Stereo Embers: The Podcast

“On Banjo” In sunny a San Diego high school somewhere in the 70s, while kids were listening to Aerosmith and Van Halen and Boston, Alison Brown was listening to bluegrass. She had started on guitar but gravitated to the banjo and by her teens, she was already pretty proficient on the instrument. She won first place at the Canadian National Banjo Championship, played a gig at the Grand Ole Opry and toured one summer with fiddler Stuart Duncan. After high school She headed to Harvard, knocked out an MBA at UCLA and then went to work as an Investment Banker. You know—the typical bluegrass story you hear all the time. Thinking music was a weekend thing, Brown had a nice balance going but then music decided to tip the scales. Alison Krauss flashed the bat signal for a banjo player and Brown answered the call, and gave up her Wall Street environs for a life in music. And what a life it has been. An internationally recognized virtuoso on banjo, Brown has played with Alison Krauss, Michelle Shocked, fronted her own Alison Brown Quartet, toured all over the world, from Japan to South America, along the way playing The Kennedy Center, the Newport Folk Festival, The Cambridge Folk Festival in England and the Galway Arts Festival in Ireland. With a Grammy in her trophy case along with multiple Grammy nominations, features on CBS Sunday Morning, NPRs All Things Considered and close to 15 critically lauded albums under her belt, including her fabulous new one No Banjo, Alison Brown is an artistic force. And what of On Banjo? Well, putting it simply, it’s a stunner. A deftly played album filled with technical prowess, musical finesse and compositional dexterity, On Banjo is a song cycle that’s celebratory, joyful and cathartic. Brown is the co-founder of Compass Records Group, she serves on the Board of the Nashville Chapter of the Recording Academy and she's the co-chair of the Steve Martin Banjo Prize. She’s kind of a big deal and guess what? She’s as nice as can be. www.alisonbrown.com www.bombshellradio.com www.stereoembersmagazine.com www.embersarts.com www.alexgreenonline.com Twitter: @emberseditor IG: @emberspodcast Email: editor@stereoembersmagazine.com

“Forwards” For more than 40 years the Welsh band the Alarm have been one of the most consistent acts on the planet, playing songs with conviction, heart and belief. With almost 20 studio albums under their belts, along with a discography that includes live albums, box sets and EPs, The Alarm are one of those bands where you pretty much want everything they put out. From albums like Declaration to Strength to their brand new one Forwards, The Alarm are a completist’s band. Speaking of Forwards, it’s a remarkable record—singer/songwriter Mike Peters has never sounded better, his voice alive with muscle and belief. The Welsh band have had a remarkable career that’s filled with endless highlights-- they toured with U2 and Bob Dylan, played at Queen’s Live at Wembley concert in 1986, been on IRS’s the Cutting Edge and American Bandstand, had hit singles all over the world even cracking the Billboard Top 50 here in the States, and wrote a song that became the official Welsh anthem for Euro 2020. This is a band that’s all about community, support and they remain as vital as ever. www.thealarm.com www.bombshellradio.com www.stereoembersmagazine.com www.alexgreenonline.com www.embersarts.com Stereo Embers: Twitter: @emberseditor IG: @emberspodcast Email: editor@stereoembersmagazine.com

“Time On Earth” In the early ‘80s, the British born singer-songwriter Pete Astor was the frontman for the band The Loft and when that outfit split up, he formed the Weather Prophets who put out a trio of albums including the fabulous Diesel River and the miraculous Judges Juries and Horsemen. Astor kept the dream alive after the Prophets split up, emerging with fabulous projects like The Wisdom of Harry and Ellis Island Sound. Currently, Astor is a senior lecturer at the University of Westminster, and in 2014, his book on Richard Hell and the Voidoids' Blank Generation, was published as part of Bloomsbury’s ongoing 33⅓ series on seminal rock and roll albums. Over the years Astor hasn’t stopped putting out solo albums which are practically peerless. From Submarine to One For The Ghost to his outstanding new one Time On Earth, Pete Astor remains one of the most compelling figures in modern music. He’s quietly released a discography that’s redolent with thought, lyrical dexterity, observational smarts and hooks galore. Astor is one of the most listenable artists out there. Of Time On Earth, Dave Cantrell of Stereo Embers Magazine wrote, “…it's punchy in the melodic, reassuring way we’ve come to expect, somehow poignant and unsentimental in equal measure, it's a worthy addition to an already-bursting canon of sublime pop jewels.” www.peteastor.com www.bombshellradio.com www.stereoembersmagazine.com www.embersarts.com www.alexgreenonline.com Twitter: @emberseditor IG: @emberspodcast Email: editor@stereoembersmagazine.com

"Bluegrass Vacation” With close to 20 albums under his belt, including Country Love Songs, Let’s Kill Saturday Night, and his fabulous new one Bluegrass Vacation, Robbie Fulks has had quite a career. Over the last thirty years the Pennsylvania born singer-songwriter has collaborated with everyone from Steve Albini to Dallas Wayne to NRBQ’s Al Anderson, worked as a country music songwriter for the Music Row publisher API and scored two Grammy nominations in 2016 for Best Folk Album and Best American Roots Song. There’s a lot that’s cool about Robbie Fulks—his flatpicking guitar style, his poetic turns of phrase,his unique sense of humor and his penchant to cover songs you’d never think he’d cover—he’s knocked out versions of tracks by everyone from The Bangles to Shania Twain, so you pretty much never know what’s going to happen. But what’s really cool about Robbie Fulks is that he’s an engine of creative power and that engine hasn’t dimmed once in his 30 year career. His new album Bluegrass Vacation is a rollicking and joyful blast of sheer bluegrass bliss. From One Glass of Whisky to Old Time Music is Here To Stay, Bluegrass Vacation is a joyful romp that references the genre with a respectful tip of the hat that breathes new life into an old tradition. www.robbiefulks.com www.bombshellradio.com www.stereoembersmagazine.com www.embersarts.com www.alexgreenonline.com Twitter: @emberseditor IG: @emberspodcast Email: editor@stereoembersmagazine.com

“Born In A Trunk” She may have been born in the Bay Area, but Amy Irving might as well have been born in a theatre. Her father was the film and stage director Julius Irving and her mother was the actress Priscilla Pointer. And what happens when you have theatre parents? Well, you’re in the theatre. A lot. And then you’re on the stage. A lot. And then it’s in your blood and there’s no turning back. Amy Irving got her start on the stage at 9 months old and from there she never stopped. She studied at the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art, landed in L.A. and almost immediately started landing role after role in movies and television. What movies and what television, you might be asking? Well, in the movies category she was in Carrie, Delancey Street, The Competition, Honeysuckle Rose and Yentil. She was also the singing voice of Jessica Rabbit in Who Framed Roger Rabbit? As for television, she was on Police Woman, Happy Days and Once An Eagle with Sam Elliott and Glenn Ford. And not only was she working regularly in those mediums, she was still a busy theatre actor, appearing in Amadeus, Romeo and Juliet, Blithe Spirit and The Glass Menagerie. Along the way she picked up an Oscar nomination, a few Golden Globe nominations and she won a Screen Actors Guild Award. Now this is all just a partial list, but the fact of the matter is, from the big screen to the small screen to the stage, Amy Irving has always been a very busy working actor. Which brings us to Born In A Trunk, which is Irving debut album. Produced by Goolis, Born In A Trunk is a ten-track collection of songs that are culled from her life and career. She covers numbers by Willie Nelson, Tom Waits and Death Cab For Cutie. And The result? Well, not only a compelling and riveting listen, but an album whose song cycle combines to tell the story of a life on the stage and a career in the arts. Why write a memoir when you can sing one, right? And, boy can Amy Irving sing. Her precision, her timbre, her effortless phrasing and her sheer musical poise make Born In A Trunk one of 2023’s great surprises. Instagram: @amyirvingofficial www.stereoembersmagazine.com www.embersarts.com www.alexgreenonline.com www.bombshellradio.com Twitter: @emberseditor Instagram: @emberspodcast Email: editor@stereoembersmagazine.com

“Bergen Street” The Brooklyn-born Chapin Sisters’s new single—which is their first new material since 2017’s Ferry Boat—is called "Bergen Street" and it’s about moving. And because it’s about moving from Brooklyn to the Hudson Valley, The Chapin sisters have had to have a lot of conversations about that move and what it means. Leaving Brooklyn really is kind of a big deal for sisters Abigail and Lily because they have pretty deep familial roots there.The Chapins are a Brooklyn family and their father Tom and his five brothers put their stamp on the city with their sixties folk band The Chapin Brothers. Two of those brothers you might recognize immediately--Tom Chapin is a well-known folk legend, whose albums for kids are absolute staples and their late uncle Harry, whose "Cats In The Cradle" is a staple on AM radio, was a beloved singer/songwriter as well. Reaching back further, their grandfather Jim Chapin was a well-known and respected jazz drummer. So music and Brooklyn run deep and moving away was a big deal and "Bergen Street" effortlessly chronicles what it feels like to have familiar geography in your rear view mirror. It’s a wrenching, aching and utterly gorgeous song that’s filled with poetic precision, melodic finesse and otherworldly harmonic bliss.In other words, the Chapin Sisters have stayed right on brand. Since 2004 they’ve put out a handful of marvelous albums, including The Chapin Sisters Sing The Chapin Brothers, A Date With The Everly Brothers and Lake Bottom. They’ve also recorded with Cass McCombs and She and Him, and collaborated with Michael Fitzpatrick of Fitz and the Tantrums as well as Louie Stephens of Rooney. Pick any of their albums or EPs and prepare to swoon. Their voices braid effortlessly together and rise and fall with heartbreaking immediacy. Their phrasing is precise, their delivery is heavenly and the way every syllable soars is nothing short of spellbinding. www.thechapinsisters.com www.bombshellradio.com www.stereoembersmagazine.com www.embersarts.com www.alexgreenonline.com Twitter: @emberseditor IG: @emberspodcast Email: editor@stereoembersmagazine.com

“Doctor Moan” Ever since he landed in San Francisco at 19, the Buffalo-born Peter Case pretty much hasn’t stopped making music. He hit the Bay as a busker and from there joined pals Jack Lee and Paul Collins to form the punk band the Nerves. After the Nerves called it a day, Case formed The Plimsouls, who put out a handful of albums that were instant classics. When the Plimsouls broke up, Case stripped things back and put out his first solo album. The self-titled record was a critical favorite, and it kick-started a solo career that has found the singer/songwriter releasing close to 20 albums, including The Man With The Blue Post Modern Fragmented Neo Traditionalist Guitar, Sings Like Hell and his new one Doctor Moan. The Grammy-nominated Case is a true troubadour whose life has been devoted to song. He’s put out several books, including As Far As You Can Get Without A Passport, had his songs covered by everyone from Blondie to Joe Ely to John Prine, opened for the Ramones and John Lee Hooker, collaborated with Los Lobos, Roger McGuinn of The Byrds and Ry Cooder and you know what? The list goes on and on. This is just a fragment of what Peter Case has done—his CV has a lot of pages. His new album Doctor Moan is a stirring song cycle that’s powered by Case behind the keys of an acoustic piano. And it’s riveting work--The songs are heartfelt, arresting and filled with raw finesse that makes every moment immediate and engaging. www.petercase.com www.stereoembersmagazine.com www.embersarts.com www.alexgreenonline.com www.bombshellradio.com Twitter: @emberseditor Instagram: @emberspodcast Email: editor@stereoembersmagazine.com

"Foreground Music" With a handful of winning solo albums under his belt including Stardust Birthday Party, Heavy Meta and his fabulous new one Foreground Music, Ron Gallo is, for my money, one of the most exciting guys around. The New Jersey-born singer/songwriter who got his start fronting bands like Toy Soldiers, is a self-possessed engine of a talent who fills every track with nerve, velocity and heart. He’s played Coachella, Bonnaroo, and SXSW and toured with everyone from Spoon to Wilco. What does his music sound like? Good question. It’s a fiery blend of garage rock, post-punk swerve and pure warehouse stomp. It’s percussive, it’s groovy and it’s got a killer one-two knockout combination. It’s smart, it’s soulful and it’s wild—it’s a feral blast of shaking indie rock that’s immediate, real and infectious. www.rongallomusic.com AND: Ron Gallo's SOCIAL METEOR book pre-order: https://rongallo.bandcamp.com/merch/social-meteor Ron Gallo's "Before the Building Goes Up" Concert Film Trailer https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yYB4AitzSsQ www.bombshellradio.com www.stereoembersmagazine.com www.embersarts.com www.alexgreenonline.com Stereo Embers The Podcast Twitter: @emberseditor Instagram: @emberspodast Email: editor@stereoembersmagazine.com

“Dark Island” Inspired by poetry, traditional celtic music, indie rock and the terrain of their beloved home of Cape Breton, the members of Villages have the island in their bones. And that makes sense—because they come from five generations of Cape Bretonians. So it’s safe to say it’s in their bones, their hearts, their minds and their souls. And it shows. The band’s new long player Dark Island is a moving meditation on ancestry, roots and Cape Breton itself, the latter being the spiritual connective tissue that links the album’s eleven tracks. From songs like the buoyant Love Will Live On to the moving Celtic groove of Play The Fiddle All Night, which you just heard, Dark Island is filled with pure sonic joy. Produced Juno-award winning composer and producer Joshua Van Tassel, who has worked with the Great Lake Swimmers and Fortunate Ones, this album is nothing short of revelatory. Inspired by the dramatic terrain of Cape Breton and the nature that inhabits it, Dark Island creates a moving landscape of sonorous melodies, lifting harmonies and poetic finesse. www.thevillagesband.net www.bombshellradio.com www.stereoembersmagazine.com www.embersarts.com www.alexgreenonline.com Stereo Embers The Podcast Twitter: @emberseditor Instagram: @emberspodast Email: editor@stereoembersmagazine.com

“The Hypnogogue” With close to 30 albums to their credit, including classics like Heyday, Starfish, The Blurred Crusade and their fabulous new one The Hypnogogue, The Church are one of the most enduring bands of all time. Led by the British-born but Australian raised Steve Kilbey, the Sydney-based outfit continue to put out music that’s mesmeric, melodic and meditative.Inducted into the ARIA Hall of Fame in 2010 and with gold records and hit singles under their musical belts, the Church are not ones to rest on their laurels. In fact, what makes this band so alluring is that they continue to challenge themselves and their listeners. Their new album is a perfect example of this—it’s a dense and textured collection of dreamlike jams, textured instrumentation, graceful hooks and churning elegance. It’s the kind of album that rewards you with each repeated listen. As for Mr. Kilbey, he remains one of the most prolific artists in rock and roll, delivering not only high quality work with his band, but also adding to that oeuvre fabulous solo albums, books, and paintings. This is Steve’s second visit to the podcast and we pick up where we left off…. www.thechurchband.net www.bombshellradio.com www.stereoembersmagazine.com www.embersarts.com www.alexgreenonline.com Twitter: @emberseditor Instagram: @emberspodast Email: editor@stereoembersmagazine.com