In this installment of Heavy Rotation — where we bring to you public radio's new favorite songs — we collaborated with KCRW in Santa Monica, Calif., to bring you an exclusive track from British singer Laura Mvula's session on Morning Becomes Eclectic, plus enjoy a download from rising post-punk band Savages, courtesy of WXPN in Philadelphia.
This week's panel includes:
- Anne Litt, a DJ at KCRW in Los Angeles.
- Dave P., host of Making Time Radio on WXPN in Philadelphia.
- Jeremy Petersen, voice of OPBmusic in Portland.
- DropaJewel, one of the hosts of WEAA's Strictly Hip-Hop in Baltimore.
- Maggie Brennan, music director at WCBE in Columbus, Ohio.
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Transcript
DAVID GREENE, HOST:
OK, let's go from your taste buds to your eardrums. It is time for our series Heavy Rotation. Each month, we ask a public radio host or program director around the country to share a song that's been getting a lot of play where they are.
JEREMY PETERSON: I'm Jeremy Peterson. I'm a producer and host at OPBmusic.org.
GREENE: OPB - that's Oregon Public Broadcasting in Portland. Peterson helped launch their music division, in 2007.
PETERSON: We feature in-studio sessions, both touring and local acts. We have a 24-hour-stream, which is essentially an online and HD radio station heavily leaning on new music and regional stuff.
GREENE: And Peterson's pick for Heavy Rotation comes from a well-known artist in that region, Nick Jaina.
(SOUNDBITE OF SONG, "DON'T COME TO ME")
PETERSON: Nick Jaina is well-known to Portlanders as a singer-songwriter, although he kind of does a bit of everything. He's written three ballets; he's composed music for a stage play in New Orleans. But he's also - I think at the heart of things, he's a pop songwriter in the Tin Pan Alley tradition, if you will.
(SOUNDBITE OF SONG, "DON'T COME TO ME")
PETERSON: And the song comes from "Primary Perception," which is his new record on the Fluff and Gravy label. And it's called "Don't Come To Me."
(SOUNDBITE OF SONG, "DON'T COME TO ME")
NICK JAINA: (singing) I've heard the things you've said about me, that you think I believed in buried treasure; the story where they can't find the sea, their hearts caged up every measure...
PETERSON: I like the tension that exists between the buoyant rhythm of the song, and the not-so-buoyant content - although maybe in this case, the protagonist is happy to be doing this kiss-off, I'm-washing-my-hands-of-you.
(SOUNDBITE OF SONG, "DON'T COME TO ME")
PETERSON: It sort of - you know, has a bit of darkness about it. But it's been sunny in Portland - an unreal, sunny spring. And this song has sort of been in our ears for good reason.
(SOUNDBITE OF SONG, "DON'T COME TO ME")
JAINA: (singing) ...even though I can't listen now, listen now...
GREENE: We're moving to the music here in the studio. Jeremy Peterson of Oregon Public Broadcasting Music, in Portland. His pick for this month's Heavy Rotation - you're hearing it; it's "Don't Come To Me," by Nick Jaina. You can hear more songs from our series Heavy Rotation at NPRmusic.org.
STEVE INSKEEP, HOST:
Although in all honesty, we're not moving that much.
GREENE: That's true.
INSKEEP: It's MORNING EDITION, from NPR News. Transcript provided by NPR, Copyright NPR.
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