My dad had told me it was the iPod of its day. He had told me it was big, but I hadn’t realised he meant THAT big. It was the size of a small book.

This week marks the 30th anniversary of the Sony Walkman. As someone nearly that old myself, I felt it necessary to share this BBC article in which a 13-year-old boy trades in his iPod for its much older, distant cousin.

Tune in Saturday night, June 27, as 88.1 FM WKNC pays tribute to the most successful recording artist in the history of music, with over 750 millions albums sold, the legendary, the incomparable, Michael Jackson.

Join me, Mir.I.am and other special guest co-hosts, from 8 to 11 p.m. on “Saturday Night Soul and R&B” as we reminisce on our favorite memories of the ICON. Listen, as we reflect on Michael’s  influence on music, fashion and pop culture. We will also reveal little known facts about the 13-time Grammy Award Winner and discuss the media coverage and speculation surrounding his untimely passing.

As Jackson’s music was the soundtrack to many of our lives, expect to hear music from Hip-Hop and R&B artist directly influenced by him as well as our favorite hits.

Immediately following “Saturday Night Soul and R&B’, stay tuned for the “2.0 show” with D Cutta, as he mixes four hours of non-stop MJ classics from the past 40 years.

Help us celebrate the life of the most influential, inspirational and innovative singer in the HISTORY of music. R.I.P to the greatest entertainer of all time. His legacy will forever live on.

Share you favorite MJ memories here.

Chrisette Michele: Epiphany
Released 5/5/09
4.5/5 stars

For many artists, the sophomore album is a crucial one. If its predecessor was a hit, the bar is set high, but if it was a flop, this album could feasibly make or break their career. Many artists have fallen into the curse that is the “sophomore jinx,”  but Chrisette Michele manages not only to meet the bar, she exceeds all previous expectations with Epiphany.

With Epiphany, Chrisette’s traditional vocal stylings have evolved into a more well-rounded R&B sound, retaining the jazz influences from her debut album,  I am, yet adding more of a modern, urban, youthful vibe. Epiphany mainly focuses on the joys and sorrows love brings from the viewpoint of a strong, independent woman, with a fragile heart.

 The first single “Epiphany,” bearing the albums title, begins with “It’s
over.” The Ne-Yo-produced piano driven single describes how Michele has
finally come to an important realization and decides that it’s time to
leave an unhealthy relationship. It is the perfect opening to a stellar
album.

Following “Epiphany” is the beautifully written ballad “Notebook,”
describing how Michele is afraid to tell a prospective mate that she has
a crush and instead opts to confide in the pages of her notebook.

The album hit’s its stride with “Blame It on Me,” in which Michele
is at her finest vocally, confessing that she doesn’t care who takes the blame
for a failed relationship “as long as it’s over.”

Next is “All I Ever Think About.” Its old school R&B vibe, heavy bass and impassioned vocals make it the album’s best, as Michele bares her heart and soul over an imperfect relationship, which in fact is quite perfect.

Epiphany successfully moves from soulful melodies to urban-pop with
the acoustic guitar-ridden “Playin’ Our Song” and “On My Own.” The
former has Michele convincing herself that she’s fine after a breakup, but in reality she’s heartbroken, while the latter has Michele acknowledging its time to claim her independence and transform into a woman.

Many of the albums standouts were written and produced by R&B singer  Ne-Yo, including  “Porcelain Doll, “Another One” and “What You Do.” Chrisette is a modern day Billie Holiday on the feisty empowering, “Porcelain Doll”, proclaiming boldly that she is no one’s trophy. “Another One” echo’s the sentiments of the aforementioned, as Michele confesses that she’s a “grown woman, dealing with grown woman things”. And with “What You Do”, Michele makes it clear that actions speak louder than words. 

The majority of Epiphany consists of ballads and mid-tempos, but “Mr.Right” and “Fragile”, prove Michele she can successfully tackle up-tempo’s as well. The Doo-Wop, Hip-Hop and Lauryn Hill influenced “Mr. Right” finds Michele explaining how she has found the perfect person for her. “Fragile” and “I’m Okay” expose Michele’s vulnerabilities and express how love has hurt her.

Epiphany encompasses all the qualities needed to produce a classic album, with its colorful production, catchy melodies and complex vocal arrangements, thoughtful lyrical content and unique, edgy vocals. Chrisette Michele has truly reinvigorated the world of R&B music, as Ephiphany is one of the years best.

For more on Chrisette Michele click here.

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

With the RIAA hacking away at illegal downloaders, musicians enduring the great-unknown future of the music industry, and everyone feeling the effects of a struggling economy, creative ideas for survival are needed.  In an attempt to provide solutions to changing times, local company ReverbNation has paired with Microsoft Windows to provide an answer, and it’s called “Sponsored Songs.”

The idea is simple.  Fans get free legal downloads of songs from a surplus of bands.  Bands are paid money for every unique download of their song.  The sponsor’s brand image, or advertisement, is embedded with the song’s cover art so that it travels from listener to listener.  Each download equates to fifty cents so if you can’t go to a music show you can always support by downloading. If the program is successful it could include other sponsors in the future— anyone thinking possible Outback Steakhouse Sponsored Songs, presented by Of Montreal?

Hammer No More The Fingers

ReverbNation has provided the platform for the program.  Many local artists are included in the launch of the program (check out Jake Seaton’s list here), including WKNC favorite, Hammer No More The Fingers, who were included in the official press release.  Joe Hall, of HNMTF, said, “We’re always looking for ways to reach new fans, and the team at ReverbNation is always working hard on new and creative ways to help Artists like us succeed.  With Microsoft’s participation in the Sponsored Songs program, Artists earn money for their hard work and fans get free music.”

For all the bands available for download, check out http://www.reverbnation.com/windows.

And for the weekly featured downloads, check out Windows on MySpace.

Trent Reznor has decided to hang up the Nails. After 20 years of touring and making music, on the twentieth anniversary of Pretty Hate Machine, Trent has decided that it is time for Nine Inch Nails to stop making music and touring. Before embarking on the aptly named, Wave Goodbye Tour, he said, “It’s time to make NIN disappear for a while. What this tour meant to me, was one last hurrah.”

The emotion and energy shown by Trent was astronomical. He, and the rest of the members of the band made it a show I will never forget. From me screaming at the top of my lungs, and dancing in my seat to songs like “Wish,” “Survialism,” and the epic closure “Head Like A Hole.” I will never forget the goosebumps I got upon hearing “The Fragile,” “Le Mer,” and the haunting but beautiful “Hurt.” It’s a sad day to see them go, but hopefully they will grace us with their presence sometime down the road with an album that will blow us away, and show us why Trent Reznor is one of the greatest musicians of all time. Until that time comes, I will always remember the show, and the pain in his voice as he sang “You can have it all, my empire of dirt. I will let you down, I will make you hurt.” As NIN left the stage, I was still in awe of their show and all I could do was wave goodbye.

Setlist:

1. Home
2. Somewhat Damaged
   
3. Wish
4. March of the Pigs
5. Piggy
6. Metal (Gary Numan cover)
7. I’m Afraid Of Americans (David Bowie cover)
8. Head Down
9. Burn
10. Gave Up
11. La Mer
12. The Fragile
13. Non-Entity
14. The Downward Spiral
15. Survivalism
16. Suck
17. Hurt
18. The Hand That Feeds
19. Head Like A Hole (with Eric Avery)

As usual, WKNC is getting listeners the hook up. This week it comes in the form of a pair of 311 tickets. Did I mention Ziggy Marley and The Expendables will be preforming as well? This Sunday is your chance to snag the tickets. And as if that wasn’t enough, I will have a special guest in the studio to help give them away. Curry Don is coming in for and interview to talk about his recently release, “Perseverance,” and his upcoming show with local roots band “Anchants” which is scheduled for July 12 at Berkley Cafe.

Go ahead, pull out the wooden ruler and lay down a good whack across the top of my hands.  I’ve been a bad WKNC blogger.  If I was being graded on timeliness, there would be a big red “F” at the top of this blog, but, thankfully, you as a blog-reader & lover of WKNC would never employ such emotional damage like that of my former college professors, right?

And although this does not relate to the interview, I wanted to post this pic.  Jake Seaton over at Music.MyNC deilvers a wonderful tweet, twitter.com/jseaton, and this picture was in his feed recently.  Jake, I won’t ask why you weren’t blasting WKNC 88.1fm.  I will assume that  you must have been driving your car, nearing the US-Canadian border, out of our 25,000 watt listening area.

The Love Language, as heard and pictured by Jake Seaton

The Love Language in-studio interview, 5/8/09

Air Break, and intro

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Live, in-studio song: Providence, complete with a newly introduced flute solo

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Air break, talk of SXSW

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Live, in-studio song: Night Dogs

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Air break,

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Live, in-studio song: Manteo, great harmonizing vocals

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Air break, closing and talk of how to mail Stu a check

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:hearts and guitars:

Mz. Kelly, twitter.com/kellyisthere

WKNC has been good to me over the past 4 years.  I had the privilege of sharing some awesome tunes with everyone through the Dance Dance Revolution, and during my term as General Manager over the past academic year we did some awesome things here at WKNC, we even launched this very blog.

Unfortunately as a recent graduate of NC State University society has pressured me into “moving on with my life” which entails me leaving Raleigh and the warm embrace WKNC.  But before I bid you all farewell please join me and listen in as I take control of the studio for 24 straight hours from Tuesday, June 23rd at noon to Wednesday, June 24th at noon. I will be pumping up all of your favorite WKNC jams for a whole day across Daytime, Local Lunch, Underground, and Afterhours formats. No artists will be repeated.

Stay classy, triangle. (Especially you, Durham)

This week’s shoegaze edition of Local Beer Local Band Night features Citified and Gray Young. Show starts around 10 at Tir Na Nog and it’s free to get in! Fresh with a new EP “Absence”, the Greensboro collective Citified will be headlining.  Make sure you get to Tir Na Nog in time to see Raleigh based Gray Young perform or you’ll miss one of the Triangle’s best.  Come out and support the community!

Also, tune in at 5pm today (Thursday) as I will be interviewing Gray Young.

Note frequency visualization of "Decatur"

Jax de Leon, a student at Purchase College’s School of Art and Design, has created a series of visualizations of Sufjan Stevens‘ Illinoise album.

In an interview with Perfect Laughter, de Leon states:

How did you end up choosing Illinoise? Did you consider any other albums?

Illinois was the inevitable choice for me. I listened to it in the car on the way to my freshman year of college shortly after it was released in 2005, and it’s been my favorite album ever since. It’s such a complete album, not just a series of singles, and I’ve always thought of it as a beautiful piece of art that deserves to be listened to very carefully. I considered various other albums and artists (The Decemberists, Andrew Bird, even The Beatles, my first love) but I always knew I would end up choosing Illinois.

WKNC is giving away some great tickets to some awesome local shows this week including…

Meat Puppets

Sunday June 14th - Meat Puppets with Retribution Gospel Choir @ Cat’s Cradle

Portugal, The Man

Monday June 15th – Portugal, The Man @ Cat’s Cradle

Eula

Monday June 15th – The Constellations with Eula @ The Pour House

Zee Avi

Monday June 15th – Zee Avi with Matt Hires presented by Cat’s Cradle @ Nightlight

Milhouse

Thursday June 18th – Future and Milhouse @ The Pour House

Camera Obscura

Saturday June 20th – Camera Obscura with Anni Rossi @ Cat’s Cradle

Along with tickets to these shows WKNC is also giving away movie passes for the following moives:

Year One starring Jack Black and Michael Cera
Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen starrig Shia LaBeouf and Megan Fox
Sister’s Keeper starring Cameron Diaz and Abigail Breslin

Be sure to tune into 88.1 FM for your chance to win!

Here’s my playlist from today. I hope you guys have enjoyed my show. Chuck will be back for his show next weekend.

1. !!! – A New Name
2. Cut Copy – Hearts on Fire
3. Fujiya and Miyagi – Pterodactyls
4. Chromeo – Bonafide Love (Tough Guys)
5. Black Ghosts – I Want Nothing
6. Does it Offend You, Yeah – Battle Royale
7. LCD Soundsystem – Get Innocuous!
8. The Faint – Get Seduced
9. Junior Boys – The Equalizer
10. The New Young Pony Club – Ice Cream (Comets Remix)
11. The Rapture – The Devil
12. The Services – House of Mirrors
13. Muscles – Ice Cream
14. Ghostland Observatory – Club Soda
15. Goldfrapp – Ooh la La  (Tieschwarz Remix)
16. Hot Chip – And I Was a Boy from School
17. Vampire Weekend – Kids Don’t Stand a Chance (Chromeo Remix)
18. Midnight Juggernauts – Shadows
19. The Teenagers – Starlett Johanson (Rory Phillips Remix)
20. The Ting Tings – We Walk
21. Black Kids – Love Me Already
22. Ratatat – Mirando
23. Walter Meego – Wanna Be a Star
24. Beck – Shake Shake Tambourine (Adrock Remix)
25. Daft Punk – Revolution 909
26. Data Rock – Fa-Fa-Fa
27. Starfucker – Dance Face 2000
28. Phoenix – 1901

Tune in from 8-10 PM this Sunday, June 14 for the Dance Dance Revolution. I’m filling in for Chuck who is having a blast up at  Bonnaroo in Tennessee with Caid, Kyle, and others. Put on your blue plastic-rimmed sunglasses, get on your feet, and crack open a PBR because KNC is about to get dancy. Listen on your radio at 88.1 FM or online at wknc.org/listen. Leave your requests

Tonight (Thur 5/11) at Local Beer Local Band Night we have marine-mammal rockers, The Whalewatchers, and experimental jazz group, Starmount.  Don’t forget, Tir Na Nog is in downtown Raleigh (218 S. Blount St.) and it’s FREE to get in!  Also, I’ll be doing an interview with the Whalewatcher’s arund 5pm today, so make sure you tune in.

Here’s the official Whalewatcher’s music video for the song Pretty Money:

See you out there!

Here are the top 30 records at WKNC from the past week, compiled by Daytime Music Director Jenna St. Pierre:

1. Grizzly Bear – Veckatimest
2. Black Moth Super Rainbow – Eating Us
3. Veelee – Three Sides
4. St. Vincent – Actor
5. American Folklore – American Folklore
6. Harlem Shakes – Technicolor Health
7. Doves – Kingdom of Rust
8. Phoenix – Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix
9. Kingsbury Manx – Ascenseur Ouvert
10. Passion Pit – Manners
11. Americans in France – Pretzelvania
12. It Hugs Back – Inside Your Guitar
13. Telekinesis – Telekinesis
14. Lonnie Walker – These Times Old Times
15. Empire of the Sun – Walking on a Dream
16. Decemberists – Hazards of Love
17. Screaming Females – Power Move
18. Roman Candle – Oh Tall Tree In the Ear
19. Yeah Yeah Yeahs – It’s Blitz
20. Metric – Fantasies
21. Akron/Family – Set Em Wild Set Em Free
22. Amadou and Mariam – Welcome to Mali
23. Dirty Projectors – Stillness is the Move
24. Red Collar – Pilgrim
25. White Lies – To Lose My Life
26. Gliss- Devotion Implosion
27. Xu Xu Fang – Seven Days Now
28. Dan Deacon – Bromst
29. Magic Wands – Magic Love and Dreams EP
30. City Center- City Center

The following are albums we’ve recently added to our library, which you can look forward to hearing on the station:

1. Deer Tick – Born on Flag Day
2. Dirty Projectors – Bitte Orca
3. Ha Ha Tonka – Novel Sounds of the Nouveau South
4. Portland Cello Project – The Thao and Justin Powers Sessions
5. Eels – Hombre Lobo