Stereo Embers: The Podcast

"Boxing The Compass"

Haircut 100 have always been one of my all-time favorite bands. The only tricky thing with having them as a favorite for all these years is there's only one album, 1982's Pelican West, which is a flawless platter of beachside new wave that effortlessly veers into pop, jazz, and funk. There is a second album Paint by Paint and there's nothing wrong with what's on it, the problem with that album is what's not on it. And that's Nick Heyward. Heyward left the band after the debut and embarked on a rather brilliant solo career, releasing classic albums like North Of A Miracle, Postcards From Home, and From Monday To Sunday. Getting back to the platinum selling Pelican West, for a debut album it was a scorcher. It anded three songs in the top ten on the UK singles chart and both the single Love Plus One and the album itself went top 40 here in the states. "Patience is bitter, but its fruit is sweet," Rousseau once quipped, and one listen to Haircut 100's new album Boxing The Compass proves him very correct, indeed. Filled with harmonic smarts, endless hooks, slinky sax grooves, jazzy lines and pure percussive wonder, Boxing The Compass is the ultimate pop rush of the year. Haircut 100 sound rejuvenated, revived and undeniably battle-ready. This is a shimmering platter of melodic majesty that's timeless and essential.

www.haircut100.com (http://www.haircut100.com)
www.bombshellradio.com (http://www.bombshellradio.com)
www.stereoembersmagazine.com (http://www.stereoembersmagazine.com)
www.alexgreenbooks.com (http://www.alexgreenbooks.com)

editor@steroembersmagazine.com
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"Battle For The Yellow"

The Six-Foot-Six John Tesh cuts an imposing figure, but consider the numbers of his CV. He's got six Emmys, four Gold Albums, one Associated Press Award, two Grammy nominations, close to fifty albums to his name, including Live At Red Rocks, Music In The Key Of Love, Monterey Nights and Sports, close to ten million albums sold and his live shows have raised 7 million for PBS. Those are some numbers. The New York-raised Tesh showed up on the pop culture radar alongside Mary Hart when they hosted Entertainment Tonight, but Tesh knew he was destined to do other things. Like a lot of other things. In fact, Tesh has done so many things, in fact, if I listed them all we'd be here for a while, so let me give you a quick primer: He's worked as a sportscaster, covering everything from the Olympics to Wimbledon to the Tour de France, he's a radio host, a composer, a musician, an actor, a news anchor and an author. Tesh's new album The Cycling Remixes is an exhilarating blend of inspirational rhythms and motivating instrumentation that's tailor made for athletes who are looking for music to inspire them to get up that hill or across that pool. A dexterous keyboardist, Tesh plays with muscle and heart, his compositions soaring into the stratosphere with authenticity and belief.

www.tesh.com (http://www.tesh.com)
www.bombshellradio.com (http://www.bombshellradio.com)
www.stereoembersmagazine.com (http://www.stereoembersmagazine.com)
www.alexgreenbooks.com (http://www.alexgreenbooks.com)

Threads + Bluesky + IG: @emberspodcast
Email: editor@stereoembersmagazine.com

"Remembering The Trashcan Sinatras' John Douglas"

We've devastated to hear the news of the passing of the Trashcan Sinatras' John Douglas. We're so grateful that we had a chance to sit down with him last year for a chat. The Scottish-born singer/songwriter/guitarist was a lovely guy and this conversation is a generous glimpse into his creative process. Our thoughts are with his friends, his family and his bandmates.

"We Were Made For These Times"

It's been 40 years since the Grammy-Award winning band the Klezmatics formed in the East Villag. In the same way the Pogues fused Irish folk with punk rock, the New York klezmer outfit have grafted centuries-old Yiddish music with iterations of contemporary music including jazz, gospel, punk, classical, Latin, and Balkan styles. With nearly twenty albums under their musical belts, including Rhythm and Jews, Jews With Horns, Letters to Afar and their wonderful new one, We Were Made For These Times, the Klezmatics remain one of the most spellbindingly singular bands on the planet. Over the course of their career they've collaborated with Arlo Guthrie, Allen Ginsberg and Itzhak Perlman, played shows in over twenty different countries, performed on PBS' Great Performances, recorded a live CD at New York City's Town Hall and snared a Critics Award as well as a New York Jewish Music Award. Their music has appeared everywhere from Sex and the City to Late Night With David Letterman and their new album continues to add to their winning legacy. A stirring, inspiring and soulful offering that, in the band's words is, "rooted in protest, hope, and resilience, We Were Made For These Times pairs Black gospel, Latin American, and avant-jazz voices with Yiddish folk and the results are joyful, life-affirming and brimming with optimism. The L.A. born vocalist, accordionist, pianist, guitarist Lorin Sklamberg is a lovely guy and this is a great chat.

www.klezmatics.com (http://www.klezmatics.com)
www.bombshellradio.com
www.stereoembersmagazine.com (http://www.stereoembersmagazine.com)
www.alexgreenbooks.com (http://www.alexgreenbooks.com)

Threads + BLUESKY + IG: @emberspodcast
Email: editor@stereoembersmagzine.com

"Parallel Universe"

When I was working in college radio it seemed like Hypnolovewheel was putting out a record every year. And it felt that way because they pretty much were. Although they'd put out two records in the eighties, in the '90s the Long Island outfit released a trilogy of albums in an indie rock whirlwind: there was 1991's Space Mountain, 1992's Angel Food and 1993's Altered States. An EP followed and--well, that was pretty much it. More on that in a second. Over the course of their seven-year career, Hypnolovewheel toured with Kitchens of Distinction and King Missle, opened for fIREHOSE, the Jesus Lizard and the Fleshtones, got played on 120 Minutes and got rave reviews from The New York Times and were featured in Spider-Man comics.
The band's compositions were loaded with clever lyrics, sneaky rhythms and hooks galore and each song jangled away with grinding, catchy beauty. Falling somewhere between R.E.M. and Lotion, Hypnolovewheel are one of those bands that may have been overlooked simply because college radio was a crowded and competitive field, but their new compilation Parallel Universe is a perfect sampler of what you might have missed, were you one of the folks who missed these guys the first time around. Drummer Peter Walsh passed away in 2021, but the remaining members are active in the reissue campaign of their back catalog and there's a lot of music to hear.

https://hypnolovewheel1.bandcamp.com/album/parallel-universe
https://www.instagram.com/hypnolovewheel/
www.bombshellradio.com (http://www.bombshellradio.com)
www.stereoembersmagazine.com (http://www.stereoembersmagazine.com)
www.alexgreenbooks.com (http://www.alexgreenbooks.com)

Stereo Embers:
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Email: editor@stereoembersmagazine.com