As Ben Lee sang this morning, “What’s So Bad About Feelin’ Good”? Ben is a pop maestro that has been making records since he was 14 years old. He’s unapologetic about his love of pop and the power of a good chorus – in fact he even convinced a couple folks from his record label, New West, to sing back up during the set AND had his tourmates from local band Low vs. Diamond playing alongside him in the studio.
Ben talked to Jason about how the models of success in music have changed and he’s now trying to quantify things through feeling. Ben says his new album, which has a clear feminine influence, is a defense of everything he’s ever done and that to make a living doing art is a victory of the modern world. It’s so refreshing to watch someone that is content with their place in life and willing to share that enthusiasm with their fans. He also shared an incredible cover of MGMT’s “Kids.”
On a side note, apparently Ben and KCRW DJ Gary Calamar are neighbors – he said they bonded when Gary almost ran him over while he was out walking his dog. :)
RR
Barcelona band The Pinker Tones returned to our studios this morning and had everyone on their feet and dancing. This is party music at its best and they even did remixes and mashups of their own songs, including tracks off their new album “Wild Animals.” Take a listen and have your own little dance party.
RR
Paul Feig has his hand in a lot of exciting projects –including comedy favorite The Office – and his music picks are just as diverse. He thinks rock music is “a kid’s form of art” and goes on to explain which band embodies it best (hint: they’re Australian). He also celebrates his Scottish heritage and pays tribute to the Godfather of Soul. He puts on his producer hat at one point and tells us which song has “perfect dramatic structure.” I found this one extremely interesting – it’s like a film school cheat sheet using a song we all know and love as an example.
Paul’s got a great sense of humor – which you can see in his work on The Office (he was also the creator of the cult comedy classic, Freaks and Geeks) and in his writing – most recently a sci-fi book for kids called Ignatius MacFarland: Frequenaut.
If you enjoy this set, you might want to join his ever growing Twitter brigade. I’ve been checking it out the last few days and it’s hilarious.
Stream/Download/Podcast his Guest DJ set and read a transcript here
RR
The first track I ever heard from Lay Low was the sultry, bluesy song "I Forget It’s There." It’s one of those songs that caught me in my tracks and I was really intrigued by this Icelandic artist, who seems to have a taste for Americana and country-tinged melodies. She sings entirely in English (except when counting down to play songs, which Jason noticed) and she has this sweet voice that is both delicate and powerful. The songs are simple, but they are seeped in emotion -- many of them are about relationships and heartbreak. This set was a delight and definitely worth checking out.
RR
We were chatting in the studio about the fact that Ladytron are the perfect band for LA’s current weather – cool and breezy with gray skies. Their signature electro new-wave (and all black outfits) seems to fit the silent intensity of the day and will be the perfect music as they open up for Depeche Mode in stadiums across Eastern Europe. In fact, the band is having a lot of their dreams come true – they will also be part of a Brian Eno-curated event at the Sydney Opera House. The band takes its name from a Roxy Music song so they are coming full circle. (They also mentioned that they’ve been writing some songs for/with Christina Aguilera and it will be interesting to see what comes of that.)
It was fantastic to hear “Destroy Everything You Touch” live. The anthem off their previous release "Witching Hour" has been on the radio non stop thanks to a bunch of dance remixes by various folks. They played a mix of new and old tracks, including "Black Cat" off their new release “Velocifero.”
RR
Upcoming Live Performances on MORNING BECOMES ECLECTIC with host JASON BENTLEY
Monday, April 27, Ladytron bring an electro new-wave order to Morning Becomes Eclectic at 11:15am.
Tuesday, April 28, Iceland’s Lay Low mixes blues and country-tinged melodies on Morning Becomes Eclectic at 11:15am.
Wednesday, April 29, Barcelona’s duo The Pinker Tones fuse an alternative and electronica mix for Morning Becomes Eclectic at 11:15am.
Thursday, April 30, Australian artist Ben Lee sings songs from his latest, Rebirth of Venus, on Morning Becomes Eclectic at 11:15am.
Friday, May 1, Starsailor return to share new songs on Morning Becomes Eclectic at 11:15am.
Monday, May 4, Brooklyn’s Asobi Seksu perform their dreamy pop tunes on Morning Becomes Eclectic at 11:15am.
Friday, May 8, Yusuf, formerly known as Cat Stevens, performs new and classic songs for Morning Becomes Eclectic at 11:15am.
KCRW.COM PRESENTS
Wed, May 20, LITTLE DRAGON at THE INDEPENDENT in SAN FRANCISCO.
Wed June 3, FEMI KUTI at THE FILLMORE NEW YORK AT IRVING PLAZA in NEW YORK CITY.
Thurs June 4, FEMI KUTI at THE FILLMORE NEW YORK AT IRVING PLAZA in NEW YORK CITY.
KCRW PRESENTS IN SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA.
Sat, April 25, XIMENA SARINANA AT THE AVALON.
Sat, April 25, THE FAINT & LADYTRON AT THE GROVE OF ANAHEIM.
Sun, April 26, THE FAINT & LADYTRON AT THE MUSIC BOX AT THE HENRY FONDA.
Tues, April 28, THE PINKER TONES AT THE KNITTING FACTORY.
Tues, April 28, XIMENA SARINANA AT THE HOUSE OF BLUES, ANAHEIM.
Wed, April 29, JESCA HOOP AT THE HOTEL CAFÉ.
Fri, May 1, STARSAILOR AT THE TROUBADOUR.
Tues, May 5, MIKE DOUGHTY (OF SOUL COUGHING) AT THE HOTEL CAFÉ.
Sun, May 10, THE SHINS AT THE HOLLYWOOD PALLADIUM.
Tues, May 12, THERESA ANDERSON AT LARGO AT THE CORONET.
Thurs, May 14, CORNELIUS WITH DEERHOOF AT THE MAYAN.
Thurs, May 14, EDWARD SHARPE AND THE MAGNETIC ZEROS AT THE REGENT THEATER in DOWNTOWN L.A.
Fri, May 15, VAN HUNT WITH KCRW DJ ANTHONY VALADEZ AT ZANZIBAR.
Fri, May 15, DOVES AT THE HOUSE OF BLUES in ANAHEIM.
Sat, May 16, DOVES AT THE WILTERN.
Sat, May 16, LONEY DEAR AT SPACELAND.
Tues, May 19, THE DECEMBERISTS AT THE HOLLYWOOD PALLADIUM.
Wed, May 20, ZEE AVI AT THE ROXY.
Wed, May 20, M83 AT THE GLASS HOUSE.
Thurs, May 21, THE KILLS AT THE GLASS HOUSE in Pomona.
Fri, May 22, LITTLE DRAGON AT THE DETROIT BAR in COSTA MESA.
Sat, May 23, THE DEARS with GREAT NORTHERN AND THE EULOGIES AT THE ECHOPLEX.
Thurs, May 28, LUCINDA WILLIAMS AT THE HOUSE OF BLUES IN ANAHEIM.
Thurs, May 28, LITTLE DRAGON AT THE CASBAH in SAN DIEGO.
Fri, May 29, SCHOOL OF SEVEN BELLS & BLACK MOTH SUPER RAINBOW AT THE TROUBADOUR.
Fri, May 29, PASSION PIT AT THE ECHOPLEX.
Tues, June 2, LITTLE JOY at THE SOHO in Santa Barbara.
Thurs, June 4, DJ OHMEGA WATTS AT AFRO FUNKE AT ZANZIBAR.
Sat, June 6, WHITETREE (FEATURING LUDOVICO EINAUDI) AT THE HOTEL CAFÉ.
Mon, June 8, METRIC AT THE WILTERN.
Fri, June 12, AU REVOIR SIMONE at VELVET JONES in Santa Barbara.
Fri, June 12, NEKO CASE AT THE GREEK THEATRE.
Tues, June 16, BAT FOR LASHES AT THE EL REY THEATRE.
Wed, June 17, ZAP MAMA AT THE EL REY THEATRE.
Thurs, June 18, WHITE RABBITS AT THE TROUBADOUR.
Fri, June 19, GRIZZLY BEAR AT THE WILTERN.
Sat, June 20, WILCO AT THE FOX THEATRE in POMONA.
Sun, June 21, KCRW's WORLD MUSIC FESTIVAL feat. FEMI KUTI, SANTIGOLD, RAPHAEL SAADIQ at THE HOLLYWOOD BOWL.
Mon, June 22, WILCO AT THE WILTERN.
Wed, June 24, STARS OF SANTA BARBARA (WINE TASTING & CHARITY FUNDRAISER w/ KCRW’S JASON BENTLEY as DJ) AT SOUTH COAST PLAZA in Costa Mesa.
Sun, June 28, PHOENIX AT THE WILTERN.
Sun, June 28, KCRW's WORLD MUSIC FESTIVAL feat. ADELE, ETTA JAMES, JANELLE MONAE at THE HOLLYWOOD BOWL.
Sun, July 12, KCRW's WORLD MUSIC FESTIVAL feat. RAY LAMONTAGNE, JENNY LEWIS, BLITZEN TRAPPER at THE HOLLYWOOD BOWL.
Wed, July 22, ELBOW AT THE WILTERN.
Sun, July 26, KCRW's WORLD MUSIC FESTIVAL feat. GRACE JONES, OF MONTREAL, DENGUE FEVER at THE HOLLYWOOD BOWL.
Sun, August 9, KCRW's WORLD MUSIC FESTIVAL: REGGAE NIGHT VIII feat. TOOTS AND THE MAYTALS, MICHAEL ROSE, GREGORY ISAACS at THE HOLLYWOOD BOWL.
Sun, September 20, KCRW's WORLD MUSIC FESTIVAL: INDIA CALLING! feat. MALKIT SINGH, KAILASH KHER at THE HOLLYWOOD BOWL.
Manchester band The Whip bookended their five–week U.S. tour with two KCRW events. They played their first SXSW '09 show at the Cedar Street Courtyard for an event KCRW was sponsoring and then topped it all of with a bang, making an incredible debut on MBE. I was there at the SXSW gig and was absolutely floored. It was the middle of the afternoon in the hot Texas sun and I literally could not keep still – I kept trying to sit down to rest my weary feet but would jump up two seconds later to dance. The music was so infectious and fun, you HAD to move to it. This is a fun loving bunch (I witnessed them making “masks” out of tin foil to amuse each other in the van) and they seem to really adore each other, which makes for a tight musical unit. They are already working on their next album so stay tuned for more. Check out their performance here
RR
Local rockers Great Northern returned to MBE in support of their new CD “Remind Me Where the Light Is,” which is a bit darker and more intense than their previous work. Solon Bixler and Rachel Stolte are the heart of the band and their vocals still anchor the project, even though they left behind some of the dreamy and atmospheric qualities heard on their last album.
RR
KCRW TOP 50 FOR WEEK OF 04/20/2009
1 ROYKSOPP == Junior >> [Astralwerks]
2 BURAKA SOM SISTEMA == Black Diamond >> [Fabric]
3 DOVES == Kingdom Of Rust >> [Astralwerks]
4 TOSCA == No Hassle >> [K7]
5 JUNIOR BOYS == Begone Dull Care >> [Domino]
6 PHOENIX == Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix >> [Glassnote]
7 EASY STAR ALL-STARS == Easy Star's Lonely Hearts Dub Band >> [Easy Star]
8 BLK JKS == Mystery >> [Secretly Canadian]
9 FRIENDLY FIRES == Friendly Fires >> [Xl] 10 SILVERSUN PICKUPS == Swoon >> [Dangerbird]
11 BAILE FUNK COMPILATION == Funk Mundial >> [Man Recordings]
12 GRIZZLY BEAR == Veckatimest >> [Warp Music]
13 WHITEST BOY ALIVE == Rules >> [Bubbles]
14 CASTLETON, GAVIN == Home >> [Five One Inc]
15 MEXICAN INSTITUTE OF SOUND == Soy Sauce >> [Nacional]
16 FRANZ FERDINAND == Tonight - Franz Ferdinand >> [Sony]
17 TV ON THE RADIO == Dear Science >> [Interscope]
18 ATERCIOPELADOS == Rio >> [Nacional]
19 EELS == Hombre Lobo >> [Vagrant]
20 YEAH YEAH YEAHS == It's Blitz >> [Interscope]
21 BAT FOR LASHES == Two Suns >> [Astralwerks]
22 HOCKEY == Mind Chaos >> [Self Release]
23 CAMERA OBSCURA == My Maudlin Career >> [4ad]
24 CAGE THE ELEPHANT == Cage The Elephant >> [Jive]
25 BISHOP ALLEN == Grrr >> [Dead Oceans]
26 CHIN CHIN == Flashing The Fancing >> [Definitive Jux]
27 ORBIT, WILLIAM == My Oracle Lives Uptown >> [Kobalt]
28 AMADOU & MARIAM == Welcome To Mali >> [Nonesuch]
29 RED HOT COMPILATION == Dark Was The Night >> [4ad]
30 FEVER RAY == Fever Ray >> [Mute]
31 ZOE == Reptilectric >> [Emi/noiselab]
32 TORTURED SOUL == Did You Miss Me >> [Tstc]
33 MIDIVAL PUNDITZ == Hello Hello >> [Six Degrees Records]
34 PASSION PIT == Manners >> [French Kiss]
35 DJ HELL == Teufelswerk >> [Gigolo Records]
36 HARVEY, PJ & JOHN PARISH == A Woman A Man Walked By >> [Island]
37 DECEMBERISTS == Hazards Of Love >> [Capitol]
38 FOL CHEN == Part 1 - John Shade Your Fortune's Made >> [Asthmatic Kitty]
39 BLACK LIPS == 200 Million Thousand >> [Vice]
40 HARMONIC 313 == When Machines Exceed Human Intelligence >> [Warp]
41 CASE, NEKO == Middle Cyclone >> [Anti]
42 WAR CHILD COMPILATION == Heroes >> [Astralwerks]
43 WEST INDIAN GIRL == Fourth On The Floor - Remixes >> [Smash Hit Music]
44 YUILL, JAMES == Turning Down Water For Air >> [Nettwerk]
45 OTHER LIVES == Advance Music >> [Tbd]
46 MOCKY == Saskamodie >> [Crammed Disc]
47 DEATH CAB FOR CUTIE == Open Door Ep >> [Atlantic]
48 DEJOHNETTE, JACK == Music We Are >> [Golden Beams]
49 YONLU == Society In Which No Tear Is Shead Is... >> [Luaka Bop]
50 PRINCE == Lotusflow3r/mplsound >> [Self Release]
Nelson George is an esteemed author, filmmaker and culture critic who was there for the birth of hip hop in New York City. He chooses one of the most important recordings of that era -- which he appears on – as well as two legends who spurred his musical education. He also picks a recent breakout band that he feels represents the Brooklyn of today – even though he does make fun of their dance moves!
RR
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