KCSB-FM 91.9

Kyle Field of Little Wings is obsessed with the late 1970s surfer drama, Big Wednesday. In an interview with Vice online, he shares this sequence with the journalist profiling him: “'What are we drinking to?'" asks one of the characters in the film.

"An old grizzled surfer raises his bottle, and Field recites the line along with him: 'To your friends, come hell or high water!'"

I recently heard from Trevor Beld Jimenez, an old friend who was part of the mid-to-late 2000s indie-rock / indie-folk / psych-surf scene in Ventura. Trevor relocated with his family to Los Angeles, and more recently to Riverside, after making a name for himself in such 805 bands as Franklin for Short and Tall Tales and the Silver Lining. From there, he recorded with the duo Parting Lines, and now he's set to release his debut solo record, I Like It Here, on November 13th, courtesy of Curation Records, a newer label run by his old pal and musical mentor Brent Rademaker (of Beechwood Sparks, The Tyde, and GospelbeacH).

(Trevor Beld Jimenez's I Like It Here LP cover: courtesy image.)

Trevor is one of the finest human beings I've ever met who's actually made a go of things in the music industry. What's always impressed me is how his artistic community and social scene has been populated by so many decent, loving, and creative individuals. And that posse includes cult-heroes like Kyle from Little Wings. The DIY ethic is a priority, but so is a spirit of mutual aid and friendship, just like Kyle's favorite Big Wednesday quotation.

In light of all that positivity, this broadcast will feature debuts by old friends and lovely talents I've had the pleasure of meeting (and getting to know) in recent years, largely thanks to KCSB-FM. We'll share new tracks from Trevor Beld Jimenez, but also an old high-school friend of mine from Sacramento, CA: the prolific Anton Barbeau, whose most recent LP, Manbird, is something of a love letter to our shared hometown – but also acknowledges the efforts of a younger artist with a similar mission, Greta Gerwig and her Oscar-nominated debut film, Ladybird.

There's more. Tele Novella – a Texas group that features another old friend from Sacramento, Natalie Ribbons – will soon be releasing their debut release for legendary indie label Kill Rock Stars. It's called Merlynn Belle, and it's due in early February. We'll hear the first single from that new album.

Also in the mix: a new song by Stones Throw artist Black Shakespeare, a Jamaican-American musician who's made waves with the Los Angeles reggae-soul band The Lions, among other projects. Also in this mix: • a Little Wings fave • a track from the most recent Man Man LP, Dream Hunting in the Valley of the In-Between, their Sub Pop Records debut which unfortunately might have gotten lost somewhat in the chaos of the early pandemic lockdown • more friends and acquaintances, like VNLVX, GospelbeacH, Gardens & Villa, Pearl Charles, The Blank Tapes, and a few from the vaults.

We'll also honor the memories of two figures who inspired and honed the skills of some of these other folks: Neal Casal (of Circles Around the Sun and Chris Robinson Brotherhood) and Richard Swift (of The Shins and The Black Keys, among other noteworthy efforts).

"The Freak Power Ticket" airs on KCSB-FM 91.9 in Santa Barbara (streaming live at www.kcsb.org), Mondays in the fall from 11am-12noon PST.