Friday, December 31, 2010


Modern Sound Corporation - Safari (pt. 2)

Produced by Barry Guard. Distributed K-Tel Sweden.

...and a very happy New Year to all the listeners, friends, and family out there! Let's toast to the surprises (musical and otherwise) that 2011 will bring...

Thursday, December 30, 2010


Ann Steel - My Time

Too essential not to post. Music by Roberto Cacciapaglia, lyrics by Giada Di Villahermosa. Recorded in Milan.

Does the insistent pulse symbolize the mechanization of time in modern life?
New Years Eve 1971
Two tracks to help ring in your New Year.
Cheers!

David Ruffin: Anything That You Ask For

Ray Barretto: A Deeper Shade of Soul

Wednesday, December 29, 2010


Gimmicks - Bermuda Inn

They don't make 'em like this anymore; in fact, they never made them like this. Recorded in Stockholm and produced by Leif Carlqvist.

Tuesday, December 28, 2010


The Roches - Hammond Song

Big thanks to Greg for featuring this one on his female folk mix. Produced by Robert Fripp, with Frippertronics invading at the 2:11 mark.

You'd be OK if you'd just stay in school...

Monday, December 27, 2010


Juanita Rogers - A Love Letter Full Of Promises

Available on this. And I'm still looking for suggestions for an all-acapella playlist. It will be a hard row to hoe, but we're well on the way with some great suggestions here.

Thursday, December 23, 2010


Johnny Paycheck: Friend, Lover, Wife

Wednesday, December 22, 2010


Inga Humpe - Do I Have To

Sunday, December 19, 2010

Curved Air
Curved Air: Hide and Seek

This slice of life goes out to Mr. Beer N. Hockey. The title is definitely fitting to the music -- with all the corners and alleyways in this song you wonder if you are lost or actually going the right way, but no worries cause by the end you'll slam right smack into the person you were looking for. Album review here.

Saturday, December 18, 2010


David Allan Coe: Funeral Parlor Blues

Friday, December 17, 2010


Cornershop Presents Bubbley Kaur - Topknot

I wanted to do a vinyl rip of this, but records ordered on November 22nd still haven't arrived from snowy England, so we're doing this amazon mp3-store-style. I rarely say no to a double-tracked vocal and the chorus on this prayerful jam is no exception.

Wednesday, December 15, 2010

Denver Punk Scene
Ultravox!: Sat'day Night in the City of the Dead

So, how many debut albums had Brian Eno & Steve Lillywhite as the production team?

Tuesday, December 14, 2010


Nick Holder - Summer Daze

Monday, December 13, 2010


Mystic Slot - No Way Back

File under: funking for fun. Zero complaints about whatever the effect is on that ride cymbal. Mystic slot taking you deep into the labyrinth on this one.

Friday, December 10, 2010


Crack The Sky - Rangers At Midnight

Thursday, December 09, 2010


Leo Sayer: More Than I Can Say

Originally by The Crickets. I've always been partial to this version, which reminds me of childhood for some reason.

Wednesday, December 08, 2010


New Viva show (#100!) in the ark hive.

Family Fodder - Primeval Pony

Essential new material from a band once deemed the G.B.O.A.T. I'll leave this up for 24 hours, because I want people to hear it. The album is now available in stores.

Tuesday, December 07, 2010


The Beach Boys: Stoked

Monday, December 06, 2010


The Crickets: It's Too Late

Sunday, December 05, 2010


Pastor T.L. Barrett And The Youth For Christ Choir - Like A Ship (Without A Sail)

Daddy likes the twin-tambourine attack (left and right channels).

Lead Vocal and Electric Piano, T.L. Barrett
Piano, Gary (Snake) Riley, 17 years old
Bass, Richard Evans
Drums, Charles Pittman
Rhythm Acc., Stanley Fox

Available on a great reissue from Light In The Attic.

Saturday, December 04, 2010


Taxi - Campari Soda

Radiohead's got nothing on this baby!

Friday, December 03, 2010


Procol Harum - Grand Hotel

Thursday, December 02, 2010


New York Dolls: Looking For A Kiss (Studio Demo)

Wednesday, December 01, 2010

see you later
Paul McCartney: Ram On
The Clean: In the Dreamlife U Need A Rubber Soul

Tuesday, November 30, 2010

18 and bored
"She used my head like a revolver...."

T. Rex: Planet Queen (remastered) and (acoustic)

Wednesday, November 24, 2010


Simon and Garfunkel - So Long, Frank Lloyd Wright

Friday, November 19, 2010

Commerce St, NYC

The Ether: Rue Des Jours

Wednesday, November 17, 2010



Ennio Morricone: Farewell To Cheyenne

Tuesday, November 16, 2010



Black on White Affair: A Bunch of Changes

Friday, November 12, 2010


Karin Krog and Archie Shepp - Steam

Fuzzy vibes for a Friday. I heard this on FMU this morning while I was sitting in the car for street cleaning and doing a crossword puzzle. Heady stuff. Recorded in Oslo on January 10, 1976 (a Saturday). Written by Archie Shepp.

Monday, November 08, 2010



Al Green: I'm A Ram

I'm partial to Reverend Al Green but Teenie's guitar riffs on this track are tight.

Saturday, November 06, 2010

Saturday Night Special

Phil Wainman - Going, Going, Gone

Thursday, November 04, 2010


Dana Gillespie - Andy Warhol

I never noticed the melody of the verses in this tune until I heard this version. The chorus here sounds a touch more like Heart than I would wish, but c'est la vie. Good for a rainy November Thor's-day.

Wednesday, November 03, 2010

Harry Nilsson

Harry Nilsson: Without Her

Sunday, October 31, 2010


Bad Cash Quartet - Amuse You

...and so we draw a close to Year Four of the Decade. As Year Five begins, my new direction is clear: mostly Swedish stuff from the late '90s that sounds kind of like Blink-182.

I hope everyone's cool with that.

Saturday, October 30, 2010


Jerry Garcia - Eep Hour

Wednesday, October 27, 2010


Boat Club - Nowhere

Two dudes from Gothenburg with a yen to emulate Flesh + Blood-era Roxy. How can I resist this?

Available on Caught The Breeze.

Sunday, October 24, 2010


Eggstone - The Dog

More from Eggstone. I feel like this one starts off inauspiciously, then gets ruling in a very '90s-anthem way on the chorus. Typically Eggstoneësque classy move with the surprise chord change into the bridge at 2:01.

Saturday, October 23, 2010


Dave Dee, Dozy, Beaky, Mick & Tich - Hold Tight!

Friday, October 22, 2010



Laetitia Sadier - Un Soir, Un Chien

Oops... this is from a newish album so I probably shouldn't be posting it. I'll leave it up for a day and then take the link down. In the meantime, all are strenuously encouraged to buy the album. It's a winner!

Thursday, October 21, 2010


New Viva show (#98) in archives.

Thanks again to all who contributed to the 1997 project. I ended up using only a handful of the picks (in truth, I had 40 of 60 minutes programmed before I asked for help!), but I listened to all and enjoyed them immensely.

Considering an all-acapella playlist. You know, Prelude: "After the Goldrush", Bobby McFerrin, Guillaume de Machaut, selections from that Bjork album, etc. Is there enough good acapella material out there to warrant such an endeavor? Let me know if you have ideas...

Friday, October 15, 2010


Eggstone - Taramasalata

Huge thanks to Ely at Songblague for the tip on this slice of labyrinthine pop. I feel an Eggstone phase coming on...

photo courtesy of RVK Across the USA

Eric Clapton: Black Summer Rain

Wednesday, October 13, 2010


Deerhoof - Polly Bee

Getting pumped for the big show at Poisson Rouge tonight: Deerhoof. A band who continue to expand the rock idiom both harmonically and melodically (as opposed to merely texturally and rhythmically). Tickets still available!

Meanwhile, the 1997 project rolls along. Keep sending me your suggestions for a playlist of all songs from 1997, the last year when everything was shiny and the world was perfect. Deadline is this Friday.

Tuesday, October 12, 2010


Beck - Deadweight (edit)

I'm working on an all-1997 playlist for Viva Radio. This is one of the signature jams I remember from that gleaming year. Please write in with further suggestions for the playlist. Any organized sound created and/or distributed in 1997 qualifies. Deadline is this Friday 10/15!

P.S. Enjoy the authentic digi-rot at 0:43.

Monday, October 11, 2010


Lifter Puller - Nassau Coliseum

Friday, October 08, 2010


Grateful Dead - Mississippi Half-Step Uptown Toodeloo

Recorded "live" at Chicago's historic Auditorium Theatre, Thursday, May 12, 1977. I'm officially adding this number to the "great codas" thread started here.
Strawberry Fields

John Lennon: Oh My Love

The Jam: Wasteland