LOS
ANGELES (KCRW) -- Sounds Eclectic 3 (Palm) is a collection of thirteen
intimate live recordings from trendsetting Los Angeles 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, with Harcourt's stamp of approval often yielding 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. The Wall Street Journal has
called Morning Becomes Eclectic "one of the most interesting and
influential radio shows in the U.S."
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 to be 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"
