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

Wednesday, December 28, 2016

The 116 Best Recordings of 2016
(Part 4 of 4)

Wednesday MidDay Medley presented part-four, of our four-week special: The 116 Best Recordings of 2016. Based on playlists of this little ole radio show, we’ve compiled representative tracks from our favorite full-length and EP recordings of the year. We realize that these “Best of” lists can seem very subjective, however we ask that you please accept our list as a celebration of the year of music.

In 2016 we’ve played over 1000 different songs on the show, and from over 300 New & MidCoastal Releases. Over 40 of the bands and artists in our “Best of” list have actually joined us live and/or performed in our 90.1 FM studios. We’ve interviewed over 200 local and national guests. 70 of the representative recordings on our “Best of” list were MidCoastal Releases, produced by artists based here in the area. It’s all good!

Throughout December on 90.1 FM KKFI we’ve packed 8-hours of radio with music that represent: The 116 of Best Recordings of 2016!

1. “Main Title Instrumental – It’s Showtime Folks”
from: Motion Picture Soundtrack to All That Jazz / Universal / Dec. 20, 1979 [WMM’s theme]

2. (29.) The Julie Ruin – “I’m Done (clean edit)”
from: Hit Reset / Hardly Art / July 8, 2016
[2nd album from Brooklyn based 5-piece band formed in 2010 in NYC, featuring: Kathleen Hanna (Le Tigre, Bikini Kill), Carmine Covelli, Sara Landeau, Kathi Wilcox, and Kenny Mellman. The band rehearse in Greenpoint, Brooklyn, and record at Oscilloscope and Figure 8 Recording in Brooklyn. In December 2010, The Julie Ruin previewed a performance at the Knitting Factory in Brooklyn, New York. In 2012, The Julie Ruin released the song “Girls Like Us,” featuring queercore artist Vaginal Davis, as a free download as part of a series inspired by the book Real Man Adventures by T. Cooper. The band’s first album, Run Fast, was released on Sept. 3, 2013 by Dischord Records. Hanna is married to Adam Horovitz of the Beastie Boys.]

3. (28.) Laura Mvula – “Overcome (feat. Nile Rodgers)”
from: The Dreaming Room / Sony Music UK / June 17, 2016
[British soul singer-songwriter grew up in the Birmingham suburbs of Selly Park and Kings Heath with two younger siblings and was influenced by the girl band Eternal. Her mother is from Saint Kitts and her father is from Jamaica. In 2005, Mvula sang with Black Voices, an a cappella group set up by her aunt. In 2008, she formed a jazz/neo-soul group called Judyshouse, singing lead vocals and writing material for the band. Mvula was Director of the Lichfield Community Gospel Choir, founded by Black Voices and Lichfield Festival in 2009. She has previously directed the Alvechurch Community Choir. Mvula graduated from the Birmingham Conservatoire at the Birmingham City University with a degree in composition. While she was working as a supply teacher in a Birmingham secondary school, she started writing songs on her laptop. She was working as a receptionist when she sent out two demos to several people in the music industry. One of them, Steve Brown, heard the songs and sent them to his manager, Kwame Kwaten, who would become Mvula’s manager.]

4. (27.) Jenny Hval – “Female Vampire”
from: Blood Bitch / Sacred Bones / September 30, 2016
[Jenny Hval was born July 11, 1980, in Oslo, Norway. She is a Norwegian musician, singer, songwriter, lyricist and writer. She has released six albums – two under the moniker Rockettothesky – and four under her own name. In 2015, Hval released her fifth studio album, Apocalypse, girl, to widespread critical acclaim. The following year, she released Blood Bitch, a concept album influenced by vampires, menstruation and 1970s horror films. Blood Bitch has been described as “an investigation of blood,” Blood Bitch is a concept album which draws parallels between a fictional time-travelling vampire, named Orlando, and Hval’s own experiences touring her previous studio album, Apocalypse, girl. The album’s lyrical content is also influenced by 1970s horror and exploitation films and Virginia Woolf.]

5. (26.) Cate Le Bon – “Wonderful”
from: Crab Day / Drag City / April 15, 2016
[Cate Le Bon was born Cate Timothy on March 4, 1983. She is a Welsh singer-songwriter, now based in Los Angeles. She sings in both English and Welsh. She has released four solo albums, two EPs and a number of singles. Le Bon is also known for her collaborations with among others Manic Street Preachers, Neon Neon, and Matt Davies. Crab Day is her fourth studio album. It was produced by Josiah Steinbrick and Noah Georgeson and recorded at Panoramic House, a hilltop mansion in the coastal town of Stinson Beach, California.]

6. (25.) Fantastic Negrito – “In the Pines”
from: The Last Days of Oakland / Blackball Universe / 2016
[Fantastic Negrito was raised in an orthodox Muslim household. His father was a Somali-Caribbean immigrant who mostly played traditional African music. When, at the age of 12, Negrito’s family moved from Massachusetts to Oakland, California. Oakland in 1970s was a million miles from Negrito’s conservative childhood. He went from Arab chants to Funkadelic in one day. By the time he was 20, Negrito had taught himself to play every instrument he could get his hands on. He was recording music, and after some difficulties on the streets he packed his bags and headed to LA, armed with a demo on cassette. Negrito signed with a million dollar deal at Interscope. The record deal was a disaster. Gangsta rap was ruling the airwaves and Negrito was in the wrong place at the wrong era. Negrito came out of the deal with a failed album and his confidence gutted. In 2000, Negrito was in a near fatal car accident that put him in a coma. For four weeks it was touch and go. Because his muscles atrophied while bedridden, he had to go through months of frustrating physical therapy to regain use of his legs. Rods were placed throughout his body. And worst of all, his playing hand was mutilated. Back in Oakland, Negrito forgot about life as a musician. He got married, he planted vegetables, raised his own chickens, and made money growing weed. He also settled into being a man, on his own, clear of the distractions of wanting to be a star. And then his son Kyu was born. He began recording without the hindrances that come with chasing trends. Negrito turned to the original DNA of all American music, the Blues. The beating life had given him primed him to channel his literal and musical forefathers: the Blues musicians of the Delta]

7. (24.) Nicholas St. James – “Go Anywhere”
from: THEATRES / Independent / February 22, 2016
[Debut album from vaudeville-folk-troubadour who is more of a throwback to Vaudeville than the Dust Bowl. Blogger Brian Clifton writes, “Nicholas St. James blends together old and new to create a sound as distinct as it’s stage show. St. James mixes folk, blues, vaudevillian drama, and country together.” Based in Lawrence, Kansas, by way of St. Louis, Missouri, Nicholas is an authentic Midwestern folk musician, and credits Tom Waits as the missing link in his own musical formation. He also once helped me push my stalled automobile out of the middle of Main Street with help from the Kansas City Police Department.]

8. (23.) Angel Olsen – “Intern”
from: MY WOMAN / Jagjaguwar / September 2, 2016
[American folk and indie rock singer and guitarist, who was raised in St. Louis, Missouri. She first toured as a backing singer and guitarist with Bonnie “Prince” Billy, and The Cairo Gang. My Woman was recorded at Vox Studios in Los Angeles with producer Justin Raisen. The album was structured as sides of a vinyl record: “On one side, it’s as if you were having an upbeat day and wanted to try something a little hectic. But then, if you feel like things were slowing down and you wanted to be more reflective, then you listen to Side B.” With regards to the album’s themes, Olsen said that My Woman addresses “the complicated mess of being a woman.” My Woman was Olsen’s attempt to expand her musical style after 2014’s Burn Your Fire for No Witness, with emphasis on avoiding being typecast as a lo-fi indie artist. With what she called a “plurality of voices,” Olsen “wanted to use [her] vocal more and sing in the styles that [she] liked.” Compared to Olsen’s previous album, My Woman contains a poppier, more diverse sound. Musical genres and musicians that influenced the album includes Fleetwood Mac, The Shirelles, Crazy Horse, 1970s glam rock, 1960s country pop and grunge. The album’s opening track, “Intern,” is a synthpop song that was considered to be a major departure from Olsen’s previous works. Written as an experiment to “fuck with people,” Olsen said of “Intern,” “I have some friends who make synth music and I thought it might be fun to do something sarcastic.” Critics have compared “Never Be Mine” to 1960s jangle pop and Spanish guitar music.The album’s closer, “Pops,” is a piano ballad.]

10:28 – Underwriting

9. (22.) Solange – “Cranes in the Sky”
from: A Seat at the Table / Columbia Records / September 30, 2016
[3rd studio album from singer and songwriter Solange, released on September 30, 2016, by Saint and Columbia Records. Following the release of her second studio album Sol-Angel and the Hadley St. Dreams (2008), Knowles began work on her third studio album, during which she suffered a “breakdown” due to the amount of time and emotion she was putting into the recording process. While recording the album Knowles released an EP entitled True (2012) and launched her own record label named Saint Records. Writing for the album began as early as 2008, while the albums recording sessions took part from 2013 to June 2016. The album was widely acclaimed by music critics and became Solange’s first number-one album on the Billboard 200 in the United States. The album features collaborations with Lil Wayne, Sampha, The-Dream, BJ the Chicago Kid, Q-Tip, Kelly Rowland, Kelela, David Longstreth of Dirty Projectors and Tweet among others.]

10. (21.) Your Friend – “Heathering”
from: Gumption / Domino Recording Co / January 29, 2016
[Debut full length release from Lawrence, Kansas based, Taryn Blake Miller, who grew up in Winfield, Kansas, and wrote all of the songs on the album. Taryn sang lead vocals, and played guitar, bass, Juno, drums, loops, slide, & reel-to-reel; with Christopher Luxem on guitar, vocals & loops; Nathan Dixey on flute, 12-string, piano, Juno,; Nicolas Stahl on drums; Austin Swick on bass & vocals; Gabe Ws on OP guru, beat overdubs, ; Lindsey Kinsey on vocals. “Gumption” was produced by Nicolas Vernhes at the Rare Book Room in Brooklyn. Vernhes has worked on albums by Animal Collective, Deerhunter, the War on Drugs, Dirty Projectors and Spoon. Domino Records is an independent record label whose roster includes Animal Collective, Dirty Projectors and Neutral Milk Hotel. Last month Your Friend concluded a big 22-city tour across the United States and Canada with Baltimore based musician Flock of Dimes aka Jenn Wasner.]

11. (20.) Thao & The Get Down Stay Down – “Meticulous Bird”
from: A Man Alive / Ribbon Music / 2016
[4th studio album from San Francisco, California-based (formerly Falls Church, Virginia) alternative folk rock music group. It consists of Thao Nguyen on vocals & guitar) and Adam Thompson on vocals, bass guitar & keyboards. Produced by Merrill Garbus of tUnE-yArDs. Thao Nguyen was born in Virginia in 1984, and raised in Falls Church, Nguyen began playing guitar and writing songs at the age of twelve while helping out at her mother’s laundromat. She began performing in high school as part of a pop-country duo with friend Brenna Clerkin. She attended Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology in Fairfax County and studied at the College of William & Mary, where she double majored in Sociology and Women’s studies. After recording an EP that differed from her initial style, she began performing as a soloist with her acoustic guitar. With her fellow college students Adam and Willis Thompson she formed Thao Nguyen and the Get Down Stay Down. After graduating she toured extensively, both with the band and as a solo artist. She moved to San Francisco around 2009, and has been based there since.]

12. (19.) Car Seat Headrest – “1937 State Park”
from: Teens of Denial / Matador / May 20, 2016
[Originally a started as a solo recording project by 24 year old, Will Toledo, in Leesburg, Virginia. Toledo chose the name “Car Seat Headrest” after recording the vocals of his first albums in the back seat of his car, for privacy. Car Seat Headrest released 12 albums on Bandcamp. Toledo’s production has gradually grown less lo-fi, but he still remains an effective example of the DIY ethic. Toledo saw a large influx of new fans with his 2011 release Twin Fantasy, which has become the most popular of his self-released albums. In September 2015, Car Seat Headrest announced on his Facebook page that he had signed an album deal with Matador Records. In October 2015, Car Seat Headrest released the compilation album, Teens of Style under the label. This was his first album that was not self-released via Bandcamp. The new album, Teens of Denial, was created with traditional studio processes. Car Seat Headrest is currently on tour presenting material from their latest album Teens of Denial as a full band.]

13. (18.) Howard Iceberg & The Titanics – “Now That It’s Too Late”
from: Kansas City Songs / Independent / September 25, 2016
[26 new songs written by Howard Iceberg and Recorded by Phil Wade at Alluvial Fan Studio; and Pat Tomek at Largely Studios. Mixed by Pat Tomek at Largely Studios. Howard Iceberg on vocals, harmony vocals, guitar & harmonica; Chad Rex on guitar & vocals; Betse Ellis on violin, viola, cello, vocal, mandolin & tenor guitar; Clarke Wyatt on banjo, piano & organ; Chad Brothers on guitar & vocals; Brett Hodges on bass, vocals & mandolin; Phil Wade on dobro, guitar, mandolin, & lap steel, Johnny Hamil on bass; Mike Ireland on vocal & bass, Dan Mesh on guitar; Kasey Rausch on guitar & vocal; Mikal Shapiro on guitar & vocal; Josh Mobley on keyboards; Grisha Sandomirsky on violin; Erin Corriveau on vocals; Mary Pickert on vocals; Brendon Moreland on keyboards. Howard Iceberg writes in the liner notes to this collection: “You can hear a lot of these cats play most Monday nights at The Brick.”All songs written, performed, and recorded in Kansas City.]

14. (17.) Lincoln Marshall – “Mo Spins (featuring Dominique Sanders)”
from: Water / Datura Records / June 3, 2016
[Written By: Approach & MilkDrop Produced, Recorded, Mixed & Mastered By: Aikido Bray. Additional Keys & Scoring By: Etan T’loh. Bass By: Dominique Sanders. Photos By: Fally Afani fallyafaniphotography.com. Layout & Design By: MilkDrop.] [Lincoln Marshall play The Datura Records Showcase for Lawrence Field Day Fest, at Replay Lounge. saturday, July 16, at 12:00 Midnight, with Kwame, Sheven, MetaWatt & TRS-One, High Westhus, Left E. Grove, Louiz Rip & Deuce, Royce Diamond, and Midnight Marauders.]

15. (16.) ANOHNI – “Why Did You Separate Me from the Earth?”
from: HOPELESSNESS / Secretly Canadian / May 6, 2016
[ANOHNI is formerly known as Antony Hegarty or Antony, is an English-born American singer, composer, and visual artist. She is best known as the lead singer of the band Antony and the Johnsons. Anohni was born in 1970 in the city of Chichester, England. Her family moved to the San Francisco Bay Area in the United States in 1981. In 1990, she moved to Manhattan, New York to study at New York University, where she founded the performance art collective Blacklips with Johanna Constantine. Entering a musical career, she began performing with an ensemble of NYC musicians as Antony and the Johnsons. Their first album, Antony and the Johnsons, was released in 2000 on David Tibet’s label Durtro. Their second album, I Am a Bird Now (2005), was a commercial and critical success, earning Anohni the Mercury Music Prize. In 2016, Anohni became the second openly transgender person nominated for an Academy Award; she was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Original Song, along with J. Ralph, for the song “Manta Ray” in the film Racing Extinction. Late last year, ANOHNI, released “4 DEGREES”, the first single from HOPELESSNESS, to support the Paris climate conference this past December. The song emerged earlier last year in live performances. As discussed by ANOHNI: “I have grown tired of grieving for humanity, and I also thought I was not being entirely honest by pretending that I am not a part of the problem,” she said. “’4 DEGREES’ is kind of a brutal attempt to hold myself accountable, not just valorize my intentions, but also reflect on the true impact of my behaviors.” HOPELESSNESS, is a dance record with soulful vocals & lyrics addressing surveillance, drone warfare, and ecocide. A radical departure from the singer’s symphonic collaborations, the album seeks to disrupt assumptions about popular music through the collision of electronic sound and highly politicized lyrics. ANOHNI: Vocals, Beat programming, Keyboards, Piano; Daniel Lopatin (aka Oneohtrix Point Never): Beat programming, keyboards; and Ross Birchard (aka Hudson Mohawke): Beat programming]

11:00 – Station ID

16. (15.) Rachel Mallin & The Wild Type – “Drop Out”
from: Degenerate Matters [EP] / Independent / July 30, 2016
[Indie synthpop KC based 5-piece band with: Rachel Mallin on lead vocals & guitar, Justin Walker on bass, Austin Edmisten on drums & back-up vocals, Jesse Bartmess on synthesizers & keyboards, Matt Kosinski on lead guitar. Degenerate Matters was recorded, produced, and mastered by Joel Nanos at Element Recording Studios. Musical Arrangements written and performed by Rachel Mallin, Justin Walker, Austin Edmisten, Jesse Bartmess, & Matt Kosinski. Lyrics by Rachel Mallin. Rachel Mallin joined us on the show July 27]

[Rachel Mallin and the Wild Type play miniBar, January 13 and play recordbar February 3, 2017]

17. (14.) Chris Meck & The Guilty Birds – “I Promise I Will”
from: It’s 4 A.M. Somewhere! / Independent / April 8, 2016
[KC based trio with Chris Meck on lead guitar & vocals, Michelle Bacon on drums, and Calandra Ysquierdo on bass guitar & vocals. Chris Meck and The Guity Birds released their debut full-length, April 8, at The Tank Room, with Westerners, and Claire & the Crowded Stage. Chris Meck joined us on WMM on April 6.]

[Chris Meck and The Guilty Birds play Knuckleheads, Fridy, December 30, with The Rainmakers.]

18. (13.) Berwanger – “Booty Shake”
from: Exorcism Rock / Doghouse Records / November 4, 2016
[Josh Berwanger was in The Anniversary, a Kansas band that released, 2000’s Designing a Nervous Breakdown & 2002’s Your Majesty and sold over 100,000 records before breaking up on tour in Japan. The band recently reunited for new shows and a tour this year. Berwanger was also in the band, The Only Children, and released, 2004’s Change of Living & 2007’s Keeper of Youth. When Keeper of Touth ended Josh Berwanger took a break and became a high school basketball coach. In the 2012 Josh formed the Josh Berwanger band. Berwanger released their EP Demonios November 11, 2016.]

19. (12.) Erik Voeks – “Delivering Rocks”
from: So The Wind Wont Blow it All Away / Independent / November 11, 2016
[KC based singer-songwriter who has travelled the world as a solo artist and as an accompanist. All songs by Erik Voeks. Produced by Erik Voeks & Patrick Hawley. Drums recorded by Matt Meyer at The Thebeaudome. Everything else recorded at Sandusky Sound Co. Drums & percussion played by Patrick Hawley.]

20. (11.) David Bowie – “Lazarus”
from: Blackstar / ISO Records – Columbia / January 8, 2016
[Lazarus features David Bowie on vocals, acoustic guitar, and Fender guitar; Donny McCaslin on saxophone, flute, and woodwind; Jason Linder on piano, Wurlitzer organ and keyboards; Tim Lefebvre on bass; Mark Guiliana on drums. McCaslin and the rest of the jazz group recorded their parts in the studio over a period of about one week a month from January to March 2015, and until later in recording were unaware of Bowie’s declining health. The song “Lazarus” is part of Bowie’s Off-Broadway musical of the same name. The album has received universal critical acclaim and commercial success, reaching the number one spot in a number of countries in the wake of Bowie’s death and becoming his first album to reach number one on the Billboard 200 album chart in the U.S. Blackstar is the twenty-fifth and final studio album by musician, writer, actor, chameleon, David Bowie. It is the 27th when you count the Tin Machine records, which you should. The album was released worldwide on January 8, 2016, on Bowie’s 69th birthday, and just two days later David Robert Jones passed away at home surrounded by his wife Iman, and his son Duncan Jones from his marriage to Angela Bowie, and daughter Alexandria from his marriage to Iman.]

[The Band Who Fell To Earth – A Tribute to David Bowie, Saturday, Jan 7, at recordBar, 1520 Main St.]

11:23 – Underwriting

21. (10.) Calvin Arsenia – “Kansas City Baby”
from: Catastrophe {EP] / Calvin Arsenia / February 17, 2016
[Limited edition EP, produced for Folk Alliance International, contains demo recordings of original gems that are the blueprints for Calvin’s soon to be released full length debut, coming in 2017. Since Calvin Arsenia came home to KC after living in Edinburgh, Scotland, he has released his EP, Moments, in 2014, and his EP Prose in 2015, and his Folk Alliance exclusive EP Catastrophe in 2016. He has played all over town, including showcases at Folk Alliance International, Kansas City Fringe Fest, The Nelson Atkins Museum of Art, and collaborations with bands like My Brothers and Sisters. Standing at 6 foot 5 inches, Arsenia’s powerful vocals span a 3.5 octave range, while playing piano, bango, guitar and harp. Calvin Arsenia is getting ready to release a new album in the fall. Calvin teaches music to elementary students. Calvin is also a graduate of Artist INC professional development program for artists in the Kansas City metro area and across the Mid-America Arts Alliance five state region. Calvin Arsenia joined us live on WMM on February 24, July 13, and November 2.]

[Calvin Arsenia will return to the Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts, Thursday, February 9, 2017, for the Visit KC Annual Meeting along with Katy Guillen and The Girls, Herman Mehari Trio.]

22. (9.) Betse & Clarke – “Stepping On Ghosts”
from: River Still Rise / Independent / July 1, 2016
[Full-length debut album, from traditional and future folk duo, Betse & Clarke Betse Ellis on fiddles, violins, viola & vocals and Clarke Wyatt on banjos and cello. Recorded during the Winter-Spring of 2016. Produced by Clarke Wyatt and Betse Ellis. Recorded and mixed by Clarke Wyatt/ Final mix assistance from Chad Meise at Massive Sound. Traditional & future folk inspired by explorers Lewis & Clark showing how Betse & Clarke are trailblazers of sound & vision. “River Still Rise,” is a collection of originals and reworked traditional compositions that are presented “to be enjoyed as a musical adventure, much like the river exploration of the famous duo Lewis & Clark, an inspiration for the band’s name.” Betse Ellis writes in the extended liner notes: “The phrase River Still Rise appears in the journals of Meriwether Lewis, and to me, most notably when the Corps of Discovery readied their boats and supplies for the beginning of their river journey. Documenting all the details of the excursion included aspects of the weather, the general demeanor or specific behavior of the crew, and most certainly the level of the river. The river needed to be high enough to be navigable, and in that way, Clarke and I have been putting together our gear and supplies, building our boat, and watching the weather signs for about a year and a half at this point. The process of recording RSR took several months, beginning in early 2016. We made this recording at home.” Betse & Clarke joined us live on WMM on Februry 17.]

[Betse & Clarke will play Olathe Public Library, for Tuesday Tunes, Tuesday, Jan 3, 2017 at 6:30 PM.]

[Betse & Clarke will play as an Official Folk Alliance International Showcase February 15.]

23. (8.) Psychic Heat – “In Two”
from: Sunshower / High Dive Records / May 27, 2016
[Psychic Heat was created by Evan Herd & Tanner Spreer. After releasing their EP Lighter and Brighter in 2015 they quickly turned their attention to their first full length Sunshower being released through High Dive Records. Sunshower is Engineered by Ron Miller (Kid Congo and the Pink Monkey Birds) & mixed/mastered by Kliph Scurlock (previously of the Flaming Lips). Psychic Heat is: Steve/Evan Herd on guitar & vocals, Tanner Spreer on guitar & vocals, James Thomblison on bass, and Mark Rockwell on drums.]

24. (7.) Hipshot Killer – “Give Me Something”
from: They Will Try To Kill Us All / Throwing Things / January 16, 2016
[KC based 3-piece power punk band formed in the fall of 2008. The current line up consists of: Mike Alexander (Revolvers, Architects, John Velge and The Prodigal Sons, The Starhaven Rounders), on guitar & vocals, Chris Wagner (100 Years War, Jackie Carrol, John Velge and The Prodigal Sons) on bass & vocals, legendary drummer Jon “Buddy” Paul, who plays in (The Big Iron, The Revolvers.) For the recording: Mike Alexander on guitar & vocals, Chris Wagner on bass & vocals, Thomas Becker (Beautiful Bodies), on drums. The band released their debut record Hipshot Killer, April 29, 2011, and a single on Too Much Rock on October 21. Mike Alexander joined us live on WMM on October 19.]

[Hipshot Killer play Davey’s Uptown Rambler’s Club, Friday, January, 6, 2017 at 8:00 PM with The Electric Lungs, Chad Rex, and the Old Chelsea.]

25. (6.) Various Blond – “All Bases Covered”
from: All Bases Covered / The Record Machine / September 16, 2016
[Alternative experimental progressive rock funk pop progressive psychedelic from KC based band. Produced by Adam Mcgill, written by Joshua Allen. Various Blonde was conceived by Joshua Allen in 2008 and has opened for numerous national acts, Russian Circles, Free Moral Agents, Zechs Marquise, Dead Meadow, Imaad Wasif, Jucifer,The Memorials, Thursday, Fang Island, Murder By Death, Matt Pryor, Wannabe Jalva, and Electric Sixx. Current members Include: Joshua Allen on guitar & vocals, Adam Mcgill on guitar, Evanjohn Mcintosh on bass, Mark Lomas on drums. Various Blonde played the Crossroads Music Fest, September 10. Joshua Allen joined us live oj WMM on August 3, and September 14.]

26. (5.) Heidi Lynne Gluck – “Waiting For You To Say It”
from: Pony Show / Lotuspool Records / August 26, 2016
[Lawrence, Kansas based Heidi Lynne Gluck is a songwriter, singer and multi-instrumentalist originally from the middle of Canada. After transplanting herself from the plains of Manitoba to the midwestern United States, Heidi quickly became an in-demand player, performing on stage and in the studio both as a solo artist and with renowned musicians including Juliana Hatfield & Some Girls, Margot & The Nuclear So and Sos, Lily & Madeleine, The Pieces, The Only Children, and others. Heidi Lynne Gluck played 90.1 FM’s Crossroads Music Fest, September 10. Heidi Lynne Gluck joined us live on WMM on June 8, and August 24.]

27. (4.) The Conquerors – “Yes I Know”
from: Wyld Time / High Dive Records / August 26, 2016
[First full length album from Kansas City based Rock & Roll band. Rory Cameron on guitar & vocals, Vince Lawhon on guitar & vocals, Jim Button on drums, Jake Cardwell on percussion, Quentin Schmidt on bass & vocals. All songs written by Rory Cameron, performed by The Conquerors. Recorded and mixed by Vincent Lawhon with additional help from Adam McGill at Element Recording Studios. Mastered by Mike Nolte at Eureka Mastering in Portland, Oregon. More info at: http://theeconquerors.bandcamp.com%5D

28. (3.) The Grisly Hand – “Oh Tenderheart”
from: The Grisly Hand / The Grisly Hand / November 18, 2016
[Double LP. The band spent a year with Joel Nanos at Element Recording and decided to split the songs between two CD/digital releases: Flesh & Gold (Oct. 2, 2015) and Hearts & Stars (Nov. 18, 2016) and also as a double vinyl album release, called The Grisly Hand, (Nov. 18, 2016) with a new reshuffling of songs for this format. Jimmy Fitzner on guitar & vocals, Lauren Krum on vocals & percussion, Matt Richey on drums, Mike Stover on steel guitar, bass & vocals, Ben Summers on guitar, vocals & mandolin, Dan Loftus on bass, keyboards & vocals. Also featuring: Rich Wheeler on tenor saxophone, Nick Howell on trumpet, and Mike Walker on trombone.]

29. (2.) Katy Guillen & The Girls – “Humbucker”
from: Heavy Days / VizzTone Label Group and KG&G Records / June 24, 2016
[Katy Guillen on guitar & vocals, Claire Adams on bass & vocals, & Stephanie Williams on drums. Recorded at Weights and Measures Soundlab with their longtime engineer Duane Trower, the band supplemented guitar, vocal and percussive layers; auxiliary instrumentation from blues pianist Mike “Shinetop” Sedovic (Danielle Nicole Band) and jazz trombonist Ryan Heinlein (The Project H); production from Paul Malinowski; and mastering at Black Lab Mastering in Louisville, Kentucky. Katy Guillen & the Girls hometown release of “Heavy Days” on May 21 at Knuckleheads. Katy Guillen & The Gilrs joined us live on WMM on May 4.]

[Katy Guillen & The Girls play Knuckleheads, Friday, December 30, with Amanda Fish Band.]

30. (1.) The Philistines – “Twitch of the Death Nerve”
from: The Backbone of Night / The Record Machine / June 4, 2016
[KC based rock band with a psychedelic bent, made up of: Kimmie Queen on lead vocals; Cody Wyoming on lead guitar & vocals; Rod Peal on guitar; Michelle Bacon on bass & vocals, Josh Mobley on keyboard, Steve Gardels on drums. Recorded & mixed with Paul Malinowski at Massive Sound Studios and mastered by Mike Nolte at Eureka Mastering. The Philistines played an LP Release show at The Living Room, on June 4, with Johnny Hamil’s GAV7D, Damian Blake, Annie Cherry, Jon Piggy Cupit and Ron Megee. The Philistines joined us live on WMM on May 25.]

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

Next week, on January 4, Wednesday MidDay Medley celebrates the Birthday of Iris DeMent, born January 5, 1961, in rural Paragould, Arkansas. We’ll feature music from Iris DeMent’s full length recordings, plus her collaborative work with husband – Greg Brown, and John Prine, Emmylou Harris, and others.

Also next week, in our second hour, we celebrate the birthday and music of David Bowie with special guest Michelle Bacon, producer of The Band That Fell To Earth: A Tribute to David Bowie, Saturday, January 7, ay the recordBar.

On January 11 we present our annual special “Remembering MLK”

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:

http://www.WednesdayMidDayMedley.org,
http://www.facebook.com/WednesdayMidDayMedleyon90.1FM,
http://www.kkfi.org

Show #662