LOS ANGELES (KCRW 89.9 FM PR) -
Sounds Eclectic 3 (Palm) is a collection of thirteen intimate live recordings from trendsetting Los Angeles public radio station KCRW's lauded Morning Becomes Eclectic program, hosted by Nic Harcourt.
KCRW (heard in Southern California on 89.9 FM and on www.KCRW.com has been hailed as the most influential station in the country, and
Sounds Eclectic 3 explains why. The disc, to be released on January 11th, 2005, features on-air performances from a wide array of acclaimed performers, ranging from hip Scottish art-rockers
Franz Ferdinand to Latin rock ensemble Kinky.
Sounds Eclectic 3, KCRW's eighth collection of live gems, is rounded out by a line-up of respected, established artists and additional newcomers hailing from the alternative rock, Americana, pop and punk realms. Also appearing are
Sarah McLachlan, Steve Earle, The Flaming Lips,
Paul Weller and My Morning Jacket. All proceeds from
Sounds Eclectic 3 go to KCRW, a not-for-profit public radio station licensed to
Santa Monica College.
Sounds Eclectic 3 was produced by Nic Harcourt, KCRW's respected music director and the host of Morning Becomes Eclectic. Harcourt, producer of the past three KCRW collections, selected each track on the disc. Like the songs composing previous KCRW compilations, each track was taken from the artists‚ appearances on Morning Becomes Eclectic, on which Harcourt has helped launch the careers of Dido, Pete Yorn,
Damien Rice, Norah Jones,
David Gray,
Sigur Ros and Coldplay. (He gave Dido and
Pete Yorn their first worldwide airplay, and Rice and
Coldplay their first airplay in the U.S.)
Sounds Eclectic 3 includes several rarities: Radiohead‚s acoustic version of "Go to Sleep" was taken from a special KCRW performance recorded at the fabled Electric Lady Studios in New York‚s Greenwich Village in June 2003.
Damien Rice‚s version of "
The Blower's Daughter" was recorded in the fall of 2002, during the Irish singer‚s first ever visit to the U.S., long before the stateside release of his acclaimed debut, O. The Interpol,
Polyphonic Spree and Jem tracks ("Untitled," "It‚s the Sun," and "Flying High," respectively) were also taken from each act‚s first-ever radio performances. Says Jem, "Doing Morning Becomes Eclectic was a huge honor. It helped launch my career in the U.S., and for that I am forever grateful." One track, Iron & Wine‚s cover of The Flaming Lips' "Superman," makes its recorded debut on
Sounds Eclectic 3. ("
Superman" is the only track on the album that was actually recorded off the air, post-broadcast.)
An appearance on Morning Becomes Eclectic has become a rite of passage of sorts for new artists. The Wall Street Journal has called Morning Becomes Eclectic "one of the most interesting and influential radio shows in the U.S." And Harcourt‚s stamp of approval often leads to recording contracts and/or widespread success for young and established artists alike. During their October 2003 visit to the U.S. to promote Hail to the Thief,
Radiohead granted Harcourt their only North American radio interview to discuss the album. The version of "Go to Sleep" on
Sounds Eclectic 3 is taken from that session.
KCRW also produces a weekly public radio program called
Sounds Eclectic, which is a best-of collection of music, live performances and interviews from each week's Morning Becomes Eclectic show, hosted by Harcourt. The show is syndicated to more than 40 public radio stations nationwide. Each weekly program is archived in its entirety at www.soundseclectic.com, which also contains more info on
Sounds Eclectic 3.
Harcourt was tapped by ABC to serve as music supervisor for its new
Thursday night program Life As We Know It (starring
Kelly Osbourne), and he was selected by The New York Times in February 2004 as the first guest author of the newspaper's special "
Playlist" column, in which he championed releases by Franz Ferdinand, Jem, Van Hunt,
Gary Jules and others. He is now working on his first book, entitled
Music Lust and due to be released by Sasquatch Books in 2005. In the summer of 2003, Harcourt realized his goal of promoting artists in other markets beyond Southern California with KCRW.com Presents concerts in New York and San Francisco.
KCRW.com features KCRW On Demand with thousands of hours of archived live performances from Morning Becomes Eclectic and KCRW‚s other renowned music shows.
Track listing for Sounds Eclectic 3:
1. The Polyphonic Spree, "It's the Sun"
2. The Flaming Lips, "Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots, Part 1"
3. Damien Rice, "
The Blower's Daughter"
4. Jem, "
Flying High"
5. Paul Weller, "Amongst Butterflies"
6. Radiohead, "Go to Sleep"
7. My Morning Jacket, "One Big Holiday"
8. Kinky, "Mirando De Lado"
9. Interpol, "
Untitled"
10. Franz Ferdinand, "
Take Me Out"
11. Sarah McLachlan, "
Answer"
12. Iron & Wine, "
Superman"
13. Steve Earle, "
Jerusalem"
