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We have returned unbelievably with a new show. I looked at the data on the music that has been piling up. All of the submissions have been piling up since I began pursing graduate degrees, which I am not finished with yet. I have also been struggling with personal time management and time organization issues. We have no excuses, but it’s a day-to-day process that I will be working on long-term. I am sincerely sorry this has gone on so long.
Now to the music. Some of these selections date to 2017. A few are brand new since I am planning to mix this up a little as we progress with these shows.
Fun. Tight enough to hold an indie blues rock groove, and loose enough to groove and stroll with a vocalist that can belt out lines reminiscent of the greats known and unknown to all of us. Don’t Tell John just got started a few years ago in the Northern California I haven’t visited in forever, and they are currently working on a new album. This track is from 2024, so there are probably some new tracks to discover.
The Chris Clark Band crossed my path a few weeks ago, and well, if you love music that is rooted in Americana, psychedelic folk, vintage rock, and classic pop (according to the promo we received, you will probably enjoy this. Honestly, to me, this goes hard for alternative country to my ears, and we haven’t heard the like since we were knee-deep in New York and Austin music conferences and Bloodshot Records showcases. I was honestly surprised this whole album is that good. You should probably give it a listen at least once. The links are to his website and to his Bandcamp where you can purchase a copy.
Midnight Syndicate somehow never disappoints, with the music AND the liner art. For someone with a graphic imagination, this just touches points that are a delight to the ears and the imagination. The music that the duo produce, with assistance from real live artists, should properly lay within the genre of thriller. I don’t think it can be called horror. If it was horror, the Fevered Brain couldn’t handle it, given an avoidance of modern horror novels and almost all films. Each Syndicate album is a musical auditory story panorama, movies-without-moving pictures, unless you supply them yourselves, and many of you have a vivid imagination equal to the Fevered Brain, so this should be a delight. You can find the album, here.
While they were featured last show with a track that is at once beautiful and painful to watch, commemorating Anne Frank, we had a few additional tracks left over from Other Wether. The current track is from Your Garden Name, a primarily instrumental album, painting well enough to be considered cinematic. Immerse yourself in their Bandcamp to discover more, and if you ever find yourself in front of a television show and recognize the music, this might be the source.
Evergreen is another long overdue track from a project that I should have exposed to y’all long ago. A rich and diverse album, it is infused with multiple soulful genres that make it difficult to force into a box that range from folk, bluegrass, the wide-open expanse of Texas, choral harmonies that darn-near tear my heart out, and more that you should probably check out. We couldn’t find a current website, but there are some treasures to be found on the Tube.
Cady Finlayson plays an instrument among few that can routinely bring us to tears and rip our heart out in gratitude for the blessing of ears to hear music. The bagpipes are one, and her fiddle is another instrument that makes us stop and listen wherever it hails from. Her website lists several recordings and she still tours, though this track is probably ancient in her current discography. Please check her out, if she ever wanders into your nec of the woods.
We didn’t set out to create a mostly instrumental show, but there are at least three that I thought I heard, including “Marian the Contrarian” by Dizzy O’Brian, which seems to tell a story, [mostly] without words. We have some vague memory of an email conversation where Dizzy might have mentioned film music composition, and this track would certainly fit into that aesthetic nicely. Check his website for more information.
Dontrell Johnson has been waiting to be heard for far too long. Such a track is almost beyond the scope of a humble internet radio show. To be clear, all of the music in the shows is excellent, but this seems to be memorable beyond the scope of indie music radio, a track also too good for commercial radio, but it should have a much wider audience to appreciate its unique take on soul and pop. Dontrell also teaches drums in his community and his Instagram is pretty active.
Fake Billy and the False Prophets sent me this track (“Book of Job”) almost ten years ago. They are based in the Netherlands if we interpreted the promo materials correctly. However, the only website that comes up is their Facebook page, and this track is the latest release from 2017. If anyone knows them, please send them our way. Like many European bands, they sing in English, either from comfort or the realization that English will bring wider airplay. That might be a psychological study for another day. This track echoes with elements of rock, country, and indie mixed into a great soup of something that is all their own. After listening to this on repeat a few times, our only wish is that we had a more complete album to analyze and review.
RadioMike, 30 August 2026