July 17, 2010 CHIRP Radio Playlist

In honor of the Pitchfork festival, played a fair amount of bands playing at this year's fest. Back to normal next week, 9AM to Noon (CDT) at http://chirpradio.org.

11:59AM Against Me! I Was A Teenage Anarchist from White Crosses (Sire)

11:56AM Battles Race: Out* from Mirrored (Warp)

11:53AM Fellaheen Record Collector from Busking For Karma (EGADS)

11:49AM Shoes Boys Don't Lie from Black Vinyl Shoes (Black Vinyl)

11:44AM Dâm-Funk Flying V Ride from Toeachhizown (Stones Throw)

11:41AM To Roccoco Rot Forwardness from Speculation (Domino)

11:35AM XTC This Is Pop from White Music (Geffen)

11:32AM The Streets On Fire Hey Lou from This Is Fancy (The Currency Exchange)

11:28AM Free Energy Bang Pop from Free Energy (DFA)

11:24AM Cell 63 Bloody 27 from Cell 63 (Buddha)

11:20AM The Soft Machine Hope For Happiness from Volume One and Two (Big Beat)

11:17AM Dirty Projectors + Bjork No Embrance from Mount Wittenberg Orca (self-released)

11:12AM The Supersuckers On The Couch from La Mano Cornuda (Sub Pop)

11:10AM Best Coast Moody from Where The Boys Are EP (Blackest Rainbow)

11:04AM The Joy Formidable Austere from First You Have To Get Mad (Black Bell)

11:01AM Elvis Costello & The Attractions Green Shirt from Armed Forces (Rhino)

10:57AM Greie Gut Fraktion Cutting Trees from Baustelle (Monika)

10:53AM Real Estate Fake Blues from Real Estate (Woodsist)

10:48AM Tricky Christiansands from Pre-Millenium Tension (Island)

10:44AM School of Seven Bells Windstorm from Disconnect From Desire (Ghostly International)

10:40AM Glenn Mercer Whatever Happened from Wheels In Motion (Pravda)

10:34AM Green Maybe You're Right from White Soul & Bittersweet EP (Megadisc)

10:31AM Washed Out New Theory from Life Of Leisure EP (Mexican Summer)

10:28AM Uffie Give It Away from Sex Dreams And Denim Jeans (Ed Banger)

10:22AM Tegan and Sara Arrow from Sainthood (Sire)

10:19AM Francis and the Lights Going Out from It'll Be Better (Cantora)

10:15AM The Heptones Make Up Your Mind from Lee Scratch Perry Arkology (Island Jamaica)

10:10AM Sonny And The Sunsets Death Cream from Tomorrow Is Alright (Soft Abuse)

10:07AM The Maybenauts Blue Line from Big Bang EP (Horse-Drawn)

10:02AM 14 Iced Bears Summer Nights from Alvin Lives (In Leeds) (Midnight Music)

9:58AM Koes Bersaudara Aku Berdjandji from Koes Bersaudara 1967 (Sublime Frequencies)

9:56AM Bob Dylan & The Band Please, Mrs. Henry from The Basement Tapes (Columbia)

9:52AM The Clientele (I Can't Seem To) Make You Mine from Strange Geometry (Merge)

9:47AM Here We Go Magic Hibernation from Pigeons (Secretly Canadian)

9:43AM Cinerama Dance, Girl, Dance from This Is Cinerama (SpinArt)

9:40AM Andrew Bird (What's Your) Angle from Oh! the Grandeur (Rykodisc)

9:36AM Frank Sinatra Guess I'll Hang My Tears Out To Dry from Sinatra Sings For Only The Lonely (Capitol)

9:31AM Kurt Vile Dead Alive from Childish Prodigy (Matador)

9:28AM Tom Schraeder Carry On from Once Lace, Now Cotton (Township)

9:23AM The Roches Want Not Want Not from Losing True (Warner Brothers)

9:20AM Calibro 35 Five Dolls for an August Moon from Ritornano Quelli Di (Nublu)

9:16AM Beach House Better Times from Teen Dream (Sub Pop)

9:11AM Fairfield Parlour The Glorious House of Arthur from From Home To Home (Repetoire)

9:07AM Superchunk Driveway To Driveway from The Clambakes Series Vol. 1 Acoustic In-Stores East & West (self-released)

9:03AM Band Of Horses Dilly from Infinite Arms (Columbia)

July 10, 2010 CHIRP Radio Playlist

Two fuses blew during this show...perhaps from the hot tunes. I'm back on the air next Saturday, 9AM to Noon (CDT) at http://chirpradio.org.

12:00PM French Kicks You could Not Decide from The Trial Of The Century (Star Time)
11:56AM Alex B. Talk It Out from Moments (Elm & Oak)
11:52AM Bjork Big Time Sensuality from Debut (Elektra)
11:45AM The Temptations Psychedelic Shack from Psychedelic Soul (Motown)
11:44AM The Breeders Shocker In Gloomtown from Head To Toe 7" (4AD)
11:41AM Coliseum Lost In Groningen from House With a Curse (Temporary Residence, Ltd.)
11:37AM Slow Jets Tangerine Crows from Worm Into Phoenix (Morphius)
11:32AM The Chemical Brothers Snow (with Stepahnie Dosen) from Further (Astralwerks)
11:28AM Dungen Tyst Minut from Ta Det Lugnt (Kemado)
11:24AM Geronimo! Design Yourself A Heart from Fuzzy Dreams (self-released)
11:20AM Thin Lizzy Waiting For An Alibi from Black Rose (Warner Bros.)
11:17AM The Goldstars Babblin' Brook from Gotta Get Out (Pravda)
11:12AM Tokyo Police Club Frankenstein from Champ (Mom+Pop)
11:07AM Hot Chip Playboy from Coming On Strong (Astralwerks)
11:02AM That Petrol Emotion Big Decison from Babble (Polydor)
11:00AM The Yardbirds Over Under Sideways Down from Original BBC Recordings (Band Of Joy)
10:56AM Martha and the Muffins Mess from Delicate (Muffin Music)
10:53AM Skybox The Caravan Cabaret from Arco Iris (Big Red Balloon)
10:48AM Drive-By Truckers Aftermath USA from A Blessing and a Curse (New West)
10:45AM Cindy & Bert Der Hund von Baskerville from Pop In Germany 1 (Bear Family)
10:43AM Devo Step Up from Something For Everybody (Warner Bros.)
10:36AM The Vores New Personality from Moment Of Uncertainty (Double Duke)
10:32AM Diskjokke En fin tid from En Fid Tid (Smalltown Supersound)
10:28AM Femi Kuti Fight To Win (Feat. Jaguar Wright) from Fight To Win (MCA)
10:24AM The Love Language Horophones from Libraries (Merge)
10:19AM The Besnard Lakes Rides The Rails from The Besnard Lakes Are The Dark Horse (Jagjaguwar)
10:14AM Cheap Trick Speak Now Or Forever Hold Your Peace from Cheap Trick (Epic)
10:08AM The Flaming Lips The Spiderbite Song from The Soft Bulletin (Warner Bros.)
10:06AM El Guincho Cuerpo sin Alma from Piratas de Sudamerica EP (XL)
10:02AM The Knux Cappucino from Remind Me In 3 Days... (Interscope)
9:58AM Pilot You're My No. 1 from A's B's & Rarities (EMI)
9:55AM Pernice Brothers The End Of Faith from Goodbye, Killer (Ashmont)
9:51AM The Sea and Cake The Kiss from The Biz (Thrill Jockey)
9:45AM Dappled Cities Fire Fire Fire from Granddance (Danger Bird)
9:42AM Hope Tomorrow from Local Customs: Lone Star Lowlands (Numero Group)
9:39AM The Nazz Hello It's Me from Open Our Eyes The Anthology (Sanctuary)
9:36AM Pavement Shady Lane from Brighten The Corners (Domino)
9:31AM Camera Obscura Teenager from Underachievers Please Try Harder (Merge)
9:28AM Ashby West Coast Town from Power Ballads (Marina)
9:25AM Perfume Genius Lookout, Lookout from Learning (Matador)
9:20AM Marah Rain Delay from Let's Cut The Crap And Hook Up Later On Tonight (Black Dog)
9:17AM Danger Mouse and Sparklehorse Just War from Dark Night of the Soul (EMI)
9:14AM Lady Flash Street Singin' from Beauties In The Night (RSO)
9:08AM Nina Nastasia Wakes from Outlaster (FatCat)
9:04AM Wilco I'm Always In Love from Summerteeth (Reprise)
9:01AM Lloyd Cole & The Commotions Jennifer She said from Mainstream (Capitol)

July 3, 2010 CHIRP Radio Playlist

I celebrated the 4th early, as you can see from a few songs. I'll be celebrating July 10th next week, 9AM to Noon (CDT) at http://chirpradio.org.

11:59AM Simian She's In My Mind from We Are Your Friends (Astralwerks)

11:58AM Naked Raygun The Way It's Supposed To Be from Last of the Demohicans (CHK)

11:53AM Foals Miami from Total Life Forever (Sub Pop)

11:52AM Slant 6 Time's Expired from Soda Pop * Rip Off (Dischord)

11:47AM The Pretty Things She's A Lover from Parachute (Snapper)

11:43AM Fever Ray Now's The Only Time I Know from Fever Ray (Rabid)

11:40AM Orgone Sandstorm from Cali Fever (Ubiquity)

11:36AM Seam This Ain't No Picnic from Our Band Could Be Your Life A Tribute to D. Boon and The Minutemen (Little Brother)

11:33AM Fol Chen In Ruins from Part II: The New December (Asthmatic Kitty)

11:27AM George Clinton Last Dance from You Shouldn't Nuf Bit Fish (Capitol)

11:21AM Oneohtrix Point Returnal from Returnal (Editions Mego)

11:19AM Love Is All New Beginnings from A Hundred Things Keep Me Up At Night (What's Your Rupture)

11:15AM This Perfect Day Young & Stupid from C-60 (550)

11:11AM The Cathy Santonies We Dance The Coldheart from I'm Yr Friend! I'm Your Revolution (self-released)

11:07AM Sweet 4th Of July from Give Us A Wink (RCA)

11:03AM X 4th Of July from See How We Are (Elektra)

10:59AM The Velvet Underground I Can't Stand It from Peel Slowly And See (Polydor)

10:56AM Stars I Died So I Could Haunt You from The Five Ghosts (Soft Revolution)

10:52AM The Go! Team Ladyflash from Thunder, Lighting, Strike (Memphis Industries)

10:47AM The Embrooks Helen from Our New Day (Voxx)

10:45AM Clinic Free Not Free from Do It (Domino)

10:41AM Kathryn Calder Castor and Pollux from Are You My Mother? (File Under Music)

10:36AM Comsat Angels Independence Day from Waiting For A Miracle (RPM)

10:33AM Light Pollution Oh, Ivory! from Apparitions (Carpark)

10:28AM Uncle Tupelo Effigy from No Alternative (Arista)

10:22AM The Juan MacLean One Day from The Future Will Come (DFA)

10:19AM The Natural History Run de Run from Beat Beat Heartbeat (Star Time)

10:15AM Ariel Pink's Haunted Graffiti Beverly Kills from Before Today (4AD)

10:10AM Ween Buckingham Green from The Mollusk (Elektra)

10:08AM Tender Trap Do You Want A Boyfriend? from Dansette Dansette (Slumberland)

10:06AM The Blasters American Music from The Blasters (Slash)

10:03AM Johnny Horton The Battle Of New Orleans from The World Of Johnny Horton (The Battle Of New Orleans)

10:00AM Jill Sobule Loveless Motel from Pink Pearl (Beyond)

9:57AM Villagers The Meaning Of The Ritual from Becoming a Jackal (Domino)

9:53AM Speck Mountain Some Sweet Relief from Some Sweet Relief (Carrot Top)

9:49AM Zumpano Oh That Atkinson Girl from Look What The Rookie Did (Sub Pop)

9:44AM Tallulah Bacon from Step Into The Stars (self-released)

9:40AM Blitzen Trapper Lover Leave Me Drowning from Destroyer of the Void (Sub Pop)

9:33AM Leonard Cohen Tower Of Song from More Best Of (Columbia)

9:31AM Peggy Sue February Snow from Fossils and Other Phantoms (Yep Roc)

9:28AM Bill Moss Number One from Eccentric Soul: The Capsoul Label (Numero Group)

9:23AM Wovenhand Sinking Hands from The Threshingfloor (Sounds Familyre)

9:19AM Fred Frith Dancing In The Street from Gravity (Ralph)

9:16AM M. Ward Hi-Fi from Transistor Radio (Merge )

9:10AM Komeda Victory Lane from Kokomemedada (Minty Fresh)

9:07AM Duke Ellington Mood Indigo from Highlights From The Duke Ellington Centennial Edition (RCA Victor)

9:03AM Laurie Anderson Thinking Of You from Homeland (Nonesuch)

Mid-Year Makeshift Top 20

Every year, I keep a list of my favorite records, primarily so I can make a Top 20 of the year mix CD. This year, I've bought a slew of things and heard even more, thanks to my show on CHIRP Radio. But I've found that I've been getting more good stuff than great. Filling out a mid-year Top 20 was tough. After number 15, the rest were albums that I like but likely won't be considered at the end of the year. Or so I believe at this moment. Without further ado, here's my list:

1. Janelle Monae -- The Archarachnoid
2. Jason & The Scorchers -- Halcyon Times
3. Roky Erickson with Okkervil River -- True Love Cast Out All Evil
4. Judson Clairborne -- Time And Temperature
5. The National -- High Violet
6. LCD Soundsystem -- This Is Happening
7. Jason Moran -- Ten
8. Leatherface -- The Stormy Petrel
9. Johnny Cash -- American VI: Ain't No Grave
10. Christian Scott -- Yesterday You Said Tomorrow
11. Mose Allison -- Way Of The World
12. Shearwater -- Golden Archipelago
13. Archie Bronson Outfit -- Coconut
14. Hawksley Workman -- Meat
15. Beach House -- Teen Dream
16. The Besnard Lakes -- The Besnard Lakes Are The Roaring Night
17. Gil Scott-Heron -- I'm New Here
18. Ted Leo And The Pharmacists -- The Brutalist Bricks
19. The Soft Pack -- The Soft Pack
20. Horse Feathers -- Thistled Spring

Laurie Anderson -- Homeland

Laurie Anderson – Homeland (Nonesuch): Anderson's first studio album in eight years (her ninth overall) is a welcome return. The Glen Ellyn native has not changed her basic approach too much. She talk/sings through most of her material (sometimes accompanied by an electronic voice) with spare accompaniment. She allows for a lot of sonic space on her songs, and then finds interesting ways to fill it in, whether it's a new technique she uses for amplifying her violin to let you hear the tones she hears, bringing in some Tuvan throat singers, or simply letting keyboards provide warm, floating textures. The long layoff has left Anderson with a lot to say, from personal ruminations to striking political observations. This is very atmospheric music that is often beautiful. There is one of change of pace track, and it's a true highlight. "Only an Expert" is a catchy techno song, not quite beat heavy enough for dancing, with brilliantly cutting lyrics and keyboard assistance from Four Tet's Kieran Hebdan and Laurie's husband, Lou Reed, on guitar. (Lou also co-produces) Most of the songs are very quiet. “Dark Time in the Revolution” starts off very slowly, but builds into an ominous, percussive number. Fans of Laurie’s gigantic British hit “O Superman” might find “My Right Eye” to their liking. “Thinking of You” is a beautiful composition, with repetitive violin lines that are reminiscent of minimalist Phillip Glass. The centerpiece of the album is the long narrative "Another Day In America", which ties together the personal with social commentary, with plenty of irony and wit. A lot of great avant-garde musicians appear on this album, including saxophonist John Zorn on a couple of songs. The album is well sequenced and builds power with each listen. It stands up with the best of Anderson's work.

Pernice Brothers -- Goodbye, Killer

Pernice Brothers – Goodbye, Killer -- (Ashmont): The first Pernice Brothers album in four years (and sixth overall), comes running out of the gate with some of the spunkiest music the band has ever produced. It's certainly the happiest of their albums. The core Pernice sound is intact, with melodies inspired by '60s pop (such as The Zombies, Bee Gees and Left Banke) and '80s college radio favorites (like The Go-Betweens, R.E.M., etc.), while adding a few wrinkles. A few songs delve a bit into country, which will please fans of the Pernice predecessor band Scud Mountain Boys. And a few songs have some blues moves straight out of classic rock -- such as the Faces-like slide guitar part on the title cut. Meanwhile, there are some songs that sound like they could have come off of any Pernice album, winsome as all get out and highlighting Joe Pernice's lovely, precise lyrics. Overall, this is a relatively looser affair that feels more spontaneous than past albums. Drummer Ric Menck (of Velvet Crush) fits right in on his first outing with the Brothers, and new lead guitarist James Walbourne has a rawer and rootsier sound than the man he replaced, Peyton Pinkerton (of New Radiant Storm King). Highlights include "We Love the Stage", which starts off as a country song but has undercurrents of ragtime and jaunty music hall Brit pop. "Jacqueline Susann" is an upbeat jangle rocker that Joe Pernice sings with uncharacteristic vigor. "Great Depression" is a quintessential Pernice song, simple mid-tempo pop brilliance, while "The End of Faith" has a stately folk-country vibe. The Pernice Brothers (and there are two of them -- brother Bob stays in the background on guitar) have reached a point where they can be counted on for a solid album every time, with small variations in their approach. As long as Joe's lyrics stay strong, this is not a bad thing by any means.

June 26, 2010 CHIRP Playlist

Our computer library was down, so the majority of this show was from what I brought in. Next week, the show should have more variety -- Saturday, 9AM to Noon (CDT) at http://chirpradio.org.

11:57AM Gary Numan I Dream Of Wires from Telekon (Beggar's Banquet)

11:54AM Janelle Monae Cold War from The ArchAndroid (Bad Boy)

11:51AM Kaiser Chiefs Never Miss A Beat from Off With Their Heads (UniversalMotown)

11:46AM Deer Tick I Will Not Be Myself from The Black Dirt Sessions (Partisan)

11:42AM Beach Buggy Touch My Stuff (You Can Die) from Sport Fury (Poptunes)

11:39AM The Bar-Kays Shake Your Rump To The Funk from Too Hot To Stop (Mercury)

11:35AM Mass Shivers Pacific Ash from Ecstatic Eyes Grow Glossy (Sickroom)

11:32AM The Animatronics Bowie Doppleganger from 2000: The Year Of The Future (Morphius)

11:27AM Trentemoller ...Even Though You're With Another Girl from Into the Great Wide Yonder (In My Room)

11:23AM The Bongos Telephoto Lens from Drums Across The Hudson (Cooking Vinyl)

11:21AM Indian Jewelry Look Alive from Totaled (We Are Free)

11:17AM The Lee Harvey Oswald Band Junior's Farm from A Taste Of Prison (Touch And Go)

11:10AM Luscious Jackson Daughters Of The Kaos from In Search Of Manny (Grand Royal)

11:05AM Konono Nº1 Fula Fula from Assume Crash Position (Crammed)

11:02AM The Saints Know Your Product from Eternally Yours (Sire)

10:59AM Puerto Muerto Drumming For Pistols from Drumming For Pistols (Fire Records)

10:55AM Steve Wynn Annie & Me from Crossing Dragon Bridge (Rock Ridge Music)

10:52AM Woods Death Rattles from At Echo Lake (Woodsist)

10:48AM Beatnik Filmstars (Play That) Wonky Music (White Boy) from In Great Shape (555 Recordings)

10:45AM Kele Unholy Thoughts from The Boxer (Glassnote)

10:41AM Fools Face L5 from Tell America (Talk Records)

10:36AM The Oranges Scootering from Young Now! (Rabbit Record)

10:31AM Wolf Parade Little Golden Age from Expo 86 (Sub Pop)

10:27AM Idlewild Roseability from 100 Broken Windows (Capitol)

10:21AM The Sames Smaller Than Life from Compulation Volume One (Pox World Empire)

10:19AM Ted Nugent & The Amboy Dukes Why Is A Carrot More Orange Than A Orange from Loaded For Bear: The Best of Ted Nugent & The Amboy Dukes (Epic/Legacy)

10:15AM Stephen Paul Smoker My Summer's Waning Glow from Violent Sun/Violent Fun EP (Kilo)

10:09AM The Fatima Mansions You're A Rose from Viva Dead Ponies (Radioactive)

10:06AM Robyn Dancehall Queen from Body Talk Pt. 1 (Konichwa)

10:02AM Sparks Good Morning from Exotic Creatures Of The Deep (Lil' Beethoven)

9:58AM The Nines How Does It Feel? from Properties Of Sound (self-released)

9:54AM Ratatat Bob Gahndi from LP4 (XL)

9:51AM Tim Finn Unsinkable from Imaginary Kingdom (Parlophone)

9:47AM Chris Mills She's Got A Problem from Tell It Like It Isn't (Powerless Pop)

9:44AM k.d. lang and the reclines Pulling Back The Reins from Absolute Torch And Twang (Sire)

9:41AM Kurt Vile Ocean City from Square Shells EP (Matador)

9:36AM The Marmalade Judy Blue Eyes from BBC Sessions (Sanctuary)

9:33AM Danger Mouse and Sparklehorse Daddy's Gone from Dark Night of the Soul (EMI)

9:28AM Ken Stringfellow Known Diamond from Soft Commands (Yep Roc)

9:23AM Nicole Atkins The Way It Is from Neptune City (Red Ink/Columbia)

9:20AM Tom Schrader To You, My Friend... from Once Lace, Now Cotton (Township)

9:15AM Ted Leo Six Months In A Leaky Boat from Tell Balgeary, Balgury is Dead (Plus Solo!) (Lookout)

9:10AM Randy Newman Louisiana 1927 from Good Old Boys (Rhino/Reprise)

9:07AM Admiral Radley The Thread from I Heart California (The Ship)

9:02AM Pulp Trees from We Love Life (Island)