From April 27, 2004:

You Play DJ: Listener Picks

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The mail poured in with lots of great music picks from largely unknown artists. We couldn't begin to put all of them up, but here's a sample of the ones that stood out. If you don't see your pick, it may appear on a later show.

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Robert Skoro

DJ: Listener Lisa Robinson

CD: Proof
Song: "Heaven"
Label: Merciful

Listen to "Heaven"

"He's a local guy in Minneapolis (though he has toured in Sweden) and one of my absolute favorites. The song 'Heaven' is a standard. He works at the coffee house I used to go to (Caffetto, on 22nd). I live in NY now and this album keeps me sane. It is very much indicative of a gorgeous internal life in an increasingly entropic environment. A saving grace."

- Listener Lisa Robinson

Thalia Zedek

DJ: Listener Gary Gogel

CD: Been Here and Gone
Song: "1926"
Label: Matador

Listen to "1926"

"Thalia Zedek has been playing in Boston since about 1981 or so in various bands and I've been a fan of all of them. Our local weekly, The Boston Phoenix, has rightly compared her to Mission of Burma as a long running local legend. There is a very good unofficial Web site dedicated to her that has a good bio and samples of her other bands. Been Here and Gone was a departure for her. After twenty years of singing over very loud rock bands she decided to do cabaret-style performances, either solo or with a small group of musician friends. I'm pretty impressed by this CD and the follow up Kimchee release, You're a Big Girl Now because I think it indicates a real maturing of both Thalia's singing and writing. Anyway, to paraphrase the Matador records bio, she has a unique and powerful voice."

- Listener Gary Gogel

Chanticleer

DJ: Listener Gretchen Gettel

CD: Our American Journey
Song: "Guide Me, O Thou Great Jehovah"
Label: Teldec Classics

Listen to "Guide Me, O Thou Great Jehovah"

"I found out about (Chanticleer) because my brother gave me the Purcell CD for Christmas, and he gave the American Journey disk to my 90-year old grandfather at the same time. Perhaps I really fell in love with Chanticleer when my brother and I were listening to the American Journey CD with my grandfather while he was very ill in the hospital over Christmas. He is a retired professor of music and specialized in and loved American music particularly. My brother and I were in the hospital room listening to the first track of the American Journey disk, and my brother said, 'This is... Oh God Guide Me...' and he couldn't remember the rest of the title. My grandfather, who was so ill and so quiet, surprised us by piping up with the answer 'Guide Me, O Thou, Great Jehovah.' He had recognized the track, and it clearly played a large part in boosting his morale and creating a special moment for all of us during a difficult time."

- Listener Gretchen Gettel

A Girl Called Eddy

DJ: Listener M. Bowry

CD: Tears All Over Town
Song: "Heartache"
Label: Le Grand Magistery

Listen to "Heartache"

"First, let me offer the standard 'I love the show, blah blah blah' comment. But, of course, I DO love the show, blah blah blah... has clued me in to some great stuff. I offer both thanks and kudos to you! I heard Hem on All Songs Considered. Loved their CD. On the Hem Web site one member of the band mentioned A Girl Called Eddy as something he was listening to and pointed to her Web site. I liked what I heard and sought out a used copy of her CD. A stunning work. Strong arrangements, of the Bacharach school, and powerful (though sad) songs."

- Listener M. Bowry

National Bank of Morocco

DJ: Listener Mike Appleman

CD: Museum Janitor
Song: "Susan Grey"
Label: Self Released

Listen to "Susan Grey"

- Listener Mike Appleman


We have no purchase information for this CD.

Brad Sucks

DJ: Listener Tom

CD: I Don't Know What I'm Doing
Song: "Making Me Nervous"
Label: Self Released

Listen to "Making Me Nervous"

"A friend who's a fan (of Brad Sucks) sent me a link to Brad's Web site a while back. He has a Web log and gives away his songs for free there. I thought that was pretty cool and I was surprised by how good the songs were when I downloaded them! I think the first one I heard was 'Making me Nervous' and it blew me away. It was so much better than other free music I've heard on the net. I love Brad because his music is so honest. It's just one guy with a guitar, a Web site and some cheap recording equipment, writing and recording songs that are catchy and fun but still deep at the same time. I think he's got a really cool, unique style going on and everyone should check him out!"

- Listener Tom


Visit the artist's Web site for more on this CD.

Michael Bloomfield, Al Kooper, Stephen Stills

DJ: Listener Dale Martinez

CD: Super Session
Song: "Season of the Witch"
Label: Sony

Listen to "Season of the Witch"

"This is easy. On my 15th birthday my grandmother gave me two albums. How a 70 year-old woman from Hamburg, Germany picked these albums I will never know. One was Joe Cocker's second album, which is hardly unknown and maybe his best work. The second was a jam album that I played to tatters called Super Session. I would always play it for friends, and they would love it. Any of the Al Kooper cuts will do; the blues guitar is second to none. Super Session was just that: one session. And it was always just mine."

- Listener Dale Martinez

Tones on Tail

DJ: Listener Keith Baughman

CD: Everything
Song: "Lion" (originally on The Album Pop)
Label: Beggars Banquet

Listen to "Lion"

"From out of the ashes of Bauhaus, Daniel Ash and Kevin Haskins formed Tones on Tail. In 1985, when I was in High School, I picked up one of the first issues of SPIN magazine. The Platter du jour that month was TOT's The Album Pop. Shortly after reading the article, I found the LP at the local hip record store. As soon as I dropped the needle, I knew this was one of the best albums I'll ever hear. The strange high hat rhythm, the seagulls, the lazy surf guitar and I was hooked. I can still listen to this album without the slightest bit of decay in my impression. It's a shame that Daniel Ash & Kevin Haskins reunited with David J to form Love and Rockets, and it's a crime that the entire retrospective of TOT can be squeezed onto a single CD."

- Listener Keith Baughman

Sim Redmond Band

DJ: Listener Bill Williams

CD: Good Thoughts
Song: "Good Thoughts"
Label: I Town Records

Listen to "Good Thoughts"

"Their music fits perfectly within the eclectic musical styles of the (Ithaca, New York) area and they're regular headliners at the annual 'Grassroots Festival.' In my opinion, their album Good Thoughts best exemplifies their maturing style. If I were to pick a song to play, I would choose the title track. This music is perfect for a relaxed warm summer day... even better if it is live at a festival."

- Listener Bill Williams

Split Lip Rayfield

DJ: Listener Caryn Culp

CD: Never Make It Home
Song: "It's No Good"
Label: Bloodshot

Listen to "It's No Good"

"The first time I saw Split Lip was at the 2000 South By Southwest Music Conference in Austin, Texas. I initially thought the rhythm was created by a tuba until I was able to get close enough to see the Stitchgiver, the one-string stand-up bass. The exceptional traditional musicians combined with the suprisingly versatile rhythm makes for an extraordinary bluegrass sound. Their music makes me feel drunk."

- Listener Caryn Culp

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