Lily Cato leads this New York-based sextet with clear nods to '60s girl-group harmonies and an increasing reliance on taut, muscular synth pop. Parlour Tricks plays three tracks (including one as-yet-unreleased tune) on this week's show, and we talk with Cato and harmony vocalists Darah Golub and Morgane Hollowell about the band's evolution, its rejection of gender-as-genre, and how all the best post-show compliments deal with music theory. Songs performed are "Gone," "Requiem" and "Leave Your Light On." Recorded on March 7, 2016 at KDHX in St. Louis. Engineered by Andy Coco and Paul Roach.
These two singer-songwriters take different approaches to their craft -- Grant-Lee Phillips is often ruminative and mystical, while Poltz treats his songs as a catch-all for his expansive and idiosyncratic worldview. But as tour mates, Phillips and Poltz find commonality both in the songs and in conversation, as this special two-for-one episode of Collector's Edition proves. Phillips performs "Smoke and Sparks" and "Holy Irons" from his latest The Narrows, and Poltz plays "I Want All My Friends to Be Happy" and "Folksinger" from his latest, also called Folksinger. Recorded on February 16, 2016 at KHDX in St. Louis. Recorded by Dan Kinney, mixed and mastered by Haley Hudson.