By Chad Miller - Summit FM Music Director
Our latest Summit Sounding Board gathering at the Varsity Club in Youngstown delivered another fantastic evening of musical discovery, and now the results are officially tallied! Summit members came together to rate and rank a diverse collection of tracks, and every single vote counted in determining our final rankings.
For those who missed this member-exclusive event, you missed out on some serious musical gems – but don't worry, our next Sounding Board is coming in July, and we want to see you there! These listening parties are one of the fantastic perks of Summit membership, giving our community a chance to discover new music together and help shape what gets added to our rotation.
The Final Rankings
Here's how the dozen tracks scored, ranked from highest to lowest average rating:
1. S.G. Goodman - "Fire Sign" (7.848)
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2. Durand Jones & the Indications - "Flower Moon" (7.531)
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3. The Beths - "Metal" (7.454)
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4. Chaparelle - "Inside the Lines" (7.454)
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5. Turnstile - "Never Enough" (7.379)
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6. Wednesday - "Elderberry Wine" (7.000)
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7. Esther Rose - "New Bad" (6.788)
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8. Stereolab - "Aerial Troubles" (6.393)
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9. Kathleen Edwards - "Save Your Soul" (6.379)
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10. OK Go - "Love" (6.359)
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11. Molly Tuttle - "That's Gonna Leave a Mark" (5.303)
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12. Big Thief - "Incomprehensible" (4.727)
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What's Next?
S.G. Goodman's "Fire Sign" took the crown with an impressive 7.848 average score, followed closely by the soulful sounds of Durand Jones & the Indications with "Flower Moon." The diversity of genres represented – from indie rock to electronic to country – showcased exactly what makes our Summit community so special.
These results help guide our programming decisions and give us insight into what resonates with our listeners. More importantly, they represent the collective voice of our Summit family coming together to celebrate great music.
Don't forget to mark your calendars for our next Sounding Board in July! As a Summit member, this is your chance to be part of the conversation and help shape the sound of our station. We can't wait to see what musical discoveries await us next month.
Keep listening, keep discovering, and keep being part of what makes The Summit FM so unique.
Missed this Sounding Board? Make sure you're signed up for our member benefits and join us for the next one! Click here for more information about becoming a Summit member.
By Dave Swanson - Summit FM Contributor
When it comes to electronic music, there are often two camps. One is wholeheartedly invested in the technological aspect and creating sounds and, sometimes, other worlds. The other, first and foremost, are songwriters, with electronic music as their chosen path to executing those songs. Ideally, those two worlds should collide, and when they do, some great music can be offered up. Such has always been the case with Depeche Mode.
From their debut run of singles, “Dreaming of Me,” “New Life” and “Just Can’t Get Enough,” all released in 1981, it was obvious there was more here than flashing technology. These great songs would have worked on an acoustic guitar or many other modes of transportation. From the start, this helped Depeche Mode stand apart. Their strong singles run continued through the next couple of years, with equally significant LPs, Speak and Spell, A Broken Frame and Construction Time Again.
With each new single, LP and video, Depeche Mode stacked up more and more fans, as well as good reviews from critics. It was a slow and steady climb as their debut barely made the U.S. Top 200, while their fourth offering, Some Great Reward, went Top 50 in America. In addition to college radio and MTV, the ever-popular 12-inch remixes would become huge hits at the dance clubs.
Released in September 1984, a golden year for U.K. pop sounds, Some Great Reward showed the band growing and experimenting. The singles “People Are People,” “Master and Servant” and “Blasphemous Rumours” all became hits at college radio and MTV and went on to become signature Mode songs. The band continued to branch out and experiment with sounds. “You have to take risks,” said singer Dave Gahan. “You can’t be safe all the time.”
Working with Mute Records chief Daniel Miller and engineer Gareth Jones, who had lent a hand to their Construction Time Again LP, the band opted to record this new album in Germany, home to a vast history of electronic music. “We definitely wanted to go somewhere else,” said singer Dave Gahan. “It was time to try something different. The idea of going to another country really appealed to us.” The band ended up in Hansa Studios, where David Bowie and Iggy Pop had previously created magic.
One interesting example of this was the use of toy instruments on “Master and Servant.” “People tend to think that if you’re using toy instruments then they have to sound whacky,” said member Alan Wilder in a 1984 interview, “but we put some to very good use because as soon as you sample them they take on a whole new quality and when you transpose them it puts them in a completely new context.”
Though a lot of people think of Depeche Mode as terribly serious about things, they have maintained a slice of humor along the way, as Gahan pointed out in a 1984 interview. “Martin’s got a very weird sense of humour, and that of humour comes across in his lyrics. For instance, the lyric in ‘People Are People,’ ‘people get along so awfully.’ The word awfully is a funny word. You don’t really say that in conversation, I get on with you so awfully. There wasn’t really anybody who picked up on that.” Alan Wilder recalled being asked by a fan what the song was about, and replied, “It means exactly this: people are people, no bears or wallabies. I think this says a lot.”
Depeche Mode continued to grow in the years that followed with the albums Black Celebration, Music for the Massesand Violator. They continue to this day, still on a creative run and standing above the fray of similar acts.
By Matt Anthony - Summit FM Digital Media Specialist
A worn brick alley in Annapolis. Paint weathered and removed over time on the railing of a stairwell in St. Louis. Or the scuffed and grooved surface of a check-out counter in an old convenience store here in Akron.
These timeless tales, and the stories they could tell, have always intrigued me, long before it was considered ‘contemporary’ to have exposed brick or ductwork in a loft or a chic eatery.
When I was a teenager (and when the owner, Dick Koller, wasn’t looking, I would run my hand gently over the counter at Cottage Market, on Fulton Road. The edge of my palm sliding across it, like ice. I wondered how many small grocery items had slid across it, who bought them, and what was their purpose.
Several years ago, while at the Canton Brewing Company, I left briefly to go downstairs to the restroom. A modern speakeasy graced it then, along with posh restrooms and brewing equipment. The basement was once a major retail section of the old McCrory’s store. I stood for a moment, watching couples swig pale ales. On the walls, to the left, were enlarged photos of what was once in this space, photos from the 30s and 40s. I suddenly wished that the owners had left some of the history intact.
When I would ride the city bus as a teenager, I imagined who once sat in the seat that I was sitting in. Was it a mother taking a child shopping for school clothes? A struggling husband traveling across town to a second job? A businessman skipping his stop, preferring to stay on the bus so that he didn’t have to arrive home to share the news with his family about the results of the medical report he’d received earlier that day?
My trips to New York, for instance, have been filled with, yes, all the sights and sounds that New York City can offer. But I was entranced just as much with the stoop in front of the brownstone in Brooklyn, trying to imagine who sat there during a hot July day during the war in 1942. During the Summer of Love of 1969. Or during a gentle drizzle on an uneventful Sunday afternoon in September in 1980 as the Mets played on the radio.
While on our only trip to Europe, we spent our last two days in London. The first afternoon, Donna and I walked around, resembling every bit the American tourist, each with a hand holding on to an outstretched map and trying to work our way around the city. Not sure if we were looking at the Royal Opera House in the distance, we came upon an elderly gentleman, looking quite distinguished with his long coat, cane, and beret.
“Excuse me,” interrupted Donna, “but that building to the left, in the distance. Is that the Opera House?”
He walked towards us. “Why, yes, it is,” he responded. Then he pointed out various buildings and landmarks, suddenly making our cheap map relatively useless.
We walked together for several blocks, where he turned into a personal tour guide. It was one of the highlights of the whole trip! He deftly explained details about streets, government structures, and museums, almost as if he were hired to do so. Finally, at one intersection, we stopped.
“And here,” he said, “is where Benjamin Disraeli made a very public pronouncement that caused much controversy during his time.” We all paused to take it all in, and suddenly Donna said, “Wow. Just think of all the famous people who have walked on this street.”
Our tour-guide looked at us, thought for a moment, and replied, “That is quite the pleasant ‘think’, now isn’t it!”
And he said in such a perfectly, blissfully British way that all three of us, right there on the second day of January in 1989, where Benjamin Disraeli once spoke, laughed out loud like hyenas.
I thought of that trip this past Fall when we made our annual pilgrimage to Thomas, West Virginia. Thomas is my parents’ hometown, and on my list of things to do was a visit to the old B & L store. My grandparents shopped there, and my parents told many stories about it. That store is gone, and so, sadly, are my parents. Today, it’s been wonderfully refurbished as The Buxton and Landstreet Gallery and Studios.
We encountered many gorgeous paintings and pieces in this gallery, but I couldn’t take my eyes off the floor. I bent down and touched it. I wondered how many times my father and mother, as children and as teenagers, had walked across this floor. Were some of those scuffmarks and worn groove-patterns made by their shoes or boots?
Just think, I thought as I walked across it, I could be walking on the same floor that they walked on. And that turned out to be quite the pleasant ‘think’.
By Dave Swanson - Summit FM Contributor
From their days as a trusted backing band for artists like Otis Redding, the Bar-Kays soon emerged as a force for the great Stax label. Like Motown in Detroit, Stax had proven itself as a go-to label for a different style of soul music in the 1960s. The focus was not on the sweet harmonies and style of acts like the Four Tops, Temptations, and so on, but rather on a grittier and more edgy sound while still retaining great melodies and an overall euphoric vibe.
They signed up for the label in 1967, and their first single became an instant hit. Released on April 14, 1967, the rousing excitement of 'Soul Finger' was addictive, causing the record to shoot up the charts to #17 pop and #3 R&B. The stomping beat, punctuated by those dynamic horns, exploded from radios. Mix in some tasty guitar work, and you have a genuine classic. Self-penned by the band, the instrumental workout featured shouts of 'Soul Finger,' an idea from Stax staff songsmiths Isaac Hays and David Porter, who also enlisted a group of local children to join in on the chorus. It quickly became the band's signature song.
The recording of a full album began and was released in July. It was recorded by the legendary Tom Dowd and produced by staff producer Jim Stewart. It remains a staple of 1960s soul music with its relentless grooves and top-notch playing. Songs like 'Knucklehead,' 'Bar-Kays Boogaloo,' and 'Pearl High' keep feet on the dance floor. Elsewhere, the band showcased a variety of influences, such as the jazz touches in 'With A Child's Heart' and 'Hole in the Wall,' which evoke Jimmy Smith or Jack McDuff. Then there is the rock soul vibe of 'Don't Do That' and 'Theme from Hell's Angels.'
Eleven classics clocking in at just under a half hour, 'Soul Finger,' the album, would become ground zero for what should have been a promising career; however, while serving as the backing band for Otis Redding, four of the members were on that fateful flight in December of 1967 that claimed the lives of Redding and four band members. Jimmy King, Phalon Jones, Carl Cunningham, and Ronnie Caldwell were all killed when the plane crashed in Lake Monona, just outside of Madison, Wisconsin. Redding and the band were scheduled to perform at The Factory in Madison, Wisconsin, but they never made it.
Interesting side note: The opening act booked for that show was a band called the Grim Reapers. Their lead guitarist was Rick Nielsen, who would go on to fame as the leader of Cheap Trick ten years later.
Only trumpet player Ben Cauley survived, while bassist James Alexander had been on a different plane. Plain and simple, it was a tragedy that altered the lives of those on board and the music that all that talent would never make. Cauley and Alexander eventually put together a new Bar-Kays, who went on to have hits in a funk style in the coming years, but it would never be the same. 'Soul Finger' remains a testament to not only the band that made the record but to a moment in time that was utterly unique. It is the definition of essential. Now go and play it loud!
By Summit Wellness Contributor Marc Lee Shannon
So, I ask you: How long will you live, and how well will you be when this journey reaches port? Notice that the question has two parts: how long and how well?
I am digesting and reflecting on a book now, and I'm about ⅓ finished, so this is a bit premature to discuss, but still, I have spent a few fresh coffee mornings thinking about this topic nonstop, so I want to share my thoughts, even if they are incomplete.
How well can I be in the rest of my life? The golden years, the time in my life that I have worked hard to enjoy and savor with my loved ones, guitar in hand or on stand nearby, golf clubs in the trunk, grandchildren on the way someday. (Nudge, hint, Shannon boys).
Dr. Eric Topol is an American Cardiologist and Author. He is the founder and Director of the Scripts Research Transitional Institute, and his accomplishments and credentials are too numerous to name here. Still, one stands out to me: As a researcher, he has published over 1,300 peer-reviewed articles with more than 340,000 citations and is one of the top 10 most cited medical researchers. Yep, he knows what's up, he’s that guy.
His new book, “Super Agers: An Evidence-Based Approach to Longevity,” has piqued my brow and set me back on my heels.
Topol has published multiple original research and review papers in leading peer reviewed journals on Artificial Intelligence (AI) in the medical field. His observations, predictions, and hopeful optimism were welcome for this reader who often stumbles across contrarian views hobbled with doomsday predictions. Remarkable as it may seem, many directional movements in the AI field can help predict major disease inevitability before it happens. Sometimes decades or more. He also presented a TED Talk on the transformative power of AI in medicine that is worth a view.
So, what is the takeaway from this Reporter, Essayist, Health Fanatic, on the 70 side of 60, former Minor-Rock-Star-Musician, and Recovery Advocate? Three things (my favorite number).
- Exercise. There is irrefutable evidence based on data that if you walk and do resistance training as a habit for 30-60 minutes 3-5 times a week, you will improve your chances of being older and well. This simple habit is not new by any means, but is true by all accounts.
- Food. What we put in the center of our head portal means everything. Processed food is a killer, full stop. Read the label to see if the food type product has ingredients that remind you of a first-year high school chemistry class. Danger, danger, don't do it. Whole foods like our grandparents ate are, without a doubt, better for us. Just look at any movie made in the 1940s, and you can tell that something about the meals at the family table was very different back in the day. Very different. Dig? What, how much, and when. Big difference.
- Sleep. So much depends on the ability to rest and rest well, and modern research tells us that we will not be able to function properly unless we get the recommended allowance of dream time determined by our age group. We suffer when we struggle to do what we need to do in the daylight because of a lack of what we need to do in the dark of night. Without proper rest, we are somnambulists seeking asylum. I just heard a wise whisper from an old Blues Musician pal in my ear tell me facetiously, “Rest is an activity, dude.” Yep.
So much makes sense, so why is it so hard to do the simple things we all know are better (Better-er) for us?
That's a profound and important question— and the answer is not just about willpower. How our modern environment, biology, and psychology interact is vital in explaining why we find it hard to do the right thing at the right time. We are wired for short-term comfort. Quick rewards, such as “who has time” messages from the media, bombard our common sense, and we give in.
Ultra-processed food is engineered to be hyper-palatable. Sugar, salt, and fat equal a powerful dopamine rollercoaster thrill. Screens, scrolling, and junk food tap into a dopamine loop, just like other addictive substances.
Our world is set up for convenience, not health. Drive-thrus, desk jobs, artificial light, and 24/7 access to entertainment create a toxic convenience where the easiest choices are the least healthy. Chronic stress and busyness help all this; we are all susceptible to this in our ultra-modern communication device-driven world.
Hey, we are all human and not necessarily lazy. We are all just that: normal humans living on a vastly changing planet that constantly pushes us to our limits.
A little self-kindness is in order. It’s just not easy.
I am excited to finish this book, but it has already inspired a new band idea. Instead of another typical, inappropriate skinny jeans longing for the old days, wishful former teenagers turned older rockers, I want to curate a new band. What's the outfit's name?
The Sensational Wenderleys.
Ha! It beats the alternative: Not-so-much Ill-derly, elderly guys who can't stand and play, sing, or lift their axe.
Till next time -- Stay Standing and Steady On.
mls
By Dave Swanson - Summit FM Contributor
The Dave Matthews Band is the true definition of a fan-driven rock and roll success story. In 1993, they released their debut CD, 'Remember Two Things.’ This resulted from a consistently growing, rabid fan base for the unassuming band in Charlottesville, Virginia. The self-released disc went on to sell over one hundred thousand copies without major or indie label support. They took the music directly to fans, mostly college crowds, who took to their earthy, multi-cultural sound. Eventually, things were bursting at the seams, and the band signed a deal with RCA/BMG Records who released 'Under the Table and Dreaming' in September of 1994.
Coming into view on the heels of the 'alternative rock' revolution, it was out of place, yet right at home, in the landscape of the times. DMB combined traditional rock with a rootsy vibe, folk, and jazz influences, all with a jam band vibe and aesthetic. The whole stew was mixed with some modern touches and won the ears and loyalty of the masses. Early on, fans of the band even took to recording the band's live shows and trading with other fans ala the legendary tape trades of the Grateful Dead.
For a band only used to a live setting, they jumped in with both feet by enlisting Steve Lilywhite to produce the album. The legendary Lilywhite was well known for his work with everyone from U2 and Peter Gabriel to Talking Heads, Psychedelic Furs, and XTC. All a far cry from the DMB sound and style. It would prove, however, to be a wise choice when tracks like 'What Would You Say,' 'Satellite,' and 'Ants Marching' took off at alternative radio and MTV.
DMB stood out by being, for lack of a better description, normal! In the world of grunge superstars, nerdy pop, and angry industrial sounds, Dave and company provided their own alternative to the alternative. "The things that keep me excited about it," Matthews said in an interview promoting the album, "everybody has this different view of music, but when we're all together, we all come at it with this openness and aggression."
Though the band had a head start in their fan base to support the release, a steady motion pushed the album higher and higher, eventually just missing the US Top 10, clocking in at #11. It would go on to reach Platinum status six times over. The Dave Matthews Band was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2024.
Last night’s “History of the Akron Sound” event, part of the Akron 200 Bicentennial’s Forgotten History Forum Series, brought the city’s musical legacy to life in a powerful and engaging way.
Hosted at the Akron-Summit County Public Library and presented by the FirstEnergy Foundation, the evening was moderated by Brad Savage of The Summit FM and featured a panel of musicians and local historians who helped define and document Akron’s punk and new wave explosion of the late 1970s and early 1980s:
Tracey Thomas - Unit 5, Author of "Little Miss Akron"
Bob Lewis - Founding Member of Devo
Nick Nicholis - The Bizarros, Founder of Clone Records
Jimi Imij - Akron Sound Archivist
Chris Butler - The Waitresses, Tin Huey
Calvin Rydbom - Author of "The Akron Sound"
While bands like Devo and The Pretenders may be the most widely recognized exports of the Akron Sound, the event also spotlighted influential but lesser-known acts such as Tin Huey, The Bizarros, Rachel Sweet, Unit 5, Hammer Damage, and many more. Through lively anecdotes and reflective commentary, the panelists explored the gritty, industrial roots of the scene, and how Akron’s working-class backdrop inspired a DIY music movement unlike any other.
Attendees were taken on a journey through iconic venues like The Crypt and The Bank, where raw creativity and experimentation thrived. The discussion emphasized how local musicians built a scene from the ground up—pressing their own records, booking shows, and cultivating a strong sense of community and independence.
A spirited Q&A session followed, with the audience eager to learn about the cultural and artistic impact of the Akron Sound. The conversation served as a reminder of how local movements can leave a lasting mark on national and even global music history.
In all, the event succeeded in preserving a crucial chapter of Akron’s artistic identity. As the city celebrates its bicentennial, events like this reaffirm the value of remembering the voices, sounds, and spaces that shaped its cultural fabric.
By Dave Swanson - Summit FM Contributor
Born in England and raised in Australia, the Gibb brothers certainly had music in their DNA. Between 1963 and 1966, they released two LPs and eleven singles, one of which, “Spicks and Specks,” reached #5 in Australia in 1966. They were all still teenagers. Robin, Maurice, and older brother Barry learned early on that their sibling harmonies were unique and would soon turn to gold. The trio returned to England, where everything seemed to be happening, to pursue a music career. They caught the eye of music mogul Robert Stigwood, who quickly signed them to a contract. Things began to move quickly, as they often did back then, and before long, the Gibbs, along with guitarist Vince Melouney and drummer Colin Petersen, were in the recording studio creating their first proper album.
Bee Gees 1st is a shining example of the possibilities of 1967: bursting with creativity, fully aware of the era's surroundings, and yet never succumbing to cliche. It stands as an excellent example of a (near) perfect pop LP. The Beatles’ influence cast a large shadow over the music, which worked to their advantage. So much so that the initial single “New York Mining Disaster 1931” was sent to radio stations with a blank label, creating a mystery about its origins and leading many to assume it was a new Beatles single. This resulted in heavy airplay and ultimately a number 14 hit in America. According to legend, even the Beatles thought it sounded like the Beatles, and the Bee Gees admit they were heavily influenced by the kids from Liverpool.
Written by Robin and Barry, it was but one piece of the story here. The album opens with “Turn of the Century,” which sets the tone for this slab of Pop Art Pop. Awash in the bright colors of the era, it showcases not only their stellar harmonies but also their songwriting. “Holiday” (#16 US) follows on the path, with a lush yet hazy approach. Songs like "Red Chair Fadeaway" and "In My Own Time" present a more dynamic style, not out of line with the Kinks’ style. “Every Christian Lion-Hearted Man” is a haunting, psychedelic ballad that is genuinely one of the lost classics of the era.
While some of the songs seem to be searching for their footing in the vast landscape, “To Love Somebody” (#17 US) stands out as a fully formed classic, worthy of the greats. It's no surprise that this song, another Robin & Barry composition, has been covered countless times over the decades by everyone from Nina Simone and Janis Joplin to Lady Gaga and Michael Bublé. Michael Bolton had a big hit with it in the 80s, but the definitive version is arguably the Flying Burrito Brothers' take, recorded in 1969 but left in the vaults until the 1980s. Gram Parsons and company transform the pop classic into an unparalleled country ballad.
Over the album's fourteen tracks, they cover a lot of ground, switching up styles but never straying from what was, at that time, their signature style of Beatles-inspired pop music. It was done without irony and without cliché, and early on, it turned heads. The band refined this approach over the next two albums, the equally great, if not better, “Horizontal” and “Idea,” before moving on to the highly ambitious 'Odessa,' which proved they could hold their own in more complex surroundings as well.
This entire era of the Bee Gees remains unfamiliar to many who call themselves fans, which is no surprise considering the Bee Gees have at least three different eras in their story. It would be another ten years before everyone in the world knew who the Bee Gees were with the disco classics they would deliver. Their story, like many in the history of pop music, is far more fascinating than most realize. That entire period, from the late 1960s to the early 1970s, is a treasure trove of great music from the Brothers Gibb. Dig in and enjoy!
By Dave Swanson - Summit FM Contributor
Born in Leeds, England, in 1979, Corinne Bailey Rae has long forged her own path. Her first proper gig with her band was in 1996. It would be another ten years before she finally released her debut LP. During that decade, she gained a great deal of insight into herself, her music, and the music industry. "There's an immense amount of snobbery in the British art scene," she told the Guardian upon the album's release, saying she sacrifices a few friendships in the quest for her art.
Recalling past heroines from Billie Holiday to Erykah Badu, Rae's style was a combination of her influences over the years, which included classic soul, jazz, and pop. On her debut, she mixes it all up into something familiar, yet fresh. Not only was she the vocalist, but she wrote, or co-wrote, all the songs. And, as if that weren't enough, she also contributes her talents on acoustic, electric, Spanish, and bass guitar as well as a variety of keyboards. Time has treated the album, now nearly 20 years old, quite kindly. Her beautiful voice was hard to deny or ignore.
The first single from the album, 'Like A Star,' introduced this fresh voice and broke into the UK Top 40, but it was the follow-up that would put her in the spotlight in her native England. 'Put Your Records On' was a huge hit, clocking in at #2 in the UK. The song was notable for its references to Bob Marley in the lyrics. It would also be her first inroad in the US as it gained airplay on a variety of radio stations, including pop, jazz, and R&B stations. It stayed on the Billboard 200 for the next year and a half. Two more singles would follow with lesser success.
The album certainly struck a chord at a time when her classic, yet contemporary, style of song seemed anything but fashionable. Her songs tend to recall her past while looking straight ahead to the future, saying that her songs are "about my internal world, my experiences, and relationships, stories I had or had heard." That debut album earned her some notable fans, including Herbie Hancock, Stevie Wonder, and Oprah, among others. It would go on to achieve gold and platinum status around the world, laying the groundwork for what has turned out to be a healthy and enjoyable career that continues to this day.