Category: Charts

Welcome to April.  I hope the spring flowers, budding leaves, and greening pastures bring warmth into our spirits and smiles to our hearts.  We lost two long time radio friends in March, and almost lost a third who I found out about as I was writing this column today.  Also in March, KRFC FM in Fort Collins hired and named their first ever program director, and hired a new executive director.

A quick note too about the reporting network and how the spin charts are put together:  Not all of the stations I pull info from are represented individually below.  I also keep tabs on shows like Radio 1190’s Local Shakedown, KTCL’s Locals Only, 99.5 the Mountain’s Homegrown Show, and the Colorado Wave; as well as stations like KSJD (Cortez), KOTO (Telluride), KUNC (Greeley), and others that air only a couple of titles, and therefore don’t post enough for me to list individual listings.  All of those stations and shows spins do get accounted for in the TOP 40 chart for the month.

RIP: Kyle Dyas, age 42, died from suicide after walking off the 42^nd story of the Spires building in downtown Denver.  Kyle was the music director at KUNC since 2002, and a long standing member of Open Stage Theater.  MORE

RIP: Bob Terrill, age 65, died from complications arising from H1N1.  Bob came to Fort Collins in 1977.  He held positions as music director and operations manager for KCSU and as media librarian at the Loveland Public Library.  MORE

Best wishes to liberal talk radio personality Jay Marvin (age 58), who is recovering from a suicide attempt.  According to his wife, in the linked to article, “He was so depressed because of his chronic pain and no longer being able to work, he took at least 170 1mg Xanax.”  MORE

Congratulations to legendary Colorado radio format pioneer John Hayes (KTCL, KCUV, KJAC) for landing the gig as the first ever program director for Fort Collins based KRFC.

RADIO STATION SPOTLIGHT – KMSA Grand Junction:  KMSA is a student run radio station in Grand Junction. Entering its 35th year of operation, KMSA is proud to provide the Grand Valley, Colorado, and the world with Alternative music. www.kmsa913.com!

I was updating my list of Colorado public and college radio stations recently and found a new website and some pretty cool things going on in Grand Junction at KMSA — so I reached out and contacted the folks there about what they’ve got going on and what kind of Colorado music they like to air.  Turns out they’re way into Colorado electronic stuff.  I’ll be looking forward to finding out who they like as time goes on, but I did get this from KMSA Ops Mngr Kyle Cooper:

“We encourage our DJ’s to play anything but the ‘norm.’ norm being anything Top 40ish. Shows range from Pop-punk with artists like The Cab, A Day To Remember, Four Year Strong. Acoustic stuff like City and Colour and Matt Costa or Iron and Wine. Thursday is our official Hip-Hop day we have 3 or 4 killer DJ’s who play newer stuff to old school and R&B late at night. Through out the week we have multiple electronic and Dub-step DJ’s play some shows…many on Friday before “The Metal Authority” takes over Friday Night to Saturday night. We have multiple shows that play your indie rock and smaller artists.”

Go take a peek at what college radio looks like in Grand Junction when you get a chance and make sure, if your music fits what they’re doing, that you get them your stuff, punk, metal, rap, indie/alternative …

That’s it for news and notes this month.  Here are the spins for March.

TOP 40 ALBUM SPINS – MARCH 2011
(88 titles reported / 258 titles listed)
(LM) TM
(D=Debut)
(NC=not charted prev. month)

(1) 1.  DeVotchKa – 100 Lovers (Anti) indie/alternative
(2) 2.  Elephant Revival – Break in the Clouds (self) folk
(9) 3.  Mollie O’Brien & Rich Moore – Saints & Sinners (Remington Road Records) folk, americana
(7) 4.  Halden Wofford & the Hi-Beams – Sinners and Saints (self) country, americana
(3) 5.  Tennis – Cape Dory – (Fat Possum) pop, indie/alternative
(4) 6.  Big Head Todd & the Monsters – Big Head Blues Club: 100 Years of Robert Johnson (RYKO) blues
(D) 7.  Slim Cessna’s Auto Club – Unentitled (Alternative Tentacles) indie/alternative
(17) 8.  Grant Gordy – Grant Gordy (self) neo-acoustic, new grass
(20) 8.  Paper Bird – When the River Took Flight (self) folk, americana
(8) 9.  Carmen Sandim Sextet – Brand New (self) jazz
(21) 10.  Blue Canyon Boys – Mountain Bound (self) bluegrass
(27) 10.  Fred Hess Big Band – Into the Open (Alison Records) jazz
(13) 11.  Bonnie & the Clydes – Bonnie & the Clydes (self) country, americana
(NC) 12.  Musketeer Gripweed – Dyin’ Day (self) rock, jamband
(NC) 13.  Stray Grass – Written in the Stars (self) newgrass, jam
(27) 14.  Lawn Chair Kings – Lawn Chair Kings II (self) rock, alt-country
(NC) 15.  Big Head Todd & the Monsters – Rocksteady (BIG) rock, adult alternative
(NC) 16.  Danielle Ate the Sandwich – Two Bedroom Apartment (self) folk, pop, modern
(5) 17.  John-Alex Mason – Jook Joint Thunderclap (Naked Jaybird) blues
(NC) 17.  Lonesome Traveler – Looking for A Way (self) bluegrass
(12) 17.  Peter Sommer – Tremolo Canteen (Dazzle Jazz) jazz
(NC) 17.  Romano Paoletti – Story of a Lifetime (self) americana, country
(19) 17.  Whiskey Blanket – No Object (self) hip-hop
(32) 18.  Bobby Walker – Way Back When (BWM) blues, r&b
(29) 18.  John Common & Blinding Flashes of Light – Beautiful Empty (Free School) rock, adult
(18) 19.  Royal Peeps – Alessia’s Walk (Contra Basso Music) funk, soul
(D) 19.  the Whiskey Bottles – Ain’t No Crime (The Whiskey Bottles) rock, alt-country
(6) 20.  Kenny Perkins – Wild Frontier (self) rock, adult alternative
(NC) 21.  Colcannon – Three Days in May (Oxford Road) Celtic
(28) 21.  Nathaniel Rateliff – In Memory of Loss (Rounder Records) folk
(NC) 21.  Runaway Express – Howlin At the Moon (Raven Records) folk, country, bluegrass
(18) 22.  Andrew Vogt – Cats Afoot (self) jazz
(NC) 22.  Apples In Stereo – Travellers in Space and Time (Yep Roc) indie/alternative
(31) 22.  Boulder Acoustic Society – Champion of Disaster (self) rock, folk-rock
(NC) 22.  Chuck Pyle – The Spaces In Between (Zen Cowboy) folk
(24) 22.  Great American Taxi – Reckless Habits (Thirty Tigers) americana, roots rock
(NC) 22.  Otis Taylor – Clovis People, Vol. 3 (Telarc) blues, trance blues
(NC) 23.  Mohammed Alidu & The Bizung Family – Land of Fire (Black Eye Watching) world, African, pop
(NC) 24.  Fierce Bad Rabbit – Spools of Thread (self) rock, alternative
(NC) 24.  The Heyday – Till We See the Sun (self) rock, alternative
(25) 24.  Pretty Lights – Making Up a Changing Mind (self) electronic, dance

DROPPED OUT OF TOP 40 SPINS – March 2011
(10) Broken Everlys – Stoned In Juarez
(11) Churchill – Happy/Sad
(14)  the Big Motif – Does It Weigh Heavy
(15)  Adam Bodine Trio – Blue Mud
(16)  Katey Laurel – From Here
(17)  Ego vs. Id – Taste
(22)  Joe Johnson – A Time to Dance
(23)  Juno What?! – Shameless
(24)  Bob Rea – Ragged Choir
(24)  Mandy Harvey – After You’ve Gone
(26)  Fox Street Allstars – Welcome To Mighty Pleasin’
(27)  Brad Goode – Tight Like This
(28)  Jeff Finlin – The Tao of Motor Oil
(31)  Selasee – African Gate

KAFM (Grand Junction)
1.  The Whiskey Bottles – Ain’t No Crime
2.  Elephant Revival – Break In the Clouds
3.  Megan Burtt – It Ain’t Love
4.  DeVotchKa – 100 Lovers
5.  Runaway Express – Yeah, Buddy! Anniversary Edition
5.  Stray Grass – Written in the Stars
5.  Whiskey Blanket – No Object

KBUT (Crested Butte)
1.  Big Head Todd & the Monsters – Big Head Blues Club: 100 Years of Robert Johnson
1.  DeVotchKa – 100 Lovers
1.  Lawn Chair Kings – Lawn Chair Kings II
2.  Elephant Revival – Break in the Clouds
2.  Grass It Up – Day After Yesterday
2.  Tennis – Cape Dory
3.  Halden Wofford & the Hi-Beams – Sinners and Saints
3.  Juno What?! – Shameless
3.  Kort McCumber – Ain’t the Same as Before
3.  Lonesome Traveler – Looking for A Way
3.  Mollie O’Brien & Rich Moore – Saints & Sinners
3.  Pretty Lights – Making Up a Changing Mind
3.  Slim Cessna’s Auto Club – Unentitled
3.  Waiting On Trial – W.O.T.

KCSU (Fort Collins)
1.  Cotton Keys – Sweatshop Sounds
1.  Black Apples – Black Apples
1.  Maxwell Hughes – Express
1.  Wire Faces – Diamonds and Gold
2.  10-4 Eleanor – Too Bad
2.  The Epilogues – The Beautiful, the Terrifying
2.  Common Anomaly – Iridium
3.  AM Pleasure Assassins- AM Pleasure Assassins

KDNK (Carbondale)
1.  Big Head Todd & the Monsters – Big Head Blues Club: 100 Years of Robert Johnson
1.  DeVotchKa – 100 Lovers
2.  Bobby Walker – Way Back When
2.  Carmen Sandim Sextet – Brand New
2.  Dustin Edge – Calm [ep]
2.  Elephant Revival – Break in the Clouds
2.  Halden Wofford & the Hi-Beams – Sinners and Saints
2.  John Common & Blinding Flashes of Light – Beautiful Empty
2.  Musketeer Gripweed – Dyin’ Day

KGNU (Boulder)
1.  DeVotchKa – 100 Lovers
2.  Mollie O’Brien & Rich Moore – Saints & Sinners
3.  Elephant Revival – Break in the Clouds
4.  Tennis – Cape Dory
3.  Blue Canyon Boys – Mountain Bound
3.  Great American Taxi – Reckless Habits
3.  Pete Kartsounes – The Only Way I Know
4.  Romano Paoletti – Story of a Lifetime

KOTO (Telluride)
1.  DeVotchKa – 100 Lovers
1.  Elephant Revival – Break in the Clouds
2.  Apples In Stereo – Travellers in Space and Time
3.  Big Head Todd & the Monsters – Rocksteady
3.  Otis Taylor – Clovis People, Vol. 3

KRFC (Fort Collins)
1.  DeVotchKa – 100 Lovers
2.  Bonnie & the Clydes – Bonnie & the Clydes
3.  Mollie O’Brien & Rich Moore – Saints & Sinners
4.  Big Head Todd & the Monsters – Big Head Blues Club: 100 Years of Robert Johnson
4.  Halden Wofford & the Hi-Beams – Sinners and Saints
5.  Mohammed Alidu & The Bizung Family – Land of Fire
6.  Danielle Ate the Sandwich – Two Bedroom Apartment
6.  Fierce Bad Rabbit – Spools of Thread
6.  John-Alex Mason – Jook Joint Thunderclap
6.  Musketeer Gripweed – Dyin’ Day
6.  Slim Cessna’s Auto Club – Unentitled
7.  Clarke Wright – Fiddleride

KRCC (Colorado Springs)
1.  DeVotchKa – 100 Lovers
2.  Joe Johnson – A Time to Dance
3.  Big Head Todd and the Monsters – Big Head Blues Club: 100 Years of Robert Johnson
4.  John-Alex Mason – Jook Joint Thunderclap
5.  Elephant Revival – Break in the Clouds
6.  Tennis – Cape Dory

KUVO (Denver)
1.  Fred Hess Big Band – Into the Open
2.  Brad Goode – Tight Like This
3.  Carmen Sandim Sextet – Brand New
4.  Andrew Vogt – Cats Afoot
5.  Peter Sommer – Tremolo Canteen
6.  Greg Harris Vibe Quintet – Glass Gold
6.  The Lynn Baker Quartet – Azure Intention
6.  Dominant 7 & the Jazz Arts Messengers – 14 Channels

KVNF (Paonia)
1.  Grant Gordy – Grant Gordy
2.  Halden Wofford & the Hi-Beams – Sinners and Saints
2.  Paper Bird – When the River Took Flight
2.  Whiskey Blanket – No Object
3.  Elephant Revival – Break in the Clouds
3.  Otis Taylor – Clovis People, Vol. 3
3.  Stray Grass – Written in the Stars
4.  Chuck Pyle – The Spaces In Between
4.  DeVotchKa – 100 Lovers
4.  Tennis – Cape Dory

The Colorado Sound
1. The Broken Everlys – Stoned In Juarez
1.  Ego vs. Id – Taste
1.  Slim Cessna’s Auto Club – Unentitled
2.  Bonnie & the Clydes – Bonnie & the Clydes
2.  Carmen Sandim Sextet –      Brand New
2.  David James Band – Street Performer
2.  Kenny Perkins – Wild Frontier
3.  the Big Motif – Does It Weigh Heavy
3.  DeVotchKa – 100 Lovers
3.  Halden Wofford & the Hi-Beams – Sinners and Saints
3.  John Mieras – Painted Glass
3.  Katey Laurel – From Here
3.  Peter Sommer – Tremolo Canteen

It was a pretty active month musically across the state, although I have to say I’m a bit saddened that there were fewer titles played overall in February than in previous months over the past year.  Big Head Todd & the Monsters had the HOTTEST release of the month it seems … and overall the top five titles SMOKED the rest of the field.

KCSU has been in the midst of some changes in Fort Collins, but I did hear from them that they’ll jump back into the reporting mode this next month.  Radio 1190 will also be resuming reporting status here in the next month as well … looking forward to two of our most popular college music stations getting back into the swing of things.  Looking forward to seeing what they’re spinning here on the April 1 blog post.

In other regional station news, KBUT recently completed its 2011 Winter Pledge Drive, “…reaching our goal of $40,000 in a record 10 1/2 days!  KBUT wants to thank its dedicated listeners in the Gunnison Valley, as well as online listeners from around the state, country and world, for their continued support of community radio.  The KBUT staff is currently celebrating and preparing to bring evermore unique radio to the airwaves.”  KDNK (Carbondale) is setting up for their mid-winter membership drive as I type.  I had hoped to be able to report a resolution in the KRFC hiring of both an executive director and a program directory, but the board of directors had not made a final decision as of Feb 28, so we’ll have to wait on that.

TOP 40 SPINS – February 2011
1.  DeVotchKa – 100 Lovers (Anti)  rock, indie/alternative
2.  Elephant Revival – Break in the Clouds (Ruff Shod)  folk
3.  Tennis – Cape Dory (Fat Possum)  pop, indie/alternative
4.  Big Head Todd & the Monsters/Big Head Blues Club – 100 Years of Robert Johnson (RYKO)  blues
5.  John-Alex Mason – Jook Joint Thunderclap (Naked Jaybird)  blues
6.  Kenny Perkins – Wild Frontier (self)  rock, adult alternative
7.  Halden Wofford & the Hi-Beams – Sinners and Saints (self)  country, americana
8.  Carmen Sandim Sextet – Brand New (self)  jazz
9.  Mollie O’Brien & Rich Moore – Saints & Sinners (Remington Road Records)  folk, americana
10.  Broken Everlys – Stoned In Juarez (self)  rock
11.  Churchill – Happy/Sad (Wired Bird)  rock, indie/alternative
12.  Peter Sommer – Tremolo Canteen (Dazzle Jazz) jazz
13.  Bonnie & the Clydes – Bonnie & the Clydes (self)  country, americana
14.  the Big Motif – Does It Weigh Heavy (self)  rock, blues-rock
15.  Adam Bodine Trio – Blue Mud (self) jazz
16.  Katey Laurel – From Here (Roarding Twenties Records)  pop, adult contemporary
17.  Ego vs. Id – Taste (Abbatoir Records)  rock, indie/alternative
17.  Grant Gordy – Grant Gordy (self)  neo-acoustic, new grass
18.  Andrew Vogt – Cats Afoot (self) jazz
18.  Royal Peeps – Alessia’s Walk (Contra Basso Music)  funk, soul
19.  Whiskey Blanket – No Object (self)  hip-hop
20.  Paper Bird – When the River Took Flight (self) folk, americana
21.  Blue Canyon Boys – Mountain Bound (self) bluegrass
22.  Joe Johnson – A Time to Dance (Blank Tape) americana, country-folk
23.  Juno What?! – Shameless (Juno What?!)  funk, soul
24.  Bob Rea – Ragged Choir (self) americana
24.  Great American Taxi – Reckless Habits (Thirty Tigers) americana, roots rock
24.  Mandy Harvey – After You’ve Gone (self)  jazz, vocal
25.  Pretty Lights – Making Up a Changing Mind (self) electronica, rave, dance
26.  Fox Street Allstars – Welcome To Mighty Pleasin’ (self) rock, blues-rock
27.  Brad Goode – Tight Like This (Delmark) jazz
27.  Fred Hess BIG BAND – Into the Open (Alison Records) jazz, big band
27.  Lawn Chair Kings – Lawn Chair Kings II (self) rock, alt-country
28.  Jeff Finlin – The Tao of Motor Oil (Bent Wheel) rock, adult alternative
28.  Nathaniel Rateliff – In Memory of Loss (Rounder Records) folk
29.  John Common & Blinding Flashes of Light – Beautiful Empty (Free School) rock, adult
30.  String Cheese Incident – Rhythm of the Road Vol. 1 (SCI Fidelity)  rock, jamband
31.  Boulder Acoustic Society – Champion of Disaster (self) rock, folk-rock
31.  Selasee – African Gate (self) world, African, Hip-hop
32.  Bobby Walker – Way Back When (BWM) blues, r&b

DROPS from Feb 1 Top Spins
9.  Musketeer Gripweed – Dyin’ Day
10.  Otis Taylor – Clovis People, Vol. 3
11.  Danielle Ate the Sandwich – Two Bedroom Apartment
19.  Apples In Stereo – Travellers in Space and Time
21.  Pretty Lights – Making Up a Changing Mind (self) electronic/dance
22.  Fierce Bad Rabbit – Spools of Thread (self) rock, indie/alternative
23.  Chris Thompson – The Road Ahead (self) rock, jamband
23.  Robert Marcey & Familyman Barrett – Wailin’ for Justice (Dread I) reggae
23.  Romano Paoletti – Story of a Lifetime (self) americana, country
25.  Dovekins – Assemble the Aviary (self) folk
25.  Nathaniel Rateliff – In Memory of Loss (Rounder Records) alternative adult contemporary
26.  Freddi / Henchi & the Soulsetters – Crown Princes of Funk: The Last Set    (Wind Up) funk/soul
26.  White Water Ramble – All Night Drive (self) bluegrass
27.  the Love Royale – Love Letters (Cuebro) soul/funk
28.  Big Head Todd & the Monsters – Rocksteady (BIG) alternative adult contemporary
29.  Colorado Goat Ropers Guild – Fly (Paladin Steed Records) americana, country-rock
29.  Dominant 7 & the Jazz Arts Messengers – Fourteen Channels (Tapestry Records) jazz
29.  Take to the Oars – American Volume (self) rock, indie/alternative

February Adds
Andrea Lynn – The Mountains and the Sea
the Big Motif – Does It Weigh Heavy
Bonnie & the Clydes – Bonnie & the Clydes
Broken Everlys – Stoned In Juarez
Caleb Slade – Victory in Defeat
Clarke Wright – Fiddleride
Dustin Edge – Calm [ep]
Ego vs. Id – Taste
Joe Johnson – A Time to Dance
John Mieras – Painted Glass
Justin Roth – Now You Know
Mountain Standard Time – Mountain Standard Time
Nina Storey – Love Me Enough [single]
Peter Sommer – Tremolo Canteen
Ronnie Franklin – Flight Plans
Royal Peeps – Alessia’s Walk
Slim Cessna’s Auto Club – Unentitled
Slopeside – Road to Oblivion
Something Underground – You Would Never Know This (radio edit) [single]
Sunshine House – The Sunshine House EP
Wil Key – Can You Feel It [single]

KAFM (Grand Junction)
1.  Elephant Revival – Break In the Clouds
2.  String Cheese Incident – Rhythm of the Road, Vol. 1: Incident in Atlanta
3.  Devotchka – 100 Lovers
4.  Stray Grass – Written in the Stars
5.  Jeff Finlin – The Tao of Motor Oil
5.  Royal Peeps – Alessia’s Walk
5.  Runaway Express – Yeah Buddy
5.  WhiteWater Ramble – All Night Drive

KBUT (Crested Butte)
1.  DeVotchKa – 100 Lovers
1.  Lawn Chair Kings – Lawn Chair Kings II
1.  Mollie O’Brien & Rich Moore – Saints & Sinners
2.  Grass It Up – Day After Yesterday
2.  Tennis – Cape Dory
3.  Blue Canyon Boys – Mountain Bound
3.  Elephant Revival – Break in the Clouds
3.  Grant Gordy – Grant Gordy
3.  Great American Taxi – Reckless Habits
3.  Halden Wofford & the Hi-Beams – Sinners and Saints

KDNK (Carbondale)
1.  Big Head Todd & the Monsters/Big Head Blues Club – 100 Years of Robert Johnson
1. Carmen Sandim Sextet – Brand New
1.  DeVotchKa – 100 Lovers
2.  Big Head Todd & the Monsters – Rocksteady
2.  Elephant Revival – Break in the Clouds
2.  Tennis – Cape Dory

KGNU (Boulder)
1.  DeVotchKa – 100 Lovers
2.  Paper Bird – When the River Took Flight
3.  Elephant Revival – Break in the Clouds
4.  Halden Wofford & the Hi-Beams – Sinners and Saints
4.  Mollie O’Brien & Rich Moore – Saints & Sinners
5.  Blue Canyon Boys – Mountain Bound
5.  Tennis – Cape Dory

KRCC (Colorado Springs)
1.  DeVotchKa – 100 Lovers
2.  John-Alex Mason – Jook Joint Thunderclap
3.  Tennis – Cape Dory
4.  Big Head Todd & the Monsters/Big Head Blues Club – 100 Years of Robert Johnson
4.  Elephant Revival – Break in the Clouds
5.  Eric Shively – Eden’s Light

KRFC (Fort Collins)
1.  Big Head Todd and the Monsters/Big Head Blues Club – 100 Years of Robert Johnson
2.  John-Alex Mason – Jook Joint Thunderclap
3.  Bonnie and The Clydes – Bonnie And The Clydes
4.  Elephant Revival – Break in the Clouds
4.  Halden Wofford and the Hi-Beams – Sinners and Saints
5.  Mollie O’Brien and Rich Moore – Saints & Sinners

KUVO (Denver)
1.  Brad Goode – Tight Like This
2.  Lynn Baker Quartet – Azure Intention
3.  Peter Sommer – Tremolo Canteen
4.  Fred Hess BIG BAND – Into the Open
5.  Andrew Vogt – Cats Afoot

KVNF (Paonia)
1.  DeVotchKa – 100 Lovers
2.  Elephant Revival – Break in the Clouds
3.  Grant Gordy – Grant Gordy
3.  Paper Bird – When the River Took Flight
3.  Tennis – Cape Dory
4.  Halden Wofford & the Hi-Beams – Sinners and Saints
5.  Otis Taylor – Clovis People, Vol. 3

THE COLORADO SOUND
1.  Big Head Todd & the Monsters/Big Head Blues Club – 100 Years of Robert Johnson
1.  Broken Everlys – Stoned In Juarez
1.  Joe Johnson – A Time to Dance
2.  Kenny Perkins – Wild Frontier
3.  DeVotchKa – 100 Lovers
4.  the Big Motif – Does It Weigh Heavy
4.  Bonnie & the Clydes – Bonnie & the Clydes
4.  Carmen Sandim Sextet – Brand New
4.  Churchill – Happy/Sad
4.  Ego vs. Id – Taste
4.  Elephant Revival – Break in the Clouds
4.  Fox Street Allstars – Welcome To Mighty Pleasin’
4.  John-Alex Mason – Jook Joint Thunderclap