Next Show: #863 | 26 October 2024
Featured New Rock Album: Pixies, The Night the Zombies Came (2024) . . . Power punk gods Pixies return with new bassist Emma Richardson, & their new album kicks down more doors with guitars, harmonies, & weirdness . . . enter their strange world, all willing are welcomed . . .
Featured Classic Rock Album Redux: U2, Achtung Baby (1991) . . . U2 had topped the world of rock music by the end of the 1980s, but were restless for something better, reaching for what seemed out of reach . . . what they returned with is this vast, varied, powerful LP that cleared the air up high & deep inside for them . . . no looking back . . .
Storybook Time: Chapter 9 of The Wind in the Willows by Kenneth Grahame . . .
Readings from Many Musics, Labyrinthine & Bags End News . . . & this week's featured artist is U2, & a few non-album sweets to enjoy . . . Colors blow this way & that, crunch under foot, will beauty every which way . . . Vote Harris / Walz 2024!
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Show Archives:
February 12, 2022 show:
Featured New Rock Album: The Lumineers, BRIGHTSIDE (2022) . . . Wonderful new LP by this Colorado folk-rock band . . . exciting songs with swerve & swoon . . . & a brooding melancholy down low that stays & stays . . .
Featured Classic Rock Album: Umphrey's McGee, Local Band Does O.K. (2002) . . . Originally from Indiana, this progressive jamband is as great on record as in concert . . . these songs friendly their deep funky grooves into ya, don't let go soon . . .
Storybook Time: Chapter 34 of The Unconsoled by Kazuo Ishiguro . . .
Readings from Many Musics, Labyrinthine, & Bags End News . . . & this week's featured artists are some of those featured on the great 2021 tribute album, Broken Hearts & Dirty Windows: Songs of John Prine, Vol. 2 . . . Maybe this spring will bring days of returning to the world, & to each other . . . seems surely possible . . .
02.12.2022 show
February 5, 2022 show:
Featured New Rock Album: Greensky Bluegrass, Stress Dreams (2022) . . . Brilliant Americana group returns with an album full of urgent, beautiful music . . . masterful playing . . . songs of wonder & worry & hope . . . this is what 2022 music sounds like at its best, most masterful . . .
Featured Classic Rock Album: John Cougar Mellencamp, Lonesome Jubilee (1987) . . . Midwest roots-rocket kept getting rootsier, & better as he & his band went . . . a hard rocking album of the late Reagan years, songs of anger & defiance for what the 1980s had devolved to . . . this is a great fucking rock & roll record . . .
Storybook Time: Chapter 34 of The Unconsoled by Kazuo Ishiguro . . .
Readings from Many Musics, Labyrinthine, & Bags End News . . . & this week's featured artists are more of those featured on the great 2010 tribute album, Broken Hearts & Dirty Windows: Songs of John Prine . . . The winter is long . . . but our days can always improve . . . hope can always prove true . . . up to each of us . . .
02.05.2022 show
January 29, 2022 show:
Featured Rock Album: Stevie Wonder, Songs in the Key of Life (1976) . . . This album can be called Wonder's progressive soul apotheosis, an epic two-record masterwork that even comes with an additional EP, A Something's Extra . . . features wonderful hits like "I Wish" & "Sir Duke" . . . Wonder worked on this project with over 100 people . . . didn't eat & sleep many nights, when the inspiration was high in him . . .the songs range from the personal to the social to the cosmic . . . just an amazing listening experience to share . . .
Storybook Time: Chapter 34 of The Unconsoled by Kazuo Ishiguro . . .
Readings from Many Musics, Labyrinthine, & Bags End News . . . it is always an amazing pleasure to reach this show's anniversary each January . . . to revel in the moment for a lingering, remembering moment . . . & then carry on . . . thank you all those who have listened . . . more to come!
01.29.2022 show
January 22, 2022 show:
Featured New Rock Album: Punch Brothers, Hell On Church Street (2022) . . . Fantastic Americana band's new album brings the beautiful bluegrass to ya every-which-a way . . . & a few more too . . . they even take on an old Golden Lightfoot tune, as it takes their masterly mood . . .
Featured Classic Rock Album: T2, It'll All Work Out in Boomland (1970) . . . Sole album but this British prog-rock band . . . gets loud, gets epic, but finds some subtler, smaller musical space to work in too . . . with there had been more LPs from this promising group, but this is the magick we are gifted . . .
Storybook Time: Chapter 34 of The Unconsoled by Kazuo Ishiguro . . .
Readings from Many Musics, Labyrinthine, & Bags End News . . . & this week's featured artists are some of those featured on the great 2010 tribute album, Broken Hearts & Dirty Windows: Songs of John Prine . . . Into this new year, & glad of it . . . hope more, fear less, work harder, love better, live smarter!
01.22.2022 show
Storybook Time: Continuing Chapter 43 of The Acid Diaries: A Psychonaut's Guide to the History & Use of LSD by Christopher Gray . . .
Readings from Labyrinthine fixtion & Many Musics poems & Bags End News . . . & this week's featured artist is The Decemberists & tunes from their fine new EP, Florasongs . . . away for a long long week traveling to the Big Apple & thence Maine, feeling all sorts of excited for tonight's show, let's go!
10.03.2015 show
September 19, 2015 show features:
New Rock Album: Buffalo Killers, Heavy Reverie (2014) . . . Just found this great Cincinnati indie rock quartet . . . they're a rough bunch, sound-wise, raw & pretty in all the right ways, & their song "January" is a killer finale . . .
Classic Rock Album: Neil Young, Comes a Time (1978) . . . This is a mighty pretty album by any standards, with all sorts of classic NY treats . . . helps even more that Nicolette Larson adds her gorgeous twitter to many of the songs . . . for those who wonder why NY is worshipped as a rock god even now, this album is a really good answer . . .
Storybook Time: Continuing Chapter 42 of The Acid Diaries: A Psychonaut's Guide to the History & Use of LSD by Christopher Gray . . .
Readings from Labyrinthine fixtion & Many Musics poems & Bags End News . . . & this week's featured artist is The Association, & some known & lesser known great songs from them . . . there's starting to be leaves to crunch, & a sweet chill to the air, here comes perfection . . .
09.19.2015 show
September 12, 2015 show features:
New Rock Album: Punch Brothers, The Phosphorescent Blues (2015) . . . This is the fourth album from Chris Thile's acid bluegrass group, & by far its best . . . Thile has finally achieved an artistic mastery & beauty with this band of brothers that he & his partners have in his other major project, Nickel Creek . . . the music ranges everywhere from fierce to gentle to a blindingly gorgeous finale called "Little Lights" . . . just wonderful . . .
Classic Rock Album: Van Morrison, Saint Dominic's Preview (1972) . . . This was the Irish singer-songwriter's sixth album & it just bounces & flows end to end, shorter punchier songs alternating with long beautiful mediations . . . strange, pretty, fun . . .
Storybook Time: Continuing Chapter 42 of The Acid Diaries: A Psychonaut's Guide to the History & Use of LSD by Christopher Gray . . .
Readings from Labyrinthine fixtion & Many Musics poems & Bags End News . . . & this week's featured artist is beloved Old Crow Medicine Show & a few gems from their recent EP releases, 2013's Carry Me Back to Virginia& 2015's *Brushy Mountain Conjugal Trailer . . . the autumn in colors & cooler air is moving in . . . still a blend of seasonal colors . . . the year in its maturing glories . . .
09.12.2015 show
August 29, 2015 show features:
New Rock Album: Lucero, Women & Work (2014) . . . Ben Nichols is the leader of this Arkansas-rooted band, playing some hard country rockers, some ballads, & a lot of fun tunes all around . . . Nichols is also the brother of brilliant young director Jeff Nichols (Shotgun Stories, Take Shelter, Mud) & adds some great music to his brother's films . . .
Classic Rock Album Redux: Sea Ray, Stars at Noon (2003) . . . This Brooklyn band came & went in just a few short years, but left behind this gorgeous psychedelic masterpiece . . . first played on the 9/19/2004 broadcast of this show, here again in all its obscure beauties . . .
Storybook Time: Chapter 42 of The Acid Diaries: A Psychonaut's Guide to the History & Use of LSD by Christopher Gray . . .
Readings from Labyrinthine fixtion & Many Musics poems & Bags End News . . . & this week's featured artists are a final bunch of the great ones from the "American Top 40 with Casey Kasem" countdown of 14.August.1976 . . . summer's getting its last bites in . . . autumn will be nosing around soon again . . .
08.29.2015 show
August 22, 2015 show features:
New Rock Album: Saintseneca, Dark Arc (2014) . . . First heard this Columbus, Ohio indie rock band in a coffee house in Western Massachusetts . . . their sound is pretty, plaintive, nicely weird . . . only two albums in, they are a band to keep close watch for . . .
Classic Rock Album: Incredible String Band, Hangman's Beautiful Daughter (1968) . . . Finally found a way into the music of this legendary psychedelic folk rock band . . . the music is strange, cryptic, ethereal . . . like a concert given on another planet on a warm many-sunned night . . . . . .
Storybook Time: Continuing Chapter 41 of The Acid Diaries: A Psychonaut's Guide to the History & Use of LSD by Christopher Gray . . .
Readings from Labyrinthine fixtion & Many Musics poems & Bags End News . . . & this week's featured artists are more of the great ones from the "American Top 40 with Casey Kasem" countdown of 14.August.1976 . . . some weeks I arrive to this show just so . . . ready . . . to . . . go . . . like tonight . . .
08.22.2015 show
August 15, 2015 show features:
New Rock Album: Wilco, Star Wars (2015) . . . This album came out of nowhere, given away free initially . . . it's raw & rocking & a lot of fun . . . I've heard it a few times & think Wilco just wanted bypass everything that divides musicians from their fans . . . it feels free . . .
Classic Rock Album: The Beatles, Let It Be . . . Naked (2003) . . . This record was originally released in 1970 when the Beatles were no more, the sort-of soundtrack of a film showing them falling apart . . . decades later, Paul McCartney initiated a remix of this album without the Phil Spector-izing of the original . . . the songs are now as they were intended, a Beatles getting back to basics, at least for one more album . . . its pretty fucking awesome . . .
Storybook Time: Chapter 41 of The Acid Diaries: A Psychonaut's Guide to the History & Use of LSD by Christopher Gray . . .
Readings from Labyrinthine fixtion & Many Musics poems & Bags End News . . . & this week's featured artists are some of the great ones from the "American Top 40 with Casey Kasem" countdown of 14.August.1976 . . . it's really hot in New England this weekend, as August is supposed to be . . . passing, passing . . .
08.15.2015 show
August 8, 2015 show features:
New Rock Album: Flaming Lips, 7 Skies H3 (2014) . . . this excellent 50-minute album derives from a 24-hour song the Lips released "in a limited edition of 13 copies, on flash drives encased in real human skulls, for Halloween 2011. Each skull cost $5,000" (Wikipedia). What's important, though, is that the album doesn't need its strange origin to be enjoyed. Its sound is in the same dark, dreamy vein as their later 2013 classic, The Terror. Never know how a great album like this will come along, but joy when it does . . .
Classic Rock Album: Gordon Lightfoot, Summertime Dream (1976) . . . The legendary Canadian folk-rocker was in his artistic & commercial prime when this album came out . . . the music is both smooth & exciting . . . the story-songs strange & absorbing . . . end to end of record, Lightfoot beguiles . . .
Storybook Time: Continuing Chapter 40 of The Acid Diaries: A Psychonaut's Guide to the History & Use of LSD by Christopher Gray . . . <>
Readings from Labyrinthine fixtion & Many Musics poems & Bags End News . . . & this week's featured artist is again The Milk Carton Kids, & some terrific songs from their new album, Monterey . . . the summer again is beginning to pass, as August rolls on . . . the nights showing the way to the splendidly cooler fall days to come . . .
08.08.2015 show
July 25, 2015 show features:
New Rock Album: Neil Young + Promise of the Real, The Monsanto Years (2015) . . . After two shitty albums last year, NY returns with a fresh fury & beauty . . . makes this rocker into a folk-topical blast of glory . . . it's so FUCKING wonderful to have the man rocking true again . . .
Classic Rock Album: Bruce Palmer, The Cycle is Complete (1971) . . . Palmer was with Buffalo Springfield in the 60s, on & off, but this trippy jam beauty came later on . . . his only solo work, just sounds free jazz-acid rock as hell . . . a treasure to share . . .
Storybook Time: Continuing Chapter 40 of The Acid Diaries: A Psychonaut's Guide to the History & Use of LSD by Christopher Gray . . .
Readings from Labyrinthine fixtion & Many Musics poems & Bags End News . . . & this week's featured artists are more of the great ones from the "American Top 40 with Casey Kasem" countdown of 19.July.1975 . . . it was a beautiful spring day in the middle of humid ol' summer . . . so sweet to enjoy and thankee thankee . . .
07.25.2015 show
July 18, 2015 show features:
New Rock Album: Mountain Heart, That Just Happened (2010) . . . This progressive bluegrass band is surely cut in the same mold as Old Crow Medicine Show, Alison Krauss & Union Station, & Sturgill Simpson . . . rocking out well on the acoustics, fiddles, and banjos . . . wonderful stuff . . .
Classic Rock Album: Elliott Smith, Figure 8 (2000) . . . last album completed before his death, & Smith leaves with a winner . . . short songs, leap in & out, done before you know it & onto the next, but a feeling of yearning in them all . . . churning of anger & loss & regret, it's among his best records . . .
Storybook Time: Chapter 40 of The Acid Diaries: A Psychonaut's Guide to the History & Use of LSD by Christopher Gray . . .
Readings from Labyrinthine fixtion & Many Musics poems & Bags End News . . . & this week's featured artists are some of the great ones from the "American Top 40 with Casey Kasem" countdown of 19.July.1975 . . . when the world is humid, it is drinking you, and reminding you that you are its flesh . . .
07.18.2015 show
July 11, 2015 show features:
New Rock Album: Richard Thompson, Still (2015) . . . Thompson is a grainy old motherfucker and he can sure still fucking play guitar . . . he's got an album full of great new songs, especially the one about the pirate!
Classic Rock Album: Mercury Rev,, See You on the Other Side (1995) . . . This magical band is set to release its first new album in quite a few years . . . in the meanwhile, let's step back to when its peculiar sound was just starting to come into full flower . . . fearless and strange, this album, full of bending wonders . . .
Storybook Time: Continuing Chapter 39 of The Acid Diaries: A Psychonaut's Guide to the History & Use of LSD by Christopher Gray . . .
Readings from Labyrinthine fixtion & Many Musics poems & Bags End News . . . & this week's featured artist is Temples, & their live 2014 Mesmerise EP . . . Back to the 'waves after several weeks off, ready & ready & ready to get into some good summer shows . . . here goes . . .
07.11.2015 show
June 13, 2015 show features:
New Rock Album: Sleater-Kinney, No Cities to Love (2015) . . . been a freaking decade since this band's brilliant The Woods album & here they storm back with a furious barely-30-minutes musical swirling scirocco . . . just fuck yah . . . FUCK YAH!
Classic Rock Album Redux: Wilco, Yankee Hotel Foxtrot (2002) . . . debuted on the 12/6/2003 broadcast of this show, returned tonight for an encore . . . Wilco lost a band member, a record label, but never the belief that this album fucking matters . . . it's 13 years later and this album STILL sounds crazy good & all sorts of rambunctious . . .
Storybook Time: Chapter 39 of The Acid Diaries: A Psychonaut's Guide to the History & Use of LSD by Christopher Gray . . .
Readings from Labyrinthine fixtion & Many Musics poems & Bags End News . . . & this week's featured artists are a last bunch of the wonderful ones on the "American Top 40 with Casey Kasem" countdown of 08.June.1974 . . . some weeks you just head down, plow into the line, again & again, looking for the daylight in your heart to rush through . . .
06.13.2015 show
June 6, 2015 show features:
New Rock Album: Mumford & Sons, Wilder Mind (2015) . . . Want to figure this album out? Don't start with the instruments, start with the singing . . . it's the same intense beautiful crazy talented band they've always been . . . they can do it all & they do . . .
Classic Rock Album: Traffic, When the Eagle Flies (1974) . . . Last of this legendary band's original albums, somewhat forgotten by now . . . but Steve Winwood rallies his troops one more time to put out a beautiful, trippy, deliciously something else album . . .
Storybook Time: Continuing Chapter 38 of The Acid Diaries: A Psychonaut's Guide to the History & Use of LSD by Christopher Gray . . .
Readings from Labyrinthine fixtion & Many Musics poems & Bags End News . . . & this week's featured artists are some of the wonderful ones on the "American Top 40 with Casey Kasem" countdown of 08.June.1974 . . . wrote for hours tonight, poem upon poem . . . thank you, Universe, for letting me put wild pen to wild paper ever still . . .
06.06.2015 show
May 30, 2015 show features:
New Rock Album: Dawes, All Your Favorite Bands (2015) . . . This LA band returns with another winning record . . . like Built to Spill reminds of Neil Young, Dawes reminds of Jackson Browne . . . and it's a fine and complimentary comparison . . . lyrics deep, thoughtful, passionate, music that makes the emotional connections stick . . .
Classic Rock Album: Paul Simon, One Trick Pony (1980) . . . soundtrack to a film Simon starred in . . . I've loved this record for years and years and years and not yet seen the film . . . should I? Yes, it'll happen sometime . . . love that Paul . . .
Storybook Time: Continuing Chapter 38 of The Acid Diaries: A Psychonaut's Guide to the History & Use of LSD by Christopher Gray . . .
Readings from Labyrinthine fixtion & Many Musics poems & Bags End News . . . & this week's featured artist is Dr. Hook & the Medicine Show, all sorts of jumpy boogie rock goodies . . . trying to do this show good every time, it's a sort of brilliant, crazy work . . . trying again tonight . . .
05.30.2015 show
May 23, 2015 show features:
New Rock Album: Spirit Family Reunion, Hands Together (2015) . . . Excellent sophomore album by this New York Americana band . . . high energy tunes mixing with some darker, more elegaic songs . . . a really sweet, fun new record, genuine delight . . .
Classic Rock Album: The Beatles, Rubber Soul (1965) . . . Tis said this was the album when the Liverpool lads finally took over their own sound and began to bust over any and all walls of what rock and roll could sound like or what its lyrics could be about . . . this record is sweet brilliance itself . . . with the Byrds, Dylan, & the Beach Boys, history was happening live on record!
Storybook Time: Continuing Chapter 38 of The Acid Diaries: A Psychonaut's Guide to the History & Use of LSD by Christopher Gray . . .
Readings from Labyrinthine fixtion & Many Musics poems & Bags End News . . . & this week's featured artists are one last bunch of the great ones on the "American Top 40 with Casey Kasem" countdown of 24.March.1973 . . . I found myself writing tonight almost to the exclusion of this show, then pulled up, twisted around, dived in, and here it is, in every glory I can dress it in . . .
05.23.2015 show
May 16, 2015 show features:
New Rock Album: Built to Spill, Untethered Moon (2015) . . . Just in time with a whole gorgeous fucking batch of new rock-and-roll tunes, first album in 5 years for these Idaho boys . . . singing lot Neil Young, jamming like every truly great rock band ever . . . thank you so much . . .
Classic Rock Album: Silver Jews, The Natural Bridge (1996) . . . This NYC indie folk band is a revelation to me . . . their songs very strange, very funny sometimes, and very tuneful always . . . I find their second album just all sorts of off-kilter delightful . . .
Storybook Time: Chapter 38 of The Acid Diaries: A Psychonaut's Guide to the History & Use of LSD by Christopher Gray . . .
Readings from Labyrinthine fixtion & Many Musics poems & Bags End News . . . & this week's featured artists are more of the great ones on the "American Top 40 with Casey Kasem" countdown of 24.March.1973 . . . I wrote & wrote today & tonight, by a secret lake, in a coffee joint later, I wrote & wrote & everything else good comes from me from it, from this writing & writing . . . JOY! Writing & writing . . .
05.16.2015 show
May 9, 2015 show features:
New Rock Album: Great Lake Swimmers, A Forest of Arms (2015) . . . Back after three years, these Canadian folk rockers are bigger and brighter than ever, the rockers, the waltzes, the funny kind of songs . . . such a great new album . . .
Classic Rock Album: Procol Harum, Procol Harum (1967) . . . Yes, it has "Whiter Shade of Pale" but that is the beginning of this great UK band's great debut album . . . lots of solid tunes, rockers, and even some Brit music hall-style, as every UK acid rock band felt compelled to include back then . . . so, great single? yes! . . . great album? yes!
Storybook Time: Continuing Chapter 37 of The Acid Diaries: A Psychonaut's Guide to the History & Use of LSD by Christopher Gray . . .
Readings from Labyrinthine fixtion & Many Musics poems & Bags End News . . . & this week's featured artists are some of the great ones on the "American Top 40 with Casey Kasem" countdown of 24.March.1973 . . . back after a break, always the delight of put on the suit, tapping into the stream, and going!
05.09.2015 show
April 11, 2015 show features:
New Rock Album: Calexico, Edge of the Sun (2015) . . . Pretty much will be true that when this Tex-Mex indie rock band releases a new album, it will show up on this program . . . their music is pretty, sad, fun, full of harmonies, guitars, & horns . . . just sweetly delightful . . .
Classic Rock Album: Mandrake Memorial, Mandrake Memorial (1968) . . .about a year ago, this program featured this Philly acid rock band's third & final album . . . time to dig a little deeper into their work & check out their debut . . . sparkles as lysergically as one could wish . . . trip-i-licious :)
Storybook Time: Chapter 37 of The Acid Diaries: A Psychonaut's Guide to the History & Use of LSD by Christopher Gray. . .
Readings from Labyrinthine fixtion & Many Musics poems & Bags End News . . . & this week's featured artist is Gandalf, whose sole album featured last week on this show is followed this week by a few choice cuts from the odds-&-sods years 2007 collection, Gandalf 2 . . . sixth weekend of shows in a row . . . don't do that too often . . . sort of a dizzy delight . . .
04.11.2015 show
April 4, 2015 show features:
New Rock Album: Lord Huron, Strange Trails (2015) . . . Three years in the making for the follow up to this Los Angeles indie rock band's wonderful debut, Lonesome Dreams . . . worth the wait! More delightfully tuneful and harmonic wonders await ye, dark dark lyrics if you listen past the hand claps . . . great stuff . . .
Classic Rock Album: Gandalf, Gandalf (1969) . . . this New York band probably never had much of a chance, no record company support for unknown reasons . . . that all said, this album is delightful, a sort of Beatles-ish sound and flow to it . . . the kind of record that should have reached a lot more ears that would have been happy to have received it . . .
Storybook Time: Continuing Chapter 36 of The Acid Diaries: A Psychonaut's Guide to the History & Use of LSD by Christopher Gray. . .
Readings from Labyrinthine fixtion & Many Musics poems & Bags End News . . . & this week's featured artist is The Earlies, and some sweet tunes from their debut 2004 album, These Were the Earlies . . . green's coming ever on, as it do, as thank goodness it do . . .
04.04.2015 show
March 28, 2015 show features:
New Rock Album: Sloan, Commonwealth (2014) . . . This Canadian band not heard on this show since 8/15/2009 broadcast of the excellent Parallel Play . . . this new one is quite fine too, being a double album in which each member wrote a side . . . adds up very nicely to all sorts of pop and rock and roll goodness . . .
Classic Rock Album: New York Rock & Roll Ensemble, New York Rock & Roll Ensemble (1968) . . . this band came out of Julliard in New York, and fused rock and classical music pretty before anyone but the Beatles . . . this album I discovered today and just delight in it . . . now to share . . .
Storybook Time: Continuing Chapter 36 of The Acid Diaries: A Psychonaut's Guide to the History & Use of LSD by Christopher Gray. . .
Readings from Labyrinthine fixtion & Many Musics poems & Bags End News . . . & this week's featured artists were some of those featured on "American Top 40 with Casey Kasem" back on February 5, 1972 . . . sometimes one has to roam one's own native-most lands to be sure, and keep moving . . .
03.28.2015 show
March 21, 2015 show features:
New Rock Album: The Minus 5, Dungeon Golds (2015) . . . Last heard on this show's 8/8/2009 broadcast, this great American pop collective led by Scott McCaughey & Peter Buck is back with its usual, unique treats . . . funny songs, rock-out songs, sweet songs . . . a pleasure of an album to hear . . . a delight . . .
Classic Rock Album: The Verve, A War in Heaven (1993) . . . Before they hit it big with their anthem "Bittersweet Symphony," this UK band released a great, trippy debut album . . . long beautiful rocking songs, not very similar to what they would do later . . . worth a good visit . . .
Storybook Time: Continuing Chapter 36 of The Acid Diaries: A Psychonaut's Guide to the History & Use of LSD by Christopher Gray. . .
Readings from Labyrinthine fixtion & Many Musics poems & Bags End News . . . & this week's featured artists were more of those featured on "American Top 40 with Casey Kasem" back on February 5, 1972 . . . now it's getting warm in New England, or warmer, see the green things everywhere began to poke up, heard the birds, they are sure ready . . .
03.21.2015 show
March 14, 2015 show features:
New Rock Album: Mingo Fishtrap, On Time (2014) . . . This Austin, Texas band parties like it's 1971 and they're on a triple bill with Chicago and Blood Sweat & Tears . . . rockfunkjamming, dancy exciting music from start to finish . . . great one to discover . . .
Classic Rock Album: Sister Hazel, Sister Hazel (1994) . . . Debut album by these Gainesville, Florida rockers . . . before they got famous, they were already a fully-going jamming rock band & this debut has all the charms of a young band going with all of its lights out . . .
Storybook Time: Continuing Chapter 36 of The Acid Diaries: A Psychonaut's Guide to the History & Use of LSD by Christopher Gray. . .
Readings from Labyrinthine fixtion & Many Musics poems & Bags End News . . . & this week's featured artists were some of those featured on "American Top 40 with Casey Kasem" back on February 5, 1972, my my my . . . after weeks of snow: rain, and a few birds, and some buds here and there . . . go figger, spring is coming again . . .
03.14.2015 show
March 7, 2015 show features:
New Rock Album: Steve Gunn & Black Twig Pickers, Seasonal Hire (2015) . . . This Brooklyn guitar wizard & these Virginee drone-bluegrass fellas just go together unbelievably . . . hypnotic leading up to the 16 minute glory-be of the title track . . . as AllMusic.com calls it, and rightly, this record is "excellent country and Eastern" . . .
Classic Rock Album: Fynn McCool, Fynn McCool (1970) . . . sole album by a band that was part English, part, er, else . . . named after Finn McCool, originally Fionn mac Cumhaill in Gaelic, a figure in Irish mythology . . . there's all sorts of treats on this album, heavy stuff, rocking stuff, light and fluffy . . . it's a shame it's been hid in obscurity all these years, time to let it shine its treasures out . . .
Storybook Time: Chapter 36 of The Acid Diaries: A Psychonaut's Guide to the History & Use of LSD by Christopher Gray. . .
Readings from Labyrinthine fixtion & Many Musics poems & Bags End News . . . & this week's featured artists are more of those on the 2014 Art of McCartney tribute compilation . . . these shows are made one at a time, prepped and 'cast . . . keeps me happy in this wonderful moment, letting the rest be took care of in their own times . . .
03.07.2015 show
February 21, 2015 show features:
New Rock Album: The Howlin' Brothers, Howl (2013) . . . This Nashville bluegrass/string/Dixieland/jazz/rock combo roars and lulls in the waters traveled by the likes Old Crow Medicine Show and Greensky Bluegrass . . . which is to say, damn fine waters, indeed . . .
Classic Rock Album: Badfinger, Wish You Were Here (1974) . . . Say again: Badfinger WAS the next Beatles . . . and this album, the last the original quartet recorded together, was their Abbey Road . . . gorgeous, heartbreaking rock and roll . . . a desperate beautiful cry . . . one of the best rock albums ever made . . .
Storybook Time: Continuing Chapter 35 of The Acid Diaries: A Psychonaut's Guide to the History & Use of LSD by Christopher Gray. . .
Readings from Labyrinthine fixtion & Many Musics poems & Bags End News . . . & this week's featured artists are some of those on the 2014 Art of McCartney tribute compilation . . . at one point tonight me and my notebooks were stuck in the snow, but fought on out to get home to the beautiful mic . . .
02.21.2015 show
February 14, 2015 show features:
New Rock Album: Toad the Wet Sprocket, New Constellation (2014) . . . It'd been 16 years since the Sprocket's last new album . . . worth the wait . . . like they saved up their prettiest melodies and harmonies . . . it's a gorgeous and happy reunion and here's to more albums from this bunch . . .
Classic Rock Album: Badfinger, Straight Up (1971) . . . Tis a rare-if-ever thing that I play two weeks in a row the same band, but I have discovered Badfinger and they are really awesome . . . this was their third album and if it doesn't clog up your ears happily with electric guitars and harmonies, you . . . be . . . deef . . .
Storybook Time: Continuing Chapter 35 of The Acid Diaries: A Psychonaut's Guide to the History & Use of LSD by Christopher Gray. . .
Readings from Labyrinthine fixtion & Many Musics poems & Bags End News . . . & this week's featured artists are a last bunch from the 1/9/1971 broadcast of "American Top 40 with Casey Kasem," delightful treats . . . blizzards coming to ye Olde New England, be warned! be ware! All be ware!
02.14.2015 show
February 7, 2015 show features:
New Rock Album: The Hold Steady, Teeth Dreams (2014) . . . last heard on this show on 8/9/2008, the delightful Stay Positive . . . some personnel changes and a couple of albums later, these Minneapolis rockers have come around to a kind of country rocking sound, not quite like anyone else, two-guitar attack . . . they sound like they've figured their sound and their shit out and are going very strong again . . .
Classic Rock Album: Badfinger, Magic Christian Music (1970) . . . It was a challenge to pick a Badfinger album to play this week, they have half a dozen or so great ones . . . this was the first album they released under the Badfinger name, having been previously been called The Iveys . . . and some of the songs on this album come from The Iveys' sole album from 1969 . . . others from the soundtrack to The Magic Christian film soundtrack . . . and there are indeed Beatles touches among these tunes, as they worked with Paul McCartney and were on the Apple label . . . but what stands out is a great band that can make great rock, great ballads, a few quirky songs, anything they want . . . this album is a gem . . .
Storybook Time: Chapter 35 of The Acid Diaries: A Psychonaut's Guide to the History & Use of LSD by Christopher Gray. . .
Readings from Labyrinthine fixtion & Many Musics poems & Bags End News . . . & this week's featured artists are more of those from the 1/9/1971 broadcast of "American Top 40 with Casey Kasem," delightful treats . . . New England is so snowy right now, so deep in its winter, and best to find the beauty in these days as much as in the springy green and autumnal melodies . . .
02.07.2015 show
January 31, 2015 16th anniversary show features:
Featured Album: Pete Townshend, Lifehouse: The BBC Radio Play (1999) . . . Lead guitarist & genius master mind of The Who Townshend 'rassled with this narrative vision for 30 years, from about 1969 on, wishing to follow up The Who's rock opera Tommy with something even more ambitious . . . his basic idea: we could ALL become the music, each of us contributing his or her unique note to a moment of cosmic revelation . . . in 1999, BBC Radio invited Townshend to transform his vision into a 2-hour radio play, and this anniversary show shares what he and his collaborators produced . . . Lifehouse permeates Townshend's solo work and his work with The Who . . . it is filled with both hope and despair for the future of the world, and it is a profoundly inspiring work . . .
Storybook Time: Chapter 35 of The Acid Diaries: A Psychonaut's Guide to the History & Use of LSD by Christopher Gray. . .
Readings from Labyrinthine fixtion & Many Musics poems & Bags End News . . . Here it is, another late January weekend, another radio show anniversary, plus show #400 on SpiritPlants Radio . . . the days are deeply snowy, quite cold, & I could not be happier looking forward to hosting this episode . . .
01.31.2015 show
January 17, 2015 show features:
New Rock Album: The Decemberists, What a Terrible World, What a Beautiful World (2015) . . . our strange superheroes are back, led by the inimitably beautiful and wonderfully verbose Colin Meloy . . . all manner of acoustic and electrical treats this time . . . just wonderful to have them back . . .
Classic Rock Album: Townes Van Zandt, The Late Great Townes Van Zandt (1972) . . . twas my friend Jamie turned me onto this strange old tyme Americana cowboy . . . this album of his is some kind of acoustic folk rock and roll magical stuff . . . hard to tell otherwise . . .
Storybook Time: Continuing Chapter 34 of The Acid Diaries: A Psychonaut's Guide to the History & Use of LSD by Christopher Gray. . .
Readings from Labyrinthine fixtion & Many Musics poems & Bags End News . . . & this week's featured artists are some of those from the 1/9/1971 broadcast of "American Top 40 with Casey Kasem," so gooooood . . . I think the Decemberists' new album is right on . . . terrible world, beautiful world . . .
01.17.2015 show
January 10, 2015 show features:
New Rock Album: Greensky Bluegrass, If Sorrows Swim (2014) . . . This band takes its wildly wonderful place among other great Americana bluegrass rockers like Old Crow Medicine Show & Sturgill Simpson . . .they have a song called "Kerosene" on this album that just fucking FLOORS me . . .
Classic Rock Album: Warren Zevon, Sentimental Hygiene (1987) . . . this album is so fucking awesome AND mr. zevon has R.E.M. as his backing band . . . just beautiful . . . cynical, sad, bitter, funny, & beautiful . . .
Storybook Time: Chapter 34 of The Acid Diaries: A Psychonaut's Guide to the History & Use of LSD by Christopher Gray. . .
Readings from Labyrinthine fixtion & Many Musics poems & Bags End News . . . & this week's featured artists are Bob Dylan & The Band, & more cuts from the legendary Basement Tapes sessions . . . new year under way, happy to be at it again . . . will do my best to make it a good year of shows . . .
01.10.2015 show
1999
April 24, 1999 show features:
New Rock Album: Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers, Echo (1999)
Storybook Time: William Braden, The Private Sea: LSD & the Search for God
Featured Artists: The Beatles
04.24.1999 show
April 17, 1999 show features:
Featured Artists: Neil Young & Crazy Horse / Jimmy Page & Robert Plant / The Who / Pink Floyd / The Beatles / Bob Dylan
04.17.1999 show
April 10, 1999 show features:
Classic Rock Album: The Byrds, The Notorious Byrd Brothers (1968)
Storybook Time: William Braden, The Private Sea: LSD & the Search for God
Featured Artists: The Doors / Led Zeppelin / Santana / Sonic Youth / Steely Dan / Crosby, Stills, Nash, & Young / Jimi Hendrix Experience
Freak Narrative: Burning Man listserv
04.10.1999 show
April 3, 1999 show features:
New Rock Album: R.E.M, Up (1998)
Storybook Time: Sam Keen, "Interview with John Lilly," Voices & Visions
Featured Artists: The Who / Camper Van Beethoven / The Slip / Joni Mitchel / Blind Faith
Freak Narrative: Ric Amante poetry
Plus
RS poetry, "The Millennial Artist’s Survival Guide"
04.03.1999 show
March 20, 1999 show features:
New Rock Album: Phish, Story of the Ghost (1998)
Storybook Time:“The Message of the Eleusinian Mysteries for Today’s World” by Dr. Albert Hofmann
Featured Artists: Pink Floyd / Crosby, Stills, Nash, & Young / Arlo Guthrie / Jonathon Lamaster
Freak Narrative: Weekly World News
Plus
Joe Ciccone [Live in studio]
03.20.1999 show
March 13, 1999 show features:
New Rock Album: XTC, Apple Venus, Volume 1 (1999)
Storybook Time: “The Message of the Eleusinian Mysteries for Today’s World” by Dr. Albert Hofmann
Featured Artists: Bob Dylan / Inasense / Throwing Muses / The Church / Grateful Dead
Freak Narrative: Weekly World News
Plus
Alan Nidle [Live in Studio]
03.13.1999 show
March 6, 1999 show features:
New Rock Album: The Church, Hologram of Baal (1999)
Storybook Time: The Long Trip by Paul Devereux
Featured Artists: R.E.M. / Jewel
Freak Narrative: Weekly World News
Plus
RS poetry & *MLS*'s “Sophie’s Sestina” [Live in studio]
03.06.1999 show
February 27, 1999 show features:
Storybook Time: The Long Trip by Paul Devereux
Featured Artists: XTC / Velvet Underground / Neil Young & Crazy Horse / The Who
Plus
“Consolations of Ecstasy”
02.27.1999 show
February 20, 1999 show features:
Debut of Storybook Time: The Long Trip by Paul Devereux
Featured Artists: Grateful Dead / The Who / Traffic / Crosby, Stills, Nash, & Young
Freak Narratives: Burning Man Announcement / Ric Amante, Cenacle 32-33 poetry
02.20.1999 show
January 30, 1999 show features:
Lots of great music on the debut of this show, including album sides from Pink Floyd, Yes, & the Jefferson Airplane. Readings from Soulard. Lots of technical errors, & some cussing. Made it through. Came back the next week for more.
01.30.1999 show