Indie 102.3 Sessions

Straight White Teeth is the synth-pop solo project of Patrick McGuire, formerly of Denver indie rock band Flashbulb Fires. This week McGuire announced the follow-up to 2015's "Medicine Sword" EP. He'll release the record "Physical Truth" one song at a time over the course of 2018. McGuire brought Straight White Teeth into the CPR Performance Studio this month. He played three songs and spoke with Alisha Sweeney about composing music for film, the differences between performing with a full band and as a solo act, and how a recent bicycle accident affected his songwriting.

Straight White Teeth is the synth-pop solo project of Patrick McGuire, formerly of Denver indie rock band Flashbulb Fires. This week McGuire announced the follow-up to 2015's "Medicine Sword" EP. He'll release the record "Physical Truth" one song at a time over the course of 2018. McGuire brought Straight White Teeth into the CPR Performance Studio this month. He played three songs and spoke with Alisha Sweeney about composing music for film, the differences between performing with a full band and as a solo act, and how a recent bicycle accident affected his songwriting.

Dragondeer released its debut album, "If You Got The Blues," last week. The Denver quartet has long been one of our favorite local bands for its lively blend of blues and psychedelic rock music. We welcomed them back into the CPR Performance Studio for the third time shortly before the record's release. The members of Dragondeer played three songs and spoke with Alisha Sweeney about writing music in the bathtub, how "If You Got The Blues" documents the last four years of their lives and incorporating reggae themes into their music.

Dragondeer released its debut album, "If You Got The Blues," last week. The Denver quartet has long been one of our favorite local bands for its lively blend of blues and psychedelic rock music. We welcomed them back into the CPR Performance Studio for the third time shortly before the record's release. The members of Dragondeer played three songs and spoke with Alisha Sweeney about writing music in the bathtub, how "If You Got The Blues" documents the last four years of their lives and incorporating reggae themes into their music.

Blake Brown & The American Dust Choir is one of eight Colorado acts performing at this year's South By Southwest music showcase in Austin, Texas. The Denver Americana-rock quintet formed in 2013 -- the same year it first played in the CPR Performance Studio. Last week the band released its debut album, "Long Way Home," before heading down to perform at SXSW. Brown and his band returned to CPR's OpenAir to share three songs from the new LP. Brown also spoke with Alisha Sweeney about how listening to albums from start to finish as a teenager influences his songwriting and how the band will open for country musician Keith Urban at SXSW this week.

Blake Brown & The American Dust Choir is one of eight Colorado acts performing at this year's South By Southwest music showcase in Austin, Texas. The Denver Americana-rock quintet formed in 2013 -- the same year it first played in the CPR Performance Studio. Last week the band released its debut album, "Long Way Home," before heading down to perform at SXSW. Brown and his band returned to CPR's OpenAir to share three songs from the new LP. Brown also spoke with Alisha Sweeney about how listening to albums from start to finish as a teenager influences his songwriting and how the band will open for country musician Keith Urban at SXSW this week.

Neyla Pekarek has been the cellist for Denver folk-rock group The Lumineers since 2010. Despite that band's demanding touring schedule, the Colorado native found time to write and record the original folk opera "Rattlesnake," which she'll release as an album later this year. It's based on the life of Northern Colorado pioneer "Rattlesnake" Kate McHale, who in 1925 allegedly killed 140 snakes to save her life and that of her three-year-old son. Pekarek and her band visited the CPR Performance Studio to play four songs from "Rattlesnake." She also spoke with Alisha Sweeney about how she discovered the story of Rattlesnake Kate as a student at the University of Northern Colorado, recording the album with M. Ward in Portland, Ore., and going on tour with U2 last year.

Neyla Pekarek has been the cellist for Denver folk-rock group The Lumineers since 2010. Despite that band's demanding touring schedule, the Colorado native found time to write and record the original folk opera "Rattlesnake," which she'll release as an album later this year. It's based on the life of Northern Colorado pioneer "Rattlesnake" Kate McHale, who in 1925 allegedly killed 140 snakes to save her life and that of her three-year-old son. Pekarek and her band visited the CPR Performance Studio to play four songs from "Rattlesnake." She also spoke with Alisha Sweeney about how she discovered the story of Rattlesnake Kate as a student at the University of Northern Colorado, recording the album with M. Ward in Portland, Ore., and going on tour with U2 last year.

Denver keyboardists Sean Culliton and Xavier Provencher released their debut EP as Retrofette in 2016. They've since expanded the band's futuristic pop sound by adding two more members. The quartet's multiple-synthesizer attack has won over plenty of Colorado music fans: Westword readers named the quartet "Best Pop Act" of 2017. Retrofette visited the CPR Performance Studio to play four songs. The members also spoke with Jeremy Petersen about meeting as saxophone students at the University of Denver, their reputation for high-spirited live shows and getting fellow Colorado musicians to remix songs from "I Don't Mind."

Denver keyboardists Sean Culliton and Xavier Provencher released their debut EP as Retrofette in 2016. They've since expanded the band's futuristic pop sound by adding two more members. The quartet's multiple-synthesizer attack has won over plenty of Colorado music fans: Westword readers named the quartet "Best Pop Act" of 2017. Retrofette visited the CPR Performance Studio to play four songs. The members also spoke with Jeremy Petersen about meeting as saxophone students at the University of Denver, their reputation for high-spirited live shows and getting fellow Colorado musicians to remix songs from "I Don't Mind."