The N.C. State baseball game vs. UNC-Greensboro scheduled for Wednesday, March 3 at 3 p.m. has been postponed due to the weather. No makeup date has been scheduled as of this time. The next broadcast of N.C. State baseball will be Friday, March 5 at 3 p.m. vs. Quinnipiac. Airtime will be at 2:55 p.m. right here on 88.1 WKNC.

For the complete Wolfpack baseball schedule, visit gopack.com.

N.C. State a capella groups Grains of Time and Packabelles will perform Monday, Feb. 15 in the Witherspoon Student Center Cinema as part of the campus’s Howl for Haiti fundraiser. Tickets to the  show, which will also feature the Fusion Dance Crew and Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity Inc., are $7 and can be purchased at NCSU’s Tally Student Center or in the Brickyard Thursday from noon to 4 p.m. Food will be sold beginning at 6:30 p.m., with the show scheduled for 7:30 p.m.

The concert is sponsored by the Union Activities Board, the CSLEPS Service Leadership Team Global Awareness Committee and the Howl for Haiti Committee.

BET Honors

On January 16, I had the esteemed privilege of attending the third annual BET Honors in Washington, D.C. BET Honors is a prestigious awards show paying tribute to the outstanding achievements of certain individuals within the African American community. This year’s five honorees included Queen Latifah for her multi-dimensional career in various forms of media,world-renowned neurosurgeon, Dr. Keith L. Black MD for his devotion to public service, Sean “P.Diddy” Combs for his achievements as a successful entrepreneur,  Dr. Ruth J. Simmons for  breaking down barriers in education and lastly, Whitney Houston,  for her record setting achievements in entertainment.

The first to be honored was the rapper turned actress and singer, Queen Latifah, who was presented her award by Academy Award nominated actress Taraji P. Henson . Queen Latifah was first paid a musical tribute by R&B songstress Jazmine Sullivan, who opened with “Unforgettable”, then segued into a stirring rendition of “Rock Steady”. Jazmine was immediately followed by the legendary Patti Labelle, who brought down the house with her classic,”If You Only Knew”. As Queen Latifah took to the stage and gave a motivational acceptance speech, she recalled memories of her brother who passed away in an accident and spoke of how hard work, dedication and faith were key in her success.

BET Honors

Dr.Keith L. Black MD was the next recipient honored by comedian Chris Tucker. Dr. Black’s musical tribute was performed by none other than the legendary Stevie Wonder and gospel group, Take 6. Together they sang an acapella version of “ Can’t Imagine Life Without You,” a gem from Wonder’s latest release A Time To Love. During Dr. Black’ s thought provoking acceptance speech, he took the time to discuss the importance of education and how its accessibility should not be taken for granted.

Next, to be honored was Sean “P.Diddy” combs, who’s record label, clothing line, fragrances and television shows, among other endeavors have made him one of the most successful business men in the recording industry. Combs musical tribute was performed by protege Mary J.Blige, who credits Combs for believing in her and helping jump start her career. After a brief speech, Blige sang her latest single “ I Am,” and then launched into some of her biggest hits produced by Combs, including “Love No Limit”,” I Love You” and  “Be Happy.
Blige rocked the house and had the crowd on their feet during her soulful and energetic performance. During Combs acceptance speech, he thanked his mother showing him what it meant to have a strong work ethic and stressed the importance of setting and achieving your goals.

This year’s education honoree, Dr. Ruth J. Simmons is the first black president of an Ivy League university, who overcame a number of hardships to make history and inspire many. Victoria Rowell, star of The Young and the Restless had the privilege of presenting Dr. Simmons with her award after a musical performance Grammy Award winning songstress, India Arie.  Arie, accompanied by pianist Eric Lewis sang a heartfelt “Beautiful Flower” and “Someday We’ll All Be Free.” Dr. Simmons gave a moving speech and expressed the importance of not letting obstacles stand in your way and how we should all strive to reach our fullest potential.

BET Honors

Last and most certainly not least to be  honored was the legendary and iconic Whitney Houston, for her achievements in entertainment. With over 170 million albums, the most awarded female of all time was presented her award by R&B sensation Ne-Yo and honored by gospel artist Kim Burrell and Academy Award winning diva, Jennifer Hudson.

First, Burrell in a surprise appearance serenaded Houston with “I Believe In You and Me”. What made the performance the night’s best was not just sheer brilliance of Burrell’s voice, but the heartfelt emotion and sincerity behind it, as Burrell personalized the song and sang it directly to Houston. Houston was visibly emotional as she cried and stood the entire performance.

Never one to be outdone, Jennifer Hudson, had the daunting task of both following Burrell and also singing one of Houston’s biggest and most vocally challenging hits, “I Will Always Love You”. Naturally, Hudson rose to the occasion and was given a much deserved standing ovation midway through the performance.  Houston mentioned during her brief, yet poignant speech, how it felt good to stand and not be judged and expressed how we should learn to support one other, not only in our triumphs, but in our failures as well.

Overall, attending the BET Honors was an amazing experience, full of funny moments, wonderful performances and inspiring acceptance speeches. Each of the five honorees is more than deserving of the recognition they received, in an evening which truly exemplified what extraordinary looks like.

Extra  behind the scenes tidbits about the show

-Maxwell gave 2 rousing performances of “Fistful Of Tears” and “Bad Habits”.

-Newcomer Ryan Leslie performed new single, “I Choose You,” which left much to be desired.

-Whitney accidentally forgot to thank Jennifer Hudson in her speech, but thanked her immediately after backstage.

-After re-shooting Stevie Wonder’s performance with Take 6, he joked “Sorry, I wasn’t looking at the camera.”

-Trey Songz tried to get Stevie Wonder to sing the lyrics to his raunchy single “Invented Sex,” but an adamant Stevie would only hum the melody. Both along with India Arie also paid tribute to the late R&B legend Teddy Pendergrass with “Wake Up Everybody.”

-Whitney was showed the most support from the audience throughout the night and took to the stage with thunderous applause.

-Every presenter and honoree mentioned Haiti and encouraged everyone to help with relief efforts.

-Host Gabrielle Union has great comedic timing and changed outfits and hair every break.

BET Honors, hosted by actress Gabrielle Union airs TONIGHT from 9 to11 p.m. EST.

Follow me on twitter where I’ll be live tweeting about the show tonight.

On December 16, 2009 John Frusciante announced his departure from the Red Hot Chili Peppers.

John Frusciante has been with the Red Hot Chili Peppers since 1990.  After a widely reported addiction to heroin, Frusciante left in 1992 and was briefly replaced by Dave Navarro.  Frusciante returned to the Peppers in 1998 and recorded “Californication,” “By The Way” and “Stadium Arcadium” with the band.

Aside from the RHCP, Frusciante has released a number of solo albums (my favorite being To Record Only Water for Ten Days, 2001) and put out his most recent album, The Empyrean, in January 2009.

The following  is a reprint of Frusciante’s words taken from his MySpace blog:

Wednesday, December 16, 2009
Clarification

“When I quit the band, over a year ago, we were on an indefinite hiatus. There was no drama or anger involved, and the other guys were very understanding. They are supportive of my doing whatever makes me happy and that goes both ways.

To put it simply, my musical interests have led me in a different direction. Upon rejoining, and throughout my time in the band, I was very excited about exploring the musical possibilities inherent in a rock band, and doing so with those people in particular. A couple of years ago, I began to feel that same excitement again, but this time it was about making a different kind of music, alone, and being my own engineer.

I really love the band and what we did. I understand and value that my work with them means a lot to many people, but I have to follow my interests. For me, art has never been something done out of a sense of duty. It is something I do because it is really fun, exciting, and interesting. Over the last 12 years, I have changed, as a person and artist, to such a degree that to do further work along the lines I did with the band would be to go against my own nature.  There was no choice involved in this decision. I simply have to be what I am, and have to do what I must do.

Sending love and gratitude to you all.”

If you missed the show in summer 2008, now is your chance to make up for it.  Zappa Plays Zappa is coming back to the Lincoln Theatre and WKNC has two pairs of tickets to give away!

Mystery Roach, your two-hour study of Prog, Fusion, Psychedelic, and Garage on Saturday mornings, will be holding an essay contest!

The rules are simple.  La Barba Rossa, host of Mystery Roach, will be accepting essay submissions from now until Tuesday January 5th.  Winners for the January 13th performance will be announced on Mystery Roach Saturday morning, January 9th.

Suggested entry length is about one page, but you can be a genre-bender, if you like—-write Prog-Prose.  One sentence?  Sure.  10 pages?  Why not?  You can submit essays via email, but snail mail is encouraged. (See below for mailing address.)  Extra points for mailing it. Extra points for artistic style in penmanship and envelope.  Imagine that?  Send a letter.

Essay topics  (Please stick to these, all others will be disqualified.):

1. Why I want these tickets. (Option to include discussion of why your desires supersede all others’.)
2. The best Zappa album/song/era is _________.  Explain.
3. Zappa Plays Zappa, is (or is not) “meta.”  Discuss.
4. My first summer job, and its horrifying/hilarious consequences.

Email responses can be sent to: mysteryroach@wknc.org. It is preferred that you send it as a file attachment (pdf, doc, txt) but sending it in the body of an email is OK too.

Snail mail can be sent to:

WKNC 88.1 FM
ATTN: La Barba Rossa
Campus Box 8607
343 Witherspoon Student Center
Raleigh, NC 27695-8607

I look forward to reading your entries.

Cheers.

-La Barba Rossa

This Saturday, 11/28/2009, on Mystery Roach, Andrew, a Raleigh local, will be visiting to share the story about (and the music in) his windfall of a record collection.

In a nutshell, a friend from work prematurely lost her husband about two years ago.  (He suddenly died when they were traveling abroad.)  She was recently cleaning out her garage and wanted to know if he knew anyone who would be interested in her husband’s old stereo equipment.

Andrew said he would be. But he came away with more than just equipment.

“When I went to get it,” he says, “I asked about the piles of records, and she offered them to me.  A collection of  soul, funk, Motown, jazz, etc. A lot of stuff I hadn’t gotten to know in depth before.”

Andrew’s been poring over his new collection, and on Saturday we’ll hear about what he’s learned–some stuff he wasn’t familiar with before, and some “known unknowns” from favorite popular artists.

This weekend Andrew will share highlights from the collection.

Listen for:  Curtis Mayfield, the Impressions, Stevie Wonder, The Temptations, Miles Davis, Jimmy Smith, Nina Simone, James Brown, Ray Charles, John Coltrane, The Chambers Brothers, Bill Withers, Etta James…

A great soundtrack to turn that turkey carcass into stock.

Talk to you then.

-La Barba Rossa

Mariah’s ‘Memoirs’ nearly perfect
Memoirs of an Imperfect Angel – Mariah Carey
Island Records
4/5 stars
By Mir.I.am

For almost two decades, Mariah Carey has been a consistent force in R&B/Pop music, with worldwide sales of more than 200 million copies and more number ones than any other solo artist.

The success and record-breaking achievements have made some wonder if Carey is still motivated and capable of making good music.

With Carey’s latest effort, “Memoirs of an Imperfect Angel,” she once again proves she is able to adapt and remain relevant in an ever-changing industry, while staying true to herself.

Just 18 months ago, Carey released the underwhelming and underperforming “E=MC2,” but she has picked herself up again, delivering one her best albums.

“Memoirs,” written and produced exclusively by Carey, Tricky Stewart and The-Dream, takes us on a musical journey through the ups and downs of love.

Together, the three manage to produce a cohesive blend of the urban pop mid-tempos and ballads we have come to expect from Carey.

The album starts out with the confrontational “Betcha Gon’ Know.” It’s an indication of the witty lyrical content and creative mid-tempo production heard on the album throughout.

Next is one of the two singles the album could have done without, the horn and bass riddled “Obsessed.”

Carey claims the childish song is not about rapper Eminem, and while it does deliver its fair share of funny lines — example: “See right through you like you’re bathing in Windex” — the small-mindedness of it takes away its punch.

Surprisingly the other song chosen as a single, “I Want To Know What Love Is,” falls flat, as Carey adds nothing of value to Foreigner’s ‘80s classic.

Moving on, “Candy Bling,” contains finger snaps and soft keys that will remind you of The-Dream’s “I Love Your Girl.”

Carey sings of a time when love was young and pure. The lyrics are simple and gimmicky, but wasn’t everything that way back then?

As “Memoirs” continues on, Carey shines with some of her best ballads since “Butterfly,” including “H.A.T.E.U” (Having A Typical Emotional Upset), “Angel’s Cry” and the stellar “Languishing.” It’s clear that Carey’s powerhouse vocals and range are still perfectly intact.

“The Impossible” sounds like a ‘90s throwback, courtesy Blackstreet or Jodeci. Somehow Carey is able to tackle the sensual slow groove as her whispery vocals ride smoothly over the seductive beat.

The album does begin to wane with the cluttered and uninspiring “More Than Just Friends” and over-produced “Ribbon,” while the standouts on “Memoirs” are the tales of love gone awry and the anger and bitterness that ensue. The modern doo-wop Motown inspired “It’s A Wrap,” sing-along “Standing O” and the bold “Up Out My Face” all contain clever punch lines which could have been delivered by your favorite rapper.

Although not as versatile as some of her previous work, “Memoirs of an Imperfect Angel” is very personal and full of songs that will walk you through each phase of love.

Carey has once again proven that she is able to continuously evolve and transform, while never losing her core, which makes her imperfections perfect.

88.1 WKNC Pick of the Week is published in every Thursday print edition of the Technician, as well as online at technicianonline.com and wknc.org.

Robert Earl Keen – The Rose Hotel
4 out of 5 stars
by Sweet Annie Rich

The Rose Hotel

Robert Earl Keen has been a driving presence in Americana for the past 15 years, at the very least, and his latest offering “The Rose Hotel” only further cements his place in the alt-country pantheon.  While none of these songs are the next “The Road Goes On Forever,” it’s an album of solid Keen material that’s bound to become part of the drunken singalongs that are his live shows.

It’s certainly not a new outing for Keen, but at this point in his career straying too much from the beaten path would detract from his essence as an artist.  The title track is exactly what an opener should be – it’s catchy, mid-tempo, with an infinitely singable chorus.  But as always with a good Keen song there’s an undercurrent of sadness that keeps the twang authentic.

It’s this turn of phrase that keeps Keen fans coming back for more and makes even the most die-hard anti-country advocates stop and listen.  “Throwing Rocks” starts out like any other lazy good-time song but immediately turns on itself halfway through, going from rollicking love song to rolling story of revenge.  As such it’s a standout on a disc full of solid songs.

Keen pays tribute to his forebears appropriately, covering Townes Van Zandt’s “Flying Shoes” with a chunky bass line.  “The Man Behind the Drums” is a pure meta-country ode to Levon Helm.  It’s a refreshing sense of humility that Keen possesses in regard to these legends, as if he realizes that some put him on their level but knows in his heart of hearts that he can only look up to them.

Some songs don’t quite hit the emotional apex.  “Goodbye Cleveland” ought to be every bit the weeper, but something about the way Keen stretches out the words of the chorus just makes it another candidate for rowdy singing along, which is exactly what this song shouldn’t be.  Some songs are played for the laughs, which is always fun, but “10,000 Chinese Walk Into A Bar” still doesn’t seem to reach the funny bone quite like previous gut-busters (“The Great Hank” comes to mind).

As a whole, “The Rose Hotel” is fun, relaxed, and at turns surprising.  Keen’s attitude is best summed up in the song “Something I Do,” which with a chorus of “I kinda like just doing nothing, it’s something that I do,” encapsulates the easy and familiar feeling that fans have come to know and love.

Other Truths dares you not to hum along
4.5/5 stars
by DJ Matticus Rex

Do. Make. Say. Think. A list of instructions; suggestions, perhaps. Sound strange to you? Well, welcome to

D.M.S.T. Other Truths

post-rock, where the music is almost as strange as the band names. For a genre this obscure, an introduction is in order; most people have never heard of it, and many who have still have no clue what it is, so don’t feel bad if it takes a bit of explanation.

Post-rock is, according to Wikipedia (the source of all knowledge) “the use of ‘rock instrumentation’ for non-rock purposes.” There are rarely any words. Post-rock is what you listen to when you want music, but you also need to be able to think about other things, or when you don’t want to think at all. It lacks the aggressive demand for attention of most popular music, and that can be a welcome change for many.

Toronto natives Do Make Say Think, whose sixth album “Other Truths” came out October 6th, are considered forefathers of the genre, alongside bands such as Mogwai and Explosions in the Sky. I’ll be honest; I’d listened to them quite a bit, but I had never quite “clicked” with their music until this release. They’ve often been criticized for being minimalistic, boring, and repetitive, and until now I would have agreed wholeheartedly. This album, however, is something different. I can no longer step away from my iPod. My personal relationships have suffered because of this album, and strangely, I don’t mind. It’s just that good, and I hope I can explain these four tracks that stretch about 43 minutes well enough that you’ll understand why.

Perfumes are described as having sets of “notes,” which unfold slowly and work together to make a (hopefully) pleasing blend. Many of DMST’s songs could be described using the same metaphor (though, incidentally, more literally). Track one, aptly named “Do,” begins with a lone, undistorted electric guitar picking out an achingly beautiful melody. One by one, more instruments are added as both volume and anticipation build to a climax, as is common in post-rock. Several of these climaxes come in quick succession, and then the track begins to devolve in an orderly fashion to a serene, ambient electronic melody, eventually fading to a close.

“Make” begins (gradually, as usual) with a pseudo-European tribal feeling that is realized several minutes into the piece with a low chanting. The track continues its journey with a growing “rock” vibe and builds to the album’s climax (which, as in life, comes in the center), but just when you think you’ve caught on, the track changes direction and slows down, ending in a slow dirge of horns and quiet guitars.

Twin pieces “Say” and “Think” depict a much more pensive and haunting scene, and while they more often slip into repetition, they never truly become a bore (even to my wife, whose idea of being driven to insanity involves being forced to listen to old Do Make Say Think on repeat). These tracks are mellow, but still lend themselves to further inspection for their complexities if one has the time. “Think” draws to a close at a haunting whisper, providing a perfect end to an album that accomplishes the goal of all cerebral music: to portray life as it is, in all of its raw comedy and tragedy.

Give this album a try. Who knows, you might be able to add a new genre to that “Music” block on your Facebook.

88.1 WKNC DJ Pick of the Week is published in every Tuesday print edition of the Technician, as well as online at technicianonline.com and wknc.org.

On Saturday, November 14,  Mystery Roach will celebrate its second birthday.

I will be using the playlist from the first show.  (With a couple of exceptions.)  Check it out.  Call in, email , or reply to this post with your comments.

See below for  the playlist from November 17, 2007, the maiden voyage of Mystery Roach, WKNC’s 2-hour study of Prog, Fusion, Psychedelic, Garage and noise on Saturday mornings.

Talk to you Saturday morning.

-La Barba Rossa

Whitney “The Voice” Houston delivers with new album

Released 8/31/09
4.5/5 stars

When Whitney Houston first burst onto the scene in the mid 80s, she was the pinnacle of musical perfection. Modelesque looks, catchy songs, style, poise, undeniable stage presence and most importantly, a voice with limitless potential. Success surely followed, as Houston eventually sold more than 170 million albums, broke #1 records set by the Beatles and Elvis, earned more than $500 million worldwide at the Box Office, influenced a generation of singers and became the most awarded female artist of all time.

In the seven years since Houston’s last album Just Whitney, the musical landscape has changed a great deal. Record sales are at an all time low, the digital era has become even more dominant and vocal talent is no longer required to have a hit record, auto-tune and nakedness are. Just as the record industry has changed, Houston’s personal life has not gone without its share of transformations as there was the end of a tumultuous marriage to bad-boy Bobby Brown and stints in rehab.

With the release of Houston’s long-awaited “comeback” album, I Look To You, critics and fans alike have asked the question, “is there room for Whitney Houston in this new age?” The answer is quite simply, yes.

I Look To You begins with the catchy first single “Million Dollar Bill,” produced and written by Alicia Keys and Swizz Beats.  ”Million Dollar Bill” is an up-tempo, bass driven track, with a retro-disco vibe and is one of the albums best.

Next is the Danja produced, up-tempo, synth-driven “Nothing But Love.”  Houston shares how she has nothing but love for those who have hurt her in the past, while accepting responsibility for her own actions. Other up-tempos include the club worthy Euro-pop “For the Lovers” and the Leon Russell penned classic, made famous by Donny Hathaway, “A Song For You” which starts out as a piano-driven ballad, but soon turns into an electronic techno-smash.

With I Look To You, Houston sings some of the best mid-tempos of her career including the R.Kelly written, Tricky Stewart produced, “Salute,” “Worth It” and the Johnta Austin penned Stargate produced “Call You Tonight.” “Salute” is the ultimate brush-off anthem done with class, while “Worth It” is the perfect love song reminiscent of Mary J. Blige’s “Be Without You”. The Stargate produced, contemporary “Call You Tonight” has Houston singing to a potential love interest that she doesn’t have to time connect with.  Any of the aforementioned would be viable singles.

Houston, known for her ability to interpret songs, rather than writing, pens two of the albums island-influenced mid-tempo’s, along with R&B singer Akon. The duet “Like I Never Left”, sounds as though it could be directed to the a past lover or the to public in a plea to love her like she never went away. With “I Got You”, Houston talks of love and loyalty and how neither distance nor time can separate loved ones.

Houston is a self-described “balladeer’, so naturally an album from the legendary Icon wouldn’t be complete without a couple of power ballads. With both “I Look To You” and “I Didn’t Know My Own Strength,” Whitney comes from a spiritual place, sharing that when she was lost, it was her faith that brought her through.

Houston covers all bases with an album that will make you want to dance, cry, make love, feel inspired and everything in between. Vocally, the highs may not be as high and the lows are lower, but Houston still delivers and is able to convey each song with the feeling,  power and emotion as only she can. If you are expecting “The Bodyguard” era vocals, you will be disappointed. Whitney’s voice has undergone its share of changes, but is still better than the majority of who you’ll hear on the radio.

Houston and ”industry father” executive producer, Clive Davis have managed to blend experience with relevance, in keeping with tradition of the classic Whitney we know and love, while remaining fresh and current. Overall, I Look To You is the perfect blend of ballads, mid-tempos and up-tempos from arguably the greatest female vocalist of all time. Welcome back, Whitney.

88.1 WKNC DJ Pick of the Week is published in every Tuesday print edition of the Technician, as well as online at technicianonline.com and wknc.org.

“Saturday Night Soul and R&B” with host Mir.I.am airs weekly from 9 to 11 p.m.

It’s been quite a few weeks in coming, but Sweet Annie Rich has finally gotten her act together and cut the audio of her interview with Corb Lund on October 3.  Corb provided quite the interview with a lot of his back story and put on an entertaining show later that night at the Berkeley Cafe.

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Geet Bazaar and WKNC 88.1 FM invite you to attend the Pratham Gala on Saturday, November 7. It will feature live music by Sanjeev and Armeen Ramabhadran. The Gala will begin at 6 p.m. Please save this evening for the promise of changing the lives of underprivileged children in India by investing in their education through Pratham NC.

The Gala will occur at “Events at Newton Square,” 230 Newton Road, Raleigh.

It’s that time of the year again, for Port City Rumble! Join the fun in downtown Wilmington, this Saturday, October 10. There will be a car show from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m., pre ‘67 hot rods, traditional bikes, bobbers, & choppers.

And if you’re an adrenaline junkie, there’s also a creeper race!

As always, with fast cars, comes fast music! Bands start at 6:30 p.m. and include Los Gatos Locos, The Tradesmen, The Deadneks, Tommy Ray & The Ray Guns, Blood Red River, and more!