Category: Miscellaneous

Random sh*t we don’t know where else to put

Categories
Blog Miscellaneous Playlists

WKNC’s Top Tracks, Artists, and Albums of 2023

WKNC DJs and Staff Top Tracks of 2023
WKNC DJs and Staff Top Tracks of 2023

Welcome to the 4th annual roundup of this series, where we asked WKNC’s DJs and Staff to submit their 3 favorite tracks, artists, and albums of 2023!

You can check out each staff member’s Spinitron through the link in their name, to see all their sets and all of the other music they’ve been playing on WKNC, as well as their Instagram or other contacts if they chose to link those.

As always, you can check out the playlist on our Spotify page.

*Denotes songs not available on Spotify.

Erie/valkerie; General Manager, DJ

  • SONGS
  • Fever Ray – Carbon Dioxide
  • Tzusing – Balkanize
  • MarAxe – Demon
  • ARTISTS
  • The National
  • Sylvan Esso
  • Setaoc Mass
  • ALBUMS
  • Fever Ray – Radical Romantics
  • Tzusing – Green Hat
  • Snow Strippers – April Mixtape 3

Eilee/space cadet; Promotions Director, DJ

  • SONGS
  • Kitchen – Fall
  • Car Colors – Old Death
  • Greg Mendez – Goodbye/Trouble
  • ARTISTS
  • Kitchen
  • The Wrens
  • Wednesday
  • ALBUMS
  • Kitchen – Breath Too Long
  • Wednesday – Rat Saw God
  • Greg Mendez – Greg Mendez

Isabella/BEL$; Daytime Music Director, DJ

  • SONGS
  • MSPAINT – Titan of Hope
  • feeble little horse – Freak
  • Pinkshift – Lullaby
  • ARTISTS
  • Joyce Manor
  • Sweet Pill
  • Turnstile
  • ALBUMS
  • feeble little horse – Girl With Fish
  • Truth Club – Running the from Chase
  • MSPAINT – Post-American

William/dj bluegill; Underground Music Director, DJ

  • SONGS
  • McKinley Dixon – Beloved! Paradise! Jazz!
  • Dana and Alden – Dragonfly
  • Sufjan Stevens – Will Anybody Ever Love Me?
  • ARTISTS
  • Danny Brown
  • Yussef Dayes
  • Sufjan Stevens
  • ALBUMS
  • McKinley Dixon – Beloved! Paradise! Jazz!
  • Yussef Dayes – Black Classical Music
  • Sufjan Stevens – Javelin

chalcopyrite; Assistant Afterhours Music Director, DJ

  • SONGS
  • Material Girl (feat. Childboy) – Mikahel
  • lostrushi – INFINITUDE // UROBOROS
  • Oneohtrix Point Never – Plastic Antique
  • ARTISTS
  • Naked Flames
  • Purity Filter
  • Frost Children
  • ALBUMS
  • Kikuo – Kikuomiku 7
  • Poison Damage – KSA
  • lostrushi – SISTERHOOD

Maddie/cowball; DJ

  • SONGS
  • Truth Club – It’s Time
  • Slow Pulp – Cramps
  • Laurel Halo – Belleville
  • ARTISTS
  • Wednesday
  • Cindy Lee
  • Snow Strippers
  • ALBUMS
  • Wednesday – Rat Saw God
  • Xiu Xiu – Ignore Grief
  • Laurel Halo – Atlas

Mason/DJ Crush; DJ

  • SONGS
  • Jessie Ware – Begin Again
  • beabadoobee & Laufey – A Night To Remember
  • Chappell Roan – Super Graphic Ultra Modern Girl
  • ARTISTS
  • Florence + The Machine
  • Jessie Ware
  • Rina Sawayama
  • ALBUMS
  • That! Feels Good!
  • The Rise and Fall of a Midwest Princess
  • This Is Why

Alex/DJ Sles; DJ

  • SONGS
  • feeble little horse – steamroller
  • deux visages – cheetah
  • billy woods & kenny segal – Soundcheck
  • ARTISTS
  • julie
  • blue smiley
  • Panchiko
  • ALBUMS
  • JPEGMAFIA & Danny Brown – SCARING THE HOES
  • feeble little horse – Girl With Fish
  • billy woods & kenny segal – Maps

Sleepyhead/Emi; DJ

  • SONGS
  • Lucki – Super Ski
  • Pupil Slicer – The Song at Creations End
  • our eyes go blank tonight – Monster Reserve
  • ARTISTS
  • Lucki
  • Pupil Slicer
  • Dying Wish
  • ALBUMS
  • Lucki – sex.money.drugs
  • Pupil Slicer – Blossom
  • Dying Wish – Symptoms of Survival

Erik/Erik++; DJ

  • SONGS
  • SPIRIT OF THE BEEHIVE – really happening
  • Läuten der Seele – Molch, Pfütze, Schilf & Stein
  • Yeat – Mysëlf
  • ARTISTS
  • Spirit of the Beehive
  • Playboi Carti
  • Yeat
  • ALBUMS
  • Spirit of the Beehive – I’m so lucky
  • Tara Clerkin Trio – On the turning ground
  • PinkPantheress – capable of love

DJ Hubcap; Board Op, DJ

  • SONGS
  • McKinley Dixon – Live! from the Kitchen Table
  • 100 gecs – 757
  • Danny Brown feat. Bruiser Wolf – Y.B.P.
  • ARTISTS
  • Fiona Apple
  • In Love With a Ghost
  • Kero Kero Bonito
  • ALBUMS
  • Screaming Females – Desire Pathway
  • McKinley Dixon – Beloved! Paradise! Jazz!?
  • Temps – PARTY GATOR PURGATORY

rensenware; DJ

  • SONGS
  • Camellia – Tempo Katana
  • Camellia – Lost Technologie – Data Scraper (Long Version)
  • Hail the Sun – Mind Rider
  • ARTISTS
  • Us, From Outside
  • Camellia
  • Goreshit
  • ALBUMS
  • Goreshit, Lil Kevo 303 – X61
  • Camellia – Ashed Wings
  • Hail the Sun – Divine Inner Tension

Erin/Pink Milk; DJ

  • SONGS
  • Aphex Twin – Blackbox Life Recorder 21f
  • Four Tet – Three Drums
  • Sluice – Fourth of July
  • ARTISTS
  • Yo La Tengo
  • The Magnetic Fields
  • Bladee
  • ALBUMS
  • Parannoul – After the Magic
  • Yo La Tengp – This Stupid World
  • Jeff Rosenstock – HELLMODE

Dante/Wizard of Gore; DJ

  • SONGS
  • Odz Manouk – The Last Bastion of the Serpent’s Tongue*
  • Demoniac – La caída
  • Afterbirth – Angels Feast on Flies
  • ARTISTS
  • Odz Manouk
  • Savage Oath
  • Infibulated
  • ALBUMS
  • Odz Manouk – Bosoragazan (Բոսորագազան)
  • Demoniac – Nube negra
  • JPEGMAFIA x Danny Brown – Scaring the Hoes

Annabelle / DJ Big Anthony; DJ

  • SONGS
  • Wednesday – Chosen to Deserve
  • Colin Miller – Off the Mountain
  • Lil Yachty – drive ME crazy!
  • ARTISTS
  • Fugazi
  • Sunny Day Real Estate
  • Rick James
  • ALBUMS
  • Lil Yachty – Let’s Start Here.
  • Indigo De Souza – All of This Will End
  • JPEGMAFIA and Danny Brown – SCARING THE HOES

twerp; DJ

  • SONGS
  • BeautyWorld – “Beautycore”*
  • desert sand feels warm at night & Mindspring Memories – “Eighty Four, Zero One”
  • greenhouse – “theriocide”*
  • ARTISTS
  • hoverman
  • Pasocom Music Club
  • Windows 96
  • ALBUMS
  • hoverman – “Wasting Man”
  • BeautyWorld – “Beautiful World”
  • greenhouse – “arc,regn”

FULLMETAL RACKET; DJ

  • SONGS
  • Initiate – Waste Your Life
  • Jeff Rosenstock – HEAD
  • JPEGMAFIA and Danny Brown – Run The Jewels
  • ARTISTS
  • Circuit Circuit
  • Corrupt Vision
  • Soulkeeper
  • ALBUMS
  • Initiate – Cereberal Circus
  • Jeff Rosenstock – HELLMODE
  • JPEGMAFIA and Danny Brown – SCARING THE HOES

Ben; Blog Content Creator; DJ

  • SONGS
  • Gonemage – Dream Surfing the Astral Corridors
  • Aesop Rock – Salt and Pepper Squid
  • Washer – Answer to Hell
  • ARTISTS
  • Gonemage
  • Washer
  • Screaming Females
  • ALBUMS
  • Rat Saw God
  • Celestial Invocation
  • Desire Pathway

Ezra Kinsch / Poncho Diego; DJ

  • SONGS
  • Mutant Strain – “Words Fall”
  • Sheer Mag – “All Lined Up”
  • Electric Chair – “Fatal Disease Pt. II”
  • ARTISTS
  • Van Halen
  • Dark Thoughts
  • Paint Fumes
  • ALBUMS
  • Paint Fumes – Real Romancer
  • Electric Chair – Act of Agression
  • Mutant Strain – Murder of Crows

MJ; Blog Content Contributor

  • SONGS
  • MIKE feat. El Cousteau, Niontay – Mussel Beach
  • King Krule feat. Raveena – Seagirl
  • bar italia – my little tony
  • ARTISTS
  • MIKE
  • bar italia
  • King Krule
  • ALBUMS
  • MIKE – Burning Desire
  • Yves Tumor – Praise a Lord Who Chews but Which Does Not Consume; (Or Simply, Hot Between Worlds)
  • King Krule – Space Heavy

DJ Mithrax; DJ

  • SONGS
  • KNOWER – I’m The President
  • Battle Tapes – One Night In Burbank
  • Red Vox – Almost A Stranger
  • ARTISTS
  • GUM
  • KNOWER
  • Battle Tapes
  • ALBUMS
  • GUM – Saturnia
  • Kane Parsons – Backrooms (Original Score), Vol. 2
  • Blur – The Ballad of Darren

Sarah/Scrimble; Board Op, DJ

  • SONGS
  • 100 gecs – 757
  • Wednesday – Chosen to Deserve
  • Nicki Minaj – Red Ruby Da Sleeze
  • ARTISTS
  • Tegan and Sara
  • Chappell Roan
  • Ice Spice
  • ALBUMS
  • Chappell Roan – The Rise and Fall of a Midwest Princess
  • 100 gecs – 10,000 gecs
  • Lil Yachty – Let’s Start Here.

Auxymoron; DJ

  • SONGS
  • underscores – “Locals (Girls like us) [with gabby start]”
  • Sufjan Stevens – “Sh*t Talk”
  • Spiritbox – “Cellar Door”
  • ARTISTS
  • Jane Remover
  • Parannoul
  • Model/Actriz
  • ALBUMS
  • underscores – “Wallsocket”
  • Dispirited Spirits – “The Redshift Blues”
  • 100 gecs – “10,000 gecs”

Kelly/ dj kellykares; DJ

  • SONGS
  • BRUTALISMUS 3000 – DIE LIBRE KOMMIT NICHT AUS BERLIN
  • Machine Girl, Special Interest – Concerning Peace
  • Bktherula – TATTI
  • ARTISTS
  • Steve lacy
  • 100 gecs
  • Eartheater
  • ALBUMS
  • Steve Lacy – APOLLO XXI
  • Rico Nasty – Las Ruinas
  • Death Grips – The Money Store

Reid/Rub.E; DJ

  • SONGS
  • Full Body 2 – “nokia login”
  • Tanukichan & Enumclaw – “Thin Air”
  • BrokenTeeth – “138”
  • ARTISTS
  • Cocteau Twins
  • All Natural Lemon & Lime Flavors
  • Subsonic Eye
  • ALBUMS
  • Full Body 2 – “infinity signature”
  • feeble little horse – “Girl with Fish”
  • Unrecovery – “It’s Agreed, My Willing Test”

Justin/JustinTime; DJ

  • SONGS
  • Tyler, The Creator – “What a Day”
  • JPEGMAFIA & Danny Brown – “Jack Harlow Combo Meal”
  • Lil Yachty – “drive ME crazy!”
  • ARTISTS
  • Jeff Buckley
  • Elliott Smith
  • Björk
  • ALBUMS
  • JPEGMAFIA & Danny Brown – “Scaring The Hoes”
  • Lil Yachty – “Let’s Start Here.”
  • Black Country, New Road – “Live At Bush Hall”

sai <3 / dirty chai; DJ

  • SONGS
  • Little Dragon and April + VISTA – Layers
  • SBTRKT and LEILAH – NO INTENTION
  • KAYTRAMINÉ – UGH UGH
  • ARTISTS
  • Paradis
  • Khruangbin
  • KAYTRANADA
  • ALBUMS
  • Little Dragon – Slugs of Love
  • “KAYTRAMINÉ”
  • SBTRKT – THE RAT ROAD

Zen/Zach; DJ

  • SONGS
  • The Brook & The Bluff – “Bluebeard”
  • The South Hill Experiment – “Gabo’s Last Resort”
  • redveil – “captain”
  • ARTISTS
  • The Brook & The Bluff
  • boygenius
  • Daft Punk
  • ALBUMS
  • boygenius – The Record
  • Billy Woods – Maps
  • JPEGMAFIA – SCARING THE HOES

Ewan/Eweecorn; DJ

  • SONGS
  • Maebi – The Lobotomy
  • Rumskib – Troløs blomst
  • boggio and Key After Key – SENSORY OVERLOAD
  • ARTISTS
  • The Shins
  • Spellcasting
  • Jason Falkner
  • ALBUMS
  • The New Pornographers – Continue as a Guest
  • Maebi – Saudade

johnny ghost; DJ

  • SONGS
  • DADDY LONG LEGS – “Street Sermon”
  • Low Cut Connie – “WHIPS AND CHAINS”
  • Miranda and the Beat – “Concrete”
  • ARTISTS
  • Warren Zevon
  • Townes Van Zandt
  • Bob Dylan
  • ALBUMS
  • DADDY LONG LEGS – Street Sermons
  • Low Cut Connie – ART DEALERS
  • The Nude Party – Rides On
Categories
Miscellaneous New Album Review

“Pig City” by Pig City

"Pig City" album cover by Pig City
"Pig City" album cover by Pig City. Hardcore crust band from Arizona.

Something within me *clicks* with Pig City’s newest release “Pig City”. It’s inspired me to deviate from the normal way I write my album reviews. I’ve done a few odd approaches the past couple months on album reviews, but I aim to make this one my strangest. 

Pig City is a queer hardcore crust band hailing from Arizona and releasing music through To Live A Lie Records right here in Raleigh. The album is definitely FCC explicit so cover your ears if you dislike curse words. This album was released on September 15, 2023.

Each track is followed by a block of text that relates to the subject matter and energy of the songs above it. It might help to listen to the music while you read if that is something you can do.

Track 1: “Modern Life I”

We’ve made it easy to reduce things down to our specific little categories, but I feel critics have forgotten how to expand upon the meaning of a piece of worthy art. We shelve it away into musty cabinets on bookshelves becoming overladen with garbage. It makes your blood boil, doesn’t it? F*** your bookshelf. Break it. Burn it. Listen to this drum beat. Listen to these screams. Scream along with Pig City. “Where you gonna go?” (last line of “Modern Life I”).

Track 2: “Belly Of The Beast”

I’m taking apart my room. Shred it. Piece by piece and examining every micrometer because I wanna find out why nothing is where it was supposed to be. Books were in places, but they didn’t fit there. Tear out the pages, glue them in different orders. Make it into the right kind of meaningful pattern. Burn this one, trash that one. Put them into place. 

Track 3: “Nuclear Wasted”

On my roof now. It’s night. The cold gusts clip my ears and draws blood from my body. Drink a beer. Share it with critters running over numb legs. I can’t see my hands. Can’t feel them, but I see the moon and she calls out to take another sip and…

Track 4: “Bash Back”

Awake. My head hurts. The world is upside down. It’s always been like this. Hasn’t it? Prolly gonna puke. My leg’s caught in the power line running from my house to the street. I’m hanging from the roof. Rip the leg free. Fall to the ground. It hurts, but not as much as my head. Spinning, standing and spinning. Beer can. It’s half full on the dirt covered sidewalk. I crush it under my boot. Metal succumbed to me. To my weight. I’m bigger than anything around me. I can do what I need to.

Track 5: “Dead On The Table”

There’s a corpse rolled up the living room rug. Not gonna deal with that now. Bloated and blue – it’s not mine or anybody’s. Figment of the draining hangover. Not going to deal with it, I said. I want coffee. The strongest there is. All that acid and bitters draining from pot to cup to mouth and… now I can focus on the corpse in my living room. 

Track 6: “Modern Life II”

You’d think this would fast track my day. A body in the living room. A hangover and falling from the roof. The day is slow. Nothing moves. Me, my coffee, a corpse. All of us act as if we’ve got all the time in the world to sit still. Sure, I’ve got work this morning. I’ll get there when I get there. Bossman can’t believe the things I’ve been through. Boss – Corpse. They are one in the same. A dead man whipping away at our backs to make us efficient. I finish my coffee and shower. 

Track 7: “Solitary Ideation”

Hot showers are for suckers. Cold beams of water open eyes better than any coffee, Redbull or Monster Energy. In a shower, it’s just me and the droning of water against tub or against shower curtain or against body. A fshthh, kftdd, or bmbbmmm kind of sound, respectively. You can think up thousands of things in a shower. Like what to do with a body or how much effort I need to put into cleaning my destroyed room.

Thoughts wash away. It’s nice, empty isolation. Bare-nakedness keeps me raw and vulnerable to only myself. I’m not going to do a thing about the body, about my job, about my room. Leave it all as a masterpiece. Keep on living.

###

I know I didn’t actually talk about Pig City’s skills or literal sounds, but the point of this article was to explain their energy, effort, and artistry by using it as inspiration to create.

Yard bird tastes like fried toad,

Ben

Categories
Miscellaneous Music Education

“We Are the Best!” – Swedish Punk Film

Movie poster for We Are the Best!
Movie poster for "We Are the Best!".

“We Are the Best!” is a movie set in the early 1980’s when traditional Swedish punk like KSMB started to decline in popularity. It centers around a trio of young girls making themselves seen through block-headed determination to have their uniqueness shine into the world around them.

Swedish punk music truly came alive in the 1970’s with bands like KSMB and Ebba Grön, and in the 1980’s hardcore punk became more mainstream in bands like Mob 47 and Anti Cimex (info from Discogs).

When I watched this movie, I had little knowledge of Swedish punk history. I hadn’t really listened to many old school punk bands not from the US or UK. While the movie doesn’t dive too much into niche punk bands and sounds, it supplies viewers with delightful, raw punk spirit through the three main characters, Bobo, Klara and Hedvig. 

The film is based on the director’s wife’s (Coco Moodysson) graphic novel, “Never Goodnight”. I haven’t read it myself but the art style encapsulates the DIY nature of punk energy and the movie’s story does so too (this article has a few snippets from the book). 

“We Are the Best!” was released in 2013. Director Lukas Moodysson, with the guidance of his partner Coco Moodysson, also created the screenplay for this film. If you want to watch this film, you can find it for free on YouTube with ads. 

The Plot:

I am going to get into some spoilers for this film, so if you don’t want to read them, stop reading here. 

Two besties, Klara and Bobo, are thirteen years old and tired of taking s**t for being young, girls, punk and different from everyone else. We see them compared to their stereotyped blond teen classmates and older boys and adults who constantly patronize them. 

On an absolute whim stemming from justified anger, Klara and Bobo start making music and writing songs. The two do everything together. They’re completely reliant on each other, but still have their tensions sparking fights throughout the film. Eventually, at a school talent show, they meet Hedvig, an outwardly appearing Christian conservative with real talent for music. 

Bobo and Klara recruit Hedvig to join their band and the three of them continuously get into trouble while opening Hedvig’s eyes to the world beyond Christianity.

After meeting up with other local punks and a few internal dramatic moments, Bobo, Klara and Hedvig have their first gig by the end of the film. They get raucous boo’s for being girls, but absolutely eat up the negative energy as fuel for their righteous performance on stage. The movie ends with the three of them being the best of friends and living up to their fullest punk potentials.

Why’s It So Good?

“We Are the Best!” does a phenomenal job at capturing and harnessing true punk spirit, realistic characters, history and tension. I love all the interactions between every side character, little gimmicks of getting free food, begging for money, just everything Bobo, Hedvig and Klara did together seemed whimsical and true to the nature of young teens trying to be themselves in a structured conforming society. 

The music was also amazing. The characters had great dialogue about the music of the times (which I think is accurate, not really sure because my music history knowledge is poor). Scenes with classic Swedish-punk tunes like “Schweden Schweden” by Ebba Grön and “Sex Noll Två” tied the dialogue and history together with the raw emotion you get from punk tracks. You can check out the whole soundtrack list on IMDb. 

The pacing of the film was also well done. Characters and events flowed smoothly from one triumph or failure to the next without losing my interest. Also, there were tons of hilarious and awkward interactions between children and adults that still occur today. I love it when a movie transcends time periods to show how actions between each other are still the same. 

Conclusions:

I loved “We Are the Best!”. Lukas and Coco Moodysson created a wonderful homage to that awkward punk spirit I wish I had when I was younger, and they’ve made a piece of art that shows us why rebellious kids and adults will never die out as a fad ever again. People will continue to be marginalized for something they can’t control, so the only option to counter that is to be loud, stand tall, and join with your friends to fight for individuality. 

I definitely recommend taking some time to watch this film with homies, besties, buds, friends, companions, really anyone that you’re close to because it will make you all smile without fail.

Ben

Categories
Miscellaneous Playlists

I Played Baldur’s Gate 3. Here’s What Music I Think the Companions Would Listen to:

Photo by Marcela Laskoski on Unsplash

I made the choice (a poor one, perhaps) to finally purchase Baldur’s Gate 3 last month. I have a lot of opinions about it.

But since WKNC.org is, at its core, a music-based platform, I will sublimate my obsession interest in the game into something music-related.

While the plot and gameplay of BG3 is all well and good, what I find to be the most important is the blorbofication of the game’s characters.

Photo by Cederic Vandenberghe on Unsplash

For those unfamiliar with Baldur’s Gate 3, the game allows a player’s PC to travel in the company of several companions who seem specially-tailored to be both intensely likeable (excluding Gale) and intensely attractive.

Through gameplay and interaction, the player can learn more about these new friends (or enemies — or lovers — depending on how you swing things) and build plot-relevant relationships.

That’s all well and good, I suppose.

But beyond all the hours of carefully crafted backstory and world-building infused into BG3’s gameplay, I’m interested in imposing upon these characters my own pretentious personal ideas about music.

Nobody asked, but I will deliver.

The Selection

I digress with a brief disclaimer to highlight that this is, primarily, a joke. However, I stand wholeheartedly by all of these claims.

I also will only be covering the “main cast” of companions, so if anyone was expecting to see what kind of music Scratch or Minthara would listen to, they’ll have to decide that for themselves.

My criteria for making these assessments comes from four main factors:

  1. Personality
  2. Style
  3. Canon
  4. My personal opinions

As an English major, I have a lot of practice in the art of character analysis. As a music fan, I have a lot of experience being force-fed other people’s music opinions.

The intersection of these two realms will yield something interesting, if not accurate.

Lae’zel

Lae’zel is a Githyanki Fighter with a Soldier background. If you’re not familiar with DND, those words will mean next to nothing to you. That’s fine. All you need to know is that Lae’zel is the modern man’s tsundere.

If I’m being honest, I struggled the most with this one. Lae’zel is characterized as being both strictly no-nonsense and highly repressed, coming from a highly militaristic society.

At the same time, however, her culture has a strong musical and artistic foundation. Githyanki music is defined as highly variable, though consistently centered around metallic, harsh and strident rhythms.

Cover for “20 Jazz Funk Greats” by Throbbing Gristle

From this perspective, I think Lae’zel’s music taste would follow similar lines. I can see her enjoying weird industrial music as well as brassy jazz.

Bands I can think of that fit this kind of idiosyncratic harshness and experimental irregularity include:

  • Xiu Xiu
  • Throbbing Gristle
  • SEATBELTS
  • Maynard Ferguson

I also think she’d like insanely hard, vigorous metal. Perhaps jazz-metal fusion, like Agabas.

Shadowheart

Also known as “God’s Favorite Princess,” Shadowheart is a half-elf Cleric with an Acolyte background.

I was pleased to find that despite my first impressions of her, Shadowheart has proven to be a well-written female character. I adore her, and if it wasn’t my goal to make all the companions fall in love with me, I would probably romance her.

Cover for “Punisher” by Phoebe Bridgers

All the same though, I don’t think her music taste would be all that spectacular. Though her outward personality projects pragmatism, I think she’d find music as an important emotional outlet. So, obviously, she’d be very into girlcore.

I can see her appreciating female artists, specifically. Such as:

I’m definitely taking this too seriously.

Gale

i will preface this by stating that I am not a misandrist.

Gale is a human Wizard with a Sage background. He’s also from Waterdeep, as he’s particularly keen on mentioning.

I don’t dislike Gale, per se, but he definitely gives off an air of instability that reminds me of several uncharismatic and overly-confident men I’ve met in my life. While I’m sure that Gale is far from the “fantasy incel” I like to pretend he is for laughs, I do think he’d listen to The Smiths.

Cover for “In the Court of the Crimson King” by King Crimson

As someone who also listens to The Smiths, like recognizes like.

Gale also seems like the kind of person who would give over his heart to enigmatic, long-winded sprawls of progressive rock.

He’d probably smell like patchouli — and another fragrant herb — in real life.

Astarion

Oh, man. I really do enjoy this mean, fruity little man.

Astarion is a high elf Rogue with a Charlatan background. He’s also a vampire, which despite being extremely obvious, is somehow a surprise to all the other characters.

I consider whether or not someone likes Astarion to be a sort of litmus test. For what exactly, I will not say.

Cover for “Getz/Gilberto” by Stan Getz and Joao Gilberto

Maybe it’s trite to think this, but I see Astarion as being an appreciator of classical music and soft, smooth jazz. I like to think he may even appreciate bossa nova.

He’s 200 years old and probably sick to death of the whole music business, prefering instead just to listen to what “feels nice.”

And yes, I’m fully aware that Neil Newborn has his own Astarion playlist, and that it has “Even Flow” on it.

Wyll

This is my little brother’s favorite character (because warlocks are cool.)

Wyll is a human Warlock (The Fiend) with a Folk Hero background. He has a stone eye with a heart-shaped pupil, which to me signals to the fact that he’s probably the most well-adjusted companion (and character, perhaps) in the game.

Cover for “Badmotorfinger” by Soundgarden

Though he defines himself as a warrior and monster-slayer (the “Blade of Frontiers,” which is a name he apparently gave himself?), he’s inherently kindhearted and subtly dorky.

This, combined with his red-and-black fashion motif, leads me to think of him as a big fan of dad rock. He’s into alternative sounds, but only really familiar with the more topical names.

Karlach

An unequivocal representation of peak female character design, Karlach is a Tiefling Barbarian with an Outlander background. She’s also got an infernal engine in her chest, which honestly only adds to her abject hotness.

Cover for “away” by Fromjoy

Karlach is a beacon to angsty ADHD girlies everywhere. While I think she’d honestly just enjoy listening to anything upbeat and fun, I also see her as particularly drawn to heavy music a la Doom Slayer. But perhaps with an emo or nu metal twist.

A special mention goes to the track “Hyperviolence” by Omerta.

Categories
Miscellaneous Short Stories

WKNC Goes to an Olive Garden in Orlando After Doing More Important Things

Six members of WKNC staff sitting down in a hotel convention hall.
Us waiting for awards at NSEMC, and not for Olive Garden. Image: Jamie Lynn Gilbert

I, and five other of my treasured members of WKNC staff (plus our amazing advisor Jamie) had the special privilege of getting to represent the station at the CBI National Student Electronic Media Convention in Orlando, Florida from Oct. 19 – 21. While there, we scored three awards for how awesome we are, along with an even bigger prize: knowledge that will be applied to make the station better in the near future.

This blog isn’t about that though.

This blog is about Olive Garden.

Continue reading “WKNC Goes to an Olive Garden in Orlando After Doing More Important Things”
Categories
Miscellaneous

Film Review: Stop Making Sense

Movie poster for "Stop Making Sense"

October 19 marks the 40-year anniversary of “Stop Making Sense,” a 1984 American concert film centering around the rock band Talking Heads.

In anticipation of the film’s upcoming anniversary, studio A-24 returned “Stop Making Sense” to theaters in crisp 4k.

Musical group Talking Heads; left to right: David Byrne, Jerry Harrison, Tina Weymouth, Chris Frantz, in a promotional photo for the album Remain In Light. Distributed by Sire Records. Image in the public domain.

After putting it off for weeks, I finally went to see it on October 7 with DJ Claymore.

In short: it was excellent.

For the longer version, look below:

The Film

When I go to live shows, the onstage performance is only part of what contributes to the experience. A good show has atmosphere, with energy diffused from the performers to the audience below.

Despite taking place on the big screen, thus severing the connection between audience and performer, “Stop Making Sense” manages to cultivate a vividly energetic and intimate experience that moves and transforms.

David Byrne onstage with the Talking Heads, October 1, 1977 Jay’s Longhorn Bar, Minneapolis, MN, uploaded by Michael Markos, licensed CC BY-SA 2.0 DEED

The Cinematography

The film’s methodical construction is in part largely responsible for its massive acclaim, as it transforms “concert” and “cinema” into something dynamic and soul-touchingly imaginative.

Though shot across four concert performances at Hollywood’s Pantages Theatre, the film maintains a sense of temporal continuity.

In fact, set design, costuming and camera positioning were specially-tailored to create the illusion of the film taking place across a single performance.

And while wide-angle shots serve to capture the magnitude of the band’s stage presence, the use of closeups and tracking shots adds a sense of dynamism and intimacy, taking full advantage of the cinematic medium.

As a result, one could argue that “Stop Making Sense” is more than a concert. It’s a documentary; it’s a glimpse into something methodical and artistic and special.

The Sound

“Stop Making Sense” was filmed during the band’s tour to promote their 1983 album “Speaking in Tongues.”

The soundtrack has an unraveling effect, with each track coinciding with the addition of a new band member to the stage.

Cover for “Speaking In Tongues” by Talking Heads

The film’s first song features Byrne performing an acoustic version of “Psycho Killer.” Next, with “Heaven,” bassist and guitarist Tina Weymouth joins the stage.

All band members appear for the climactic performance of the band’s new hit “Burning Down the House.”

There were several points during this film that my skin erupted in goosebumps or I found myself compelled to kick my feet, to bob my head, to move in some capacity to actualize the energy I felt buzzing all around me.

After the first couple songs, the audience — those of us moviegoers — seemed to forget that that it wasn’t 1984 and that David Byrne was not, in fact, dancing and weaving and gesticulating upon a stage in front of us.

They began to clap, cheer and laugh with abandon. If we weren’t seated, I expect that they would have swayed and danced, too.

Final Thoughts

I went into this film knowing next to nothing about it, only that I loved Talking Heads and loved David Byrne’s flagrant and unabashed eccentricity even more.

Even for those unacquainted with the band, this film is a great experience and possibly a great introduction to the works of Talking Heads.

Categories
Blog Miscellaneous

WKNC’s World College Radio Day 2023 Schedule

World College Radio Day Graphic

On Friday October 6, for the 3rd year running WKNC will be participating in World College Radio Day by holding a 24 hour “lock in” in the station. Every hour will feature a live DJ in both studios celebrating the most important day of the year for a college radio station. The production room will also host a livestream where DJs will be playing games, making tierlists, showing powerpoints, and much more. The full schedule is below:

HD-1

timeslotdj nameshow namedescription
12:00 AMscrimblescrimble’s bad music hour
1:00 AMjustintime & zenIn a Timely Mannerthe two jazz dj’s do a collaborative set
2:00 AMdj fivesautumn summer winter fallweapon-themed set
3:00 AMdj independent fact checkers + valkerieinhouse pharmacydj independent fact checkers: 2013 monstercat
valkerie: 2012 dubstep
4:00 AMtwerpp2p connectionvaporwave
5:00 AMErik++Regular PointAcid/Techno – livemixing down to b2b!
6:00 AMdj mithraxsounds of space junkmix of rock/spooky music cuz october
7:00 AMlittle brown bat & streyacolombianas en raleighcolombian salsa & tropical
8:00 AMspace cadetmodern girl
9:00 AMdj beansfroot loops
10:00 AMclaymoreclaynationall over set
11:00 AMmaddogthe doghouseWes Anderson themed set! Waaaa 😀
12:00 PMKONDEThe KONDE Pop-up Hour (daytime)Jazz, Funk, Soul, and some other stuff!
1:00 PMflowers mcpowersthe flowers mcpowers hour
2:00 PMdj hexane, scrimblenull to the front2000s/2010s throwback indie/pop music
3:00 PMlast name uttsome songs are better than others
4:00 PMpresident shrimpo & malocchio >;)fireside chats- halloween month, the beginningspooky stuff, post punk and the like
5:00 PMfullmetal racket and DMC WOODSTOCKEVIL MUSIC TO SCHEME/PLOT TO ∩ (◣_◢) ∩drew like a dark, fucked up version of my set haha. just a glimpse into my dark twisted reality
6:00 PMyoung iowaSPOOKY MONTH PART ONE WITH YOUNG IOWAevil stuff to start spooky month
7:00 PMspringheel jackcockroach radioSpooky folklore and urban legend inspired songs. Cause Springheel Jack. Get it?
8:00 PMwizard of gorethe infernohard riffs that will make you kill your neighbors with hammers
9:00 PMbel$the beldammuahahahahahaha
10:00 PMchalcopyrite + apolloblackgazemaxxingblackgaze
11:00 PMleksiproiller-pilledjapanese hardcore based off chainsaw man ˚₊‧꒰ა ₍ᐢ. ̫.ᐢ₎ ໒꒱ ‧₊˚

HD-2

timeslotdj nameshow namedescription
12:00 AMdj roxyrock candymidnight tunes
1:00 AMrensenwarelate nite lan partyvideo game music of a different variety… all kinds EXCEPT rhythm game
2:00 AMzenthe swing set 2: this time it’s personaldog i have no idea but it’s going to be good and not jazz
3:00 AMjohnny ghostthe new and improved classic rock radioclassic rock deep cuts. just trust me
4:00 AMauxymoronlocal planetarium soundtrackspace ambient!
5:00 AMDJ MithraxSounds of Space Junksongs that remind me of 5 am
6:00 AM
7:00 AMminacattwo way radio
8:00 AMRodeo RomeoWestern FridayAmericana Central
9:00 AMDJ TullykinesisNightcore RadioNIGHTCORE!!!!!!
10:00 AMDJ Ocean SprayFolk Fallsome favorite fall songs
11:00 AMDJ Tullykinesis + rensenwareMiddle school vocaloid youtube playlist..vocaloidy
12:00 PMDJ HubcapYo Ho Ho and a Bottle of Rumsea shanties, sea shanties, and more sea shanties (will move if slots fill up)
1:00 PMDJ Pon-3 (will gladly move for a student shift)Local LunchJoin DJ Pon-3 for some of her favorite North Carolina artists.
2:00 PMLumkas
3:00 PMSpringheel JackJack Ruins MusicGenre division is dead. So is taste. I’m the Captain now.
4:00 PMscrimble + hexanethe scrimble spacekaraoke
5:00 PMbel$junior highmusic you wanted to forget about
6:00 PMDJ CrushCrush’s Yearly Allotted KPop SetTerminal levels of k-pop girl groups
7:00 PMrensenware + DJ Cranberrysteely dan power hourbestie set 🙂
8:00 PMDJ CrushDead AirUltra Spooky Fun Time ;3
9:00 PMrensenwarein cametek we trusttribute to the greatest rhythm game artist of all time
10:00 PMLead PipeGettin’ BonkedSome doom and sludge to really mess with the vibes
11:00 PMDJ HubcapSarah Bonito Extravaganzasarah midori perry my beloved :3

Production Room

timeslotnameactivitydescription
12:00 AMmy name is zachLEGO Build Hour 😀we build a LEGO set together for the station
1:00 AMquakerwe write and illustrate a childrens book
2:00 AM
3:00 AM
4:00 AMerieboard gam (chess, raleighopoly)
5:00 AM
6:00 AMkatie😱spooky scary games (if u want this spot u can have it lol im just puttin stuff here)
7:00 AMerietier list timeincluding a poor little meow meow ranking
8:00 AMandicrochet hourcrochet or read if i’m not asleep
9:00 AM
10:00 AMclaireLive promoswe design and record a promo for u on the spot! (if anyone wants this time slot u can have it)
11:00 AMclaireEpic picross tournament15×15 no live validation WHO WILL WIN
12:00 PMclaireWKNC does hairu want a buzzcut? 2 sleepy djs can do it
1:00 PMeriethey see me rollingsorting tshirts
2:00 PMSpencer, sophia, roseRose Reactssubject president shrimpo to wacky music and see her priceless reactions as her mind is expanded
3:00 PMsophia, willow, bugfursona commission hourwe will draw your fursona. don’t have one? we’ll make one for you
4:00 PMMasonWKNC Are You Smarter Than A Fifth GraderQuizzing DJs on random trivia
5:00 PMJvideo games (?)playing video games really poorly
6:00 PMclaireWKNC family treeupdating the family tree i made last year!!!
7:00 PMroseNixon HourPresident Shrimpo talks about 37th president of the United States Richard Milhaus Nixon
8:00 PMsarascrimble’s ppt night
9:00 PMsarascrimble’s ppt night if there are too many for 1 hour
10:00 PMerieapplication quizguess the application!!!!!!!!!
11:00 PMdantemetal band logosguess what the hell metal band logos are supposed to say

Categories
Miscellaneous

Tampopo: Ramen, Westerns and The Perfect Bite

Alternate poster of Tampopo directed by Juzo Itami
Alternate poster from Criterion of "Tampopo" directed by Juzo Itami

Alright, so this week I’ll be taking a short break from my regularly scheduled blogs focused on hardcore and local music, but I’ve prepared a nice treat as a substitute. I will be writing about “Tampopo” by Juzo Itami. 

This movie was introduced to me by a good friend, and has quickly become a comforting favorite to rewatch every now and again. The biggest draws towards this movie are its comedy, food presentation, and wacky characters. “Tampopo” is all about a novice ramen maker trying to become a full-fledged ramen master by the end of the movie. 

I’ll dive a little deeper into the plot, but not too much so that it ruins the movie. Honestly, I think even if this film were to be spoiled it’d be terrific to watch anyway because of how the actors deliver their jokes, lines, and emotion on screen. I could never capture the beauty on the screen and translate it into words here. 

Serving 1 – Plot

The movie opens in a movie theater with a dapper man and woman talking through the fourth wall to us about how to enjoy a movie with food (no chips!). These two characters are fun additions to the main plot of Goro (played by Tsutomu Yamazaki), Tampopo (Nobuko Miyamoto) and Gun (Ken Watanabe) trying to fix up Tampopo’s ramen shop. 

Tampopo is a vibrant woman running a ramen shop with lots of beautiful smiles, earnest attempts at improvement and so much love towards everyone and everything. She is one of my favorite characters in the movie as she is so cheerful and wonderful throughout the film. 

This film has many characteristics of a classical Western in that it has a strong vagabond protagonist trying to better the people around them, Goro wears a cowboy hat, and loves to fight to make a point. “Tampopo” also is a comedy. It satirizes the tropes of Westerns and makes fun of many cultural customs like eating quietly.

By the end of the film we are in love with the whole cast of characters and rolling around laughing because of the ridiculous behaviors, scenes and gags that we get to witness on Tampopo’s journey to becoming a ramen master.

Serving 2 – Music

“Tampopo” blends jazzy instrumental scenes with classical scores to elicit emotions like awe, love, joy and comedic shock. The composer and sound workers for this film created a life-like city while adding in sound effects to enhance the noodle-slurping madness that makes this move so appealing. 

There’s also a great scene with a group of unhoused people from the city singing a beautiful song in appreciation for their one true ramen master who taught them to appreciate food. 

Plate 3 – A Sip of Sake before We Go

“Tampopo”, a lot like “Monty Python” and other satirical movies, has many gag scenes that aren’t focused on the characters of the movie, but do have to do with the general theme of the film. Many such scenes include an old woman fondling soft items in a grocery store, a Charlie Chaplin-esque scene focused on sneaking into a kitchen to make a beautiful egg and rice dish, a sick mother dying and her family eating her meal she made as a sign of respect and a few other naughty scenes played out by the couple from the beginning of the film. 

I don’t know what y’all look for in films but if you want comedy, food, music, emotion and anything else, “Tampopo” is the place to go. It’s easy to watch on HBO (or other places if you’re not willing to pay for a subscription…). There are many unmentioned treats in this film because there’s so much to explore and love. 

Eat responsibly!

Ben

Categories
Miscellaneous

Crushing Consumerism – A Return to D.I.Y.

Photo by Nick Bolton on Unsplash

It isn’t a particularly earthshattering statement to say that many music subcultures suffer from excessive materialism.

As a goth, I especially see this in social media circles. Pressure to uphold a certain aesthetic, namely one involving extensive effort and monetary investment, abounds.

There’s always a new shiny piece of jewelry to wear, or a new hair accessory or a new pair of boots.

With the current state of manufacturing and consumerism, most of these products are poorly made through unsustainable and often unethical practices, designed for the sole purpose of temporary gratification.

Photo by Dmitriy Zarivniy on Unsplash

Not only does materialism serve to create a money-sucking vacuum within the community, but it obfuscates important conversations about goth culture and, more specifcially, goth music.

This issue isn’t localized to the goth community. It’s starkly evident in most music-based subcultures, glaringly obvious now with the rise of the “alt” umbrella in contemporary online circles.

What’s There to Do?

And while this is a logical — and perhaps inevitable — function of our late-stage capitalistic techtropolis, there are ways to ameliorate its effects.

While shopping sustainably — making investments rather than frivolous purchases — is one mode of opposition to mass consumerism, it can be difficult to achieve.

That’s why, as a college student, I’ve become a strong proponent of D.I.Y.

Photo by Ruizhe du on Unsplash

A former staple of music subculture, especially punk and goth, D.I.Y. is often overshadowed.

One can speculate that the hegemonic shift towards a space in which rugged authenticity is emulated rather than allowed to occur organically (see: the manufacturing of “vintage”), do-it-yourself approaches to style can seem far-fetched.

However, there are numerous ways to cultivate distinct, unique styles without pandering to fast fashion or overconsumption.

My Top 3 D.I.Y.s

  • Dyeing thrifted clothes

In my experience, it’s uncommon to find good pieces by exclusively shopping in the black and gray section.

Looking in other sections, such as white, brown and pink and later dyeing the clothes black at home (make sure you pay attention to the type of fiber you’re working with!) can extensively broaden your options.

One of my favorite tops, a lace cardigan with pearl buttons, was originally white. Now, it’s a perfect staple piece for a goth wardrobe.

  • Safety pins

I bought a pack of 50 safety pins at the supermarket four years ago and have not since stopped incorporating them into my outfits in different ways.

I pin them to the lapels of my blazers, attach them to the collars of shirts, dangle wire-wrapped animal teeth from them and use them to pin down chains.

Not only are they unobtrusive and easy to remove, but they can be reused to infinite proportions. This is especially valuable if you, like me, have managed to lose all but two of the original 50 pins you started with.

  • Chains

Chains are a mainstay of contemporary — and classic — subcultural fashion. However, good quality chains can be extremely expensive.

In lieu of sufficient funds, I often turn to my local supermarket for assistance.

For basic adornments and accessories, I pick up a pack of jump rings and a bundle of chain and piece together whatever it is I’m looking for.

I’ve made several necklaces, basic harnesses and shoe decals with this method.

Final Thoughts

I don’t claim to be above consumerism.

I, too, revel in the dopamine rush of a frivolous online purchase.

Obviously, a single person’s efforts will put nary a dent in such a monolithic systemo-cultural-economic beast as mass consumption. That’s not the point.

What’s important is understanding how broader discourses can have ripple effects on a subcultural level.

Exposure to a social norm that glorifies not only consumerism but unsustainable consumerism affects everyone.

Yes, even so-called “counter cultures.”

Photo by Nick Fewings on Unsplash

And therein lies one of the core factors that some argue contributes to the “cheapening” of music subculture, of this growing conception that “aesthetics” can be bought and sold and tossed away when no longer interesting.

The, apologies, “poser” effect.

As an adolescent, I knew many young people who, in an effort to “reinvent” or “rebrand” themselves, emptied their closets and went on shopping sprees guided by meticulous Pinterest moodboards.

And while the search for identity is something of a ubiquitous concept among teenagers (and probably most adults), the act of costuming oneself in an attempt to achieve a particular “aesthetic” (read: identity) can be mentally damaging.

Photo by Jorge Maya on Unsplash

It’s something I myself have struggled with: the idea that I have to always have the “right things;” a preoccupation with tangible (and fungible) items that I’ve decided bare some supreme cosmic significance in the construction of “me” (spoiler: they don’t).

But these items were all things millions of other people had. They were things made without love and without care and with landfills on the horizon.

D.I.Y. isn’t just “more sustainable,” it’s a method of creation.

It’s a means of stepping into yourself and making something with your own hands, something nobody but yourself will have, something that didn’t exist before you conceived of it.

That’s the real crux of self-expression.

Categories
Blog Concert Preview Festival Coverage Local Music Miscellaneous

Hopscotch – This or That: Main Stage Guide

WKNC 88.1 blog
Promotional logo for Hopscotch music festival 2023, including date and location of the event.

It’s that time of year again, when thousands of music-lovers take to the streets of Raleigh to vibe with some seriously class acts, whatever the weather. Yes, 13 years after its debut, Hopscotch Music Festival is back (Sep. 7-9), with main stages at Moore Square and City Plaza, and dozens of stellar acts across the city.

With over 120 acts performing, even the choosiest of playlist-makers can find something to enjoy over the three day event. From rock to rap, post-punk to country, indie, folk, and more, diversity and inclusivity is truly the name of the game.

However, as with every festival lineup worth its salt, a dilemma lies in the inability to put oneself in more than one place at a time. City Plaza and Moore Square are only half a mile apart, but those steps rack up quickly if you’re planning on trekking back and forth between every few sets.

While the truly determined festival-goer could yo-yo between main stages and catch every set, the best intentions don’t always pan, out so it’s best to know your must-sees in advance. To help plan your musical voyage, here’s a look at the main stage lineups:

Thursday (Sep. 7)

Smooth Haze vs. Alt. Edge

Moore Square:

On Thursday afternoon, Moore Square opens the festival with a mellow haze of rock, jazz and psychedelics. A trio meant to be, Sam Evian, Mild High Club and King Krule embody that chill, late summer, “almost the weekend” feeling.

City Plaza:

Summer is also ending over at City Plaza, but with a bit of an edge, as brooding, post-punk takes the stage with Raleigh’s own Truth Club, followed by similar hints of angst from alt-rock groups, Palm, and Alvvays. Late-90s icons, Pavement, follow suit, closing the alt-rock set in style.

Friday (Sep. 8)

Urban vs. Country

Moore Square:

All things country take the stage on Friday at Moore Square. Sunny War brings modern folk-blues, and Neon Union epitomizes that all-American country sound. Cut Worms and Margo Price add pop and rock slants to the genre respectively, with a singer-songwriter angle.

City Plaza:

Raleigh native, Pat Junior, leads the urban parallel happening at City Plaza. TiaCorine builds on Pat Junior’s pure, simple, rhythm and flow with dreamy beats, while Digable Planets bring retro to the party in the style of 90s hip-hop and jazz. Rapper, Denzel Curry, completes the lineup with his signature emotional style.

Saturday (Sep. 9):

Emo vs. Indie

Moore Square:

Saturday is the host with the most with both main stages kicking off at at an earlier time of around 1pm. Max Gowan play emo, indie tunes to his hometown at Moore Square, before Quasi picks up the pace a little with alt-rock, indie hits. 90s emo heavyweights, American Football define the emo mood of the set with electric guitars and pining vocals.

Things get louder when Sunny Day Real Estate introduce prog rock energy to the lineup, and alt-rock, genre-changing, Dinosaur Jr. round off the set.

City Plaza:

Singer-songwriters start Saturday at City Plaza, with the soft vocals of Chessa Rich and the country twang of Florry. Anjimile adds a hint of melancholy to the mood, before ESG shake things up with post-punk and house.

Singer-songwriter, Soccer Mommy, brings rock and gentle vocals to the set, before the dreamy vocals and beats of indie sensations, Japanese Breakfast, close the festival.

More Info:

Having a better idea of the headliners might make planning a little easier, but with acts like these and almost 100 others playing smaller venues across the city, deciding where to be might just take a little more time. Check out the official website, Instagram, Facebook, X (f.k.a. Twitter) and the official Hopscotch app for more information on the lineup and the latest event updates to best Hopscotch your way around Raleigh next week.