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New Album Review

88.1 Pick of the Week 2/10

Realism by The Magnetic Fields
88.1 WKNC Pick of the Week 2/10

Realism
Charlie Burnett

Stephin Merritt, leader of the band The Magnetic Fields, has long been one of music’s more underappreciated lyricists, as well as one its best. Whether he’s writing 69 love songs or applying walls of guitar distortion to his songs, the one thing that always stands out the most in his songs are his lyrics. Sung in a deep baritone that can be an acquired taste for those unaccustomed to it, Merritt delivers charming, clever lines full of self-deprecating humor and wit.

For The Magnetic Fields’ ninth record, Realism, Merritt and pianist/vocalist Claudia Gonson, cellist Sam Devol, and guitarist/banjo player John Woo strip away the guitar squalls found on previous record Distortion for a more stripped down, acoustic sound reminiscent of Distortion predecessor i and their excellent live sets. Acoustic guitar, piano, mandolin, cello, and the contrasting voices of Merritt and Gonson fill the songs with a natural, organic sound.

The Magnetic Fields, while always having a noticeably different sound than other bands, craft their songs around pop melodies that can only be described as indelible and lovely, as evidenced in first track “You Must Be Out of Your Mind”. Wrapped in an exceedingly beautiful musical arrangement, Merritt begins the self-deprecation and crucifying of ex-lovers with such classic lines as “You can’t go ‘round just saying stuff because it’s pretty/ And I no longer drink enough to think you’re witty”.

Riding on a buoyant, upbeat melody, “Everything Is One Big Christmas Tree” offers a detour, if not all together relief, from Merritt’s notorious lyrical cynicism. A self-help anthem of sorts, Merritt asks the song’s subject “Why sit in your dark and lonely room?”, going on to recommend to the unnamed subject that if people don’t like them “screw them/Don’t leave your fortune to them”.

On “Always Already Gone”, Gonson takes over the role of lead vocalist to offer a lament of an ex-lover who, while together, seemed to be “always already gone”. A heartbreaking song most could probably relate to, it is made that much more delicate and lovely by a lilting arrangement of banjo, cello, piano, and acoustic guitar.

Completing a self-proclaimed “no-synth trilogy,“ Realism offers longtime fans the same wit and playfulness The Fields have always been known for, but is also accessible enough to appeal to not just the common indie pop/rock listener, but the top-40 radio or NPR listener, as well. As a collection of oddball pop songs, Realism offers a great starting point for newcomers of the group, as well as another great entry into their already exellent discography.

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.

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DJ Highlights

Love is all you need — besides music

I think the Magnetic Fields said it best: music comes from love.  On Monday, February 15 from 5 to 7 p.m., DJs Vice, Justin and I will be hanging out in the studio to bring you a show about music’s greatest muse!  Of the millions and billions of songs inspired by love we have handpicked some of our favorites–songs of tender care and understanding and of bitterness and longing.  We’ll explore such topics as the Indie Pop Infatuation, the Acoustic Heartache and the Malevolent Power-pop Lament.

And yes, we’re going all Delilah on you all (minus the relationship advice) and asking for your requests.  Please comment to this post between now and Monday or give us a call at our studio request lines (860-0881 or 515-2400)!  If you have any shout outs to loved ones we’d love to hear them!

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Festival Coverage

Bonnaroo announces 2010 festival line-up

The line-up for this summer’s Bonnaroo, an annual music festival which takes place in Manchester, Tennessee, has been announced. The festival will take place June 10-13, and tickets are on sale now.

The following artists have confirmed they will play during the three-day festival, including a couple North Carolina based artists. Here’s the list:

Dave Matthews Band, Kings of Leon, Stevie Wonder, Jay-Z, Tenacious D, Weezer, The Flaming Lips with Stardeath and White Dwarfs perform “Dark Side of the Moon," The Dead Weather, Damian Marley & Nas, Phoenix, Norah Jones, Michael Franti & Spearhead, John Fogerty, Regina Spektor, Jimmy Cliff, LCD Soundsystem, The Avett Brothers, Thievery Corporation, Rise Against, Tori Amos, The National, Zac Brown Band, Les Claypool, John Prine, The Black Keys, Steve Martin & the Steep Canyon Rangers, Jeff Beck, Dropkick Murphys, She & Him, Against Me!, The Disco Biscuits, Daryl Hall & Chromeo, Jamey Johnson, Clutch, Bassnectar, Kid Cudi, Baaba Maal, Kris Kristofferson, Medeski Martin & Wood, The xx, GWAR, Dan Deacon Ensemble, Tinariwen, Wale, Deadmau5, The Melvins, Gaslight Anthem, Miike Snow, Nitty Gritty Dirt Band, Dr. Dog, They Might Be Giants, Punch Brothers, Isis, Blitzen Trapper, Blues Traveler, Miranda, Lambert, Calexico, OK Go, Trombone Shorty & Orleans Avenue, Martin Sexton, Lotus, Baroness, Dave Rawlings Machine, Mayer Hawthorne and the County, Japandroids, Jay Electronica, Edward Sharpe & the Magnetic Zeros, Ingrid Michaelson, The Dodos, Manchester Orchestra, The Temper Trap, Cross Canadian Ragweed, Big Sam’s Funky Nation, Carolina Chocolate Drops, Tokyo Police Club, The Entrance Band, Local Natives, Brandi Carlile, Mumford & Sons, Rebelution, Diane Birch, Monte Montgomery, Julia Nunes, The Postelles, Lucero, Here We Go Magic, Hot Rize, Neon Indian, B.O.B, Needtobreathe.

According to Bonnaroo’s Web site, there may be additional acts added to the line-up later.

Categories
Concert Preview

Grains of Time, Packabelles at Howl for Haiti Concert

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.

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DJ Highlights

Krispy Kreme Challenge Results

WKNC had the great pleasure of supporting the 2010 Krispy Kreme Challenge as a silver level sponsor. We also sponsored our own team of runners – an amazing challenge since the race fell smack dab in the middle of Double Barrel Benefit 7.

If you read Special K’s preview of the Krispy Kreme Challenge, no doubt you having been waiting with glazed breath to hear how own crew fared.

Max Power blew the rest of the staff away with the astounding time of 47:33. DJ Two Sheds and his training monkey Molly came in next, at 50:03 and 54:21. Major props also go to DJ Mick, Sweet Melissa, Special K, Will, Agent Orange, Osh-Tosh, Mz Kelly, Riff Raff, Hot Tamale and May Day for crossing the finish line.

Check out Technician’s Sights and Sounds of the event and their photo slideshow. If you caught any pictures of our crew, decked out in custom KNC wearables, send them over to us and we’ll put them in our end-of-year slideshow – unless they prominently feature regurgitated doughnuts, of course.

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DJ Highlights

Local Beat preview 2/5/10

Barring weather tonight, the Local Beat should be interesting.  Always in support of anything or anyone who supports local music, I will be joined on the air by some of our comrades at UNC Chapel Hill’s student run radio station, WXYC, to talk about their Digital Music Showcase that is currently underway.

At 6 p.m. some of the guys from Raleigh’s Deep South Bar will be coming on to talk about their upcoming battle of the bands series that will happen over three Sundays beginning March 14 to May 2 excluding Easter.  Each Sunday the best bands chosen will continue to the next round robin.  According to Matt Wood at Deep South:

Prizes for the event include $500 cash, slots to perform at Raleigh Wide Open ‘10 and Downtown Live ’10, $25-$100 gift cards to Sam Ash, and free studio time. There is also the opportunity to attend a showcase with music executives in Nashville during the Winter of 2010.   Bands will be judged by WKNC & 96 Rock DJs  as well as interns and music executives with Deep South Entertainment.  There are still a few slots left open, so bands can email battle@deepsouththebar.com for more information and to register.

Both of these interviews will be talking about exposing under publicized Triangle based musicians and bands, so if you count youself as one of those, be sure to pay special attention!

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DJ Highlights

Local Beat recap 1/29/10

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Last week on the Local Beat was a lot of fun, as we had two bands in the studio for 2.5 hours of good conversation. Maria Albani, bass player of Schooner, came in to chat about her new solo project Organos at 5 p.m which is having a debut album release for the brand new EP, Limbs, this Friday at the Pinhook in Durham (it is already getting airplay on Satellite Radio).  Organos is an interesting band in which Maria plays an assortment of unorthodox instruments such as spoons, glass, cardboard, boxes, shaker eggs, and sticks among other interesting sounds to create a unique yet immensely satisfying minimalist folk rock sound.  On the album Maria performed most of the parts herself but live Organos is a whole different animal.   A mini local super group of sorts, Organos live claims the likes of Reid Johnson (Schooner), Wes Phillips (solo, North Elementary, Rosebuds), Theresa Phillips (North Elementary), Nathan White (Nathan Oliver), and John Harris0n (Nathan Oliver, North Elementary), not to mention Maria herself.  In our conversation Maria, Theresa, and I chatted about the album, the band members, the show, and also her past bands which include Pleasant, Tennis and the Mennonites, Un Deux Trois, & The Pox Family Singers.  Listen to the podcast below:
Organos on the Local Beat 1/29/10

Organos is playing at the Pinhook this Friday, February 5 alongside Birds and Arrows and Ye Old Shoppe (with members of Wild Wild Geese).  The show is at 9:30 p.m., and you get a free copy of the album with price of admission!

At 6 p.m., local bluegrass favorites The Hotwires stepped in to chat about an assortment of different topics, but mostly to encourage our listeners to head to the Haiti Relief Benefit show at the Pour House Thursday, February 4th.   The Hotwires are playing in the middle of the show after Andy Bilinski, Roger Gupton, and the Debonzo Brothers, and before Chatham County Line, Filthybird, and A Rooster For The Masses.  The show is $12 and all proceeds are going to the Red Cross in support of Haiti Relief efforts.  The fellas and I spent quite a bit of time chatting about bluegrass as a genre, the history of bluegrass, as well as their upcoming album which is hopefully going to be released at some point this spring.   We even got a little touchy when talking about their old band name, No Strings Attached.  They also brought in some instruments and played some live tunes for me. 
I also interviewed Hank Smith for this past Monday’s Eye On the Triangle program here on WKNC about the benefit. .

Categories
Music News and Interviews

New Month, New Giveaways, More Chances to Win!

A new month means new ticket giveaways and that’s exactly what WKNC 88.1 FM has for you! Be sure to tune in or listen online for your chances to win tickets to these great shows coming up this week:

Wednesday, February 10
Holy Ghost Tent Revival w/ The Woes & The Moneynotes @ The Pour House

Thursday, February 11
House of Fools w/ Ryan Gustafson & Medusa Stone @ The Pour House

Also, be sure to check out the Rock Report for a complete list of local shows happening in your area!

Categories
Podcasts

Organos

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DJ Highlights

WKNC Deejays to run Krispy Kreme Challenge

With only a few days left before the Krispy Kreme Challenge, many of the deejays are beginning to mentally prepare for the arduous task. The benefit for the North Carolina Children’s Hospital has two physical challenges that competitors must overcome. The first is the two mile run from the NC State Bell Tower to the Krispy Kreme Store on Peace St. and then the two mile run back to the Bell Tower.

The second is the overwhelming 12doughnuts each runner must eat before returning back to the starting line, all within the hour. Over the past weeks, many deejays have been spending time outside the studio and on the track, building their frail skinny deejay bodies into lean athletic beasts. Others have taken more unconventional approaches such as avoiding physical exercise altogether and have just been binge eating. (For many this hasn’t been much of a lifestyle change.) With fighting style will win out? One can only wait to see the results this upcoming Saturday.

Now to meet the brave deejays willing to take on the Krispy Kreme Challenge. Each has selected a top playlist of songs they will wield to push them to the brink during the race.

Agent “Glazed and Confused” Orange

May “Hot and Ready” Day

DJ Audity

  • Metric – “Satellite Mind”

  • Metric– “Help, I’m Alive”

  • Cut Copy– “Hearts on Fire”

DJ Jenna

DJ Hot Tamale

DJ “Original Glazed” MICK

DJ Two “Baker’s Dozen” Sheds

ASH “Gotta Eat’em All” G.

DJ “Doughtnut Hole” Nicole

Mz “Hot-N-Now” Kelly

  • Thin Lizzy – “Cowboy”

  • Built to Spill– “Goin Against My Mind”

  • Anything from LCD Soundsystem

  • Anything from The Light Pines

DJ “Donuts and Coffee” Cioffi

DJ Riff “Ka-Tose Intolerant” Raff

DJ Special “Tasty Fingers” K

Eye on the Triangle’s own Saja “It’s Fresh” Hindi will be doing live air breaks on site during the race periodically through La Barba Rossa’s Mystery Roach show. The race is this Saturday (February 6) on Double Barrel Benefit 7 weekend. This year the challenge will boast 6,000 eager competitors. Be sure to check for the WKNC banner at the finish line this year as WKNC is partnering with the Krispy Kreme Challenge as a Silver Level Sponsor.

Be sure to listen only on 88.1FM or streaming online.