Local Music
Belle & The Vertigo Waves
Belle and the Vertigo Waves is an indie rock band from Kansas City. Led by Belle Loux, the songs on the band's first album, Aligned and their newest song "Fear or Faith", come from some of the darkest --yet most resilient--corners of her personal life. In her words, the origins of "Fear or Faith" came "while taking inventory of my life, that question played on repeat in my mind. Do I genuinely believe in and have faith in these things in my life, or am I just holding onto them out of the place of fear.
Friday's Featured Artist
In the words of the band itself, Stary "sounds like Neil Diamond except harder and more sad?!?!?" Listeners may or may not hear Mr. Diamond’s influence in their melodic indie-rock songs, but that’s beside the point. Comprised of core members Marisa B. Tejeda and Adam James in 2017, with drummer Seth Props joining later, Stary’s eponymous debut EP definitely deserves a listen. We are excited to share an interview with this new Kansas City band has they prepare more live shows and a full album. Enjoy!
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Friday's Featured Artist
Dylan Findley is a prolific, award-winning composer who describes his music as "kaleidoscopic" and part of an ongoing quest for seeking truth. His approach to creativity is as much craft-driven as it is philosophical, with extensive essays on the spirituality of music, his creative process and the nature of sound itself appearing on his website and blog. Findley currently attends the University of Missouri-Kansas City, where he is finishing his Doctorate of Musical Arts. Enjoy our interview with this emerging composer.
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Featured Artist Friday
Kansas City-based singer-songwriter Jaclyn Bell described her music as a cross between Kelsea Ballerini, Paramore and Chvrches, a sound she's been cultivating since she was 17. Her debut album, Wanna Be Mine, is a well-produced showcase for a voice that seems tailor-made for big audiences. We are fortunate to share an interview with Bell about her new album, her writing process and what's ahead.
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Please introduce yourself. Describe your music for new listeners.
Featured Artist Friday
Mr. Golden Sun is led by Matt Hamer, a singer-songwriter and instrumentalist who describes his music as "folk songs trying not to sound like folk songs." In this interview, Hamer describes the evolution of the songs on his brand-new Central States EP, what he learned from recording it and how fatherhood inspired the songs.
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Introduce yourself. Describe your music for new listeners.
Friday Featured Artist
Bill Abernathy is a Kansas City-based country and folk artist from whose earnest style has been compared to Joe Cocker and Bob Seger. Abernathy's new album, Crossing Willow Creek, has garnered rave reviews. In this interview, Abernathy discusses his new album, his creative process and what's ahead for him in 2019.
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Please introduce yourself. Describe your music for new listeners.
Featured Artist Friday: Hadiza
Hadiza is a talented songwriter, keyboardist and performer who describes her music as "not quite soul, blues, folk, jazz, rock or classical but it sort of is?" One listen to her debut EP, Gone, shows how much Hadiza's songs sit at the crossroads of all these styles while revealing a young songwriter finding her voice. Originally from Iowa City, Hadiza wrote most of the EP's songs over a two year period and is currently at work on a full album. We're fortunate to share an interview with this emerging artist. Enjoy.
Music Monday Local Artist Spotlight
Kat King has been writing and recording her music since the age of 14, a natural result of being part of a musical family. Her ten plus years experience as a songwriter have led to several accomplished singles and EPs, culminating in the recent "Song From Spain." In this interview with King, we learn among other things how "Song From Spain" came about, the importance of sleep to her creative process and what music she's been raving about lately. Enjoy!
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Music Monday Local Music Spotlight
Eddie Moore has been called "one of the most important young musicians" in Kansas City. His music is all over the map, encompassing everything from jazz to prog rock to funk, especially as showcased on such internationally acclaimed albums as Kings and Queens (with The Outer Circle) and his new band We the People on 2018's Bando. Moore has been recognized for his music highly collaborative, genre-pushing music as well as the many different music classes he teaches on a regular basis in and around Kansas City.