THURSDAY MORNING MIX
September 24, 2009
Scott Foley

Comes a time when your peaceful community radio rituals are interrupted. Those same friendly familiars who entertain and educate you are now soliciting you for your money.

Knock knock.

I'm a part of KRFC because I've loved to "play dj" since I was small. With a portable cassette player next to the stereo speakers, my younger brother and I would record our own programs. At the height of this habit, Eric's radio persona was Velvet Jones; mine, the Choklit Beetle. Then, as now, I'm in it for the music.

I'm guessing you are, too. I imagine you tune into KRFC because, flipping around the dial one afternoon, you came across sounds that struck you as different than most other stations. Sure, you'll hear a bit of americana here, maybe some roots music over there, perhaps you'll even pull in some alt.country if you're lucky. But there's nothing like Thursday Morning Mix anywhere else on your radio on the Front Range.

Does that fondness necessarily lead to you pulling money from your wallet (who has a wallet anymore?) and launching it upon the radio waves? Maybe not. But somebody has to. The world is made less rich when we lose one local independent bookstore, restaurant or radio station. I'll be able to go home and set up my cassette recorder, channeling the Choklit Beetle once more. And you'll tune in one day to find that you can no longer indulge your ears in Super Monday Buffet, House Rent Party, Live at Lunch or Thursday Morning Mix.

KRFC's Fall 2009 Membership Drive begins Friday, September 25. I won't blame you if you don't wait until next Thursday to pledge (but please make sure to put in a good word).

* Anne McCue, "From Bakersfield To Saigon" Koala Motel (Messenger, 06)
* Scott Biram, "Draggin' Down the Line" Something's Wrong / Lost Forever (Bloodshot, 09)
* John Fogerty, "Never Ending Song of Love" Blue Ridge Rangers Rides Again (Verve, 09)
* Son Volt, "Dust of Daylight" American Central Dust (Rounder, 09)
* Buddy & Julie Miller, "Chalk" Written in Chalk (New West, 09)
* Nitty Gritty Dirt Band, "Good To Be Alive" Speed of Life (Sugar Hill, 09)
* Gurf Morlix, "Music You Mighta Made" Last Exit To Happyland (Self, 09)
* Carolyn Mark, "Edmonton" Party Girl (Mint, 00)
* Rhett Miller, "Caroline" Rhett Miller (Shout, 09)
* Works Progress Administration, "I Got To Sleep" WPA (WPA, 09)
* Danny Barnes, "Caveman" Pizza Box (ATO, 09)
* John Prine, "Bruised Orange (Chain of Sorrow)" Bruised Orange (Oh Boy, 78)
* Patty Loveless, "Busted" Mountain Soul II (Saguaro Rd, 09)
* Band of Heathens, "LA County Blues" One Foot in the Ether (BoH, 09)
* Matt the Electrician, "Animal Boy" Animal Boy (Self, 09)
* Rosanne Cash w/Jeff Tweedy, "Long Black Veil" The List (Manhattan, 09)
* Johnny Cash, "I'm a Drifter" Unearthed (American, 03)
* The Mumlers, "Raise the Blinds" Don't Throw Me Away (Galaxia, 09)
* Avett Bros, "Tin Man" I and Love and You (American, 09)
* Drive-by Truckers, "Like a Rolling Stone" The Fine Print (New West, 09)
* Trucker's Daughter, "One Kiss" Broken Down Love (Self, 09)
* Jonny Burke, "El Paso" Long Haul EP (Self, 09)
* Trampled By Turtles, "Codeine" Blue Sky and the Devil (Self, 05)
* Tom Russell, "Guadalupe" Blood and Candle Smoke (Shout, 09)
* Robert Earl Keen, "Something I Do" Rose Hotel (Lost Highway, 09)
* Carrie Rodriguez, "You Won't Be Satisfied That Way" Live in Louisville (Self, 09)

Scott

THURSDAY MORNING MIX
September 17, 2009
Scott Foley

Four new arrivals this week that I could imagine might just hang on to end up on my year-end favorites list. The Honeycutters actually debuted on last week's Episode, but a few more listens has cemented my opinion of Amanda Platt and Peter James' first CD. Platt's vocals are just understated enough, and even though the packaging and production are so-so, Irene just has that magic something.

Chuck Ragan has been high on my radar since I first came across his music through last year's Revival Tour. His new Gold Country is more anthemic than anything else I've heard from Ragan, with heart-on-sleeve lyrics and go for broke vocals. In the wrong hands, such earnestness could be offputting, but Ragan and friends come off as more genuine.

Works Progress Administration (WPA) surprised me with its strength. Glen Phillips and Sean Watkins have never thrilled me with their songs, but the results of their collaboration add up to more than a mutant "Toad the Wet Nickel Creek" offspring. Sean's sister Sara contributes some fine vocals, and Greg Leisz's pedal steel is always welcome.

Finally, since I met him in Corvallis several years ago, I've always thought Matt the Electrician should be more famous. I keep expecting "Valedictorian" from Long Way Home to pop up on some TV show or other. Of course, there's a chance that he'd have more success using his given surname, but many of his songs are perfect little masterpieces. Matt has a great sense of humor as well.


* Paul Reddick, "Every Temptation" Sugarbird (Northernblues, 08)
* Bap Kennedy, "Irish Moon" Howl On (Lonely St, 09)
* The Boxmasters, "Joanne" Modbilly (Vanguar, 09)
* Leslie and the Badgers, "Los Angeles" Roomful of Smoke (Lyricland, 09)
* Tim Easton, "Burgundy Red" Porcupine (New West, 09)
* Los Lobos, "And It Didn't Even Bring Me Down" Keep Your Soul: Tribute to Doug Sahm (Vanguard, 09)
* Works Progress Administration, "Wedding or a Wake" WPA (WPA, 09)
* The Gourds, "El Paso" Bolsa de Agua (Sugar Hill, 00)
* Geoff Muldaur and the Texas Sheiks, "Please Baby" Texas Sheiks (Kasle, 09)
* Langhorne Slim, "Say Yes" Be Set Free (Kemado, 09)
* Honeycutters, "Better Woman" Irene (Buttons Down, 09)
* David Childers & the Modern Don Juans, "Close the Door Lightly" Burning in Hell (Little King, 07)
* Naomi Sommers, "Two Sparrows" Gentle As the Sun (Amer Melody, 08)
* Band of Heathens, "Look At Miss Ohio" One Foot in the Ether (BOH, 09)
* Matt the Electrician, "Got Your Back" Animal Boy (Self, 09)
* Dolorean, "We Winter Wrens" You Can't Win (Yep Roc, 07)
* Those Darlins, "Wild One" Those Darlins (Oh Wow Dang, 09)
* Yonder Mt String Band, "Belle Parker" The Show (Frog Pad, 09)
* Kris Kristofferson, "Good Morning John" Closer to the Bone (New West, 09)
* Hobo Nephews of Uncle Frank, "Silver Spoons" Traveling Show (Call it Correspondence, 09)
* Madison Violet, "Crying" No Fool for Trying (True North, 09)
* Monsters of Folk, "Whole Lotta Losin'" Monsters of Folk (Shangri-La, 09)
* Sons of Bill, "Rock and Roll" One Town Away (Gray Fox, 09)
* Mary Chapin Carpenter, "What Would You Say To Me" Between Here and Gone (Columbia, 04)
* Nitty Gritty Dirt Band, "The Resurrection" Speed of Life (Sugar Hill, 09)
* Todd Adelman & the Love Handles, "Sorry" Todd Adelman & the Love Handles (Porch Lantern, 09)
* Chuck Ragan, "For Goodness Sake" Gold Country (Side One Dummy, 09)
* Emmylou Harris, "Orphan Girl" Wrecking Ball (Elektra, 95)

Scott

THURSDAY MORNING MIX
September 10, 2009
Scott Foley

Nice to welcome in-studio guests this morning; Texas Renegade (from Texas ...) stopped by to plug their Aggie Theatre show. They proved to be gregarious and mic-friendly, and their visit piqued my interest in their forthcoming new CD.

I've been a Malcolm Holcombe fan for several years. One day recently, while driving home from work, I decided Disney should develop an animated, mud-sucking catfish character, to be voiced by Malcolm. Makes Tom Waits sound like a choirboy. For the Mission Baby features a full-band sound, which compliments Holcombe's songs nicely.

* Felice Bros, "Roll On Arte" Tonight At the Arizona (Loose, 07)
* Amy Speace, "Dog Days" Killer in Me (Wildflower, 09)
* John Doe & the Sadies, "I Still Miss Someone" Country Club (Yep Roc, 09)
* Walt Wilkins & the Mystiqueros, "Trains I Missed" Diamonds in the Sun (Palo Duro, 07)
* Langhorne Slim, "Restless" & the War Eagles (Kemado, 08)
* Loudon Wainwright III, "High Wide and Handsome" High Wide and Hansome: the Charlie Poole Project (2nd Story, 09)
* Rosanne Cash w/Bruce Springsteen, "Sea of Heartbreak" The List (Manhattan, 09)
* Hobo Nephews of Uncle Frank, "Traveling Show" Traveling Show (Call it Correspondence, 09)
* Uncle Tupelo, "Anodyne" Anodyne (Sire, 93)
* Robert Earl Keen, "Rose Hotel" Rose Hotel (Lost Hwy, 09)
* Earl Pickens & Family, "Where the Streets Have No Name" Joshua Tree (Self, 09)
* Cory Chisel & the Wandering Sons, "Tennessee" Death Won't Send a Letter (Black Seal, 09)
* Rev Horton Heat, "Please Don't Take the Baby to the Liquor Store" Laughin' & Cryin' (Yep Roc, 09)
* Chris Smither, "Time Stands Still" Time Stands Still (Signature Sounds, 09)
* Honeycutters, "On My Mind" Irene (Self, 09)
* Cross Canadian Ragweed, "51 Pieces" Happiness and All the Other Things (Universal South, 09)
* Malcolm Holcombe, "Short Street Blues" For the Mission Baby (Echo Mt, 09)
* Patty Loveless, "Bramble & the Rose" Mountain Soul II (Saguaro Rd, 09)
* Chris Knight, "Summer of '75" Trailer II (Drifter's Church, 09)
* Two Tons of Steel, "Bad Attitude" Not That Lucky (Smith, 09)
* Kris Kristofferson, "Closer to the Bone" Closer to the Bone (New West, 09)
* Rocky Votolato, "Before You Were Born" Brag & Cuss (Barsuk, 07)
* Guy Clark, "If I Needed You" Somedays the Song Writes You (Dualtone, 09)
* Delbert McClinton, "Do It" Acquired Taste (New West, 09)
* Texas Renegade, "Angel of the Moonlight" After Everything (Smith, 07)
* Texas Renegade, "Love is a Funny Thing" After Everything (Smith, 07)
* Bottle Rockets, "Long Way" Lean Forward (Bloodshot, 09)

Scott

THURSDAY MORNING MIX
September 3, 2009
Scott Foley

Ironically, a band with one of the worst names of the year has released one of the better albums. Hobo Nephews of Uncle Frank (?!!) play a Minnesota-bred blend of The Band and Avett Bros, backed frequently by members of Duluth's Trampled by Turtles. Cruncy, irreverent and just this side of messy.

Speaking of crunchy, Lucero's first Big Label single has found the light of day. Their last album found them in the wake of discovering keyboards. This time, it's horns. Also nice to hear from Chuck Ragan, CCR and Dayna Kurtz's nice take on songs beloved by Hazel Dickens. Two recurring artists: The Pines' "Shiny Shoes" is a gorgeous track. And why won't any American label release Shane Nicholson's fantastic Familiar Ghosts album?

* Blue Mountain, "Wink" Dog Days (Roadrunner, 95)
* Kieran Kane, "Way Down Below" Somewhere Beyond the Roses (Compass, 09)
* Dayna Kurtz & Mamie Minch, "It's Not Love (But It's Not Bad)" For the Love of Hazel (Kismet, 09)
* Madison Violet, "Small of My Heart" No Fool For Trying (True North, 09)
* Band of Heathens, "What's This World" One Foot in the Ether (BOH, 09)
* Hobo Nephews of Uncle Frank, "Silver Spoons" Traveling Show (Call it Correspondence, 09)
* Justin Townes Earle, "Far Away in Another Town" The Good Life (Bloodshot, 08)
* Shane Nicholson, "Where the Water Goes" Familiar Ghosts (Liberation, 08)
* Radney Foster, "Life is Hard (Love is Easy)" Revival (Devil's River, 09)
* Split Lip Rayfield, "Used To Call Me Baby" Never Make It Happen (Bloodshot, 01)
* Tom Russell, "Mississippi River Runnin' Backwards" Smoke (Shout, 09)
* A. A. Bondy, "Oh the Vampyre" When the Devil's Loose (Fat Possum, 09)
* Diana Jones, "Henry Russell's Last Words" Better Times Will Come (Proper, 09)
* Resentments, "Ricebirds" On My Way to See You (Freedom, 06)
* The Pines, "Shiny Shoes" Tremolo (Red House, 09)
* Cross Canadian Ragweed, "Blue Bonnets" Happiness and All the Other Things (Universal, 09)
* Jon Dee Graham, "Jesus of the Freeway" First Bear on the Moon (Freedom, 09)
* Works Progress Administration, "Always Have My Love" WPA (WPA, 09)
* Drive-by Truckers, "TVA" The Fine Print (New West, 09)
* Magnolia Electric Co, "Little Sad Eyes" Josephine (Secretly Canadian, 09)
* Lucero, "Smoke" 1372 Overton Park (Universal, 09)
* Bad Livers, "Jesus is On the Mainline" Dust on the Bible (Quarterstick, 94)
* Jubal Lee Young, "I Refuse" Last Free Place in America (Reconstruction, 09)
* Sam Baker, "Who's Gonna Be Your Man" Cotton (Music Road, 09)
* Chuck Ragan, "Glory" Gold Country (Side One Dummy, 09)
* Mike Farris, "Green Green Grass of Home" Shout! Live (INO, 09)

Scott