I’ve been listening to Dana Falconberry‘s recent LP, Leelanau, for a month or so, but I haven’t mustered up the courage to write about it. You see, her voice; it makes me a little sad. It is, on occasion, reminiscent of the late Jeff Hanson — a beautiful, somewhat high pitched (well, for Jeff, a male) and soft sound that warms the heart. Read More »Dana Falconberry: Feature
With a name like Fatal Jamz, you’re probably expecting some loud, rambunctious rock music. However, this is not entirely the case. Fatal Jamz is most certainly a loud, rambunctious rock band, but it’s also much more. On “Another Crystal Morning”, the band has pop sensibilities and they employ bold, glam-ridden synth lines. It all adds up to one catchy tune. Read More »Fatal Jamz: Another Crystal Morning
Sometimes it’s hard to look past a catchy riff, a unique vocal pattern or upbeat instrumentation. You get carried away in the music. Add all three, as found in “Condominium”, and it’s even harder to focus on the words. Fantasy Rainbow pairs fuzzy guitars with jangle ones, wildly catchy vocal/guitar patterns, and sloshy drums with highly introspective lyrics. Read More »Fantasy Rainbow: Condominium
If you light yourself on fire, you’re damn sure not going to sit around and relax. You’ll roll around on the ground instead, or maybe you’ll just round around in circles like a complete idiot. The need to get off your lazy ass will be unbearable. Listening to Magic Jake and the Power Crystals, in a manner of speaking, is very much like lighting yourself on fire. Read More »Magic Jake and the Power Crystals: Feature
With as much psychedelic pop and rock that I’ve been listening to lately, it only made sense to put together a full show featuring the sub-genres. Of course, I also threw in some beloved garage rock to keep things sane. For the first time in ages, I took the KSVR and KSVU airwaves and played several older tunes (older meaning 2011 and before), with bands like Wooden Shjips and The Mantles and Comets on Fire. New releases got their fair share of air play as well: recent songs from The Fresh & Onlys, Two Gallants, Sunglasses and METZ also made the cut. Check out the playlist below and sample the songs in blue.
Read More »Fense’s Radio Show: October 5, 2012 
Colorful soundscapes adorn the hazy, upbeat and danceable “Cold Shoulder” by Savannah pop group Sunglasses. Including incessant, cool vocals, this track features handclaps, a hefty drum beat and hyper-dreamy guitars. Read More »Sunglasses: Cold Shoulder MP3
There’s a moment within “The Seed” where Owl Paws have a decreasing chromatic pattern vaguely reminiscent of “Paranoid Android” off Radiohead’s monumental release OK Computer. This is not something you’d expect to hear from a self-described orchestral folk-pop band. But there it is; a Radiohead reference. Read More »Owl Paws: Feature
You could call Melody’s Echo Chamber the mash-up of Melody Prochet’s My Bee’s Garden and Tame Impala, because, in essence, it is. Pitchfork noted that Prochet approached TI’s Kevin Parker after a show and (blah blah blah) ultimately Melody’s Echo Chamber was born.
Read More »Melody’s Echo Chamber: I Follow You (Video) 
Taking notes from electro-pop bands like Purity Ring, Still Corners add some heavier beats in their new song “Fireflies”. However, songwriter Greg Hughes and vocalist Tessa Murray don’t stray too far from their origins off Creatures of an Hour. Read More »Still Corners: Fireflies MP3
There were a few unexpected surprises in this week’s show; some great new bands and new tracks from longtime favorites. Parenthetical Girls, who formed about 30 minutes South of here, have a new EP and it is superb; Alameda’s sophomore LP is pretty great as well. And the brand new track by Still Corners is phenomenal.
Read More »Fense’s Radio Show: September 28, 2012
