Song of the Day: John Vanderslice - White Dove

Two Johns: Richards and Vanderslice, KEXP studio 7/30/07
photo by Ron Henry

Every Monday through Friday, we deliver a different song as part our Song of the Day podcast subscription. This podcast features exclusive KEXP in-studio performances, unreleased songs, and recordings from independent artists that our DJs think you should hear. Today’s featured selection, chosen by Midday Show host Cheryl Waters, is White Dove by John Vanderslice from the 2007 album Emerald City on Barsuk Records.

John Vanderslice - White Dove (MP3)Over the years, John Vanderslice has become known for his production skills, attracting numerous indie bigwigs to his Tiny Telephone Studio in San Francisco. This time around, JV chose to focus on his vocals and the songwriting, keeping the fuzz of his previous albums secondary. Lyrically, the new album follows the political bent of its predecessor, creating modern characters pitted against corrupt institutions and restricted human rights. Coincidentally, JV’s French girlfriend suffered rejection through the US visa process while this album was written; the process is ongoing today. Like his last few albums, Emerald City is accompanied by a web-only supplement, the Live From Tiny Telephone blog tour, featuring live performances to be posted on several prominent music blogs. For more information and to follow the blog tour, keep checking his website and MySpace page. Great interviews are featured here, here, here, and here.

After performing at the Capitol Hill Block Party, JV stopped by KEXP for an exclusive performance and interview with John in the Morning. You can go back and listen for the next fourteen days on our Streaming Archive (Listen Now!). Be sure to subscribe to our podcasts because next Friday, on John Richards’ Music That Matters podcast, you’ll be able to hear two unaired songs and more conversation. Also, look for JV to return to Seattle in October.

Meanwhile, here’s a video for JV’s recent cover of Radiohead‘s Karma Police, part of Stereogum‘s OKX(A Tribute to OK Computer):