WKNC 88.1 FM - North Carolina State University Student RadioHere’s the shows featured this week. Be sure to tune in Monday through Friday for chances to win!
Dinosaur Jr playing (TONIGHT) Mon, Apr 27 @ Cat’s Cradle
The Kills playing Tues, Apr 28 @ Cat’s Cradle
Reverend Horton Heat playing Fri, May 1 @ Cat’s Cradle
We at WKNC have a lot to say.
If you get one of our DJs talking about music, be sure you have a lot of time on your hands – it will most likely be a long conversation.
But our listeners probably wouldn’t appreciate lengthy discussions of this type on the air, because that’s not what the station is for. You don’t tune in for talking, you tune in for music.
That’s the beauty of the WKNC Blog. Our DJs have an outlet to fill you in on everything to do with all of our formats – Daytime Rock, Local Music, Underground Hip-Hop, Chainsaw Rock and specialty shows, along with extras such as multimedia and promotions.
This blog is a relatively new project, and I, Emcee Luck, am serving as its first editor. I’m constantly on the hunt for new ideas for blog posts, and that’s where you, the readers come in.
What do you want to see on our blog? More posts like The 88 Hottest Women in Indie Rock? More reviews of local shows and music festivals?
Send me your suggestions for blog content at blog@wknc.org.
‘Love at the End of the World’ is bland in the end
Drew St. Claire
As the tag on this album informed me, “Sam Roberts is from Canada.” Now, I have no problems with our neighbors to the north–I’m a huge fan of hockey and I’ve always adored their delicious syrups. But, I have to concede that Love at the End of the World falls just a bit short of American quality.
The album starts off with its title track, and showcases a lot of the positive aspects Mr. Roberts has going for him and his version of indie rock. The intro has a folksy Western pulse to it, and after Sam’s vocals come in, it melts into a rock beat that is reminiscent of the Raconteurs or JET, but a little bit more subdued. His voice is interesting and similar in timbre to John Lennon or Liam Gallagher from Oasis, but with accents of Steely Dan.
“Stripmall Religion” opens up exactly like something from the Coldplay catalogue, but Roberts’ voice works well in lieu of Chris Martin. The song then transitions into a simple Pinback-style rhythm and some decent lyrics about isolation and disillusionment in modern American, or I’d suppose Canadian society.
One of Roberts’ last good stands on the album is “Them Kids.” Opening with a Minus the Bear-type vibe and breaking into a happy danceable tune about nostalgia for a day when kids knew how to rock n’ roll, “Them Kids” is an example of where the Canadian’s music shines. But, with the small exception of tracks like “Fixed to Ruin” and “Oh Maria”, the album doesn’t offer much of anything new.
It just sort of fades into the background with a steady melody, only reminding me of its presence ever so often with a jolt from one of the more lively tracks. The softer parts don’t have enough to say to make me want listen closer, and most of the louder parts don’t offer more than a tempo for clicking my tongue.
If you’re very involved with the indie rock scene, you’ve probably already bought this album or you know there is no way you would ever buy it. If you are not quite that knowledgeable, I’d recommend a stepping stone or two before you decide on this one. Your money might best be spent on something guaranteed to please, like Pinback or Arcade Fire. Better yet, you could try checking out some of the local bands, like Red Collar and Birds of Avalon.
In short, Love at the End of the World is like the maple syrup they make in Sam Roberts’ homeland – sweet and flavorful at first, but after a while it just gets bland.
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.
The Proclivities and Becca Stevens will be playing at our weekly event, Local Beer Local Band Night, at Tir Na Nog this Thursday 4/23. It’s free to get in and Tir Na Nog has local brew specials. Come out and support your community! See ya there!
Also, the Proclivities will be in the WKNC studio on Thursday for the 5 o’clock shadow! DJ Spaceman Spiff and DJ May Day will be talking to the band and showcasing some of their tunes! Tune in at 5pm.
This past weekend marked the 7th Annual Spring Shakori Hills Grassroots Festival of Music and Dance (they also hold one in the fall).
The Shakori family was kind enough to throw some press passes at WKNC so that we could do a little exploring, and we had a great time!
It’s four days of camping and music in a very laid back, family atmosphere. When the MC took the stage he made a short announcement to the effect of “We don’t care what you drink, just put it in a cup so the kids can’t see. Also, we don’t care what you smoke, just please don’t do it within 25ft of the stage, we have a lot of children up here”. Good enough for me!
There were some incredible acts, including the legendary Dr. Ralph Stanley and his Clinch Mountain Boys. The good doctor has been touring since 1946 and won three Grammys for his contributions to the soundtrack to “O Brother, Where Art Thou?”. I was lucky enough to meet the Father of Mountain Soul at a filming of PBS’s Mountain Stage in Bristol, TN/VA in 2006 and seeing him again in this personal setting was the highlight of my weekend!
Other acts included folk artist Des Ark, ambient world-grass The Overtakers (another highlight for me), The New Familiars, Holy Ghost Tent Revival, Big Fat Gap and of course the festival-founders themselves, Donna the Buffalo. Music of all types was present; folk, bluegrass, jazz, soul, reggae and hip-hop.
The festival had plenty of other activities aside from the concerts as well. A poetry slam, morning yoga classes, and an African drum workshop entertained fans of all ages. Stella and I even got our grooves back at the Elikem African Dance Worshop, (I was definitely the least rythymic person out there).
Overall, a fun time for anyone who had the chance to come out. The perfect weather didn’t hurt either.
To learn more, peep the site.. http://www.shakorihills.org/
Ol’ River Haynes – The Hippie Hour Sundays 2-4
As finals rapidly approach, and “Dead Week” proves to be much more lively with work, students are in need of some R&R before hitting the books. Luckily, Earth Day seems to offer some salvation. Starting at 6pm on this Friday (April 24th), Annuals, Lonnie Walker, and Cougar Magnum will be rocking Lee Field (located behind Sullivan and Lee residence halls) to raise awareness for Earth Day.
Doors open at 5 p.m. and the show is scheduled to last until 11 p.m. This event is only open to N.C. State students and their guests (one guest per student and guests must have a valid student ID). While you wait for the show to start, be sure to check out the WKNC table which will be showcasing awesome merch such as Double Barrel Benefit 6 shirts, WKNC logoed shirts, koozies, and buttons.
For more information about Earth Day, check out the Web site. Also be sure to stop by the Energy Fair which will take place on NC State’s Brickyard- Wednesday April 22nd. More than 60 vendors will be taking part in NC State’s 2009 Earth Day which will feature the EcoCAR Challenge and the FREEDM Center’s hybrid car.
For the last three years, the good people at Bull City Headquarters, Durham’s community bicycle co-op/art space/occasional concert venue, has presented the Duo Fest, which showcases a diverse variety of two-person bands. This years Duo Fest was last Saturday, and I must say it was amazing. From the country tinged folk of Sequoya, to the intense sludge metal of Curtains of Night, the one-day festival had a little something for everyone. It was almost too much rock and roll for one day; there were fifteen bands playing for about nine hours. Even though I arrived about an hour late and sadly missed Battle Rockets and most of Sawteeth McTweedy, by the end of this epic day of constant musical stimulation I was totally exhausted. But, it was more than worth it to stick around to the end.
I, not being much of a writer, will not go into great detail on the fantastic show most of you missed, instead I’ll just post a bunch of pictures.
WKNC has more tickets this week to giveaway. Check out what the deejays will be distributing during the daytime rock formats:
Left Outlet playing @ The Pour House Thursday April 23rd
American Aquarium playing @ The Pour House Saturday April 25th
Toubab Krewe playing @ Lincoln Theatre Saturday April 25th
Listen on 88.1 or streaming online
Sneak Peek for next weeks giveaways:
Dinosaur Jr – Mon, Apr 27 @ Cat’s
The Kills – Tues, Apr 28 @ Cat’s
Reverend Horton Heat – Fri, May 1 @ Cat’s
The Promotions Team here with another chance to win Kings of Leon & The Walkmentickets. Both bands are making an appearance at the Booth Amphitheatre in Cary on April 28th. WKNC has been approved for 10 pairs of tickets and we’re going to give them away up until Friday April 24th. Stay tuned all week for your chance to win.
Naming their band after their father, Leon, a Pentecostal preacher who instilled the fear of God in parishioners across the heartland, the Kings of Leon began to embrace music after a devastating divorce that split their family. The boys honed their Southern roots towards a more gritty, garage and secular sound, a style that is considered taboo to their religious upbringings. In late 2006, just before release of Kings’ third album, Because of the Times, the band opened for Bob Dylan and gained them international popularity.
