Welcome to the un-official start to summer. It’s the end of the Memorial Day weekend. Festivals are beginning to gear up – Denver’s 40th annual CHUN (Capitol Hill United Neighborhoods) People’s Fairis coming up this weekend (June 4-5). It is the biggest of all the summer “local music” events that I’m aware of, and one of the largest in the nation – if not the largest with an estimated 250,000 in attendance over two days… and appearing – six stages, 110 bands; all of which are from the Denver/Front Range area. This is an event I’d gone to off and on as far back as ’77; and have had the ultimate pleasure of serving on the entertainment and steering committees, and emceeing over the past 8 years.
In radio news, KDNK assistant music director Lynette O’Kane checks in this month. “KDNK’s website: www.kdnk.org, has a new Music Page that we are very proud of. One can access it on the lower right of the home page. On the Music page one can go to Current Releases, which documents the new music, spins and charting information. The New & Notable page lists new music that has caught our ear, prior to and regardless of spins. We have also have initiated a CD review page, Music Interviews and a Heavy Rotation page. We look forward to everyone checking it out and giving us some feedback.”
I’ve moved production operations for the Colorado Sound. Over the past several years, I’ve produced the show weekly at KRFC in Fort Collins. Thanks to some good friends, some folks in need of money, and Mrs. Goat, I was able to build a studio sufficiently well equipped enough to produce this show and more in house here at the goat den. It was a financial decision on my part, as gas prices being what they are made making the investment in equipment a good deal on our end. KRFC will continue to air the show in its regular Saturday 5PM-7PM slot, until further notice. Thanks to them for that. I am looking forward to perhaps doing some site-exclusive features in the near future … but for now, it’s about getting out in the sun enjoying the summer concert season.
In chart action … Several BIG TIME debut records at the top including one that some of the jazzers are predicting is Grammy bound (Rene Marie) 
and one from a very well established rocknroll hall of famer, who has apparently lived in Colorado right under this old goat’s nose the past twenty plus years (John Oates) and who’s new record is decidedly not rock or pop. One HUGE surprise this month – KUNC clocked in with the most titles and number of spins of Colorado music I’ve ever seen from them. And of course the college stations are now gone for the summer.
That’s it … have a great June — please sign up and be a subscriber, and I won’t turn down donations. The show does have a cost to produce and distribute. The stations that air this program receive it for free. Tips are always deeply appreciated.
TOP 40 ALBUM SPINS – May 2011
(124 titles reported / 332 titles listed)
(LM) TM
(D=debut, first time on chart)
(R=re-entered chart)
(3) 1. Elephant Revival – Break in the Clouds (Ruff Shod Records) folk/americana
(1) 2. Devotchka – 100 Lovers (Anti) adult alternative
(4) 3. Big Head Todd and the Monsters – Big Head Blues Club: 100 Years of Robert Johnson (Ryko) blues
(D) 4. Gary Bragg – High Plains Storm (Q&B Records) americana/country
(2) 5. Finnders & Youngberg – FY5 (F&Y) bluegrass
(D) 6. Rene Marie – Voice Of My Beautiful Country (Motema) jazz
(D) 7. John Oates – Mississippi Mile (PS Records) americana/blues
(D) 8. The Quiet American – Vol II (self) folk
(17) 9. Halden Wofford & the Hi Beams – Sinners & Saints (self) americana/country
(7) 10. Carmen Sandim Sextet – Brand New (Dazzle Recordings) jazz
(R) 11. FaceMan – FaceMan (self) rock, alternative
(D) 12. Jim McTurnan & The Kids That Killed The Man – Joie De Vivre (self) indie/alternative
(D) 13. Air Dubai – Soul & Body [single] (self) hip-hop/pop
(5) 14. Musketeer Gripweed – Dyin’ Day (self) rock
(13) 15. Tennis – Cape Dory (Fat Possum) indie pop
(21) 15. The Blue Canyon Boys – Mountain Bound (BCB) bluegrass
(13) 16. John-Alex Mason – Jook Joint Thunderclap (Naked Jaybird) blues
(R) 16. Take to the Oars – American Volume (self) rock/alternative
(R) 17. Fierce Bad Rabbit – Spools of Thread (self) rock/alternative
(5) 17. John Common and Blinding Flashes of Light – Beautiful Empty (Free School) rock, adult alternative
(D) 17. The Haunted Windchimes – Live at the Western Jubilee (Blank Tape) americana/folk
(14) 18. Mollie O’Brien and Rich Moore – Saints & Sinners (Remington Road) americana
(20) 19. Kinetix – Let Me In (self) rock/pop
(17) 20. Justin Roth – Now You Know (Rothirric Music) folk/singer-songwriter
(21) 21. Kenny Perkins – Wild Frontier (self) rock, adult alternative
(10) 21. Peter Sommer – Tremolo Canteen (Dazzle Jazz) jazz
(7) 21. Slim Cessna’s Auto Club – Unentitled (Alternative Tentacles) rock, indie/alternative
(D) 21. Tyler Gilmore’s Ninth and Lincoln with Cuong Vu – Static Line (Dazzle Jazz) jazz
(R) 22. Kal Cahoone – Saints and Stars (self) folk, indie
(R) 23. Adam Bodine Trio – Blue Mud (AB Creations Co) jazz
(D 23. Cahalen Morrison & Eli West – Holy Coming of the Storm (self) americana/folk
(D) 24. Beth Quist – New Moon (self) world
(R) 24. Katey Laurel – From Here (Roaring Twenties Records) pop, adult contemporary
(R) 25. My Body Sings Electric – Changing Color (self) rock/alternative
(D) 26. Mesita – Here’s to Nowhere (self) pop, indie/alternative
(D) 26. Sandra Wong and Dominick Leslie – Sunny Side Up (Sandra Wong) world
(R) 27. Great American Taxi – Reckless Habits (Thirty Tigers) rock
(R) 27. Paper Bird – When the River Took Flight (self) americana
(R) 28. Bobby Walker – Way Back When (BWM) blues
(D) 29. Fingers of the Sun – Fingers of the Sun (self) rock, indie/alternative
FELL OUT OF TOP 40 in May
(6) Andrew Vogt – Cats Afoot
(7) Bonnie and The Clydes – Bonnie And The Clydes
(8) The Whiskey Bottles – Ain’t No Crime
(9) Broken Everlys – Stoned In Juarez
(11) Mohammed Alidu and the Bizung Family – Land of Fire
(12) Brad Goode – Tight Like This
(14) Danielle Ate the Sandwich – Two Bedroom Apartment
(15) John McVey – Unpredictable
(16) Greg Garrison – Low Lonesome
(18) Joe Johnson – A Time to Dance
(18) Whiskey Blanket – No Object
(19) Juno What?! – Shameless
(21) Selasee – African Gate
(22) Gabrielle Louise – Mirror the Branches
(22) The Autumn Film – The Ship and the Sea
(22) Wil Key – Can You Feel It? [single]
(23) Bop Skizzum – Beauty Queen
(23) DELLA – Anymore/Not that Simple (Things I Do) [single]
(23) Mountain Standard Time – Mountain Standard Time
(23) Robert Marcey & Familyman Barrett – Wailin’ for Justice
(23) The David James Band – Street Performer
(24) John Statz – Ghost Towns
(24) Surplus Cheaper Hands – It’s Your Parade
ADDED – May 2011
Air Dubai – Soul & Body [single]
American Tomahawk – Contradictions, Generalities, And Future Criminals
Big Gigantic – The World is Yours [single]
Brock Gleeson – Run Like Hell
Fingers of the Sun – Fingers of the Sun
Force Publique – Tarnished [single]
Fried Grease – Huevos
Jeremy “Doc” Hodges – Autumn In July
Jim McTurnan & The Kids That Killed The Man – Joie De Vivre
Joe Pfeiffer and… – Loveland
Jonathan Tiersten & Ten Tiers – We’ll See
Kal Cahoone – Saints and Stars
Kentucky Parlor Pickers – Barn Burner
Mesita – Here’s to Nowhere
Molly Cottrell – Molly Cottrell
Molly Cottrell – Not What I Need [single]
Moon Duo – Mazes
New Ben Franklins – Miserable [ep]
Purpose Found – Blue Flame
Rob Roper – Misfit
Runaway Express – Yeah, Buddy! Anniversary Edition
Signal Path – The Prosaic Fades
The Haunted Windchimes – Live at the Western Jubilee
The Holler! – Gratitude
The Quiet American – Vol II
Tyler Gilmore’s Ninth and Lincoln with Cuong Vu – Static Line
Tyson Ailshie – The/Send/Off
Wreckingroom – Stand By [single}
KAFM (Grand Junction)
1. Elephant Revival – Break in the Clouds
2. The Whiskey Bottles – Ain’t No Crime
3. Jenn Cleary – Back to the Wheel
3. Bobby Walker – Way Back When
4. The Blue Canyon Boys – Mountain Bound
4. Runaway Express – Yeah, Buddy! Anniversary Edition
4. Devotchka – 100 Lovers
4. Big Head Todd and the Monsters – Big Head Blues Club: 100 Years of Robert Johnson
5. Tennis – Cape Dory
5. Sweet Sunny South – Carried Off By A Twister
KBUT (Crested Butte)
1. Devotchka – 100 Lovers
1. Slim Cessna’s Auto Club – Unentitled
2. Big Head Todd and the Monsters – Big Head Blues Club: 100 Years of Robert Johnson
2. Fingers of the Sun – Fingers of the Sun
2. Finnders & Youngberg – FY5
2. Grass It Up – Day After Yesterday
3. Boulder Acoustic Society – Champion of Disaster
3. Cahalen Morrison & Eli West – Holy Coming of the Storm
3. Elephant Revival – Break in the Clouds
3. Halden Wofford & the Hi Beams – Sinners & Saints
3. Lawn Chair Kings – II
3. Tennis – Cape Dory
KDNK (Carbondale)
1. Beth Quist – New Moon
1. John Oates – Mississippi Mile
2. Big Head Todd and the Monsters – Big Head Blues Club: 100 Years of Robert Johnson
2. Bobby Walker – Way Back When
2. Devotchka – 100 Lovers
2. Elephant Revival – Break in the Clouds
2. Finnders & Youngberg – FY5
2. John Common and Blinding Flashes of Light – Beautiful Empty
2. Tequila Mockingbird – Luck And Trouble
KGNU (Boulder)
1. Devotchka – 100 Lovers
2. Elephant Revival – Break in the Clouds
3. Big Head Todd and the Monsters – Big Head Blues Club: 100 Years of Robert Johnson
4. Great American Taxi – Reckless Habits
4. Kal Cahoone – Saints and Stars
4. Veronica – Emerging from Troubled Days
5. Greg Garrison – Low Lonesome
KRCC (Colorado Springs)
1. The Haunted Windchimes – Live at the Western Jubilee
2. Big Head Todd and the Monsters – Big Head Blues Club: 100 Years of Robert Johnson
3. Elephant Revival – Break in the Clouds
3. Justin Roth – Now You Know
3. The Blue Canyon Boys – Mountain Bound
KRFC (Fort Collins)
1. Finnders & Youngberg – FY5
2. John-Alex Mason – Jook Joint Thunderclap
3. Devotchka – 100 Lovers
4. Gary Bragg – High Plains Storm
5. Mollie O’Brien and Rich Moore – Saints & Sinners
6. Clarke Wright – Fiddleride
6. The Quiet American – Vol II
7. Big Head Todd and the Monsters – Big Head Blues Club: 100 Years of Robert Johnson
7. Fierce Bad Rabbit – Spools of Thread
7. Halden Wofford & the Hi Beams – Sinners & Saints
KUNC (Greeley)
1. Eric Forsyth – The Thin of Thick Things
2. Justin Roth – Now You Know
3. John Common and Blinding Flashes of Light – Beautiful Empty
4. Devotchka – 100 Lovers
5. Grant Gordy – Grant Gordy
5. Something Underground – Intention & Release
6. Chuck Pyle – The Spaces In Between
6. Jerry Palmer – Cherry Picking
6. Katey Laurel – From Here
KUVO (Denver)
1. Rene Marie – Voice Of My Beautiful Country
2. Adam Bodine Trio – Blue Mud
3. Brad Goode – Tight Like This
3. Carmen Sandim Sextet – Brand New
3. Greg Harris Vibe Quintet – Glass Gold
3. Peter Sommer – Tremolo Canteen
4. Andrew Vogt – Cats Afoot
4. Fred Hess Big Band – Into the Open
4. Tyson Ailshie – The/Send/Off
KVNF (Paonia)
1. The Quiet American – Vol II
2. Beth Quist – New Moon
2. Big Head Todd and the Monsters – Big Head Blues Club: 100 Years of Robert Johnson
2. Cahalen Morrison & Eli West – Holy Coming of the Storm
2. Elephant Revival – Break in the Clouds
3. Finnders & Youngberg – FY5
3. Gary Bragg – High Plains Storm
3. Paper Bird – When the River Took Flight
The Colorado Sound
1. Gary Bragg – High Plains Storm*
1. Rene Marie – Voice Of My Beautiful Country
2. Jim McTurnan & The Kids That Killed The Man – Joie De Vivre
3. Carmen Sandim Sextet – Brand New*
4. FaceMan – FaceMan
5. John Oates – Mississippi Mile
5. The Quiet American – Vol. II
6. Air Dubai – Soul & Body [single]
6. My Body Sings Electric – Changing Color
7. Mesita – Here’s to Nowhere
* serviced to radio and press by Rocky Mountain Music Network
There’s not much to report this month. One item of particular interest is the change I’ve noticed over at KUNC this past couple of weeks — cmon!! Cat Power??? Ryan Bingham??? Who woulda thunk??!! Kudos to Kirk Mowers for breaking out of the past and moving towards a much more contemporary ADULT station that showcases a truly diverse musical landscape than what we’ve known KUNC to produce these past many years. Sure, you’ll still some classical – but still … Cat Power??? Edie Brickell? Paul Simon … and the list goes on … not the least of which is the heightened focus on Colorado artists like John Common & Blinding Flashes of Light, Trinity Demask, Flexigrass and others I heard this week. WTG KUNC!!
Chris K's Colorado Playlist 