WGTB Georgetown Radio

Thursday, March 04, 2010

WWYC of the Week

It was really only a matter of time before we stumbled into the alternate universe that is Dashboard Confessional. Lets go back to the days of Wendy's parking lots, spirit assemblies, and Friday night football games.

But soft! Whats that there? A dark, brooding soul? A tortured spirit, tragically tossed into the mid size suburban high school after his parents split and his dad took that job in Michigan because the benefits rocked. Life is cruel, is it not, PWJR16?

One awkward romantic advance after another, PWJR16 went to the spring dance alone, even after bringing flowers to Rebeca Twills in the middle of English class and reciting dutifully that one life he remembered from Hamlet, "Frailty! Thy name is woman!" Yes. It appears that even Nelson Muntz has a soft, tender center that he is willing to expose only to the greater interweb community.

And by expose I mean defend gallantly his musical abilities in the comments.

Next up for this guy: Performing this song at the Prarieville Township High School Talent Show and dedicating it to Rebeca's best friend.

Review: Shearwater, The Golden Archipelago

Shearwater

The Golden Archipelago

B+

Shearwater was founded in 2001 as a side project of Okkervil River’s Will Sheff and Jonathan Meiburg for quieter songs than what they usually performed with the rest of the band. Will Sheff has now left Shearwater, and Jonathan Meiburg has left Okkervil River in order to devote his time to Shearwater. Their most recent effort, The Golden Archipielago is an excellent album. What I mean by that is that it has a cohesiveness that I feel you cannot fully appreciate if you try to listen to the individual tracks outside of the album’s context. If I were to hear any of these songs independently from the rest, I could appreciate them, but not as much as I the experience of listening to the album as a whole. Every song has a smooth transition into the next, keeping the listener captivated and in anticipation for what is to come. There seems to be a direction in which the album is guiding you as it progresses through the tracks. As much as I believe this cohesiveness was a strength of the album, it may as well have lead to one of its weakest aspects. The songs seem so codependent on each other that the album did not have as many standout tracks as Rook, where many songs were extremely catchy and held their ground independently. One track that did stand out (negatively) was “Corridors.” Meiburg seems to attempt to go for one of those intensely climactic moments that Okkervil River have in their songs, and I would say he should stick to the quieter side of his songwriting and leave the raspier vocals and intense climactic moments to Will Sheff. One of Shearwater’s greatest characteristics are Meiburg’s vocal abilities, and it is these quieter songs that allow for a full appreciation of them. Overall, it is a solid effort that requires a listen as an album and not a collection of singles. You will embark on a journey I guarantee you will enjoy.

Highly recommended track: Hidden Lakes

--Enrique Lemus

Host, "Moose Tracks," Mondays 10-12 p.m. on WGTB

Wednesday, March 03, 2010

This Week in Music History: John Lennon > Jesus

In this new weekly column from DJ Alexa West (Host, "Roanoke," Mondays 12-2 am on WGTB, we'll revisit some of music's best (and worst) moments in history. This inaugural post of TWIMH takes us to 1966. Stay tuned!

It’s 1966. Beatlemania is in full swing, “Drive my Car” is blasting nonstop on the radio, and John Lennon has created yet another scandal when he told the London Evening Standard that the Beatles “are more popular than Jesus.” (He’s lucky he didn’t say Jack the Bulldog!) There may be a lot of Beatles fans, but there are also a lot of Jesus fans, and their backlash hurt our four Liverpoolian friends and their tour that year. Radio stations in the South banned Beatles music. There were rallies of boys and girls stomping on their records and bonfires of Beatles material. John received death threats. Of course, Lennon appoligized, and the Beatles went on to release Revolver, Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band, Magical Mystery Tour, and all our other favorites.

Below, a clip of Lennon's public apology:

-- Alexa West

Host of "ROANOKE" Mondays 12am-2am

Concert Review: Clientele at the Black Cat, Feb. 23 2010

Clientele @ The Black Cat, Washington DC

Feb. 23 2010

Despite compiling one of the most consistently rewarding 1960s pop-inspired discographies of the last decade, four-piece the Clientele have failed to garner the following that they deserve, neither statewide nor in their native England. This lack of attention is apparent both in recent band comments about getting out of music and in the showing at their Black Cat show this past Tuesday. Showing up halfway through Devandra Banhart-collaborating Vetiver's bizarre folk-twang opening, I was able to easily assume a position two rows from the stage before the Clientele had appeared on stage.

Following their first song, an awkward and prolonged exchange between lead Alasdair MacLean and an audience member complaining about their reverb-heavy sound set the tone for the rest of the show. Less than halfway through the set and after several attempts at very English humor that missed its mark with the audience, MacLean warily commented that "the banter isn't working tonight." From then on, though, the show took off, with the band playing song into song and MacLean showing jam-band chops that one might not expect from listening to his generally contented guitar.

The show peaked during its encore, with traditional closer "Bookshop Casanova" eschewed for "Bicycles." The band then briefly conferenced before launching into "Joseph Cornell," a less often played single from the Clientele's debut Suburban Light demanded by a small but very vocal minority in the audience. With newly-added multi-intermentalist Mel Draisey adding a welcome tamboruine to the song's oringally sublime mix, it was an appropriately calm ending to the set. It is such innovations that a new member can bring to an established sound, and such accomplishments that would make it such a shame for the Clientele to not continue into the next decade. Given the appreciation they are shown, though, one can hardly blame them.

-- Jake Sticka
Host, "Don't You Wish We Were NPR," Mondays 8-10 AM on WGTB

Review: Gil Scott-Heron, I'm New Here

Gil Scott Heron

I'm New Here

Gil Scott-Heron is back after almost two decades on hiatus. His latest album, I'm New Here, is a good indication of how Scott-Heron's musical ability has evolved but also, how he has matured as a person. Unlike his previous, heavily political albums, I'm New Here tells more of his life experiences and personal revelations rather than making a blatant political call (listen to the opening track, "The Revolution Will Not Be Televised," off his 1970 debut album Small Talk at 125th and Lenox for reference for his previous work). The intro and outro, "On Coming From a Broken Home (Parts 1 & 2)," are spoken over a sample of Kanye West's "Flashing Lights" and are the most message-sending tracks, telling of his home life and encouraging people to focus more on family. I'm New Here is definitely a spoken word album with Scott-Heron's personal poetry spoken, not sung or rapped, over nicely produced beats. I don't think I'm New Here is one of Gil Scott-Heron's best works, especially given how influential his previous albums have been on society and the music industry. I do, however, think the production on these, often extremely short, tracks is well done and Scott-Heron's talent as a poet is clearly visible throughout.
Recommended Track: "Me and the Devil"

-- Dominique Barron
Host, "Amurikah = Apple Pie & Fried Chicken," Tuesdays, 6-8PM on WGTB

Tuesday, March 02, 2010

Artist of the Week: Red Pens (& mp3!)

This week we've been enjoying the second album from Minneapolis duo Red Pens, Reasons. Their simple, lo-fi brand of pop music is immediately charming, with just enough grit and attitude to keep the listener entertained from the album opener to the final track.With Howard Hamilton III of the Busy Signals on guitar and vocals, and Laura Bennett on drums (which she paints herself), Red Pens are just starting to leave their mark on the fuzzy indie art-rock scene.

Recommended if you like Joy Division, The Jesus and Mary Chain, Sonic Youth.
Download "Hung Out" from Reasons HERE (via Insomnia Radio)

Our Top 30 Albums of the Week

Here's what we're filling our ears with this week. Notable adds include Local Natives, White Hinterland, and the just-shoegazey-enough pop of Minneapolis-based Red Pens.

1 BEACH HOUSE Teen Dream

2 FOUR TET There Is Love In You

3 HOT CHIP One Life Stand

4 MUMFORD AND SONS Sigh No More

5 SPOON Transference

6 SHOUT OUT LOUDS Our Ill Wills

7 MIDLAKE The Courage Of Others

8 DINOSAUR FEATHERS Fantasy Memorial
9 LOCAL NATIVES Gorilla Manor

10 FICTIONIST Lasting Echo
11 ANIMAL KINGDOM Signs And Wonders

12 ALBUM LEAF A Chorus Of Storytellers

13 FILMS Oh, Scorpio

14 XIU XIU Dear God, I Hate Myself