An exciting first for the show, we have a new release from a great band we featured last year, it’s the return of Return for Refund, with Lift You Up. True to their hard rocking form, it’s cheeky, raw and as is often the case with second releases, it feels lived in and self-aware. But this record digs deeper into some heavy themes and Jesse’s theory about it being a concept album totally blows Dylan’s mind. Get in the loop, and get stoked for out 2nd anniversary showcase July 19th!
Episode 49: Eclectic Revival
After a great chat with Chris Kerba of Eclectic Revival, we dig into their latest release, Life & Love. It’s a great combination of Celtic influenced alt rock and trad tunes that hits all the bases: wartime ballads, drinking lamentations, sweet harmonies and of course a smooth… saxophone? It’s not your father’s adult contemporary, but he’d probably like it too. Check these fellas out and get in the loop!
Episode 48: Tea & Table Talk w/Chris Kerba
Another great chat with a fantastic musician, writer, actor and comedian Chris Kerba of Eclectic Revival! We dig into the many hats one must wear in creative fields, what it’s like to work with the same musical soulmate for years, and what making a record really entails. Stay till the end for a special EXCLUSIVE listen of Sailing Home, off their new album Life & Love. And come see us this Saturday April 8th at the Libertarian!!!
Episode 47: Stereobastula
Video games, shoe-gaze, the IT Crowd, rap-rock… It’s all here. Nerds rejoice, because Stereoblastula is here with Save the Princess. If you’re not a gamer at all (like Jess) there is still an incredible story within this record, and if you happen to be more of a Dylan, expect some wonderful easter eggs. Come see our live showcase of punk, rock and general debauchery No Soul Safe April 8th at the Libertarian! Get in the loop!
Episode 46: Tea & Table Talk w/ Charlie McKittrick
Today’s episode is a very special new segment of AFL: Tea & Table Talk. Jesse invites musicians to her kitchen table for tea and, well, talking. Charlie McKittrick sat down to discuss his journey from drummer extraordinaire (TimeGiant, Phill Hood!, Foreign Film Star and a billion others) to singer-songwriter and his debut solo record. It’s an insightful, vulnerable, occasionally heavy discussion, and well worth a listen. Charlie opens our No Soul Safe showcase April 8th so get in the loop already!
Episode 45: Arcanum
Today’s episode is Arcanum’s prog metal 4 track debut EP , At the Car Wash. A mix of funky grooves and grit, their sound is self-described by the band as it’s own genre combining junk and djent: Djunk. For those of you unfamiliar (which was us at first too), it’s heavy on high-gain distortion guitar, slap bass, and polyrhythms. You may recall bassist Jesse Woodrich of AFL alnumi SirenPhase, who you can catch at our No Soul Safe showcase April 8th at the Libertarian. Get in the loop!
Episode 44: Kayt Lucas Band
Continuing our recent string of wicked female vocals is Kayt Lucas Band, and their album, Tornado Nursery. It’s hard folk, with a sunny attitude and plenty of mandolin. The instrumentation is particularly unique, blending elements of Latin beats, Santana- style guitar, and the movements inspired by Kayt’s career as an aerial dancer and choreographer. Certainly a treat, so get in the loop! And mark your calendars for our next showcase, No Soul Safe at the Libertarian Public, April 8th!
Episode 43: Barbara Lynch
Barbara Lynch is a Lady-Tom Waits with her own unique rasp, and some heavy (and we mean heavy) themes of love lost and how war and our ignorance have ruined our planet. In The Nickelodeon is in a class all its own, borrowing from ragtime, jazz, and dropping in a few beautifully heartbreaking love songs. It’s a record from 2008 that is steeped in 1929, and feels prescient even today. Get in the loop!!!
Episode 42: Taylor Holden
A wonderful ray of sunshine to kick off 2017, we tackled the adorable yet mature first solo release from Taylor Holden and the Law of Averages. It’s heavy on charm, with plenty of ukulele love songs to keep you warm this season. With a mix of up-tempo, head bopping pop country, Dylan and Jess love how refreshingly earnest the record is amid so much ironic, brooding content in the marketplace. Get in the loop, and Happy New Year from AFL!
Episode 41: Beach Bodies
Mother nature’s mushroom trip meets Lou Reed, Strokes- style meditative mumblecore. It’s art-rockers Beach Bodies with Onward & Downward, a beautifully bizarre journey through the forest, the sea and everything in between. Highlights include the Scooby-Do inspired tale of a water-logged ghost and a recording of two moms chatting set to an instrumental interpretation. Why are you still reading this? Get in the loop!