Stereo Embers: The Podcast

“The Faraway” Sometimes people say the same things about a person because they’re true. For example, Bowie was always described as being mercurial. Why? Because he was. The word intensity always comes up when discussing the work of Daniel Day Lewis for the exact same reason. When it comes to explaining the sounds that come from Robin Guthrie’s guitar, critics and fans tend to immediately go to the term ethereal as a default descriptor of the Scottish-born musician. And ethereal isn’t far off the mark, because his playing is indeed perfect in a way that seems not of this world, but it also might be a lazy way of saying that he sounds like nobody else who’s picked up the guitar. But that might be a lazy way of saying that his sound is ethereal and heavenly and otherworldly. You see the problem. The fact is, Robin Guthrie is a master craftsman whose notes swirl and sting and float and churn. It’s magical playing and that’s all there is to it. Wether you’re a fan of the Cocteau Twins or his work with Harold Bud

“Proclaimer Of Things” The co-founder of the legendary Elephant 6 Collective that spawned Neutral Milk Hotel, Olivia Tremor Control and her band The Apples In Stereo, Hilarie Sydney has very quietly been one of the most important figures in modern music. By the way, before we continue, I’m sure you’re like Neutral Milk Hotel? Cool. Olivia Tremor Control? Cool. The Apples In Stereo? Cool. Yes, all cool for sure, and all massively influential bands. But even cooler? Sydney was the only woman in that gang of dudes. Which is even cooler. Along the way, Sydney fell in love with a Norwegian fella who also was a musician and they joined forces as The High Water Marks, putting out two fabulous albums of engaging indie pop. Sydney moved to Norway thanks to a Study Abroad fellowship to Norway, married that Norwegian fella and put music aside to raise a family, 2020 ended the High Water Marks' hiatus in the form of the fabulous Ecstasy Rhymes album and now two years later, its follow up Proclaimer of Things is ready to

“Hard To Get (ish)” This is the continued post-mortem of a band that I’ve explored over the course of several episodes of the show. Now, bands break up all the time—big deal. But a band that signed the most lucrative contract for a debut album in the history of Island Records and called it a day after only one record? Not so common. The album in question is Starclub’s 1993 self-titled album. When it hit shelves here in the US, it was all I listened to. Hard to Get, which you just heard, remains my favorite song of the 90s and back then I didn’t get how it wasn’t the #1 song in America. I still don’t. But the bigger question about Starclub is what the hell happened? These were childhood friends who shared a dream and a love of the Beatles and a clear vision for what they wanted for their band. How did they only put out one record? Well, I’ve been obsessing about this for years and the singer Owen Vyse is a close pal of mine and we’ve talked about it, we even did an episode where the band's bassist Julian Tayl

“New Kings Of Pop” The Mommyheads got their start somewhere around 1987 or so in New York. They relocated to San Francisco and in the 90s they were Bay Area staples. Their music is a charming blend of wobbly pop beauty that brings to mind everyone from Jellyfish to XTC but the Mommyheads are not just a pop band—they’re an idiosyncratic outfit that, over the course of their career, have thrown sonic curveballs that even their most ardent fans never saw coming. They had a brief dalliance with a major label, signing to Geffen in 1997, but that yielded only one fabulous self-titled album. After they parted ways with Geffen they kind of parted ways with each other, taking a break from recording that lasted almost 11 years. With close to 15 albums under their belts, the Mommyheads output is rich and rewarding. The band have had their songs covered by Jenny Toomey and Someone Still Loves You Boris Yeltsin, they appear in a Time Warner TV ad, and we're happy to report that the Mommyheads are not only back, they're m

“Time Of The Season” The Zombies got their start in the early '60s and since then, they’ve been one of the most enduring bands in rock and roll history, The British outfit, which is led by the core of Colin Blunstone and Rod Argent had a mad streak of singles—She’s Not There, Tell Her No and Time Of The Season—that pretty much cemented their reputation as a massive pop force. Their album Odessey and Oracle is considered one of the greatest albums ever made and in 2019 the band was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Blunstone’s voice is one of the great wonders of the world and the band’s material is ageless, timeless and affecting. Blunstone has put out solo records, appeared on albums by Alan Parsons and Steve Hackett and the band’s recent output like 2015’s Still Got That Hunger demonstrate that they remain as potent as ever. In this chat, the genial Blunstone talks to Alex about his casual relationship with his work ethic, the evil that lurks in the music business, and why he’s not burdened by

"Click Click Domino" Christopher Turpin and Stephanie Jean were in the Bath-based alternative rock band Kill It Kid who put out three fabulous albums. With a sonic attack that fell somewhere between Nirvana and The White Stripes, Kill It Kid were a ferocious live act that radiated intensity and heart. After the band called it a day Turpin and Jean formed the duo Ida Mae. Influenced by Delta Blues, JJ Cale, John Martyn and obscure British Folk, the band hit the ground running with their 2019 debut Chasing Lights. Having left their native England for the rich musical soil of Nashville, the band dug in and got to work, playing shows all over the world, including the Newport Folk Festival and opening slots for Willie Nelson, Greta Van Fleet and Blackberry Smoke. They’ve recored with M. Ward and T Bone Burnett, been hailed by everyone from American Songwriter to Rolling Stone and the release of their sophomore album Click Click Domino has cemented them as one of the most exciting bands around. A wicked blend of b

“Still The Night” Since the early '80s the Wisconsin-bred Bodeans have been playing some of the catchiest and most compelling rock and roll you’re likely to hear. With nearly 20 albums to their name including Love and Hope and Sex and Dreams, Outside Looking In, Mr Sad Clown and Still, The Bodeans discography is a riveting blend of American music played with heart and soul and truth. They’ve had quite a career and it’s one that found them opening for U2 on the Joshua Tree tour, playing Farm Aid, recording with Robbie Robertson, being produced by everyone from T. Bone Burnett to Jerry Harrison of the Talking Heads, releasing a killer double live album, having a massive hit with "Closer To Free" and touring all over the world. They’ve gone through many iterations of their lineup, but original member Kurt Neumann is the man holding down the Bodeans legacy and with the addition of legendary drummer Kenny Aaronoff, the Bodeans sound better than ever. In this conversation, Neumann talks to Alex about coping with d

“Analog Christmas” Arielle is one of those rare talents that comes along where you look at what she’s capable of and it kind of knocks you out. A guitar virtuoso who also is blessed with a four-octave voice, Arielle has played on stage with everyone from Queen in the "We Will Rock You” musical to Cee Lo Green at Coachella. She’s opened for Guns 'n Roses, Larkin Poe and Heart, collaborated with Eric Johnson and Kings and Daughters' Talia Dean and appeared regularly on the TV show “Nashville." She studied at the Institute of Contemporary Music Performance in London, put out EPS and albums, including her latest—Analog Girl In A Digital World—and, along with Queen’s Brian May, she designed a guitar, the retro future BMG Arielle. May said of the instrument: "It’s a new dimension. To understand why this guitar was irresistible to me, you have to hold her in your hands. She’s light, smooth, agile and she sings like a bird.” An activist, an artist an engineer and a master technician, Arielle’s gifts are profound and

“Finding Your Voice” Before we get to Kelly Monrow, let’s have a quick chat about Kelly Dowdle. The Oklahoma-born and Texas-raised Kelly Dowdle is an actress who has appeared on Billions, Lucifer and American Crime Story. Growing up, she always knew she loved music, but it wasn’t until recently that she discovered she also loved making it. Kelly found her voice. And her voice kept finding her—so much so, that she named her musical identity Kelly Monrow. Monrow dresses like a dreamy blend of Janis Joplin and Stevie Nicks and her music is a cross between '70s cosmic Americana and southern soul. Her new EP PRONOIA is just the start because as an artist, Kelly Monrow is picking up speed and realizing the world is hers to conquer. It’s kind of like waking up with a superpower and going out into the world to test it. Well, the testing is done. Monrow is the real deal and watching her spread her creative wings is going to be one of 2022’s great joys. This is a really cool chat because we cover what it means to find

“Observatory” Now the name Aeon Station might not sound familiar but their music probably does. And there’s a simple reason for that. Aeon Station is basically 3/4ths of the personnel of the legendary New Jersey band The Wrens. So why is the band Aeon Station and not the Wrens? Well, there’s also a simple reason for that but it’s one of those simple reasons that’s actually kind of complicated and probably deserves its own podcast by way of explanation. So let’s just go with this. The band is Aeon Station because it’s not the Wrens. Confused? This should clear things up. The Wrens formed in '89, put out three perfect albums, including Secaucus and The Meadowlands. The Meadowlands came out in 2003 and the band was poised to translate their critical acclaim capitol—of which they had a massive amount—into a profile that was bound to be larger, but, long story short: they didn’t. Now, almost twenty years later, Singer/guitarist Kevin Whelan who shared Wrens songwriting and singing duties with Charles Bissell in

"A Creative Classical Cauldron" Formed in Miami in 2015, Nu Deco Ensemble have have completely reimagined what a modern orchestra can do. Sam Hyken and Jacomo Bairos are two of the most respected and in-demand artists in classical music and they’ve come together to create an innovative artistic collective that incorporates dance, mixed media, classical, hip-hop blues and well, pretty much everything else, into its creative cauldron. And what a cauldron it is—bubbling with innovation, nerve, craftsmanship, diversity, equity, equality and life, Nu Deco Ensemble is, quite simply, an astonishing fusion of culture and music that results in one of the most transfixing and inspiring experiences you’re likely to have in the arts. Or anywhere. The ensemble has collaborated with Macy Gray, Larkin Poe, Stephen Marley, Jacob Collier, Kimbra and Ben Folds, and they’re not stopping there. Their album with the Grammy-Nominated Larkin Poe is called Paint The Roses Live In Concert but that’s not even scratching the surface

“I Thought Of You” Julie Doiron got her start at 18 with the band Eric’s Trip. The first Canadian band to be signed to Sub Pop, Eric’s Trip put out modern classics like Forever Again and Purple Blue and though they called it a day in ’96, they reformed for shows as recently as 2007. As for the New Brunswick-born Doiron, she embarked on a solo career that to date has found her releasing close to fifteen albums, including Loneliest In The Morning, Woke Myself Up and her brand new one, I Thought Of You. We’ll get to that in a second—but before we do, here’s a partial list of her accomplishments. She won a Juno award with her collaborative album with the Wooden Stars, her 2007 effort Woke Myself Up was shortlisted for the Polaris Music Prize, she’s put out records in Spanish and French, she’s appeared on albums by The Tragically Hip, she was in the band Shotgun and Jaybird, June 7th was declared by the Mayor of Bruno, Saskatchewan to be Julie Doiron Day, and her track "The Life of Dreams" was used in an iPhone c

“I’ve Always Wanted To Be Me” You might know Dave Monks from his work with his band Tokyo Police Club. Since 2005 The Canadian-bred TPC have been one of the most exciting indie rock outfits around, putting out winning albums like Champ and Elephant Shell. They played on Letterman and Craig Ferguson played festivals like Outside Lands, Lollapalooza and Coachella and though the beloved Juno-nominated band are still an ongoing proposition so is Monks' solo career. His sophomore album I’ve Always Wanted To Be Me is a nervy blast of life-affirming indie rock that’s big and crunchy, hook filled and catchy—but it’s also lyrically direct and emotionally vulnerable, making it one of the most memorable albums of the year. In this equally memorable chat, Monks talks to Alex about being competitive, the benefits of having a partner who’s also in the music business and the changing shapes of his daily practice. www.tokyopoliceclub.com www.davegoeswild.com www.bombshellradio.com Stereo Embers: Twitter: @emberseditor In

“Coup De Main” The category of “Things That Jude Cole Does" is pretty crowded because Jude Cole does a lot of things. A singer/songwriter, a guitarist, a band manager, a producer, a music critic, a record label founder, and a businessman—Jude Cole is a busy dude. The Illinois-born musician got his start playing in Moon Martin and the Ravens in the late 70s. In 1980 he joined the English band The Records and played on the Crashes album as well as touring with them all over Europe. After leaving the Records, Cole got his solo career going and he quickly knocked out a series of perfect pop albums like A View From 3rd Street and Start The Car. He put his solo career on hold to both manage and co-write songs for Lifehouse, then in 2003 he and Kiefer Sutherland formed Ironworks Studio and Records, signing artists like Ron Sexsmith and honey honey. He also recorded interview segments for Extra, where he interviewed The Rolling Stones and Bob Seger Over the years he’s collaborated with Dave Edmunds, Rhett Miller of

“You Are Magic” Alison Faith Levy is super busy. She was in the post Game Theory outfit the Loud Family, she’s one half of the McCabe and Mrs Miller duo, the other half being Camper Van Beethoven’s Victor Krummenacher, and you might also know her from the alt rock for kids outfit the Sippy Cups. So yes, Alison is always busy, but somehow between the music and raising a family with her husband Danny Plotnick, she went on to receive a master's degree at Boston's Hebrew College in 2020. She now serves as a cantorial soloist and educator at two Bay Area synagogues. And she has a new album. Her third solo effort, You Are Magic is a joyful blast of effusive and thoughtful pop for adults and kids alike. The album’s mission statement is to open up dialogue in families about all sorts of stuff that families should be talking about in the first place: morals, ethics, expression, mindfulness, creativity and connectivity. It’s a brilliant and refreshing collection that’s inspiring, heartwarming and rousing. And so is th

“Kiss Off, Kiss Off” The Virginia -born Erin McKeown is best categorized as un-categorizable.Whether she’s playing guitar with the Mountain Goats, tearing through big band music in a tailored suit or writing an off-Broadway musical, McKeown pretty much does it all. A graduate of Brown, McKeown, over the course of her over 20 year career, has put out almost 15 solo albums, toured with Andrew Bird, Thea Gilmore, Josh Ritter and the Indigo Girls, played Bonnaroo and Glastonbury, had her music appear in commercials and TV shows, was a resident artist at Providence, RI’s revolutionary community arts organization AS220 and she was the 2011-2012 fellow at Harvard’s Berkman Klein Center For Internet & Society. Yes, she’s busy. The recipient of a 2016 writing fellowship from The Studios of Key West and a 2018 residency at the Virginia Center for the Creative Arts. McKeown is currently a 2020-21 Professor of the Practice at Brown University. Her new album KISS OFF KISS OFF is a raw blast of nervy rock and roll that’s

“The Police: Deranged For Orchestra” Born in Virginia and raised in Cairo and Beirut by a Scottish archoeolist mother and an American father who founded the CIA, Stewart Copeland has had quite a life. So much so, that his biography deserves its own podcast but for the sake of time, let’s go with the expurgated version. Copeland started playing drums at 12 and after finishing boarding school in England and college at UC Berkeley, he returned to the UK to play drums for Curved Air. In 1977 he founded The Police with Sting and after recruiting guitarist Andy Summers to replace Henry Padovani, the new wave power trio locked in and the rest, as they say, is history. But in the case of the Police, let’s go with history to the 10th power. The Police are one of the best selling bands of all time, with record sales heading close to 100 million worldwide. They put out five albums from 1978 to 1983 and by the time their last one hit shelves, they were arguably the biggest band in the world. Their legacy is safely ensh

“Psyche" The California-born but New Zealand-raised Reb Fountain is one of the most beguiling, affecting and captivating musicians out there. And people are catching on. She’s won the esteemed Taite Music Prize, she was shortlisted for the Silver Scroll award for her track "Don’t You Know Who I Am" and she was nominated for five New Zealand Music Awards, including Album of the Year and Best Solo Artist. She’s played sold-out shows across New Zealand, she opened for Crowded House on their To The Island Tour and she played a spellbinding set at the Splore music festival. Spellbinding is a great way to describe Reb Fountain’s music. Or at least it’s a good place to start because one word does not do the trick. Her songs are dark blasts of gothy noir infused with punk, folk and indie rock. And her new album Iris is as captivating as it gets—lush, jagged, and cinematic, Iris is stirring, hypnotic and unreasonably beautiful. In this conversation, Reb talks to Alex about how she ended up in New Zealand, what it w

“The Ghosts” Kira Roessler, who was just known back in the '80s as KIRA, was the bassist for the legendary Black Flag from '84 to '86. A ferocious outfit that played a physical and fiery brand of blistering and punishing punk rock, Kira was no stranger to getting in the van and tearing from town to town with her bandmates. After leaving Black Flag, the UCLA educated Roessler who had also played with DC3, the Monsters, the Visitors and Twisted Roots, formed the bass-led duo Dos with her husband Mike Watt. Dos put out a couple of great albums and then Roessler retreated a bit from music and focused on her day job as dialog editor in the film industry. With a few Emmys under her belt and contributing to two Academy Award- winning films, Kira has done dialog editing on Game of Thrones, Joker, Mad Max Fury Road and A Star is Born. Her debut self-titled solo album is an intricate and instrumentally complex album. With vocals that bring to mind a blend of Kim Deal and Hope Sandoval and bass-fueled arrangements that

“Her Favourite Hitchcock Films” A native of Northern California, Jerry Vessel was the bassist for the beloved San Francisco outfit Red House Painters. The band, who formed in 1989, put out four albums on 4AD and toured all over North America and Europe before calling it a day in 2001. Post-Painters, Vessel played drums for the Muons and bass for Six Eye Columbia and he also put out two solo albums under the moniker Heirlooms of August. Heirlooms' sophomore album Down at the 5-Star found one of the songs featured in the TV series Parenthood. Vessel’s third effort is under his own name this time around and it really makes sense. A stripped down affair that’s stark, spare, personal and unflinchingly honest, Her Favorite Hitchcock Films was written about his relationship with fashion designer Alexis O’Connell and it not only details their time together, it also confronts dealing with her sudden loss. Punctuated by piano violins, cellos, and atmospheric production courtesy of American Music Club’s Bruce Kaphan,