Underscore

USC Radio Group

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MUSIC

Underscore taps into an exciting space where the concert hall meets its boldest outer reaches. Our goal is to connect with curious listeners by presenting the works of modern composers and musicians blurring the lines between classical, electronic, ambient and beyond. Through podcasts, curated playlists and original content, we’ll discover a new soundtrack to our daily paces.

05/03/2019

Weeds, Prison, and the Good Time Gang

Gwendolyn Sanford is most known as a composer for the TV shows Weeds and Orange Is the New Black, but she got her start as a quirky children's singer. In fact, it was because of her children's band that she and her writing partner Brandon Jay secured the audition for Weeds in the first place. On this episode, we talk about how she crafts suitable music for show characters, listen to some of Gwendolyn's favorite TV cues, and learn more about her hilarious, unbelievably "L.A." tale of spontaneity, opportunity, and good old fashioned grit.

37 min
20/10/2018

Operatic Meteor Shower

Dorian Wood is a magical typhoon disguised as a humble singer-songwriter. LA Weekly calls them “a fearless artist and performer whose voice inhabits a room like a choir of ghosts,” while Mondosonoro compares their concerts to “a meteor shower and the four elements.” If we had to boil down the essence of Dorian Wood’s music, we’d call it a mixture of theatrical-experimental, folk, gospel-soul, and classical music, with a large dash of performance art. Speaking with Dorian was a rare treat. On this episode, we listen to musical excerpts and talk about sensuality, queerness, classical roots, bittersweet family, Dorian’s “curvy delicious body,” and so much more.

47 min
13/09/2018

Bonus: Hindustani Vocal Serenade

In our last episode, Washing Machine Revelation, we interviewed composer Reena Esmail, who talked about her unique blend of Indian and Western classical music, revealed her composing ritual, and told us about the washing machine that sparked a revelation. For this bonus episode, Reena treated us to a live Hindustani vocal improvisation.

4 min
30/08/2018

A Washing Machine in Dehli

Reena Esmail knows she doesn’t look like a stereotypical composer, but that doesn’t prevent her from making a big impact. Known for her signature blend of Indian and Western classical music, Reena joins us in the studio to discuss stage fright, getting in touch with her heritage, how the #MeToo movement inspired her, and the washing machine that sparked a revelation.

39 min
12/07/2018

Bonus: Accordion Serenade by Isaac Schankler

In episode 6, Goofy Baby Songs, we interviewed composer, accordionist, and electronic musician Isaac Schankler, who shared their inspirations and led us in a goofy baby jam session. For this bonus episode, Isaac treated us to an exclusive live studio performance on the accordion.

3 min
12/07/2018

Goofy Baby Songs with Isaac Schankler

Isaac Schankler is a composer, accordionist, and electronic musician whose music is described by the LA Times as "the antidote to sentimentality." On this episode, we take an audio tour of some of Isaac’s most inventive pieces, from their Spotify hit "Alien Warp Etude" to their brand new collection of goofy baby songs. The interview is interspersed with live goofy baby performances from Isaac, Chrysanthe, and Thomas.

36 min
02/06/2018

Farm to Table Improvisation with Eyvind Kang

Described by Pitchfork as a "musical polymath," composer/violist Eyvind Kang has created and collaborated on hundreds of recordings and countless tours, from his own solo masterpieces to his work with Laurie Anderson, Bill Frisell, Animal Collective, Sun O))), The Decemberists, and Blonde Redhead. On this episode, he tells us about his early inspirations, his favorite project, and the music his teacher thought was garbage.

32 min
03/04/2018

The Good, The Bad, and the Pineapple Mango

6-time GRAMMY winning composer and ukulele artist Daniel Ho truly epitomizes what it means to be a DIY musician. On this episode, he tells us about seeking the origins of music, demonstrates the ukulele he designed with Pepe Romero, and leads Thomas and Chrysanthe in a live jam session of his viral sensation “Pineapple Mango.” Then, we debate whether there’s such thing as good or bad music.

35 min
28/02/2018

Alien Maps and Radiohead

Derek Stein (Vitamin String Quartet, gnarwhallaby, wild Up) is a cellist with the ability to extract exciting, unusual sounds from his instrument. On this episode, he demonstrates his favorite sounds, reveals which audition he bombed, and joins us for a discussion on whether cell phones belong at concerts.

38 min
22/02/2018

How to ruin a piano

Composer/pianist Sarah Gibson shows us her bag of tricks, plays the melodica, and tells us why she composed a piano piece for just the left hand. Then, we discuss how different concert venues affect our concert-going experience.

40 min
22/01/2018

Why do metal musicians go classical?

Sean Hayward, a composer/guitarist with roots in extreme metal, illustrates the intersections between metal and classical music, shares his love for Javanese gamelan, and gives us his top metal recommendations for newbies. Then, we watch a viral music video and discuss whether expensive instruments truly sound better than cheap ones.

36 min

11 Episodes

Creator

USC Radio Group
Years Active

2018 - 2019
Episodes

11
Rating

Clean
Show Website

Underscore

Underscore

Episodes

Weeds, Prison, and the Good Time Gang

Operatic Meteor Shower

Bonus: Hindustani Vocal Serenade

A Washing Machine in Dehli

Bonus: Accordion Serenade by Isaac Schankler

Goofy Baby Songs with Isaac Schankler

Farm to Table Improvisation with Eyvind Kang

The Good, The Bad, and the Pineapple Mango

Alien Maps and Radiohead

How to ruin a piano

Why do metal musicians go classical?

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