Flatbasset Radio: Episode #127

You know damn well where you'll go...

Well hello again, everybody! Welcome to Flatbasset Radio: Episode #127!

That's right, it's a rare Tuesday night show here at Planet New Basset. Something about the heat and holiday led to spending an inordinate amount of time lying in the air conditioning and napping, but you know I wouldn't leave you hanging for a whole week (at least not during the summer). No algorithms, no agenda, just 12 songs over 58 minutes lovingly assembled by yours truly.

On this week's show we complain about the heat, check in with one of the Twin Cities greatest bands of the 21st century, play the "what could have been game" on the anniversary of a rock icon's death, continue our exploration of the Disposable America catalog, wonder about the "American Bowie," listen to a new beat from one of our favorite local producers, discuss the various phases of the greatest American punk band, and celebrate one of the great Midwestern bands of my lifetime. All that plus the Cover Of The Week, our deep dive into Nate's Archives, a trip in the Minnesota Way-Back Machines, and, as always, 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 #127 (with all the appropriate iTunes tagging), just click here.



Here's how Flatbasset Radio: Episode #127 plays out:

01. France Has The Bomb - Grimm Trigger

02. Tim Fite - I Hope You're There

03. Jeff Buckley - Nightmares By The Sea

04. Funeral Advantage - 2 Late

05. Jobriath - Morning Star Ship

06. Joey Joey Michaels - Coming Over Lately

07. Rupert Angeleyes - I Believe In Love/The King Of Dentistry

08. The Owls - Luck

09. Big Cats - White Sands

10. Trace Mountains - Cary's Dreams

11. Bad Religion - Strange Denial

12. Local H - The One With 'Kid'









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.