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Music News and Interviews

Colin Munroe Is The Unsung Hero

Colin Munroe’s new mixtape is a little different…well, maybe it’s a lot different.  It’s easy to see that crossing over between genres is the ish nowadays. Specimens like Yeezy’s 808’s and Heartbreak and Kid Cudi’s A Kid Named Cudi prove that hip hop artists are not afraid to flow over less traditional instrumentals. mixtape

Colin Munroe brings an alternative/electronic sound to his tracks while his guests, well known underground artists like Skyzoo, Saukrates, Wale and Black Milk, lend their lyrical skill. Munroe’s effort combines the best of both worlds, resulting in a different vibe. I guess it would be more suited for those in-betweeners and people who are into different genres of music. Probably not for the hard-core hip hop fans, but don’t be afraid to diversify your bonds!!

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Music News and Interviews

Schoolkids Records Moving

Its no secret, the last Schoolkids left, the only one, the rarest of the surviving independent record stores is moving.  Thankfully, its just half a mile down the street from its current location.  And while this means I have to walk an extra 5 minutes (making it a total of 5.5 minutes for me now), at least its not moving away forever or to some distant land (say, like Chapel Hill or Durham).  The “Great Schoolkids Move” of 2009 will take place January 25th, and reopen January 26th. 

AND, not only are they moving, but they are marking this occasion with some really kickass shows.  The Annuals will be coming in on February 2nd (show starts at 6pm), and the Dexter Romweber Duo is performing on February 10th (also at 6pm).   The best thing, both these shows are FREE.

There are some good things about this move.  In addition to two free shows, I could possibly stand to burn some New Year Resolution calories hiking the extra distance, and I could stop at a number of the resturaunts along Hillsborough on the way home (or all of them) without feeling guilty.  I never understood the idea of positioning such a fantastic store between a NCSU staff parking lot, Fed-Ex Kinkos, and Gumby’s Pizza to begin with (bad luck I guess).  Its new address at 2114 Hillsborough St will get a bit more foot traffic in between Buddha’s Belly and Sadlack’s, and hopefully the rent is cheaper.

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Local Music Music News and Interviews

Brett Harris Interview Today at 12:20

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Today at 12:20, Local Lunch will have its first interview of 2009 with Durham based singer/song writer, Brett Harris.

Brett Harris will be playing at WKNC & Tir Na Nog’s Local Beer, Local Band Night tonight starting at 10pm with The Jackets and members of Bright Young Things.

For information about more great shows, check out the WKNC Rock Report.

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Local Music Music News and Interviews

Red Collar Featured in Yes! Weekly

If you haven’t heard Red Collar, this article by Yes! Weekly will give you a solid idea of who they are and what they are about. If you have seen them before you should know exactly what the author, Gus Lubin, means when he says “In fact, a lot of situations involve going hardcore”.

Keep a lookout for Red Collar on the WKNC Rock Report so that you can see for yourself what this Local Lunch favorite is all about.

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Music News and Interviews

New Music from Peter Bjorn and John

Hard as it may be to believe, it has actually been nearly 2 years since swedish trio Peter Bjorn & John invaded our collective ears with the infectious whistle hook of their hit track ‘Young Folks.’  The follow up to their 2007 breakthrough album Writer’s Block will be released on March 31st.  The new album is entitled Living Thing and the band is offering a free download of the song “Lay it Down” in exchange for an email address.

Oddly enough, Kanye West actually broke some of the band’s new material first via his blog about a week ago. Commenting on the track “Nothing to Worry About,” we here at WKNC tend to share Kanye’s sentiments  that “SHIT IS DOPE!!”

Living Thing tracklist:

01 The Feeling
02 It Don’t Move Me
03 Just the Past
04 Nothing to Worry About
05 I’m Losing My Mind
06 Living Thing
07 I Want You!
08 Lay It Down
09 Stay This Way
10 Blue Period Picasso
11 4 out of 5
12 Last Night

PB & J’s video for ‘Lay it Down’

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6yxtA8HoPlY

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Music News and Interviews

Ticket Giveaway: Dave Matthews Band with The Avett Brothers

Win them before you can buy them as WKNC gives away tickets to see Dave Matthews Band with homegrown heroes The Avett Brothers Wednesday, April 22nd at the Time Warner Cable Music Pavilion at Walnut Creek. All this week our DJs will be playing song clips from the bands. If you can correctly name the song title, you can win a pair of lawn tickets to the show.

Tickets go on sale this Saturday, Jan. 17 at LiveNation.com.

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Music News and Interviews

The Post-Rock Block

Be sure to check out our new speciality show, the Post-Rock Block. As you can probably guess our speciality will be Post Rock, we’ll also play related genres like Krautrock and Shoegaze, the direct descendents of post rock. Many of you probably have no idea just what “post-rock” is exactly. According to the all-knowing Wikipedia, post-rock is:

Do Make Say Think

…a genre of alternative rock characterized by the use of musical instruments commonly associated with rock music, but using rhythms, harmonies, melodies, timbre, and chord progressions that are not found in rock tradition. It is the use of ‘rock instrumentation’ for non-rock purposes.

On the Post-Rock Block you can expect to hear more of the longer, stranger, more experimental tracks that you won’t hear during regular rock programming.

The Post-Rock Block will on Sunday from 6-8PM and will be hosted by myself as well as Bridges, Cabbage, May Day, and Matticus Rex.

Listen, it’s gonna be great!

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Music News and Interviews

Zooey Deschanel and Ben Gibbard Set to Tie the Knot

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Death Cab for Cutie frontman Ben Gibbard and actress/She&Him singer Zooey Deschanel ended 2008 by confirming their engagement.  Several sources(including Pitchfork) have publicized the new indie duo.
Deschanel is featured in the movie Yes Man, which is in theaters now. As for the groom, Gibbard’s latest studio effort with Death Cab for Cutie, Narrow Stairs, was released in May 2008. How adorable.

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Music News and Interviews

After 22 years Yo La Tengo has changed thier name.

To the Condo Fucks. That’s right, one of indie rock’s oldest and most respected bands is now called the Condo Fucks. It’s hardly surprising from the band that called thier last album “I Am Not Afraid Of You And I Will Beat Your Ass.” The change is not permanent, at least I hope not. Their forthcoming LP ‘Fuckbook’ will apparently consist mostly of covers.

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Music News and Interviews

I Was Totally Destroying It makes the Onion AV Club’s year end list.

Of worst and funniest band names. That’s right WKNC favorites I Was Totally Destroying It, now officially have one of either the worst or the funniest band names in the country.

My personal favorite is “3 Piston Ass Hammer”.