Episode 4

     And so it was ... just like I said it would be: a three-hour show noisier than its predecessors. If you got hooked on the low-key thing from previous shows, parts of this one may have been a little much. But then again, they may not have been. There were a few connect-the-dots sets (all explained on-air), and a few items I would not have known about were it not for my friends with good ears (also identified on air). If you’ve ever recommended something to me that I later praised, stay tuned: web-streaming is coming soon, coming soon. You just might get the chance to hear yourself mentioned on air (or online) ....
     I’ve also managed to work out my technical problems with the CD burner, so this morning’s entire show has been archived. (Some of you know where to find it.) In fact, the only glaring glitch in this episode was the result of a malfunctioning light on the studio’s console. As I prepared to cue the Tom Zé track, I accidentally muted the Gorillaz track. Had the light been functioning, of course, I would have known visually that I was muting the song on air. The hiccup is only a second or two. Not enough to send me packing, I hope ....
     As always, feedback on the show is welcome, as are suggestions for things to play on future shows. And, by the way, I have now officially given up on having anyone call the station. So, just in case you were feeling even the slightest pressure, you can relax.

• 12:00–1:00 a.m.:
• Brian Eno/John Cale, “Spinning Away,” Wrong Way Up, Opal
• Slowdive, “Souvlaki Space Station,” Souvlaki, SBK
• Mojave 3, “Billoddity,” Spoon and Rafter, 4AD
• David Sylvian/Ryuichi Sakamoto, “World Citizen” (Long Version), “World Citizen” (Single), Samadhi Sound
• Apostle of Hustle, “Animal Fat,” Folkloric Feel, Arts and Crafts
• Califone, “Apple,” Heron King Blues, Thrill Jockey
• Vetiver, “Angels’ Share,” Vetiver, DiCristina
• Brendan Benson, “Metarie,” Lapalco, Star Time International
• Matt Pond PA, “Lily Two,” Emblems, Altitude
• The Katies, “Jesus Pick,” The Katies, Spongebath

• 1:00–2:00 a.m.:
• Dave Navarro, “Slow Motion Sickness,” Trust No One, Capitol
• Afghan Whigs, “True Love Travels on a Gravel Road,” Uptown Avondale, Sub Pop
• Mercury Rev, “Black Forest (Lorelei),” The Secret Migration, V2
• The Apartments, “What’s Left of Your Nerve,” Drift, Hot
• A.R. Kane, “Down,” i, One Little Indian
• Eric Matthews, “The Pleasant Kind,” The Lateness of the Hour, Sub Pop
• Eric Matthews, “You Will Be Happy,” Six Kinds of Passion Looking for an Exit, Wishing Tree
• Joe Henry, “Richard Pryor Addresses a Tearful Nation,” Scar, Mammoth
• D’Angelo, “Africa,” Voodoo, Virgin
• The Stylistics, “People Make the World Go Round,” The Stylistics, Amherst

• 2:00–3:00 a.m.:
• Wire, “Ahead,” The Ideal Copy, Mute
• The Pop Group, “Thief of Fire,” Y, WEA
• Gorillaz, “New Genious (Brother),” Gorillaz, Virgin
• Tom Zé, “Ogodô, Ano 2000,” Brazil 5: The Return of Tom Zé, Luaka Bop
• Talking Heads, “Listening Wind,” Remain in Light, Sire
• David Byrne, “Angels,” David Byrne, Luaka Bop
• Cocteau Twins, “Theft, and Wandering Around Lost,” Four-Calendar Café, Capitol
• Beth Orton, “Touch Me with Your Love,” Trailer Park, Dedicated
• Stereolab, “Monstre Sacre,” Emperor Tomato Ketchup, Elektra
• XTC, “Wake Up,” The Big Express, Virgin
• Portishead, “Roads,” Dummy, Go! Discs

Ch-Ch-Ch-Ch-Changes

     Because of the weeklong break between quarters next week, the entire WHPK schedule is in flux. And since I won’t be in town at the time my show would normally air, you won’t hear ECI in its normal slot next week anyway. All is not lost, though. Why?
     [Cue music from The Wizard of Oz] Because, because, because ... [and stop] there will be a special three-hour edition of the show next Thursday morning from 12 to 3 a.m. (and for those who simply cannot grasp the concept of a day beginning at midnight, pretend I just wrote “Wednesday night”). While the playlist and approach are subject to change, expect things to be a little more noisy, but still lush, next week. Right now, I’ve got a mind to play some long-loved tracks by Slowdive, the Apartments, the Katies and--given the news that their reunion show at Coachella has been cancelled because of Liz Fraser’s unspecified personal reasons--Cocteau Twins.
     Lest I forget, I should add that there might another three-hour episode the following week. Afterwards, the station will be back on a regular schedule, one in which the air time of the show may shift by as little as two hours or as much as a day. Stay tuned....

Episode 3

     For someone who fancies himself to be technologically savvy, I sure haven’t had great luck with the real-time CD recorder in the studio. I managed to get the first hour of this morning’s show recorded, but was dismayed to learn at the end that I had neglected to push a button to start the recording of the second hour. Maybe I’ve been spoiled by consumer devices that feature one-touch-record features. Oh, well. There’s still the chance that I’ll have time to reconstruct the second hour without the PSA’s, program announcements, and on-mic filler (such as the stuff at the end of the show where I waxed poetic about the historical significance of Allen Toussaint). The morning’s only snafu was my mis-announcing the name of the Eric Matthews album: I said “It’s Heavy in Here” when I should have said “The Lateness of the Hour.” That mistake is, of course, corrected below.
     If you missed the show, I think you missed something special. I managed to keep it 90% downtempo, and I loved it. If you listened, I hope you did, too. (And, no, Peter, I didn’t play that Pink Floyd thing.) My heart leapt momentarily around 3:15 when the phone rang, but it turned out to be MLK, the next DJ, arriving much earlier than she normally does. Sigh. I guess there really isn’t anybody out there....

• 2:00–3:00 a.m.:
• Icehouse, “Icehouse,” Icehouse, Chrysalis
• Junior Boys, “Three Words,” Last Exit, Domino
• Opus III, “Stars in My Pocket,” Mind Fruit, EastWest
• Kings of Convenience, “Know-How,” Riot on an Empty Street, Astralwerks
• Feist, “Gatekeeper,” Let It Die, Polydor
• Eric Matthews, “Since the Wheel Free,” The Lateness of the Hour, Sub Pop
• Mercury Rev, “Across Yer Ocean,” The Secret Migration, V2
• Replacements, “Swinging Party,” Tim, Sire
• Red House Painters, “Drop,” Ocean Beach, 4AD
• Mountain Goats, “Game Shows Touch Our Lives,” Tallahassee, 4AD
• The Album Leaf, “Story Board,” One Day I’ll Be on Time, Tiger Style
• Hope Sandoval and the Warm Inventions, “Suzanne,” Bavarian Fruit Bread, Rough Trade

• 3:00–4:00 a.m.:
• Split Enz, “One Step Ahead,” Waiata, Mushroom
• Piano Magic, “Saint Marie,” The Troubled Sleep of Piano Magic, Green UFOs
• Durutti Column, “Tomorrow,” Bread & Circuses, Crepuscule
• Everything but the Girl, “No Difference,” Temperamental, Atlantic
• Spiritualized, “I Think I’m in Love,” Ladies and Gentlemen, We Are Floating in Space, Arista
• Aluminum Group, “We’re Both Hiding,” Happyness, Wishing Tree
• Paul Weller, “The Strange Museum,” Paul Weller, Polydor
• The Sea and Cake, “Seemingly,” Oui, Thrill Jockey
• Al Green, “Simply Beautiful,” I’m Still in Love with You, Hi
• Allen Toussaint, “Southern Nights,” The Complete Warner Recordings, Rhino