Feb 9 – Vic Chesnutt & Southern Music

Happy mid-February, Great River Radio listeners. It’s that time of year when we begin to question our choice of geography and level of sanity. Or maybe, you’re just well-adjusted?

Whatever your current state of mind, Great River Radio is back again with another pleasing mix of music you just can’t find anywhere else on the dial. Or if you can, it would be really time consuming, and hard to locate. That’s why we do our best to bring the music right to you. After all, we are a service industry. Sort of.

In case you missed our first show of the semester (last week), we would like to remind you that it is still available on the Great River Radio (see the post below). This was no regular Great River Radio show. We worked most of December and January pulling together songs and background information on our “Most Influential Artists of the Decade.” We humbly submit that it was an epic show. Not only did we discuss the driving forces and cultural phenomenon that shaped the music scene in the 00s, but we offered in-depth analysis of six artists/groups who we believe will continue to be “influencers” of the next generation. Want to know who there are? Check out the Great River Radio site and listen to the archived show. You won’t be disappointed.

So, you’re probably asking yourself, “How can Dan and Brian top that program?” The simple answer is, “We can’t.” But we are prepared to return to our earnest little radio show again today, bringing you some of the best new music from the last two months, and mixing in a healthy dose of Great River Radio standards. The last few weeks have been particularly bountiful in the music scene. We will play new selections from Spoon, Beach House, Yeasayer, Frightened Rabbit, Free Energy, Los Campesinos, Atlas Sound, Retribution Gospel Choir, Eels, Dessa and Hope Sandoval. We’ll spin an advance track from M.I.A. that you will only hear on Great River Radio. There will be remixes of the xx, new jj and a live Rancid cover by Vampire Weekend. There will be a short memorial set dedicated to the late Vic Chesnutt. And finally, we’ll take a dip into the annual Oxford American Southern Music release. All this and more on Great River Radio.

Catch the stream live today from 4-6 p.m. at http://www.stthomas.edu/ustclubs/kust/KUSTLive.html

Peace.

Brian/Dan

Playlist
Written in Reverse-Spoon
Norway-Beach House
Dare-The Mary Onettes
Swim Until You Can’t See Land-Frightened Rabbits
Audience of One-Cold War Kids
Flirted With You All My Loife-Vic Chesnutt
Even Heroes Have To Die-Ted Leo
There Space For Ol Dat I See-M.I.A.
There Are Listed Buildings-Los Campesinos
Hide It Away-Retribution Gospel Choir
Trouble-Hope Sandoval
Chaconne-Dessa
A line In The Dirt-Eels
Shelia-Atlas Sound
College (Etherea Remix)-Animal Collective
Please Don’t-David Byrne & Fatboy Slim (featuring Santigold)
Dirty No-Gooder’s Blues-Amina Claudine Myers
Now What You Gonna Do-Frank Frost
Papa Was A Rodeo-Kelly Hogan
So Much-Windbreakers
Hope Child-Free Energy
The National Anthem-Guante and Big Cats (featuring Haley Bonar)
Ruby Soho-Vampire Weekend
One-yeasayer
And Now-jj
Islands-The xx

Feb. 2 – Decade of Influence

First, since it has been a while since you’ve heard from us, we’d like to send you wishes for a very happy new year from Great River Radio – and we hope it has begun well for you.  The show has taken a break over the holidays and during January while we paid attention to the other responsibilities in our lives and work.  As of yesterday, students are back on campus and we begin the spring march toward commencement in May.

Our first show of 2010 is one we’ve been working on for many weeks.  Since fall 2009, as we wound down the first decade of the 21^st Century,  media outlets cultural critics have been full of discussions of the best, not only of the year, but of the last 10 years.  Great River Radio has some opinions on music, as you know – we express them regularly on the show.  Last fall, we began our own discussion about what WE considered to be, not just the best, but the most influential music, artists and phenomenon of the decade.  And this week we are going to share those observations with you.

This Great River Radio show is going to be pretty personal, reflecting our vision and taste for the music that we’ve played on the show, rather than the entire world of music.  You won’t be hearing Beyonce, in spite of the fact that she won six Grammys last Sunday.  But you will be hearing from artists as various as Radiohead, Atmosphere, The Hold Steady, Sigur Ros, Andrew Bird, Sufjan Stevens, Rufus Wainwright, The Shins, LCD Soundsystem, Joe Henry and Jack White and others.

We’ll also be talking about a few of the most significant developments that affected music in the last 10 years, including the importance of digital music, the soundtrack phenomenon and other culturally important industry developments.

We think you’ll like this show as a review of the decade in music – and a chance to hear some great songs from Great River Radio’s favorite artists. It will be epic!

Catch us live today, Feb. 2 at 4-6 p.m. (CST) via the KUST stream: http://www.stthomas.edu/ustclubs/kust/KUSTLive.html

Chat or AIM in the studio: kustradio

Brian/Dan

Playlist
Since You’ve Been Gone – Kelly Clarkson (background)
Fireflies-Owl City (background)
Guarantees-Atmosphere (background)
Easy Silence-Dan Wilson (background)
Your Little Hoodrat Friend-The Hold Steady
I Am A Man of Constant Sorrow-The Soggy Bottom Boys
New Slang-The Shins
All My Friends-LCD Soundsystem
Wake Up-Arcade Fire
First Day of My Life-Bright Eyes
Savane-Ali Farka Toure (background)
Sabali-Amadou and Mariam (background)
Staraflur-Sigur Ros
Comfy in Nautica-Panda Bear (background)
My Girls-Animal Collective
Ragged Wood-Fleet Foxes
Ten Thousand Words-The Avett Brothers
World Keeps Turning-Tom Waits (background)
Jesus, Etc.-Wilco
Going To A Town-Rufus Wainwright
None of Us is Free-Joe Henry
Sunshowers-MIA (background)
Paper Planes-MIA
Portland, Oregon-Loretta Lynn and Jack White (background)
The Same Boy You’ve Always Known-The White Stripes
15 Steps-Radiohead (background)
Everything In Its Right Place-Radiohead
For The Widows In Paradise, For the Fatherless in Ypsilanti-Sufjan Stevens

Decade of Influence (2000-2009)

Can you believe that we’re already approaching the end of another decade? Seems like just yesterday we were Livin’ La Vida Loca with Ricky. Those were heady times in pop music. But all good things must pass.

Like all responsible observers of the music history, Great River Radio is set to embark on a thorough examination of the music that really mattered in the Aughts (2000-2009). We’re preparing as any good student would – doing research, looking back on our notes, attending live shows and scouring the Internets.

Now we’re seeking your help with this simple question: What albums and/or artists in the last 10 years have had the greatest influence on music?

We’re not necessarily looking for your favorite CD or a critic’s “Best-Of” list. This pursuit of a “Decade of Influence” is quite different.

As many of you know, 10 years can be a long time … especially if you’ve been spending those years raising young children or touring with “Up With People.” So, we’ll leave you with a partial list below (courtesy of NPR) of some of the artists who definitely have had an impact on our music rotation in recent years.

Take a look at the partial list. Who did we miss? Who set us on another course? Who came out of nowhere to create a new sound? Who turned the world on with their smile?

* Once you’ve given it some thought, please post your entries (artist and album) on our “Decade of Influence” page. We’ll compare notes and share some of your suggestions during our Great River Radio – Decade of Influence show in early 2010. – Brian/Dan

Animal Collective
Arcade Fire
Bon Iveer
Bright Eyes
Burial
Clap Your Hands Say Yeah
Kelly Clarkson
Danger Mouse
Death Cab For Cutie
The Damnwells
The Decemberists
Eminem
Jay Farrar
The Flaming Lips
Green Day
Iron And Wine
Jay-Z
Sharon Jones & The Dap Kings
LCD Soundsystem
Lil’ Wayne
M.I.A.
OutKast
Panda Bear
Robert Plant & Alison Krauss
Radiohead
Santigold
Sigur Ros
Sufjan Stevens
The Swell Season
Ali Farka Toure & Toumani Diabate
Kanye West
The White Stripes
Wilco
Paul Westerberg
Amy Winehouse

Dec. 22 – 4th Annual Holiday Music Show

Winter’s longest night arrived with little fanfare yesterday. And for the next three months, those of us living in the Northern Hemisphere will plod on through the cold and frequent snow reminding ourselves that spring is just a few short months ahead. It is the season waiting. Waiting for gifts. Waiting for spiritual nourishment. Waiting for family or friends. Waiting for change. Waiting for the unknown.

As we have for the last three years, Great River Radio will bring you the songs of the season this afternoon in our much-anticipated holiday music show. You’ll hear beautiful songs from Alison Moyet, Kate and Anna McGarrigle, Over The Rhine, Mike Doughty, Mark Mothersbaugh, Tony Bennett, Low, Feist, Bob & Hilary James, Calexico, Duke Ellington, Ella Fitzgerald and many more. We’ve spent weeks getting the song selection just right … and we know you’ll enjoy our thoughtful selections.

It’s certainly a busy season, but hopefully you’ll have some time to sit back, relax and enjoy this mix of some of our favorite holiday songs. Tune in live from 4-6 p.m. today, or listen to the show later via our archive here at the Great River Radio site. We’ve had many listeners tell us that they enjoy listening to holiday show while wrapping last-minute presents … or when they finally get a chance to settle down with a favorite book in front of a fire. Whatever the time or reason, please join us as we experience the joy of the season through music.

Great River Radio will be taking our usually holiday break during the next couple of weeks, but we won’t be sitting idle. As many of you know, we’re putting together the most expansive and ambitious Great River Radio show ever – “A Decade of Influence.” We’ve been looking back at old playlists, exchanging ideas and receiving recommendations from you to determine the most influential music of the “Aughts.” There’s still plenty of time to get your selections in before the show. Just visit our “Decade of Influence.”

Catch us live today, Dec. 22 at 4-6 p.m. (CST) via the KUST stream
iChat or AIM in the studio: kustradio

Thank you for your participation and listenership all year long. We are grateful to be part of this growing music community. Peace and love to all of you and your loved ones during this time of great anticipation.

Merry Christmas and a very healthy and happy 2010.

Brian/Dan

Playlist
When River Meets The Sea-John Denver & The Muppets
Snowflake Music-Mark Mothersbaugh
I smell Winter-The Housemartins
Valley Winter Song-Fountains or Wayne
Walk Out to Winter-Aztec Camera
Carol Of The Bells-The Bird And The Bee
The Conventry Carol-Alison Moyet
Jingle Bells-Lisa Loeb
Winterglow-Grant Lee Phillips
Christmas (Baby, Please Come Home)-The Raveonettes
Rebel Jesus-Kate and Anna McGarrigle
Silent Night-Priscilla Ahn
Gaudette-Medieval Babes
I Hear The Bells-Mike Doughty
Please Come Home For Christmas-Charlie Brown
All I Ever Get For Christmas Is Blue-Over The Rhine
My Dear Acquaintance-Regina Spektor
Winter Wonderland-Tony Bennett
Silent Night-Low
Jingle Bells-Duke Ellington
Lo, How A Rose E’re Bloom-Feist
Waiting-Tom Lord Remix
I Wish It Was Christmas Today-Julian Casablancas
Christmas Time Is Here Again-My Morning Jacket
The Christmas Song-Ella Fitzgerald
Christmas Eyes-Bob & Hilary James
Gift X-Change-Calexico
Christmas In Washington-Steve Earle