B.W.'s PLAYLIST/ KHSU, 90.5/ SAT., 7 JAN. 2012

SF Bay Area singer/songwriter Zoe Boekbinder, formerly one half a the duo Vermilion Lies (with her sister, Kim), recently released her second solo effort, Darling Specimens. Her record shouldn't be lost in the end-of-the-year lists, etc. (why does anyone release a new, all-originals record in the Winter Holiday Season?). It's a wonderful step up from her debut solo, Artichoke Perfume. Darling Specimens is still filled with quirky pop, folk, heavily influenced by musical theater and vaudeville. It ain't campy, however, and in some cases, subtle comparisons to fellow Bay Area artist resident, tUnE-yArDs, can also be heard.
BOY WONDER'S HOT CIRCLES/ 10PM-MIDNIGHT

Dead and Gone/ THE BLACK KEYS (’11, El Camino)*

Mystery Achievement/ THE PRETENDERS (’79, self titled)

Caught in One/ DUM DUM GIRLS (’11, Only in Dreams)

The Unsinkable Fats Domino/ GUIDED BY VOICES (’12, Let’s Go Eat the Factory)*

Come On Baby Grace/ BOSTON SPACESHIPS (’10, Our Cubehouse Still Rocks)

Wilco (The Song)/ WILCO (’10, live, Paramount Theatre, Seattle, WA)

Art of Almost/ WILCO (’11, The Whole Love)

Suzanne & I/ ANNA CALVI (’11, self titled)

Riotriot/ TUNE-YARDS (’11, whokill)

Serpents/ SHARON VAN ETTEN (’12, Tramp)*

Serve the People/ HANDSOME FURS (’11, Sound Kapital)

This Here Giraffe/ THE FLAMING LIPS (’95, Clouds Taste Metallic)

Shade and Honey/ SPARKLEHORSE (’06, Dreamt For Light Years in the Belly of a Mountain)

What Difference Does It Make?/ JOY ZIPPER (’11 compilation, Please Please Please: A Tribute to The Smiths)*

Surf’s Up/ THE BEACH BOYS (’11 issue, The Smile Sessions)

Surfer’s Hymn/ PANDA BEAR (’11, Tomboy)

Summer Fun/ TAMMAR (’11, Visits)

Bloodbuzz, Ohio/ THE NATIONAL (’10, High Violet)

Knots/ LISA HANNIGAN (’11, Passenger)

Artichoke/ ZOE BOEKBINDER (’11, Darling Specimens)*

Please Please Please Let Me Get What I Want/ WILLIAM FITZSIMMONS ('11 compilation, Please Please Please: A Tribute to The Smiths)*

Lord Help My Poor Soul/ FIONN REGAN (’10, Shadow of an Empire)

Picture of a Bird/ FRUIT BATS (’11, Tripper)

The End/ THE LOWER 48 (’11, Where All Maps End)*

Hear the Grinder Creak/ FAUN FABLES (‘10, Light of a Vaster Dark)

Raphael/ COCOROSIE (’07, The Adventures of Ghosthorse and Stillborn)

City Bird/ JESCA HOOP (’11, Snowglobe EP)

The Magic Place/ JULIANNA BARWICK ('11, The Magic Place)

*new or recent release

B.W.'s PLAYLIST/ KHSU, 90.5/ SAT., 31 DEC. 2011

BOY WONDER'S BODACIOUS DANCE PARTY/ 10PM-MIDNIGHT

Holiday Cheer/ CHARLES “PACKY” AXTON (’66, ’11 collection, Late Late Party: 1965-67)

Willy Nilly/ RUFUS THOMAS (’65)

I’ve Got the Real Thing/ SYL JOHNSON (’68)

Minnie-Skirt Minne/ WILSON PICKETT (’68)

Watch the Dog That Bring Home the Bone/ SANDY GAYE (’69, ’08, Eccentric Soul: The Tragar & Note Labels)

He’s Really Saying Something/ THE VELVELETTES (’64)

I Said No/ PAT CLAYTON (‘50s, 7") [DRA]

In the Basement/ ETTA JAMES & SUGAR PIE DESANTO (’66)

Nobody But You Babe/ CLARENCE REID (’69)

Don’t Lie to Me/ “MISSISSIPPI” CHARLES BEVEL (’73)

Tennesse Strut/ THE GRIPS (’08, 7” single) [G.E.D. Soul]

Step It Up/ THE BAMBOOS (w/ ALICE RUSSELL) (’10 comp., Tru Thoughts Funk)

What a Good Man He Is/ TAMMI TERRELL (’69)

Money I$ King/ LEE FIELDS (’09, My World)

Pushin’ On/ THE QUANTIC SOUL ORCHESTRA w/ ALICE RUSSELL (’10 comp., Tru Thoughts Funk)

Return to Gijon/ THE NEW MASTERSOUNDS (’06, 102%)

Love is Like an Itching in My Heart/ THE SUPREMES (’66)

Nothing But a Heartache/ THE FLIRTATIONS (’68)

Nasty Girl/ VANITY 6 (’82, self titled)

Me No Pop I/ KID CREOLE & THE COCONUNTS (’80, 12”) [Antilles]

Me Myself and I (Oblapos Mode)/ DE LA SOUL (’89, 3 Feet High and Rising)

Jam of the Year/ PRINCE (’96, Emancipation)

Mentiras/ LOS AMIGOS INVISIBLES (’09, Commerical)

Juana/ BOMBA ESTEREO (’09, Blow Up)

Coulibaly/ AMADOU & MARIAM (’05, Dimanche a Bamako)

I’m Trying to Break Your Heart/ JC BROOKS & THE UPTOWN SOUND (’11, Want More)*

52 Girls/ THE B52’S (’79, self titled)

That’s Not My Name/ THE TING TINGS (’04, We Started Nothing)

Metal/ GARY NUMAN (’79, Pleasure Principle)

North American Scum/ LCD SOUNDSYSTEM (’07, Sound of Silver)

The Message/ GRANDMASTER FLASH & THE FURIOUS FIVE (FEAT. MELLE MEL) ('82, 12") [Sugar Hill]

*new or recent release

B.W.'s PLAYLIST/ KHSU, 90.5/ SAT., 17 DEC. 2011

As far as Xmas records, it get tough to find something that's not tired and, well, interesting. The recent offering by She & Him (Zooey Deschanel and M. Ward), A Very She & Him Christmas, was a pleasant surprise. M. Ward's arrangements and sparse guitar accompaniments fit nicely behind Deschanel's excellent vocals. She has just that touch of "theater singing" with jazz and pop touches to make it her own. Where's the reindeer?
BOY WONDER'S HOT CIRCLES/ 10PM-MIDNIGHT

Vaquina Mansa/ CESARIA EVORA (’99, Café Atlantico) [1941-2011]

Bossa Cubana/ LOS ZAFIROS (‘60s, ’99 collection, Bossa Cubana)

Ya Se Ha Muerto Mi Abuelo/ JAUNECO Y SU COMBO (’07 collection, The Roots of Chicha: Psychedelic Cumbias From Peru)

Dis-Moi Oui/ EL REGO ('60s, ’11 collection, El Rego et Ses Commandos)

(My Baby Loves) Chili Dogs/ DUSTY BROOKS (‘51, ’11 collection, The Oxford American Southern Music CD #13)*

Memories Are Made of This/ DEAN MARTIN (‘56)

Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas/ SHE & HIM (’11, A Very She & Him Christmas)*

‘Til the Real Thing Comes Along / NICK LOWE (’11, The Old Magic)

Salt Water/ ZOE BOEKBINDER (’11, Darling Specimens)*

Daisy, Where Did You Go/ MARISSA NADLER (’11, self titled)

Skyway/ THE REPLACEMENTS (’87, Pleased to Meet Me)

15 Feet of Pure White Snow/ NICK CAVE AND THE BAD SEEDS (’01, No More Shall We Part)

Christmas Time Is Here/ WOODS (’11, MP3 single)*

The Wicked &The Blind/ THE DO (’11, Both Ways Open Jaws)*

IRM/ CHARLOTTE GAINSBOURG (’09, IRM)

69 Annee Erotique/ SERGE GAINSBOURG ('69, '03 collection, Intials S.G.)

Just to Walk That Little Girl Home/ MINK DEVILLE (’80, Le Chat Bleu)

Heroes & Villians/ THE BEACH BOYS (’67, ’11 issue, The Smile Sessions)*

Nothing Is Good Enough/ AIMEE MANN (’99, Bachelor No. 2)

God’s Comic/ ELVIS COSTELLO (’89, Spike)

Yacht Dance/ XTC (’82, English Settlement)

Waterloo Sunset/ THE KINKS (’67, Something Else)

We Could Send Letters/ AZTEC CAMERA (’83, High Land, Hard Rain)

Moon Over Goldboro/ THE MOUNTAIN GOATS (’06, Get Lonely)

Safe Travels (Don’t Die)/ LISA HANNIGAN (’11, Passenger)*

Blue Christmas/ SHE & HIM (’11, A Very She & Him Christmas)*

Streets of Your Town/ THE GO-BETWEENS (’88, 16 Lovers Lane)

Tenere Taquim Tossam/ TINARIWEN ('11, Tassili)

*new or recent release

B.W.'s PLAYLIST/ KHSU, 90.5, SAT., 10 DEC. 2011

Brooklyn-based singer/songwriter Marissa Nadler released her fifth release, Marissa Nadler, on her own Box of Cedar label. And, it's an amazing sleeper. Produced and engineered by Brian McTear, who runs the Philly-based Miner Street/Cycle Sound Recordings, where Sharon Van Etten recorded her breakthrough record epic. Nadler's songs are nuanced, with a gorgeous sound that compliments her voice and song with simple perfection. Hence, Ms. Adler's recent record snuck into my "Best of 2011" list.
BOY WONDER'S HOT CIRLCES/ 10PM-MIDNIGHT

Fever/ LITTLE WILLIE JOHN (’56)

In the Basement, Pt. 1/ ETTA JAMES & SUGAR PIE DESANTO (’66)

Misery/ BARRETT STRONG (’61)

How Long/ CHARLES BRADLEY (’11, No Time For Dreaming)

Money is King/ LEE FIELDS & THE EXPRESSIONS (’09, My World)

Uzi (Pink Ring)/ EL MICHELS AFFAIR (’09, Enter the 37th Chamber)

How Long Do I Have To Wait For You/ SHARON JONES & THE DAP-KINGS (’05, Naturally)

Love Ain’t Nothing/ JOHNNY NASH (’64)

Bad Boy [’57, Lil Armstrong]/ MINK DeVILLE (’80, Le Chat Bleu)

She Wants to Mambo/ JOHNNY THUNDERS & PATTI PALLIDIN (’88, Copy Cats)

Lucille/ LITTLE RICHARD (’57)

Bedroom Eyes/ DUM DUM GIRLS (’11, Only in Dreams)

Baby I Love You/ THE RONETTES (’63)

Hanna/ PARTING GIFTS (’11, Strychnine Dandelion)

Gold on the Ceiling/ THE BLACK KEYS (’11, El Camino)*

Baby Strange/ T. REX (’72, Slider)

Top of the World/ CHEAP TRICK (’78, Heaven Tonight)

Cruella DeVille/ THE REPLACEMENTS (’88, ’97 collection, All For Nothing) [Sire]

Satisfied/ TOM WAITS (’11, Bad As Me)* [Anti-]

Don’t You Want It/ GOLDEN MEAN (’05, Black Operation) [Feralette]

Stars/ THE CLEAN (’01, Getaway) [Merge]

Covers/ THE SEA & CAKE (’11, The Moonlight Butterfly)* [Thrill Jockey]

Doors Unlocked and Open/ DEATH CAB FOR CUTIE (’11, Codes And Keys) [Atlantic]

Knots/ LISA HANNIGAN (’11, Passenger)* [ATO] [3:30]

The Sun Always Reminds Me of You/ MARISSA NADLER (’11, self titled)

Father to a Sister to a Thought/ PAVEMENT (’95, Wowee Zowie)

Candy Says/ VELVET UNDERGROUND (’69, self titled)

Nighttime/ BIG STAR (’78, Third/ Sister Lovers)

You Are Not Alone/ MARVIS STAPLES (’10, You Are Not Alone)

Valley of Tears/ SOLOMON BURKE ('06, Nashville)

*new or recent release

B.W.'s PLAYLIST/ KHSU, 90.5/ SAT., 3 DEC. 2011

Brooklyn-based singer/ songwriter Lia Ices is a recent newcomer, attracting the likes of Bon Iver. Signed to Jagjaguwar, she's currently on tour with The Sea and Cake. She'll be appearing with them on Sun., Dec. 4th, at Arcata, CA's Jambalaya. Hope the sound will be A-OK (more than the crowd number). Do these two very good acts a favor and show up on Sun. night (roughly 'round 9 p.m.).
BOY WONDER'S HOT CIRCLES/ 10PM-MIDNIGHT

A Salty Salute/ GUIDED BY VOICES (’95, Alien Lanes)

Quality of Armor/ GUIDED BY VOICES (’93, Propeller)

Bedroom Eyes/ DUM DUM GIRLS (’11, Only in Dreams)*

Kid/ THE PRETENDERS (’79, self titled)

Desire/ ANNA CALVI (’11, self titled)

Heads Will Roll/ ECHO & THE BUNNYMEN (’83, Porcupine)

LA/ ELLIOTT SMITH (’00, Figure 8)

Back of a Car/ BIG STAR (’74, Radio City)

We Will Become Silhouettes/ THE SHINS (’05, Believer: I Am Not Going to Stab You)

Fallen Leaves/ TEENAGE FANCLUB (’05, Man-Made)

Pas la Peine (Oh No Not Again)/ NOUS NON PLUS (’11, Freudian Slip)*

Man Invented Corners/ LILA NELSON (’11, The Fret & the Fray)*

Dreaming/ ALLO DARLIN’ (’10, self titled)

Poor Old Soul, Pt. 1/ ORANGE JUICE (’79, Glasgow School)

Yet Another Girl/ STEPHIN MERRITT (’11 collection, Obscurities)*

36 Inches High/ NICK LOWE (’78, Jesus of Cool)

The Fall of the World’s Own Optimist/ AIMEE MANN (’99, Bachelor No. 2)

Up on Crutches/ THE SEA AND CAKE (’07, Everybody)

Wonderful/ THE BEACH BOYS (’67, ’11 issue, The Smile Sessions)*

The Sun Always Reminds Me of You/ MARISSA NADLER (’11, self titled)*

Save Yourself/ SHARON VAN ETTEN (’10, epic)

Knots/ LISA HANNIGAN (’11, Passenger)*

The End/ THE LOWER 48 (’11, Where All Maps End)*

The Boy Wonders/ AZTEC CAMERA (‘83, High Land, Hard Rain)

Little Marriage/ LIA ICES (’11, Grown Unknown)

City Bird/ JESCA HOOP (’11, Snowglobe ep)

Riotriot/ tUnE-yArDs (’11, whokill)

Sister on the Radio/ DENGUE FEVER (’11, Cannibal Courtship)

Kiss Me/ TOM WAITS (’11, Bad As Me)*

Mixed Up, Shook Up Girl/ MINK DEVILLE (’77, Cabretta)

Over Again/ EILEN JEWELL ('11, Queen of the Minor Key)

*new or recent release

GM MUSIC BOX/ KHSU, 90.5/ SAT., 28 NOV. 2011

Singer/songwriter Lisa Hannigan has recently released her superb sophomore solo recording, Passenger, produced by Joe Henry. It's a growth from her 2009 debut, Sea Sew, with excellent musicianship, arrangements and stronger songs. It's her singing, however, that gives her the edge - her delivery, with her Irish lilt, is, well, lovely. Absolutely. Hannigan's a songwriter to keep an eye on (and that's not too hard!).
BW SUBBAGE/ 10PM-MIDNIGHT

Instant This/ WILL MARTINA (’11, The Dam Levels)*

Blues For the Double Vee/ JENNY SCHEINMAN (’11, Mischief & Mayhem)

Floored/ THE NELS CLINE SINGERS (’10, Initiate)

Strike/ TAYLOR HO BYNAM SEXTET (’11, Apparent Distance)*

Sidi Mansour/ SIR RICHARD BISHOP (’09, The Freak of Araby)

Red Shoes (live)/ TOM WAITS (’88, Big Time)

The Water Under the Moon/ A HAWK AND A HACKSAW (’05, Darkness at Noon)

Cursed Sleep (live)/ BONNIE ‘PRINCE’ BILLY WITH HAREM SCAREM AND ALEX NEILSON (’08, Is It the Sea?)

Odd Said the Doe/ NINA NASTASIA & JIM WHITE (’07, You Follow Me)

Knots/ LISA HANNIGAN (’11, Passenger)*

The End/ THE LOWER 48 (’11, Where All Maps End)*

Old Old Fashioned/ FRIGHTENED RABBIT (’08, The Midnight Organ Fight)

Michigan Girls/ CALIFONE (’03, Quicksand/Cradlesnakes)

Emily (live)/ FREEDY JOHNSTON (w/ Cameron Grieder) (’00, Live at 33 1/3)

City Bird/ JESCA HOOP (’11, Snowglobe ep)*

Dead Horse/ ROBIN HOLCOMB (’06, Rogue’s Gallery)

Saro/ SAM AMIDON (’07, All Is Well)

Save Yourself/ SHARON VAN ETTEN (’10, epic)

One Stolen Moment/ PETE MOLINARI (’08, A Virtual Landslide)

Take Care the Road You Choose/ RICHARD THOMPSON (’07, Sweet Warrior)

I’m on Fire/ WHITEY MORGAN & THE 78’S (’08, Honky Tonks and Cheap Motels)

State Trooper/ BRUCE SPRINGSTEEN (’82, Nebraska)

Ramblin’ Man/ HANK WILLIAMS (’53)

Back of a Crowd/ TOM WAITS ('11, Bad As Me)*

*new or recent release

B.W.'s PLAYLIST/ KHSU, 90.5/ SAT., 5 NOV. 2011

After finishing the pop masterpiece, Pet Sounds, Brian Wilson led The Beach Boys into the studio to record Smile, attempting to put together a "teenage symphony to God." However, due to the band's resistance and drugs and a breakdown, Smile was never completed or officially released. Now, Wilson, Scott Litt and others put together the definitive version of the most famous record never released. Until now. And it's brilliant.
BOY WONDER' S HOT CIRCLES/ 10PM-MIDNIGHT

Long Cool Woman in a Black Dress/ THE HOLLIES (’72)

In World/ TELEVISION (’92, self titled)

Million Miles Away (live)/ THE PLIMSOULS ('81, ’10 issue, Live! Beg, Borrow & Steal)

Avalanche Aminos/ GUIDED BY VOICES (’00, Hold on Hope EP)

Open My Eyes/ NAZZ (’68)

Get Over You/ THE UNDERTONES (’79, self titled)

You Sound Like Your Sick/ THE RAMONES (’81, Pleasant Dreams)

Funny Face/ THE MUFFS (’95, Blonder and Blonder)

Jeepster/ T. REX (’71, Electric Warrior)

Will Anything Happen?/ BLONDIE (’78, Parallel Lines)

Bedroom Eyes/ DUM DUM GIRLS (’11, Only in Dreams)*

Middle of the Road/ THE PRETENDERS (’82, Learning to Crawl)

Working Too Hard/ THE BEAT (’05, ’79, self titled)

Little Girl/ SYNDICATE OF SOUND (’66)

Short Version/ WILD FLAG (’11, self titled)*

Subzero Fun/ AUTOLUX (’04, Future Perfect)

Stay Don’t Go/ SPOON (’02, Kill the Moonlight)

Our Prayer/ BEACH BOYS (’67, ’11 issue, The Smile Sessions)*

Good Vibrations/ THE BEACH BOYS (’67, ’11 issue, The Smile Sessions)*

Surfer’s Hymn/ PANDA BEAR (’11, Tomboy)

Blue Bell Knoll/ COCTEAU TWINS (’88, Blue Bell Knoll)

The Meeting Place/ XTC (’86, Skylarking)

Big Sky/ THE KINKS (’68, The Village Green Preservation Society)

Seven Seas/ ECHO & THE BUNNYMEN (’84, Ocean Rain)

Soliel/ IAIN ARCHER (’06, Magnetic North)

Knots/ LISA HANNIGAN (’11, Passenger)*

Rope & Summit/ JUNIP (’10, Fields)

Civilian/ WYE OAK (’11, Civilian)

Kiss Me/ TOM WAITS (’11, Bad as Me)*

Cursed Sleep (live, 08)/ BONNIE ‘PRINCE’ BILLY with HAREM SCAREM AND ALEX NEILSON (’08, Is It the Sea?)

*new or recent release