ktru top 35 7/20/19

Jul 20, 2019 | ktru

ktru top 35 – 07/20/2019

1 – karen o & dangermouse – lux prima – lux prima
2 – ex hex – it’s real – merge
3 – tacocat – this mess is a place – sub pop
4 – kero kero bonito – time n’ place – polyvinyl
5 – charly bliss – young enough – barsuk
6 – public practice – distance is a mirror – wharf cat
7 – cochemea – all my relations – daptone
8 – better oblivion community center – s/t – dead oceans
9 – methyl ethel – triage – 4ad
10 – durand jones & the indicators – american love call – dead oceans
11 – lucille furs – another land – rput
12 – takao – stealth – em
13 – darwin’s finches – good morning creatures ii – artificial head
14 – health – vol 4: slaves of fear – loma vista
15 – drahla – useless coordinates – captured tracks
16 – pup – morbid stuff – rise
17 – cat power – wanderer – domino
18 – dire wolves – paradisiacal mind – feeding tube
19 – viagra boys – street worms – s/r
20 – 7fo – ryu no nukegara – em
21 – anemone – beat my distance – luminelle
22 – dreams – no one defeats us – astralwerks
23 – green dome – thinking in stitches – case study
24 – sneaks – highway hypnosis – merge
25 – chasms – the mirage – felte
26 – homeshake – helium – sinderlyn
27 – frankie & the witch fingers – zam – greenway
28 – ritual howls – rendered armor – felte
29 – the faint – egowerk – saddle creek
30 – lake minnetonka – melbourneapolis – two and four
31 – weyes blood – titanic rising – sub pop
32 – woods, jamila – legacy! legacy! – jagjaguwar
33 – grapetooth – grapetooth – polyvinyl
34 – angelo de augustine – tomb – asthmatic kitty
35 – deerhunter – why hasn’t everything already disappeared? – 4ad

ktru top 35 7/7/19

Jul 7, 2019 | ktru

ktru top 35 – 07/07/2019

1 – ex hex – it’s real – merge
2 – karen o & dangermouse – lux prima – lux prima
3 – tacocat – this mess is a place – sub pop
4 – charly bliss – young enough – barsuk
5 – goggs – pre strike sweep – in the red
6 – kero kero bonito – time n’ place – polyvinyl
7 – pup – morbid stuff – rise
8 – darwin’s finches – good morning creatures ii – artificial head
9 – cochemea – all my relations – daptone
10 – health – vol 4: slaves of fear – loma vista
11 – durand jones & the indicators – american love call – dead oceans
12 – drahla – useless coordinates – captured tracks
13 – public practice – distance is a mirror – wharf cat
14 – viagra boys – street worms – s/r
15 – takao – stealth – em
16 – sneaks – highway hypnosis – merge
17 – anemone – beat my distance – luminelle
18 – better oblivion community center – s/t – dead oceans
19 – methyl ethel – triage – 4ad
20 – the faint – egowerk – saddle creek
21 – woods, jamila – legacy! legacy! – jagjaguwar
22 – yowler – black dog in my path – double double whammy
23 – cat power – wanderer – domino
24 – dire wolves – paradisiacal mind – feeding tube
25 – dreams – no one defeats us – astralwerks
26 – abjects – never give up – yippee ki yay
27 – chasms – the mirage – felte
28 – homeshake – helium – sinderlyn
29 – frankie & the witch fingers – zam – greenway
30 – lake minnetonka – melbourneapolis – two and four
31 – karyyn – the quanta series – antevasin
32 – lucille furs – another land – rput
33 – kenney, madeline – perfect shapes – carpark
34 – grapetooth – grapetooth – polyvinyl
35 – 7fo – ryu no nukegara – em

Aladdin National Tour at The Hobby Center

Aladdin National Tour at The Hobby Center

Jun 30, 2019 | ktru, Showstoppers

By Harrison Lorenzen

Overall very good production. The technical delay pulled the audience out of the action, but the talent, staging, and effects made up for it. Major Attaway as the Genie is hilarious and the costumes are breathtaking.

From colorful market dances to starlit magic carpet rides, Aladdin at the Hobby Center has something to appeal every member of your family. This production reimagines Walt Disney’s animated classic bringing all the magic you remember from the original and more. Featuring jokes fit for every age, countless food puns, and nonstop pop culture references, playgoers of all ages are bound to enjoy it. Barring a 5-minute technical delay, the show moves along quite fast, fitting in all the hit songs from the movie with a few new ones added in. While the sets are intricate and shimmering, as are the fireworks, the costumes are by far the best technical attribute. Featuring over 2 million Swarovski crystals hand sewn amongst the beading, the costumes glisten throughout every scene. On the acting side, Clinton Greenspan (Aladdin) effectively embodies the “diamond in the rough” trying to steal the heart of Princess Jasmine, played by the talented Kaena Kekoa, however, Major Attaway steals the show from the overture through the finale as the Genie. Leading a fabulous cast of dancers and singers, Attaway draws in the audience in a way that only the Genie can. Throwing in some Houston specific humor along the way, the Genie spends the whole show appealing to the audience more than he does appealing to Aladdin, his “Genie Master”. Leading the incredible dancers through “Friend Like Me”, the Genie performs just as much magic as he does in the movie, captivating the audience in awe. But above all else, the most mystical scene is when Aladdin takes Jasmine on a magic carpet ride in “A Whole New World”. Soaring far above the Earth on a star-filled stage, the magic carpet will amaze everyone. With something to appeal to fans young and old, Aladdin is a must-see while its in town. Aladdin is playing at the Hobby Center now through July 14th. Tickets are available at houston.broadway.com or at thehobbycenter.org.

For more Broadway show updates tune into ktru’s Showstoppers, returning this fall on air and online at ktru.org.

ktru top 35 6/22/19

Jun 22, 2019 | ktru

1 – ex hex – it’s real – merge
2 – karen o & dangermouse – lux prima – lux prima
3 – tacocat – this mess is a place – sub pop
4 – charly bliss – young enough – barsuk
5 – better oblivion community center – s/t – dead oceans
6 – lucille furs – another land – rput
7 – pup – morbid stuff – rise
8 – viagra boys – street worms – s/r
9 – anemone – beat my distance – luminelle
10 – health – vol 4: slaves of fear – loma vista
11 – frankie & the witch fingers – zam – greenway
12 – ritual howls – rendered armor – felte
13 – the faint – egowerk – saddle creek
14 – woods, jamila – legacy! legacy! – jagjaguwar
15 – kero kero bonito – time n’ place – polyvinyl
16 – sneaks – highway hypnosis – merge
17 – cochemea – all my relations – daptone
18 – homeshake – helium – sinderlyn
19 – methyl ethel – triage – 4ad
20 – goggs – pre strike sweep – in the red
21 – yowler – black dog in my path – double double whammy
22 – cat power – wanderer – domino
23 – dreams – no one defeats us – astralwerks
24 – 7fo – ryu no nukegara – em
25 – darwin’s finches – good morning creatures ii – artificial head
26 – abjects – never give up – yippee ki yay
27 – yann tiersen – all – everythings calm
28 – durand jones & the indicators – american love call – dead oceans
29 – weyes blood – titanic rising – sub pop
30 – mountain goats, the – in league with dragons – merge
31 – kazyak – reflection – s/r
32 – green dome – thinking in stitches – case study
33 – tunic – complexion – self sabotage
34 – easy love – easy love – burger records / wallflower records
35 – parcels – s/t – kitsune

ktru top 35 6/15/19

Jun 15, 2019 | ktru

1 – ex hex – it’s real – merge
2 – lucille furs – another land – rput
3 – tacocat – this mess is a place – sub pop
4 – kero kero bonito – time n’ place – polyvinyl
5 – karen o & dangermouse – lux prima – lux prima
6 – homeshake – helium – sinderlyn
7 – better oblivion community center – s/t – dead oceans
8 – frankie & the witch fingers – zam – greenway
9 – sneaks – highway hypnosis – merge
10 – ritual howls – rendered armor – felte
11 – weyes blood – titanic rising – sub pop
12 – mountain goats, the – in league with dragons – merge
13 – goggs – pre strike sweep – in the red
14 – darwin’s finches – good morning creatures ii – artificial head
15 – anemone – beat my distance – luminelle
16 – cochemea – all my relations – daptone
17 – viagra boys – street worms – s/r
18 – tunic – complexion – self sabotage
19 – abjects – never give up – yippee ki yay
20 – health – vol 4: slaves of fear – loma vista
21 – charly bliss – young enough – barsuk
22 – pup – morbid stuff – rise
23 – yowler – black dog in my path – double double whammy
24 – methyl ethel – triage – 4ad
25 – cat power – wanderer – domino
26 – dire wolves – paradisiacal mind – feeding tube
27 – dreams – no one defeats us – astralwerks
28 – 7fo – ryu no nukegara – em
29 – green dome – thinking in stitches – case study
30 – yann tiersen – all – everythings calm
31 – the faint – egowerk – saddle creek
32 – woods, jamila – legacy! legacy! – jagjaguwar
33 – various – reggae gold 2018 – vp
34 – parcels – s/t – kitsune
35 – holter, julia – aviary – domino

SXSW 2019: Film and Music Collaborating on Broadway

Jun 14, 2019 | ktru, reviews, Showstoppers

Written by Harrison Lorenzen

            During the 2019 SxSW music festival, four major production forces on Broadway came together to discuss the past, present, and future of Film and Music Collaborating on Broadway. Leading the panel was Natasha Davidson, an associate professor of theater at the University of Texas at Austin as well as a producer of The Prom. By her side were Nell Benjamin, lyricist of Mean Girls and Legally Blonde, and Larry O’Keefe, composer of Legally Blonde and Heathers. Rounding out the group was Melisa Sechrest, the Live Stage Representative at Paramount Pictures. The discussion ranged from the current state of Broadway and attracting new audiences, to works already on stage and some future projects.

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SXSW 2019: Music Week, Pt. 2

SXSW 2019: Music Week, Pt. 2

Jun 13, 2019 | ktru

By Rachel Bui

Wednesday, March 13

Ah, nothing like getting egg on your t-shirt in the morning less than an hour before interviewing Jambinai at their hotel. Despite that blip in the morning, I still enjoyed my time with the band, a Korean avant-rock band I saw the prior day at COREA Impact. Typically when listening to music that blends traditional with modern, you’d hear a funky EDM fusion, yet with Jambinai, you are blasted with rock music tempered with Korean folk instruments. Despite some language barriers, I had the privilege of dissecting what drives them to boldly defy “tradition,” understanding their passion for experimenting with music, and learning how they use their music to make bold political statements on occasion (interview found here).

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