For those of you who may or may not know me, my name is Winona and I’ll be working here at KSPC this summer as music director. Already on my first day on the job I’ve put together the charts from this last week and published them right here for you. I will keep you updated on what’s going on here at KSPC over the summer (this means fun things like shows, events at the station, and much more)!

If you’re in Claremont, stop by to say hi, and if you’re not, keep on reading the blog to stay up with current information.

Topping our charts this week we have Sea Lions. Apart from making music that I love listening to, they also have some wonderful videos. Check one out for fun:

TOP 30
1    Sea Lions    Everything You Always Wanted to Know About Sea Lions But Were Afraid to Ask    Slumberland
2    Grimes    Visions    4AD
3    Kishi Bashi    151a    Joyful Noise

4    Lushlife    Plateau Vision    Western Vinyl
5    THEESatisfaction    awE naturalE    Sub Pop
6    The Buffalo Skinners    The Buffalo Skinners    Self-Released
7    Choir of Young Believers    Rhine Gold    Ghostly International
8    Emily Wells    Mama    Partisan
9    Screaming Females    Ugly    Don Giovanni
10    Sharon van Etten    Tramp    Jagjaguwar
11    Tanlines    Mixed Emotions    True Panther Sounds/Hostess
12    Bright Moments    Natives    Luaka Bop
13    Cate Le Bon    Cyrk    The Control Group
14    Daughter    The Wild Youth    Glassnote
15    The Dumb Easies    Love! Love! Love!    Cytoblast
16    Here We Go magic    A Different Ship    Secretly Canadian
17    The Lumineers    The Lumineers    Dualtone
18    The Mallard    Yes On Blood    Castle Face
19    Nora and the Brights    Kill ‘Em With Kindness    Self-Released
20    Summer Twins    Summer Twins    Burger
21    Toy Horses    Toy Horses    Albino Sparrow Records
22    Twinsy    Twinsy EP    Sweat It Out
23    Wild Nothing    “Nowhere/Wait 7″”"    Captured Tracks
24    Willis Earl Beal    Acousmatic Sorcery    XL
25    Yppah    Eighty One    Ninja Tune
26    The 2 Bears    Be Strong    Southern Fried Records
27    Behold the Profit    Behold the Profit- EP    Lowatt
28    Black Swan    Experimedia 2011 Label Sampler    Experimedia
29    Busdriver    Beaus$Eros    Fake Four
30    First Aid Kit    The Lion’s Roar    Wichita Recordings Ltd.

AMERICANA
1    The Buffalo Skinners    The Buffalo Skinners    Self-Released
2    Sharon van Etten    Tramp    Jagjaguwar
3    Daughter    The Wild Youth    Glassnote
4    The Lumineers    The Lumineers    Dualtone
5    Toy Horses    Toy Horses    Albino Sparrow Records
6    Chris Kasper    The First Hundred Years Are the Hardest    Chris Kasper
7    First Aid Kit    The Lion’s Roar    Wichita Recordings Ltd.
8    M. Ward    A Wasteland Companion    Merge Records
9    The Pines    Dark So Gold    Red House Records
10    Trampled by Turtles    Stars and Satellites    Thirty Tigers

RPM/ELECTRONIC
1    Grimes    VISIONS    4AD
2    Tanlines    Mixed Emotions    True Panther Sounds
3    Yppah    Eighty One    Ninja Tune
4    The 2 Bears    Be Strong    Southern Fried Records
5    Black Swan    Experimedia 2011 Label Sampler    Experimedia
6    John Talabot    Fin    Permanent Vacation
7    Phantogram    Nightlife    Barsuk
8    Tycho    DIVE    Ghostly International
9    Zammuto    Zammuto    Temporary Residence
10    Aaron martin    Experimedia 2011 Label Sampler    Experimedia

HIP HOP
1    Lushlife    Plateau Vision    Western Vinyl
2    THEESatisfaction    awE naturalE    Sub Pop
3    Behold the Profit    Behold the Profit- EP    Lowatt
4    Busdriver    Beaus$Eros    Fake four
5    Wiley    Evolve or Be Extinct    Big Dada
6    Doomtree    No Kings    Doom Tree Records
7    eCID    Werewolf Hologram    Fill in the Breaks
8    Eligh & Amp Live    Therapy At 3    Legendary Music/Live Up
9    K. Flay    Eyes Shut    RCA
10    Wugazi    13 Chambers    Self-Released

Winona Bechtle

Summer MD

Topping our charts this week are two of the dreamiest, coolest, most interesting female voices–Grimes at #1 (for the 3rd week in a row! We <3 Grimes) and the endlessly talented multi-instrumentalist Emily Wells at #2.

Since I’ve already posted Grimes videos here and here, check out this video for Wells’ single “Passenger”–this song has haunted me for years, ever since I heard her perform it at the Motley back in spring ’10–I’m even more obsessed now that she’s finally released it on her newest album.

TOP 30
1 Grimes Visions 4AD
2 Emily Wells Mama Partisan
3 Zammuto Zammuto Temporary Residence
4 The Magnetic Fields Love at the Bottom of the Sea Merge
5 Bear in Heaven “I Love You, It’s Cool” Dead Oceans/Hometapes
6 Vacationer Gone Downtown Records
7 Miniature Tigers Mia Pharoah Modern Art
8 M. Ward A Wasteland Companion Merge
9 Sleigh Bells Reign of Terror Mom & Pop
10 Nora and the Brights Kill ‘Em With Kindness Self-Released
11 Phantogram Nightlife Barsuk
12 Humans Traps Hybriditiy
13 Radar Eyes Radar Eyes Hozac
14 Die Zorros Future Voodoo Rhythm
15 Thee Oh Sees Carrion Crawler/The Dream In the Red
16 Wowser Bowser Wowser Bowser Self-Released
17 The Men Open Your Heart Sacred Bones
18 Sea Lions Everything You Always Wanted to know About Sea Lions But Were Afraid to Ask Slumberland
19 Sleeping in the Aviary “You and Me, Ghost” Science of Sound
20 Tennis Young and Old Fat Possum
21 Austra Feel it Break Domino
22 Elephants and Castle Transitions Plug Research
23 First Aid Kit The Lion’s Roar Wichita Recordings, Ltd.
24 ThEESatisfaction awE naturalE Sub Pop
25 The Lijadu Sisters Mother Africa Knitting Factory
26 Black Dice Mr. Impossible Ribbon Music
27 Kishi Bashi 151a Joyful Noise
28 Xiu Xiu Always Polyvinyl
29 Yellow Ostrich Strange Land Barsuk
30 Capsula In the Land of Silver Souls Krian Music Group

AMERICANA
1 M. Ward A Wasteland Companion Merge
2 First Aid Kit The Lion’s Roar Wichita Recordings Ltd.
3 Sharon van Etten Tramp Jagjaguwar
4 Becky and John I’ll Be There If You Ever Want- Single Third Man Records
5 Ben Howard Old Pine Communion Music
6 The Buffalo Skinners The Buffalo Skinners Self-Released
7 Daniel Rossen Silent Hour/Golden Mile EP Warp Records
8 Daughter The Wild Youth Glassnote
9 Olivia Buntaine Living in Abandoned Homes Self-Released
10 Paladino Paladino Self-Released

WORLD
1 Lijadu Sisters Mother Africa KFR
2 Caetano Veloso and David Byrne Live At Carnegie Hall Nonesuch
3 Galactic Carnivale Electricos Anti
4 Novalima Karimba ESL
5 Zun Zun Egui Katang Bella Union
6 Fráncois and the Atlas Mountains E Volo Love Domino
7 VARIOUS ARTISTS Putumayo Presents: Brazilian Beat Putumayo
8 Gaby Moreno Illustrated Songs Self-Released
9 Helado Negro Canta Lechuza Asthmatic Kitty
10 Brownout Oozy Nat Geo

HIP HOP
1 ThEESatisfaction awE naturalE Sub Pop
2 Wugazi 13 Chambers S/r
3 Eligh and Amplive therapy at 3 Legendary Music
4 Quakers Quakers Stones Throw
5 Doomtree No Kings Doom Tree Records
6 Spoek Mathambo Father Creeper Sub Pop
7 Ecid Werewolf Hologram Fill In the Breaks
8 Elevated The Toby Sessions Upper Left Entertainment
9 Dark Time sunshine Single Fake four
10 Scorched Transmissions Scorched Transmissions Post Egoism

RPM
1 Bear In Heaven “I Love You, It’s Cool” Dead Oceans/Hometapes
2 Phantogram Nightlife Barsuk
3 Austra Feel It Break domino
4 Elephant & Castle Transitions Plug Research Music
5 Tanlines Mixed Emotions True Panther Sounds / Hostess
6 Black Dice Mr. Impossible Ribbon Music
7 Ear Pwr Ear Pwr Carpark
8 Geographer Myth Modern Art Records
9 Bonobo Black Sands Remixed Ninja tune
10 Yppah Eighty One Ninja tune

Canadian dream-pop siren Grimes tops our charts for a second week! Listen to her talk about music and play some music on NPR world cafe here (it’s pretty cute). And peruse the rest of the charts below!

TOP 30
1 Grimes Visions 4AD
2 Sleigh Bells Reign of Terror Mom + Pop Music
3 M. Ward A Wasteland Companion Merge
4 The Magnetic Fields Love at the Bottom of the Sea Merge
5 Tennis Young & Old Fat Possum
6 Yellow Ostrich Strange Land Barsuk
7 Tanlines Mixed Emotions True Panther Sounds/Hostess
8 High Highs High Highs Rocket
9 Summer Twins Summer Twins Burger
10 Hospitality Hospitality Merge
11 Emily Wells Mama Partisan
12 Radar Eyes Radar Eyes Hozac
13 Zammuto Zammuto Temporary Residence
14 Cheers Elephant Like Wind Blows Fire Self-Released
15 Wowser Bowser Wowser Bowser Adair Park Recordings
16 David Byrne & Caetano Veloso Live at Carnegie Hall Nonesuch
17 K. Flay Eyes Shut RCA
18 Sea Lions Everything You Always Wanted to Know About Sea Lions But Were Afraid to Ask Slumberland
19 Sharon van Etten Tramp Jagjaguwar
20 The Buffalo Skinners The Buffalo Skinners Self-Released
21 Lemolo Whale Song/Open Air Self-Released
22 The Monikers Taliesin West Self-Released
23 Vacationer Gone Downtown Records/Fontana North
24 Bright Moments Natives Luaka Bop
25 Howler America Give Up Rough Trade
26 The Men Open Your Heart Sacred Bones
27 Daniel Rossen Silent Hour / Golden Mile Warp
28 Behold the Profit Behold the Profit Lowatt
29 The Lumineers The Lumineers Dualtone
30 Xiu Xiu Always Polyvinyl

AMERICANA
1 M. Ward A Wasteland Companion Merge
2 The Buffalo Skinners The Buffalo Skinners Self Released
3 The Lumineers The Lumineers Dualtone
4 Olivia Buntaine Living in Abandoned Homes Self Released
5 Sharon van Etten Tramp Jagjaguwar
6 Daniel Rossen Silent Hour/Golden Mile EP Warp Records
7 Daughter The Wild Youth EP Glassnote
8 First Aid Kit The Lion’s Roar Wichita Recordings Ltd.
9 Laura Gibson La Grande Barsuk
10 Ben Howard Old Pine Communion Music

HIP HOP
1 Behold the Profit Behold the Profit Lowatt
2 Scorched Transmissions Scorched Transmissions Post Egoism
3 Eligh and Amplive therapy at 3 Legendary Music
4 THEEsatisfaction Awe naturale Sub Pop
5 Doomtree No Kings Doom Tree Records
6 Spoek Mathambo Father Creeper Sub Pop
7 Ecid Werewolf Hologram Fill In the Breaks
8 Elevated The Toby Sessions Upper Left Entertainment
9 Martyman When It Rains It Pours Remnant
10 Scorched Transmissions Scorched Transmissions Post Egoism

JAZZ
1 Gary Smulyan Smul’s Paradise Capri
2 Eric Marienthal It’s Love Peak
3 Esperanza Spalding Radio Music Society Heads Up
4 Brian Auger Language of the Heart Nasty Productions
5 Kurt Elling The Gate Concord
6 Kyle Eastwood Songs From the Chateau Candid Productions Ltd.
7 Poncho Sanchez & Terence Blanchard Chano Y Dizzy! Concord
8 Robert Glasper Experiment Black Radio Blue Note
9 TriBeCaStan New Deli Evergreen Music
10 Various Artists Jazz Impressionists Starbucks

RPM
1 Grimes VISIONS 4AD
2 Tanlines Mixed Emotions True Panther Sounds / Hostess
3 Bear In Heaven “I Love You, It’s Cool” Dead Oceans/Hometapes
4 Zammuto Zammuto Temporary Residence
5 Galactic Carnivale Electricos Anti/Epitaph
6 High Places Original Colors thrill jockey records
7 Phantogram Nightlife – EP Barsuk Records
8 Geographer Myth Modern Art
9 Yppah Eighty One Ninja tune
10 Austra Feel It Break domino

Image courtesy of delgadobrothers.com

On Saturday, April 21st at 11:30 a.m Joey Delgado, Guitarist for San Gabriel Valley Latin Infused Blues Band The Delgado Brothers will be Art Martel’s guest on The Straight Up Blues Show, to talk about his career, the blues, and two high profile events. “For over 30 years the Delgado Brothers have been music makers, collaborators and ordinary citizens; raising children, grieving the loss of parents, marrying & divorcing.  All of this life experience may explain their flare for illuminating everyman’s joys, sorrows, triumphs and losses. The Brothers’ music has long been embraced both locally and globally by a wide spectrum of people undivided by culture, age or socioeconomic status.” “Always original and intensely prepared, these journeyman musicians fully infuse all of their song crafting talent with a sense of urgency and an authentic emotional aspect that rings true with intelligence and depth.” (delgadobrothers.com) Be sure to tune in this Saturday at 11:30 a.m. to catch the interview!

A sad prospect is on the horizon–there is only one more of KSPC’s “5-c Invasion” in-store shows at Rhino Records. Fortunately, this fourth and final show, happening this Sunday, April 15th, will be also be a joyous occasion since it features Pomona College’s very own Me Lacey Flowers (formerly known as Ryan Wieghard & the Abstract Truth)!

Me Lacey Flowers is a group of syncopators that got lost in a basement filled with left-handed acoustic guitars. Although being right-handed by birth, they didn’t let this stop them from jabbing at the strings and weeping when their father played them There’s A Riot Going On. The group features William Mullaney on the drums and Michael Stock-Matthews on the bass.

I know this post is a roller-coaster ride of emotion, since this glorious performance is a full 4 days away. But there’s more happy news–for those of you who can’t bear to wait until Sunday, Me Lacey Flowers will be doing an in-studio at 11pm TONIGHT on Flower Hours with Lilly.

Stream online at kspc.org or turn your radio dials to 88.7 tonight to hear Me Lacey Flowers, and if you find yourself mystically drawn to Rhino Records in the village around 3 pm on Sunday afternoon, don’t fear, it is just the divine forces that have culminated from the last three weeks of wonderful local music beckoning you.

The visual incarnation of Tennis' pretty, carefree, and slightly wistful sonic stylings

Hello from your friendly DJ Rubix! A little-known fact about me is that I love to create artwork inspired by my favorite music. Recently, the overwhelming popularity of Young & Old around KSPC inspired me to paint a piece specifically dedicated to this chart-topping album, and to usher in a new brand of blog post!

The piece you see above is my visual interpretation of the colorful, “beach-poppy” music of Tennis. The girl, abstract in her lack of name and permanent place, represents their pretty, carefree, and slightly wistful sonic stylings. She is surrounded by soothing waters of harmony that ebb and flow with the beat, and all appears serene.

The album title Young & Old, however, suggests deeper concerns with aging and mortality – motifs that run counter to the sense of innocence conveyed by the music. Tennis typically bathes their tracks in the warm glow of nostalgia, but the lyrics on this album deal with issues of identity and personal legacy. When Alaina Moore sings “Take Me To Heaven,” for example, her vocals are sweet, but the content of the song is more melancholy in nature: “When I pass away, this will fade away; what promises I make, I know I may not stay.” I portrayed this awareness of the passage of time through the subtly fading ends of the girl’s cascading hair.

Perhaps Tennis’ underlying message is that time inevitably marches on, so we should remember to appreciate each fleeting moment, and do our best to make a positive difference in the lives of those around us.

Young & Old is a gorgeous, uplifting album. If you haven’t heard it yet, be sure to check it out, and when you do, I hope my artwork helps you to consider it in a different light. Thanks for stopping by, and stay tuned for the next edition of Animated Albums!

Art and review by Rachel Davidson. Tune in to Your Next Favorite Thing with DJ Rubix every Friday from 4-6!

TOP 30
1    Grimes    Visions    4AD
2    The Magnetic Fields    Love at the Bottom of the Sea    Merge
3    Tanlines    Mixed Emotions    True Panther Sounds/Hostess
4    Nora and the Brights    Kill ‘Em With Kindness    Self-Released
5    Cheers Elephant    Like Wind Blows Fire    Self-Released
6    THEESatisfaction    awE naturalE    Sub Pop
7    Bear in Heaven    “I Love You, It’s Cool”    Dead Oceans/Hometapes
8    Prinzhorn Dance School    Clay Class    DFA
9    Die Zorros    Future    Voodoo Rhythm
10    Hunx    Hairdresser Blues    Hardly Art
11    Summer Twins    Summer Twins    Burger
12    S.C.U.M.    Again Into Eyes    Mute Artists Limited
13    Tim Foljahn    Songs for an Age of Extinction    Kiam
14    The 2 Bears    Be Strong    Southern Fried
15    Sharon van Etten    Tramp    Jagjaguwar
16    Geographer    Myth    Modern Art
17    Cold Showers    Highlands    Mexican Summer
18    The Mallard    Yes On Blood    Castle Face
19    The Men    Open Your Heart     Sacred Bones
20    Miniature Tigers    Mia Pharoah    Modern Art
21    The Concept    Gimme Twice EP    Self-Released
22    “Now, Now”    Threads    Trans
23    Tennis    Young & Old    Fat Possum
24    Wowser Bowser    Wowser Bowser    Adair Park Recordings
25    Psychic Ills    Hazed Dream    Sacred Bones
26    Hospitality    Hospitality    Merge
27    Frankie Rose    Interstellar    Slumberland
28    Gonjasufi    MU.ZZ.LE    Warp
29    Cruddy    Negative World    12XU
30    Heavy Flow    & Other Pagan Rituals    Self-Released

AMERICANA
1    Sharon van Etten    Tramp    Jagjaguwar
2    First Aid Kit    The Lion’s Roar    Wichita Recordings Ltd.
3    Lampchop    Mr. M    Merge
4    The Lumineers    The Lumineers    Dualtone
5    M. Ward    A Wasteland Companion    Merge
6    Olivia Buntaine    Living in Abandoned Homes    Self-Released
7    Paladino    Paladino    Self-Released
8    Zoe Boekbinder    Darling Specimens    Extropian Records
9    The Buffalo Skinners    The Buffalo Skinners    Self-Released
10    Carl Broemel    All Birds Say    ATO Records

HIP HOP
1    THEESatisfaction    awE naturalE    Sub Pop
2    Doomtree    No Kings    Doomtree Records
3    Ecid     Werewolf Hologram    Fill In the Breaks
4    Scorched Transmissions    Scorched Transmissions    Post Egoism
5    Bus Driver    Beaus$Eros    Fake Four
6    Spoek Mathambo    Father Creeper    Sub Pop
7    J Pinder    Go Far    Galactic Fin Records
8    L.O.W.F.I.    Awakening    S/R
9    Elevated    The Toby Sessions    Upper Left Entertainment
10    Teenburger    Burgertime    N/a

RPM
1    Grimes    VISIONS    4AD
2    Tanlines    Mixed Emotions    True Panther Sounds / Hostess
3    The 2 Bears    Be Strong    southern fried records
4    Geographer    Myth    Modern Art Records
5    Gonjasufi    MU.ZZ.LE    WARP
6    Tycho    DIVE    Ghostly International
7    Andy Kuncl    Musik/Dance/Love – EP    3KB Records
8    AutoKratz    Animal    Kitsune
9    Jonti    Twirligig    Stones Throw Records
10    John Talabot    Fin    Permanent Vacation

Awesome video footage of Lucky Dragons’ interactive show in the SCC Art Gallery from March 8th! Relive the glory if you were there, and check it out now if you weren’t able to make it. Enjoy!

Footage courtesy of Tiffany Yau