WMSE PICKS OF 2018 POSTED:: December 21, 2018
FILED UNDER::
Top Airplay
FILED UNDER:: Top Airplay
Maybe there are too many best-of lists by years’ end, but it must be said, that as far as Milwaukee music aficionados go, no group of people knows music, front-to-back, across all genres, than the DJs of WMSE. You see it on our weekly top airplay charts and hear it for yourself on your radios and through your headphones and car and computer speakers. WMSE DJs are volunteers because they love music, and it shows: each program is designed, per DJ, to introduce the listener to both old favorites and newly-becoming classics.
Already got a favorite WMSE DJ? Take a peek at what they liked this past year, then check out the rest. You might find your own tastes aligning with DJs whose shows you might not be familiar with. Here’s the best of the best and the favorite of the favorites, from us, to you. Thanks for another great year of Frontier Radio!
Tom Crawford, WMSE Station Manager
Mondays 3pm – 6pm / The Rock Ride + Thursdays 6pm -9pm / Radio Drill Time
Non-local:
Willy Willy and the Voodoo Band, Vampire With a Tan
Jon Batiste, Hollywood Africans
Sophie, Oil of Every Pearl’s Un-Insides
Embassador Dulgoon, Hydrorion Remnants
Sons Of Kemet, Your Queen Is A Reptile
Ben LaMar, Gay Downtown Castles Can Never Block The Sun
Lea Bertucci, Metal Aether
Low, Double Negative
Autechre, NTS Sessions 1-4
Eartheater, IRISIRI
Local:
Abby Jeane, 7”
Collection Of Colonies Of Bees, HAWAII
Tigernite, Sublunary
Amanda Huff, Hemiptera
Field Report, Summertime Songs
Flat Teeth, Winter House
Faux Fiction, Dark Matter
Erin Wolf, WMSE Music Director
Tuesdays 12:30pm – 3pm + 6pm – 7pm / The Rockleidoscope Show + Local/Live
Non-local:
Beach House, 7
Rolling Blackouts C.F., Hope Downs
Shannon and the Clams, Onion
Melody’s Echo Chamber, Bon Voyage
Neneh Cherry, Broken Politics
Local:
Cashfire Sunset, Chemical Breeze
Collections of Colonies of Bees, HAWAII
Amanda Huff, Hemiptera
Large Print, Strength VIII
Soda Road, Varsity of Winter
Sid McCain, WMSE Promotions Director
Wednesdays 12:30pm – 3pm / Squid Inc.
In no particular order:
Abby Jeanne, WMSE 7”
Spiritualized, Nothing Hurt
The Dirty Nil, Master Volume
Faux Fiction, Dark Matter EP
Flat Teeth, Winter House EP
Direct Hit!, Crown of Nothing
Hot Snakes, Jericho Sirens
The Go! Team, Semicircle
Naked Giants, Sluff
Rhett Miller, The Messenger
Ryan Aschebrook, WMSE Development Director
Saturdays 12am – 3pm / Industrial Zone
Local (no order):
Dogs in Ecstasy, Dreams and Gripes
Immortal Girlfriend, Summer Dream
The Quilz, Vol. II
Cyberchump, After
Nickel & Rose, Americana
International (no order, no comps):
VNV Nation, Noire
Ashbury Heights, The Victorian Wallflowers
Nevada Hardware, Smash Cut
ESA, That Beast
Night Club, Scary World
Klack, Do You Klack – EP
Nyxx, Voodoo
Sine Division – Breathe EP
Radioaktivists, Radioakt One
Solar Fake. You Win. Who Cares?
Project Pitchfork. Akkretion
Soman, New Lead
In Strict Confidence, Mercy
Stoppenberg, Ultimate Power
2nd Face, Nihilum
Helix, Twin
Neuroticfish, Antidoron
Adult., This Behavior
Junksista, Promiscuous Tendencies
Kontravoid, Undone
Nickie Rouleau, WMSE Underwriting Director
WMSE DJ sub / various shows
Field Report, Summertime Songs
Courtney Barnett, Tell Me How You Really Feel
David Byrne, American Utopia
Drake, Scorpion
The Carters, Everything Is
Juliet
Mondays 9am – 12pm / World Music Mondays
The first four are easy:
Khruangbin, Con Todo el Mundo
Chancha via Circuito, Buenaventurenza
The Turbans, s/t
Brenda Navarrete, Mi Mundo
A fifth is harder to choose….
I like the France Chebran vol.2 compilation but my obsession will pass…
Orquestra Akokan’s self title album will be timeless; Remain In Light by Angelique Kidjo is unique; And One Sky by Rahim Alhaj Trio can be enjoyed to over and over beginning to end.
DJ Loop
Tuesdays 9pm – 12am / Fresh & Direct Radio
1. Masta Ace & Marco Polo, Breukelen “Brooklyn” feat. Smif ‘N’ Wessun
2. Evidence, Love Is A Funny Thing feat. Styles P, Rapsody, & Khrysis
3. Evidence, Sell Me This Pen feat. Alchemist & Mach Hommy
4. XXXTentacion, Infinity (888) feat. Joey Bada$$
5. Termanology, 100 Jewelz, Pt 3
(Produced/engineered by local Alejandro Vasquez Jr., Marquette graduate that goes by the name of, Lex With The Records. Currently based out of Brooklyn, NY).
Jayx
Saturdays 9pm – 12am /
1. Adam Beyer & Bart Skils, “Your Mind” (Original Mix)
2. Weiss (UK), “Feel My Needs” (Original Mix)
3. High Contrast, “If We Ever” (Unglued Mix)
4. Middle Milk, “Kuru” (Original Mix)
5. DJ Koze, “Pick Up” (12″ Extended Disco Version)
6. Jack Back, “(It Happens) Sometimes” (Extended Mix)
7. Block & Crown, “Understand The Loops” (Original Mix)
8. Tough Love & Trutopia, “Break” (Original Mix)
9. Purple Disco Machine, “Dished (Male Stripper)” (Extended Mix)
10. Ivory, “Next Level” (Original Mix)
Paul Cebar
alternating Wednesdays 9am – 12pm / Way Back Home
Charley Crocket, Lonesome As A Shadow
The James Hunter Six, Whatever It Takes
Orquesta Akokan, s/t
Ry Cooder, The Prodigal Son
John Prine, The Tree of Forgiveness
Scott Lucey
alternating Wednesdays 6am – 9am / Digital Dumplings In Analog Gravy
Khruangbin, Con Todo El Mundo
Bahamas, Earthtones
Young Fathers, Cocoa Sugar
Collections of Colonies of Bees, HAWAII
French Kiwi Juice, FKJ
Buzz
Mondays 6pm – 9pm / Buzz’s Garage
Fu Manchu, Clone of the Universe
G0GGS, Pre Strike Sweep
The Cavemen, Nuke Earth
Mudhoney, Digital Garbage
Wild Evel and the Trashbones, Digging My Grave
BUZZ’S BONUS TATERS:
Jon Spencer, Spencer Sings The Hits
Amyl and the Sniffers, Big Attraction/Giddy Up EP [reissue]
Joe Strummer, Joe Strummer 001
Mary Bartlein
Saturdays 6pm – 9pm / Instrumental Saturdays
In no particular order:
Jeff Oster, Reach
Tom Caufield, Deep Cuts From the Moral Wilderness
Sverre Knut Johansen, The Vast Expanse
Lynn Tredeau, Fellowship of Solitude
Erik Scott, A Trick of the Wind
AeTopus, Totem Totum
Sensitive Chaos, Walking a Beautiful World
Michelle Qureshi, Silver Chord
Pieter Nooten, Stem
Meg Bowles, Evensong/Canticles for the Earth
Haven
alternating Wednesdays 6am – 9am / Wave Tank
Profligate, Somewhere Else
SOPHIE , OIL OF EVERY PEARL’S UN-INSIDES
Helena Hauff, Qualm
Severed Heads, Brand New Waves Session
The Sight Below, Glider 10 (reissue)
DJ Zorro
alternating Sundays 6pm – 9pm / Alternating Currents
Kuzu (Dave Rempis, Tashi Dorji, Tyler Damon), Hiljaisuus
The Bridge Sessions (Larry Ochs, Mars Williams, Julien Desprez, Mathieu Sourisseau, Samuel Silvant), Stroboscope
Peter Brötzmann & Fredrick Lonberg-Holm, Ouroboros
Peter Evans & Weasel Walter, Poisonous
Mats Gustafsson & Didi Kern, Marvel Motor
John Saint Pelvyn, A Clerical Error In Shasta County Shouldn’t Have To Ruin A Saturday Night
Paul Cebar
Wednesdays, 9am – 12pm / Way Back Home
Charley Crockett, Lonesome As A Shadow
The James Hunter Six, Whatever It Takes
Orquesta Akokan, Orquesta Akokan
Ry Cooder, The Prodigal Son
Mavis Staples, If All I Was Was Black
Caryn
alternating Sundays, 10:30pm – 12am / Female Focus
Larkin Poe, Venom + Faith
Amy Ray, Holler
Brandi Carlile, By The Way, I Forgive You
Sarah Shook + The Disarmers, Years
Florence and the Machine, High As Hope
Rob Szocik
alternating Sundays 6pm – 9pm / Alternating Currents
William Parker, Flower in a Stained-Glass Window & The Blinking of the Ear
Akira Sakata & Chikamorachi, Proton Pump
Kuzu w/ Dave Rempis, Tashi Dorji and Tyler Damon, Hiljaisuus
Ethan T. Parcell, Focus Group LLC plays World Record; An opera in three acts
Chris Corsano & Bill Orcutt, Brace Up!
Nicole Mitchell, Maroon Cloud
Maggie Iken
alternating Thursdays, 6am – 9am / Poundcake Punk
John Carpenter, Cody Carpenter, Daniel Davis, Halloween (2018 OST)
Alkaline Trio, Is This Thing Cursed?
Dogs in Ecstacy, Dreams and Gripes
Lemuria, Recreational Hate
The Get Up Kids, Kicker
Tim Noble
alternating Saturdays 3pm – 6pm / Milwaukee Rock Posters & Why My Head Hurts
The Fatty Acids, Dogs of Entertainment
Abby Jeanne, Rebel Love
Soul Low, Cheer Up
WebsterX, Daymares
Cory Chisel & Adriel Denae, Tell Me True
Mr. Dr. Dave
alternating Sundays, 6am – 9am / Sunday Morning Jazz
New Jazz Albums:
Bill Frisell, Music IS
Bob James Trio, Espresso
Charles Lloyd & The Marvels + Lucinda Williams, Vanished Gardens
Van Morrison and Joey Defrancesco, You’re Driving Me Crazy
Soft Machine, Hidden Details
Archive / Reissues:
John Coltrane, Both Directions At Once -“The Lost Album”
Miles Davis & John Coltrane, The Final Tour
Sun Ra And His Arkestra, Astro Black
(Bonus Honorable Mentions)
Charlie Ballantine, Life Is Brief: The Music of Bob Dylan
Nels Cline 4 , Currents, Constellations
The Chick Corea + Steve Gadd Band, Chinese Butterfly
Yelena Eckemoff, Desert
Erroll Garner, Nightconcert
Danny Green Trio plus Strings, One Day It Will
Octobop, Live at Savanna Jazz
*The Ed Palermo Big Band, The Adventures of Zodd Zundgren
John Scofield, Combo 66
Edgar Steinitz, Roots Unknown
*Mike Stern, Trip
*Late 2017 Releases*
Jerry Glocka
alternating Fridays, 6pm – 9pm / Jerry’s Attic
Ry Cooder, The Prodigal Son
A solid collection of uplifting music, focusing on obscure southern blues and gospel covers (The Pilgrim Traveler’s, Blind Alfred Reed, the Stanley Brothers, Blind Willie Johnson) with a few new originals that fit nicely in the mix. With collaboration from his son, Joachim the emphasis here is on Cooder’s distinctive slide playing and singing.
Nathaniel Rateliff & the Night Sweats, Tearing at the Seams
Soul drenched rock from another era but on display now for your listening and dancing pleasure. Deep soul vocals, Hammond organ, driving rhythms and blazing Stax-era horns.
Graham Parker, Cloud Symbols
A long way from “Howling Wind, his 1976 pub-rock debut with the Rumour, this latest effort shows GP can still write clever songs and make engaging music.
John Prine, The Tree of Forgiveness
A new batch of John Prine songs is always a welcome event. One of our finest singer / songwriters, Prine proves again that he knows how to tell a story. Some tracks had been languishing incomplete for years and have finally been finished off.
Bob Dylan, More Blood, More Tracks
The stripped down 1974 New York sessions of “Blood on the Tracks” finally see the official light of day. These are the original raw takes of what many regard as Dylan’s most emotional work. “If You See Her, Say Hello” is a must hear.
Shemekia Copeland, America’s Child
More of a blues/rock & Soul venture here – not that there’s anything wrong with that. Inspired singing and a red-hot band provide fireworks on nearly every track. Covers of the Kink’s “I’m Not Like Everybody Else” and John Prine’s “Great Rain” (on which Prine guests) and Johnny Copeland’s “Promised Myself” are surprising treats.
Shopkeeper Ken
alternating Thursdays, 9am – 12pm / The Five & Dime Show
Träden – Träden (my favorite from 2018, others in no particular order!)
Anna St. Louis , If Only There Was A River
Daniel Bachman, The Morning Star
Shida Shahabi, Homes
Marisa Anderson, Cloud Corner
Favorite reissues of 2018:
Hans Otte, The Book Of Sounds
Bob Dylan, More Blood, More Tracks
V/A, African Scream Contest Volume 2
Simply Saucer, Cyborgs Revisited
V/A, Disques Debs International Volume 1
DJ C-Los
Sundays 12pm – 3pm / Orgullo Latino
Luis Fonsi, “Despacito” feat. Daddy Yankee
Tom Wanderer
Thursdays 3pm – 6pm / The Tom Wanderer Radio Experience
1. The Breeders, All Nerve
2. Hailu Mergia, Lala Belu
3. Nastos, Inherited Dreams
4. Mazzy Star, Still [EP]
5. Habibi, Cardamom Garden [EP]
The Good John
alternating Fridays 9am – 12pm / The Chicken Shack
Mike and The Moonpies, Steak Night At The Prairie Rose
Leon III, s/t
Whitey Morgan and The 78’s, Hard Times and White Lines
James Hunter Six, Whatever It Takes
Damon Fowler, The Whiskey Bayou Sessions
Theotis Taylor, Something Within Me
Craig Mertes
Tuesdays 6am – 9am / The Shape Of Rock
Collections of Colonies of Bees, HAWAII
Haunted Heads, Everything We Agreed About
Buffalo Gospel, On the First Bell
Devils Teeth, Suki Yaki Hot!
Direct Hit!, Crown of Nothing
Andy Turner
Fridays 12pm – 3pm / Zero Hour
1. Teadrop City, It’s Later Than You Think
2. Archie and the Bunkers, Songs From the Lodge
3. Subsonics, Flesh Colored Paint
4. Catl, Bide My Time Until I Die
5. The Electric Mess, The Beast is You
Cal Roach
Tuesdays 6pm – 7pm / Local/Live
Local:
1. Collections Of Colonies Of Bees, HAWAII
2. Lorde Fredd33, Norf: The Legend Of Hotboy Ronald
3. The Glacial Speed, Between The Lines
4. Cairns, Entanglement
5. Dogs In Ecstasy, Dreams And Gripes
Non-local:
1. Jean Grae & Quelle Chris, Everything’s Fine
2. Serengeti, Dennis 6e
3. Anna von Hausswolff, Dead Magic
4. Mind Over Mirrors, Bellowing Sun
5. The Breeders, All Nerve
Dr. Sushi
Tuesdays 9am – 12pm / Dr. Sushi’s Free Jazz BBQ
John Coltrane, Both Directions at Once
Otherworld Ensemble, Live at Malmitalo
Steve Coleman and Five Elements, Live at the Village Vanguard Vol. 1
WoodWired Duo, In The Loop
Tony Williams All Stars, Live Tokyo 1978
Justin Bittenbender
Thursdays, 3am – 6am / Thirty-Three and a Thursday
Top 5 in no particular order:
Yob, Our Raw Heart
The Breeders, All Nerve
Cairns, Entanglement
Glenn Jones, The Giant Who Ate Himself
The Sea and Cake, Any Day
Andy K.
alternating Thursdays, 9am – 12pm / The Five & Dime Show
1. Träden, s/t
2. Various, Spider-Jazz
3. Herschell G. Lewis, Two Thousand Maniacs! OST [reissue]
4. Joe McPhee, Nation Time [reissue]
5. Death, Leprosy [reissue]
Sonia
Fridays 3pm – 6pm / The Blues Drive
Various Artists, Delmark’s 65th Anniversary: Tribute
Bettye LaVette, Things Have Changed
Kenny “Blues Boss” Wayne, Inspired By The Blues
John Mayall, Three For The Road
Shemekia Copeland, America’s Child
Buddy Guy, The Blues Is Alive And Well
Mud Morganfield, They Call Me Mud
Jon Blick
Thursdays, 12am – 3am / Overnight Sensations
Abby Jeanne, Cosmic Being b/w Be in The Sun 7″
The Beths, Future Me Hates Me
Buffalo Gospel, On The First Bell
Driveway Thriftdwellers, Driveway Thriftdwellers
The Essex Green, Hardly Electronic
Robbie Fulks & Linda Gail Lewis, Wild! Wild! Wild!
The Interrupters, Fight The Good Fight
Ty Segall, Freedom’s Goblin
Slow Walker, Ah, Yes
Yellow Bellied Sapsuckers, Don’t Think About Tomorrow Tonight
Eric Von Munz
Thursdays 12:30pm – 3pm / The Von Munz Vinyl Variety Show
My five fave Local vinyl Releases this year:
5. Red Stuff, Saccarine Underground
4. Gallery Night, 3 x 45’s.
3. Abby Jeanne!!!
2. Devil’s Teeth, Suki Yaki Hot!
1. Slow Walker, Ah,Yes
My five fave Ty Segall records this year:
5. GOGGS, Pre-Strike Sweep
4. Ty Segall and White Fence, Joy
3. Ty Segall Band, Freedom’s Goblin
2. Ty Segall, Fudge Sandwich
1. The C.I.A., s/t
Dr. Fell + DJ Ascot
Fridays 6am – 9am / Jing Jong Triple Play
Dr. Fell
Loma, s/t
Shannon and the Clams, Onion
Gift Wrap, Losing Count
Broncho, Bad Behavior
Young Fathers, Cocoa Sugar
U.S. Girls, In A Poem Unlimited
Shopping, The Hype
Mien, s/t
La Luz, Floating Features
Ben Khan, s/t
DJ Ascot
Victor Taiwo, Joy Comes in Spirit
I loved a bunch of records this year that would probably be filed under “R&B.” Blood Orange, WILLS, Chan Hays, Starchild and the New Romantic, Tank & the Bangas, Durand Jones & The Indications. But, for me, this one stretched things the most. Experimented more. See “Subducta, Psalm 69,” “Shovel Moonlight,” and “Shimmers in the Sun” for proof. It can be a thin line between self-indulgence/frivolity and keeping things interesting. I trusted Victor Taiwo’s instincts because of lines like, “Don’t you wish you cried when it hurt the most?”
Ben Lamar Gay, Downtown Castles Can Never Block the Sun
A bit of a cheat, since it compiles work from 7 albums, but it was easily the most interesting record I found this year. He’s a member of Chicago’s Association for the Advancement of Creative Musicians, rooted in 60’s avant-garde jazz (I recognize the paradox). Nothing quite like the joy of finding an artist with a catalogue you can dig backward into. I’ve not been disappointed. “Music For 18 Hairdressers, Braids & Fractals,” “Oh no…not again!” and “A Seasoning Called Primavera” kept me bobbing and weaving. Not necessarily in that order. Often at the same time.
Palm, Rock Island
Like R&B, what I’ll call Art Rock held forth a number of glittering gems this year, including those from Wei Zhongle and Mothers. But if you’re asking me, this one was the cream. In ten months, never got bored with it. Angular. Jaunty. Clever, but not looking down on you. You can pick anything from this record. They’re all good. If, for some reason, you only have time to listen to one, make it “Color Code.” You’ll make time for the rest.
Rafiq Bhatia, Breaking English
Flawless composition and precise execution. Balanced by sufficient grit and without sacrificing emotional weight. “Hoods Up” is a meditation on the murder of Trayvon Martin. The record that most reliably brought me to tears this year. The rest of album was merely guaranteed goosebumps. I am happy to be able to report it translates well to live performance, too. Don’t sleep.
Curha, I, Chant
Records by producers, rather than bands, are my top pleasure. But if instrumental fodder was recorded for purpose, all the better. That made it difficult to reject the offerings from Rejoicer, Nonpareils, Gum, Vinyl Williams, and Twins. I know I’m cheating. It’s fine. Give this one a spin if you like super catchy and danceable, with hooks like a tackle box and more chops than a butcher shop.
Grant
alternating Mondays, 6am – 9am / The Happy Monday Show
1. Low, Double Negative
2. The Internet, Hive Mind
3. Soccer Mommy, Clean
4. Courtney Barnett, Tell Me How You Really Feel
5. Cat Power, Wanderer
6. Car Seat Headrest, Twin Fantasy [re-release]
Matt Schoeffler
3rd Wednesday of the month 6pm – 9pm / City Rock Showgram
1. Murder by Death, The Other Shore
2. Red City Radio, Skytigers EP
3. King Tuff, The Other
4. Hopesfall, Arbiter
5. Smoking Popes, Into the Agony
AdamZero
WMSE DJ sub / various shows
Rob Sonic, Telicatessen
Aesop Rock, “Klutz” [Single]
Andy Cooper, The Layered Effect
The Prodigy, No Tourists
Murder By Death, The Other Shore
Pat Buckley
alternating Mondays 6am – 9am / The Happy Monday Show
Kamasi Washington, Heaven and Earth
The Internet, Hive Mind
Lex Allen, Sinners and Saints
Greatest Lakes, Divisions
Fr. John Misty, God’s Favorite Customer
Jonathan Balicki
rotating Saturdays 3am – 6am / Brew City Brutality
Revocation, The Outer Ones
LLNN, Deads
Sectioned, Annihilated
Abstracter, Cinereous Incarnate
Mutilation Rites, Chasm
Cast The Stone, Empyrean Atrophy
Vein, Errorzone
Tomb Mold, Manor of Infinite Forms
Skeletonwitch, Devouring Radiant Light
Obscura, Diluvium
Steve Nodine
WMSE DJ sub / various shows
1. Detroit Cobras, Whatmore/Can’t Go Back Out 7″
2. Ty Segall, Freedom’s Goblin
3. The Liminanas, Shadow People
4. Spiderbags, Someday Everything Will Be Fine
5. Shannon and the Clams, Onion
6. Jack White, Boarding House Reach
7. Superorganism, s/t
8. Bass Drum of Death, Just Business
9. Oh Sees, Orc
10. A Giant Day, Toy
Rick Israel
alternating Wednesdays 9am – 12pm / Urban Fantasy
Steve Coleman and Five Elements, Live At The Village Vanguard
The Baba Orchestra, Another Ride On The Elephant Slide
Chucho Valdes, Jazz Bata 2
Harold Mabern, The Iron Man : Live At Smoke
Cecile McLorin Salvant, The Window
Jason Ellis
Wednesdays, 9pm – 12am / Into Battle!!
No order…
Manacle, No Fear to Persevere…
Primordial, Exile Amongst the Ruins
Ails, The Unraveling
Moenen of Xezbeth, Ancient Spells of Darkness
Tony Tears, Demons Crawl at Your Side
Cemetery Lights, The Church on the Island
Solstice, White Horse Hill
A Forest of Stars, Grave Mounds and Grave Mistakes
Runespell, Order of Vengeance
Chevalier, A Call to Arms
Faustcoven, In the Shadow of Doom
Urfaust, The Constellatory Practice
Grave Upheaval, untitled
Outre-Tombe, Necrovortex
Lingua Ignota, All B****** Die
Gatekeeper, East of Sun
Mortiferum, Altar of Decay
Tubal Cain, Black Eden + 7-inch
Also, watch Hereditary and Mandy.
Rose
Sundays, 10:30pm – 12am + alternating Mondays, 12am – 3am / Female Focus + Rock & Blues
Best CDs of 2018
Leah, The Quest
Canadian symphonic/Celtic metal singer- songwriter’s latest album is absolutely beautiful. Contains rich and powerful melodies, lead vocals and harmonies.
Indigo Girls, Indigo Girls Live with the University of Colorado Symphony Orchestra
The University of Colorado Symphony Orchestra’s backing of the Indigo Girls on this live album adds a whole new dimension to some of the Indigo Girls’ best and most loved songs.
Jimmie Smith, Live in Music City: Jimmie Smith Plays Jimmy Smith
Electrifying high energy blues/jazz/R&B featuring Rev. Jimmie Smith on Hammond B3 organ playing songs from the Hammond-B3 great Jimmy Smith (1935-2005).
The Damned, Evil Spirits
More rock than the band’s earlier punk, this is the British band’s first album in over ten years. Contains elements of retro and current rock, all melodic songs with excellent instrumentation and socially aware lyrics.
Nightwish, Decades
Finland symphonic metal band’s double CD showcases remastered versions of some of their finest songs from their twenty-two year history. Nightwish generously gifted a copy of this commercially released CD to every concert ticket holder on their thirty-four North American city tour.
Metric, Art of Doubt
Canadian female-fronted band’s seventh album containing guitar and hook driven indie rock with lush vocals.
Amy Ray, Holler
Indigo Girl Ray has a great mixture of country, folk rock, gospel and bluegrass on her sixth solo album.
Shemekia Copeland, America’s Child
This may be Copeland’s best blues release to date. Includes songs “Ain’t Got Time for Hate” and “Americans” promoting social justice and inclusiveness.
Dave Goddess Group, Last of the West Side Cowboys
EP with hard-hitting Western-tinged rock
Local
Mrs. Fun, Truth
The latest album of the WAMI winning duo of Connie Grauer (keyboards) and Kim Zick (drums) contains more of their fun, distinctive and adventurous jazz and funk.
Peggy James, Nothing in Between
Singer-songwriter James’ second album contains well-written and well- performed songs of various genres (Americana, country, folk, rock, etc.).
Rocket Paloma , Mother Mountain
An extremely interesting mix of progressive, experimental and hard rock with powerful vocals.
Erik Void
Fridays 12am – 3am / Everything That Rises Must Converge
Dorias Baracca, s/t
The Daysleepers, Creation
Tears Run Rings, Somewhere EP
The Sofas, Chop Water
Dreamend, s/t
The Field, Infinite Moment
Rich Mars
Wednesdays 6pm – 9pm / City Rock Showgram
La Luz, Floating Features
Bombino, Deran
The Liminanas, Shadow People
Death Valley Girls, Darkness Rains
Richard Thompson, 13 Rivers
Honorable mention
Ron Gallo, Stardust Birthday Party
Tomorrows Tulips, Harnessed To Flesh