WYEP Music Blog

Every Wednesday at 9:13 am, one of Pittsburgh’s finest music writers joins me (Cindy Howes) on the Morning Mix to play a couple favorite new songs and share some insight. Today we welcome Andy Mulkerin of Pittsburgh’s City Paper

In case you missed it here’s what he played with commentary by Andy:

Christopher Paul Stelling, “Mourning Train to Memphis” – Excited about the forthcoming debut LP from this Brooklyn-based Americana songwriter. It’s beautiful and touching in an understated way.

Howlin Rain, “Beneath Wild Wings” – One of my favorite bands of the past five years of so — Howlin Rain is the post-Comets on Fire project of Ethan Miller. This is from their new album, The Russian Wilds, released by American, which finds them straying further from the noisy Southern rock they started out playing, and more into smooth Southern soul.

Hospitality, “Betty Wang” – This is the first single from the garage-pop band’s debut release on Merge. It’s right up my alley, and I’m excited about it — also about them playing Brillobox later this month.

Every Wednesday at 9:13 am, one of Pittsburgh’s finest music writers joins me (Cindy Howes) on the Morning Mix to play a couple favorite new songs and share some insight. Today we welcome Justin Jacobs (talking to us via Skype!), contributing writer to Billboard & Relix Magazine.

In case you missed it here’s what he played with commentary by Justin – Best of 2011 version!!

Dawes,  “Fire Away” - Dawes’ ‘Nothing is Wrong’ is my pick for album of the year, yet it isn’t necessarily the edgiest or most innovative record — it’s simply the best rock’n'roll album to come out in a long, long time, balancing classic rock guitar and harmonies with timelessly amazing songwriting. Nothing fancy here, just great rock music.

Tune-Yards, “My Country” - Weird and wonderful, Tune-Yards’ ‘Whokill’ was exactly the opposite of Dawes — innovative in every way and never looking back. Singer/songwriter Merrill Garbus mixes hip-hop, lo-fi garage pop and folk to make a seriously electrifying record.

Lana Del Rey, “Diet Mt. Dew” – This lady was just booked to appear on Saturday Night Live – and she hasn’t even released an album yet. That’s nuts. Lana Del Rey, whose album ‘Born to Die’ drops early next year, is my pick for Most Promising of 2012. She writes sharp, sexy retro soul music; let’s hope she isn’t as self-destructive as pop music’s last soul diva.

Bonus! An orderless handful of my other favorite records of 2012:
- Fleet Foxes, ‘Helplessness Blues’
- Drake, ‘Take Care’
- The Weeknd, ‘House of Balloons’
- Bon Iver, ‘Bon Iver’
- Oddisee, ‘Rock Creek Park’
- Beastie Boys, ‘Hot Sauce Committee Part Two’
- War on Drugs, ‘Slave Ambient’
- Jay-Z & Kanye West, ‘Watch The Throne’
- Felice Brothers, ‘Celebration, Florida’
- The Head and the Heart, ‘S/T’
- M83, ‘Hurry Up, We’re Dreaming’
- Ryan Adams, ‘Ashes and Fire’

Way to go 2011, you had some really great music! I’m proud of you.

Every Wednesday at 9:13 am, one of Pittsburgh’s finest music writers joins me (Cindy Howes) on the Morning Mix to play a couple favorite new songs and share some insight. Today we welcome Scott Tady of The Beaver County Times.

In case you missed it here’s what he played (with commentary by Scott):

Jeff Bridges, “Maybe I Missed the Point” – Yesterday was a big day for The Dude! Along with the re-mastered Blu-ray debut of “The Big Lebowski,” Jeff Bridges released his self-titled country-western album. Picking up where he left off with his Oscar-winning portrayal as a seasoned, cut-to-the-bone philosophy-slinging singer, “Bad” Blake, Bridges delivers 10 sincere, homespun tracks helmed by longtime friend/Oscar-Grammy winner T-Bone Burnett. Like a true country star, Bridges writes just 3 of the album’s songs, and not this standout track penned by John Goodwin, where a guy admits life’s been good, but he could of and should of done more. Bridges’ weathered and wisdom-filled voice makes the song sound autobiographical on lines like, “I laid low when I could’ve stood high/I said nothing when I should’ve asked why” and “Inside I’d like to believe I’m cool/Easy to love and hard to fool/But I know there’s more I could have enjoyed.” In terms of Hollywood stars-turned-music-artists, I’d rank Bridges well above Russell Crowe and Kevin Costner … though a step below Kevin Bacon.

Holy Ghost!, “Wait and See” – I saw this New York band make its Pittsburgh debut Saturday in a matinee slot on the Identity festival at First Niagara Pavilion. I liked their enthusiasm, tunefulness and the pop-rock spin they gave to techno-trance-house-EDM-dubstep (or whatever term you prefer for what many of us consider “rave” music.) A few of their songs, this one included, remind me a bit of Pet Shop Boys. The album’s lead-off track has a Love & Rockets feel (remember them?)

Every Wednesday at 9:13 am, one of Pittsburgh’s finest music writers joins me (Cindy Howes) on the Morning Mix to play a couple favorite new songs and share some insight. Today we welcome Justin Jacobs, contributing writer to Billboard Magazine

In case you missed it here’s what he played:

Cloud Nothings, “Should Have” – I already listed this last month as one of my extra picks, but hell, I just couldn’t get away from it. Few things are better than a three minute sugar rush of some catchy, electric power pop, and this song takes the cake this summer.

White Denim, “Street Joy” – An ethereal cloud of dreamy acoustic folk, this song is alone stylistically on White Denim’s album “D.” That’s a shame, too — the rest of the album is full of assorted rock genres, but none touch on the gorgeous ache of this brooder.