Wednesday MidDay Medley’s 120 Best Recordings of 2024

WMM’s 120 Best Recordings of 2024 are based on the playlists of this little ole radio show. We’ve compiled our favorite full-length albums and EP recordings of 2024. This year we’ve broadcast nearly 900 different tracks over our 100,000 watts of 90.1 FM KKFI – Community Radio Airwaves. Over 500 of these tracks were from New & MidCoastal Releases. 60 of the representative tracks in our “Best of” list are from MidCoastal Releases. We conducted over 118 interviews with 141 special guests. 40 of the bands and artists in our “Best of” list have joined us as guests on Wednesday MidDay Medley. We realize these “Best of” lists can seem subjective, so we ask that you please accept our list as a celebration of the year in music.

1. Krystle Warren & The Faculty – Extended Play / Parlour Door Music / November 1, 2024

[Following their double album LOVE SONGS (2012) Krystle Warren & The Faculty were involved in many musical projects. Krystle Warren & The Faculty, released the single “Macca” on May 22, 2023. They released and their single “Rising” released May 31, 2019, and written especially for Ava DuVernay’s critically acclaimed television mini series WHEN THEY SEE US. When Covid delayed the upcoming release of Extended Play, Krystle and members of The Faculty along with some of their frequent collaborators formed The Crew to release the 4-song CREW EP on September 15, 2020. Through isolation came unity. The Crew was made up of: Lakecia Benjamin, Matthew Silberman, Jacob Snider, Joe Blaxx, Solomon Dorsey, Zach Djanikian, Cassorla, Krystle Warren, and Ben Kane. They 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” (a mighty John Lennon composition); “Dear Landlord” (a scathing indictment from the blistering pen of Bob Dylan); and “Rhythm of Life”, (a timeless statement originally performed by Oleta Adams). // A portion of the proceeds from The Crew. EP were donated to the various causes and organizations // The Faculty was formed with Krystle Warren, Solomon Dorsey, Zach Djanikian, Mike Riddleberger, and Dave Moore. While the four boys had classes and gigs, Krystle floated around New York and made a lot of friends. She busked and wrote songs, and, with the help of her band members and Ben Kane, who had an internship at Electric Lady Studios and was sneaking them in at odd hours, Krystle turned those songs into an e.p. called Diary. // Diary led to Circles, which Ben Kane co-produced with Voodoo engineer Russell “The Dragon” Elevado. Circles was bought by Because Music in France, but Krystle still recorded Love Songs in New York, a double album that invokes a Blakean duality with its two subtitles, ‘A Time to Refrain from Embracing’ and ‘A Time You May Embrace’. // Love Songs​ was produced with most of the Faculty (Zach was on tour with Amos Lee) and a slew of guest musicians in Brian Bender’s Brooklyn studio, The Motherbrain. Bender’s assistant, Jonathan Anderson, would later go on to replace Dave Moore on keys. // The Faculty has always been a tenuous project for everyone involved because of the distance and the schedules. While everyone remains close friends, the band members are spread across the globe. Krystle in France. Riddleberger in New York and Zach in Woodstock. Jonathan in Los Angeles. And then they are all working musicians, touring, recording, and collaborating with an impressive list of artists. Musicians like, in no particular order: D’Angelo, Hercules and Love Affair, Donald Fagen and the Nightfliers, Joan As Police Woman, Jonathan Wilson, Emily King, Janet Jackson, Ron Sexsmith, Amy Helm, Taylor Swift, Rufus Wainwright, Natalie Merchant, Graham Nash, The Knights, Bleachers, Emmylou Harris, Amos Lee, Mayra Andrade, Lana Del Rey, Broken Social Scene, Teddy Thompson, Lakecia Benjamin, and honestly that’s less than the half of it. // So they have been busy, and they have gained a lot of experience since the days of sneaking into ElectricLady late night or playing for meager pay and free wine at an East Village Italian resto. And while Diary, Circles, and Love Songs​ were recorded with everyone in the same room (​Three the Hard Way, Krystle’s solo album, was pared down to her and Kane collectively), Extended Play​ was recorded disparately and assembled together by the steady hands and ears of Kane and Krystle. There is distance between the musicians in the recording process, but there is still a close emotional connection that can be heard in these songs. // The songs that make up ​Extended Play​ are songs of experience—the lyrics reflect on a crush from high school, a departed musical hero, and others who live in memory. There is nostalgia in Extended Play, and a forlornness. // Krystle describes “When I Look Back,” the last song of the album, as “an apology to my teenage self.” Twenty years ago she was writing songs about what happened day-of because being young is about immediacy and living in the present tense. Now the songs are about years past because life slows down, and we are allowed the time to “look back.”// But as Krystle sings in “Rising,” “Future lingers while past is present.” She’s writing about the past because we are all our collected histories—or as she puts it in “When I Look Back”: “there’s still something of her that stays.” The future, of course, still lingers, always there waiting for us, for the next move. The album ends with a recording of Audre Lorde’s gravelly voice. She says, // I’m going on to something else, the shape of which, I have no idea. ‘Only thing I know is, it’s going to be quite different. What I leave behind has a life of its own – I’ve said this about poetry … Well in a sense, I’m saying it about the very artifact of who I have been. // Krystle Warren & The Faculty still have more to come. They have built twenty years of memories, experiences, recordings, and shows, and with the release of Extended Play,​ they continue to show a commitment to growing as musicians together, even if apart. The Extended Play bio written by Phil Anderson]

2. Waxahatchee – Tiger’s Blood / Merge Records / March 22, 2024

[Kansas City based Katie Crutchfield’s southern roots are undeniable. The name of her solo musical project Waxahatchee comes from a creek not far from her childhood home in Alabama and seems to represent both where she came from and where she’s going. // Tiger’s Blood was produced by Brad Cook. Engineered & mixed by Gerardo “Jerry” Ordonez. Assistant engineering by Natalia Chernitsky. Mastered by Emily Lazar. Recorded and Mixed at Sonic Ranch Recording Studios. // On March 27, 2020 Waxahatchee released SAINT CLOUD which was in the TOP 20 of WMM’s 120 Best recordings of 2020. On Saint Cloud all songs were written by Katie Crutchfield. Recorded & mixed at Sonic Ranch in Tornillo, TX & Long Pond in Stuyvesant, NY. Produced by Brad Cook. Engineered by Jerry Ordonez. Additional engineering by Jon Low. Mixed by Jon Low. Mastered by Brent Lambert at The Kitchen. KATIE CRUTCHFIELD on vocals, acoustic guitar, piano, keys; BRAD COOK on bass, acoustic guitar, piano, keys, synth; BOBBY COLOMBO on electric guitar, acoustic guitar, keys; BILL LENNOX on electric guitar, acoustic guitar, keys, percussion; NICK KINSEY on drums, percussion; JOSH KAUFMAN on electric guitars, piano, organ, percussion. Waxahatchee played the Uptown Theatre on April 18, 2024.More info at: http://www.waxahatchee.com. ]

3. Flight Attendant – Under The Power Lines / Flight Attendant / November 15, 2024

[“Flight Attendant delivers an experience,” – Rolling Stone Magazine. Flight Attendant belongs to that breed of rock bands made in Nashville, USA; where their sound is nothing less than a sonic unicorn. Blending sounds of grunge with power-pop hooks, viola and light synth textures, they have begun to create a hypnotic sound and energy all of their own. Glide Magazine says that Lead Singer Karalyne, “Commands your attention like Freddie Mercury working the crowd in an arena.” Flight Attendant band has been compared to Haim and Fleetwood Mac, or as TurnuptheVolume puts it, “Think Warpaint having a dance with Best Coast,” – This “Nashville based eclectic-indie band….is ready for take off”, Velvet Thunder. // Karalyne Winegarner lead singer of Flight Attendant, a Nashville based five piece band that formed while in the service of food and beverage. Karalyne, a certified sommelier from Kansas City, crossed paths with Vinny, an award-winning bartender from Boston, while they were working and making music together for fun. They were soon joined by their co-worker Nikki from Los Angeles, Derek from Boston, and Peyton, all fellow bartenders. Since their inception, Flight Attendant has released standout singles like “Man of Chaos” and “Therapy Couch,” which has received significant radio play. They’ve played sold-out shows from Austin to Nashville to Munich Germany, and at major festivals including SXSW, Boulevardia, Tomato Arts Fest, and the 20th Annual Crossroads Music Fest. Their eagerly awaited sophomore album, Under The Powerlines, \will be released on November 15. 2024. Flight Attendant is a five piece band that includes: Karalyne on lead vocals & keyboard, Vinny Maniscalco on vocals & guitar, Nikki Christie on vocals & viola, Derek Sprague on drums, anmd Peyton Rodeffer on vocals & bass. ]
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4. BLACKSTARKIDS – Saturn Dayz / Dirty Hit Records / September 30, 2022

[Gen-Z upstarts BLACKSTARKIDS have released their sixth studio album Saturn Dayz on September 20, 2024 through Dirty Hit Records and immediately followed with an 8-track seventh studio album HEAVEN ON URF, on October 25, 2024 on Dirty Hit Records. Our friend and music writer Bill Brownlee talked with us about how the band created a double album, but the record company decided to release as two separate albums. The music from both albums relate to each other. Before the release of Saturn Dayz the band released their single and video “SOULMATEZ!” on August 30, 2024. “SOULMATEZ!,” is a magnetic, blissed-out bop that brings together pop, indie, and alt-rap, reminiscent of Dev Hynes-era Solange mixed with De La Soul. // The follow up to BLACKSTARKIDS’ acclaimed 2022 album CYBERKISS* which featured standout singles “CYBERKISS 2 U* ft. beabadoobee” and “SEX APPEAL,” SATURN DAYZ is an otherworldly, genre-crossing testament to their unrelenting artistry and is their most impressive work to date. PRESS HERE to pre-save SATURN DAYZ. // Putting out music at a prolific rate and making waves for their formidable songwriting and producing talents, as well as their endless energy and truly limitless sound, BLACKSTARKIDS have received critical acclaim from New York Times, MTV, UPROXX, Billboard, Alternative Press, SPIN, Ones To Watch, Rolling Stone France, The Line Of Best Fit, DIY, Coup De Main, and more. Blending garage rock with synth-punk and hip-hop to usher in a new surge of indie, such as on their beloved album Puppies Forever which features anthemic singles “ALL COPS ARE BASTARDS,” “JUNO,” and “FIGHT CLUB,” BLACKSTARKIDS are well on their way to indie stardom and have previously toured with the likes of The 1975, COIN, Glass Animals, beabadoobee, Christian Leave, GroupLove. // Incorporating each member’s wide-ranging influences into their blissful DIY sound, such as Toro Y Moi, NERD*, Smashing Pumpkins, Weezer, Outkast, Odd Future, and A Tribe Called Quest, BLACKSTARKIDS first captivated the internet with their “black coming of age trilogy” of projects Let’s Play Sports, Surf, and Whatever, Man that feature critically acclaimed singles including “BRITNEY BITCH” and “FRANKIE MUNIZ.” // Blackstarkids are phenomenon who came out of Kansas City in 2020 became the soundtrack for the summer. Blackstarkids are a pop/R&B/hip-hop trio based in Kansas City, Missouri. Members include: TheBabeGabe, Deiondre, and TyFaizon (of the Drop Dead XX collective). The members have known each other since high school in Raytown, Missouri. Members met at Raytown South High School and formed the band in 2019. The group released its first album, Let’s Play Sports, on August 1, 2019. Blackstarkids then released their second album SURF through their own label Bedroom Records on February 28, 2020. Blackstarkids caught the attention of The 1975’s frontman Matty Healy and were then signed to The 1975’s management company and UK-based label Dirty Hit Records. They were featured in Clash Magazine. Blackstarkids then released, Surf Basement Demos on Dirty Hit Records on March 5, 2020. On October 29, 2020, Blackstarkids released Whatever, Man on Dirty Hit Records, their third album release of 2020. Gabe, of Blackstarkids recently described the KC Music community to an interviewer, “The music scene here is really nice. There are a lot of bands who are super talented and do all types of genres. The jazz music here is really great as well. Kansas City is honestly a hidden gem when it comes to music. I feel like you can meet an artist anywhere and anyplace in this city.” Deiondre added, “The music scene here is getting cool now, there’s a lot of jazz musicians that go to school for music here too but you can find people from different scenes all over if around the city.” Ty wrote, “The Kansas City scene is great, the community here is so supportive and genuine. This is a really prideful city here and I think they’re finally getting the musicians they deserve.” There was a final concert scheduled at the end of the year that was cancelled. Were not sure if BLACKSTARKIDS will continue in their current form as a band.]

5. Miss Boating – Jewel In The Trash / High Dive Records / June 29, 2024

[Miss Boating recently signed with High Dive Records to release their debut full length album, JEWEL IN THE TRASH. Miss Boating is a KC based, five-piece with multi-instrumentalist & lead singer Charlie Colborne, drummer Bill Belzer, Aaron Jones on trombone, Tom Gillespie on Saxophone, and Bryan McGuire on bass. (Phil Dickey played bass on the album.) Charlie and Bill met in the late 1980s. In the beginning they were called The Sympathetic Fringe, and then The Sleazebeats. In recent years Charlie & Bill added Aaron, Tim and Bryan. Described by one local radio host as “the perfect house band for a John Waters After Party.” One of their songs is about a friend’s mom’s dynamic relationship with prescription medication. Another is a tribute to the late Evan Jolly, their former bassist. All of the songs are written by Charlie Colborne through his blue/gay eyes. These songs have a fine patina of ditch weed, filthy humor, cigarette smoke, gay drama, Bee Gee’s inflected new wave, queer music hall schmaltz, odd stiff naive sambas, and box wine. More info at: http://www.highdivekc.com // From the ashes of their former band The Sleazebeats, Charles Colborne and Bill Belzer faced a difficult 2019 when combined with the death of Charlie’s own beloved mother, their friend and bassist Evan Vhargon died. The band wrote that they “were lost when Evan passed.” Through the tough times Bill and Charlie kept playing and wrote that they “were blown away when Phil Dickey wanted to jam with us… the jamming turned into something more and we were going again. We couldn’t be more thankful and humbled.” Phil is part of the bands Dragon Inn 3, and Someone Still Loves You Boris Yeltsin. // On January 1, 2020 Miss Boating released The Vhargon Sidestep with: Charlie Colborne on keyboards, guitar, vocals; Bill Belzer: drums, vocals; Phil Dickey on bass; Aaron Jones on trombone; Tim Gillespie on saxophone. Ross Brown served as engineering, did all of the mixing for The Vhargon Sidestep and Mike Nolte handled all of the mastering. Miss Boating played an Album Release Show, Saturday, June 29 at 6:00pm at The Ship, 1221 Union Avenue, KCMO, with Fullbloods.]

6. The Roseline – Keystone of the Heart / RPH Records / February 2, 2024

[Keystone of the Heart is the eighth album from the Lawrence, Kansas based band. The Roseline features: Colin Halliburton on lead vocals, Bradley McKellip on guitar, Heidi Gluck on Keyboards & backing vocals, Colin Jones on bass, Jim Piller on drums, and Chase Horseman on Mellotron. Engineered, produced, and mixed by Joel Nanos at Element Recording Studios in Kansas City, KS Mastered by Carl Saff at Saff Mastering in Chicago, IL. // Keystone of the Heart, is arguably their most distilled, elegant, and emotionally resonant album of their career. Halliburton describes it as “a protest record which protests the dissolution of a marriage, the slog of existence in late stage capitalism, and grotesque hatred and violence.” While this certainly sounds clunky and heavy-handed, Halliburton knows when to inject some levity and humor. Songs which appear dour and grim in the early verses always seem to find some hope and light by their end. Keystone of the Heart offers pure aural aloe for troubled times. // The Roseline played an Album Release Show at The Bottleneck con February 2, 2024 with Suzannah Johannes and Empty Moon. The band will be traveling back to Scandinavia in March.// The Roseline’s 7th album CONSTANCY was released November 5, 2021, was #1 on WMM’s 120 Best Recordings of 2021. // The Roseline are a Lawrence, KS, based alt-country, Americana, rock band, formed by Colin Halliburton with friends in 2005. The Roseline released their 6th album GOOD / GRIEF on April 3, 2020. The Roseline released BLOOD on September 29, 2017; and TOWNIE on June 19, 2015. The band has toured the US and parts of Europe. Halliburton has completed two European solo tours thus far, taking him through Poland, Germany, Belgium, and The Netherlands. // . The Roseline founder and principal songwriter, Colin Halliburton, began the project as an acoustic folk trio. It has since evolved into the five-piece heartland rock band of its current form. // Kind foreign press and high charting on the Euro Americana Chart (“Lust for Luster,” “Blood,” “GOOD/GRIEF” and “Constancy” all charted in the top 10) led to a deal in the Benelux with Dutch label King Forward Records. The band also released “Vast as Sky” in 2012 with the Bay Area label Ninth Street Opus (home to Sarah Lee Guthrie and Carrie Rodriguez). Aside from those, the project has largely been a truly DIY, independent venture. // The Roseline has had the good fortune of landing placements in indie movies and major network television shows such as ABC’s “Nashville” and “Resurrection,” as well as USA’s “Queen of the South,” Netflix’s “Virgin River” and MTV’s “Teen Mom.” The band’s work has been featured on NPR, “Pop Matters,” “American Songwriter,” “The Bluegrass Situation” and “No Depression,” among others. Colin Halliburton joined us on WMM on March 25, 2020. More info at: https://roselinemusic.com%5D

7. Amble Haunt – Feather Led / Amble Haunt / August 9, 2024

[Feather Led is the first full length studio album from midwest rock band Amble Haunt. // Produced under the guidance of producer/songwriter Nathan Hussey (All Get Out / ATX Heat) -Feather Led is a distinct milestone that embodies Amble Haunt’s unwavering love for the craft of writing and recording music. // The album represents a multi-year collaborative effort between vocalist Bryce Veazey and drummer Brandon Woodall. As the core members of Amble Haunt, Veazey and Woodall have been creating music together for over 20 years through various projects and bands. // Feather Led‘s lyrical content is diverse as it explores the corners of life and self-fulfillment. This album contains much more than love songs or aimless emotions, it is a journal of perseverance. A support to those who know there is more to life than death and taxes. // Amble Haunt released the 5-track debut EP EMPTY LOT on April 1, 2021. it was part of WMM’s Best Recordings of 2022. This Kansas City, Missouri based 4-piece band formed by Bryce Veazey, Brandon Woodall, Ara Woodall, and Jake Briscoe. The band writes: “Music has a way of haunting…Amble Haunt is the way those haunts are sung out into life.” A song about knowing your predispositions in life, and deciding to move forward regardless of the weight you carry. The band surfeited that “Jump Cross the Pool” is a song about knowing your predispositions in life, and deciding to move forward regardless of the weight you carry. More info at: http://www.amblehaunt.bandcamp.com.]

8. Supermoto – Supermoto / Manor Records / Sept. 30, 2024

[Hailing from Kansas City, this 5-piece group started meeting in the pre covid winter of 2020. April of 2021 they released their first two songs “Moonlight” and “Polarized” which led to a run of energetic and successful live performances – all the while building up many catchy originals drawing on their inspirations of jazz, funk, r&b, city pop and disco. Supermoto played HOWDY at 6523 Stadium Drive, KCMO on October 10, at for the Abandoncy album release of Assailable/Agonoism, with God’s Computer and Young Mvchetes.]

9. Clarke Wyatt – CLARKES IN SPACE / Clarke Wyatt / March 19, 2024

[CLARKESINSPACE is an ongoing project by Clarke Wyatt: multi-instrumentalist, composer, producer, recording and video engineer. Clarke is a lifelong creator of original music. He has written string quartets, original compositions and songs, studio project parts and production, and video creations. And that’s just the start. His latest project in the works is called “Guitar Party”, where he plays drum kit with electric guitarists (sometimes switching places if the guitarist is also a drummer). It’s the beginning of a video series, first created for youtube, with options for multiple media. // Clark is one half of the acclaimed duo Best & Clarke who are “Regular folks whop make exceptional music: This duo from the heartland (Kansas City, Missouri) has its roots in Ozark old time music, honoring traditional songs and tunes that resonate with human experience. New compositions add compelling elements to their musical tapestry. More info at: betseandclarke.com]

10. Kat King – Domestic Bliss EP / Manor Records / April 5, 2024

[Kat King, on lead vocals, Derek Melies on guitar, John Kaul McCain on bass, Daniel Cole on drums, & Kara LePage on keyboards. // Kat writes, (The song) “Living Room formed out of a guitar melody that Derek sent me in a voice recording. It was in the early stages of living with a partner for the first time where you have to figure out how to navigate your independence while cohabitating because you realize the joy in having someone to leave early with or to just stay home with. There was an evening when she was out of town and I was sitting in our living room having a crisis because I was feeling the heaviness of the injustices in the world and I didn’t want to leave the house but I also didn’t want to be home alone. These were feelings I’d navigated before as a single person but it was hitting in such a different way. As someone who had always operated from a state of FOMO, it felt so out of character to choose staying home instead of going to find something to do. It’s silly but in that moment it felt like I wasn’t the same person that I was before living together, so naturally I grabbed my guitar to try and work through that feeling. I knew I wanted to revisit that guitar recording Derek sent me because of its nostalgic sound and I ended up writing the entire song that evening. When I showed the band we restructured the song, jumping right into the chorus instead of the classic verse/chorus/verse/chorus structure it was initially. John also wrote this beautiful melodic bass line that acts as a counter melody throughout which I think gives it such an interesting instrumental story arc. Living Room is the acceptance of enjoying simple home pleasures while recognizing home as a sanctuary from the outside world.” // On October 6, 2023 Kat King released the single. “Bight-Eyed.” // On June 16, 2024 Kat King released the single “Baby Talk.” // On Jan. 13, 2023 Kat King released “Gone South” Produced by Joel Martin. Centering on themes of self-care, steadfast friendship, and revitalizing optimism. On September 20, 2022 Kat King released the single “With Nothing In My Way.” This followed their single “New Sun” released July 29, 2022. “New Sun” was a follow up to the June 9, 2021, SAY WHAT YOU MEAN 5-track EP, recorded with her band. Co-produced & mixed / mastered by Joel Martin. Lawrence KS based singer songwriter Kat King released her last single “Song of Spain” in 2019 and her single “2017” in, 2018. She released her 5-song EP “Falling Up” on Dec. 1, 2017. Kat has made music since the 2nd grade. She made a 13-song album and 3 EP’s, the 1st one released at 14.]

11. The Swallowtails – LUCKY PENNY EP / The Swallowtails / February 20, 2024

[The independent acoustic band, experimenting in the rock/pop genres while performing on what are traditionally folk/classical instruments, enter a new era having produced the entirety of this project themselves, with the songwriting matter touching on life’s big changes, challenges, and the realizations that time will heal. // “Since becoming a duo, it was time for us to reinvent our sound again. The songwriting on this EP is split between Rachel and myself, and this is Rachel’s debut release as a writer and singer. We spent all of January 2024 finishing the arrangements, recording and mixing the mini-record. It was a much needed release of energy for both of us, and we are definitely looking forward to adding these songs into our live sets and performing new material.”– Miki P, songwriter, singer and musician in The Swallowtails. // Est. in 2018, The Swallowtails are a Kansas City based musical duo comprised of musicians Miki P on guitar/vocals and Rachel Lovelace on bassoon/vocals. Their vision is to write honest, heartfelt songs that feel like you’re coming home to an old friend. As recording and performance artists, they have been showcased throughout Kansas City, performing at the Folly Theatre, Boulevardia Music Festival, The Kansas City Public Library as part of the 2023 Art in the Loop: Celebrate project, and most recently at Green Guitar Folk House opening for The Wildwoods. Their songwriting was awarded Best Song by a KC Band in 2023 by the Pitch Magazine for their tune “Take it Slow.” // Live video’s will be released on The Swallowtails YouTube page in support of the EP, the live session was filmed at West Bottoms Whiskey Co. // Swallowtails will be featuring the new EP at the Folk Alliance International Conference February 21st-25th. Both Miki & Rachel have earned scholarships to attend the conference. // Swallowtails embark on their 4th year entering NPR’s Tiny Desk Contest featuring a song off the EP, called “I’m on Fire” posted to NPR’s official contest site. // The Swallowtails have recently been approved as part of KCAIC Touring Artists Roster, through the Kansas Creative Arts Industries Commission. // On May 22, 2023 The Swallowtails released their 7-track EP THE WORLD STILL SPINS from Rachel Lovelace on bassoon, Adee Dancy on cello & vocals, and Miki P on guitar & lead vocals. Miki P is a self-taught musician/multi-instrumentalist & songwriter driving the Swallowtails into a creative collaboration like any other. Miki P was born in Kansas City, KS. Miki P started playing guitar in middle school. She taught herself to play the drums, while listening to Mitch Mitchell, Keith Moon and Ringo Starr. Miki P performed “She Loves You” at her 7th grade talent show. In 9th grade she joined a teen-band called American Slim as drummer & vocalist, and she wrote songs for their full-length album Irreplaceable released in 2017, followed by a single “Queen of Hearts” released April 11, 2018. Miki P has played Middle of the Map Fest, Crossroads Music Fest, Kauffman Stadium, Arrowhead Stadium, and The Nelson Atkins Museum of Art before officially ending in 2018. As a teen she played drums for various groups including American Slim. At 21, Miki P began work on her debut solo-record, DOME OF SWALLOWS, that was released August 2, 2018. She then formed Miki P and the Swallowtails who released their first EP, Swallowtail in 2019, In 2021 Miki P released the 6-song EP, DON’T LOSE HOPE, created in covid isolation, in Miki P’s home space. Sitting & working from Miki’s computer, she composed and recorded 80% of the EP, working through the music like a journal entry, creating each song from her internal hurricane of emotions. All songs written, recorded, played, & mixed by Miki P. Recorded & Mixed with Emma Klien & Jake Hilger. Mastered by Joel Nanos. Miki P released her single “Your Love” on June 24, 2022. Miki P’s released the single “Peter Parker!” on March 18, 2022. // The Swallowtails played the 20th Annual Crossroads Music Fest, August 24, on the Stockyards Brewing Stage with: Howard Mahan & Friends, The Canterberries, Danielle Ate The Sandwich, Beth Watts Nelson, Rural Grit All Stars, and Les Ismore & The Goats. // More info at: http://www.mikipmusic.com]

12. MeShell Ndegeocello – No More Water: The Gospel Of James Baldwin / Blue Note – Verve / August 2, 2024

[“Love takes off the masks that we fear we cannot live without and know we cannot live within. I use the word “love” here not merely in the personal sense but as a state of being, or a state of grace – not in the infantile American sense of being made happy but in the tough and universal sense of quest and daring and growth.” ― James Baldwin, The Fire Next Time // 14th album from acclaimed GRAMMY-winning multi-instrumentalist, singer, and songwriter Meshell Ndegeocello. A tribute album to African-American thinkers and writers, including namesake James Baldwin and Audre Lorde. The album was released on Baldwin’s Centennial: August 2, 2024. (from http://www.bluenote.com): The visionary work is at once a musical experience, a church service, a celebration, a testimonial, and a call to action. With No More Water, Ndegeocello embarks on a prophetic musical odyssey that transcends boundaries and genres, delving headfirst into race, sexuality, religion, and other recurring themes explored in Baldwin’s canon. Following 2023’s The Omnichord Real Book, her acclaimed Blue Note debut which won the inaugural GRAMMY Award for Best Alternative Jazz Album, the multi-instrumentalist, singer, songwriter, and producer renders an immersive and palpable document that is as sagacious, unabashed, and introspective as Baldwin was in life. // Co-produced by Ndegeocello and guitarist Chris Bruce, No More Water features some of the bassist’s frequent collaborators including Bruce, vocalist Justin Hicks, saxophonist (and Omnichord producer) Josh Johnson, keyboardist Jebin Bruni, and drummer Abe Rounds. Also appearing on various songs are vocalist Kenita-Miller Hicks, keyboardists Jake Sherman and Julius Rodriguez, and Executive Director of the NYCPS Arts Office and trumpeter Paul Thompson. The album also showcases powerful spoken word by venerated poet Staceyann Chin and Pulitzer Prize-winning author and critic Hilton Als. // Nearly a decade in the making, the album’s origins began in 2016 during a performance at The Harlem Stage Gatehouse as part of their annual showcase honoring Baldwin. Ndegeocello had delved into Baldwin’s work the year before, including the seminal nonfiction work The Fire Next Time, which she considers “life-changing” and carries with her as a “spiritual text.” Ndegeocello says, “It was just a revelation to me, and it softened my heart in so many ways.” // “Inspired by Baldwin’s most well-known essay, Ndegeocello’s piece—often staged as a church service—employs music, sermon, text, images, and movement, all of which enter into conversation with Baldwin’s monumental and delicate essay about how black bodies were perceived not only by white Americans but by blacks themselves,” writes Als in the album’s liner notes. “The music you hear in No More Water, is Jimmy talking to Meshell and his words meeting the language of her sounds and then coming out again through a multitude of voices, a multitude of sounds and thoughts that bring Jimmy back and give him—finally—his whole and true self, that which he offered up, time and again, if only we knew then how to listen.” // Thematically, the album moves like a procession in a Black church—baptism, testimony, worship/praise, and ultimately, resurrection. For the album’s opening track and lead single, “Travel,” we are brought inside the mind of a man with suicidal thoughts, a recurring motif in much of Baldwin’s oeuvre. Setting a dystopian mood, Rodriguez’s organ and Chin’s echoing incantations help usher in Justin Hicks’ ominous vocals: “I’ll stay away with all the work to be done/I’ll be bleeding while you bake in the sun.” // “Raise The Roof” features Chin sans accompaniment as the intensity of her words captures the stark and harrowing reality of the pervasive racism we cannot seem to escape: “It must be in the fucking water being force-fed to the police, the prosecutor and the politicians who care nothing for Black bodies falling like leaves in late August…in Ferguson…in Cleveland…in Staten Island, only minutes away from where my own child sits, watching The Muppets take over Manhattan.” // No More Water marks a significant moment of self-discovery for Ndegeocello. She adds that Baldwin entered her life at precisely the right time. “It came when I was ready to look in the mirror. I’ve had to play Plantation Lullabies at a few shows. Looking back, I had an interesting perspective, but the dialogue was limited. It was more like a cathartic experience for a young person of color, whereas now I’m going, ‘How can I get us all to love each other? How can I get us all to see this for what it is?’”// Last year Meshell Ndegeocello released her Blue Note Records debut with The Omnichord Real Book, on June 16, 2023. // At The 2024 Grammy Awards, Meshell Ndegeocello won the first-ever GRAMMY for Best Alternative Jazz Album for The Omnichord Real Book. In her acceptance speech, the two-time GRAMMY winner and 12-time nominee thanked Don Was, the president of Blue Note Records, as well as other colleagues and loved ones — including her two sons. “I hope I haven’t forgotten anybody,” Ndegeocello graciously said at the end, and invoked an elder of the music: “Oliver Lake, this is for you.” // It was a visionary, expansive, and deeply jazz-influenced album that marks the start of a new chapter in her career. Following her 2018 album Ventriloquism, Meshell returns with an album of new original material that taps into a broad spectrum of her musical roots. The Omnichord Real Book was produced by Josh Johnson and features a wide range of guest artists including Jason Moran, Ambrose Akinmusire, Joel Ross, Jeff Parker, Brandee Younger, Julius Rodriguez, Mark Guiliana, Cory Henry, Joan As Police Woman, Thandiswa, and others. // Meshell Ndegeocello was born Michelle Lynn Johnson on August 29, 1968 in West Berlin, Germany, to US Army Sergeant Major and saxophonist father Jacques Johnson and health care worker mother Helen. She was raised in Washington, D.C. where she attended Duke Ellington School of the Arts and Oxon Hill High School. She is a singer-songwriter, rapper, and bassist. She has gone by the name Meshell Suhaila Bashir-Shakur which is used as a writing credit on some of her later work. Her music incorporates a wide variety of influences, including funk, soul, jazz, hip hop, reggae and rock. She has received significant critical acclaim throughout her career, being nominated for eleven Grammy Awards, and winning one. She also has been credited for helping to “spark the neo-soul movement”. // Ndegeocello adopted her surname, which she says means “free like a bird” in Swahili. Early pressings of Plantation Lullabies were affixed with stickers to help pronounce her name. The spelling has changed in the hands of record labels a few times during her career; the correct spelling of her stage name as of 2001 is Meshell Ndegeocello.]

13. Kirstie Lynn & Galen Clark – Kirstie Lynn & Galen Clark / Lost River Sound / August 9, 2024

[Kirstie Lynn & Galen Clark released Cindergarden (A Sides) on May 22, 2022. They released Cindergarden (B Sidesd) on June 21, 2023. Kirstie Lynn is a classically trained soprano with a passion for songwriting, always looking to marry poetry and melody. Though Kirstie’s voice has been compared to that of Joni Mitchell and Joan Baez, her sound is uniquely her own. Kirstie Lynn is a folk singer-songwriter originally from the fingerlakes region of upstate, NY. She began her professional music studies at the age of 15, and has since received both a Bachelor’s degree from Shenandoah University and a Master’s degree from Carnegie Mellon University in voice and opera performance. Her vocal training lends her the freedom to paint her nature inspired lyrics with a wide range and a beautiful and effortless sound. Kirstie Lynn is one half of the duo Kirstie Lynn and Galen Clark. // Galen Clark introduces an alternative perspective and approach to music that contains multitudes. Migratory melodies, multi-instrumental fluency, and mysterious texture all outline the stylings of the newly transplanted Cuyahoga Valley songwriter, producer, and musician. // Born into an Air Force family, Clark grew up in many places with family anchors in Vermont and Colorado. At the age of 9 following many failed piano lessons, Clark’s grandparents gifted him a Harmony parlor guitar from a Shelburne flea market, starting a journey that would span almost 2 decades of stylistic development, a plethora of ephemeral bands, a degree in music production and recording technology, and a refined take on songwriting. .. Sharing songs spanning the stoic mountains of Idaho’s lost river range to the ancient hum of the Shenandoah Valley, Galen draws upon energy strewn between varied time and place, a broader quest for belonging, and rejuvenation beyond the front door. Clark’s previous records, Providence (2018) and The Well (2020) offer a contemplative portrait of moods in natural ambiguity, collective consciousness, and introspection. His most recent collaboration with Kansas City – based artist, Kirstie Lynn is a reckoning that is to be heard live and will transport you elsewhere if not in mind than in spirit.][Kirstie Lynn & Galen Clark joined us live on WMM on June 21. // Kirstie Lynn played IN THE ROUND with Calvin Arsenia, Julia Othmer, and Christena Graves at The Bauer, 115 West 18th Street, in KCMO’s West Crossroads, Oct. 17.]

14. Adrianne Lenker – Bright Future / 4AD / March 22, 2024

[Adrianne Lenker writes: ““bright future” was made with everything in my heart, and it will be yours march 22nd. for today, i’m sharing the second song from it called ”sadness as a gift”. “sadness as a gift” was co-produced by Philip Weinrobe, with contributions from Mat Davidson, Nick Hakim, and Josefin Runsteen. // Mat, Nick and Josefin, y’all brought this whole thing to life in a way i never could’ve even imagined being possible. my heart broke open during those weeks together. your love makes it what it is and i am endlessly grateful for the presence you gave to our time together and to this music. Phil you inspire me endlessly, you ignite my curiosity and remind me to enjoy being alive. i learn so much from working and existing with you, thank you for going one thousand percent in with me, all the way through the shadows and the light. // mastered with care by the incredible Josh Bonati. // Adrianne Elizabeth Lenker was born July 9, 1991. She is an American musician. She is the lead vocalist, guitarist and principal songwriter of the band Big Thief. // Lenker was born in Indianapolis and was raised in a Christian cult until the age of four, but primarily grew up in Minnesota. Her parents rented homes in Coon Rapids, Nisswa, and Bloomington, Minnesota, before settling down in Plymouth, Minnesota, where she lived for 10 years, excluding a brief time spent in Santa Cruz, California. She spent a summer traveling throughout the midwest and living out of a Ford cargo van. // Lenker wrote her first song at the age of eight, and recorded her first album at age 13. Her other interests included studying martial arts, and she was the state karate champion three years in a row.[citation needed] She moved to Santa Cruz for a year and a half, living with a family friend and working at a local McDonalds. She dropped out of Santa Cruz High School halfway into her sophomore year, moved back to Plymouth, and got her GED at the age of 16. She attended the Berklee College of Music on a scholarship provided by Susan Tedeschi of the Tedeschi Trucks Band. // On February 28, 2006, when Lenker was 14, she released her first solo album, Stages of the Sun. On January 9, 2014, Lenker released her second solo album, Hours Were the Birds. // On May 1, 2014, Lenker, together with future bandmate Buck Meek, released the LP records a-sides and b-sides. In 2015, Lenker and Meek, alongside Max Oleartchik and James Krivchenia, formed the band Big Thief, whose first album was released in 2016. // Lenker released her third solo album, Abysskiss, on October 5, 2018. // On October 23, 2020, Lenker released her two most recent albums, Songs and Instrumentals. // Lenker met the future Big Thief co-founder Buck Meek at a concert when she lived in Boston, and then she encountered him again in a bodega the day she moved to New York. The pair began to play together, and married when Lenker was 24. They divorced in 2018, remaining in Big Thief as “deep friends”. In 2019, Lenker was in a relationship with the artist Indigo Sparke, and the two separated sometime in 2020. // While Lenker is comfortable with the label “queer”, she has expressed a desire not to define her sexual orientation beyond that. Her lyrics often contain discussions of gender and the gender binary. In an interview with The Brag, Lenker said of those lyrics, “I feel within myself a constant dialogue between my masculinity, my femininity and the part of me that is neither of those things. I’m just trying to talk about it because I feel like I’m something that is very ambiguous.”]

15. Nala Sinephro – Endlessness / Warp Records / September 6, 2024

[Nala Sinephro (born 1996) is a Caribbean-Belgian experimental jazz musician, currently based in London. She is best known for her ambient jazz compositions, where she predominantly plays the pedal harp, modular synthesiser, keyboards and piano. // In 2021, she released her debut studio album, Space 1.8, on Warp Records to widespread critical acclaim. The album placed highly on several music publications’ end-of-year lists. // Nala Sinephro spent her childhood in Belgium, growing up on the outskirts of Brussels, near a forest. Her Belgian mother was a classical piano teacher and her Martiniquan/Guadeloupean father was a jazz saxophonist. // During her teenage years, Sinephro developed a tumor in her jaw. The tumor’s successful removal influenced a period of hedonistic living, with Sinephro frequenting Brussels-based clubs to seek out hardcore dance music. // Initially interested in becoming a biochemist, Sinephro eventually transferred to an arts-based high school which featured a jazz department. There, she discovered the harp, which she quickly connected with. Sinephro attended Berklee College of Music in Boston for one year, dropping out after finding her job as a sound engineer provided a more practical education. She moved to London and enrolled in a second jazz college, though she quickly dropped out as a result of the racial disparity there. // In London, Sinephro became a contemporary of saxophonists Shabaka Hutchings and Nubya Garcia, and the jazz improvisation collective Steam Down, where she developed a sense of individuality in her style. Sinephro began performing with Steam Down regularly, working alongside the London Contemporary Orchestra’s artistic director Robert Ames. // Sinephro began writing the songs that would appear on Space 1.8 in 2018 and 2019. Writing on piano, she would record her pedal harp and modular synthesiser parts at her home before entering Pink Bird recording studio to record with the album’s collaborators, with included saxophonists Nubya Garcia and James Mollison, drummer Jake Long, and bassists Twm Dylan and Wonky logic. Sinephro emphasized minimalism and intentionality when composing the album. // Sinephro currently lives in Tottenham, North London. She has family based in the Caribbean island Martinique. During the COVID-19 pandemic, Sinephro spent months living on Martinique, where she developed an interest in field recordings.]

16. Cheery – Bliss / Spirit House Records / March 20, 2024

[Cheery released three new singles last summer, from her new home in Liverpool, England, United Kingdom. “True Lover” on July 19, 2023 // “90210 Poster” on August 16, 2023 // “Bliss” on September 20, 2023. All three singles came with fabulous new music videos . Cheery is the “Dream Pop” music project of musician and singer and songwriter Katlyn Cowpland formerly known as Katlyn Conroy, who was formerly based in Lawrence, Kansas. Katlyn met her husband on OkCupid and moved 4000 miles away to get married and relocate in Liverpool, England. When she was still based in Lawrence, Kansas, As Cheery, Katlyn released the single “Concept of Love” and b-side, “Vulture” on August 3, 2021, written and performed by Katlyn Conroy, and engineered and mixed by Eric Davis. Katlyn Conroy released SAPPHIRES funder her previous moniker and band, La Guerre through The Record Machine on January 20, 2015. It was #10 on WMM’s 115 Best Recordings of 2015. Katlyn Conroy was also part of the critically acclaimed band, Cowboy Indian Bear. She was the recipient of the 2013 Pitch Music Award for Best Singer-Songwriter. With over 20 years of live performance experiences she has performed alongside Daniel Johnston, Florence and The Machine, Grizzly Bear, Sara Barielles, Why? and more. Katlyn Conroy joined us on WMM on March 4, 2015 and August 26, 2015. More info at: http://www.cheery.bandcamp.com or https://linktr.ee/HearCheery ]

17. Hembree – Better Days / Hembree / August 9, 2024

[Hembree’s third studio album. Performed by: Hembree. Hembree is: Isaac Flynn, Eric Davis, Garrett Childers, Alex Ward & Austin Ward. Mixed by: Isaac Flynn. Mastered by: Ian Sefchick. Drums engineered by: Martin Cooke. Additional vocals by: Devynn Carter on tracks 1, 6, 9 and 10. Recorded at Kingsize Soundlabs (Los Angeles, CA), Peermusic (Burbank, CA) and Isaac’s house. Produced by: Isaac Flynn . // Hembree released their The 15-track album, IT’S A DREAM on February 4, 2022. It was part of WMM 120 Best Recordings of 2023. Hembree, is a KC born band was formed in November of 2015, with Isaac Flynn on guitar, & lead vocals, Garrett Childers on bass & vocals, Eric Davis on keys & synth, Alex Ward on guitar, and Austin Ward on drums. Hembree is signed to Thirty Tigers of Nashville, TN. The band was founded by original members Isaac Flynn, Garrett Childers, and Eric Davis. Brothers Alex and Austin Ward later joined in 2018. Hembree quickly garnered national attention after their single “Holy Water” was placed in an Apple commercial that aired during Super Bowl LII. The band’s music has been featured in a variety of other national placements, including Monday Night Football (NFL) and Bose. Hembree has notably supported Elvis Costello, Phoenix, Cold War Kids, Vance Joy, JR JR, and Joywave, among others. The band first toured Europe in Fall 2018. In 2018, Hembree signed with Thirty Tigers to release their first full-length album House on Fire, released 4/26/2019. In 2019, Hembree performed at Hangout Music Festival. They will also appear on the soundtrack of 13 Reasons Why: Season 3 with the song “Culture”. Hembree was named one of NPR’s Slingshot 2018 Artists to Watch. Rolling Stone named Hembree as one of the thirty best artists at SXSW 2018. “Had It All” debuted on Zane Lowe’s Beats 1 on January 19, 2017. Lowe described the song as “absolutely fantastic.” “Holy Water” was featured in Apple’s HomePod “Distortion” TV spot, which ran during Super Bowl LII, the 60th Annual Grammy Awards, and the 2018 Winter Olympics. Hembree released the single, “Reach Out” on July 20, 2021 and “Operators (feat. Bodye)” on Sept. 21, 2021on Oread Records. IHembree played The Bottleneck, 737 New Hampshire St., Lawrence KC, on Saturday, October 12, at 8:00pm with and Flash Floods. nfo at: http://www.hembreemusic.com]

18. Leyla McCalla – Sun Without The Heat / Anti – Records / April 12, 2024

[Leyla McCalla on vocals, cello, banjo, guitars; Shawn Myers on percussion, drums; Nahum Zdybel on guitars; Pete Olynciw on electric bass, piano; Maryam Qudus on synthesizers, organs, backing vocals; Louis Michot on fiddle on “Tower”. Recorded and Produced by Maryam Qudus at Dockside Studios, June 20-29, 2023. Assisted by Justin Tocket. Mixed by Maryam Qudus at Best House. Mastered by Heba Kadry, NYC. All songs written by Leyla McCalla (Makala Music (BMI)) except “Love We Had” music by Ali Mohammed Birra, arrangement and lyrics by Leyla McCalla (Makala Music (BMI)) // On May 6, 2022 Leyla McCalla released Breaking the Thermometer on Anti- Records. // 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. We first played Leyla McCalla in 2016 the same year we saw her live at Folk Alliance International and the same year she released her critically acclaimed album Vari-Colored Songs on Music Maker Recordings on February 4, 2014. The album 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. Along with her solo work Leyla McCalla was part of Songs of Our Native Daughters is the debut Americana/folk album by four North American singer-songwriters collaborating as Our Native Daughters. The group includes Rhiannon Giddens, Amythyst Kiah, Leyla McCalla, and Allison Russell. The album was released on the Smithsonian Folkways label in early 2019. Songs of Our Native Daughters addresses American historical issues that have influenced the identity of black women, including slavery, racism, and sexism. The album features 13 songs, 11 of them written by the group’s members. It also includes a cover of a 1970s Bob Marley classic and a song that draws its lyrics from two poems.]

19. Mdou Moctar – Funeral for Justice / Matador / May 3, 2024

[‘Funeral For Justice’ is the new album by Mdou Moctar. Recorded at the close of two years spent touring the globe following the release of 2021 breakout ‘Afrique Victime,’ it captures the Nigerien quartet in ferocious form. The music is louder, faster, and more wild. The guitar solos are feedback-scorched and the lyrics are passionately political. Nothing is held back or toned down. // Mdou Moctar immediately stands out as one of the most innovative artists in contemporary Saharan music. His unconventional interpretations of Tuareg guitar and have pushed him to the forefront of a crowded scene. Mdou shreds with a relentless and frenetic energy that puts his contemporaries to shame. More info at: http://www.mdoumoctar.com]

20. The Cure – Songs of A Lost World / Fiction/Capitol Records / October 31, 2024

[THE CURE’s long-awaited, critically acclaimed new album, SONGS OF A LOST WORLD, their first new release in 16 years, is out now via Fiction/Capitol Records. // The band will be performed their only scheduled show of the year on Nov. 1, at Troxy in London, which was live streamed on The Cure’s YouTube page Show Of A Lost World The Cure Live At Troxy. // BBC2 aired a special evening of Cure programming to celebrate the release of SONGS OF A LOST WORLD. // Initially formed in 1978, The Cure has sold over 30 million albums worldwide, headlined the Glastonbury festival four times and been inducted into the Rock And Roll Hall of Fame in 2019. They are considered to be one of the most influential bands to ever come out of the UK. // SONGS OF A LOST WORLD was written and arranged by Robert Smith, produced and mixed by Robert Smith & Paul Corkett and performed by The Cure – Robert Smith: Voice / guitar / 6string bass / keyboard, Simon Gallup: Bass, Jason Cooper: Drums / percussion, Roger O’Donnell: Keyboard, Reeves Gabrels: Guitar. The album was recorded at Rockfield Studios in Wales. // Robert Smith created the sleeve concept, and Andy Vella, a long-time Cure collaborator, handled the album’s art and design. The cover art features ‘Bagatelle’, a 1975 sculpture by Janez Pirnat. // THE CURE – SONGS OF A LOST WORLD Info: http://www.thecure.com]

21. Eddie Moore – Aperture (Live Piano Works) / Eddie Moore Music / March 5, 2024

[All songs written by Eddie Moore. Recorded by Eddie Moore and Jaylen Ward. Mixed by Eddie Moore. Mastered by Crayge Lindesay. Album art by Jeremy Ian Thomas. This project presents snapshots into the life of Eddie Moore. The fun times riding bikes, getting lost in the woods, and spending time with loved ones. As a special solo sharing, it only felt right to capture the velvet soothing energy live on stage at Corvino’s, where experimentation and vulnerability are encouraged. // Special thanks to the Corvinos and the staff for letting me sneak in during the “off hours” and post up for a few hours in a blizzard. // When you speak to Eddie Moore you find an ocean of calm, and when you listen to Eddie Moore you find the depth of that ocean. Moore reaches from the soul with every note, in a deep way, with a tension just below the surface. His yearning for exploration and curiosity in music contribute to an ebb and flow freedom of expression. // On April 20, 2023 Eddie Moore released the single “Tuunami” Recorded & produced at Moore’s Tribe Studios, this song features Jaylen Ward on drums. Mixed & mastered by veteran KC savant Crayge Lindesay. // Eddie Moore released his critically acclaimed album INTUITION on October 28, 2022. Written & Produced by Eddie Moore. Recorded at Tribe Studios. Featuring Tim Ogutu on guitar. Mix & Mastered by Rick Carson at Make Believe Studios. Album Art by Brandon Wilson. // Eddie Moore released the single, “Love Song” (with Joel Castillo and Bree Cummings) on October 22, 2021. // Eddie Moore released “We Chillin’” on April 9, 2021. // Eddie Moore’s band We The People released their album MISUNDERSTOOD on September 25, 2020. // Eddie Moore is the recipient of the 2016 Charlotte Street Generative Performance Award for his genre bending collaborations. Raised in Houston Texas, he began his musical journey at Texas Southern University where he later earned a Bachelors in Arts and immersed himself in the Houston music scene. Eddie relocated to Kansas City to study under Bobby Watson at the University of Missouri-Kansas City where he received a M.A in Jazz Studies. 2017’s Kemper Museum of Contemporary Art “Artist in Residence” in collaboration with Rashid Johnson. In 2018 his work with The Outer Circle was nominated for an Indie Music Award for “007”. His music has been featured commercially for Sprint, Netflix’s “Queer Eye”, and Morgan Cooper’s short film “Room Tone”. Moore’ has shared the stage and recordings with Bobby Watson, Logan Richardson, Maurice Brown, Boys II Men, Brian Blade and the Fellowship, John Baptiste, Erykah Badu, Mosdef, Bilal, Ledisi, Chantae Cann, Krystal Warren, Matt Otto, Brandon Draper, Andre Hayward, Tivon Pennicott, Various Blonde, Dominique Sanders, 77 Jefferson, and the Marcus Lewis Big Band. We The People released the single, “Single Double” on June 10, 2021. Written & Produced By Eddie Moore with Moore on keyboards, key bass, & programming; Zach Morrow on drums; and Jason Emmond on bass. Recorded at Tribe Studios. Mixed by Rick Carson at Make Believe Studios. Eddie Moore joined WMM on Sept. 23, 2020 and Nov. 23, 2022. More info at http://www.eddiemooremusic.com]

22. Moses Sumney – Sophcore – EP / TUMTUM Records / August 2, 2024

[A collaboration with Portland producer Graham Jonson, who goes by quickly, quickly, yields Sophcore’s prettiest and liveliest moments. “Gold Coast” begins as a sensual, puttering thing indebted to Bjork’s Vespertine. Sumney’s chalky falsetto complements and works against the plucked guitars, distorted multi-tracked vocals, and synths; his impressionistic lyrics (“Talk in tongues, testify/Sunrise skin, color of clay”) say no thanks to coherence, bless them. A symphony of gurgles and music-box melodies cushions “I’m Better (I’m Bad),” in which Sumney recreates with louche delight a dialogue between himself and a feminized object of desire. Over Sophcore’s recombinant grooves, Sumney radiates a sense of fun. Confidence in his vocal talents doesn’t congeal into self-regard. Turns out he’s right: Trills and melisma suit arrangements that swell and contract like protoplasmic organisms. // Moses Sumney released grae on May 15, 2020 on Jagjaguar Records. Sumney made his US television debut with a performance of “Cut Me” on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert on February 11, 2020. Græ (stylized in all lowercase) is a double album composed of Part 1 and Part 2. The first part was released digitally on February 21, 2020. The second part and the full album was released on May 15, 2020. Græ features a diverse arrangement of musical and technical contributions from Daniel Lopatin, Thundercat, James Blake, Taiye Selasi, John Congleton, Rob Moose, Ezra Miller, Michael Chabon, Adult Jazz, Matthew Otto, Ian Chang, FKJ, Nubya Garcia, Shahzad Ismaily, Jill Scott, Tom Gallo, Shabaka Hutchings, Tunde Jegede, Brandee Younger, Jamie Stewart, and Mac DeMarco. The album was preceded by the singles “Virile”, “Polly”, “Me in 20 Years”, “Cut Me”, and “Bless Me”.Second album and follow up to his debut studio full length album Aromanticism released September 22, 2017 from American singer-songwriter Moses Frimpong Sumney, born May 19, 1990 in San Bernardino, California to Ghanaian parents. He moved with his family back to Ghana at the age of 10. Sumney described his childhood as “Americanized” by this age and had difficulty adjusting to the culture of Ghana. He did not learn to play any instruments until he was older, writing a cappella music for years instead. Sumney did not perform his musical compositions publicly until he was 20. He attended the University of California, Los Angeles. He is based in Los Angeles, California. His self recorded debut EP, Mid-City Island, was released in 2014 and self recorded onto a 4-track recorder given to him by TV on the Radio’s Dave Sitek. The EP was described by Pitchfork as “primarily composed of first-takes and improvisation; the music is stirring but purposefully incomplete”. Sumney has performed as an opening act for Solange, Sufjan Stevens, and Erykah Badu. Sumney released another 5-song EP in 2016, titled Lamentations which featured a guest appearance from Thundercat.]

23. Beth Gibbons – Lives Outgrown / Domino / April 14, 2024

[Lives Outgrown is the debut solo studio album by English musician Beth Gibbons, released on 17 May 2024 through Domino Recording Company. The album was produced by Gibbons, James Ford and Lee Harris. It was preceded by the singles “Floating on a Moment”, “Reaching Out” and “Lost Changes”. // Gibbons wrote the album over a decade, with topics including “motherhood, anxiety, menopause, and mortality”. Gibbons said that the album was directly influenced by the deaths of family and friends over the preceding several years and she “realised what life was like with no hope” // eth Gibbons (born 4 January 1965) is an English singer-songwriter, best known as the lead singer and lyricist for the band Portishead, who have released three albums. She released an album with Rustin Man, Out of Season, in 2002, and a recording of Górecki’s Symphony No. 3 with the Polish National Radio Symphony Orchestra in 2019. She released a solo album in 2024 titled Lives Outgrown. // Gibbons was born in Exeter, Devon, England and raised on a farm with three sisters. Her parents divorced when she was young. She attended St Katherine’s School in Pill, Somerset, in North Somerset. // At 22, she moved to Bath, then Bristol to pursue her singing career, where she met Geoff Barrow, her future collaborator in Portishead, on an Enterprise Allowance course in 1991. // With Adrian Utley, Gibbons and Barrow released the first Portishead album Dummy in 1994 and have produced two other studio albums, a live album, and various singles in the years since. // She has also collaborated on a separate project with former Talk Talk bassist Paul Webb (Rustin Man). Before she joined Geoff Barrow in Portishead, she had auditioned for the singer’s slot in .O.rang, the group formed by Webb after Talk Talk’s late-Eighties departure from EMI, but Portishead’s sudden success pre-empted matters. In October 2002, they released the album Out of Season in the United Kingdom under the name Beth Gibbons and Rustin Man. The album peaked at number 28 in the UK Albums Chart. It was released in the United States a year later: while touring in North America, Variety favourably described her performance with Rustin as “Billie Holiday fronting Siouxsie and the Banshees”. // In June 2013, Gibbons announced plans for a new solo album with Domino Records. She contributed vocals to a cover of the song “Black Sabbath” with the British metal band Gonga, released on April 24, 2014. // In 2018, Gibbons contributed vocal performances, along with Elizabeth Fraser of the Cocteau Twins, to the Spill Festival held in Ipswich in an audio installation entitled ‘Clarion Calls’, which uses the voices of 100 women to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the end of World War I. // In 2014, Gibbons performed Symphony No. 3 by Henryk Górecki with the Polish National Radio Symphony Orchestra, conducted by Krzysztof Penderecki. Gibbons sang in Polish. The performance was released in 2019; reviewing the album for Pitchfork, Jayson Greene wrote: “Part of the tension comes from hearing her untrained voice scale these rocky heights. Her vibrato, tight and trilling and barely controlled, sounds an awful lot like someone fighting off a panic attack. This would get her dismissed from a traditional opera audition, probably, but it is magnificently effective at sending raw shudders through what can be a pretty well-worn work.” In 2022, Gibbons featured on the track “Mother I Sober” from Kendrick Lamar’s album Mr. Morale & the Big Steppers. For her collaboration in the album she received a nomination for Album of the Year at the 65th Annual Grammy Awards as a featured artist and songwriter. On February 7, 2024, Gibbons announced the release of her first solo studio album in over 20 years. The album, titled Lives Outgrown, was released May 17, 2024. It was announced alongside a single titled “Floating on a Moment”, with its second single “Reaching Out” being released later that year on 10 April. // She has cited Nina Simone, Bono of U2 for his performance on The Joshua Tree, Otis Redding and Jimmy Cliff as musical inspirations. She has covered Janis Joplin songs and enjoys the music of Janis Ian.]

24. Scott Hrabko & The Rabbits – Other Cats, Other Bags Vol IV / S.H. / June 20, 2024

[The fourth and final volume of Other Cats, Other Bags. This one began life in sessions recorded by Chad Bryan at his studio, with longtime stalwart Jason Beers, brand new Rabbit, Matt Brahl, and guest turns by Dave Randall (keyboardist with The Ants), Marco Pascolini and Dave Regnier (Dead Voices). The other two tracks were recorded at Hrabkotron with legendary cowboy/doo-wop singers, Leo and Roger Eilts, along with Hank Tilbury. // Jason Beers on piano b bass guitar; Matt Brahl on drums & percussion, Leo Eilts on harmony vocal & upright Bass; Roger Eilts on harmony vocal & guitar; Hank Tilbury on harmony vocal; Dave Randall on piano, Marco Pascolini on baritone guitar & steel guitar, Dave Regnier on vocals; Scott Hrabk0 on vocals & guitar. // All songs ©2024, Scott Hrabko. // Basic tracks for Borrowed Blues and Lost Country Song: Recorded by Chad Bryan at the anthill. Mixed by Scott Hrabko. // A Street Called Riddance and Stragglers (A Slight Return): Recorded and mixed by SH. Mastered by Mike Nolte at Eureka Mastering, Portland, OR. // Cover: Sam Hrabko http://www.inprnt.com/profile/hrab/ // On March 19, 2024 Scott Hrabko released Other Cats, Other Bags – Volume 1 (4– track EP). On April 19, 2024 Scott Hrabko released Other Cats, Other Bags – Volume II (4-track EP). On May 27, 2024 Scott Hrabko released Other Cats, Other Bags – Volume III (4– track EP). These 4 EP releases were part of Multi-Volume Project containing recordings that grew from sessions Scott did at home with a few longtime Rabbits and some new friends from the Kansas City Music Community. // On July 1, 2022 Scott Hrabko and The Rabitts released The Wonderful World Of Scott Hrabko & the Rabbits. This recording was #12 on WMM’s 120 Best Recordings of 2022. These two sprawling discs contain song-craft reminiscent of everything from classic ‘60s adult pop to nostalgia-free Americana to cut ’n’ paste hip hop-inspired grooves — and some wild detours between. “But it’s all me.” – Hrabko. The Rabbits, this time around: Jason Beers on Bass, Organ, Piano, Banjo, Harmonica, Slide Guitar; Clarke Wyatt on Drums; Matt Hopper on Lead Guitar; Chris DeVictor on Upright Bass; Chris Hudson on Nylon String Guitar, Mandolin, Lead Guitar; Mike Lindsey on Bass; Tim Higgins on Drums, Percussion; Gary Paredes on Slide Guitar, Wah Wah Guitar; Chad Brothers on Lead Acoustic, and Havilah Bruders on Vocals, with Scott Hrabko on Voices, Guitars, Bass, Keyboards, Drums, Percussion, Banjo, Static Outbursts, Ghosts Knob Twiddling and Digital Chicanery. This 2-CD, 22-song release, THE WONDERFUL WORLD OF SCOTT HRABKO & THE RABBITS on July 1, 2022. The double album was recorded at Hrabko’s home studio in a time of a global pandemic and social unrest. Mike Warren writes in No Depression Magazine, “Hrabko’s rootsy songs are filled with trap doors, hidden nooks, and secret passageways. They’re like those dreams within comfortably familiar houses that suddenly have brand new rooms.” Scott Hrabko & The Rabbits have released six singles and released the albums and EPs: LAST DANCE (EP) in 2020, SMASH HITS FROM A PARALLEL UNIVERSE (EP) in 2019, SUMMER in 2017, and BISCUITS AND GRAVITY in 2015. Scott Hrabko’s 2013 critically acclaimed solo release, GONE PLACES was said to be 30 years in the making. Scott Hrabko has played with The Original Sinners, as well as the 1980s bands: The Splinters, and The Andersons. In the early 1990s Scott performed as a solo artist in coffee houses with Iris Dement and Howard Eisberg. More info at: http://www.scotthrabko.com]

25. Little Miss Dynamite – Grow Up / Rural Grit Records / May 3, 2024

[Little Miss Dynamite is a four piece string band with Beth Watts Nelson on lead vocals & banjo, Betse Ellis (of The Wilders, Betse & Clarke) on fiddle, Brandon Day (of The Matchsellers) on bass, and Caleb Gardner (of Konza Swamp) on mandolin, guitar & vocals. Engineered and Mixed by Clarke Wyatt, Gnomes and Goats Studio.More info at: http://www.bethwattsnelson.com]

26. The Highwater – Spilling EP / The Highwater / April 1, 2024

[Kansas City band Konrad Hell & The Highwater is in pursuit of 2000s indie coolness. The song is smooth, chic, sexy, rocky, electronic and reminiscent of NYC band The Strokes. The song transports you to a glitzy lounge, where the twinkling lights of a disco ball pour over your face. Despite being dressed in suits with a full band setup and mood lighting to boot, the relaxed nature of Konrad Hell & The Highwater makes it seem like this is just an average night for the group, and they’ll keep jamming long after the camera turns off.]

27. X – Smoke & Fiction / Fat Possum Records / August 2, 2024

[X is an American punk rock band formed in Los Angeles. The original members are vocalist Exene Cervenka, vocalist-bassist John Doe, guitarist Billy Zoom and drummer D. J. Bonebrake. The band released seven studio albums from 1980 to 1993. After a period of inactivity during the mid-to-late 1990s, X reunited in the early 2000s and continues to tour as of 2024. // X achieved limited mainstream success but influenced various genres of music, including punk rock, Americana, and folk rock. In 1991, Music critic Robert Hilburn identified them as one of the most influential bands of their era. In 2003, X’s first two studio albums, Los Angeles and Wild Gift, were ranked by Rolling Stone as being among the 500 greatest albums of all time. Los Angeles was ranked 91st on Pitchfork’s Top 100 Albums of the 1980s. // “John Doe, Exene Cervenka, DJ Bonebrake and that wild, crazy rockabilly guitar weirdo, Billy Zoom, are four of the most important people in the history of American music, and I do not say that with hyperbole. I genuinely mean that.” – Brian Oake (KCMP) // “flashes back to the freewheeling, rockabilly-infused punk rock of their early records. Exene Cervenka’s voice sounds as intense and titanic as ever.” – Stereogum // “pays tribute to the last 40+ years and sounds like classic X.” – Brooklyn Vegan // “Few bands before or since have captured the sound & feel of LA quite as well as X.” – Louder Sound // “the band name “X” in some way “marks the spot” at the nexus where punk, folk, and rock came together.” – American Songwriter // “Exene’s iconic harmonies with singer/bassist John Doe kick in during the chorus, as Billy Zoom holds down slick rockabilly riffs alongside the steady rhythms of drummer DJ Bonebrake.” – Consequence of Sound. // X plays Uptown Theatre, 3700 Broadway Blvd., KCMO, Saturday, Juy 6, at 7:00pm with Jesse Ahern]

28. Charli xcx – BRAT / Atlantic Recording Company / June 7, 2024

[Brat is the sixth studio album by English singer Charli XCX. It features production by Charli XCX, her longtime executive producer A. G. Cook, Finn Keane, Cirkut, her partner George Daniel, and others. The album draws influence from the 2000s English rave music scene, with a more aggressive club sound than her previous album, Crash (2022). A deluxe edition, Brat and It’s the Same but There’s Three More Songs So It’s Not, with three additional tracks was released on 10 June 2024. A remix album, titled Brat and It’s Completely Different but Also Still Brat, featuring 20 guest artists, was released on October 11, 2024. // Brat was met with widespread acclaim from critics. Commercially, it peaked at number one in the UK, Australia, and Ireland. It also reached the top ten in 12 additional countries, including the United States, where it debuted at number three, Charli XCX’s highest debut for an album. According to Metacritic, it is the highest rated album of 2024 and the 16th-highest-rated album of all time. The album was shortlisted for the Mercury Prize for 2024 Album of the Year. The cover art and aesthetic became a popular Internet trend, and was adopted by U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris’s 2024 presidential campaign after Charli XCX tweeted about the candidate. // After Joe Biden decided to withdraw from the 2024 U.S. presidential election, the official Biden-Harris campaign profile renamed itself “Kamala HQ” and changed its banner picture in imitation of the album cover, replacing “brat” with “kamala hq”. This occurred after Charli XCX tweeted about Harris on X (formerly Twitter), saying “kamala IS brat”. Charli XCX later stated that although not meant as an explicit endorsement, she was “happy to help prevent democracy from failing forever”. Multiple TikTok videos have shown edits of songs from the album with footage of Harris in the background. Some analysts have suggested the connection between the campaign and album will create enthusiasm among young voters.// English singer Charli XCX has released six studio albums (seven including the limited-release 14), five mixtapes, three extended plays, one live album, one soundtrack album, one remix album, two DJ mixes, 48 singles (including 15 as a featured artist), and 13 promotional singles. In 2007, XCX began recording her debut album on a loan granted by her parents. Titled 14, after her age at the time, it received only a restricted public release. Two singles, “!Franchesckaar!” and double A-side “Emelline” / “Art Bitch”, were released in late 2008 under Orgy Music. In June 2012, Charli XCX released her first mixtape, titled Heartbreaks and Earthquakes, a one-track file consisting of eight songs. A second mixtape, titled Super Ultra, was released in November of the same year. Charli XCX’s major-label debut studio album, True Romance, was released in April 2013, and peaked at number 85 on the UK Albums Chart. While failing to appear on any main album charts internationally, the album reached number five on the Heatseekers Albums chart in the United States and number 11 on the ARIA Hitseekers chart in Australia. The album spawned five singles—”Stay Away”, “Nuclear Seasons”, “You’re the One”, “You (Ha Ha Ha)” and “What I Like”. In 2012, Charli XCX was featured on Icona Pop’s song “I Love It”, which peaked at number one in the UK and reached the top 10 in various countries including the US, Canada, Ireland and Germany. // “SuperLove” was released as a stand-alone single in December 2013, peaking at number 62 on the UK Singles Chart. In 2014, Charli XCX released the single “Boom Clap” for the soundtrack to the film The Fault in Our Stars. The song was an international success, peaking at number six on the UK Singles Chart, number eight on the US Billboard Hot 100 and reaching the top 10 in Australia, Canada and New Zealand. “Boom Clap” was later included on Charli XCX’s second studio album, Sucker, released in December 2014. The album charted at number 15 in her native UK, number 28 in the United States, and entered the top 50 in several other countries including Austria, Belgium, France, Ireland, and Switzerland. Sucker also spawned the top-40 UK single “Break the Rules” and the top-10 UK single “Doing It”, which features English singer Rita Ora. Also in 2014, Charli XCX was featured on Iggy Azalea’s “Fancy”, which topped the US Billboard Hot 100 and charted in the top 10 in several countries including the UK, Canada, Ireland and Australia. // In 2016, Charli XCX released the Vroom Vroom EP, which while not a commercial success, signaled a move for the singer into more experimental electronic territory. In promotion of her third studio album, she released the top-40 hits “After the Afterparty” and “Boys”. After the album leaked however, the project was scrapped. In 2017 Charli XCX released two more experimental mixtapes, Number 1 Angel, and Pop 2, both of which received critical acclaim. // In September 2019, she released her third studio album Charli, which debuted at number 14 in the United Kingdom, number 42 in the United States, and entered the top 50 in Australia, Canada, Ireland, New Zealand, and Spain. The album’s lead single “1999” peaked at number 13 in the UK. She followed up Charli with How I’m Feeling Now (2020), an album recorded in six weeks during COVID-19 lockdowns. The album debuted at number 33 in the UK and received critical acclaim. // Charli XCX released her fifth studio album Crash in March 2022, her last album under with Asylum, before ultimately renewing her contract in 2023, with Atlantic. Crash is her most commercially successful album to date, topping the charts in the UK, Australia, and Ireland, and becoming her first top 20 in the United States, Belgium and Germany. It also spawned the top-40 single “Beg for You”. // In June 2024, Charli released her sixth studio album, Brat, with the Atlantic record label; it was well received both critically and commercially, becoming her biggest hit album within a month of its release.]

29. Jamie xx – In Waves / Young / September 20, 2024

[In Waves is the second studio album by English producer Jamie xx. It was preceded by the singles “Baddy on the Floor” featuring Honey Dijon and “Treat Each Other Right”, and will be his first album in nine years, following In Colour (2015). The album will also include collaborations with Jamie xx’s xx bandmates Romy and Oliver Sim, Kelsey Lu, John Glacier, Panda Bear, Robyn, the Avalanches, and Oona Doherty. An additional collaboration with Erykah Badu will feature on the deluxe vinyl. // The album was recorded over a period of four years. In a statement, Jamie xx likened his experiences since releasing his previous album to “waves that we have all experienced together and alone”, and said that he wanted to “make something fun, joyful and introspective all at once” as “the best moments on a dance floor are usually that” for him. From 2022 to early 2024, Jamie xx released the standalone singles “Let’s Do It Again”, “Kill Dem”, and “It’s So Good”, which are included on the deluxe vinyl edition of the album. // James Thomas Smith (born 28 October 1988), known professionally as Jamie xx, is an English musician, DJ, record producer, and remixer. He is known for both his solo work and as a member of the indie pop band the xx. // He has been described as a “driving force” behind the xx, contributing to the group’s significant commercial and critical success. As a solo artist, he has been recognised with a 2015 Mercury Prize nomination, and a 2016 Grammy Award for Best Dance/Electronic Album nomination for In Colour. // Smith was born in London on 28 October 1988. His musical career began in 2006 when he joined the xx accompanying old schoolmates Romy Madley Croft, Oliver Sim, and Baria Qureshi of the Elliott School in London, notable for alumni including Hot Chip, Burial, and Four Tet. He first used the stage name Jamie xx in July 2009 in a promotional mix for the band’s debut album xx released on the FACT magazine mix series. The mixtape was compiled by Jamie Smith and featured, amongst others, four tracks credited to Jamie xx – one self-production and three remixes. The xx album went on to become platinum in the UK. Afterward, Jamie Smith went on to do more remix work for artists like Florence + The Machine, Adele, Jack Peñate and Glasser. // In late 2010, a Jamie xx remix of the song “NY Is Killing Me” from Gil Scott-Heron’s last album I’m New Here aired on radio stations across the UK and Europe. The remix of “I’ll Take Care of U” followed in January 2011. Both singles drew the attention of the general public and the critics. They set the way for a 13-track remix album entitled We’re New Here, produced entirely by Jamie xx and credited to “Gil Scott-Heron and Jamie xx”. The album was released on February 21, 2011 on the XL Recordings label, but a full-album preview could be streamed on the website of The Guardian as early as 14 February. We’re New Here received critical acclaim and was named “a cohesive, considered masterpiece in its own right” by BBC’s Ele Beattie. // On June 6, 2011, the two-track self-produced single “Far Nearer / Beat For” was released. The song “Far Nearer” was selected Best New Track by Pitchfork, and the double A-side single charted at number 128 on the UK Singles Chart. Later the same year, Smith produced the title track off Drake’s second album, Take Care, which features Rihanna. In addition, Smith helped create several reworks for Radiohead’s song “Bloom” which were released on a remix album entitled TKOL RMX 1234567. He also co-produced the song “When It’s All Over” with Alicia Keys on her Girl on Fire album. In 2014, he announced an upcoming collaboration with John Talabot on Tim Sweeney’s Beats in Space online radio show. In 2014, he released the singles “Girl/Sleep Sound” and “All Under One Roof Raving”. // On 27 March 2015, he released two singles: “Loud Places”, featuring the xx’s Romy Madley Croft, and “Gosh”. On the same day he also announced that his debut album, In Colour, would be out on 1 June 2015. Ahead of its release, In Colour was streamed on iTunes as a preview with album-spanning visuals that ‘reacted’ to each sound.[14] It was ultimately released on 29 May 2015 to widespread critical acclaim, debuting at number three on the UK Albums Chart and receiving nominations for the 2015 Mercury Prize and for Best Dance/Electronic Album at the 58th Grammy Awards. // Jamie xx composed the score for a ballet, Tree of Codes, commissioned by Manchester International Festival for its 2015 edition. Based on a novel of the same name by Jonathan Safran Foer, the ballet was choreographed by Wayne McGregor and had a set created by Olafur Eliasson. // In 2020, he released his first single in five years, “Idontknow”, which received positive to lukewarm reception from critics. He was credited on Tyler, the Creator’s 2021 album Call Me If You Get Lost as a co-producer on the track “RISE!”. // Jamie xx has worked on each of his The xx bandmates’ respective solo albums: he produced Oliver Sim’s Hideous Bastard (2022), and co-produced Romy’s Mid Air (2023).]

30. Shabaka – Perceive It’s Beauty, Acknowledge It’s Grace / Impulse / April 12, 2024

[Perceive Its Beauty, Acknowledge Its Grace is the solo debut studio album of London jazz musician Shabaka Hutchings, working under the name Shabaka. The album was preceded by two singles, “End of Innocence” and “I’ll Do Whatever You Want”. // The album follows Hutchings’s hiatus from the saxophone and the end of his bands Sons of Kemet and the Comet Is Coming, and sees him focusing on different types of flutes, including the shakuhachi and the svirel, as well as the clarinet. // The album was recorded in Van Gelder Studio in 2022. Hutchings shared producing duties with Dilip Harris, and brought in a long list of collaborators including his own father Anum Iyapo, André 3000, Laraaji, and Floating Points. Musically, it focuses on jazz and new age music. Critical reception for the album was positive, highlighting the boldness of Hutchings’s shift in style. // On January 1, 2023, Hutchings announced his intention to take an indefinite hiatus from playing the saxophone, explaining later in the year that his enthusiasm for the instrument had waned after years of intense touring. This also coincided with the end of his two bands, Sons of Kemet and the Comet Is Coming. Hutchings’s last live saxophone performance was on 7 December 2023, where he played John Coltrane’s A Love Supreme at the Institute of Contemporary Arts in London. // Hutchings’s new musical interests lied primarily with the flute and similar instruments, having started with them in 2019 after acquiring his first shakuhachi. Subsequent instruments Hutchings picked up include Mayan Teotihuacan drone flutes, Brazilian pifanos, Native American flutes, Slavic svirels, and South American quenas. The move coincided with an increase in attention on jazz flute following the release of André 3000’s 2023 album New Blue Sun, on which Hutchings contributed shakuhachi to one track. // Hutchings announced the album on 28 February 2024, set for a release on April 12, by Impulse! Records. On the same day, he released its lead single, “End of Innocence”, along with a music video directed by Phoebe Boswell. “End of Innocence” sees Hutchings playing the clarinet, with a band consisting of pianist Jason Moran, drummer Nasheet Waits, and percussionist Carlos Niño. // The second single, “I’ll Do Whatever You Want”, was released on March 21. Hutchings cowrote the song with Laraaji and Floating Points. It features Hutchings on shakuhachi, André 3000 on drone flute, Laraaji’s wordless vocals, Floating Points on Rhodes Chroma synthesizer and vibraphone, Esperanza Spalding and Tom Herbert on bass, Dave Okumu on guitar, Marcus Gilmore on drums, and Niño on percussion. Hutchings said the song is “about surrender and the intimate space we go to within the grasp of possession.” Other musicians on the record include Moses Sumney, Brandee Younger, Miguel Atwood-Ferguson, Saul Williams, Lianne La Havas, and Elucid. // Perceive Its Beauty, Acknowledge Its Grace is Hutchings’s solo debut studio album, following his 2022 solo EP Afrikan Culture, which also centered Hutchings’s woodwind play. The titles of both releases are connected; in Hutchings’s words, they’re mean to be read as “Afrikan Culture, comma, Perceive Its Beauty, Acknowledge Its Grace”, with his next album being “the next sentence in a long form poem that encapsulates, hopefully, all the solo records of my career.” The song names on the album were extracted from a poem written for the album.]

31. Samara Joy – Portrait / Verve / October 11, 2024

[Samara Joy’s Grammy Winning Linger Awhile was released September 16, 2022 and was part of WMM’s 120 Best Recordings of 2022. // Samara Joy McLendon, is known professionally as Samara Joy. She won the Sarah Vaughan International Jazz Vocal Competition in 2019 and was named Best New Artist by Jazz Times for 2021. // A native of the Castle Hill section of the Bronx, Joy was born in 1999 into a musical family. Her paternal grandparents, Elder Goldwire and Ruth McLendon, were founders of Philadelphia gospel group The Savettes. Her father, a bass player who has toured with gospel singer/songwriter/producer Andraé Crouch, introduced her to gospel greats like The Clark Sisters, and soul and Motown were also a big presence in her home. // At Fordham High School for the Arts she performed with the jazz band, and won Best Vocalist at Fordham University’s “Essentially Ellington” competition at Lincoln Center. But she first encountered jazz in a meaningful way when she enrolled in the jazz program at SUNY’s Purchase College as a voice major, and was named an Ella Fitzgerald Scholar. Friends there introduced her to the great jazz vocalists like Sarah Vaughan and Fitzgerald and instrumentalists like Kenny Washington, Jon Faddis (with whom she studied) and Ingrid Jensen. While she was still in college, before the release of her first album, film director Regina King called her “a young woman who seems like Sarah Vaughan and Ella Fitzgerald are both living in her body.” // In 2019, as Samara McLendon, she won the Sarah Vaughan International Jazz Vocal Competition. // Working with producer and eventual manager Matt Pierson, she recorded her self-titled debut album while still in college, graduating magna cum laude in 2021. Samara Joy was released on July 9, 2021 with Whirlwind Records. // On February 15, 2022 she performed on Today with guitarist Pasquale Grasso and performed again on Today in September 2022.// She released a number of viral video performances, including one that had been viewed over 1.5 million times as of October 2020. These videos had as of November 2022 gaineduding a series of sold-out conc and other festivals, as well as in Europe. // In February 2021 she was featured in Women of Color on Broadway, Inc.’s music video of “Summertime” from Porgy and Bess and on jazz pianist Julius Rodriguez’s album Let Sound Tell All. // Jazz Times named her Best New Artist for 2021. // On June 15, 2022 she was featured at Carnegie Hall’s 16th Annual Notable Occasion. and appeared at the Newport Jazz Festival. On September 16, 2022 she released her second album, Linger Awhile, on Verve Records. The album features drummer Kenny Washington, guitarist Pasquale Grasso, pianist Ben Paterson, and bassist David Wong. // She won two Grammy Awards, for Best New Artist and Best Jazz Vocal Album for Linger Awhile.]

32. Laura Marling – Patterns in Repeat / Chrysalis Records / October 25, 2024

[8th studio album from Laura Beatrice Marling, born Feb. 1, 1990, from Eversley, Hampshire. Her debut album Alas, I Cannot Swim, her 2nd album I Speak Because I Can, and her 4th album Once I Was An Eagle were all nominated for the Mercury Music Prize in 2008, 2010, 2013, respectively. She won the Brit Award for Best British Female Solo Artist at the 2011 Brit Awards, and was nominated for the same award at the 2012 and 2014 Brit Awards. The youngest of three daughters, Marling learned guitar at an early age. Her father, Sir Charles William Somerset Marling, the 5th Marling Baronet, ran a recording studio, introduced her to folk music and shaped her musical taste, an experience that Marling later described as, “a bit of a blessing and a bit of a curse….[because] I couldn’t slot myself into the age-appropriate genre”. Marling received a scholarship to attend Leighton Park School, a private Quaker school in Reading, Berkshire. During her secondary school years she felt uneasy around other people and was afraid of death. Marling dated Noah and the Whale singer/guitarist Charlie Fink briefly before the pair separated in 2008. She also dated Marcus Mumford of Mumford and Sons until late 2010. She moved to Silver Lake in LA, California in 2013, before relocating back to London in December 2014. In September 2013, Marling explained: “I am a solitary person but I love people, I’m not a misanthrope. I like the idea of speaking only when it’s strictly necessary. The closest I ever feel to people is in shared experience. I’m still exploring that, I don’t know where it’s going to lead me.]

33. MellowPhobia – The Act of Loving In Return / Jackal & Hide Records / May 15, 2024

[Based in Kansas City, Kansas, MellowPhobia is an alt-rock band that brings a lively and dynamic sound to the music scene. Originally from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, the band relocated and recorded their debut EP, “Is This Seat Taken?” released in 2021. Their single, “Jackal” later gained attention, leading to performances at festivals and indie venues. Notable highlights include sharing stages with national touring acts such as The Greeting Committee, the Regrettes, The Velveteers, Colony House, and more. By 2024, “Jackal” had surpassed 40,000 streams and the band continues to grow its fan base. Looking ahead, MellowPhobia is gearing up for new releases, each contributing to their evolving sound. // From I Heart Local Muaic., May 15, 2024 written by Fally Afani: “ It’s been a while since we’ve had a really well-produced local indie album come our way, but MellowPhobia continues to check all our boxes. // The Act of Loving in Return is a masterclass in youthful angst. It kicks off with the frustration-laden “Finding It Hard,” setting the tone right away for the album with angsty lyrics over guitar tantrums. From there, the band continues to share their dissatisfactions with us, all while treating their listeners to fantastically-written melodies. We’ve noticed that their bridges are always a moment for quiet reflection before diving back into their noisy airing of grievances. We love it. The frontperson certainly has the vocals for this mood. // We’ve said before that this is a great band live. However, they’ve been garnering a lot of attention online for their recorded work as well. The single “Jackal” is a popular one at shows, but it’s racked up thousands of streams on Spotify. There’s a great vintage vibe for songs like “Scholars” and “Therapy.” “Los Angeles” breaks our hearts, and closer “Breaker Waves” is absolutely stunning. // MellowPhobia is great therapy for today’s young fans. Their live sets are already a blast, but The Act of Loving in Return seals the deal with solid indie rock songwriting. The sheer innocence of it all is enough to leave us emotionally wrecked. We hear these songs and just want to hug them (or shake them) and say “You have your whole lives ahead of you! It’s going to be ok!” If nothing else, this is a perfect Summer album released at just the right time. // MellowPhobia played Lawrence Pride on June 1, 2024.]

34. Say That Again – Get Over It / Say That Again / February 23, 2024

[ Say That Again were formed in early 2020 with Will Kuenne on lead vocals & rhythm guitar, Trecen Peeler on bass, Vinnie Cascone on drums, and Carlos Nunez on lead guitar. Their music is a fun blend of Alternative/Indie Rock and Bedroom Pop that’ll get your toes tapping. Say That Again released their debut EP “Flying Cars” in December of 2021 and just released their first full-length album, “Get Over It” on February 23, 2024. More info at: linktr.ee/SayThatAgainKC. // Say That Again played miniBar at 3810 Broadway Rd KCMO on Friday, March 8 with City Grey, The Chunk, and Breaking In.]

35. Danielle Nicole – The Love You Bleed / Forty Below Records / January 26, 2024  

[Danielle Nicole is one of the finest singers and bassists in roots music today. Hailing from Kansas City, Missouri, she has spent her life making music and pleasing fans, both domestically and abroad. Her stunning new album, The Love You Bleed, includes twelve heartfelt tracks exploring themes of love, loss, and perseverance. It will be released this Friday, January 26 on Forty Below Records. // The Love You Bleed was co-produced by Tony Braunagel (Taj Mahal, Eric Burdon, Robert Cray) and Nicole, with John Porter (B.B. King, Buddy Guy, Bryan Ferry) mixing. The tight-knit group on the album features Danielle on bass guitar and vocals; Brandon Miller (electric, acoustic, pedal steel, mandolin, and 12-string guitar), Damon Parker (keyboards); Go-Go Ray (drums), and Stevie Blacke (violin and cello). // Nicole was inducted into the Kansas City Hall of Fame and has been the recipient of seven Blues Music Awards.  Her last release Cry No More was nominated for a Grammy in the Contemporary Blues category, debuted at number one on the Billboard Blues Charts and boasts over 10 million streams on Spotify. // Danielle Nicole’s last release, CRY NO MORE, released February 23, 2018, was nominated for a Grammy Award for Best Contemporary Blues Album. Her self-titled solo debut EP was released March 10, 2015 on Concord Records. The self-titled EP features Grammy Award-winning producer-guitarist Anders Osborne, Galactic’s co-founding drummer Stanton Moore and keyboardist Mike Sedovic. On February 25, 2015, American Blues Scene premiered the track “Didn’t Do You No Good” off the new EP. Danielle Nicole was previously in the band Trampled Under Foot with her brothers Kris and Nick Schnebelen. At the 2014 Blues Music Awards, Trampled Under Foot’s album, Badlands, won the ‘Contemporary Blues Album of the Year’ category. At the same ceremony, Danielle Nicole, under the name of Danielle Schnebelen, triumphed in the ‘Best Instrumentalist – Bass’ category. The band was also nominated in the ‘Band of the Year’ category. In September 2015, her debut album, Wolf Den, was released on Concord Records. It reached number 2 in the Billboard Top Blues Albums chart in October that year. Danielle Nicole’s second solo album, Cry No More, peaked at # 1 in the Billboard Top Blues Albums chart. Bill Withers wrote one of the tracks on the new album. // Danielle Nicole played Records With Merritt, at 1614 Westport Rd. in Kansas City, Missouri, on March 2, 2024.]

36. Dan Camino – Rock Dreams / Camino Records / October 4, 2024

[Released as a single with “Connections” on September 6, 2024. Solo debut album from Kansas City-based artist Dan Camino who is also the frontman of Field Daze. Dan Camino wrote that he put at least 1000 hours of his life into the production of this album, almost two years, and did all the heavy lifting besides drums on the first two songs. // Field Daze, is an Indie Rock/Dreampop band, originated in Kansas City, Missouri when Rodd Fenton and Dan Camino responded to a Facebook call to start a Dreampop band. Their collaboration led to the creation of early demos. Shortly after, they were joined by Tracer Cauy, Kyer Lasswell, and Beau Harris, solidifying the band’s lineup. // The band has packed venues like The Rino, The Ship, and The Bottleneck. Field Daze’s live performances became synonymous with an immersive musical experience, drawing in crowds with their captivating melodies. // Currently, the band channels their creativity by recording homegrown tracks within Rodd Fenton’s personal studio, honing their craft and evolving their unique sound.]

37. Keelon Vann – Tales of the Gypsy / Keelon Vann / January 1, 2024

[Keelon Vann is a 25 year old singer-songwriter and guitarist. Keelon Vann plays an eclectic fusion of Rock & Roll, Pop, R&B, and Funk. He looks to break barriers by paying tribute to the classics and finding inspiration in modern productions alike. The Kansas born artist doesn’t believe in genre. “It’s pretty hard to put you in a box,” said Steve Kraske of KCUR 89.3 Radio. It is, however, to Vann’s dismay, that such fusion of music may result in quite an unorthodox niche. Nonetheless, music is art, and according to Vann, art is not meant to be superficial within genre. Art exists spiritually to inspire and to heal. Keelon studied at William Jewell College. He went to Wyandotte High School, Blue Valley Southwest High School, and Piper High School in Kansas. // Keelon Vann and his trio play The Ship, 1217 Union Ave on February 15, 2024, at 8:00pm. Vann is joined by drummer Thomas Pribyl and bass guitarist Tommy OHalloran.] [Keelon Vann plays recordBar at 1520 Grand Blvd. on February 23.] [Keelon Vann played Chartreuse Saloon, 1625 Oak Street, KCMO on February 23.] [Keelon Vann played Society on March 14.] [Keelon Vann played The Rino, 314 Armour Rd, North Kansas City, on March 28, at with Lady Revel, and IVORY BLUE]

38. Paris Williams & The Human – A Paris Williams Joint / Bitter Sweet Sound / November 19, 2024

[Paris Williams is a 25-year old artist from Muskegon, Michigan in the midst of redefining the bedroom pop label. Employing his own sound that he’s dubbed, “bittersweet,” Williams never shuts away from his DIY aesthetic – producing his own work to maintain full creative flexibility. Premiering in December of 2019 with his debut album, DROP DEAD GORGEOUS, Paris is a believer in hitting the ground running and then just never letting off the gas. This mentality was shaped by the inspiration he’s pulled from other famously out-of-the-box artists: such as Kanye West, Pharrell, and Toro y Moi. // Fueled by the multi-faceted artists, Williams believes heavily in pulling from all creative mediums as a way to add layers and texture to his music. This approach has led to Williams seeing support from larger than life musical pillars, like Iggy Pop himself – who showed love to Williams’ song of the same name by spinning it on his BBC radio show in 2018. Williams reshapes the musical landscape around him as his burgeoning career continues to solidify its own form more and more each day by bringing in a breath of fresh air with him everywhere since he wrote his first bars in elementary school. Paris Williams previously released the single, “Hopscotch” on June 21, 2022. He released,“Chunky”on April 20, 2022. He released the single, “Sunsets & Solariums (feat. Bloom Allen)” on October 21, 2021 through Bittersweet Sounds. More info at: allmylinks.com/popstarparis]

39. Lonnie Fisher – FLOATING PALACE / Lonnie Fisher / August 9. 2024

[Recorded with Duane Trower at Weights & Measures Soundlab. Lonnie Fisher studied music at Kansas State University, graduating in 1992. By 1999 he was touring with his band, Sturgeon Mill. After the band broke up Lonnie embarked on a solo career while also pursuing a career as a chef. After the loss of his girlfriend to cancer in 2005 Lonnie began to struggle with alcoholism. In 2008 Lonnie suffered a major stroke followed by a second stroke two years later. His life as a chef and musician stopped as Lonnie struggled to relearn everything and rehabilitate. Against all odds, Lonnie returned to the studio and stage in 2018. He couldn’t return to the kitchen due to the inability to move fast enough, but started his own business as a personal chef. Lonnie Fisher released the EP SEEDS on July 27, 2023. Lonnie Fisher released the 8 track album BEAUTIFUL STAR on February 9, 2023. Lonnie Fisher released his 8-song, solo album FAMOUS GIRL on January 19, 2022. It was part of WMM’s 120 Best Recordings of 2022. FAMOUS GIRL was engineered by Ed Rose and Duane Trower with contributions from: Chris Nunez. Tim Jenkins, Tim Manning, and Julia Reynolds. On October 22, 2021 with his band Lonnie Fisher And The Funeral released HAUNTED with Lonnie Fisher on lead vocals, 5 String Guitar & Keyboards; Tim Jenkins on guitars; Chris Nunez on drums, Tim Manning on bass, & Julia Reynolds on vocals & keyboards.More information at: http://www.lonniefisher.bandcamp.com.]

40. Quiet Takes – Regrets Only / Sarah Magill / February 15, 2024

[Songwriter Sarah Magill makes music for feelers as Quiet Takes. A writer and wanderer, Magill is currently establishing a nomadic creative practice and will be releasing her first full-length solo album (recorded in Eau Claire, Wisconsin) in early 2024. Written by Sarah Michelle Magill. Produced, engineered & mixed by Zach Hanson. Mastered by Huntley Miller. Recorded at The Hive in Eau Claire, WI. Environmental sound recorded by Sarah Michelle Magill in various locations, except 2, recorded by Redditor @roffels. // On November 5, 2021 Quiet Takes released the EP, Weekly, Weakly with music written by Sarah Magill, produced by David Bennett, with vocals & keyboards by Sarah Magill. Guitars, bass and percussion by David Bennett. Drums by Jared Bond. Engineered and mixed by David Bennett at Aorist Studios in Kansas City, MO. Mastered by Zach. Weekly, Weakly the third collaboration between Magill and producer/multi-instrumentalist David Bennett. “Ghosty…” was inspired by pandemic-era panic attacks and social unease. This song was one way I tried to process the new, very anxious voice inhabiting my brain, which I nicknamed Ghosty. Sarah writes, “I made the WEEKLY, WEAKLY EP exactly as titled: During weekly Friday sessions at Aorist Studios with my producer, David Bennett, while feeling extremely weak. I was living alone during the pandemic and (like many of us) coping with isolation, depression and anxiety. Making this EP was my lifeboat. Both the process of making music — refining lyrics, experimenting with new textures, collaborating on harmonies — and the commitment to the weekly process kept me relatively grounded and connected. This project tethered me to human-ness when I was afraid I was going to float off into some kind of feral, disconnected netherworld of pandemic loneliness. I’ll forever be grateful to David and his wife, Kayla, for creating a safe space to continue working at Aorist during such a dangerous time.” WEEKLY, WEAKLY followed the release of Sarah Magill’s EP, SAN FIDEL under her moniker, Quiet Takes. Released March 5, 2021. Written by Sarah Magill. Produced by David Bennett and Sarah Magill. Vocals and keys by Sarah Magill on vocals & keyboards, David Bennett on guitars and bass, Ian Thompson on additional keyboards & synthesizers, Kyle Rausch on drums, and Bryan Koehler on percussion. Engineered and mixed by David Bennett at Aorist Studios in Kansas City, MO. Mastered by Zach Hanson. Cover image by Shawn Brackbill. Sarah Magill released her single “Wanted (The Dirty Windshield Version)” on May 1, 2020. . Sarah Magill released AHEM, a 4-song EP, on December 11, 2020. The songs were originally released under her old project name MYRY, in November 2018. Quiet Takes (formerly MYRY) is an on-going collaborative music project by Sarah Magill a writer & musician based in KC. She performs with a rotating cast of friends—although these stay-at-home days, she is playing solo. In KC, she is known for hosting house shows and co-founding Rubix, a performance art collective. MYRY’s first EP, AHEM, was released in 2018. Sarah released four of MYRY’s songs from that 2018 EP release as Quiet Takes singles in 2020. Sarah Magill was a guest on WMM on May 13, 2020. We interviewed Sarah Magill on WMM on March 10, 2021 and Nov. 2, 2021. // Quiet Takes played Knuckleheads Gospel Lounge, February 24, opening for friend Sara Swenson. // Info at: https://quiettakes.com ]

41. True Lions – Cold Gravy Bowl / Manor Records / March 1, 2024

[Alison “Al” Hawkins is a queer songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, music teacher, and leader of True Lions, a band consisting of Al and whoever is playing music with them, which often includes Fritz Hutchison—a drummer, singer, guitarist, songwriter, producer, bandmate, bandleader, friend, sibling, Gemini, and Kansas Citian who just wants to do a good job and keep it fun for everybody. Last year, True Lions and Fritz Hutchison released a homemade split cassette tape via Manor Records. When their drummer Eli Kosko moved to the desert, Al, Fritz and bassist Carly Atwood started performing acoustically. When Carly was sometimes unavailable, Al and Fritz explored amplified fiddle, synth, and drums, through old-time tunes. Their noise art creation COLD GRAVY BOWL is scheduled for cassette release Friday, March 1 via Manor Records. // COLD GRAVY BOWL is the demon music baby of Kansas City duo Al Hawkins and Fritz Hutchison, blending amplified fiddle distortion, heavy drums, and bass synth through Ozark old-time. The album artwork was drawn by local queer artist Spade Nine. // True Lions released the True Lions- Fritz Hutchison Split Cassette through Manor Records on April 26, 2023. True Lions released their debut full length album, “The Fempire Strikes Back,” on Manor Records on April 9, 2021 with Alisön Hawkins on keytar & vocals; Adee Rocket Dancy on cello & vocals; Claire Adams on guitar, Elizabeth Kosko on drums & percussion; Iona DeWalt on synthesizers; Miki P on guitar & vocals, and Teri Quinn on bass & vocals. Recorded at Deep Space Co-op. Tracking & engineering by Ross Brown at Escape Pod Audio. Mixing and mastering by Joel Nanos at Element Recording. In 2019 True Lions released their EP debut, “Cute at Best,” on February 5, 2019. They followed up with a second EP called. You’re Not Invited, released on November 9, 2019. For these recordings True Lions was: Alison Hawkins on guitar, synth, and vocals; Elizabeth Kosko on percussion, vocals; Mikala Petillo on bass, vocals; Claire Adams on guitar, vocals; Leslie Butsch on saxophone, Ezgi Karakus on cello; and Teri Quinn on vocals. All songs written by True Lions and produced by Claire Adams and Alison Hawkins. Tracking & Engineering by Claire Adams. Mixing and Mastering by Ian Dobyns and Chase Horseman. More info at: http://www.manorrecords.com . // True Lions played a Cold Gravy Bowl, Album Release show March 2, 2024 with The Matchsellers, at The Emerald, 1717 W. 9th Street, KCMO [West Bottoms]. A theatrical punk drag rock and roll folk event. // True Lions joined us Feb. 28, 2024]

42. RxGhost – Scaffolding / Celery Wolf / April 11, 2024

[RxGhost is: Josh Thomas on vocals & guitar, Justin Brooks on drums, James Capps on guitar, Chris Smead on bass, and Jeremiah James Gonzales. Scaffolding was produced by RxGhost, recorded and mixed by Paul Malinowski at Massive Sound Studios and mastered by Mike Nolte at Eureka Mastering. Music by RxGhost and Lyrics by Josh Thomas. RxGhost played miniBar, 3810 Broadway, KCMO Saturday, July 20 ay 8:00pm w/ The Sluts, and LYXE. More info at: rxghost.bandcamp.com]

43. Zee Underscore – The Zee Underscore Experience – EP / Underscore Form / June 15, 2024

[Zee Underscore is one of 5 children in her family. Zee Underscore studied at The School for Creative and Performing Arts (SCPA) in Cincinnati, Ohio, where her confidence and talent flourished, sparking a deep passion for music creation and supporting artists of diverse backgrounds. Zee completed a five-year electrical engineering program at The University of Cincinnati, and her work in electrical engineering led her to Kansas City. // Zee is co-founder of ZNTL Enterprises. Through this work she emcees and produces outdoor stage shows at First Friday’s in the West Crossroads. // Zee embodies the spirit of dreaming without limits, juggling roles as a singer, songwriter, recording artist, emcee, event coordinator, entrepreneur, and mentor while also working full time as an electrical engineer. // Zee moved to KC to work in engineering, which brought you out to KC, which helped her find herself and rediscover your love for the arts. Family members would give Zee beats and she would write songs to them. Zee’s band imcludes: Alex Chase, Jade Harvey, Stephen Bond who helped Zee translateher songs to live instruments. More info at: http://www.linktr.ee/Zeebee.notes%5D

44. Nilüfer Yanya – My Method Actor / Ninja Tune / September 13, 2024

[On May 1, 2024 we played Nilüfer Yanya’s single “Like I Say (I runaway)” that came out Appril 24, 2024. This offering followed her celebrated 2022 album PAINLESS and was her release since signing to Ninja Tune. // My Method Actor is the third album by English singer Nilüfer Yanya, released on September 13, 2024 through Ninja Tune. It is Yanya’s first album on the label, and follows her 2022 album Painless. The album was preceded by the singles “Like I Say (I Runaway)”, “Method Actor”, “Call It Love”, “Mutations”, “Made Out Of Memory”, and “Just A Western”. // Yanya worked on the album with English record producer Wilma Archer, and wrote and recorded the album in London, Eastbourne, and Wales. Yanya called the album the “most intense […] in that respect. Because it’s only been us two. We didn’t let anyone else into the bubble.” The album centres on the theme of “entering a transition between one part of life into another”. / Yanya is the daughter of two visual artists. Her mother is of Irish and Barbadian heritage and her father is Turkish. Yanya grew up in Chelsea, London, listening to Turkish music and classical music at home. She gravitated to guitar rock and learned how to play the instrument at the age of 12. // Informally starting her musical career with demos uploaded to SoundCloud in 2014, Yanya turned down an offer to join a girl group produced by Louis Tomlinson of One Direction and focused on developing her own music instead. She has spoken out against this model of talent acquisition, telling The Guardian: “‘Let’s go and pinch some young people, tell them we’re going to make a really successful group but we’re obviously going to make a lot more money than them.’ It’s a very selfish thing to do.” The project was reportedly abandoned after a year. // Her first EP, Small Crimes/Keep on Calling, was released in 2016. Her second EP, Plant Feed, was released in 2017, followed by Do You Like Pain? in 2018. All three EPs were later compiled into the EP Inside Out in 2021. // In 2019, Yanya released her debut studio album, Miss Universe, which received rave reviews and critical acclaim, with critics noting her ability to bounce back and forth between musical and lyrical styles, shifting between “gimlet-eyed composure and cataclysmic panic”. Yanya’s music has been described as nervous and restless, combining influences from indie rock to soul, jazz, and trip hop. A Stereogum review called her voice “malleable and endlessly expressive.”In July 1-2, 2022, Yanya performed before Adele’s first live UK concert after five years, in Hyde Park. Later that year, Yanya was the UK opening act for rock band Roxy Music, who reformed in 2022 for a 50th anniversary tour. Yanya featured on the Bombay Bicycle Club track “Meditate” on the band’s 2023 album My Big Day. Nilüfer Yanya played The Bottleneck, 737 New Hampshire St., Lawrence KC, on Sunday, October 13, at 8:00pm with Angélica Garcia and Lutalo.]

45. Okay Kaya – Oh MY God – That’s So Me / Okay Kara / September 6, 2024

[Kaya Wilkins (born August 14, 1990), better known as Okay Kaya, is a Norwegian-American musician born in New Jersey. // Wilkins was born in New Jersey and raised in Nesoddtangen, 4 miles outside of Oslo. Raised by her mother along with 5 brothers, she has both Scandinavian and African-American roots. // Wilkins’ first release under the moniker of Okay Kaya was the song “Damn, Gravity”, which was released in 2015. Three years later, she released her first full-length album, Both. The album was recorded with her boyfriend Aaron Maine of the band Porches. In 2020, Wilkins released her second full-length album as Okay Kaya, titled Watch This Liquid Pour Itself, via Jagjaguwar. The album received three out of five stars from The Guardian. Her cover of Cher’s Believe was featured in the HBO show Industry. // Wilkins acted her first role in the Norwegian drama Thelma. In August 2020, she released her mixtape Surviving is the New Living.]

46. Elska – Dancing Alone (LP) / Time Released Sound / July 5, 2024

[11-track album release. Electronic/Ambient music from KC based Elska. elska is the narrator of cinematic lullabies and creation of Composer Laura Boland. She represents love, imagination, optimism, conflict & awareness. Elska writes, “My vignettes are comprised of moments and memories that explore the human condition and our spiritual migrations in the context of our ever-changing environment.” .Composed, recorded, and mixed by Laura Boland in Kansas City, MO. Mastered by Jessica Thompson in San Francisco, CA. Polaroids by Laura Boland, Alex Alexander and Peter Rad. Polaroid stories by Laura Boland Artwork/Design by Colin Herrick and Maria Chenut. // Elska writes: “Hello and thank you for taking the time to read this and listen. I am happy to present Dancing Alone to you: a slow waltz through the darkest corridors of our yesterdays. Here, we excavate dusty memories and are united with our shadows to uncover a reverberating love inside our hearts’ distorted beats. Evocative orchestrations of ghostly soundscapes and nostalgic synth textures decorate this internal terrain and accompany ethereal vocal narrations that tie together the complexities and explorations of “home.” // Elska re;leased the 5 track EP lerden in Januaryt 29, 2021. // Elska released the 8-taxck album elska on September 28, 2018. More info at: elskamusic.me]

47. ALBER – Lento / Locale Records / April 12, 2024

[Alberto Racanati is a genre-bending musician originally from Bari, Italy, now established in Kansas City. His musical journey started at age 11 when he learned to play his first notes on the trumpet. At age 14 Alberto enrolled in the Bari Conservatory to pursue his performance degree in the academy, while living a parallel musical existence in the rich musical underground in Southern Italy, playing drums and trumpet in a plethora of bands across all genres. His musical studies then took him to the National Music Academy in Gdansk, Poland, where he lived from 2011 to 2014, discovering the multicultural nature of the arts. In 2014 Alberto moved to the United States to work as a Graduate Assistant at Western Illinois University in Macomb, Illinois. In 2016 Alberto continued on to Kansas City to pursue a Doctoral Degree at the University of Missouri-Kansas City, where he became enamored with the local music scene. 2018 saw the start of Alberto’s journey with electronic music, writing material for trumpet and electronics. This is where the project Alber starts, especially using social media as an interactive, open sketchbook for his sonic excursions. Alberto’s first self-titled album was released in 2020, followed by significant live performing presence in 2021 in Kansas and Missouri. His second album Journey, was then released in 2021. At the same time, Alberto ramped up his touring of the Midwest region and collaboration with a variety of other artists. Most recently in 2023 Alberto was awarded the ArtsKC Inspiration Grant for his multimedia installation “Born at Sea”, a project centered on the idyllic sea scenery of his hometown, debuting in 2024. Additionally he became one of the Charlotte Street Foundation Studio Residents, a program that features some of the most brilliant up and coming artists in the Kansas City region. Still in 2023, Alberto toured the East Coast of the US and his native Italy, in a much welcome reconnection with his musical roots. Currently, Alberto is about to release his third full length album Lento and finalizing his upcoming 2024 tours to the East Coast and Southern Italy.]

48. Nubya Garcia – Odyssey / Nubya Garcia – Concord Jazz / September 20, 2024

[Nubya Garcia’s album SOURCE from Concord Jazz / released August 21, 2020, was paft of WMM’sa 120 Best Recording 0f 2020. Nubya Nyasha Garcia was born in 1991. She is a British jazz musician, saxophonist, flautist, composer and bandleader. Garcia is the youngest of four siblings born in Camden Town, London to a Guyanese mother, a former civil servant, and a British Trinidadian film maker father. Garcia followed her older siblings to the local Saturday music centre at the age of 5, where she first learned the violin and later played the viola in the London Schools Symphony Orchestra (LSSO). Garcia has said her home life with her stepdad, a brass player with a vast collection of instruments, and her mother a keen collector of all genres of music from reggae and Latin to classical and soul, coupled with the music activities at school, Camden School for Girls, meant she was saturated with music of all genres. Garcia began learning the saxophone at the age of 10, with Vicky Wright until attaining ABRSM G8 distinction. She very early became a member of the Camden Jazz Band, directed by jazz pianist Nikki Yeoh, before joining the junior jazz program at the Royal Academy of Music. She also attended the workshops of Tomorrow’s Warriors under the direction of Gary Crosby. While still in High School, she received a scholarship for a five-week summer program at the Berklee College of Music in Boston. During her Gap Year she studied with former Jazz Messengers member, Jean Toussaint. In 2016 she graduated with Honours from the Trinity Laban Conservatoire of Music and Dance, in Jazz Performance. In 2017, Garcia released her debut album Nubya’s 5ive via the label Jazz re:freshed. That year, her Nubya Garcia Band was an opening act at Gilles Peterson’s Worldwide Festival in Sète; the following year she played at the NYC Winter Jazz Festival and the Jazzfest Berlin.In her 2018 EP When We Are, Garcia explored how electronics can be used in a live jazz environment; the EP was created as a result of the Steve Reid Innovation Award. She is also a member of the Nérija, a collective, and the band Maisha led by drummer Jake Long. In addition, she is a collaborator on albums by Makaya McCraven, Theon Cross, Moses Boyd, the Toshio Matsuura Group and Sons of Kemet to Shabaka Hutchings; contributions from her can be found on five tracks of Brownswoods We Out Here, a sampler album from the modern London jazz scene. Garcia tours internationally, in Europe, India, Australia, and North America. She regularly performs at Greenfield festivals in the UK including Love Supreme Jazz Festival. She has headlined sell-out shows at Ronnie Scott’s Jazz Club London. Garcia also has a burgeoning reputation as a DJ, with a hit monthly radio residency on NTS Radio since November 2017. Garcia was supposed to perform at the Glastonbury Festival, but the festival had to be cancelled due to the increasing concerns over the 2019–20 coronavirus pandemic.]

49. Arooj Aftab – Night Reign’/ Verve / May 31, 2024

[Arooj Aftab was born March 11, 1985. She is a Pakistani-American singer, composer, and producer. She has worked in various musical styles and idioms, including jazz and minimalism. // Aftab was nominated for the Best New Artist award and won the Best Global Music Performance award for her song “Mohabbat” at the 64th Annual Grammy Awards in April 2022. She became the first-ever Pakistani artist to win a Grammy Award. // On the 75th diamond jubilee anniversary of Pakistan, President Arif Alvi awarded Aftab the Pride of Performance Award, Pakistan’s most prestigious award for excellence in the field of art and music. // Aftab was born to Pakistani parents expatriated in Saudi Arabia. When she was about 10 years old, they returned to their native Lahore, Pakistan. She taught herself the guitar and gradually acquired her singing style while listening to Billie Holiday, Hariprasad Chaurasia, Mariah Carey, and Begum Akhtar. At that time, Aftab lived in a country where access to Western online platforms was difficult, and the infrastructure for independent music was lacking. In this context, however, she promoted her music in Pakistan, being one of the first musicians to use the Internet in the early 2000s; her renditions of “Mera Pyaar” and “Hallelujah” went viral and launched the Pakistani indie scene. // Aftab moved to the United States at the age of 19 in 2005 and earned a degree in music production and engineering at Boston’s Berklee College of Music. She moved to New York in 2010 and began working as an editor and scoring films. Since her graduation in 2010, Aftab has lived there, being part of the city’s jazz and “new music” scene. // In April 2011, Aftab was included in the “100 Composers Under 40” selection launched by NPR and WQXR-FM’s Q2 (a contemporary classical music internet radio station). // Aftab’s first album, Bird Under Water, was released independently in 2014. It received critical acclaim from David Honigmann of the Financial Times, who gave the album four out of five stars in March 2015. // She worked as an editor on the documentary Armed With Faith (2017), winning a 2018 Emmy Award afterward. // Her second album, Siren Islands, was released on June 12, 2018, through New Amsterdam Records. NPR included the album in their “Favorite Electronic and Dance Music of 2018” list. The New York Times listed the song “Island No. 2”, which represented the album, in their “25 Best Classical Music Tracks of 2018” list. In mid-July 2018, the song “Lullaby”, taken from Bird Under Water, was ranked number 150 on the NPR’s “200 Greatest Songs By 21st Century Women” list. // In 2020, Aftab sang, among other vocalists, on Residente’s Latin Grammy Award-winning single “Antes Que El Mundo Se Acabe”. That year, she composed the music for the Student Academy Award-winning film Bittu (narrative category) by Karishma Dube. // An anticipated release, Aftab’s third studio album, Vulture Prince, was released on April 23, 2021, via New Amsterdam Records. Thematically, the album discusses stories of people, relationships, and lost moments and is dedicated to the memory of her younger brother, Maher. Vulture Prince received praise from publications such as Pitchfork, NPR, and the Al Jazeera English-language news channel. Barack Obama selected the song “Mohabbat” from this album as one of his summer playlist favorites for 2021. “Mohabbat” was called one of the best songs of 2021 by Time and The New York Times. Vulture Prince was named the best album of 2021 by Netherlands newspaper de Volkskrant, topping their year-end list. Brenna Ehrlich ranked the album sixth on Rolling Stone’s “Best Music of 2021” staff list. It was ranked number twenty by The Guardian on their list of the “50 best albums of 2021”, and Laura Snapes named Aftab “[t]he year’s biggest musical revelation”. While Vulture Prince did not rank on the Los Angeles Times’ top ten “Best Albums of 2021”, it was, however, included on their “15 deserving albums” list. In late 2021, Aftab signed with Verve Records. // Aftab won a Grammy in 2022 for her song “Mohabbat”. In 2023 she became the first Pakistani artist to perform at the Grammys ceremony. // Aftab has performed at notable music venues such as the Barbican, the Chan Centre, the Lincoln Center, the Andy Warhol Museum, Haus der Kulturen der Welt, The Kitchen, (Le) Poisson Rouge, and the Museum of Modern Art. // She has also performed at international music festivals such as Coachella, Glastonbury, Primavera Sound Barcelona, Roskilde Festival, Big Ears Festival, The Ecstatic Music Festival, the San Francisco Jazz Festival, Montreal Jazz Festival, Pitchfork Music Festival and the Newport Folk Festival. In 2018 she opened for Mitski at The Brooklyn Steel. // In 2022, Aftab performed at the Metropolitan Museum of Arts’s Temple of Dendur, and at The Broad’s 2022 Summer Happenings series. // In May 2024, Aftab was announced as one of the curators for the Dutch music festival Le Guess Who?, set for November 7–10. Aftab’s lineup will include performances by herself, her father, Aja Monet, Dina El Wedidi, Meshell Ndegeocello, Noura Mint Seymali, and Zsela. // Aftab’s music has been described as a blend of jazz fusion, jazz, electronica, neo-Sufi, folk, Hindustani classical, classical music, indie pop, minimalism, and acoustic music. Aftab told the Los Angeles Times that she had aspired that Vulture Prince would “transcend boundaries”. // She has mentioned Abbey Lincoln, Abida Parveen, Anoushka Shankar, Begum Akhtar, Esperanza Spalding, Jeff Buckley, Julius Eastman, Meshell Ndegeocello, Morton Feldman, and Terry Riley as her influences. Aftab also expressed her admiration for Billie Eilish. Lyrically, Aftab has cited Asian poets as influences such as Rumi, Mirza Ghalib, and Hafeez Hoshiarpuri and uses Urdu Ghazal. Her vocals have been described as “meditative”. Vulture Prince revolves around themes of grief and longing. // In October 2023, Aftab signed the Artists4Ceasefire open letter to Joe Biden, President of the United States, calling for a ceasefire of the Israeli bombardment of Gaza. // Aftab has a tremendous love for animals. In 2023 she paired with Pakistani animal rights organization, the Ayesha Chundrigar Foundation to raise funds for their continued animal rescue efforts in Karachi. // Aftab raises her voice for gender equality in the music industry. In 2022 she spoke at Global Citizens’ Women of Influence panel on The Power of Gender in Shaping Culture alongside Gayle King, Pharrell Williams and Gloria Steinem. // In 2024 Aftab once again joined the Global Citizen action platform dedicated to achieving the end of extreme poverty, performing her song “Diya Hai” from her 2022 album Vulture Prince. Info at: http://www.aroojaftab.com]

50. Billie Eilish – Hit Me Hard And Soft / Darkroom – Interscope / May 17, 2024

[Third studio album by Billie Eilish. It is her first full-length studio album release since 2021’s Happier Than Ever. Eilish co-wrote Hit Me Hard and Soft with her brother and frequent collaborator Finneas O’Connell, who also produced the album. // Upon release, Hit Me Hard and Soft received universal acclaim from critics, praising the production, songwriting, and vocal performances. It topped the charts in over 20 countries, including Australia, Canada, Germany, Ireland, New Zealand, and the United Kingdom. In the United States, Hit Me Hard and Soft debuted at number two on the Billboard 200, and charted all 10 of its songs in the top 40 of the Billboard Hot 100. The track “Lunch” was released as the lead single concurrently. “Birds of a Feather” was released as the second single from the album to great commercial success, peaking at number two on Billboard Hot 100 and in the top ten of several charts. At the 67th Annual Grammy Awards, the album and its songs received a total of seven nominations, including Album of the Year, Best Pop Vocal Album, Song of the Year and Record of the Year. // To support the album, Eilish has embarked on her seventh concert tour, Hit Me Hard and Soft: The Tour, which commenced on September 29, 2024. // Eilish co-wrote and recorded her second studio album, Happier Than Ever, at her brother Finneas O’Connell’s home recording studio, located in the basement of his Los Angeles residence. Recording took place weekly between April 2020 and February 2021, with the track listing finalized by the duo during the album’s creation. Released on July 30, 2021, Happier Than Ever was met with critical acclaim and commercial success, topping the Billboard 200 and nominated twice at the 64th Annual Grammy Awards. Eilish surprise-released her second extended play (EP) Guitar Songs in July 2022. The following year, she released “What Was I Made For?” for the soundtrack to the fantasy-comedy film Barbie (2023); she was inspired to write the song after seeing unfinished scenes of the film during its production. The song won an Academy Award for Best Original Song and Grammy Awards for Song of the Year and Best Song Written for Visual Media. // In December 2021, Eilish began formulating ideas for her third studio album with O’Connell. In an interview with Zane Lowe for Apple Music, she mentioned that she hoped to start writing the album in 2023. In December 2023, Eilish said on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon that the album was “almost done”. Three months later, she confirmed that the album had been mastered. // Billie Eilish Pirate Baird O’Connell (/ˈaɪlɪʃ/ EYE-lish; born December 18, 2001) is an American singer and songwriter. She first gained public attention in 2015 with her debut single “Ocean Eyes”, written and produced by her brother Finneas O’Connell, with whom she collaborates on music and live shows. In 2017, she released her debut extended play (EP), Don’t Smile at Me. Commercially successful, it reached the top 15 of record charts in numerous countries, including the US, UK, Canada, and Australia. // Eilish’s debut studio album, When We All Fall Asleep, Where Do We Go? (2019), debuted atop the US Billboard 200 and UK Albums Chart and was one of the year’s best-selling albums. Its single “Bad Guy” became the first by an artist born in the 21st century to top the US Billboard Hot 100 and be certified diamond by the RIAA. The next year, Eilish performed the theme song “No Time to Die” for the James Bond film No Time to Die, which topped the UK Singles Chart and won the Academy Award for Best Original Song in 2022. Her subsequent singles “Everything I Wanted”, “My Future”, “Therefore I Am”, and “Your Power”, each peaked within the top ten in the US and UK. Her second studio album, Happier Than Ever (2021), topped the charts in 25 countries. She wrote and performed “What Was I Made For?” for the fantasy film Barbie (2023), which became her second number-one single in the UK and earned her a second Academy Award. Her third album, Hit Me Hard and Soft (2024), was met with critical acclaim and spawned the US top-five singles “Lunch” and “Birds of a Feather”, with the latter becoming her first number-one on the Billboard Global 200. // Eilish has received multiple accolades, including nine Grammy Awards, two American Music Awards, twenty Guinness World Records, seven MTV Video Music Awards, three Brit Awards, two Golden Globe Awards, and two Academy Awards. She is the second artist in Grammy history to win all four general field categories—Record of the Year, Album of the Year, Song of the Year, as well as Best New Artist—in the same year. Eilish is also the first person born in the 21st century to win an Academy Award and the youngest ever two-time winner. She was featured on Time magazine’s inaugural Time 100 Next list in 2019 and the Time 100 in 2021. According to the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) and Billboard, Eilish is the 26th-highest-certified digital singles artist and one of the most successful artists of the 2010s. She was honored as one of the BBC 100 Women in December 2022. // Eilish has a history of political activism, focusing on climate change awareness, women’s reproductive rights, gender equality, and animal rights.]

51. Flamy Grant – CHURCH / Glam & Glory Records / October 11, 2024

[Flamy Grant released her debut album, Bible Belt Baby on October 6, 2022. Flamy’s single “Good Day” released 9/6/23 is the first song by a drag performer to reach #1 on the iTunes Christian charts. It also debuted at #20 on Billboard’s Christian digital chart. // Between those two albums Flamy released a few singles. One of them ia: Fortune Teller Produced by Ben Grace. Sound engineer and electric guitars by Daniel Shearin. // Flamy Grant is winner of 2023 Kerrville New Folk Competition; and the 2023 San Diego Music Award nominee for Best Pop Album for BIBLE BELT BABY, the world’s first contemporary Christian music record by a drag performer. With influences from gospel, blues, folk & rock, hines light on queerness, faith, and overcoming spiritual trauma so often endured by LGBTQ+ people and others who grow up in conservative religious spaces. // Flamy’s iconic roots-rock sound is influenced by singer/songwriters like Natalie Merchant, Tracy Chapman, Over the Rhine, and Amy Grant. Her art shines a spotlight on the queer spiritual journey, telling stories of resilience and recovery from religious trauma. With a bold lip, a big lash, and a blistering voice, Flamy is here to rewrite the rules when it comes to faith-based entertainment, demanding a reckoning for an industry that for too long has silenced and shut out its LGBTQ+ artists and fans. //. Flamy Grant played an Official Showcase the 2024 Folk Alliance Intern. Feb 22.]

52. MJ Lenderman – Manning Fireworks / Anti / September 6, 2024

[Mark Jacob Lenderman (born 1999), also known as Jake Lenderman and MJ Lenderman, is an American singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist. He has released three solo albums, and also plays with the alternative rock band Wednesday. He also has played drums for Indigo De Souza. Lenderman’s style has been described as alt-country, classic rock, and indie rock music. // Lenderman was born in Asheville, North Carolina. His great-grandfather was saxophonist Charlie Ventura. He was raised Catholic and was an altar boy. He played basketball and obsessively watched tapes of Michael Jordan. He grew up listening to Mark Linkous and Jason Molina. In his junior and senior years of high school, he began posting his music to Bandcamp. Lenderman studied at UNC Asheville for three semesters.[ // In 2018, Lenderman played the drums for fellow Asheville artist Indigo De Souza on her albums I Love My Mom and Any Shape You Take. Lenderman met Karly Hartzman, lead singer for the group Wednesday, and he joined the band for an EP called How Do You Let Love Into the Heart That Isn’t Split Wide Open (2018). // In July 2019, he released a self-titled album, his first solo album. At that time, he was working in an ice cream shop to support himself financially. // Lenderman toured with Wednesday in early February 2020, until the COVID-19 pandemic ended the tour.[4] During the COVID-19 pandemic, while collecting unemployment insurance, Lenderman wrote the songs that became the album Ghost of Your Guitar Solo, released in 2021. // His third album Boat Songs was released in 2022 on Dear Life Records. It was listed as one of the best albums of 2022 by Pitchfork, The A.V. Club, and The Ringer. After the success of the album, Lenderman signed a recording contract with Anti-. In 2023, he released the singles “Rudolph” and “Knockin'”. // Lenderman contributed guitar and vocals to the album Tiger’s Blood by Waxahatchee, released in March 2024, and was listed as featured guest artist on the album’s lead single, “Right Back To It”. In March 2024, Lenderman performed “Right Back To It” with Waxahatchee on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert. Lenderman’s next album, Manning Fireworks, released in September 2024. // Lenderman was in a relationship with his Wednesday bandmate Karly Hartzman for several years. In July 2024, The Guardian reported that the two had split.]
.
MJ Lenderman Discography
Albums
List of albums, with selected details[15]
Title Details
MJ Lenderman / June 15, 2019 / Dear Life Records
Ghost of Your Guitar Solo / March 26, 2021 / Dear Life Records
Boat Songs / April 29, 2022/ Dear Life Records
And the Wind (Live and Loose! / November 17, 2023 / Anti-
Manning Fireworks / September 6, 2024 / Anti-
.
Extended Plays
How Do You Let Love Into the Heart That Isn’t Split Wide Open
MJ Lenderman & Wednesday / December 13, 2018 / Self Released
Faucet Nash to Stoudemire1 / November 7, 2019 / Self-released
Lucky MJ Lenderman / December 25, 2019 / Self-released
Guttering MJ Lenderman & Wednesday / January 22, 2021 / Super Enema
Knockin’ MJ Lenderman / August 20, 2021 / Dear Life Records

53. Marty Bush – The Long Way Home / Marty Bush / August 30, 2024

[Hailing from the plains of eastern Kansas, Marty Bush is a torchbearer of the American songwriting tradition. His songs resonate with the weight of his influences such as Townes Van Zandt, Blaze Foley, and Kris Kristofferson, but he has channeled their emotional honesty and unvarnished truth-telling into something uniquely his own. While his 2022 solo debut “The Long Way Home” established him as a devout follower of the country and western songwriting tradition, his follow-up LP “Cowboy Chords”released October 13, 2023, took a bold step forward in establishing his voice as both a songwriter and performer. Taking the reins as both producer and engineer, Bush plays every instrument on the album with the exception of pedal steel which is skillfully manned by Devon Teran (Timbers). The result is a clear and precise vision of songs that honor the past and think to the present. Touring extensively, Bush played over 250 shows in 2022. He continued that break-neck pace into 2023, writing songs from behind the wheel and testing material in dives, honky-tonks, and juke-joints all over the US, pausing in May and June to record, then hitting the road again this July, August, September and October with Natalie Prauser and November with Johnny Lawhorn of The Pentagram String Band.]

54. The Fun Guy – From the Attic to the Underground / The Fun Guy / June 6, 2024

[Lawrence, Kansas based 3-piece band. From I Heart Local Muaic., May 15, 2024 written by Fally Afani: “
From I Heart Local Music, June 11, 2024 written by Fally Afani: “The season is ripe for political discontent and a revolution. The Fun Guy’s latest album provides a pretty good soundtrack for such an occasion. // From the Attic to the Underground comes from the Lawrence trio, one of the scene’s newest up-and-coming acts spotted around town over the last year. Fronted by staggeringly tall Ranjit Arab (who is not Arab, but actually Indian and American), the band has been indulging us with a perfectly retro punk vibe (think The Clash). The album was recorded at Exception Studio in Topeka. Songs tackle everything from identity to politics to crimes against indigenous populations (when a seven-foot-tall brown man is yelling at you about stealing land from the indigenous, you need to listen), all against some speedy guitar riffs and beats that always get the crowd going. The band burst out the gate strong at the beginning of the year, and don’t seem to be slowing down. // IHLM: We’re sure you’re a fun guy, but you sound pretty angry on this album. What prompted you to tackle these political themes? // RA: Ha! Yes, the whole point of The Fun Guy is just to have fun and hopefully make people dance and have a good time, but I’m also pretty upset with the state of things these days. How can you not be? If you aren’t, you’re not paying attention. There’s no room to remain silent. We all need to speak up about the atrocities happening in Palestine with our U.S. tax dollars, for example. Meanwhile, “Prisoner or Guard” is about having to work your entire adult life, and “Never Skipped A Beat” has a rant about various respectable professions, so, yeah, I have a lot on my mind these days. IHLM: I imagine you feel like most of us (yours truly included) who live with ethnic identities in the U.S. Which songs helped you process this?RA: All of them did, really–that’s why I write in the first place. I’ve struggled a lot being torn between two cultures (American and Indian), and so everything I create reflects that, I guess. “Lost and Found” was especially therapeutic since it allowed me to rant in a way that wasn’t just shouting. // IHLM: On “Lost and Found,” you proclaim “every city in the nation was built on a foundation of lies.” Tell us how you really feel, Ranjit? // RA: Yes! I’ll always tell you how I really feel. I’m terrible at hiding that. I want people to have fun when they see us, but also leave them with some deep topics like settler colonialism and how we Americans are just as guilty of terrorizing people (Native Americans) as what’s happening now with Palestinians. So, we have a lot of work to do–whether that’s reparations for Indigenous people or putting an immediate end to the genocide against Palestinians.// RA: Right now we’re just looking forward to playing our next show at Lucia on Thursday, and lining up more gigs, writing more songs. I’m sure my politics will always be front and center in my songs, but hopefully people also find the tunes catchy and enjoy the musicianship. I’m especially excited to be playing with bassist Noah Meitler and drummer Foy Keith–we have a good chemistry that’s hard to come by, I think.]

55. Hermanos Gutiérrez – Sonido Cósmico / Easy Eye Sound / June 16, 2024

[6th album from Latin instrumental band formed in 2015 in Zürich by Ecuadorian-Swiss brothers Alejandro Gutiérrez (guitar and lap steel) and Estevan Gutiérrez (guitar and percussion). In 2022, the US label Easy Eye Sound released the band’s fifth album, El Bueno y el Malo. // Alejandro& Estevan Gutiérrez, two of four siblings, were raised by an Ecuadorian mother and a Swiss father in Switzerland, and often visited family in Playas, Ecuador. Around age nine, Estevan learned to play classical guitar in Latin styles such as milonga and salsa, and as a surfer was later inspired by surf rocker Jack Johnson. Alejandro, who is eight years younger, taught himself guitar by watching tutorial videos on YouTube. The Hermanos Gutiérrez band traces its origins to a jam session in Alejandro’s apartment in Zürich during a visit from Estevan in 2015. // The band’s first three albums (8 Años, El Camino de mi Alma, and Hoy Como Ayer) drew broadly from the world of Latin music. A visit to Mexico and the Southwest US in February 2020 inspired their fourth album, Hijos del Sol, which incorporated more Western sounds. An eight-minute music video for the title track came out in advance of the album’s release on September 25, 2020. // El Bueno y el Malo, the band’s first non-indie project, was recorded in Nashville in collaboration with Dan Auerbach of the Black Keys and released by his label Easy Eye Sound on October 28, 2022. The album (and its title) were inspired by Ennio Morricone’s The Good, the Bad & the Ugly soundtrack. The album was critically acclaimed and has been described as mentally transporting listeners to Spaghetti Western landscapes. Songs from El Bueno y el Malo comprised Hermanos Gutiérrez’s set list in an NPR Tiny Desk Concert in January 2023. That year, Auerbach was nominated for the Grammy Award for Non-Classical Producer of the Year in part for his work with Hermanos Gutiérrez.]

56. Swamp Dogg – Blackgrass: From West Virginia to 125th St. / Oh Boy Records / May 31, 2024

[Blackgrass: From West Virginia to 125th St, is Swamp Dogg’s first record with Oh Boy Records. // The feature-length documentary Swamp Dogg Gets His Pool Painted premiered at the 2024 SXSW and received raves from The Austin Chronicle and The Hollywood Reporter who called it, “a documentary that draws its voice and aesthetic from the spirit of its subject, resulting in a tight 97 minutes that feel organic and satisfying and, as befits that subject, appealingly odd.” Rolling Stone also included Swamp Dogg’s official showcase in their Best of SXSW roundup proclaiming, “Swamp Dogg sounded bold and robust, his vigor encouraging his band to ratchet up the energy… every musician on stage was locked into an undeniable groove.” // Produced by Ryan Olson (Poliça, Gayngs) and recorded with an all-star band including Noam Pikelny, Sierra Hull, Jerry Douglas, Chris Scruggs, Billy Contreras, and Kenny Vaughan, the 12-song collection is a riotous blend of past and present, mixing the sacred and the profane in typical Swamp Dogg fashion as it blurs the lines between folk, roots, country, blues, and soul. Special guests like Margo Price, Vernon Reid, Jenny Lewis, Justin Vernon, and The Cactus Blossoms all add to the excitement, but it’s ultimately the 81-year-old Swamp Dogg’s delivery—sly and playful and full of genuine joy and ache—that steals the show. // “Believe it or not, I didn’t do anything but sing these songs the way I would have sung them if it was an R&B album. That’s just the way the music comes out of me, and it would have been unholy for me to try and imitate anybody else,” explains Swamp Dogg about the making of the album. “Black music has had so many different labels put on it over the years that sometimes I’m onstage and I don’t know what the hell it is that I’m singing,” Swamp Dogg says with a laugh. “The only thing I know how to do is be myself.” // “Swamp Dogg is one of my favorite humans on the planet… How to classify him I just don’t know. He’s a soul artist, a psychedelic artist, a protest singer, he’s a man for all seasons.” – Ann Powers // Jerry Williams Jr. was born July 12, 1942. He is generally credited under the pseudonym Swamp Dogg after 1970, is an American soul and R&B singer, musician, songwriter and record producer. Williams has been described as “one of the great cult figures of 20th century American music.” // After recording as Little Jerry and Little Jerry Williams in the 1950s and 1960s, he reinvented himself as Swamp Dogg, releasing a series of satirical, offbeat, and eccentric recordings, as well as continuing to write and produce for other musicians. He debuted his new sound on the Total Destruction To Your Mind album in 1970. In the 1980s, he helped to develop Alonzo Williams’ World Class Wreckin’ CRU, which produced Dr. Dre among others. He continues to make music, releasing Love, Loss & Autotune on Joyful Noise Recordings in 2018, and Sorry You Couldn’t Make It in 202. // Williams was born in Portsmouth, Virginia. He made his first recording, “HTD Blues (Hardsick Troublesome Downout Blues)”, for the Mechanic record label in 1954, when he was aged 12, with his parents and uncle and backing musicians, and was regularly hired to play private parties. From 1960, he released occasional singles for a variety of labels, including the self-written “I’m The Lover Man” in 1964, which was first issued on the Southern Sound label and was then picked up by the larger Loma label, almost breaking into the national Billboard Hot 100. He also wrote successfully for other musicians, including “Big Party” for Barbara and the Browns. // As Little Jerry Williams, he had his first national chart success in 1966, when “Baby You’re My Everything”, which he co-wrote and produced, was released on the Calla label and rose to #32 on the R&B chart, again just missing the Hot 100. He released several more singles on Calla through to 1967, by now credited simply as Jerry Williams, but with little commercial success, although some of his records such as “If You Ask Me (Because I Love You)” later became staples of the Northern Soul movement in the UK. // By late 1967 he started working in A&R and other duties for the Musicor label in New York. In 1968 he co-wrote, with Charlie Foxx, Gene Pitney’s up-tempo hit, “She’s a Heartbreaker”, which Williams also claimed to have produced, saying: “I produced the motherfuck out of it… [and] Charlie Foxx put me down on the label as “vocal arranger.” What the fuck is that? When they took out full-page ads in Billboard and Cashbox, there was a picture of Charlie on one side and a picture of Gene Pitney on the other and no mention of me.” // Later in 1968 Williams began working as a producer at Atlantic Records with Jerry Wexler and Phil Walden, on artists including Patti LaBelle & the Blue Belles, though he found the administration frustrating. He established a songwriting partnership with Gary Anderson, who performed as Gary U.S. Bonds, and the pair wrote the R&B chart hits “To the Other Woman (I’m the Other Woman)” by Doris Duke, and “She Didn’t Know (She Kept on Talking)” by Dee Dee Warwick. He also recorded a single, “I Got What It Takes”, in a duo with Brooks O’Dell, and released two singles under his own name on the Cotillion label, a subsidiary of Atlantic. // Swamp Dogg Williams later wrote:I became Swamp Dogg in 1970 in order to have an alter-ego and someone to occupy the body while the search party was out looking for Jerry Williams, who was mentally missing in action due to certain pressures, mal-treatments and failure to get paid royalties on over fifty single records…. Most all of the tracks included were recorded in Muscle Shoals, Alabama, and Macon, Georgia, which brings me to how the name Swamp Dogg came about. Jerry Wexler, Atlantic Records v.p. and producer/innovator second to none, was recording in the newly discovered mecca of funk Muscle Shoals, Alabama. He coined the term “Swamp Music” for this awesome funk predominately played by all white musicians accompanying the R’n’B institutions e.g., Wilson Pickett, Aretha Franklin, King Curtis… I was also using the same “swamp” players. I was tired of being a jukebox, singing all of the hits by Chuck Jackson, Ben E. King, etc., and being an R’n’B second banana. I couldn’t dance as good as Joe Tex, wasn’t pretty like Tommy Hunt, couldn’t compare vocally to Jackie Wilson and I didn’t have the sex appeal of Daffy Duck. I wanted to sing about everything and anything and not be pigeonholed by the industry. So I came up with the name Dogg because a dog can do anything, and anything a dog does never comes as a real surprise; if he sleeps on the sofa, shits on the rug, pisses on the drapes, chews up your slippers, humps your mother-in-law’s leg, jumps on your new clothes and licks your face, he’s never gotten out of character. You understand what he did, you curse while making allowances for him but your love for him never diminishes. Commencing in 1970, I sung about sex, niggers, love, rednecks, war, peace, dead flies, home wreckers, Sly Stone, my daughters, politics, revolution and blood transfusions (just to name a few), and never got out of character. Recording in Alabama and sincerely singing/writing about items that interested me, gave birth to the name Swamp Dogg. // Having adopted his moniker before Snoop Dogg was born he has claimed to be “the original D-O double G.” // In 1970 he emerged in his new Swamp Dogg persona, with two singles on Wally Roker’s Canyon label, “Mama’s Baby, Daddy’s Maybe”, again co-written with Bonds, and “Synthetic World”. He also produced the first Swamp Dogg album, Total Destruction to Your Mind. The album sleeve showed Williams sitting in his underwear on a pile of garbage. Williams’ new direction apparently followed an LSD trip, and was inspired by the radical politics of the time and by Frank Zappa’s use of satire, while showing his own expertise in, and commitment to, deep soul and R&B music. According to Allmusic: “In sheer musical terms, Swamp Dogg is pure Southern soul, anchored on tight grooves and accentuated by horns, but the Dogg is as much about message as music…” Although not a commercial success at the time, Swamp Dogg started to develop a cult following and eventually the album sold enough to achieve gold record status. Record critic Robert Christgau wrote that “Soul-seekers like myself are moderately mad for the obscure” album and has called it “legendary”. It was reissued in 2013 by Alive Naturalsound Records. // Around the same time, one of the songs Williams had co-written with Gary Bonds, “She’s All I Got”, became a top-ten R&B hit for Freddie North, and was recorded with even greater success by country star Johnny Paycheck, whose version reached #2 on the country music chart in late 1971. In a later interview on NPR’s Studio 360, Williams stated he was raised on country music: “Black music didn’t start ’til 10 at night until 4 in the morning and I was in bed by then… If you strip my tracks, take away all the horns and guitar licks, what you have is a country song.” However, he also continued to write and produce deep soul songs for other musicians, including Z. Z. Hill and Irma Thomas. In 1971 in collaboration with co-producer and writer the legendary George Semper he released “Monster Walk Pt. 1 and 2” by the Rhythm ‘N’ Blues Classical Funk Band on Mankind Records label. Produced for Jerry Williams Productions, Inc.and in spite of modest sales the record once again demonstrated his entrepreneurial skill as an artist. // As Swamp Dogg, he was signed by Elektra Records for his second album, Rat On! in 1971. The sleeve showed him on the back of a giant white rat, and has frequently been ranked as one of the worst album covers of all time. Sales were relatively poor, and he joined Jane Fonda’s anti-Vietnam War Free the Army tour. His next albums Cuffed, Collared and Tagged (1972) and Gag a Maggott (recorded at the TK Studio in 1973) were released on smaller labels, though his 1974 album, Have You Heard This Story??, was issued by Island Records. In 1977 he had another minor R&B hit with “My Heart Just Can’t Stop Dancing”, credited to Swamp Dogg & the Riders of the New Funk. He continued to release albums through the 1970s and into the mid-1980s as Swamp Dogg, on various small independent labels and in a variety of styles including disco and country and maintained a healthy cult following. He also set up his own publishing and recording company, Swamp Dogg Entertainment Group (SDEG). // In 1999, “Slow Slow Disco” was sampled by Kid Rock on the track “I Got One for Ya”, sparking a revival of interest in Swamp Dogg, who began performing live gigs for the first time. Several other of his recordings were sampled, and in 2009 he released two new albums, Give Em as Little as You Can…As Often as You Have To…Or…A Tribute to Rock N Roll, and An Awful Christmas and a Lousy New Year. He also released some further singles, and a compilation album of the best of his work as both Little Jerry Williams and Swamp Dogg, It’s All Good, was released in 2009. Most of his early Swamp Dogg albums have also been reissued on CD. // Swamp Dogg released a full-length album of new songs in 2014, The White Man Made Me Do It, which Williams described as being a sort of sequel to Total Destruction To Your Mind. Shortly thereafter, Swamp Dogg teamed up with Ryan Olson from Poliça to produce the tracks for his 2018 album Love, Loss & Autotune, Justin Vernon (aka Bon Iver) fine-tuning the vocal tracks. The song also features instrumentation by Guitar Shorty. The music video for “I’ll Pretend” premiered at NPR and was later featured at Rolling Stone, Pitchfork, Spin and elsewhere. Swamp Dogg described the song as a character study about “a guy sitting in a restaurant by himself losing his fucking mind because he’s hoping his woman is gonna walk by, but she’s at a Ramada Inn somewhere fucking somebody else to death.” // In 2020, he released the album Sorry You Couldn’t Make It, a country-styled record recorded in Nashville with producer Ryan Olson and musicians including Justin Vernon, John Prine, and Jenny Lewis. More info at: http://www.theswampdogg.com]

57. PJ Morton – Cape Town to Cairo / Morton Records / June 14, 2024

[P.J. Morton (born Paul Sylvester Morton Jr.; March 29, 1981) is an American musician, singer, songwriter and record producer. Since 2012, he has been the keyboardist for the pop band Maroon 5. Morton originally joined the band as a touring member in 2010 and became an official member in 2012 after Jesse Carmichael went on a short hiatus (he returned to the lineup playing guitar in 2014). // Morton released his debut solo EP, Following My First Mind, in March 2012, through the record label Young Money. Adam Levine and James Valentine were featured on the lead single, “Heavy”. In May 2013, Morton released his first major-label debut album, New Orleans. In 2016, he released his mixtape Bounce & Soul Vol. 1 in March and the Sticking to My Guns EP in July. On April 14, 2017, Morton released his first self-released studio album Gumbo, earning Morton two Grammy Award nominations for Best R&B Album and Best R&B Song at the 60th Annual Grammy Awards. // In April 2019, Morton said he would begin a project to restore the New Orleans home of jazz pioneer Buddy Bolden and create a museum and community space at the site. Bolden’s former home has been owned by Morton’s father’s church for more than a decade, and had been cited for demolition by neglect. // Morton was born in New Orleans, Louisiana. His father is Canadian-born American gospel singer and Founder of the Full Gospel Baptist Church Fellowship, Bishop Paul S. Morton. His mother is Dr. Debra Brown Morton, pastor of Greater St. Stephen Full Gospel Baptist Church. // Morton graduated St. Augustine High School and majored in marketing at Morehouse College, graduating in 2003. // In 2010, Morton’s friend and Maroon 5’s musical director Adam Blackstone asked him to audition for a position in the band as a touring keyboardist and backing vocalist. Morton was the first to audition and left an indelible mark on the group. Since then, he has played with Maroon 5 in concerts and other live performances. From 2012 to 2014 Morton filled-in for the band’s keyboardist, Jesse Carmichael, who was on an indefinite hiatus from performing with the group, as stated on their official website in March 2012. In 2012, he joined the band as a full-time member, contributing his vocal and keyboard parts on Maroon 5’s fourth studio album, Overexposed, and continuing to do so during the processes of recording the band’s albums, V (2014), Red Pill Blues (2017), and Jordi (2021). // Morton’s solo work won the attention of Mack Maine, who signed him to his production company, Soothe Your Soul, and Young Money Entertainment in 2011. The Following My First Mind (EP) was released on March 27, 2012. // On May 14, 2013, Morton released his major-label debut studio album with Young Money Records, titled New Orleans. The album’s lead single, “Only One”, which features Stevie Wonder, was nominated for the Best R&B Song at the 56th Annual Grammy Awards in 2014. // In 2016, Morton moved to New Orleans and opened a record label called Morton Records which he envisioned as “the New Orleans Motown”. Same year, Morton started working on Gumbo. About the album’s title he said “I named it Gumbo because the actual dish is a bunch of things mixed in together to make [something] beautiful. I wanted to grow as a songwriter and talk about more things … about where we are in the world today, the tension, how divided we are as a country. It kind of felt like I was dumping a bunch of subject matter together and I made it in New Orleans so that sounded like gumbo to me.” As a first step, on March 25, 2016, Morton released Bounce & Soul Vol. 1, a mixtape which includes re-imagined versions of his best songs in New Orleans’ bounce style.On July 1, 2016, Morton released the Sticking to My Guns EP, featuring the single of the same name. The EP, besides including alternative versions of “First Began” and “Sticking to My Guns”, also contains “Say So”, a song that was later cut from the final tracklist of the album. On November 15, 2016, Morton released “You Should Be Ashamed”, a Stevie Wonder-esque socially conscious song that was later replaced by “Religion”. On March 13, 2017, Morton announced on his Instagram page April 14, 2017 as the release date of Gumbo. // Gumbo did not manage to enter on the US Billboard 200 chart but received positive reviews from most music critics, who complimented Morton’s style and praised him for his singing and songwriting. The album earned Morton two Grammy nominations for Best R&B Album and Best R&B Song at the 60th Annual Grammy Awards. On February 14, 2019, Morton collaborated with singer JoJo on the song “Say So”, which served as the lead single for his sixth album Paul. // In 2020, Morton recorded his live album, The Piano Album. It features songs from Gumbo and Paul. On August 28, 2020, Morton released his long awaited gospel album Gospel According To PJ: From The Songbook of PJ Morton. The album features The Clark Sisters, Comissioned, Zacardi Cortez, Darrel Walls, and others. It also features remade versions of So In Love by Amber Bullock, Over and Over by Trinitee 5:7, and Let Go by Dwayne Woods. A documentary was released talking about how he was pressured to make Gospel music, the process of each song, and his father. Don’t Let Go from his previous album Paul was included featuring Kim Burrell. Do You Believe feat. Yolanda Adams was included from “Christmas With PJ Morton.” // Watch the Sun was released in mid 2022. The album blends elements of R&B, soul, and gospel, featuring collaborations with artists such as Stevie Wonder, Nas, JoJo , and Alex Isley. Known for its themes of hope and personal resilience, the album was praised for its emotional depth and musicality. // In 2023, Morton released Watch the Sun Live: The Mansion Sessions, a live album featuring stripped-down, intimate performances of songs from the original album, showcasing Morton’s vocal and instrumental prowess in a more acoustic setting. // Cape Town to Cairo is the seventh studio album by American musician PJ Morton, released in 2024 via Morton Records and EMPIRE. The album was conceived and recorded during a 30-day journey across Africa, with stops in cities such as Cape Town, Lagos, Accra, Cairo, and Johannesburg. Morton undertook the project without any pre-written material, seeking to capture the essence of his experiences in real-time. The album draws on various genres, including R&B, soul, gospel, jazz, and pop, all influenced by African musical traditions and rhythms, which Morton encountered throughout his travels. // The album features collaborations with several notable African artists, including Fireboy DML, Made Kuti, Aṣa, Ndabo Zulu, and the Soweto Spiritual Singers. Songs like “Simunye (We Are One)” emphasize African unity, while tracks like “Count On Me,” featuring Fireboy DML, explore themes of friendship and global togetherness. The project has been compared to Paul Simon’s Graceland (album) in its ambition and scope, but Morton’s direct immersion in African culture during the album’s creation sets it apart. // Morton has described Cape Town to Cairo as an exploration of the African diaspora through music, combining influences from the continent with his roots in New Orleans soul and gospel. The album was recorded with local musicians and producers such as P.Priime and The Cavemen (band), and its themes range from personal lineage and gratitude to broader messages of unity and identity. // After winning Grammy Awards for his songwriting and production on India.Arie’s Interested, Morton won Dove and Stellar Awards in 2008. // Morton was also noticed by AR Rahman, composer for Slumdog Millionaire, who asked Morton to contribute “Sajna” to the soundtrack and movie for the Vince Vaughn comedy Couples Retreat. Morton has also produced and written for musicians such as Jermaine Dupri, LL Cool J, Jagged Edge, Monica, India.Arie, gospel musicians Fred Hammond, Men of Standard, Brian Courtney Wilson, and Heather Headley. In 2009, he published a book entitled ‘ Why Can’t I Sing About Love? // Morton who wrote a song called “Battle Field” by Chinese singer Jane Zhang from the 2016 film The Great Wall. // in October 2023, Morton was featured in Portuguese singer Barbara Bandeira’s debut studio album Finda on the track Ego. // Morton wrote the song “Special Spice” for the theme park attraction Tiana’s Bayou Adventure, which is inspired by Disney’s 2009 film The Princess and the Frog. // He married his wife Kortni Morton on December 25, 2008. They grew up attending the same church and began dating as adults. They have three children;Jakai (aged 19), Paul III “P3” (aged 13) and Peyton (aged 11).]

58. The Whips – Stardust & Motor Oil – EP / Midtopia Records / August 2, 2024

[The Whips are Miles Patterson on drums, Quinn Cosgrove on bass, Max Indiveri on guitar, and Coop on piano. The Whips are a funk/soul band based in Kansas City. The Whips released their 12 track debut album HOW TO HOLD A GRUDGE on Lotuspool Records on September 1, 2023, Recorded with Audio Engineer Chris Cosgrove. the album features an array of their favorite local musicians guest in various tracks including: Malek Azrael, Anna Duntz, Atomic Blonde, Die Jane, Tre’ Mutava, Lymerrick & Lucy Brock. The Whips released their single, “Begin Again”on February 2, 2024. The Whips released their single, “As Long As You Want Me” on March 8, 2024. The Whips released their 6-track Debut EP, NEVER CHANGE, OR DO on August 20, 2021 on Draft Crew Records. The Whips released multiple singles in 2021. More info at: ww.thewhipsband.com]

59. Kali Uchis – ORQUIDEAS / Geffen Records / January 12, 2024

[The fourth studio album and second Spanish-language album by American singer-songwriter Kali Uchis, who was born Karly-Marina Loaiza on July 17, 1994. Kali Uchis is an American singer and songwriter. After releasing her debut mixtape Drunken Babble (2012), she released her debut EP Por Vida (2015). She released her debut studio album Isolation (2018) to widespread acclaim. Her second studio album and first Spanish-language project Sin Miedo (del Amor y Otros Demonios) (2021) spawned the single “Telepatía”, which became her first solo charting hit on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100. Her third studio album Red Moon in Venus (2023) became her first to debut within the top 5 on the Billboard 200. // Uchis was featured on Kaytranada’s 2019 single “10%”, which won the Grammy Award for Best Dance Recording. Her other accolades include an American Music Award, two Billboard Music Awards, and a nomination for a Latin Grammy Award. // Uchis was born Karly-Marina Loaiza in Alexandria, Virginia, on July 17, 1994, the daughter of a Colombian family. Her parents met during the late 1980s, and her father moved back to Colombia when Uchis was in high school. She subsequently spent summers in Colombia with her father, uncles, and aunts. During the school year, she lived with her mother and older siblings. In high school, she learned to play the piano and saxophone. She participated in a jazz band, and graduated from Alexandria City High School (then called T. C. Williams High School). She often skipped class to spend time at the photo lab, making experimental short films. Her interest in photography led to her creating mixtape cover art. Skipping class and breaking the curfew set by her parents led to her being kicked out of her home. During this time, she lived in her car and wrote songs on her keyboard which would later appear on her debut mixtape Drunken Babble (2012). She also wrote poetry and did not initially intend to sing, being more interested in directing films than being in the spotlight. She was given the nickname “Kali Uchis” by her father and adopted it as her stage name.]

60. Xiu Xiu – 13″ Frank Beltrame Italian Stiletto with Bison Horn Grips / Polyvinyl Records / Sept. 27, 2024

[13″ Frank Beltrame Italian Stiletto with Bison Horn Grips, colloquially referred to as 13″, is the fourteenth studio album by American experimental band Xiu Xiu, released on September 27, 2024 by Polyvinyl. // “Common Loon”, is the lead siongle which was accompanied by a music video featuring Alicia McDaid. The singles “Arp Omni” and “Veneficium” were released on August 13, 2024 // The album’s title comes from a switchblade owned by band frontperson Jamie Stewart. In an interview with Our Culture, Stewart explained, “Switchblades, since the 1950s, are an almost clichéd symbol of ‘tough guy’ aesthetics. But as an instrument of violence, they’re pretty useless… Serving as a symbol for violence and fear while being pretty useless is a fascinating symbol of violence generally.” Stewart said one driving force the record was “interesting uselessness”, “a stupid contradiction that could have genuine consequences”. They said that there were switchblades “around the studio or at our desks or whatever”, which functioned as a sort of talisman, guiding the band throughout the production. // On the review aggregating website Metacritic, 13″ received “universal acclaim” based on a normalized rating of 81 out of 100 from 6 critical reviews. Dale Maplethorpe of Far Out praised the album for being an “unpredictable mesh of chaos,” and wrote that it “is an absolute joy from start to finish.” The Quietus’s Claire Biddles said the album “might be Xiu Xiu’s best,” further noting that it’s “funny, terrifying, extreme, horny, embarrassing, relatable – everything that Xiu Xiu have ever been at once.” // Current members: Jamie Stewart on production, vocals, percussion, guitar, synthesizers, keyboards, piano, programming, bass, organ, harmonium, viola (2002–present); Angela Seo on production, vocals, percussion, piano, synthesizers, programming, organ, harmonium (2009–present) // David Kendrick on production, drums, percussion (2022–present) // Xiu Xiu (SHOO-shoo) is an American experimental rock band, formed in 2002 by singer-songwriter Jamie Stewart in San Jose, California. Currently, the line-up consists of multi-instrumentalists Stewart (the only constant member since formation), Angela Seo, and percussionist David Kendrick. The band’s name comes from the Chinese film Xiu Xiu: The Sent Down Girl, which has influenced the sound of their music, according to Stewart. // Xiu Xiu released their first two albums, Knife Play (2002) and A Promise (2003), on 5 Rue Christine to positive critical reception. In-between the two, the EP Chapel of the Chimes was released via Absolutely Kosher. The compilation album Fag Patrol was released shortly after, and their third studio album Fabulous Muscles was released in 2004. La Forêt was released in 2005 after Caralee McElroy joined the group, and The Air Force followed in 2006. 2008’s Women as Lovers was released via the main Kill Rock Stars label in 2008, and McElroy departed the group shortly afterwards. // Dear God, I Hate Myself was released in 2010 and was the first Xiu Xiu album to prominently feature longtime member Angela Seo. Following a signing to Polyvinyl and Bella Union, Xiu Xiu released Always (2012) and Angel Guts: Red Classroom (2014). In between those two projects, the group released a Nina Simone tribute project, Nina, in late 2013 via Graveface Records. // Plays the Music of Twin Peaks (2016) followed, an album consisting of covers from the Twin Peaks soundtracks originally as a Record Store Day exclusive release but re-released by Polyvinyl later that year. Forget (2017) and Girl with Basket of Fruit (2019) were released afterwards, and Xiu Xiu released their twelfth album Oh No in 2021. Their thirteenth album, Ignore Grief, was released in March 2023, and their fourteenth, 13″ Frank Beltrame Italian Stiletto with Bison Horn Grips, was released in September 2024. // Jamie Stewart formed Xiu Xiu in 2002 after their previous band, Ten in the Swear Jar, disbanded. Stewart and Cory McCulloch continued from the previous group, and were joined by Yvonne Chen and Lauren Andrews. The band’s sound was characterized by its use of indigenous instruments and programmed drums in place of traditional rock instruments: harmonium, mandolin, brass bells, gongs, keyboards, and a cross between a guitarrón mexicano and a cello for bass, etc. Stewart states that the group is equally influenced by Nina Simone and Krzysztof Penderecki, by The Birthday Party and Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark (OMD). // Xiu Xiu would tour their first LP Knife Play, and its successor EP, Chapel of the Chimes, in 2002, blending both melody and cacophony with a heavy reliance on percussive instrumentation and brass instrumentation. // Following 2002, the group would shrink in membership as Yvonne Chen left to focus on her vegan boutique Otsu and self-published magazine Zum, while Cory McCulloch also stopped touring, focusing instead on producing the band’s next two LPs. A personal loss would affect Xiu Xiu as well, as Jamie Stewart’s father, musician and record producer Michael Stewart was found dead after an apparent suicide. Coping with these losses, Stewart would record the group’s follow-up to Knife Play, 2003’s A Promise. Xu Xiu played The Bottleneck, 737 New Hampshire St. Lawrence, KS. On October 24, at 7:00pm With special guests: Ebony Tusks. And Jackson Graham.]

61. Erin Keller & James Ward Band – Songs For Times Like These / Erin Keller / January 26, 2024

[Erin Keller on vocals, James Ward on electric bass, Jaylen Ward on drums & cymbals, Angela Ward on keyboard, Chad Meise on electric guitar. Recorded & mixed by Chad Meise. Mastered by Collin Jordan. Artwork by David Ford. Photos & Graphic design by Kayla Haskins. // On May 9, 2016 Erin Keller released her debut solo album, DISTRACTED. // Erin Keller is originally from Waukee, Iowa. She was born in 1980. Erin has been singing on a professional level for 30 years. Erin sang with the internationally competitive Des Moines Children’s Choir for 5 years, and 3 years in All-State choir in high school, which helped her earn a voice performance degree from the Conservatory of Music at the University of Missouri in Kansas City, in 2002. Erin peforms with the Grammy-Award winning Kansas City Chorale. Erin has also worked as a featured soloist with Owen Cox Dance Ensemble, New Ear, KC jazz musicians, the big band at University of Colorado, a West African Highlife Ensemble, the Balkan brass band Gora Gora Orkestar. Erin also has experience writing her own music, singing in rock, folk, and free improv settings and she more recently earned a Master’s in Music Education from the University of Colorado at Boulder. In Colorado she worked for two years in public schools teaching music and moved back to KC to continue her career as musician and educator.Erin Keller & the James Ward Band played an Album Release Dinner Matinee Show, January 26, 2024, at 6:00pm, at The Ship, 1221 Union Avenue, KCMO. More info at: http://www.theshipkc.com]

62. Willi Carlisle – Critterland / Signature Sounds Recordings / January 26, 2024

[For folksinger Willi Carlisle, singing is healing. And by singing together, he believes we can begin to reckon with the inevitability of human suffering and grow in love. On his latest album, Critterland, Carlisle invites audiences to join him: “If we allow ourselves to sing together, there’s a release of sadness, maybe even a communal one. And so for me personally, singing, like the literal act of thinking through suffering, is really freeing,” he says. // Rooted in the eclectic and collective world of his live shows, Carlisle’s third album, Critterland takes up where his sophomore album, Peculiar, Missouri left off, transforming Peculiar’s big tent into a Critterland menagerie and letting loose the weirdos he gathered together. The album is a wild romp through the backwaters of his mind and America, lingering in the odd corners of human nature to visit obscure oddballs, dark secrets and complicated truths about the beauty and pain of life and love. // Produced by the GRAMMY Award-nominated Darrell Scott and to be released Jan. 26, 2024 by Signature Sounds, Critterland considers where we come from and where we are going. On the album, he takes on human suffering through stories about forbidden love, loss, generational trauma, addiction, and suicide, believing that by processing the traits and trauma we inherit, he can reach a deeper understanding of what it means to succeed and to exist. // “[Critterland] is another brilliant composition from Carlisle, who has quickly established himself as one of country music’s most important and unmistakable voices.” -PASTE MAGAZINE // “One of the Top 10 “Best Things We Saw at Newport Folk Festival 2023” – Rolling Stone // Willi Carlisle is an absolute force of nature. From the moment he walks on stage you can’t take your eyes off of him and the minute he opens his mouth you can’t help but hang on every word. Even if the songs weren’t there, the showmanship alone would be worth the price of admission, but the scary part is the songs are just as good as the stories.” -BJ Barham .// Willi Carlisle released the album Peculiar, Missouri through Free Dirt Records on July 15, 2022. It was one of WMM’s 120 Best Recordings of 2022. // Willi Carlisle is an “Ozark renaissance folklorist” who writes “brilliant, slice of life Americana.” (Sing Out!Magazine) A theatre artist, folksinger, poet, and square-dance caller, Willi received a BA from Knox College in Creative Writing and Performance Studies, and an MFA in Poetry at the University of Arkansas. His work has appeared in The Journal of American Folklore, The Midwest Review, and elsewhere. Willi is a co-leader of the Fayetteville Old-time Music and Dance Society and a company member with the Artist’s Laboratory Theater. Willi Carlisle played an official Showcase at the 2024 Folk Alliance International Conference on Thursday, February 22, at 6:45pm in Benton’s 20th Floor, at The Westin Kansas City Hotel at Crown Center 1 East Pershing Road, KCMO. His debut EP, “Too Nice to Mean Much,” is available at http://www.willicarlisle.com]

63. Back Alley Brass Band – Last Chance To Dance – EP / Back Alley Brass Band / April 19, 2024

[The Back Alley Brass Band released their debut full-length studio album Back Alley Brass Band on March 25, 2022. The Back Alley Brass Band is a Kansas City take on a funky brass band. The 10-piece band is a hard hitting music power house that starts a party wherever they play. Trumpets: Justin Crossman, Tom Lawlor Saxes: Eric Rothmier, Alex Toepfer Bones: Matt Hubbell, Matt Fillingham, Chacko Finn Sousa: Patrick Yeh Drums: Daniel McDill Aux Percussion: Jeremey ReynoldsThe Back Alley Brass Band played Boulevardia, Saturday, June 15, at 7:30 PM on the Elevate Stage. More information at: http://www.backalleybrass.com ]

64. Eboni Fondren – The Journey: To Kansas City with Love / Miss Wardine Records / July 23, 2024

[New 11-song studio album from Kansas City Jazz vocalist star. From Bill Brownlee’s blog, PLASTIC SAX (Aug. 18, 2024) “Fondren recalls her apprenticeship with the organist Everette DeVan on the autobiographical introductory song. Fondren’s vibrant personality and rich voice have since become widely admired. Kansas City standouts including James Albright, Chris Hazelton and Mark Lowrey help Fondren realize her vision on the live recording made at the Uptown Lounge.”: // Eboni Fondren is a dynamic, accomplished vocalist, actor and voice over talent who has been working in and around the Kansas City area for the past 20 years. Her voice can be heard all over the KC airwaves and in all venues entertaining for the masses! She has performed on stage at Kansas City Repertory Theatre, Coterie Theatre, Spinning Tree Theatre, and others. Eboni is one of the most highly sought after and premiere jazz vocalists in Kansas City and has become a bandleader in her own right. In addition to her own musical projects which include Eboni and the Ivories, and a member of the Lost Wax Band, Eboni collaborates with some of Kansas City’s top musicians and can be heard swinging all over the local jazz scene. On October 11, 2024 her Paris debut recording, “An American in Paris” with the Laurent Marode Orchestra will be released.More info at: http://www.ebonifondrenmusic.com]

65. My Black Country: The Songs of Alice Randall / Oh Boy Records / April 12, 2024

[Collaborative album celebrates the Black female experience in Country & Folk music with additional contributions from Adia Victoria, Rhiannon Giddens, Saaneah Jamison, Miko Marks, Leyla McCalla, Rissi Palmer, Allison Russell, SistaStrings, Sunny War & Alice’s daughter Caroline Randall Williams, Re-recording the greatest songs from New York Times bestselling novelist, award-winning songwriter & educator Alice Randall’s catalog. Produced by Ebonie Smith (Hamilton, Cardi B’s Invasion of Privacy, Janelle Monae’s Dirty Computer, Sturgill Simpson’s A Sailor’s Guide to Earth, founder & president of Gender Amplified) // Companion album to Alice Randall’s new book: My Black Country: A Journey through Country Music’s Black Past, Present and Future. // “Growing up, we all have dreams and wishes. Alice Randall’s lyrics capture the magic of our personal dreams. In the simplest way, she invites listeners to remember the power of collective dreaming. If God can be a woman in a patriarchal society, then there are no limits to what can be achieved. Balance is restored through the sacred art of dreaming, and each dream big or small helps to shape our world. I am a dreamer. Everyone on this record is a dreamer. Together we are breaking boundaries just as so many who’ve come before have done for us.” – Valerie June // “I had songs recorded in the 80s, in the 90s, in the 2000s, and 2010s, but I never once had the joy of hearing one of the songs that I wrote from the perspective of a Black woman recorded by a Black woman. With this project…I hope to change that.” – Alice Randall // Alice Randall is a New York Times bestselling novelist, award-winning songwriter, and educator. She is widely recognized as one of the most significant voices in modern Black fiction. She lives in Nashville where she writes country songs. // Oh Boy Records wrote that they were “honored to partner with Alice Randall and a community of Black, female musicians to bring you My Black Country – The Songs of Alice Randall. Alice Randall has written songs performed by Glen Campbell, Moe Bandy, Marie Osmond, Jo-El Sonier, Judy Rodman, Radney Foster, Holly Dunn, and Trisha Yearwood. She is the first Black woman to have a number-one hit on the country charts. Her influence in country music and as a voice in the Black community is immense. Here we present a collection of Alice’s songs re-imagined and re-recorded by Black female artists from around America.”]

66. Leah Sproul – Wild Heart Queen / Leah Sproul / July 30, 2024

[This is first single off Leah Sproul’s WILD HEART QUEEN. // Coming from a family of European opera stars, suburban church organists, flower child Reggae guitarists, and breezy Western campfire pickers, Leah was bound to have an eclectic sound and set of influences. She has a voracious interest in music of all genres, having earned a doctorate in music composition from UMKC conservatory. But her mother tongue, the voice where she’s at her most vulnerable and honest, is that of the achy-breaky, belting balladeer. It’s found in country, folk, and those genres that give equal weight to words and music. It’s in the storytelling where some of the deepest human connections are forged. // Leah Sproul is also part of the KC 4-piece band Cowtown Country Club. // Leah Sproul played an album release party at The Ship, 1228 Union ave, KCMO, WEST BOTTOMS on July 30, at 7:00pm, with Cowtown Country Club. More info at: http://www.leahsproul.com]

67. Big Fat Cow – Behold The Soil! / Big Fat Cow / August 1, 2024

[Big Fat Cow is a post-country band delivering cowpoke fuzz with a mix of rock, indie, and americana bold enough to get you moving and heavy enough to have you feeling. The band was formed in 2022 and includes: Noah Cassity on lead vocals & guitar, Kole Waters on guitar & vocals, Alex May on bass guitar & vocals; and Matt Chipman on drums. Big Fat Cow went on tour across the stomping grounds in support of Behold the Soil! with 13 shows in 14 days (8/22-9/4) in Missouri, Tennessee, Mississippi, Arkansas, Texas, Oklahoma, and Kansas. // Big Fat Cow’s first endeavor was a folk album (Glutton for Punishment) written and recorded by Noah Cassity and mastered and digitized by Kole Waters. Wanting to perform the songs live, Noah recruited the help of Kole on lead guitar alongside childhood friend Alex May to play the bass. Kole was able to bring in Matt Chipman to play drums and finish out the band. // Meeting for the first time in KA studios, the newly formed quartet ripped into Noah’s folk songs, turning them into the rock, indie, americana and country inspired pieces that you know today. Each member of the band took and ran with the folk songs that Noah recorded and made it their own, pulling in inspirations from each of their unique musical backgrounds. // Big Fat Cow has made themselves a household name in the Kansas City music scene, leaving an impression on everyone who comes out to see them play. With songs you can dance to and songs that will make you cry in the basement of a DIY show, Big Fat Cow is sure to leave their mark. // “A band this good shouldn’t get saddled with a name this bad … you’re just going to have to tell your friends that you’re going to see Big Fat Cow, and wince while you do it. – Too Much Rock // More information at http://www.bigfatcowband.com]

68. TYLA – TYLA / FAX Records / March 2, 2024

[Tyla Laura Seethal (born 30 January 2002), known mononymously as Tyla, is a South African singer and songwriter. Born and raised in Johannesburg, she signed with Epic Records in 2021 after the domestic success of her 2019 debut single, “Getting Late” featuring Kooldrink. // Tyla rose to international fame with the release of her 2023 single “Water”, which entered the top ten in sixteen countries including the United Kingdom and United States. “Water” was the first song by a South African soloist to enter the US Billboard Hot 100 in 55 years and was awarded the inaugural Grammy Award for Best African Music Performance in 2024. The single preceded her self-titled debut album (2024), which was released to critical acclaim and moderate commercial success, entering the top 25 in six countries including the United States. // Tyla is the youngest African artist to win a Grammy Award, and has also earned nominations for a BRIT Award, a Soul Train Music Award, a MOBO Award, and two South African Music Awards. She has been deemed the “queen of popiano”, a fusion of the pop and amapiano genres.// Tyla is the debut studio album by South African singer Tyla. It was released on 22 March 2024 through Fax and Epic Records. Capitalizing on her international breakthrough with its lead single “Water”, the album features guest appearances from Kelvin Momo, Tems, Gunna, Skillibeng, Becky G, and Travis Scott. Sonically, it blends elements of amapiano, pop, afrobeats, and contemporary R&B and includes lyrical themes of empowerment and relationships. // Recording sessions for Tyla took place in seven countries over two and a half years as Epic Records focused on fostering the singer’s formal studio experience. Production and songwriting on the album was spearheaded by the singer and her frequent collaborators Ari PenSmith, Mocha Bands, Believve and Sammy SoSo, whom she deems the “Fantastic Four”. “Water”, “Truth or Dare” and “Art” were released as singles from the album, and the Tyla Tour was announced; however multiple dates were cancelled due to injury. // Upon its release, Tyla was met with critical acclaim, with many critics praising the versatility of music genres featured. The album experienced moderate commercial success internationally, debuting at number 24 on the U.S. Billboard 200 and debuting within the top 20 in the United Kingdom, the Netherlands, Norway, New Zealand, and Switzerland. // While at school, she had begun posting original songs and covers to her Instagram account, as well as sending them out to a number of figures in the music industry. She was subsequently discovered by her first manager, Garth von Glehn, who then organized her first recording sessions. Tyla states that she would go into the recording studio every weekend during her final year of high school.]

69. June Henry – “The Exhumation of Princess Pavement / June Henry Nation / ]February 14, 2024

[June Henry is a 20-year-old is a Lawrence KS. Based, freak folk singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist.. Her music explores themes of mental illness, queerness, and growing up. // Prior to her official debut, Henry had collected her music in a Google Drive folder, shared only with a small group of friends. Bedridden in 2022, she was convinced to release this music in her first official album Class Pet. // It’s not really something I know how to do, as much as something I have to do to stop myself from exploding,“ from June Henry’s Spotify bio. // Since her debut, she hasn’t gone more than a couple months between releases- creating a niche audience and some of her most popular songs, such as Void-Adjacent and Excoriation. // In 2024 she has released 9n singles, two 4-song EPs., the 11 track album, The Exhumation of Princess Pavement, released February 14, 2024, the 14 track album Between Singles and One-Offs, exclusive CD comprised of singles and EP tracks released May 27, 2024, the 17 track album Podium, released June 30, 2024. // June Henry released the single “method act” on December 16, 2023. // June Henry released the single “fall into” on December 2, 2023. // June Henry released the 3-track EP “the light I SPIT OUT” on November 14, 2023. // June Henry released the single “vampire song” on November 3, 3023. // June Henry released the 5-song EP “flat earth romcom” on September 22, 2023. //June Henry released the 11-track album “something friend” on June 20, 2022. // June Henry released the 15-track album “class pet” on March 15, 2022. // June Henry released the 7-track album, “SOUTH RAMP” through Lotuspool Records when she was “a gay boy in high school (released as August Henry.) // June Henry has been posting a bunch of tunes on bandcamp! These are official releases along with things that have been archived from streaming platforms, AND many demos and voice memos from long ago. Her personal favorite is “the trouble i made”, which features five tracks written and recorded in high school. The first one, “straight boys, was recorded when June was fourteen. Check http://www.junehen.bandcamp.com for even more releases from June Henry.]

70. Danielle Ate the Sandwich – 2024 (The 24 Hour Album) / Danielle Ate The Sandwich / January 14, 2024

[The 5 songs on this album were written and recorded in 24 hours on January 13th-14th, 2024, during Danielle Ate the Sandwich’s 9th annual 24 Hour Album. Patrons of Danielle Ate the Sandwich tuned in from all across the world to suggest ideas and offer support with Danielle during live streams held throughout the 24 hours. Life is short! Stay up all night and make stuff! // Danielle Anderson performs as Danielle Ate the Sandwich. Danielle is a singer/songwriter, recording artist, and comedic performer based in KCMO. Danielle grew a fanbase with her DIY videos on Youtube and by touring the US extensively from 2009-2018. Danielle has released 7 albums of original music, over 200 YouTube videos, and conducts an annual 24 Hour Album project, writing and producing new songs with the help of her patrons in only 24 hours. She is recording her 8th album in Kansas City, KS, with Fritz Hutchison and Al Hawkins of True Lions. The album received an Inspiration Grant from ArtsKC. Her project, ‘The Greatest Garage Sale Ever,’ a one woman comedy cabaret, using humor, music, and songs to challenge the labels we give each other, and our ability to change premiered at the KC Fringe Festival, in July 2024 at The Bird Comedy Theater, 103 West 19th, KCMO. // Danielle Anderson is originally from Nebraska, and moved to Colorado . From 2009 through 2018 she was on the road, touring and performing all over the country. // We first met Danielle through Erin McGrane and Jeff Freling aka Victor & Penny who met hwer out there on the road. // Danielle ended up making Kansas City her base and quickly became involved in Folk Alliance, The Heartland Song Network, Arts and Support organizations, and improv. // On February 23, 2024, Danielle Ate The Sandwich released the single, “Turtle by Jer” – Written by Jerry “Jer” Slougherman and Danielle Anderson. Performed by Jer. Mixed by David Bashford. // On January 14, 2024 Danielle Ate The Sandwich released the 6-track release, “2024 (The 24 Hour Album)”. // Danielle Ate The Sandwich released the recording “Over Again (24 Hour Album)” released February 26, 2023. The 6 songs on this album were written and recorded in 24 hours on February 25th-26th, 2023, during Danielle Ate the Sandwich’s 8th annual 24 Hour Album. This project challenges the artist to write, record, produce, and release a new album in just twenty four hours, live streaming the process to her fans. Patrons of Danielle Ate the Sandwich tuned in from all across the world to suggest ideas and offer support with Danielle during live streams held throughout the 24 hours. Life is short! Stay up all night and make stuff! // On February 20, 2022 Danielle Ate The Sandwich released the 7-track release, “Continued Curfew (24 Hour Album 2022)”. // Danielle Ate The Sandwich released the 7-song album, 24 HOUR ALBUM (2021), on April 25, 2021. The 7 songs on this album were written and recorded in 24 hours on April 24th-25th, 2021, during Danielle Ate the Sandwich’s 6th annual 24 Hour Album. // On May 28, 2021 Danielle Ate the Sandwich released, It’s Not a Burden (Original Songs from the Documentary Film) on Youngest Daughter Records. It’s Not A Burden is a powerful and brilliant film about the joys and pain of raising elderly parents. The songs are produced by Joanna Katcher. // Danielle Ate The Sandwich released the single, “A Weight, A Wall” on June 1, 2021. // Danielle Ate The Sandwich released the single, “Goodbye to You” on August 22, 2021. // Danielle Ate The Sandwich released the single, The Terrible Dinner Guest on September 9, 2016. The Terrible Dinner Guest is Danielle Ate the Sandwich’s 6th full length album, recorded in Norfolk, VA at TAPTAP Recordings and Clay Garden Studios. All Songs Written by: Danielle Anderson, Danielle Ate the Sandwich/BMI. Produced by: Skye Zentz, Jacki Paolella, Danielle Anderson. Arranged by: Danielle Anderson, Skye Zentz, Jacki Paolella. Engineered by: Jacki Paolella. Mixed by: Jacki Paolella. Mastered by: Adam Boose of Cauliflower Audio. Music. Contractor: Skye Zentz. Recorded in Norfolk, VA at TAPTAP Recordings and Clay Garden Studios. Art Direction: Ryan Anthony Martin. Photography by: Cooper James. // More info at: http://www.kcfringe.org and http://www.danielleatethesandwich.com]

71. Making Movies – Baúl De Las Movies (En Vivo En Folly Theater 2023) / 3/2 Recordings / Sept. 27, 2024

[Making Movies is a KC based 4-piece band and made up of: Enrique Chi on guitar and lead vocals; Diego Chi on bass & vocals; Juan-Carlos Chaurand on percussion & keyboards; and Duncan Burnett on drums. The band draws their influences from the origins of their families: Santiago, Panama, and KC Missouri, and Guadalajara, Mexico. // Enrique Chi writes: “The walls of The Folly are special, it is one of the best sounding stages we’ve ever played on so it seemed like a no brainer to record our 2023 concert there. The concert featured an incredible horn section led by Asdru Sierra from Ozomatli, alongside Trevor Turla and Ryan Heinlein. Mireya Ramos was also able to join us and help us make the night truly magical. That place has history for the city and the Chaurand family so we are excited to share this moment with you.” // Making Movies – Live at the Folly Theater, Kansas City, January 28th, 2023, Produced by Ben Yonas, McKenzii Webster, Executive Producer Javier E. Carrizo, Production Assistant Nora Gibbons, Recording & Mixing Engineer Ben Yonas, Recording Engineer Paul Malinowski, Mastering Engineer, Dave Greenberg/Sonopod, Assistant Sound Engineers Josh Gomez, Ricky Menendez. Asdru Sierra on trumpet; Ryan Heinlein, Trevor Turla on trombone. // “Baúl De Las Movies: Folly Theater 2023” was also filmed. Directed by William J. Stribling. // Directors of Photography Adam Baron-Bloch, Alex Gallitano. // Camera Operators Cole Blaise, Nora Gibbons, Esai Saenz. // Production Designer Aisa Palomares. // Edited by Raymond Fraser. // Colorist Tam Le // DI Coordinator John Daniels-Riveros. // DI Services Provided by Sodalite Color // Stream “Baúl De Las Movies: Folly Theater 2023” – https://ffm.to/follyliveep.OYD. // Latin Grammy nominated band Making Movies released their specual EP EN LA SALA containing 8 of the songs recorded LIVE, on January 12, 2024. Before that they released their single “Medicina”. Most recently Making Movies released XOPA through Cosmica Artists on June 17, 2022. XOPA and was recorded in Memphis, produced by Ben Yonas and mixed by Tchad Blake. More info at: http://www.makingmovies.world. Making Movies released the 5-song EP, EN VIVO (SIN APLAUSO) on February 4, 2022. Making Movies released the 6-track EP BORING BITS, on May 7, 2021. On February 5, the band released the 7-song, La Cuarentena EP which included a brand new version of the first Making Movies song, “La Marcha” and the lullaby “Could You?” (both mixed by Jim Eno of Spoon and tracked at Memphis Magnetic studio), and the love ballad “Una Vida.” The EP also includes: covers of Talking Heads and Tears for Fears classics, plus bonus live acoustic tracks. The EP was made available on BandCamp for only three days on February 5 through February 7, 2021. Making Movies released their single “Could You” on January 12, 2021. About “Could You” lead singer Enrique Javier Chi wrote, “I was thinking about what to share for “Could You?” and I just go back to the fact that Memphis is a profound place… it is a place where you can feel what America truly is and where it comes from. I think you see and feel the reality that so much of this nation was built from exploiting people. You can see that our pop culture is driven by the Black community and yet that community is still the most oppressed in the nation. Things are still so messed up. // Memphis is the place where Elvis started singing black music with a country twang and where Martin Luther King Jr. was shot. It’s a beautiful place, it’s a charming place, it feels at times downtrodden and it’s a place that reminds me of home (both KC and Panamá) in different ways. Our experiences going to Memphis gave us the context to create “Could You?” It was filmed originally for AMERI’KANA TV..” Making Movies released their critically acclaimed album ameri’kana through 3/2 Recordings on May 24, 2019. This was #1 on WMM’s 119 Best Recordings of 2019. Produced by Steve Berlin and Ben Yonas. The notes for this album read: “ameri’kana is a canary in a coal mine, the watchman at the tower. It is a desire to remember where we come from and assure that we better ourselves in every step along our journey. Every chapter is an example, a reason to not be silent and not accept corrupt leaders as something inevitable. ameri’kana is based on faith, faith that every person on this continent carries within themselves the ability to grow, to awaken their consciousness and merits of the same rights. We were accomplices to get ourselves to this point so we will have to be accomplices in the solutions.” This was the band’s follow up release to their critically acclaimed, I Am Another You, released May 26, 2017. The quartet has toured with Arcade Fire, Thievery Corporation, Cold War Kids, Los Lobos, Ozomatli, Tennis, Sergio Mendoza of Calexico, Rodrigo y Gabriela, and Hurray for the Riff Raff. More info at: https://makingmovies.world Making Movies plays Percheron Rooftop Series at the Crossroads Hotel, 2101 Central Street, Kansas City, MO, TONIGHT on Wednesday, October 2, 2024, at 7:00 PM.]

72. Honeybee – Saturn Return – EP / Honeybee / March 29, 2024

[Honeybee started as the solo project of Singer/Songwriter Makayla Scott and now include 3 or 4 of her friends umping in… Honeybee released the single “I Know What Love is” on January 27, 2023. Makayla Scott also played with the band Blue False Indigo Makayla Scott studied music at Drury University graduating in 2017. Honeybee played Manor Fest 6 at 6:30 PM at Arizona Trading CO. 1722 Oak Street KCMO with The Highwater, and Jass.]

73. Kaia Kater – Strange Medicine / Kaia Kater – Free Dirt Records / May 17, 2024

[Kaia Kater’s album, Strange Medicine, opens with a haunting vision. Accompanied by Aoife O’Donovan, Kater sings of the women burned at the stake as witches in 17th century Salem, Massachusetts and their wish to strike back: “I dreamt I moved through you and / Burned my name into your chest”. It’s an opening salvo from an album that celebrates the power of women and oppressed people throughout history as they rise up and turn the poison of centuries of oppression into a strange kind of medicine. Kater’s songs are dialogues with these historical figures and meditations on her own modern life as well. In the years since her 2018 album, Grenades, on Smithsonian Folkways, Kater has taken time to reinvent herself and hone her skills, first attending film school to learn composition, then diving deeper into her songwriting to come up with her most personal album yet. Feeling the pressure as a talented young songwriter, banjo player, and bandleader with three successful albums and an NPR Tiny Desk Concert under her belt, Kater struggled initially with the expectations of her adopted genre, Americana. “I was factoring everybody else’s perception into my songwriting,” she says. “Would I write more honestly if I knew that no one would ever hear this?” With that in mind, Kater retreated to her apartment in Montréal. Sitting at home with her banjo, the songs unfolded in personal intimacy, revealing windows into the perspective of women and revolutionaries through history. Co-producing with Joe Grass (Elisapie, The Barr Brothers), Kater invited close friends and colleagues O’Donovan and Allison Russell to sing on the album, along with longtime hero and American legend Taj Mahal. With lush arrangements and unexpected musical ideas drawn from genres as surprising as minimalist composition, jazz drumming, and film scores, Strange Medicine is the bold next step in Kater’s career. It’s an album made beyond the white gaze of Americana, unbeholden to a music industry that so often tokenizes and silences marginalized voices, a Black Feminist perspective on a genre that refuses to cede power to Black women. // Kaia Kate writes: “I specifically wanted to write about the way men historically have branded women as temptresses, harlots, sirens and shrews, and then sought to reflect this visually – the letter A for adulteress, the burning of flesh to symbolize evil. The first woman labeled a witch in Salem was a Black woman by the name of Tituba. Usually these women died nameless and scorned. In my narrative, the woman who is branded a witch and burned at the stake survives her pilgrim’s punishment, and now seeks her revenge on those who sought to destroy her.” // “One of Americana’s most thoughtful and inventive artists returns after six years with a meditation on those who’ve survived and thrived against marginalization and oppression.” – Ann Powers, NPR Music]

74. Grady Philip Drugg – 4 / Grady Philip Drugg / November 8, 2024

[All songs written, performed, and produced by Grady Philip Drugg. Mixed by Joe Misterovich | Mastered by Mike Nolte. Additional Musicians: Lee “Boodrow” Zodrow – Organ, Piano, Rhodes (2, 4, 7, & 8), Rachel Oglesby Beattie – Tenor Saxophone (3, 4, & 8). Hamilton McKay Belk III – Pedal Steel Guitar (4 &8). // Grady Philip Drugg is a multi-instrumentalist and songwriter originally from Canyon Lake, Texas. Drugg began to write original music while in high school, forming several short lived bands throughout their inadequate academic career. In 2014, at 20 years old, they relocated to Springfield, Missouri to play bass in influential 4th wave emo band Grammer. Grammer released an EP, Awesome Knifes (2014), and toured the south and midwest for two years before permanently disbanding. Drugg would form the post rock band Importer/Exporter with their former Grammer bandmate Dakota Jones, which would go on to put out one album, Breathing Techniques (2018), and tour the United States and Canada. Since the end of their last tour, Importer/Exporter has been on hiatus. All the while, Drugg was simultaneously putting out solo releases, most notably three full-length albums, Grady Philip Drugg (2016), Art is Supposed to be Fun! (2017), and Real Life (2020), in support of which they toured across the United States several times. // Since 2018, Drugg has focused mainly on being a sideman, playing for artists such as Willi Carlisle, Dylan Earl, Ings, and Dreamgirl, as well as being a recording engineer in their own studio. // This new album, 4, is Drugg’s fourth full-length album, and is inspired by all of the great 4th albums that came before it (Black Sabbath 4, Led Zeppelin 4, Beyoncé 4, etc). It was self-recorded in Drugg’s converted garage studio in Springfield, Missouri, with Drugg playing most of the instruments themself. Drawing influence from their work as a sideman, Drugg decided that it was time to sit down and write some songs with substance… Songs that could be stripped away and not be reliant on any fancy studio tricks or complex instrumentation. The subject matter on this album ranges from knocking a tooth out as a child to taking a walk on acid to get a slice of pizza…a glimpse into the moments between gigs for one slacker sideman out of Missouri. // Grady Philip Drugg plays Manor Fest 6, May 24, at 5:45 PM at Flagship Books, 600 Ohio Ave., KCK in Strawberry Hill w/ The Swallowtails and Dalima Kapten.]

75. St. George & The Dragons – King of Kansas City / Grand Central Bell Records / August 30, 2024

[David George on vocals/guitar, Mike Greene on guitar, Skeet Hanks on vocals & guitar, Matt Kesler on vocals & bass, and Pat Tomek on drums. With Guest Players: Lin Buck on piano & organ, and Ken Lovern on organ. // Produced by David George. Recorded and Engineered by Pat Tomek at Largely Studios – KCMO. Mastered by Duane Trower at Weights & Measures Soundlabs – KCMO. Artwork by Jud Kite – Killer Kite Productions // A band’s lifespan is on the average two years. But after two years, St. George & The Dragons is just getting started. After four years of writing, rehearsing, and recording, St. George & The Dragons are releasing their debut album – King Of Kansas City, a ten-song album of pure rock and roll influenced by late 70s rock like the Stones and Tom Petty. // The album’s theme comes from a time when Rock ‘n’ Roll ruled the airwaves. It’s about letting go and raising your hand high into the air with your middle finger out to the world as you move on to the next big thing in your life. // Their first single “Leave It All Up To You” will be available on all streaming services June 21! The full-length album will be out August 30 with the vinyl release in September on Grand Central Bell Records. // Lead singer David George (Moaning Lisa, John Fogerty band) has been working with drummer/engineer Pat Tomek (The Rainmakers) since 2018 when they recorded three solo EPs for George. They found it easy to work together and had similar tastes which led them to produced and engineer an album for Kansas City artist David Luther. In the studio with Luther, they enlisted the help of Matt Kesler (The Pedaljets, She Said, The Doo Dads) on bass with Tomek on drums and George on guitars and keys. // George, Tomek, and Kesler hit it off and started working on material of their own, eventually bringing in guitarist Mike Greene (The Front/Bakers Pink) and vocalist/guitarist Skeet Hanks (Beatin’ Path) to round out the sound. Greene was the lead guitarist in the Front, a band known for their searing guitar and power rock sound. Hanks, from New Orleans fronted the band Beatin’ Path, tearing up the Bayou country with their progressive rock sound and soaring melodies. // Influenced by the works of The Stones, Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers, The Beatles, and many other classic rock bands from the 70s and the 80s, St. George & The Dragons came together during the Global Pandemic, giving them time to develop their sound. George, Greene, Hanks, Kesler, and Tomek have all had their share of greatness, from the collective albums they’ve released on major and indie labels to sharing the stage with legends like Paul McCartney, The Replacements, Soul Asylum, Doobie Brothers, The Black Crowes, Derek Trucks Band, Lumineers, Aerosmith, Smithereens, Mother Love Bone, and a list that could fill up a book! // St. George & The Dragons will be following up their release with shows around the Kansas City area later this summer and fall. More information at: http://www.stgeorgeandthedragonsband.com St. George & The Dragons Played a Vinyl Release Party, September 19, 2024 at 8:00pm at Knuckleheads, 2715 Rochester St, KCMO, with Comet Tide opening]

76. The Matchsellers – Live at The Warehouse / The Matchsellers / May 3, 2024

[Julie Bates is a classically trained violinist from Kansas City. Andrew Morris is a Chicago blues guitarist from Warsaw, Indiana. They met in Leipzig, Germany. During their year of living in the former East Germany, the pair began reanalyzing the songs of their homeland, and developed a tight yet gritty bluegrass style. In the summer of 2013 they left their jobs to hit the road and haven’t looked back. // In the band’s most recent iteration, mandolinist Brian McCarty brings an invaluable lifetime of experience in the Bluegrass tradition, while Brandon Day thrills audiences with his intricate bass solos. // On October 28, 2022 The Matchsellers released The Wishfuk Thinker’s Hall of Game // On February 12, 2016 they released their album, SONGS WE MADE UP, one of Wednesday MidDay Medley’s 116 Best Recordings of 2016.. In late 2014 they released their debut full length recording, “Kosciusko County,” one of Wednesday MidDay Medley’s 115 Best Recordings of 2015. The Matchsellers have toured 3 European countries and 25 US States, performing 180 shows a year, including last year for the KC Fringe Festival, Bluegrass Bazaar in Flint, Michigan, Norman Music Festival in Norman, OK, and a 1st place win at the Eddie Owen Presents songwriting competition in Atlanta, GA. The Matchsellers played an official Showcase at the 2024 Folk Alliance International Conference on Thursday, February 22, at The Westin Kansas City Hotel at Crown Center 1 East Pershing Road, KCMO. The Matchsellers play a LIVE Album Release Show at Flagship Books, 510 North 6th Street, KCK, Strawberry Hill on Friday, May 3, at 7:30pm , with opening poetry from C. Woods.]

77. Kim Gordon – The Collective / Kim Gordon – Matador Records / March 8, 2024

[Kim Gordon is an artist, musician, producer, fashion designer, writer, and actress. She is a founding member of the experimental post-punk band Sonic Youth. Following the breakup of Sonic Youth, Gordon formed the group Body/Head. A collection of her early critical art writing entitled Is It My Body? was released by Sternberg Press in January 2014. // From kimgordon.bandcamp.com: Legendary musician and multi-disciplinary artist Kim Gordon returns with her second solo album, The Collective, which will be released March 8th on Matador. Recorded in her native Los Angeles, The Collective follows Gordon’s 2019 full-length debut No Home Record and continues her collaboration with producer Justin Raisen (Lil Yachty, John Cale, Yeah Yeah Yeahs, Charli XCX, Yves Tumor), with additional production from Anthony Paul Lopez. The album advances their joint world building, with Raisin’s damaged, blown out dub and trap constructions playing the foil to Gordon’s intuitive word collages and hooky mantras, which conjure communication, commercial sublimation and sensory overload. // “On this record, I wanted to express the absolute craziness I feel around me right now,” says Gordon. “This is a moment when nobody really knows what truth is, when facts don’t necessarily sway people, when everyone has their own side, creating a general sense of paranoia. To soothe, to dream, escape with drugs, TV shows, shopping, the internet, everything is easy, smooth, convenient, branded. It made me want to disrupt, to follow something unknown, maybe even to fail.” // More info at: http://www.bodyheadmusic.com]

78. St. Vincent – All Born Screaming / Total Pleasure Records / April 26, 2024

[All Born Screaming is the upcoming seventh studio album from St. Vincent. On February 16, 2024, the musician first spoke about the record, saying how she “needed to go deeper in finding [her] own sonic vocabulary” and likes to refer to the album as “post-plague pop”. All Born Screaming marks the first studio album entirely produced by Clark herself, alongside additional mixing by Cian Riordan. The record features contributions from several artists, including Dave Grohl, Cate Le Bon, Justin Meldal-Johnsen, Josh Freese, Stella Mozgawa, Rachel Eckroth, Mark Guiliana, and David Ralicke of Dengue Fever. Trying to explain the sound of the album, Clark compared it to “taking the long walk into the woods alone” in order to find the messages of your heart. As a result, she opined that it “sounds real because it is real”. // Clark shared the lead single “Broken Man”, an “industrial menacing rock” piece, on February 29, 2024, along with a music video directed by Alex Da Corte. During the video, she bursts into flames, an image that is also depicted as the album artwork. // The song “Sweetest Fruit” includes an ode to Sophie, a music producer whom Vincent admired and who died in 2021, and is about “people trying for transcendence, and at least they were taking a big swing or trying for something beautiful”. // Anne Erin Clark (born September 28, 1982), known professionally as St. Vincent, is an American musician and singer. Her guitar playing has been praised for its melodic style and use of distortion, and she has been listed among the best guitarists of the 21st century by multiple publications. Rolling Stone named Clark the 26th-greatest guitarist of all time in 2023. // Raised in Dallas, St. Vincent began her music career as a member of the Polyphonic Spree. She was also a member of Sufjan Stevens’ touring band before forming her own band in 2006. Her debut solo album, Marry Me, was released in 2007; it was followed by Actor (2009) and Strange Mercy (2011). In 2012, St. Vincent released Love This Giant, an album made in collaboration with David Byrne of Talking Heads. Her fourth studio album, St. Vincent (2014), received widespread acclaim from contemporary critics and was named album of the year by Slant Magazine, NME, The Guardian and Entertainment Weekly. She collaborated with producer and songwriter Jack Antonoff for her albums Masseduction (2017) and Daddy’s Home (2021), which received further acclaim. // St. Vincent produced Sleater-Kinney’s 2019 album The Center Won’t Hold and co-wrote Taylor Swift’s Billboard Hot 100 number-one single “Cruel Summer”. She also directed a segment in the 2017 anthology horror film XX, and co-wrote and starred in the psychological thriller film The Nowhere Inn (2020). // Clark was born in Tulsa, Oklahoma, on September 28, 1982, to Sharon Christine and Richard “Rick” Clark. // Her mother is a social worker and administrator for a nonprofit organization, and her stepfather works in corporate tax administration. Her parents divorced when she was 3, and when she was 7, she moved with her mother and two older sisters to Dallas, Texas. She has said that a 23andMe DNA test revealed her ancestry to be 80% Irish and 20% Ashkenazi Jewish, via one of her grandmothers. Clark was raised Catholic and Unitarian Universalist. // Clark has four brothers and four sisters from her parents’ blended families. // As a child, Clark was fond of Ritchie Valens and the movie La Bamba. When she was five, her mother gave her a red plastic guitar from a Target store for Christmas. She began playing her first real guitar at age 12 and worked some of her teenage years as a roadie for her aunt and uncle, the guitar-vocal jazz duo Tuck & Patti. In 2001, she graduated from Lake Highlands High School, where she participated in theater and the school’s jazz band, and was a classmate of actor Mark Salling. // She attended the Berklee College of Music in Boston, Massachusetts, studying with professor Lauren Passarelli. She left after three years, feeling that art institutions such as Berklee were sometimes focused more on the aesthetics of art than the product. In retrospect, she said, “I think that with music school and art school, or school in any form, there has to be some system of grading and measurement. The things they can teach you are quantifiable. While all that is good and has its place, at some point you have to learn all you can and then forget everything that you learned in order to actually start making music.”]

79. Gossip – Real Power / Ultra Records/Sony Music Entertainment / March 22, 2024

[Formed in 1999 in Olympia, Washington with vocalist Beth Ditto, guitarist Nathan “Brace Paine” Howdeshell and drummer Kathy Mendonca. All 3 were originally from Searcy, Arkansas; Mendonca moved to Olympia to attend Evergreen State College and Howdeshell and Ditto followed. Drummer Kathy Mendonca left the band to pursue a career as a midwife. Established punk drummer Hannah Blilie joined to replace her. Gossip’s album A JOYFUL NOISE was part of WMM’s 112 Best Recordings of 2012. // LA – Indie-pop rebels Gossip have made a triumphant return with their highly anticipated album, Real Power, marking their first album in 12 years. // The album marks a reunion with acclaimed producer Rick Rubin, who helmed the band’s pivotal 2009 album Music For Men. At the coaxing of Rubin, the band started recording in 2019 after completing a tour for the ten-year anniversary of Music For Men. Recorded at Rubin’s home studio in Kauai, the process was temporarily halted by the pandemic and resumed when restrictions lifted. The result is an 11-track testament to the galvanizing might of music, the liberating joy of creative expression, and the profound power of chosen family amidst collective and personal upheavals. “Real Power” not only marks a new chapter of maturity and purpose for the trio but also showcases Gossip’s characteristic blend of sonic diversity, spanning from propulsive rock to jubilant disco, and delving into a rich tapestry of emotions that encompass the full spectrum of the human experience. // Reflecting on the intervening years since their last collaboration, frontwoman Beth Ditto shares, “We all experienced a lot of deep loss, and we each turned 40 since we last recorded together. Those are such big moments in your lives.” Since the band were last together, Ditto and Billie each got divorced, there were losses of close friends and family, and the world went through a pandemic. Working with Rubin again gave the band space and support to reconnect and create. “Rick is pure about his creativity. He’s not interested in fads or a label’s opinions. He’s a cheerleader—he tries to pull the best out of us. He has this ability to make an artist be their best when he’s working with them, because he works with people he believes in,” says Howdeshell. The band delved further into their long-awaited reunion in a recent profile with The New York Times. // In celebration of the album’s release, Gossip will be participating in a series of special events. The band will kick off with a vinyl signing at Rough Trade NYC on March 25th followed by The Grammy Museum on March 26th, who will host the trio for their SOLD-OUT ‘A New York Evening With’ at National Sawdust in Brooklyn, New York. It will feature an intimate conversation with Beth Ditto, moderated by T. Cole Rachel, followed by a performance by the band. Additionally, on March 27th, Beth Ditto will take center stage as a chat guest on The Late Show with Seth Meyers, accompanied by a full-band performance. // Highlights on Real Power include the invigorating “Real Power,” lauded by Billboard for its “infectious melodies and stratospheric vocals,” along with the first single and blissful pop classic “Crazy Again,” praised by Consequence for its “dazzling production and radiant hooks.” // A multi-platinum selling band, Gossip have sold over 10 million records worldwide and are one of Indie Rock’s most exciting acts from the early 21st century. Gossip consists of vocalist Beth Ditto, guitarist Nathan “Brace Paine” Howdeshell and drummer Hannah Blilie. ​​The band’s 2016 breakout studio album, Standing In The Way Of Control, reached #1 on UK Indie chart (certified Gold) and solidified the band as a dynamic force in the music scene. “Standing In The Way Of Control,” the album’s battle-cry title track, is a queer anthem written in response to U.S. government’s proposition to define marriage and exclude homosexuals. The band achieved multiplatinum success with their follow up Music For Men, certified 2x platinum in Germany and France, 1x platinum in Australia and Switzerland with sales in excess of 1.5m copies. // Gossip is renowned for their high energy live performances and have delivered incredible sets at some of the world’s biggest festivals such as Glastonbury, Coachella, Pukkelpop Festival and most recently a triumphant headline set at BBC 6 Music Festival. The band’s first U.S. festival performance following the release of Real Power will be at Just Like Heaven in Pasadena, CA on May 18th. They recently launched their 30-city EU/UK tour on March 21st in Berlin, Germany, with stops planned in Milan, London, Zürich, Dublin, and many more. The tour is packed with festival appearances such as Glastonbury and All Points East. For information on upcoming tour dates, visit: https://www.bethditto.com%5D

80. Belle & The Vertigo Waves – (Re) Aligned / Drop Out Records / August 2, 2024

[Belle Loux on lead vocals, Jeremiah Scott on bass, John Loux on lead guitar, Zach Nielsen on rhythm guitar, Elliott Holt on drums, Jeremiah Scott – Producer/Composer , Justin Mantooth – Engineer, Belle Loux & Jeremiah Scott on keyboard, Belle Loux, & Michaela Loux on background vocals. // \Belle Loux writes: “The songs on this EP I originally wrote when I was about 17. that’s almost a decade ago. Why are we releasing them again? Because I had put that album out with no band. I chose the artist name “Belle & The Vertigo Waves” in hopes that I would one day find a band. Pretty much the biggest homeschooled, loner kid move. The album at the time was angsty, soft indie rock. Over the years, I got my band together. My dad (John), my boyfriend at the time (Jeremiah – husband now), one of his besties (Zach) and you know… just some drummer. jk we love Elliott. // Our sound slowly evolved and got heavier. Everyone had found their own place in the music we were making putting pieces of our wildly different musical influences into one collaborative project like a weird ass potluck. From 90s grunge, 80s rock to modern pop… we made something that made us feel like a BAND. // So here we are, rock-ifying a bunch of sad girl songs, turning them into something that will make you speed down neighborhood roads to. oops.. sorry. These songs range from being about teenage breakups to experiencing death and grief for the first time. A decade later, I added some lyrical and melodic changes to give some new perspective to those stories along with the insane change my band made in composition and feel to the instrumentation. // Belle & The Vertigo Waves is the sonic brainchild of Belle Loux. She resides in KCMO, and is slowly attempting world domination. Belle & The Vertigo Waves released their debut album, ALIGNED on Drop Out Records on Oct. 6, 2017. “About the album, Belle told Michelle Bacon at The Bridge, “Many of the tunes had been written around five years prior, when I was just 15 or 16.” Belle had only played them as a solo artist with occasional accompaniment from her dad, guitarist John Loux, & keyboardist Charlie Hibberd. In 2017, she hired the two musicians and a couple other friends to track “Aligned,” dubbing the project Belle and the Vertigo Waves, in the hopes that she’d eventually assemble a live band. “Recording was a surreal and emotional experience. Playing the songs with a band was like seeing them come to life,” she said. “I knew there was no way I could be a solo artist anymore, because I fell in love with the full band sound so much.” // The music of Belle & The Vertigo Waves have been described as having an “1980s pop-laden sound.” which drew local attention in 2018. Belle has said that in the past 4 years the band has grown to have more of a darker, glam rock sound, grittier and grungier. Their sound is influenced by three generations of musicians in the band, Belle’s growth as a songwriter and singer, and through the band’s work with engineer and producer Paul Malinowski. // Belle & The Vertigo Waves released their debut album, ALIGNED on Drop Out Records on Oct. 6, 2017. Belle & The Vertigo Waves released their single, “Fear or Faith” on June 7, 2019 on Drop Out Records. Belle & The Vertigo Waves released their single, “Pulse” on April 17, 2020 on Drop Out Records. Belle & The Vertigo Waves released their single, “Beat Me To The Punch” on Drop Out Records on Oct. 29, 2021. Belle & The Vertigo Waves released their single “Stand Down” on Jan. 21, 2022 Belle & The Vertigo Waves released their album, LORELAI on May 28, 2022. Belle & The Vertigo Waves joined us on WMM on Feb 5, 2020 and June 26, 2019. More info at: http://www.thevertigowaves.com]

81. Burning Bush – Demo 2024 / Burning Bush / May 8, 2024

[Aaron Rhodes on vocals; Harrison Hawkins on guitar; Daniel Evans on bass; Ethan Payton on drums. Recording, mixing, mastering by Alex Tunks. All songs written by Burning Bush. Instrumentals recorded on January 14, 2024 at The Space in Kansas City, Missouri. Vocals recorded on February 10, 2024 at Alex’s place in Kansas City, Missouri. Aaron Rhodes, is founder and Editor in Chief of Shuttlecock Music Magazine, and Talent Buyer & Marketer at Farewell KCMO. Shuttlecock Music Magazine started as a blog nine years ago, just after Aaron graduated from College. Aarom is a Talent Buyer & Marketer at Farewell and Howdy, KCMO, 6515 Stadium Dr, Kansas City, MO. Aaron Rhodes formerly was a music writer for The Pitch and a freelance contributing writer for http://www.Bridge909.org Aaron was also content manager at Do816.com. Aaron was also a co-host of the music blog, “In My Head Ache” with Bill Brownlee. http://www.shuttlecockmusic.com]

82. Doubledrag – Alone With Everyone / Doubledrag / March 11, 2024

[Debut full length from the rising 4 member bone oscillating shoegaze band, Doubledrag, hailing from KC. Doubledrag played an Album Release show March 29 at recordBar, 1520 Grand Ave. KCMO w/ Siilk, Wire Twins. Doubledrag played Bottleneck, 737 New Hampshire, Lawrence KS, Sat, Dec. 21, at 6:00pm with When Forever Finds Me (album Release), My Escape, Fritsy, Tombseeker for Paper Anchor Media’s Not So Silent Night.]

83. Bolis Pupul – Letter To Yu / DEEWEE – Because Music / March 8, 2024

[Bolis Pupul’s debut solo album touches upon some of life’s big themes – memory, loss, family and coming to terms and making peace with all of that – the album is a resounding audio triumph. It reconciles the competing sonic strands that make up Bolis’ aesthetic – his European and Asian roots, alongside the overarching presence of the twin American pillars of Detroit techno and Chicago house – in a manner that is pleasingly familiar and creatively inventive. // It’s no coincidence that Bolis Pupul’s music sounds the way it does. Born in Belgium to a Chinese mother, Belgian father, raised in the creative city of Ghent, Bolis’ music is a joyous cross-cultural assemblage. Mixing widescreen electronica. think early Mr Fingers-like techno and Yellow Magic Orchestra’s exuberant man-machine minimalism with the warm-hearted and wonky naivete of Belgian New Beat. // On March 4, 2022 Charlotte Adigéry and Bolis Pupul released the studium album, Topical Dancer co-written and produced by Soulwaxunder the label Deewee, Topical Dancer is Adigéry and Pupul’s debut album as a duo. // Pupul and Adigéry are both based in Belgium with shared heritage from Martinique, a French island. They first met while working for the soundtrack of Belgica, a 2016 Belgian drama, after being invited by Soulwax, who also co-written and produced this album. The album is influenced by experiences of racial discrimination and sexual abuse. In the album, Adigéry sings in English, Dutch, Creole, and French. The album features Charlotte Adigéry’s mother, Christiane Adigéry and was released under the label Deewee, which the duo previously released three EPs on. “Thank You” is the lead single of Topical Dancer and the second single is “Blenda”. “Blenda” was released on November 4, 2021 along with an announcement of the album and its release date. The first track of the album “Bel Deewee” is a field recording of Adigéry entering the Deewee recording complex, which is also where they recorded the album, and calling through the intercom. // On the review aggregator Metacritic, which assigns a normalized rating out of 100 to reviews from professional publications, Topical Dancer received an average score of 85, based on six reviews, indicating “universal acclaim”. Emily Mackay of The Observer called the album “banging fusion of funk, house and techno”. Paul Simpson of AllMusic claimed the album was “catchiest and most danceable songs Adigéry and Pupul have written to date” and that the lyrics “offer a lot of food for thought”. Eric Torres of Pitchfork called the album “riveting” and reported that the album had a “roguish charm”. Jasper Willems wrote on Beats Per Minute that Topical Dancer is “spiritual palette cleanser as much as it is a physical one” and “a record for literally anyone”. In a review written for NME, reviewer Max Pilley claimed that the album “arrived bursting with positive energy”. Charlotte Adigéry and Bolis Pupul played the Empty Bottle in Chicago on Sept. 19 at 8:00 PM. Topical Dancer was part of WMM’s 120 Best Recordings of 2022.]

84. Alan Sparhawk – White Roses, My God / Sub Pop Records / September 27, 2024

[White Roses, My God is the upcoming second solo album by former Low guitarist/vocalist Alan Sparhawk, set for release on September 27, 2024, by Sub Pop. It is Sparhawk’s first album since the death of his wife and bandmate, Mimi Parker, and the subsequent end of their band. Sparhawk began recording for the album in late 2023. // White Roses, My God is Sparhawk’s first album since his wife and Low bandmate Mimi Parker died of ovarian cancer in 2022, and the subsequent retirement of the band. Encouraged by his friend, Lambchop’s Kurt Wagner, Sparhawk returned to live performances. He played shows with his and Parker’s daughter Hollis, opened for Lambchop and Godspeed You! Black Emperor, and played a solo set at Utrecht music festival Le Guess Who? 2023. Low had cancelled their headling set at the 2022 edition of Le Guess Who? due to Parker’s health, and she died a week before the festival. // Sparhawk also started recording around the same time, and started two new groups: punk funk band Derecho Rhythm Section, and funky electronic duo Damien with his and Parker’s son Cyrus. A second solo album, a collaborative project with Duluth, Minnesota, folk band Trampled by Turtles, began during that time. // Sparhawk first mentioned White Roses, My God in an interview with The New Yorker’s Justin Taylor, published April 11, 2024. At the time, he said the album would be released in late 2024. Sparhawk later shared on Low’s Twitter account that the album would be released by Sub Pop in “late September”, and that its first song would be released in July. // The album was officially announced on July 16, with a release date set for September 27 by Sub Pop. The lead single, “Can U Hear”, was released the same day, accompanied by a music video directed by Rick Alverson. The song is electronic and “near-industrial”. // The second single, “Get Still”, was released on August 20, accompanied by a music video directed by Ingrid Weise. Like “Can U Hear”, “Get Still” consists of electronic instrumentation, with Sparhawk’s “voice so heavily Auto-Tuned that it no longer sounds recognizably human.” // When asked on Twitter about the album name’s significance, Sparhawk said “Mim loved roses, and sometimes I think she is God.” // The album was recorded at 20 Below Studios in Duluth, Minnesota. Sparhawk produced and recorded along with Nat Harvie, who also mixed the album, and Heba Kadry mastered it. On these recordings, Sparhawk said he “was messing with this rigid stuff. There were moments where it would quickly become very visceral, very spontaneous. You’ve created the structure for it to happen and come through you, but you’re trusting the universe about what is going to come in.” Those recordings included him experimenting with improvising guitar and pitch-shifted vocals over a preset synthesizer clocked to a drum machine. // Stylistically, White Roses, My God follows Low’s last two albums, 2018’s Double Negative and 2021’s Hey What, in applying layers of distortion over otherwise-straightforward songwriting. Going further down that route, Sparhawk included synthesizers, drum machines, dance beats, and pitch-shifted vocals. All of the album’s vocals were recorded with a vocoder. Influences included Prince’s alter ego Camille and Neil Young’s album Trans. // All tracks are written by Alan Sparhawk.]

85. Kamasi Washington – Fearless Movement / Young Records / May 3, 2024

[Kamasi was born in LA California, on February 2, 1981 to musical parents and educators, and was raised in Inglewood, California. He is an American jazz saxophonist, composer, producer, and bandleader. Washington is known mainly for playing tenor saxophone. He is a graduate of the Academy of Music of Alexander Hamilton High School in Beverlywood, Los Angeles. Washington next enrolled in UCLA’s Department of Ethnomusicology, where he began playing with faculty members such as Kenny Burrell, Billy Higgins and band leader/trumpeter Gerald Wilson. Washington features in the album Young Jazz Giants in 2004. He has played along with a diverse group of musicians including Wayne Shorter, Herbie Hancock, Horace Tapscott, Gerald Wilson, Lauryn Hill, Nas, Snoop Dogg, George Duke, Chaka Khan, Flying Lotus, Thundercat, Mike Muir, Francisco Aguabella, the Pan Afrikaan People’s Orchestra and Raphael Saadiq. Washington ventured into big band music when he joined the Gerald Wilson Orchestra for their 2006 album In My Time. Washington played saxophone on Kendrick Lamar’s To Pimp a Butterfly. His debut solo recording, The Epic, was released in May 2015 to critical acclaim. His second studio album, Heaven and Earth, was released in June 2018, with a companion EP titled The Choice released a week later. // Turning his attention to dance for his latest album, Fearless Movement out this May on Young, Kamasi Washington resumes his ongoing study of music as a means of connection. His 2015 album The Epic, as well as 2018’s Heaven and Earth were received by critics and audiences as a reimagination of modern jazz showcasing Washington’s larger-than-lift compositions full of celestial grandeur and his distinct blend of jazz, Latin, funk, classical, hip-hop and soul. Fearless Movement, however, offers something different: terrestrial rhythms and collaborations from rappers, musical icons and even Washington’s own daughter. Features include: Thundercat, Taj Austin, Ras Austin, Patrice Quinn, DJ Battlecat, Brandon Coleman, D-Smoke, George Clinton, Bj the Chicago Kid, Andre 300]

86. Peter Schlamb – Pliable Consciousness / Peter Schlamb / February 23, 2024

[From Aug. 11, 2024 edition of Plastic San, by Bill Brownlee: “The jazz community in KC is a victim of negligence. Although released in February, Plastic Sax only recently stumbled upon Pliable Consciousness, the latest from Peter Schlamb. The excellence of the 22-minute recording compounds the oversight. // The vibra-phonist, composer & bandleader has perfected the distinctive approach first documented on Tinks (2014). The production of Pliable Consciousness is crisper and with Hermon Mehari, Mike Moreno & Logan Richardson are even more inspiring. // Schlamb has long been indifferent to self-promotion. Even so, managing to keep the superlative Pliable Consciousness a secret is a feat. The fact that Pliable Consciousness hasn’t received a smidgen of notice elsewhere doesn’t excuse Plastic Sax’s failure to keep tabs on one of KC’s preeminent artists. I apologize.”]

87. Etran de L’AÏr – 100% Sahara Guitar / Sahel Sounds / September 13, 2024

[Etran de L’Aïr is a Nigerien rock band from Agadez, Niger. The band is currently signed to Sahel Sounds. The group has released two albums, No. ] in 2018 and Agadez in 2022. The groups’ first album, No. 1, was named the number one album of the year by Amanda Petrusich of The New Yorker. Both albums by the band have received positive reviews. Discography: No. 1 (2018, Sahel Sounds) // Agadez (2022, Sahel Sounds).]

88. Yola Young – This Wasn’t Meant For You Anyway / A Day One – Island Records / June 21, 2024

[Yola Young began writing her own songs at age 11. She attended the Brit School (famed alumni including Adele, Amy Winehouse, Loyle Carner and Raye) after which she briefly attempted a “proper” job, working at an ice cream shop. She built a following through open mic nights, small London pubs and venues, where labels began showing up. Signed to Island aged 18 and has released a succession of singles and EPs, including a couple songs in collaboration with Grammy-winning producer Paul Epworth (Adele, Florence and the Machine). Her songs a reflection of the often-wonky Gen Z experience, a world of weed, booze, infidelity, job insecurity, self-loathing, mental health struggles, the hazards of the digital era and a bit more weed.]

89. Joy Oladokun – Observations From A Crowded Room / Amigo Records – Verve Forecast / Oct. 18, 2024

[5th studio album from Joy Oladokun and follow up to Proof of Life her 4th studio album on April 28, 2023. The album was supported by five singles released throughout 2022 & 2023. The album features guest appearances from Mt. Joy, Manchester Orchestra, Chris Stapleton, Maxo Kream, and Noah Kahan. In a press release about the album, Oladokun said that she intended for the songs on Proof of Life to be “helpful anthems” and to resonate with “anybody who feels normal and needs a little musical boost to get through the day”. The first single, “Keeping the Light On”, was released on January 21, 2022. The second single, “Sweet Symphony” (featuring Chris Stapleton), was released on September 23, 2022. Of the song, Oladokun said that the song was about “the vulnerability, the fear, and the ups and downs that come from loving someone.” The third single, “Changes”, was released on February 17, 2023, simultaneously with the album announcement. The fourth single, “We’re All Gonna Die” (with Noah Kahan), was released March 17, 2023. The 5th and final single, “Taking Things for Granted”, was released on April 21, 2023. // Joy Oladokun was born April 6, 1992, she is an American singer-songwriter. Oladokun’s music spans the genres of folk, R&B, rock, and pop and is influenced by her identity as a queer woman of color. Oladokun grew up in Casa Grande, Arizona, listening to country and folk music, as well as Bob Marley and Lauryn Hill. Both of her parents are Nigerian immigrants to the United States. Her family regularly attended a Christian church, where Oladokun was chosen to lead worship. Later, Oladokun left the church because it limited her creativity. // When Oladokun was 10, a video of Tracy Chapman inspired her to learn guitar.// After college, at a friend’s suggestion, Oladokun moved to Los Angeles to pursue her music career. She later moved to East Nashville, where she signed with Prescription Songs. She has released three studio albums. In 2015, Joy Oladokun self-released her debut EP Cathedrals. Her debut studio album, Carry Me was funded by Kickstarter and released on April 29, 2016 through Well Records. // Oladokun released the single “Sunday” in 2019, saying “‘Sunday’ is the song that 12-year-old Joy, seated in the back of church youth group, needed to hear. She needed to hear that you can be queer and happy. Queer and healthy. Queer and holy. She needed to see married women kissing and playing with their kids.” The music video highlights people in LGBTQ relation-ships and has a predominantly queer cast. // Oladokun’s song “Mercy” follows in the same theme, describing her experience as a Black person in the United States, while the single “I See America” criticizes systemic racism. NPR listed “I See America” on its 100 Best Songs of 2020. // On July 17, 2020, Oladokun released her 2nd studio album, In Defense of My Own Happiness (Vol. 1). Billboard described the album as a “stunningly emotional collection.” Mitch Mosk, editor-in-chief of Atwood Mag., called it a “a sweeping, soaring, and stunning sophomore record oozing heart and soul.” // In 2021, Oladokun received a grant from YouTube’s “#YouTubeBlack Voices Fund”. The same year she signed with Amigo Records, Verve Forecast Records, & Republics. http://www.joyoladokun.com Oladokun played The Truman on Sept. 12, 2024.]

90. André 3000 – New Blue Sun / Epic Records / November 17, 2023 (3-LP Vinyl Release Mar. 22, 2024) 

[Debut solo album by American musician André 3000. It features instrumental contributions by an ensemble including Benjamin on various flutes, percussionist and producer Carlos Niño, keyboardist Surya Botofasina, guitarist Nate Mercereau, and keyboardist Diego Gaeta; as well as Leaving Records musicians V.C.R and Matthewdavid. The album represents an end to the musicians’s 17-year hiatus of new material. // In the years leading up to the release of New Blue Sun, Benjamin made media appearances playing flute in public settings; this was especially amplified online by his appearance as a flautist on the score for the Daniels’ 2022 film Everything Everywhere All at Once. He would later meet with jazz musician Carlos Niño in Los Angeles, where the two agreed to create a studio album. Ahead of its announcement, fellow rapper Killer Mike teased an impending release by André 3000. // As his first solo studio release, and the first studio material of his in a significant period of time, the 87-minute album largely consists of “experimental flute music” with both acoustic and electronic instrumentation, influenced by spiritual jazz musicians and minimalist composers. It features “a myriad” of different flutes performed by Benjamin in various styles across eight instrumental pieces. // When announcing the album on November 14, 2023, Benjamin emphasized that the project is not “a rap record”, with the packaging displaying a lighthearted disclaimer that it contains “no bars”;[6] he has additionally dismissed rumors that he was “sitting around on rap albums” that he has been characterized as refusing to release, saying instead that he felt more comfortable with the direction indicated by New Blue Sun. //The album was originally titled Everything Is Too Loud, but was renamed because André 3000 felt that it put out negative energy. // André Lauren Benjamin was born May 27, 1975, and better known as André 3000, is an American rapper, singer, musician, songwriter, record producer, and actor. Born and raised in Atlanta, Georgia, he is best known for being one-half of the Southern hip hop duo Outkast, alongside fellow Atlanta-based rapper Big Boi. Benjamin is widely regarded as one of the greatest rappers of all time. // As part of Outkast, the duo released six successful studio albums which contained hit singles including “Ms. Jackson”, “Roses”, “So Fresh, So Clean” and “Elevators (Me & You)”, among others. The duo’s fifth release, a double album titled Speakerboxxx/The Love Below (2003), contained a solo single performed by Benjamin: “Hey Ya!”, which peaked the Billboard Hot 100 and received a Grammy Award for Best Urban/Alternative Performance. After the duo split in 2007, Benjamin became less active as a solo act compared to Big Boi, although he had a number of highly-acclaimed guest appearances on songs and albums by numerous artists. Such activity earned him an additional Grammy Award among seven nominations as a solo artist. In 2023, Benjamin released his debut studio album New Blue Sun, an instrumental recording showcasing his performances on flute. // Outside of music, Benjamin has acted in films and television series such as Families, The Shield, Be Cool, Revolver, Semi-Pro, High Life, Four Brothers, and in the lead role of Jimi Hendrix in All Is by My Side. He further played Fredwynn on the AMC series Dispatches from Elsewhere, and was featured in the 2022 adaptation of the Don DeLillo novel of White Noise.] [Mark’s note: I saw OutKast when they opened for Lauryn Hill on her Miseducation Tour at The Midland Theatre in Kansas City on February 26, 1999. 30 feet above the main floor seating area of The Midland was a giant cloud that remained thoughout OutKast’s set that featured new songs that would end up on Stankonia, OutKast’s 4th studio album, including the song “Ms. Jackson.”]

91. Chloe Jacobson – A Snowball’s Chance in Hell / Chloe Jacobson / March 17, 2024

[It has been written that Chloe Jacobson’s “soulful, bluesy vocals are colored with the pop cadence of aughts-era emo.” As KCMO’s crystal ashtray pop, Chloe Jacobson has opened up for acts like Julia Jacklin, Girlpool, and Parsnips. Releasing her first single, “National News”, in 2017. Chloe’s debut album, “Frozen Fruit” was released on November 14, 2018 in a show at Mills Record Company. Her most recent single, “Nice 2 Meet U” was released last year.] [Chloe Jacobson played the Manor Records 7 Year Anniversary, October 25, at Manor Records 5540 Troost Ave., KCMO with KoneyMore info at http://www.manorrecords.com]

92. Abandoncy – Assailable/Agonism / The Ghost Is Clear, Learning Curve, & Vina Records. / Sept. 20, ’24

[In just over five years, Abandoncy have grown into their status as a staple in the music scene of KCMO and surrounding areas. Damian Fisher on guitar and vocals, Lincoln Peterson on bass and vocals, and Morgan Reed Greenwood on drums. // Throughout their lifetime and a handful of releases, the trio have carefully fostered and perfected a style of music that is technical and beautiful but doesn’t shy away from any avant-garde, noisy, or punishing moments. While you’re able to discern sounds brought from noise rock of the 80s and 90s, post-hardcore of the 90s and early aughts, as well as multiple waves of emo and screamo, Abandoncy’s affinity for abstract structure, strange time, and dramatic pause gives them a style all their own. At its end it is breathtaking, addictive, and harrowing to experience. // On their third full-length, Assailable Agonism, you find the band pushing even further. All six songs boil over with masterful instrumentation and crushing composition. Clocking in at just under 19 minutes, it feels like a brief but brutal haunting of all of your personal spaces. Paranoid, blistering, and all-consuming, coated with the grime of drying riverbeds and dust storms. Through its juxtaposition of melodic and noisy elements, it has a presence that will draw in fans of all different styles of music. // Anxious drumwork with the sonic treatment of a punch to the face, gritty basslines with the heft of gravity itself, and guitar lines akin to vertigo in that they are both mesmerizing and dizzying. It all accumulates into splinter-like music, stabbing at you unwittingly and embedding melody deep under the skin. It dares you to be intimidated. // Aided by the recording captured in KCMO cornerstone Howdy by drummer Morgan, it possesses a dynamic sound that is undeniable. Assailable Agonism is at times barren and cavernous waiting for the pin to drop, and other times cacophonous and claustrophobic exploding in front of you. // 1st single “Scarlet Rot” is a jangly track that propels you forward. Frenetic, tremolo picked riffs over deep bass progressions, accompanied by drums that sound like a caged bird trying to fly away. It is one of the more accessible songs on the record, but still shows some of the sinister energy and teases more heavy moments seen in other tracks. // 2nd single “Night Drive (feat. Eugene S. Robinson)” is the thunderous closer on the record, and a perfect encapsulation of everything you can experience in the other tracks. With a melodic beginning, it builds just to tear it all apart, devolving into a boisterous, monstrous second half. It is destructive of all in its path like a natural disaster, and it’s still the softest song on the record.]

93. Hurray for The Riff Raff – The Past Is Still Alive / Hurray for The Riff Raff / February 23, 2024

[The Past Is Still Alive sees Hurray for the Riff Raff reunite with Brad Cook, while further expanding their creative cast of collaborators. Anjimile, Conor Oberst, and S.G. Goodman all join Alynda Segarra on vocals at various points throughout the LP, with a band of musicians including Cook, Libby Rodenbough, Matt Douglas, Meg Duffy of Hand Habits, Mike Mogis, Phil Cook, and Yan Westerlund. Mike Mogis also mixed the album, and it was mastered by Heba Kadry. // The “nature punk” of Life on Earth marked a departure for Hurray for the Riff Raff, as they contemplated surviving and thriving amidst a world in crisis. The Past Is Still Alive brings the focus back inwards, with arrangements that are raw, melodies direct and indelible, and lyrics that are personal yet largely rooted in family and community. There are love songs to real characters, locations and mythic figures like Sky Red Hawk (“Buffalo”); the first trans woman Segarra ever met (“Hawkmoon”); queerness and sacred spaces for outsiders and the vulnerable, in the aftermath of the Club Q shooting (“Colossus of Roads”); leaving home behind and discovering oneself on the edge of the world (“Snake Plant”); and short-lived romances and the wisdom gained through chaos (“Vetiver”). Elsewhere, in the self-portraits painted on “Alibi,” “Ogallala,” and other album highlights, Segarra reflects on the land they have traveled, the hardships witnessed, and bravery gained while running away from everything and everyone they knew at age seventeen, hopping freight trains and hitchhiking across the country with a band of street urchins.]

94. Rick Mareske – A Stroll in The Park / Rick Mareske / March 30, 2024

[These compositions have been written over the past 50 years but have been edited, updated, arranged, scored over the last four years and finally recorded. // Compositions by Rick Mareske. Produced by Clarke Wyatt. Recorded by Chad Meise at Massive Sound and Clarke Wyatt at Gnomes and Goats Studio. Mastered by Collin Jordan at Boiler Room Mastering. Illustrations by Regina Compernolle. Album Design by Quinn Kavanaugh. Musicians: Thomas Aber – Clarinet and Bass Clarinet; Christine Broxterman – Cello; Patrick Alonzo Conway – Percussion; Betse Ellis – Violin, Viola and Fiddle; Adam Galblum – Mandolin; Johnny Hamil – Electric Bass and String Bass; Byron Jones – Trumpet, Flugelhorn and Vocals; Erin Keller – Vocals; Rick Mareske – Guitars and Vocals; John Miles – String Bass; Fast Johnny Ricker – Slide Guitar; Jeffery Ruckman – Piano and Organ; Steven Smith – Alto and Tenor Sax; Guy Montes – Flute; Brian Steevers – Drums; Beth Watts Nelson – Vocals; Randy Weinstein – Harmonica; Bill Woodhouse – Mandolin; Clarke Wyatt – Banjo and Organ; Zinnia, Macee, and Clementine – Choir. Artwork by Regina Compernolle. Wallet Style Case Design by Quinn Mahler] [Rick Mareske played A Stroll In The Park – CD Release Party, Friday, April 12, at 8:00pm with Erin Keller on vocals; Beth Watts Nelson on vocals; Rick Mareske on guitar & vocals; Byron Jones on trumpet, flugelhorn, & vocals; John Miles on string bass; Johnny Hamil on string bass & electric bass, Gliddon Coleman on keys; RJ Schultze on drums. With special Guests: Betse Ellis on fiddle; Clarke Wyatt on banjo & keyboards; Bill Woodhouse on mandolin; and maybe others.]

95. Elexa Dawson & Stanley Hotel – Wanderlust / Turns Out Records / February 2, 2024

[WANDERLUST was recorded at: Remote Studios. Engineered and Mixed: Isaac Nelson, Adam Stanley. Mastered by: Brody Wellman. Produced by: Elexa Dawson, Isaac Nelson, Adam Stanley, Doug Swindell. Published By: Turns Out Records. Dawson Elexa creates community-focused Americana music with soulful vocals and connection to land. Oklahoma Native, Elexa now calls Kansas her home. Wanderlust is Elexa’s sophomore release (Feb 2024) collaboration with Stanley Hotel. Elexa Dawson also fronts the bands: Heyleon and Weda Skirts. Alexa is a Potawatomi activist and educator. Elexa facilitates songwriting workshops, talking circles, and relational plant education. // Mikal Shapiro, of Siren Song, on 90.1 FM KKFI writes, “Dear Music Lovers, do yourself a favor and put this honey in your ears. Elexa Dawson delivers yet another stunning collection of heartfelt songs in her sophomore release. // A collaboration with indie folk rockers Stanley Hotel, the chemistry is palpable and the production sparkles with Dawson’s clear and powerful voice sitting comfortably in the full-spectrum arrangements. // A soul-stirring journey through earth and sky, “Wanderlust” provides the perfect soundtrack to that road-trip you’ve been dreaming about… and you don’t have to burn any gas to get there.” // More on WANDERLUST: Nestled within the red dirt country hills of Oklahoma, Elexa Dawson and the acclaimed Stanley Hotel embarked on a visionary collaboration, crafting what can only be described as a sonic spaceship named “Wanderlust.” Reviewed as “a soul-stirring journey through earth and sky,” the album invites listeners to explore uncharted realms through its captivating songs. // From the inaugural track’s exploration of the outer limits of human experience to the final guided meditation conveying a message from the ancestors, “Wanderlust” stands as an epic odyssey worthy of the finest traveling shoes. Each song serves as a unique stop on this musical tour, gathering sentiments of loneliness, love, connection, and completion. Whether dancing with the transient and the lovers in “Rainbows,” getting “High on the Street,” or contemplating life under the southwestern sky with the poignant “Lonely Coyote,” every moment resonates with the depth of the human experience. // Elexa Dawson’s return to her Oklahoma roots for recording at Remote Records, the experimental laboratory of Stanley Hotel members Adam Stanley, Isaac Nelson, and Doug Swindell, underscores the organic collaboration between the artists. With mutual admiration at the core of their sonic choices, Stanley Hotel’s earthy soundscape perfectly supports Elexa’s vocal prowess. As both parties contribute astute compositions, the album maintains its cohesion by invoking nature’s spirits while playfully exploring the ether and always grounding itself back in the dirt. // “Wanderlust” marks Elexa’s sophomore release following her debut album, “Music is Medicine,” in 2019. The collaboration with Stanley Hotel showcases their multi-genre style and eclectic musicality, evident in releases such as “Samson Mammoth” and “The Wolf Told Me.” Elexa’s vocal quality, described by Raye Zaragoza as cutting right to the soul, blends seamlessly with Stanley Hotel’s unique style, creating a magical and expansive listening experience. http://www.elexadawson.com]

96. Claire Adams – “Words of Love (2024)” – 3 Song EP / Claire Adams / April 2, 2024

[Words of Love Claire Adams-vocals, bass; Daniel Dissmore on trumpet; Fritz Hutchison on drums; Jackie Myers on piano; Trevor Turla on trombone; Abraham Villaseñor on guitar. // Recorded, mixed and mastered by Duane Trower at Weights & Measures Soundlab, KCMO. Additional recording by Odin Parada at Rec4 Studios, GDL. // Musically curious and multifaceted, Claire Adams is dedicated to collaborating, recording and songwriting to hone her melodic instincts and vision. A bassist, guitarist, singer and songwriter, Adams has lent a discerning ear and versatility to a number of projects. Claire founded the eight-piece genre-jumping collective Claire and the Crowded Stage – a project that united her pop sensibilities with non-traditional instrumentation. This project teamed her up with guitarist Katy Guillen and drummer Stephanie Williams, leading them to form the nationally touring blues-rock trio Katy Guillen & the Girls in 2012, with Adams on bass and backing vocals. In recent years Adams has been performing solo, collaborating with the KC based string quartet Rewound, and in a trio featuring pianist Alyssa Murray. More info at: claireadamsmusic.com]
.[Claire Adams played The Ship, 1221 Union Ave, KCMO West Bottoms on April 11 opening for Fritz Hutchison & His Honky Tonk Band] [Claire Adams played The Gospel Lounge at Knuckleheads 2715 Rochester Ave. KCMO on April 14 with Jackie Myers and Fritz Hutchison]

97. Draper Family Band (Brandon Draper) – Draper Family Band / Looking Up Productions / May 3, 2024

[The Draper Family Band comprises decades of familial experience in music as well as a wealth of professional experience that has served them well as a live band and has now resulted in a debut self-titled album. At the center of the band are Hammond B3 and keyboardist Paul Draper (an inductee of the KS Music Hall of Fame) and his son, Brandon Draper, who is a multi-instrumentalist, producer, educator, and songwriter. Both are known for working across genres and cultural traditions, which brings an even wider scope of possibilities to the work they play and record together. // Their debut self-titled album has both the energy and excitement of original compositions and the satisfaction of completing unfinished business, since a number of songs had been building up over a period of years without a clear outlet for release until now. Inventive, and often combining instruments that don’t commonly mesh, the album draws on jazz, blues, and rock traditions, as well as many others. I spoke with Brandon Draper about his multi-faceted life and work, and the ways in which this album has come together at the right time for the band. // Since moving to Kansas City in 2006, Drum Set artist, world percussionist, multi-instrumentalist, songwriter and producer, Brandon Draper, has made a name for his himself for his fierce and amazing drum and musical performances and collaborations with Alaturka, Flamenco Mio, Quixotic Performance Ensemble, Brandon Draper Group, Paul Draper Band, Free Band Radio, and his acoustic project Organic Proof. As a freelance musician, Brandon has performed with DJ Logic, Particle, Donna Summer, Mose Allison, Mike Moreno, and Bobby Watson. Brandon recently performed in the critically acclaimed world premiere of the new hiphop musical “Venice” in Los Angeles, and premiered his original work “Bass Darabukas” with Quixotic and the Kansas City Symphony in Spring of 2011. Brandon Draper is part of the music faculty at the University of Kansas, he is percussion director at Shawnee Mission West High School, and serves as music director at Kansas City Academy. He holds a Bachelors degree in percussion performance from Bethany College, and a Masters of Music with distinction from the University of New Mexico. // Paul Draper spent his life as a sideman on countless recordings and tours beginning in 1964 playing Farfisa keyboard with the show/review band the Shampells. Know as “The Wildman” Paul has been stealing the spotlight for years with his Hammond Organ skills and stage presence. Paul has recorded with Jimmie Bratcher and Grammy Award winning producer Jim Gaines. Paul Draper makes his recording debut as a leader of the band, with his new, critically acclaimed, full length recording titled: Paul Draper Band, that was 5 years in the making and was produced by his son Brandon Draper. The two have been sharing the stage since Brandon was 9 years old. This recording features an array of styles of funk, blues, R&B, soul, country, & jazz. // On Dec. 1, 2012 Paul Draper Band released their self titled album.][Brandon Draper – Drummer/Producer/Educator & Patrick Alexander – Charlotte Street Programming Manager/Curator, curated a lineup of drummers to showcase the rich tapestry of KC & celebrate the versatility of the drum kit as an instrument. GIVE THE DRUMMER SOME, was held Fri, June 28, at 7:00pm at Charlotte Street Foundation Stern Theatre, 3333 Wyoming, KCMO as part of Charlotte Street’s in(SITE) series, and features 25 of KC’s most talented drummers, representing styles from Free Jazz to Bop, Latin to Afro-Beat, Fusion to Rock. Drummers included: Arnold Young, Doug Auwarter, Lisa McKenzie, John Kizilarmut, Tyree Johnson, Ryan Lee, Evan Verplough, Alaudin Ottinger, Doug Hitchcock, Duck McClane, and more, with a tribute to Leon Brady.]

98. Juliette Frost – personal logs EP / Juliette Frost / March 3, 2024

[A small collection of personal notes and feelings collaged into 3 tracks which have been sliced and diced like curry ingredients. // Juliette Frost release the soingle “Carbin Copy (radio edit). On March 22, 2024. // Juliette Frost released the single “Wizard Trance” with Not Nymph Yet, on December 20, 2023, // Juliette Frost released the single “UeyuAau,” on December 13, 2023. // Juliette Frost released the single “Night Owl,” on April 13, 2023. // Juliette Frost released the single “Fruits of Our Tree,” on December 11, 2022. // Juliette Frost also released the single “Sylvrface,” on February 8, 2021. // Juliette Frost also released the single “Parallel,” on February 8, 2021. // Juliette Frost also released the17 track album, “Lepidoptera” on February 8, 2021. // Juliette Frost also released the single “Streetwalker,” on February 8, 2021. // Juliette Frost recorded a 6-song EP HUSH on May 5, 2021, that was created in a 5-day recording session, in December 2020 in Los Angeles, with musician, bassist, & producer Dominique Sanders. The songs, written by Juliette, feature her vocals layered in harmonies, beats and soundscapes. // Juliette Frost also released the single “burd,” on February 8, 2021. // On April 18, 2020 Juliette released Subterranean.Egyptian.Sea.Monkeys, her 19-track, debut, recorded in her bedroom, when she was 16, sampling sounds from her own cats meowing and purring, among others. When Juliette was making the music for, Subterranean.Egyptian.Sea.Monkeys, she really wasn’t thinking of putting out an album. She was just creating music, and before she knew it she had all of these songs. // Juliette has had the opportunity to see the recording process from two very different perspectives: in a recording studio in LA, and in her own private bedroom, working by herself. Juliette says that she prefers the alone time, in her bedroom process, because she can translate her ideas into reality, much faster. Juliette says she realized her musical passion, and that she had the abilities to create music and songs when she was in middle school. // Juliette Frost went to Shawnee Mission North High School. Juliette is not only a songwriter and producer of music but she is also a visual artist who created amazing collage art, and is also a painter and fine artist. // Juliette grew up surrounded by music in her home, Juliette is the daughter of opera and jazz vocalist Emily Frost and nationally known Hip Hop Beatboxer Adrian “A-Train” Frost] [Juliette Frost played minibar, on October 23, 2024, with Belgium-based Ultra Sunn and Religion of Heartbreak.]

99. Ibibio Sound Machine – Pull the Rope / Merge Records / May 3, 2024

[Ibibio Sound Machine is an English electronic afro-funk band from London. Formed in 2013. // “Pull the Rope” is about the hope of finding a peaceful way to overcome our differences in the world. The idea of standing at two ends of a rope symbolizes this. We recruited our friends Richmond Kessie and Helen McDonald as well as Eno’s mum to lend a bigger sound to the chorus vocals. Musically it’s a mix of post-punk and electronic sounds. // “Pull the Rope” is accompanied by a Darlington Anyiam–directed music video. The spacefaring clip evokes Afrofuturism and classic dance video vibes. “My fascination for Eno’s beautiful voice and presence makes me turn her visual performances into impersonations of powerful entities,” Anyiam explains of Williams’ turn as a celestial pharaoh. // Pull the Rope, the new record by Ibibio Sound Machine, casts the Eno Williams and Max Grunhard–led outfit in a new light. The hope, joy, and sexiness of their music remain, but, further honing the edge of their acclaimed 2022 album Electricity, the connection they aim to foster has shifted venues from the sunny buoyancy of a sunlit festival to a sweat-soaked, all-night dance club. The atmosphere has changed, but you’re still having the time of your life. // Williams and Grunhard attribute this shift to a matter of collaborators, recording Pull the Rope with Sheffield-based producer Ross Orton (Arctic Monkeys, M.I.A.) over the course of two weeks. The way the pair wrote songs changed significantly—rather than Eno penning lyrics to music generated by Max and company’s jamming, Orton started with Eno and Max writing together before adding the band. With less time in the studio and a new way of considering how they built songs, the duo found making decisions about Pull the Rope’s sound quicker and more instinctual than before. // “Ross is from Sheffield, which has an edgier, more industrial vibe than London,” Grunhard explains. “He hears things differently than us, is more grounded in rave and grungier sounds, and knew when to add drums or push the instrumentation more. It was very different for us, but it lends itself to where Ibibio Sound Machine is going.” // In melding their songwriting process, Grunhard and Williams have, impossibly, pulled the trick of making Ibibio Sound Machine a tighter band than ever before, building out from their core in a way that highlights the electrifying group of musicians they play with. Rather than recording with the full band in the room, Pull the Rope was sculpted, elements added and shaped by Grunhard, Williams, and Orton along the way. As a result, Pull the Rope is a nimble, sleek machine that’s thrilling from the first note of the opening title track, Eno’s otherworldly voice and PK Ambrose’s throbbing bass driving through a kaleidoscopic array of house, post-punk, funk, Afrobeat and disco, bangers and ballads, making an argument for unity that begins on the dancefloor. // “We are the places we grew up, the places we’ve been, and the people we’ve met along the way,” Williams says. “Hopping around the globe, we’ve found that people are fundamentally the same—they’re people. Opposing sides push and pull, but there is an alternative to war, violence, and suffering.” // That belief is the blood that pulses like Grunhard’s hypnotic bass lines throughout Pull the Rope. Lead single “Got to Be Who U Are” literally globetrots, name checking locales across the world that would feel disparate were it not for how well-traveled they are. Eno growing up in the musical melting pot of the Ibibio region of Nigeria and Max being a conservatory-trained musician from Australia, one could call their meeting in London and formation of Ibibio Sound Machine predestined. // “Mama Say” and “Let My Yes Be Yes” touch themes of female empowerment. They’re indicative of the band’s depth as they push further into the electronic; “Mama Say” hits notes of electropop while “Let My Yes Be Yes” fuses electro to Afrobeat. Ibibio Sound Machine have always imbued their music with political consciousness, and the light that shines through in Williams’ vocals and voice has never felt more necessary. // The sound of Pull the Rope, then, is hope in darkness, bliss in spite of bleakness. Once again, Ibibio Sound Machine are here to provide the soundtrack to the best night of your life, and the better world to come. // The name of the band itself finds influence from Eno Williams’ Nigerian mother, whose native tongue was Ibibio.]

100. English Teacher – This Could Be Texas / Universal-Island Records / April 12, 2024

[English Teacher is Lily Fontaine on vocals, guitars and synthesizers, Lewis Whiting on lead guitar & synthesizers, Douglas Frost on drums, piano & vocals, and Nicholas Eden on bass. The band began writing together after meeting while students at Leeds Conservatoire. Early support from local organizations Music Leeds, Come Play With Me and BBC Radio Introducing, who regularly played their earliest offerings and helped garner support for the band, led to a pivotal signing with indie label Nice Swan Records. During lockdown, English Teacher’s fanbase grew online and 2021 single ‘R&B’ had the music industry buzzing. A much-lauded debut EP, ‘Polyawkward’ followed, providing further insight into the diverse sonic and uniquely self-made aesthetic world of the band, and appearances at Glastonbury and Leeds Festival soon made English Teacher one of the most talked about bands in British music. // Nearly Daffodils’ illustrates the intricate, math-rock leanings of the band’s songwriting. “This was one of the later ones that come together before the studio, but we’d had the individual parts for it for some time,” Whiting says, remembering their time recording predominantly in London’s Pony Studios. Eden adds: “It started as a Logic project, quite synth-heavy but it ended up as the bass line and predominant melodic driver of the track.” Fontaine says she was “obsessed with the bassline” and “loved it so much”. “It formed the backbone of the song,” she says. While having wrote the lyrics prior to the bassline being added, she noted that “they just seemed to fit.” She continues: “We added in some drum loops that Douglas made and then it just all clicked into place.” // ‘Nearly Daffodils’ is about heartbreak and acceptance of unfulfilled potential, Fontaine says. “It’s about how, no matter how much you may want something, no matter how much effort you may put into something’s growth or development, no matter how beautiful you can envision its fruition, life is a bitch and about as unstoppable as a freight train.”]

101. Foxlin – Camper / Foxlin / February 6, 2024

[Along this 5-song EP, Foxlin also released the 5-track EP, Jekyll&Hyde&Seek on April 19, 2024, and the single. “Losing My Mind on June 7, 2024. // Foxlin is therapy for an artist in KCMO with incurable cancer unable to find a meaning to life. // Foxlin is the solo project of Ryan Johnson based in KCMO. Diagnosed with incurable cancer and Borderline Personality Disorder along with a lifetime of suicidal ideation, he perseveres through his music & lyrics spreading his tale in search of meaning. Foxlin, with a full band played The Rino, 314 Armour Rd., North Kansas City on Friday, June 28, with Mr. Golden Sun, and Starling where Foxling recorded a live EP! Foxling also arranged to have three different therapists at The Rino to giving music fans an opportunity to talk with the therapists and see if they might be compatible with a therapist.]

102. Jolson & The Fear of Snakes – Yes, But Not With You / Jolson Robert / April 26, 2024

[Jolson Robert is a multi-instrumentalist/singer based in Kansas City. He grew up in rural Kansas and found solace in music where he learned as many instruments as he could and worked to recreate songs he loved. // Jolson Robert describes his music as indie pop/rock, midwest emo, and funk. He writes and records his musicby himself playing: bass, drums, guitars, keys, and vocals. Then, his friends Garret Aiken on drums, Jesse Rodriguez on guitar, Jackson Broadwater on bass, and recently, his younger brother Gavin Robert on keyboards bring the music to life for live performance as a band, Robert Jolson has written that, “each one of these people is more skilled at their given instrument than I am, which I quite enjoy! It makes the live shows that much cooler. And I’ve always been partial to performing live; I think it’s what I do best as a performer, and of course, it’s what we do as a band.” //Jolson was in Quite Frankly The Band. Info at: http://www.jatfos.com]

103. Hidden Murals – Sweet Drive (EP) / Further Beauty Media / June 24, 2024

[In 2024 Hidden Murals released the 3-song EP, Sweet Drive on June 24, 2024. Hidden Murals released the 3-song EP, Garden Music on March 8, 2024. Hidden Murals released the 8-track EP, Hot Worship on August 3, 2023. All 14 songs are 2:08 minutes long. Hidden Murals write: 128 seconds per song. 128 beats per minute. Maybe it’s 1, 2, 4, 8, 16, 32, 64, 128 (8th in sequence). Or maybe it’s (8+8) x 8. It has something to do with 8’s. As does literally everything. That is all that is known at the moment. Hidden Murals is a music and art project based just outside of Kansas City. The band’s website: http://www.hiddenmurals.com actually offers nothing more in terms of information about the band, unless you want t-shirts.]

104. Danny Santell – Don’t Send Me Flowers / Danny Santell / April 19, 2024

[All songs were written by Danny Santell in Kansas City Missouri, except “Feel The Vibe” Produced and Written by Marz Ferrer & Gabriel Ramirez, Mixed and Mastered by Manny Vs Wrld Ferrer. // Danny Santell is a musician, songwriter & record producer based in Kansas City. Originally from The Bronx NYC now living on The Paseo, Danny Santell began his introduction into the music industry at the age of 19, signing to Universal Records (A&M Octone Records.) He has toured across the US and Canada with the likes of Paramore, Switchfoot, Linkin Park, & shared festival stages with Jay-Z and Stevie Wonder with his band Paper Tongues. His most recent project DON’T SEND ME FLOWERS was released February 1, 2024 and blends Latin fusion hip-hop beats with rock ‘n’ roll guitars, and that sweet KC soulful speakeasy vibe that you’ll only find at 4:00 am on 18th & Vine. Danny Santell played Minibar, Friday, May 24 at 8:00 pm w/ Lava Dreams, Malek Azrael & The Vibes. Danny Santell played Boulevardia, on Saturday, June 15, at Crown Center, 2396 Grand Blvd, KCMO. More info at: http://www.boulevardia.com]

105. Orville Peck – 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.]

106. Betty Bryant – Lotta Livin’ / Bry-Mar Music / January 26, 2024

[A native of Kansas City, Missouri, Betty Bryant is a revered pianist/singer who brings a solid piano technique, a light, swinging touch and a skilled vocal approach to her music. Whether she is playing the blues on “He May Be Your Man (But He Comes To See Me Sometime)”, or delivering obscure cabaret gems like Mort Lindsey’s humorous “Scratch”, or romping through serious jazz compositions like Bud Powell’s “Parisian Thoroughfare”, Betty always connects with the material and with her audience.
Dubbed “Cool Miss B” by her fellow musicians, Betty’s career started in her hometown of Kansas City, where she was mentored by the great Jay McShann. She moved to the west coast in 1955, where she immediately got an engagement at Beverly Hill’s famed “Ye Little Club”. This was the beginning of mostly solo appearances in Los Angeles. Her reputation grew, and she quickly became a popular attraction in the many little nightspots that used to dot the beach towns from Santa Monica to Laguna. // In 1987 “Betty Bryant Day” was declared in Kansas City, and she was awarded the keys to the city. A famous photograph of Betty with Jay McShann hangs in the lobby of the American Jazz Museum in Kansas City. // Betty has performed internationally in the Middle East and Brazil, and for many years was a popular regular attraction at the upscale Tableaux Lounge in Tokyo, Japan. She had a long term engagement at celebrity chef Susan Feniger’s exciting new restaurant “Street” in Hollywood in 2009, and in 2012 she was a featured performer at the Boquete Jazz and Blues Festival in Boquete, Panama. The “Betty Bryant Birthday Bash” is a hugely popular annual event in Hollywood, presented at the famed “Catalina Jazz Club”. // Betty has released 14 critically acclaimed CDs, including 2009’s “No Regrets”, which got airplay on over 100 jazz stations nationwide. Peter Solomon, of station WCVE – FM in Richmond, Virginia wrote, “This is a sweet little album. I was struck by her laid-back phrasing. Her piano style sounds something like Basie. This woman has soul.” Selections from the album were programmed onto the inflight entertainment channels of seven major airlines worldwide. Christopher Louden, writing in JazzTimes Magazine, called Betty’s CD “Together” (2011) a “superlative testament to the depth and breadth of her showmanship.” Betty’s 2013 release “iteration +” charted on the JazzWeek National charts. Peter Kuller, from Radio Adelaide, Australia said, “Betty Bryant is absolutely amazing and deserves worldwide recognition. A jazz pianist who also sings or a jazz singer who also plays piano, whatever you prefer she does both with great distinction!” Her 2018 release “Project 88” is her most heard record to date, and spent six months on the JazzWeek charts topping out at #22. Her original song “Catfish Man” was a bonafide jazz hit, bringing her new fans worldwide. She has just released her 14th recording “Lotta Livin” to rave reviews. // Whether listening to one of Cool Miss B’s CDs at home, or catching her live, perhaps it was best expressed by Judy Jordan in a feature article in Venice Magazine – “Snuggle into a cozy ringside club chair and let Betty Bryant steal your heart….your ears will be tickled, your heart will dance, and your feet may find a will of their own, for Betty Bryant is an enchantress.”]

107. Vincent Orsolini – It’s About Time – EP / Vincent Orsolini / July 25, 2024

[Born in San Francisco, Vincent Orsolini grew up in the south of France where he studied Jazz at a conservatory for 14 years. His passion for music and composition grew exponentially after working with local artists on albums and songwriting, incorporating his jazz roots with other genres spanning from funk, soul, pop and rock. He pursued his education in sound engineering and sound production where he began working with French and English studios on documentaries, commercials and video game previews. Influenced by his multicultural upbringing, Vincent then moved to the United States, sharing his time between Kansas City and Los Angeles. He began working on projects with local jazz bands in the Kansas City area as well as independent artists writing, composing and arranging music for albums releases. Vincent’s love for Movies, TV and Multimedia has led him to focus more intensely on soundtrack composing and commercial jingles.He strives to create memorable melodies and is compelled to break boundaries by merging all musical genres, always enthusiastic to start his next collaboration.]

108. Brittany Howard – What Now / Island Records / February 9, 2024

[Brittany Howard, the 5-time Grammy Award®-winning powerhouse released the single and video of “What Now?” on Ocober 13, 2023 off her forthcoming solo album, WHAT NOW. WHAT NOW is a thriller of a title track offering a taste of what to expect on the full-length. Written & produced by Brittany with co-production from Shawn Everett (Kacey Musgraves, SZA), with whom she has a longstanding creative relationship since Alabama Shakes. Recorded at the legendary Sound Emporium and historic RCA Studio B in Nashville, Brittany’s hometown. The accompanying cinematic & action-packed video was directed by Danilo Parra (known for his work with A$AP Rocky) & produced by Adam Braun (070 Shake, P!NK). //“What Now” takes on a potent urgency fueled by its syncopated grooves, blistering guitar riffs, & fiercely honest lyrics (“I’ve been making plans that don’t include you anymore/My heart wants to stay but I don’t know what for”). “‘What Now’ is maybe the truest & bluest of all the songs,” says Howard. “It’s never my design to hurt anyone’s feelings, but I needed to say what was on my mind without editing myself. I like how it’s a song that makes you want to dance, but at the same time the lyrics are brutal.”// Brittany Howard released the album Jaime on ATO Records on September 20, 2019.] [Brittany Howard played The Truman, on April 24, with June McDoom.]

109. Joan As Police Woman – Lemons, Limes and Orchids / Play It Again Sam / September 20, 2024

[Lemons, Limes and Orchids is the 12th studio album by an unorthodox but consistently rewarding singer-songwriter. Its songs have a supple groove and probing feel as though circling an idea or scenario. Joan Wasser, aka Joan as Police Woman, sings with nuanced changes in emphasis, one moment pressing, the next softly languorous. The combination of rhythmic depth and vocal sophistication recalls the vaunted spirit of one of her musical inspirations, Joni Mitchell. Wasser has been operating as Joan as Police Woman since 2004. Her curious stage name derives from one of the first television cop shows with a female lead. Police Woman was a 1970s procedural drama with Angie Dickinson as an officer who goes undercover to solve crimes, posing as a nurse, airline stewardess and so on. Wasser became Joan as Police Woman after a friend compared her look to Dickinson’s character. But there is a further affinity. Like the undercover TV crimebuster, she has appeared in many different guises during her career. Raised in Connecticut, she trained as a classical violinist but wanted to perform new music rather than repertoire. She played in punk and alt-rock bands, trying to make her violin as loud as possible, before joining Antony and the Johnsons in 1999. She has done session work for Elton John and the Scissor Sisters among others, toured in Lou Reed’s backing band and played keyboards for Iggy Pop. Her last album, 2021’s The Solution Is Restless, was a collaboration involving Afrobeat pioneer Tony Allen (who died the year before its release). “I was ready to make an album that truly featured my voice,” she says of her new songs. Her vocals start up almost immediately in most of the 12 tracks. “Back Again” is a plea to an absent lover to return, done with subtly soulful intensity. “With Hope in My Breath” finds her switching to a breathier type of singing for an entrancing ode about infatuation.  The basslines that give the music its swing are played by fellow singer-songwriter Meshell Ndegeocello. Drums, piano, synths and guitars are the other main instruments. Love and pain are the lyrical poles. The songwriting quality is high throughout, but the title track stands out. It is an achingly drawn-out number with cryptic lyrics about trying to make one’s way in a dangerous world. Precise meaning is elusive, but the song’s power is unmistakable.]

110. Joni Mitchell – Joni Mitchell Archives, Vol. 4: The Asylum Years (1976-1980) / February 23, 2024

[This 6 CD / Digital & 4- LP Highlights Version, traces An Important Transformational Season Of Her Creative Evolution From 1976-1980. Continues GRAMMY-Winning, Multi-Volume Journey Through Joni’s Previously Unmined Archives. Features Unreleased Studio Sessions, Alternate Versions, Live Recordings, Rarities, and 36-Page Book with New Photos & An Extensive Conversation Between Joni & Cameron Crowe. Sourced from Original Stereo Reels, Nagra Film Recordings. Multi-track Tapes, Radio Airchecks & Cassette Tapes. // Throughout the latter half of the seventies, Joni Mitchell continued to creatively break ground with her fearless and fluid exploration of jazz. Rather than tread the same path, she challenged and reinvented her style with a folk fusion like no other. Ascending to an unrivaled sonic peak, this innovative sound took shape across the gold-certified Hejira [1976], the gold-certified double-LP Don Juan’s Reckless Daughter [1977], her collaboration with Charles Mingus entitled Mingus [1979], and live album Shadows and Light [1980]. Channeling the thrill and excitement of these records, she delves even further into this season on Joni Mitchell Archives, Vol. 4: The Asylum Years (1976-1980), is out today via Rhino Records. // It stands out as the 12th release by the Joni Mitchell Archives and extends Rhino’s ongoing, GRAMMY-winning series exploring the vast untapped archives of rare Joni Mitchell recordings — a project guided intimately by Mitchell’s own vision and personal touch. // Joni Mitchell Archives, Vol. 4: The Asylum Years (1976-1980) arrives in multiple configurations. It will be available as either a 6CD / digital version or a 4LP version, Joni Mitchell Archives – Volume 4 Highlights: The Asylum Years (1976-1980). The 4LP set also specifically consists of Joni’s personal favorites from the 6CD version. Each version includes a book with never-before-seen photos and liner notes comprising a deep dive discussion between Mitchell and longtime friend Cameron Crowe. As part of their candid conversation, she shares intimate anecdotes, memories, and stories from that five-year creative run. // This comprehensive and essential set spans one of the most prolific periods of her storied career. It boasts powerful live tracks from her time in Bob Dylan’s Rolling Thunder Revue during 1975 and 1976 Tour of the United States. It pulls back the curtain on the music by showcasing early recordings and alternate takes from the respective sessions for Hejira, Don Juan’s Reckless Daughter, and Mingus. It covers the Bread & Roses Festival as well as the Anti-Nuclear Rally. Finally, Vol. 4 chronicles her 1979 tour, even showcasing two tracks from that year’s Tour Rehearsals. Not to mention, it showcases her versatility and adaptability, housing collaborations with everyone from Herbie Hancock and Jaco Pastorious to Wayne Shorter and Pat Metheny. // Vol. 4 culls the previously-unissued material from original stereo reels, cassette tapes, CD-Rs, and even a radio broadcast. Newly mixed tracks came from multi-track tapes, while a handful of hi-res digital tracks have been sourced from the Bob Dylan Archives. // Last year, she shared Joni Mitchell Archives – Vol. 3: The Asylum Years (1972–1975). Garnering critical acclaim, Pitchfork dubbed it “excellent” in a positive “8.6-out-of-10.0” review, going on to note, “The box set—which also includes the exhilarating live album Miles of Aisles and the impressionistic The Hissing of Summer Lawns—covers a period of Mitchell’s career that already resists linear narrativizing.” In addition to features from Rolling Stone and more, Folk Alley raved, “Every track on this Joni Mitchell Archives, Vol. 3: The Asylum Years (1972-1975) reveals more and more of Mitchell’s magic ways with a song.” No Depression mused, “it is, in many ways, the most vital and interesting of the three collections so far,” and FLOOD attested, “this third volume is worth digging into as the best of Rhino’s Archives collections. I’m already excited for Vol. 4.” // It followed 2022’s Vol. 2: The Reprise Years (1968-1971). She began this journey with Vol. 1: The Early Years (1963-1967), earning a 2022 GRAMMY Award for Best Historical Album. // Last fall, Mitchell appeared at the Hollywood Bowl to perform three songs with Brandi Carlile. Earlier this year, she impressively made her debut on the GRAMMY Awards stage with a historic rendition of “Both Sides Now” alongside Carlile, Allison Russell, Lucius, Jacob Collier, Blake Mills, and SistaStrings. She also accepted a GRAMMY in the category of “Best Folk Album” for Joni Mitchell At Newport [Live] during the ceremony.] [Several Kansas Citians made the journey to California to see Joni Mitchell headlining her own ‘Joni Jam’ at the Hollywood Bowl on October 19 and October 20, featuring special ‘Joni Jam’ guests.]

111. Dreamist – Shouldn’t Be / midnomid collective / September 13, 2024

[7-track debut album LP. “Made for everyone who cannot live within the margins of the culture imposed upon them.” // Written by Dreamist and Former Members Robert Graves and Travis Barker. Recorded, Mixed, and Mastered by Kole Waters at KA Productions. Released by Midnomid Collective. Album Art by Jaelin Kingsley. Album Packaging Formatted by Jacob Kingsley. // Dreamist is a Post-Emo four-piece based in Kansas City, MO. // Dreamist is the result of the love of art that can simultaneously convey the visceral and esoteric. Holding post-hardcore aggression in one hand and the understated finesse of ambient and art rock in the other; Kole, Eli, Mitri, and Jacob embrace a full spectrum of genre to convey the many highs and lows of the human experience. Whether it is with voice, guitar, drum, synthesizer, or sample, Dreamist creates a space of vulnerability and catharsis in every performance and recording. // Too Much Rock writes: “The band’s songs are long, drifting from twinkling emo into post-rock climaxes. From sung to screamed. From beautiful to brutal. And all of them back again. While Waters’ is generally the pretty guitar, both he and Elisha Ruhman can make their guitars howl. That’s when the crashing drums of Mitri McCawley come into play. Whether on bass or keyboards, Jacob Kingsley filled in the gaps, giving body and weight to the compositions that otherwise might float away on a bed of lighter than air guitar effects.” // More info at: http://www.dreamistkc.com]

112. Sampha – Lahai (Deluxe) / Young / October 1, 2024

[Sampha Lahai Sisay (born November 16, 1988) is a British singer, songwriter, musician and record producer from Morden, South London. Sampha has collaborated with Kendrick Lamar, Drake, Frank Ocean, SBTRKT, Jessie Ware, Gorillaz, Travis Scott, Kanye West, Solange and others. Sampha has released two solo EPs: Sundanza (2010) and Dual (2013). Sampha’s debut album, Process, was released on 3 February 2017 by Young and won the 2017 Mercury Prize. His second album, Lahai, was released on 20 October 2023. // Simbiatu “Simbi” Abisola Abiola Ajikawo (born 23 February 1994),better known by her stage name Little Simz, is an English-Nigerian rapper. She rose to prominence with the independent release of her first three albums: A Curious Tale of Trials + Persons (2015), Stillness in Wonderland (2016) and Grey Area (2019), the last of which was shortlisted for the Mercury Prize and won the awards for Best Album at both the Ivor Novello Awards and the NME Awards. // Her fourth album, Sometimes I Might Be Introvert (2021), received widespread critical acclaim, with several publications deeming it the best album of 2021. It went on to win the 2022 Mercury Prize. It also earned her the 2022 Brit Award for Best New Artist and the Libera Award for Best Hip-Hop/Rap Record. Her fifth album, No Thank You (2022), was released to critical acclaim. Most recently, she dropped her EP Drop 7 on 9 February 2024. // Outside of music, Ajikawo has starred in the Netflix revival drama series Top Boy.]

113. Leon Bridges – Leon / Columbia / October 4, 2024

[4th studio album by Leon Bridges. It was released on October 4, 2024, by Columbia Records. Centered around his upbringing in Fort Worth, Texas, he primarily recorded the album in Mexico City and worked with producers Ian Fitchuk and Daniel Tashian. The album was preceded by three singles: “Peaceful Place”, “Laredo”, and “That’s What I Love”. It received generally positive reviews from music critics. // Leon Bridges wrote the album about his experience growing up in Fort Worth, Texas, whose music scene he credited with inspiring the folk and country music influences on the album. Several songs on Leon were written during the production of his 2021 album Gold-Diggers Sound. He spent “almost five years” working on the album in Los Angeles and Nashville before moving production to Mexico City, where he spent the last few months of 2023 recording the album at El Desierto studio. During a session in Los Angeles, Bridges began streaming on Instagram Live and was contacted by American musician John Mayer, who invited Bridges to his studio where they collaborated on “When a Man Cries”. // Bridges cited Roy C and Van Morrison (specifically his 1968 album Astral Weeks) as influences on the album’s sound and lyricism. // Leon received generally positive reviews from music critics. At Metacritic, which assigns a normalized rating out of 100 to reviews from mainstream critics, the album received an average score of 79, based on eight reviews. // Writing for Uncut, Stephen Deusner called Bridges an “ambitious, yet idiosyncratic artist” and praised the lyricism and storytelling on the album, specifically on “Panther City”. Mojo’s Tom Doyle said that “Bridges’ vocal talents continue to shine”, also highlighting “Panther City” for its lyrics and “’70s Isley Brothers-styled” sound // In a review for Pitchfork, Stephen Thomas Erlewine complimented the “loving care that Bridges, [Ian] Fitchuk, and [Daniel Tashian bring to Leon”, but criticized the production and mixing for causing the album to “feel curiously frictionless”. Rolling Stone’s Julyssa Lopez praised the “emotional weight and personal intimacy” of the music, though she found “[s]ome of the album’s more general love songs … less intriguing”.]

114. David Bowie – Rock “N” Roll Star / Parlophone / June 14, 2024

[ROCK ‘N’ ROLL STAR!, is a 5CD and 1 Blu-Ray Audio set chronicling David Bowie’s journey through the creation of the Ziggy Stardust character and the recording of the iconic …Ziggy Stardust… album. ROCK ‘N’ ROLL STAR! contains 29 unreleased tracks, covers early songwriting demos, recordings from Bowie’s band, The Arnold Corns, rehearsals at Bowie’s then-home, Haddon Hall, BBC sessions, singles, live performances, plus outtakes and alternative versions from the original album recording sessions, which have been newly mixed by original album co-producer, Ken Scott. // Last night, the KEF Music Gallery London, 32-48 Great Portland St, London, hosted the world premiere of tracks from ROCK ‘N’ ROLL STAR!, the Dolby Atmos mix of Ziggy Stardust And The Spiders From Mars, along with a Q&A with Ziggy co-producer Ken Scott. // Also unveiled was a previously unreleased treasure trove of footage from the Ziggy Stardust tour shot in the UK during 1972 and 1973 by late Bowie collaborator, photographer Mick Rock, featuring the album version of “Ziggy Stardust” as its soundtrack. // The Dolby Atmos spatial audio mix of David Bowie’s The Rise And Fall Of Ziggy Stardust And The Spiders From Mars will be released on Blu-Ray Audio and Streaming on September 6. // The Rise And Fall Of Ziggy Stardust And The Spiders From Mars is the breakthrough album that catapulted David Bowie into the international spotlight. Over the past 50 years, it has remained a touchstone record, growing in stature with each passing year. It is now ingrained in pop culture, its undeniable influence spanning musicians from Arcade Fire to Lady Gaga, to Harry Styles’s androgynous fashion sense to Noel Fielding’s shirts on The Great British Bake-Off to Ziggy make-up challenges on Tik-Tok. David Bowie laid to rest the Ziggy Stardust persona in July 1973 at his infamous last show with the Spiders From Mars at London’s Hammersmith Odeon, but Ziggy’s impact reverberates to this day.]

115. ASPN – In This Dream / Big Tree Records / April 2, 2024

[10-track debut album. Producer: Logan Murphy. ASPN is a 4-piece indie-pop band from KC, blending modern production with indie songwriting. Abigail Wallnerㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤ on lead vocals, Mario Perales on guitars, Jacob Schneider on drums, Nick Nolte on bass. // ASPN began in 2020 when they formed as a cover band in KCMO. However, their desire for originality and a deeper connection with their audience drove them to fully embrace writing their own music in 2021. It was during this year that they released their debut song, “Airport.”Hastily recorded in a day (and in a basement), the single showed off the band’s talent for the dramatic – combining an emotional vocal performance with dynamic instrumentation. Not forgetting their commitment to connect with an audience, they also hosted their own live-stream to promote the single. They crafted the lighting, set design, and venue to ensure the best experience for their audience. On top of that, they made it a costume party. // Initially content with their release, ASPN recognized their need for a more polished and contemporary sound. They aimed to blend the indie elements of their previous single with the dramatic punch of modern production. Over the course of a year, they worked on defining their signature sound. In August 2022, they found that sound with “Again.” This signature sound was brimming with an expansive sense of scale and vibrancy. Coupled with an emotionally invigorating vocal performance, Again demonstrated ASPN’s ability to produce catchy indie-pop tunes. // “Again” marked the true beginning of ASPN, in more ways than one. Beyond its melodic statement, the release also coincided with a cross-country relocation for Mario for the foreseeable future. Despite being a breaking point for many bands, ASPN defied the odds, continued on, and embraced their status as being a band that literally spanned across the country. Despite the distance, they continued practicing online while still delivering the same energetic live shows with just three members (though Mario does come back on ocassion to help put on a good show). Instead of slowing down, they sped up. // In 2023, ASPN managed to write enough songs to fill up an entire album by year’s end. They previewed this debut album with the release of Raindrops (Hit Rewind). The year also marked their return to the live stage, allowing them to once again to connect intimately with their audience. // Abigail Wallnerㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤ is the literal heart and soul of ASPN, Abby’s infectious energy on stage comes from her background in musical theatre. Her flair for the dramatics shines through in both her emotional lyrics and irresistible melodies. Mario Perales remains a driving force behind the band’s musical evolution, despite residing in a distant part of the country. Through his unique chord progressions and melodic solos, his impact is palpable both on and off the stage. Jacob Schneider the man of legends, our tech guru, and the Craigslist discovery – Jacob. With his electrifying drumming, he infuses the band with the blistering energy it needs, while also orchestrating our unforgettable live shows. Nick Nolte is the quintessential bassist – effortlessly cool and versatile. When not sharing spider facts, Nick’s killer bass lines and infectious grooves steal the show. Ever embracing the band’s musical growth, Nick stands as ASPN’s unwavering anchor. More info at: http://www.aspn.band]

116. The Linda Lindas – No Obligation / Epitaph / October 11, 2023

[No Obligation is the second studio album by American rock band The Linda Lindas. The Linda Lindas is an American rock band from Los Angeles. The all-female group comprises Bela Salazar, Eloise Wong, and sisters Lucia and Mila de la Garza. // The band formed in 2018, and took their name from Linda Linda Linda, a Japanese film. After being noticed by director Amy Poehler, they recorded the soundtrack for her film Moxie, which was released in 2021. Later that year, they released the single “Racist, Sexist Boy”, which went viral. Epitaph Records signed them shortly afterwards. // In 2022, they released their debut album, Growing Up, and received mostly positive reviews. // Epitaph Records released the album on October 11, 2024. It was produced again by Carlos de la Garza, the father of band members Lucia and Mila de la Garza. Recording sessions for No Obligation took place at Henson Recording, Sunset Sound, and Music Friends Studios in Los Angeles in 2024. Six singles were released from the album: “Too Many Things”, “Resolution/Revolution”, “All in My Head”, “Yo Me Estreso”, and the title track “No Obligation”, and “Nothing Would Change”. // Following the release of their debut studio album, Growing Up (2022), “Too Many Things” was the Linda Lindas’ first release of 2023. The band subsequently opened for Paramore on the North American leg of the This Is Why Tour. // No Obligation was written between 2022 and 2024, whenever the Linda Lindas had time outside of school or touring. Writing sessions occurred on holiday breaks and long weekends. // Recording sessions for No Obligation took place at Henson Recording, Sunset Sound, and Music Friends Studios in Los Angeles in 2024. // The track “All in My Head” was written from the perspective of a character from the 2018 novel My Year of Rest and Relaxation by Ottessa Moshfegh. Guitarist Lucia de la Garza called it a “break from reality”. // In a press release, the band said they would be experimenting with post-punk, garage rock, power pop, new wave, and rock en español on the album. At the time of its announcement, the band members ranged from 13 to 19 years old, with Bela Salazar having finished high school, Mila de la Garza having finished middle school, and Lucia de la Garza and Eloise Wong in high school. “All in My Head” has been described by Lucia as more indie song, due to its use of an acoustic guitar. “Too Many Things” is a pop-punk song. Staff at Paste call the song “an anthemic slice of rock ‘n’ roll”. “Resolution/Revolution” is classified as a punk rock and power pop song, with influences from riot grrrl style. In a review at Far Out, editor Aimee Ferrier says the song “[blends] the accessibility of pop with the raw energy and power of punk.” “Resolution / Revolution” was influenced by Pantera and Judas Priest, as Bela Salazar had been listening to them.]

117. Ani DiFranco – Unprecedented Sh*t / Righteous Babe Records / May 17, 2024

[Ani DiFranco’s 23rd album, Unprecedented Sh!t was produced by BJ Burton (Bon Iver). The title Unprecedented Sh!t not only reflects the significant departure in sound presented by Ani’s latest 11-track album, but also serves as a poignant political and social commentary on the contemporary global landscape. // The latest single from Unprecedented Sh!t is the psych-folk number “You Forgot to Speak.” The focal point of the song speaks of the crushing weight of patriarchal systems on the female psyche and the complicity of women in their own oppression. In “You Forgot to Speak,” DiFranco sings with a dreamy lilt “Between first sleep and second sleep / I stare into the dark / and I can feel there are two of me / so I put um both on the ark.” // Widely considered a feminist icon, Grammy winner DiFranco is the mother of the DIY movement, being one of the first artists to create her own record label in 1990. While she has been known as the “Little Folksinger,” her music has embraced punk, funk, hip hop, jazz, soul, electronica, and even more distant sounds. In 2023, DiFranco released the 25th Anniversary Edition of her seminal album Little Plastic Castle on Righteous Babe Records. Her memoir No Walls and the Recurring Dream was a New York Times Top 10 best seller, and her debut children’s book The Knowing is out now. DiFranco stared as ‘Persephone’ in the Tony and Grammy Award-winning Best Musical, Hadestown. The world premiere of a documentary about DiFranco entitled 1-800-ON-HER-OWN will premiere at the Tribeca Film Festival in June, and her next children’s book Show Up and Vote is due in August. Find Ani DiFranco Online: http://www.anidifranco.com]

118. Gary Clark Jr. – JPEG RAW / Warner Music / March 22, 2024

[Four-time Grammy Award winning artist Gary Clark Jr. releases his highly anticipated new album, JPEG RAW. This new body of work signals a brave new world for Clark’s ever-expanding creative palette. The new music is dense and adventurous with a more cohesive synthesis of his eclectic musical universe. His samples, Thelonious Monk and Sonny Boy Williamson, decorate flourishes of African, World Music, and even Jazz while merging with rock, R&B, hip-hop and blues; familiar areas he has ventured before, this time with more unity forging a fresh new style. Clark’s lyrics are pointed, deeply personal, outspoken and socially conscious with occasional forays into rap and spoken word from Clark himself. The sonics are immersive, verging on modern groove-oriented psychedelia with hip-hop driven beats in verses giving way to anthemic choruses, rich with power-chording and wide fuzz riffage.. // The co-written Stevie Wonder duet, “What About The Children,” feels like an immediate classic that could have lived on Innervisions or Talking Book if not for Clark’s fuzzed out riff and hip-hop pocket. // Clark will kick off his North American headline tour on May 8 in Fort Worth, TX. The tour will continue with shows in Chicago, Boston, and New York City before concluding with his set at the Bonnaroo Music and Arts festival in Manchester, TN on June 14. // JPEG RAW is Clark’s first album since 2019’s critically lauded This Land, which became his third consecutive top 10 on the Billboard 200 chart and garnered three Grammy Awards, including Best Rock Song and Best Rock Performance (“This Land”) and Best Contemporary Blues Album (This Land). Clark’s first Grammy win was awarded in 2014 for Best Traditional R&B Performance (“PleaseCome Home”). // Since its release, the singer-songwriter has toured extensively and stretched his wings as an actor, playing American blues legend Arthur “Big Boy” Crudup in Baz Luhrmann’s Elvis, which received eight Academy Award nominations. Clark also served as the official Music Director for Jon Stewart’s acceptance of the 23rd Annual Mark Twain Prize for American Humor in the Kennedy Center Concert Hall. In addition to programming the event, he delivered a powerful tribute on stage, which aired on PBS nationwide. // With an eclectic range that contains multitudes, Clark continues to defy boundaries of any kind. Highlighted by an impressive coterie of awards, critical accolades, collaborations, sold-out tours that span the globe, billions of streams, endless television performances, & appearances in acclaimed films & TV series, Clark steps back into the light with JPEG RAW and breaks new ground that is both thrilling & inspiring. ] [Gary Clark Jr. played The Midland Theatre, 1228 Main St. KCMO, on Wednesday, May 15, 2024.]

119. Alejandro Escovedo – 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.]

120. Katie Pruitt – Mantras / Rounder Records / April 5, 2024

[Mantras is the second studio album by American singer-songwriter Katie Pruitt. // Mantras was recorded at The Shed in Nashville, Tennessee, and features production by Jake Finch and Collin Pastore. It stands as her most personal work to date and describes the “full circle journey from self-sabotage to self-compassion”, according to Pruitt. Writing the record forced the singer to stop looking for “external validation” and instead turn her focus inward. // The lead single “Blood Related” was released on November 17, 2023, and showcases Pruitt’s signature introspective songwriting about the exploration of complex relationships. The song was followed-up by “White Lies, White Jesus and You” on January 11, 2024, a protest song that deals with the “shedding” of “any remaining shame” caused by the church. On February 22, she shared the song “All My Friends” which was inspired by a Christian Wiman poem and deals with the “evolution of beliefs” as well as the journey of self-discovery. “Worst Case Scenario”, a “personal manifesto” of acknowledging one’s fears without giving them power, was released as the fourth single on March 14. // Katherine Nicole Pruitt was born March 4, 1994, and is an American singer-songwriter based in Nashville, Tennessee. Her debut album, Expectations, was released in 2020 by Rounder Records. // Pruitt grew up in the suburbs of Atlanta, Georgia. She was raised in a Catholic family and attended Catholic school.[1] She began singing as a child in musical theatre productions. She began learning guitar in middle school with her mother teaching her basic chords and hymns. Pruitt continued singing at open mic nights in Athens, Georgia while attending community college. // She attended Belmont University in Nashville, Tennessee, where she joined a band and received the first annual Nashville Songwriting Scholarship from the BMI Foundation. // In 2017, Pruitt was awarded the Buddy Holly Prize from the Songwriters Hall of Fame and signed with Round Hill Records. // Her EP, OurVinyl Live Session EP was released in March 2018. She was named by Rolling Stone as one of 10 new country artists you need to know and by NPR as one of the 20 artists to watch, highlighting Pruitt as someone who “possesses a soaring, nuanced and expressive voice, and writes with devastating honesty”. // On September 13, 2019, Pruitt released “Expectations”, the title track from her full-length debut. Additional singles from this project were subsequently released: “Loving Her” on October 21, 2019, and “Out of the Blue” on November 15, 2019. // On February 21, 2020, Pruitt’s debut album, Expectations, was released by Rounder Records. She earned a nomination for Emerging Act of the Year at the 2020 Americana Music Honors & Awards. In the same year, she duetted with Canadian singer-songwriter Donovan Woods on “She Waits for Me to Come Back Down”, a track from his album Without People. // In 2021 the artist was inter alia part of the Newport Folk Festival in July. // On March 18, 2022, Pruitt recorded an episode of The Caverns Sessions (previously known as Bluegrass Underground), which aired nationally on PBS on October 15, 2022. // With roots in folk music, Pruitt attributes growing up in the south of the United States as a key influence on her songwriting, both stylistically and thematically. // Her music often deals with complex coming-of-age issues such as mental health, navigating toxic relationships, and questioning religious faith. She describes the tension between coming out as a lesbian and growing up in a conservative household while attending Catholic school as the catalyst for using her music as a platform to speak openly and honestly about issues faced by LGBTQ youth. She has said in interviews that she hopes her music makes young people struggling with their sexuality feel less alone. Pruitt cites Brandi Carlisle as an inspiration for her music.]

Wednesday MidDay Medley
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