Category: Blog

Categories
New Album Review

ALBUM REVIEW: Ratboys – Printer’s Devil

ALBUM REVIEW: Ratboys – Printer’s Devil

BEST TRACKS: Printer’s Devil, I Go Out at Night, Look To

FCC clean

Printer’s devil is an old term for an apprentice at a printing establishment. Printer’s devils would do simple tasks such as mix basins of ink. There are many supposed origins for the term. My favorite theory is that a mischievous devil, Titivillus, haunts every print shop and performs mischief such as removing lines of type and misspelling words. The printing apprentice was blamed for these things, and called the printer’s devil by association. Printer’s Devil is also the name of Ratboy’s most recent release and the last (and best) song on the album. This Chicago indie band is back on the scene, attempting to break our hearts again with another wistful, nostalgic album.

On Printer’s Devil, Ratboys banishes any last remaining essence of twang or folk from their style to produce a through and through alt-pop album. Julia Steiner’s voice is childlike and whimsical, which brings a level of warmth even to Ratboys’ most grungy, fuzzy songs. However, most songs on Printer’s Devil are on the softer side, which suits Steiner’s voice better. While she has a wonderful voice, Steiner is definitely not a screamer. While this album features some electrifying riffs, you won’t find anything too intense here. In accordance to Ratboys’ past style, Printer’s Devil is still rather laid-back, despite having lost elements of post-country and twang.

This album was recorded in Steiner’s empty childhood home, which might have added some ache to Steiner’s voice, especially since a prominent theme on this album is the revisitation of childhood memories as an adult. While listening to this album,  I can’t help but recall memories of my own childhood and wondering what all those places from my memories look like now. Though Printer’s Devil is less novel than Ratboys’ previous release, GN, it’s still worth a run-through. Excite your ears with some new sounds. I’d recommend this album to fans of Charly Bliss, Cayetana, and  Weakened Friends.

-Safia

Categories
Playlists

Friday Favorites (3/20)

Hello everyone, I hope you’re all doing well and staying indoors(!!) and healthy during this crazy time. One of the best ways to take control of your own self-care and occupy your time well is to listen to new music. Hopefully my Friday Favorites for this week inspire you to find some new tracks to check out. 

9 to 5 (ft. Freddie Gibbs & Tedy Andreas) – Adam Snow 

I am a really avid follower of Freddie Gibbs and adore his music, which led me to finding this recent release. I like Andreas’ voice and the beat created by Snow. Definitely a must-listen especially if you like rap or R&B. 

We Got Love (ft. Ms. Lauryn Hill) – Teyana Taylor 

I was a Teyana fan back in middle school, and this song is so cute. Lauryn Hill is also one of my absolute favorite artists of all time, so this song is instantly good to me. Lauryn Hill’s verses on this song are so melodic and lovely. 

I Wanna Ride – Porches

This track is my favorite from the new Porches album, I think it’s a pretty sweet song about ~young love~ with a cool beat. “I wanna ride with you/ wherever you are.” It’s also a bit different from the typically sound we usually get from Porches, which is probably why I like it. 

Je disparais dans tes bras – Christine and the Queens 

This one is nice because it somehow meets in the middle of electronic and pop in an appealing way that is actually pretty underrated. Very unique in its sound, and the French adds an elegance to the track. 

Climb That Mountain – Sufjan Stevens, Lowell Brams  

This song is a comforting instrumental made by Sufjan Stevens along with his stepfather, Lowell Brams (referenced in his absolutely fantastic album Carrie & Lowell – which I highly recommend). The singles that the two have been releasing have me extremely excited for the release of their collaborative album. 

If you’re interested, you can find all of my Friday Favorites since I began writing them for WKNC on a playlist at this link. 

– Miranda 

Categories
New Album Review

ALBUM REVIEW: Basement Revolver – Wax and Digital

ALBUM REVIEW: Basement Revolver – Wax and Digital

BEST TRACKS: Master’s Degree, Concussion pt. 2

FCC Violations: Concussion pt. 2, Have I Been Deceived

Basement Revolver’s newest, second ever album, Wax and Digital, is delicate and simple shoegaze. There’s nothing overworked about it. long-time fans of Basement Revolver fell in love with the band when they made a splash in the Ontario indie music scene, cultivating their fuzzy, reverberating sound and vocalist Chrissy Hurn’s angelic voice. Hurn is still out to impress with her talented singing for this new album, but the band has taken a different approach this time around, opting to put intensity in the backseat for favor of a more dream pop approach. As opposed to Basement Revolver’s first album, Wax and Digital is an album for the more mellow music listeners out there.

Wax and Digital sounds a lot different from Basement Revolver’s hit debut album Heavy Eyes. This new release tones down the intense percussion, high-pitched feedback, and wailing vocals in favor of more humble drums and lighter, softer vocals. Though Wax and Digital is largely floaty and shimmering, there is no lack of gritty riffs. Guitarists Chrissy Hurn and Jonathan Malström, and Bassist Nimal Agalawatte work together to add scant elements of fuzz, chaos, and power to an otherwise tame dream pop album.

Wax and Digital is definitely an emotionally charged album, but the lyrics come off as vague. I would have loved to see more vulnerability coming from this album, perhaps in the form of more specific lyrics or concrete diction. Lines like “I can’t bear the thought of ever losing you” (track 1, Wax and Digital) and “I don’t want to let you go tonight” (track 5, Romantic and Heart) feel trite and generic, as though the artist is shy and holding back. Not all music needs to be gut-wrenching and painful (indeed, it shouldn’t), but when you’re writing sad songs you might as well go all the way. Regardless, if you’re in the mood for some easy listening, give this record a spin, especially if you’re into bands like Palehound, Tacocat, or Chastity Belt.

-Safia Rizwan 

Categories
New Album Review

ALBUM REVIEW: King Adora – Vibrate You

ALBUM REVIEW: King Adora – Vibrate You

BEST TRACKS: Suffocate, Bionic, Big Isn’t Beautiful

FCC Violations: Bionic, Aceface

Vibrate You is the album that propelled British glam rock band King Adora to number 30 on the UK Albums Chart. The album received a lot of criticism for the third track, ‘Big Isn’t Beautiful,’ which seems to glorify anorexia and bulimia with lyrics such as “I’m gonna shed me some skin, get me real, real slim. I want to feel my bones on your bones.” but others see the song as satire, pointing out that the song is from the perspective of someone suffering from an eating disorder, who is blind to the harm that they are causing themselves, as evident in the lyrics “I love myself too much to see, it haunts by dreams” Musically and lyrically, I think that ‘Big Isn’t Beautiful’ is the best track on the album, simply because it comes from such a twisted place in the artist’s mind.

This album is spotted with clever rhymes that make the songs memorable and catchy, my favorite being the lines “I got the wind on my back, Like the good Frank Black, I gots to get me some speed, Like the Lord Lou Reed.” From the 2nd track ‘Bionic’. The way Maxi Browne sings these lines with stress and emphasis makes them all the more brilliant. Browne’s vocal versatility is iconic, ranging from scratchy growls and full-throated screams to feminine, high-pitched vibrato. His vocals are a match made in heaven with Dan Dabrowski’s intense, thrashing drumming style, and Martyn Nelson’s fuzzy, hardcore guitar riffs.

Vibrate You encompases everything that I like to see in music. This album is dark, intense, sexually deviant, vulnerable, and raw. It’s definitely one of my top albums. You won’t be able to find this album on spotify or bandcamp, but all of the songs are on youtube in pretty good quality. I recommend this album if you like bands like Silverchair, Nirvana, or Pearl Jam.

-Safia

Categories
New Album Review

ALBUM REVIEW: Pintandwefall – Your Stories Baby

This garage rock revival band is comprised of four best friends from Helsinki, Finland that have dubbed themselves with spicegirl-style names Tough Pint, Cute Pint, Crazy Pint, and Dumb Pint. They are fun, creative, wear all black, and perform in Zorro masks. The quartet has been close friends since highschool and initially started the band to perform in their school’s band marathon. Over a decade later, the band is still comprised of the original four members, who have recently released their sixth studio album. Your Stories Baby is melodic, bright, and playful, with several slightly bizzare music videos to match.

Lead vocalist Dumb Pint has a soft, gentle voice, which is the focal point of the album. Dumb Pint’s voice is framed by Cute Pint’s lush 80s synth keyboard, Tough Pint’s delicate percussion, and Crazy Pint’s whimsical electric bass riffs. My favorite track on this album is track 1, Titanic. This song has an amazing energy flow and is the most upbeat song on the album. It serves as an opener that will draw you into the rest of the album. The second track, The Roof, is mellower, with simple, happy lyrics, and focuses heavely on sunny keyboard instrumental.

Pintandwefall is like if the Powerpuff girls formed a band to defeat evil with the sound waves that come out of their speakers. Themes on this album are far and wide, ranging from sweet and melancholic (track 3, Ah-Ah-Ah) to slightly comedic (track 8, Job Interview). As a small band from across the word, with only 8,700 listeners on Spotify, Pintandwefall doesn’t have a huge following in the United States, but I think they have potential, especially because they play their songs in english rather than Finnish. I recommend this band if you like Marina and the Diamonds, Sade, or Surf Curse.

-Safia Rizwan  

Categories
DJ Highlights

My Best Concert Experience

One of the best bands I’ve ever seen live was Cults. Cults is an indie pop/synthpop band from New York City which was formed in 2010 by Brian Oblivion and Madeline Follin. Their track, Go Outside, helped them get on the map, and they have gained more popularity over the years with exposure from their appearance on the new Stephen King’s Carrie remake and the release of their most recent album, Offering, in 2017. I’ll go ahead and say that if you haven’t heard of the band or haven’t gotten a chance to listen to them, definitely look them up. 

Before Cults released the album Static, they were pretty underground. I’m not sure how I even discovered them, but regardless they quickly became one of my favorite bands. I’m sure I listened to Cults (their first album) over a hundred times. I really adore their sound and to this day I appreciate them as one of the most unique bands out there. In 2015, after a lot of begging, my parents took me to The Fillmore in Charlotte (on a school night!) to see Cults. The concert was memorable to me especially because it was one of the first times I’d ever seen a band live. Cults put so much energy into their performances and have a live sound that was very similar to their recordings. I loved the high energy and all the excitement in the room that night and it was such a good way to be introduced to the music scene. The highlight of the night was afterwards, my dad somehow helped me get backstage to meet the band. I had just gotten their album and shirt, and Madeline Follin signed my Static CD and chatted with me briefly. It was a really great experience for me as a young woman to meet such a cool, down-to-earth female musician. She really inspires me and I think it definitely helped make that concert even more memorable to me. 

If you haven’t checked out Cults yet, definitely do!

-Miranda 

Categories
Non-Music News

An Update from WKNC

Dear WKNC Audience,

It seems as though everywhere you look COVID-19 is impacting individuals and their livelihoods. Universities and schools across the nation are closing and transitioning to an online format, and NC State University is no different. Thus, as WKNC is a University entity, some changes have to be made to our current structure as well.

As of Tuesday, March 17, WKNC’s offices will be closed to the public until further notice. During this time staff will be working remotely and on-air DJs will be limited. Despite this, we will remain on-the-air 24/7/365 due to our ability to automate rotation. However, as our offices are closed, all pending Lounge sessions, on-air interviews, tours, merch pick-ups, and other in-person events are canceled. As far as merch goes, purchases from our swag store can still be made, but it is currently unknown when they will be able to ship out or be available for pick-up. Regarding DJs, while our request lines will still ring, it is unlikely that anyone will be in-studio to answer. Our Music Directors have worked hard to curate our playlists so the great music will continue to play, nonetheless. 

Please stay connected with us on social media (@wknc881 across all platforms) for updates on our situation, COVID-19, university regulations, staff productivity and more. 

As you are all remaining in your homes for an unspecified duration of time, tune into WKNC 88.1 FM HD-1 or HD-2 to pass the time and ease your mind. We’re not gone, we’re just a dial away. 

Stay safe, stay healthy, keep it locked.

-Laura Mooney, General Manager of WKNC 88.1

Categories
New Album Review

Snippets: Connan Mockasin, “Forever Dolphin Love”

Connan Tant Hosford, otherwise known by the stage-name Connan Mockasin, does not desire to be understood. He wants to be experienced, and he has no use for precise or exacting words or meanings. The title track off Connan’s 2011 album, “Forever Dolphin Love”, is a ripe, poignant example of this mentality.

The first three minutes of the song play out like the beginning of a journey. Dissonant, jambling chords of various key instruments alert you that something important is about to happen. This makes way – or more accurately, is abruptly quashed by – piercing, high-arching synthesizers. The soundscape just barely becomes rounded out as the synths take the background and accept a bass melody and drums into their midst. Harmonicas pelt your ears from the sides and flit around the center – and only after this does Connan’s voice come in.

There are no lyrics yet – simply sighs, an emotional crux as the bass takes back over. The tension is still mounting! But it’s soon released oh so smoothly as the bass is again accompanied by synthesizer, though this time the synth is relaxed and contemplative. Now, we’re treated to words.

“From bleached waves, that never change, from Dalston, forever dolphin love, ah ah ah ah ah

My dull steed, she has no hair, I’ll talk to her, forever dolphin love, ah ah ah ah ah

And Dun’s life, he’s turning heads, he talks to her, forever dolphin love, ah ah ah ah ah ah

From memories that never change, of Dalston, forever dolphin love, ah ah ah ah ah”

All of this makes up a dense, wilting verse given structure only by what may be described as nonsense. This is but a segment of Connan’s emotions. There’s no need for sense, exactly – only the appreciation, if not understanding, of the feeling. The feelings themselves are wrapped up in layers of complexity, which Connan readily engages with. Interfacing with these words – extracting any kind of value from them – requires the listener to let go of their usual methods of judgment. Literally, he’s talking about dolphins. The word is there, there’s “bleached waves” ostensibly coursing some body of water, and – reason be damned – he’s riding the thing! It’s his “dull steed”, but it’s not a horse. It has no hair. And maybe he’ll even talk to it in its dolphin chitter, “ah ah ah ah ah”!
Whoever Dun may be and whatever happened in Dalston are issues all of their own that are never answered. But that’s not the point. These are not words to be scrutinized; rather, they are only meant to be felt as part of the song. While the chorus is more straightforward, the listener’s role is no different:

“Oh Sunter, I loved her, she was to be my wife

Oh Sunter, I loved her, she was to be my wife

My wife, my wife”

Connan opens his heart in this clear fashion only for a few brief, savory moments. The character of Sunter, the object of his affection, reflects the heartbreak and melancholy which the song is centered on. Yet still the listener must extrapolate and connect to the feelings, lest they miss the point. To this end, Connan quickly sways back into the verse, sprinkling new words and new abstractions. Thus the journey dwindles off, and concludes.

The title track that I’ve just described, “Forever Dolphin Love”, is an excellent piece that is worthy of listening and re-listening. It’s ten minutes long and one of those tracks where you’ll find something new every time. Like Connan himself, the entirety of the “Forever Dolphin Love” album is an experience that is worth having. If ever you find yourself not knowing how to describe or what to do with a vague sense of existential feelings, this is certainly a song – and an album – for you.

-Decent Icon

Categories
Playlists

Let’s Talk Music: 2020 Releases

 

This year has  already been full of good music. The releases I’ve heard this far have made me beyond excited for what 2020 has in store. A lot of amazing artists are planning to drop new tunes this year and I’m psyched (ba dum tss) about it, so without further or due, here’s some of my favorite tracks from 2020 (so far…)

  1. Arrested Youth – ‘Sobville (Episode I)’ EP

I already made a whole blog post about this EP (because I love it so much) so all I really have to add is that Sob Story is my current favorite track. (though the whole thing is worth a listen)

  1. Modern Diet – ‘Post Grad’ Single

Modern Diet is one of my favorite bands and they’ve been steadily putting out singles since mid last year (fingers crossed for a new album). This latest track reminds me why I love this band so much. The instrumental work and lyrics are always quality with this band and the music is relaxing enough to make me want to lay on the floor and stare at the ceiling, while also being energetic enough to make me dance while walking to class.

  1. Hayley Williams – ‘Petals For Armor I’ EP

!!! This is a long awaited EP and I can’t believe how early in the year we got it !!! It felt like a dream when Hayley Williams announced her Solo project and it’s fair to say she did not disappoint. The lyrics tell a vivid story, as always, and the new sound works well with her vocals and much darker content. I love it.

  1. Declan McKenna – ‘Beautiful Faces’ Single

I’ve been a fan of Declan since I first heard his track ‘Brazil’. He never fails to make hooks that will get stuck in your head for days, while also managing to be honest and blunt about the political issues he sees. How strong his messages are, and how much they make me think, are what keep this artist a regular in my rotations. This track lives up to that reputation.

  1. Rina Sawayama – ‘XS’ Single

I was only recently introduced to this artist by a friend of mine, but the timing could’ve been better. This new single shows promise for an incredible debut album from the artist. The guitars in this track really make it stand out from other tracks in the pop scene, and showcase how diverse this artist can be with her sound. Not to mention she has the voice of an angel.

You can find the last five tracks in this playlist here -> https://open.spotify.com/playlist/06Bz9aboJo9zZfuXyBRHR1?si=PPwq4AcESMCVGaVbiZQTNA

Until next time…

Let’s Stay Psyched About Music

Love,

DJ Psyched

Categories
DJ Highlights

Top Choice: Movie Soundtracks

Her (2013)

The main melody that plays throughout Her is such a nostalgic sound to me and it ties in all of the emotion encompassed throughout the film. The music has such a heavy hand in making the film what it is, a heart-wrenching romantic story, which is why I fully believe Her has one of the best music soundtracks. I love the simple piano melodies created to enhance the movie. The score is credited to the band Arcade Fire, and it was nominated for an Academy Award. I also absolutely adore The Moon Song by Karen O and am so glad it was included as a duet with Ezra Koenig. 

Electrick Children (2012)

If you haven’t seen this movie yet, definitely do. It is such an interesting indie film that I happened upon while browsing Netflix. Somehow, nearly six years later I still find myself pulling up the soundtrack to it because it is so compelling and well-put-together. The soundtrack helped me find some new favorite artists, and I won’t spoil too much, but the song that is most important in the film is really cool. *Please note that some content in the film may be triggering.* 

Juno (2007) 

I actually adore Kimya Dawson and loved hearing her music in Juno. I also think it’s a pretty iconic coming-of-age movie, especially its humorous (but very real) tone. I love the inclusion of such a wide variety of musical influence from The Velvet Underground to Barry Louis Polisar. The soundtrack is so cute and romantic and I definitely listen to it outside the context of the movie. 

Donnie Darko (2001)

This movie is definitely a weird one and will have you walking away wondering what you just watched – BUT the soundtrack will keep you coming back. It is such a well-mixed selection of music with the best of songs by Tears For Fears, Nine Inch Nails, and Brian Eno. It is definitely one of the most interesting soundtracks on this list. 

Harold and Maude (1971) 

Okay, as I’m making this list I realize I like some pretty dark films. This one is certainly no exception – but I wanted to include it because I think Cat Stevens is such a cool dude and was really surprised to know that two of his songs that I like most, Don’t Be Shy and If You Want To Sing Out, Sing Out, were composed and performed by him specifically for this film. 

Thank you all for reading! I hope to eventually come out with a part two to this series because I have such a deep love for movie soundtracks. 

– Miranda