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My radio show, “I once was Canadian”, starts now on 90.1FM KZSU (or listen online). It’s on KZSU from 3-5pm Pacific on Tuesdays.

Check out my playlist. I’m updating it in more-or-less real time.

cred: me

I did my radio show, “I once was Canadian”, yesterday. It’s on KZSU from 3-5pm Pacific on Tuesdays.

Check out my playlist. I felt like it was a pretty good show. I enjoyed doing the oldies/ soul sets particularly. It’d been a few weeks since I did any of that stuff.

My radio show, “I Once was Canadian” will be back next week in its normal time slot, Tuesdays 3-5pm, as always on KZSU 90.1FM. Circumstances required getting a sub for this week.

to my radio show, “I once was Canadian”, on KZSU from 3-5pm Pacific this afternoon. You can tune in at 90.1FM or online.

Want to see what I’m playing (during or after the fact)? Check out my playlist.

The new schedule will be announced next Monday so check on the schedule then if you want to see if I’ve moved time slots.

cred: me

update: For those that missed it, here’s a podcast version for you to check out (my show starts about 0:45 in):
KZSU - I once was Canadian (6-24-08)

You know my current song obsessions but what was I obsessed with months and years ago? Here’s one answer.

Before I got into college radio and before there were music blogs, I found new music on Epitonic. I’d literally spend hours browsing through the mp3s one could download for free and listen in. I still remember the first time I heard Pinback’s “Loro” on there. A friend of mine liked American Analog Set so I went on Epitonic and found this remix of “the Postman”.

This was before the Postal Service’s album came out, but after listening to the Notwist’s Neon Golden, which I’d purchased the previous summer, I was warmed up to the idea of some electronic elements in my indie pop. This song’s heavy and glitchy beats somehow seemed to work well with the whispery vocals of Andrew Kenny. I started listening to it a lot.

It got to the point where I played it so often on my radio show that friends that were casual listeners were asking why I was playing it so much.

American Analog Set - the Postman (Styrofoam Remix)

Styrofoam is playing at the Cafe du Nord next Tuesday. Here are the details:

6/11 Styrofoam, Broken Spindles, Ravens and Chimes @ Cafe du Nord, 7:30pm, $10, 21+

This track appeared on American Analog Set’s Updates EP, which you can get at insound. You can also still get the track from Epitonic.

cred: me

DJ canuck will take you from now until 5pm PDT on KZSU, 90.1 FM in the Bay Area or online.

You can follow along at home with my playlist which is updated in more-or-less real time.

If you missed it this week, tune in next Tuesday or any Tuesday from 3-5pm Pacific.

To end the series of four bands on KZSU in five weeks, I had the Ian Fays in the studio on Wednesday.

Performing as a two-piece, the band played a very clean-sounding set of their distinctive intimate pop tunes. I think it turned out pretty well.

Here’s their set list and some exclusive mp3s:

• Broaches and Buses
  the Ian Fays - Broaches and Buses (Live at KZSU) (mp3, exclusive)
  
• Lemon Tree

the Ian Fays - Lemon Tree (Live at KZSU) (mp3, exclusive)


• 16 Weeks
• All the Phones are Broken in this House, Sir
  the Ian Fays - All the Phones are Broken in this House, Sir (Live at KZSU) (mp3, exclusive)
  
• Saint Catherine of Siena
• Soda Bottles
• Balogna
• Haunted House

Their next Bay Area show is Friday, June 20 at the Uptown in Oakland. They have a tendency to have a different coordinated outfit for each show; report back and let me know what it is if you go.

Things were pretty hectic during my radio show yesterday so I didn’t get a chance to post about it.

Anyway, you can check out my playlist to see what I played.

And while we’re on the topic of radio, don’t forget that I’ll be hosting the Ian Fays on KZSU tonight from 9-10pm. You can listen at 90.1FM or online.

Listen in! Should be a good one!

cred: me

My radio show is on the air right now until 5pm PDT on KZSU, 90.1 FM in the Bay Area or online. Why don’t you give it a listen?

My playlist is online, updated as I go.

As I mentioned, the Botticellis (myspace) came down to KZSU last night to do an in-studio session. They played a great set of tunes off of their recently released album Old Home Movies (which came out Tuesday on Antenna Farm Records) as well as some new songs and a cover.

Here’s their setlist and some exclusive mp3s from the session:

• I Feel Betrayed
• Table by the Window
• Stay with my Brother
• Old Home Movies
• Lucy Lucia
• New Room
• When I Call
• Up Against the Glass
  the Botticellis - Up Against the Glass (live at KZSU) (mp3, exclusive)
  
• Flashlight
  the Botticellis - Flashlight (live at KZSU) (mp3, exclusive)
  
• Awaiting on You All
  the Botticellis - Awaiting on You All (live at KZSU) (mp3, exclusive)
  

I think the sound turned out really well, thanks to Smurph, KZSU’s live sound engineer, and Alexi and the Botticellis. I’ve heard a lot of live sets at KZSU and none of them have sounded quite like this. I think it turned out pretty well.

The new tunes sounded great, especially the lead off tune, “I Feel Betrayed”, which I’ll be looking forward to hearing a studio version of.

You can check out my photo album for a few more shots of the band.

Make sure you tune in next week’s live session with Two Sheds.

cred: me

My radio show is on the air right now until 5pm PDT on KZSU, 90.1 FM in the Bay Area or online. Tune in!

You can play along at home with my playlist, updated as I go.

After quite a bit of anticipation, the the Botticellis (myspace) album Old Home Movies is out today on Antenna Farm Records! I first heard it quite a while ago and I listened to it a lot for long periods of time. A lot of people are describing the band/ album in terms of “surf rock”, but I think that doesn’t give proper due to the depth of this songs; while these songs are indie pop, they aren’t bubblegum pop or all sunshine.

The Botticellis live at the Bottom of the Hill, August 2007

As you may remember, I have a string of four bands down at KZSU in five weeks on Wednesdays from 9-10pm PDT. This week’s band is the Botticellis. You can listen at 90.1FM in the Bay Area or online[1].

• April 30: Geographer
• May 14: the Botticellis
• May 21: Two Sheds
• May 28: the Ian Fays

If you want to read, hear or see more about the band, check out the Bay Bridged feature podcast, the Mercury News ‘Merc Session’, or the the Daytrotter session.

[1] The newish 192kps AAC+ stream sounds gorgeous, very clear, by the way. I’d recommend trying it out.

Last night I saw the Swedish over-the-top behemoth I’m from Barcelona (myspace) at the Independent.

name this chord

I’m from Barcelona is a giant band–a collective, I think you could call it–consisting of upwards of 29 people at times. I didn’t how many filed onto the medium-sized Independent stage but I could believe it was 29. The stage was packed. Guitars, bass, keyboards, drums, saxophone, clarinet and a variety of other instruments were scattered around. There were perhaps a half a dozen or more people just singing/ dancing/ playing miscellaneous instruments.

There set started out with my favorite of theirs, “Treehouse”. The stage was alive. Balloons and confetti were flying. Elaborate choreographed hand movements were in action. Within seconds the crowd seemed to go from staid to joyous, from subdued to exuberant.

The show continued in this vein for its entirety. Some songs clicked better than others (”Oversleeping”, “We’re from Barcelona” and “Jenny” stick out), but the band–and quite-possibly-extroverted front man Emanuel Lundgren–kept the energy up and the crowd hopping, singing along, hitting balloons, and throwing confetti.

The comparisons to another large and happy choral band seem obvious. I’ve walked out of PS with an insatiable feeling that I’d been somehow drugged by joy, a feeling I couldn’t shake for days. I’m from Barcelona’s show was great, a lot of fun and a joyous experience but–perhaps I’m old and jaded–but didn’t quite leave me with the same feeling. I’d still recommend catching them live if you have a chance.

You can check out more photos after the jump or view my entire photo album online.

Read the rest of this entry »

I’m really excited to announce that I’ll be hosting four great local bands over the next five Wednesday. All of these will be at 9pm PST on KZSU. You can listen at 90.1FM in the Bay Area or online[1].

This week’s band is Geographer, who puts on a great live show of their melancholy indie pop sound.

• April 30: Geographer
• May 14: the Botticellis
• May 21: Two Sheds
• May 28: the Ian Fays

[1] The newish 192kps AAC+ stream sounds gorgeous, very clear, by the way. I’d recommend trying it out.

cred: me

My radio show, I Once was Canadian, is on the air right now, from 3-5pm PST, on KZSU 90.1FM and online.

You can find my playlist here. It’s updated in real time, so keep on reloading.