WSPC PLAYLIST FOR JANUARY 2015

January 1, 2015
"New Year's Day" performed by U2
"Dry Country" performed by The B-52's
"Strange Condition" performed by Pete Yorn
"Ain't That Easy" performed by D'Angelo and the Vanguard-WSPC PREMIERE
"New Year's Day" performed by James Iha

"Only One" performed by Kanye West with Paul McCartney-WSPC PREMIERE

"The Wait" performed by The Pretenders
"Hollywood" performed by Suzi Quatro
"The Jean Genie" performed by David Bowie
"Sweet FA" performed by Sweet
"Bad Reputation" performed by Thin Lizzy
"Somebody Calling" performed by Robin Trower
"Saturday Night Special" performed by The Runaways

January 2, 2015
"Annees de Pelerinage-1. Suiss section 8. Le mal du pays" composed by Franz Liszt

"Procedural" performed by Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross-WSPC PREMIERE
"Dr. Destructo" performed by Tangerine Dream
"RZA Theme" performed by The RZA
"Blase Runner Blues" performed by Vangelis
"Doors And Distance" performed by Antonio Sanchez-WSPC PREMIERE

January 3, 2015
"Brian Wilson Said" performed by Tears For Fears
"You Still Believe In Me' performed by The Beach Boys
"Titanic Days" performed by Kirsty MacColl
"Dream Of The Archer" performed by Heart
"Why Won't They Talk To Me?" performed by Tame Impala

January 4, 2015
"Diamond Bollocks" performed by Beck
"Dilettante" performed by St. Vincent
"Dejalo" performed by Rilo Kiley
"Demons Dance" performed by Paul McCartney
"Determination' performed by Todd Rundgren
"Demolition Man" performed by The Police

"Hide The Bone" performed by Prince

"Beanie G. And The Rose Tattoo" performed by Hall and Oates
"Microphone Fiend" performed by Eric B. & Rakim
"Monte Hall" performed by 3rd Bass
JAMES BROWN LIVE IN ZAIRE 1974
"Fight From The Inside" performed by Queen

January 5, 2015
"Back In The Saddle Again" performed by Gene Autry
"Welcome To The Working Week" performed by Elvis Costello
"Manic Monday" performed by The Bangles
"Five O'Clock World" performed by The Vogues
"Monday" performed by Jon Brion

"Pretty Girls" performed by Joe Jackson
"Atomic" performed by Blondie
"Anaise!" performed by The Smashing Pumpkins-WSPC PREMIERE
"Giorgio By Moroder" performed by Daft Punk
"I'm Left, You're Right, She's Gone" performed by Giorgio Moroder
"Rising Sign" performed by Utopia
"Bad Boyfriend" performed by Garbage

January 7, 2015
"Ice Ice Gravy" performed by Tortoise
"Down Buttermilk Road" performed by Bearcubbin'!
"Sofa No. 1" performed by Frank Zappa

"It's All Too Much" performed by The Beatles
"Mercy Street" performed by Peter Gabriel with the New Blood Orchestra
"Out Of The Blue" performed by David Gilmour
"A Letter From The Shelter" performed by Planet P. Project
"Blues In Paris' performed by Sidney Bechet

January 8, 2015

HAPPY 68TH BIRTHDAY TO DAVID BOWIE
"Thursday's Child"
"Oh You Pretty Things"
"Fashion"
"Sweet Thing/Candidate/Sweet Thing (reprise)"
"Love Is Lost"
"She Shook Me Cold"
"The Mysteries"
"Fascination"
"Looking For Water"
"The Speed Of Life"

January 9, 2015
"Stone Cold" performed by Rainbow
"Pissin'" performed by Todd Rundgren
"Snowman" performed by XTC
"Mothership Connection (Starchild)" performed by Parliament
"Voodoo Child (Slight Return)" performed by The Jimi Hendrix Experience
"She's So Cold" performed by The Rolling Stones
"Hot (I Need To Be Loved, Loved, Loved, Loved, Loved)" performed by JAMES BROWN

HAPPY 71ST BIRTHDAY TO JIMMY PAGE
"In My Time Of Dying" (live)
"Achilles' Last Stand" (live)
"White Summer/Black Mountainside" (live)

January 10, 2015
"Beginnings Of A Great Adventure" performed by Lou Reed
"Rang Tang Ding Dong (I Am The Japanese Sandman)" performed by The Cellos
"You Better Run" performed by Pat Benatar
"New Frontier" performed by Donald Fagen
"Every Picture Tells A Story" performed by Rod Stewart

"Bargain" (live) performed by Foo Fighters with Gaz Coombes
"Cheapskate" performed by Supergrass
"Water" (live) performed by The Who

January 11, 2015
"Spooks" performed by Johnny Greenwood-WSPC PREMIERE
"Paperhouse" performed by Can
"Sim Sholom" performed by Kronos Quartet
"Blank Frank" performed by Brian Eno
"Aquarius" performed by Common

January 12, 2015
"Right On" performed by The Roots with Joanna Newsom
"Buffalo" performed by Gaz Coombes-WSPC PREMIERE
"Why Are We Sleeping?" performed by The Soft Machine
"New Age" performed by Tori Amos
"Education" performed by The Kinks

"Sleepless" performed by King Crimson
"Fela's Riff" performed by Talking Heads
"Gentlemen" performed by Fela Kuti
"Do You Dig U?" performed by Q-Tip
"Because I Got It Like That" performed by The Jungle Brothers

January 13, 2015
"Haven't Got A Clue" performed by The Flaming Lips
"Never Knew Your Name" performed by Madness
"Wild International" performed by Zack De La Rocha/One Day As A Lion
"How Many More Times" performed by Led Zeppelin
"I Can't Look Away" performed by Trevor Rabin

"Montreal" performed by Beau Dommage

January 14, 2015
"Call Of Life" performed by Jen Hannah-WSPC PREMIERE
"Coronus, The Terminator" performed by Flying Lotus
"50 Words For Snow" performed by Kate Bush
"The Violet Hour" performed by The Civil Wars
"Wish You Were Here" performed by Pink Floyd

"Tell Me If You Wanna Go Home" performed by Keira Knightley
"I Don't Wanna Die Anymore" performed by New Radicals
"Beautiful Dream" performed by World Party

January 15, 2015
"Happy Birthday" performed by Stevie Wonder

"Under The Pressure" performed by The War On Drugs-WSPC PREMIERE
"Soul Meets Body" performed by Death Cab For Cutie
"Done With You" performed by The Whitest Boy Alive
"Can't Be Sure" performed by The Sundays
"Show Me" performed by Garbage

"Whiskey Tango Foxtrot" performed by Youngblood Brass Band

January 16, 2015

FEATURED ALBUM: "2ND WIND" TODD RUNDGREN-HAPPY 24TH ANNIVERSARY!
"Change Myself"
"Who's Sorry Now"
"2nd Wind"

January 17, 2015
"Picture Me" performed by Susannah Hoffs
JAMES BROWN LIVE AT THE OLYMPIA 1971

January 18, 2015
"More Than This" performed by Roxy Music
"Gypsy" performed by  Fleetwood Mac
"You Do Or You Don't" Performed by Lindsey Buckingham
"Sweet Louise" performed by The Belle Brigade
"Love Street" performed by The Doors

"Papercuts" performed by Modern Mod-WSPC PREMIERE

January 19, 2015

DR. MARTIN LUTHER KING JR. NATIONAL HOLIDAY
"MARZ" performed by Prince & 3rdEyeGirl-WSPC PREMIERE
"Till It's Done (Tutu)" performed by D'Angelo and the Vanguard-WSPC PREMIERE
"By The Time I Get To Arizona" performed by Public Enemy

"Alabama" performed by John Coltrane
"They Won't Go When I Go" performed by Stevie Wonder
"A Change Is Gonna Come" performed by Sam Cooke
"Black Flowers" performed by Fishbone
"Blackbird" performed by The Beatles

"That Hump" performed by Erykah Badu
"Masters Of War" (live 1963) performed by Bob Dylan
"Won't Get Fooled Again" performed by The Who
"MLK" Performed by U2

January 20, 2015
"Being Beige" performed by The Smashing Pumpkins
"Lost All Control" performed by The Cold And Lovely-WSPC PREMIERE
"Little Sister" performed by Queens Of The Stone Age
"The Nurse Who Loved Me" performed by A Perfect Circle
"Datura" performed by Tori Amos

January 21, 2015
"Mary, Mary" performed by Run-DMC
"Manhattan" performed by Cat Power
"Baby Don't Get Hooked On Me" performed by Mac Davis
"The Way That I Want To Touch You" performed by The Captain and Tennille
"Mary, Mary' performed by The Monkees

January 22, 2015
"Junk Rock (Million Monkeys)" performed by Utopia
"Yellowcake" performed by Kaki King
"Humanity (Love The Way It Should Be)" performed by John Legend and The Roots
"Let's Get Satisfied" performed by George Clinton
"Down To Zero" performed by Joan Armatrading

January 23, 2015

PUBLIC SERVICE ANNOUNCEMENT: "The Most Important Person: Oops! I Made A Mistake"
"It's A Mistake" performed by Men At Work
"This Charming Man" performed by The Smiths
"Lonely Words" performed by Pete Townshend
"Experiment Number One" performed by Cody ChesnuTT-WSPC PREMIERE

January 24, 2015
"Hair" from the motion picture "Hair"
"Dogs" performed by Pink Floyd
"Michael And Heather At The Baggage Claim" performed by  Fountains Of Wayne
"Army Dreamers" performed by Kate Bush
"I'd Rather Be High" performed by David Bowie
"I Don't Wanna Be A Soldier Mama, I Don't Wanna Die' performed by John Lennon

"Tangram" by  Tangerine Dream-in its entirety R.I.P. EDGAR FROESE

"From Now On (We Are One)" performed by Wendy and Lisa
"Clubland" performed by Elvis Costello and the Attractions
"Gimmie Something Good' (acoustic live) performed by Ryan Adams
"Oh Me, Oh My (I'm A Fool For You)" (live) performed by Aretha Franklin
"Here Is The News" performed by Electric Light Orchestra

January 25, 2015
"Johnee Jingo" performed by Todd Rundgren
"The Unknown Soldier" performed by The Doors
"Brothers In Arms" performed by Dire Straits

January 26, 2015

HAPPY 60TH BIRTHDAY TO EDWARD VAN HALEN
"Runnin' With The Devil"
"5150"
"Blood And Fire"
"Year To The Day"
"The Seventh Seal"
"Secrets"
"So This Is Love?"
"Feels So Good"
"Pleasure Dome"
"Beautiful Girls"

January 27, 2015
PUBLIC SERVICE ANNOUNCEMENT: "The Most Important Person-Touching"
"I Have The Touch" performed by Peter Gabriel
"One Touch" performed by LCD Soundsystem
"The Touch" performed by Kim Wilde
"Touch" performed by Daft Punk
"Touch" performed by The Supremes

January 28, 2015
"Never Seeing The Ground For The Sky" performed by Sloan
"My Love" performed by Lenny Kravitz
"Siberian Khatru" performed by Yes
"Ride The Tiger" performed by Jefferson Starship
"Initiation" performed by Todd Rundgren

"Good Old Fashioned Lover Boy" performed by Queen
"Midnight At The Oasis" performed by Maria Muldaur
"Feel Like Making Love" performed by D'Angelo
"Les Fleur" performed by Minnie Ripperton
"Method Of Modern Love" performed by Hall and Oates

January 29, 2015
"One Too Many Mornings" performed by The Beau Brummels
"The Golden Throne" performed by Temples-WSPC PREMIERE
"Rollercoaster" performed by Everything But The Girl

"Come To Your Rescue" performed by Thinkman
"Lies" performed by The Thompson Twins
"Here Comes President Kill Again" performed by XTC
"Desert Inn" performed by Yello
"The Hardest Walk" performed by The Jesus And Mary Chain

January 30, 2015
"Mrs. Vandebilt" performed by Paul McCartney and Wings
"Johnny And Mary" performed by Robert Palmer
"Friday" performed by Joe Jackson
"Mystery Achievement" performed by The Pretenders
"Abacab" performed by Genesis
"Flamethrower" performed by The J. Geils Band

THE BEATLES 46TH ANNIVERSARY OF "THE ROOFTOP CONCERT"
"Don't Let Me Down"
"Get Back"

"The Reggae" performed by Keith Forsey from "The Breakfast Club"
"No Hay Nada Mas" performed by Mos Def
"Orange Moon" performed by Erykah Badu
"Yang: As Private I's 007" performed by P.M. Dawn
"Naima" performed by John Coltrane

January 31, 2015
"The Love I Saw In You Was Just A Mirage" performed by Smokey Robinson and the Miracles
"When Smokey Sings" performed by ABC
"Mary's Prayer" performed by Meet Danny Wilson
"They Don't Know" performed by Kirsty MacColl
"You're My Favorite Waste Of Time" performed by Marshall Crenshaw
"The Neighbor" performed by Jason Falkner

NOW PLAYING IN THE SAVAGE JUKEBOX JANUARY 2015

"GONE GIRL"
TRENT REZNOR AND ATTICUS ROSS
Released September 30, 2014

"RUINS"
KEVIN JUNIOR
Released September 1, 2009

"CODA"
LED ZEPPELIN
Released November 19, 1982

"ADORE"
THE SMASHING PUMPKINS
Released June 2, 1998

"VENUS AND MARS"
PAUL McCARTNEY AND WINGS
Released May 27, 1975

UNTITLED
LED ZEPPELIN
Released November 8, 1971

"GIRLS WITH FUN HAIRCUTS"
BEARCUBBIN'!
Released May 2, 2014

"ONE CHORD TO ANOTHER"
SLOAN
Released March 11, 1997

"PENGUIN"
FLEETWOOD MAC
Released March 1973

"THE MAN WHO SOLD THE WORLD"
DAVID BOWIE
Released November 4, 1970

"EXODUS"
NEW POWER GENERATION
Released January 1, 1995

"ONE OF THESE NIGHTS"
EAGLES
Released June 10, 1975

"MONUMENTS TO AN ELEGY"
THE SMASHING PUMPKINS
Released December 5, 2014

"EGE BAMYASI"
CAN
Released November 1972

"MAYBE YOU'VE BEEN BRAINWASHED TOO"
NEW RADICALS
Released October 20, 1998

"THE CLONES OF DR. FUNKENSTEIN"
PARLIAMENT
Released July 20, 1976

"LET'S TAKE IT TO THE STAGE"
FUNKADELIC
Released April 2, 1975

 

"NEVER HEAR THE END OF IT" SLOAN Released January 9, 2007
"THE DOUBLE CROSS" SLOAN Released May 10, 2011

HIGHER AND DEEPER: "RISE" JEN HANNAH

"RISE"
JEN HANNAH

MUSICIANS:
Jen Hannah: Vocals, Doumbek on "Ni Estas Uno" and Handclaps on "Shine A Light"
Andreas Schuld: Acoustic and Electric Guitars, Guitalele, Keyboards, Programming
Finn Manniche: Cello
John Hegner: Piano and Wurlitzer
Graeme Coleman: Piano on "Walk Through The World"
Cassandra Vohs-Demann & Alayna DeVar: Backing Vocals on "Shine A Light"
Nathen Aswell: Backing Vocals and Handclaps on "Shine A Light"
  
All music and lyrics by Jen Hannah 
except "Dance With Me" music and lyrics by Jen Hannah and Andreas Schuld

Produced by Jen Hannah and Andreas Schuld
Released 2014

From the very beginning of Synesthesia, and for some of you who happen to be social network friends with me, I have been enthusiastically throwing my full support to the musical vision and artistry of singer/songwriter Jen Hannah. From her 2011 debut album "Grateful" and last year's single "Breathe," Hannah has deftly crafted an already impressive body of work that showcases her voluminously empathetic songwriting skills and even more importantly, the supreme warmth of her richly graceful voice, which has disarmed me every single time that I have had the opportunity to hear her sing.

Late last year, I received a copy of Hannah's second full length release, entitled "Rise," and throughout the business of the holiday season and the sheer amount of music that I had already been listening to, somehow I just knew that I wanted to find a quieter time to devote to Hannah's latest album as I did not want the noise of life to interfere with the intimacy she creates with her music. And so, after a holiday season which eventually settled itself down into the calmness of home, family, cats, rest and relaxation, the first of the New Year arrived and on one early morning, I placed the album into my car for the first listen and soon found the music playing in a repeated loop. I am hoping that I am able to convince you to give her album a try and perhaps you may find yourselves having similarly enthusiastic reactions.

As with her first album, Jen Hannah's "Rise" is another collection of quiet, introspective, meditative songs of hope and affirmation that are as devotional or as secular as I believe any listener would wish to take the songs into their individual beings. Hannah's songwriting and lyricism remains sharply direct, with her strict economy of words conveying deceptively simplistic sentiments that in reality unearth a world of emotions and spiritual nuances regarding precisely how she, and all of us, engage with the life force from day to day.

Most importantly, "Rise" is no mere retread of past material and in some cases, the material this time around is perhaps a bit tougher than what was found on "Grateful." Hannah is wise enough to know that songs of hope and affirmation do not necessarily work just existing in and of themselves as they can sometimes come off to some listeners as empty sentiments or hollow platitudes. With "Rise," Jen Hannah consistently and beautifully displays the deep, spiritual work we all undergo to continuously discover and live up to the best of ourselves, a task that is on-going and sometimes fraught with failure as success sometimes feels remote and unattainable. That honesty and emotional realism gives "Rise" a powerful grounding and depth that makes the level of rejoice found within this exquisite material that much more palpable and glorious.
  .
"Rise" opens with the dual musical mission statements of "Call Of Life" (which carries an instrumentation that reminded me a little bit of the Indigo Girls) and the title track. Both of these selections are perfect examples of how Hannah utilizes language that on the first listen may sound to be too facile but there is a serious purposefulness and precise quality to the words that she has chosen to convey her messages. "Come nearer, step further/Move higher, go deeper/This is the call of Life," goes the chorus in the first song and immediately, I was struck with how the choice of Hannah's words actually gave me a sense of pause and the opportunity to really think about what she is singing.

Think about what it means to open your eyes each day and then, think again about what it actually means to perform all of your daily tasks just face the word and therefore, life itself, day in and day out, and only to find yourself in the position of having to perform the same duty all over again the very next day. Indeed, and even before we have departed our homes, life is calling and we have the choice to respond or not. For some of us, this act is automatic but I would think that for most of us, these actions just may be more difficult than we are either sometimes willing to admit to ourselves. And then, what of those for whom life itself is a constant series of obstacles, tribulations and even traumas?

The track "Rise" gives credence to all of us and whatever levels of baggage we may be carrying along with us through each day and night as again Hannah presents us with how our reaction to life and how we engage with life is indeed and always a choice. "Was stuck in the middle of hopelessness/Feeling the heat of this fire that burns/Then, I see in me a seed that needs/The heat of the flame to be set free/Let the refining fires burn/From the ashes of what I saw as failure I'll rise/From the rubble of what I saw as defeat, I'll rise," Hannah sings over gently chugging guitars which are augmented by the embrace of Finn Maniche's cello and the steady, unwavering percussive beat that urges Hannah, the song and all of us to continue moving forwards.

After the guiding healing heart of "Breathe" (originally profiled April 2014), Jen Hannah's "Rise" continues with the devotional prayer of "Abundant All," the blissfully communal and romantic "Dance With Me," and the lush divinity of "This Gift," a song that seemed to carry gentle nods to The Righteous Brothers' classic "Unchained Melody" to my ears. And as glistening as those tracks are, all of which are built around Hannah's subtle, nuanced and honey dipped vocals, I think she saved the best material for the album's final five tracks.

"Sacred Vessel" was the first track on "Rise" that made me snap to attention due to its striking lyrical nakedness and emotional transparency, especially for an artist like Hannah who indeed wears her musical heart bravely upon her artistic sleeves. It is a song that begins as a stark confessional and with a certain level of probing and painful self-examination that is reminiscent (at least to my ears) of nothing less than the gripping work of John Lennon, most specifically within his solo work. "For years, it's been love-hate between us/For years, I wanted you to be something other than what you were," Hannah begins with a stunner of an opening couplet. And then, it continues:

"With you I wrestled,
Felt resentful,
Was so judgmental,
I was not gentle,
Not respectful,
Not reverential,
I thought I WAS you,
and nothing more,
Now, enough,
No more"

Wow.

With the mountain of music that I have listened to throughout my life, it is remarkable to think about how much of it has dealt with some form of inner pain, whether romantic, interpersonal, political or spiritual. There is so much that can be said about becoming immersed within songs of pain for pain's sake, as there is solace in the realization that what you are enduring in your own life is not solitary, in and of itself. Pain is universal and songs about pain are designed for us to feel a connection, even if it is with something as ephemeral as a song. That said, I do think that it is rare to hear songs about how to transcend pain or more truthfully, how one works through the pain. With "Sacred Vessel," a song that begins as described and then transforms itself into something of a processional, Jen Hannah is perfectly illustrating the work it takes to emerge from darkness and sometimes that work involves some serious soul searching meant to unearth some difficult truths about oneself, the very truths that can necessitate personal evolution. This is a song of remorse and forgiveness which also flips the script as the act of asking to be forgiven is often the most strenuous undertaking as is making the conscious choice to leave emotional turbulence behind.

The transcendence continues with "Shine A Light," whose melody and sing-a-long quality will inspire you to join in. The funky and percussive "Ni Estas Uno" brings Hannah's utopian outlook to the forefront and the album's finale "A Soul's Song Sung" feels like a direct message from Hannah to the listener explaining the gift that music has given to her and what she hopes she can give to it and to us in return.

Yet, still, there was one more track that truly moved me and seemed to hit me in the precise spot regarding how I am envisioning life and how it is lived...or at least how I am choosing to live and acknowledge it and those I encounter. The piano ballad "Walk Through The World" represents a sentiment I have only really begun to feel as I have gotten older, the understanding of how my life has been filled and shaped by every single individual that has ever entered it. When Hannah sings, "Yesterday, our steps ran parallel," I marvel at the people who are currently so crucial to my life that I simply cannot fathom a time when I did not know and love them. To that end, they are all in me and I hope that I have reciprocated enough because who am I without what they have given to me? Regardless of what some may think or believe, I do not believe that we voyage through life as empty vessels. I believe that we are filled by a universe of influences and that the process of discovering precisely who we are as individuals is directly integral to those we come in contact with. Whether I have seen you an hour ago or twenty years ago, I could not be who I am without you and this song just expressed this sentiment blissfully.

Where "Grateful" was an album of surprise and musical pensiveness and her single "Breathe" provided me with solace and release, "Rise" is a profoundly moving album where actually, the overwhelming emotion I felt throughout was sheer happiness. Not through any innocuous fashion, mind you. I felt happiness through hearing Jen Hannah's lovely voice again through some terrific new material and noticing just how much she has grown as a songwriter in such a short period of time. Working with her Co-Producer Andreas Schld, Hannah has forged a musical palate, while not terribly far removed from the acoustic based gentleness of "Grateful," that sounds a bit punchier, is beautifully sequenced and the songwriting itself sounds particularly more focused, tightened and direct. While I have always been so impressed with Hannah's lyrics, her songwriting pen has sharpened even more as she continuously finds just the precise words to convey a world of emotions in a clean, clear style that I feel that any listener could relate to, if they choose to give her music an honest chance. She is so musically clever in her unrepentantly emotional approach yet always displays a high level of taste as you can easily hear how the songs could drift straight into Mariah Carey territory but never do, as Hannah always understands that less is more.

Jen Hannah's "Rise" is the sound of an artist building steam, gaining confidence, growing stronger and one that seems to be realizing the breadth and depth of her musical powers more and more. And that voice!!! I could go on and on about her voice (and I have) but enough of me. It's time for you to find out for yourselves.

"Rise" is NOW available at www.JenHannahSings.com

WSPC SESSION NOTES FOR JANUARY 2015

FROM THE DJ's STUDIO DESK:

Happy New Year to all of you! How were your holidays? Was Santa good to you? I have to say that Santa was very good to me, as the time to just be home to rest and recharge has increasingly become the very best gift that I could hope to have. Oh yes...of course, there was also the gift of some new music to dive into and explore as well, and you know that I am always thankful for a gift like that.

Yet, as we begin 2015, and as I am still having some of that holiday afterglow within me, that whole spirit of hearth and home, I thought that maybe this month would kind of be about bringing it back "home" so to speak by focusing on artists that are more local to the whereabouts of the WSPC studios. While I will not reveal just yet, I am hoping to write two features that will possibly inspire you to head out and seek some new music from artists that are unfamiliar. Who knows? Perhaps it is this very new music that just may become new favorites for you!

I hope this year will be good to every single one of you, filled with friends, family, opportunities, blessings and all wonderful things. If obstacles arrive, as they undoubtedly tend to do, regardless of their size and frequency, may you circumvent them as best as you ate able. And all the while, may music surround you to guide your way.

And as always...PLAY LOUD!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

WSPC PLAYLIST FOR DECEMBER 2014

December 1, 2014
"We Three Kings Of Orient Are" performed by Paul Horn
"Christmastime Is Here" performed by The Vince Guaraldi Trio
"Merry Christmas, Baby" performed by Lionel Hampton
"Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas" performed by The Dexter Gordon Quartet
"Happy Holidays/White Christmas" performed by Sarah Vaughan

"All Her Love Is Mine" performed by Adrian Belew
"Midnight Mass" performed by Sloan
"Winterlong" performed by Neil Young
"The Warrior" performed by Patty Smyth
"Lay It On The Line" performed by Triumph
"Night Birds" performed by Ryan Adams

"Christmas At The Airport" performed by Nick Lowe-WSPC PREMIERE
"Green Earrings" performed by Steely Dan
"Ostinato (Suite For Angela)" performed by Herbie Hancock

December 2, 2014
"A Beautiful Morning" performed by The Rascals
"Thanks For Christmas" performed by XTC
"Shine A Little Love" performed by Electric Light Orchestra
"Dynamo" performed by Johnny Marr-WSPC PREMIERE
"Should I See" performed by Frozen Ghost

December 3, 2014

RADIO SILENCE IN HONOR AND SOLIDARITY 
FOR ERIC GARNER AND STATEN ISLAND

December 4, 2014
"We Are The People Who Are Darker Than Blue" performed by Curtis Mayfield
"Each Day I Cry A Little" performed by Eddie Kendricks
"My People" performed by Erykah Badu
"Living For The City" performed by Stevie Wonder

"If 6 Was 9" performed by The Jimi Hendrix Experience
"Black Napkins" (live) performed by Frank Zappa

"We Gotta Pray" performed by Alicia Keys-WSPC PREMIERE

December 5, 2014
"Flash's Theme" performed by Queen
"Sound Chaser" performed by Yes
"Tenderness" performed by General Public

December 6, 2014
"Let's Make Christmas Mean Something This Year" performed by JAMES BROWN
"This Christmas" performed by Donny Hathaway
"What Do The Lonely Do At Christmas" performed by The Emotions
"Christmas Just Ain't Christmas Without The One You Love" performed by The O'Jays
"Please Come Home For Christmas" performed by Charles Brown

"Had To Hear" performed by Real Estate-WSPC PREMIERE
"A100" performed by Billy Corgan
"Cynical Days" performed by XTC
"Bye Bye Love" performed by The Cars
"Zen Machine" performed by Utopia
"It's A Wonderful Life (Gonna Have A Good Time)" performed by Fishbone

December 7, 2014
"Outside The Wall" (film version) performed by Pink Floyd
"Everyday Is Christmas" performed by The Chamber Strings
"2000 Miles" performed by The Pretenders
"Step Into Christmas" performed by Elton John

"Birthday" performed by The Beatles
"(Not Just) Knee Deep" performed by Parliament
"Hum Along And Dance" performed by The Jackson 5
"Blindness" performed by Justin Timberlake

December 8, 2014

COMMEMORATING THE 34TH ANNIVERSARY OF 
JOHN LENNON'S ASSASSINATION
"Imagine"
"Across The Universe" performed by The Beatles
"Hold On"
"Watching The Wheels"
"Strawberry Fields Forever" ("Love" version) performed by The Beatles
"Crippled Inside"
"Out Of The Blue"

"I'm A Loser" performed by The Beatles
"Look At Me"
"How?"
"Aisumasen (I'm Sorry)"
"It's Only Love" performed by The Beatles
"Steel And Glass"
"Grow Old With Me" (demo version)

December 9, 2014
"River" performed by Joni Mitchell
"I Was Thinking I Could Clean Up For Christmas" performed by Aimee Mann
"Fairytale Of New York" performed by The Pogues with Kirsty MacColl
"I Wish It Could Be Christmas Everyday" performed by Wizzard
"Christmastime" performed by The Smashing Pumpkins

December 10, 2014
"Lights Out" (extended) performed by Peter Wolf
"Jeopardy" (extended) performed by The Greg Kihn Band
"Der Kommissar" performed by After The Fire
"Blue Sky Mine (Food On The Table Mix)" performed by Midnight Oil
"I Feel You" performed by Depeche Mode

December 11, 2014
"Cycle"/"Morning" performed by Beck
"Hostiles" performed by Damon Albarn
"Make Believe" performed by James Iha
"All We Ever Look For" performed by Kate Bush
"Oceanea" performed by Thomas Dolby
"Come On Home" (acoustic) performed by Everything But The Girl
"The Little Drummer Boy" performed by Lou Rawls

"Thorn In My Side" performed by Eurythmics
"It Ain't Nothing To Me" (live 1985) performed by Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers
"Crashing Down' performed by The Pursuit Of Happiness
"Bedstuy Parade And Funeral March" performed by Mos Def
"Christmas" performed by The Who

December 12, 2014
"Twelve Days Of Christmas" performed by Bob and Doug McKenzie
"I Wish It Was Christmas" performed by the SNL Players

"Good Love" performed by Isaac Hayes
"Ethiopia" performed by Red Hot Chili Peppers
"Christmas Reggae" performed by Bob Marley
"Winter Wonderland" performed by The Funk Brothers
"I Can Change" performed by LCD Soundsystem

December 13, 2014
"Jungle Love" performed by The Time
"Humpin'" performed by The Gap Band
"Aqua Boogie" performed by Parliament
"We Major" performed by Kanye West with Nas and Jon Brion
"Shimmy Shimmy Ya" performed by Ol' Dirty Bastard

December 14, 2014
"Sugah Daddy" performed by D'Angelo and the Vanguard-WSPC PREMIERE
"Hard To Laugh" (live 12-13-14) performed by The Pursuit Of Happiness

"Blues For Christmas" performed by John Lee Hooker
"Anti-Hero" performed by The Smashing Pumpkins-WSPC PREMIERE
"Sanctify Yourself" performed by Simple Minds
"I'm Running" performed by Yes
"Riu Chiu" performed by The Monkees

December 15, 2014
"Christmastime Is Here Again" performed by The Beatles
"Merry Christmas (I Don't Want To Fight Tonight)' performed by The Ramones
"Christmas In Hollis" performed by Run-DMC
"Snoopy Vs. The Red Baron (Snoopy's Christmas)" performed by The Royal Guardsmen
"Blue Xmas (To Whom It May Concern)" performed by Miles Davis with Bob Dorough

December 16, 2014
"Give Love On Christmas Day" performed by The Jackson 5
"Frosty The Snowman" performed by Gene Autry
"Father Christmas" performed by The Kinks

"1000 Deaths" performed by D'Angelo and the Vanguard-WSPC PREMIERE

"Christmas Day" performed by Squeeze
"Merry Xmas Everybody" performed by R.E.M.
"December Will Be Magic Again" performed by Kate Bush
"Home For The Holidays" performed by The db's
"Christmastime Is Here Again" performed by The Smithereens

December 17, 2014
"Go Your Own Way" performed by Fleetwood Mac
"It's Up To You Now" performed by The Black Keys
"Execution Of All Things" performed by Rilo Kiley
"Constant Conversations" performed by Passion Pit
"Green Gardens, Cold Montreal" performed by Sloan
"Ain't That Easy" performed by D'Angelo and the Vanguard-WSPC PREMIERE

December 18, 2014
"Christmas Is Coming" performed by The Vince Guaraldi Trio
"One Little Christmas Tree" performed by Stevie Wonder
"The Christmas Song" performed by Marvin Gaye
"Christmas Song" performed by ABBA
"Thank God It's Christmas" performed by Queen
"Christmas Lights" performed by Coldplay

December 20, 2014
"Heart To My Chest" performed by Peter Frampton
"Lie For A Lie" performed by Nick Mason and Rick Fenn
"Betray My Heart" performed by D'Angelo and the Vanguard-WSPC PREMIERE
"Nica's Dream" performed by Wes Montgomery
"Beach Scene" performed by Tangerine Dream

"Winter Wonderland" performed by Dean Martin
"I Want To Spend Christmas With Elvis" performed by Debbie Dabney
"The Nutcracker Suite" performed by The Brian Setzer Orchestra
"Sugar Run Cherry (Dance Of the Sugar Plum Fairy)" performed by Duke Ellington
"The Snow Is Falling" performed by Ray Charles

"Nothing Can Change This Love" performed Sam Cooke
"Never Be The Same" performed by Bilal
"Another Life" performed by D'Angelo and the Vangard-WSPC PREMIERE

December 21, 2014
"My Love Is Winter" performed by The Smashing Pumpkins
"Winter" performed by James Iha
"The Coldest Winter In Memory" performed by Al Stewart
"White Winter Hymnal" performed by Fleet Foxes
"Winter" performed by The Rolling Stones

December 22, 2014
"Frozen Love" performed by Buckingham Nicks
"Winter Time" performed by The Steve Miller Band
"Live Wire" performed by Tony Carey
"I Believe In Father Christmas" performed by Emerson, Lake & Palmer
"We Need A Little Christmas" from "MAME"

"Mary And The Holy Ghost' performed by Todd Rundgren

R.I.P. TO JOE COCKER
"Five Women"
"She Came In Through The Bathroom Window" (live)
"Cry Me A River" (live)
"Have A Little Faith"

December 23, 2014
"Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas" performed by The Jackson 5
"Santa Claus, Santa Claus" performed by JAMES BROWN
"Presents For Christmas" performed by Solomon Burke
"I Want To Come Home For Christmas" performed by Marvin Gaye
"Children's Christmas Song" performed by The Supremes
"White Christmas" performed by Otis Redding
"Santa Wants Some Loving" performed by Albert King

"ANOTHERLOVE" performed by Prince and 3rdEyeGirl-WSPC PREMIERE
"Make You Better" performed by The Decemberists-WSPC PREMIERE
"Reflektor" performed by Arcade Fire

"Ring Those Christmas Bells" performed by Peggy Lee
"Christmas Wish" performed by NRBQ
"Little Saint Nick" performed by The Beach Boys
"Merry Christmas, Darling" performed by The Carpenters
"Christmas Wrapping" performed by The Waitresses

December 24, 2014
"Christmas With You" performed by Johnny Cash and June Carter Cash
"Mr. And Mrs. Santa Claus" performed by George Jones and Tammy Wynette
"Wonderful Christmastime" performed by Paul McCartney and Wings
"Countdown To Christmas Party Time" performed by XTC
"A Change At Christmas (Say It Isn't So)" performed by The Flaming Lips
"X-Mas Time Is Here Again" performed by My Morning Jacket
"Christmas Times A Comin'" performed by Dolly Parton

December 25, 2014
"Sump'n Claus" from Saturday Night Live-WSPC PREMIERE

"Christmas Day" performed by  Detroit Junior
"Gee Whiz It's Christmas" performed by Carla Thomas
"I'll Make Christmas Everyday (For My Woman)" performed by Joe Tex
"Stone Soul Christmas" performed by Binky Griptite and the Dee-Kays
"Mistletoe And Me" performed by Isaac Hayes
"Get Down Santa" performed by The Jive Turkeys
"Funky Funky Christmas" performed by Electric Jungle
"Christmas Rappin'" performed by Kurtis Blow

"Merry X-Mas Everybody" performed by Brendan Benson
"Calling On Mary" performed by Aimee Mann
"Happy Xmas (War Is Over)" performed by John Lennon

D'ANGELO & QUESTLOVE LIVE at the BROOKLYN BOWL, NEW YORK-March 4, 2013-COMPLETE PERFORMANCE

December 26, 2014

WSPC/SAVAGE CINEMA PRESENTS "THE UNION" (2011)
DIRECTED BY CAMERON CROWE

"Prayer" performed by  D'Angelo and the Vanguard-WSPC PREMIERE
"Again, Again, Again" performed by The Smashing Pumpkins
"I Got Life" from the film "HAIR"
"Freedom At Point Zero" performed by Jefferson Starship
"Play The Game" performed by Queen

December 27, 2014
"On The Way" performed by Paul McCartney
"Well, You Needn't" performed by Thelonious Monk
"Love Is The Drug" performed by Roxy Music
"The Charade" performed by D'Angelo and the Vanguard-WSPC PREMIERE
"Get It Right Or Be Gone" performed by Chuck D-WSPC PREMIERE

"The Last Trip To Tulsa" performed by Neil Young
"Secret Journey" performed by The Police
"Birthday" performed by The Sugarcubes
"Uncertain Smile" performed by The The
"A Gift" performed by Lou Reed

"Jenny Was A Friend Of Mine' performed by The Killers
"Hey Boy Hey Girl" performed by The Chemical Brothers
"Bodyrock" (live 2005) performed by Moby
"Born Slippy" performed by Underworld
"Europe Endless" performed by Kraftwerk

"Jump In The Air And Stay There" performed by Erykah Badu

December 28, 2014
"Rhiannon" (live 1976) performed by Fleetwood Mac
"Peek-A-Boo" performed by Siouxsie and the Banshees
"Shelter" performed by Lone Justice
"Strings Of Love" performed by Edie Brickell and the New Bohemians
"The English Roses" performed by The Pretenders
"Trip Through Your Wires" performed by U2
"Cabaret" performed by Liza Minnelli

December 29, 2014
"Today" performed by Jefferson Airplane
"People Say" performed by Papas Fritas
"Prisoner Of The Past" performed by Prefab Sprout
"Promised You A Miracle" performed by Simple Minds
"Dive For Your Memory" performed by The Go-Betweens
"This Tension" performed by Johnny Marr-WSPC PREMIERE
"Ring The Bells" performed by Pixies-WSPC PREMIERE

"Conviction" performed by Meshell Ndegeocello-WSPC PREMIERE
"The Night The Pugilist Learned How To Dance" performed by Sting
"50 Ways To Leave Your Lover" performed by Paul Simon
"Wistful" performed by Pete Townshend
"Really Love" performed by D'Angelo and the Vanguard-WSPC PREMIERE

December 30, 2014

HAPPY 67TH BIRTHDAY TO JEFF LYNNE
"Every Little Thing"
"Birmingham Blues" performed by Electric Light Orchestra
"Do Ya" performed by Electric Light Orchestra
"Xanadu" performed by Electric Light Orchestra
"Feel Too Good" performed by The Move

"Someday Man" performed by The Monkees
"Don't Call On Me" performed by The Monkees
"Circle Sky" performed by The Monkees
"Star Collector" performed by The Monkees
"Girl" performed by Davy Jones

December 31, 2014
"The Rest Of My Life" performed by Sloan
"Like China" performed by Phil Collins
"Ozone Baby" performed by Led Zeppelin

"The Closing Of The Year" performed by Wendy and Lisa with Seal
"Walk Unafraid" (live) performed by R.E.M.
"It's My Life" performed by Talk Talk
"Hands Of Time" performed by Groove Armada with Ritchie Havens
"Time After Time" (live) performed by Cyndi Lauper
"Time Is Passing" performed by Pete Townshend

"Doors Of Your Heart" performed by The (English) Beat
"Down In The Tubestation At Midnight" performed by The Jam
"Whatever Makes You Happy" performed by Paul Westerberg
"Battle Of The Dragon" performed by Stevie Nicks
"Don't You Worry 'Bout A Thing" performed by Stevie Wonder
"So Glad To See You Here" performed by Paul McCartney and Wings
"Next Year" performed by  Foo Fighters

NOW PLAYING IN THE SAVAGE JUKEBOX DECEMBER 2014

"MWANDISHI"
HERBIE HANCOCK
Released 1971

"THE WALL"
PINK FLOYD
Released November 30, 1979

"ECHOES: THE BEST OF PINK FLOYD"
Released November 5, 2001

"TEARGARDEN BY KALEIDYSCOPE"
THE SMASHING PUMPKINS
Released between 2009-2011

"OCEANIA"
THE SMASHING PUMPKINS
Released June 19, 2012

"ATLAS"
REAL ESTATE
Released March 4, 2014

"LOOK TO THE SKY"
JAMES IHA
Released  September 18, 2012

"GET UP WITH IT"
MILES DAVIS
Released November 22, 1974

"20 YEARS OF SADNESS-CHICAGO, IL NOVEMBER 18, 2008"
THE SMASHING PUMPKINS
soundboard recording 2008

"THE RENAISSANCE"
Q-TIP
Released November 4, 2008

"HUMMINGBIRD IN A BOX: SONGS FOR A BALLET" (EP)
PETER FRAMPTON
Released July 27, 2014

WSPC'S FAVORITE ALBUMS OF 2014

WSPC'S FAVORITE ALBUMS OF 2014

The music year of 2014 is just about to draw to a close and I was deeply impressed with how musically rich of a year it was, and despite what actually found its way onto commercial radio stations.

For me it was a year that saw strong new albums from Real Estate, Jenny Lewis, The Smashing Pumpkins, Broken Bells, Lenny Kravitz, The Belle Brigade, Sean Lennon's The Ghost of A Saber Tooth Tiger, Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers, Johnny Marr, Tweedy, Temples, Foo Fighters and an especially terrific return from Ryan Adams and yes, even U2's completely undervalued and frankly, underheard latest release, the warm and intimate "Songs Of Innocence."

But of course, there were albums I especially loved this year, the ones that, to my ears, represented the best of the best the year had to offer (and based upon everything that I actually heard this year). At this time, I would like to present my favorite albums of 2014, in no particular order other than the top two. 

"HIGH HOPES" BRUCE SPRINGSTEEN

The first new album I heard in 2014 has remained one of the year's favorites. I purchased it on the Martin Luther King Jr. holiday and it felt to be so appropriate that this collection of Springsteen's unreleased material, newly recorded selections and cover songs congealed brilliantly into what was essentially his "State Of The Union Address." Stirring, heartbreaking, enraging and even hopeful.
(Originally featured January 2014)

"MORNING PHASE"  BECK

Beck's return after a six year hiatus was a flat out gorgeous one. Rich with heartfelt melancholy and augmented by the stunning string sections and the depth of maturity in Beck's voice, songcraft and lyricism, Beck's latest was an album of meditative, contemplative solitude.
(Originally featured March 2014)

"EVERYDAY ROBOTS" DAMON ALBARN

The debut solo album from musical journeyman Damon Albarn (Blur, Gorillaz, and The Good, The Bad and the Queen plus even more) gave us a collection of songs about displacement within the 21st century and for me, it was the year's most haunting album.
(Originally featured May 2014)

"...and then you shoot your cousin" THE ROOTS

To combat and challenge any perceptions that we are living within a "post-racial" society, as well as providing a a powerful counter-point to the vacuousness of so much of hip-hop these days, The Roots' latest opus is a sobering work of art that is dark, claustrophobic, cinematic and compellingly audacious from beginning to end.
(Originally featured June 2014)

"COMET, COME TO ME"  MESHELL NDEGEOCELLO

The shadows of love and intimacy surface brilliantly upon Ndegeocello's latest album in which all of the luxuriously textured songs which run the musical gamut from jazz, dub reggae, rock, hip-hop, soul, folk and funk, flow like the clearest of water. If you are unfamiliar with this artist and you have enjoyed works by the likes of Peter Gabriel, Kaki King or even late period Joni Mitchell, this release should fly right up your alley.
(Originally featured June 2014)

"INDIE CINDY" PIXIES

From a band I had pretty much written off as being rock and roll sell-outs due to their endless nostalgia touring, the Pixies knocked me off of my feet with their first official album of new material in 20 years and what was easily the best rock album of the year. This album is the sound of renewal and is fully designed to be blasted from the best speakers as loudly as possible.
(Originally featured May 2014)

"EVERYTHING WILL BE ALRIGHT IN THE END" WEEZER

Nipping at the Pixies' heels is the latest and monstrous release from Weezer which finds the band returning to familiar sonic, alternative, hard rock, power pop territory while also crafting out some new gloriously "shred-tastic" vistas. The band sounds completely renewed, refocused, revitalized and re-charged and every track on the album is a top flight winner.
(Originally featured October 2014)

"TURN BLUE" THE BLACK KEYS

Note to Jack White: despite how good your latest release actually was, no amount of "Lawdy! Lawdy! Lawdy!" will make your interpretation of the blues any more authentic than the real thing. In fact, and in comparison to The Black Keys' latest album, which is steeped in real pain and trauma, your album comes off as decidedly plastic. Sorry, The Black Keys beat you at your own game this time.
(Originally featured May 2014)

"THE ENDLESS RIVER" PINK FLOYD

From the band that I never thought would ever craft a new album has returned with an elegant and elegiac release that serves as a stirring and seamless tribute to their deceased keyboardist Richard Wright. Running nearly 60 minutes in duration and almost entirely instrumental and divided into essentially four movements, Pink Floyd has created a series of soundscapes not designed for the stadiums but for more solitary immersion.
(Originally featured November 2014)

"ART OFFICIAL AGE"/"PLECTRUM ELECTRUM" PRINCE

 

His Royal Badness has returned with not one but two stellar albums that finds him sounding more rejuvenated and fully committed than he has in many years. Working either solo or with his new all female band 3rdEyeGirl, Prince has crafted two sets of instantly accessible yet fully challenging material that will bring old fans back to the fold, create new fans and provide all listeners with the very type of supremely idiosyncratic material that made us fall in love with him in the first place. And also, Prince's guitar heroics still scorch the sky unlike anyone else on the planet.
(Originally featured October 2014)

HONORABLE MENTION:

"SONIC HIGHWAYS" THE HBO SERIES 

As good as the companion album is, Dave Grohl's masterwork was his devastatingly beautiful eight part series that served as a behind the scenes making of the latest Foo Fighters album and most importantly as a cross country travelogue through eight cities that inspired the albums' songs. Grohl, who directed every episode, made for a passionate host, interviewer and chronicler of the American music landscape, providing an exquisitely rich tapestry of music history that educates and inspired triumphantly. I cannot wait to get this series on DVD!!!

ALBUM OF THE YEAR-RUNNER UP

"COMMONWEALTH" SLOAN

It was the album that I never saw coming from a band of which I really had only heard of the name. Sloan's "Commonwealth" is a power pop masterpiece as the band's four members, all of whom are world class songwriters, singers and multi-instrumentalists, essentially created four solo albums inside of this one beautifully sequenced, produced, arranged, composed and performed double album that continuously rewards every single re-listening handsomely.

I have played this album endlessly throughout the Autumn and beginning of Winter and additionally, this album compelled me to travel backwards through the entirety of their incredible discography of which there is not one bad or even mediocre album in the entire bunch. I do not know how this band has slipped through my grasp for so long now but now that I have them, I am holding them extremely close for now on. For most of the latter half of 2014, this album was firmly placed as my #1 pick for "Album Of The Year"...until...
(Originally featured October 2014)

"BLACK MESSIAH" D'ANGELO AND THE VANGUARD

The album that I, and so many others, thought would NEVER see the light of day finally arrived and despite all of the massive expectations, ti was the album that exceeded everything that I had hoped and wished for. It has been playing continuously in my car since I purchased it and I am just amazed with the sheer amount of songcraft, production, performance and overall delivery this experience has unleashed. 

But I guess one of the most important things that I can say about the album is that it has been the one release this year that has forced people to actually talk about and listen to the actual music again. No videos or imagery exist to compliment the material and D'Angelo himself has remained surprisingly silent since the release. This is an instance where the music is doing all of the talking and absolutely brilliantly as well. 

D'Angelo and the Vanguard had conceived a moody, dense, distorted and endlessly fascinating and voluminously funked up treatise of love, sex, sin and salvation, an odyssey of social political unrest and spiritual deliverance, 

"Black Messiah" is this DJ's ALBUM OF THE YEAR by a clear mile. 

(Originally featured December 2014)