Looking for suggestions for new music to try? Or just want to get to know someone better through learning what they listen to? That’s what the Listening Room is all about. Up this week is local singer/songwriter Sam Luna who performs with Shaun Marie as FEATherWOLF. Whenever I am painting or in need of inspiration I always turn to the artist that helped teach me my first chords on guitar Mr. J. Hardin. His ability to paint pictures with words pairs beautifully with that apple-jelly-butter voice. “Drifter" is one of my favorites from his new album jhardin.net I’m also a big fan of anything John Prine. Here’s a John Prince cut from The Avenue playlist: https://youtu.be/VtFCUIsl4Yc I grew up on Motown and old country. I’m a big fan of sweaty, Motown dance parties and "In the Basement" by Etta James & Sugar Pie DeSanto is one of my favorites: https://youtu.be/Aoy6yYaytVg Sam and Shaun Marie just finished up their second FEATherWOLF album, “In the Living Room.”
“I’m excited for everyone to hear it. We were fortunate to be joined by the virtuoso Zach Harmon on drums and the ever so tasty guitar stylings of Aaron Zepplin. All tracks were live-mixed by sonic guru Aaron Duesterhoeft. This album is a great representation of our live shows that feature, not only our duets, but Shaun Marie and her powerful and beautiful vocals and songwriting.” Here’s a link to “Got it Good,” a cut off the new album What are YOU listening to? We’d love to hear! Send your current playlist and a few words about it to annk@avenueradio.com - you could be featured in The Listening Room! 1/18/2018 Christopher GoldLooking for suggestions for new music to try? Or just want to get to know someone better through learning what they listen to? That’s what the Listening Room is all about. Up this week is local singer/songwriter, Christopher Gold. Whether your musical tastes align with his or not, you’ll always get honesty, passion and unbridled enthusiasm for music from Chris! That’s why we love hearing from him. Check out Christopher’s music, find out where he’s playing, and more at christophergold.com Here’s what’s got Christopher’s ear lately. “Talking about music is a strange thing, because the best music means something different to everyone that hears it and articulating what it means to you can be a dicey proposition. But talking about music is also one of my favorite things, so I was thrilled when The Avenue asked me to share some words on a current favorite, an old favorite, and a guilty pleasure. I’ll try not to go on too long.
“New: In 2016, Astronautalis released his most recent album, “Cut the Body Loose.” I have long been a fan of the Florida via Minneapolis artist, but this album is without question his best. I would even include it in the “best of 2016” conversation. It would be simple to call this hip-hop, but that would be a reductionist view to say the least. Astronautalis has a unique ability and obvious enthusiasm for hip-hop, but he uses it as a vehicle to travel through countless other genres. Throughout the album you’ll find nods to Tom Waits, Modest Mouse, New Orleans, spoken word, jazz, folk, and a thousand things in-between. And that’s to say nothing of the writing, which would be a shame. Throughout the album’s 11 tracks Astronautalis navigates the expanse of human emotion and arrives at a hard-earned joy. The entire record seems to paint the picture of a man who has been through tremendous struggle and pain, found joy on the other side, and is celebrating the next step in the journey having decided to hold on to his joyful spirit even if there is more struggle to come. I love Astronautalis, and I love this record. Astronautalis “Attila Ambrus” https://youtu.be/AP9V3MGxjOo “Old: Yesterday I bought “This Year’s Model” by Elvis Costello for the 5th time. Either because it gets lost, stolen, damaged, or reissued I find myself buying a few albums over and over again. While “London Calling” by the Clash holds the title of “Most Copies Purchased” this Costello record is probably second on the list. I’ve loved this record from the moment I heard it in the summer of 2000. I was 15 years old and deeply immersed in my first and longest musical love: punk rock. When I heard “This Year’s Model” I heard a lot of the things I loved about punk rock in the spirit of the record, but it was different. It had a level of musicianship that I wasn’t used to hearing at the time. It had instrumentation I wasn’t used to hearing at the time. It’s poppy but smart, urgent but thought out. It has emotion, attitude, brains, and enthusiasm. I’ve always loved hearing Bob Dylan take 10 minutes to get through a song, but there is a rush that I get from hearing Elvis Costello get through one in 2 that has hugely impacted my own songwriting. Elvis Costello “Pump It Up” https://youtu.be/3Y71iDvCYXA “Guilty Pleasure: NONE! I don’t believe in guilty pleasures. Shame has no place in my record collection. Sometimes that means I listen to Converge after the Dixie Chicks, or I spin a Townes Van Zandt record after I finish a Bad Religion album, but that is the joy of music. I tried on elitism and genre loyalty when I was younger and I found it to be a terrible fit. Show me a record collector that believes in guilty pleasures and I’ll show you a boring record collection. Music is one of life’s great gifts to us, and we should all soak up as much as we can.” 1/12/2018 Weston Mueller of Listening PartyListening Party is an Americana/Folk rock trio from Milwaukee whose music has found a home on the 91.1 playlist. The trio is comprised of Weston Mueller, Joshua Hester and Jacob Wood. We asked singer-songwriter Weston Mueller, and Northern Wisconsin native, what’s currently on his personal playlist. Here’s what he had to say: One of Listening Party’s favorite Wisconsin acts is Lost Lakes out of Madison. They have great on-stage chemistry between the two songwriters (Corey and Paul) and their harmonies are absolutely insane. Their recent self titled album is full of timeless Americana tunes. Can’t pick a favorite but ‘Give Up the Ghost’ (which is also currently in rotation on The Avenue or listen here https://youtu.be/YgmMkew4T1k) and ‘One Horse Town’ (https://youtu.be/eEaZrPjgfuI) are among the hits. We’ve had the honor of sharing the stage with them before and will be doing so again on January 27 at the Janesville PAC. “Chris Stapleton, ‘Broken Halos’ is hitting home right now (https://youtu.be/sI0TeFf6uD8). Can’t get enough of this guy and any project that he touches. One of the best. Fleetwood Mac is our collective guilty pleasure. We’ve gone for hours at a time in the van, cycling through live shows and different versions of songs. No shame!” Next time Fleetwood Mac carpool karaoke happens in the Listening Party van we hope you capture it on video and send it our way! In the meantime, learn more about Listening Party and find out where they’re playing next. The Rock - Listening Party 1/5/2018 Jamie KentWe caught up with Avenue friend, Jamie Kent to find out what he is listening to currently! First up is Anthony Peebles. “Anthony is an indie folk artist rising out of Florida right now with an insanely haunting voice. We've toured a bunch together and I've had the treat of obsessing over his debut album coming out in 2018.” It's not available yet anywhere, yet but here’s “The Road” which will be on Anthony’s upcoming album Different Faces. (P.S. The album includes “Better Love,” a song written by Jamie Kent and Jason Afable. Fans of Jamie Kent will find a lot to love about Peebles and this upcoming album.) “Bruce Springsteen – Tunnel of Love. I've always been a Springsteen fan, but Tunnel of Love has become a great rediscovery for me. There's so much vibe in the production, and the songs really punch you in the gut lyrically. I've decided recently that there isn't a more brilliant side of an album than the B-side of this record. :)” Here’s a favorite cut https://youtu.be/MkFQHScyti0 And in the category of guilty pleasure… “Bing Crosby – White Christmas. I've never been a particularly religious person, but I've got a huge soft spot for Christmas music. It's the one time of year where the crooners get to rule the airwaves again, and I'm perfectly okay with that. Sometimes in July when I'm craving some Crosby and want to weird people out at a karaoke bar, I'll sing “White Christmas.” Might have to toss that out there at Deja Vu next summer during the Mile!” Looking forward to that, Jamie!
You can catch Jamie at Tanners Grill & Bar in Kimberly on January 27 in the Best of the Mile showcase. More info here. 12/21/2017 THe Christmas EditionChristmas music is a lot like eggnog, in that most people have strong opinions about it! We surveyed The Avenue team to find out what’s playing this season at their homes. And of course, you can find a wide variety of holiday music on The Avenue to take you through the holidays. Rob Moore, your weeknight host and station president, offered up three albums as favorites for the holiday season. First up, “In Search of Angels,” a compilation from Windham Hill. “Simply beautiful music. It’s from a 1994 documentary of the same name, and it’s tough to find.” Indeed, a quick search on Amazon produced only two used copies available for $21. You’ll hear cuts from the album on The Avenue including Star in the East by the St. Olaf Choir (Link) Also on Rob’s holiday playlist are “We Three Kings,” album by The Roches (sample here) and Annie Lennox’s “A Christmas Cornucopia,” (sample here) Steve March Tormé lists two albums by a cappella group, Take 6 as favorites – “He is Christmas” and “We Wish You a Merry Christmas.” Take a listen to their version of Winter Wonderland here: youtu.be/Ax-Ap3-FEkE James Taylor’s “At Christmas” album also is a favorite – here’s JT’s take on Mel Tormé’s “The Christmas Song,” https://youtu.be/nXyJ7tdwREs The first Christmas album that comes to mind for Amanda Sharon? “I’ve always liked “Jingle All the Way” by the Crash Test Dummies!” Here’s their version of White Christmas. “I also love Ella Fitzgerald’s “Ella Wishes You a Swinging Christmas,” and of course I love “Santa Baby by Eartha Kitt.” Clearly Amanda’s taste in Christmas music is as diverse as The Avenue’s playlist! Listen to Ella and Eartha at these links. Ann Koenig, The Avenue’s Community Relations Director, lists Eartha Kitt’s “Santa Baby,” as a favorite as well, but also loves the less traditional take on the song by Evercleer: LINK Ann adds, “It’s just not Christmas for me until I hear Darlene Love belting out Christmas songs from “A Christmas Gift for You from Phil Spector.” LINK “And I’ve recently discovered Christmas albums by Dan Rodriguez, who does a beautiful version of “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas,” and local artist, Amos Pitsch’s “Yule,” LINK Tammy Rupiper, Avenue accountant, considers classics like Bing Crosby’s “White Christmas,” “Elvis’s Christmas Album” and Willie Nelson’s “Pretty Paper” as must-have listening for the holidays. “These albums form the soundtrack to my childhood Christmases.” “Bing Crosby’s “Mele Kalikimaka” always made me dream of spending Christmas in Hawaii,” Tammy adds. Who could argue with that? LINK And Mary Rudzinski, VP of Sponsorship, shares Andrea Bocelli’s “Sacred Arias” and “My Christmas” albums as her favorites. “His version of “Silent Night” is simply amazing!” LINK For “old school” Christmas charm, Mary loves Johnny Mathis. “His voice is so unique, and the songs are so nostalgic.” LINK And finally, “All I Want For Christmas Is You,” by Mariah Carey. “Every year we crank this one up and dance around the living room! We’ve even played this song at all our kids’ weddings – and the weddings were in summer!” LINK 11/20/2017 Ian ThomsonOperations Coordinator, Logistics / Venues / Volunteers at Mile of Music Festival If you’ve attended Mile of Music festival or one of the many Mile of Music produced concerts throughout the year, it’s likely you’ve seen Ian in the crowd, keeping a watchful eye on the show, making sure everything is going as it should. In his position he has a front row seat to loads of music so we asked him what he’s listening to currently. “What am I listening to now? It is difficult to narrow it down to just a few artists, considering that I get to listen to and see so many amazing, talented artists for fun…um, work. :) “But, at home, I'll put on the new Jason Isbell and The 400 Unit record “The Nashville Sound.” I think it's the best album of 2017. Two outstanding tracks – “White Man's World,” is not what you would think from the title (it speaks to current events) and “Anxiety,” are worthy of checking out. “I've also been digging the new Lettuce album “Witches Stew: A Tribute to Miles Davis.” It's a cover project but one that is wrapped in Lettuce’s own interpretation and sound. The record gives solid intentions and execution without harming the legacy of Mile Davis. It is downright funky, jazzy and all around fun! “One of my favorite discoveries from Mile 5 were The Vegabonds. Their record “What We’re Made Of” is often played in the house. If you are a fan of My Morning Jacket, The Black Crowes or Mr. Tom Petty, you will dig this band. Better yet, come see them at Tanner’s Grill and Bar on December 1st. “Music is absolutely the soundtrack to our lives. Its diversity transcends, lifts us and provides us with so many life experiences. When music hits you, you feel no pain. Peace, Love, Music!” You can hear many of these artists on The Avenue – and we know you love discovering something new as well. Thanks, Ian for giving us lots of musical suggestions to satisfy that curiosity! 11/9/2017 Miles Nielsen Avenue Artist - in concert Saturday 11/3 at Source Public House Things that have my ear lately, The War On Drugs new record titled “A Deeper Understanding,” is absolutely fantastic. It feels like the best parts of my childhood, Roxy Music, Kate Bush, with a great late night driving vibe. Lyrically it has some really nice, subtle anthems. The “up in the mix” guitar solos hit me right in the heart of my 14-year-old self, almost a Vernon Reid type feel with a nice touch of the whammy bar. Check it out here. “Lemon Cotton Candy Sunset” by Richard Edwards is also in constant rotation these days. Richard being one of my favorite modern-day American songwriters (front man and songsmith from Margot and The Nuclear So and Sos) first solo effort, lands nothing short of beautiful. Great story songs that speak about illness, break up, and hope, also lands right in my web of heart strings. This one is a great daytime driving record. Take a listen. Guilty pleasure is, and has always been, Hall and Oates. The tracks just feel so damn good!!! It also never really hurts to go back and visit the Grateful Dead’s catalog and get that Jerry Garcia wizardry stuck in your ears. Check out Miles Nielsen’s Baby Blue here and listen for him on The Avenue. Amanda is the midday host on The Avenue What I’m listening to lately is a diverse mix, as always! I can’t get Cat Steven’s “If You Want to Sing Out” out of my head for weeks now.
Sophie B. Hawkins’ version of “Damn I Wish I Was Your Lover,” (link) – we play it on The Avenue and I’ve fallen in love with it. For that matter, Collective Soul’s acoustic version of “Shine” is stellar as well. And always, always, always - Grateful Dead’s “Sugar Magnolia.” (link) Brad is an Avenue Listener I think we all have our own Avenue story. I was burned out on classic rock, so one day I found myself channel surfing when I heard "Under the Falling Sky" by Jackson Browne. I thought I must have hit the CD player by mistake because they don't play that on the radio in Green Bay. I made a mental note of the station and went to work. A few days later, I went back and heard "Meeting Across the River" by Bruce Springsteen. I've been hooked ever since.
The Avenue playlist is nothing short of amazing. It has introduced me to artists such as Jack Johnson, Keb Mo, and the Milk Carton Kids. Classic rock made me think Rickie Lee Jones was a one hit wonder. The Avenue has shown me what a treasure she is. Since this is about the listening room, here is what I'm listening to: Sting and the Police: I was not into the Police in their heyday, but "Invisible Sun" and "Canary in a Coal Mine" have me revisiting them. I have always been a fan of Sting's solo work with "Fields of Gold" and "Seven Days" among my favorites (link) "When the Coast is Clear" by Jimmy Buffett. I realize Buffett is associated with margaritas and palm trees, but I love his acoustic stuff. This song about the air turning cool always reminds me of Bay Beach closing. (link) My own basement tapes: I have a very old CD player in my basement next to a huge rack of CDs. Just like the Avenue, I have "nuggets" – obscure stuff I love. Check these out if you can find them – Roger McGuinn's "Back from Rio” David Baerwald's "Bedtime Stories” Jude Cole's "I Don't Know Why I Act This Way” Todd Snider's "Near Truths and Hotel Rooms” "Best of Mike Nesmith” What's in your basement? 10/27/2017 The Kinks & Velvet UndergroundRob Moore is The Avenue's President and Program Director It is always cool to discover new things, but sometimes it is the old stuff that that gets stuck in your head. Lately, for whatever reason, I am hearing the Kinks’ “Sleepwaker," (link) and the Velvet Underground's "Rock and Roll,” (link) which are two underrated old songs that should not be relegated to the wood pile.
You can hear Rob on The Avenue weeknights 7pm to midnight. Tune in tonight for the the Friday Night Spotlight featuring Bruce Springsteen sponsored by Nicolet Bank. |
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1/26/2018
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