Jefferson Beavers joined the Evening Eclectic program in July 2008. A native of Dinuba, Calif., he is a freelance writer and graphic artist based in Fresno. Jefferson teaches writing and editing courses for the Mass Communication and Journalism department at Fresno State, where he's a faculty adviser to the student-run newspaper, The Collegian. He holds a Master of Fine Arts degree in creative writing and a bachelor’s degree in print journalism, both from Fresno State. Jefferson was a newspaper journalist for 12 years, most recently at The Fresno Bee, and his writing has appeared in the San Joaquin Review, In The Grove, Pachuco Children Hurl Stones, and the citizen media website FresnoFamous.com.
When he’s not scouring mp3 blogs for his Evening Eclectic show, which airs Mondays from 6:00 PM to 9:00 PM, Jefferson serves on the board of directors of Fresno Filmworks, an all-volunteer nonprofit dedicated to bringing first-run independent and international cinema to Fresno. The first vinyl record he ever bought was "Built For Speed" by the Stray Cats. He is a Joy Division and New Order historian. And when it comes to both Radiohead and Grandaddy, he celebrates their entire catalogues. More about 90.7 KFSR's Evening Eclectic programming...
Evening Eclectic Review: Papercuts
Listening to the full-length debut of the electro-pop band Papercuts can feel like shoegazing but in reverse: staring pensively up toward the clouds instead of down at your untied laces. A revolving cast of friends support San Francisco-based musician Jason Quever on this fuzzed-out, muted collection of indie hymns. The arrangements lean toward '60s-inspired hammer organ drone and staccato snare drum taps, drawing comparisons to British Invasion critical darlings The Zombies as well as contemporary dream-pop acts like Beach House and Vetiver. Quever's muttered lyrics can be slightly impenetrable without careful attention, lingering just out of reach. But you can't help but feel the spiritual wanderlust in his bittersweet reverb tenor, especially in the hypnotics of "Future Primitive," the fogginess of "Dictator's Lament," and the dissonance of "The Machine Will Tell Us So." On another standout track, "Jet Plane," Quever sings: "See the jet plane in the sky. ... I know they cannot see my face." This Papercuts record dares you to see it and follow it while it takes off from the earth, sails into the distance, and leaves you on the ground, humming along. Label: Gnomonsong Recordings.
-- Jefferson Beavers
Fresno singer/songwriter Luke Freeman, also known as Brother Luke, visited the 90.7 KFSR studio in July 2009 for an interview with Jefferson Beavers on the Evening Eclectic. Freeman lends his singing and multi-instrument talents to two Fresno bands, the folk/gospel collective Brother Luke & The Comrades and also the dream-pop quartet Circles & Circles. In these excerpts, Freeman plays exclusive in-studio versions of the Brother Luke songs "Golden Gate," "Christian Girls," and "Save Your Self."
Fresno rock band Rademacher will self-release its sixth EP, Bellyflop, early this fall. In advance of the EP's release and in between tour stops all over California, singer Malcolm Sosa and guitarist Jonathan Hadden visited the 90.7 KFSR studio in July 2009 for an interview with Jefferson Beavers on the Evening Eclectic. In these excerpts, Malcolm picks up his ukulele and plays exclusive in-studio versions of the Rademacher songs "If U Know" and "Argument."
Merced singer/songwriter Radioactive Cauliflower visited the 90.7 KFSR studio in June 2009 for an interview with Jefferson Beavers on the Evening Eclectic. RC is the lead singer of the band El Olio Wolof and co-owner of The Partisan, a concert venue in downtown Merced. He has shared the stage with artists like Jason Lytle, Rademacher, and others. In these excerpts, RC and his wife, Katie Ree, play live versions of his solo songs "Sunflower Eyes," "Donko, the Romantic Burro," and "Life on the Road."
Listen to Radioactive Cauliflower perform "Sunflower Eyes"
Listen to Radioactive Cauliflower perform "Donko, the Romantic Burro"
Listen to Radioactive Cauliflower perform "Life on the Road"
The Portland, Ore., art-folk band Y La Bamba will release its new album in fall 2009. The band has shared the stage with artists like Devendra Banhart, Viva Voce, Cut Off Your Hands, and others. In June 2009, Y La Bamba visited the 90.7 KFSR studio for an interview with Jefferson Beavers on the Evening Eclectic. In these excerpts, singer/songerwriter Luz Elena Mendoza and the band perform live versions of the Y La Bamba songs "Crocodile Eyes" and "Isla de Hierva Buena."
Listen to Y La Bamba perform "Crocodile Eyes"
Listen to Y La Bamba perform "Isla de Hierva Buena"
San Francisco indie band Kid Mud released its first full-length album, Now They Shut Us Down, in June 2009 on New And Used Records. A week after the CD's release, singer/guitarist Sean Duncan, a Modesto native formerly of the band Fiver, visited the 90.7 KFSR studios -- along with bandmates Mike Reavill (guitar) and Suren Najarian (drums) -- for an interview with DJ Tracy on the Evening Eclectic. In these excerpts, Sean plays live, in-studio versions of the Kid Mud songs "Not Far, New Far," "Security Deposit," and "Questions Or Comments." Listen to Kid Mud perform "Not Far, New Far"
Fresno rock band Wheels Of Fortune will release its new album in summer 2009. The band has shared the stage with artists like David Dondero, El Olio Wolof, Rademacher, and more. In June 2009, Wheels Of Fortune singer/guitarist Niilo Smeds visited the 90.7 KFSR studios for an interview with Jefferson Beavers on the Evening Eclectic program. In these excerpts, Niilo plays live, in-studio versions of the Wheels Of Fortune songs "Never Gonna Get Back Home," "Solidified," and "I Know That The Answer Is Nothing." Listen to "I Know That The Answer Is Nothing"
Fresno rock band The Sleepover Disaster released its major-label debut, Hover, in February 2009 on Devil In The Woods records. A week after the CD's release, singer/guitarist Luke Giffen and drummer Vince Corsaro visited the 90.7 KFSR studios for an interview with Jefferson Beavers on the Evening Eclectic program. In these excerpts, Luke plays live, in-studio versions of The Sleepover Disaster songs "Dark Star," "Oceanographer," and "Code Breaker." Listen to Sleepover Disaster perform "Dark Star"
Listen to Sleepover Disaster perform "Oceanographer"
Listen to Sleepover Disaster perform "Code Breaker"
CD Review - Of Montreal: Skeletal Lamping
Of Montreal romps through the musically mischievous and the slightly schizophrenic on Skeletal Lamping, the band's eighth album. Front man Kevin Barnes picks up where he left off with Of Montreal's last album the poppy but pained Hissing Fauna, Are You The Destroyer? by delivering a playful but cryptic lyrical exploration of sexual identity. In the first line of the opener, "Nonpareil Of Favor," Barnes sets the album's tone of discovery: "My lover, I've been donating time to review all the misinterpretations that define me and you." From there, Barnes tells stories of damage and trouble "Touched Something's Hollow", of attraction and longing "Gallery Piece", and of letters to loves lost "Plastis Wafers". The music is full of turmoil, too. Each track has multiple movements, like sound scraps tenuously held together by Barnes' speech snippets. In particular, "Id Engager" and "Wicked Wisdom" feel as if they end halfway through, their actual endings leading to the next song instead. The album is full of these complexities. But ultimately, Skeletal Lamping is not about a one-time high, as Barnes describes in "An Eluardian Instance." It's about fully accepting it from the very first move, despite what your perceptions might initially tell you.
- Jefferson Beavers
Live on Evening Eclectic - James Brittain-Gore
Fresno singer/songwriter James Brittain-Gore released his self-titled debut album in August 2008. James previously played in the local indie bands No Cello and the Batteries. As a solo artist, he has shared the stage with acts like the Sleepover Disaster, Rademacher, and more. On Oct. 20, 2008, James visited the 90.7 KFSR studios for an interview with Jefferson Beavers for the Evening Eclectic program.
In this interview excerpt, James talks about the Fresno indie rock family and he plays live, in-studio versions of his songs "Borrowed Time," "Sing You To Sleep," and "Friends." Listen to the interview excerpt with James Brittain-Gore
Jefferson Beavers joined the Evening Eclectic program in July 2008. A native of Dinuba, Calif., he is a freelance writer and graphic artist based in Fresno. Jefferson teaches writing and editing courses for the Mass Communication and Journalism department at Fresno State, where he's a faculty adviser to the student-run newspaper, The Collegian. He holds a Master of Fine Arts degree in creative writing and a bachelor’s degree in print journalism, both from Fresno State. Jefferson was a newspaper journalist for 12 years, most recently at The Fresno Bee, and his writing has appeared in the San Joaquin Review, In The Grove, Pachuco Children Hurl Stones, and the citizen media website FresnoFamous.com.
Listening to the full-length debut of the electro-pop band 
Fresno singer/songwriter Luke Freeman, also known as Brother Luke, visited the 90.7 KFSR studio in July 2009 for an interview with 
Fresno rock band 
Merced singer/songwriter 
The Portland, Ore., art-folk band 
San Francisco indie band 
Fresno rock band 
Fresno rock band The Sleepover Disaster released its major-label debut, Hover, in February 2009 on Devil In The Woods records. A week after the CD's release, singer/guitarist Luke Giffen and drummer Vince Corsaro visited the 90.7 KFSR studios for an interview with Jefferson Beavers on the Evening Eclectic program. In these excerpts, Luke plays live, in-studio versions of The Sleepover Disaster songs "Dark Star," "Oceanographer," and "Code Breaker."
Of Montreal romps through the musically mischievous and the slightly schizophrenic on Skeletal Lamping, the band's eighth album. Front man Kevin Barnes picks up where he left off with Of Montreal's last album the poppy but pained Hissing Fauna, Are You The Destroyer? by delivering a playful but cryptic lyrical exploration of sexual identity. In the first line of the opener, "Nonpareil Of Favor," Barnes sets the album's tone of discovery: "My lover, I've been donating time to review all the misinterpretations that define me and you." From there, Barnes tells stories of damage and trouble "Touched Something's Hollow", of attraction and longing "Gallery Piece", and of letters to loves lost "Plastis Wafers". The music is full of turmoil, too. Each track has multiple movements, like sound scraps tenuously held together by Barnes' speech snippets. In particular, "Id Engager" and "Wicked Wisdom" feel as if they end halfway through, their actual endings leading to the next song instead. The album is full of these complexities. But ultimately, Skeletal Lamping is not about a one-time high, as Barnes describes in "An Eluardian Instance." It's about fully accepting it from the very first move, despite what your perceptions might initially tell you.
Fresno singer/songwriter James Brittain-Gore released his self-titled debut album in August 2008. James previously played in the local indie bands No Cello and the Batteries. As a solo artist, he has shared the stage with acts like the Sleepover Disaster, Rademacher, and more. On Oct. 20, 2008, James visited the 90.7 KFSR studios for an interview with Jefferson Beavers for the Evening Eclectic program.