Midyear 2016: KDHX DJ Top Tens

Every show on the station may broadcast on the same frequency, but each DJ is tuned a little differently, curating shows from a vast multitude of new releases and reissues, in addition to drawing from the tried and true albums of years past. (To see what new releases have brought together many of us, check out our Top Album Spins.)

As a community, KDHX DJs help open the airwaves to artists that otherwise may not find a place in the singles-rotations that dominate the top of the dial. So while the first half of 2016 has seen the passing of beloved greats, whose influences will continue to change music for decades to come, the year so far has also seen the emergence of greats in the making -- much needed reminders of the breadth of talent beyond major labels and even beyond labels themselves, among artists whose self-releases alone have accomplished more than even some of the best financed album tours. Few stations match KDHX in the diversity of taste indicated by the lists below, these from only a fraction of our shows. 

Back Country with Jeff Corbin

• Margo Price – Midwest Farmer’s Daughter (Third Man)
• The Aching Hearts – Tell It to Me (Green Strum)
• Monica Rizzio – Washashore Cowgirl (self-released)
• Loretta Lynn – Full Circle (Legacy)
• Robbie Fulks – Upland Stories (Bloodshot)
• Michael Daves – Orchids and Violence (Nonesuch)
• The People’s – Songs from the Chicken Shack (self-released)
• The Cactus Blossoms – You’re Dreaming (Red House)
• Town Mountain – Southern Crescent (Lohi)
• Sturgill Simpson – A Sailor’s Guide to Earth (Atlantic) 

Backroads with Stacy

• Ben Bedford – The Pilot and The Flying Machine (Waterbug)
• Terry Binion – The Day After the Night Before (self-released)
• case/lang/viers – case/lang/viers (Anti-)
• Cave States – True Life (Undertow)
• Gina Forsyth – Copper Rooster and Other Tunes and Tales (Waterbug)
• Josh Harty - Holding On (self-released)
• Kip Loui - The Hill Recordings with JJ Loui (self-released)
• Michael McDermott - Willow Springs (Pauper Sky)
• Heather Styka - The Bittersweet Tapes (Kite Stripe)
• Amelia White - Home Sweet Hotel (White-Wolf)

Bittersweet Melody with Allen

• Bent Shapes – Wolves of Want (Slumberland)
• Big Thief – Masterpiece (Saddle Creek)
• Brian Fallon – Painkillers (Island)
• Dylan LeBlanc – Cautionary Tale (Single Lock)
• Eleanor Friedberger – New View (Frenchkiss)
• Fruit Bats – Absolute Loser (Easy Sound)
• Nada Surf – You Know Who You Are (Barsuk)
• Sturgill Simpson – A Sailor's Guide to Earth (Atlantic)
• Sunflower Bean – Human Ceremony (Fat Possum)
• Tancred – Out of the Garden (Polyvinyl)

Boogie on Down with Hound Dog Brown

• Various Artists – God Don't Never Change: The Songs Of Blind Willie Johnson (Alligator)
• Kenny Rice – House Party (Jam Jar)
• The Green McDonough Band – The Green McDonough Band (Rainy Day)
• John Long – Stand Your Ground (Delta Groove)
• Roland Johnson - Imagine This (Blue Lotus)
• Marty D. Spikener's On Call Band – Help! I Need Some Good Blues! (On Call Band)
• Kingdom Brothers – Times Hard (Groove Ready)
• Lightnin' Malcolm – Foot Soldier (Shakedown)
• Mel Brown & the Homewreckers – Under Yonder: Live at Pop The Gator (Electro-Fi)
• Southwest Watson Sweethearts – Endless Horizon (Big Muddy)

Bluegrass Breakdown with Walter and Willa Volz

• The Spinney Brothers – Living The Dream ( Mountain Fever)
• High Fidelity – High Fidelity (self-released)
• The Boxcars – Familiar With The Ground (Mountain Home)
• The Harmans – In The Time That You Gave Me (self-released)
• Chris Jones & The Night Drivers – Run Away Tonight (Mountain Home)
• The Po' Ramblin' Boys – Back To The Mountains (Randm)
• Volume Five – Drifter (Mountain Fever)
• Special Consensus – Long I Ride (Compass)
• Farm Hands – Dig in the Dirt (Pinecastle)
• Junior Sisk & Ramblers Choice – Poor Boy's Pleasure (Mountain Fever)

Collector's Edition with Christian Schaeffer

• Mount Moriah – How to Dance (Merge)
• Big Thief – Masterpiece (Saddle Creek)
• Robert Ellis – Robert Ellis (New West)
• case/lang/viers – case/lang/viers (Anti-)
• Margaret Glaspy – Emotions & Math (ATO)
• The Jayhawks – Paging Mr. Proust (Thirty Tigers)
• Mothers – When You Walk a Long Distance You Are Tire (self-released)
• Middle Class Fashion – iii (self-released)
• Laura Gibson – Empire Builder (Barsuk)
• Poliça – United Crushers (Mom+Pop Music)

Cure for Pain with Nathaniel Farrell

• Gate – Saturday Night Fever (MIE)
• John Duncan – Bitter Earth (iDeal)
• Bremen – Eclipsed (Blackest Ever Black)
• Bardo Pond – Acid Guru Temple (Fire)
• øjeRum – Variationer I Mørke (Hornbuckle)
• Josephine Foster – No More Lamps in the Morning (Fire)
• Merzbow / Keiji Haino / Balázs Pándi – Untroublesome Defencelessness (RareNoise)
• Expo '70 – Kinetic Tones (Oaken Palace)
• Kate Carr – It was a Time of Belaboured Mataphors (Helen Scarsdale Agency)
• Jackie Lynn – Jackie Lynn (Thrill Jockey)

Down Yonder with Keith Dudding

• Bryan Sutton – The More I Learn (Sugar Hill)
• Del McCoury Band – Del and Woody (McCoury Music)
• Frank Solivan – Family, Friends & Heroes (Compass)
• Infamous Stringdusters – Ladies & Gentlemen (Compass)
• Jeff White – Right Beside You (self-released)
• Laurie Lewis & The Right Hands – The Hazel and Alice Sessions (Spruce and Maple)
• Michael Daves – Orchids & Violence (Nonesuch)
• Sam Bush – Storyman (Sugar Hill)
• Section House – Section House (Mountain Fever)
• Town Mountain – Southern Crescent (Lohi)

Elevated Rhymestate with Wil Wander

• Blank Generation – Door No. 1 (FarFetched)
• Citizen Kay – With The People (Asphalt)
• Hilltop Hoods – Drinking From The Sun, Walking Under Stars Restrung (Golden Era)
• Illphonics – Gone With The Trends (Record Machine)
• L–Fresh the Lion – Become (Elefant Traks)
• Arlo Maverick – Maybe Tomorrow (Arlo Maverick)
• Factor Chandelier – Factoria (Fake Four/Side Road)
• Vokab Kompany – The Good Kompany Album (New Kong)
• Michael Bakktron Bakke – Outdoor Cat (self-released)
• SLONE – At the Boom Jazz Café (Albatros) 

Feel Like Going Home with Roy Kastan

• The James Hunter Six – Hold On! (Daptone)
• Sturgill Simpson – A Sailor's Guide to Earth (Atlantic)
• Margo Price – Midwest Farmer's Daughter (Third Man)
• Eleanor Friedberger – New View (Frenchkiss)
• Mavis Staples – Livin' On a High Note (Anti-)
• Mount Moriah – How to Dance (Merge)
• Luther Dickinson – Blues & Ballads: A Folksinger's Songbook, Vols. I & II (New West)
• Charles Bradley – Changes (Daptone)
• Nada Surf – You Know Who You Are (Barsuk)
• Paul Simon – Stranger to Stranger (Concord)

Folks of the World with Harriet Shanas

• Anoushka Shankar – Land of Gold (Deutsche Grammophon)
• Yo Yo Ma & the Silk Road Ensemble – Sing Me Home (Masterworks)
• Bombino – Azel (Partisan)
• Nefesh Mountain – Nefesh Mountain (self-released)
• Eileen Ivers – Beyond the Bog Road (eOne)
• Cha Wa – Funk 'n' Feathers (Upt)
• Black Masala – I Love You Madly (self-released)
• Zmei3 – Rough Romanian Soul (Six Degrees)
• Céu – Tropix (Six Degrees)
• Debo Band – Ere Gobez (FPE)

Gettin' Down to It with Sean Smothers

• The Bo-Keys - Heartaches By The Number (Omnivore)
• Allen Toussaint - American Tunes (Nonesuch)
• Roland Johnson - Can't Get Enough (Blue Lotus)
• Marta Ren & the Groovelvets - Stop Look Listen (Record Kicks)
• William Bell - This is Where I Live (Concord/Stax)
• Nick Moss Band - From The Root to the Fruit (Blue Bella)
• The James Hunter Six - Hold On! (Daptone)
• Charles Bradley - Changes (Daptone)
• Various Artists - God Don't Never Change: The Songs of Blind Willie Johnson (Alligator)
• Bonnie Raitt - Dig in Deep (Red Wing)

Gold Soundz with Chris Bay

• Eric Bachmann – Eric Bachmann (Merge)
• Car Seat Headrest – Teens of Denial (Matador)
• Lucy Dacus – No Burden (Matador)
• The I Don’t Cares – Wild Stab (Dry Wood Music)
• Lapsley – Long Way Home (XL)
• Little Scream – Cult Following (Merge)
• Mount Moriah – How to Dance (Merge)
• Nada Surf – You Know Who You Are (Barsuk)
• Twin Peaks – Down In Heaven (Communion)
• Wheat – Wishing Good Things for the World (self-released)

Hindsight with Matt

• The Blessed Isles – Straining Hard Against The Strength of Night (Saint Marie)
• Brothers in Law – Raise (WWNBB)
• Dear Tracks – Soft Dreams (Track and Field)
• Eagulls – Ullages (Partisan)
• Hideous Towns – Don't Forget (Lost and Lonesome)
• The High Violets – Heroes and Halos (Saint Marie)
• Living Hour – Living Hour (Lefse)
• Tender Age – Disappear Here (Sinis)
• Wild Nothing – Life of Pause (Captured Tracks)
• Wray – Hypatia (Communicating Vessels)

The Juke Joint with Doug

• Van Morrison – ...It’s Too Late to Stop Now...Volumes II, III & IV (Legacy/Exile/Sony)
• Lisa Mann – Hard Times, Bad Decisions (self-released)
• The Rides – Pierced Arrow (429 Records)
• Tinsley Ellis – Red Clay Soul (Heartfixer Music)
• William Bell – This Is Where I Live (Melisma Music Limited)
• Golden State Lone Star Blues Revue – Golden State Lone Star Blues Revue (Electro-Fi)
• Toronzo Cannon – The Chicago Way – (Alligator)
• Kenny “Blues Boss” Wayne – Jumpin' & Boppin' (Stony Plain)
• Big Harp George – Wash My Horse In Champagne (self-released)
• Ana Popović – Trilogy, Vol. 3 (ArtisteXclusive)

Juxtaposition with Rob Levy

• David Bowie – Blackstar (ISO/Columbia)
• DIIV – Is The Is Are (Captured Tracks)
• Eagulls – Ullages (Partisan)
• Minor Victories – Minor Victories (Fat Possum)
• Night Beats – Who Sold My Generation (Heavenly)
• PJ Harvey – The Hope Six Demolition Project (Island/Vagrant)
• Prince Rama – XTreme Now (Carpark)
• Radiohead – A Moon Shaped Pearl (XL)
• Savages – Adore Life (Matador)
• Starwalker – Starwalker (Bang Ehf/Prototyp)

Latin Hemispheres with Carlos G. Charles

• Nicola Cruz – Prender El Alma Remixed (ZZK)
• Alex Anwandter – Amiga (Nacional)
• Gepe – Estilo Libre (Quemasucabeza)
• El Guincho – Hyperasia (Nacional)
• Sidestepper – Supernatural Love (Real World)
• Mexrrissey – No Manchester (Nacional)
• El Mato A Un Policia Motorizado – Violencia (Nacional)
• Céu – Tropix (Six Degrees)
• Cuicani – Now and Then (CMC)
• Santana – Santana IV (Santana IV/Thirty Tigers)

The Mixtape with Jason

• Diarrhea Planet – Turn to Gold (Infinity Cat)
• The Thermals – We Disappear (Saddle Creek)
• Middle Class Fashion – iii (self-released)
• A Giant Dog – Pile (Merge)
• Lobby Boxer – Big Bucks (self-released)
• White Lung – Paradise (Domino)
• Kanye West – The Life of Pablo (GOOD Music/Def Jam)
• David Bowie – Blackstar (ISO/Columbia)
• The So So Glos – Kamikaze (Votiv)
• Ben Diesel – We've Always Partied (self-released)

Music at Work with Curt

• Black Mountain – IV (Jagjaguwar)
• Elizabeth Cook – Exodus of Venus (Agent Love/Thirty Tigers)
• In Letter Form – Fracture. Repair. Repeat. (Metropolis)
• Dylan LeBlanc – Cautionary Tale (Single Lock)
• Daniel Romano – Mosey (New West)
• Aubrie Sellers – New City Blues (self-released)
• 7Horse – Livin' In A Bitch of A World (self-released)
• Tortoise – The Catastrophist (Thrill Jockey)
• Waco Brothers – Going Down In History (Bloodshot)
• White Denim – Stiff (Downtown)

Musical Merry-Go-Round with Grandfather Stark

• Brady Rymer & The Little Band That Could – Press Play (Bumblin' Bee)
• Frances England – Explorer of the World (Redeye Distribution)
• The Okee Dokee Brothers – Saddle Up: A Western Adventure Album (self-released)
• Sugar Free Allstars – Sugar Free Allstars (Wiser)
• Charity and the JAMband – Earth (Raindrop)
• Eric Herman and The Thunder Puppies – Bubble Wrap (Butter-Dog)
• KB Whirly – Camp Songs, Vol. 1 (self-released)
• Hullabaloo – I Chew (self-released)
• Red Yarn – Wake Up and Sing (self-released)
• Diana Panton – I Believe in Little Things (eOne)

Mystery Train with Tim

• Bombino – Azel (Partisan)
• DTCV – Confusion Moderne (Xemu/Lolipop)
• Dubioza Kolektiv – Happy Machine (Koolarrow)
• Laura Gibson – Empire Builder (Barsuk)
• Minorcan – Dead Man (self-released)
• Bob Mould – Patch The Sky (Merge)
• Iggy Pop – Post Pop Depression (Loma Vista)
• Eva Salina – Lema Lema (Vogiton)
• Jon Valley – Pacific Communication (Fervid Seed)
• Emily Wells – Promise (Thesis & Instinct)

Night Shift with Mr. Roots

• Akae Beka– Portals (I Grade)
• Zion I Kings – Dub in Style (I Grade)
• Clinton Fearon – Waiting EP (Boogie Brown Productions)
• Everlasting – Raging Fire (Dub Rockers)
• Dubkasm Meets Luciano & Turbulence – Jah Victory/Right There EP (Dubkasm)
• Natty Nation – Divine Spark (iNatty)
• Harrison Stafford & The Professor Crew – One Dance (Soulbeats)
• Taj Weekes – Love Herb & Reggae (Jatta/VPAL)
• Alpha Blondy & The Solar System – Positive Energy (AlphAlliance)
• Alborosie – Freedom & Fyah (Greensleeves/VP)

Positive Vibrations as by Michael Kuelker

• Ziggy Marley – Ziggy Marley (Tuff Gong)
• Count Ossie & the Mystic Revelation of Rastafari – Tales of Mozambique (Soul Jazz)
• Various Artists – Tape Rolling: With Bunny Lee & Friends (Pressure Sounds)
• Chronixx & Federation Sound – Roots & Chalice (ChronixxMusic/Federation Sound)
• Various Artists – Roots Rock Reggae Riddim (Idler’s Corner)
• Various Artists – We Remember Dennis Brown (VP)
• Taj Weekes & Adowa – Love Herb & Reggae (Jatta/VPAL)
• Linval 'Ashaka' Thomas – "No Meck Them Blink You" (Ramjam/VPAL)
• Nesbeth – "My Dream" (Entertainment Soul)
• Tony Chin – "We Want Justice" (self-released)

Rhythm Highways with East Side Slim

• Matt Andersen – Honest Man (True North)
• William Bell – This Is Where I Live (Stax)
• The Green McDonough Band – The Green McDonough Band (self-released)
• Josh Hoyer & Soul Colossal – Running From Love (Silver Street)
• Tomi Leino Trio – Hip Shootin' (Homework)
• Paul Reddick – Ride the One (Stony Plain)
• Sturgill Simpson – A Sailor's Guide to Earth (Atlantic)
• C.W. Stoneking – Gon' Boogaloo (King Hokum)
• Tedeschi Trucks Band – Let Me Get By, Deluxe Edition (Fantasy)
• Tony Vega – Black Magic Box (Silver Belly)

Rocket 88 with Darren Snow

• Middle Class Fashion - iii (self-released)
• Whitney - Light upon the Lake (Secretly Canadian)
• Night Moves - Pennied Days (Domino)
• Santigold - 99 Cents (Atlantic)
• Pillar Point - Marble Mouth (Polyvinyl)
• Rae Spoon - Armour (Coax)
• Karl Blau - Introducing Karl Blau (Raven Marching Band)
• Field Music - Commontime (Memphis Industries)
• Anderson Paak - Malibu (Steel Wool)
• Ulrika Spacek - The Album Paranoia (Lefse)

Rolling Thunder with Ryan Cain

• Anderson / Stolt – Invention of Knowledge (Inside Out)
• Black Mountain – IV (Jagjaguwar)
• David Bowie – Blackstar (ISO/Columbia)
• The Claypool Lennon Delirium – Monolith of Phobos (ATO)
• Electric Eye – Different Sun (Jansen)
• JuJu – JuJu (Sunrise Ocean Bender)
• King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard – Nonagon Infinity (Flightless/ATO)
• Knifeworld – Bottled Out of Eden (Inside Out)
• Messenger – Threnodies (Inside Out)
• Iggy Pop – Post Pop Depression (Loma Vista)

Steam-Powered Radio with Kelly Wells

• Cactus Blossoms – You’re Dreaming (Red House)
• Southwest Watson Sweethearts – Ten Miles Gone (Big Muddy)
• The Del McCoury Band – Del and Woody (self-released)
• Dori Freeman – Dori Freeman (Free Dirt)
• Eli West – The Both (Eli West)
• Kaia Kater – Nine Pin (Mavens)
• Margo Price – Midwest Farmer’s Daughter (Third Man)
• Loretta Lynn – Full Circle (Legacy)
• Michael Daves – Orchids and Violence (Nonesuch)
• Ben Hunter and Joe Seamons – North Wind & The Sun (self-released)

Songwriters Showcase with Ed

• Scott Nolan – Silverhill (Transistor 66)
• Reagan Boggs – Empty Glasses (self-released)
• Terri Hendrix – Love You Strong (Putumayo Kids)
• Robbie Fulks – Upland Stories (Bloodshot)
• Hugh and Katy Moffat – Now and Then (SOH)
• Nathan Bell – I Don't Do This For Love, I Do This For Love (Stone Barn)
• Ben Bedford - The Pilot and the Flying Machine (Waterbug)
• Blackie Farrell – Cold Country Blues (self-released)
• Lucy Wainwright Roche and Suzzy Roche – Mud and Apples (Bunny)
• J.P. Cormier – The Chance (Pictou)

Sound Salvation with Steve Pick

• David Bowie – Blackstar (ISO/Columbia)
• case/lang/viers – case/lang/viers (Anti-)
• Cave States – True Life (Undertow)
• Brandy Clark – Big Day in a Small Town (Warner Brothers)
• The Coral – Distance Inbetween (Ignition)
• The Educated Guess – Another Educated Guess (self-released)
• Santana – Santana IV (Santana IV/Thirty Tigers)
• Esperanza Spalding – Emily’s D+Evolution (Concord)
• Thao & the Get Down Stay Down – A Man Alive (Ribbon Music)
• Henry Threadgill – Old Locks & Irregular Verbs (Pi Recordings)

Space Parlour with Nick Acquisto

• Car Seat Headrest – Teens of Denial (Matador)
• Thao & The Get Down Stay Down – A Man Alive (Ribbon)
• Savages – Adore Life (Matador)
• David Bowie – Blackstar (ISO/Columbia)
• Klaus Johann Grobe – Spagat der Liebe (Trouble In Mind)
• case/lang/veirs – case/lang/veirs (Anti-)
• Laura Gibson – Empire Builder (Barsuk)
• PJ Harvey – The Hope Six Demolition Project (Island)
• Middle Class Fashion – iii (self-released)
• The Mystery Lights – The Mystery Lights (WICK/Daptone)

Uncontrollable Urge with bobEE Sweet

• David Bowie – Black Star (ISO/Columbia)
• Dressy Bessy – Kingsized (Yep Roc)
• Iggy Pop – Post Pop Depression (Loma Vista)
• Deerhoof – The Magic (Polyvinyl)
• Kid Congo & The Pink Monkey Birds – La Araña Es La Vida (In The Red)
• Middle Class Fashion – iii (self-released)
• Brian Andrew Marek – Drowner (Rubber Stamp)
• King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard – Nonagon Infinity (ATO)
• Emmylou Harris – Wrecking Ball: Deluxe Edition (Nonesuch)
• Various Artists – Don't Think I've Forgotten: Cambodia's Lost Rock and Roll (Dust-to-Digital)