Playlists | Twirl Radio

Twirl Radio Playlist – Show #786 – 7/1/2017: Richard X. Heyman interview!

Richard X. Heyman

Up until a few years ago, Richard X. Heyman was one of those artists whom I’d always heard OF, but never actually HEARD, his music. That changed with his album “X”–a magnificent record, and we talked about it on the radio back then. Fast forward to 2017, his new album “Incognito” is just as good. Lyrically, it’s very current and topical, with some subtle nuances that let you kind of “figure it out yourself”. Musically, it’s chock full of ear candy–the zoomy, atmospheric guitars that I love so well. Instead of jangly, his Rickenbacker tends to ring and soar. He’d taught himself to play slide guitar for “X” by using the cap from a lipstick tube! Now, there’s more slide guitar in the mix on this album, and surprisingly, acoustic plays a strong role on some of the songs as well. The sequencing and pacing of the songs are perfect.

In today’s episode, we explored some of the key tracks from Incognito, and we learned where that title came from. It was fascinating to learn about his recording process, where he builds each song starting from the ground up with the drums (his self-professed “main” instrument), and then paints each musical layer on top, one at a time. He’s the original DIY indie artist–he started working this way decades before it became common practice. For more information, and to purchase this great record, go to www.richardxheyman.com.

Richard X. Heyman interview
Richard X. Heyman | Incognito | Incognito
Richard X. Heyman | Gleam | Incognito

July 1, 2017
Categories: Playlists . . Author: The Lids . Comments: Leave a comment

Twirl Radio Playlist – Show #785 – 6/24/2017: Matt Langlois of The Welcome Matt interview!

Matt Langlois

San Franciscan Matt Langlois and his band The Welcome Matt, have been a fixture of our show for several years now. But today is the first time I’ve ever spoken with Matt. What brought us to this momentous occasion is the release of his amazing new album, More Empire Days. It is a vital document of what is happening in 2017 in San Francisco, the world, and probably your town as well. As far as the subject matter, if you were to put Chuck Prophet and Joe Strummer into a room and make them write songs, you’d probably get these songs. The sound is at times rockin’, hard-driving, and even danceable and thoughtful. That’s no small feat to mix all those styles into one album, but Matt Langlois has done it seamlessly. You need this record. Find out more at welcomemattsf.com

Matt Langlois interview
The Welcome Matt | Boutique City | More Empire Days
The Welcome Matt | The Boon | More Empire Days

June 24, 2017
Categories: Playlists . . Author: The Lids . Comments: Leave a comment

Twirl Radio Playlist – Show #784 – 6/17/2017: Heather Trost interview!

Heather Trost

On today’s show, we meet musician Heather Trost. Heather hails from New Mexico, and has spent time all over the American West and in Europe. She sees music visually, and that’s reflected in her great new solo album, Agistri. Her soundscapes paint musical pictures of such diverse places as the New Mexico desert and the islands of Greece. You can almost hear the sun and wind as she creates with her vintage collection of keyboards. Her other band is A Hawk and a Hacksaw, where she plays violin. All in all, a compelling listen. Check out lmduplication.com/lm14.html for more info on Heather and Agistri.

Heather Trost interview
Heather Trost | Agistri | Agistri
Heather Trost | Agina | Agistri

June 17, 2017
Categories: Playlists . . Author: The Lids . Comments: Leave a comment

Twirl Radio Playlist – Show #783 – 6/3/2017: Steve “Sparky ShockPop” Brady co-hosts!

ShockPop Radio–Steve Brady’s long-running radio show

On today’s show, we welcomed former radio personality Steve Brady, also known as Sparky ShockPop when he was on the air. He is a true champion of indie rock and roll, and has had an illustrious career in both terrestrial and internet radio. He’s always been driven to find the latest and greatest of undiscovered musical talent, and today, he brought along seven such examples! (And in the interest of full disclosure, your humble host has perhaps pilfered from Steve’s playlists more than once in the past!) Enjoy the music, and enjoy the chat with one of the true gentlemen of music radio! Check out the Sparky at ShockPop page, where Steve helps you keep up with the latest in the indie music world.

June 3, 2017
Categories: Playlists . . Author: The Lids . Comments: 1 Comment

Twirl Radio Playlist – Show #782 – 5/27/2017: Josh McCaslin of Roselit Bone interview!

Roselit Bone

On today’s show, we chatted with Josh McCaslin of Portland band Roselit Bone. The 10 piece(!) band’s new album, Blister Steel, is both bleak and listenable all at once. That’s an honor I don’t ascribe to just anybody. Each song is a carefully constructed mini movie soundtrack. Each sets the scene, and the blend of genres is just stunning. You’ll hear rockabilly, ranchera, surf, and punk–sometimes all in the same song! There’s horns, steel guitars, tons of reverb and echo, coupled with crooning and howling. There’s dystopian waltzes and skewered honky-tonk. This album may not be anything like what you hear on commercial radio–but I think you need to hear this. It will open your mind to what happens when genres crash to form new music.

More info at: www.roselitbone.com

Josh McCaslin interview
Roselit Bone | By The Glint Of Your Horns | Blister Steel
Roselit Bone | My First Name | Blister Steel

May 27, 2017
Categories: Playlists, Uncategorized . . Author: The Lids . Comments: Leave a comment

Twirl Radio Playlist – Show #781 – 5/20/2017: Skip Heller/Spike Sikes interview/performance!

Skip Heller / Spike Sikes in the Twirl Studio

On today’s show, Skip Heller and Spike Sikes treated us to a great in-studio performance! Skip’s played in most every genre known to man, and even did a stint in NRBQ! He’s also the guy that Tish Hinojosa calls when she and “Flaco” (and really, how many Flacos do you know?) need a guitarist! Spike is the classic utility man–he can play anything, but his main axe is the electric keyboard. Skip lives in Hollywood, Spike lives in the Bay Area–and their paths crossed in Sacramento on their way to recording a new album as a duo. The songs they played for us are all brand new, original compositions of theirs. Enjoy the music! More info at: Skip Heller’s Hollywood Blues Destroyers and Spike and Friends.

May 20, 2017
Categories: Playlists . . Author: The Lids . Comments: 1 Comment

Twirl Radio Playlist – Show #780 – 5/13/2017: Walker Brigade interview!

Walker Brigade

On today’s show, we welcomed the great L.A. band Walker Brigade! I’ve been enjoying their brand new album Therapy Animal, which touches on the harder edges of power pop, while still keeping the melodies at the forefront. All four members of the band were in on the interview: Tracy Landecker, Mark Fletcher, Jeff Charreaux, and Craig Tyrka. I got to learn such juicy tidbits as where the name of the band came from, and why they covered a song featured in the Mel Brooks film “Blazing Saddles”! Their collective musical influences are pretty wide-ranging–everybody from Mick Ronson, X-Ray Spex, Jefferson Airplane, Mission of Burma, and even swing jazz and drum and bugle corp music figure into their mix! You can find out more here: Walker Brigade on CD Baby

May 13, 2017
Categories: Playlists . . Author: The Lids . Comments: Leave a comment

Twirl Radio Playlist – Show #779 – 5/6/2017: Banjo Bones in-studio interview/performance!

Pepe Espada of Banjo Bones

Not too many bands have taglines. The following come to mind: The Beatles: “The Fab Four”, or The Clash: “The Only Band That Matters”. Today’s guests, Sacramento band Banjo Bones, have a tagline too: “The Dark Side Of Americana”. It’s a great description that tells you everything about their sound.

On today’s show, Pepe Espada of Banjo Bones returned to our Sacramento studios, and brought along Giorgi Khokhobashvili, the band’s violinist! They treated us to a dramatic live performance, and we also got to hear some tracks from their brand new album Cowboy Dreams. The album is the finest in Banjo Bones’ catalog–so far. It’s simply sublime, and well thought out. For more info about the band, the album, and the upcoming CD release show at Sacramento’s Blue Lamp, check out www.banjobones.com.

May 6, 2017
Categories: Playlists . . Author: The Lids . Comments: Leave a comment

Twirl Radio Playlist – Show #778 – 4/29/2017: Kim Rancourt interview!

Kim Rancourt

On today’s show, we met the legendary Kim Rancourt. Kim’s a great songwriter who loves finding the hidden little stories in New York City. If you’re there, he’ll give you a tour of the city–as seen through his lens. But if you’re not, you’ll want to listen to his album Plum Plum as soon as it comes out in May–you’ll hear little slices of city life, thanks to Kim. It’s raw, garagey, and generally a rockin’ good time. His producer, Don Fleming, assembled an all-star band for this one–including members of Sonic Youth and Blue Oyster Cult! Here’s more info on Kim Rancourt: Kim Rancourt on Soundcloud

Kim Rancourt interview
Kim Rancourt | Walking The Trashline Properties | Plum Plum
Kim Rancourt | Claudine | Plum Plum

April 29, 2017
Categories: Playlists . . Author: The Lids . Comments: Leave a comment

Twirl Radio Playlist – Show #777 – 4/22/2017: Jason Falkner interview!

Jason Falkner and R. Stevie Moore

On today’s show, we interviewed the legendary musician/producer Jason Falkner. Not only was he a founding member of Jellyfish, and a member of Paisley Underground band The Three O’Clock, he is a member of Beck’s touring band. He’s also responsible for some fine solo albums of his own. Most recently, he collaborated with lo-fi pioneer R. Stevie Moore on an amazing album called “Make It Be”. It’s the perfect blend of Stevie’s eccentric songwriting and Jason’s polished arrangements and production, although as we learn in the interview, Jason’s got his eccentric moments too–they’re just buried a little lower in the mix! The album rocks hard and has its idosyncratic moments–but there is always that mutual respect, where the duo gives each other room to shine, while playing to each other’s strengths. I highly recommond you pick this one up. jasonfalkner.net www.rsteviemoore.com

April 22, 2017
Categories: Playlists . . Author: The Lids . Comments: 1 Comment

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