KRVM.org

Listener Supported Public Radio in Eugene Oregon

Keeping Real Variety in Music
Listener Supported Public Radio in Eugene Oregon
KRVM 91.9 FM Eugene | KAVE 88.5 FM Oakridge
KSYD 92.1 FM Reedsport | K211BP 90.1 FM Florence
...
Home » Acoustic

New on the music scene

by

What’s new on the music scene?

There’s lots to be excited about, let’s take a look.

Elton John / Dua Lipa – “Cold Heart”

For a rush of smooth-as-silk pop with a hint of nostalgia, give Elton John and Dua Lipa’s “Cold Heart” a spin.

A superb collaboration, it’s built upon Elton John’s songs “Rocketman” and “Sacrifice.”

Vocals by this pair on this dance pop remix are a perfect compliment. Have a listen:

“Cold Heart” comes from Elton John’s recent “The Lockdown Sessions,” which hit the #1 spot in the UK charts.

Comprised of collaborations with a variety of talented artists – including Miley Cyrus and Stevie Wonder – it’s a fantastic assortment of tracks you’ll want to delve into.

Aly & AJ – “Symptom of Your Touch”

American pop duo Aly & AJ are back with “Symptom of Your Touch,” a stellar synth-pop arrangement worthy of acclaim.

Shimmering guitars create a lush vibe, and the crystal-clear vocals by the California-based musicians are compelling.

In 2005, Ally & AJ’s debut studio album was certified gold. And last year, their re-released “Potential Breakup Song” won “Best Comeback song” at the MTV Video Music Awards. “Symptom” comes from their fourth studio album A Touch of the Beat Gets You Up on Your Feet Gets You Out and Then Into the Sun,” released last year.

In short?

It’s a great track from an album filled with excellent musicianship.

Carlos Santana “Joy”

Carlos Santana’s “Joy,” from his new “Blessings and Miracles” release, is pure electric guitar sizzle. It’s a superlative blues arrangement with a fun reggae beat we think you’ll love.

Grammy-winning musician Chris Stapleton, who also produced the track, adds vocals and guitar to the well-crafted song.

Other artists on “Blessings and Miracles” include Chick Corea and Rick Rubin. “Joy” is on our Playlist.

Bastille – “Thelma & Louise”

The always appealing English pop band Bastille have done it again with hit single “Thelma & Louise.” A fun drumbeat, lush synths and a great chorus make it a natural for radio and dance clubs.

Have a listen:

It’s the perfect track to get us thinking about the warm days of summer and escaping to a new, sunny destination. Of course it’s based on the 1991 movie, “Thelma & Louise.”

“I wanted to write a love letter to that film,” says Bastille frontman Dan Smith. Job well done.

“Thelma & Louise” comes from Bastille’s just-released “Give Me the Future” album. It’s their third UK Number One album.

Sharon Van Etten and Angel Olsen – “Like I Used To”

Watch especially for lovely and pensive “Like I Used To.”

Musicians Sharon Van Etten and Angel Olsen admired each other from afar. Fortunately, they decided to meet up. The result? This very special track.

Etherial and sincere, “Like I Used To” is an acoustic Americana ballad filled with heartache and a hint of country.

Like I Used To

Van Etten and Olsen are on to something.

Let’s hope we hear more from them this year!

George Ezra – “Anyone for You”

George Ezra is back on the music scene with jubilant, melodically captivating “Anyone for You.” It’s his first new music since “Staying at Tamara’s” in 2018, and it’s on our playlist.

Catchy lyrics, exuberant keyboards and Ezra’s distinct baritone make for the perfect lift.

Ezra’s new album “Gold Rush Kid” releases June 10th.

We’ll be watching for it!

More music news

Hippo Campus – “Ride or Die”

We’re loving “Ride or Die” from Indie-rockers Hippo Campus. The upbeat track comes from the Minnesota-based band’s newest “LP3” release, and it’s on our playlist.

New Fleet Foxes live album

Robin Pecknold (Fleet Foxes frontman) released live album “A Very Lonely Solstice” in December. From a livestream concert recorded in Brooklyn, it’s a lovely, contemplative collection of mostly solo songs from the band’s body of work. In a more perfect world, the concert would have been televised over the holidays. Maybe next time, but for now, it’s available on iTunes.

The Lumineers – “Where We Are”

“Where We Are” is classic Lumineers, and one for your collection. It’s on our playlist! This indie folk-rock track features bright vocals, a melodic hook and heartfelt harmonies.

“Where We Are” comes from the band’s fourth studio album, “Brightside.”

Eugene’s live music scene is buzzing

This year it seems there are more live shows on the horizon than ever. Here in Eugene, we’re lucky to have an abundance of music venues and live music opportunities.

In April, blues-rocker Curtis Salgado, and Portland’s well-loved Blitzen Trapper, both have concerts scheduled at Sessions Music Hall. The Talbott Brothers perform at Sessions in May.

Keb’ Mo’ and Randy Newman are both scheduled to play The Shedd Institute in May.

The always-entertaining Modest Mouse perform at the Cuthbert Amphitheater in May.

Imaginative and astonishing Lord Huron will even be here. Their show is scheduled for May at The Hult Center.

Legendary blues icon Bonnie Raitt has a show scheduled at the Cuthbert Amphitheater in August, as does southern California’s fabulous reggae band Rebelution.

There are lots more concerts coming, so check listings at your favorite venues. Better yet, sign up for their mailing lists.

That’s a wrap

Thanks for supporting new music, musicians, and the music venues of Eugene.

Please like us on Facebook, and remember to follow us on Twitter. We follow back!

Most of all, thanks for supporting listener-powered radio at KRVM!

The Muddy Souls release new “Medicine” EP

by

Looking for new, upbeat tunes to lift you out of the pandemic doldrums?

You’re in luck! “Medicine,” the new EP from Eugene’s The Muddy Souls, just dropped.

Their music – an acoustic blend of folk, bluegrass, and country – is sure to get you smiling and stomping your feet.

Check out “Ramblin Blues”!

We had a chance to visit with The Muddy Souls about “Medicine,” their new release. Here’s what they had to say about the inspiration behind some of the tracks.

KRVM: “How did the band come up with “Medicine,” the title track?

Jacob Camara: “Medicine was a song that was written prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, although its theme is certainly relevant to our current global health crisis.”

“Originally written as a blues song for my solo project, I changed the chords and timing to fit The Muddy Souls bluegrass style and instrumentation. It became one of the first songs that I really felt comfortable playing the 5-string banjo on,” adds Camara.

KRVM: “Calm Before the Storm” is a really fun track with some ace mandolin work! Tell us a little bit about that.”

Austen Slone: “‘Calm Before the Storm’ is a collaboration between my brother and I. I originally wrote the melody to the song on guitar, and my brother wrote the lyrics sometime before 2001.”

Continues Slone, “He died in June 2001, and I have spent some time since moving to Eugene 5 years ago, processing his death as an adult. I visited the lyrics last year for the first time in a while, with the idea to put some music to it. ‘Calm Before the Storm’s’ mandolin work and the overall melody was written to reflect my brother’s dynamics when composing original songs. The mandolin came after the song had been written and composed.”

About The Muddy Souls

The Muddy Souls are: Peter Romanelli, guitar and vocals, Grace Honeywell, fiddle and vocals, Mila Butler-Bass, vocals, Jacob Camara, banjo, guitar, vocals, and Austen Slone, mandolin, vocals.

The band’s acoustic, American roots music is carefree and solidly performed. Band members tell us they took their time traveling a long and winding road to Eugene.

But on that windy road, they’ve covered music by everyone from Django Reinhardt, David Grisman, and Willie Nelson to Radiohead.

The new album confirms the band’s gift for delivering an upbeat and original sound. “Medicine” is sure to please fans spinning tunes, listening to KRVM, or coming to their shows.

KRVM: “Ain’t No Tellin’” has a great, take-it-easy summertime vibe. Is that an original?”

Pete Romanelli: ”Ain’t No Tellin’” is an original. It was a message to a past love about surrendering to the uncertainty of life and trusting in the fact that we are on the right path.”

“I wrote it on a warm summer night sitting on my porch, so that could be where the summertime vibe comes from,” adds Romanelli.

KRVM: “Need to compliment you on the great album artwork! We’d love to know more about it.”

Austen Slone: “Our amazing album artwork was done by local Eugene artist Miriam Valentine. We gave her some basic ideas and themes to work with, and she somehow intuited exactly what we had in mind…we hope to have her design future album covers.”

Support The Muddy Souls and local musicians

Yeah… we’re in a holding pattern with live music and the pandemic, most likely until early next year.

Meanwhile, you can find music by The Muddy Souls on iTunes or on their website.

Ships Have Sailed releases an all-acoustic EP

by

Alt-Indie pop band Ships Have Sailed performed at Sam Bond’s Brewing (540 E 8th Avenue location) recently.

The band’s music walks a middle ground between alternative rock and upbeat pop tracks like their hit single “Summertime.”

Currently touring to promote their new all-acoustic “Whispers” EP, the band – based in southern California – released full-length “Moodswings” in March of last year.

Summertime

shs-moodswings-coverart-web-1200x1200

Here’s what they had to say in a recent interview about their music and the tour.

KRVM: “How did the band get its start?”

SHS (Will Carpenter): “Dan and I were in a band together before. . . I had a bunch of songs that weren’t really a fit for the band we were in, but I didn’t really want to let them go or pitch them to another artist, so I just started producing them myself in my home studio.”

“Once I had a good handle on developing them I had Dan over for a beer and played him what I’d been working on, and he was like: “Cool man, what are we going to call it?”. “Most of those songs can be heard on our debut EP ‘Someday.'”

KRVM: “How is the new acoustic EP being received?

SHS: “Really well actually…for those readers who aren’t familiar, the ‘Whispers’ EP is a completely stripped down, acoustic vibe, which has three ‘re-imagined’ tracks from previous releases and two brand new songs. I feel like it was a bit risky to diverge from the sound people were getting to know us for, but ultimately it was a risk worth taking.”

Out of Time

KRVM: “Musical influences?”

SHS: “We range from classical music…to jazz, to classic rock (Hendrix, The Beatles, Pink Floyd), to 90s Grunge (Nirvana, Stone Temple Pilots, Pearl Jam, etc.) to everything past, present and in between…it’s a really big range.”  “Some of my top playlist favorites in the past year have been CHVRCHES, Andrew McMahon in the Wilderness, the new Mumford and Sons, and The National.”

ShipsHaveSailed2_PressPhoto_2015_03_WEB

Will Carpenter — lead singer for Ships Have Sailed

KRVM: “How did the tour come about?”

SHS: “Well, funny enough, we weren’t going to go out on the road this year.  We had talked about really buckling down in the studio and making some new music, but then this small Pop festival called International Pop Overthrow approached us about doing a couple dates on the west coast, and here we are!”

KRVM: “Which songs are fan favorites?”

SHS: “I would say ‘If Only’ is the favorite, but ‘Drive’ and ‘Boomerang’ are close runners up.  ‘Summertime’ is a great anthemic song for the season…off of ‘Whispers’ I think the most popular is ‘Home,’ followed by ‘Criminal’ and ‘Lucky.'”

Band members are Dan Hange, bass, backup vocals; Will Carpenter, guitar, lead vocals, and drummer Art Andranikyan.

The new EP is their third, and the band also has full-length “Moodswings,” an album laden with appealing pop-infused tracks music lovers may wish to explore.

You can find their music on iTunes and on their website.

Browse Programs by Genre

20's 30's 40's 50's 60's 70's 80's Acoustic Adult Album Alternative Americana Beatles Big Bands Bluegrass Blues Country Eclectic Rock Electric Blues Folk Funk Grateful Dead Guitar Rock Hard Rock Jam Band Jazz Latin Rock Live Recordings Motown Pop Progressive Rock Punk R & B Reggae Rock Singer/Songwriter Soul Swing Variety Women's Music World

Recent Posts