“KCSU’s Top 10 Spinning This Week” is written by the KCSU Music Directors and describes the top artists that your local 90.5 FM DJs are playing this week! This article is posted weekly on Sundays and discussed on their show “KCSU Weekly Gem Countdown” which airs every Monday from 11-noon. During the show, you can learn more about each musician or band before tuning in to the top 10 countdowns on Monday from 11-noon, in which the music directors present to you the latest songs topping the charts and breaking down each song’s sound and feel.”

*=Brand new to the charts!

1. Psychedelic Porn Crumpets – Rock – (11 spins of “Microwave Dave” off of the 2022 album “Night Gnomes”)

“Microwave Dave” by Psychedelic Porn Crumpets has entered the charts once again, this time claiming the number one spot! The short melodic song may cause listeners to question, “who is Dave, and why can he hardly recognize himself at night?”

2. Steve Lacy – R&B/Soul – (10 spins of “Bad Habit” off of the 2022 album “Gemini Rights”)

Alternative R&B artist Steve Lacy is in a presumably small class of musicians who have co-produced a Grammy-nominated album while in high school. He first joined the band The Internet in 2014 as a guitarist. The artist from Compton California, who also created all his music on Garage Band, has won a multitude of awards and is now critically acclaimed.

“Bad Habit,” the lead single off his popular new album, “Gemini Rights”, tells a story many people can relate to. The song is about reflecting on an attraction to someone, and what it could have been if he had expressed how it felt to the person he is singing about.

3. Dancing on Tables — Alt/Indie — (9 spins of “Twenty” off of the 2021 EP “Play Play Play”)

The Scotland-based pop-indie-rock band consists of Robbie, Callum, Gregor, Hamish and Reece. According to their Spotify, the band met in school and have grown “from playing friends’ parties and school halls, to supporting Catfish and the Bottlemen as part of their UK arena tour.” The band has over 20,000 listeners on Spotify and continue to grow their career to this day.

4. Σtella and Redinho – Alt/Indie – (8 spins of “Charmed” off of the 2022 album “Up and Away”)

The up-and-coming Greek artist Σtella (pronounced Stella) recently signed to SubPop and debuted her second album “Up and Away” this past May. When this song was sent to us, I listened to it roughly six times a day. The acoustic guitar is hypnotic, and Σtella mixes her Greek roots with folk-inspired indie classic songwriting to make you addicted. This song feels like running through a sunflower field during a sunset while barefoot, and also falling in love. A perfect song for your hot summer nights.

5. Earth, Wind & Fire – Pop — (7 spins of “September” off of the 1978 album “September”)

Earth, Wind & Fire is one of the most iconic bands from the ’70s. Founded by Maurice White, the band started out as a trio with White, Wade Flemons and Don Whitehead and was original called Salty Peppers. After relocating to LA, the trio turned into a larger band — with members that included Philip Bailey, Verdine White, Fred White, Al McKay, Johnny Graham, Ralph Johnson and more. They changed their name to Earth, Wind & Fire – those three elements we know by heart.

According to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, the gifted band “rose to prominence in the seventies by bringing together the sounds that came before it — jazz, blues, R&B, pop, gospel, African roots, funk and deep soul — making an impact that transcends race, cultures and time.” The band’s iconic pop-funk song “September” has been certified gold by the Recording Industry Association of America and has sold over 2 million copies.

6. MUNA – Alt/Indie (6 spins of “Anything But Me” off of the 2022 album “MUNA”)

MUNA is an all female trio that includes lead singer/songwriter Katie Gavin, guitarist/producer Naomi McPherson and guitarist Josette Maskin. The trio was signed by Phoebe Bridger’s record label Saddest Factory Records, to release their debut album “About Me.”

“Anything But Me” was the second lead single off of the trios self titled album, “MUNA.”
According to Genius, the song describes a story that “sees them hope their ex-lover gets everything, hope they do in fact change, but refuse to stick around just on that hope.”

7. *CAAMP – Folk – (5 spins of “Lavender Girl” off of the 2022 album, “Lavender Days”)

CAAMP is a folk band from Ohio that consists of childhood friends Taylor Meier and Evan Westfall, as well as bass player Matt Vinson and keyboardist Joseph Kavalec. Lavender Days was CAAMP’s fourth studio album, with the band describing the album as “(the) times you look back on and smile about, and times you look back on with tears still fresh. And there will be the times that give you both, and all shades between – your Lavender Days.”

Lavender Girl was one of the lead singles off of the album. The song describes a girl who they miss and changed their life for the better.

8.  *Cece Coakley – Alt/Inide – (4 spins of “Listerine” off of the 2022 EP, “Tender Kid”)

Cece Coakley, the self titled “hummus queen of Tennessee,” is an up-and-coming alternative country singer. As Rrita Hashani explains, “Coakley’s songwriting shines in both, but it’s her vocals that rise above. Reminiscent of thee Olivia Rodrigo, the listener can’t help but belt or scream along, attempting to match her range.” “Listerine” is one of the lead singles off of her debut EP, “Tender Kid.” The song describes not being able to get rid of someone you have left behind, and you know its for the better, but can’t seem to forget about them.

9. *Kendrick Lamar – Hip Hop/Rap – (4 spins of “i” off of the 2015 album, “To Pimp A Butterfly”)

Kendrick Lamar is one of the most profound rappers and songwriters of the 21st century. As his Spotify states, “Compton, California native Kendrick Lamar Duckworth grew up immersed in hip-hop culture and surrounded by gang activity. As a youngster, he gradually discovered an aptitude for writing stories, poems, and lyrics, which naturally led to rapping.”

“i” was the first single off the Grammy winning album, “To Pimp A Butterfly.” In an interview with Hot 97, Kendrick said that “i” is the best song he’s ever written because he never thought he’d be in the mindset to make a positive song after having grown up around so much negativity in Compton. While premiering the track on LA’s Power 106, Kendrick explained the song is “about self expression, inspired by the lack of self love on the streets of Compton.”

10. Orion Sun — R&B/Soul — (3 spins of “pressure” off of the 2022 album “Getaway”)

Orion Sun, Tiffany Majette, is a singer-songwriter, multi-instrumentalist and producer based in Philadelphia. Sun explained her music roots in an interview with Billboard, “I sang in church. I was leading youth worship sometimes. I was really enthralled by it. It’s the first music that moved me (to tears) … That put the music seed in me to the point where it’s like, I don’t want to go to church, but I go to church to hear the music.”

In an interview with Mom and Pop Music, Sun also described the vision behind her new EP, Getaway. “Seeing my community plagued with COVID simultaneously led me to feel that the world was a dangerous place to be. This EP was born from that. The yearning to get out and get away. The want to learn more, to grow more, to love more and to evolve.”

The Music Directors can be reached at music@kcsufm.com.