July 27, 2013 CHIRP Radio Playlist

8:59 AM Big Star • My Life Is Right • #1 Record • Ardent

9:02 AM Andrea Perry • Another Bad Idea • Four • self released

9:05 AM Marisa Anderson • Furnace Creek • Mercury • Mississippi

9:10 AM Booker T • Your Love Is No Love • Sound the Alarm • Stax

9:15 AM The Suburbs • Eyesight • In Combo • Twin/Tone

9:18 AM Mar Caribe • Django Tango • Songs From Under the Flight Path • self-released

9:22 AM Persephone's Bees • City Of Love • Notes From The Underworld • Columbia

9:26 AM Anna von Hausswolff • Harmonica • Ceremony • City Slang

9:31 AM Sun Ra • Narrative • The Night Of The Purple Moon • Atavistic

9:35 AM The Hollies • I'm Alive • Clarke, Hicks & Nash Years • EMI

9:37 AM Midlake • Acts Of Man • The Courage of Others • Bella Union

9:40 AM T. Hardy Morris • Share The Needle • Audition Tapes • Dangerbird

9:45 AM David Lynch • Quit Diggin' • The Big Dream • Captured Tracks

9:49 AM Lewis Taylor • Say I Love You • The Lost Album • HackTone

9:53 AM Joanna Newsom • Flying A Kite • Walnut Whales • self-released

10:00 AM Justin Roberts • Otis • Recess • Carpet Square

10:04 AM Part Time • I Want To Go • PDA • Mexican Summer

10:07 AM Flying Lotus • Parisian Goldfish • Los Angeles • Warp

10:12 AM Owen • Where Do I Begin? • L'Ami Du Peuple • Polyvinyl

10:15 AM Adem • Tears are in Your Eyes • Takes • Domino

10:19 AM Rockfour • Honey • Nationwide • Rainbow Quartz

10:25 AM Adam & The Ants • Prince Charming • Prince Charming • Columbia

10:28 AM Zomby • Overdose • With Love • 4AD

10:31 AM Tapioca and the Flea • Mellotron • Mellotron single • self-released

10:36 AM Billy Swan • I Can Help • Billy Swan At His Best • Monument

10:40 AM Alela Diane • I Thought I Knew • About Farewell • Rusted Blue

10:42 AM Crystal Stilts • Crystal Stilts • Crystal Stilts • Feathery Tongue

10:46 AM JC Brooks & The Uptown Sound • Not Alone • Howl • Bloodshot

10:50 AM Paul Weller • Trees • Wake Up The Nation • Yep Roc

10:54 AM Cut Copy • Unforgettable Season • In Ghost Colours • Modular

10:57 AM The Music Machine • Come On In • The Very Best of The Music Machine • Collectables

11:01 AM London Posse • Livin' Pancoot • Gangster Chronicle • Tru Thoughts

11:07 AM Palms • Tropics • Palms • Ipecac

11:14 AM Deafheaven • Dream House • Sunbather • Death Wish Inc.

11:23 AM Spectrum • Quiabo's • The Shadoks Music Compilation • Normal

11:26 AM Mission Of Burma • Nancy Reagan's Head • The Obliterati • Matador

11:31 AM Beans On Toast • Microwave Popcorn • Fishing for a Thank You • Xtra Mile

11:34 AM Too Much Joy • Worse • Son Of Sam I Am • Giant

11:37 AM Jimmy Johnson • I Stand Alone • Johnson's Whacks • Delmark

11:40 AM Woods • Be All Be Easy • Be All Be Easy 7" • Woodsist

11:42 AM David Byrne • Tiny Apocalypse • Grown Backwards • Nonesuch

11:48 AM Bare Mutants • The Fire In Your Hands • The Affliction • In the Red

11:51 AM The Fall-Outs • Never Be The Same • The Fall-Outs • Super

11:53 AM New Fast Automatic Daffodils • Partial • Pigeonhole • Play It Again Sam

July 20, 2013 CHIRP Radio Playlist

9:02 AM Lou Rawls • A Natural Man • The Very Best Of Lou Rawls: You'll Never Find Another • Capitol

9:06 AM Darcy James Argue's Secret Society • Coney Island • Brooklyn Babylon • New Amsterdam

9:09 AM Carolyn Mark • Rocket Piano Man • Just Married: An Album Of Duets • Mint

9:14 AM Scud Mountain Boys • The Mendicant • Do You Love the Sun • Ashmont

9:18 AM The Zombies • Hung Up On A Dream • Odessey & Oracle • Date

9:21 AM Prince Fatty • Big Man Cry • Survival of the Fattest • raSa

9:26 AM R.E.M. • I Walked With A Zombie • Where The Pyramid Meets The Eye: A Tribute To Roky Erickson • Sire

9:28 AM Matt Ulery's Loom • All the Riven • Wake an Echo • Greenleaf Music

9:32 AM The Dodos • Winter • Visiter • Frenchkiss

9:38 AM Beach House • Used to Be • Teen Dream • Sub Pop

9:41 AM Rose Elinor Dougall • Find Me Out • Without Why • Scarlett

9:45 AM Martha Johnson • Bye Bye Love • Solo One • Muffin Music

9:51 AM Serengeti • Punks • Kenny Dennis LP • Anticon

9:54 AM China Crisis • Hanna Hanna • Working With Fire And Steel • Virgin

9:57 AM The Matthew Herbert Big Band • Pontificate • There's Me and There's You • Accidental

10:01 AM The Duckworth Lewis Method • It's Not Cricket • Sticky Wickets • DCR

10:04 AM The Syn • Grounded • Grounded single • Deram

10:06 AM Wise Blood • Rat • Id • Dovecote

10:12 AM The Blisters • Finally Bored • Finally Bored • self-released

10:16 AM Chris Stamey with Yo La Tengo • The Summer Sun • V.O.T.E. • Yep Roc

10:19 AM Nice Nice • Big Bounce • Extra Wow • Warp

10:25 AM Adam Marsland • When I Lied To Everyone • Go West • Karma Frog

10:29 AM PJ Harvey • Joy • Is This Desire? • Island

10:33 AM Jason & The Scorchers • Broken Whiskey Glass • Lost & Found • EMI

10:39 AM Cheap Trick • Southern Girls • In Color • Epic

10:43 AM Elusive Parallelograms • Helium • Fragments EP • self-released

10:45 AM Netherfriends • New Haven, CT • 50 Songs 50 States • self-released

10:50 AM Robert Pollard • It Disappears in the Least Likely Hands (We May Never Not Know) • Honey Locust Honky Tonk • GBV Inc.

10:53 AM Erasure • Drama! • Wild! • Sire

10:57 AM Roots Manuva • Watch Me Dance • 4everevolution • Big Dada

11:02 AM Pet Shop Boys • The Last To Die • Electric • x2

11:05 AM Nymph • Raag Mon • New Millenium Prayer • Northern Spy

11:14 AM Speedy Ortiz • Tiger Tank • Major Arcana • Carpark

11:16 AM Mega City Four • Toys • Magic Bullets • Big Life

11:20 AM Andre Williams & the New Orleans Hellhouds • Never Had a Problem • Can You Deal With It? • Bloodshot

11:24 AM The Pretty Things • Rosalyn • Get A Buzz • Fontana

11:26 AM M.I.A. • Bring The Noize • Matangi • Interscope

11:29 AM Telenovela • Better Days • The Broken Heart Is New • Vinahyde

11:32 AM Frank Zappa • Dancin' Fool • Strictly Commercial (The Best of Frank Zappa) • Rykodisc

11:37 AM Cannonball Adderley • Jive Samba • The Very Best of Cannonball Adderley • Fantasy

11:43 AM Austra • Forgive Me • Olympia • Domino

11:46 AM The Boo Radleys • Butterfly McQueen • Giant Steps • Columbia

11:51 AM Run the Jewels • Get It • Run the Jewels • Fool's Gold

11:54 AM Killing Joke • Empire Song • The Singles Collection 1979-2012 • Spinefarm

11:57 AM Spiritualized • Lord Let It Rain On Me • Amazing Grace • Sanctuary/BMG

July 6, 2013 CHIRP Radio Playlist

8:59 AM Kevin Tihista's Red Terror • Taking It To The Streets (Again) • On This Dark Street • Broken Horse

9:03 AM Pandelis Karayorgis Quartet • Evenfall • Circuitous • Driff

9:08 AM Tom Waits • Back in the Crowd • Bad as Me • ANTI-

9:13 AM Mavis Staples • Sow Good Seeds • One True Vine • ANTI-

9:15 AM Charlotte Gainsbourg • Everything I Cannot See • 5:55 • Because/Vice

9:21 AM Billy Nicholls • Portobello Road • Would You Believe • Sequel

9:24 AM Jon Brion • Ruin My Day • Meaningless • Straight to Cut-Out

9:28 AM Jay Farrar • Hanging On To You • Terroir Blues • Act/Resist

9:31 AM Jon Hopkins • Breathe This Air • Immunity • Domino

9:38 AM The Undertones • Conscious • The Sin Of Pride • Rykodisc

9:41 AM Young Souls • Puppet On A String • Quit Waiting For Tomorrow To Come • Numero Group

9:44 AM Pulseprogramming • Snowmaps on Paper • Charade is Gold • Audraglint

9:50 AM Camera Obscura • William's Heart • Desire Lines • 4AD

9:54 AM Elton John • Writing • Captain Fantastic And The Brown Dirt Cowboy • Rocket

9:58 AM Red Allen • All The Good Times Are Past And Gone • The Folkways Years 1964 - 1983 • Smithsonian Folkways

10:00 AM The Orange Peels • Aether Tide • Sun Moon • Mystery Lawn

10:04 AM Daughn Gibson • Mad Ocean • Me Moan • Sub Pop

10:08 AM Aesop Rock • The Mayor And The Crook • Float • Mush

10:14 AM Baths • Ironworks • Obsidian • Anticon

10:18 AM Kaleidoscope • Egyptian Gardens • Side Trips • Epic

10:23 AM Justicia • Stone Flower • Cult Cargo: Salsa Boricua De Chicago • Numero Group

10:28 AM Sparks • I Predict • Angst In My Pants • Atlantic

10:31 AM Milano • A Day is Gonna Come • Chicago Mixtape 009: Immortal Kamikaze • chicagomixtape.com

10:34 AM King Tuff • King Of Guy • Was Dead • Burger

10:39 AM ABBA • Watch Out • Waterloo • Polar

10:43 AM David Bowie • Looking For Water • Reality • ISO

10:46 AM Classixx • I'll Get You (Featuring Jeppe) • Hanging Gardens • Innovative Leisure

10:52 AM Portugal. The Man • Modern Jesus • Evil Friends • Atlantic

10:55 AM Beat Happening • Cry for A Shadow • Dreamy • Sub Pop

10:59 AM The 88 • No Use Left For Me • Kind Of Light • EMK

11:02 AM UFO • Out In The Street • Strangers In The Night • Chrysalis

11:07 AM Honeyslide • Sugar Routine • Dripping/Deep Architecture EP • Critical Heights

11:09 AM The Mekons • Dan Dare • Punk Rock • Quarterstick

11:13 AM Zomby • Horrid • With Love • 4AD

11:16 AM Autoclave • Summer • Autoclave • Dischord

11:18 AM Tevo Howard • Spend Some Time (Pop Mix) • Pandora's Box • Rush Hour

11:25 AM The Boomtown Rats • Go Man Go! • Mondo Bongo • Mercury

11:29 AM Magic Bronson • Nor'easter • Nor'easter EP • Woodlake

11:33 AM Donna Summer • Could It Be Magic • A Love Trilogy • Casablanca

11:38 AM Los Fabulosos Cadillacs • Mas Bicho • Rey Azucar • Sony

11:42 AM Wire • Doubles & Trebles • Change Becomes Us • Pink Flag

11:44 AM The Good Life • Waiting on Wild Horses • Novena on a Nocturne • Better Looking

11:50 AM Smith Westerns • Only Natural • Soft Will • Mom + Pop

11:53 AM Pernice Brothers • Clear Spot • Overcome By Happiness • Sub Pop

11:56 AM Thinking Fellers Union Local 282 • Everything's Impossible • Bob Dinners and Larry Noodles Present Tubby Turdner's Celebrity Avalanche • Communion

Top 20 albums of the first half of 2013

It's just past the midway point of the year, so why not rank my favorite albums so far this year? Of course, there are plenty of things that I still need to check out and as the numbers get bigger, the rankings are looser/less precise.

1. My Bloody Valentine -- m b v: I'm not someone who grew up with Loveless...didn't even get my copy until years after the fact. But I love that sound, and hearing a bunch more great songs with that sound is great.

2. Rhye -- Woman: Two dudes make an awesome Sade inspired R & B/pop album.

3. Queens Of The Stone Age -- ...Like Clockwork: This was a bit of a grower, but now it hits hard. This band has always had a central sound, and Josh Homme finds subtle ways to play around with it.

4. Lady -- Lady: An awesome retro '70s soul album, for those who miss Honey Cone and others of that ilk.

5. Laura Marling -- Once I Was An Eagle: Massive talent is finally finding her own sound. Such a powerful folk-rock presence.

6. Pretty & Nice -- Golden Rules For Golden People: Quirky rock in the vein of early XTC, The Sugarplastic, etc.

7. Thao and The Get Down Stay Down -- We The Common: Her earlier work with Merrill Garbus of Tune-Yards has paid off, adding a percussive dimension to her blend of folk, blues and rock.

8. Uncle Acid & The Deadbeats -- Mind Control: The '70s metalisms touted are overstated. They are there, but with a stoner rock vibe and hooks that remind me of Supergrass.

9. James Blake -- Overgrown: If Thom Yorke made an electronic soul album, it might sound like this, but the vocals wouldn't be as good.

10. Georgia Anne Muldrow & Dudley Perkins -- The Lighthouse: Singer-wife and rapper-husband make '70s styled hip hop/soul album, with overtones of Erykah Badu, Marvin Gaye and Curtis Mayfield, among others.

11. Laura Mvula -- Sing To The Moon: Stunning new talent, Mvula teams with Rumer's old producer on modern pop numbers with strong soul and jazz vibes.

12. Savages -- Silence Yourself: Great post-punk rock sounds with a very compelling frontwoman. I think the best may be yet to come from this band.

13. Kanye West -- Yeezus: Audacious, exciting, in your face music that Kanye finds a way to bend into something catchier than its influences, with lyrics that are alternatively angry, acidic and asinine.

14. Suede -- Bloodsports: I've liked all of their albums but would not have expected such a strong comeback. Perhaps their best since Dog Man Star.

15. Milk Music -- Cruise Your Illusion: A throwback band that garners comparisons to Dinosaur Jr., but I hear a lot of Gun Club in some of their tunes.

16. Billy Bragg -- Tooth & Nail: A fine batch of Bragg tunes with Joe Henry recording them quickly, this is his best in a long time.

17. Nightlands -- Oak Island: Keyboard oriented indie pop with plenty of hooks.

18. Beach Fossils -- Clash The Truth: Some of the excitement has dissipated on this, but the mix of Cloud Nothings style poppiness with shoegaze sounds is still really nice.

19. Corin Ashley -- New Lion Terraces: A sublime '70s styled power pop record, with heavy Emmit Rhodes vibes.

20. The Features -- The Features: Plenty of great songs, but missing a certain something, so it's merely very good instead of great.

Honorable Mentions: The Besnard Lakes, Sparks, Mikal Cronin, British Sea Power, The Flaming Lips

Snowden's Dilemna

As I write, Edward Snowden is somewhere inside a Moscow airport, perhaps wondering why his experience is so different than that of Tom Hanks in The Terminal. The Fugitive Leaker is in limbo, having applied for asylum to 15 countries, and waiting must really be a bitch.

On Monday, Snowden released a statement. Edward is a bit, shall we say, peeved with the United States. In the statement, Snowden complains about how he is being persecuted by the United States. Specifically, this means having his passport revoked, the filing of criminal charges and the quest to extradite him. Leaking highly sensitive classified intelligence is pretty stressful, it appears.

Reading about this statement made me think about a video that I was shown in a broadcasting class I took at Southern Illinois University. I can't recall which class it was shown in, but I do remember that it was shown in a discussion about journalistic ethics.

The set up for the tape was this: a man had called the local press in some Southern town. The man was fed up with his life and told reporters he was going to light himself on fire in the town square. A local television camera man showed up to cover this story.

The man was an older fellow, and he had some gasoline or some other accelerant in a can. He mumble-ranted his complaints with society which had driven him to immolate himself. As he was talking, he doused himself in the gas. The camera held steady. Then he moved on to the next task, and lit some matches on his leg, still ranting. The camera held steady. And then the man glanced up. The look on his face was one of profound realization - he had actually set himself on fire. It was a look of panic tempered, ever so slightly, by the fact that, after all, it was his own idea.

And the camera still held steady. The man finally got up and ran...and I don't remember if he survived his pyro efforts. What I do remember so strongly was that "What have I gotten myself into" look.

This is the look that I imagine Snowden has right now. Sure, it seemed like a good idea at the time. Take a job with Booz Allen, download scads of confidential material, escape to Hong Kong, leak the material and go public. What possible downside could this plan have?

So he's now in the airport thinking, "What have I gotten myself into?", stuck in international limbo. Just yesterday, Snowden's father tried to set conditions for his son's return to the U.S., which included: 1) he could not be put in jail, and we be out on bail (good idea, he's not a flight risk, is he?), and, 2) Edward would choose where he got tried. Good luck with those demands.

I find myself conflicted about what Snowden has done. On one hand, I thought the Patriot Act might someday lead to precisely the type of abuses that he has shed light upon, and it is good that these things are now out and the open and can be debated. On the other hand, when someone deliberately breaks the law as Snowden has, it's hard to have sympathy for him. Comparisons to Gandhi and Dr. King are laughable -- as I noted to some co-workers a couple of weeks ago, no one remembers Martin Luther King's Letters From A Hong Kong Hotel.

The thing is, Snowden could have leaked this material anonymously, which would have been helpful in evading the U.S. legal system, certainly giving him a head start. But he wanted more -- I don't know if it was accolades or adulation or something else, but for a guy smart enough to infiltrate the deepest recesses of U.S. intelligence, nothing else he has planned seems to be turning out for him so far.

The worst part of it? While he is cult hero amongst some liberals and libertarians, most polls show that the American public isn't all that outraged about this level of surveillance. Perhaps if Snowden would submit to extradition and actually go to trial, he could bring back more focus on the issues he apparently cares for so much. Because, right now, the focus is more on him than anything else.