KAFM Music Blog

The picture quality is so poor because it was taken on my own iPhone camera, so I think that adds a warm, fuzzy edge to this shot!

One of the best things about being in radio is the ability to know about so many up and coming groups and even get to see them live when they're nearby. But you also get to see huge names in music put out new projects, adventure into new territory, and hopefully get comped some of those higher priced tickets under the guise of "I work in radio so..."
Fortunately for me, the latter scenario occurred last week! Three days before the show, I found out Quick read more or view full article about it's existence. A fast-typed email to a promoter and a hopeful follow up the next day struck gold: I was added to the guest list to see Case/Lang/Veirs on their way to Denver in Beaver Creek!

Now really quick, let's talk Case/Lang/Veirs.
Broken down, it's three powerful ladies who decided to collaborate on something that was a little out of each of their comfort-genres.

Neko Case (left) Member of Maow, Cub, and The New Porographers, also a well established solo singer/songwriter.
k. d. lang (center) Grammy award winning singer/songwriter from Canada and occasional actress.
Laura Veirs (right) Folk singer/songwriter out of Portland, but born in Colorado Spings.

Their record label Anti- explains "Several years ago k.d. lang sent an email to Neko Case and Laura Veirs on a whim. It read simply, 'I think we should make a record together.' Though the three musicians were barely more than acquaintances 'Laura and I both responded immediately,' recalls Case. 'There was no question.'"

So switch back to July 9, 2016.
I'm driving slightly above the speed limit, less than 12 hours ago finding out I was cleared to see this group just a mere two hour jaunt from Grand Junction, which is far, far better than SLC or Denver, and I reach the Vilar Performing Arts Center, a high class 535 seat opera-house style venue in the center of the Beaver Creek Resort.
Not saying I didn't look nice, but I would say I was a little on the under-dressed side of things upon arriving. A beautiful building, a sprawling resort, and a parking garage - these are all things I am not accustomed to, but I am in awe as I wander towards my seat.
Loch Lomond, an indie band out of Portland, Oregon opens the show with big harmonies and tinkling bells, then the main act takes the stage. The small, intimate stage. And immediately a glorious, harmonic experience begins with "Atomic Number" and only gets better from there. Throughout the show each of the women laid down a few of their solo careers, but they played their debut album together in it's entirety much to (probably) everyone's excitement. Not only that, they played an encore.
Wait. No. Two encores.
Wait. Wait. Three encores?
Two at least.
It's hard to say. I got lost in the experience for a lot of reasons.
Over the course of this show, which mostly had an audience of 60+ aged people, morph from solemn and attentive to standing, dancing, and even one woman jumping on stage to kiss k.d. lang on the lips. She told us on the microphone she drove all the way from Durango to see lang, and had to "make this one count" before she planted her lips on lang's.
Along with these experiences, there was also lang's amazing, soulful vocals, Neko Case's ridiculous banter, and Laura Veir's sweet words and occasional acoustic-guitar-shred-session. 

So basically what I'm saying is check out the debut album case/lang/veirs - case/lang/veirs, and if you get a chance to see this trio live, I'd highly recommend going. 
It is bound to be an experience. 

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I think I'm in love. Again.


I almost don't know where to start with one. It's too good. 

Do you like motown? Do you like pop? Do you like soulful vocals?
Yes to any of those?
Listen to Daydream by Empty Houses right now. I mean it, RIGHT now. 

This debut album out on Sargent House records dropped June 10, so I'll admit, I'm a little behind on this one. But "better late than never" is an understatement for this record. David Mackinder, Adam Mercer & Ali Shea make up this Detroit outfit, and they're bringing essential elements back into modern pop music. The title track "Daydream" Quick read more or view full article href="http://www.billboard.com/articles/columns/rock/7356733/empty-houses-daydream-premiere-steam-excusive">Billboard calls "A Phil Spector-influenced gem" and it definitely has that wall-of-sound pop glory that you remember from tracks like "Be My Baby" Jump to the next track, "Lost at Sea" and you're seeing the bandstand and hearing elements of "Earth Angel" bouncing off the walls. The perfect amount of horns, that driving motown groove, and Shea's soulful, soaring vocals reel you in over and over again. "Mercy" and "Every Word" have the soul and style of Adele, and "Falling Away" will have you undoubtably dancing wherever you happen to be. Put on "Hold Your Hand" 

I think my favorite part of this album is the flawless use of bells, clapping, and auxiliary percussion. The tinkling blends effortlessly into this pop A+, the clapping only adds to the beat, and the occasional wood block or castanets just fit.

Get in on this band before they blow up, seriously. Give the first track, "Better of Me" a listen and fall in love with that 60's pop all over again. This band feels like a blast from the past, but the good news is that they aren't, and hopefully they'll be making new music for a long time.

In case you missed the link up there^ for "Daydream" I'll put it here, too, because I really want you to hear it.
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