The Warm Up with Marcus Foster

Sometimes when we invite people to come to Ardent to record an episode of our little podcast something magical happens. Such is the case of Marcus Foster. When he showed up at the studio we didn’t know a lot about him, and he didn’t know a lot about us. But sometime over the course of the day we fell in love with each other.

The UK-based musician has been on the road non-stop since SXSW, touring the US with his piano player Jack Standen and spreading the word about his album, Nameless Path, and his upcoming EP. We first heard him just a few weeks ago when he played The Jimmy Fallon Show.

Foster is signed to Communion Records, the Geffen imprint of Mumford & SonsBen Lovett. The musical comparisons made between him and  Tom Waits, Tim Buckley, and Van Morrison are very much deserved – especially when Pete Matthews, who was in Studio C producing another artist, passed by where we were recording and popped his head in just to say he was really digging what he heard from the hall.

Take a listen to hear what Matthews was raving about and to hear us chat about going to Stax, Foster recording his debut album in Wales and playing the piano used in the recording of Bohemian Rhapsody.

Pick Three with Jon Elling of Grand & Noble

1. Fiona Apple, When the Pawn…

I laughed at this album when it came out due to the long title – the full title is 90 words – but one day I was driving in Tallahassee, FL and I heard the drum break on “Fast as You Can” and I was hooked. This album is undeniably sad, but boldly so. Her lyrics sparkle with wit and that voice…well, Fiona, call me anytime. Add to that Jon Brion‘s lush production and criminally under-praised Matt Chamberlain on drums, and this is a record I go back to routinely.

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Seryn Makes Beautiful Music on The Warm Up at Ardent Studios

Seryn is one of our favorite new bands! And even though they have already played SXSW a few times and been in Paste Magazine and have tons of regional press, when they become big stars, we are going to totally take credit for discovering them. Having them come to Ardent Studios today was such a treat!

Anyway, we kind of have a feeling that they will be huge because when we showed them the Diamond Award in the Ardent Studios‘ lobby (which you get for selling 10 million records) and said that no one will probably ever get one of those again, Seryn was like, “Is that a dare?”

To us, Seryn kind of sound like a cross between Sufjan Stevens, Fleet Foxes and Peter Gabriel, but we are old and weird, so there’s that.

Listen to our interview with them as they school us on the difference between a xylophone and a vibraphone and we talk about their upcoming East Coast tour. Plus, of course, they play some music. It’s totally worth 25 minutes of your time! Then go see them TONIGHT at The Hi-Tone in Memphis!

Check out our podcast to hear some outstanding live tunes from the band! Then download the The Warm Up at Ardent Studios with Seryn podcast! It’s a free Memphis music download from us to you!

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Ardent Sessions: Two Way Radio

You may not have heard of  Two Way Radio yet – but it looks like that might change in 2009. Lead singer Kate Crowder has a starring role in MTV’s upcoming $5 Cover reality series and the band is currently finishing up their sophomore album with critically acclaimed producer Scott Bomar. Sounding like the female version of The Boy Least Likely, the future is bright for this orchestral pop octet. Check out an earlier Two Way Radio release, Residential Llama, on Makeshift Music.

Two Way Radio shout out out out at Ardent Studios

Two Way Radio shout out out out at Ardent Studios

Setlist:

00:00 Intro
01:14  Makeout Song
05:36  Waking Hours
08:19  Appleseeds
12:09  If You Would Ever Leave
17:42  Dirty Dishes
22:51  Carrie Rodgers
28:11  Run Away
33:30 I Can Do Better
38:48  Waste of Time
42:03  Midtown Prowler

Nahshone Benford really blows...

Nahshone Benford really blows...

Live Dates

Mar 13 2009      Nocturnal w/ Glossary     Memphis, TN
Mar 19 2009     Memphis Music Foundation SXSW Party Austin, TX

Waiting for their cue...

Waiting for their cue...

Kate Crowder belts it out

Kate Crowder belts it out

Two Way Radio. “Waking Hours”

For more Two Way Radio videos, click here

For more Two Way Radio photos, check out the gallery

Recorded and Mixed by Alan Burcham

Mastered by Kevin Nix

This free music podcast was recorded live at Ardent Studios in Memphis, TN.

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