NOTES:
This column is intended to a kind of regional tip sheet, much like what we in radio used to get monthly from different sources .. it identifies what we in the state are airing as djs, and what the individual stations are representing musically here in the state.
In Colorado we’re blessed beyond measure by the sheer number of public/community and college stations in our communities. There are about twenty radio stations of this type in the state today, the most of any state that I can find. Our charts this month represent spins data from over fifteen stations and specialty shows (commercial and non-comm) around the state.
KRFC Fort Collins is, and has been, the undisputed KING of Colorado spins among all radio stations in the state. Today, approximately 13% (1/7) of all titles aired 6A-12A on KRFC are Colorado-based, up from an average of 6% per month prior to August 8th, when new program director John Hayes installed a new / more Colorado-focused format.
Add to the list those commercial stations that air Colorado-based specialty programming (KBCO, KTCL, KQMT) or that include new and breaking artists in their general programming … and you’ve got one of the healthiest states in the union where it comes to how much regionally produced music is heard on terrestrial radio, and subsequently via the Internet. I also need to pay some serious props to KGNU (Boulder). In an email exchange while gathering spins data for this month’s column, KGNU music director John Schaefer informed me that ” KGNU is, and has been, committed to the local music scene for 33 years.”
Every programmer I’ve spoken to around the state says they’re willing to air more Colorado-based music… with one caveat – they have to receive it in the mail first. As they tell me all the time – they cannot air what they do not have in their libraries. Seems we’re doing a great job of getting music to KRFC (nearly 500 titles from 2010-2011 in their database), but too many of the other stations are going without. My advice — if Colorado-based artists were to flood the stations with releases, the stations would have little choice but to air more of what they get. 😉
NEWS:
Lynette O’Kane, Assistant Music Director – “Late summer at KDNK.: News reporter Mat Katz left our fair valley to work in the Big Apple and is currently slogging around in the wet of Irene. We are currently in the middle of our fall membership drive and holding steady. Check out the www.kdnk.org Music Page for lists of new releases, live broadcasts and music reviews.”
Grant McFarren, Music Director – “KBUT recently wrapped up yet another record breaking pledge drive, meeting our goal of $40,000 in just over 9 days! Big thanks to everyone in and out of the Gunnison Valley who made this drive wildly successful.”
Bummer news coming out of KUVO. A posting on Hazel Miller’s facebook page indicated that assistant music director/air talent Susan Gatchet-Reese is gone from KUVO (Denver). More news here as soon as I can get it.
Welcome KRZA Alamosa/Taos to the mix this month — and welcome to new Music Director Catie Moore. Catie was doing front office work at KRZA from December 2010 until this past July when she was “promoted” to music director —- a hard and too often thankless task for sure, as she winds through mountains of releases each month.
Finally this month, welcome back KCSU – off since the summer break began in May. Nic Turiciano is their new music director. I’m looking forward to seeing what they come up with. If this month’s station list below is any indication, it should be pretty adventurous.
A note on the spins chart. I’ve added the date [month-yr] the release was added to the tracking spreadsheet – very often an indicator of when a station began reporting it to me.
TOP 40 ALBUM SPINS – August 2011
(160 titles reported / 359 titles tracked)
(LM) TM
(D) = debut, first time on chart)
(R) = re-entered chart)
(3) 1. Devotchka – 100 Lovers (Anti) adult alternative [Dec-10]
(1) 2. Finnders & Youngberg – FY5 (self) bluegrass/americana [Apr-11]
(6) 3. Spring Creek – Hold On Me (self) bluegrass [Jul-11]
(14) 4. John Common and Blinding Flashes of Light – Beautiful Empty [Free School] rock/adult alternative [re-added Apr-11]
(18) 4. Zach Heckendorf – The Cool Down (self) rock/pop [Jul-11]
(25) 5. Paper Bird – Carry On (Long Spoon) americana [Jul-11]
(R) 6. Gabrielle Louise – Mirror the Branches (self) folk/americana [Aug-10]
(16) 7. Jami Lunde – Big Black Birds (self) americana/contemporary adult [Jun-11]
(D) 8. Cassie Taylor – Blue (Hypertension) blues/pop/contemporary adult [Aug-11]
(7) 8. Elephant Revival – Break in the Clouds (Ruff Shod Records) folk/americana [Nov-10]
(11) 8. H2 Big Band – You’re It! (Jazzed Media) jazz [Jul-11]
(D) 9. Kim Jones – Lucky Girl (self) folk/singer-songwriter [Jul-11] *
(D) 10. The Holler! – Gratitude (self) americana/folk-rock [May-11]
(D) 11. Pat Murphy – The Paul Howard Project (self) funk/r&b/soul [Aug-11]
(D) 11. The Dirty Lookers – Audio Voyeur (self) rock [Aug-11]
(R) 12. Dotsero – Storyhouse (Cinderblock Records) jazz/contemporary [Mar-11]
(2) 12. Wendy Woo Band – Austerity (Woomusic) rock/contemporary adult [Jun-11]
(R) 13. Justin Roth – Now You Know (Rothirric Music) folk/singer-songwriter [Mar-11]
(R) 14. Carmen Sandim Sextet – Brand New (Dazzle Recordings) jazz [Feb-11] *
(R) 15. Fox Street Allstars – Welcome to the Mighty Pleasin’ (self) rock/roots/r&b [Jan-11]
(3) 16. Rose Hill Drive – Americana (Slowly and Shirley) rock/modern hard rock [Jul-11]
(17) 16. The Haunted Windchimes – Live at the Western Jubilee (Blank Tape) americana/folk [May-11]
(D) 17. Fingers of the Sun – Fingers of the Sun (self) indie/folk-rock [May-11]
(R) 18. Danielle Ate the Sandwich – Two Bedroom Apartment (self) folk/modern/pop [Jun-10]
(19) 18. Gary Bragg – High Plains Storm (Q&B Records) americana/country [Apr-11] *
(R) 18. White Water Ramble – All Night Drive (self) bluegrass/jamgrass [Jul-10] *
(R) 19. Big Head Todd and the Monsters – Rocksteady (BIG) rock/contemporary adult [Jun-10]
(D) 19. Houses – Winter (self) rock/adult alternative [Aug-11]
(12) 19. John Oates – Mississippi Mile (PS Records) blues/americana [Apr-11]
(D) 19. the Still City – Brittle Bones (self) indie/folk-rock [Aug-11]
(R) 20. Grant Gordy – Grant Gordy (self) instrumental/neo-acoustic [Apr-10]
(6) 20. Jim Stranahan – Free For All (Capri Records) jazz [Apr-11]
(R) 21. The Chain Gang of 1974 – Wayward Fire (Modern Art Records) electronic/dance [Jun-11]
(8) 21. The Patti Fiasco – The Patti Fiasco (self) rock/alternative country- rock [Jul-11]
(24) 22. Big Head Todd and the Monsters – Big Head Blues Club: 100 Years of Robert Johnson (Ryko) blues [Jan-11]
(R) 22. Nathaniel Rateliff – In Memory of Loss (Rounder Records) folk/modern [Mar-10]
(R) 23. Stray Grass – Written in the Stars (self) bluegrass/jamgrass [Mar-11]
(R) 24. Fierce Bad Rabbit – Spools of Thread (self) rock/alternative/indie [Sep-10]
(R) 24. John-Alex Mason – Jook Joint Thunderclap (Naked Jaybird) blues [Jan-11]
(D) 24. Jonny Barber & the Living Deads – Jonny Barber & the Living Deads (self) rock [Aug-11]
(D) 24. Lionel Young Band – On Our Way to Memphis (self) blues [Aug-11]
(22) 24. Musketeer Gripweed – Dyin’ Day (self) rock/blues [Sep-10]
*serviced to radio/press by Chris K. dba Rocky Mountain Music Network
Fell Out of TOP 40 – August
4. Great American Taxi – Reckless Habits
9. Rene Marie – Voice of My Beautiful Country
10. The Hickman-Dalton Gang – The Hickman-Dalton Gang Vol II
13. Rob Roper – Misfit
15. Brad Goode – Tight Like This
16. Adam Bodine Trio – Up ‘N Hear
18. Adam Stern – High Country Gentleman
18. Dave Sonner – the American Campus
20. Bonnie and The Clydes – Bonnie And The Clydes
20. Judy Wexler – Under A Painted Sky
21. Andy Hackbarth – The Last Love Song
21. Jeff Finlin – The Tao of Motor Oil
21. Megan Burtt – It Ain’t Love
21. Slim Cessna’s Auto Club – Unentitled
22. Bop Skizzum – Push
22. Hazel Miller Band – Coming to You Live… From KUVO
22. Otis Taylor – Clovis People, Vol. 3
22. Veronica – Emerging from Troubled Days
23. Broken Spoke – Before There Were Easy Riders
23. Mohammed Alidu and the Bizung Family – Land of Fire
23. Tennis – Cape Dory
25. My Body Sings Electric – Changing Color
ADDED – August
3 Twins Broadband – 3 Twins Broadband
a shoreline dream – Losing Them All To This Time
Beats Noir! – Beats Noir!
Cary Morin – Sing It Louder
Cassie Taylor – Blue
Chubby Lover – Puberty is for Wieners
Cougarpants – demos
Driftwood Fire – How To Untangle A Heartache
El Toro De La Muerte – Danger These Days
Elena Klaver – Promise of Spring
Fingerhook – Roostah
Force Publique – Force Publique
Georgann Low – Les Progres De L’Amour (Seasons Of Love)
Houses – Winter
Jayme Stone – Room of Wonders
Jonny Barber & the Living Deads – Jonny Barber & the Living Deads
Lionel Young Band – On Our Way to Memphis
Mancub – 8 Bit Crush
Pat Murphy – The Paul Howard Project
Pink Hawks – Shima
Post Paradise – The New Normal
School Knights – ALL DAWGZ GO 2 HEAVEN
The Dirty Lookers – Audio Voyeur
the Still City – Brittle Bones
Various artists – Hot Congress Records Sampler 2011
You Me and Apollo – Cards with Cheats
REPORTING STATION CHARTS
KAFM (Grand Junction)
1. The Chain Gang of 1974 – Wayward Fire
2. Spring Creek – Hold On Me
3. Adam Stern – High Country Gentleman
3. Chris Thompson – The Road Ahead
4. Dotsero – Storyhouse
4. Jack + Jill – Brightest Star in the Nightmare
KBUT (Crested Butte)
1. Spring Creek – Hold On Me
2. Elephant Revival – Break in the Clouds
2. Finnders & Youngberg – FY5
3. Devotchka – 100 Lovers
3. Fingers of the Sun – Fingers of the Sun
KCSU (Fort Collins)
1. You Me and Apollo – Cards with Cheats
1. Act So Big Forest – Compilation 2: Auriel
1. Force Publique – Force Publique
2. Mancub – 8 Bit Crush
2. Cougarpants – demos
KDNK (Carbondale)
1. Justin Roth – Now You Know
1. Spring Creek – Hold On Me
2. Beth Quist – New Moon
2. Carmen Sandim Sextet – Brand New
2. Elephant Revival – Break in the Clouds
2. John Oates – Mississippi Mile
KGNU (Boulder)
1. Pink Hawks – Shima
2. Git Some – Loose Control
3. Paper Bird – Carry On
4. Devotchka – 100 Lovers
5. Finnders and Youngberg – FY5
KOTO (Telluride)
1. Wendy Woo Band – Austerity
2. Jami Lunde – Big Black Birds
2. Zach Heckendorf – The Cool Down
3. Big Head Todd & the Monsters – Big Head Blues Club: 100 Years Of Robert Johnson
KRCC (Colorado Springs)
1. Burn the Maps – Terra Incognita
2. The Haunted Windchimes – Live at the Western Jubilee
3. Big Jim Adam & John Stilwagen – Back in My Hometown
4. the Yes We Cans – Better Days
4. Joe Johnson – A Time to Dance
4. The Haunted Windchimes – Honey Moonshine
KRFC (Fort Collins)
1. Patti Fiasco – The Patti Fiasco
2. Holler! – Gratitude
3. Fierce Bad Rabbit – Spools of Thread
3. Finnders and Youngberg – FY5
3. John-Alex Mason – Jook Joint Thunderclap
3. Musketeer Gripweed – Dyin’ Day
KUNC (Greeley)
1. Devotchka – 100 Lovers
2. Justin Roth – Now You Know
2. Wendy Woo Band – Austerity
3. Andy Hackbarth – The Last Love Song
3. Cassie Taylor – Blue
KUVO (Denver)
1. Jim Stranahan – Free For All
2. Judy Wexler – Under A Painted Sky
3. H2 Big Band – You’re It!
4. Adam Bodine Trio – Up ‘N Hear
4. Brad Goode – Tight Like This
4. Dotsero – Storyhouse
4. Peter Sommer – Tremolo Canteen
KVNF (Paonia)
1. Paper Bird – Carry On
2. Spring Creek – Hold On Me
3. The Quiet American – Vol. II
4. The Haunted Windchimes – Live at the Western Jubilee
5. Big Head Todd and the Monsters – Rocksteady
The Colorado Sound … No real spins chart for the show this month. It was a short month. I took some of the month off to focus on producing and/or emceeing a couple of festivals. Here’s what was “Hot” in August (other than the weather). I do have to say I was particularly enamored of The Dirty Lookers album — a rough and tumble jouncy ride along the intersection of rock n roll, rhythm & blues, and punk.
- The Dirty Lookers – Audio Voyeur
- Gabrielle Louise – Mirror the Branches
- Kim Jones – Lucky Girl*
- Pat Murphy – The Paul Howard Project
- Zach Heckendorf – The Cool Down
*serviced to radio/press by Chris K. dba Rocky Mountain Music Network
(D) Overcasters “Moonshift” from Curses/Prayers (2012)
Chris K's Colorado Playlist 