I love Monday mornings. That is all. Here’s what was played this week on the show. There was more new music this weekend than I’ve seen in several weeks at least – the early spring blitz of new releases as bands and artists get ready for the outdoor concert season that gets under way at the end of April.
FOCOMX is the official unofficial start of the festival season, and if you’ve never been now is a good time to start. It’s pretty magnificent in scope and scale, this year hosting 300 acts from around the region over two nights and a full day.
Dearling’s rendition of the Fleetwood Mac classic “Landslide” was a refreshing reminder that there’s still plenty of room in the songs of others for local artists to explore and redefine in their own voices. In the meantime, their last single, “Do You Love Me,” is my video pick of the week offering.
Fox St continues to lend credence to their ever growing popularity as a classic sounding band in the tradition of those from the early 70s that could have been or were comprised of the likes of Leon Russell, Eric Clapton, Bobby Whitlock and perhaps Joe Cocker or Delaney Bramlett – needless to say they’ve been among my favorites for a few years now.
Instant Empire can lay legitimate claim to being at the top of the list of contemporary indie/alternative (new alternative) bands in the region replacing the likes of Photo Atlas or Hot I.Q.s with their new single “Dead Air.” Their new album due out this June.
And I’m not really sure what I can say about John Common that I haven’t written about in years past – he is simply one of the region’s most deeply intellectual lyrical craftsmen. The new single is paired with a spoken word piece from John that I think is his first, and is marvelously produced by Immersive Studios in Boulder.
Truthfully, it was a hell of a week for new music, leading me to the new single from Natalie Walker, who the last I heard from was more ingrained into the CCM (contemporary Christian music) market segment than the secular world the new record reaches out to. Natalie has had a brilliant career to this point with songs embedded in numerous high profile television shows. The move from Denver to Crested Butte seems to maybe being a catalyst of change in her view of the mysteries of life for her. I look forward to exploring the rest of the new album with you.
Don’t forget – COMING MAY 7 to KSUT (Ignacio/Durango) 10PM-12AM.
VIDEO PICK OF THE WEEK
OFFSTAGE BEYOND THE MUSIC
Coming in May – Mollie O’Brien & Rich Moore. In the meantime we still have two more weeks with the incomparable Hazel Miller.
S9 EP15 PLAYLIST
(D) = debut: first time an LP, EP, or single has been aired on show
(N) = new cut from previously debuted LP or EP
HOUR 1
Firefall “Cinderella” from Firefall (1976)
Acoustic Junction “Where Is She Now” from Surrounded by Change (1995)
(D) Dearling “Landslide” [single] (2015)
(D) Fox St. “Ain’t Easy” [single] (2015) String Cheese Incident “Tinder Box” from Untying the Not (2003)
(D) Instant Empire “Dead Air” from Lamplight Lost (2015)
Big Gigantic “The Night Is Young” from The Night Is Young (2014)
(D) Ragged Union “Worry My Life Away” from Hard Row to Hoe (2015)
(D) Michael Kirkpatrick “I’m Your Man” from Honey Rider (2015) Jeff Brinkman “Ordinary Day” from Strange (2012)
Snake Rattle Rattle Snake “Evil Eye” from Totem (2015)
Devotchka “100 Other Lovers” from 100 Lovers (2011)
Andrew Vogt “On The Run” from Cats Afoot (2010)
HOUR 2
Tim Goodman “New Romeo” from New Romeo (1981)
Dan Fogelberg “Part of the Plan” from Souvenirs (1974)
(D) The Railsplitters “Met That Day” from The Faster It Goes (2015)
Pandas & People “Out to Sea” from SpokesBUZZ Vol V: Band Together (2015)
(D) Natalie Walker “Trust” from Strange Bird (2015)
Chris Daniels & the Kings “Stealin’ Candy” from Live Wired! (1995)
Hazel Miller & the Caucasians “Home of the Blues” from Live at the Fox (1995)
(D) John Common “The River Is Moving” [single] (2015)
(D) Esme Patterson “What Do You Call A Woman” [single] (2015)
GogoLab “Tumbleweeds” from Border Patrol (2013)
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JOIN ME THIS SUMMER AT:
Locals x Locals at the Mishawaka Amphitheatre on June 6 featuring Cracker, Post Paradise, and more.
The Greeley Blues Jam in Greeley on June 13.
The Colorado Sound Presents Hazel Miller, Chris Daniels & the Kings, Goatz!, and William’s Reserve on Aug 9 at the Mishawaka
This weekend I ran this real impromptu non-scientific poll asking about buying habits – and no surprise it was sparsely answered, mostly by musicians or those involved in local music. I will be developing a new poll soon that is more properly formatted, that a better suited analyst than I can manage.
Chris K's Colorado Playlist 