KCRW’s Top 50 Most Played Albums for the Week of 01/24/2011
1 SAADIQ, RAPHAEL == Stone Rollin – Sampler >> [Columbia]
2 HARVEY, PJ == Let England Shake – Sampler >> [Vagrant]
3 GORILLAZ == Fall >> [Self Release]
4 AFROCUBISM == Afrocubism >> [World Circuit]
5 BELLE BRIGADE == Belle Brigade >> [Warner Bros.]
6 JACKSON, WANDA == Party Ain’t Over >> [Nonesuch/third Man]
7 MANN, CHICO == Analog Drift >> [Waxpoetics]
8 UNDERWORLD == Barking >> [Om]
9 FOSTER THE PEOPLE == Pumped Up Kicks Ep >> [Startime]
10 LYNCH, DAVID == Good Day Today – I Know …

Music Director Jason Bentley premiered a brand new Fleet Foxes song on Morning Becomes Eclectic in the middle of a fundraising drive, just proving KCRW’s dedication to music over everything else.
Best of all, I was able to track it down to share with you!
Here is the title track from their highly anticipated sophomore album, Helplessness Blues.
Fleet Foxes – Helplessness Blues by subpop
You can grab the tune as a free download from the Sub Pop website. The album will be out on May 3 and they’ll be performing at the Hollywood …

Detroit band Dale Earnhardt Jr. Jr. released one of our favorite EPs of last year. I’ve been spinning those 4 songs – and remixes of them – over and over in anticipation of more music from the pop-errific duo. Finally, we have word about their full-length debut – it will be called “It’s A Corporate World” and its coming on Quite Scientific Records on April 26.
Even better, I have some news of my own: Dale Earnhardt Jr. Jr. will be playing KCRW’s official showcase at SXSW so I’m sure we’ll …

I’m not an on air personality at KCRW, but I am so passionate about our music programming that they like to throw me on as a sidekick with nighttime DJs Garth Trinidad and Raul Campos during our pledge drives.
And every pledge drive, I fall in love with at least one song and/or an artist I hadn’t heard before.  A song that keeps me going when the phone lines aren’t as full as we’d like them to be. Last night, that song was Cassius’ “I Love You So.”

I’m on …

Someone around KCRW was spreading the word that I had a copy of Boxer Rebellion’s new full length “The Cold Still” and DJ after DJ was dropping by my desk or calling to ask for it. That’s as good a sign as any that there is a lot of excitement about this UK band!
KCRW was the first station in the world to play tracks off Boxer Rebellion’s second full length CD “Union” and they performed an excellent acoustic session for DJ Anne Litt last year around the release of Drew …

Gemma Dempsey, producer of The Treatment with Elvis Mitchell, checks in with an update on what people are talking about at Sundance, musically speaking….
Greetings from snowy Utah! I bumped into directors Jason Reitman (Up In The Air, Juno) and Kimberly Peirce ( Stop Loss, Boys Don’t Cry) who are here at Sundance working as Jury members.
I asked them if there were any festival highlights they could share with me, knowing that being jury members they cannot divulge or discuss anything about the films they are viewing for the …

Last year, KCRW DJ Anthony Valadez proclaimed his love for Brooklyn rapper, songwriter and producer Theophilus London after the release of his “This Charming Mixtape,” citing his unique “mash up of 90’s techno drum beats, indie rock attitude, and dark synth sounds with a twist of  80’s hip hop symbolism and aesthetics.”
Theophilus’ debut full length is set for a Spring release and, in the meantime, he’s putting out the Lovers Holiday EP on February 8, featuring “Why Even Try” with vocals by Sara Quin of Tegan & Sara. Stream it …

Sam Beam is back! And while he still has the bushy troubadour beard that I love, his folky sound has gotten a makeover on his new album, Kiss Each Other Clean. It has a strong 70’s influence, with lots of horns, interesting percussion and even some synths.
Iron & Wine used to be Sam and his acoustic guitar. And it think it takes a lot of bravery to be a singer standing alone on a stage with an instrument,  but I think it takes even more to lead a group of …

Our Winter pledge drive is up and running! It’s shorter (yay!) but we still need to raise the funds to keep making the great programming you love. Grab a t-shirt, a CD, or just donate $5 a month as a Star. Become a member and help us do what we do!  Find out more here