Gabriel Birnbaum has been in love with music for as long as he can remember. Whether it was his early work on saxophone making free jazz, playing Ethiopian music in Debo Band, his more “pop” leaning work with Wilder Maker, or his career as one of the best music publicists in the business, he’s spent his life positively immersed in sound. On this ed…

Mike Harmeier, singer and chief-songwriter for the band Silverada (formerly known as Mike and The Moonpies) has a knack for crafting country songs that feel timeless (think the heyday of 90’s country/Outlaw Country) but never retro. On Silverada, the group’s new self-titled album, Mike and the band a re continuing in this tradition while managing t…

Mike Ruth, a long-time staple of the Nashville indie rock scene, made a career playing in other people’s bands before he stepped into the spotlight with his own material in 2019 under the moniker Rich Ruth. Over the course of four albums, his sound and identity as a composer has continued to evolve and on his latest release, Water Still Flows (out …

On this episode of Discologist, Eduardo and Kevin are spinning new-to-you tracks from Chicago singer/songwriter Lillian King, free jazz from revered saxophonist Alan Braufman, and modern folk by way of Arkansas from Willi Carlisle. PLUS! DOJ is telling Live Nation and Ticketmaster that they just can’t be that into each other anymore, Apple Music dr…

Over the past few years, Milwaukee’s Ladybird have been refining their sound on stages all over town and with the release of their debut album Amy Come On Home, it’s clear that all hard work has paid off. With roots firmly and unashamedly planted in the sounds of Uncle Tupelo and Drive-By Truckers, and a wit that echoes the work of John Prine, the …

On this episode of Discologist, Eduardo and Kevin explore fresh neo-soul vibes from Raye, indie-pop from Washington, D.C.'s The North Country, innovative classical sounds from Michael Cormier-O’Leary’s musical collective Hour, and the electrifying Dungeons and Dragons-inspired rock of Castle Rat. PLUS! Eduardo experienced Phish at Las Vegas’s Spher…

On this edition of Discologist, Eduardo and Kevin sit down with music legend Bill Frisell to discuss his latest release on Blue Note Records, Orchestras. Conceived with his longtime friend and collaborator Michael Gibbs, Orchestras sees Frisell and his trio (Thomas Morgan on bass and Rudy Royston on drums) teaming up with the 60-piece Brussels Phil…

On this edition of Discologist, Eduardo and Kevin are checking in on new music from Aaron Abernathy, Prefuse 73, The Messthetics with James Brandon Lewis, The Mad Archaic, and more. PLUS! Is AI about to take over music? The launch of Suno may cause to sound the alarm so we’re taking a look at what exactly it does, how it may disrupt the industry, a…

In this edition of Discologist, Eduardo and Kevin take a look at the dynamics of protests surrounding South By Southwest, dissect the implications of the Living Wage For Musicians Act, a fresh initiative in Congress aimed at reshaping streaming and artist compensation, explore the latest from jazz maestro Charles Lloyd, introduce you to the alt-cou…

In this episode, come along with Eduardo and Kevin as they embark on a bit of a jazz odyssey. Discussions of new music from guitar virtuoso Julian Lage, the manic and masterful funk of LA’s Knower, Brazilian pianist Amarao Freitas’ latest sonic excursion, and more. PLUS we’re world premiering “Down By The Lake” the first single from Kevin’s upcomin…

In this episode, Eduardo and Kevin dive into the unforgettable Grammy performances by Tracy Chapman and Joni Mitchell, Beyoncé's groundbreaking foray into Country music domination, the evolving landscape of AI in the arts, and much more! Tune in now to hear all about it PLUS some killer new tracks from Brittany Howard, Chris Rosenau, Time In The Wi…

On the fourteenth season premiere of Discologist, Eduardo and Kevin are cranking up the volume on the issues facing the music industry, imagining a world without Pitchfork, and spinning new tracks that they love from the debut of Milwaukee’s The Breadmen, “country witch” Kitty Coen’s latest spell, Katy Kirby’s stunning new album Blue Raspberry, and…

On our year-end special, Eduardo and Kevin are looking back at some of their favorite releases of the year, albums that didn’t make it on the show, thoughts about the state of the music industry in 2023, where music may be heading in 2024 and much, much more. ------ We’re able to bring you great conversations like this and more because of your gene…

Released in November of 2022, Elizabeth Moen's Wherever You Aren't is gracefully earning the acclaim it rightfully deserves. Anchored in sharp, soul-baring lyrics and showcased through Moen's incomparable vocal prowess, this album unveils the Chicago-based singer-songwriter as a generational talent. With songs that seamlessly blend humor, melanchol…

Back in the late 70s and early 80s, jazz fusion was the misunderstood trailblazer of America's music scene. Amidst the skepticism, one place lit up with the future of this genre: Japan. Casiopea, an iconic jazz band that still dominates in Japan, truly encapsulated this futuristic essence on their groundbreaking 1982 album, Mint Jams. This live-rec…

Israel Nash has never been afraid to flaunt his influences Drawing inspiration from legends such as Tom Petty, Neil Young, and Pink Floyd, he crafts a distinctive sound that's undeniably his own. On his latest LP Ozarker, the Missouri-born singer-songwriter takes that signature sound and weaves in traces of Springsteen and more to explore the stori…

Taja Cheek, the multi-instrumentalist behind the pseudonym L’Rain, is renowned for crafting rich, multi-layered songs that beckon listeners into a transformative journey when the needle touches wax. Her latest masterpiece, I Killed Your Dog, is a remarkable evolution of her artistry, that ventures into uncharted musical realms. Collaborating with t…

If the main ingredients of a great Country song are love and loss, singer-songwriter Jason Hawk Harris’s creative tank was overflowing when it came time to make his masterful new LP Thin Places. Part meditation on grieving the loss of his mother, career, and the global tragedy of the pandemic, and part raucous celebration of finding the joy of life…

On his debut album, Jalen Ngonda reminds us that wearing your influences on your sleeve can be a good thing. Ngonda's Come Around and Love Me, out now on Daptone Records, covers familiar soul terrain - think The Temptations or Marvin Gaye - with both an attention to detail and restraint that are all too uncommon these days. Hear us talk about this …

In 2022, Raw Poetic, also known as Jason Moore, embarked on an expansive two-hour hip-hop odyssey with his LP Space Beyond The Solar System. Now, he returns alongside his frequent collaborators P-Fritz (guitarist Patrick Fritz) and the longstanding producer Damu the Fudgemonk with Away Back In. Clocking in at a “mere” thirty-seven minutes, Away Bac…

If To Cy & Lee: Instrumentals, Vol. 1 from 2020 served as a soothing sonic refuge at precisely the right moment, and 2022's GOLD stood as a powerful declaration that radical empathy can truly transform our world for the better, then Come With Fierce Grace, Alabaster DePlume's (aka Gus Fairbairn) latest album on the Chicago Jazz label International …

Forged in the crucible of the early days of the pandemic lockdown in 2020, Force Majeure, the inspirational collaboration between the incomparable harpist Brandee Younger and bassist Dezron Douglas, stands as a shining beacon among the jazz releases of the 21st century. Younger followed up this landmark release in 2021 with Somewhere Different, a p…

For over a decade, Chessa Rich has been a driving force in the vibrant North Carolina music scene, offering her unique voice and exceptional multi-instrumentalist skills to support fellow artists. Now, the anticipation builds as she steps into the spotlight with her highly awaited debut album, "Deeper Sleeper." This remarkable release seamlessly bl…

This week on Discologist, we're revisiting an episode from the before times wherein Eduardo, Kevin, and Andre (IYKYK) delved deep into the monumental box set by the Grateful Dead called 'Get Shown The Light'. This box set captures the band's legendary four-night run at New York's iconic venue, Fillmore East in 1977. It includes what many consider t…

Texas singer/songwriter Robert Ellis captivated audiences with his bombastic 2019 album, 'Texas Piano Man,' where he expanded his sound to stadium-level proportions without compromising his heartfelt introspections. However, in his latest release, Yesterday's News, Ellis takes a stripped-down approach, focusing on the bare essentials, often being a…