During the spring sequestration this year, we had a lot of time to listen, and reflect. WYSO asked our music hosts about the sounds they spent time with this past season, and we’re collecting their thoughts and picks for you! From new releases to old classics, here’s WYSO’s Spring 2020 Favorites, from Radio Basim of Behind the Groove and Cindy Funk of The Dear Green Place.
Radio Basim:
Steve Arrington - Down to the Lowest Terms: The Soul Sessions (2020)
Down to the Lowest Terms: The Soul Sessions is an album first envisioned by Steve as a young man, essentially decades in the making. The recording took place in 2019-2020 in collaboration with a cast of a new generation of talented producers, orchestrated with the help of Stones Throw founder Peanut Butter Wolf.
Surfaces - Where The Light Is (2019)
Surfaces is a music group based out of Texas consisting of Forrest Frank and Colin Padalecki. After fully forming in 2017, Surfaces released their first full-length album, Surf. The group has been praised for its genre-bending, feel-good music that has been compared to the likes of oldies infused with hip hop. Following the major success of Surf, Surfaces returned in 2019 with their second album, Where The Light Is, a summer soundtrack similar to its predecessor, with even more exciting production and refined songwriting.
Cindy Funk:
One for the Foxes - Take a Look Around (2020)
One of the early releases for 2020 came from a really special trio of accomplished artists, named One for the Foxes, and their new release Take a Look Around. Celtic music fans will recognize some names from other bands they play in, such as Taghd O Meachair from Goitse and Dave Curley from Slide, plus O Meachair’s wife Joanna Hyde. In this, their second album, these folks are getting creative and writing nearly every song and most of the tunes on this album. And the high spot for me – the harmonies, lush and wonderful; the vocal blend between Joanna and Dave is stunning. More contemporary than trad, but great, and a showcase for three very talented young players.
Listen to Basim every Friday night from 10 PM-midnight on Behind the Groove, and listen to Cindy every Sunday afternoon from 1-3 PM on The Dear Green Place.
