Wednesday, April 12
Based in Atlanta, Georgia, PLS PLS (pronounced: Please Please) has recently issued the album Jet Black. The band’s dizzying blend of contemporary rock and pop influences is on full display on this release which calls to mind a more accessible Radiohead while standing firmly on its own feet. We’ll hear selections from this recording as well as music from the latest by Vehicles, Echo.
Thursday, April 13
David Bazan (Pedro The Lion) has released three records in the last year, the latest of which is the stark, dramatic Care. We’ll hear music from that recording on this episode of Strange Currency as well as selections from the latest by Dolly Spartans.
Friday, April 14
Robyn Hitchcock’s latest, self-titled, release has been described by its creator as “an ecstatic work of negativity.” Filled with Hitchcock’s trademark wit and emotional depth, the record stands as his twenty-first in a career that spans back to the 1980s (after several years with The Soft Boys). Listen for music from Hitchcock’s latest as well as music from Wesley Stace’s Wesley Stace’s John Wesley Harding which finds the erudite singer paying homage to his two musical personas. Ably backed by Minneapolis band The Jayhawks, the record is a worthy follow-up to Stace’s 2013 self-titled release.
Saturday, April 15
Released in 1976 Velvet Darkness is the solo debut by guitarist Allan Holdsworth, though the guitarist has long voiced his distaste for the recording and the circumstances under which it was made. Still, it remains a fan favorite and a collector’s favorite. We’ll hear selections from it as well as music from Jeff Beck’s Wired. We'll also remember musician J. Geils, who died earlier this week at the age of 71. Geils is remembered as the namesake of The J. Geils Band with hits such as "Freeze Frame," "Musta Got Lost" and "Love Stinks." In later years, Geils record solo efforts in both the blues and jazz worlds. We'll hear selections from throughout his career on this episode of the show.
Monday, April 17
Released in 1974 Walls and Bridges was recorded during John Lennon’s famous 18-month separation from his wife, Yoko Ono. Joining the former Beatle on the recording are his friends Harry Nilsson and Elton John, his son Julian, and a group of veteran studio musicians including Jesse Ed Davis and Jim Keltner. Listen for music from that effort on this episode of the show as well as music from Pussy Cats, Nilsson’s Lennon-produced effort from the same period.
