Radio Free David Blog

We’ve resourced one tune today, and added a couple more. We ran into the Kings Of Convenience on the album The Best Acoustic Album In The World, and have been long running their wonderful track I Don’t Know What I Can Save You From. Today, however, we picked up the original album, Quiet Is The New Loud, and what a wonderful (mellow!) album that is. So, we’ve added in two more tracks from it Winning A Battle, Losing The War and Failure for your enjoyment.

We really like the Kings of Convenience and their low key, incredibly harmonious style, and with their heavy emphasis on the acoustic, well, they are a natural for us.

As always,
Enjoy!
david

Styx is a group with a lot of ups and downs in their past. As of this writing, they are on an “up” moment; they’re out touring, they’re live again, and their shows are fun and full of energy. Will this last? Hey, it’s Styx and who knows.

But, since they’re touring, we figured we might as we toss in a couple more live Styx tracks. From their odd compilation Yesterday & Today, we’ve added Grand Illusion and Too Much Time On My Hands. They’re fun tracks and ought to get your toes tapping.

As for this particular album…if you are thinking about purchasing it… don’t. There are way better compilations by Styx out there than this one. We had it handy and used it to, mainly, source this version of Grand Illusion.

As always,
Enjoy!
david

Heartland rock. Is there anything quite like it? And who better celebrates that than John Cougar Mellencamp? Who else brings home to us just what it means to grow up and live in the American Heartland? And who else makes us feel quite like he does?

From his 1985 Scarecrow album (a loose concept album), we’re adding in the four core tunes that make that album up: Rain On The Scarecrow, Rumbleseat, Small Town and Lonely Ol’ Night. We’re also adding in R.O.C.K In The U.S.A. (mostly because we love this song).

So, turn up the volume and let’s enjoy the words and music of John Mellencamp, shall we?

As always,
Enjoy!
david

We’re adding the Foo Fighters into our playlist today and to celebrate we’re adding them in a big way. At one stop on their 2006 tour at the Pantages Theater in Los Angeles, they did an acoustic concert, and released that as the Skin And Bones album. So, let’s see. Foo Fighters. Check. Live versions. Check. Acoustic live versions. Check. How can we not have a lot of fun with this one? Now, some people sort of panned this particular album, saying that the tunes were simply played without any real reinvention. We, on the other hand, think this is a very fine album indeed and our only gripe is that we weren’t at this show. We think the album captures the moment quite well and brings to us the concert experience.

We’ve added a whopping eight cuts today, include Walking After You, Best Of You, Big Me, Cold Day In The Sun, Everlong, My Hero, Next Year, and Times Like These (one of my favorite songs). We’re really happy with the energy and passion that the Foo Fighters bring to Radio Free David!

And Dave Grohl? We’re not done with his work just yet… stay tuned!
As always,
Enjoy!
david

Tom Petty is a wonderful musician, singer and songwriter. His songs pack a punch, and he has long been a favorite here on Radio Free David. So, why not celebrate some of his concerts?

We’ve replaced our standard studio versions of American Girl, Breakdown, Refugee and The Waiting with the live ones from the Pack Up The Plantation: Live! album. Recorded as part of his Southern Accents tour (well, among others–truth be told this is sort of a tour compilation–seeing as how this is live Tom Petty, we’ll let that detail slide), this album showcases his own work as well as several covers (and since we typically don’t run covers as a rule, we’ll set those aside for now). However, there are some more gems on here, and we’re adding Insider (which has Stevie Nicks on vocals, no less) and Rebels.

We like Pack Up The Plantation: Live, and recommend it, but do bear in mind that this particular album is not representative of a typical Tom Petty concert. Still, it’s live and there is precious little non-bootleg live Tom Petty around, so for that, we like it.

As always,
Enjoy!
david

Notorious Liz has been at it again, and this time she brings us not one but two new groups into our musical fold! As you well know, she has an incredible ear for new music and today’s selections are way hot.

First up is the Charmparticles and their cut Gold Plated Shot (from their new Alive In The Hot Spell album). The Charmparticles have a wonderfully interesting sound: this particular album spans everything from shoegaze to ballads to upbeat rock… and everything in between, showcasing their talents nicely. Alive In The Hot Spell is darn good listen and we heartily recommend it.

The Charmparticles come to us from the northwest (Oregon to be precise). They are Pamela Rooney (bass, electric piano and vocals), Sarah FiztGerald (guitar, keyboards and programming) and Nathanael Merrill (drums, percussion and programming).

Next up we have Crash Encore with their cut Catastrophe from their album Volume 1. Catastrophe has a wonderfully upbeat feel to it and it moves right along… it meets our criteria for getting our feet tapping and we’re pretty sure it will get yours moving as well. We recommend that you take the time to warm them up before listening, because, well, we wouldn’t want any strains or pulls now would we?

Crash Encore is Jon Bishop, Bryan Stratman, TJ Royer, Christian Cummings and Jason Harding; these guys have come together to provide a nice, tight and wonderful sound.

We’re liking this artists and think they provide a great addition to our playlist. Thanks, Liz!
As always,
Enjoy!
david

Peter Frampton achieved his success through one well timed breakthrough album: Frampton Comes Alive (and yes, we’re aware that rumors abound that Frampton Comes Alive isn’t exactly a live album). Today we’ve decided to add a couple more tunes from Peter Frampton.
From his sort-of follow up to that album (”follow up,” that is, if one doesn’t look too closely at the 19 year gap), Frampton Comes Alive II, we’ve added I’m In You, Can’t Take That Away and Off The Hook. This album, as a whole, shows a much more mature Frampton, and his guitar work remains simply suburb. The album as a whole, and despite it having to live up to a huge reputation is a good listen, and we’re happy to have it in our playlist.

As always,
Enjoy!
david

How about a couple of really good instrumentals for a Monday? And for those, we’ll turn to Joe Satriani and his magical guitar. We’re already running Flying In A Blue Dream, but we need some more of his work, we think.

And we did just that! From the One Big Rush: The Genius Of Joe Satriani album we’ve added the upbeat Surfing With The Alien and the downtempo and moving Cryin’.

As always,
Enjoy!
david

Just one song (but it’s a great one with killer lyrics) for today…

We’ve added Such Great Heights by The Postal Service from their Such Great Heights EP. We struggled a little bit (well, a lot a bit, actually) about which version, exactly to add, but in the end, although we love the Iron and Wine version, we decided to go with the standard one. Why? Well, despite our love of the alternative version we think this one keeps the beat moving, and truly, they are both great.

So, just something to keep the day moving along from us to you…

As always,
Enjoy!
david

Where rock meets reggae. Or, is it, perhaps, where reggae meets rock?

We don’t know the answer, but what we do know is that we love the sound of Three Legged Fox. Perhaps it is just because it is a Friday. Perhaps it is because it is a Friday the 14th, which is almost, but not quite, like a Friday the 13th. Perhaps it is just because we are in a mellow mood today, but want to hear some darn good music. Whatever it is, we’re happily tripping along with Three Legged Fox and think you should, too.

And as it turns out, we can help you do just that! We’ve added three neat cuts from their Ideas album: On My Way Home, I Am, and Lies, Only Lies. These have a beat, they have a groove and they have soul and our feet are still tapping along.

Who is Three Legged Fox? Glad you asked! They are Kyle Wareham (vocals and rhythm guitar), Mike Brody (lead guitar), Kory Kochersperger (drums) and Eric Weisenstein (bass guitar), and, for the most part, hail from somewhere around the Philadelphia area (we say “most part” because some of them live across the river in New Jersey. But let’s just call it Philly for today, OK?) What’s neat about these guys, and one reason we want to bring them to you is that in April they won the University of Delaware Battle of the Bands: no easy feat. However, with just one listen you’ll see why.

So… enjoy the mellow mood and feel today!

As always,
Enjoy!
david