Delta Spirit "Tear It Up"

I had this funny aural experience listening to some new music with Barbara on Monday.

I was playing her a batch of tracks that I felt merited some discussion as to whether mvy should add them to rotation or not.  Some I liked, others I didn't care for but for various reasons (national popularity, loyalty to the artist, etc) deserved consideration.

So I was getting ready to play the new Delta Spirit single for her, and I said that I didn't think this record sounded like something we'd add.

We listened for a minute, and I pointed out that it DID have a Talking Heads vibe.

And that's a plus when considering a new-ish band---do they have a straight-line connection to a core artist/sound for the station?

Then Barbara pointed out that the little guitar figure that repeats is VERY Lindsay Buckingham---another core artist/sound for mvyradio.

I realized that I sorta heard other things in this song, including the African influenced guitar of a Peter Gabriel song and the drums from Kate Bush's "Running Up That Hill."

But the funny thing is, all those touchstones didn't seem to add up.

Yes, each individual part sounds like something you'd hear on mvy.  But the sum of its parts didn't magically retain that quality.

At least to my ears, it didn't.  What do you think?  Is this an mvy song?


Hear the song on Youtube.

Delta Spirit "California"

I like this band. But I definitely prefer their more straightforward rocking side ("Golden State") to the stuff they do that incorporates an electronic feel.

So I was resistant to this one.

But hell, if Grampa likes it . . .


Hear the song on Youtube.


See Grampa review Delta Spirit on Youtube.

Delta Spirit "Golden State"

Here's a funny small world music biz story, some chit-chat to while away the hours before the Folk Festival starts.

Delta Spirit is on the bill today. I'm really looking forward to seeing them.

I was introduced to the band by Paul Langton, who is their record label rep at Rounder Records (of Burlington, MA!!).

When this song came out, Paul sent me a link to the music video, which feature footage shot right in Boston (among other places).


See the video on Youtube.

Not long after mvyradio started playing the song, I was talking to one of the Moms at my daughter's pre-school. She told me she had heard the song on mvyradio, and couldn't believe it---it was the tune her husband had been working on.

He is a filmmaker, and he and his partner had recently shot the "Golden State" video.

Small world!

At the next pre-school get together, I asked him, "How did you get the Delta Spirit video gig?"

"Well, my partner lives next door to," wait for it, "Paul Langton of Rounder Records."

Really small world!!

Middle Brother "Me Me Me"

Okay, if you take key players from several well known established bands and put them together, it's known as a Super Group.

But what do you call it when you take key players from several excellent, but not-so-well known established bands, what do you call it?

Middle Brother consists of members of Deer Tick, Dawes and Delta Spirit. All awesome bands, but hardly household names.

If not a Super group, what would you call it? I'm taking suggestions.


Hear the song on Youtube.

Middle Brother performs this weekend at Newport Folk. You can also listen to our Newport Folk Channel, for album tracks by all the artists on the bill. Stream it for free from the main page of mvyradio.