SOME WICKED: Dashiell Brown's Blog

Now that I’m back from vacation, I’ll be on the air tonight, bringing you all new editions of The Folkin’ Freak Show and Other Frequencies.

The Folkin’ Freak Show, 9 PM

Possible list of artists: White Magic, Castlemusic, Dory Previn, Burning Hell, T. Bone Burnett, Jenn Grant, Litterbug, and Weather Station, to name a few.

Other Frequencies, 10 PM

Local turntablist DJ TJ will be my special guest. Who knows what’ll happen!

Streaming online tonight on 93.5 CHMR-FM, 9-11 PM, 7:30 Eastern, 4:30 Pacific

in sound,

dashiell brown

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When it comes to unique Canadian jazz/dance acts, it doesn’t get better or funkier than Halifax’s Gypsophilia, a dynamic seven-piece that’ll blow you away (with their horns, guitars, keys, violin, accordions, double-bass and more) and infuse you with a can of get-yer-jive-on whoop-ass. Largely inspired by Django Reinhardt (like our own Duane Andrews) in sound (and dress!) their quixotic early 20th Century gypsy jazz sound smoothly crosses through genres of swing, be-bop-’til-you-drop, blues, reggae, funk, klezmer, even R&B and Eastern European flava, and anything else they might feel like throwing at you. Further setting themselves apart from other “similar” jazz acts is the fact that they don’t have a drummer, primarily using the guitar and the bass to drive their compelling rhythms, zig-zagging through time signatures and tempo changes like sunbeams weaving through dust. Since they are currently in St. John’s as part of the Wreckhouse Jazz and Blues Festival, I saw their incredible, foot-stomping performance at the Martini Bar on George Street last night and had the pleasure of interviewing Ross Burns, Adam Fine, and Nick Wilkinson in the CHMR studio.

Listen to this exclusive Folkin’ Freak Show podcast, which will also air this Tuesday night at 9 PM on 93.5 CHMR-FM. Only on SOME WICKED (R)

Want to stay updated about The Folkin’ Freak Show. Become a fan! “Folked up music for a folked up world,” every Tuesday, 9 PM. Then stay tuned to my electronic and avant-garde show, Other Frequencies at 10 PM. And don’t forget The New Spin, of course!

in sound,

dashiell brown

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Fresh on the scene out of St. John’s, Newfoundland, Matthew Hornell has only been playing guitar since high-school, but his songs aim right for your gut, riding on pure emotion. His well-crafted folk songs draw you in, you’ll be singing along, feeling at home as in front of the campfire with good food and friends. Sounding timeless, yet fresh and bold, played live, his songs are executed with whip-crack precision. And when backed up by Tiffany Hancock’s beautiful and exquisite vocals, the duets become absolute magic. “Goodbye for Now” is purely enchanting, and “Khaki Dodgers” is an immediate hit. You’ll be singing it for days. Matthew Hornell and The Diamond Minds seems to have struck gold, and we should be so lucky they want to share it with us.

–Dashiell Brown, The New Spin and The Folkin’ Freak Show

Local St. John’s folk act Matthew Hornell of Matthew Hornell and the Diamond Minds, and special guest Tiffany Hancock, performed in the studio and played several great numbers on The New Spin. Listen to the podcast here.

For more great folk music, be sure to check out my new show, The Folkin’ Freak Show. Tuesdays, 9-10 PM, streaming online at 93.5 CHMR-FM.

(Photo taken by Jon Janes)

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A few weeks ago, Jon Janes of St. John’s The Mountains and The Trees was my guest on The New Spin. He has a new e.p., Hop, Skip and a Jump, and is playing at the North by Northeast Festival and Conference currently underway in Toronto. Strongly influenced by Iron and Wine, he brought his banjo, guitar, and harmonica and played a few ditties and we chatted folk, which I also play on my new show, The Folkin’ Freak Show, Tuesdays 9-10 PM (7:30 Eastern) on 93.5 CHMR-FM.

Here is The New Spin Podcast, featuring Jon Janes of The Mountains and The Trees.

Here is his website.

“As the name suggests, The Mountains and The Trees will wash over you with simpler times, lost memories, and wonderful dreams.”

– Dashiell Brown, The New Spin

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I am debuting two new shows tonight on CHMR-FM, The Folkin’ Freak Show and Other Frequencies. I have happily agreed to share a pint with myself and discuss the ever-growing popularity of the new folk movement and my two new shows.

ME: Hi, thank you for taking the time to chat with me.

DB: No sweat, but let’s make this snappy. I gotta prepare for my shows tonight.

ME: OK, sure. So, why The Folkin’ Freak Show? Isn’t there enough folkin’ music in this town?

DB: No, you can never have enough folk music. Folk music is the music of the people, the John Doe’s of the world, and when you consider Newfoundland’s own history, it’s no coincidence folk and trad. is so important here. Folk is labor songs, maritime songs, mountain songs, railroad songs…rock n’ roll grew out of it. And look at all the folk festivals going on everywhere, not to mention all the great new folk music popping up in St. John’s. And Tom Power’s Deep Roots on CBC2. You have folk night at The Ship every Wednesday. So why isn’t there a local show about it? It’s about folkin’ time, don’t you think?

ME: But don’t you play folk music on The New Spin?

DB: Well, The New Spin’s focus is really on new music, hot off the press, with lots of punk, post-punk and indie rock—folk fans might not dig that. The New Spin was initially called The Folkin’ Freak Show, but when I saw how much insanely good new music was coming to CHMR, I realized I had to devote an entire show to just playing the new stuff. But I still find I’m gravitating towards the folk-oriented new stuff. It needs its own show.

ME: So will it just be new folk music, then?

DB: No. The New Spin is a showcase of all that is great out there right now, that isn’t getting radio play or much promotion. The Folkin’ Freak Show will be about folk and world music and discuss it’s historical importance and influence to today’s mass movement that has brought us the likes of Devendra Banhart, Iron and Wine, M. Ward, Bon Iver, Grizzly Bear, Fleet Foxes, Animal Collective, etc. It’ll be a mix of the old and new. There’s a whole slew of new Canadian folk, too, Timbre Timbre, Bruce Peninsula, Agnostic Mountain Gospel Choir… It’s a very exciting time for folk music. The Dark Was the Night comp is proof of this.

ME: Yeah, Grizzly Bear just hit the Billboard Charts with the likes of Eminem and Lady Gag. Animal Collective hit the charts at #13 with their latest release. Why do you think folk music is taking off again so suddenly?

DB: Well, it wasn’t suddenly, but Devendra Banhart has a lot to do with it when he released his critically-acclaimed album, Rejoicing in the Hands in 2004. But many other bands were doing the same thing, like Iron and Wine, Joanna Newsom, Coco-Rosie, Animal Collective, M. Ward…I think people were growing tired of shitty, compressed-to-death pop music which represented a growing commercialism and domination of the entire music industry which quickly killed the grunge movement in the 90’s. Folk music quickly moved in to fill the gap, but it took more than ten years for the world to catch on to this growing revolution. Malls are out, folk music is in. And now with the global economy in its fragile state…the new folk movement is going to speak to more people than ever. And it’s about folkin’ time.

ME: And aren’t you doing another new show after that?

DB: Other Frequencies, yes, a showcase of electronica and underground hip hop. What with Loft 709 on the go, Errand Boy, Le Malediction, Aoke, Sports, and Ye-Yeti, the popularity of electronica, dance and hip hop is growing, but there’s no show about it here either, and it needs a voice. New DJ’s are popping up and new electronica acts. Let’s support it.

ME: Do you plan on having guests on your show as you do on The New Spin?

DB: Funny you asked. Ryan Green of Patch is going to be my guest to help me launch Other Frequencies tonight. We’ll be spinning some Patch tunes, plus some of his favorite electronic tracks. Should be pumpin’.

The Folkin’ Freak Show roots through the backwoods to bring the best this folked-up world has to offer. Tuesday nights, 9-10 PM, streaming online on 93.5 CHMR-FM, or Rogers cable 942.

Other Frequencies is the first all-electronic show in St. John’s to get your booty groovin’, all genres of electronic music, from dub and grime to techno and trance. Tuesday nights, 10-11 PM, right after The Folkin’ Freak Show.

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Hey all, my show’s on soon. All new music by:

The Vaselines, Jason Lytle, Telekinesis!, Moutful of Bees, The Torrent, Fischerspooner, Pat LePoidevin, Litterbug, Akron/Family and more!

streaming online soon here on 93.5 CHMR-FM.

The New Spin, “the best music you’ve never heard.”

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