Today I'd like to highlight some music that has been introduced to me via St. Louis' independent radio station 88.1 KDHX.
88.1 made it to my radio preset after I stumbled upon some great international folk music on a long road trip. I don't have a CD player (or an iPod for that matter), and as I discovered on that trip, my cassette player only plays music by Alvin and the Chipmunks. And so, for the multiple hours that I was travelling, I radio channel surfed. And that's when, about a hundred miles outside of St. Louis, I stumbled upon 88.1's folk program. Over the past five months or so, 88.1 has introduced me to several "new" bands, and I enjoy the independent, and mostly commercial free, feel to it.
In March, I heard the song "I've Got this Friend" by The Civil Wars on my drive into work. I was immediately struck by the initial bounciness of the beat which transitions into deeper, more pining harmonies of the male-female duo.
I was intrigued, and after telling my friend Jamie (a music aficionado, like myself), she found The Civil War's song "Barton Hollow." This one starts off with no upbeat pretense: it is dark, it is brooding, it is intense. And oh-so-wonderful. If you like folksy, pseudo-spiritual, deep Southern music (think KT Tunstall's "Black Horse and the Cherry Tree"), you will absolutely love "Barton Hollow."
The Civil Wars incorporate haunting harmonies, dark and brooding images, themes of love, loss and elusive redemption.
I first heard Carolina Chocolate Drops/Luminescent Orchestrii's "Knockin" as I was flipping radio stations one morning last month. The bluesy soul was what first stopped me from moving onto the more ordinary radio fare. My hand paused, and then came back to rest on the steering wheel as this song lured me in, with its siren-song lyrics, circular melodies, and dizzying strings. The female vocalist's voice is tantalizing, rich, and sweet, with an almost lazy self-assurance that reminds me of thick molasses on a July day (with some flies buzzing at the window, no doubt).
It's the kind of song that makes you want to take off your hat and stay awhile...maybe forever. In "Knockin'," I hear a tribute to Calypso, that enchantress that literally made animals out of many of Odysseus' shipmates.
Happy listening, and, wherever you are, check out your local independent radio stations. You never know what you will find.
88.1 made it to my radio preset after I stumbled upon some great international folk music on a long road trip. I don't have a CD player (or an iPod for that matter), and as I discovered on that trip, my cassette player only plays music by Alvin and the Chipmunks. And so, for the multiple hours that I was travelling, I radio channel surfed. And that's when, about a hundred miles outside of St. Louis, I stumbled upon 88.1's folk program. Over the past five months or so, 88.1 has introduced me to several "new" bands, and I enjoy the independent, and mostly commercial free, feel to it.
In March, I heard the song "I've Got this Friend" by The Civil Wars on my drive into work. I was immediately struck by the initial bounciness of the beat which transitions into deeper, more pining harmonies of the male-female duo.
I was intrigued, and after telling my friend Jamie (a music aficionado, like myself), she found The Civil War's song "Barton Hollow." This one starts off with no upbeat pretense: it is dark, it is brooding, it is intense. And oh-so-wonderful. If you like folksy, pseudo-spiritual, deep Southern music (think KT Tunstall's "Black Horse and the Cherry Tree"), you will absolutely love "Barton Hollow."
"Ain't going back to Barton Hollow. Devil gonna follow me e'er I go. Won't do me no good washing in the river. Can't no preacher man save my soul."
The Civil Wars incorporate haunting harmonies, dark and brooding images, themes of love, loss and elusive redemption.
I first heard Carolina Chocolate Drops/Luminescent Orchestrii's "Knockin" as I was flipping radio stations one morning last month. The bluesy soul was what first stopped me from moving onto the more ordinary radio fare. My hand paused, and then came back to rest on the steering wheel as this song lured me in, with its siren-song lyrics, circular melodies, and dizzying strings. The female vocalist's voice is tantalizing, rich, and sweet, with an almost lazy self-assurance that reminds me of thick molasses on a July day (with some flies buzzing at the window, no doubt).
It's the kind of song that makes you want to take off your hat and stay awhile...maybe forever. In "Knockin'," I hear a tribute to Calypso, that enchantress that literally made animals out of many of Odysseus' shipmates.
"If you come a knockin', baby I don't mind. But if you're not here for lovin', baby don't waste my time."
Happy listening, and, wherever you are, check out your local independent radio stations. You never know what you will find.
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