Together/Apart is a post from: KZSC Santa Cruz

Top plays! is a post from: KZSC Santa Cruz

Wu-Tang is back on our hip-hop radar in a big way with numerous kick-ass releases.  We started out early summer with Meth and Red’s “Blackout 2″ followed by Raekwon’s bangin sequel, “Only Built 4 Cuban Linx 2.”  In the last week or so, Wu soldiers have unloaded a trove of awaited albums.  Meth, Ghost, and Rae’s “Wu Massacre” explodes with crisp reinterpretations of Shaolin classics.  Inspectah Deck’s “Manifesto” is  a fresh NYC cut rife with tension enhanced by notable appearances from Cormega, Raekwon, and others.  If that’s not enough, DJ Mathematics, a formative Wu producer, unleashed “Return of the Wu”, an album of crisply produced remixed favorites from the Staten Island squadron.  To celebrate the recent Wu renaissance, the Danger Zone collective is interviewing John “Mook” Gibbons tonight at 10:30p.  Mook, an early Wu promoter and manager, pushed soon-to-be classic Wu albums from the early 90′s when the group was still hungry.  Mook will be plugging his upcoming “Next 9 Generals of Wu-Tang” competition to be held this summer.  Listen in!  KZSC aint’ nothin’ to f*#$ wit!

Wu Renaissance is a post from: KZSC Santa Cruz

You can see them all eying that last roll like it’s the top spot on the KZSC charts.  They all want it.

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KZSC Charts for the week of June 2nd is a post from: KZSC Santa Cruz

There are plenty of other releases on Woodsist worth checking out.  The new single from Real Estate from New Jersey is a wonderful piece of pop, with a little more of an indie rock bend than the rest of Woodsist’s releases. Definitely draws from earlier Yo La Tengo (like Painful or And Then Nothing Turned Itself Inside Out) but mixes the dreamy pop with a bit of a garagey stomp. Recommended.

Crystal Stilts‘ first EP, the new 12″ EP from Sacramento’s own Ganglians, a summer record if you want to have a really weird psychedelic summer that normalizes at points and then slaps you across the face, and the new single from the ever reliable Thee Oh Sees are all things that I recommend.

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KZSC Charts for the week of May 26th, 2009 is a post from: KZSC Santa Cruz

St. Vincent takes hold of the top spot! Annie Clark has put out a wonderfully dynamic pop record, which spans many soundscapes and feelings.  The track “Actor Out of Work” has a fuzzy pop thing and an upbeat pace kind of like Julie Doiron’s “Consolation Prize” (a category of songs I like this year) and it’s wonderful.  It also has my favorite album cover of the year so far perhaps.  Apparently, Annie likes stark photographs of her face.

In other wonderful female-led bands, Oakland’s Dreamdate made their way onto the charts this week.  A charming pop record for fans of the Raincoats and other music that hits you over the head without really hitting you over the head.  This band and Grass Widow are really doing things in the bay area right now.

Our top add this week was Liectenstein on Slumberland from Sweden. Kind of like a ghostly version of the Vivian Girls with a taste of all the things that are back in ’09 (Shop Assistants, C86, Pop in general, Slumberland!), this record does not let down. At all. At all.

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KZSC Charts for the week of May 19th is a post from: KZSC Santa Cruz

Years, also new to the top 5, is a side project from the Arts and Crafts collective of Ohad Benchetrit, the man behind Do Make Say Think.  A&C never seems to put out anything bad.  This is no exception.  Here’s a look at the record cover.

San Francisco’s The Fresh and Onlys remain on our charts, and I hope to never see them leave. Their debut self-titled full length is one of the best things I’ve heard in 2009. It will not leave my turntable. It is some of the best written psych pop I’ve ever heard, will not leave my head ever. I find myself walking around using my thighs as drums as I sing “Peacock and Wing” or “Feelings in my Heart” at the top of my lungs. The album is layered, filled with backup vocals that sneak up on you and guitar parts that come out of nowhere. It comes from the best pop sensibilities with no fears of letting loose a little bit. San Francisco and Oakland are thriving right now. We’re close in Santa Cruz – get up there and see a show!

also, in our adds, we’ve got a new one on Slumberland from Bricolage, and something from Angel Deradoorian of the Dirty Projectors. Get excited.

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KZSC Charts for the week of May 12th, 2009 is a post from: KZSC Santa Cruz

New records from John Vanderslice and Conor Oberst are added as well.  ‘Slice has been doing it well for a long time, and his new record (his first on Dead Oceans), Romanian Names, has some of my favorite cover art of the year.

Mika Miko and Pink Mountaintops are some newer bands in the realm of things, even though they’ve both been putting out records for some time.  Like Black Mountain? Pink Mountaintops is Stephen McBean’s other band, and equally as good.  A little softer, but no weaker.  That is to be certain. The first song on the record is orchestral and heavy and melodic all at the same time. Psych without the ’60s Doors thing. I like it.

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KZSC Charts for the week of May 5th, 2009 is a post from: KZSC Santa Cruz

Woods’ fourth full length, Songs of Shame will be the psych pop album for your sunny days, with lo-fi stadium guitars and double vocals.  I am in love.

Bill Callahan’s Sometimes I Wish We Were an Eagle will soundtrack the warm nights, with his deep voice and warm strings over stark arrangements as always being a wonderful experience.  Bill has been doing it for years, and I am so glad that he keeps on putting out excellent work.

Jason Lytle’s debut solo record since the dissolution of Grandaddy, Yours Truly, The Commuter seems to pick up where the fambly man left off.  Soft vocals over wonderful pop tracks.  Spin it.

Dreamdate brings some pop from the Bay Area with their new record, Patience. Stoked on this all.  Tune in!

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KZSC Charts for the Week of April 28th, 2009 is a post from: KZSC Santa Cruz

Check out the number 3 band on the Radio 200 charts, the Harlem Shakes, if you’re into electric pop music kind of like Vampire Weekend but with a little more to it, a little rougher around the edges.  I’m a fan.

The same goes for Pomegranates, who follow them at number four.  Really good music to blast on your way to the beach or the lake or anywhere cool on a warm day.  It’ll get you up.  A good pop sound to the charts these days.

Jeremy Jay brings his disco-guitar infusion to number eighteen, Telekinesis tightly brings it at number twelve, and The  Long Lost bring some electro-pop/folk towards the bottom of the charts.  Have a great week! Tune in for new music on KZSC.

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KZSC Charts for the Week of April 21st, 2009 is a post from: KZSC Santa Cruz