Last Week And This Week: (Re)View and (Pre)View

So here's what I played on Friday's show:

Set One: 6:30 - 7pm
Jackson 5 - Never Can Say Goodbye [Motown]
Precious Fathers - Swells [White Whale Records]
The Hold Steady - Stuck Between Stations (Live) [Vagrant]
The Got To Get Got - Rattle Off [Noyes Records]
Subcity Dwellers - Gastown [Transistor 66]
East Side Death Squad - Blitzkrieg Advertising (from Vancouver's Punk As Fuck) [Independent]

Set Two: 7 - 7:30pm
Deer Tick - Easy [Partisan Records]
The Playing Cards - What Time Is It Mr. Wolf (from Transit Collective) {[Manitoba Music]
Starlight Mints - Black Champagne [Barsuk Records]
Tereu Tereu - All That Keeps Us Together [Independent]
Renata Lu - Faz Tanto Tempo (from Black Rio 2) [Strut]
The Heavy - Coleen [Ninja Tune]
Quantic & his Combo Barbaro - Arianita [Tru Thoughts]

Set Three: 7:30 - 8pm
Heidi Happy - You And Your Moods [Do Right!]
The Most Serene Republic - The Old Forever New Things [Arts & Crafts]
Land Of Talk - Some Are Lakes [Independent]
Cryptacize - Gotta Get Into That Feeling [Asthmatic Kitty]
Eamon McGrath - Holy Roller [White Whale Records]
Cut Off Your Hands - You & I [Frenchkiss Records]
Codename: The Sharks! - Cardio [Independent]
Buckwheat Zydeco - Too Much Time [Alligator]
Mr. Something Something - What Are You Waiting For? [World Records]

As for what's happening this Friday, July 3rd, I'm still stewing up one final guest/segment but the two confirmed guests are Pat Thornton (star/writer/creator of the Comedy Network show Hotbox), and Toronto Afrobeat band Mr. Something Something (who will be playing the LO Pub on July 7th).

Your Opinion Matters To Us...

Still hashing out details for the June 26th episode of TGIFR, but while I'm working on that, I leave you with the following question:

Which of these complete rip-offs of a great song, re-worked into a new song, manages to transcend the rip-off?

Simply Red - Sunrise


Angie Stone - Wish I Didn't Miss You (embedding's been disabled).

How It Went Down: Friday June 19, 2009

So here's what was played on tonight's show:

Set One: 6:30 - 7pm
Chairlift - Bruises [Columbia]
Quantic - Cali Cartel [Tru Thoughts]
Ocote Soul Sounds & Adrian Quesada - The Revolt Of The Cockroach People [ESL Music]
Solidaze - Distractions [Balanced Records]
Interview with Guru and Solar
Guru - Lost And Found [7 Grand]

Set Two: 7 - 7:30pm
Guru - Best Of My Yearz [7 Grand]
Magilla Funk Conduit - That Funk (feat. Cadence Weapon) [Self-Released]
Interview with Jenn Grant
Jenn Grant - Heartbreaker [Six Shooter Records]


Set Three: 7:30 - 8pm
The Sea & Cake - Exact To Me [Thrill Jockey]
Interview with Jackpine
Jackpine - Red River Jig [Live at UMFM]
Jackpine - Rick Danko Died [Live at UMFM]
Jackpine - Brand New Good Old Days [Live at UMFM]
Reverie Sound Revue - An Anniversary Away [Boompa]

AND WHILE I'M AT IT...
I totally forgot to post the showlog from last week's hip-hop extravaganza so check that one out here.

This Friday: June 19, 2009

Quick update about this Friday's show and who will be on:

Already in the can is an interview with hip-hop legend GURU (Gang Starr, Jazzmatazz) who talks about being in the game so long, his new record 8.0 Lost & Found, and more. We talked last week and I had to sit on it to fit in all my local hip-hop guests for the show.

Tomorrow afternoon I'll be joined at the UMFM studio by local band Jackpine. You might not have heard of them yet, but you will very soon when they release their debut CD, Brand New Good Old Days on Dollartone Records. They're like a Winnipeg roots supergroup with membership comprised of Jaxon Haldane, Adrien Sala, Sean Buchanan and Jesse Reimer. We'll be recording a special live set and an interview for broadcast on Friday in advance of their CD release show at the Park Theatre on June 25th.

And finally I'll be talking to Haligonian pop-songstress Jenn Grant (pictured above) about her latest CD Echoes in advance of her Winnipeg show at the LO Pub on Friday June 26th.

Tune in for TGIFR, this Friday at 6:30-8pm CST on 101.5 UMFM or online at www.umfm.com

Leeroy Stagger Interview

So, my packed-to-the-gills hip-hop extravaganza show will be on the air in a little over a half-hour, but I just got off the phone with phenomenal roots artist Leeroy Stagger, who will be in Winnipeg tomorrow night (playing a house show at Stu Reid's place; the StuDome).

If you want to hear that interview and a selection from his new album Everything Is Real before the show, simply click on this link. I'll be airing the interview on a future TGIFR if you want to hear it on air.

Check out Leeroy's website for more info and a solid blog that has updates from his tour.

Wanna go to Jazz Fest?

Quick update.
The fine folks at the Winnipeg Jazz Festival dropped off some tickets for this year's Club Series performances. I've got a pair of tix to see each of the following:

Alice Russell
The Sea & Cake
Jose Gonzalez
Quantic & U-Tern

I'll be giving away two pairs this week and two next, so tune in between 6:30-8pm tonight and next Friday for a chance to win.
And even if you don't win - check out the Jazz Fest. These shows and others are well worth attending.

Back to the Hip-Hop

It wasn't by design, but this Friday's episode of Thank God It's Free Range is all about the hip-hop. And LOCAL hip-hop no less. TGIFR favourite Ndu will be on at 6:30pm to discuss (and play selections from) his new album The Rebel Zone. He previewed some of the cuts earlier in the year.
Nestor Wynrush (aka Mr. Ness, fka Satchill Paige) has a new record out called Trinnipeg !78 on Clothes Horse Records that reflects on his life growing up here and in Ontario. He'll be sure to have some interesting stories to relate when he comes on at 7:00pm.
Finally at 7:30pm I'll be joined by rap duo Rebel Yell, who released their debut Greatest Hits (shades of Rheostatics) earlier this year. The CD release is this Saturday, the 13th of June at the Pyramid (and openers are Pip Skid and the Magnificent 7's).


Be sure to check out:
Ndu's Myspace
Nestor Wynrush's Myspace
Rebel Yell's Myspace

The hip-hop will continue on the next episode (June 19th) when my interview with hip-hop legend GURU (GangStarr, Jazzmatazz) will air. I'll also be talking to Canadian folk-pop songstress Jenn Grant who is in town with Dan Mangan at the LO Pub that night.

Join me, Friday 6:30-8pm CST on 101.5 in Winnipeg and at www.umfm.com on the 'net.

Friday, June 5, 2009 Playlist

Busy show tonight - part of it pre-recorded earlier this week, a phoner and an in-studio. This is one of those nights when being producer as well as host makes it tricky. Like juggling a kitten, a bucket of paint and a chainsaw; you certainly don't want to drop any of those.

Anyway, here's the scoop on what was played.





Set One (6:30 - 7:00 PM)

Dirty Projectors - Stillness Is The Move [Domino]
The Western States - Right Of Return [Live at UMFM]
The Western States - Outstanding Balance [Live at UMFM]
The Western States - I'll Be Free [Live at UMFM]
Interview with The Western States
The Western States - Backslider's Wine [Live at UMFM]

Set Two (7:00 - 7:30 PM)

Interview with Dog Day
Dog Day - Wait It Out [Outside Music]
Codename: The Sharks - Starry-Eyed Conspirators [Independent]
Sights & Sounds - Pedal Against The Wind [Smallman]
Precious Fathers - Swells [White Whale Records]

Set Three (7:30 - 8:00 PM)

The F-Holes - Holding Out [Live on UMFM]
The F-Holes - Can't Share My Life [Live on UMFM]
Interview with the F-Holes
Portland Cello Project (feat. Thao) - Beat (Health, Life and Fire) [Kill Rock Stars]
Eels - Lilac Breeze [Vagrant]

May 29th Playlist

Totally flaked on putting my playlist from Friday up here. The Dirty Projectors interview didn't end up happening as their label rep couldn't connect with them while they were on the road (speaking of Dirty Projectors, the new album is great, but you wouldn't know it from the performance opening for TV on the Radio at the Walker on Saturday. The sound was abysmal).

I've got the Western States about to record an in-studio today that will air this Friday, June 5th and Dog Day and the F-Holes are still on for live appearances.

Here's the rundown on last week's show:

Set One (6:30-7pm)

Lee Fields & The Expressions - Ladies [Truth & Soul]
Nestor Wynrush - Garbage Hill [Clothes Horse Records]
Bike For Three! - Lazarus Phenomenon [Anticon]
Rock Plaza Central - O Lord, How Many Are My Foes [Paper Bag Records]
James Hill & Anne Davison - Sakura, Sakura [Borealis]
Grizzly Bear - All We Ask [Warp]

Set Two (7-7:30pm)

Field Assembly - Alkali [Independent]
Timber Timbre - Song 1 [Live At Music Trader]
Timber Timbre - Song 2 [Live At Music Trader]
Timber Timbre - Song 3 - I Get Low [Live At Music Trader]
Timber Timbre - Song 4 - There Is A Cure [Live At Music Trader]
Violent Kin - Let Go And Let God [Independent]

Set Three (7:30-8pm)

Animal Names - Frogs In 2010
Phoenix - Lisztomania [Loyaute/Glassnote]
Viva Voce - Good As Gold [Barsuk]
Naomi Shelton and the Gospel Queens - Am I Asking Too Much? [Daptone Records]
Fat Freddy's Drop - Pull the Catch [Amplifier]
Grand Analog - Her Daddy (Don't Like Me) [Urbnet]
Tiga - What You Need [Last Gang/Ultra]