Openair Sessions

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 back earlier this week. The band members played three songs from the new record and spoke with Alisha Sweeney about confronting mental health issues like depression and anxiety through music, why they recorded the album live to tape and the raw energy they bring to their concerts.

Straight White Teeth is the synth-pop solo project of Patrick McGuire, formerly of Denver indie rock band Flashbulb Fires. This week McGuire announced the follow-up to 2015's "Medicine Sword" EP. He'll release the record "Physical Truth" one song at a time over the course of 2018. McGuire brought Straight White Teeth into the CPR Performance Studio this month. He played three songs and spoke with Alisha Sweeney about composing music for film, the differences between performing with a full band and as a solo act, and how a recent bicycle accident affected his songwriting.

Dragondeer released its debut album, "If You Got The Blues," last week. The Denver quartet has long been one of our favorite local bands for its lively blend of blues and psychedelic rock music. We welcomed them back into the CPR Performance Studio for the third time shortly before the record's release. The members of Dragondeer played three songs and spoke with Alisha Sweeney about writing music in the bathtub, how "If You Got The Blues" documents the last four years of their lives and incorporating reggae themes into their music.

Blake Brown & The American Dust Choir is one of eight Colorado acts performing at this year's South By Southwest music showcase in Austin, Texas. The Denver Americana-rock quintet formed in 2013 -- the same year it first played in the CPR Performance Studio. Last week the band released its debut album, "Long Way Home," before heading down to perform at SXSW. Brown and his band returned to CPR's OpenAir to share three songs from the new LP. Brown also spoke with Alisha Sweeney about how listening to albums from start to finish as a teenager influences his songwriting and how the band will open for country musician Keith Urban at SXSW this week.

Neyla Pekarek has been the cellist for Denver folk-rock group The Lumineers since 2010. Despite that band's demanding touring schedule, the Colorado native found time to write and record the original folk opera "Rattlesnake," which she'll release as an album later this year. It's based on the life of Northern Colorado pioneer "Rattlesnake" Kate McHale, who in 1925 allegedly killed 140 snakes to save her life and that of her three-year-old son. Pekarek and her band visited the CPR Performance Studio to play four songs from "Rattlesnake." She also spoke with Alisha Sweeney about how she discovered the story of Rattlesnake Kate as a student at the University of Northern Colorado, recording the album with M. Ward in Portland, Ore., and going on tour with U2 last year.

Denver keyboardists Sean Culliton and Xavier Provencher released their debut EP as Retrofette in 2016. They've since expanded the band's futuristic pop sound by adding two more members. The quartet's multiple-synthesizer attack has won over plenty of Colorado music fans: Westword readers named the quartet "Best Pop Act" of 2017. Retrofette visited the CPR Performance Studio to play four songs. The members also spoke with Jeremy Petersen about meeting as saxophone students at the University of Denver, their reputation for high-spirited live shows and getting fellow Colorado musicians to remix songs from "I Don't Mind."

Jessica Lea Mayfield released her fourth album, "Sorry Is Gone," last fall. The Nashville-based singer-songwriter continues to push her music toward an alternative rock sound while maintaining the country influences of her early work. It's also a deeply personal record for Mayfield, who addresses her experience as a domestic violence survivor on several of the album's tracks. Mayfield, who previously visited CPR's OpenAir in 2014, returned to the CPR Performance Studio to play three stripped-down versions of songs from "Sorry Is Gone." She also spoke with Bruce Trujillo about viewing her lyrics as a conversation with herself, her decision to be candid about her experience with domestic violence and how her music has gotten heavier in recent years.

Last Of The Easy Riders released their new LP "Unto The Earth" with a concert last Saturday at Hi-Dive. The members of the Denver band met through Craigslist and bonded over a love for classic country-rock. They blend that genre with modern psychedelic rock influences on songs like "It Won't Be Long" -- which is featured on our latest Colorado Music Sampler. Last Of The Easy Riders stopped into the CPR Performance Studio to play some songs from the new record. The members also spoke with Jeremy Petersen about their collaborative songwriting process and the significance of their band name.

Boulder rockers The Velveteers released their self-titled debut EP this week. The sibling duo of singer/guitarist Demi and drummer John Demitro gained a large following last year: They played to packed houses at the 2017 Westword Music Showcase and Underground Music Showcase, and Westword readers voted them Colorado's "Best Rock Band" for their high-octane blend of punk and garage rock. The Velveteers stopped into the CPR Performance Studio to play four songs with additional drumming from Noah Shomberg of The Yawpers. They also spoke with Alisha Sweeney about their first international tour, the challenges of being a young rock band in Boulder and how the film "Edward Scissorhands" influenced the new EP.

Typhoon's fourth album, "Offerings," tells the story of a man whose memory is slowly disappearing. Frontman Kyle Morton, who visited our CPR Performance Studio for a solo set four years ago, drew on his experience in the age of information for the record's 14 songs. The Portland, Ore., octet adds a vast sound of rock instruments, strings and field recordings to accompany the often bleak lyrics. Morton and his bandmates played three songs from "Offerings" in our studio along with an older cut. They also spoke with Alisha Sweeney about how the album's story came together, the effect of modern technology on memory and the origin of some of the unusual sounds on "Offerings."

Noah Gundersen released his third album, "White Noise," last September. It marks a shift in the Seattle singer-songwriter's folk music. Gundersen brings in a backing band on several songs to give the record a fuller, uplifting rock sound -- though he includes some plaintive piano ballads as well. Gundersen visited the CPR Performance Studio accompanied by his sister Abby on violin. He played stripped-down versions of two songs from "White Noise" along with a new B-side. He also spoke with Jeremy Petersen about the decision to retool his sound, reconnecting with his siblings by playing music together and learning to embrace his early musical output.

The Hollow formed in 2013 and released its self-titled debut EP two years later. Since then, the Denver rock band has been fairly quiet while retooling its sound and lineup by recruiting former Epilogues drummer Jason Hoke. The quartet is back this year with the guitar-heavy EP "Contact," recorded in Evergreen, Colo. The Hollow made its debut in the CPR Performance Studio earlier this month. The band members played four songs and spoke with Alisha Sweeney about the new lineup's first year together, using drones to film the music video for "Sleep Talkin'" and how writing their music is therapeutic.

Grayson County Burn Ban features members of Denver rock bands Bud Bronson & The Good Timers, The Kinky Fingers and Ned Garthe Explosion. The quintet dubs its blend of rock and Americana "campfire country," which features pedal steel guitar along with typical rock 'n' roll instruments. Last week the band released its debut album, "Better Neighbor." Grayson County Burn Ban stopped into the CPR Performance Studio to play four songs. The members also spoke with Bruce Mitchell about the band's origin, why they love country music and their involvement with Denver nonprofit Youth On Record.

Since playing a session in our studio last year, iZCALLi wrote and recorded its fourth album. The Denver rock band released "IV" last week with a show at the Bluebird Theater. The self-produced record finds the band expanding from a trio to a quintet and continuing to blend English and Spanish lyrics with Latin and psychedelic music. iZCALLi played three songs from the new album in the CPR Performance Studio. The band members also spoke with Alisha Sweeney about expanding its sound with strings and horns, integrating Latin rock into Denver's music scene and their experience as U.S. immigrants over the past year.

Rubedo last joined us in the CPR Performance Studio shortly after the release of its album "Love Is The Answer" in 2013. Since then the members of the Denver trio stayed busy playing in bands like Wheelchair Sports Camp and Kyle's Xmas Supergroup. Rubedo returned last month with "Vaca," a new album that pays tribute to their late producer Ikey Owens. Rubedo played three songs from "Vaca" in our studio. The band members also spoke with Alisha Sweeney about Owens' influence on their music, opening a pop-up shop in downtown Denver for the "Vaca" release and working with graffiti artist Mike Giant for the album cover.

R.L. Cole has been active in Denver's music scene as a trumpet player in various bands and as a solo blues artist. His latest venture is fronting R.L. Cole & The Hell You Say, a band that features members of Nathaniel Rateliff & The Night Sweats, Florea and A. Tom Collins. The quintet's sound is a potent mix of soul, jazz and blues rock. Cole and his band stopped into the CPR Performance Studio to play some songs from a forthcoming album. Cole also spoke with Alisha Sweeney about forming the band last summer, getting a cease and desist letter from Corey Feldman's band and balancing his various music projects.

Decatur formed in 2015 when producer and multi-instrumentalist Quinn Cox decided to take his music out of his studio and onto a live stage. After a lengthy search for like-minded musicians, Cox recruited four members to the alt-rock band including frontman Sean Decrescenzo. The Denver quintet released its self-titled debut EP last year. Decatur stopped by the CPR Performance Studio to play four songs. The band members also spoke with Alisha Sweeney about the band's origins, their writing process and love for French ska music.

Kitty Crimes has been a visible force in the Colorado music scene for years. MC and guitarist Maria Kohler crafts energetic hip-hop that incorporates pop, rock and experimental music. Kitty Crimes' dazzling live shows are a big reason why Kohler won the "Best Hip-Hop (Solo)" award at this year's Westword Music Awards. Kitty Crimes stopped by the CPR Performance Studio earlier this month. Kohler and producer/trumpeter Andrew Pike played four songs, including a holiday-themed "XXXMas Medley." Kohler also spoke with Bruce Mitchell about her busy year in music, her experience with "sound healing" therapy and her forthcoming mixtape out in early 2018.

The music of D.W. Doucet packs a big punch, but it all comes from just one person. The Fort Collins-based blues singer simultaneously plays guitar and percussion on anvils and chains. The one-man-band's debut album is "As I Roam Across A Dark Blue Night," which is based on Doucet's upbringing in Nova Scotia, Canada. D.W. Doucet visited the CPR Performance Studio to play some of his songs. He also spoke with Jeremy Petersen about how he decided to play solo, finding one of his instruments on the side of the road in Massachusetts and the Canadian island where he wrote "As I Roam Across A Dark Blue Night."

Kramies Windt visited our studio earlier this year as a backing member of Joe Sampson's band. But the Denver singer-songwriter makes his own brand of acoustic folk music that has gained an international audience. Under the name Kramies, Windt has worked with producer Jason Lytle of Grandaddy and collaborates regularly with Colorado musicians like Sampson and Anthony Ruptak. Kramies returned to the CPR Performance Studio this month to play four of his own songs. He also spoke with Jeremy Petersen about his hiatus from making music, working with the Australian record label Hidden Shoal and his forthcoming new album.