Openair Sessions

King Cardinal recently made its second appearance in the CPR Performance Studio. The Denver folk-rock six-piece is set to release its debut album "Great Lakes" this week. Singer Brennan Mackey and his band headed to Sonic Ranch Studios in Tornillo, Texas, to record with producer Ted Young, whose resume includes work with Kurt Vile and Sonic Youth. King Cardinal played four songs from "Great Lakes" in our studio. The band members also spoke with Alisha Sweeney about their admiration for Young's work and the story behind the song "Chicago."

Greg Gonzalez started making music as Cigarettes After Sex in 2008. After nearly a decade of relative obscurity, the El Paso singer and guitarist released his debut album in June. The dreamlike ambient rock of the self-titled LP quickly won over fans and critics alike. Cigarettes After Sex joined us in the CPR Performance Studio this week before a headlining show at the Bluebird Theater. The band played four songs from its album and Gonzalez spoke with Jeremy Petersen about how moving to New York changed the trajectory of the band, receiving high praise from French singer Françoise Hardy and his aspiration to work on film soundtracks.

The Yawpers last joined us in our studio in 2015, shortly after the release of the album "American Man." The Denver trio continues to meld blues, country and punk rock on "Boy In A Well," the band's third LP. Tommy Stinson of The Replacements produced the new record, which is a concept album set in France after World War I. The Yawpers returned to the CPR Performance Studio last weekend to play three songs from "Boy In A Well." The members also spoke with Alisha Sweeney about how the concept for the album came together, its comic book companion piece and an upcoming international tour.

Mount Orchid takes cues from surf, pop and psychedelic rock on the new EP "Wallflower Child." The quartet hails from Grand Junction and recently visited Denver for a headlining gig at The Curtis Club. Mount Orchid performed a few songs from "Wallflower Child" in the CPR Performance Studio earlier this month. The members also spoke with Jeremy Petersen about how Mount Orchid was originally a studio-only band, recording in a particularly cozy home studio in Grand Junction and the music scene in western Colorado.

Pickwick last joined us in the CPR Performance Studio back in 2014, when the Seattle indie rockers were on tour in support of their debut album, "Can't Talk Medicine." The six-piece returned to CPR's OpenAir last month following the release "LoveJoys," a sophomore record nearly five years in the making. Pickwick played four songs from "LoveJoys" in our studio. The band members also spoke with Jeremy Petersen about the long break between albums, working with hip-hop producer Erik Blood and taking inspiration from disco artists like The Bee Gees.

Denver musician John Runnels began performing as Morning Bear in 2014. He draws inspiration from indie folk artists like Fleet Foxes and Bon Iver while adding classical instruments like flute and cello to his music. Next month the band heads to Brest, France -- one of Denver's sister cities -- to perform as part of a cultural exchange program. Morning Bear stopped into the CPR Performance Studio with string quintet Denver Nexus Project. In addition to playing a few songs, Runnels spoke with Jeremy Petersen about his teenage street performances on Denver's 16th Street Mall, how he started the band after a spontaneous trip to Europe and his forthcoming visit to Brest.

Motion Trap's music ranges from party-ready dance music to ethereal synth-rock. The Denver duo of Kyle Williams and Nathan Rogers formed the band in 2012 and this month released its sophomore album, "Heavenly Bodies." Last week Motion Trap stopped into the CPR Performance Studio for the first time. Williams and Rogers played four songs and spoke with Scott Carney about forming the band in a college dorm in Nebraska and taking inspiration from dance-rock bands like Cut Copy for "Heavenly Bodies."

The music of Ancient Elk is hard to define. The Denver quartet has won a Westword Music Award in both the "avant-garde" and "Americana" categories. But it also incorporates jazz, psych-rock and folk on its debut self-titled album, which it released this week. Ancient Elk visited the CPR Performance Studio to play four songs from the LP. The members also spoke with Alisha Sweeney about writing the album over the course of three years, the coloring book they're offering with "Ancient Elk" and their connection to the Moon Magnet music collective in Denver.

The Guestlist last visited CPR's OpenAir in 2015, then known as Josh Moorehead & The Guestlist. Since the name change, the band has released the new album "Racing, Chasing." The six-piece crafts an exciting blend of jazz and Americana-rock on the new record, which explores themes of creative struggle. The Guestlist performed four songs from "Racing, Chasing" in the CPR Performance Studio. The members also spoke with Alisha Sweeney about the band's name change, recording at the new Denver studio Hum House and collaborating with members of Denver band Paper Bird on the new LP.

Pleasure Prince is a New York-based duo featuring Lilly Scott, formerly of Denver band Varlet. She and bandmate Will Duncan create pop music that blends disco, electronica and psychedelic influences. Scott switches instruments from guitar to synthesizer for the new band, but her outstanding vocals remain a centerpiece of her music. Pleasure Prince stopped into the CPR Performance Studio before a headlining show at Denver's Hi-Dive. Scott and Duncan played three songs and spoke with Scott Carney about the origin of their collaboration, how teaching piano lessons helped the band develop and plans for a full-length record.

Panther Martin first caught our attention with 2015's "Pile" EP, a collection of psych-surf rock songs recorded with members of Inner Oceans. The Denver quartet has since made a splash with performances around Colorado, including a gig at this year's Underground Music Showcase. Panther Martin stopped into the CPR Performance Studio to play three new songs. The members also spoke with Alisha Sweeney about their long musical friendship dating back to middle school, their recent burrito-themed concert and their involvement with the Colorado-based Grouphug Records.

Solohawk is the acoustic side project of Steve Faceman, best known as frontman for Denver rock group FaceMan. He performs understated folk songs with Kansas musician Til Willis backing on guitar and stomp box. The duo last year released its debut album "Another Way Out." Solohawk stopped by for its first session in the CPR Performance Studio earlier this month. Faceman and Willis played four songs and spoke with Alisha Sweeney about the origin of their collaboration, the experimental studio techniques on "Another Way Out" and how Solohawk differs from their other bands.

Instant Empire released its sophomore album "Last Of The Lovers" earlier this month. The LP is a concept record about the "relentless march of time" and features the Denver band's full-bodied indie rock with harmonies from Emma Cole of Wildermiss. Singer Scotty Saunders calls it the most personal record the band has made. Instant Empire recently stopped into the CPR Performance Studio for the third time. The members played four songs and spoke with Alisha Sweeney about how the band's lineup has changed since its debut album, producing their own record for the first time and drummer Tristan Kelley's notable "beat-a-day" Instagram project.

Tyto Alba draws its sound from folk and experimental rock influences. The Denver quartet formed in 2014 and released in March its second EP, "In Our Own Time." Singer Melanie Steinway says the record chronicles a relationship from early infatuation to an eventual breakup. Tyto Alba stopped into the CPR Performance Studio for the first time earlier this month. The members played three songs and spoke with Scott Carney about how the band came together and its recent "Tyto Eclipse of the Heart" tour of the Pacific Northwest.

U.S. Tygers is a young band, but its members are established local musicians. The Denver quintet features several members of jazz-punk group Champagne Charlie. U.S. Tygers' music leans more towards country and Americana rock, with heavy use of lap steel guitar. The band released its debut album last year and followed it up with the "High, Wasted Genes" EP in July. U.S. Tygers stopped into the CPR Performance Studio to play songs from the new EP as well as a brand new song. The members spoke with Jeremy Petersen about the definition of the so-called "Hashville" genre, recording at the Queen City Sound studio in Denver and the personal subject material of "High, Wasted Genes."

The Reminders have explored an intersection of hip-hop and soul for more than a decade. The Colorado Springs duo of Big Samir and Aja Black has released two albums and shared a bill with acts like Snoop Dogg and Nas. The group recently performed at the new Levitt Pavilion with Denver act Fed Rez. The Reminders stopped into the CPR Performance Studio for a memorably upbeat session. The married couple performed four songs and spoke with Bruce Mitchell about a forthcoming third album, their energetic approach to live performance and a recent memorable show in their hometown.

Since releasing his debut album in 2014, Benjamin Booker has become a major name in modern blues-rock. The singer and guitarist incorporates punk and soul music on his sophomore album "Witness," which features politically charged lyrics and a guest spot from gospel singer Mavis Staples. Shortly after headlining the Underground Music Showcase in Denver, Booker stopped into the CPR Performance Studio. He performed three songs from "Witness" and spoke with Alisha Sweeney about working on the album in Mexico City, how his collaboration with Staples came about and his crowd-diving set at UMS 2017.

When Plume Varia visited CPR's OpenAir in 2015, the band shared its plans to record a debut album with producer David J of Bauhaus and Love & Rockets after meeting him in Denver. The husband-and-wife duo released that album this month. It's called "Fact | Fiction" and features moody experimental pop songs. Just before the album's release, Plume Varia returned to the CPR Performance Studio. Members Shon and Cherie Cobbs played three songs and spoke with Alisha Sweeney about recording with David J in Texas, how the HBO comedy series "Girls" influenced the album and their surprise collaboration with a former member of Nine Inch Nails.

Andy Thomas established himself in the Denver music scene with bands like The Knew and Tin Horn Prayer. His latest venture -- Andy Thomas' Dust Heart -- finds the singer and guitarist writing Americana-rock that often veers into dark territory. But the band's latest record, "No Poets," is a more lighthearted release that Thomas wrote over the course of a year of sobriety. Andy Thomas' Dust Heart stopped into the CPR Performance Studio last month. Thomas performed four songs and spoke with Alisha Sweeney about the "life-affirming and positive" direction of the new record, collaborating with his wife in the band and his work for the new Levitt Pavilion in Denver.

The Districts will release their third album, "Popular Manipulations," next month. From what we've heard so far, the Philadelphia band changes up its sound on the record by adding elements of shoegaze to its twangy indie rock. They also tackle more mature subject material. The Districts stopped into Denver for a show at Globe Hall earlier this month. Beforehand, the band members visited the CPR Performance Studio to play three songs and speak with Jeremy Petersen about becoming more confident in their songwriting, working with Grammy-winning producer John Congleton and their opening gig for The Rolling Stones.