Casey Stratton Audio Podcasts

#57 - Wars, Marriage and Release

podcasts@caseystratton.com (Sleeping Pill Music) — Tue, 28 Jun 2011 15:20:00 -0400

I discuss the war in Afghanistan and New York's Marriage Equality progress before talking about artists and social networking. Performed Release Me by Wilson Phillips.

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# 56 - Weiners, Greeks and Vigils

podcasts@caseystratton.com (Sleeping Pill Music) — Tue, 28 Jun 2011 15:19:00 -0400

I discussed Anthony Weiner, Vancouver and Greece before talking about my new project, The Vigil. I then performed To Leave is to Die A Little.

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#55 - Art, Commerce and Priorities

podcasts@caseystratton.com (Sleeping Pill Music) — Mon, 23 May 2011 19:13:00 -0400

In this episode I discuss my recent TV appearance and then talk a bit about my cat Henry who is currently going through renal failure. I then discuss art vs. commerce and the pitfalls that come with the territory. Live performance is Wild Soul from DIVIDE.

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#54 - Bows, Arrows and Solomon

podcasts@caseystratton.com (Sleeping Pill Music) — Tue, 17 May 2011 18:44:00 -0400

In this episode I discussed Bow, the local cat found shot with a bow and arrow and the fund for his vet bills, as well as discussing my cat Henry. I then answered questions about collaborating with other artists and reworking/re-recording your material as an artist. I then performed Song of Solomon by Kate Bush.

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#53 - Sequencing, Evolution and Trust

podcasts@caseystratton.com (Sleeping Pill Music) — Fri, 6 May 2011 17:55:00 -0400

In this episode I discuss the death of Osama Bin Laden, Oil rigs in the Gulf of Mexico, Japan, etc before answering a question about album sequencing and another question about the evolution of my writing over the years. Then I perform "You Can Have You Freedom Back" from "Piano/Vocals: March 2003" which is available at http://store.caseystratton.com

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# 52 - Paris, Piano Parts and Pele

podcasts@caseystratton.com (Sleeping Pill Music) — Thu, 14 Apr 2011 20:30:00 -0400

I discuss Japan and US Government news, take questions about Europe and songwriting and perform a completely impromptu cover of Hey Jupiter by Tori Amos.

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# 51 - Tsunamis, Shutdowns and Flowers

podcasts@caseystratton.com (Sleeping Pill Music) — Fri, 8 Apr 2011 13:38:00 -0400

Discussion includes Japan, Ivory Coast, Wisconsin and the impending US government shutdown. I then take questions and discuss creativity and writer's block before performing "Crossfire" by Brandon Flowers.

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#50 - Earthquakes, Protests and Cities

podcasts@caseystratton.com (Sleeping Pill Music) — Thu, 24 Mar 2011 20:30:00 -0400

In this episode of the Casey Stratton Podcast I discuss the situations in Japan and the Middle East. I then talk about my new project, Hear the City before performing Inside Out from that work.

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#49 - Covers, Chocolate and Composing

podcasts@caseystratton.com (Sleeping Pill Music) — Wed, 31 Mar 2010 13:55:00 -0400

In this episode of the Casey Stratton Podcast I answer many of your questions, including one that brings me to another Music Theory 101 lesson since the last one was a big hit with everyone. I then perform Kites from Orbit. Music recommendation is Joni Mitchell's Court and Spark.

...sudden, expansive shift toward a much larger canvas--a sleeker, orchestrated pop style pulsing with jazz elements. Court & Spark found Mitchell casting aside her earth mother affectations and revealing herself as the thoroughly modern, thoroughly complicated woman she is; the songs sustained familiar preoccupations with relationships but replaced courtly settings and naturalistic imagery with recognizably modern locales. Deeply romantic, constantly questioning, classic tracks like the title song, "Help Me," "Free Man in Paris," "Same Situation," and "Raised on Robbery" display a more liberated Mitchell, ready to rumble with unbridled electric guitars (guest Robbie Robertson on "...Robbery"), even willing to poke fun at her own oh-so-sensitive rep with a hip cover of Annie Ross's hilarious "Twisted." --Sam Sutherland

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#48 - Reconciliation, Sensitivity and Music Theory 101

podcasts@caseystratton.com (Sleeping Pill Music) — Wed, 17 Mar 2010 12:33:00 -0400

In this episode of the Casey Stratton Podcast I discuss the current state of the Health Care reform efforts in the US congress before taking 2 questions. I go on to explain some basic music theory, as promised on Facebook. The live performance is Sinead O'Connor's The Last Day of Our Acquaintance. Music recommendation is the Donna Lewis album Now in a Minute.

This Welsh singer has a bright, breathy voice highlighted by a heart-tugging Celtic lilt. Her atmospheric, piano-driven pop sound, produced by Kevin (U2) Killen, is like a hybrid of the Corrs and Cranberries on the memorable lead single "I Love You Always Forever" (inspired by an H.E. Bates novel). The slightly edgier "Without Love" and the shimmering "Nothing Ever Changes" are other highlights. --Jeff Bateman

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#47 - Earthquakes, Journeys and Bliss

podcasts@caseystratton.com (Sleeping Pill Music) — Wed, 3 Mar 2010 11:24:00 -0500

In this episode of the Casey Stratton Podcast I discuss current events, including the recent Earthquake in Chile. I then explore the themes of artistry in a commercial world and Joseph Campbell's idea of following your bliss. No live performance this time due to a cold. Music recommendation is Ani DiFranco's Dilate.

Following up two of her strongest records, Not a Pretty Girl and Out of Range, Dilate takes a different tack. It's quieter and more lush than previous efforts but just as intensely personal, with songs like "Untouchable Face" that are easier to identify with than many other DiFranco tunes. At the same time, DiFranco's old fans might not recognize the sound here, especially on tracks like the trip-hop-influenced "Amazing Grace," the shuffling "Napoleon," or the indescribable "Shameless"--this isn't the same thrash-folkie of old. - Randy Silver

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#46 - Sports, Bingo and Double Albums

podcasts@caseystratton.com (Sleeping Pill Music) — Wed, 17 Feb 2010 15:38:00 -0500

In this episode of the Casey Stratton Podcast I discuss the Winter Olympics which leads to a wider discussion on sports in general. I then discuss my recent obsession with Bingo. I then discuss independent music before talking more about the plans and process for my next record. Two live performances follow, the first being Fortress from The Darkest World EP, the second being Dante's Prayer from Loreena McKennitt's The Book of Secrets. Music recommendation is the aforementioned The Book of Secrets by Loreena McKennitt.

McKennitt's recordings always have the quality of a spiritual sojourn; her songs are those of a seeker, whether she's setting Yeats, Scripture, or her own words to her compositions. It's this that attracts people to her music, and The Book of Secrets is no exception... - Genevieve Williams for Amazon.com

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#45 - Grammys, Commercialism and Artistry

podcasts@caseystratton.com (Sleeping Pill Music) — Wed, 3 Feb 2010 11:50:00 -0500

In this episode of the Casey Stratton Audio Podcast I discuss last week's State of the Union address in the U.S. and then talk a little about the Grammys. This digresses into a conversation about commercialism vs. artistry. I then go on to talk about my new release, Artifacts: Memories and Photographs B-Sides Volume Two before playing Beyond the Pale, from that release, on the guitar. Music recommendation is Beth Nielsen Chapman's Sand and Water.

One of America's finest undiscovered singer-songwriters, Chapman lost her husband to cancer in 1995, and this emotionally rich collection details her process of loss, reconciliation, and healing. Jim Ed Norman's strong production ranges from piano-based ballads ("The Color of Roses," "No One Knows But You") to exuberant rootsy pop (lead single "Happy Girl," "All the Time in the World"). This is music with a tender grasp on the big picture. --Jeff Bateman

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#44 - Rescues, Reality and a Ridiculous Feline

podcasts@caseystratton.com (Sleeping Pill Music) — Wed, 20 Jan 2010 13:10:00 -0500

In this episode of the Casey Stratton Podcast I discuss current events including the recent earthquake in Haiti. I then answer 2 of your questions. The first is about how I came to co-habitate with my 4 cats. The second is about audio production and engineering. I then talk a little bit more about the new album I am working on. Live performance of A Promise Made follows. Music recommendation is Sleepthief's The Dawnseeker.

The expansive sound of The Dawnseeker is the product of two years of production and countless hours of lost sleep--and the end result is a compelling album that beckons to be heard. Engineered and co-produced by Israel Curtis, The Dawnseeker is sure to garner attention of fans of angelic vocals, sublime electronica and celestial soundscapes alike.

The music is rich and varied, ranging from the drum and bass pulse of "The Chauffeur," an amazing cover of the Duran Duran classic hit, to the Celtic-influenced melancholy of "Eurydice;" from the sweeping sorry of "Sublunar (Sweet Angel)" to the middle-eastern energy of "Desire of Ages." What is certain is that Sleepthief has composed a moving and powerful debut album that showcases the mystery and beauty of the female voice. - Musical Discoveries

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#43 - Video, Covers and Sad Creators

podcasts@caseystratton.com (Sleeping Pill Music) — Wed, 6 Jan 2010 15:57:00 -0500

In this episode of the Casey Stratton Podcast I have some growing pains getting used to filming video while recording the audio. Both versions are now available. This is still your spot for the audio podcast but you can find the video podcast, as well as YouTube clips of the live performance(s), at caseystrattonvideo.blogspot.com. I talk some current events including the recent attempted terrorist attack in the US and the situation in Uganda before taking some questions. Questions include how I choose covers, whether sadness makes for better music creation and the story behind Dear Sylvia. I then go on to talk a little about the new record I'm writing before performing Dear Sylvia live. Music recommendation is Patty Griffin's Children Running Through.

On her fifth studio CD, folk-rocker Patty Griffin employs three timeless themes--childhood, flight, and death--to craft her most musically diverse and accessible album yet. But while moving through jazz, beatnik, classic and modern folk, gospel R&B, Americana, and moody piano ballad, Griffin keeps her backing quiet and spare, all the more to showcase the power of her deft storytelling and the bell clarity of her unadorned soprano. On song after song, the characters who waft through her experience are on the move, chasing one thing and fleeing another--on trains, ships, buses, in cars, even on the aerialist's bar--ultimately trading an ending of one kind for a new beginning and transference. - amazon.com

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#42 - Christmas, Holidays and Music

podcasts@caseystratton.com (Sleeping Pill Music) — Wed, 23 Dec 2009 16:19:00 -0500

In this special Christmas episode of the Casey Stratton Podcast I perform many holiday songs. The first is O Holy Night, followed by What Is This Lovely Fragrance?, Un Flambeau, Jeanette, Isabelle, Joy to the World and It Came Upon The Midnight Clear. To close out I play a recording of me singing Jolly Old St. Nicholas in 1981 at the age of 5. Music recommendation is Tori Amos' Midwinter Graces.

Tori gets her own chance to reimagine classics like "What Child, Nowell" and "Star of Wonder." Tori will also add her own bittersweet bliss to the season with original tracks like "Pink and Glitter" and "Our New Year."

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#41 - Shows, Snows and The Holy Ghost

podcasts@caseystratton.com (Sleeping Pill Music) — Wed, 16 Dec 2009 12:45:00 -0500

In this episode of the Casey Stratton Podcast I discuss current events, take some of your questions and then talk about why I'm OK singing Christian songs on my holiday albums even though I am an agnostic. I go on to perform two requested songs: What If? from Memories and Photographs and a cover of Wild Horses by The Rolling Stones. Music recommendation this time is Kate Havnevik's Melankton.

Kate's debut album is title "Melankton". Melankton means "Black Rose" which describes Kate's idea of the album's sound-scape and production perfectly: dark, yet beautiful.

The 12 songs on the album range from symphonic pop extravaganza to the most intimate of melodies. A truly beautiful body of work, Melankton is heady, intoxicating and evocative with its mix of wistful lyrics, mellifluous orchestration and cinematic electronica.

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#40 - Snow, Rain and Cracked Out Ceilings

podcasts@caseystratton.com (Sleeping Pill Music) — Fri, 4 Dec 2009 13:52:00 -0500

In this episode of the Casey Stratton Podcast I discuss current events, including President Barack Obama's recent announcement about the war in Afghanistan. I then take a question about social networking in the modern era before discussing the reason why the podcast is 2 days late. Wendy makes TONS of appearances, some amusing and some obnoxious. I talk briefly about the new holiday album, A Winter Moon before performing I Won't Let Go Just Yet, and original I wrote for it. I then close out the podcast with a 2001 recording I did of Loreena McKennitt's Snow. Music recommendation is Poison and Wine by The Civil Wars.

"The Civil Wars craft ethereal, tenderly exquisite songs that are the aural equivalent of finely spun gossamer."

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#39 - Rituals, Waltons and New York City

podcasts@caseystratton.com (Sleeping Pill Music) — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 16:17:00 -0500

In this episode of the Casey Stratton Podcast I discuss some current events before taking a question about how I prepare for a show and how I choose my set lists. I then talk about my recent trip to New York to perform at The Bitter End. I perform two songs you requested as well: the Whirlwind Medusa B-side Epitaph and DIVIDE's second disc B-Side Pray for Rain. Music recommendation is Karl Jenkins' The Armed Man (A Mass For Peace).

Jenkins has said that The Armed Man was inspired by the "L'Homme armé" masses that were popular in the 16th century, and he makes this debt clear with passages written in a neat pastiche of Palestrina-style renaissance polyphony. There are also echoes of earlier and later styles, including plainchant, medieval ballads, John Barry-style horn writing (think Goldfinger), and even a direct quote from Rigoletto (the choir imitates wind sounds at one point as in Act 3 of the Verdi opera). The smorgasbord manages to hold together, probably because Jenkins's obvious sincerity shines through every note. - Warwick Thompson

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#38 - Marriage, New York and Shaking My Keys

podcasts@caseystratton.com (Sleeping Pill Music) — Wed, 4 Nov 2009 13:22:00 -0500

In this episode of the Casey Stratton Podcast I discuss yesterday's election results from Maine and Kalamazoo, MI and give some opinions on the marriage debate. I then discuss my upcoming show and my thoughts on playing the older songs versus the newer ones, hopefully without offending anyone (Really!). I then play the 2003 recording of the Kate Bush song This Woman's Work that I recorded on the Bosendorfer piano during the Standing at the Edge sessions. After that, I discuss and perform You're still Waving, the Standing at the Edge B-side written in New York in 2002. Music recommendation is Bat For Lashes: Two Suns.

One of the most dynamic and intriguing performers out of the UK, Bat For Lashes (aka Natasha Khan) returns with her dazzling second album, produced by David Kosten (Faultline), featuring guest spots by Yeasayer and Scott Walker. Bat For Lashes' previous album Fur & Gold was nominated for Mercury & Brit Prizes in the UK and a Plug Award in the US, and has received accolades from Thom Yorke, Bjork, Spin Magazine, Entertainment Weekly, The NY Times, GQ, Nylon and Blender. - Amazon.com

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#37 - Tattoos, Tracks and Touring

podcasts@caseystratton.com (Sleeping Pill Music) — Wed, 21 Oct 2009 18:13:00 -0400

In this episode of the Casey Stratton Podcast I take many of your questions, including discussing my 5 tattoos, the remastering process and more about what it takes to do my live performances. I then play There Lies the Answer from The Crossing and Whirlwind Medusa from the album of the same name (on the harpsichord!), both by request. Music recommendation is Greg Laswell's Covers EP.

Los Angeles based producer and songwriter Greg Laswell covers Echo & The Bunnymen, Morphine, Mazzy Star, Kate Bush and Kristin Hersh on his upcoming Covers EP, out October 6 on Vanguard Records. Listen to Greg Laswell’s cover of Kristin Hersh’s “Your Ghost.”

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#36 - Reunions, A Lake and Sky

podcasts@caseystratton.com (Sleeping Pill Music) — Wed, 7 Oct 2009 18:14:00 -0400

In this episode of the Casey Stratton Podcast I answer a question from a listener before discussing my 15 year Interlochen Arts Academy Reunion that I attended this past weekend. I then go on to perform The Lake from Whirlwind Medusa and You Never Touched the Sky, a B-side from Lily Sleeps. Music recommendation this time is the B-side collection to Memories and Photographs, releasing today!

More Memories and Photographs: The B-sides

1. Nevermind
2. Damaged
3. Hindsight
4. Notebook
5. A Difficult World
6. Evidence
7. For Just Tonight
8. Starry Night
9. Only My Darkness
10. Coastline
11. Crie Pour Toi (French Version of Done For)

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#35 - Lies, Dancing and Managers

podcasts@caseystratton.com (Sleeping Pill Music) — Wed, 23 Sep 2009 17:00:00 -0400

In this edition of the Casey Stratton Podcast I talk about the recent TV opportunities I have been offered that may or may not pan out. I also talk a little more about Memories and Photographs before performing Time Will Melt Us Away from that release. I then perform a cover of Cloudbusting by Kate Bush. Music recommendation is Rosie Thomas' If Songs Could Be Held.

On her third Sub Pop full-length, this Seattle songwriter/vocalist approaches the sometimes difficult but universal topics of introspection, identity, and love with bravery, honesty, and above all, stunning beauty. "If Songs..." marks the first time she's collaborated with musicians outside her circle of family and friends, this time working with Liz Phair guitarist Dino Meneghin, accomplished film soundtrack string arranger Josh Myers, and a duet with Ed Harcourt on the classic "Let It Be Me". - Amazon

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#34 - Beaches, Business and Bushes

podcasts@caseystratton.com (Sleeping Pill Music) — Wed, 9 Sep 2009 20:41:00 -0400

In this installment of the Casey Stratton Podcast I answer a question about Driving to the Moon as well as touching on the subject of getting your music out there (for the aspiring recording artists who have been asking). I then talk a little more about Memories and Photographs before performing Sea Change and Shut You Down from that record. Music recommendation is Kate Bush's Hounds of Love.

The album was self-produced and primarily recorded on her Fairlight keyboard. Bush weaves intricate tapestries of sound and imagery with songs that span the range of all emotion, from the most intimate to the most frightening. - Amazon.com

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#33 - Memories, Photographs and Characters

podcasts@caseystratton.com (Sleeping Pill Music) — Wed, 26 Aug 2009 20:16:00 -0400

In this episode of the Casey Stratton Podcast I talk about the new album, Memories and Photographs a bit. I also discuss social networking and its impact on music, artists and fans. I perform I Fail Again from the new record before performing a cover of Bonnie Raitt's I Can't Make You Love Me. Music recommendation is Imogen Heap's Ellipse.

Imogen Heap--singer/songwriter/producer and two-time Grammy nominee--is back with her much anticipated new solo album, Ellipse. Beginning in Hawaii and working her way through Fiji, Imogen Heap has poured her heart and soul into writing her next masterpiece. Ellipse was recorded in her new studio, which she built in her old family home in Essex, U.K., and features the lead track "First Train Home."

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