All of our DJs receive hundreds of CDs a month to consider for airplay. In this regular feature, KCRW DJ Chuck P catalogues his musical bounty from the Post Office each week.
Coachella week… this usually means the first really hot weekend is upon us, and this year is no different. We’ll be in the low 80s here in LA but the Coachella Valley is expecting temps in the upper 90s. This week’s post office haul isn’t as bountiful as recent weeks, but there are a few interesting nuggets today.
1) Okkervil River “I Am Very Far” – Watermarked copy… I’m not sure if this means I should only listen to it and not play it on the radio. After my experience with Clinic — receiving watermarked a pre-release, which I then played, and then got spanked by the label for playing — I think I’ll just listen to this one. Will Sheff is in fine form and after two songs I’m enjoying in thoroughly. Expect it on your local record shelf in about a month.
2) David Hidalgo & Louie Perez “The Long Goodbye” – I was hoping for an updated soundtrack to the Altman film, but got something much better. Subtitled “A Collection Of Previously Unreleased Recordings Celebrating 40 Years Of Songwriting By David Hidalgo & Louis Perez Of Los Lobos,” the music here is pure Los Lobos and works just as well as a typical (if short) album from the LA natives.
There are some fantastic songs here, including the funky “Cure For Love” and the rocker, “Don’t You Know”. The CD did not come with a one sheet, so I’m not sure when these tracks were recorded, but any fan will find a treasure trove of new classics for their collection.
The timing of this release is great too, considering the April 16th inauguration of LA’s first museum dedicated to the history and culture of Mexican-Americans – La Plaza de Cultura y Artes.
3) Tron Legacy Soundtrack “Reconfigured” – Looks like we’ve got remixes from the original soundtrack, as performed by Daft Punk and supervised by KCRW’s own, Mr. Jason Bentley. Looks like some groovy remixes by M83, Crystal Method, Com Truise, Moby and more. Do you think I’d be a wiener if I asked Jason to autograph it? 😉
(Editor’s Note: If you’ve ever wanted to remix Daft Punk, here’s your chance)
Honorable mentions include new Gruff Rhys, Gord Downie and the latest CD from LA’s own, Sevensaturdays. Hear some of this and more tonight at 12a!
Cheers,
(@chuckp8 on twitter)