Author: toad maiden

A little Butter makes everything better. Part-time WKNC content manager and graphic designer, full-time sludgy surf rock funk master metalhead. Get in touch with ya suggestions n' such at content@wknc.org.

Categories
New Album Review

Album Review: The Lo-Fis – Steve Lacy

The Lo-Fis Album Cover

ALBUM: “The Lo-Fis” by Steve Lacy

RELEASE YEAR: 2020

LABEL: L-M Records

RATING: 8/10

BEST TRACKS: “Infunami,” “When I,” “I Think I Should” and “Uuuu”

FCC: Explicit

Steve Lacy has returned! “The Lo-Fis” is his second full studio album, excluding his first EP “Steve Lacy’s Demo.” If you’re a die-hard Steve Lacy fan, it’s likely that you’ve heard most of “The Lo-Fis” already. Similar to his other releases, it’s filled with the indie-funk vibe that Steve is best known for. However, unlike his previous work, it is comprised solely of beats and songs he wrote in high school and released on SoundCloud.

The album is heavy with his signature falsetto, funky bass lines, and borderline mournful guitar strums. While Steve definitely showed off his hopeless romantic side in “The Lo-Fis,” he pursued other themes in his lyrics as well, such as personal growth in “That’s No Fun.”

To me, what stands out most about this album is how Steve explores instrumentals. In contrast to his previous work, these tracks feel almost like bits and pieces of songs rather than complete works; there are only a handful that have full bridges, choruses, and verses. Each song, though they’re all under three minutes, is completely different from the one before. I love how Steve flips back and forth between raw instrumentals, like in “I Think I Should,” to heavily processed and layered tracks like “Hummer.” It’s a quick album, full of surprises and beat switches, but it works as a whole unit very nicely despite its general lack of traditional songs. I know that all of this can be attributed to the fact that “The Lo-Fis” is more of a compilation rather than an intentional studio album, but I enjoy that it fits together so well.

Give it a listen!

– DJ Butter

Categories
Band/Artist Profile

Artist Highlight: Thee Sacred Souls

Can I Call You Rose Single Cover

When I first heard Thee Sacred Souls’ single “Weak For Your Love,” I thought for certain that they were a soul group from the 1960s. Their sound is so lovely, vintage, and unique. Made up of drummer Alex Garcia, bassist Sal Samano and ethereal vocalist Josh Lane, Thee Sacred Souls is giving new meaning to soul.

The trio first began as a duo when Garcia and Samano formed an instrumental band in 2018, aiming to capture the Chicano soul that they both grew up with. However, after connecting with Lane over Instagram in 2019, the band truly started to evolve. Not only was his soft falsetto a beautiful addition, but his songwriting skills lead to their first single, “Can I Call You Rose?,” a soft romantic ballad.

After receiving a record deal in April of 2019, the group was asked to open for Mac Ayres in San Diego. There, they realized their potential when fans went crazy for their relaxing yet astounding sound. Unfortunately, at the time, the band had yet to put any of their music on major streaming platforms, preferring the authenticity of vinyl releases.

Even amidst pandemic craziness, Thee Sacred Souls has managed to release their previous singles, “Can I Call You Rose?” and “Weak For Your Love,” and two new ones, “Will I See You Again?” and “Give Us Justice,” on Spotify and Apple Music this year. All are twinged with the romantic soul, groovy baselines, and gentle rhythms that they do best. While these four songs are the extent of their discography, the future looks bright for Thee Sacred Souls!

Check out their website and Instagram (which might I say are both wonderfully designed).

– DJ Butter

Categories
Miscellaneous

Album Art Gems Returns!

Miss seeing some of the coolest album covers ever made on your favorite blog? Me too! I’ve found some more fantastic album artwork that I just had to share. Without further ado, welcome back to the slightly extended encore of Album Art Gems.

1. Their Satanic Majesties Request – The Rolling Stones

Does this cover look familiar to you? It should if you’ve ever seen The Beatles album “Seargent Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club.” Wanting to keep up with the psychedelic trends in the 60s, The Rolling Stones hired Michael Cooper, the same photographer who shot the famous The Beatles album. The original vinyl cover was supposed to have a 3D effect, but due to costs, only about 500 were released with the lenticular printing.

2. 1999 – Prince

Nobody actually knows who designed Prince’s “1999,” but many think that the iconic artist did it himself. It features several hidden references to his earlier and future works, including his eyes from the “Controversy” cover and the name of his band, “The Revolution,” who performed with Prince for the first time in “1999,” written backward in the “I.”

3. Stars Are The Light – Moon Duo

This album cover embodies the dreamy psychedelia that Moon Duo is known for. The spacey feel of their music is clearly reflected in this piece, which looks as though it’s on an alien planet. It comes in four different color schemes (this just happens to be my favorite). The typography is EXQUISITE and I am drooling over the flowy patterns and bright colors.

4. The Crescent Ship – Bad Liquor Pond

There isn’t much information out there on this cover by Bad Liquor Pond, a Baltimore-based band that no longer exists. Nonetheless, the screenprinting collage effect is so eyecatching. I especially love the little demon cat up in the upper right corner.

5. The Low End Theory – A Tribe Called Quest

I don’t know how I forgot to include this cover in my original Album Art Gems blogs. Designed by Jive Records (now known as Zombart), it takes the cake for A Tribe Called Quest’s best album cover. The bright reds and green fluorescent paint on the figure are said to be an homage to traditional African art.

6. Royal Albert Hall May 2-3-5-6 2005 – Cream

This cover, based on one of Cream’s band portraits, was created for their live album, which was recorded at the Royal Albert Hall in 2005. The distinctive line and shadow art is a fantastic use of gestalt principles; notice how you can tell their hair textures apart just by some squiggles? Though designed in the 21st century, it emulates the classic rock style frequently used at the height of Cream’s fame in the 60s.

7. Moon River – Frank Ocean

Last but not least, I just had to include another Frank Ocean cover. His album art never ceases to amaze me. If you look closely you can see what looks like a human figure from the shoulders up in the top left corner. This figure is actually based on a scientific diagram that shows how ASMR travels from the brain to the body. The warm pink pattern also makes an “M,” standing for the song’s title. Pretty cool, huh?

I hope you enjoyed this little additional performance of Album Art Gems!

-DJ Butter

Categories
Miscellaneous

Make a Collage, Feel Better

Collage with Jimi Hendrix, raspberries, butterflies, flowers, and a book

Creative blocks can be a real pain, especially if you’re getting paid for your artistic skills and need to be productive around the clock. After being a tad bit burnt out from design school this semester, I decided that over winter break I was only going to exercise my creativity in relaxing ways. No coding, no typography, and for godsakes NO ANIMATION. However, when I sat down to start a drawing or painting, I found myself feeling frustrated, impatient, and completely uninspired. Why was the thing that was supposed to make me feel better actually making me feel worse?

I didn’t want to give up on my winter break intentions, so I went down to Reader’s Corner (which you should go to if you’ve never been) on the hunt for vintage magazines. Always being a lover of collaging, I had hope that a new medium might be the answer to unclogging my creative blockage. Spoiler alert, IT WAS!

Vintage graphic design makes me drool, so it was uber inspiring to see it straight from the source. The grainy film, retro fonts, and cigar ads make fantastic collage materials, though it is a bit heartwrenching to cut up a mint condition “Playboy” from 1971. Even if you don’t consider yourself an “artistic” person, collage is a great way to quickly make something that looks great. There are endless things to do with it, like including your own drawings or poetry. My personal favorite thing to do is base my collages off of the music I’m listening to at the time!

There are an infinite amount of techniques, styles, and materials to use while collaging, but I like to let the magazines inspire me rather than plan out what I want a piece to look like. For me, this tends to make collaging a more interactive, spontaneous exercise.

Want to get into collaging? Don’t know where to start? Here are some tips and advice from DJ Butter on how to absolutely rock it:

Q: Where do I get magazines from?

A: If you don’t have any magazines at home that you’re willing to cut up, head over to your nearest thrift store, used book center, or record store. A lot of the time they’ll have super cheap (or free) magazines. Don’t be afraid to use non-magazine items too! I’ve used dried flowers, decorative paper, tea fortunes, and notes from friends in some of my collages.

Q: Which magazines are the best for collaging?

I specifically like to use vintage magazines, especially from “Rolling Stone,” “Playboy,” and “Record Collector.” Any art magazine is great too. Just make sure whatever you choose has lots of pictures!

Q: What materials do I need besides magazines?
  • Paper: Pick something that won’t buckle under the weight of glue, paint, or whatever else you decide to put on. I like to use this mixed media pad from Strathmore, but the paper in my Art Collection Moleskine journal works well too.
  • Glue: Any glue will work, but make sure that it dries clear. Liquid glue tends to work better than a glue stick, but remember that you only need a tiny dot in the corners of your collage cuttings. Too much glue will make the paper wrinkle.
  • Cutting: I like to use regular scissors for cutting our larger pieces and an X-Acto knife for smaller, more detailed ones.
  • Whatever Else: Find a box or pouch to keep your collage cuttings! I know you probably don’t think you need one, but trying to shove all your unused pieces in the folds of your magazines will lead to lost cuttings, ruined photos, and sadness.

I hope this inspired you to make a collage today! If you want even more inspo, here’s a list of my favorite collage artists:

Demii Wiffin

Ben Giles

Juli Baker and Summer

griefmother

Now go make somethin’!

– DJ Butter

Categories
Classic Album Review

Retro Review: A Charlie Brown Christmas Soundtrack

A Charlie Brown Christmas Soundtrack Cover with the Peanuts characters dancing around a Christmas tree

ALBUM: “A Charlie Brown Christmas TV Soundtrack” by Vince Guaraldi Trio

RELEASE YEAR: 1965

LABEL: Concord Music Group

RATING: 100000/10

BEST TRACKS: “Linus and Lucy,” “Christmas Time Is Here” and “Skating”

FCC: Clean

With the holiday season finally upon us, I thought I’d highlight the best wintertime song collection ever made. There exists no cozier Christmas album than Vince Guaraldi’s soundtrack for “A Charlie Brown Christmas.” Many of my own childhood Christmases were spent decorating the tree while “My Little Drum” played in the background. It makes me want to curl up on the couch with a blanket, a nice book, and a cup of hot tea.

Vince Guaraldi, a pianist from San Francisco, along with bassist Fred Marshall and drummer Jerry Granelli captured the hearts of audiences far and wide with their jazz ensemble for the beloved Peanuts movie. While many of the songs are remakes of Christmas classics, like “O Tannenbaum” and “Christmas Time is Here,” they included original tracks too; the lighthearted grooves of “Linus and Lucy” and “Skating” reveal the tender feelings that the holidays can bring. I love how he used a children’s choir in many of the songs to capture the childlike wonder of Christmastime.

What makes this album special is how accurately it reflects the mixed emotions that surround Christmastime. I thought this was fantastic considering how Charlie Brown, the unfortunate, old soul that he is, struggles with “the Christmas Spirit” throughout the whole movie. Each song holds both the joy of childhood holiday memories and the sadness that can accompany Christmas in adulthood. It reaches across age boundaries and is still enjoyed today, 55 years later.

Need a bit of holiday cheer and cozy comfort? Give it a listen!

– DJ Butter

Categories
Classic Album Review

Retro Review: Electric Mud – Muddy Waters

Electric Mud Album Cover

ALBUM: “Electric Mud” by Muddy Waters

RELEASE YEAR: 1968

LABEL: Chess Records

RATING: 9/10

BEST TRACKS: “I Just Want to Make Love to You,” “Mannish Boy” and “(I’m Your) Hoochie Coochie Man”

FCC: Clean

“Electric Mud” is my all-time favorite album from Muddy Waters, probably because I’m such a sucker for the reverb of an electric guitar. Though it’s only eight songs long, “Electric Mud” is a fantastic example of how the blues and rock meshed in the 1960s. Most of the songs are remakes of his famous classics, such as “Hoochie Coochie Man,” “Mannish Boy” and “The Same Thing,” only twinged with the sludgy feel of psychedelic rock.

The 50s and early 60s proved to be the heyday for Waters, but he saw a decline in popularity as his record label began to fail and the British blues scene took over in the late 60s (ironically, many of the hard rock artists from the UK took bits from Muddy Waters’ work to further their own.) In a last-ditch attempt to capture the hearts of younger audiences, Waters joined forces with band members of the Rotary Connection to create “Electric Mud.” Disappointed in its mixture of psychedelic rock and the blues, classic blues artists disapproved of the album. Muddy Waters himself wasn’t fond of the album because he felt he couldn’t perform it live.

Despite the somewhat negative history behind “Electric Mud,” it helped put him back on the map. After his label, Chess Records, fell, Waters was able to go on and produce some of his most influential work throughout the 70s.

This album holds a special place in my heart because it made me realize how impactful Muddy Waters was on the rock scene in the 60s and 70s. Jimi Hendrix openly covered Waters’ work in both his live and studio sessions. The track “You Need Love” was the bones of Led Zeppelin’s “Whole Lotta Love.” The Rolling Stones even got their name from Waters’ song “Rollin’ Stone.”

All in all, “Electric Mud” is a fantastic album for anyone interested in rock and blues history. Give it a listen!

– DJ Butter

Categories
DJ Highlights

A Peek at DJ Butter’s Spotify Wrapped

2020 Spotify Wrapped

This is my favorite time of year. The weather is crisp, the smell of Christmas trees fills the air, and everyone exposes themselves on Instagram with their Spotify Wrapped.

You can tell a lot about a person by their Top 5 artists and songs (a lot more of my friends listen to Taylor Swift than I originally thought, no shame though). I know some are indifferent about the whole idea of it, but I could look at people’s Spotify Wrapped for hours. It’s so interesting to see what kind of music people are into! Whether it’s totally predictable or completely unexpected, I love to watch how people’s personalities match up with their music preferences.

Interested in getting a look at a WKNC DJ’s Spotify Wrapped? Well, look no further! Here’s what I’ve been listening to on repeat in 2020:

Top Genres:

Rock, Neo-Psychedelic, Chicago Blues, Psychedelic Hip Hop, Indie Garage Rock

I felt that my top genres were totally accurate, yet slightly surprising. I’ll be honest, I didn’t know that “Psychedelic Hip Hop” was even a genre in the first place. Despite this, I think that anyone who listens to my show would agree that these 5 genres are the basis of my sets every week!

Top Artists:

Led Zeppelin, Allah-Las, Jimi Hendrix, Greta Van Fleet, Muddy Waters

I can honestly not believe how predictable (and slightly embarrassing) this is. I knew that Zeppelin would, and probably forever will, be my #1. I was hoping that Greta Van Fleet wouldn’t make an appearance, but this summer I listened to “From the Fires” way too many times.

Top Songs:

Traveling Riverside Blues, Raspberry Jam, Just Like a Baby, What is and What Should Never Be, Living Loving Maid

Drum roll, please! My top songs are such an accurate reflection of my mindset all 2020: Too much Zeppelin, wishing I was at a surf concert, and crying to “Just Like a Baby.”

Thanks for indulging me, as always. Haven’t seen your Spotify Wrapped yet? Want to expose yourself on social media? Click here to see yours!

– DJ Butter

Categories
Music Education

Music and Our Brains

Brain drawing on white background

Ever listen to one of your favorite songs and get chills down your spine? Does hearing an old track ever bring you vividly back to the time when you were obsessed with it? Do you ever find yourself unconsciously tapping, moving, and shaking to music?

The ways that music affects our brains are incredible. We’ve all heard the famous saying “Mozart makes you smarter,” but what if other music could do the same and more? Apart from being a powerful emotional release, performing and listening to music has been proven to have numerous health benefits. After traveling through our eardrums, musical sound waves hit over a dozen different parts of our brains.

Something that fascinates me endlessly is the relationship between music and memory. Music passes through the cerebellum, which is responsible for storing memory and movement. According to neuroscientist Kiminobu Sugaya, an “Alzheimer patient, even if he doesn’t recognize his wife, could still play the piano if he learned it when he was young because playing has become muscle memory. Those memories in the cerebellum never fade out.”

The link between mind, body, and music is amazing. In a study mentioned by the Harvard Health Publishing, patients who listened to music before, during, and after surgery were found to have lower blood pressure and heart rate levels compared to those without music. Even patients that listened to music while unconscious during their surgeries had similar results. Pretty unreal, huh?

Music also has astounding emotional benefits. A study completed in 2006 showed that people who suffered from chronic pain were less likely to experience depression after undergoing music therapy. Due to its ability to activate dopamine production, music can also trigger shivers, pleasure, and your fight-or-flight response.

It’s incredible how much is happening in our brains when we pop on our headphones! If you’re interested in learning more about music and neuroscience, there are tons of books and online resources to look at. To get started, here’s an interactive tool from the University of Central Florida about our brains on music.

– DJ Butter

Categories
Miscellaneous

The Incredible Visions of 1960s Music Posters

I am absolutely obsessed with anything out of the 60s and 70s, especially the art. The colors, typography, and illustration styles are magnificent. In high school, I actually did a project on the origins of psychedelic art, and I thought I’d share some of my favorite facts with you today!

The signature psychedelic style of the 1960s can be attributed to the rising popularity of hallucinogens, anti-war sentiments, and Eastern philosophy. In stark contrast to the streamlined, modernist design trends of the 40s and 50s, psychedelia’s goal was completely different: Artists wanted viewers to stare at their work for long periods of time to mimic the effect of a “trip.” Some elements used to accomplish this effect were brightly contrasting colors, flowing typography, and collage. Wes Wilson, Victor Moscoso, Alton Kelley, and Stanley Mouse, also known as the “Big Five,” were some of the most influential poster designers of the time.

As new, experimental music exploded in the early 60s, psychedelic art was often paired with concert posters and album covers. San Francisco was a hot spot for the movement, seeing that many musicians lived there, including the Grateful Dead, Janis Joplin, and Jefferson Airplane.

Here are some of my absolute favorite posters that came out of the psychedelic movement:

John Myers, 1966

This poster, designed by John Myers, was printed for the Yardbirds’ concert in 1966.

Bonnie McLean, 1967

This print was designed by Bonnie McLean in 1967 for a concert starring Muddy Waters, Buffalo Springfield, and Richie Havens.

Lee Conklin, 1968

This poster for Canned Heat was designed by Lee Conklin in 1968 and intentionally printed out-of-register to create the layered, film-like look.

Bob Masse, 1966

Serving as one of the most iconic posters in rock history, this design for Pink Floyd was done by Bob Masse in 1966 for their show at the Marquee in London.

Wes Wilson & Herb Greene, 1966

Wes Wilson, one of the most well-known psychedelic artists of the time, designed this poster with Herb Greene for Jefferson Airplane in 1966.

Tune in!

– DJ Butter

Categories
Classic Album Review

Classic Review: Jimi Hendrix’s “Are You Experienced”

"Are You Experienced" Album Cover, Jimi Hendrix Band in fish eye lens with yellow background

ALBUM: “Are You Experienced” by The Jimi Hendrix Experience

RELEASE YEAR: 1967

LABEL: Experience Hendrix LLC, Sony Music Entertainment

RATING: 10/10

BEST TRACKS: “Love or Confusion,” “Purple Haze” and “Foxey Lady”

FCC: Clean

There exist few better guitarists than Jimi Hendrix, the god of heavy rock himself. Along with being a fantastic solo musician, Hendrix had a band of his own, comprised of Noel Redding on bass and Mitch Mitchell on drums. “Are You Experienced” was their debut album, filled with some of the most influential songs in rock history. This album really shows off Hendrix’s seemingly impossible talent on the electric guitar along with his signature bluesy howl. “Are You Experienced” is the perfect combination of heavy rock, psychedelic music, and the blues.

Though many know Jimi solely for his guitar skills, he was also a fantastic poet and songwriter. Filled with lyrics that are simultaneously hallucinogenic, dreamy, and wanton, the instrumentals pair perfectly with the poetry that Hendrix so beautifully wrote.

The range on this album is incredible. From the classic hard rock anthem “Purple Haze,” to the upbeat “51st Anniversary,” to the sludgy psychedelia of “Third Stone from the Sun,” to the dreamy ballad “May This Be Love,” Jimi showcases his talent for performing music of all feelings.

My two personal favorites off the album are “Foxey Lady” and “Love or Confusion,” simply because the riffs are unmatched. You can really feel the passion behind his playing and singing, which I think the latter of the two people don’t give him enough credit for. The album was, and still remains to this day, an amazing feat of psychedelic, experimental rock.

Tune in!

– DJ Butter