TWIMH: The Beach Boys Get Around

Blast from the Past: This Week in Music History-- Alexa West, cohost of ROANOKE Mondays 12am-2am on WGTB

This is a harmonious week in music history, WGTB blog readers! On April 2nd, 1964, a little band called the Beach Boys released their record “I Get Around,” which was #1 in the US by July, selling over 2 million copies. The unique sound of the Beach Boys embodies the West Coast; we still blast “California Girls” and “Surfin’ U.S.A,” on beaches around the country. Their music is some of the easiest to boogie-down to, and the band is a major influence for musicians today.

Hear out the boys belting I Get Around below -- if you click this link, you can watch them singing it.

Review: The Morning Benders, Big Echo

The Morning Benders

Big Echo

A-

Once upon a summer time, two years ago, yours truly attended a life changing concert at Terminal 5 in a notably derelict area of Midtown New York City. The headlining band was the Kooks, soon to become a favorite band of mine. While the event was significant in regards to a blossoming infatuation with the Kooks’ frontman, Luke Pritchard, the gig was also special for its surprisingly decent opening band, the Morning Benders. The band hailing from the far coast of Berkeley, California shores appeared awkward at first. Dressed in Sunday-best polos, dirty sneakers, and thick-rimmed glasses, the newbie boys looked every bit the part of the opening band experiencing their big break while accompanying the well-toured British Kooks. The Morning Benders serenaded the crowd with pleasant and refreshing tunes, reminding the New York concert-goers of all those laid back, naïve, and innocent teenage years they never had. As reviews of the show later revealed to agree, I found the opening band impressive and genuinely delightful. After a few songs to get themselves comfortable, the scrawny lads seemed to be enjoying themselves on stage, despite the audience’s hesitation to support the neophytes…typical. (cont'd after the jump)

Artist of the Week: Love is All

Love is All is a lot of fun. Their light-hearted, earnest power-pop is infused with Swedish attitude and art-rock experimentation, with frontwoman Josephine Olausson leading the troupe in playful, soaring vocals. When they opened for Japandroids last night at the Rock 'n' Roll Hotel in DC, it was hard to keep the crowd from dancing to their special brand of exuberant punky tunes, mostly culled from their latest Polyvinyl release, Two Thousand and Ten Injuries. The band is now touring the States and garnering praise for this last album. Hear "Repetiton," from Two Thousand and Ten Injuries, below:

	Love Is All - Repetition .mp3
	Found at bee mp3 search engine

Concert Review: The Morning Benders at the Black Cat

The Morning Benders @ The Black Cat
March 11, 2010

The morning benders played a sold out show at the Black Cat on March 11. This band’s popularity came as a surprise to no one but the morning benders themselves. Throughout the incredible set comprised solely of songs off of their second album, “Big Echo,” frontman Chris Chu commented effusively on how thankful the band was for everyone in attendance. It is this earnestness which to me is the secret of the morning bender’s [lower caps intentional] inescapable charm. “Big Echo” marks a departure from their debut album, “Talking through Tin Cans,” the kind of sweet, innocuous indie rock which elicited some luke-warm comparisons to The Shins. Their newest release comes from the idea that a big shout produces a big echo, and this album marks the transcendence of the pleasant small echo of "Talking Through Tin Cans" to the loftier reverberations of their own big echo. For this album the benders explored Phil Spector’s concept of the "wall of sound," adding an inescapable depth to the more doleful melodies.

Review: Joanna Newsom, Have One On Me

 Joanna Newsom

Have One On Me

39 out of 46 Golden Harp Strings

(Alternatively: 8.5 out of 10 Cats Dying Slow Deaths)

I tried to like Joanna Newsom before. I really did. At the behest of the bearded and bespectacled gentleman behind the counter at Barnes & Noble who asked me if I was buying a copy of Paste because Sufjan Stevens was on the cover (which I was, for the record), I gave her a listen. His disclaimer that her voice was “something of an acquired taste” seemed a bit of an understatement as I listened to her screech along with her harp live on “Peach, Plum, Pear”—though, to be fair, his other disclaimer was “you’ll probably hate her.” It’s not that her voice was unbearable, though. I recognized that if I gave her a good, long listen, I might become immune to it and be able to appreciate her lyrical and musical talent regardless—but I didn’t. Maybe it was because I had a lot of more tolerable music waiting to be listened to, or maybe it was because of how loudly my roommate complained whenever I put Joanna Newsom on. Whatever the reason, I naturally had no expectations of her newest release, Have One On Me, when I stumbled across it on NPR First Listen. Well, maybe one expectation—that whatever it sounded like, I could expect some amusing outburst of irritation from the opposite side of my room. (cont'd after the jump)

Check Out Pictures from Our Student Showcase

Saturday night's first annual Student Showcase was a success, as eight student bands performed over the course of the night. We hope to have some video up soon of the concert, but for now, here are some pictures. Thanks to everyone who came out and helped to set up and clean up. Make sure to check out the next two WGTB concerts in Bulldog Alley, featuring Real Estate on April 17 and The Hood Internet on April 23!

Concert Pick of the Week: Megafaun

Megafaun

Wednesday, March 31, 9pm

Black Cat Backstage, $10

 Megafaun is one of the few bands who take indie-folk and don't simply rely on emotive and intelligent to hide an otherwise bland and uninteresting musical arrangement. This is not to say that Megafaun's lyrics aren't meaningful, but their real draw is their orchestration and interactivity with the crowd. Head down to their show Wednesday night at the intimate Black Cat back stage to hear your familiar indie-folk sounds twisted and tickled just enough to make it both interesting and enjoyable.

Review: Toro Y Moi, Causers of This

Toro Y Moi

Causers of This

B+

The glo-fi/chillwave genre tags tend to lump together artists such as Washed Out (Ernest Greene), Neon Indian (Alan Palomo), and Toro Y Moi (Chaz Bundick) as peers in a surging musical idiom. But to disregard the aesthetic differences that make Toro Y Moi stand out from the rest of his contemporaries would be an oversight.

Strong pop hooks, clean vocal melodies, pulsing bass, and meticulous production characterize Toro Y Moi’s debut LP Causers of This. The album’s opener “Blessa” begins with an ethereal intro of filtered and reverbed vocals that eventually drop into a dancy, bass-heavy groove, a motif that threads the album. “Blessa” transitions seamlessly to “Minors” a track that highlights Bundick’s dulcet vocals, which are higher in the mix and less effected than most of his fellow chillwavers.

Album standouts include “Talamak,” “Imprint After,” and “Fax Shadow.” “Talamak’s” syncopated bass undulates and drives, making the chromatic groove of the chorus hit that much harder, while spiky synth hits and Bundick’s breathy, but confident falsettos, float in the upper register. The latin jazz piano intro of “Imprint After” drops out of nowhere into a heavy quarter note bass riff, demonstrating Bundick’s creativity and innovation, while deconstructing the critique of chillwave as a musically monotonous genre. “Fax Shadow” is perhaps the album’s most rhythmically and melodically complex track. Here Bundick isn’t shy about displaying influences such as DJ Shadow, and Bibio. He employs the same cut-up technique you can hear throughout Shadow’s Endtroducing, and on Bibio’s vocals on “Fire Ant” off of Ambivalence Avenue—but it isn’t kitsch. Bundick’s vocals soar while the cut-up vocal track adds texture to the syncopated bass rhythm.

However, Causers of This weakly tapers with the album’s last two tracks. “Low Shoulder” repeats a very similar piano riff from “Imprint After,” while the bass groove and synths sound embarrassingly too much like cliché 80s electro-pop. Similarly, the closer “Causers of This” is schizophrenic with gloopy keyboards, and never establishes a groove you can bob your head to, a departure from what the first nine tracks do so well.

What Causers of This achieves in the end though is a representation of the potential of Bundick’s beat, hook, and production skills, which surpass his current glo-fi peers. And perhaps most importantly, Bundick demonstrates a craftsmanship and attention to detail that will only help him as he grows as a musician.

-- Joseph Romano

Play What? Play This! Playlist.

Play What? Play This! Playlist

This week: Heartbreakers

Relationships end. It’s a painful processes envied by none. Yet perhaps it begs the age-old, albeit trite, question: is better to have loved and lost than to have never loved at all? Sure, that question may have faint whiffs (if not a pungent odor) of death, but I think we can extend it into the land of break-ups as well. Whatever your answer, the emotions felt at the end of a liaison are powerful and rough. So then why, you may ask, would you fill a playlist entirely of songs that will illicit such emotions, songs that actively try to break your heart? Is it not amazing that a song can even do that – can stir up such powerful feelings, change your entire mood? These songs may not be ideal for every day, but on rainy afternoons (such as today) are often a fitting time for ruminations and contemplations.

Battin' Lashes: The Fruit Bats

“You don’t happen to be from the Northern suburbs of Chicago, do you?” It was with this immediate, intimate connection surrounding the strip-mall-scattered suburbia of the greater Chicagoland area that Eric Johnson, lead singer and chief songwriter of Fruit Bats, answered my phone call. Area codes can be so telling.

Click through to read more and hear the full interview!

Review: The Bird and the Bee, Interpreting the Masters Volume 1: A Tribute to Daryl Hall and John Oates

The Bird and the Bee

Interpreting the Masters Volume 1: A Tribute to Daryl Hall and John Oates

A

The Bird and the Bee is a band after my own heart—anyone who endeavors to cover the venerable 80s pop icons Daryl Hall and John Oates deserves some serious laud. I was a little worried that without the novelty of mullets and Blue Magnum-worthy iconography to accompany the tunes, Hall and Oates’s music would lose some of its magic. Fortunately, however, The Bird and the Bee’s rendition not only does justice to the “Masters,” but cements Hall and Oates’s (sometimes questioned) merit as musicians.

Inara George and Greg Kurstin (Bird and Bee, respectively), translate hits like “Private Eyes” and “Kiss On My List” into their own indie/synth style, adding a level of depth and sophistication to the originals. A couple of the weaker songs, “One On One” and “Sarah Smiles,” for example, don’t work quite as well, but that more reflects the integrity of Hall and Oates’s original songs than a failure on the part of George and Kurstin. The best tracks on the album introduce a fresh sound that sometimes even surpasses the originals.

The combination of George’s sweet lyrical touch and Kurstin’s reworking of the original, very recognizable, material into more contemporary beats creates unique, modern versions of some truly classic songs. Thanks Bird and Bee, I can definitely go for that.

Especially recommended tracks: “I Can’t Go For That,” “Maneater”

-Emma Forster

Host: Regional Rotations, Wednesdays 2-4 on WGTB

WWYC of the Week

You know that feeling you get when Andy from The Office sings a harmony and sort of uses his hand gestures to follow the melody? That's the feeling I get here, over and over again for all three steroid-raging minutes. True though, one of the side effects of steroids is a retardation of the production of testosterone, that thing that makes your voice not sound like his.

Normally there is this tiny iota of regret that I get with these postings. It whispers to me when I go to sleep, and it plagues me when I do song writing of my own. JpCampbe, though, you sir have forfeited your claim to this guilt-inducing power. You use the n-word without blinking an eye as though the integrity of your cover is so important that you can degrade an entire people. Now lets not get bogged down in linguistic progressivism and rather just join together in collective loathing.



Next up for this guy: a t-shirt? Nay, A toga.

Concert Pick of the Week: Shearwater

Shearwater

Friday, March 26th, 8 PM doors

Rock and Roll Hotel, $12

Don't be the kid who doesn't know about the next big art-rock band out of Austin. Coming to the Rock and Roll Hotel this Friday is Shearwater, a band just about as interesting and weird as the photo implies. So, if the people from GU Art Aficionados haven't forced you at gunpoint to go to G40, take the free shuttle from the Chinatown Metro down to H Street and catch what should be a really expansive and entertaining gig.

Check out their Tiny Desk Concert after the jump!

Play What? Play This! Playlist.

This week: Where Did That Come From? 

Sampling. Great post-modern art of the music world. Taking that which has been established and revamping it into a new sound. Thousands or artists sample, millions of songs (have there been a million songs? Probably, right?) include a sample of some sort. But where did those samples come from? Well here is a quick list of some of my favorite originals. (Normally I would have playlist you could listen to as well… but I couldn’t find most of these songs on the website that creates those playlists. Enjoy the YouTube versions!)

WWYC of the Week

AngelB4Ever01's name embodies the type of lyrical and poetic complexity that her singing style matches. Is it "I be an angel forver," as in proclaiming the immortality of angels, and her being one of this group? Is it "Angel Before Ever," as in positing that God's mind is eternal, not infinite, existing outside of time rather than a never ending continuation of it? Maybe her name is 'Angel B' and she wants us to know that she will be around forever. I don't know. I don't think anyone knows. One thing I do know, and that is that she sings Creep with the kind of emotional tenderness and hidden insecurities that Thom Yorke can only pray for.



Next up for AngelB4Ever: getting discovered by a major label.

Review: New Monarchs, Electrocaching

New Monarchs

Electrocaching

B

The exhaustive refrain featured in two of the songs off Electrocaching goes: “I am searching for a message in the electric sounds that are running through my head.” As I listened to this line as it was repeated over and over again, I couldn’t help but think, “gee, New Monarchs, me too, what exactly does your music mean?” It’s not that Electrocaching isn’t potentially enjoyable – if you like light, Postal Service-esque synthesized beats and melancholy lyrics, perhaps you’ll like the New Monarchs. However, the only message I could find between their electric sounds is that the New Monarchs are two sad guys from Minneapolis who like to play with synthesizers when they’re bored. In the song “Six or 12” they sing, “five years of spinning LPs at these parties and I’m still waiting,” as if to suggest that they are still waiting to find their collective voice. They seem to have good musical potential, but they haven’t yet created a strong enough sound that will set them apart from other electronic duos or bands. Each song off Electrocaching gives off too much of the same sound, and none of the songs seem to be able to stand on their own. Their best attempt, in my opinion, is the title song, Electrocaching, as it seems to be their most “catchy” song, however, the New Monarchs have yet to prove just how “Electro-ca[t]ching” they can be.

-- Elena Solli
Host, "Fun Dip and Cherry Coke," Thursdays 10 pm - 12 AM on WGTB

Review: Triggers, Smoke Show

Triggers

Smoke Show

A-

 

Smoke Show is an a great album if you're in the mood for some danceable, poppy, catchy, rock music.  Poppy at times, rocky at others - this album is guitar driven and synth colored and can probably make even a paraplegic tap his foot to it.  With a driving vocal line with expected gang vocals at appropriate parts of the song, this album is certainly recommended.  Must listen tracks are - "Ready or Not" and "Right Where I Need You".  This album is certainly rhythmically energetic and melodically soothing.  Next time I go fishing, I will surely not be using any bait - the hooks in these songs will do the trick.

-- Alex Podkul
Host, "Nothin' but a G-O-D Thang," Tuesdays 2-4 on WGTB

TWIMH: Flava Flav is Born

Blast from the Past: This Week in Music History

-- Alexa West, cohost of ROANOKE Mondays 12-2am on WGTB

This week in music history was a truly important one, WGTB fans. William Jonathan Drayton—better known as Flava Flave—was born on the 16^th of March in 1959. What would we do today without oversized-watch necklaces and reruns of VH1’s Flavor of Love? After being born in Freeport, Long Island, he went on to become an iconic rapper; he even created a new niche in his field, the “hypeman.” Georgetown’s spirit, affected by hormones and pop culture, would not be the same without Flava Flave and his “YEA BOYSSSS.” He is an icon for anyone who likes a to jump around and yell, whether hollering “HOYAS,” or just “FLAVA FLAVEEEE.”

To see an epic Flava Flave performance with Public Enemy, click below:

Track Review:Krave feat. Lil’ Jon, Pit Bull & Flo-Rida – "Go Crazy"

Krave

"Go Crazy"

C

            I had high expectations for this song. The collaborators on this song are impressive. It is a lineup similar to the one that was put together for Drake in his song "Forever." Granted, no one takes Lil' Jon or Flo-Rida seriously, but they are icons in party music just as much as Kanye, Eminem and Weezy are for current hip-hop. For the relatively unknown Krave to be given such an opportunity, I would have expected them to create the ultimate party anthem. However, it is nothing but just another regular party song... and even then... absolutely not the most epic one I have ever heard. This is the kind of song I can see being played at a club with a group of girls singing along to the hook after a good number of shots. Shit… I would probably join in on the wonderful anthem: “all da gurlzzz in da club go krazyyy.” I would have expected Krave to be grateful that they landed the opportunity to record a song with an entourage of  “shake yo bootay n’ git yo grind on at da club” all stars: Pitbull, Flo-Rida and Lil’ Jon. However, unlike “Forever” this song was simply “alright”. Other than the catchy hook, the most redeeming quality is Pitbull’s performance, and even then, it is far from his classics such as “Culo” or “I Know You Want Me (Calle Ocho).” The song lacked anything to make it stand out and make me want to listen to it more. It’s the kind of song that could come up on the radio and I wouldn’t necessarily be offended by it, but nothing I would repeat or go out of my way to play. Hopefully the girls from Krave capitalize and outperform this song next time they are given the opportunity to perform with party song legends like Lil Jon, Pit Bull and Flo-Rida. They better not disappoint me again.

-- Enrique Lemus

"Moose Tracks," Mondays 10-11 pm on WGTB

Artist of the Week: The Spring Standards

Like sunny, upbeat indie rock? Like pleasant harmonies and grooving beats? Like easygoing, rustic riffs and charming lyrics? Of course you do. The Spring Standards, who sound more derivative of Southern California than their native New York, are bringing their tunes to the Jammin' Java in Vienna on April 7. The trio is set to release their first full-length album, Would Things Be Different, which was produced by Bryce Goggin (Pavement, Apples in Stereo, Akron/Family.) Their last EP garnered much praise and was produced by Rhett Miller of the Old 97s. Keep an eye out for Would Things Be Different!

Listen to The Spring Standards' "Sad Song" below:

	The Spring Standards - Sad Song .mp3
	Found at bee mp3 search engine

Concert Review: Small Black at DC9

Small Black (w/ Washed Out)

  DC9, Washington DC

March 11, 2010

Whatever prejudices you have about Long Island, Small Black will probably prove you wrong, at least in terms of musical talent.  Their lo-fi, indie pop music joins them to the likes of similar artists such as Neon Indian and Memory Cassette.  Small Black’s songs have a certain bedroom feel that I imagined would be difficult to replicate when not on a recorded track.  Live, the duo that makes up Small Black, Josh Kolenik and Ryan Heyner, is joined by Juan Pieczanski and Jeff Curtin on drums and guitar.  The guitar and drums combined with the synths gives more soul to the performance and makes listening to their songs less private and more of a shared experience between Small Black on-stage and the surrounding audience.

Small Black’s lo-fi tracks are full of longing and matured teenage angst.  Listening to their songs live was much more of an emotional experience for me versus having listened to their recorded EPs.  The rest of the audience also appeared to be touched by the high level of energy Small Black gave through their performance.  Midway through their set Small Black was joined by their opener, Washed Out, and together played a large selection of Washed Out tracks remixed by Small Black.  This combination was amazing although I would have liked to hear Small Black play more of their original songs. 

My only complaint about the show is the limited time Small Black had to perform.  Even their set with Washed Out seemed rushed and ended right at the climax of the overwhelming energy levels present throughout the venue.  I definitely hope to hear more from Small Black and see them perform again, preferably when their set can go late into the night.

-- Dominique Barron

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

Review: Red Pens, Reasons

Red Pens

Reasons

A- 

Red Pens are a musical duo composed of a guy (Howard Hamilton III) on guitar and a girl on drums (Laura Bennett). Wait, what? You say you’ve seen this all before? Don’t be so quick to dismiss this band as just another White Stripes clone- what they’ve created in their debut album, Reasons, is so much more than that. Hamilton’s distorted guitar pairs perfectly with the steady drumming of Bennett. The level of effects used give the record a fuzzy tone, but thankfully they don’t go overboard: the vocals aren’t meddled with, so Red Pens don’t end up sounding like some other pretentious shoe-gazers who seem to enjoy pressing pedals or doing copious amounts of drugs which leads to disastrous consequences when playing live (see Wavvves). If there is one area in which Reasons disappoints, it’s the inconsistency in the complexity of the lyrics. Some of the tracks are pretty complex, lyrics discussing drug use and relationships (Street Issue and Hung Out, for example). These are juxtaposed with simpler, almost child-like songs like Baby Alligator and Children and the Kids. The one thing that can’t be denied is that Red Pens are a band heading in the right direction, developing a great sound complimented (sometimes) with good lyrics. As they continue to make music, expect more great sounding records like this one.

Favorite Tracks: Hung Out, Blue Lighter, Street Issue

-- Josh Smith
Host, "Artists in Exile," Sundays 2-4 pm on WGTB

Concert Review (and Interview!): Blood Feathers at the Black Cat

Blood Feathers @ The Black Cat

Washington, DC

March 4, 2010

I caught Blood Feathers on the final night of their two-day tour through the East Coast, fresh off of their premiere show the night before in Philadelphia. The band played at the Black Cat with Tough Shits and Seas, to a crowd of Blood Feathers enthusiasts—lead singer Ben Dickey’s mother, as well as other family and friends were prominent among the crowd on Thursday night. I chatted with the band backstage before their set about their newest album, band dynamics, first experiences with Urban Outifitters’ shameless self-promotion, and some special advice for Georgetown students, among other things.

(find out after the jump!)

Concert Pick of the Week: Fruit Bats

Fruit Bats
Saturday, March 20th
The Black Cat $12

Ride the high of the good weather this week right into the Black Cat on Saturday to catch the pensively sunny tunes of Fruit Bats. Eric Johnson opened things up on their latest record, The Ruminant Band, and the result is a much more natural and energetic sound, one surely to translate well into a live performance.

Bonus: I'll be there. We should hang out or something.

Review: Rogue Wave, Permalight

Rogue Wave

Permalight

C+ 

 

After hearing the early release of Rogue Wave’s new keyboard-heavy single, “Good Morning,” in January, I had what many music fans might call a “Huh?” moment.  Did this electro-beat track mark the beginning of a new direction for a band that can proudly point to three well-crafted, guitar-driven records in their catalogue? 

With the Rogue Wave’s new album, Permalight, lead singer Zach Rogue expressed that he wanted to focus on the “visceral experience of hearing music and letting your body move to it.”  Undoubtedly, Permalight is in large part the emergent product of Rogue’s health problems within the last two years, which included several anxiously immobile, bed-ridden months.  Permalight is thus a highly life-affirming album, trending more towards celebratory moments than the inquisitive frustration that had previously marked the band’s work. (more after the jump)

Review: Laurent Borque, What We Talk About

  Laurent Bourque

 What We Talk About

C

I think it was a bit presumptuous of Laurent Bourque to title his debut album What We Talk About. The only reason I can conceive of as to why anyone would be talking about it is if they were comparing him to other artists who have accomplished what Bourque only attempts. Granted, Bourque is a talented musician with a mellifluous voice, a reasonable amount of talent, and the album isn’t unlistenable, but his trite love-song lyrics leave more than a little to be desired. He has chosen a genre, tone, and set of cliché lyrics that have been proven to work for other artists, but all together the compilation sounds like a knockoff of these more impressive musicians. Think John Mayer but not as catchy; Jason Mraz but with a less interesting voice. One non-descript song title says it all: “Always Alright.” I am not all that surprised that I haven’t heard anyone talking about What We Talk About. It’s “alright,” but if I want to listen to acoustic guitar, angsty vocals, and a significant amount of “oohs” and “yeahs,” I have a wide array of more inspiring options from which to choose.

Deal breakers: snooze fest, copy-cat, and vague, uninspiring lyrics

Redeeming qualities: cool album cover art, Canadian, and (thank God) only 36 minutes long 

-- Emma Forster

Host, "Regional Rotations," Wednesdays 2-4 pm on WGTB

Tune in: On-Air Interview with Eleventyseven

DJ Alexander Podkul (Host, "Ain't Nothin' But A God Thang," 2-4 pm Tuesdays) will interview Christian rock band Eleventyseven at 3 p.m. EST on Tuesday, March 16. Make sure you tune into WGTB to catch it!

Review: Cold War Kids, Behave Yourself EP

Cold War Kids

Behave Yourself EP

B+

Cold War Kids have a unique thing going on, despite maybe carrying an aesthetic similar to countless other contemporary alternative-rock/indie bands. They’ve got piano, guitar, bass, drums, and a charismatic vocalist to tie things up neatly, making them sit somewhere between Spoon and The Walkmen. But it seems more difficult than not to brush them off as just another alternative band, because they’ve got something going for them that most bands strive for constantly: coolness. (Continued after the jump...)

Review: White Hinterland, Kairos

 

White Hinterland

Kairos

C- (only because the first track is good)

Who does this girl sound like? I don’t know. The first track is the only good song on this album. From there it gets really boring. This girl sounds like a not as good version of Bjork or the lead singer of Camera Obscura. Lots of echo and loop pedals and electronic stuff. Is this experimental? synth overload. This is difficult to listen to the whole way through. She does his thing with her voice that is like Rihanna at the Vancouver Olympics (eh, eh, eh,). “Kairos” is pretty good name for an album. I expect better from Dead Oceans.

-- Nico Dodd
Host, "Size 14 (The Big Shoe)" Mondays 4-6 pm on WGTB

Hoya Sports: Best Fans in the Big East?

We're in the running to be named the best fans in the Big East conference. Georgetown made it to the Final Four and voting ends this week, so please get your votes in.
You can vote for the Hoyas at msg.com/collegehoops and send in pictures from sporting events to collegehoops@thegarden.com.

WWYC of the Week

What do you want more than anything when you're rummaging through discount socks and novelty tees in the clearance bin at Wal Mart?

Nothing. That's right. You just want to be left alone, I know the feeling. Yet for some reason the management at this Wal Mart (which is almost definitely in a midwest fly-over state, I'm guessing Ohio) decided that a live, raw performance by Ashlee Simpson is just what their miserably depressed customers needed to lift the spirits. Put down that awful-smelling scented candle, Mom! Ashlee Simpson is yelling into a microphone!

Now, at this point, there are surely some rather clever wikipedia-correctors out there are saying, "Hey...this isn't a cover, this is just a youtube video." This is true; this isn't technically a cover (though I highly doubt Ashlee wrote this song, or knows how to read). But, the fact of the matter is, I watched a lot of different versions of this song. More than I am willing to admit. Hell, I enjoyed a lot of versions of this song. More than I am willing to admit. And, I found that Simpson's rendition of her own song is hands-down the worst version of the song on the interwebs. It's a phantastic phenomenon of everything wrong with the commercial music industry. I sorta wish she lip-synced. Enjoy (or something)!



Next up for Ashlee: Mohawk guy quits the band and continues with his project of video-taping his friends doing skateboarding stunts.

TWIMH: Biggie Smalls Killed

This Week in Music History

by Alexa West

Host, "ROANOKE," Mondays 12-2 am on WGTB

This week in music history was a grim one, my blogging friends. March 9, 1997 rap icon NOTORIOUS BIG was shot and killed. We all know him for “Juicy,” “Ready to Die,” and of course, “Big Poppa.” Fifteen days after his death, his album Life After Death came out and hit #1 on the U.S. charts. Known as the “savior of East coast hiphop” (which we eastern Hoyas should appreciate), Biggie’s influence on the rapping will never be diminished. Posters of B.I.G. will be in dorms everywhere for years to come.

Check out his music video for “Big Poppa” on YouTube:

Reviews: Christian Rock Roundup

by Alex Podkul, Host, "Nothin But A G-O-D Thang," Tuesdays 2-4 pm on WGTB

Ike Ndolo 

We Are The Beggars

A- 

We are the Beggars is a great album done by growing Christian artist Ike Ndolo, who recently played at the Verizon Center in Washington, D.C.  Ndolo, brother of bassist Kemi Ndolo from Matt Maher’s band, has launched his musical career very far with this debut album.  With its feel-good rock roots in “We Are the Beggars”, the acoustic sounds in “The Wealth of Kings”, and the inspiring lyrics of “Sound of Hope”, the album is both diverse and driven to his cause.  He is a more directly Christian artist (with obvious allusions and reference to “God” and “Christ”) for sure, but his musical sound can certainly appeal to all, the blessed and the beggars.

Relient K

Forget and Not Slow Down 

B+

Relient K’s newest album, “Forget and Not Slow Down”, is another album by Relient where they simply reinvent themselves once again.  However, while they do have a new sound there is an obvious sense of a returning to the roots of their album “Mmhmm”.  This album is definitely more stripped down than there most previous album and that is obvious by the increased presence of the piano.  The album, while catchy at parts and abstract at others, is diverse and has depth instrumentation on some songs and on other songs it is simply piano, vocals, and maybe a guitar for light coloration.  The highlights of the album are “This is the End”, “Forget and Not Slow down”, as well as the triumvirate that is “Sahara”, “Oasis”, and “Savannah”. 

Eleventyseven

Adventures in Eville

A

Eleventyseven, a Christian pop punk group from South Carolina, has maintained their catchy sound, their rhythmic riffs, and their danceable quality with Adventures in Eville, there first full length album since going independent.  After listening to their songs once or twice, it is very easy for listeners to learn the words and sing along.  While not complex in instrumentation or scoring, Eleventyseven captures what they are striving for – good, clean songs with a sense of humor.  They must have had a lot of fun making this album, hopefully half as much fun as I’ve had listening to it.  

 Make sure to tune in to Nothing But a G-O-D Thang with Alex Podkul on March 16^th from 2:00 – 4:00 PM to listen to Eleventyseven get interviewed!

Review: Local Natives, Gorilla Manor

 

Local Natives

Gorilla Manor

A-  

Album covers can be misleading. When I first saw the cover of Local Native’s record Gorilla Manor I thought I was going to be getting myself into guitar heavy punk pop. The black, graffiti styled writing on the grey wall and the heads exploding with color and grocery fruit didn’t exactly suggest complex three part harmonies. When I found that they covered the Talking Heads my presuppositions were only strengthened. But this is why grade schools have librarians to teach kids not to judge books by their covers.

The band’s sound is not hard to describe. Layer vocal harmonies over a guitar riff that plays throughout the song. Throw in some violins here and there, a horn every once in a while and poof, you have a 2010 hype machine. So it’s no surprise they have garnered comparisons to other, kind of, hyped bands-Fleet Foxes, Vampire Weekend, and Ra Ra Riot. The difference between Local Natives and these bands, however, is they seem to be acutely self-aware. Any time their harmonies get to the point where Robert Pecknold might be a little jealous, they throw in some tribal drums and dispel any potential for relation. And this is what makes the record great. (cont'd after the jump!)

Review: Broken Bells

Broken Bells

Broken Bells

Grade: One Golden Dove

It’s never easy to learn new things about things you already love. Because, if you love that thing, then you probably don’t want it to change that much, and if it does, you run the risk of loving it less. That’s never a good thing. That’s how I felt a few years ago when I listened to James Mercer’s acoustic set of a whole slew of Shins Songs. I was totally infatuated with the set, which he did for about five people at a radio station (don’t ask me where I got this, because I actually don’t know). I thought to myself, “Shit! Maybe I don’t like the Shins that much. I just love James Mercer’s songs.” With the rest of the band absent, I heard the songs louder and richer than ever before. It was only then that I was able to fully appreciate the genius of Mercer as a song writer. That doesn’t mean that I think that the rest of the members of the Shins are expendable. I really don’t. But, when I first heard news of Broken Bells, my immediate thoughts weren’t lamenting. 

Bushwalla visits WGTB, plays some tunes before Jammin Java set 2/22/2010

Last Monday, DJ Catherine Degennaro brought Bushwalla into the WGTB studios to play a few acoustic songs and discuss his latest work before taking the stage at the Jammin Java that night. Catch the in-studio set below along with the interview, and Catherine's concert review with more photos after the jump!
Bushwalla Interview by wgtbmusic
 
1982 Blues by wgtbmusic
Raise Up - Bushwalla acoustic in-studio at WGTB by wgtbmusic
Acoustic Rhymer - Bushwalla in WGTB studio by wgtbmusic

Review: Dinosaur Feathers, Fantasy Memorial

 

Dinosaur Feathers

Fantasy Memorial

A

  
My love affair with Dinosaur Feathers began as all great love affairs do: on the internet. I’ve been enjoying the Early Morning Risers EP since their website released it in mid-August so I jumped at the chance to review their new album “Fantasy Memorial” before its name was even said aloud. If my enjoyment of Early Morning Risers was the equivalent of an intense internet courtship, being the first to hear their full-length debut album was kind of like agreeing to meet in person. I left holding the CD hoping that it wouldn't turn out to be middle-aged, sweaty, and balding (if you know what i mean) and I’m happy to report a full album of Dinosaur Feathers is just as enjoyable as their buoyant and eclectic EP. From the first minute of opening track “I Ni Sogoma”, I knew our love was going to make it.
In “Fantasy Memorial” the Brooklyn duo taps heavily into African and Latin rhythms along with the electronic beats of their much favored drum machine. This will no doubt elicit comparisons to indie-pop darlings Vampire Weekend, but compare at your own risk, as their uniquely layered vocal harmonies are truly unparalleled. Fantasy Memorial is an exceptional glimpse into the band’s journey to discover their sound. Each track bursts with something new, whether it’s a different regional influence, like the Spanish sounding “Vendela Vida” or their take on a new genre, in the case of the soaring melodies reminiscent of Motown glory of “Teenage Whore”. Other highlights include “History Lessons” (a WGTB track of the week), and the ebullient and lively “Family Waves”, which makes familial disputes sound as fun as a drunken weekend at Disneyland. In their first full-length release, Dinosaur Feathers delivers a thoroughly enjoyable soundtrack to Spring resonant with stirring world beats and ambitious vocal harmonies.

-- Tiare Dunlap, 
Host, "Girl, Please," Fridays 4-6 pm on WGTB

Listen to an Interview with Big D - & Concert Review

DJ Andrew Rennie (Host, "Bangers and Mash," Sunday mornings 8-10 AM on WGTB) caught Big D's performance at the 9:30 Club on Feb. 26, and spoke to the band before they took the stage.

Catch the interview below.
Interview with Big D by wgtbmusic

Review: Joe Pug, Messenger

Joe Pug
Messenger

A-

It took me a long time to decide whether to give this album an  A- or an A, and I must admit the only thing that kept me from bumping it up to the latter was the fact that I felt that I wanted to keep a grade in my back pocket for albums like Blonde on Blonde and Beggar’s Banquet without ever having to use the ultimate cliché that is the “A+”

Joe Pug’s Messenger is a spectacular album full of art and poetry. The opening song, whose title is the same as the album’s, rings with the folksy charm of artists long thought lost to the oblivion of Newport newsreels. Pug plays with rhythm and melody to create a song that you’re sure to be humming for days and maybe weeks to come. In “Sharpest Crown” he plays with messianic imagery and a distant, longing tone that fills the heart with abstract feeling.

An absolute must-listen.

-- Jonas Briedas
Host, "Good Music," Tuesday 12-2 AM on WGTB

Concert Review: Freelance Whales, Bear in Heaven, Cymbals Eat Guitars

 

Nice Stache(s)!

OK: so I have to admit right off I'd only listened a couple of tracks from each of the bands playing last night before I showed up at the show. But I had mostly liked what I heard so I was geared up for what could be a good show in probably the worst venue in DC (the sound is so bad... always).

Freelance Whales opened. Promptly at 9:30. (In fact, most things were right on schedule and set changes were quick which was pretty rad in and of itself - I guess I owe you that one RR Hotel!) They put together a pretty good set, opening with one of the Generator songs from their 2009 "Weathervanes" album and closing with the other. In between it was a veritable clown car of instruments: I can't even tell you what each song they busted out something new and different (harmonium! banjo! cello! glockenspiel!). They have a real good energy despite the venue (which was rather sparsely filled at that point), but really set a good tone for the rest of the acts to follow. All in all one of the better openers I had seen in a while.

Click through to read more

Review: Crime in Stereo, I Was Trying To Describe You To Someone

 

Crime in Stereo

I Was Trying To Describe You To Someone

D  

Bridge 9 records is somewhat of a mainstay in the current hardcore scene. It doesn’t seem like that long ago when they were releasing records by some of the best bands in that scene, like Think I Care and Give Up The Ghost. But their catalogue has slowly been dwindling, and even amongst a slew of good releases over the past few years, including Paint it Black’s Amnesia and Ceremony’s almighty Still Nothing Moves You, they’ve managed to veer off into a whole new direction with releases that fit some new aesthetic hipness but fall entirely short of being even remotely substantive. With Crime in Stereo’s 2010 release I Was Trying to Describe You To Someone, it’s fairly evident that they’ve reached an all time low.

Crime in Stereo released some great melodic hardcore records in the middle of last decade. The Troubled Stateside was filled to the brim with anthems worthy of long night drives and it wouldn’t feel wrong dancing along to these songs at top volume. Is Dead was a whole new direction for the band, as they embraced some bastardized mixture of their earlier work with the epic pop balladry of later Brand New, and while it worked on that release, it was easy to see how this sound could lead the band in a direction far removed from their roots. 

And when a band changes it’s sound entirely, it isn’t necessarily a bad thing. Often a fresh change is necessary to keep a band from falling into a cycle of repetition, but on I Was Trying to Describe You to Someone, we’re given something a little too new. The album rings like an awkward mixture of all things alternative, and could easily have been released as a set of scrapped Brand New demos because of their likeness to that band’s most recent works, and because of their sheer lack of quality. Theres a little bit for everyone (to hate) here; the unnecessarily quivering vocal lines, the half-hearted use of new electronic instrumentation, the attempted heavy riffage, the failed use of drenching reverb on guitar and vocals... the list is endless. I may have said that they could put this into practice better live, but after seeing them on tour with Ceremony and Paint it Black this summer, I severely doubt that a possibility. Do yourself a favor and avoid picking up this record. Even avoid downloading it and wasting the space on your hard drive. Go pick up Brand New’s The Devil and God are Raging Inside Me or Trophy Scars’ Hospital Music instead.

-- James McGrory

Host, "The Shape of Punk to Come," Mondays from 3-4 pm on WGTB

Concert Review: Terror Pigeon Dance Revolt at DC9, March 2

Terror Pigeon Dance Revolt

March 2 2010

DC9, Washington, DC

Imagine Dan Deacon with a live band, more strobe lights and crazy costumes for the audience... Okay, now maybe you can understand the craziness that is Terror Pigeon Dance Revolt! Given that it was a rainy Tuesday night and TPDR! hasn’t yet reached superstardom, I wasn’t too surprised to find the dance floor pretty empty. Despite the small audience, Terror Pigeon opened with a high level of energy and excitement that lasted the entirety of their unfortunately short set.

Watching the tech crew prepare for TPDR!’s set I was partly excited yet a little worried about what to expect. Extension cords were everywhere along the stage and there were an uncomfortable number of light up snowman figures stationed around the small venue. I was a little weirded out when the band brought out a case full of costumes they wanted the audience to wear but the crazy outfits coupled with the intense lighting system made for a beyond normal concert experience. Before the show I checked their Myspace page and based on the three posted songs I thought the show would be a chill-ish dance party with the audience doing a basic two-step move with their feet but nothing too rowdy. Wrong! Terror Pigeon Dance Revolt! plays with such a fun energy level that it’s pretty difficult not to jump around and shake your butt. As with most dance parties, audience enthusiasm can definitely make or break the fun. The crowd at tonight’s show was not lively enough to match the animated spirits of the two lead vocalists but the fact that TPDR! was able to keep up their own energy level was impressive in itself.

And, oh man, I haven’t even mentioned the two, yes two! accordions and the trumpet. Any live band could definitely benefit from having both instruments but when you have a live band that incorporates these, uses them to throw a dance party, and it actually works, oh wow!

Overall, I was impressed by the instrumentation and high energy level Terror Pigeon Dance Revolt! brought to the stage and I would suggest that anyone looking for a fun, different type of dance party check them out.

-- Dominique Barron

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