Perhaps it's just chance, but it seems like at least 75% of the time I tune into the Music For Cats station on SiriusXM, they're playing a selection by The Piano Guys.

That's not a bad thing, but I wonder what panel of cats advised SiriusXM that those piano stylings are most pleasant for their ears.

My cat, Collette, has remained uncommitted on the subject.

Inexplicably mundane nostalgia III

Yesterday, when Marshall Crenshaw's "Someday, Someway" came up during an iTunes shuffle mode session, I thought, "Ah!  I remember buying Marshall Crenshaw's self-titled CD with this track on it at Blockbuster Music on this day in 1994."

My immediate follow-up thought was, "How is it that I remember the date I bought that CD and where I bought it, yet I'm still not sure of my own blood type?"

The mind prioritizes what it wants to prioritize--regardless of whether it's truly a priority.

Context? CDVII

Thanks to Hilary Forth's mention of it in today's "Sally Forth" comic strip, I've been listening to Mike Oldfield's "Tubular Bells," as I usually do at least once a year.  For decades, I've thought that Part One's segment from 13:48 to 15:12 would be ideal sitcom, drama, or horror movie theme music.  I envision the cast of a show enjoying a picnic in a park just before a storm hits.  When the thunder starts at 14:07, the characters scatter, trying to salvage as much of the food as possible while seeking dry shelter hastily.  At 14:16, the opening credits start, displaying a rain-soaked photo and superimposed conventional picture of each cast member.  The credits end or fade out at or before the 15:12 mark.

Not that I've given this a lot of thought...