24.01.12 California Diner - 'New, Newer, Newest!'

The California Diner, and Recharged Radio in general, are all about the newest independent music. So how new is “new enough” for you? I’ll give you a few examples, and you tell me. Cult of Wedge is the solo recording project of Peter Hackett, he of Rowley Regis, UK. Every so often, he disappears into his musical bunker, and does mysterious things down there, not to be seen again until a masterpiece emerges. If asked to describe the Cult of Wedge sound, Pete will tell you “A bit like a car crash involving members of E.L.O, Genesis, Human League, Kraftwerk, Motorhead and Yes. With John Shaft and Starsky and Hutch being the first on the scene, with Beck and Air driving the ambulances”! I think that pretty much sums it up. Pete’s released some nifty original singles and some choice, deconstructed covers (a more electronic version of AC/DC’s “Highway to Hell” and a really somber, intense version of Bryan Adam’s “Summer of ‘69), and he’s done magnificent production work on Maxi Dunn’s albums. A couple of months ago, he released the debut Cult of Wedge album, “Tape Recorders Changed Everything”. And we’ll sample one of his new songs on this week’s show. www.reverbnation.com/cultofwedge Even newer than that would be the new album by Portland, Oregon band Throwback Suburbia. Shot Glass Souvenir came out this month, January 14th, and it is a power pop masterpiece. Hooks aplenty adorn this album. Every song sparkles, and the whole album makes you feel better about the state of rock and roll. Each song presents a new sonic possibility. You absolutely have to hear this music--it’s one of my favorite albums to hit my inbox in a long time. www.throwbacksuburbia.com This next music is so new, it’s not even out yet! And this one is so meaningful to we jockeys of Recharged Radio. Spencer Berger, the magnificent vocalist known to the world as Auditorium, has been a part of our playlists since prehistoric times--back in 2009, when Recharged was a fledgling station without a Chef Mike! We’ve thrilled to this operatically-trained singer, with the unique, quirky and fun songs and multi-layered vocals. One Spencer Berger is great, several are even better! So he’s putting out a new EP, Nights Worth Living on February 28th. You should preorder this one as soon as you can--it’s cheap, and it will help satisfy your need for some more tuneage from the vocalist’s vocalist. auditorium.bandcamp.com/ Hey! Recharged Radio now has a magazine! It’s a free monthly music e-zine called Sound of the Suburbs (not to be confused with our radio show of the same name--oh heck, go ahead and confuse it--we don’t mind!) It’s our joint effort with our friends at Perfect Pop Co-Op. You can get it on the left hand side of the home page of Recharged Radio. Just scroll down a bit, and get reading! If you'd like to make a request, just drop me a line at mike(at)rechargedradio.com. If you'd like to become an honorary California citizen, drop me a line at the same address. And if you'd like to hear all this great music—simply tune in to the California Diner, Tuesday night, 8:00-10:00 p.m. (GMT), 12:00-2:00 p.m. Pacific, only at Recharged Radio—www.rechargedradio.com. See you then! Chef Mike mike(at)rechargedradio.com MN2BDNC Duncan Faure - Man Of A Thousand Dreams Throwback Suburbia - Sinking Feeling Emily Zuzik Band - Motels Jimmy Catlett - 3.0 The Little Philistines - Hot Phone Maxi Dunn - Weather Warning Bud Rogers - Caught In A Wheel The Handcuffs - This is a Test Auditorium - The Sex Offenders The Ks - Little Plaything The Shindig Addicts - Not Long Now Joey Oskys - Here In This Town Tina Lie - Twilight Hour Braam - Mama I'm Scared Kyro (with Lindy LaFontaine) - This Too, In Time, Shall Pass Uncle Meat and the Highway Children - Long Gone Mobile Bill Mumy - Take Us Home M.A.D.I.S.O.N. - Try Weird Shapes - Blue Sky at Night Beth Thornley - A to Z Three Minute Tease - Thanks for Lifting My Leg Maple Mars - Citizen Roger Rob One - Flames Laurie Biagini - The California Quake Dylan Walshe - Your Belly Not Mine The Dashing Suns - Sally Moore Man or Mouse - Jackson Fortune Dwellers - Keep It Simple Cult of Wedge - The Birds and the Bees and Jaime Blake Jones & The Trike Shop - Who'