Indie 102.3 Sessions

Singer-songwriter Bevin Luna released the album "Baby Dragon" in April. The Fort Collins musician writes and plays music with her brother Gabe. Her band's guitar riff-driven rock music is influenced by her family's Southern upbringing and Caribbean heritage. Bevin Luna visited the CPR Performance Studio to play some new songs. She and her brother also spoke with Bruce Trujillo...

Rowan Kerrick released the "Foolish" EP last month. The record is an autobiographical collection of songs inspired by a recent breakup. The classically-trained singer-songwriter recorded it in New York, though she recently moved back to her hometown of Denver. Kerrick visited the CPR Performance Studio to play four songs from "Foolish." She also spoke with Alisha Sweeney about...

Modern Leisure is the indie rock project of Denver musician Casey Banker. He's a veteran of the Colorado music scene who previously played in Shady Elders and fronted The Don'ts and Be Carefuls. His new band, which released the album "Super Sad Rom​-​Com" last month, makes music with folk influences and a laid-back summery sound. Modern Leisure visited the CPR Performance Studi...

Paul DeHaven has visited the CPR Performance Studio on several occasions, both as a member of Paper Bird and Eye & The Arrow. Earlier this month the Colorado musician released his debut solo album, "King of Gold." DeHaven performed three songs from "King of Gold" in our studio accompanied by guitarist Blake Stepan. He also spoke with Bruce Trujillo about scrapping the firs...

Dirty Few released the new EP, "Volcom Sessions," last month. The Denver garage rock quintet recorded it at the California headquarters of the skate and surf apparel company Volcom. It's an energetic record that's representative of the band's potent live show. Before a release show at Denver's Larimer Lounge, Dirty Few returned to the CPR Performance Studio for the fi...

Down Time released its debut EP, "Good Luck!," last year. The record features five lo-fi indie pop songs that the group itself describes as "grandma jams." The Denver indie rock band has since expanded from a trio to a five-piece and is at work on new material. Down Time stopped into the CPR Performance Studio before a concert at Larimer Lounge. The band played four songs and s...

Phil Pirrone leads JJUUJJUU with a rotating cast of backing players. The Los Angeles psychedelic rock band recently released its debut album, "Zionic Mud." It's heavy on reverberated vocals, fuzzed-out guitar licks and intriguing song titles like "Italian Toothpaste." JJUUJJUU stopped into the CPR Performance Studio before a show at Denver's Lost Lake. The band played...

Brazilian Girls this year released the album "Let's Make Love," the pop band's first since 2008's Grammy-nominated "New York City." It features the eclectic dance sound the quartet became known for in the early 2000s. The album came together over the course of several years, with recording sessions in Istanbul, Paris, Madrid and New York. Brazilian Girls visited...

Joel Van Horne released his third album as Covenhoven earlier this month. "A Kind Of Revelation" came from the Denver musician's writing sessions while touring along the Pacific coast of California, Oregon and Washington. The album blends the contemplative folk of Covenhoven's previous work with vivid orchestral string parts. Covenhoven returned to the CPR Performance Studio fo...

After a five-year hiatus, Wolf Parade released the new album "Cry Cry Cry" last fall. The Montreal quartet -- led by the songwriting duo of Dan Boeckner and Spencer Krug -- picks up right where it left off with a collection songs of featuring mystifying lyrics and uptempo rock rhythms. Wolf Parade stopped into the CPR Performance Studio before a concert at the Ogden Theatre. The members...

Super Bummer released its debut album, "Big Ambition," last month. The quartet hails from New Mexico and currently resides in Denver. The album features midtempo rock songs influenced by '90s indie music and surf-rock, as well as occasionally downcast lyrics in line with the band's name. Super Bummer recently played some songs from "Big Ambition" in the CPR Performanc...

Ivory Circle caught some national attention this year with a remarkable submission to NPR Music's Tiny Desk Contest. The Denver band's video for "Never Let Me Go" -- which features multiple images of band members spliced into one shot -- made a list of the contest judges' favorite entries (and our list as well). That video landed them a spot on last week's Tiny Desk C...

Paul Kimbiris & The Dark Side of Pearl released the new "May Day" EP earlier this month. Kimbiris has garnered comparisons to Bob Dylan and Gregory Alan Isakov for his lyrical storytelling and folk-inspired music. The new record features a louder rock sound from his band, named for the main street in the singer-songwriter's home of Boulder. Kimbiris and his band recently return...

Darren Garvey spent the last two years as the percussionist for Colorado folk group Elephant Revival. That band recently went on hiatus, but Garvey is staying busy with his solo singer-songwriter music. Next month the multi-instrumentalist will release his latest album, "Heart Attack Sleeves," and he performs June 29 at the Walnut Room with Tough Old Bird and Perry West. Garvey stopped i...

Gasoline Lollipops have a busy 2018 schedule. The Boulder country-rock band will perform at several Colorado summer music festivals including Grandoozy and ARISE as well as a free concert at Levitt Pavilion Denver in July. The quartet released its latest album, "Soul Mine," late last year. Gasoline Lollipops recently returned to the CPR Performance Studio a year after their first visit....

Jess Parsons released her debut solo record, "Murmuration," last week. The singer and ukulele player has been active in Denver's music scene as a member of Glowing House, Bluebook and Kyle Emerson's band. The five-song EP finds Parsons taking the traditional folk sound of her previous work in a more ethereal direction. Parsons stopped into the CPR Performance Studio to play thr...

Erika Wennerstrom has visited our studio before with her Americana-rock band Heartless Bastards. This year, the singer and guitarist took a break from that band to release her debut solo album, "Sweet Unknown." Inspired by a trip to the Amazon rainforest, the record features a more psychedelic sound for Wennerstrom, whose robust vocals are always a riveting aspect of her music. Wennerstr...

Los Mocochetes have become live favorites in Denver for their thrilling blend of percussion, guitars, horns and vocals that incorporates elements of Chicano rock and funk. The seven-piece band's songs feature politically minded lyrics, and it's easy for a listener to sing along to songs like "¡Que Viva Revolución!" Their entry to this year's Tiny Desk Contest from NPR Musi...

Jamaal Curry writes hip-hop songs that hearken back to the genre's early days in the 1980s and '90s. The Fort Collins rapper and producer performs under the name Boss Eagle. He released his debut album, "The Firebird Album," late last year. Boss Eagle performed four songs from "The Firebird Album" in the CPR Performance Studio and donned some boxing attire for one of...

Shannon And The Clams released their fifth album, "Onion," earlier this year. The Oakland quartet teamed up with producer Dan Auerbach of The Black Keys for the record, which features the retro rock and pop sound of the band's previous work. Singer Shannon Shaw's lyrics pay tribute to the victims of the 2016 fire at the Ghost Ship venue in the band's hometown. Shannon And...

Mona Magno (aka Monalicious) is the singer-songwriter and baritone ukulele player behind Twin Flame Medicine. The Denver artist -- who also fronts Flowers of Mass Production -- and her band combine folk instruments with jazz grooves and soulful melodies. The band released its self-titled debut album last week.​ Twin Flame Medicine joined us in the CPR Performance Studio before the album's rel...

Palm released its sophomore album, "Rock Island," earlier this year. The Philadelphia quartet's music is hard to pin down: It incorporates elements of rock, pop, tropicalia, electronica and other genres for a bizarre and exciting sound. The band recorded much of the album in a secluded farmhouse in New York state. The band members brought their eccentric sound into the CPR Performan...

Stelth Ulvang somehow finds time to balance a solo music career with his demanding schedule as a member of Denver band The Lumineers. The Fort Collins native, who plays dozens of instruments, has released three records so far this year, the most recent of which is his solo sophomore LP, "American Boredom." Ulvang wrote and recorded the album over the course of three years during breaks f...

Moaning released its self-titled debut album last month on the renowned Sub Pop record label. The Los Angeles trio writes bass-driven rock songs that recall classic post-punk albums from Gang of Four and Joy Division mixed with influences from the California indie scene. The band recently performed at this year's SXSW festival in Austin, Texas, and Treefort Music Festival in Boise, Idaho. Moa...

There aren't any bands quite like The Milk Blossoms. The Denver trio combines ukulele, beatboxing and keys for a unique experimental pop sound. The band just released the new album "Dry Heave The Heavenly," which was recorded in part at Denver music nonprofit Youth On Record. The Milk Blossoms first played in the CPR Performance Studio in 2015, and we were pleased to welcome them ba...