InRadio 3.5 Hearsay, January/February 2006

To hear these and other great artists, order now.

Her Space Holiday
Wichita Recordings
"The Good People of Everywhere", Marc Bianchi's latest release under his pseudonym Her Space Holiday, offers a more mature sound and meaning than his previous works. After living in Austin, Texas for three years Marc, moved back to California to work on his latest CD in small,completely isolated house. This record doesn't stray so much musically from past ones, with simple beats, string arrangements and minimal guitar lines running throughout. The major change from past work is in his lyrics, which have morphed from one person perspectives into short stories, enabling the listener to feel like an active participant in the album. Don't let the poppy sound of Her Space Holiday trick you - it's layered with thought provoking lyrics that inspire deep reflection.


The Cribs
Wichita Recordings
The three Jarman brothers who make up the Cribs have been quickly making a name for themselves in the UK. Their sophomore album "The New Fellas", laden with both pop sensibility and the band's rock 'n' roll ethic, strays from the prevalent, mundane pop of recent years. The Cribs started out as one of the original guerrilla gig performers in the UK, holding ad hoc shows in public spaces. Playing with the likes of The Others, The Libertines, and Razorlight, these shows were free, spread through word of mouth and played until bands were evicted. With only two albums under their belt, The Cribs are still maturing as musicians and lyricists and seem destined to continue their quick growth.


The Robot Ate Me
Kill Rock Stars Records
From The Robot Ate Me's Web site, therobotateme.com: "Based out of the sunny and mostly superficial San Diego, this band has no history we want to put into a biography. Roll your windows down, forget why you are driving, smile and listen." Carousel Waltz, the latest release from The Robot Ate Me, was recorded in front man Ryland Bouchard's bedroom, creating a hauntingly spare sound. The album artwork shows a man with rainbow arms reaching out to dark clouds. On another page the man now has wings with rainbow arms reaching out to pink clouds. With that in mind, do as they tell you: roll down your windows, smile and listen.


Long Lost Brother
Orlando Records.
Long Lost Brother, a young band hailing from Dublin, is just beginning to make their way into the music scene. Formed in 2004, they released their single, "A Little At A Time" in the spring of 2005. They are now recording with Hugh Cornwell, who after seeing one of their shows offered to produce the bands' second release. With so little recorded, the future for this four piece band is a bit of a mystery, but we sure like what we hear and think you will too. Their second release should be out in early 2006.


Peter Bjorn and John
Hidden Agenda Records
Peter Bjorn and John have become one of Sweden's top bands, a respectable title coming from a country that is taking the music scene by storm. Formed in 1999, they have released two albums. Their latest, "Falling Out" has catapulted the trio to another level in Sweden and now abroad as well. The album's catchy pop songs lighten the disarmingly honest lyrics, creating a moving CD that you can listen to over and over again.


Bantu
PIRAHNA Records
Fuji music, named after the famous Japanese mountain symbolizing love, unity and brotherhood, has dominated the popular Nigerian music scene for the past decade. Fuji is an enticing blend of pure, raw Yoruba traditional percussion and choral vocals that reflect the Arabic tonality of Nigeria's large Muslim population. The result is some of the most riveting and persuading dance music in all of West Africa. Ade Bantu, the Nigerian/German rapper, gets some help on the album, most notably from Adewale Ayuba, one of the leaders in Fuji music. The mixing of genres gives the album a different feel and sound. Not entirely hip hop and not entirely Fuji, the album tries to slowly bring Fuji music into the light.


The Fiery Furnaces
Sanctuary Records
It's hard to explain Matthew and Eleanor Fredberger's sound. The siblings from Chicago who have relocated to New York have released four albums since their debut in 2003. Their latest, 'Rehearsing My Choir', is a concept album that is structured as a dialogue between Eleanor and Olga Sarantos, the duo's grandmother. 'Blueberry Boat', the Fiery Furnaces last full length album is one big beautiful mess, and their last EP, from which 'Evergreen' is taken, is a calmer collection of unreleased tracks and rarities.


Peter Walker
Dangerbird Records
The 31-year-old singer-songwriter from Boston is a bit of a mystery in the music scene. Walker, who's been playing music since he was a kid, kept at it through school and decided to try and make a living out of it. Walker put out a demo while living in San Francisco that caught the attention of Producer Joe Chicarelli. Chicarelli decided to record his album and helped line up Jay Bennett (Wilco), Justin Meldal-Johnson (Beck), and Joey Waronker (Beck, R.E.M.) as Walker's back up band. Not too shabby. His first album, "Landed", was released and is making its way through the music industry. His new album, "Young Gravity", is slated for an April release and is self-described as a process of piecing together a bunch of different songs from different times.


The Pines
Trailer Records
The folk and blues duo, The Pines, have been making music together for nearly three years now. With one release under their belt and another soon to be out. David Huckfelt and Benson Ramsey have been keeping busy. Their first album a beautiful collection mixing love songs, spaghetti western-style instrumentals, and raw blues is a new and refreshing sound in the world of American roots music.


The Jim Yoshii Pile-Up
Absolutely Kosher Records
When an album whose first track starts, "To my father...I leave a blood-stained mattress/ To my mother with her head to the wall/ I tried...but failed to do the simplest things that somehow mean the most." you know you're in for a tear jerker and the Jim Yoshii Pile-up does not dissapoint.

This five piece oakland band has produced two impressive LPs. The latter, "Picks Us Apart" was released in 2005.



Aesop Rock
Definitive Jux Records
Aesop Rock doesn't fit into any conventional categories of hip-hop music. His style, which blends both traditional hip hop storytelling and self-promotion with intelligent societal analysis is musically and lyrically impressive. For example, his second album, 'Labor Days' released in 2001 is dedicated to the discussion of labor in U.S. society. A New York City-based emcee and producer, Aesop has released many albums on Def Jux records, including his latest 'Fast Cars. Danger, Fire and Knives'.


31Knots
Polyvinyl Records
Eight years after their first release, 31knots demonstrates their evolution with their latest release 'Talk Like Blood'.

This Portland based rock band formed in 1997 continues to showcase its musical talent. Listen carefully to 'Talk Like Blood' and one will find subtle beauty behind the dominant vocals and guitar riffs. Playing with bands such as Modest Mouse, Califone and the Owls, 31knots has been making a name for themselves and their distinct musical style.


Pieta Brown
Valley Entertainment Records
The Iowan singer and guitarist blends together a mix of country, blues and folk. Perhaps a testament to her childhood growing up in the hills of Iowa and the deep south of Birmingham, Pieta Brown blends together these three traditions seemingly effortlessly creating a style all of her own. On top of the music is her voice, which is beautifully simplistic and honest. Pieta has released three albums in the last three years, two on Trailer Records and the newest, 'In The Cool', on Valley Entertainment.


The Chrysler
Galaxy Gramophone Records
The second of two Swedish bands on 3.5, The Chrysler, composed of Pelle Lindroth and Anders E. Rudstrom are described in Sweden as "country with a touch of evil" blending together a mixture of musical genres.

This melange is possibly a testament to their stated influences of the Everly Brothers, The Band, Simon & Garfunkel, The Velvet Underground and Neil Young. Regardless of the differing components The Chrysler's have created a beautiful sounding debut album.


Best Friends Forever
Say and Stay Said Records
There's not much known about Minneapolis-based BFF, except that Briana Smith and Jessica Seamans, who are backed by Karl Rotto on the drums, have been as one could guess, best friends forever. Their music, bubbly, goofy pop delivered by two girls who lack something in terms of vocal and instrumental talent is fun, refreshing and almost impossible not to bounce around your room to.


Smog
Drag City Records
It seems appropriate to finish InRadio 3.5 with Bill Callahan, because of his music's simplistic beauty. It has been two years since Bill's last studio release and the wait was worth it. The new album was recorded in Willie Nelson's Pedernales Studios, and the spirit of Willie and great country music permeates through this album, in lyric, instrumentation, and style. The album opens up with a song devoted to Callahan's return to the South for this recording. Atop a beautiful acoustic guitar part, Callahan sings "Why's everybody looking at me? ... Like a Southern bird who's stayed North too long." Callahan shares his unease with Northern life, especially the weather, closing the song with the beautiful prose "Winter exposes the nests and I'm gone."