Video of the Day: Smug Brothers

July 9, 2019 your tuesday afternoon alternative Video, We Love this! Dayton, Dayton Music Scene, Indie Music, Smug Brothers, video

Smug Brothers’ All Blur & Spark, out on CD on Gas Daddy Go Records on Monday, July 8

From the band: Fifteen years since forming as a home recording outfit, Smug Brothers continue to find new ways to shake things up creatively. That’s certainly true of the new full-length, All Blur and Spark. Work on the Ohio band’s latest offering on Gas Daddy Go Records began before the February 2019 release of the crowd-funded vinyl album, Attic Harvest, and was curated by some of the group’s supporters.

“The songs were the result of the Attic Harvest fundraiser,” leader Kyle Melton said. “We offered contributors the option to have a custom song recorded as part of their contribution and 11 people participated. Each person was offered to choose an acoustic or full-band track and was then given a list of five titles from which to choose.

“We then recorded the songs quickly in late 2018 in time to send a CD copy of each song out with each person’s vinyl copy of Attic Harvest. When we had completed that project, we realized the 11 tracks would make a cool fan-curated album worth sharing with more people. We got each person’s permission to use their track and put it all together. And here we are at All Blur And Spark.”

Before these two 2019 albums, there were the studio projects with Darryl Robbins at BHA in Dayton (Woodpecker Paradise, 2015) and Micah Carli at Popside Recording in Troy, Ohio (Disco Maroon, 2017). Following these experiments in higher fidelity and the departure of lead guitarist Brian Baker and bassist Larry Evans, Melton and drummer Don Thrasher returned to the home-recording approach they’ve favored since joining forces in 2008.

“We really enjoyed recording studio albums with Darryl and Micah,” Thrasher said. “We’re proud of how those full-lengths turned out but working like that takes a lot of time in pre-production and post-production, not to mention tracking and overdubs. That’s how most bands make records but it’s not a very Smug way to work. Kyle and I prefer to get in the basement, take a few runs through a song and then lay it to the four-track cassette recorder while the material is still fresh.”

Melton and Thrasher perfected that approach on early releases like the digital LP Fortune Rumors (2011) and the cassette EP Strictly Triggers (2014), recording overdubs and vocals with Robbins (Overthought Musik, Motel Beds) as engineer/co-producer. That changed with Attic Harvest and All Blur And Spark, a one-two-punch that shows there’s still a lot of life left in this scrappy band of rockers.

It also marks a period of firsts. These are the first projects recorded with Melton at the helm in his basement studio and the first with the band’s new guitarist/keyboardist Scott Tribble, who is opening up new sonic dimensions in the music.

Being fully self-contained has also allowed Smug Brothers to increase its pace in Melton’s basement, with the group deep into sessions for several forthcoming releases. With the looming 20th anniversary of the band’s debut CD LP Buzzmounter (2005), it’s evident this scrappy outfit from Ohio will continue to grow.

Listen to All Blur And Spark at: https://gasdaddygo.bandcamp.com/album/gdg-024-all-blur-and-spark-cd

Activism, Local and New

May 28, 2019 your tuesday afternoon alternative Radio Show Activism, Dayton, New Music, Steve Makofka, Support Your Local Music Scene

On the show today we have an interesting mix of powerful songs, local music and new music! We have brand new music from BRAT CURSE, Mike Gale, Charlie Jackson and the Heartland Railway, The Paint Splats, Shrug, The Typical Johnsons, Mike Bankhead Music, True lies and Age Nowhere!

We also have some inspiring political activism courtesy of Iggy And The Stooges, Iron & Wine, Chuck Prophet Official, The Clash, The Sex Pistols, The Ramones, Husker Du (band) and The Skids!

We also have tunes from The Story Changes, Seth Canan & The Carriers, novena, David Payne, Sadbox, Smug Brothers, Gretchen’s Wheel, Cage The Elephant, Trees & Wells Music, The Boxcar Suite, Dementia Precox, Guided By Voices and several songs from Steve Makofka!

Speaking of the talented and kind Mr. Makofka — he is our guest this week to talk about his activism and the work he has been doing on strengthening families! So, 3-6pm on WUDR for Your Tuesday Afternoon Alternative!

Steve Makofka returns to YTAA to Discuss Strong Families

The 1984 Draft Live!

May 13, 2019May 13, 2019 your tuesday afternoon alternative Live Live Live, Live Shows, The 1984 Draft Dayton, Dayton Music Scene, Live 84 Draft

One of our favorite bands, The 1984 Draft played songs from their most recent record, Makes Good Choices, at the Cinco De Mayo Indie Rock and Roll Fest on May 4, 2019 at Oscars. The band also played some Jawbreaker and a new song!

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Freight on YTAA

May 4, 2019May 4, 2019 your tuesday afternoon alternative Live In Studio, Radio Show Dayton, Dayton Music, Dayton Music Scene, Freight

39751125_2100024070315564_2545344842498572288_o This Tuesday join us as we welcome Freight to Your Tuesday Afternoon Alternative!

This week one of the youngest bands in Dayton joins a slightly older — shut up with your judgement — Dr. J on Your Tuesday Afternoon Alternative. In the spring of 2017, five friends got together with the goal of creating catchy, funky, rock and roll. From that musical inspiration, Freight was born. The band is known for high energy, genre crossing, odd time signatures, blended with driving rock and roll. In the spring of 2018, Freight released their debut album, “Start the Night Off Easy” under Gem City Records which you can listen to on spotify. Their sophomore album is in the works for everyone.

You should make some time to join us on Tuesday as Freight joins us in the studio to play some acoustic tunes and chat about their first and making second records on Tuesday, May 7th from 3-6pm on WUDR on 99.5 & 98.1fm and online at wudr.udayton.edu! See you there music lovers!

Today’s Program Best of 2018

January 22, 2019 your tuesday afternoon alternative Radio Show Best Of, Best of 2018, Dayton, Indie, music, Tom Gilliam, WUDR, YTAA

your-tuesday-afternoon-color copy The annual look back at the previous year in music is one of our favorite shows to do! This year Tom Gilliam joins Dr. J and Flower to play and discuss some of the best local, indie, alternative, folk, Americana, alt-country and more that came out in 2018!

We give thanks for great independent music by playing an assortment of local, Dayton, and indie songs! What songs have been so powerful on you that you cannot imagine your world without them?

During the show contribute to the discussion by giving us a call 937-229-2774 or a tweet for drjwudr with the songs that were released in 2018 that matter to you.

Join us online at wudr.udayton.edu or 99.5 & 98.1fm in Dayton, Ohio, USA!

Novena on YTAA

November 22, 2018November 22, 2018 your tuesday afternoon alternative Live In Studio, Radio Show Dayton, Dayton Music Scene, Novena

On October 23, 2018 an exciting band Novena joined us in the studio! Jennifer Taylor and Emma Lee Woodruff bring a wealth of experience to the songs that they play. Novena play some powerful folk rock with a few unexpected covers. If you have a chance to see them, we highly recommend that you take this musical journey.

Nathan and Kim of Far From Eden

July 19, 2018July 19, 2018 your tuesday afternoon alternative Live In Studio, Radio Show Dayton, Dayton Music Scene, Far From Eden, New Music, New Release, Time For A Falling Sky

This past Tuesday we had a blast with Nathan Goff and Kimberly Weiss of Far From Eden! Their latest record Time For A Falling Sky is out now! Many thanks to Kim and Nate for joining us in the studio! You can see them on July 21st at Oscars and July 27th at the Yellow Cab Tavern!

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Thanks to The Next One Up Sextet

May 25, 2018May 25, 2018 your tuesday afternoon alternative Live Shows, Radio Show Ayn Woods, Dayton, Dayton Music Scene, Jason Swann, Jazz, Next One Up Sextet

This past week we were joined by a cool jazz group in town, The Next One Up Sextet. The Next One Up Sextet is a cool music group performing America’s music, Jazz. Super swinging, cool and hip, with swanky, jump, jive, and wail thrown into the mix for good measure. The group features Ayn Wood on vocals. Don’t pigeonhole them, they play Jazz, Bebop and Swing! They often play at Hannah’s in Dayton. If you get a chance to see them, take the plunge. You will not be disappointed. During their stop on YTAA, we talked about jazz, how they select standard and current songs to perform, the challenges of forming a group with busy musicians and to top it all off they played three songs for us live in the studio! We hope to convince them to return!

An Embarrassment of Riches – Great Guests on YTAA

April 15, 2018April 15, 2018 your tuesday afternoon alternative Radio Show A Voice of Your Own, Dayton, Dayton Music Scene, Live in Studio, Mandy Jewell, new records, The Boxcar Suite, The Nautical Theme, Tim Pritchard

Last week we had our good friends A Voice of Your Own in the YTAA studio. The week before that we had our pal Mandy Jewell in to talk about her music and the Dayton Scene! No one goes to as many shows as Mandy! We are Very happy to let you know that Mandy has a show coming up on April 21st with The Typical Johnsons and Evil Eye Gypsy at Southpark Tavern.

This week we are keeping the local train rolling with Tim Pritchard and Matt & Tesia of The Nautical Theme spending some time with us!

It was a real pleasure to have A Voice of Your Own in the studio this past week! Such fine fellows! And their record, ‘Vines on the Lines’ is fantastic! And to boot, they make fantastic videos! Check out their cool videos on their AVOYO youtube channel!

GEA - boxcar suite finals-2 Join us this Tuesday as we welcome additional cool guests: Tim Pritchard of The Boxcar Suite talking about their new record and the record release show for ‘Further In, Farther Out’ at the Yellow Cab Tavern on April 28th! They have a very cool lineup for that show with Speaking Suns and Seth Canan and the Carriers playing!

And later in the same show we are fortune to have our good friends Matt and Tesia of The Nautical Theme in the studio talking about their latest, ‘Float’ and the release show on April 21st at Jimmie’s Ladder 11 with The 1984 Draft who is always making good choices and soon to have a new record out to pleasure your music loving ears with support from the fine folks at Poptek Recs and our friend and probably the friendliest friend we have Kyleen Downes who has a great new record most appropriately entitled – ‘Friends!’

We will share all of the good news about terrific local and Dayton music on the show this week! So, join Dr. J & his affable cohort Flower for Your Tuesday Afternoon Alternative from 3-6pm on WUDR.udayton.edu!

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Video of the Day: Kyleen Downes – And So It Goes

April 13, 2018April 15, 2018 your tuesday afternoon alternative Video And So It Goes, Dayton, Dayton Music Scene, Friends, Friends EP, Kyleen Downes, Music Video

From Kyleen’s latest EP “Friends” that came out at the end of March! You can listen to it on Spotify or better yet buy it here.

A Voice of Your Own on YTAA Today!

April 10, 2018April 10, 2018 your tuesday afternoon alternative Radio Show, Support Your Local Music Scene, Your Tuesday Afternoon Alternative A Voice of Your Own, AVOYO, Dayton, Dayton Music, Dayton Music Scene, Live in Studio, YTAA

Today from 3-6pm at YTAA we are joined in the studio from the fine lads in A Voice of Your Own who will talk about their latest record, “Vines on the Lines” and upcoming shows in our local area, and how to get just the right feeling on a song. The music that AVOYO make is reminiscent of 90’s alternative music in the best possible sense!

A Voice Of Your Own blends traditional pop song structures, and low fi indie influences with a hands-on DIY approach that connects and pays homage to their musical influences while sounding fresh and contemporary. AVOYO draws from a variety of different skilled artists and musicians such as Tom Petty, The Cars, Beck, and The White Stripes which is some pretty damn fine company! AVOYO started as a solo project formed by producer, guitarist, and song writer James Crabtree. As a solo project, AVOYO had previously independently released two full length albums. Today the band has evolved into a full dynamic group.

A Voice of Your Own have a new record “Vines On The Lines” that has been available since February. The band currently consists of James Crabtree (guitar/vocals), Johnny McConnell (bass), Levi Short (guitar/vocals) Tylur Kahnle (guitar) and Matt Mihalus (drums). We welcome them to the YTAA studio this week!

Video of the Day: Blue Heron Trio – Siren Song

December 15, 2017 your tuesday afternoon alternative Video Blue Heron Trio, Dayton, Dayton Music Scene, Jazz

Our video today has a cool jazzy swing. Meet The Blue Heron Trio. A fantastic trip courtesy of close friends and terrific musicians.

You can reach them at http://www.blueherontrio.com/

From their website:

In 2011 three close friends came together in Dayton, Ohio to produce voluptuous jazz and pop tunes. Blue Heron Trio is the culmination of their combined 20 years of playing in punk, pop, folk, jazz, and cover bands. Reviewed as “one of the prettiest voices in Dayton” by daytonrocks.com, vocalist Elisha Frontz leads listeners on a sensual journey through musical eras gone by, imbuing the music with a fresh, young feel. Phil Myers, formerly a musician for the United States Army, accompanies with lush saxophone riffs and gentle acoustic guitar. Dave Santucci solidifies the groove on the keyboards with his decades of piano experience. Whether it’s an original song, a jazz standard made famous by Ella Fitzgerald, or a completely unexpected lounge rendition from another genre (“Sweet Child ‘O Mine” by GunsNRoses is a crowd favorite), the trio performs with a deeply personal and authentic touch. In September 2013 Blue Heron Trio were finalists in “So You Think You Can Play The Schuster”, an event marking the tenth anniversary of the Dayton landmark Schuster Center for the Performing Arts. In December 2014 they rose to the number one slot in the ReverbNation Jazz charts for Dayton, Ohio. In 2015 Blue Heron Trio released their first album. They can be heard regularly at restaurants, private parties, festivals, and fund raisers throughout southwest Ohio.