FM dial scan highlights CLXXI

Seven noteworthy songs heard today:

KDHX 88.1 FM

• Bummed-Andrew Gabbard (This new track boasts chiming guitar reminiscent of The Byrds underscores vocals and lyrics reminiscent of Big Star and The Zombies.  Lyrically, this is a sobering reminder that no one gets out of this life without some degree of heartache and disappointment.)
• Through The Fog-Marinero (Another strong 2021 release.  It's a compliment to say this isn't conventional radio fare; the Brazilian-sounding flute arrangement seemingly drawn from the late '60s and early '70s enhances the vocals.)
• Squib Cakes-Tower Of Power (Infectious interplay between the brass and rhythm section.  Dr. C., one of my two college Jazz, Pop & Rock class instructors, played this track as students filed in the first day.  I thought, "Now, that's how to start a music appreciation class."  Sidebar: Thank you, KDHX, for being such a well-programmed, wide-ranging music appreciation class for St. Louis since 1987.  Happy birthday!)

WSIE 88.7 FM

• Obsidian Rain-Kayla Waters (An appropriate midtempo piano melody for a rainy, gloomy St. Louis day like today.  This falls somewhere between smooth jazz and new age.)
• Who Dun It?-Blue Mitchell (Mitchell's trumpet, the flute, and rhythm instruments create a feeling of suspense and hot pursuit of a suspect.)
• Blue Salt-Jennifer Wharton (This April release from a captivating trombone-led ensemble could segue after Blue Mitchell's "Who Dun It?" or Dirty Dozen Brass Band's "Open Up (Whatcha Gonna Do For The Rest Of Your Life?)" 

WFUN 96.3 FM

• Zoom-The Commodores (The idealism of these lyrics is heartwarming.  Stevie Wonder's vision of a more just world in "Saturn" would sound right before this.)
  

Context? CXXXIV

You know someone has a ubiquitous presence when a radio talk show host refers to her only by her initials during a celebrity birthday list.

So it was on an AM station today, where a talk show co-host said, "A.O.C. is 32 today." She assumed, correctly for the most part, that everyone knew she was referring to congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez.

The foot-biting default option VIII

My cat, Collette, and her kittens performed an encore I didn't mention Saturday.  They made up their own lyrics, and singing in the style of Lambert, Hendricks & Ross, nailed Count Basie's "Jumpin' At The Woodside."  Although I wasn't thrilled when I heard, "We're gonna biiiiiite...your feet toniiiiiight," their vocal harmonies impressed me.  Also, Collette's sense of rhythm on the piano matched Basie's, causing me to overlook my gnawed, aching toes.

Chewed feet notwithstanding, I have to admire such ingenuity.

Only in college XC

Last week, I intended to listen to a college radio station I hadn't heard before.  On the station's website, I saw the "now playing" song listed as Unknown Track by Unknown Artist.  This intrigued me, as I thought it might be some rare live performance or some obscure song obtained from an unlabeled CD or test pressing of a record.

The station's stream didn't work, however, so I couldn't listen online.  I wonder if something like this happened.  For all I know, the station might not have even been on the air.

In college, that's not unheard of.

Context? CXXXIII

This DJ deserves credit for honesty, if nothing else, in this situation: Earlier this week, I heard an out-of-town DJ say he was about to play a song by a band a listener requested.  He admitted it wasn't the song that listener requested.  He said he was going to substitute his song choice for the listener's "because I just like this song so much more."

As much as I like the song the DJ chose, I kept thinking, "That's not how requests are generally handled."  I wonder if, in the future, he'll say on-air, "Feel free to request a song. I'll play it as long as your taste aligns with mine."

The foot-biting default option VII

Although it was a treat to see my cat, Collette, reunited with her kittens, the context under which it happened compromised it somewhat.  It all started when Collette woke up one recent morning.  After yawning and stretching her paws out, her kittens and she launched into their version of Silver Convention's "Get Up And Boogie."  In their case, however, it was "Get Up And Bite Feet."  Although I admired the synchronicity of their rehearsed dance moves, I enjoyed the performance less when each cat bit my feet.  Hearing Collette's offspring repeat the song's parenthetical title, "That's Right," added insult to injury.  I admired their pitch-perfect intonation on the refrains of "Bite feet," however.

Perhaps I'm too permissive as a pet owner.

Online radio sampler highlights CXLIX

Six of the better tunes I've heard this morning:

KBEM (Minneapolis, MN)

• A Race Against Yourself-Alexa Tarantino (Compelling, brisk playing from saxophonist Tarantino and the rhythm section.)
• Three To Get Ready (Live)-Dave Brubeck Quartet (An immediately friendly, memorable piano hook, with customary smooth, melodic alto sax support from Paul Desmond.  Seek out the 1976 version recorded at Symphony Hall in Boston.  The players are clearly enjoying themselves, resulting in a fun, freewheeling performance.)

KCMU (Napa, CA)

• To This World-Soel (Sobering questions about the state of the world, set to a downcast beat.  This is from 2003, and the questions asked are even more resonant today.)

KHMB (Half Moon Bay, CA)

• Hitchin' A Ride-Vanity Fare (An ill-advised way to travel, but I've thought this would be a fun oldie on which to play piano.)

WRFU (Urbana, IL)

• All My Friends-Amos Lee (A good reminder, lyrically, that we're all in this life together and that everyone has troubles.  Instrumentally, it conjures up the sensation of floating, making it a good middle-of-the-night song.)

WTND (Macomb, IL)

• Back To Dreamin' Again-Pat Shannon (The Grass Roots recorded a slightly slower version of this.  I wonder if Shannon's happy-go-lucky, skippin' along version would have been a hit if it had been released in 1966 instead of early 1970.  It sounds somewhat like The Lovin' Spoonful and even more like The Monkees to me.)