"When It Comes To Love" The Massachusetts-born Michael Bluestein got a quick run out of the musical gates and started studying classical piano by age nine, so it's no surprise that the young prodigy's trajectory found him studying at Berklee College of Music. With his B.A. under his belt, Bluestein headed west and wound up in San Francisco, where he spent a decade putting out his own music and working as a venerated sideman and session player with Jon Evans, Will Bernard, Matt Chamberlain, Kitty Margolis, Kenny Washington and Mary Stallings. He has toured and recorded with Shelby Lynn, Boz Scaggs, Stevie Nicks, Burt Bacharach, Enrique Iglesias and Rodger Hodgson. He joined Foreigner in 2008 and that's where he's been ever since, but he's also putting out music under the Beat Glider moniker. Filled with undeniable groove and musical dexterity, Beat Glider is a careening and moving dose of chillwave. Michael talks to us about his San Francisco days and importance of putting oneself out there in the artistic community. www.foreigneronline.com www.bombshellradio.com www.stereoembersmagazine.com www.alexgreenbooks.com IG + BLUESKY: @emberspodcast Email: editor@stereoembersmagazine.com

"Black Butterflies" The Vancouver-raised Rebecca Foon grew up with parents who were artists and activists, so it's no surprise that she became an artist and an activist herself. Let's start with the artist part. The Juno-award winning cellist, singer and composer Rebecca Foon has been in so many bands it's hard to keep track, so this is a partial list. No stranger to the post-rock and experimental world, Foon has been in Set Fire To Flames, Fifths Of Seven, A Silver Mt. Zion and the Gorecki Symphony Of Sorrow with Colin Stetson. She's also recorded under the Saltland moniker and she's the co-founder of the modern chamber ensemble Esmerine, whose 2013 Dalmak record won them a Juno. Under her own name Foon put out Waxing Moon in 2020 and the follow-up is the rather stunning new album Black Butterflies. Filled with sonorous vocals, inventive percussion and wondrous, sneaky rhythms, the reflective trip-hop groove of Black Butterflies summons the work of everyone from Massive Attack to Portishead. Redolent with rhythmic precision, musical dexterity and the kind of sonic architecture that builds worlds in the sky, Black Butterflies is a dose of real magic. Foon has collaborated with a list of luminaries like Laurie Anderson, Grant Hart, Nick Cave, British Sea Power, and Patrick Watson. As an activist and environmentalist, she's a member of the sustainability and climate change consulting cooperative Sustainability Solutions Group. A creative force powered by grace, Rebecca Foon is a real treasure. www.rebeccafoon.com www.bombshellradio.com www.stereoembersmagazine.com (http://www.stereoembersmagazine.com) www.alexgreenbooks.com Stereo Embers: IG + BLUESKY: @emberspodcast Email: editor@stereoembersmagazine.com

"The Things You Don't Know Yet" I seem to care more about the band Adult Leisure than my own adult leisure and there's a good reason for that. The Bristol outfit Adult Leisure are one of the most exciting indie pop bands around. Formed in 2020, Adult Leisure have put out a succession of catchy singles and EPs like The Weekend Ritual which have all led up to the release of their debut album, The Things You Don't Know Yet. Filled with infectious hooks, inventive arrangements and a singer in Neil Scott whose delivery is a mix of lippy confidence and pure pop grace, Adult Leisure are poised to be huge. They've got the songs, they've got the attitude and they've got the ambition. But they're also down to earth--in fact, Neil, who's a really nice guy, just got off work when this conversation took place. And he talks about the balance between civilian life and potential stardom with both wisdom and perspective. https://www.instagram.com/adultleisureband www.bombshellradio.com (http://www.bombshellradio.com) www.stereoembersmagazine.com (http://www.stereoembersmagazine.com) www.alexgreenbooks.com (http://www.alexgreenbooks.com) Stereo Embers The Podcast IG + BLUESKY: @emberspodcast Email: editor@stereoembersmagazine.com (mailto:editor@stereoembersmagazine.com)

"Love Rollercoaster" To say the Ohio Players are one of the greatest funk bands of all time kind of falls short of the mark. The Ohio Players are, quite simply, one of the greatest bands of all time. The Dayton R&B outfit got their start in 1959 as the Ohio Untouchables and their leader Robert Ward was like a funk version of Jim Morrison--brilliant but unpredictable, Ward would walk offstage mid-gig and never come back. He was punk long before there was punk and he was a wild card for sure, but charisma can carry you pretty far in art. But, to be fair, it can't always carry you over the line and the Untouchables started swapping out personnel, Ward included, and they rebranded in the late '60s as the Ohio Players. A false start found them skidding to a halt in 1970, but then, things started to gel. A furious blend of funk and soul, The Ohio Players started racking up hits like Love Rollercoaster, Fire and Who'd She Coo? Albums like Skin Tight, Honey and Contradiction remain indisputable classics and the band is still at it, currently in the studio cooking something up. As for James Diamond Williams, he joined the band around '74 and he quickly asserted himself as one of the very best behind the kit. A muscular player with swagger and swing, Williams is one of those guys who makes it look easy--and if someone is great enough to make something difficult look easy, you can be assured it isn't. www.theofficialohioplayers.com www.bombshellradio.com www.stereoembersmagazine.com www.alexgreenbooks.com Stereo Embers: IG + BLUESKY: @emberspodcast Email: editor@stereoembersmagazine.com

"Forever Shining" In 1976 brothers Tony and Chip Kinman founded the legendary Carlsbad punk band The Dills, who in just four short years crammed their music CV with highlights. Before they disbanded in 1980, The Dils had recorded classics like "Class War" and Mr. Big" opened for the Clash and appeared in Cheech and Chong's Up In Smoke. The Kinmans went on to form Rank and File, who are considered by many to be one of the first cowpunk bands around. Rank and FIle's rootsy stomp and melodic muscle powered them through three perfect albums--Sundown, Long Gone Dead and their self-titled 19897 swansong. The Kinmans had an uncanny ability to read the cultural room before anyone else--they were hardcore before it hit the suburbs and they were cowpunk before it was cool and with their next band Blackbird, they were techno metal before Korn and Linkin Park shirts at Hot Topic. The Kinmans went on to play in bands like Cowboy Nation and Ford Madox Ford and sadly, Tony Kinman died in 2018. Which brings us to KInman's self-titled Kinman's new album. A stirring song cycle filled with acoustic numbers, Tex-Mex techno, the undulating rhythms and "Me And Tony" a streetwise tribute to a life in music with his brother, Kinman's new record sounds like nobody else. It's filled with unexpected sonic flourishes, heartfelt emotional ruminations, great storytelling and devastating beauty. It's bold and brilliant work. https://intheredrecords.com/collections/chip-kinman/products/chip-kinman-s-t-lp www.bombshellradio.com (http://www.bombshellradio.com) www.stereoembersmagazine.com (http://www.stereoembersmagazine.com) www.alexgreenbooks.com (http://www.alexgreenbooks.com) IG + BLUESKY: @emberspodcast EMAIL: editor@stereoembersmagazine.com (mailto:editor@stereoembersmagazine.com)

"Rocks Off" The Connecticut-born singer songwriter Sean Griffin has helmed the Irish punk outfit The Ruffians for close to thirty years. With three great albums under their belts, the band has played shows with everyone from Shane MacGowan to Black 47 and in the process, they've garnered a reputation for being one of the best live acts around. Sean's solo work swaps some of the traditional instrumentation of the Ruffians and makes winning detours into Britpop and indie rock bliss. His first single was the rousing "People Are Mad" which was followed up by "Rocks Off" which is a swaggering blast of pop mastery which may very well be a late entry into one of the year's biggest bangers. Griffin's voice has plenty of muscle and plenty of elegance and that rare mix brings to mind the raw but polished athleticism of a gymnast, which, by the way, Griffin actually was. We talk about that and so much more... www.seangriffinrocks.com (http://www.seangriffinrocks.com) www.bombshellradio.com (http://www.bombshellradio.com) www.stereoembersmagazine.com www.alexgreenbooks.com (http://www.alexgreenbooks.com) Stereo Embers BLUESKY + IG: @emberspodcast Email: editor@stereoembersmagazine.com

"Hammer + Echo" Getting their start in the early '80s, the Kilkenny Cats were one of the most fascinating bands at a time when there were a lot of fascinating bands around. Formed by the North Carolina born Tom Cheek, who had relocated to Athens, Georgia for college, the Kilkenny Cats played a dark and moody blend of post-punk and psychedelia that still, after all these years, feels decidedly timeless. Here's what I mean by that--sometimes when you listen to a band you can hear the years they existed. We won't name. names, but you know what I mean--however, when it comes to the Kilkenny Cats, their music was so singular, they elude the timeline. Although their fellow city dwelling comrades ranged from REM to Pylon to Love Tractor, they were their own thing. Alive with jangling guitars, prowling basslines, foreboding drums and sonorous vocals, the Kilkenny Cats' music was awash in mystery and maybe that's why all these years later, they still sound as pressingly relevant as ever. They were a beloved live act, they had a deal with Twin/Tone, played shows with REM and Husker Du and then? Well, then decades of silence. Why? Well, that's what we're here to figure out and Tom Cheek walks us through it all. Spoiler alert: The 'Cats are back and more music in addition to the wonderful expanded reissue of 1988's Hammer + Echo, will be coming. I'll let him explain. www.propellorsoundrecordings.com www.bombshellradio.com (http://www.bombshellradio.com) www.stereoembersmagazine.com www.alexgreenbooks.com (http://www.alexgreenbooks.com) Stereo Embers IG + BLUESKY: @emberspodcast Email: editor@stereoembersmagazine.com

"Medicine Show" Over the course of nearly ten winning studio albums, four fabulous live records and a handful of EPS, the Dream Syndicate are one of those bands that nail the cover off the ball every single time. Formed in 1981 and reactivated in 2012 after nearly three decades apart, as far as I'm concerned, The Dream Syndicate are Hall of Famers, full stop. The Santa Monica-born Wynn's output as a musician is staggering: his solo career spans close to 25 albums, he's also put out records with Smack Dab, Gutterball and with Dan Stuart of Green on Red as Danny and Dusty. He's also put out several albums with his other band The Baseball Project--and if you want to talk about a deep bench, that's what the Baseball Project has--the band is comprised of Wynn, his wife Linda Pitmon of Zuzu's Petal, Peter Buck and Mills of R.E.M., and Scott McCaughey of Young Fresh Fellows. The Dream Syndicate's sophomore album Medicine Show is celebrating its 40th anniversary and what better way to commemorate it than with a four disc box set. This thing is a beast and it traces the evolution of the landmark 1984 effort that time and perspective have revealed to be one of the most enduring and accomplished albums ever made. The Dream Syndicate play with grinding beauty, bluesy howl and jangling blis and Medicine Show has never sounded better or more urgent. www.thedreamsyndicate.com www.bombshellradio.com (http://www.bombshellradio.com) www.stereoembersmagazine.com www.alexgreenbooks.com (http://www.alexgreenbooks.com) IG + BLUESKY: @emberspodcast Email: editor@stereoembersmagazine.com

"Anywhere But Here" Ben Arnold is a busy dude. The Philadelphia-raised musician not only has two bands--Pistol For Ringo and U.S. Rails--his solo career is in full swing and his new solo album XL finds the singer/songwriter never sounding better. His three endeavors keep him on the road but Arnold is a happy guy when he's on any highway anywhere in the world. With a handful of fabulous albums under his belt like Lost Keys and Sunday Morning Meltdown, Arnold keeps moving from strength to strength with each release. Eleven not only keeps Arnold's winning streak going, it's a beast of an album. From Catch The Lightning to "My America" to "Long Cool Shadow," Eleven is filled with rootsy fight songs, melodic muscle and bluesy bliss. It's a rousing record that's filled with nostalgia, love and regret but it also reminds us that resilience has its own rare power. This is a cool chat--here's me and Ben Arnold having a conversaiotn . www.benarnold.com www.bombshellradio.com www.stereoembersthepodcast (http://www.stereoembersthepodcast) www.alexgreenbooks.com Stereo Embers: BLUESKY + IG: @emberspodcast Email: editor@stereoembersmagazine.com

"In The Garden" The New York-born saxophonist/composer Alison Shearer's new album In The Garden is one of the most dynamic, stirring and altogether thrilling albums of the year. The follow up to her View From Above album, which was a moving tribute to her father John Shearer, the legendary civil rights-era photojournalist, In The Garden is a delicious blend of inventive time meters whose inspirations range from philosophy to children running through a Pakistani marketplace. Played with elegance and grace the compositions on In The Garden are a seamless collision of formalism and modernism and it's just exquisite work. Not only has Alison toured all over the U.S., Canada and South Asia, she's a touring member of Red Baraat and Sunny Jain's Wild Wild East, and she's on the faculty of Jazz at Lincoln Center's High School Jazz Academy. She's busy! But what's cool about Alison being busy is she's busy in her discipline and she's living the life of an artist with authenticity and joy. www.alisonshearer.bandcamp.com www.alisonshearermusic.com www.bombshellradio.com (http://www.bombshellradio.com) www.stereoembersmagazine.com (http://www.stereoembersmagazine.com) www.alexgreenbooks.com (http://www.alexgreenbooks.com) IG + BLUESKY: @emberspodcast Email: editor@stereoembersmagazine.com

"Only Hoping" There's real magic in the work of Al Nicol. There's also real magic that guided the work of Al Nicol but we'll get to that in a second. The Canadian-born singer/songwriter writes some of the most affecting compositions around. His lyrics are contemplative and thoughtful, his voice has a bold and breezy command and his pastoral compositions bring to mind everyone from Nick Drake to Ron Sexsmith. The path leading to Nicol's new album Only Hoping was shown to him through a visit with a shaman and once he received that knowledge, Nicol wasted no time in venturing into the unknown to discover the sonic riches that would form the record. I'll let him tell you that story, but let me say this: Only Hoping is a stirring blend of indie folk and spare psychedelia and it was helmed by MC Taylor of Hiss Golden Messenger whose production effortlessly lifts the songs into the cosmos. Featuring members of Bonny Light Horseman, Erin Rae, and Taylor himself, Only Hoping finds Nicol kicking his songwriting into another otherworldly gear. It's a work of pure magic. www.alnicol.com www.stereoembersmagazine.com (www.stereoembersmagazine.com) www.alexgreenbooks.com (www.alexgreenbooks.com) www.bombshellradio.com (www.bombshellradio.com) IG + BLUESKY: @emberspodcast Email: editor@stereoembersmagazine.com

"The Very Day" If you're wondering if the Connecticut-born Grammyt Award winning keyboardist and composer grew up with music in the house, the answer is yes--his father Joe Porcaro was a renowned jazz drummer who played with everyone from Sinatra to Stan Getz to Madonna. He also played on hundreds of film and television scores including The Wild Bunch, I Dream Of Jeannie and Edward Scissorhands. He also founded the Percussion Institute of Technology and later the drum department at the Los Angeles Music Academy (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Los_Angeles_College_of_Music). So, yeah music was the lifesblood of the Porcaro household and at very young ages, Steve and his brothers Mike and Jeff went into the family business. How early of an age you might be wondering? Well, at 17 when most of us were finishing our last year of high school and thinking about who and who wouldn't go with us to the prom, Steve was playing with Gary Wright's band on his 1976 Dream Weaver tour. A year later while most of us were fumbling our way through our first year of college, Steve and his brothers were in Boz Scaggs's band. In 1978 Steve and his brother Jeff along with a few other session playing pals formed their own band called Toto. How'd that work out? Well, 50 million albums later, I'd say it worked out very well, thank you. From "Hold The Line" to "Rosanna" to "Africa" Toto had a procession of hits, became one of the biggest bands on the planet and went on to compose the music for David Lynch's Dune. Steve left the fold in 1987 and went on to compose and score for countless film and television projects, including From Dusk Til Dawn 2, Eddie Murphy's Metro and he did all the original music for Justified. This is just a partial list, by the way--he also wrote the song "Human Nature" which Michael Jackson recorded on his Thriller album, the beginning of several compositions he wrote for Jackson to record. Considered one of the pioneers of analog synths, Porcaro's inventive loops appeared on works by everyone from Elton John to Don Henley. When it comes to artists he's collaborated with, here's a list that's going to knock you out: Hall and Oates, Earth Wind and Fire, Sheena Easton, Diana Ross, Warren Zevon, Jefferson Airplane, Yes, and Michael McDonald. Also a partial list. And speaking of Yes, Porcaro was good friends with Yes's Chris Squire and played in his band The Chris Squire Experiment. Porcaro's second solo album The Very Day is one of 2025's real bright spots. Featuring guest appearances by Stan Lynch, Jude Cole, Michael McDonald, Gardner Cole and his Toto pal David Paich, The Very Day is a stirring song cycle of effortless pop melodies, rootsy grooves and insanely catchy hooks. It's pure magic. And this conversation felt the same. Steve's an open book and a lovely guy and I can't wait for you to meet him, www.steveporcaromusic.com www.stereoembersmagazine.com (http://www.stereo) www.bombshellradio.com (http://www.bombshellradio.com) www.alexgreenbooks.com IG + BLUESKY: @emberspodcast Email: editor@stereoembersmagazine.com (mailto:editor@stereoembersmagazine.com)

"Crashing Dream" Like many aspiring artists of all kinds, the New York-born singer/guitarist Matt Piucci found himself in Los Angeles in the early '80s with his college pal David Roback playing in the band they formed. That band was Rain Parade and they hit the ground running--a stirring blend of 60s jangle and dark post-punk rhythms, Rain Parade put out two instant classics--Emergency Third Rail Power Trip and Crashing Dream, a brilliant live album recorded in Japan called Beyond The Sunset. They were nerve short of critical acclaim and their shows were inspired and rousing, but by 1986 the band called it a day. In 2023 Rain Parade put out their first album in nearly 40 years called Last Rays Of A Dying Sun and the band is back at it, with creative energy running as high as ever. Over the course of their career Rain Parade toured with The Jazz Butcher Conspiracy, the Jesus and Mary Chain and The Church and Piucci has recorded with everyone from The Bangles to the Dream Syndicate. There were personnel changes over the years--Roback left the band early on and went on to form Opal and Mazzy Star while his brother Steven joined the fold and he and Piucci found a creative synergy that was almost cosmic. The deluxe reissue of Crashing Dream restores it to it original vision and it's just glorious. www.rainparadeofficial.com (http://www.rainparadeofficial.com) www.stereoemberrsmagazine.com (http://www.stereoemberrsmagazine.com) www.bombshellradio.com (http://www.bombshellradio.com) www.alexgreenbooks.com Stereo Embers: IG+ BLUESKY: @emberspodcast Email: editor@stereoembersmagazine.com

"Wait For Fire Burning" Formed in Oakland in 1985, Legal Reins were comprised of singer/guitarist Danny Benatar, bassist Eden Unger and drummer Tim Freund. They tore up the Bay Area scene, playing show after show and cementing themselves as one of the best live bands around. This is a band who did the work, got in the reps and eclipsed the Gladwellian idea of 10,000 hours. Opening for everyone from Madness to Killing Joke, Legal Reins proved themselves time and again that they could step on any stage and match anyone in terms of power and heart. Their exhilarating blend of sweeping pop epics and punchy hook laden rock and roll brought to mind everyone from The Sound to Echo and the Bunnymen to the Waterboys. After a bit of a bidding war, they signed to Arista in 1987, put out their debut album Please, The Pleasure soon after and then? Well, then things turned the other way. I'm going to let Tim tell you the story, but let me say this: In 1986 I was the music director of KVHS, an all-metal station located conveniently on my high school campus. I was in the habit of sneaking in The Smiths and The Chameleons in between Accept and Venom just to see if anyone noticed--they did, by the way. It was slightly terrifying to be 16 and getting death threats for not playing King Diamond, but I digress. Legal Reins called me up and they were very kind and I loved their music and one time I played them in between Y&T and Armored Saint and this one guy called up and said, very aggressively, Who was that you played after Y&T? I told him Legal Reins and he was quiet for second and then he said, That was pretty good... TEED: https://open.spotify.com/track/64o01ap4UeiY5Y8fVaqChx www.bombshellradio.com (http://www.bombshellradio.com) www.stereoembersmagazine.com (http://www.stereoembersmagazine.com) www.alexgreenbooks.com (http://www.alexgreenbooks.com) BLUESKY + IG: @emberspodcast Email: editor@stereoembersmagazine.com

"Futility" It's true--the last time I saw Sandy Smallens was in the spring of 1989 when his band Too Much Joy came to the campus radio station to play on my weekly show. The band were incredibly cool and I've never forgotten that they took the time to traipse into the East Bay hills to get to my school and how nice they were. They even played an unrehearsed acoustic version of Clowns at my request, which was awesome. I'd play it for you now, but guess what? After the band left, I took out the tape and found that I hadn't hit record. It's bothered me for years. At any rate, Too Much Joy and Wonderlick which is Tim and Jay from TMJ, have a lot of news coming out their camp, so they do come up a bit in this chat, but really, the focus here is on Sandy's other band Surface Wound. Informed by the undulating jagged basslines of bands like Gang Of Four and Wire, Surface Wound's new album Futility is a riveting blast of post-punk magic. The Scarsdale-raised, Yale-educated Smallens played football in high school and as a result his bass playing has a real athleticism to it and not only that, but his voice has never sounded better. Filled with prowling basslines and muscular hooks, Futility is filled with fight songs for desperate times. Sandy Smallens is a busy guy--he's in a bunch of bands, he hosts the Four Strings And The Truth podcast and as the guy who launched Spotify's original content department, he now runs the podcast company Audiation. Not only that, but he's a massive supporter of the arts . And, he's one of the nicest guys around. www.surfacewound.bandcamp.com Sandy Smallens' podcast: Four Chords And The Truth Podcast: https://pod.link/1733284004 www.bombshellradio.com (http://www.bombshellradio.com) www.stereoembersmagazine.com www.alexgreenbooks.com BLUESKY + IG: @emberspodcast Email: editor@stereoembersmagazine.com

"Baby Man" The Grammy-nominated singer/songwriter Eric D. Johnson has one of the most consistently wonderful bodies of work you'll ever run to in this lifetime. From his 2001 debut Echolocation to albums like The Ruminant Band, Tripper, Gold Past Life, A River Running To Your Heart to his brand new one Baby Man, Johnson's discography has no dips and or musical unforced errors--every note, every melody, every turn of phrase is deeply affecting and altogether stirring. The Chicago-born Johnson is a prolific songwriter, who, in addition to his Fruit Bats endeavors, was a member of The Shins and currently is one-third of the the exquisite folk trio Bonny Light Horseman. Over the course of their career, the Fruit Bats have toured with everyone from Modest Mouse to The Sadies, had their songs covered by folks like The Decemberists and Guster, had their songs appear in movies like Youth In Revolt and Our Idiot Brother and played festivals like Bonnaroo, Pickathon and the Dave Matthews Band Caravan. By the way, this is a partial list, but here's a few more resume' highlights: they've garnered rave reviews from No Depression, Variety and MOJO, recorded a cover of the Smashing Pumpkins album Siamese Dream and played on late night shows like Craig Ferguson and Seth Meyers. As for the new album Baby Man, it may be hushed and intimate, but it's also decidedly rousing. A spare collection of songs where Johnson handles all of the instruments, Baby Man is subtle, personal and spare, but it shimmers with pure pop majesty. www.fruitbatsmusic.com www.bombshellradio.com (http://www.bombshellradio.com) www.stereoembersmagazine.com (http://www.stereoembersmagazine.com) www.alexgreenbooks.com (http://www.alexgreenbooks.com) Stereo Embers: BLUESKY + IG: @emberspodcast Email: editor@stereoembersmagazine.com

"Crayon Shades" Formed out of the ashes of the late great Australian band Soap Star Joe, the Moderate Lovers are a three-piece outfit from Sydney whose debut EP Crayon Shades is refreshing and swoonworthy blast of indie pop. Fronted by Mick Wilson and rounded out by Saul Foster and Adam Taylor, the Moderate Lovers got going sometime in 2024 and since then, they've been moving from strength to strength, releasing winning singles like "Lucy's Gardening Again" and "Lost City." Filled with guitars that jangle and buzz, and falling somewhere between New Zealand's Garageland and You Am I, Moderate Lovers' compositions are filled with wonder and observational smarts. A hook-laden burst of melodic majesty, Crayon Shades heralds the arrival of one of the most exciting new bands around. https://moderatelovers.bandcamp.com www.stereoembersmagazine.com (http://www.stereoembersmagazine.com) www.bombshellradio.com (http://www.bombshellradio.com) www.alexgreenbooks.com Stereo Embers The Podcast IG +BLUESKY: @emberspodcast Email: editor@stereoembersmagazine.com

"Earthly Delights" The earthly pleasures of the temporal world are fine food, expensive wine, monetary wealth, a long list of friends and raves that last for days. The Miami-born David Archuleta is no stranger to earthly delights--with almost ten albums to his name that have yielded millions of sales and countless multi-platinum hits all over the globe, Archuleta is back with a new six-song EP called Earthly Delights. A smooth platter of pop, R&B and disco, set against percolating beats and synth pop grooves, Earthly Delights finds Archuletla's vocal finesse paired with infectious, textured arrangements. It's lovely work. So why did I open with raves? Well, because David has recently discovered them and along with the freedom, social liberation, acceptance and joy of rave culture, it's also awakened him musically and it really shows on this EP. www.davidarchuleta.com (https://davidarchuleta.com/music/) www.bombshellradio.com (http://www.bombshellradio.com) www.stereoembersmagazine.com (http://www.stereoembersmagazine.com) Stereo Embers: IG + BLUESKY: @emberspodcast Email: editor@stereoembersmagazine.com

"OCD" The Ohio-bornTamar Berk first showed up on my radar in the mid-90s when she sang for the iChicago outfit Starball. Starball were a really great band and they worked with everyone from Material Issue to Steve Albini and their Holstein Park record remains one of my favorite records of the '90s. Tamar's solo output now numbers five fabulous albums like The Restless Dreams Of Youth, Good Times For A Change her new one, OCD,. Weaned on everyone from Liz Phair to the Small Faces, Berk's new album is scruffy blast of melodic indie rock that's doused in reverb put together with vulnerability and honest and coated with some of the most unforgettable choruses you'll hear all year. Now based in San Diego, Berk is on a creative tear, which actuall ties into her new album's title. The compulsive need to create--and this is something I think most artists understand--can bring on a version of OCD that can inform the work, sure, but it can also be a nagging voice that relies on patterns to be silenced. We talk about all of that, and so much more; she's real and honest and funny and sharp and you're going to love her. www.tamarberkmusic.com https://tamarberk.bandcamp.com/merch www.stereoembersmagazine.com (http://www.stereoem) www.alexgreenbooks.com (http://www.alexgreenbooks.com) www.bombshellradio.com

"Hangover Terrace" The Ontario-born Ron Sexsmith is one of the great musical treasures on this weird and troubled planet. And we need him now more than ever. Over the course of his decorated career, the three-time Juno award-winning singer/songwriter has put out close to twenty winning albums and here's a quick note about that--his discography is perfect with not even a trace of a dip of quality. In fact, every album seems to top the last one, which is saying a lot because every album is absolutely brilliant. If this sounds like hyperbole, it's not. From his self-titled album to Cobblestone Runway to Retriever to Blue Boy to Carousel One to his brand new record Hangover Terrace, which is one of the greatest album titles ever, by the way, Ron Sexsmith always delivers the goods. It's hard to think of a musician who sings with such elegant precision and poetic finesse. Like Sinatra or Costello, his phrasing is unique and distinct--all it takes is a syllable of a song and you know instantly know it's him. He's toured with John Hiatt, Squeeze, Coldplay and Nick Lowe and his songs have been covered by folks like Rod Stewart, Nick Lowe, Emmy Lou Harris, Feist, Michael Buble, and Stevie Nicks. His 2017 novel Deer Life, A Fairy Tale is just wonderful and this year he made his theatrical composer debut with the internationally renowned Stratford Festival production of ‘As You Like It’ in Stratford, Ontario, Canada. But back to Hangover Terrace. A moving and deeply stirring 14-track song cycle, Hangover Terrace is filled with dark whimsy, wistful ballads and mid-tempo magic. Sexsmith's fluid and free flowing voice is untouched by time, his delivery as free flowing and and as a result this is an album of emotional exactitude and pure indie soul. And this conversation is a real joy. www.ronsexmith.com (http://www.ronsexmith.com) www.bombshellradio.com www.stereoembersmagazine.com www.alexgreenbooks.com (http://www.alexgreenbooks.com) https://podcast.feedspot.com/california_music_podcasts/ https://podcast.feedspot.com/california_art_podcasts/ IG + BLUESKY: @emberspodcast Email: editor@stereoembersmagazine.com