Ryan Schleicher is a man of many hats. Not only is he promotions director for 91.7 WMSE, but he also plays bass and sings backing harmonies for the band Juniper Tar, which will release a four-song EP in December. Schleicher took some time to talk about sad love songs, Megafaun playing at his wedding and his brother’s cool New Year’s resolution.

What I can’t stop listening to:

Elliott Brood – “Mountain Meadows”

“Came across this album a few weeks back and have listened to it non-stop. I’m always impressed when bands can jump from sound to sound, yet maintain a unifying sound. These guys from Toronto go from country-rock to Lucero-style growl-rock to acoustic balladeering to indie-pop, but every song has a distinct Elliott Brood feel. And man can they ever write a hook.”

Old stand-by:

Tom Waits – “Small Change”

“Especially come late fall into winter, this album is one of my absolute essentials. With that quintessential early Waits jazz backing music, ‘Small Change’ brings you down just to that point of being comfortably down. This album is a quart of whiskey two days after a snow day. Only Tom Waits can write a song like ‘Invitation to the Blues.’ Imagine a drunken, ugly Charles Bukowski trying to pick up the classic Hollywood diner waitress with the pick-up line ‘I have nothing to offer you. I’m pretty much a low-life. But I’ll share my low life with you so that we can be depressed together.’ Brilliant.”

Maybe my favorite band right now:

Megafaun – “Gather, Form & Fly“

“These former Wisconsinites are brilliant songwriters, great performers and maybe the sweetest three men on the face of the planet. They are so good, my wife and I had them play our wedding. It was the best show I’ve ever seen (What else would you expect me to say, though? It was my wedding, after all). The first time I listened to this album, I repeatedly said out loud, ‘You have to be kidding me!’ And I said it in the most envious of ways. Oh, and Joe Westerlund might be the most creative drummer I’ve had the pleasure of watching live.”

Wouldn’t have liked five years ago:

The Woes – “Coalmine“

“I’m not into exploring and finding what is good with a lot of different genres, like a lot of the WMSE employees and volunteers. I kind of stick to what I like. For instance, five years ago, I wouldn’t have liked The Woes from New York. Within one song they can, and do, jump from folk to Delta Blues to New Orleans jazz, but it never sounds forced and it never sounds just derivative. Osei, the singer, pours everything he has into every word he sings, and the band behind him seems to generally appreciate and pay homage to a lot of the great American songbook without ripping it off.”

…and not just because we have the same parents:

The Off Key – Song a Week

“This past New Year’s my brother Aaron Schleicher, who musically goes by The Off Key, decided to really devote himself to his music. He pledged to write and post one song online every week of the year. I’m happy to report — and not just because he’s my brother — that a lot of really good songs have come out of this endeavor, and even more thrilled to say that he’s kept it up the whole year. I suggest starting with the first song he posted this year, ‘Barfight.’ “