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, November 11, 2020

Spinning Songs with Shy Boys + Julia Othmer + Daniel Gum

1. “It’s Showtime Folks”
   from: Orig. Motion Picture Soundtrack All That Jazz / Casablanca / Dec. 20, 1979
   [WMM theme]

2. Angélique Kidjo & John Legend – “Move On Up”
   from: Listen Up! The Official 2010 FIFA World Cup Album / Sony Music / May 28, 2010
   [“Move On Up” is a song by Curtis Mayfield from his 1970 debut album Curtis. Nearly nine minutes long on the album version, it was released as a single in the United States his own label, Curtom Records on June 25, 1974. Angélique Kpasseloko Hinto Hounsinou Kandjo Manta Zogbin Kidjo, known as Angélique Kidjo (born July 14, 1960), is a Grammy Award-winning Beninese singer-songwriter, actress and activist, noted for her diverse musical influences and creative music videos. Time magazine has called her “Africa’s premier diva”. The BBC included Kidjo in its list of the African continent’s 50 most iconic figures. The Guardian has listed her as one of its Top 100 Most Inspiring Women in the World and Kidjo is the first woman to be listed among “The 40 Most Powerful Celebrities In Africa” by Forbes magazine. The Daily Telegraph in London described her as “The undisputed queen of African music” during the 2012 Olympic Games River of Music Festival. In March 2013, NPR, National Public Radio in America, called her “Africa’s greatest living diva”. Kidjo is listed among the “2014 Most Influential Africans” by New African magazine and Jeune Afrique. Forbes Afrique put Kidjo on the cover of their “100 most influential women” issue in 2015. On June 6, 2013, Kidjo was elected vice-president of the Confédération Internationale des Sociétés d´Auteurs et Compositeurs (CISAC). She now resides in New York City, where she is an occasional contributor to the New York Times. Kidjo has received Honorary Doctorates from Yale University, Berklee College of Music and Middlebury College. She is the 2018 Harvard University Jazz Master In Residence. Her musical influences include the Afropop, Caribbean zouk, Congolese rumba, jazz, gospel, and Latin styles; as well as her childhood idols Bella Bellow, James Brown, Nina Simone, Aretha Franklin, Miriam Makeba and Carlos Santana. She has recorded George Gershwin’s “Summertime”, Ravel’s Boléro, Jimi Hendrix’s “Voodoo Child” and the Rolling Stones’ “Gimme Shelter”, and has collaborated with Dave Matthews and the Dave Matthews Band, Kelly Price, Alicia Keys, Branford Marsalis, Ziggy Marley, Philip Glass, Peter Gabriel, Bono, Carlos Santana, John Legend, Herbie Hancock, Josh Groban, Dr John, the Kronos Quartet and Cassandra Wilson. Kidjo’s hit songs include “Agolo”, “We We”, “Adouma”, “Wombo Lombo”, “Afirika”, “Batonga”, and her version of “Malaika”. Her album Logozo is ranked number 37 in the Greatest Dance Albums of All Time list compiled by Vice Magazine’s Thump web site. Kidjo is fluent in 5 languages: Fon, French, Yorùbá, Gen (Mina), and English. She sings in all of them, and she also has her own personal language, which includes words that serve as song titles such as “Batonga.” “Malaika” is a song sung in the Swahili language. Kidjo often utilizes Benin’s traditional Zilin vocal technique and jazz vocalese. Kidjo is the recipient of the 2015 Crystal Award given by the World Economic Forum of Davos in Switzerland and has received the Ambassador Of Conscience Award from Amnesty International in 2016 She also is included in the exhibits at the National Museum of African American History that officially opened on Sept. 24, 2016 on the National Mall.]

3. Leyla McCalla – “When I Can See the Valley”
   from: Vari-Colored Songs / Music Maker Recordings / Feb. 4, 2014
   [Reissued – Smithsonian Folkways 2020]
   [Leyla Sarah McCalla was born October 3, 1985. She is a classical and folk musician. She has been a cellist with the Grammy-winning string band Carolina Chocolate Drops but left that group to focus on her solo career. Both of McCalla’s parents were born in Haiti. Her father Jocelyn McCalla was the Executive Director of the New York-based National Coalition for Haitian Rights from 1988 to 2006 and is credited as translator on Vari-Colored Songs. Her mother Régine Dupuy arrived in the United States at age 5, is the daughter of Ben Dupuy who ran Haiti Progrès, a New York based Haitian socialist newspaper. McCalla’s mother went on to found Dwa Fanm, an anti-domestic violence human rights organization. McCalla was born in New York City and raised in New Jersey. She lived in Accra, Ghana for two years as a teen. After a year at Smith College, she transferred to New York University to study cello performance and chamber music. She then moved to New Orleans where she played music on the streets. Her critically acclaimed album Vari-Colored Songs is a tribute to Langston Hughes which includes adaptations of his poems, Haitian folk songs sung in Haitian Creole and original compositions. McCalla says the first song she wrote for the album was Heart of Gold because it provided “a window into Hughes’ thinking”.McCalla chose to dedicate this work to Hughes because she says “reading his work made me want to be an artist.” McCalla started working on the album 5 years prior to its release. Commentators have noted the influence of Louisiana musical traditions such as old Cajun fiddle melodies and trad-jazz banjo on the album. Members of the Carolina Chocolate Drops appear on the album.]

4. Phylshawn – “Eclipses”
   from: Soul Heart / Nation of Love / September 25, 2020
   [Columbia, MO based Phylshawn Johnson is a singer, songwriter, drummer with the band Violet and the Undercurrents. She is also a teacher, producer, engineer, label manager for The Nation of Love Records. In 2009, Johnson started an independent label, The Nation of Love, as a way to give artists such as herself, Violet Vonder Haar, Ruth Acuff, and other songwriters a place to create freely and have the support of a musical community. With her partner Violet Vonder Haar, Phylshawn Johnson is also a cofounder of the band Violet and the Undercurrents who last year released the critically acclaimed album The Captain, on March 1, 2019. Phylshawn also previously released the EP Across The Tracks on August 9, 2014.]

5. Daniel Gum – “Mary”
   from: Thirteen / Manor Records / October 30, 2020
   [Produced by Mike Crawford and Daniel Gum. All songs written, performed, and mixed by Daniel Gum. Engineered by Mike Crawford. Mastered by Mike Nolte at Eureka Mastering. Daniel Gum is a 23 year old singer-songwriter from Kansas City. Since the age of 12, he has spent the majority of his time writing and recording songs by himself in his room. His most recent project, Moon, on the other hand was recorded by someone else in another room while Daniel was by himself in yet another room. The Moon EP was released December 7, 2019. It was engineered by Mike Crawford and Daniel Gum and mixed by Daniel Gum with piano and accordion by Cole Crawford. Daniel Gun released his EP i’m not dead October 25, 2017, and his 10-song album Reorient on July 31, 2015, with all songs written, recorded and mixed by Daniel Gum who also performed all vocals guitars, drums, piano, bass. harmonica, and programming. The first single from Daniel Gum’s album, Thirteen “Ruin Your Life” was released on September 4, The second single, “In The Worst Ways” was released September 28, 2020. ] [On our July 22, 2020, WMM show we played Daniel Gum’s track, “Tired Saint” from French Exit Records – Black Lives Matter Compilation, released July 6, 2020. French Exit Records was launched two years ago as an independent music label in KCMO, founded by Brad Girard. French Exit Records has released albums for No Magic and Raymond,. BLM Compilation is 22 acts from the area, with all proceeds donated to One Struggle KC’s Liberation Fund, a Black-led coalition of KC activists seeking to connect the struggles of oppressed communities, locally & globally.]

10:15 – Interview with Daniel Gum

Daniel Gum is a Kansas City based singer-songwriter who has been releasing music since 2017 with EP’s I’m Not Dead and Moon. Daniel has played in Kansas City based groups Pillow and Chloe Jacobson. Daniel has taken the last few years to focus on songwriting and producing his new record. Daniel Gum joins us on the phone to shares details about his new album “Thirteen” released on Manor Records on October 30, 2020 More info at: http://www.danielgum.bandcamp.com

Daniel Gum thanks for being with us on Wednesday MidDay Medley

Thirteen was produced by Mike Crawford and Daniel Gum.
All songs written, performed, and mixed by Daniel Gum.

Engineered by Mike Crawford. Mastered by Mike Nolte at Eureka Mastering.

Daniel Gum is a 23 year old singer-songwriter from Kansas City. Since the age of 12, he has spent the majority of his time writing and recording songs by himself in his room. His most recent project, Moon, on the other hand was recorded by someone else in another room while Daniel was by himself in yet another room.

The Moon EP was released December 7, 2019. It was engineered by Mike Crawford and Daniel Gum and mixed by Daniel Gum with piano and accordion by Cole Crawford. Daniel Gun released his EP, i’m not dead October 25, 2017, and his 10-song album Reorient on July 31, 2015, with all songs written, recorded and mixed by Daniel Gum who also performed all vocals guitars, drums, piano, bass, harmonica, and programming.

The first single from Daniel Gum’s album, Thirteen “Ruin Your Life” was released on September 4, The second single, “In The Worst Ways” was released September 28, 2020.

Daniel has played in Kansas City based groups Pillow and Chloe Jacobson over the last few years.

Daniel’s new record Thirteen echoes the likes of Elliott Smith & Andy Shauf.

Daniel contributed a track to French Exit’s Black Lives Matter Compilation

On our July 22, 2020, WMM show we played Daniel Gum’s track, “Tired Saint” from French Exit Records – Black Lives Matter Compilation, released July 6, 2020. French Exit Records was launched two years ago as an independent music label in KCMO, founded by Brad Girard. French Exit Records has released albums for No Magic and Raymond,. BLM Compilation is 22 acts from the area, with all proceeds donated to One Struggle KC’s Liberation Fund, a Black-led coalition of KC activists seeking to connect the struggles of oppressed communities, locally & globally.

Daniel contributed a track to Manor Records Keep The Change Fundraiser Compilation.

Daniel Gum thanks for being with us on Wednesday MidDay Medley

Daniel Gum’s new album “Thirteen” was on Manor Records on October 30, 2020 More info at: http://www.danielgum.bandcamp.com

10:17

6. Daniel Gum – “Ruin Your Life”
   from: Thirteen / Manor Records / October 30, 2020
   [Produced by Mike Crawford and Daniel Gum. All songs written, performed, and mixed by Daniel Gum. Engineered by Mike Crawford. Mastered by Mike Nolte at Eureka Mastering. Daniel Gum is a 23 year old singer-songwriter from Kansas City. Since the age of 12, he has spent the majority of his time writing and recording songs by himself in his room. His most recent project, Moon, on the other hand was recorded by someone else in another room while Daniel was by himself in yet another room. The Moon EP was released December 7, 2019. It was engineered by Mike Crawford and Daniel Gum and mixed by Daniel Gum with piano and accordion by Cole Crawford. Daniel Gun released his EP i’m not dead October 25, 2017, and his 10-song album Reorient on July 31, 2015, with all songs written, recorded and mixed by Daniel Gum who also performed all vocals guitars, drums, piano, bass. harmonica, and programming. The first single from Daniel Gum’s album, Thirteen “Ruin Your Life” was released on September 4, The second single, “In The Worst Ways” was released September 28, 2020. ] [On our July 22, 2020, WMM show we played Daniel Gum’s track, “Tired Saint” from French Exit Records – Black Lives Matter Compilation, released July 6, 2020. French Exit Records was launched two years ago as an independent music label in KCMO, founded by Brad Girard. French Exit Records has released albums for No Magic and Raymond,. BLM Compilation is 22 acts from the area, with all proceeds donated to One Struggle KC’s Liberation Fund, a Black-led coalition of KC activists seeking to connect the struggles of oppressed communities, locally & globally.]

10:30 – Underwriting

7. Julia Othmer – “Born In The USA”
   from: Seeds (Volume 1) / Julia Othmer & James Lundie / November 13, 2020
   [“Seeds” is Julia Othmer’s 3rd full length album and contains 10 live songs selected from her 30-day Songs of September Project, where Julia performed a different live cover of her favorite songs and broadcast the performance throughout the streaming social media platforms to inspire people to register and vote on November 3. From those songs Julia’s fans democratically selected their favorite tracks to be released together on “Seeds.” Julia Othmer released “Sound,” on April 12, 2019, her second album, that took 3 years to complete, and was produced with James Lundie, who also married Julia in January of 2016, during the completion of the record. Julia Othmer, is a graduate of Park Hill High School. She moved to Los Angeles in 2006 to record her 1st full-length album, “Oasis Motel.”.]

10:36 – Interview with Julia Othmer

Singer songwriter Julia Othmer joins us to talk about her new album “Seeds” (Volume 1), to be released Friday, November 13, 2020. Julia Othmer was born in Kansas City, Missouri in 1975. She studied at Columbia University in New York City. She has lived in Boston, Philadelphia, Colorado, and currently lives in Los Angeles, California, with her husband James T. Lundie who recorded and produced the new record. Last year Julia released her acclaimed album “Sound,” on April 12, 2019 on Frikin’ Awesome Records. It was in the TOP TEN of WMM’s 119 Best Recordings of 2019. More information at: http://www.juliaothmer.com

Julia Othmer welcome back to Wednesday MidDay Medley

“Seeds” contains 10 live songs selected from Julia’s 30-day Songs of September Project, where everyday throughout September Julia performed a different live cover of one of her favorite songs and broadcast theses daily performance throughout her streaming social media platforms. The effort was designed to inspire people to register and vote on November 3. From those live performances 30 songs were recorded and Julia’s fans democratically selected their favorite 10 tracks to be released together on “Seeds.”

“Seeds” Tracklist: Title – Writers (Artist, Year)

1. Born In The USA – Bruce Springsteen (1984)
2. True Colors – Billy Steinberg & Tom Kelly (Cyndi Lauper, 1986)
3. What a Wonderful World – Bob Thiele & George David Weiss (Louis Armstrong, 1967)
4. The First Day – Julia Othmer
5. Hello (Turn Your Radio On) – Siobhan Fahey, Marcella Detroit, Manu Guiot (Shakespears Sister, 1992)
6. Heroes – David Bowie (1977)
7. Imagine – John Lennon (1971)
8. Let It Be – The Beatles (Paul McCartney, 1970)
9. The Sound of Silence – Simon & Garfunkel (Paul Simon, 1965)
10. The Times They Are A Changin’ – Bob Dylan (1964)

Julia’s husband and co-collaborator is James Lundie, originally from London, UK. James helped engineer, record, and produce the new record.

In 2018 to 2019 Julia Othmer toured with and opened for The Alarm in US show and shows in the United Kingdom.

Julia first started playing piano in first grade.

Julia Othmer is a graduate of Park Hill High School and moved to Los Angeles in 2006. While she lives in LA, she will always call KC her hometown.

Julia moved to Los Angeles in 2006 to record her first full-length album, “Oasis Motel.”

Julia’s mother Sieglinde Othmer is from Hamburg, Germany, and is an artist who studied at Sorbonne in Paris. She is the author of sevrl award winning books.

Julia recently lost her father Arthur Othmer

More info at http://www.juliaothmer.com.

Out of Print Magazine says: “This Thursday evening in the quaint little village of NYC, Julia Othmer, the mesmerizingly sultry singer/songwriter will be riding into town tucked under the wings of a Southwest jet. She will be performing at Rockwood Music Hall (196 Allen St. New York, NY) at 7PM sharp. If you haven’t heard of her, it may be because she has been diligently working on her new album for the last few years on the sunny and less immediate coast. Formerly a Kansas City native, Julia has put her pillow in New York, Boston, Philadelphia, some gondola in Colorado and finally Los Angeles, the city of lights and traffic, where she currently lives with her little white piano, her rock star and her cat Cosmo. Julia’s musical musings are so diverse that they become quite elusive to the simple description. Perhaps the best way to explain it would be if Nora Jones, Tom Waits, Billy Holiday and Lyle Lovett had a musical orgy and let you watch behind a curtain of burning lace and a whiskey waterfall. I’ll bring the unfiltered cigarettes, you bring your soul.”

When Julia Othmer is in Kansas City she plays with Johnny Hamil on bass, Chris Tady on guitar, John Floyd Whitaker on drums.

Last year Julia released “Sound,” her second full-length album, produced with James Lundie, who married Julia in January of 2016 during the completion of the record.

Tim Finn describes “Sound” as a “self-made record with a big-label sound… rich in space and soaring dynamics and rife with layers and textures and melodies and grooves.”

Julia Othmer, thanks for being with us on WMM

Singer songwriter Julia Othmer about her new album “Seeds” (Volume 1), to be released Friday, November 13, 2020. More info at http://www.juliaothmer.com.

10:49

8. Julia Othmer – “True Colors”
   from: Seeds (Volume 1) / Julia Othmer & James Lundie / November 13, 2020
   [“Seeds” is Julia Othmers 3rd full length album and contains 10 live songs selected from her 30-day Songs of September Project, where Julia performed a different live cover of her favorite songs and broadcast the performance throughout the streaming social media platforms to inspire people to register and vote on November 3. From those songs Julia’s fans democratically selected their favorite tracks to be released together on “Seeds.” Julia Othmer released “Sound,” on April 12, 2019, her second album, that took 3 years to complete, and was produced with James Lundie, who also married Julia in January of 2016, during the completion of the record. Julia Othmer, is a graduate of Park Hill High School. She moved to Los Angeles in 2006 to record her 1st full-length album, “Oasis Motel.”]

9. Krystle Warren & The Crew – “Dear Landlord”
   from: The Crew EP / Parlour Door Music / September 15, 2020
   [Written by Bob Dylan. Through isolation came unity. The Crew is Lakecia Benjamin, Matthew Silberman, Jacob Snider, Joe Blaxx, Solomon Dorsey, Zach Djanikian, Cassorla, Krystle Warren, and Ben Kane. They have recorded unique versions of classic songs with the hope of encouraging the rallying cries of The Moment: the movement of the people. // In the lockdown of their homes, they sewed together their interpretations of “Bein’ Green” (based upon Ray Charles’ rendition); “Gimme Some Truth” (John Lennon); “Dear Landlord” (Bob Dylan); and “Rhythm of Life”, (a timeless statement originally performed by Oleta Adams). // A portion of the proceeds from The Crew. EP will be donated to the various causes and organizations. // Originally from KC, Krystle Warren learned to play the guitar by listening to Rubber Soul & Revolver from The Beatles. Krystle graduated from Paseo Arts Academy in 2001 and began her musical career in collaborating with area jazz and pop musicians. After living in San Francisco and NYC, Krystle was signed to a French label, Because Music, who gave her a one way ticket to France. Krystle moved to Paris to release “Circles” in 2009. Krystle played French and British television programs, including Later with Jools Holland, garnering critical acclaim and traveling all over the world on tours with Rufus Wainwright, Nick Cave, Norah Jones, and Joan As Police Woman. Krystle left Because Music and created her own recording label, Parlour Door Music, to release “Love Songs: A Time You May Embrace / A Time to Refrain from Embracing” a double album recording from a 13-day session in Brooklyn, where she recorded 24 songs live with 28 musicians including her band, The Faculty, alongside choirs, horn and string sections. In 2019 The KC based Owen/Cox Dance Group premiered a new dance piece titled “Love Songs” with choreography by Jennifer Owen, set to all 24 songs, in the order they appear in the recording,. Krystle Warren has collaborated with Erykah Badu, Keziah Jones, Zap Mama, Rufus Wainwright and Martha Wainwright, Brad Cox Amadou & Mariam, Lakecia Benjamin, Guarco, Teddy Thompson, Gwyneth Herbert, Hercules & Love Affair, and Joon Moon. Along with being included in the compilation “NYC Subway – Songs from the Underground,” and tribute recordings for Kate McGarrigle, and Nick Drake, Warren has released the EP “Diary” on May 1, 2007; “The Up Series – EP” on November 10, 2008; “Circles” her 13-song full length on March 13, 2009; “A Time To Keep – Love Songs EP”, on August 12, 2011, The double album 24-song “Love Songs” released on vinyl in Europe on April 9, 2012 and as separate digital and CD albums in the U.S. as: “Love Songs: A Time to Embrace,” on March 13, 2012 and “Love Songs: A Time to Refrain from Embracing” on February 27, 2015; Krystle released “Three the Hard Way” on August 18, 2017.]

10. Sylan Esso – “Ferris Wheel”
    from: Free Love / Loma Vista – Concord / September 25, 2020
    [3rd studio album by indie pop duo Sylvan Esso, from Durham, North Carolina, formed in 2013. The band consists of singer Amelia Meath and producer Nick Sanborn. They made their debut with the single “Hey Mami” and released their eponymous debut album on Partisan Records on May 12, 2014, which reached No. 39 on the Billboard 200. They released their second album What Now with Loma Vista Recordings on April 28, 2017, which was nominated for a Grammy Award for Best Dance/Electronic Album. Lead singer Amelia Meath, who was at the time involved with her trio, Mountain Man, created the vocals to the song called “Play It Right”. She later met electronic music producer Nick Sanborn (who played bass in Megafaun) in Milwaukee at the Cactus Club, performing at the time solo as Made of Oak, and asked him to make a rendering of her single, Play It Right, in his own way. From 2012 to 2013, the band slowly formed. Meath had returned from a year-and-a-half tour with Feist and was looking for an affordable place to live, thus landing in Durham with Sanborn and began making their album, with all of their songs being recorded in Sanborn’s apartment bedroom. The band named itself after a character in an early iOS game titled “Swords and Sworcery”.]

11:00 – Station ID
11:00 – Spinning Songs With Shy Boys

11. Shy Boys – “In Gloves”
    from: Talk Loud / Polyvinyl Record Co. / September 25, 2020
    [3rd album from Shy Boys. Follow up to the Dim The Light / Brick By Brick, singles released Feb. 15, 2019. Shy Boys released their 2nd album and Polyvinyl debut, Bell House on August 3, 2018. Shy Boys line-up consists of brothers Collin Rausch & Kyle Rausch, Konnor Ervin, Kyle Little and Ross Brown. Kyle Rausch and Konnor Ervin were band mates in The ACBs. Collin had been playing for years in the KC area including The Abracadabras, and The I’ms with Kyle. The three shared a love for 1960s era pop rock and soon started writing their own music. In 2014 they released the self-titled Shy Boys on High Dive Records. In June 2014, the band recorded and released two more singles and one of them, “Life Is Peachy,” was featured on Stereogum. On April 4th, 2018, it was announced the band signed to Polyvinyl Record Co.]

11:04 – Interview with Shy Boys

Shy Boys released their 3rd album, Talk Loud, on Sept. 25, 2020 on Polyvinyl Records. Shy Boys are brothers Collin Rausch & Kyle Rausch, Konnor Ervin, Kyle Little and Ross Brown. In the next hour we’ll spin songs from, Talk Loud and bands from the Shy Boys “tree of music”: The ACBs, Full Bloods, Abracadabras, and Koney. More info at http://www.shyboys.website

Collin Rausch, Kyle Rausch and Ross Brown thanks for being with us on WMM

Talk Loud is the 2020 follow up to, Bell House, released Aug. 3, 2018 on Polyvinyl Records.

Collin & Kyle come from a family of musicians. Their cousin is Kasey Rausch, their father Kent Rausch is a jazz musician and was the music teacher and band director at their High School. Their mother was a choir director. Their father was from a family of 7 brothers (Greg, Terry, Brad), many who are musicians and recording artists, including their Grandfather Dean Rausch.

Shy Boys originally formed as a trio in 2012 with brothers Collin Rausch, Kyle Rausch, and roommate Konnor Ervin (of The ACB’s). Collin had been playing in bands including The Abracadabras, and The I’ms with Kyle. The three shared a love for 1960s era pop rock and started writing their own music. In 2014 they released their self-titled Shy Boys on High Dive Records. The single “Bully Fight” was featured on Spin.com. In June 2014 the band recorded and released two more singles. “Life Is Peachy,” was featured on Stereogum

Kyle Little and Ross Brown (of Fullbloods) joined to make Shy Boys a 5-piece. On April 4th, 2018, it was announced that Shy Boys had signed to Polyvinyl.

Posted on the Shy Boys Bandcamp page for their Bell House release, fellow Kansas City area musician Kevin Morby contributed an essay in honor of the Shy Boys:

Being in a band is a sacred thing.
Being in a band in 2018 is a sacred thing.
Being from the Midwest is a sacred thing.
Being in a band that is from the Midwest in 2018…

Consider Shy Boys – DIY local champions of Kansas City, MO, who if you add it all up, are something sacred. Comprised of brothers Collin and Kyle Rausch and best friends Konnor Ervin, Kyle Little and Ross Brown, Shy Boys are the heartland’s answer to The Beach Boys had Alex Chilton been on guitar.

But if a harmony falls into a microphone in the middle of America does anyone really hear it? Some do. Take for instance Shy Boys’ 2014 self-titled debut on local Kansas City label, High Dive Records – I first came across this album while living in Los Angeles and catching wind of a band from my home town that I was told could “actually sing,” and after the first spin, through the muddy fidelity, man, could they actually sing.

Shy Boys’ history isn’t too dissimilar from any other Midwestern band. Like the many Replacements or Husker Düs before them – they exist neither here nor there, but instead, somewhere anonymously in the middle. And though you may not find the same opportunity floating in the middle as one would Here or There, you are allotted a certain amount of time and space to grow both yourself and your craft into what you want it to be. Over the past four years, that is exactly what Shy Boys have done and that is what brings us here today.

On August 3, 2018, the world will see the release of their second record, Bell House, out on legendary and globally cherished record label Polyvinyl, bringing both their profile and music to the surface for the first time.

The album’s title is taken from the band’s beloved headquarters – the old house on Bell Street in Kansas City where they lived together for the better part of 5 years.

“‘Lived’ is a loose term,” says lead songwriter Collin. “It was more like a bum den than anything else. There was a giant hole in the floor of the kitchen that had a piece of plywood over it. In the backyard, weeds got like 6 feet high in the summer. It was its own thriving biome. We lived in trash.”

Musically, Collin describes the songs on Bell House taking shape through “a group of guys trying to get through some sort of mutual identity crisis. The lifestyle became overwhelming and really seeped into the music.”

In the time since the release of ST, Collin saw himself falling in love and getting married, leaving the old house on Bell Street, and moving back into his mom’s house with his wife in a suburb of the city. It’s here where the songs of Bell House were born. Being back under the same roof he had grown up in where there was “still writing on the walls from childhood,” Rausch found himself reflective and looking out at his life as a whole.

Take closing track “Champion” for instance, a song Collin says is dedicated to his and Kyle’s mother. “It’s just a note saying that she took care of us when we were young, and now it’s time for us to be there and take care of her.”

The reflective spirit sprinkled throughout the album is also evident on lead single, “Take The Doggie,” a bouncy, guitar driven track centered around wanting to secretly rescue their neighbor’s dog from an abusive owner, or on album highlight “Evil Sin,” which tackles the memory of drummer/bassist Konnor Ervin getting robbed.

But through all of this, Rausch kept his passion in his band, if even for nothing more than to – in his own words – have an excuse to keep hanging out with his brother and best friends.

“I have to keep Shy Boys alive to have a regular excuse to hang out with them,” says Collin. “To keep the band alive, I have to write songs. To be able to travel with my buddies, there has to be a new record.”

There is an old term that’s kicked around in country music called a “blood harmony” – in which two people in the same blood line, usually siblings, harmonize with one another in real time. Perhaps that is Shy Boys’ magic touch, putting them just a notch above all the other angels out there in the indie rock choir, and it makes sense, though no longer practicing evangelicals, Collin and Kyle grew up singing besides their parents in their church choir, so their keen sense of harmony is nothing new to them, but instead a life practice devoted to the voice as an instrument.

The result is Bell House, and the result is beautiful. There is something sensitive to the touch about this album, which is perhaps another way of saying that, well – Shy Boys are indeed Shy Boys. I envision the band as a solid unit, with each moving part as an equal. There is a heavy sense of family in everything they do both, literally and figuratively. Bruce Springsteen’s 1980 song “Highway Patrolman” always seems to come to mind;

“Yeah me & Franky out laughing and drinking, Nothing feels better than blood on blood.”

-Kevin Morby

Polyvinyl Record Co. is an American independent record label based in Champaign, Illinois. The label is headquartered in Champaign, IL and has satellite offices in New York, Austin, and the Bay Area. The Polyvinyl roster currently consists of 30+ active artists, including Alvvays, Xiu Xiu, Jeff Rosenstock, Kero Kero Bonito, and Julia Jacklin as well as longtime label signees like of Montreal, American Football, STRFKR, and Rainer Maria. Recent additions to the Polyvinyl family include Laura Jane Grace, Anamanaguchi, IAN SWEET, Oceanator, Chris Farren, Squirrel Flower, and Yumi Zouma. Polyvinyl has put out over 400 releases to date.

Shy Boys originally formed as a trio in 2012 with brothers Collin Rausch, Kyle Rausch, and roommate Konnor Ervin (of The ACB’s).

Kyle Rausch became a member of The ACBs. The ACBs are an indie pop band from Kansas City, Missouri. The two constant members of the group have been lead singer and songwriter Konnor Ervin and bassist Bryan McGuire. The ACBs came together in 2006 after many years of playing in and around the Kansas City area with shuffling lineups and under different names. They self-released the eponymous The ACBs in November 2006 with Cory Egan and Matt Saladino. The album is noted for its guitar driven, pop-rock sound and the melodic hooks that comprised much of their early sound. In 2011 the band recorded Stona Rosa after Egan and Saladino left the band to pursue careers in Los Angeles, California. The album marked a more mature change in their sound and content and drifted away from the guitar-driven sound of their first album. They soon recruited guitarist Andrew Connor of the indie rock band Ghosty and local drummer Kyle Rausch to fill out the group. The single “Be Professional” from the album appeared on an episode of MTV’s The Inbetweeners. In 2013 the band signed with High Dive Records and headed into Westend Recording Studios in Kansas City, Kansas to record Little Leaves. The album displayed a variety of influences and the sounds heard on the album range from 1960s era pop to funk. The conceptual nature of the album also addresses issues of depression, anxiety, and alienation inside of a pop music framework. Two acoustic ballads bookend the first side of Little Leaves and one of them, “All Over,” was featured on an episode Showtime’s Shameless. Konnor Ervin was born on March 31, 1981.

11:09

12. The ACBs – “Feel Winter”
    from: Little Leaves / High Dive Records / March 5, 2013
    [The ACBs released their 3rd release Little Leaves on High Dive Records on March 5, 2013. Konnor Ervin on lead vocals, & guitar; Bryan McGuire on bass, Andrew Connor on guitar; Kyle Rausch on drums. Their songs have been featured on MTV’s The Inbetweeners, and Daytrotter. The title “Little Leaves” is a nod to frontman Konnor Ervin’s landscaping day job. The lead single, “Ocean” was released as a free download in late 2012, prompting Popmatters to declare the ACBs as one of its “Best Hopes to Break Out in 2013.”]

11:11 – Spinning Songs With Shy Boys

We are spinning songs with Shy Boys who released their third album, Talk Loud, on September 25, 2020 on Polyvinyl Records. Shy Boys are Collin Rausch & Kyle Rausch, Konnor Ervin, Kyle Little and Ross Brown. More info at http://www.shyboys.website

Collin Rausch, Kyle Rausch and Ross Brown thanks for being with us on WMM

Before Shy Boys, Konnor was the founder of the critically acclaimed band The ACBs who released their self titled debut album in 2007, followed by Stona Rosa in 2011, and Little Leaves.

Shy Boys / The ACBs / Ghosty / The I’ms / Fullbloods / Koney – Discography

The ACB’s / The ACB’s / July 10, 2007
[Debut from KC based 4-piece with Konnor Ervin on lead vocals, Bryan McGuire on bass, Matt Saladino on guitar, Corey Egan on drums & vocals. Written by, and arranged by Konnor Ervin. Produced by Tim Suttle. Recorded & mixed at Underdog Studio in Desoto, KS. Mastered at Euphonic Masters in Memphis, TN.]

The Abracadabras – Be Still, Be Cool / The Abracadabras / January 1, 2008
[5-piece KC band formed in the spring of 2007, with Jocelyn Olivia (John) Nixon on keyboards & vocals, Travis Mckenzie on lead guitar, Bobby (Wayne Hutcherson) Topaz on guitar & vocals, Collin Rausch on bass & vocals, and Kyle Rausch on drums & vocals.]

The ACBs – Stona Rosa / The ACBs / January 1, 2011
[After half of the band left to move to LA, Konnor Ervin and Bryan McGuire got help from: Andrew Connor of Ghosty, and Beau Bruns of Cowboy Indian Bear. All songs written by, and arranged, lead vocals & guitar by Konnor Ervin. Mike Nolte on bass, Bryan McGuire on bass & vocals, Andrew Connor on guitar & vocals, Beau Brus on drums. Kyle Rausch on vocals. Produced by Mike Nolte. Mastered by Roger Seibel Recorded at More Famouser Studios. Mixed at More Famouser Studios. Mastered at SAE Mastering.]

The I’ms – Second MIXES / Independent / 2011
[Collin Rausch and Kyle Rausch. Kyle Rausch also plays with The ACB’s. In 2011 on WMM we started playing songs from The I’ms, a duo made of up Collin and Kyle, who posted 6 of their self recorded songs on their facebook page. We included this informal release in our Top Ten of The 111 Best Recordings of 2011. 3 of the songs from The I’ms ended up being rerecorded for Shy Boys.]

Ghosty – GHOSTY / More Famouser Records – High Dive Records / April 17, 2012
[3rd full length release from Lawrence and KC area band. Ghosty is Andrew Connor, Mike Nolte an Bill Belzer who recorded their new album themselves over the last couple of years with help from David Wetzel, Josh Adams, Jake Blanton, Konnor Ervin, Ryan Connor, Kirsten Paludan, and Dan Talmadge. The new release was pressed on vinyl and available on LP and digital download. More info at ghostysounds.com.]

The ACBs – Little Leaves / High Dive Records / March 5, 2013.
[Konnor Ervin on lead vocals, & guitar; Bryan McGuire on bass, Andrew Connor on guitar; Kyle Rausch on drums. Their songs have been featured on MTV’s The Inbetweeners, and Daytrotter. The title “Little Leaves” is a nod to Konnor Ervin’s landscaping day job. The lead single, “Ocean” was released as a free download in late 2012, prompting Popmatters to declare the ACBs as one of its “Best Hopes to Break Out in 2013.”]

Shy Boys – Shy Boys / High Dive Records / January 17, 2014
[Debut release. Brothers Collin Rausch, Kyle Rausch, and friend and roommate Konnor Ervin, are members of this KC based trio. Collin and Kyle’s father was a High School band director and music teacher. Konnor Ervin is the lead singer and songwriter of The ACBs, where Kyle also plays drums. The 10 song release had two singles premiered by Stereogum. “Keeps Me On My Toes” was a song Collin wrote in 15 minutes while his girlfriend was in the shower. The album was recorded at West End Studio, over two-weekends.]

Shy Boys – “Life is Peachy” – Single Release / High Dive Records / July 15, 2014
[Stereogum has premiered the band’s new song, “Life Is Peachy”, the A-side to their new 45 rpm, 7″ single coming from High Dive Records. Brothers Collin Rausch, Kyle Rausch, and roommate Konnor Ervin, are members of the Kansas City based band, Shy Boys. ]
Fullbloods – Mild West / High Dive Records / February 26, 2016
[Second full length release from Fullbloods: Ross Brown; Jared Tomasino; David Seume; and Bill Pollock. Recorded at Westend Studios in Kansas City, Kansas by Mike Nolte. Mixed by Fullbloods. Mastered by Mike Nolte at Eureka Mastering. (Starfucker, Of Montreal).]

Shy Boys – Bell House / Polyvinyl Record Co. / August 3, 2018
[Shy Boys line-up consists of brothers Collin Rausch and Kyle Rausch, Konnor Ervin, Kyle Little and Ross Brown. The group formed shortly after the trio became roommates in 2012. Kyle Rausch and Konnor Ervin were already band mates in the indie-pop band The ACBs and Collin had been playing for years in the Kansas City area in various bands. The three shared a love for 1960s era pop rock and soon started writing their own music. In 2014 they released the self-titled Shy Boys on High Dive Records. The album received generally positive reviews and the single “Bully Fight” was featured on Spin.com

Shy Boys – Dim The Light / Brick By Brick – Singles / Polyvinyl Record Co. / Feb. 15, 2019
[Single release follow up to band’s 2nd album and Polyvinyl debut, Bell House. Shy Boys line-up consists of brothers Collin Rausch and Kyle Rausch, Konnor Ervin, Kyle Little and Ross Brown. Kyle Rausch and Konnor Ervin were already band mates in the indie-pop band The ACBs and Collin had been playing for years in the Kansas City area in various bands. The three shared a love for 1960s era pop rock and soon started writing their own music. In 2014 they released the self-titled Shy Boys on High Dive Records. The album received generally positive reviews and the single “Bully Fight” was featured on Spin.com. In June 2014 the band recorded and released two more singles and one of them, “Life Is Peachy,” was featured on Stereogum. On April 4th, 2018, it was announced that the band had signed to Polyvinyl Record Co.]

Fullbloods – Soft and Virtual Touch / High Dive Records / April 3, 2020
[3rd full-length album from, KC based Fullbloods. All songs written, performed, recorded, mixed by Ross Brown (℗© 2019 Bargain Hunt Music / ASCAP) in Kansas City, MO. Mastered by Mike Nolte at Eureka Mastering. Artwork by Nika Winn. Kyle Rausch played drums on 1, 2, 4, 6, 8, and 9, sang on 9. Bill Pollock Played drums on 3 and 5. David Seume played bass on 5. Jerad Tomasino played synth on 9 and 10, sang on 9. Jenni Kornfeld played cello on 4. Leslie Butsch played sax on 10. More info at: http://www.fullbloods.com.]

Shy Boys – Talk Loud / Polyvinyl Record Co. / September 25, 2020
[3rd album from the KC band Shy Boys. New music follow up to the Dim The Light / Brick By Brick, singles released February 15, 2019. Shy Boys released their 2nd album and Polyvinyl debut, Bell House on August 3, 2018. Shy Boys line-up consists of brothers Collin Rausch and Kyle Rausch, Konnor Ervin, Kyle Little and Ross Brown. Kyle Rausch and Konnor Ervin were already band mates in the indie-pop band The ACBs and Collin had been playing for years in the Kansas City area in various bands including The Abracadabras, and The I’ms with brother Kyle. The three shared a love for 1960s era pop rock and soon started writing their own music. In 2014 they released the self-titled Shy Boys on High Dive Records.]

Koney – Koney / High Dive Records / October 9, 2020

[from Lucas Wetzel’s Pitch Feature: “To bring the songs to life, Konnor enlisted brothers Collin and Kyle Rausch, his roommates in their ramshackle West Plaza house/practice space and his bandmates in chamber pop group Shy Boys. Ross Brown (of Fullbloods) played synthesizer and helped run sound, and multi-instrumentalist Kyle Little contributed on guitar. Fritz Hutchison and Andrew Connor also contributed on several tracks. Recording engineer Mike Nolte flew in from Portland to run the controls at Westend Recordings, and the group set up camp in the studio over a long snowy weekend in 2015.” ]

11:16

13. The ACBs – “Bottled Water”
    from: High Dive Spring Sampler / High Dive Records / April 17, 2013
    [Konnor Ervin on lead vocals, & guitar; Bryan McGuire on bass, Andrew Connor on guitar; Kyle Rausch on drums. Their songs have been featured on MTV’s The Inbetweeners, and Daytrotter.]

11:19 – Spinning Songs With Shy Boys

We’re spinning songs with Shy Boys who released their third album, Talk Loud, on September 25, 2020 on Polyvinyl Records. Shy Boys are brothers Collin Rausch & Kyle Rausch, Konnor Ervin, Kyle Little and Ross Brown. More info at http://www.shyboys.website

Collin Rausch, Kyle Rausch and Ross Brown thanks for being with us on WMM

One of the first bands Kyle and Collin Rausch were part of was, The Abracadabras. Collin and lead singer Joceyln Olivia (John) Nixon were the main songwriters of the band, and had been good friends in High School. The 5-piece KC band formed in the spring of 2007, with John Nixon on keyboards & vocals, Travis Mckenzie on lead guitar, Bobby (Wayne Hutcherson) Topaz on guitar & vocals, Collin Rausch on bass & vocals, and Kyle Rausch on drums & vocals. Joceyln Olivia (John) Nixon and Travis Mckenzie are currently in the the band The Creepy Jingles.

11:23

14. The Abracadabras – “Give Me Your Name”
    from: Be Still, Be Cool / The Abracadabras / January 1, 2008
    [5-piece KC band formed in the spring of 2007, with Joceyln Olivia (John) Nixon on keyboards & vocals, Travis Mckenzie on lead guitar, Bobby (Wayne Hutcherson) Topaz on guitar & vocals, Collin Rausch on bass & vocals, and Kyle Rausch on drums & vocals. Richard Gintowt wrote about The Abracadabras for the October 9, 2008 edition of The Pitch: Be Still, Be Cool is …an avalanche of tunes inspired by alternative rock, Britpop, ’60s psychedelia, hippie folk, and swampy Southern blues. Regardless of what labels or managers get behind it (or not), Be Still, Be Cool sounds like a big-time record — not the annoying Fall Out Boy sort but rather the well-rounded Supergrass variety. Recorded with producer Mike Crawford at his upstart studio, The Impossible Box, the album showcases a breadth of recording techniques from one-take numbers to the sort of trickery that has informed albums since Sgt. Pepper’s. Each track is stacked with harmonies, guitar overdubs and vintage keyboards. “We threw the whole kitchen sink into it,” lead singer John Nixon says. “Mike added a lot of great X factors to tracks. He’d dial up perfect guitar and keyboard tones.” Nixon says the group intended to stack the front of the record with pop songs and then let it “slowly unveil itself as something else.” The song “Deep” is a mellow acoustic number in the vein of CSN&Y, while “Show Me the Sunrise, Callie Anne” summons the campfire country-rock of the Rolling Stones’ Sticky Fingers. Such detours complement infectious two-minute singles like “C’mon and Get It!” and “An Argument.” “We’re enthusiasts of the art of order and timing,” Collin Rausch says. “One of my favorite things to do is take classic rock records and rearrange them to see if I can make them better.” This Friday’s album-release party at the Riot Room should offer a sense of vindication after a long summer. The frustrating events unfolded in July, when a prospective label fell out of the loop and manager Harley Sears also exited the picture. Sears, who also worked with KC bands Lovers in Transit and the Rich Boys, relocated to New York City in May. He says the decision to part ways with the Abracadabras was “amicable and necessary” due to other commitments. “I enjoyed the time we spent together,” Sears says. “Their new album was a labor of love, and the end result was a true work of art.” However amicable the split was, the Abracadabras couldn’t help but feel a bit bummed. “We went from almost being signed and having a manager and possibly moving to nothing,” Rausch says. “No matter how hard you try to stay grounded, you get your hopes up.” Adds guitarist Bobby Topaz (real name: Wayne Hutcherson): “It was like the rug was pulled out from under us. There was a week where we all sitting around scratching our heads like, ‘What’s next?’” The events motivated the group to self-release Be Still, Be Cool. They began unveiling tracks on their MySpace page a couple of months ago, leading up to a free release of the album this week. Rather than invest in hard copies, the band is handing out cards with free download codes. They also plan to make the entire album available for download via MySpace. “I think in the long term it’ll be better to give it away,” Nixon says. “The point is that we’re not big, and we’re not making money now anyways, so we may as well try to get people to come to shows.” Nixon is also adamant about downsizing the group’s reputation for dressing up at shows, preferring to redirect the focus toward the music. “It became more of a thing to talk about what we were wearing than what we were doing,” he says. “[Making the record] was a long and frustrating journey, so we had to do things to entertain ourselves and the audience in the meantime. I think we all like making music more than putting on shiny jackets and making sure our hair is pretty. We like that, too, obviously”.]

11:26 – Underwriting

We’re spinning songs with Shy Boys who released their third album, Talk Loud, on September 25, 2020 on Polyvinyl Records. Shy Boys are brothers Collin Rausch & Kyle Rausch, Konnor Ervin, Kyle Little and Ross Brown. More info at http://www.shyboys.website

Collin Rausch, Kyle Rausch and Ross Brown thanks for being with us on WMM

Fullbloods is a studio project of songwriter and producer Ross Brown, dedicated to gently nudging the boundaries of pop music for the guitar/synth/bass/drums band arrangement. Live he is joined by his wonderfully talented friends, where the project takes on a separate but cohesive identity. Melodies and hooks are the core values of a Fullbloods song.

Full Bloods released Mild West on February 26, 2016 through High Dive Records. It was the second full length from Fullbloods: Ross Brown, Jared Tomasino, David Seume, & Bill Pollock. Recorded at Westend Studios in Kansas City, Kansas by Mike Nolte. Mixed by Fullbloods. Mastered by Mike Nolte at Eureka Mastering. (Starfucker, Of Montreal).

11:32

15. Fullbloods – “Divvy Up”
    from: Soft and Virtual Touch / High Dive Records / April 3, 2020
    [3rd full-length album from, Fullbloods, a Kansas City based band. All songs written, performed, recorded, mixed by Ross Brown (℗© 2019 Bargain Hunt Music / ASCAP) in Kansas City, MO. Mastered by Mike Nolte at Eureka Mastering. Artwork by Nika Winn. Kyle Rausch played drums on 1, 2, 4, 6, 8, and 9, sang on 9. Bill Pollock Played drums on 3 and 5. David Seume played bass on 5. Jerad Tomasino played synth on 9 and 10, sang on 9. Jenni Kornfeld played cello on 4. Leslie Butsch played sax on 10. More information at: http://www.fullbloods.com.]

11:36 – Spinning Songs With Shy Boys

We are spinning songs with Shy Boys who released their third album, Talk Loud, on September 25, 2020 on Polyvinyl Records. Shy Boys are brothers Collin Rausch & Kyle Rausch, Konnor Ervin, Kyle Little and Ross Brown. More info at http://www.shyboys.website

Collin Rausch, Kyle Rausch and Ross Brown thanks for being with us on WMM

In an earlier visit on WMM, Collin and Kyle Rausch talked about how Mike Nolte, who is a friend of the band and has worked on their recordings shared the band’s debut album with cohorts at Polyvinyl. When the band was getting ready to make a new album, Polyvinyl came calling.

11:39

16. Shy Boys – “Price Tag”
    from: Talk Loud / Polyvinyl Record Co. / September 25, 2020
    [3rd album from Shy Boys. Follow up to the Dim The Light / Brick By Brick, singles released Feb. 15, 2019. Shy Boys released their 2nd album and Polyvinyl debut, Bell House on August 3, 2018. Shy Boys line-up consists of brothers Collin Rausch & Kyle Rausch, Konnor Ervin, Kyle Little and Ross Brown. Kyle Rausch and Konnor Ervin were band mates in The ACBs. Collin had been playing for years in the KC area including The Abracadabras, and The I’ms with Kyle. The three shared a love for 1960s era pop rock and soon started writing their own music. In 2014 they released the self-titled Shy Boys on High Dive Records. The album received positive reviews and the single “Bully Fight” (originally released by The I’ms) was featured on Spin.com. In June 2014, the band recorded and released two more singles and one of them, “Life Is Peachy,” was featured on Stereogum. On April 4th, 2018, it was announced the band signed to Polyvinyl Record Co.]

11:42 – Spinning Songs With Shy Boys

We’re spinning songs with Shy Boys, who’ve released their 3rd album, Talk Loud, on Sept. 25, 2020 on Polyvinyl Records. Shy Boys are Collin Rausch & Kyle Rausch, Konnor Ervin, Kyle Little and Ross Brown.
Collin Rausch, Kyle Rausch and Ross Brown thanks for being with us on WMM

In the Shy Boys – ACBs – Fullbloods world, nicknames are plentiful. Collin Rausch is “Tooty”, Konnor Ervin is “Koney”, Mike Nolte is “Bush”, Andrew Connor is “Pumpy”, Ross Brown is “Russ”, Kyle Rausch is “Slappy”, Kyle Little is “Little Kyle”, Bryan McGuire is “Briney”, and Fritz Hutchinson is “Fritz”.

Konnor’s work on what might have been The ACBs fourth full-length album, got held up, but now five years later it is seeing the light of day under the name Koney, Konnor’s nickname from Shy Boy’s band mates.

From Lucas Wetzel’s Pitch Feature: “To bring the songs to life, Konnor enlisted brothers Collin and Kyle Rausch, his roommates in their ramshackle West Plaza house/practice space and his bandmates in chamber pop group Shy Boys. Ross Brown (of Fullbloods) played synthesizer and helped run sound, and multi-instrumentalist Kyle Little contributed on guitar. Fritz Hutchison and Andrew Connor also contributed on several tracks. Recording engineer Mike Nolte flew in from Portland to run the controls at Westend Recordings, and the group set up camp in the studio over a long snowy weekend in 2015.”

11:46

19. Koney – “Sue 2”
    from: Koney / High Dive Records / October 9, 2020
    [Konnor Ervin is part of the Shy Boys who’ve released three full-length albums and multiple singles. Before Shy Boys, Konnor was the founder of the critically acclaimed band The ACBs who released their self titled debut album in 2007, followed by Stona Rosa in 2011, and Little Leaves in 2013. Konnor’s work on what might have been The ACBs fourth full-length album, got held up, but now five years later it’s seeing the light of day under the name Koney, Konnor’s nickname from Shy Boy’s band mates. From Lucas Wetzel’s Pitch Feature: “To bring the songs to life, Konnor enlisted brothers Collin and Kyle Rausch, his roommates in their ramshackle West Plaza house/practice space and his bandmates in chamber pop group Shy Boys. Ross Brown (of Fullbloods) played synthesizer and helped run sound, and multi-instrumentalist Kyle Little contributed on guitar. Fritz Hutchison and Andrew Connor also contributed on several tracks. Recording engineer Mike Nolte flew in from Portland to run the controls at Westend Recordings, and the group set up camp in the studio over a long snowy weekend.”]

10:50 – Spinning Songs With Shy Boys

We’re spinning songs with Shy Boys, who released their third album, Talk Loud, on September 25, 2020 on Polyvinyl Records. Shy Boys are brothers Collin Rausch & Kyle Rausch, Konnor Ervin, Kyle Little and Ross Brown. More info at http://www.shyboys.website

Collin Rausch, Kyle Rausch and Ross Brown thanks for being with us on WMM

11:55

18. Shy Boys – “View From The Sky”
    from: Talk Loud / Polyvinyl Record Co. / September 25, 2020
    [3rd album from Shy Boys. Follow up to the Dim The Light / Brick By Brick, singles released Feb. 15, 2019. Shy Boys released their 2nd album and Polyvinyl debut, Bell House on August 3, 2018. Shy Boys line-up consists of brothers Collin Rausch & Kyle Rausch, Konnor Ervin, Kyle Little and Ross Brown. Kyle Rausch and Konnor Ervin were band mates in The ACBs. Collin had been playing for years in the KC area including The Abracadabras, and The I’ms with Kyle. The three shared a love for 1960s era pop rock and soon started writing their own music. In 2014 they released the self-titled Shy Boys on High Dive Records. The album received positive reviews and the single “Bully Fight” (originally released by The I’ms) was featured on Spin.com. In June 2014, the band recorded and released two more singles and one of them, “Life Is Peachy,” was featured on Stereogum. On April 4th, 2018, it was announced the band signed to Polyvinyl Record Co.]

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

Next week on November 18 – We talk with James Andrews and Patrick Sprehe of Center Cut Records. We also talk with Grady Keller of Old Sound. And Shanté Clair and Tucker Slough of Shiny Jets join us live in our 90.1 FM Studios.

Thank you to all who donated to Wednesday MidDay Medley and KKFI 90.1 FM during our Fall Fund Drive. Between our on 11/14 and 11/21 air fund drive shows, and our Facebook Fundraiser, we had a total of 50 listeners who donated a total of $2954.00 to support community radio. THANK YOU!!!!

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

Daniel Gum photo by Quinn Hernandez
Shy Boys photo by Barrett Emke

Wednesday MidDay Medley in on the web:
http://www.kkfi.org,
http://www.WednesdayMidDayMedley.org,
http://www.facebook.com/WednesdayMidDayMedleyon90.1FM

Black Lives Matter

Show #863