It is the time of year when we start to reminisce over the best parts of the year, musically and otherwise. For us, this has obviously been a big year. We started a record label. But that didn't stop us from discovering some amazing music, podcasts and live shows. So, for the first installment, we are going to share the best Online Music Resources of the Year. Podcasts and internet radio are increasingly becoming a part of the music landscape. Along with the early adopters like NPR, KCRW and others, musicians,comedians, labels and fans have thrown their proverbial hats into the ring. A few are mentioned here;5 Marc Maron - WTF
Marc Maron has been a part of the podcast scene since its inception. He is a stand up comedian who has since written a couple of books and just renewed for a second season of his television show, Maron. But for us, Marc is at his best when sitting across the table in his garage from musicians who come in droves to swap stories or fill a pr obligation. Regardless of their pre-disposition, Maron manages to get the best out of them. 2013 was the year that Maron took it to a new level. His interviews with Iggy Pop, John Cale, Lou Barlow and John Vanderslice were the closest that most of us will ever come to sitting down with our heroes. Maron asks the fan questions but also has a unique ability to find the story inside the storyteller. Closed books like Nick Cave, Curt Kirkwood and Tommy Stinson find themselves sharing tales that have evaded the press for decades. Marc's hour with The Figgs may have been the single most revealing interview about a working class band we heard all year. The podcast is updated weekly and very few are worth skipping.
http://www.wtfpod.com
4. Nine Bullets Radio
Nine Bullets is for a pretty specific listener. It may not be the right fit for everyone but no other radio show that we have found more succinctly sums up the chip on your shoulder reclamation of Southern Rock that Bryan Childs and his program. Childs has strong opinions about music and everything else but he puts it all out there on every show. He also is first on the scene for a number of artists. You can typically get your first listen to artists from New West, Last Chance, This is American Music and others on Bryan's show. He archives the shows which makes it a breeze to listen to at your leisure. Nine Bullets commitment to southern rock leaves little room for the more progressive or freak folk elements of the independent Americana scene but then again, it is hard to picture fans across the panhandle of Florida bemoaning the exclusion of acts like Woods or Dawes, much less the freakier side of the genre. Bryan Childs might win you over and he might make you hate him but his consistency and access make his show a must listen for fans.
http://ninebullets.net
3 This is American Music
If you are here, then you know about this label. It is perhaps the most honest, organically grown reflection of love for the artist that exists. My project owes a great debt to the path that these friends have charted. Moreover, the label itself has become an open door for music of any kind that hits the owners in the chest. While it's first year may have been conservative in its selection of releases, the past year has shown that TIAM doesn't give a fuck about genres. It has given all it's fucks to MUSIC. And it will spare no time or expense to support those who feel the same. While the website is not a traditional streaming music site, all of its artists are available there and the page is kept up religiously with the best links out there for not just their bands but other bands who make great music. The label and it site is a loose collection of misfits, oddballs and curiosities that- for fans- is a candy shop akin to Alice's Wonderland. Kudos to the folks at TIAM who have formed great relations with other labels, artists and venues to increase participation, access and fun. Add it to your favorites and check it religiously and you are highly unlikely to miss a good release in the next year.
http://thisisamericanmusic.com
2 Substrate Radio
Jason Hamric is an imposing figure. I first saw him while recording my second record in Birmingham and he immediately struck me as a man not to be toyed with. Beneath that giant exterior beats the true heart of rock and roll. His show hosts the best music being released regardless of obscurity. He has a direct channel into some of the most talented musicians in the south who would otherwise be toiling away with little notice and he is more than willing to turn the mic over to the likes of Duquette Johnston, James Fahey or Lester Nuby. Mind you, Hamric is not the only mic talent to be found at Substrate but his imprint can be found in nearly every broadcast. It is no exaggeration to say that a full year of your life could be enriched by this radio station only. It isn't all there is but it is damn sure all you need. And of course, it is archived so it is never too late to get your shit together and make it a must stop.
http://www.mixcloud.com/substrateradio/
1 Your Roots Are Showing w Franny Thomas
Franny Thomas may be the purest taste maker that Satellite Radio has these days. She hosts a variety of shows on The Loft but no high profile program has provided as much access to as many artists as her weekly take on Your Roots Are Showing. Her national audience has given countless deserving bands access to ears that may never have had that chance were it not for her insatiable search for the best new music and her open mailbox policy for receiving new music. You don't need to know someone who knows someone to earn play with Franny. Her only currency is in talent and commitment and she never waivers in the mission to get you to hear and understand what she does. She can be counted on for a fair shake whether you are the latest it band from Austin or a small band with a home recorded EP and no label. Once Franny gets ahold of you, it is all on you to deliver. The old model of radio gives way to the version of radio that artists have dreamt of. The Fair Shake. God bless Franny for keeping it real and for giving countless subscribers are reason to keep satellite radio if only for that two hours a week when she opens the mic and her heart to the best of what she hears.
Your Roots Are Showing
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