Flatbasset Radio: Episode #120

Can't just pull out all the fuses and start over...

Well hello again, podcast fans. Welcome to Flatbasset Radio: Episode #120!

Folks, April is upon us and, while the weather my be cold, this week's show is packed with white hot jams to help keep you warm. 12 songs, 58 minutes, always free to stream/download.

On Episode #120 we check out one of L.A.'s most underrated bands, check out some local grooves, try to help some 90's power-poppers shed the "one hit wonder" label, spotlight some upcoming local shows, check in with Minneapolis' most popular singer, indulge in a couple guitar freakouts, continue our deep dive into the Father/Daughter Records catalog, and go to bat for Zooey Deschanel. All that plus some anniversaries, the Cover Of The Week, a dive into Nate's Archives, a spin in the Minnesota Way-Back Machine, and the Flatbasset Flatclassic.

As always, Flatbasset Radio is completely free. I've finally set up a decent downloading site, so if you'd like to download Flatbasset Radio: Episode #120 (with all the appropriate iTunes tagging), just click here.




Here's how Ep. #120 plays out:

01. Big Air - Indecision Overload

02. The Controversial New 'Skinny Pill' - New Becomening

03. Superdrag - Sold You An Alibi

04. Yumi Zouma - Champagne Supernova

05. Jay Reatard - My Shadow

06. Nap Eyes - Lion In Chains

07. Dessa - Half Of You

08. The Hang Ups - Little Blue

09. tooth ache. - Lazarus

10. Built To Spill - Temporarily Blind

11. She & Him - This Is Not A Test

12. Elvis Costello - Lip Service










Beats by Phatnumber
Flatbasset Radio Artwork by Ross Auger

Thanks for listening!

For more of my rantings you can give me a follow on Twitter (@TCDroogsma).  Previous episodes of Flatbasset Radio are archived on my Mixcloud page.  Stop by Flatbasset Radio's Facebook Page & give it a "Like" if you have the time.

Album Of The Week: June 16th-22nd, 2014

Flatbasset Radio's Album Of The Week for the week of June 16th-22nd, 2014:

The Starfolk - The Starfolk

01. The Great Unknown
02. Come And Play
03. Kindness Of Strangers
04. To The Gate
05. Sow The Seed
06. Midnight Moon
07. Sleeping Without Dreaming
08. True Blue
09. Into The Clouds
10. Winterwalk
11. Wake Up Machine
12. From Above

The Starfolk's been on my radar for quite a while now.  Back in October of 2008 The Current posted "Wake Up Machine" as their Song Of The Day.  As you probably know by now, I have a needlessly elaborate system of spending a week with each SOTD track (which eventually birthed the Songs Of The Week posts) as well as consistently revisiting those tracks over the years.

I was never particularly blown away by "Wake Up Machine" (in my defense, the version posted in '08 is far inferior to the fully realized version on The Starfolk).  However, last August The Current posted "To The Gate," a song both MinneSarah & I thoroughly enjoyed.  Since that week I've always kept The Starfolk in the back of my mind as an album I should spend some time with.

Fast forward to last Sunday when, in my search for this week's album, I strolled through the Electric Fetus until this one caught my eye.  I picked it up and, a week later, I couldn't be more pleased with the record.



As I understand it, most people came to The Starfolk with somewhat formed opinions of the band.  Co-lead singer Brian Tighe is well known from his work fronting The Hang Ups & The Owls and fans of those bands inevitably make up a good chunk of The Starfolk's fanbase.  Hell, three quarters of The Starfolk are made up by people who also play in The Owls.

I, however, have never knowingly heard The Hang Ups or The Owls.  After spending a week with this album I'm certainly inclined to check them out though.  The Starfolk is a well-exectuted, thoughful pop album.  Tighe and his bandmates Allison LaBonne, Jacqueline Ultan, & Stephen Ittner have been playing this sort of bouncy chamber pop for so long that the songs come across with a sense of ease that makes the album breeze by.   There are hints of Luna, hints of Ivy, hints of The Velvet Underground... If you're a fan of any of that, definitely look into The Starfolk.

In fact, look into it right here on The Starfolk's Bandcamp page.  Really.  Give it a spin.