The Low Notes Podcast

    Jack Kerouac once wrote, “The only truth is music.” For Jonathan Fraser, what’s true is that music is something he will be creating until his final day on earth. His latest record, Stendhal: Tragedy of the Journeyman, embraces that sentiment, taking the listener on a solitary journey that mirrors its authors’ own pensive perspective on life. In this conversation, you’ll hear Jonathan’s thoughts on why he avoids music scenes, what’s inspired him to become such a prolific songwriter, and why using Craigslist to search for band members sucks.  

Whether it was listening to "Cinderfella Dana Dane" on a dubbed tape, or secretly experiencing Eazy-E through a pair of headphones so his parents wouldn't find out, discovering hip hop while growing up on a US military base in Japan gave this episodes' guest a unique perspective on music.  Working under the moniker of S.O.A.P., Calvin Castillo creates thought-provoking hip hop and electronic music that showcases the sonic education he's received since hearing his first 808.  Listen to his thoughts on how much the music business has changed since he first began writing and performing in the late 1990s, and his appreciation of experiencing music without any preconceived notions.

Tamara Simons and Austin Knecht of the band Curtsy stopped by the studio to discuss their new single “Life Through a Glass,” as well as listen to us gush over their first album. Curtsy is what some may call the last of a dying breed: an actual band recording records in a real studio. But everything they’ve created thus far is proof that thoughtful, earnest, catchy guitar-based music is far from dead. Listen to them talk about how the band came together, their approach to songwriting, and the not-so-guilty pleasure in loving the Backstreet Boys.