Today’s show was a chance to enjoy a laid-back summer afternoon in Sacramento. I decided to take a slight break from the interviews this afternoon. I’d done so many over the past few months–some days, I did two and even three interviews–in a single episode! And I was given the opportunity to do a couple of double shows. So for today, it was time to kick back, and kick out the new music to you. Lots of new stuff, and some older stuff. Musical magnificence from Adam Marsland, Danny Wilkerson, and Sunshine Boys, just to pick three off the top.

So I hope you enjoy this week’s edition of Twirl: The Relaxed Version!

Artist | Track | Album
The Armoires | Anenome | Big Stir IPO Sampler 2018
Wilkerson | Enough For Somebody | Wilkerson
The Welcome Matt | My Town | More Empire Days
Adam Marsland | Talking About Myself | Go West
Maxi Dunn | Always Be My Friend | Welcome To Soonville
Daniel Trigger | Running Into The Wind | Right Turn
Astral Drive | Love Is Real | Astral Drive
Lisa Mychols | Loving You | Sugar
Trevi | Stand On Your Own | Single release
Lannie Flowers | The One | Single release
Sunshine Boys | Blue Music | Blue Music
The Rubinoos | Party Insurance | 45
Little Jimmy Giant | I ThinK You Think I Think So | The Fowl Tone Sampler
Blake Jones & The Trike Shop | Make A New Day | Make
Elk City | Ride The Slide | Everybody’s Insecure
Byron Isaacs | Man Of The Times | Disappearing Man
Gail George | Because Of U | Bloom
The Judybats | Incredible Bittersweet | Pain Makes You Beautiful
Duncan Faure | Lies And Promises | 4
Steve Barton | Gimme Your Hand | Tall Tales & Alibis 3
Anton Barbeau | Mumble Something | Natural Causes
Jason Falkner | I Live | Presents Author Unknown
Miami Dan & The Hayes Street Band | The Days Ahead | Left Hand To The Sky
R.E.M. | 1,000,000 | Dead Letter Office
Bay Station | Sleeping Hard Waking Slow | Other Desert Cities
Gretchen’s Wheel | Something’s Coming | Black Box Theory
Chris Church | Fall Into Me | Limitations Of Source Tape
David Myhr | My Negative Friend | Lucky Day

July 21, 2018
Categories: Playlists . . Author: twirlradio . Comments: Leave a comment

Gifts. That’s what I was given on this show. It appears that July 14 was the day to be in Sacramento. Both Sean O’Brien and Rick Hromadka, longtime Twirl favorites, were going to be in the area, and were available for a visit. So a musical meeting of the minds was going to happen. The two had heard of each other, and are actually scheduled to play on the same night at the IPO Festival in Los Angeles–but hadn’t before met. Until they came to the Sacramento Twirl studios on July 14th.

Sean O’Brien came in from the San Francisco Bay Area. He has recorded for years under his own name, and with his band, Sean O’Brien and His Dirty Hands. He’s had a long musical history, going back to the 1980s. He’s been rather prolific in the studio for the last year, releasing an album, an EP, a single, and is putting the finishing touches on another album. The live His Dirty Hands band is a Bay Area mini supergroup, featuring members of Camper Van Beethoven and Chuck Prophet & The Mission Express. His sound is slightly foreboding and ominous, but always rocking. Sean played a couple of songs for us live, in-studio, and let us hear a couple of unmastered tracks from his next album, My Colors Dark. We’ll get him back in the studio once the new album comes out, this fall or winter. http://www.seanobmusic.com/about/

Rick Hromadka also has a long and illustrious musical history. He arrived in Los Angeles from New Haven, CT in the early 1990s, and through the years, formed the bands Double Naught Spies, Maple Mars, and Ruby Free. I first heard of Rick at the time the 2010 Maple Mars album, Galaxyland came out, and was instantly in awe of its psychedelic, yet rocking sound. I’ve seen Maple Mars play twice in L.A. over the years. They are powerful live, and could truly play stadiums. Stadium bookers: take note! This year, Maple Mars did a tour from Nashville through New England. Double Naught Spies is going to be doing a reunion show later this summer. And Rick’s busy writing songs that could wind up being used for any or all of those bands, or even solo. He was traveling through the Sacramento area on Saturday, and we were lucky enough to snag him for the show, and get him to do a couple of songs. http://www.maplemars.com/ and https://www.sodastarmusic.com/

And if all that weren’t enough, we also got to play advance pre-release music from Danny Wilkerson’s and Victor Sotelo’s forthcoming solo albums. This show held an abundance of musical gifts for me and the listeners. I hope you enjoy listening!

Artist | Track | Album
Wilkerson | How She Lost My Heart | Wilkerson
Sunshine Boys | There Goes Another One | Blue Music
Victor Sotelo | Desperately Tired Of White Noise | Homeland Insecurities
The Armoires | Alesandra 619 | IPO Vol. 19
Maxi Dunn | How Was I To Know? | Welcome To Soonville
Los Lobos | Mas Y Mas | Colossal Head

Rick Hromadka and Sean O’Brien interviews
Maple Mars | The Excursion | Galaxyland
Sean O’Brien and His Dirty Hands | Final Say | Risk Profile
Sean O’Brien and His Dirty Hands | My Colors Dark | My Colors Dark
Rick Hromadka | Welcome To Maple Mars | Live in Twirl studio
Rick Hromadka | Slow Parade | Live in Twirl studio
Ruby Free | Owe To The Man | Shades
Sean O’Brien | Sleeping With Me | Live in Twirl studio
Sean O’Brien and His Dirty Hands | Hilarious | My Colors Dark
Sean O’Brien | Mistakes | Live in Twirl studio

Blake Jones & The Trike Shop | My Soft Rock Girlfriend | Make
Lannie Flowers | Good | Single release
Elk City | 25 Lines | Everybody’s Insecure

July 15, 2018
Categories: Playlists . . Author: twirlradio . Comments: Leave a comment

I was originally going to take a break from all the amazing and fun interviews that have transpired lately on Twirl. I planned to spend two hours just relaxing and playing music in the studio. But then, my friend Bill Fuller asked me once again if I’d be willing to fill in for him on his 2-4pm show on KUBU, The Longhair Detectorists Guild. And of course, “willing” is not the right word to describe how I feel when I’m asked to do that. “Thrilled” is a better word. But then I realized that if I’m being given this gift of a 4 hour show, I should get a couple of people I really like, to share it with me and talk music.

So those two would be Christina Bulbenko and Rex Broome of the L.A. band The Armoires. They have started a scene called Big Stir. Big Stir started as a monthly series of live shows, but is rapidly, and organically, turning into a movement. There is an associated record label, magazine (actual paper!), and a radio show (full disclosure–they’re my colleagues on Woody Radio, with their Thursday night show, Big Stir Radar Hour).

They were the perfect people to chat with on a relaxed (at least for me) Saturday afternoon. For them it was a busier day. They were kind enough to take a break in the middle of a video shoot to chat with me. More info at www.bigstirrecords.com

I also got to roll out even more new 2018 music. 2018 is a banner year for independent music, and it keeps coming in. Four hours was barely enough time to get it all in, and what I didn’t cover this week, we’ll get to on the next show.

Artist | Track | Album
Lannie Flowers | The One | Single release
Gail George | A Wonderful Life | Bloom
Tipsy In Chelsea | You Are The Sun | The Co-Op Communique Vol. 4
Aimee Mann | I Can’t Help You Anymore | The Forgotten Arm
Alison Hogan | All The King’s Horses | Songs From The Third Act
The Well Wishers | Never Let You Down | A View From Above
Roger Joseph Manning Jr. | American Affluenza | Catnip Dynamite
Eric Peter Schwartz | Regretville | Highway 45
William Cleere + The Marvellous Fellas | Labor Day | William Cleere + The Marvellous Fellas
Rich McCulley | Far From My Angel | Far From My Angel
Walker Brigade | Choker | Therapy Animal
Adam Marsland | This Is Madness | Bulé
The Who | I Need You | A Quick One
Wilkerson | Let It Go Tonight | Single release
Arthur Alexander | One Bar Left | One Bar Left
The Beatles | Good Morning Good Morning (Take 8) | Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band 50th anniversary edition
Mimi Betinis | Pontiac | Music Sounds
Skip Heller & Spike Sikes | Get Outta LA | Sacramento
Elk City | Ride The Slide | Everybody’s Insecure
Plasticsoul | Keeping A Light On | Therapy
The Bobbleheads | Mean Girls | Make Yourself Happy
Freedy Johnston | Responsible | Can You Fly
Karla Kane | The Lilac Line | King’s Daughters Home For Incurables
Richard X. Heyman | These Troubled Times | Incognito
Jenifer Jackson | Mercury, The Sun & Moon | Parasols’s Sweet Sixteen, Vol. 3
Two Dollar Pistols | That Someone Isn’t Me | You Ruined Everything
Maxi Dunn | Tuxedo Cat | Edmund & Leo
Felsen | Heroin | Accidental Drowning
Bud Rogers | Intercity Mars | Starman
The Incredible Casuals | I’ll Do Anything | Nature Calls
Juliana Hatfield | Sellout | Please Do Not Disturb
The American Professionals | In Case Of Emergency, Break | Sympathetic Overdrive
Syd Straw | Racing To The Ruins | Surprise
Mark’s Men | Where Were You Last Night | The Fowl Tone Sampler

Chat with Christina and Rex of Big Stir/The Armoires
The Armoires | Responsible | Incidental Light Show
Blake Jones & The Trike Shop | Alchemy C’mere | Make

Steve Barton | How Can I Believe | Tall Tales & Alibis 1
Michael Simmons | Get Back What You Put In | First Days Of Summer
Krista D | Simple Social Tragedy | Look At Me I’m Krista D
The Welcome Matt | Feel Something | More Empire Days
Anton Barbeau | Magazine Street | Natural Causes
Daniel Trigger | Alive | Right Turn
Gordon Weiss | I’m Your Fan | It’s About Time
Gretchen’s Wheel | Plans | Black Box Theory
Duncan Faure | Man Of A Thousand Dreams | Pronounced “Four-Uh”
Chris Church | Bell The Cat | Limitations Of Source Tape
Lisa Mychols | One Revolution | Sugar
Frank Black | Superabound | Teenager Of The Year
Sparklejet | Somewhere Along The Way | Phonovella

July 7, 2018
Categories: Playlists . . Author: twirlradio . Comments: Leave a comment

The radio gods really smiled down on me and my little Twirl Radio show this week. I was once again given the chance to do a 4 hour show (thanks, Bill Fuller), and had interviews with two well-known and well-loved musicians: Lisa Mychols and Chandler Travis.

Lisa Mychols has had a long and storied musical history, going back to The Wondermints, The Masticators, and Nushu, and her solo career is equally as legendary. I’d heard OF Lisa long before I ever heard any of her music. She’s one of the standard bearers of today’s pop scene, and can always be counted on to create upbeat, sunny songs with a crunchy, yet sweet backdrop. Which brings us to her new album, “Sugar”. She loves collaborating, and this album was done with Steve Refling, who’s been one of her “go-to’s” for a long time. The album artwork reminds me of a vocalist’s album from the 1960s, something which might have been in my parents’ record collection. The composition, the fonts, even the photo of Lisa–all look like a vintage Nancy Sinatra record. The music: sweet, crunchy, thoughtful, and fun–just like you’d expect from Lisa. And our conversation was exactly that–a conversation, not an interview. Lisa was one of those rare interviewees who asked me questions too. It was a fun and meaningful chat, and this one was special. It will go down in the annals of Twirl Radio history as one of the best conversations ever done on the show. Check out Lisa’s many ventures at mycholsfabulousplayground.com.

Chandler Travis is legendary. He started as part of Travis Shook and the Club Wow–a comedic musical group who toured with George Carlin. He founded the Incredible Casuals. Now, he’s the leader of several different groups of musical misfits/geniuses. We started off the interview in the exact opposite manner of the previous interview–a little awkward and stilted–I was kind of hinting around that I wasn’t too wild about the new album from the Chandler Travis Three-O, “Backward Crooked From The Sunset”, and Chandler was kind of agreeing that perhaps not enough thought went into the album. We carried on the charade for a full two minutes, until I had to fess up to the audience that Chandler and I had planned this out in advance. In an email exchange we had, he kidded me and asked “what if the album is terrible”? So I replied–“I’m sure it’ll be great, but what if I interviewed you as if it was terrible?” As it happens, I’m not a very good actor, because “Backward Crooked From The Sunset” is terrific. It continues in the Three-O tradition of gentle music that takes a quirky turn now and then. Guitars, woodwinds, clever lyrics–they’re all there. If you’re near Cape Cod this summer, go catch any one of Chandler’s bands. This is the high season to see these gentle (and occasional lady) dressed up in colorful garb, playing in any number of beachfront venues, amazing and amusing the tourists and locals alike. As I always say about his bands, recommended if you like NRBQ. You can figure out the rest at www.chandlertravis.com.

Artist | Track | Album
Galaxie 500 | Pictures | Today
Colin Hay | Going Somewhere | Going Somewhere
Tawny Thiele | Happy Together | The Fowl Tone Sampler
Byron Isaacs | Disappearing Man | Disappearing Man
The Bottle Kids | Her Heart Is Much Worse Than Her Bite | Let Me In On This Action
Spygenius | Get Over Yourself | Pacéphale
Juliana Hatfield | Universal Heart-Beat | Only Everything

Krista D | Penny For Your Thoughts | Look At Me I’m Krista D
Daniel Trigger | Rock N Roll Party | Right Turn
Miami Dan & The Hayes Street Band | I Didn’t Do It | Left Hand To The Sky
Blake Jones & The Trike Shop | At Every Train Stop | Make
Steve Barton | Little Strange One | Tall Tales & Alibis 3
Sunshine Boys | Caroline Yes | Blue Music
Michael Simmons | Rudderless Day | First Days Of Summer
Felsen | Spanish Jam Sandwich | Blood Orange Moon

Lisa Mychols interview
Lisa Mychols | Endless Daydream | Sugar
Lisa Mychols | Don’t Wanna Close My Eyes | Sugar
Lisa Mychols | Domino | Sugar

Elk City | My Manual | Everybody’s Insecure
Lannie Flowers | Day Glow | Single release
Duncan Faure | Back To The Day | 4
Maxi Dunn | Weather Warning | The Neglected Gambit
Natalie Cortez & The Ultraviolets | She’s Better | Stupid Fresh Or Stupid Bad
Yung Wu | Shore Leave | Shore Leave
Desario | Wayside | III
Gretchen’s Wheel | The Maze | Black Box Theory
The Welcome Matt | The Man In The Golden Tower | More Empire Days
Chandler Travis Philharmonic | Chandler Travis, King Of The World | Let’s Have A Pancake!
Chandler Travis Three-O | Settling For Less | Backward Crooked From The Sunset
Chandler Travis Three-O | Backward Crooked From The Sunset | Backward Crooked From The Sunset
DC Cardwell | Something Worth Voting For | Some Hope

Chandler Travis interview
Chandler Travis Three-O | More Than This Night | Backward Crooked From The Sunset
Chandler Travis Three-O | The Mayor Of Drunktown | Backward Crooked From The Sunset

The Outryders | Hollow Victory | Single release
Edward Rogers | She’s The One | TV Generation
The American Professionals | W.M.P.M.S. | Sympathetic Overdrive
The Who | So Sad About Us | A Quick One

Wilkerson | Let It Go Tonight | Single release
Astral Drive | No One Escapes | Astral Drive
Nelson Bragg | She Used To Love Me | We Get What We Want
Pugwash | Easier Done Than Said | Silverlake
Banjo Bones | Your Medicine Is Bad | Cowboy Dreams
Bay Station | Look But Don’t Touch | Other Desert Cities
R. Stevie Moore/Jason Falkner | Another Day Slips Away | Make It Be

July 1, 2018
Categories: Playlists . . Author: twirlradio . Comments: Leave a comment