Daniel Mescher

Greg Gonzalez started making music as Cigarettes After Sex in 2008. After nearly a decade of relative obscurity, the El Paso singer and guitarist released his debut album in June. The dreamlike ambient rock of the self-titled LP quickly won over fans and critics alike. Cigarettes After Sex joined us in the CPR Performance Studio this week before a headlining show at the Bluebird Theater. The band played four songs from its album and Gonzalez spoke with Jeremy Petersen about how moving to New York changed the trajectory of the band, receiving high praise from French singer Françoise Hardy and his aspiration to work on film soundtracks.

Singer and songwriter Molly Rankin explains how her unpleasant dreams inspired the Toronto band’s sophomore album.

The Yawpers last joined us in our studio in 2015, shortly after the release of the album “American Man.” The Denver trio continues to meld blues, country and punk rock on “Boy In A Well,” the band’s third LP. Tommy Stinson of The Replacements produced the new record, which is a concept album set in France after World War I. The Yawpers returned to the CPR Performance Studio last weekend to play three songs from “Boy In A Well.” The members also spoke with Alisha Sweeney about how the concept for the album came together, its comic book companion piece and an upcoming international tour.

Mount Orchid takes cues from surf, pop and psychedelic rock on the new EP “Wallflower Child.” The quartet hails from Grand Junction and recently visited Denver for a headlining gig at The Curtis Club. Mount Orchid performed a few songs from “Wallflower Child” in the CPR Performance Studio earlier this month. The members also spoke with Jeremy Petersen about how Mount Orchid was originally a studio-only band, recording in a particularly cozy home studio in Grand Junction and the music scene in western Colorado.

Pickwick last joined us in the CPR Performance Studio back in 2014, when the Seattle indie rockers were on tour in support of their debut album, “Can’t Talk Medicine.” The six-piece returned to CPR’s OpenAir last month following the release “LoveJoys,” a sophomore record nearly five years in the making. Pickwick played four songs from “LoveJoys” in our studio. The band members also spoke with Jeremy Petersen about the long break between albums, working with hip-hop producer Erik Blood and taking inspiration from disco artists like The Bee Gees.

Denver musician John Runnels began performing as Morning Bear in 2014. He draws inspiration from indie folk artists like Fleet Foxes and Bon Iver while adding classical instruments like flute and cello to his music. Next month the band heads to Brest, France — one of Denver’s sister cities — to perform as part of a cultural exchange program. Morning Bear stopped into the CPR Performance Studio with string quintet Denver Nexus Project. In addition to playing a few songs, Runnels spoke with Jeremy Petersen about his teenage street performances on Denver’s 16th Street Mall, how he started the band after a spontaneous trip to Europe and his forthcoming visit to Brest.

Motion Trap’s music ranges from party-ready dance music to ethereal synth-rock. The Denver duo of Kyle Williams and Nathan Rogers formed the band in 2012 and this month released its sophomore album, “Heavenly Bodies.” Last week Motion Trap stopped into the CPR Performance Studio for the first time. Williams and Rogers played four songs and spoke with Scott Carney about forming the band in a college dorm in Nebraska and taking inspiration from dance-rock bands like Cut Copy for “Heavenly Bodies.”

Nika Danilova describes how building a house helped shape her latest album.

The music of Ancient Elk is hard to define. The Denver quartet has won a Westword Music Award in both the “avant-garde” and “Americana” categories. But it also incorporates jazz, psych-rock and folk on its debut self-titled album, which it released this week. Ancient Elk visited the CPR Performance Studio to play four songs from the LP. The members also spoke with Alisha Sweeney about writing the album over the course of three years, the coloring book they’re offering with “Ancient Elk” and their connection to the Moon Magnet music collective in Denver.

The Guestlist last visited CPR’s OpenAir in 2015, then known as Josh Moorehead & The Guestlist. Since the name change, the band has released the new album “Racing, Chasing.” The six-piece crafts an exciting blend of jazz and Americana-rock on the new record, which explores themes of creative struggle. The Guestlist performed four songs from “Racing, Chasing” in the CPR Performance Studio. The members also spoke with Alisha Sweeney about the band’s name change, recording at the new Denver studio Hum House and collaborating with members of Denver band Paper Bird on the new LP.

The band tells CPR’s OpenAir how bassist and producer Chris Taylor stepped up in a big way on its latest album.