Category: News & Notes

News Notes & Spins – March 1, 2012

Sorry I got this month’s column off late.  Officially? – hand surgery sucks.  Until you get to use the hand that got fixed and you realize it feels much better than before you got it fixed.  So, with that in mind, thank you for the many kind emails and text messages this past week.  It was a lot of one finger typing this weekend.

In radio news – this is a very important time of year as local community/public radio stations go on-air to encourage your financial support.  So far, from what I’ve been able to see and hear, those efforts are producing wonderful results.  As I was listening to Colorado Public Radio (CPR) recently I heard they hit their membership goals in record time, hitting goal two days early with record numbers.  In Crested Butte, KBUT reports they completed their “…2012 Winter Pledge Drive on February 17th, raising a record $42,000 in 12 days. Spirits are high and support for community radio is strong in the Gunnison Valley.”  KRFC Fort Collins is celebrating their 9th B-day this month.  They are hoping to set new records themselves in fund raising, in order to maintain their focus on music from here in Colorado.  KGNU’s (Boulder) membership/fund drive runs through March 10.

All in all, local support is the key to maintaining a vibrant community/public radio station in our cities and towns … and from the looks of our charts every month, the key to keeping Colorado music on the air throughout the state.  Community/public radio stations are by and large the most significant media outlets for our music scenes.

The University of Colorado student radio station KVCU aka Radio 1190 (Boulder) has been undergoing some changes since the departure of Mike Flanagan and some of the old Radio 1190 kids, who went on to form Open Air 1340.   In October the station hired Mikey Goldenberg, formerly an air talent and producer at commercial hot adult contemporary outlet KALC/105.9 Alice (Denver), as their new GM.   Since then the  CU Student Government’s Legislative Council has identified several problems that required a reasonably large restructuring of the station’s budget and staff, and a redirect of the station’s marketing and branding efforts.  There’s an excellent article on it at the Daily Camera, entitled CU-Boulder’s Radio 1190 to restructure, rebrand.\

I’ve got a new Colorado music show to introduce — the show itself is not new, just my awareness of it.  It’s hosted by David Browder Sunday nights 10-11 pm on KWRP 100.3 fm in Pueblo.  Thanks to David for spreading the music in the Pueblo area.

TOP 40 MOST SPUN TITLES – February 2012
(336 titles tracked / 164 titles reported as played)
(LM) TM / [date added]
(D) = debut, first time on chart
(R) = re-entered chart

(6) 1. Halden Wofford & the Hi*Beams – Live at Hodi’s (self)  Alt-country   [Jan-12]
(D) 2. Otis Taylor – Otis Taylor’s Contraband (Telarc)   Blues   [Feb-12]
(1) 3. The Longest Day of the Year – Turn Into the Ground (self)   Americana/alt-country-rock   [Nov-11]
(D) 4. Tennis – Young & Old (Fat Possum)   Pop/indie/alternative   [Feb-12]
(10) 5. Fierce Bad Rabbit – Live and Learn (self)   Pop/indie/alternative   [Nov-11]
(13) 6. Harry Tuft & Friends – Treasures Untold (Manasses Records)   Folk   [Nov-11]
(D) 6. Katya Chorover – Big Big Love (Cat and Moon Records)   Americana/country-folk   [Feb-12]
(14) 7. Great American Taxi – Paradise Lost (self)   Rock/roots rock   [Oct-11]
(3) 8. Devotchka – 100 Lovers (Anti-)   Adult alternative   [Dec-10]
(D) 9. FaceMan – Feeding Time (self)   Rock/adult alternative   [Feb-12]
(R) 10. The Haunted Windchimes – Live at the Western Jubilee (Blank Tape)    Folk-rock   [May-11]
(11) 10. Varlet – The Drifter (self)   Rock/indie/alternative   [Dec-11]
(D) 11. Hindershot – Curse Us All (Hot Congress Records)   Rock/indie/alternative   [Feb-12]
(21) 12. Lionel Young Band – On Our Way to Memphis (self)   Blues   [Aug-11]
(D) 13. Katie Glassman – Snapshot (self)   Americana/bluegrass   [Feb-12]
(14) 13. The Yawpers – Savage Blue (Adventure Records)   Americana/alt-country-rock   [Jan-12]
(2) 14. SHEL – When the Dragon Came Down (Mad King Records)  Folk/adult alternative   [Sep-11]
(R) 15. Juno What?! – Shameless (self) Funk/disco   [Jan-11]
(R) 16. Ian Cooke – Fortitude (Pop Shop Music)   indie/alternative   [Oct-11]
(D) 17. Bad Weather California – Sunkissed (Family Tree)   Rock/indie/alternative   [Feb-12]
(R) 18. Spring Creek – Hold On Me (self)   Bluegrass   [Jul-11]
(D) 19. Coles Whalen – I Wrote this for You (self)   Pop/country crossover   [Feb-12]
(20) 19. Places – No More Wasted Days (self)   Pop/rock   [Jan-12]
(D) 20. Turn 4 – What You Do About It (Fuck All Y’all Records)   Alt-country   [Nov-11]
(R) 21. Petals of Spain – Late Night Visitor (self)   Pop/adult alternative   [Sep-11]
(R) 22. Jim Stranahan – Free For All (Capri Records)   Jazz   [Apr-11]
(7) 22. Rose Hill Drive – Americana (Slowly and Shirley)   Rock/hard rock   [Jul-11]
(9) 22. The Don’ts and Be Carefuls – Sun Hits (self)   Rock/indie/alternative   [Sep-11]
(R) 23. Justin Roth – Now You Know (Rothirric Music)   Folk/singer-songwriter   [Mar-11]
(5) 24. John Oates – Mississippi Mile (PS Records)   Blues/country-blues   [Apr-11]
(8) 25. Finnders & Youngberg – FY5 (self)   Bluegrass/country-folk   [Apr-11]
(D) 26. Achille Lauro – Flight or Flight (Hot Congress Records)   Pop/indie/alternative   [Feb-12]
(R) 26. Rorey Carroll – Roadside Lullabies (self)   Americana/country-folk   [Dec-10]
(19) 27. Georgann Low – Les Progres De L’Amour (Seasons Of Love)   (self)   Jazz/vocal   [Aug-11]
(4) 27. John Common and Blinding Flashes of Light – Beautiful Empty (Free School)   Rock/adult alternative   [Apr-11]
(R) 27. Juno What?! – Late Night Live (self)   Funk/disco   [Oct-11]
(D) 27. Wasteland Hop – Mother Acre (self)   Hip-Hop/rock   [Nov-11]
(R) 28. Fox Street Allstars – Welcome to the Mighty Pleasin’ (self)   Rock/roots, r&b   [Jan-11]
(R) 28. Rene Marie – Voice Of My Beautiful Country (Motema)   Jazz/vocal   [Apr-11]
(R) 29. Andy Palmer – Sometime Around (self)   Rock/adult alternative   [Sep-11]
(R) 29. Kim Jones – Lucky Girl (self) Alternative adult contemporary   [Jul-11]
(R) 29. You Me and Apollo – Cards with Cheats (self)   Folk/indie   [Aug-11]

DROPPED OUT OF TOP 40
12. Cassie Taylor – Blue
12. Honey Gitters – Poor Gitters’ Almanack
12. Paper Bird – Carry On (Long Spoon)
13. Cary Morin – Sing It Louder
13. Chris Kennison – Simply Steel
14. Air Dubai – Day Escape
14. Churchill – Happy/Sad
14. Jesse Manley – Devil’s Red
14. Mancub – The Secret Machine
15. Kentucky Parlor Pickers – Barn Burner
16. Wendy Woo Band – Austerity
17. El Toro De La Muerte – Danger These Days
17. John Statz – Old Fashioned
17. Sam Lee – Better Half
17. The Quiet American – Vol. II
18. The Patti Fiasco – The Patti Fiasco
19. A Mouthful of Thunder – Slow Burn
19. a. Tom Collins – OH NO!
19. John-Alex Mason – Jook Joint Thunderclap
19. Lizzie Huffman – Pretty Old Soul
19. Mike Marchant – Lost and Found Sound (2008-2011)
19. Patrick Dethlefs & Friends – Stays the Same

ADDED IN FEB.
Achille Lauro – Flight or Flight
After Midnight – Hit the Jive Jack
Bad Weather California – Sunkissed
Catch Bees – Newman’s Open Choir
Chris Griffin – Now
Churchill – The Change
Coles Whalen – I Wrote this for You
Coupstick – Light’s Shadow
Craig Corona – About Time
Eric Gunnison – Trios
FaceMan – Feeding Time
Foam Bullets – Looking Out for No. 1
Hindershot – Curse Us All
In the Whale – Cake
Jake Schepps – An Evening In The Village: The Music Of Bela Bartok
Josh Quinlin Quintet – Mountain Time Standards
Katie Glassman – Snapshot
Lindsay & the Lost Caravan – You Don’t Know Me
Oak Creek Band – 2012 (Quetzalcoatl) [single]
Otis Taylor – Otis Taylor’s Contraband
Rick Stahl – Harmony House
SAUNA – The Teen Angst Tape
Tennis – Young & Old
The Autumn Film – 8 Track Tape
The Foot. – The Crowd Control EP
The Fray – Scars and Stories
The Swayback – Double Four Time
Various artists – Under Age, Over The Top
Wasteland Hop – Mother Acre

STATION BY STATION

KAFM (Grand Junction)
1. Otis Taylor – Otis Taylor’s Contraband
2. The Longest Day of the Year – Turn Into the Ground
2. Rorey Carroll – Roadside Lullabies
3. Juno What?! – Late Night Live
3. SHEL – When the Dragon Came Down

KBUT (Crested Butte)
1. Great American Taxi – Paradise Lost
1. Rorey Carroll – Roadside Lullabies
1. Tennis – Young & Old
2. Gauntlet Hair – Gauntlet Hair
2. Grass It Up – Grass It Up Live

KDNK (Carbondale)
1. Devotchka – 100 Lovers
2. Halden Wofford & the Hi*Beams – Live at Hodi’s
3. John Mieras – Painted Glass
4. Juno What?! – Shameless
4. Juno What?! – Late Night Live

KGNU (Boulder)
1. Jake Schepps –  An Evening In The Village: The Music Of Bela Bartok
2. Bad Weather California – Sunkissed
3. Harry Tuft & Friends – Treasures Untold
4. Lionel Young Band – On Our Way to Memphis
5. Halden Wofford & the Hi*Beams – Live at Hodi’s

KOTO (Telluride)
1. Breathe Carolina – Hell Is What You Make It
1. Spring Creek – Hold On Me
2. Devotchka – 100 Lovers
2. The Yawpers – Savage Blue
3.  Great American Taxi – Paradise Lost

KRFC (Fort Collins)
1. Otis Taylor – Otis Taylor’s Contraband
2. Halden Wofford & the Hi*Beams – Live @ Hodis
3. Fierce Bad Rabbit – Live and Learn
4. David Richey – No Peace of Mind
4. Katya Chorover – Big Big Love

KUNC (Greeley)
1. Kathryn Mostow – Rich Girl
2. Eric Forsyth – The Thin of Thick Things
3. Cassie Taylor – Blue
3. Justin Roth – Now You Know
3. Otis Taylor – Otis Taylor’s Contraband

KUVO (Denver)
1. Eric Gunnison – Trios
2. Georgann Low – Les Progres De L’Amour (Seasons Of Love)
2. Playground – Dreams Go Through My Mind
3. Dotsero – Storyhouse
3. Jim Stranahan – Free For All

KVNF (Paonia)
1. Halden Wofford & the Hi*Beams – Live at Hodi’s
2. Otis Taylor – Otis Taylor’s Contraband
3. Katie Glassman – Snapshot
4. Cassie Taylor – Blue
4. Finnders & Youngberg – FY5

Open Air 1340 (Denver)
1. Tennis – Young & Old
2. Bad Weather California – Sunkissed
3. Mike Marchant – Indulgent Space-Folk Vol. 3: Binary Beach
4. Hindershot – Curse Us All
4. Slim Cessna’s Auto Club – Unentitled

The Colorado Sound
1. The Longest Day of the Year – Turn Into the Ground
2. FaceMan – Feeding Time
3. Halden Wofford & the Hi*Beams – Live at Hodi’s
4. Coles Whalen – I Wrote This For You
4. Fierce Bad Rabbit – Live and Learn

KVNF wins big with the Association for Independents in Radio

KVNF has been selected as one of 10 stations in the country to be tapped for the “Localore” project.

Paonia, CO: Localore is a $2 million initiative produced by Boston-based AIR, the Association of Independents in Radio. More than $1 million in funding will support 10 station-based innovation teams for up to one year. The teams are tasked with bringing their ingenuity to blend digital and broadcast technology, and invent new forms of storytelling that will appeal beyond public broadcasting’s traditional core audience. KVNF was selected, along with KALW San Francisco, KCRW Los Angeles, KQED San Francisco, KUT Austin, WBEZ Chicago, WGBH Boston, WYSO Dayton, Prairie Public Broadcasting Fargo, and Twin Cities Public Television Minneapolis.

Julia Kumari Drapkin, a multi -media producer from New Orleans, will spend 12 months leading and producing her project “iseechange.” Bringing together public radio, a mobile documentary unit, and a custom crowdsourcing multi-media platform, Drapkin seeks to engage residents of the North Fork region in a conversation about how they see change through the course of a year – season to season. Based in the KVNF building, but having a robust field component to the project, “iseechange” will serve as a central access point to collect observations, organize conversation threads, and report stories.

KVNF listeners will enjoy regularly produced short segments on the airwaves and posted on http://www.kvnf.org. At the end of each season, Drapkin will create a final, highly produced multi-media documentary that summarizes the conversation that took place in sound, image, and online.

Upon notification of this prestigious effort, Sally Kane, KVNF’s General Manager said, “We are honored to have been selected in this highly competitive process. Julia Kumari Drapkin’s “iseechange” project will be a source of inspiration to our listeners as well as our professional staff as we continue to strive to be a source of quality community-based journalism in the region.”

Mountain Grown Community Radio KVNF provides non-commercial, people powered radio programming for 10,000 square miles of the Western Slope since 1979. More information can be found at:  http://www.kvnf.org

News, Notes & Spins – February 1, 2012

Welcome to the first official monthly spins chart of 2012, and the third year now that I’ve been reporting on the news, notes, and spins from around the state.  Expect a big shift in the charts this year, as Open Air 1340 becomes a full fledged reporting station … bringing with them a more “indie/alternative” style.  And man oh man do they spin a lot of titles – giving them the prominence once owned by KRFC (Fort Collins).

I’m sorry to report that I still have not managed to get everyone I want in the state to report — so this month, we’re without valuable contributions from KRCC (Colorado Springs), KGNU (Boulder), KCSU (Fort Collins), and Radio 1190 (Boulder).  I promise to continue working to get their information each month, but with folks being as busy as they are… you know.

There are several titles that debuted in January – none so surprising as the debut release from Longest Day of the Year, rocking the spins at #1 thanks to KAFM (Grand Junction) and KDNK (Carbondale) making it a top five release, and KRFC (Fort Collins) for their top ten love.  I also expect to see the new release by Varlet, and the very long awaited release by Harry Tuft & Friends to do well in the next few months as more excitement builds around them .. Varlet because of Lilly Scott, an American Idol finalist in 2010 … and Harry because of his legendary status in Colorado music going back to the 1960s.

Other HOT titles on the way that I’ve seen some pre release spins of for 2012 … 3 Twins Broadband – Whodunit, being released officially statewide in late February, a spinoff project featuring former Subdudes members John Magnie, Steve Amedee and Tim Cook (recently retired) … and a new one from Oakhurst (their first in about three years now) due out this month as well.

That’s it for the news and notes this month … here’s the SPINS

TOP 40 MOST SPUN TITLES – Jan 2012
(311 titles tracked / 148 titles reported)
1. The Longest Day of the Year – Turn Into The Ground (self) Americana [Nov-11]
2. SHEL – When the Dragon Came Down (Mad King Records) Folk [Sep-11]
3. Devotchka – 100 Lovers (Anti) Adult alternative [Dec-10]
4. John Common and Blinding Flashes of Light – Beautiful Empty (Free School) Adult alternative [Apr-11]
5. John Oates – Mississippi Mile (PS Records) Blues [Apr-11]
6. Halden Wofford & the Hi*Beams – Live at Hodi’s (self) Alt-country [Jan-12]
7. Rose Hill Drive – Americana (Slowly and Shirley) Rock [Jul-11]
8. Finnders & Youngberg – FY5 (self) Bluegrass [Apr-11]
9. The Don’ts and Be Carefuls – Sun Hits (self) indie/alternative [Sep-11]
10. Fierce Bad Rabbit – Live and Learn (self) indie/alternative [Nov-11]
11. Varlet – The Drifter (self) indie/alternative [Dec-11]
12. Cassie Taylor – Blue (Hypertension) Blues [Aug-11]
12. Honey Gitters – Poor Gitters’ Almanack (self) alt-country-rock [Sep-11]
12. Paper Bird – Carry On (Long Spoon) Americana [Jul-11]
13. Cary Morin – Sing It Louder (Music Maker) Blues [Aug-11]
13. Chris Kennison – Simply Steel (Seldom Fed Productions) Country, instrumental [Jan-12]
13. Harry Tuft & Friends – Treasures Untold (Manasses Records) Folk [Nov-11]
14. Air Dubai – Day Escape (self) Pop/dance [Nov-11]
14. Churchill – Happy/Sad (Wired Bird) Folk-rock [Mar-11]
14. Great American Taxi – Paradise Lost (self) Alternative country-rock [Oct-11]
14. Jesse Manley – Devil’s Red (self) Folk/indie [Nov-11]
14. Mancub – The Secret Machine (self) Electronic [Aug-11]
14. The Yawpers – Savage Blue (Adventure Records) Alt-country-rock [Jan-12]
15. Kentucky Parlor Pickers – Barn Burner (self) alt-country [May-11]
16. Wendy Woo Band – Austerity (Woomusic) Adult contemporary [Jun-11]
17. El Toro De La Muerte – Danger These Days (self) Rock/alternative [Aug-11]
17. John Statz – Old Fashioned (self) Americana [Jan-12]
17. Sam Lee – Better Half (self) Adult contemporary [Nov-11]
17. The Quiet American – Vol. II (self) Folk [May-11]
18. The Patti Fiasco – The Patti Fiasco (self) alt-country-rock [Jul-11]
19. A Mouthful of Thunder – Slow Burn (self) indie/alternative [Jan-12]
19. a. Tom Collins – OH NO! (self) alternative/indie [Apr-11]
19. Georgann Low – Les Progres De L’Amour (Seasons Of Love) (self) Jazz, vocal [Aug-11]
19. Ian Cooke – Fortitude (Pop Shop Music) indie/alternative [Oct-11]
19. John-Alex Mason – Jook Joint Thunderclap (Naked Jaybird) Blues [Jan-11]
19. Lizzie Huffman – Pretty Old Soul (Suburban Home) Folk/alternative [Sep-11]
19. Mike Marchant – Lost and Found Sound (2008-2011) (self) indie/alternative [Sep-11]
19. Patrick Dethlefs & Friends – Stays the Same (Suburban Home) Folk/alternative [May-11]
20. Places – No More Wasted Days (self) Pop/adult contemporary [Jan-12]
21. Lionel Young Band – On Our Way to Memphis (self) Blues [Aug-11]

STATION BY STATION

KAFM (Grand Junction)
1. The Longest Day of the Year – Turn Into The Ground
2. The Quiet American – Vol. II
3. Driftwood Fire – How to Untangle a Heartache
3. John-Alex Mason – Jook Joint Thunderclap
4. Big Head Todd and the Monsters – Big Head Blues Club: 100 Years of Robert Johnson

KDNK (Carbondale)
1. John Common and Blinding Flashes of Light – Beautiful Empty
1. The Longest Day of the Year – Turn Into The Ground
2. Colorado Goat Ropers Guild – Fly
2. Finnders & Youngberg – FY5
2. Freddi / Henchi and the Soulsetters – Crown Princes of Funk:  The Last Set

KRFC (Fort Collins)
1. Halden Wofford & the Hi*Beams – Live at Hodi’s
2. The Patti Fiasco – The Patti Fiasco
3. SHEL – When the Dragon Came Down
3. Turn 4 – What You Do About It
4. Cary Morin – Sing It Louder

KUNC (Greeley)
1. Wendy Woo Band – Austerity
2. SHEL – When the Dragon Came Down
3. Devotchka – 100 Lovers
3. Driftwood Fire – How to Untangle a Heartache
3. Justin Roth – Now You Know

KUVO (Denver)
1. Playground – Dreams Go Through My Mind
2. H2 Big Band – You’re It!
3. Georgann Low – Les Progres De L’Amour (Seasons Of Love)
4. Hazel Miller Band – Coming to You Live… From KUVO
5. Coyote Poet’s of the Universe – Pandora’s Box

KVNF (Paonia)
1. Cassie Taylor – Blue
2. Cary Morin – Sing It Louder
3. Devotchka – 100 Lovers
3. Finnders & Youngberg – FY5
3. Great American Taxi – Paradise Lost

Open Air 1340 (Denver)
Heavy Spins (alphabetically)
A Mouthful of Thunder – Slow Burn
Tom Collins – OH NO!
Devotchka – 100 Lovers
Ian Cooke – Fortitude
Lizzie Huffman – Pretty Old Soul
Mike Marchant – Lost and Found Sound (2008-2011)
Patrick Dethlefs & Friends – Stays the Same
Princess Music – Roger Tranquility
Rose Hill Drive – Americana
Varlet – The Drifter

The Colorado Sound
1. Places – No More Wasted Days
2. Kathryn Mostow – Rich Girl
2. Ryan Dart – The Shift
3. Charlotte Sass – Lighter Things
3. Halden Wofford & the Hi*Beams – Live at Hodi’s