Welcome to the Gutsy Radio newsletter! We‘ll keep it short and sweet letting you know about all the amazing music and DJs you can find on gutsyradio.org.

Gutsy Radio is a decentralized community radio station featuring music, talk, performance, and experiments broadcast live from around the United States. Each program is curated solely by its DJ, host, or performer. We present an eclectic and exciting variety of ad-free shows every night of the week and weekend mornings.

December Marathon!

This month Gutsy Radio is holding our final fundraiser of 2025. Gutsy Radio thrives because of our generous DJs, who volunteer their time to the station, and our incredible community of listeners. This allows us to keep our expenses low, but not insignificant. During the month of December we need to raise funds for half of our annual expenses which we use to pay for our broadcasting service and licensing fees.

Every little bit helps! As of today, we're fortunate to have raised $1275 (51% of our need). Help us crush our goal by raising the remaining $1225 by December 31. A small donation or purchase of Gutsy merch are much appreciated.

Click here to donate

And THANK YOU to those who have already donated. We ❤️ our listeners!

Gift Gutsy for the holidays!

Gutsy Radio merch makes great gifts! We've added new merch to our webstore. You'll find custom apparel, bandanas and drinkware among other old favorites. Shout out to DJ Vince in NC for creating our latest shirts! You’ll help support the station as you check off your list!

Need some ideas for gifting??

1. Going to a holiday party and want to bring a gift? Pair a set of Gutsy pint glasses with your favorite holiday craft beer. Then, switch the music at the party to gutsyradio.org and impress all of your friends.

2. Staying with friends or family over the holidays? Pair our Gutsy coffee mug with your favorite local coffee.

3. Our Gutsy sweatshirt or t-shirt plus our latest newsletter is the perfect gift for your supportive sibling or parent.

4. For your friend who is radio-curious and wants to be a DJ, give them a Gutsy Trucker cap or beanie along with our newsletter and the encouragement they need to pursue a show!

Bite-Size Music Reviews

Album Review

by DJ David, host of The Often But Not Always Rock 'n' Roll Show

Getting Killed by Geese — I can't stop listening to this record. It unfolds with every listen in the way that Prog/Math Rock does but without all the athletic complexity. It takes a few times to get your ear to settle onto it but once it does, it's one catchy piece after another.

Singles Reviews

by DJ Slaz, host of The Ear Rational Radio Show

All I’ve Got Are My Dreams by Peter and Kerry — Blending wistful melodies with crisp production creates a wistful anthem for escaping life’s daily grind. With its hopeful refrain and reflective lyrics, the song offers a comforting reminder to hold onto your dreams, even when the world tries to tell you otherwise. Pop perfection. 

Lucky by Fat Mezz — New arrival and Philly area band, Fat Mezz, delivers a breezy wave of retro-rock charm, its sound grounded in bluesy riffs and soulful harmonies that pull you in like a long drive with the windows down.  The track balances easy-going grooves, guitar licks galore, and a quietly confident energy that hints at more to come.  If you are in the mood for a straight up rocker, “Lucky” satisfies. 

War Pigs by Ukandanz — This interpretation bursts with a sax-driven urgency and raw energy simultaneously honoring the original’s protest anthem and reinvents it through a genre-blending explosion of Ethiopian jazz and avant-rock fury.  The Amharic language vocals of Asnake Gebreyes wrench the lyrics into fresh emotional terrain, making the riff feel like a new rallying cry. Ukandanz?  Yes you can. 

Top 10!

This month, we break the Top 5 mold and present DJ Thurston’s Top 10 Holiday Songs. Tune in to Thurston every other Wednesday from 9–11pm ET.

1. 🎁 Fairytale of New York by The Pogues. One of the only honest Christmas songs. Makes me tear up every time.
2 – 7. 🎁 Wishing you a Rave Christmas (EP), The Christmas Song, SNOWSTORM by the Raveonettes. Nope it’s not a cop out when you are this good at writing Christmas songs. Smash them into one playlist, grab the nog.
8. 🎁 A Holiday Song (Happy Holidays) by Starflyer 59. I’ll complain about Jason Martin being one of the most underrated blah blah blah that ever blah blah blah-ed
9. 🎁 Blizzard of ‘96 by The Walkmen. I could nominate the whole album, great snow vibes from front to back.
10. 🎁 A Christmas Duel by The Hives and Cyndi Lauper. Spiritual successor to the best Christmas song of all time.

New feature! Gutsy Pet of the Month

Leo joins DJs Sandie and Mark on air every other Saturday night from 9—11pm ET! See our Gutsy schedule here. Hop onto our Discord server to let them know you’re listening!

Playlist of the Month

DJ Maverick powered through the Gemini Full Moon with an eclectic-ish playlist perfect for blanket season on December 3, 2025. Check out SHUFFLE with Maverick every other Thursday at 9pm ET!

Renaissance - Opening Out
Gorillaz - Andromeda (feat. DRAM)
Nao - Saturn (feat. Kwabs)
Magdalena Bay - Love Is Everywhere
Raveena - Honey
Marvin Gaye - I Want You
Kali Uchis - Diosa
Laufey - Silver Lining
Tears For Fears - Sowing The Seeds Of Love
T. Rex - Jewel
Chris Rainbow - Be Like A Woman
Donna Summer - Bad Girls
Shocking Blue - Love Buzz
Geordie Greep - Holy, Holy
Gentle Giant - Three Friends
Cressida - Home And Where I Long To Be
King Crimson - Cirkus (including Entry of the Chameleons)
The Cure - One Hundred Years
Fad Gadget - Collapsing New People
The Cramps - Strychnine
Cocteau Twins - Hitherto
Fiona Apple - First Taste
The Sundays - My Finest Hour
Björk - Venus as a Boy
Kate Bush - Night Of The Swallow

. . . Blips . . .

🌲 Winter Holiday mixes! Need a soundtrack for holiday cheer or fear? We are up to 190 hours of holiday music on our Winter Holiday Tunes mixer! Scroll through five wonderful years of always fascinating Gutsy holiday shows. The whole collection of crooning voices and tinkling sleighbells is available on Gutsy’s archive. Listen on Mixcloud.

🌟 BEST of GUTSY! Tune into our favorite show of the year on Monday, December 29 at 7:00pm ET. DJ Slaz will spin songs and share stories submitted by Gutsy DJs from 2025 (and thereabouts).

📻 Gutsy, Too! kicks off our broadcasting Monday through Friday from 5 to 7pm ET. Hand picked from our growing archive of over 2,300 shows, re-listen to all the variety that makes Gutsy Radio great. The schedule is listed each week on Instagram and gutsyradio.org.