Welcome back to my table. I’m chef/host DGS
Every week new music from artists all over the spectrum gets released. Sometimes it’s a highly anticipated album from someone who has been in the studio a while and hasn’t released new material in some time. Other times, it’s a group just putting a few songs on an EP to get their name and sound out there. I’ve discovered that as great as technology is with being able to access material anywhere anytime, great sounds can get missed. This is music that I’ve discovered over the past few weeks and want to share it with you. A lot of that is introducing to you new and emerging artists, sometimes those who are fairly unknown in the music world. I hope if the music strikes your fancy that you’ll check them out online, Like them on FB, and tell them that you heard their music on The Appetizer.

*One exception to the new music featured was our first song, which I thought should have been included in the recently compiled Best Of album from R.E.M.

Artist/Song/Album


R.E.M./Star Me Kitten/Automatic For The People


The Killers/Neon Tiger/Day & Age


Ben Harper/I Will Not Be Broken/Give Till It’s Gone


[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a0cD9DQJBgA]

Rachael Yamagata/You Won’t Let Me/Chesapeake


Rachael Yamagata/Stick Around/Chesapeake


Joshua James/Lovers Without Love/The Sun Is Always Brighter (Deluxe Edition)


Kathleen Edwards/Mint/Voyageur

Among Savages/Terrified/Wanderings of an Illustrative Mind

A.A. Bondy/World Without End/American Hearts


[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8T4Ty1Rc5G0]
Bradley Hathaway/The World Is Screaming/A Thousand Angry Panthers – EP


Noah Gundersen/David/Bands Under the Radar, Vol. 4


Harrison Hudson/Run My Way/Bands Under the Radar, Vol. 4


First Aid Kit/Emmylou/The Lion’s Roar (Bonus Track Version)


Megafaun/Impressions of the Past/Gather, Form & Fly


St. Vincent/Strange Mercy/Strange Mercy
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rEFzHLJrouA&feature=related]

Noah Gundersen: Once part of the indie band, Courage, Noah has branched out and made his own way in indie music. The first song of Noah’s I heard was “Jesus, Jesus”. This song was amazing and I immediately knew how great of a musician he really was. The lyrics raise questions that many people are thinking, but never speak. Take this verse for instance:

Jesus, Jesus, could you tell me what the problem is
With the world and all the people in it?
Because I’ve been hearing stories about the end of the world
But I’m in love with a girl and I don’t wanna leave her
And the television screams such hideous things

They’re talking about the war on the radio
They say the whole things gonna blow
And we will all be left alone
No we’ll be dead and we won’t know what hit us.

In the crazy times we live in, I can relate to these lyrics. How many times have you turned on the news and began to question what will come of mankind. I wonder every day where the world is headed. Noah’s music and lyrics stirs up conversation and gets people talking about these spiritual questions that usually remain something to ponder privately.

More information and more great songs by Noah can be found on his bandcamp page. Also, you can connect with Noah on Facebook.

Next up, it’s Bradley Hathaway. Bradley started as a spoken poet and advanced into writing songs. The first song I heard of Bradley’s was “The World is Screaming”, which you can hear on this week’s episode of The Appetizer. His songs are just as deep as Noah’s. Take this verse for instance:

A Fallen star Shoots across the sky

And A Woman With no family Wishing to die

A mother, Buries her new blonde son

And a father in his office holding a gun

A little girl touched in places she should never be.

A little boy left to live alone in the streets.

A wife who doesnt know how to be faithful.

And a husband that cant, seem to keep his cool.

And The world Is Screaming

The lyrics are so moving. Bradley does not shy around the problems of society. He attacks them head on. Some say music can bring change, whether it be to an individual or entire race. I believe that his music could spur great change if everyone would take a listen. Find out more about Bradley on his Facebook.

Tune into this week’s episode of The Appetizer to hear these two great musicians.

One of the artists we’ve connected with and had the privilege of hosting last year in our hometown (check out our in-studio session here) is William Fitzsimmons. For the next week or so, he is offering some of his music to fans for free via NoiseTrade. The link is below.

Also check out Madi Diaz. We’ve featured her over the past several weeks on our radio program and she’s nominated for a Golden Fork Award (you can still vote here).

Another aspect is hearing a band you’ve never heard before, being introduced to unknown and emerging artists who are just trying to be heard. Since 2003 we’ve done that by introducing to radio listeners, and to blog readers, the amazing talents of artists who are becoming more known like The Rocketboys, Citizen Cope, Rosi Golan and more (for more featured artists over the past several years, check out our website).

This weekend’s playlist included a mixture of both of those unheard dynamics, with tastes of music from people you know of and also those you don’t. I’m sure you have some artists in your music collection that fit both the known and unknown categories. Let us know what you would like to hear. We’d love to feature your selections.

Artist/Song/Album


Radiohead/Scatterbrain/Hail to the Thief


The Tallest Man On Earth/The Dreamer/Sometimes the Blues Is Just a Passing Bird – EP


Dave Matthews Band/So Right/Everyday


Beck/Guess I’m Doing Fine/Sea Change


311/It’s Alright/Uplifter


The Clash/The Magnificent Seven/The Essential Clash [Disc 2]


U2/Moment of Surrender/No Line On The Horizon


Ruthie Foster/Ring Of Fire/Let It Burn


Lana Del Rey/Born To Die/Lana Del Ray-EP


Paper Bird/Paper Bird/When the River Took Flight


Bayta Darell/The Merchant Prince/Write Me In Metal/Make Me Forever


Future of Forestry/Twilight/Twilight


The Antlers/I Don’t Want Love/Burst Apart


Jacob Furr/If You Would Only Say/The Only Road

In many episodes of The Appetizer we present talented musicians from the Lone Star State AND this episode you get two servings of Texas artists.

One of them is Jacob Furr.

Before I had even listened to his music, I saw this picture and knew he had to be a cool guy!

A talented guitar player and songwriter, Jacob resides in Fort Worth. In fact, he works at at The Fort Worth Museum of Art (so when you fall in love with his music, you can go pay him a visit). He has released numerous albums, such as 2009′s The Long Road, and a pair of EPs in 2011, Finches, and The Townes Covers, which was a tribute to the late Townes Van Zandt.

On January 31, Jacob will release a new album, Farther Shores. He is quoted as saying, “A lot of the album just has to do with ideas of home: What does that mean and how much influence should a place have over you.”

I took a listen to a few tracks from Jacob’s previous albums (and you can too, just click here). That link will also be the place where he will release Farther Shores later this month.

The first song I listened to was “When I’m Far From Home”. This track definitely showcases his devotion to being a multi-instrumental artist. Another track that stood out to me was ”The Only Ones” The first thing I noticed about this song was the beginning. It started with a harmonica, which set the mood for the rest of the song. Also, a secret between you and me: I have always wanted to learn how to play the harmonica. I know, it’s odd, but something about the harmonica.

Both songs, and pretty much all of them, embrace the feeling of less is more. The lyrics come effortlessly. They are simple and concise, yet tell a great story of the importance of home. The feel of Jacob’s music goes hand in hand with his music-making philosophy. Jacob compares his music making environment to the environment of painters. “There’s a sense of composition,” he is quoted as saying.

His music may have a Texas country feel, but even those country music loathers will find themselves tapping their feet to his down-home beats.

Well, you’ve heard my opinion. So what are you waiting for? Go check out Jacob’s music! Don’t forget to tune into The Appetizer, heard throughout Texas on KTRL, KVLU and KACU.

Artist/Song/Album

Elliott Park She Is Fly Boy
Jill Andrews Wake Up Nico The Mirror
Damien Rice Volcano O
Brandi Carlile Looking Out Live At Benaroya Hall With The Seattle Symphony
The Lennings You’re the One That I Want CD Sampler
Kina Grannis White Winter Hymnal Stairwells (Deluxe Version)
William Fitzsimmons Heartless (Kanye West Cover) Heartless – Single
Vampire Weekend I’m Going Down (iTunes Session) iTunes Session
Citizen Cope Nite Becomes Day The Clarence Greenwood Recordings
Muse Resistance The Resistance
Green Day Whatsername American Idiot
Third Eye Blind Motorcycle Drive By Third Eye Blind
The Killers Sam’s Town Sam’s Town
The Heavenly States Model Son One Track Mind: May 2011 MP3 Rewind
Seabird Apparitions ‘Til We See The Shore

Add to that his incredible songwriting ability. There are few artists who have this ability to take relationship connection and family dynamics and translate that into music in such a powerful way that it moves you every time you hear their songs. Randy Travis comes to mind. Elliott Park does too.

Elliott write and recorded his debut album Fly Boy, featured many times on our radio show, at his studio in Clyde, TX. Not ironically the studio is named Fly Boy Studio as well. Aside from being the recording home for his own projects, it’s also where emerging bands like Hunters & Gatherers and indie artists like Twyla Foreman have recorded. It’s also the location of our production of The Appetizer each week.

Fly Boy is a remarkable album, and that’s not a biased assertion. Beginning to end there are songs that convey a message of love, grace, family, and belonging that are powerful and heart-grabbing. Tracks like Fight For You plays like a lullabye to a child, yet comes out more honest and true in addressing the reality of fear, and despite that, the willingness to put it all on the line to fight for love. Say The Word tells a similar story, but in a more grown up way, adult realizing that his love going away is worth fighting for, and the regret of not doing so. Bottle of Tears tells a story that is more personal to his area family and friends, regarding the passing of a child. It’s hard to hear this song and not be brought to tears, not because it’s necessarily sad, but because it is necessarily that moving.

And of course there’s the title track, Fly Boy, about the power of big dreams and chasing after them. I encourage you to not only check out this album, but pick it up. Digital or cd copy is an excellent addition to your cd library. Another good friend and musician George Pendergrass told me that on a road trip last year he just kept this album playing over and over again, and he’s one that has a hard time sitting through one song all the way through. If you’re not sold, we’ll be leading off with Elliott’s music on this weekend’s edition of The Appetizer, heard on KACU, KTRL, and KVLU across Texas.

And if you can’t wait until then, here’s a sampling for you:

Kelley McRae came through our neck of the woods (Clyde/Abilene, TX) this past November and we hosted her and her husband Matt for a special performance at Bonterra Blu. Like many of the emerging artists we feature, Kelley has a really unique musical journey and getting to connect with her and experience her music was a real treat. I’ve heard some of the recordings that she’s working on right now and I’m eagerly anticipating the release of her new album, which could come out this year.

Another artist on the move is Clarensau. I discovered them on Facebook, by clicking on one of the ads that pop up in the right corner. I forget who the ad said the band sounded like but I was very impressed with their sound. What started as a solo project turned into a collaboration of several people. The blending of male and female vocals with the ambiance of strings and guitars is a really beautiful way to make music. That was what sold me from the start. Click on their link to hear their music and learn more about them.

Lastly, Ingrid Michaelson has gone from an unknown songwriter 5-6 years ago to one of indie music’s biggest names. And to think it all started with an Old Navy ad that put her track The Way That I Am in America’s living rooms and iPods. She has a new album set to release on January 24th. I didn’t want to wait for the release of the album to present it to listeners of our show, so that’s what we closed things out with. The track features the iconic sound we’ve come to love from Ingrid, but with some added instrumentation that gives it a different and fresh dynamic.

What did you think? Let us know at our Facebook link.

Artist/Song/Album

Among Savages/Start At The Beginning/Start At The Beginning EP


David Ramirez/Argue With Heaven/Strangetown EP


Amy Stroup/Count To Three/The Other Side of Love|SESSION TWO


The Head and the Heart/Sounds Like Hallelujah/The Head and the Heart


Kelley McRae/More of Nothin/Highrises In Brooklyn


True Widow/Duelist/Ioda SXSW Opening Day Bash Sampler 2011


Aryn Michelle/End Of The Renaissance/Last One Standing


The Lennings/You’re The One The I Want/CD Sampler


[:29 break Music] Lindsay Katt/Heart Place/Picking Out Boxes


The Journey Agents/Coupe/ All Up In It!


Dan Mangan/How Darwinian/Oh Fortune


Timothy Palmer/Beautiful/The Breeze


Clarensau/Endless Melody/Until Our Lungs Give


When Saints Go Machine/Add Ends/One Track Mind: May 2011 MP3 Rewind


Los Lonely Boys/Smile/Rockpango


Ingrid Michaelson/Ghost/Being Human (Pre-release)

I hope to in the near future get to do an interview with Tim and present that conversation with you, so you can hear the story in his words. I can’t do justice to the powerful depths of it. But the gist is Tim won an area songwriting contest and the prize was a recorded album in a local studio. Seems simple enough, except that shortly after winning the big prize, the recording studio went out of business. Tim had started laying down a few tracks but nothing was complete. Now the limbo began.

Credit is due to two guys who kept this thing going and kept Tim’s dreams alive. The two guys are Tom and Quentin. Wanting to stay faithful to the promise that was made to Tim on his winning prize, Tom and Quentin worked in office space and in their homes to make this recording a reality. That led to a journey that took several years and added a maturity to Tim’s songwriting that might have taken him much longer to achieve otherwise. The end result is a very well-crafted set of songs that showcase his songwriting talent, and had me listening from beginning to end and then going back for seconds. Click this link to hear more of Timothy Palmer’s music, and tune in this weekend to KTRL, KVLU, and KACU in Texas to hear his music.