Episode #18

Sam Billen, doing his Sam Bean impersonation

Our sixth anniversary was last weekend, and we spent last Friday night in Topeka to celebrate.  While there, we went to Sam Billen‘s release/listening party at a bohemian furniture store Friday night and hung out with his brother, Dan, and family on Saturday (stopping at a sweet Mexican joint and a thrift store).

Sam released a couple solo albums while the band he formed with his brother, The Billions, was alive and kicking.  Now that the band is finished (playing its final concert earlier this year), he’s continued doing solo work with this new release on The Record Machine.

Anyway, enjoy the show.

1. Sam Billen – The Garden (Headphones and Cellphones 2009)
2. David Byrne & Brian Eno – Strange Overtones (Everything That Happens will Happen Today 2008)
3. TV on the Radio – Golden Age (Dear Science 2008)
4. Autolux – Sugarless (Future Perfect 2004)

Radio Free Raytown – Episode #18 (11/6/09)

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Driving. Rotation. Pacifico. Freddie Mercury.

I started my job as a Pizza Hut delivery driver on Sunday. (I cooked and delivered pizzas through college, so there was no learning curve. It’s okay, while I look for a real job.) The hours are horrible if you enjoy a happy marriage, but I have had some joy in driving around and listening to music. I just don’t think enough people really listen to music in their cars these days. Everyone’s distracted by their cell phones, or they just listen to the crappy radio with commercials screaming at you, breaking up what few songs are played. Anyway, my rotation this week, in no particular order…

1. Joy Electric – Ministry of Archers (2005)
2. Starflyer 59 – Dial M (2008)
3. St. Vincent – Actor (2009)
4. Joy Electric – Curiosities and Such (2009)
5. Marty Wilson-Piper – Nightjar (2008)
6. Pet Shop Boys – Alternative, disc 2 (1995)
7. TV On the Radio – Dear Science (2008)
8. Pacifico – Thin Skin and an Open Heart (2009)
9. Martin L. Gore – Counterfeit EP (1989)
10. R.E.M. – Murmur (1983)

I really dig the new Pacifico album. Matthew Schwartz sounds like he’s singing for girls but also not singing for girls. Sure, most of his songs could appeal to the self-enlightened teenage girl who thinks that the Juno soundtrack rivals Abbey Road, but there are many more points of reference in his music than trendy, chick-friendly schmaltz. He’s a really good singer, channeling a lot of Brian Wilson at times, with a cavalcade of background vocals. I also hear touches of The Posies, Starflyer 59, and maybe the Go-Betweens(?).

On a complely unrelated note, my brother-in-law was on a Queen kick yesterday. Now I can’t get “Save Me” out of my head.