Persistent earworm alert CDLII

I have fewer ideas for blog posts some days than others.  When that happens, Pink Floyd's "On The Run" sometimes infiltrates my mind.

Even with a self-imposed deadline, a rhythm that indicates time slipping away can't help but motivate me to think of an idea and post it.

Persistent earworm alert CDLI

On sporadic Sundays, the Alan Parsons Project's "Don't Let It Show" enters my mind.  It has nothing to do with the lyrics.  No matter how many times I've heard the song, my brain hears the organ intro and thinks a hymn is beginning.

Even after decades of knowing otherwise, my mind still hears that intro and thinks, "This sounds fit for a church service."  I haven't been to church in years, but there's still the association that Sunday equals church.  I wonder if a church organist has ever played "Don't Let It Show" before or after Mass.  In my view, "Don't Let It Show" works as a warm-up instrumental or as leaving-after-Mass-ends music.

A function of age LIII

Recently, I listened to a radio air check tape I recorded 40 years ago.  It was a refreshing blast to hear various jazz and soft rock tunes played on a Friday in November 1986.  Although I enjoyed being reminded of various songs I hadn't heard in a while, I kept thinking, "November 1986...That was during my first semester as a high school sophomore.  So much had yet to happen in the world and in my life."

While I'd rather be an adult than the high school sophomore I was then, it was pleasant to think back to that Friday night decades ago.  So much of my life was still ahead of me--and that night, I was just focused on hearing the best music I could find.

Decades later, I still seek out the best music and radio stations I can find--but with more wisdom, I think, than I had 40 years ago.

Online radio sampler highlights CCCIX

Friday morning standouts:

KMMS (Bozeman, MT)

• Never Let You Go-Third Eye Blind (I appreciate the sing-along quality of the chorus more today than I did in 2000.  "Never Let You Go" was played frequently on the radio then, so I've come to like the tune more than when it was a hit.) 

KSBR (Mission Viejo, CA)

• Here's Where The Story Ends-The Sundays (To me, this has always been one of the more comforting, introspective songs about less than great times.  Harriet Wheeler's vocals waft over the guitar line effectively.  Thirty-six years after its release, I still like this song and its album as much as I did originally.)
• Cold April-Allison Russell (A heartwarming reminder to stay resilient during challenging times.)

WPKN (Bridgeport, CT)

• Flying Home-Illinois Jacquet (I'm used to hearing Lionel Hampton play this familiar melody on the vibraphone, but Jacquet shows how well it swings on the saxophone.)

WSMC (Collegedale, TN)

• Franz Schubert: Symphony No. 2 in B-flat major, D. 125: I. Largo-Allegro vivace (Dresden State Orchestra/Herbert Blomstedt, conductor) (This symphony's opening movement segues from a leisurely melody with trills suggesting birdsong into an invigorating steeplechase for strings.)

Context? CDLVI

This afternoon, a radio talk show host joked that "everything (played) on the banjo sounds like the theme from 'The Beverly Hillbillies.'"

Well...Not quite.  Granted, I might have thought so 40 years ago, but after years of listening to such artists as Bela Fleck, Tony Trischka, and Alison Brown, I'll admit that the banjo has more range than I realized initially.

Context? CDLV

I just caught the end of an underwriting mention on NPR today, so I'm not sure which sponsor thinks "AI should be optional," but I'm inclined to support them--whoever they are.

Persistent earworm alert CDL

Gambling strikes me as too risky, so I've always avoided it.  Inexplicably, though, despite never hearing it on the radio, "Go Down Gamblin'" by Blood, Sweat & Tears hasn't left my mind for the past week.

Now, I'm wondering.  Did I read about a gambling-related amendment recently?  Did an ad for a casino seep into my mind subconsciously?  Did I overhear part of a sermon about refraining from placing bets?

What might my ears have picked up that I didn't realize?

Community Radio St. Louis highlights XIV

Five standout tunes heard today:

Fresh Start

• Agitations Tropicales-L'Imperatrice (Instrumentally and vocally, this 2015 release pulls off a convincing '70s dance pastiche.)
• Carry The Weight-Beth Bombara (These reassuring, uplifting lyrics remind me of "Trouble Me" by 10,000 Maniacs and "I'll Come Over" by The Kennedys.)
• X-Ray Hip-Bona Fide (This uptempo smooth jazz/funk instrumental's catchy hook works equally well on the piano, guitar, and vibraphone.)

Backroads

• Black Pine Waltz-Doc & Merle Watson (This fiddle-and-guitar instrumental would flow well into various renditions of "Tennessee Waltz.")
• Ode To Earl-Bela Fleck (Spirited banjo playing and impressive mandolin playing with ample tremolos.) 

FM dial scan highlights CCCXI

Five recommended tunes heard today:

WSIE 88.7 FM

• Sincerely-Claudia Hayden (An uptempo smooth jazz flute number with a dash of mystery, released in July.)
• Francisco-Jackie McLean (McLean's dominant saxophone playing steers the course of this energetic Latin jazz-meets-bop track.  I'd segue this with Vince Guaraldi's "The Love Of A Rose.")

KSHE 94.7 FM

• It Wouldn't Have Made Any Difference-Todd Rundgren (This is one of Rundgren's softer, subtler tracks.  Alison Krauss covered it effectively.)
• Titles-Barclay James Harvest (The vocal harmonies and guitar strumming on this strung together list of Beatles song titles sounds like a group of friends playing around a campfire.  The Thorns would have sounded smooth covering this.)

KLOU 103.3 FM

• Dare Me-The Pointer Sisters (Rhythmically and vocally, this is one of the group's stronger hits.  I'm surprised that KLOU's 1985 rebroadcast of "American Top 40" marks the first time I've heard it in decades.)

SiriusXM highlights CLXXVIII

Saturday morning highlights:

The Elevator

• Up On The Roof-John Fox (This flute, guitar, and strings rendition of the classic Drifters hit slows the tempo down, giving it a tasteful, easy listening sheen.)

B.B. King's Bluesville

• Every Step Of The Way-Keb' Mo' (An honest acknowledgment that not every decision we make in life will be perfect, but what we learn along the way helps us navigate life more gracefully.)

Lo-Fi Sleep

• Over The Moon-Team Astro (A warm piano riff with crackling vinyl sound effects.)

Luna

• Brigas, Nuncas Mais (Fights Never More)-Antonio Carlos Jobim & Elis Regina (Rhythmically, these vocals and keyboard accompaniment could segue with various versions of "One Note Samba.")

Piano Instrumentals

• Changing Winds-Alexandra Streliski (Fit for a soap opera scene in which a character contemplates a major life decision.)

SiriusXMU

• Knocking At The Sky-The Last Dinner Party (For lyrical contrast, Samia's "Spine Oil" would be an interesting tune to segue with this.)

Spectrum Discovery

• Haunted-Phoebe Bridgers (How do you regroup and soldier on after a setback, especially when it's one that's not visible to others?  This new release ponders this thoughtfully and takes a one-foot-in-front-of-the-other attitude toward recovery.) 

Stevie's Coolest Songs

• Casablanca-Susanna Hoffs (Hoffs has maintained an earnest sincerity in her vocals over decades, as this new release illustrates.) 

Online radio sampler highlights CCCVIII

Today's standouts:

KAFM (Grand Junction, CO)

• Dance Floor-The Apples In Stereo (I'm guessing that one or more band members intended to channel ELO here.  Also recommended: "Tidal Wave.")

KCSM (San Mateo, CA)

• My Whole Life Through-The James Carter Organ Trio (A slow, relaxed melody with prominent saxophone over a backdrop of organ.)
• Dolphin's View-Alex Sipiagin (The piano underscores Sipiagin's trumpet playing compellingly, giving the tune some dark turbulence.)

WQED (Pittsburgh, PA)

• Felix Mendelssohn: Paulus (St. Paul), Op. 26, MWV A14: Overture (City Of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra/Edward Gardner, conductor) (I'd like to have played any of the stringed instruments on this recording so I could say I pulled off the piece's inherent tension and its ultimately heroic conclusion.)  

WRUJ (Richmond, VT)

• I Know But I Don't Know-Blondie (This track has more of a freewheeling, punk rock vibe than the group's hits.)
• Burning Out-The Linda Lindas (As this June release conveys, we all have our going-through-the-motions days.)

A petty fixation LII

In retrospect, it amuses me how seriously I used to take radio station format changes.  In 1985, I thought, "A new soft rock station is making its debut.  I'd better listen to it often for at least the first week."

As I listened, I thought, "This is a pleasant selection of soft rock hits, but it's also a rather safe, predictable playlist.  The DJs sound alright, but there's nothing particularly innovative or unique about what they're doing.  This is a paint-by-numbers soft rock station in a city that already has multiple stations with this format."

I kept listening throughout the station's first two months, though, because it was new.  Initial curiosity doesn't guarantee that an audience will stay with a station, but it often gets them to give the station a chance, however short-lived.

Community Radio St. Louis highlights XIII

Wednesday morning standouts:

Feel Like Going Home

• See You Later, I'm Gone-Whitney (The subtle arrangement of this vocals-and-guitar track, released in May, makes its lyrics sound all the more sincere.)
• Rockets & Flowers-The Bamboos (This new release has a pleasant '70s R&B feel that could segue with  Greenflow's "I Got'cha'.")
• Beyond That Moon-Madison Cunningham (One of 2026's more heartfelt singer-songwriter tracks.  Cunningham's vocals acknowledge how painful the end of a relationship is when it's not your desired outcome.)
• Human Mind-Mavis Staples (Lyrically and vocally, "Human Mind" works on two levels; it speaks to the resilience one needs when grappling with a personal setback or loss and also to the coping mechanisms people need as a collective during unjust times.) 

Shady Grove

• Blue Moon Waltz-Roger Netherton (This tasteful fiddle piece could segue with Gloria Attoun's "Barefoot Waltz."  I'd be curious to hear Nickel Creek cover this.)
• Salt Spring-John Reischman (A sunny, steady mandolin melody.)

An atypical standout XVII

It escaped my notice for the longest time that Patty Griffin is the singer behind "One Big Love."  When I think of Griffin's singer-songwriter material, I typically think of such tracks as "Rain," "Making Pies," or "The Wheel."  Generally, her songs make the listener lean in and ingest the discomforting or heart-wrenching topics about which she sings.

Yesterday, I wrote about being reminded that Donna Summer sang "Love Is In Control."  As with "...Control," I remembered the rhythm of "One Big Love" for years without recalling its lyrics.  Given its fun, upbeat vibe, I was surprised to learn it was Griffin's song--and that I already own the CD that includes it.

It's amazing what you find when you delve into your own music collection thoroughly.

Persistent earworm alert CDXLIX

While listening to KLOU's August 21, 1982 rebroadcast of  "American  Top 40" yesterday, I exclaimed, "So, that's what that song is!"

I'd forgotten all about Donna Summer's "Love Is In Control."  I remember hearing it on KMJM when it was a hit but not after that.  Admittedly, I'd never paid much attention to its lyrics; after not hearing it for decades, I just remembered the rhythm of its fast chorus.  I've been making up for lost time, though, by thinking of the song frequently since Sunday. 

It's puzzling how only the rhythm of a song sometimes sticks with you over the years.

Persistent earworm alert CDXLVIII

During Thursday night's power outage, the first three words of Crowded House's "It's Only Natural," played on a mental loop for me.  I kept thinking, "Ice will melt," repeatedly.  

That earworm stopped when I realized that I would lose hardly any perishable food.  Ever since a three-day power outage 21 years ago, I've been careful not to get too far ahead on perishable food.  During a storm in 2005, I lost 90% of the perishable food I'd just bought, and I resolved not to let that happen again.

"I thought, 'Ice will melt?'  Ice cube trays can always be refilled," I reasoned Thursday, "and all I'm really losing while the electricity is out is two sticks of butter." 

Context? CDLIV

Recently, I heard an opinion expressed on AM radio that some amusement parks should be dinged for not having a running theme.  

How important is that?  When I went to Six Flags as a kid, I didn't think there needed to be any common thread among the attractions.  I just thought, "I look forward to going on the Log Flume and the Scrambler and tasting the mustard-based potato salad at a particular restaurant."

As with most high school yearbooks, I'm not sure a theme matters all that much to most customers.  Disney, for some reason, is an exception to that for people, but otherwise...

Context? CDLIII

Yesterday, a radio talk show host said that when he retires, it will be a true retirement.  He won't go on the radio again, even in a reduced capacity.

He clarified that he'll likely talk about what it was like to be in radio with people at a coffee shop, but he doesn't intend to broadcast again,  He reasons that by then, he'll have said everything he intends to say.

His logic is understandable.  Even when you enjoy broadcasting, it's a relief not to have to fill airtime.  Here's hoping he has a relaxing time away from the microphone--whenever that turns out to be. 

Context? CDLII

Yesterday, a radio personality made a sound case for being the narrator in a play, reasoning that "all you have to do is read, and you're paid handsomely for it."

If you never have to appear on stage while narrating, I'd contend it's even more appealing.  

Spoken like someone who prefers the contradictory known-yet-anonymous aspect of radio fame...

FM dial scan highlights CCCX

Six recommended tracks heard this morning:

WSIE 88.7 FM 

• Sky High-Donald Byrd (A sunny, joyful groove for trumpet, flute, and rhythm section.  The vocal punctuation is icing on the cake for this 1973 tune.  Also recommended: "Where Are We Going?")
• El Fuego-Althea Rene (Pleasant, upbeat smooth jazz flute and guitar, with a kick.)
• Paris-Janet Evra (The synergy between the vocals and piano is particularly appealing.  This relaxed rhythm could segue with multiple versions of "The Girl From Ipanema.")

KCLC 89.1 FM

• We Should Talk-Bleachers (Lyrically, this is a sad reminder that people you once knew well will drop out of  your life not out of animosity but because your life trajectories are radically different.)
• Paranoid-Hippo Campus (Are you on the right path?  Yes.  Or no, maybe.  Sometimes, the answer isn't immediately obvious.)

KCFV 89.5 FM

• Promise Me-Badflower (A discomforting warning, even more so than "We Should Talk" by Bleachers, that it's sometimes too late to get back in touch.)  

A sad sign of the times II

About 12 years ago, I visited an independent bookstore.  I found the quiet atmosphere welcoming, and the store's tasteful selection of reading material in a small space impressed me.  As I stepped up to pay for my purchase, I saw the wide selection of music magazines offered near the register.  I thought, "I really hope this store succeeds.  With this selection and friendly service, it deserves to make it."

Then, reality crept into my thoughts.  "Not many people buy magazines these days," I thought.  "Most likely, only a small fraction of this inventory will sell.  As much as I'd like to believe that hordes of customers will stop in and pick up the latest issues of magazines specializing in folk music, music critics' reviews of new releases, and various instruments, that probably won't happen."  

The optimism that the music magazines represented reminded me of the unexpectedly large selection of greeting cards I saw at a small pharmacy that opened around the same time as the bookstore.  I thought, "People still send greeting cards in some cases but not as often as they used to, and this won't likely be the first place where they'll select them.  Most of these cards will probably remain unsold." 

Unfortunately, the bookstore and the pharmacy are no longer in business.

Context? CDLI

During an FM dial scan in 1997, I heard a DJ say, "Isn't that about obnoxious?  But it's got to be done, in case the Russians are--No, forget it.  Let's get a look at traffic..."

Presumably, the station had just run a test of the Emergency Broadcast System.  I still wonder how the DJ would have completed his thought if he hadn't censored himself.

Context? CDL

A '90s memory: I'd been asked to read a critic's review of a rock concert for our company's information-by-phone service.  Ordinarily, I did voiceovers for events-around-town listings, business updates, and instructions for users on how to access various features.  I'd never read a concert review for that service before.  I read the review, I thought, with appropriate enthusiasm and gravity.  It struck me as slightly odd, however, that the reviewer referred to the band's performance as "a Dionysian delight."  I read it just as he'd phrased it while thinking, "That might be perfectly accurate, but Dionysian?  Why not just say the performance was emotive, passionate, or refreshingly unstructured?"

"The artist's work is an amalgamation of gourds and seed pods," from an events-around-town promotion, was the most offbeat sentence I ever read while recording voiceovers.  I never recorded a remotely comparable sentence during voiceover sessions again.  Similarly, I never expected to refer to anything as Dionysian, and not surprisingly, that review was the only voiceover I recorded containing that word.

Segue suggestion XIX

I'm going to surprise myself today by recommending a Dolly Parton solo track as part of a graceful segue.  For years, I've thought that Parton's voice works best in the context of backing vocals on "Creepin' In" by Norah Jones or with Linda Ronstadt and Emmylou Harris on their cover of Neil Young's "After The Gold Rush."

However, despite not hearing Parton's solo hit, "Here You Come Again," in many years, I've realized this week how well it could segue with Sheena Easton's "Morning Train" or Natalie Cole's "This Will Be."  All three songs have compatible bounces suitable for oldies station segues. 

SiriusXM highlights CLXXVII

Standout songs heard today:

Acoustic Guitar Instrumentals

• Renaca-Nicola Cipriani/Brad Myrick (A somewhat bittersweet midtempo melody.) 

The Big Easy

• Right On-The Dirty Dozen Brass Band ("Use Your Brain" is my go-to track from this band, but this could be effective underscoring for a turbulent scene.)

The Coffee House

• I Thought I Saw Your Face Today-She & Him (Lyrically and structurally, this sounds like a Carpenters song to me.)

North Americana

• The Returner-Allison Russell (I don't always agree with the expression, "That which does not kill us makes stronger," but Russell's lyrics make a solid argument in its defense.)

Piano Instrumentals

• Between Raindrops-Joshua Zimmerman ("After Hours" by Rickie Lee Jones could segue with this, as there's a compatible delicacy between both tracks.)

Real Jazz

• Baby Elephant Walk-Ted Nash (It impresses me that this version of a distinctive Henry Mancini tune sounds like it might swerve into Herbie Hancock's "Cantaloupe Island" at any moment.)

The Village

• Hymn For The Unholy (Live)-Emily Scott Robinson (A well-written, sincerely sung acknowledgment that much of life is uncertain and a certain resilience comes with surviving the curves it throws you.)

Watercolors Instrumental

• Lifted-Phil Denny (A steady, easy-on-the-ears smooth jazz saxophone groove.  I would segue this with Freddie Ravel's "Sunny Side Up.")

Community Radio St. Louis highlights XII

Seven recommended tunes heard today:

The Mix-Up 

• Any Old Fool-Thee Sacred Souls (This April release has appealing throwback R&B stylings in its vocals and instrumentation.)
• You're Never Around-Lake Street Dive (This tale of a dysfunctional relationship is set to a great driving beat.  Rachael Price's vocals pack an effective punch here, and this July release makes its point forcefully in just two and a half minutes.)

Memphis To Manchester 

• Sweet Sixteen Bars-Ray Charles (This classy piano instrumental could stand in for "Saturday Night Live"'s closing theme.)
• These Days-Glen Campbell (When covering this Jackson Browne song in concert, Erin Bode praised Browne for penning such grown-up sentiments at a young age.  Campbell's version, recorded late in his career, shows the gravity these lyrics carry with age.  Thematically, "These Days" pairs well with...)
• Reminder-Margaret Glaspy (...this new lyrically brave release, which acknowledges that some of our decisions will be missteps, but that shouldn't stop us from making the effort.  Sometimes, we have more agency to make people's lives better than we think.)

The Now Sound

• Universal Heart-Beat-Juliana Hatfield (There's an appealing energy in this tune about the inevitability of heartache in everyone's life.  If I'd been at KCOU in 1995, I would have played this on the air.)
• Lifetimeline-The Spongetones (If you're going to remind listeners that a lot of life involves just holding on and riding the waves, it's refreshing to sing about it as The Spongetones do here--in a way that's truthful without being heavy-handed.)

Online radio sampler highlights CCCVII (International edition)

Today, I decided, "Why limit the radio stations I sample for this blog to just American ones?"  Hence, my first international edition of Online radio sampler highlights.  These are seven standout tunes I've heard today:

CJRT-FM (Toronto, Canada) 

• Follow You, Follow Me-Chester Thompson Trio (Thompson's drumming underscores this pleasant jazz piano-led version of one of the best Genesis hits.)

Connemara Community Radio (Connemara, Ireland)

• The Wedding Jig-Gerry O'Connor (I'm always up for this type of spirited, uptempo fiddling.)

FIP (Paris, France)

• I Can't Turn You Loose-Otis Redding (Rhythmically and lyrically, this would segue easily with "I Can't Help Myself" by The Four Tops.)
• Confusion Song-Luna Li (Swirling, celestial instrumentation augments the endearing dream pop vocals compellingly.)
• Melanie-Gary Burton (Warm vibraphone jazz with just enough dissonance to keep things interesting.)

Tilos Radio (Budapest, Hungary)

• New Day (Quentin Harris Remix)-Atelewo (Sometimes, with techno music, less is more.  When you have a beat that works, why not stay with it and keep it relatively undistracted?)
• Relics-Studio Pressure (This track illustrates how critical percussion is in underscoring certain techno arrangements.)

Context? CDXLIX

As I drove to my polling place this morning, a newspaper reporter said on the radio, "You can't be too cynical when it comes to politics."

That's generally true, unfortunately.  A vote for someone is a leap of faith that the candidate is seeking office for noble reasons and aims to make people's lives better.  That's why I always look forward to voting in every election.  When my preferred candidates and propositions prevail, I'm proud of helping to make that happen.

As contradictory as it sounds, I'm an idealistic, jaded cynic.  I'll continue to cast my ballot every chance I get.

A studio fit for a polar bear

In retrospect, I'm surprised that the DJs were allowed to control the thermostat in one particular studio.  I was one of at least two DJs who liked the studio freezing cold, so in the later months of my employment there, I set the temperature to near David Letterman studio levels.  While I still like a cool residence or office on a hot day, I've never set the thermostat anywhere near that low in my own home.

It's interesting how your definition of a comfortable temperature changes when you know you'll have to pay the electric bill.

FM dial scan highlights CCCIX

Sunday morning standouts:

WSIE 88.7 FM

• South Of The Border-Lou Donaldson (To me, this uptempo sax number's joyous spirit reminds me of the standard, "Cheek To Cheek," performed at a faster-than-usual tempo.) 
• Magic In Your Eyes-Earl Klugh (The pace and mood of this upbeat guitar track make it segue well with Al Jarreau's "Rainbow In Your Eyes.")

KCLC 89.1 FM

• Different Kind-Kathleen Hoye (Hoye's vocals really sell these lyrics about a relationship falling apart.  "Different Kind" isn't far removed from the blues, actually.) 

KSHE 94.7 FM

• Peace Of Mind-Loggins & Messina (Not all friendships are built to last, as these lyrics acknowledge.)
• People Of The South Wind-Kansas (This somewhat overlooked Kansas track doesn't get a lot of radio airplay these days, unfortunately.  It's a measure of how well-structured the song is that the guitar, keyboard, and vocals are equally integral to the melody.)

KLOU 103.3 FM

• Alibis-Sergio Mendes (I was pleased to finally hear "Alibis" on the radio again, thanks to an "American Top 40" rerun from 1984.  I've listened to this tune fairly often over the years, and I've always thought it deserved to be a bigger hit.  Joe Pizzulo nails the vocals, which make the lyrics about suspecting that your significant other is cheating on you sink in effectively.) 
• I'm Free (Heaven Helps The Man)-Kenny Loggins (I have nothing against Loggins's "Footloose" title track, but I've always found "I'm Free..." more compelling due to its urgency and sense of risk in the lyrics.  Another "Footloose" soundtrack highlight, Karla Bonoff's "Somebody's Eyes," deserves attention, as well; it always puzzled me that it wasn't a hit.)

Context? CDXLVIII

Yesterday, a radio announcer admitted not knowing a particular R.E.M. song that another staffer referenced.  His explanation: "I'm a hits kind of guy, and that's a deep cut."

Most of us, if we're honest, are in that same boat when it comes to certain artists and bands.  Sometimes, surface level appeal is enough when a particular genre isn't one of your favorites.  Also, there's only so much time, even for music fans like me, to hear all the music you want to hear.  Inevitably, there will be artists whose familiarity to you doesn't extend past the hits--and that's understandable.