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 Scott Mervis of The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.

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

Cloud Nothings, “Stay Useless” – This starts out like so many indie-rock songs, sounding like the Strokes, but once the vocals get going, Dylan Baldi’s personality takes over and you get that more raw emotion the Cleveland rocker injects into his tunes. Although this one is tight, poppy and, admittedly, repetitive, it lays the groundwork for some of the longer sonic jams on the band’s explosive third album, “Attack on Memory.”

Big Snow Big Thaw, “Red Hollow Road” – This Pittsburgh trio may not be rewriting the book on Americana, but this song showcases the unique vocal range of Jim Sabol, who also plays banjo. In his travels to Alabama, he took the windy Red Hollow Road and was inspired to write this mysterious Southern gothic tune with a melody manages to lodge into your head.

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:

Wooden Wand, “Winter in Kentucky” – It’s not a seasonal song at this point, but it’s a good one. James Jackson Toth records under the name Wooden Wand, and put this album out last fall, but it’s being re-released, and I’m only now getting into it. You should too. I think some reference points for his rambling, storytelling style would include Bob Dylan and Craig Finn.

Good Night, States, “Tired of Making Sense” – This is the most straightforward guitar rocker on the local band’s long-awaited new full-length. Not unlike the last one from GN,S, this one has grown on me a little each time I’ve listened — and that’s a good sign for an album.

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):

The Forty Nineteens, “Take Me to Vegas” – Garage-rock turbocharged with a splash of late-‘80s alternative from a SoCal band featuring Monaca High graduate Nick Zeigler on drums and vocals. Produced by David Newton (The Mighty Lemon Drops), this debut disc, due out April 17, reminds me of the Hold Steady. The Forty Nineteens make their Pittsburgh debut in late July.

Van Hunt, “Character” – Dayton, Ohio, rhythm-and-blues artist Van Hunt had the fourth-best reviewed new studio album of 2011 according to Metacritic. At the suggestion of his manager, “American Idol’s” Randy Jackson, Hunt released a live album two weeks ago, from which this cut was taken. The live album showcases Hunt’s refreshing take on R&B, melding the raw sexuality and guitar virtuosity of Prince with the glam-rock dramatics of David Bowie, and a dash of P-Funk spaciness. See him Thursday night at the Thunderbird Café.

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:

Regina Spektor, “All the Rowboats” – She’s back! Everyone’s favorite Russian immigrant piano player will release her new record, What We Saw From the Cheap Seats, in a few months, but in the meantime she’s dropped this tasty bit of dark, deeply melodic and oddly tweaked pop. This one harkens back to her weirder days of 11:11 and (my favorite) Soviet Kitsch, instead of the brighter pop of latter records.

Suckers, “Turn on the Sunshine” – These dudes released my favorite record of 2010, and their second effort, the questionably titled Candy Salad, drops next month. This first single is a good teaser — more straightforward but still twisted indie pop, and happy as all hell. If you like this one, rest assured, it is not the best song on the album.

Extra fun track! –>

Lucero, “On My Way Downtown” - A time-tested country punk band hires a horn section and gets all Memphis-Stax-soul on us on new album Women and Work. It’s a good look for the guys.