In-Studio Today: Jamie McLean Band

Tune in at 3:15 pm EST this afternoon (click: Listen Live at www.georgetownradio.com) to catch a LIVE in-studio performance and interview with Jamie McLean, hosted by WGTB DJ Caroline Klibanoff.

Jamie McLean is the former guitarist for New Orleans' famous Dirty Dozen Brass Band, and has just released his solo album full of tunes this week, titled Completely. You can download his album here.

The Jamie McLean band is performing at the Strathmore in Bethesda Friday night at 8 p.m. Check it out!

WWYC of the Week Contest Winner: Kevin Lynch

Dear Kevin,

I thought you were a nice guy. Unassuming, pleasant, eager to please. But, then you sent me this video. Sure, you won the contest, and you won free tickets to see Jamie Mclean Band, but you lost me, Kevin. You lost me. I hope it was worth it.



Next up for Kevin: explaining himself.

Review: Dr. Dog, Shame, Shame

Dr. Dog

Shame, Shame

B

Shame, Shame, Dr. Dog’s first album on the Anti- Records label, is not the type of CD that you give a once over and then move on.  Shame, Shame is not your typical one-night stand, entertaining in the moment, interesting enough to tolerate for thirty minutes or so, but still easily abandoned after your brief, albeit amusing, encounter.  It is much more of a long-term commitment that demands a second, third, and even fourth listening to before you can really start to appreciate its complexity and quirky nuances.  It’s what I would call an acquired taste.

Filled with what can only be described as an eclectic mix of tracks, Shame, Shame showcases the band’s unquestionable musical talent.  Starting off with a tambourine in the distance that is shortly accompanied by an exclamation of percussion, “Stranger,” the album-opening track, seems almost like something you would expect to hear while walking into a circus tent.  That is, until the sorrowful lyrics kick in, and the song takes an unexpected turn – something that is relatively customary throughout the album and particularly evident in “Shame, Shame,” their closing track.  From fast-paced, upbeat tunes like, “Unbearable Why” and “Later,” to the more suppressed and melodic “Someday,” it is as if Dr. Dog runs the gamut of genres with this motley assortment.
Click through to read more

Review: Birds and Arrows, Starmaker

Birds and Arrows

Starmaker

B

Pete and Andrea Connolly combine to form the duo of Birds and Arrows, offering a interesting folksy indie pop album in Starmaker that is in the very least worth one listen the next time you are hoping to escape the stressors of everyday life.  The debut album from this husband and wife duo oozes with an obvious vibe that these two are comfortable singing together and have something special.  They are at times brilliant in songs such as “Honeymoon Song” and “Not Interested”, however other songs fail to click so nicely, especially toward the end of the album.  While Starmaker may not blow you away it undoubtedly provides a pleasant listen for anyone looking to relax with a folk-indie sound.

-Spud Paulus

Host, “Beat Mingle” Friday 1:00-2:00 EST on WGTB Georgetown Radio

Review: John Clinebell, Make it Land

 John Clinebell

Make it Land

C-

John Clinebell's latest release Make It Land ultimately produces one question after a painful
forty-five minute listening session - Why do people continue to make this kind of music?
Clinebell's latest effort is an ultimately uninspiring attempt at something that has failed so miserably
countless times before: the sentimental singer/songwriter who adds a heavy dose of uninspiring lyrics
to overly predictable chord changes and expects some kind of powerful emotional effect. Go ahead
and add Clinebell to that list of sappy songwriters who lack musicianship and serious stories to tell.
There are a couple decent songs in the middle of this work - Lay Back and Die and Go On Your Way, but that doesn't salvage the rest of the album. There's nothing wrong with heartfelt lyrics but Clinebell's are flat out affective and uninteresting at best. He may very well go on to have a decent career and there's certainly an audience for this brand of acoustic pop and catchy guitar hooks, but this isn't an album worth listening to.


-- Cole Stangler
The Cosmic American Radio Music Hour, Saturdays 2-4 pm on WGTB

TWIMH: We Are The World

Blast from the Past: This Week in Music History

Brought to you by Alexa West, cohost of ROANOKE Mondays 12am-2am on WGTB

            With Georgetown hosting Haiti day on Monday and Relay for Life coming up this weekend, I thought I’d continue the charitable trend with TWIMH. On April 13, 1985, the song “We Are the World,” went to the top of the charts and would remain there for another four weeks. USA for Africa performed the song, which was a collaboration of 47 popular artists including Michael Jackson, Tina Turner, Ray Charles, Bob Dylan, and Cyndi Lauper. The song topped both US and UK charts, and the considerable profits went to the USA for Africa Foundation, which provided relief of famine and disease in Africa. This musical charity especially helped the 1984-5 famine in Ethiopia. Music can change the world through its influence, and this is just one of many instances where it is used for charity and the overall good.

To see US for Africa perform this influential song, click below:

Review: Happy Birthday, Happy Birthday

Happy Birthday (our artist of the week)

Happy Birthday

A-

 

            As opening songs go, it’s definitely hard to beat the catchiness of “Girls FM,” which draws you into Happy Birthday’s debut self-titled album like a siren at sea, or perhaps more appropriately, a tween’s overexposed cleavage at a high school party.   Happy Birthday drips with infectious indie pop sentimentality, accompanied by intermittent shrieks of mild punk.  Maybe it’s the lighthearted, playful tone or lyrics that evoke the classic teenage struggles of pimples, crushes, and insecurity, that make Happy Birthday so accessible and charming.  (Personal favorite line: “Close your eyes, concentrate, I’m sending you subliminal message…. To your heart”).  In any case, Happy Birthday is just appealing and inventive enough to become a real hit.  The album never gets quite as good as “Girls FM” or “Subliminal Message,” but it’s definitely chock full of enough catchy melodies and funny twists to keep you interested (including a song entitled “Maxine the Teenage Eskimo”).  The falsetto croons of “2 Shy” and “Perverted Girl” evoke a pop sentimentality with undertones of a more lo-fi of Montreal or MGMT.  However, for me, Happy Birthday gets off track when it tries to be more waily punk, as in “Cracked,” although I suppose it fits with the teen angst theme.  The possible exception to this is  “Zit,” whose lyrics “Now I wanna break shit/ Don’t want to make shit/ Just want to waste it, yeah” are just amusing enough to work.  Also, the album is so heavy on hooks and harmonies that it can get a bit tiresome after a while.  Nevertheless, Happy Birthday doesn’t take itself too seriously, and you can’t help but join in the fun; it’s definitely a crowd-pleaser apt for a solid recommendation. 

-- Gina Bull

"Under the Influence" Fridays 10am-12 on WGTB