WOW … I’m finding it hard to believe that we’re almost 1/3 of the way through the year already. It probably shouldn’t come as any surprise that the top two 2018 Colorado album releases being played statewide are
1. Tearing At the Seams – Nathaniel Rateliff & the Nightsweats
2. Something Higher! – Leftover Salmon
I’ve said this before, and it’s worth repeating: a dj can’t play and a writer can’t write about what they don’t have. I notice there are a ton of titles that do not make their way to radio stations and “print” publications around the region.
So as far as that goes it’s actually been a rather quiet week. Next weekend will likely be a different story.
Friday and Saturday is the 10th Annual FOCOMX. 300 acts in some 30 venues … it marks the UNOFFICIAL start of the festival season every year. If you’ve never been I encourage it. My band, GOATZ!, will be appearing at Tony’s Rooftop on Saturday at 7PM.
A NEW STATION is coming on board beginning MAY 1 … KAFM Grand Junction will air the show on the following schedule:
HOUR 1 = Saturday night at midnight + 11AM Tues morning
HOUR 2 = Sunday night at midnight + 11AM Friday morning.
VIDEO PICK(s) of the Week
There are actually 2 video picks this week. The new one from Leftover Salmon is below as part of this week’s MMMM. This one from The Hunger Artist deserves its own recognition
MONDAY MORNING MUSIC MEETING
What you’ll find below are new songs on the show this week … listen and let me know which ones you think I should keep in the Colorado Playlist, and which I should delete.
NOTE: In order to be included in the MMMM poll, the band/artist must have an embeddable file available on SoundCloud, BandCamp, Reverbnation or YouTube.
PLAYLIST S12 EP15
(D) = debut of lp, ep or single
(N) = new cut from previously debuted lp or ep
HOUR 1
Rare Silk “Joy!” from New Weave (1983) (D) Cass Clayton “When it Comes to My Heart” from Woman In the Way EP (2018)
Petals of Spain “Daydream” from Daydream (2017) Trout Steak Revival “Go On” from Brighter Every Day (2015) (D) Bobby Walker “My Mabellene” from Came Out Swingin’ (2018) Big Head Todd & The Monsters “Damaged One” from New World Arisin’ (2017) Gregory Alan Isakov “Living Proof” from The Weatherman (2013) Dianne Reeves “Testify” from The Best of Dianne Reeves (2000) (D) Slopeside “Prove Me Wrong” from Shoot the Moon (2018)
Ryan Chrys & the Rough Cuts “Killer” from Shovel Full of Coal (2017) Kyle Hollingsworth “All Falls Apart” from 50 (2018) Annie Booth “Tiger Dance” from WANDERLUST (2014)
HOUR 2
Flash Cadillac & the Continental Kids “I Wish You’d Dance” from Best of Flash Cadillac and The Continental Kids (2010) (N) Leftover Salmon “Southern Belle” from Something Higher (2018)
Patti Fiasco “Saved by Rock and Roll” from Saved By Rock And Roll (2016) Nathaniel Rateliff & the Night Sweats “I Need Never Get Old” from Nathaniel Rateliff & the Night Sweats (2015) (D) Black Box Audio “You Don’t Know” from Don’t Let Go EP (2018)
The Burroughs “Touch the Sky” from Got To Feel (2018) My Body Sings Electric “Oceancrest” from Part 1: the Night Ends (2014) Kinetix “One Life to Live” from One Life (2014) (D) Kind Dub “Elevated Life Feat. Sarah Slaton & Briana Harris” from COllabs EP1 (2018)
The Motet “Damn!” from Totem (2016) The Yawpers “Mon Dieu” from Boy In A Well (2017) Jon Wirtz “Watching the World Wake Up” from Tourist (2013)
For the past twenty plus years my music interests, as a fan/consumer and an industry guy, has been focused on non-theatrical forms of presentation.
Over the past few months, however, my girlfriend – who enjoys musicals – has taken me to the Bug Theater to see presentations of musicals of Evil Dead, Disaster, and Reefer Madness presented by the Equinox Theater Company. Both Evil Dead and Reefer Madness are award winning and critically praised presentations.
If you haven’t attended a good – or any – little theater presentation recently, I highly encourage you to see the current presentation of Reefer Madness the musical .. it may not be pop, rock, country, soul or blues – but it sure is one hellova good time in one of Denver’s treasured theaters.
Being a musician fronting my own band, I know how hard it is to get three voices in sync. Watching the ensemble crew Saturday night, I was amazed at just how much work must have gone into making sure they sang well together – and danced together on such a small stage as that at the Bug.
The house band, which stays behind the scenes, is among the best I’ve heard in the region regardless of style. The only thing I found lacking was the audio engineer, who failed on several occasions to bring up the mic level on the “narrator,” a main character in the play. There were also other instances where dialogue was muddied or muffled. But sitting in row three center stage I was able to make out most of what was being said – most of the time.
Overall – if you want to break away from seeing a band perform at one of the many fine music venues, head to the Bug for the current Reefer Madness the Musical presentation. It’s been one of my favorite music experiences in 2018.
VIDEO PICK OF THE WEEK
I’ve known Andy Sydow as a friend and consulting client since he graduated from college about six years ago now. Along the way, I’ve been able to enjoy a young artist mature into his own voice. Reasons For Departure is his latest release. This is the title track.
MONDAY MORNING
MUSIC MEETING
What you’ll find below are new songs on the show this week … listen and let me know which ones you think I should keep in the Colorado Playlist, and which I should delete.
NOTE: In order to be included in the MMMM poll, the band/artist must have an embeddable file available on SoundCloud, BandCamp, Reverbnation or YouTube.
PLAYLIST S12 EP14
(D) = debut of lp, ep or single
(N) = new cut from previously debuted lp or ep
HOUR 1
Rick Roberts “Deliver Me” from Windmills (1973) (N) Nathaniel Rateliff & the Night Sweats “A Little Honey” from Tearing At The Seams (2018)
OneRepublic “Future Looks Good” from Oh My My (2016) Big Head Todd & The Monsters “Hey Delila” from Black Beehive (2014) (N) Reverend Freakchild “Personal Jesus (On The Mainline)” from Dial It In (2018)
(N) Rubedo “Sungazer” from Vaca (2018)
The Lovely & Talented “Death of the Lover” from The New American Fable (2010) The Subdudes “Papa Duke and the Mud People” from Behind the Levee (2006) (N) Leftover Salmon “Analog” from Something Higher (2018) Antonio A. Lopez “Bluebird” from Cloud 9000 Vol. 2: The Alamosa EP (2016) Reno Divorce “She’s in Love With the Avenue” from She’s In Love With the Avenue (2018) (D) Emily Takahashi “Not Spoken`” from Not Spoken (2018)
HOUR 2
Zephyr “When Love Comes Running” from Heartbeat (Remix 2018) (2018) (D) Rob Drabkin “It’s A Beautiful Day” from Beautiful Day EP (2018)
Brent Cowles “Cold Times” from Cold Times (2017) Megan Burtt “The Bargain” from The Bargain (2015) (D) Chloe Tang “Stranger” (2018)
Plutinos “Hand in Hand” from Plutinos EP (2018) Slim Cessna’s Auto Club “This Is How We Do Things in the Country” from Blovdy Tenent Trvth Peace (2004) Halden Wofford & the Hi Beams “Pill-Poppin Country Weirdo” from Sinners & Saints (2010) (D) Ryan Chrys “Someday We’ll Never Come Back” from The Catskills (2018)
Chris Daniels & the Kings “Sweet Memphis” from Blues With Horns, Vol 1 (2017) iZCALLI “I Don’t” from IV (2018) Ron Miles, Bill Frisell, Brian Blade, Jason Moran & Thomas Morgan “Jasper” from I Am A Man (2017)
April 27 – Woods Boss Brewing (Denver) April 28 – FOCOMX (Fort Collins)
I’m approached daily by musicians seeking answers to the mysteries of our industry. I’m proud to say we live in a state where information and resources are bountiful.
I attended four events in the past month that served no other purpose than to educate, develop, and promote all that is Colorado music, those who make it, and those who work on advancing it; the Denver Music Summit, FOCOMX, the Colorado Blues Society IBC finals, and the induction of six new bands into Spokesbuzz. Of course they’re not the only organizations or events designed for these purposes, but I was fortunate to attend events put on by all four.
Ultimately it is the fan, the audience, the listener, who is the deciding factor when it comes to how well we in the “business” are doing our jobs – and therefore it is important to have that perspective at the table when we’re talking about making music and getting it “out there.” Audience participation is appreciated. Please go visit those organizations online and find out what we have going on regionally.
Check out the current #6 Colorado album title SpokesBuzz Vol 5
—
Congratulations to Randall Dubis & Dan Treanor who will represent Colorado at the IBC in Memphis next winter in the solo/duo category and to Rex People’s and X-Factor who will represent in the band category. Good luck in Memphis next winter to all.
Cracker has been added and identified as (CC) for the purposes of tracking Colorado music. Band co-founder Johnny Hickman is a local guy and has been for many years now. In a conversation with his wife recently I learned that she used to listen to me on the air at 96.1 K-SKY in the late 80s when she was in high school. I totally cracked up.
Also, I’ve added and tracked other artists who I’ve identified with a (CC) tag, namely Sara Cahoone, John Oates, Bill Frissel, Tia Fuller and others so I have no idea why it’s taken me so long to put Cracker in the mix. Cracker’s latest Berkeley To Bakersfield came out last fall. The band itself seems to be picking up some love among other local music supporters around the state … Cracker is making a few appearances locally this summer for you to keep your eyes open for.
I suspect that we’ll see Wendy Woo, the Railsplitters, and Ragged Union stick around on the charts the longest. Wendy is broadly known around the state, and does a great job of getting her work to interested djs. The Railsplitters and Ragged Union are bluegrass bands of note in the state, and there is no shortage of independent djs who do favor Colorado bluegrass and Americana releases.
11 videos wound up in the video playlist for May … from Dearling, Esme Patterson, Strange Americans, Nathaniel Rateliff & the Nightsweats, Leftover Salmon, Ivory Circle, Instant Empire, Sound of Ceres, Tennis, Megan Burtt, Todd Adelman
June 6 – For Locals x Locals Presented by The Colorado Sound and Scene Magazine featuring Cracker, Post Paradise, Branded Bandits, Red Fox Run, Shaley Scott Band and Winchester Holiday. A music festival to celebrate and honor local musicians and local music industry vendors. The goal of this festival is to create a space for our musical community to thrive. If you are a local musician, we would like to offer you free admission and a beer. If you’re a fan, please be honest and support your local music scene with your ticket purchase. Treat this as an opportunity to meet new musicians, find out about local music industry and catch up with old friends.
June 12 & 13 The Greeley Blues Jam in Greeley with Austin Young– featuring Michaela Rae and friends + Maynard Mills Blues Band + George Whitesell and His All Stars featuring Jill Watkins + The Frails – all female review featuring Erica Brown, MJ, G’Jai, Michaela Rae, Miss Audrey, Susan Phelan & national headliners Delbert McClinton, Elvin Bishop and more.
August 1 – 8th Annual Carbon Valley Music & Spirits Festival in Dacono. Lineup TBA. The region’s first Spirits Competition event, started four years ago now. Previous headliners have included Richie Furay, Lionel Young, Drew Emmitt (Leftover Salmon) and others.
August 9 – The Colorado Sound PresentsHazel Miller, Chris Daniels & the Kings, Goatz!, and William’s Reserve on Aug 9 at the Mishawaka
185 titles tracked
Titles tracked = released between Nov 1 2013 and April 27 2015
105 (57%) titles identified as played at least once in the reporting period
Stations/shows surveyed: 15
(CC) = Colorado Connection
(D) = album/ep/single debut on chart
(R) = re-enter
[date] = Date added to reporting list
(4) 1. Hot Rize – When I’m Free (Thirty Tigers) Bluegrass [Sept 15, 2014]
(2) 2. Chris Daniels & the Kings – Funky To the Bone (Moon Voyage) Blues/funk [Jan 15, 2015]
(3) 3. Jeff Austin– The Simple Truth (Yep Roc) Rock/AAA, bluegrass [Jan 2, 2015]
(8) 4. Ark Life– The Dream of You & Me (Greater Than Collective) Rock/AAA [June 28, 2014]
(R) 5. Reed Foehl – Lost In the West (NeverFoehl Records) Pop/singer-songwriter [Sept 13, 2014]
(7) 6. Various– SpokesBUZZ Compilation V (SpokesBUZZ) Various [Dec 20, 2014]
(28) 7. Big Head Todd & the Monsters –Black Beehive (Shout! Factory) Rock/blues-rock [Jan 25, 2014]
(R) 8. Plum – Behind Your Man [single] (self) Rock [Feb 1, 2015]
(D) 9. John Common – The River Is Moving [single] (Immersive) Rock [April 1, 2015]
(D) 9. Wendy Woo Band – Tipping Point (Woo Music) Pop/Adult Contemporary [April 13, 2015]
(D) 10. Esme Patterson – What Do You Call A Woman EP (Greater Than Collective) Indie/New Alternative [April
1, 2015]
(18) 10. Todd Adelman – Highways & Lowways (Porch Lantern Music) Americana/alt-country-rock [Jan 8, 2015]
(D) 11. The Railsplitters – The Faster It Goes (self) Bluegrass (April 20, 2015)
(1) 12. Bill Frisell–Guitar In the Space Age (Okeh Records) Jazz/Instrumental [Nov 18, 2014] (CC)
(6) 13. Richie Furay – Hand In Hand (ENT ONE Music) Americana/country-rock [March 1, 2015]
(R) 14.You Me & Apollo – Sweet Honey (self) Indie/New Alternative [April 26, 2014]
(30) 15. Trout Steak Revival – Brighter Every Day (self) Bluegrass [March 20. 2015]
(16) 16. The String Cheese Incident – Song in My Head (SCI Fidelity) Rock/AAA [April 14, 2014]
(D) 17. Natalie Walker – Strange Bird (Dorado Records) Pop/Adult Contemporary (April 1, 2015)
(15) 18. Tennis – Ritual in Repeat (Communion Records) Indie/New Alternative [Aug 14, 2014]
(R) 19. Musketeer Gripweed – Floods and Fires (self) Rock/jamband [March 29, 2014]
(R) 20. Calder’s Revovlers – Sunday Morning (self) Rock/rhythm & blues [June 13, 2014]
(R) 21. Euforquestra – Fire (self) Funk/reggae [Feb 22, 2014]
(22) 21. Taarka – Making Tracks Home (self) Folk [March 9, 2015]
(12) 22. Snake Rattle Rattle Snake –Totem (self) Indie/New Alternative [Nov 8, 2014]
(D) 23. Cracker – Berkeley To Bakersfield (SLG) Rock [Nov 8, 2014] (CC)
(R) 24. The River Arkansas – The River Arkansas (Blank Tape Records) Alt-country-rock [Feb 1, 2015]
(R) 25. Montropo – Follow Me (self) Pop/singer-songwriter (Nov 14, 2014]
(9) 26. Leftover Salmon–High Country (LoS) Rock/bluegrass [Nov 8, 2014]
(D) 27. The Raven and the Writing Desk – Some Get Started EP (self) Indie/new alternative [April 1, 2015]
(R) 28. The Motet – The Motet (self) Funk [Jan 4, 2014]
(D) 29. Michael Kirkpatrick – Honey Rider (self) Country/Folk [March 1, 2015]
(28) 30. Rob Drabkin – Little Steps EP (self) Rock/AAA [Jan 1, 2014]
(29) 31. Safe Boating Is No Accident –Bonus Features (self) Indie/New Alternative [Feb 20, 2014]
(R) 31. Strange Americans – That Kind of Luster (self) Rock [Aug 23, 2014]
(27) 32. Young Ancients– Y/A (self) Americana [Feb 11, 2014]
(D) 33. Ragged Union– Hard Row to Hoe (Shining Castle Music) Bluegrass [March 21, 2015]
(19) 34. Blake Brown & American Dust Choir –“3” (self) Rock/AAA [Aug 13, 2014]
(13) 35. John Statz – Tulsa (self) Americana/country-folk [March 1, 2015]
(D) 36. Clouds & Mountains– Slumber (self) Folk [Feb 1, 2015]
DROPPED OUT OF TOP 40 IN APRIL
5. The Railsplitters – The Railsplitters
10. Brothers Keeper – Todd Meadows
14. Rose Quartz – Axis of Love [EP]
17. John Oates – Good Road to Follow
20. Cary Morin – Tiny Town
21. Jayme Stone – Jayme Stone’s Lomax Project
23. Mollie O’Brien & Rich Moore – Love Runner
24. Dana Landry Quartet – Standard Elevation
25. Moors and McCumber – Pandemonium
26. Esme Patterson – Woman to Woman
29. Danielle Ate the Sandwich – The Drawing Back of Curtains
31. Analog Son – Stomp and Shout!
32. Richard Dean – Accidental Human
33. SHEL – The Lab Sessions
33. Toad In the Hole – Wallflower
34. Land Lines – The Natural World
35. Grant Farm – Plowin’ Time
35. In The Whale – Nate & Eric
36. H2 Big Band – It Could Happen
ADDED TO TRACKING APRIL 2015
Chuck Pyle – Cover Stories Cracker – Berkeley To Bakersfield
Dearling – Landslide [single]
Elin Palmer – Elin and Friends
Elise Wunder – In the Darkness of My Light
Esme Patterson – What Do You Call A Woman EP
Fox St. – Ain’t Easy [single]
Inner Oceans – 8 Cousins / Everything’s Alright [single]
Instant Empire – Lamplight Lost
Ivory Circle – Isoceles
John Common – The River Is Moving [single]
Kenny Knight – Crossroads
The Knew – Schmew
Medic – If I Could Stay [single]
Motion Trap – Palebluedot
Natalie Walker – Strange Bird
The Navigators – All About the Ride
Racing On the Sun – Self Destruct [single]
The Railsplitters – The Faster It Goes
The Raven and the Writing Desk – Some Get Started EP
Steve Kovalcheck Trio – Stomping Ground
Tim Ostdiek – Temporary Home EP
Wendy Woo Band – Tipping Point
STATION BY STATION
[XX] = number of reported current year (Nov 2013-April 2015) titles
Stations monitored for spins = KAFM, KBUT, KDUR, KGNU, KOTO, KRCC, KRFC, KRZA, KSJD, KSUT, KUNC, KVNF, OPENAIR 1340, Radio 94.9 Colorado, The Colorado Sound radio show and The Colorado Sound LIVE365. Stations with minimum 10 “currents” featured in breakout.
KAFM (Grand Junction) [13]
1. Richie Furay – Hand In Hand
2. Bill Frisell – Guitar In the Space Age
2. Dana Landry Quartet – Standard Elevation
3. Hot Rize – When I’m Free
3. Slopeside – One Lane Town
KDUR (Durango) [12]
1. Chain Station – Dancin With the Law
1. Hot Rize – When I’m Free
1. Leftover Salmon – High Country
2. Montropo – Follow Me
3. Chris Daniels & the Kings – Funky to the Bone
KGNU (Boulder) [10]
1. Hot Rize – When I’m Free
2. Chris Daniels & the Kings – Funky to the Bone
3. Snake Rattle Rattle Snake – Totem
4. Taarka – Making Tracks Home
5. Ark Life – The Dream of You and Me
KRFC (Fort Collins) [75]
1. Michael Kirkpatrick – Honey Rider
2. Cary Morin – Tiny Town
3. Trout Steak Revival – Brighter Every Day
4. Taarka – Making Tracks Home
5. Deadwood Saints – 6th Street and Trinity
KUNC (Greeley) [15]
1. Jeff Austin – The Simple Truth
2. Chris Daniels & the Kings – Funky to the Bone
3. Hot Rize – When I’m Free
4. Reed Foehl – Lost In the West
4. Various – SpokesBUZZ Compilation V
OPEN AIR 102.3 (Denver) [25]
1. Plum – Behind Your Man [single]
2. Snake Rattle Rattle Snake – Totem
3. Inner Oceans – 8 Cousins / Everything’s Alright [single]
4. John Common – The River Is Moving [single]
5. Land Lines – The Natural World
The Colorado Sound [38]
1. Natalie Walker – Strange Bird
2. Esme Patterson – What Do You Call A Woman EP
2. John Common – The River Is Moving [single]
2. Plum – Behind Your Man [single]
2. The Railsplitters – The Faster It Goes
I’m approached daily by musicians seeking answers to the mysteries of our industry. I’m proud to say we live in a state where information and resources are bountiful.
Congratulations to Randall Dubis & Dan Treanor who will represent Colorado at the IBC in Memphis next winter in the solo/duo category and to Rex People’s and X-Factor who will represent in the band category. Good luck in Memphis next winter to all.
(4) 1. 
KAFM 
KDUR
KRFC
KUNC
OPEN AIR 102.3
The Colorado Sound
Chris K's Colorado Playlist 