Kaleidoscope on WYSO-TONIGHT

...as we previously mentioned, the pending relocation of the seminal college/alt/indie station WOXY to Austin, TX, leaves a substantial void in the dissemination of local flavors to new ears. Fortunately, we also have the folks over at WYSO that are all too-willing to step up to the challenge. While DJs Rev Cool Jim Carter and Nikki Dakota have given substantial support to locals over the years, the new program Kaleidoscope [featuring Juliet Fromholdt] is showing an impressive dedication to showcasing local talent. Tonight she will feature Poptek Records artist Wake Up Mordecai, whose stellar sophomore effort Too Young for the Disco is still getting heavy rotation around here. Additionally, the program will likely sprinkle plenty of local tunes alongside plenty of other, more well-known, tracks. You can tune in online HERE between 8-11 PM every Wednesday...

That's What She Said

...for a kid who's still not even out of high school, John Callon aka Wake Up Mordecai is making quite a name for himself in the Dayton music scene. His debut EP North to the Nth Degree (out last fall) got quite a bit of attention in the local press and already he's dropping a second release with Poptek Records, the full-length, Too Young for the Disco. Retaining much of the understated charm of his first release, Morti ups the ante this time around, however, fleshing out the arrangements with sugary guitar lines and lush harmonies. While there is plenty of ear candy to enjoy, the melancholic fringes give the disc a depth that begs repeated spins. Wake Up Mordecai will be celebrating the release of Too Young for the Disco with a show at Dayton Dirt Collective this Saturday, May 23, so tune in now...

MP3: Wake Up Mordecai "Cowboys and Indians"
MP3: Wake Up Mordecai "Kinky Girl Scout Cookies"

Kris N. Release Party for "Lo-Fi Movement" w/Wil Cope/The 1984 NFL Draft-Tonight @ Canal Street Tavern

...we've been talking about this one for a while now, but tonight is finally the night that Kris N. gets to celebrate the release of his new album, Lo-Fi Movement. We'd highly recommend heading out to Canal Street Tavern to catch Kris live, as he will be joined by Poptek Records mainman, Andy Ingram, on drums. We had them at the NTRO/XPO back in February and it still ranks as one of our favorite sets that we've seen. Also on the bill tonight are a pair of our favorite Dayton songwriters: swinging back through town from his new base in Austin, we've got Wil Cope, who is soon to release his new album, 1977 Again, and The 1984 NFL Draft (aka Joe Anderl). We'll see you there....

MP3: Kris N. "Pollard's Old Drunk Drivers"
MP3: Wil Cope "Easy as Sleep" from Dead Moon Motel
MP3: Joe Anderl "Dayton, Ohio" from Joe Anderl and the Imaginary Friendship Choir

My Girls R Lo-Fi

...with a flurry of activity as of late, Poptek Records is becoming quite the source of lo-fi pop in the Gem City. One of its most prodigious sources of lo-fi goodness, Kris N., picked up one of our favorite tracks of 09 so far, Animal Collective's "My Girls", from the highly-touted Merriweather Post Pavillion album and stripped it down from its dancefloor incarnation back to the AC we remember from the Sung Tongs days. The track is being offered as part of the Kris N. Song of the Month initiative and you can grab the track and lots more from Kris N. for FREE HERE. Kris N. is keeping busy these days as next week he'll be celebrating the release of his new album, Lo-Fi Movement, with a show at Canal Street Tavern on April 23. See you there...

MP3: Kris N. "My Girls" (Animal Collective cover)

Wake Up Mordecai Announces Track Listing; Release Date

...as we previously announced, Vandalia high-schooler John Callon aka Wake Up Mordecai is already planning a follow up to last year's acclaimed North to the Nth Degree. According to Poptek Records, the label will issue Too Young for the Disco with a Release Party at Dayton Dirt Collective on May 23. Here's the tracklisting for the disc:

01. LOVEMACHINE5000
02. That's What She Said
03. Kinky Girl Scout Cookies
04. Orange Soda
05. Dignan
06. Bach Called - he wants his orchestra back
07. XOXO
08. Infinity x2
09. Disco = Crack
10. You're the Bomb(bay)
11. Cowboys and Indians

...if you want to keep up to the minute with the Wake Up Mordecai universe, you can tune in to his blog over here. Rest assured, we'll keep you posted as we get more information...

MP3: Wake Up Mordecai "Girls Don't Ride On Viking Ships" from North to the Nth Degree

Lo-Fi Movement

...with his movement of the moment "recession pop" sound, Kris N. continues to wave the banner for the lo-fi basement hero. His new album, Lo-Fi Movement, will be out on Dayton label Poptek Records on April 23. The release will coincide with a show at Canal Street Tavern with Dayton ex-pat, Wil Cope, who is currently living it up in Austin. Although reveling in the murky lo-fi realm, Kris's melodies possess the ability to weave through the mire and lodge themselves firmly in the listener's psyche...

MP3: Kris N. "Pollard's Old Drunk Drivers"
MP3: Kris N. "Mustache Jesus"

...if you wanna dig into more Kris N., you can head over here to grab exclusive tracks courtesy of Poptek Records...

Poptek Records Announces 2009 Releases

...local purveyors of indie pop, Poptek Records have announced a slew of upcoming releases for the upcoming calendar year. Needless to say, we're pretty excited....

One of Dayton's most prolific songwriters, Kris N. has two albums slated for 2009 release: Lo-Fi Movement will see an April release and Supine Sailor will follow that. Poptek is also generous enough to post a new song by Kris N. every Tuesday as a FREE DOWNLOAD.

...Even though still in high school, John Callon, aka Wake Up, Mordecai, will release his second album, Too Young for the Disco, in May.

...Additionally, Reutschle is heading back into the studio to finish their Color Theory album, slated for a fall release.

...On the strength of their stellar debut, Yesterdays Forever, XL427 plan to take the goods to the people in live performance over the coming months. We highly recommend you check them out...

...what's more, you can grab full album downloads from Wake Up, Mordecai, Reutschle, and XL427 for free HERE...

...we highly recommend you head over to Poptek Records and grab these goodies up. You can thank us later...

REVIEW: XL427 "Yesterdays Forever" EP

...as founder of upstart Dayton label Poptek Records, Andy Ingram seems acutely aware that his passion for pop music is not always in vogue. Although primarily serving as drummer for perennial indie pop faves Reutschle, the elusive pop talent Kris N., or the teenage Wake Up, Mordecai, Ingram has finally stepped out to front his own outfit, XL427, on the Yesterdays Forever EP...

...throughout the disc, XL427 revels in a wide rang of unapologetic pop flavors. On opener "Killers No More", the stark shoegaze and barely-there vocal delivery ebb and flow around the elegant fizz of a loping guitar. It's Ingram's economical application of sumptuous pop hooks that propel Yesterdays Forever. From the haunting, reverb-drenched piano line on "Lover's Leap" to the Anglophilic melodic descent on "The Privileged", XL427 display an amazing command over the pop textbook. With an acoustic windmill call-to-arms, the bedroom anthem "It's Not Just Pink, It's New Wave Pink" finds Ingram at his most infectious. Blending bubblegum and Britpop into a potent pastiche, the track serves as an unabashed pop manifesto with the lyrical payoff: "These are the best days of all time". On "I Like the Quiet in You", the band cash in some of their goodwill for introspective drone. As the longest track on the album, it's bulk sags the disc near the end. Fortunately, the bounce of "The Privileged" rebounds and exits before wearing out its sunny charms. With it's chorus of "On our most perfect days/All your ways are pure", XL427 strike a perfect assessment of what is best in perfect pop music...

Poptek Announces Kris N. Song of the Week

...it seems as if those who enjoy working the lo-fi realm tend to favor quantity in place of quality. Luckily, fans of lo-fi appreciate that. Poptek Records has announced that Kris N. has amassed quite the stockpile of material that has never seen the light of day. Seems that much of it won't even make the two album Poptek has slated for release from Kris N. As a result, the label has announced a new feature on their website: Kris N. Song of the Week. You can head over now and pick up the new track "Turning 31", which is bouncy acoustic number with ruminations on the inevitable aging process. Be sure to check back weekly for more from Kris N. You can also head out to Blind Bob's this weekend to catch an uber-rare performance from Kris and let him know in person what you think of his new tracks...

Poptek, Fake Four Inc. Issue New Releases

...although working independently of one another, a pair of Dayton-based labels have announced some new releases this week that are sure to spruce up your season...


...the indie pop playground that is Poptek Records has recently made the latest album from 16-year-old Johnny Callon, aka Wake Up, Mordecai, available as a free download. Although a brief affair, the album delivers the kind of heart-warming indie pop that made you love K Records for so long. You can grab this little goodie RIGHT HERE...


...elsewhere, the New Haven, CT-based Squids Eye Records-affiliated label Fake Four, Inc. has just released an incredible new album from Vermont's Pretend You're Happy. Recalling such indie icons as Neutral Milk Hotel and The Decembrists, Pretend You're Happy still retain their own identity. This is one you can really soak yourself in for a few months. You can grab a digital version of this nugget RIGHT HERE...