Parsons Playlists: RVA All Day

Welcome back to Parsons Playlists! Today’s playlist is curated by Music Library associate Melanie and features some music by artists in (and from) Richmond, Virginia (aka RVA).

RVA All Day

An utterly non-comprehensive utterly Richmond-y sort of playlist. Featuring music old and new in MANY genres.

Photo of Richmond, Virginia with James River in foreground

No BS! Brass – “RVA All Day”

Prabir Trio – “Light Up in the Name of Love”

Lucy Dacus – “Brando”

Carbon Leaf – “For Your Violin”

Angelica Garcia – “Karma the Knife”

McKinley Dixon – “Twist My Hair” (feat. Deau Eyes)

Mad Skillz – “VA. in the House”

Strike Anywhere – “I’m Your Opposite Number”

Avail – “Simple Song”

GWAR – “Sick of You”

A New Dawn Fades – “No Experts on Big Things”

Rikki Rakki – “Breaking Skin”

Fighting Gravity – “Mission Bells”

Mighty Joshua – “Rastafari Reign”

Deau Eyes – “Some Do”

Bio Ritmo – “La Verdad”

J. Plunky Branch – “A Revolutionary”

Strawberry Moon – “Down in the Dirt”

Mackenzie Roark – “Rollin’ High, Feelin’ Low”

Butcher Brown – “Lawd Why”

Kenneka Cook – “Don’t Ask Me”

Butcher Brown – “VA Noir”

Here is the whole playlist on YouTube:

And here it is on Spotify:

Arachnophonia: A New Dawn Fades “I See The Nightbirds”

Editor’s note: Arachnophonia (“Arachno” = spider / “-phonia” = sound) is a regular feature on our blog where members of the UR community can share their thoughts about resources from the Parsons Music Library‘s collection.

All links included in these posts will take you to either the library catalog record for the item in question or to additional relevant information from around the web.

Today’s installment of Arachnophonia is by student assistant Esther (class of 2025) and features a locally produced album by A New Dawn Fades. Thanks, Esther!

A New Dawn Fades

I See The Nightbirds

A New Dawn Fades - "I See The Nightbirds" album cover

I See the Nightbirds by A New Dawn Fades is a new album released by Cherub Records. The title song’s polyrhythmic beat, complimentary guitar and bass lines, and attractive transitions converge to create a distinctive musical picture. The gradual accumulation of tension yet unrushed nature of the piece is what results in the captivating arch shape drawn throughout the song.

Cherub Records, founded by PJ Sykes in 2001, is an outlet through which Sykes and his friends communicate their music to the rest of the world. Though originally located in Lynchburg, VA, Cherub Records has now moved to the city of Richmond where they document and release music of numerous bands. Their curious exploration of music conveyed through improvised pieces has been one of the defining traits of this band. Furthermore, they are known for blurring the line drawn between the audience and performers by interacting with the crowd during their live performances.

Because Richmond is known for its unique sense of community, supporting our local musicians is significant in allowing the local music scene to grow and thrive. It gives us the opportunity to experience new music specific to our area and builds mutual support between the musicians and ourselves. I assure you, I See the Nightbirds will make you reflect on the vast range of what music encompasses and what makes it truly special.

New CDs added: January 2022

New CDs for January 2022

Orchestral, Concertos and Chamber Music

Eighth Blackbird – Singing in the Dead of Night
Henry Hadley – Afterglow: The Forgotten Works for Cello and Piano

Eighth Blackbird - Singing in the dead of night

Jazz

Wayne Shorter – Emanon
William Sweatman’s Original Jazz Band – Jazzin’ Straight Thru’ Paradise

Wayne Shorter - Emanon

Opera, Opera Excerpts, Choral Music and Art Songs

William Grant Still – The American Scene
William Grant Still – Highway One, USA

William Grant Still -  Highway One USA

Popular Music

Angels vs. Aliens – Eleven Shades of Crimson
A New Dawn Fades – I See the Nightbirds
Emile Berliner – Etching the Voice: Emile Berliner and the First Commercial Gramophone Discs, 1889-1895

A New Dawn Fades

Kids Techno – The Harmony of Spheres
Various artists – Before Radio: Comedy, Drama, & Sound Sketches, 1897-1923

Before Radio