Wednesday MidDay Medley
Produced and Hosted by Mark Manning
90.1 FM KKFI – Kansas City Community Radio
TEN to NOON Wednesdays – Streaming at KKFI.org

Wednesday, September 4, 2024

90 Minute Cassette + Just Angel + Duff Thompson & Josh Mobley

1. “Main Title Instrumental – It’s Showtime Folks”
   from: Orig. Motion Picture Soundtrack All That Jazz / Casablanca / December 20, 1979
   [WMM’s Adopted Theme Song]

2. Art d’Ecco – “I Feel Alive”
   from: “I Feel Alive” – Single / Paper Bag Records Records / July 10, 2024
   [Art d’Ecco is based in British Columbia, “There’s more than a little David Bowie in both the sonic and fashion leanings of Art d’Ecco, a performer who fluidly crosses musical and gender lines, creating highly memorable tracks — and sporting an unforgettable look. Often labelled “neo glam,” the music boasts hints of everything from ’50s pop to psychedelics, from Velvet Underground-era art rock to Grimes-inspired electronics.” – CBC Music. Art d’Ecco released the album, In Standard Definition on Paper Bag Records on April 23, 2021. Art d’Ecco released the album Trespasser on Paper Bag Records on October 12, 2018. // When d’Ecco moved into his grandmother’s cottage on one of the islands, he hadn’t planned on creating a new project. But, as it often does, circumstance charted his course. His grandmother, living with Alzheimer’s, suffered a related phenomenon called ‘sundowning,’ which triggers increased agitation and anxiety around sunset. “The only way to calm this lady down was to sit down at the piano,” says d’Ecco. He would play “Bohemian Rhapsody,” passing it off as Beethoven. After she was relocated, d’Ecco remained in the empty house where he had played as a child. Draped in memory, he gravitated toward the piano, spending the long, lonesome, quiet nights on the bench before the instrument. This is where Art d’Ecco was created. He relocated to a new cottage, built a studio and barricaded himself with copies of Deerhunter’s Cryptograms, Bowie’s Low, and choice krautrock records. In this solitude, d’Ecco would chase tones for hours. The result is a richly-realized confluence of the ferocious spark of those trailblazers and a distinct sadness, with d’Ecco as mad scientist, stitching together these delicious fragments and animating them. Art d’Ecco was our guest on September 29, 2021.]

3. Madisen Ward – “Hangin’ On”
   from: “Hangin’ On” – Single / Madisen Ward / Video released August 23, 2024
   [Not released as a single. Madisen shared this for me to play on the radio show. “Hangin’ On” is part of a video released August 23, 2024 and created by Madisen Ward & Bryce Veazey, The video features Will Forte, Mark Normand, Kaylin Hurley, Adam Ward, Brayden Ingram, Kri Chay, Amanda Parra, Baby, Regan Hurley, Keyo Chay, and Madisen Ward as himself. The Video Post-Production was by Major Oak Creative. Music produced, engineered, mixed and mastered by Jeremy Wurst and Gene Abramov at B-24 Studios. Sun logo by Barry Blankenship. Filmed in Independence, MO. / Madisen Ward was born in Oklahoma, and grew up in the outskirts of Kansas City, Missouri. He graduated from William Chrisman High School in 2007. Madisen’s journey to become a musician, was “melodically passed down” through the songs of his mother, where Madisen grew up watching his mom perform at local coffee shops. Eventually he began to learn to play the guitar, and poured his talent for writing into the music to create original songs. Madisen Ward and the Mama Bear have garnered international acclaim, and new fans from all over the world. They opened for BB King at The Midland. They signed with Glassnote Records in 2014 and recorded their debut full length album in Nashville with acclaimed producer Jim Abiss. They performed their debut single “Silent Movies” on The Late Show with David Letterman, they’ve toured across the United States, and Europe, more than once. They were featured on CBS Sunday Morning, NBC’s The Today Show, and “Later With Jools Holland and played Bonnaroo, Pilgramage, and the Newport Folk Festival, and the Ryman Theatre, in Nashville. Madisen Ward is now performing as his first ever solo project, still crafting his own personal brand of Americana music. The same sound which launched the careers of the Family Folk Duo Madisen Ward and the Mama Bear. / We first played your music on this radio show in early May of 2013 after our mutual friend Joel Nanos of Element Recording sent me a copy of your independent EP, “We Burned The Cane Field.”where your first recorded Madisen’s original songs.

[Madisen Ward plays Percheron Rooftop Series, at The Crossroads Hotel, 2101 Central Stree, KCMO, TONIGHT, Wednesday, September 4, 2024, Doors at 7:00 Show at 8:00 PM.]

4. Alejandro Escovedo – “Bury Me”
   from: Echo Dancing / Yep Roc Records / March 29, 2024
   [Alejandro Escovedo was born January 10, 1951, in San Antonio, Texas. He is an American rock musician, songwriter, and singer, who has been recording and touring since the late 1970s. His primary instrument is the guitar. He has played in various rock genres, including punk rock, roots rock and alternative country, and is most closely associated with the music scene in Austin, Texas. He comes from a well-known family of musicians. // The son of Mexican immigrants to Texas, Escovedo is from a family that includes several professional musicians, including his brothers (and percussionists) Coke Escovedo and Pete Escovedo, and Sheila E. (Pete’s daughter and Alejandro’s niece). Alejandro’s brother Mario fronted the hard rock band the Dragons, and another brother, Javier, was in the punk rock band the Zeros. // Escovedo began performing in the first-wave punk rock group the Nuns, with Jennifer Miro and Jeff Olener, in San Francisco, California. After Escovedo’s departure, the Nuns recorded an album for Posh Boy Records but had little commercial success. // In the 1980s Escovedo moved to Austin, Texas, where he adopted a roots rock/alternative country style in the bands Rank and File (with Chip and Tony Kinman) and the True Believers (with his brother Javier, Jon Dee Graham and the bass player Denny DeGorio). His first solo albums, Gravity and Thirteen Years, were released in 1992 and 1994, respectively. // In 1997, Escovedo collaborated with Ryan Adams and the band Whiskeytown in recording sessions for their album Strangers Almanac. He sings on “Excuse Me While I Break My Own Heart Tonight”, “Dancing with the Women at the Bar”, and “Not Home Anymore”. As a salute to Escovedo, a cover of a True Believers song written by him is covered by Whiskeytown on the re-released Strangers Almanac (deluxe edition). // In 1998 No Depression magazine named him Artist of the Decade. Escovedo was also involved in a side project that represents his hard-rocking tastes. Buick MacKane released the album The Pawn Shop Years in 1997, hearkening back to his musical roots in the 1970s. // In 1999, Escovedo contributed to a tribute album to Skip Spence, a co-founder of Moby Grape, who was critically ill with cancer. The album, entitled More Oar: A Tribute to the Skip Spence Album, was intended to raise funds to address Spence’s medical bills. The title refers to Spence’s only solo album, Oar (Columbia, 1969). On More Oar, Escovedo contributes his version of Spence’s “Diana”. The critic Rob Brunner commented, “The best contributions come from artists who realize that Spence’s work is as much about atmosphere as words and chords. …Alejandro Escovedo offers an appropriately bleary ‘Diana’, Spence’s darkest song.” (Birdman Records, 1999), was produced by Bill Bentley, a Warner Bros. Records executive and Austin-referenced music producer. // In 2003, after having lived with hepatitis C for many years, Escovedo collapsed onstage in Arizona as a result of the disease. In his long road to recovery, he faced substantial medical bills, which, lacking medical insurance, he could not pay. Friends and admirers around the country organized benefit shows to help him. This effort grew into the album Por Vida: A Tribute to the Songs of Alejandro Escovedo, a two-disc set whose proceeds benefit the Alejandro Escovedo Medical and Living Expense Fund. Contributing musicians included Steve Earle, Jon Dee Graham, Lucinda Williams, John Cale, Jennifer Warnes, Ian Hunter, the Jayhawks, Bob Neuwirth, Son Volt, and Escovedo’s brothers Pete (with Pete’s daughter, Sheila E.), Javier, and Mario (as a member of the Dragons). // In 2005, it became known that Escovedo’s song “Castanets” was included on the iPod playlist of President George W. Bush. Upon learning this, Escovedo announced that he would not play the song again as long it was on Bush’s iPod or until he was out of office. After two “Castanets”-free years, as Bush was nearing the end of his term, Escovedo lifted the moratorium and began performing the song again. // Boxing Mirror came out on May 2, 2006 and included many of the songs he had promoted with the Alejandro Escovedo String Quintet, including Jon Dee Graham. Escovedo went on a short tour with the Quintet, which included a date at Carnegie Hall’s Zankel Hall in early December 2006. // In April 2008, Escovedo changed managers, hiring managers Jon Landau and Barbara Carr. // Escovedo released Real Animal, produced by Tony Visconti, on June 24, 2008. All of the songs were co-written with Chuck Prophet. // In 2009, Escovedo was invited to contribute to a tribute album to the late Doug Sahm. He contributed his version of “Too Little Too Late” to Keep Your Soul: A Tribute to Doug Sahm (Vanguard Records). // In June 2010, Escovedo released Street Songs of Love, also produced by Visconti but released on a new label, featuring songs that were originally presented during “Sessions on South Congress” at the Continental Club in Austin, Texas with his band, The Sensitive Boys. After starting out writing about nothing in particular, the record “ended up being an album about love, the pursuit of a feeling that is forever elusive, mysterious, and addictive,” said Escovedo. A New York Times “critic’s choice” review of Street Songs of Love claimed that, “In another, less fragmented pop era, this would be the album of thoughtful but radio-ready love songs to finally get Mr. Escovedo the big national audience he deserves.”Pareles, Jon (July 4, 2010). New York Times. Nationally syndicated radio shows such as Little Steven Van Zandt’s Underground Garage gave prominent attention to Escovedo and his album, continuing to play the song “Silver Cloud” in particular well into the following year. // In 2014, Escovedo appeared in the movie and contributed to the soundtrack of the movie Veronica Mars, singing an acoustic version of “We Used to Be Friends”. Also that year, he co-produced and co-hosted the SXSW Tribute to Lou Reed with Richard Barone. In 2016 Escovedo mentored the singer-songwriter Jeremy Nail and produced Nail’s new record, “My Mountain”. // In October 2016, Escovedo released the album Burn Something Beautiful, which had been recorded in April of that year with the Minus Five, in Portland, Oregon. In January 2017, Escovedo did a short tour supporting the album, backed by Minus Five members Scott McCaughey, Kurt Bloch, Peter Buck, John Moen, and sometimes Kelly Hogan, all of whom had performed on the album. All songs on Burn Something Beautiful were written by Escovedo, McCaughey, and Buck. // Alejandro Escovedo released The Crossing on Yep Roc Records on Sept. 14, 2019.]

5. Katy Guillen and The Girls – “Waiting Till the Day”
   from: Remember What You Knew Before / KG & The Girls / November 11, 2017
   [For this album the band worked with producer Lennon Bone. The band reworked songs from the 2012 album Katy & Go-Go, the 2014 Katy & The Girls eponymous debut album, and from 2016’s “Heavy Days” with one new song. Katy Guillen and The Girls, were formed in September of 2012 in Kansas City. The blues influenced roots rock trio is made up of Katy Guillen on guitar & vocals, Claire Adams on bass & vocals, & Stephanie Williams on drums. // On August 19, 2022 Katy Guillen & The Drive released ANOTHER ONE GAINED, Produced by Kevin Ratterman (My Morning Jacket, Heartless Bastards, Ray LaMontagne) at Invisible Creature Studio in Los Angeles. This is brimming with vibrant textures, fuzzy electric guitars, and warm vocals. “Set In Stone” marked the beginning of a major life transition for Katy Guillen (pronounced Ghee-En). Written shortly after her longtime band announced their final show, she was struggling to find the next step in her career and personal life, while longing for a past sense of stability. “The song’s vigorous structure and deliberate rhythms convey that feeling of defeat and darkness, but with a sense of resolution and surrender through the guitar solo – a favorite moment on the record for me,” explains Katy. “While it started on shaky ground, coming out on the other side meant starting over and building something new.” ANOTHER ONE GAINED is a memoir of growth and reawakening by way of heart-wrenching transition and change – loss of her long-time band, end of a romantic relationship and finding herself amidst it all. “Set In Stone” premiered earlier on Guitar Girl Magazine. Katy Guillen & The Drive – Katy Gillen (drums) and Stephanie William (drums) – dropped their first EP, Dream Girl, right before the 2020 lockdown, leaving them without opportunities to perform live. In their basement rehearsal space, they spent the year learning home recording and pre-production techniques, gradually crafting a collection of songs from the ground up. The following April, they took the demos to producer/engineer Kevin Ratterman (My Morning Jacket, Heartless Bastards, Ray LaMontagne) at Invisible Creature Studio in Los Angeles. From their work with Ratterman emerged a batch of 15 songs. At the end of 2021, the band released the four-track Battles EP, offering listeners a darker, more simmering edge to their impelling indie-rock sound. Ten more would comprise Another One Gained, the full-length debut due August 19, 2022. Previously Katy Guillen & The Drive released BATTLES EP on December 17, 2021, Recorded at Invisible Creature Studio in Los Angeles, CA. Engineered and mixed by Kevin Ratterman. Produced by Kevin Ratterman, Katy Guillen, and Stephanie Williams. Mastered by Shelley Anderson at Black Lab Mastering in Louisville, KY. All songs written by Katy Guillen and Stephanie Williams. Katy Guillen on vocals, guitar, bass, & keyboarda. Stephanie Williams on drums & percussion. Additional keys and programming by Kevin Ratterman. Album design and photography by Morgan Jones. This is a follow up to Katy Guillen & The Drive’s 7-song EP, DREAM GIRL, released March 20, 2020. Katy Guillen & The Drive, is a project dedicated to Guillen’s songwriting that is founded on the creative spark and chemistry between Katy Guillen & Stephanie Williams. With Guillen on guitar & vocals and Williams on drums, the two sculpt a sound that recalls bands like Led Zeppelin, The Bangles, and Band of Skulls. In 2012, Guillen & Williams formed Katy Guillen and The Girls, and began to build a foundation of touring and recording that carried them through six years and produced three full-length albums: Katy Guillen & the Girls, Heavy Days, and Remember What You Knew Before. Between 2012 and 2018, they traveled the United States extensively, performed at the International Montreal Jazz Festival, toured Sweden, and supported major acts like The Doobie Brothers, Robin Trower, and Heartless Bastards. In these 6 years playing together, Guillen & Williams created a dynamic, sound informed by Guillen’s mesmerizing, emotive guitar style and poignant arrangements, and an equally captivating live show that showcased Williams’ technical, melodic style, resulting in a powerful on-stage chemistry. In addition to the compelling synergy formed by years of playing together, the two developed a method of working together on Guillen’s songs that only deepened their artistic connection, propelling them to forge a path to a new plateau in their music. KG & The Drive push ahead with a melodic, heavy, and soulful sound while maintaining the edge of the artist’s rock ‘n’ roll and blues roots. Katy Guillen joined us on WMM on March 18, 2020. Katy Guillen & The Drive opened for FANNY for their one-night-only reunion concert from Fanny+ (June Millington, Brie Howard-Darling, Patti Quatro, and Mia Huggins) at recordBar, 1520 Grand Ave, KCMO, on October 5, 2022. http://www.katyguillenmusic.com]

[Katy Guillen and The Girls play a 10 Year Anniversary Reunion Show on Friday, September 6, at 8:00pm at Knuckleheads, 2715 Rochester Street, KCMO.]

6. Melissa Carper – “Borned In Ya”
   from: Behold The Soil! / Mae Music – Thirty Tigers / July 19, 2024
   [Recorded at Bomb Shelter in Nashville, TN. Engineer, Mix, Producer: Andrija Tokic. Producer: Dennis Crouch. // Melissa Carper is an American singer, songwriter and double bassist raised in North Platte, Nebraska, United States. She came from a musical family and started playing bass when she was a child, performing in a family band at churches and rest homes around North Platte. Since then, she has traveled the country playing original songs in the oldtime, western swing and country styles. Her song Making Memories was featured in the closing credits of an episode of Star Trek: Strange New Worlds. // “I DON’T THINK YOU CAN GET THIS SOUND UNLESS IT’S BORNED IN YA.” said bluegrass legend Ralph Stanley, when asked about what he called “old-time mountain music.” When Melissa Carper heard those words, something jumped inside her. While staying in the country with a friend, she found an old DVD of Down From the Mountain, the documentary and concert film of the “O, Brother Where Art Thou” soundtrack that featured this particular Stanley interview. She immediately jotted down “borned in ya” on a piece of paper. “I knew I had to write that song,” she recalls. // In the Spring of 2023, Carper went back to East Nashville’s Bomb Shelter – the same “analog wonderland” where she’d recorded Ramblin’ Soul and its predecessor, Daddy’s Country Gold, and enlisted the help of her trusted co-producers – Dennis Crouch and Andrija Tokic. “Borned In Ya” would become the title track of the new album, out July 19th via Mae Music/Thirty Tigers. // Like much of her writing, the song applies a homespun sensibility – and a bit of humor – to questions about life’s journeys. “I was turning over in my mind what it means to have something ‘borned in ya’,” she said. “The song evolved as I was writing it to be more about having your soul ‘borned it ya,’ and the more life experience you have, you hopefully grow to embody the highest version of yourself that you can be.” “Borned In Ya” could certainly stand as a reflection on Carper’s life in music. “Authentic” might be an over- used word to describe an artist’s appeal, but there’s something so natural and true about Carper’s musicality that she must have been born with it: An easy sway to her singing, a precise, but laid back sense of timing. A feel. And, lyrically, she has an instinctive sense for storytelling, both observant and intuitive. // THERE’S SOMETHING SO NATURAL AND TRUE ABOUT CARPER’S MUSICALITY THAT SHE MUST HAVE BEEN BORN WITH IT // As with the message of “Borned In Ya,” these traits have been sharpened by life experiences – including early music influences and the many turns of her career as a performer. Carper, born into a music-loving family, was raised on roots music, immersing herself in a family record collection that featured Hank Williams Sr., Loretta Lynn, Patsy Cline, Ray Charles, Johnny Cash, Elvis Presley, and more. The public school music curriculum in her home state of Nebraska gave Carper an opportunity to learn upright bass. “I remember wanting to play bass, to play the biggest string instrument, “ she recalls. Carper performed in her school orchestra – and also in her family’s country band. Led by her mother, the group played a mix of classics and the new country of the 80’s, but it was the old stuff that stuck with the young bassist. Along the way, Carper’s father gave her a collection of Jimmie Rodgers recordings, which made a defining impact. “He combined country and blues and jazz,” she recalls. “All of those elements, and the rawness of those recordings…I can’t quite put a finger on it, but I was obsessed.” Carper earned a music scholarship to attend the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. College didn’t quite take, but while there, she spent hours in the music library, drawn to jazz vocalists like Billie Holiday, Ella Fitzgerald and Frank Sinatra, and she discovered seminal blues artist Lead Belly. // You’ll hear all of these influences in the music Carper has made over the years as a member of numerous touring acts and as a solo performer. Classic country and Western Swing sounds come to the fore on Daddy’s Country Gold, Carper’s 2021 album. Country roots and old-time jazz are at the heart of ‘Ramblin’ Soul’ too, but the album also ventures confidently into R & B and Soul territory. Those albums helped Carper establish a growing fan base and earn accolades from music reviewers. One writer lauded her “cool jazz-infused hillbilly serenades that linger in the air like fresh-cut hay.” Rolling Stone Country praised both her writing and musical stylings: “Singer-bassist Melissa Carper sounds like a voice from a bygone era . . . evoking the cool, smoky croon of a lounge singer, Carper gives some winking commentary about having a good time.” // Perhaps the most meaningful praise for Carper’s music has come from the world-class musicians she’s worked with onstage and in the studio. One is multi-instrumentalist Chris Scruggs. He’s a veteran of Nashville’s studio world, has played with influential roots-country-rockers BR-549, and currently tours as a member of Marty Stuart and the Fabulous Superlatives. Scruggs has been proud to contribute to Carper’s albums, including her recent ‘Borned In Ya’ sessions. “She’s as good as it gets,” he said, “She has a quality that really transcends time and fashion.” It was Scruggs who dubbed Carper “Hilbillie Holiday” – an admiring nod to her marriage of country and jazz vocal styles. “ I stand by that,” he said. “She can sing Hank Williams and then handle these old pop tunes, and the great thing is how natural she is – she doesn’t even really change her delivery.” // “SHE’S AS GOOD AS IT GETS. SHE HAS A QUALITY THAT REALLY TRANSCENDS TIME AND FASHION.” – CHRIS SCRUGGS // Borned In Ya showcases Carper’s long-standing influences as well as her artistic growth and sense of adventure. The old-time jazz sounds we came to know on Daddy’s Country Gold are back in full force along with the R&B and Soul of Ramblin’ Soul. In addition to her familiar blend of country with jazz, blues, soul, and R&B, the new album sees Carper exploring a more subtle and expert crossing of these genres and with a matured lyrical depth. The title track kicks things off with a gospel-style vocal chorus before settling into an impeccably funky groove. “Evil Eva” recalls the classic R&B of the 50s and 60s, and “Let’s Stay Single Together” puts Carper’s crooning vocal to a delightful jazz-tinged country soul feel. “There’ll Be Another One” sounds like classic Roy Orbison with Carper floating atop the bed of ever growing emotion, fueled by the stunning string arrangement from fiddler, Rebecca Patek. “Somewhere Between Texas and Tennessee” is straight out of the honky tonk and “Lucky Five” is reminiscent of an old Frank Sinatra swinger. Carper rounds out this album with covers of two classics, “That’s My Desire,” crossover jazz/country tune from the 30s, and a beautiful rendition of Cole Porter’s “Everytime We Say Goodbye. // In addition to Scruggs, Borned In Ya features a cast of top-flight musicians like bassist Dennis Crouch (Johnny Cash, Gregg Allman, Alison Krauss, Robert Plant), pianist Jeff Taylor (The Time Jumpers, Riders in the Sky), fiddle master Billy Contreras (Ricky Scaggs, Buddy Spicher, George Jones), and multi-instrumentalist Rory Hoffman (Ricky Skaggs, Kathy Mattea, John Cowan). This is Carper’s first album featuring horns; Doug Corcoran, from JD McPherson’s band, plays trumpet and saxophone. And there are soulful backup vocals by Kyshona Armstrong, Nickie Conley and Maureen Murphy, as well as beautiful harmonies by Carper’s longtime music pal and bandmate, Jenn Miori Hodges (Carper Family). Carper penned the majority of the album’s 12 songs herself, though she co-wrote three tunes with friend and bandmate, Brennen Leigh (Wonder Women of Country). “Brennen is just brilliant with lyric ideas and we always have a good time writing together, “ Carper said. // Carper is eager for the release of Borned In Ya, and hopes it will resonate with fans of her earlier work while establishing an artistic step forward. “The new material I’ve been writing is evolving and going into new places thematically and stylistically,” says Carper. “It feels very fresh to me. I love how the musicians and producers have helped my vision come to life. Once again, I feel we have created something really special, and I can’t wait for folks to hear it.”]

7. Jessica Pratt – “Life is”
   from: Here In The Pitch / Mexican Summer / May 3, 2024
   [On her fourth album, west coast artist Jessica Pratt expands the scope of her artistry, placing her sharpest songs to date within an ever-broadening pool of influences including spectral ’60s pop, Hollywood psychedelia and bossa nova. Whereas Pratt’s 2019 record, Quiet Signs, floated elegantly in the ether, Here in the Pitch is entrenched in more earthen characteristics, as the title suggests, and her craft is emboldened with a newfound gravitas. // Jessica Pratt (born April 24, 1987) is an American musician and singer-songwriter based in Los Angeles, California. Her self-titled debut album was released in 2012 via Birth Records, a record label founded by White Fence songwriter Tim Presley to release Pratt’s music. She is often associated with the freak folk movement. Her second and third albums are On Your Own Love Again (2015) (Drag City) and Quiet Signs (2019) (Mexican Summer/City Slang). She released her fourth album, Here in the Pitch, in 2024. // Pratt was raised by her mother, who exposed her to a broad range of artists, including Tim Buckley, X, and the Gun Club. She learned to play the guitar around the age of 15, after her older brother gave up playing his Stratocaster. She took his guitar and started practicing with the 1971 T. Rex album Electric Warrior. She was soon able to play the guitar parts of the whole record. She eventually began recording songs at the age of 16, using her mother’s Fender guitar amp and microphone. // “Pratt grew up in Redding, a small Northern California city with a complicated relationship to Christianity and conservative politics,” noted Quinn Moreland in a 2024 New York Times profile on Pratt. “Her family was comparatively freewheeling: Her mother, who raised her, was an astrologer and music obsessive. Pratt began writing songs as soon as she learned a few rudimentary chords, penning impressionistic songs inspired by the Incredible String Band and Leonard Cohen on a thrift store nylon string guitar.” // After she moved to San Francisco, she was introduced to Tim Presley’s solo project, White Fence, through Presley’s brother, who was her roommate for three years.In the following years, Presley heard Pratt’s demo songs through her then-boyfriend, who had posted her songs on Facebook. He eventually contacted her to release her music. // Pratt’s self-titled debut album was released in 2012 through Presley’s label, Birth Records. The album featured the songs that were originally recorded in 2007 over analogue tape. The initial 500 pressings of the album sold out in less than two weeks. It received attention from many music websites and magazines, including Pitchfork, Consequence of Sound and PopMatters. // In January 2014, she revealed the studio version of a new track, “Game That I Play.” // In October 2014, Pratt announced her second album, On Your Own Love Again. Pratt toured extensively around this record, both as a headliner and in support of Beach House, Panda Bear and José Gonzáles. On Your Own Love Again would eventually be ranked at #85 of Pitchfork’s Best Albums of the 2010s. “Back, Baby” appeared in the first episode of season three of the show Atlanta, and was sampled by Troye Sivan on his 2023 album, Something to Give Each Other. // In October 2018, she announced her third album, Quiet Signs, and released a video for a new track entitled “This Time Around”. Pitchfork reviewed the song, giving it the Best New Music designation and noting a stylistic shift, comparing it to “a Tropicalia version of a Christmas song, or a ’60s jukebox standard playing in a beach town diner during the off-season.” The album was released in February 2019 on the independent labels Mexican Summer and City Slang. It was the first one recorded in a proper studio which provided a crystalline sound. Pitchfork states the album “warps the typically direct, observational role of a singer-songwriter into something altogether more mystifying”. // After writing throughout the pandemic, Pratt returned to Gary’s Electric with Quiet Signs co-producer Al Carlson, Matt McDermott and session musicians including Spencer Zahn and Mauro Refosco, this time influenced by Beach Boys’ Pet Sounds and the music of the ’60s group the Walker Brothers. “I’ve always been very interested in that micro era of ’60s pop music where the production is atmospheric like a snow globe,” she told the New York Times on her intentions throughout the writing and recording process, which spanned from 2020 to 2023. // In February 2024, she released a video for a new track titled “Life Is” which served as the lead single for her first new album in five years. Here in the Pitch, was released on May 3, 2024, via Mexican Summer and City Slang, to universal acclaim. “Her chords are crisper, her singing more concrete and commanding, occasionally imagining echoes of lost Bowie or Beatles ballads aside her twilight bossa nova grooves,” wrote Jen Pelly for NPR. Pitchfork awarded the album a Best New Music designation and an 8.8 score, stating Pratt’s “fourth album of hypnagogic folk music hones her mysterious song to its finest point.” The lead single from the record, “Life Is,” concluded Chanel’s Fall-Winter 2024/25 Haute Couture Show. She performed the song with her band on The Late Show in July 2024. // On August 2, 2024, she featured on the single “Highjack” from ASAP Rocky’s upcoming fourth studio album Don’t Be Dumb. // According to Philip Cosores of Consequence of Sound, Pratt’s music “displays a lyrical and musical range without straying from a palette of picked acoustic guitar and raw, bending vocals” and nods to “60s folk, California classic rock, and the early 2000s freak folk.” She is compared to various folk artists, including Joni Mitchell, Joan Baez, Sibylle Baier, David Crosby and Karen Dalton. She also expressed admiration for Ariel Pink. // Pratt dislikes the Joan Baez comparisons, and is hesitant about being classified strictly as “folk” or “freak-folk.” In an interview with Impose magazine, she stated on the freak folk comparisons: I think anybody has an opposition to being pigeonholed into semi-trendy music genres. I definitely love a lot of those artists. There have been comparisons to people like Joan Baez [who] plays very straight-forward folk music, almost academic folk music. I’ve written so much new material that I’m almost ready for a next record. I guess it’s just my fear of sounding one-dimensional, or being classified as strictly a folk artist.

Jessica Pratt – Discography
Jessica Pratt (2012)
On Your Own Love Again (2015)
Quiet Signs (2019)
Here in the Pitch (2024)

8. Orville Peck – “Death Valley High (feat. Beck)”
   from: Stampede / Orville Peck / August 2, 2024
   [Going into this, I wanted to make sure that every single song on the album felt like a true 50/50 collaboration of me and the other artists’ style and sound and genre. I didn’t want to just feel like a bunch of Orville Peck songs that feature verses from other artists. I wanted each one to be an actual collaboration. Every single song on the album is entirely its own thing, dependent on who the artist is. It’s a really fun journey. It’s definitely the most adventurous I’ve ever been in terms of genre. It’s some of the most country songs I’ve ever done on this album and some of the least country songs I’ve ever done on this album. —Peck on recording Stampede: Vol. 1 // Stampede is the third studio album by South African singer-songwriter Orville Peck. It was released on August 2, 2024, through Warner. The album follows 2022’s Bronco and a self-imposed hiatus in 2023, and was accompanied by a promotional tour as well as the lead single, a cover of “Cowboys Are Frequently, Secretly Fond of Each Other”, recorded as a duet with Willie Nelson. The album title continues the theme of Peck’s releases having names related to horses,[6] and was preceded by an EP with several songs that span multiple music genres. // Stampede contains 15 tracks, all of which are recorded as vocal duets between Peck and other artists of various genres. Peck recorded a duet version of “Cowboys Are Frequently, Secretly Fond of Each Other” with Willie Nelson, who first covered the song solo in 2006. Peck also covered “Rhinestone Cowboy” and “Saturday Night’s Alright (For Fighting)” for the album, with the latter being a duet with its original artist, Elton John. “Midnight Ride”, a collaboration with Kylie Minogue and Diplo, was released as the album’s second single in June 2024.[// Daniel Pitout, known professionally as Orville Peck, is a South African country musician based in the United States and Canada. He is well-known for wearing a mask and not showing his face publicly. // He released his debut album Pony in 2019, followed by the EP Show Pony the next year. His second studio album Bronco was released in 2022. Following a self-imposed hiatus in 2023, Peck released his third studio album Stampede in 2024. // Peck was born in Johannesburg, South Africa, and lived there until he was 15. As a child, he taught himself music by playing an acoustic guitar and an old Casio keyboard. He is the son of a sound engineer, and he did voice-over work for cartoons and other media as a child. Growing up, he took ballet classes for 12 years, and performed in musical theatre productions. By the time he was in his early 20s, he had been on national tours of musicals. // Peck moved to London for a foundation degree in acting from the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art in 2014. He then played Jonathan Harris/Peter Pan in the Mischief Theatre production of Peter Pan Goes Wrong at the Apollo Theatre in 2016. // Peck self-produced his debut album, Pony, and released it in 2019 through a collaboration with Sub Pop. He has noted that he “wrote, produced and played every instrument he could” on the album while working in a coffee shop and living with his parents. In June of that year, he performed his songs “Dead of Night” and “Take You Back” live on CBC Radio One’s Q. Pony was named to the initial longlist for the 2019 Polaris Music Prize in June 2019. The album also received a Juno Award nomination for Alternative Album of the Year at the Juno Awards of 2020. // Peck performed “Dead of Night” on Jimmy Kimmel Live on January 29, 2020. He also announced a tour of selected cities in the United States, including performances at the Coachella and Stagecoach festivals. // In May 2020, Peck announced the follow-up to his debut album, an EP titled Show Pony, with a release date of June 12, 2020. In June 2020, Peck announced the delayed release of Show Pony until August 14, 2020, in recognition of the Black Lives Matter movement and the George Floyd protests. // Peck recorded a cover of “Smalltown Boy” for the 2020 Pride edition of the Spotify Singles series. The song was released exclusively on Spotify on June 29, 2020, and everywhere else on July 31, 2020. // In April 2021, Peck was featured on American drag queen and singer Trixie Mattel’s EP, Full Coverage, Vol. 1. He appeared on a duet cover of Johnny Cash and June Carter Cash’s “Jackson”. Although not credited in the liner notes for the EP, Trixie Mattel has confirmed that the whistle part in “Video Games” is Peck’s whistle. In June, he was revealed to be the sixth artist on Lady Gaga’s Born This Way The Tenth Anniversary, with Peck reimagining the song “Born This Way” in a country style. // On March 16, 2023, Peck made an appearance as a guest on the judge’s panel on MTV’s RuPaul’s Drag Race, alongside RuPaul Charles, Michelle Visage, and Ross Mathews. In 2023, Peck was a coach and judge on My Kind of Country. // On April 5, 2024, Peck released a cover of Ned Sublette’s “Cowboys Are Frequently, Secretly Fond of Each Other” with country musician Willie Nelson as the lead single from Stampede: Vol. 1, Peck’s upcoming duets album. The single marked his first release on Warner Records. Peck also announced a headlining North American tour, The Stampede Tour, set to begin on May 28, 2024, in Asheville, North Carolina. In May 2024, Peck released the duet “How Far Will We Take It?” with Noah Cyrus. On 7 June 2024, Peck released the single “Midnight Ride” alongside Kylie Minogue and Diplo. // It has been confirmed that Orville Peck is a persona of Daniel Pitout, drummer of the Canadian punk band Nü Sensae. It was previously speculated that Pitout was Peck based on the similarity of their tattoos, and Peck’s mentioning that he was in a punk band. Pitout was born in Johannesburg, South Africa, as was Peck. Pitout is also listed by ASCAP as the songwriter for Peck’s song “Old River” and other songs that match the titles of the songs released by Peck, such as “Roses Are Falling”. // Peck strongly identifies with 1970s era country music and lists classic stars Merle Haggard, Waylon Jennings, George Jones, Tammy Wynette, Johnny Cash, Willie Nelson, Gram Parsons, Emmylou Harris, Bobbie Gentry, Reba McEntire and Dolly Parton as influences. Outside of country music, Peck has mentioned Roy Orbison, Oasis, Whitney Houston and Lana Del Rey and film directors David Lynch and John Waters as influences. /// Peck is gay. Regarding his reasons for wearing a mask to perform, he has stated: “The only reason I don’t talk about it in depth is not because I want to dodge any questions, but because I want people to have their own take on it. I don’t want to lay it out and pin it down. I just don’t think that’s important.” // In 2022, Peck’s home was featured and toured by Architectural Digest. The video was released on November 6, 2023, with the article released on November 7, 2023. As of July 2024, Peck resides in Los Angeles.]

10:29 – Underwriting

9. 90 Minute Cassette – “Hold Back The Water”
   from: “Hold Back The Water” – Single / Scatterplot Sounds / August 2, 2024
   [Crafting jams that you can dub on a mixtape right alongside your favorite classic synth pop hits, 90 Minute Cassette is a fresh and nostalgic surprise. The duo from Kansas City, Missouri, made up of Chuck Whittington (namelessnumberheadman, Madisen Ward, Summer Breeze) on guitar/vocals and Hillary Watts (The Hillary Watts Riot) on synths/vocals, creates a vibe that fuses analog sunsets and digital sunrises. // 90 Minute Cassette weaves together dancy rhythms, shimmering synths, and infectious melodies to create a sound that transports listeners to a neon-lit retro-future. Drawing from influences like Tears for Fears, INXS, and Duran Duran, their music evokes the spirit of underground clubs and vibrant city streets of the past. From club shows to packed dance floors, their music resonates with fans of all ages, on a journey through time and sound. // 90 Minute Cassette is booking live shows to promote their two new singles, bringing their energetic and retro-futuristic music to audiences in the region. // Genre: synth pop/new wave/dream pop // RIYL: Beach House, Duran Duran, Nation of Language, Human League. // “Tunes sure to delight anyone who still cherishes their Pretty in Pink soundtrack.” -Too Much Rock // “Hold Back the Water is a perfect
   synth-pop jam.” – Nick Spacek, The Pitch]

[90 Minute Cassette play miniBar, 3810 Broadway, KCMO on Friday, Sept. 6, at 7:00 pm with Palm Ghosts, and House of Transgressor.]

10:34 – Interview with Hillary Watts & Chuck Whittington

Hillary Watts & Chuck Whittington join us to talk about their new band, 90 Minute Cassette. Crafting jams that you can dub on a mixtape right alongside your favorite classic synth pop hits, 90 Minute Cassette is a fresh and nostalgic surprise. The duo from KCMO, is made up of Chuck Whittington (namelessnumberheadman, Madisen Ward, Summer Breeze) on guitar/vocals and Hillary Watts (The Hillary Watts Riot) on synths/vocals, creates a vibe that fuses analog sunsets and digital sunrises. 90 Minute Cassette play miniBar, 3810 Broadway, KCMO on Friday, Sept. 6, at 7:00 pm with Palm Ghosts, and House of Transgressor.

Hillary Watts & Chuck Whittington thanks for being with us on WMM

Chuck Whittington of the bands: namelessnumberheadman, Madisen Ward, Summer Breeze on guitar and vocals

Hillary Watts of the band The Hillary Watts Riot) on synths/vocals,

Chuck Whittington & Andrew Sallee joined us live on WMM on September 15, 2021 to share new music from namelessnumberheadman – and their sing;e “Mt Analogue St” released August 13, 2021, the first single, from their album, PLOT THE POINTS. Info Mt Analogue St – Rene Daumal wrote a moving, amusing, and confusing book, Mount Analogue, in which there is an expedition to find a mountain that is so tall that the top can’t be seen. Why might someone want to take the journey up the mountain? Step after step plodding up the mountain, trusting that even though no one has seen the peak, that it’s actually there. Namelessnumberheadman is: Chuck Whittington, Jason Lewis, and Andrew Sallee. In 2019 Namelessnumberheadman released three instrumental records (The Ground, Current, and Meditations) which we were very proud of. But during the shutdown in 2020 we decided to dive back into our classic way of working: melding catchy rock/folk songs with sonic panoramas. “Namelessnumberheadman is a band that holds polar opposites together: Acoustic guitar with synthesizer. Human voices with sound glitches. The organic with the synthetic. The ground with the stars.” The guitar and vocal work is always perfection. The music crosses through genre like an an olympic ice skater, I’m hearing the production quality of an Air album, from a band presenting themselves not unlike late 1980s DEVO, with folk, country, progressive guitar, and harmonic, clear vocals that remind me of my humanity, while tumble traveling through space and time in a cluttered world this music takes me into a different space. Originally from small-town Oklahoma, but now Kansas City-based with one member in Boston, the band crafts recordings and live performances that are part lab-experiment and part indie rock band.

90 Minute Cassette draw from influences like Tears for Fears, INXS, and Duran Duran to make mixtape-ready, synth-laden, melodically rich music that could fit seamlessly between Splitz Enz’s “I Got You” and New Order’s “Bizarre Love Triangle.”

Chuck Whittington told Nick Spacek for The Pitch in an article from August 2, 2024: “I’m in Summer Breeze (yacht rock tribute), namelessnumberheadman (experimental electro/rock/folk) and I play with Madisen Ward (folk songwriter phenom), too. I absolutely love playing in all of these, and so grateful to be a part of them. But I was also finding that I really missed writing and playing my own music out live. Hillary and I had been dating for a few months and having both played music for many years (she’s in Love Snack, a B-52s tribute and obviously, The Hillary Watts Riot), we couldn’t help talking about making a band together.

Chuck Whittington told Nick Spacek for The Pitch in an article from August 2, 2024: “One of our dreams is to make an actual 90 Minute Cassette, even if that’s a 45 min album on both sides. We have three more songs that we’re actively recording now. We intend to release those as singles too. That’s working for us now, but someday we’ll get that 90 Minute Cassette filled up.”

It​’​s Something Else by 90 Minute Cassette
lyrics

Bright City lights. Cruel shadows
I believe you that nothing ever stops
I can’t relax. But looking back,
When that skyline Goes on and on and on

It’s something else. A view so brilliant
The peering eyes. The bleary lights.
It’s something else.
A cloudy promise
it’s all I see
It’s really something.

You told me once, you could love me.
I had decided I never would agree
This neighborhood will forget me
What you keep chasing
It goes on and on and on and on

It’s something else. A view so brilliant
The peering eyes. The bleary lights.
It’s something else.
A cloudy promise
it’s all I see
It’s really something.

Are you okay? You’re a mystery.
The red lights are all that I can see
A broken phrase. On the last day
And the road home goes on and on and on

It’s something else. A view so brilliant
The peering eyes. The bleary lights.
It’s something else.
A cloudy promise
it’s all I see
It’s really something.

released May 24, 2024

Hillary Watts & Chuck Whittington thanks for being with us on WMM

90 Minute Cassette play miniBar, 3810 Broadway, KCMO on Friday, Sept. 6, at 7:00 pm with Palm Ghosts, and House of Transgressor.

10:49

10. 90 Minute Cassette – “It’s Something Else”
    from: “It’s Something Else” – Single / Scatterplot Sounds / May 24, 2024
    [Crafting jams that you can dub on a mixtape right alongside your favorite classic synth pop hits, 90 Minute Cassette is a fresh and nostalgic surprise. The duo from Kansas City, Missouri, made up of Chuck Whittington
    (namelessnumberheadman, Madisen Ward, Summer Breeze) on guitar/vocals and Hillary Watts (The Hillary Watts Riot) on synths/vocals, creates a vibe that fuses analog sunsets and digital sunrises. // 90 Minute Cassette weaves together dancy rhythms, shimmering synths, and infectious melodies to create a sound that transports listeners to a neon-lit retro-future. Drawing from influences like Tears for Fears, INXS, and Duran Duran, their music evokes the spirit of underground clubs and vibrant city streets of the past. From club shows to packed dance floors, their music resonates with fans of all ages, on a journey through time and sound.
    // 90 Minute Cassette is booking live shows to promote their two new singles, bringing their energetic and retro-futuristic music to audiences in the region. // Genre: synth pop/new wave/dream pop // RIYL: Beach House, Duran Duran, Nation of Language, Human League. // “Tunes sure to delight anyone who still
    cherishes their Pretty in Pink soundtrack.” -Too Much Rock // “Hold Back the Water is a perfect
    synth-pop jam.” -Nick Spacek, The Pitch]

[90 Minute Cassette play miniBar, 3810 Broadway, KCMO on Friday, Sept. 6, at 7:00 pm with Palm Ghosts, and House of Transgressor.]

11. Religion of Heartbreak – “Dark Hour of Meditation”
    from: “Religion of Heartbreak” – Single / Religion of Heartbreak / August 9, 2024
    [Dedric Moore on vocals, synths, bass, guitar, programming; Mikal Shapiro on vocals; Krysztof Nemeth on baritone guitar; Delaney Moore on synth riff; Regan Moore on electronic percussion loop. // Religion of Heartbreak, features members of Monta at Odds, and delves into the sounds of Darkwave, EBM, and darker Synth Pop. Trading in their black jeans for a darker shade of black. The songs are clever and filled with lost love as we follow our dark hearts. // “Dark Hour of Meditation creeps along with a deliberate trance-like rhythm as Dedric Moore and Mikal Shapiro’s voices drift softly above a sea of echoed guitars and spacious synths. Krystztof’s baritone guitar adds a deep undercurrent, while Dedric’s mechanized beats and brooding bass provide a steady, relentless pulse. The result is a sound both sprawling and intimate, a dark dance between the vast unknown and the familiar shadows we carry within. It’s the kind of track that lingers like a whispered confession in the dead of night, heavy with the weight of what was – and what could have been.” via Post-Punk.com]

[Religion of Heartbreak play minibar, at 3810 Broadway Blvd KCMO, on October 23, 2024, with Belgium-based Ultra Sunn and Juliette Frost.]

11:00 – Station ID

12. Duff Thompson – “Stranger”
    from: Shadow People II / Scott Easterday / June 28, 2024
    [Duff Thompson on vocals, rhythm & lead guitars, bass, drums, percussion, piano, pump organ, synthesizers, and glockenspiel; Steph Green on pump organ, additional percussion, backing vocals; Kyle Taylor on drums, additional percussion, piano, backing vocals. // Written, Produced, Engineered, Mixed, and Mastered by Duff Thompson . Assistant Engineering by Steph Green and Kyle Taylor. Additional Production by Steph Green. Recorded at Sud-Ouest Recording Service in Montreal, Quebec. Album Photos and Design by Minnie Heart and Bill Howard. // “Shadow People II” is the louder, heavier, second half of a duology of albums by Duff Thompson (the first being, “Shadow People” — released October 27, 2023). Created over two weeks of intensive recording in Montreal, the “Shadow People” series comprise 19 total tracks split across two albums. Showcasing the warmth and timelessness of acoustic instruments like piano and pump organ with the grimier side of mid-fi garage rock production — loud drums, distorted guitars, blown-out vocals, and plenty of reverb — the recordings were engineered and produced by Thompson himself, joined by long-time collaborator Steph Green, and Kyle Taylor, as his backing band and assistant engineers. “Shadow People II” sees Thompson’s emotionally complex and affecting songwriting explore themes of alienation, isolation, and stagnation. Interestingly and despite this, these are not depressing songs. A theme that also emerges recurrently is the way in which love can be a life raft in what could otherwise be a hopeless sea of meaninglessness. As much as one might feel like an outsider, you can be at peace if you’ve got the right person right there being outside of it all with you. // Duff Thompson is a songwriter, musician, and producer whose music is a swampy blend of folk, pop, and garage rock. As a songwriter, he has a rare ability to distill emotional complexity into simple, sincere songs that instantly hit the listener on a visceral level. As a producer, he draws from influences that span across decades and genres, merging them into a cohesive and organic sound recognizable as his own. // Thompson’s latest work is a dark, alienated, and swaggering duology of albums titled Shadow People and Shadow People II. Created over two weeks of intensive recording during a Montreal heatwave in 2021, the Shadow People series comprise 19 total tracks split across two albums. Thompson rented out the studio space at Sud-Ouest Recording Service and produced and engineered the recordings himself, bringing along with him a 16-track reel-to-reel and songwriter/musicians Steph Green (drums, lap steel, pump organ, vocals) and Kyle Taylor (drums, piano, vocals) as his backing band and assistant engineers. Shadow People also features contributions from Mat Davidson (Twain) on strings, pedal steel, and bass clarinet. Whereas Thompson’s 2020 debut album, Haywire showcased his versatility and folk influences, Shadow People and Shadow People II are a more cohesive collection of songs that push his music further into the world of garage and indie rock. Shadow People was released October 27, 2023, to be followed by Shadow People II on June 28, 2024, out on Mashed Potato Records. // Thompson started out playing music at a young age, forming and playing in bands until 2016, when he shifted focus to being a solo artist. In addition to his own project, he has spent many years recording, and performing as a backing musician for numerous other artists, as well as co-running the DIY label Mashed Potato Records. Along with the October 2023 release of Shadow People, the past year saw Thompson performing across the US, Canada, and in Europe, ending with a six-week co-headlining tour alongside Steph Green, with sold-out dates in numerous major cities in North America.

[Duff Thompson plays Grand Avenue Temple 205 East 9th Street, KCMO on Friday, September 6 with Steph Green and Warren Burns.]

11:03 – Interview with Duff Thompson & Josh Mobley

Duff Thompson, is a songwriter, musician, and producer whose music is a swampy blend of folk, pop, and garage rock. Thompson’s latest work is a dark, alienated, and swaggering duology of albums titled Shadow People and Shadow People II. Created over two weeks of intensive recording during a Montreal heatwave in 2021, the Shadow People series comprise 19 total tracks split across two albums. Thompson rented out the studio space at Sud-Ouest Recording Service and produced and engineered the recordings himself, bringing along with him a 16-track reel-to-reel and songwriter/musicians Steph Green (drums, lap steel, pump organ, vocals) and Kyle Taylor (drums, piano, vocals) as his backing band and assistant engineers. Duff Thompson plays Grand Avenue Temple 205 East 9th Street, KCMO on Friday, September 6 with Steph Green and Warren Burns.

Duff Thompson thanks for being with us on WMM

Also joining us at 11:00 is Josh Mobley who was born and raised in Kansas City. Josh formed his first band, the Gosh Monsters, at Shawnee Mission East. Attending the Coctails record release party at Anne Winter’s Recycled Sounds led him to their show the next night at the Human Observation Lab, a venue where he first saw Mongol Beach Party, Sin City Disciples, Blue Museum, the Catherines, and Roach Factory. Wandering around deserted downtown outside the Lab was where Josh first encountered The Ship. Josh left KC in 1992 to attend Boston University where I formed a band with friends called the Umpteens. Returning to KC in 1997, Josh got a job working at YJ’s Snack Bar for artist David Ford. Josh played in the band After Party, and help form the Dirty Force Brass Band to play for Mardi Gras celebrations. This band morphed into Hearts of Darkness. Around 2002 Josh came across the architectural remains of the Ship which had been torn down in 1997. In 2004 Josh and friends began to put the Ship back together as a clubhouse for friends. The first party there in 2008, was the debut of Hearts of Darkness. The Ship opened to the public in 2014. Josh is currently working to convert the Grand Avenue Temple into a music venue.

Josh Mobley, thanks for being with us WMM

Duff Thompson is a songwriter, musician, and producer whose music is a swampy blend of folk, pop, and garage rock. As a songwriter, he has a rare ability to distill emotional complexity into simple, sincere songs that instantly hit the listener on a visceral level. As a producer, he draws from influences that span across decades and genres, merging them into a cohesive and organic sound recognizable as his own.

Thompson’s latest work is a dark, alienated, and swaggering duology of albums titled Shadow People and Shadow People II. Created over two weeks of intensive recording during a Montreal heatwave in 2021, the Shadow People series comprise 19 total tracks split across two albums. Thompson rented out the studio space at Sud-Ouest Recording Service and produced and engineered the recordings himself, bringing along with him a 16-track reel-to-reel and songwriter/musicians Steph Green (drums, lap steel, pump organ, vocals) and Kyle Taylor (drums, piano, vocals) as his backing band and assistant engineers. Shadow People also features contributions from Mat Davidson (Twain) on strings, pedal steel, and bass clarinet. Whereas Thompson’s 2020 debut album, Haywire showcased his versatility and folk influences, Shadow People and Shadow People II are a more cohesive collection of songs that push his music further into the world of garage and indie rock. Shadow People was released October 27, 2023, to be followed by Shadow People II on June 28, 2024, out on Mashed Potato Records.

Thompson started out playing music at a young age, forming and playing in bands until 2016, when he shifted focus to being a solo artist. In addition to his own project, he has spent many years recording, and performing as a backing musician for numerous other artists, as well as co-running the DIY label Mashed Potato Records. Along with the October 2023 release of Shadow People, the past year saw Thompson performing across the US, Canada, and in Europe, ending with a six-week co-headlining tour alongside Steph Green, with sold-out dates in numerous major cities in North America.

“Shadow People II” (released: June 28, 2024) is the louder, heavier, second half of a duology of albums by Duff Thompson (the first being, “Shadow People” — released October 27, 2023). Created over two weeks of intensive recording in Montreal, the “Shadow People” series comprise 19 total tracks split across two albums. Showcasing the warmth and timelessness of acoustic instruments like piano and pump organ with the grimier side of mid-fi garage rock production — loud drums, distorted guitars, blown-out vocals, and plenty of reverb — the recordings were engineered and produced by Thompson himself, joined by long-time collaborator Steph Green, and Kyle Taylor, as his backing band and assistant engineers. “Shadow People II” sees Thompson’s emotionally complex and affecting songwriting explore themes of alienation, isolation, and stagnation. Interestingly and despite this, these are not depressing songs. A theme that also emerges recurrently is the way in which love can be a life raft in what could otherwise be a hopeless sea of meaninglessness. As much as one might feel like an outsider, you can be at peace if you’ve got the right person right there being outside of it all with you.

TRACK LIST

1. It’s Good
2. Stranger
3. Swoop My Way
4. Girls
5. Fog II
6. Echo
7. You Don’t Know
8. More Than You’ll Ever Know
9. On Your Own
   CREDITS: Duff Thompson – Vocals, Rhythm and Lead Guitars, Bass, Drums, Percussion, Piano, Pump Organ, Synth, Glockenspiel
   Steph Green – Pump Organ, Additional percussion, Backing Vocals
   Kyle Taylor – Drums, Additional percussion, Piano, Backing Vocals

“Lore of the Shadow People II Tour 2024”

A tour sequel in which I’ll be playing shows across the US and Canada with Steph Green, supporting her new album “Lore” and my new duology of albums, “Shadow People” and “Shadow People II”. Happy to say select west coast dates we’ll be joined by Will Sprott.

06/28 – WAKEFIELD, QC – Kaffé 1870
06/29 – BURLINGTON, VT – Light Club Lamp Shop
06/30 – MONTREAL, QC – l’Esco
07/05 – DETROIT, MI – Outer Limits Lounge w/ Libby DeCamp
07/06 – COLUMBUS, OH – Ace of Cups w/Little Miami
07/08 – DURHAM, NC – The Pinhook
07/09 – RICHMOND, VA – The Camel
07/10 – WASHINGTON, DC – Pie Shop DC
07/11 – BROOKLYN, NY – Baby’s All Right
07/12 – SOMERVILLE, MA – The Rockwell
07/16 – CHICAGO, IL – Lincoln Hall + Schubas
07/19 – MINNEAPOLIS, MN – Cloudland Theater w/ Lake Davi
07/24 – CALGARY, AB – The Palomino Smokehouse and Social Club w/ Brett Cassidy & the Courderoy Boys
07/26 – NELSON, BC – The Royal – Nelson
08/08 – OLYMPIA, WA – The Crypt
08/09 – SEATTLE, WA – Tractor Tavern w/ Kinsey Lee
08/10 – VANCOUVER, BC – The Pearl on Granville w/ Dawson Gool
08/15 – BELLINGHAM, WA – The Shakedown w/ Mr Sam & the People People
08/16 – PORTLAND, OR – Polaris Hall *
08/17 – EUGENE, OR – Hybrid Gallery *
08/21- SACRAMENTO, CA – Folsom Hotel *
08/22 – SAN FRANCISCO, CA – Bottom of the Hill *
08/23 – SANTA CRUZ, CA – The Blue Lagoon *
08/24 – LOS ANGELES, CA – Zebulon La
08/30 – SALT LAKE CITY, UT – Quarter Arcade Bar w/ Marshall Van Leuven
09/01 – DENVER, CO – Lost Lake
09/14 – TORONTO, ON – Monarch Tavern

Josh Mobley was born and raised in Kansas City. He formed his first band, the Gosh Monsters, with some classmates at Shawnee Mission East. Josh attended the Coctails record release party at Anne Winter’s Recycled Sounds and that led him to their show the next night at the Human Observation Lab. This was first of many nights Josh spent there seeing great local bands ( Mongol Beach Party, Sin City Disciples, Blue Museum, the Catherines, Roach Factory, Mudhead, and many more). Wandering around deserted downtown outside the Lab was where Josh first encountered the Ship.

In 1992 Josh left KC to attend Boston University where he formed a band with some friends called the Umpteens. Returning to KC in 1997, Josh eventually got a job working at YJ’s Snack Bar for artist David Ford. It was there that Josh met many of the great local musicians and artists that were part of that downtown scene. During this time Josh was playing mainly with a band called The Afterparty. It was an honor to play the last live show at Recycled Sounds. Josh help form the Dirty Force Brass Band around this time to play for Mardi Gras celebrations which were centered around YJ’s. This band eventually morphed into the Hearts of Darkness.

Around 2002 while touring a friend’s new loft in the West Bottoms, Josh came across the architectural remains of the Ship which had been torn down in 1997. In 2004 with friends Josh began to put the Ship back together as a clubhouse. They had their first party there in 2008, which was the debut of HOD. After 6 years of smokey parties, The Ship finally opened it up to the public in 2014. Two years later, Ernie Locke convinced us to open a kitchen with a diner in the back of the Ship. Somehow, it turned into a job. I am currently working to convert the Grand Avenue Temple into a music venue.

The Grand Avenue Temple 205 East 9th Street KCMO.

11:13

13. Steph Green – “Teardrop Skies”
    from: Lore / Mashed Potato Records / October 20, 2023
    [Steph Green on Vocals, Guitars, Lap Steel, Organ, Piano, Glockenspiel, Additional Percussion; Duff Thompson on Drums, Bass, Electric Guitar on “Teardrop Skies”, Acoustic Guitar on “Mine”, Backing Vocals on “Take a Walk” . Written, Produced, Arranged, Engineered, Mixed + Photos by Steph Green. Layout by Steph Green and Minnie Heart. Additional Engineering by Duff Thompson. Mastering by Timothy Stollenwerk at Stereophonic Mastering. Lyrics to the first verse of “Last Seance” by Paul Dresser. Special thanks: Bill Howard and Duff Thompson. // Steph Green’s sophomore album, “Lore”, is a series of vignettes that immerse the listener in dreams and nightmares of the West. It’s a world of towering storm clouds, flooding rivers, and diamond skies. The natural and supernatural collide, wailing spirits wander lost highways, and shapeshifting starling murmurations soar overhead of restless loners. // Green produced and recorded “Lore” at home on a borrowed Tascam MS-16, making use of tape distortion, reverb, and warbling tremolo to color her vivid and visceral storytelling. The collection of tales are enveloped by a distinctive, otherworldly sound, with weeping steel guitar, washy organ, and ghostly vocal layering reverberating from a distant dimension. Embarking on an almost entirely solo recording process that allowed room for experimentation, Green also enlisted long-time collaborator Duff Thompson as the rhythm section on bass and drums. Out now on Mashed Potato Records, “Lore” is a rugged, eerie, and wild homage to both a real and imagined place. // Steph Green’s music is for those who fancy the art of songwriting, depicting a lonely world illuminated by strangeness and beauty. Her sophomore album, Lore, is a series of vignettes that immerse the listener in dreams and nightmares of the West. It’s a world where the natural and supernatural collide, wailing spirits wander lost highways, and shapeshifting starling murmurations soar overhead of restless loners. Green produced and recorded Lore at home on a borrowed Tascam MS-16, and the collection of tales are enveloped by a distinctive, otherworldly sound, with weeping steel guitar, washy organ, and ghostly vocal layering reverberating from a distant dimension. Out now on Mashed Potato Records, Lore is a rugged, eerie, and wild homage to both a real and imagined place. // Green started out as a traveling street musician before the chance acquisition of a cassette 4-track led her to start writing and recording her own songs. Her sound is a distinctive blend of indie pop, folk, and garage rock, and her lyrics reveal an affecting and arresting storyteller. A spirit of independence and experimentation characterize Green’s approach to music, with all of her releases variously featuring her in the roles of producer, engineer, and multi-instrumentalist. Along with the October 2023 release of Lore, the past year saw her captivating live audiences in the US, Canada, and Europe, ending with a six-week co-headlining tour alongside Duff Thompson, with sold-out dates in numerous major cities across North America. In addition to her own project, Green co-runs the DIY label Mashed Potato Records, and has performed as a backing musician for numerous other songwriters over years, appearing most recently on recordings for Duff Thompson and Dean Johnson.]

[Steph Green plays Grand Avenue Temple 205 East 9th Street, KCMO on Friday, September 6 with Duff Thompson and Warren Burns.]

11:16 – More Interview with Duff Thompson & Josh Mobley

Duff Thompson, is a songwriter, musician, and producer whose music is a swampy blend of folk, pop, and garage rock. Thompson’s latest work is a dark, alienated, and swaggering duology of albums titled Shadow People and Shadow People II. Created over two weeks of intensive recording during a Montreal heatwave in 2021, the Shadow People series comprise 19 total tracks split across two albums. Thompson rented out the studio space at Sud-Ouest Recording Service and produced and engineered the recordings himself, bringing along with him a 16-track reel-to-reel and songwriter/musicians Steph Green (drums, lap steel, pump organ, vocals) and Kyle Taylor (drums, piano, vocals) as his backing band and assistant engineers. Duff Thompson plays Grand Avenue Temple 205 East 9th Street, KCMO on Friday, September 6 with Steph Green and Warren Burns.

Duff Thompson thanks for being with us on WMM

Also joining us at 11:00 is Josh Mobley who was born and raised in Kansas City. Josh formed his first band, the Gosh Monsters, at Shawnee Mission East. Attending the Coctails record release party at Anne Winter’s Recycled Sounds led him to their show the next night at the Human Observation Lab, a venue where he first saw Mongol Beach Party, Sin City Disciples, Blue Museum, the Catherines, and Roach Factory. Wandering around deserted downtown outside the Lab was where Josh first encountered The Ship. Josh left KC in 1992 to attend Boston University where I formed a band with friends called the Umpteens. Returning to KC in 1997, Josh got a job working at YJ’s Snack Bar for artist David Ford. Josh played in the band After Party, and help form the Dirty Force Brass Band to play for Mardi Gras celebrations. This band morphed into Hearts of Darkness. Around 2002 Josh came across the architectural remains of the Ship which had been torn down in 1997. In 2004 Josh and friends began to put the Ship back together as a clubhouse for friends. The first party there in 2008, was the debut of Hearts of Darkness. The Ship opened to the public in 2014. Josh is currently working to convert the Grand Avenue Temple into a music venue.

Josh Mobley, thanks for being with us WMM

Duff Thompson plays Grand Avenue Temple 205 East 9th Street, KCMO on Friday, September 6 with Steph Green and Warren Burns.

The Pitch voted The Ship “The Best Place To Shake Your Booty.”

The Ship is open Tuesday–Saturday from 11:00 a.m., and closed Sunday & Monday. Lunch, dinner, cocktails, & refreshments are always available. Live music is back aboard on 2 stages almost every night. The Ship is available for private events up to 450 people.

Duff Thompson and Josh Mobley, Thanks for being with us on WMM

Duff Thompson plays Grand Avenue Temple 205 East 9th Street, KCMO on Friday, September 6 at 7:00pm with Steph Green and Warren Burns.

11:25

14. Warren Burns – “Dearly Departed”
    from: “Dearly Departed” – Single / Warren Burns/ August 30, 2024
    [Warren Burns released an 8-track album on July 3, 2022. Master by Carl Saff, Warren Burns is the country / Folk project of Kansas City musician Danny Fischer of the bands The Asfterparty and Nature Boys]

[Warren Burns plays Grand Avenue Temple 205 East 9th Street, KCMO on Friday, September 6 with Duff Thompson and Steph Green.]

Danny Fischer Discography

The Afterparty – Forever After – 2005
Piano, Electric Piano [Rhodes], Vocals – Josh Mobley
Bass – Chris DeVictor
Drums – Paul Andrews
Vocals – Sarah Carpenter
Vocals, Guitar – Danny Fischer, Dave Regnier*
Recorded By, Engineer – Chad Meise, Clarke Wyatt
All Songs Written – The Afterparty
Arranged – The Afterparty

The Afterparty – Under The Rainbow – 2006
Vocals, Guitar, Organ – Danny Fischer
Piano [Rhodes] – Josh Mobley
Bass – Chris Devictor
Drums – Paul Andrews
Guitar – David Regnier
Vocals [The Brunettes] – Amie Nelson, Sarah Carpenter, Sonya Andrews
Guitar [Guest Musician] – Marco Pascolini
Saxophone [Guest Musician] – Mark Southerland, Mark Weinberg, Sam Hughes
Soprano Saxophone [Guest Musician] – Jolin Smith
Sousaphone [Guest Musician] – Bill McKemy
Trombone [Guest Musician] – Jeremiah Kidwell, Seth Lee
Trumpet [Guest Musician] – Bobby DuSoul
Fiddle [Guest Musician] – Betse Ellis
Recorded – Chad Meise
Mastered – E. Clarke Wyatt*
Arranged – The Afterparty
Artwork [Art/Packaging] – Pascolini Design Lab

Nature Boys – Nature Boys – 2010
San Huevos Records
Guitar, Vocals – Danny Fischer
Bass, Vocals – Suzanne Hogan
Drums – Aaron Rommel
Recorded – Ashley Miller
Recorded [Assisted By] – Zachary VanBenthusen
Written – Nature Boys
Artwork, Photography, Design Concept – Nature Boys

Nature Boys – Nature Boys – 2013
San Huevos Records
Danny Fischer – Guitar, Vocals
Suzanne Hogan – Bass, Vocals
Aaron Rommel – Drums
Danny Fischer – Lyrics
Recorded by – Jon Kraft
Mixed – Mike Tuley, Jon Kraft, Nature Boys
Photography – Michael Boles
Will Burnip – Artwork [Insert Art]

Nature Boys – 2017
San Huevos Records
Suzanne Hogan
Suzanne Hogan – Bass, Vocals
Evan Malone – Drums
Danny Fischer – Guitar, Vocals
Recorded by – Danny Fischer
Mastered By – Carl Saff
Written By – Nature Boys

Nature Boys – IV – 2021
Dead Broke Rekerds
Suzanne Hogan – Bass, Vocals
Evan Malone – Drums
Danny Fischer – Guitar, Vocals
Recorded By – Danny Fischer, James Rumsey
Carl Saff – Lacquer Cut
Pam Fischer – Cover, Artwork
Grace Ambrose – Layout

Warren Burns – Warren Burns – 2023
Danny Fischer – Guitar, Vocals
Recorded By – Danny Fischer
Mastered By – Carl Saff

11:29 – Underwriting

17. Just Angel – “Dumb”
    from: “Dumb” – Single / T.A.P. OUT MUSIC/ August 9, 2024
    [Just Angel is a Kansas City based, singer, musician, songwriter, dancer. and creative artist. She recently contributed vocals to the recent Sisterbot record. More info at: /distrokid.com/hyperfollow/justangel/just-angel–pt-1: Just Angel: Pt. 2 is a followup to Just Angle Pt.1 – EP released on December 24, 2020 More info at: https://linktr.ee/JustAngel_TigerLilyStar%5D

[Just Angel is currently performing in BEAUTIFUL, The Carole King Musical, at The Barn Players Community Theatre, at Johnson County Arts & Heritage Center, 8788 Metcalf Ave., OPKS., Sept. 6-15, (8 Performances).]

11:34 – Interview with Just Angel & T.A. Rell

Just Angel is a musician, songwriter, dancer, and creative artist. Just Angel, has been seen on stages of The Music Theater Heritage: Ruby Room performance of “Piece of My Heart” in 2023, The Black Repertory Theatre of Kansas City “After Midnight” in 2022, and playing Osceola Mays in “Texas in Paris” in 2021. Her band, The Wades, can be found playing eclectic takes on pop music, and Just Angel‘s originals, from Part 1 & 2. Her new single “Dumb”, was released August 9, 2024.

Just Angel is currently performing in BEAUTIFUL, The Carole King Musical, at The Barn Players Community Theatre, at Johnson County Arts & Heritage Center, 8788 Metcalf Ave., OPKS., Sept. 6-15, (8 Performances).

Just Angel, Thank you for being with us on Wednesday MidDay Medley

Also with us is Arick “T.A. RELL” Ridgell who is a songwriter/producer/artist based out of Kansas City, MO. The 33 year old musician has been writing and producing music since the age of 18. While he picked up the itch to make music later than most, his heavy arsenal of musical influences are what have elevated his quality of work. T.A.’s influences range from the late great Ray Charles, gospel Icon John P. Kee, Brandy, to the current groundbreakers like PJ Morton and Jon Bellion. T.A. tries not to trap himself in the box on genres but tries to use his love for all music to unlock the hearts and souls of listeners around the world. Join him on the journey of putting real music and lyrics in the atmosphere.

T.A. Rell, Thank you for being with us on Wednesday MidDay Medley

Congratulations on the new single “Dumb” released August 9, 2024

Just Angel produced the 4 song EP, JUST ANGEL PT.1 in 3 days in 2020,

She then produced a second 4-song EP, JUST ANGEL PT. 2 in 24 hours in 2021.

Just Angel has a birthday on December 24

Producer & Musician T.A. Rell helped birth into fruition the Just Angel EP releases with the 5 month hiatus between recordings

Just Angel has recently performed at: Just Angel and The Wades play Greenwood Social Hall, 1750 Belleview Ave., KCMO, on Friday, August 9 at 7:00pm. More information at: http://www.greenwoodsocialhall.com

Just Angel is a member of the band: My Brothers & Sisters with Jamie Searle

More info at: https://linktr.ee/JustAngel_TigerLilyStar

Just Angel collaborated with Sisterbot aka Adee Dancey on the track “Approval.”
With Adee Dancy Just Angel has a band called Neo Emo Soul.

11:45

16. Just Angel – “Senseless” (LIVE)
    originally from:: Just Angel: Pt. 2 {EP] / Just Angel / December
    [Just Angel is a Kansas City based, singer, musician, songwriter, dancer. and creative artist. She recently contributed vocals to the recent Sisterbot record. More info at: /distrokid.com/hyperfollow/justangel/just-angel–pt-1: Just Angel: Pt. 2 is a followup to Just Angle Pt.1 – EP released on December 24, 2020 More info at: https://linktr.ee/JustAngel_TigerLilyStar%5D

[Just Angel is currently performing in BEAUTIFUL, The Carole King Musical, at The Barn Players Community Theatre, at Johnson County Arts & Heritage Center, 8788 Metcalf Ave., OPKS., Sept. 6-15, (8 Performances).]

11:49 – More Interview with Just Angel and T.A. Rell

You just heard the voice of Singer, musician, songwriter, dancer, and creative artist, Just Angel. Her powerful voice has been called, “Passionate … Soulful… and Inspiring.” Her music finds its home in Rock, Jazz, and Alternative, and she has found a way to incorporate those genres within her love with Soul and R&B. Just Angel has performed with My Brothers & Sisters. Just Angel and her band, The Wades can be found rocking stages with her original songs from her recordings and eclectic takes on popular music. She released her debut EP, JUST ANGEL, PART 1 on December 24, 2020. She released her follow up EP, JUST ANGEL, PART 2 on December 25, 2021. She also contributed vocals to the amazing Sisterbot record.

Just Angel and T.A. Rell Thank you for being with us on Wednesday MidDay Medley

Joining us is Just Angel’s collaborator and friend T.A. Rell.

We are talking with Just Angel who with her band, The Wades can be found rocking stages with her original songs from her recordings and eclectic takes on popular music. She released her debut EP, JUST ANGEL, PART 1 on December 24, 2020. She released her follow up EP, JUST ANGEL, PART 2 on December 25, 2021.

Joining us is Just Angel’s collaborator and friend T.A. Rell.

Just Angel is currently performing in BEAUTIFUL, The Carole King Musical, at The Barn Players Community Theatre, at Johnson County Arts & Heritage Center, 8788 Metcalf Ave., OPKS., Sept. 6-15, (8 Performances).

Just Angel and T.A. Rell Thank you for being with us on Wednesday MidDay Medley

For all of our guests on today’s show, Thank you all for listening

11:54

16. Just Angel – “Selfish”
    from: Just Angel: Pt. 2 {EP] / Just Angel / December
    [Just Angel is a Kansas City based, singer, musician, songwriter, dancer. and creative artist. She recently contributed vocals to the recent Sisterbot record. More info at: /distrokid.com/hyperfollow/justangel/just-angel–pt-1: Just Angel: Pt. 2 is a followup to Just Angle Pt.1 – EP released on December 24, 2020 More info at: https://linktr.ee/JustAngel_TigerLilyStar%5D

[Just Angel is currently performing in BEAUTIFUL, The Carole King Musical, at The Barn Players Community Theatre, at Johnson County Arts & Heritage Center, 8788 Metcalf Ave., OPKS., Sept. 6-15, (8 Performances).]

17. Noel Coward – “The Party’s Over Now”
    from: Noel Coward in New York / drg / 2003 [orig. 1957]

Next week on Wednesday, September 11 – KC Musician and songwriter and producer David George joins us to share details about St. George & The Dragons’ long-awaited debut and their Album Release show September 19 at Knuckleheads with special guests Comet Tide. In our second hour Tucker Slough joins us as Guest DJ.

THANK YOU to our incredible KKFI Staff; Director of Development & Communications – J Kelly Dougherty, Volunteer Coordinator – Darryl Oliver, Chief Operator – Chad Brothers, KKFI Accounting & Administration – Shaina Littler

This radio station is more than the individual hosts of each individual radio show. Instead it is about a collective spirit of hundreds of hardworking people, unselfishly setting aside ego, to work for the greater good of community building and the gigantic goal of keeping our airwaves free, non-commercial, and open to all! Congratulations and thank you to all programmers & volunteers who went the extra effort to keep our station alive.

Our Script/Playlist is a “cut and paste” of information.
Sources for notes: artist’s websites, bios, wikipedia.org

Wednesday MidDay Medley in on the web:
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http://www.WednesdayMidDayMedley.org,
http://www.facebook.com/WednesdayMidDayMedleyon90.1FM
https://www.soundcloud.com/wednesdaymiddaymedley
http://www.bandcamp.com/wednesdaymiddaymedley
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Show #1059