Category: Blog

Categories
DJ Highlights

Why We Should Bring Back Burning Playlists on to CDs

I’m feeling nostalgic this week. I’m remembering the days of Limewire and burning CDs and if we lived in a world where CD players weren’t almost obsolete and streaming platforms weren’t the most convenient way to access music then we would have to bring back burning playlists onto CDs. Here’s why:

  1. Cheap and easy to make: It takes like 30 minutes to burn if you have all of the CDs in your computer library already, if not YouTube to mp3 was your best friend. You could buy a stack of like 100 blank CDs for $5.

  2. Customizable: Just like a normal Spotify playlist, you can put whatever you want on a CD. You can also doodle all over the front of them and make them super unique looking.

  3. Good gifts: You can make anyone a burned CD: your mom, your crush, your archenemy and tell them how you really feel. This goes back to the customizable aspect and it beats sending someone a playlist link in my opinion.

  4. Accessible: back in the days of abundant CD players, it was easy to pass around a really good CD playlist with faded Sharpie on the front. Passing around a tangible thing is something that can’t really be matched. I think it brings people together.

While I love a good ol’ digital playlist, it’d be nice to be able to physically hold onto something sentimental in this digital day in age because when I’m 30, I probably won’t have my playlist that I made on Spotify about my ex boyfriend on Spotify in 2017, but I’ll definitely have that CD (scratched with years of wear) my best friend burned for my birthday when we were 14.

-cellar door xx

Categories
Miscellaneous

A Beginners Guide to Metal

Recently, I have had multiple friends tell me that they want to start listening to metal. They have asked me what bands they should start off with, and that was a hard question to answer. There is SO much to unpack when talking about metal because you have SO MUCH music from different eras. Everyone has different musical tastes/styles so it is hard to pinpoint which bands I think my friends would like. But today, I will attempt to make a guide for all my normies out there who want to get into something heavier.

·      Start off with the basics

The majority of people know the main bands that put metal on the map: Black Sabbath, Metallica, Slayer, Anthrax, Iron Maiden and Megadeth, etc. If people don’t know these bands…. Well…. Where have you been?

The most famous songs are most likely the only ones that people know, but I would suggest listening to their other stuff that isn’t as well known. For example, listen to anything off of Ride the Lightening, Master of Puppets, or …And Justice for All; Metallica’s 2nd, 3rd, and 4thstudio albums respectively.

The bands listed above laid the foundation in which all sub genres of metal are based. Now, let’s get into the fun stuff.

The three main bands that helped me get into metal were Slipknot, KoRn and Pantera. I would say that these three bands really took the sound of metal to the next level (or, as Pantera would say, “A New Level”). These bands opened the door for the bands that I listen to today. I would suggest listening to the first three albums that KoRn released (KoRn, Life is Peachy, and Follow the Leader). I would also listen to any song off of Pantera’s Cowboys from Hell or Vulgar Display of Power. As for Slipknot, they always release bangers so literally anything by them. I personally really like Slipknot’s Iowa, and All Hope is Gone.

When trying to get into metal bands today, it is all about trial and error. When I was first getting into metal, I started off with the bands that my brothers would play and listen to them. Then if I liked it, I would look up artists similar to them and then just go down a rabbit hole.

Here are A LOT of bands to get you started!

·      All That Remains

·      Hatebreed

·      Terror

·      Chimera

·      Miss May I

·      Upon A Burning Body

·      Wage War

·      Parkway Drive

·      Fit for A King

·      After the Burial

·      Architects

·      Volumes

·      Stick to Your Guns

·      Left Behind

·      Knocked Loose

·      Detain

·      Bent Life

·      Kublai Khan

·      Varials

·      Thy Art is Murder

·      Whitechapel

·      Cannibal Corpse

·      Obituary

·      Six Feet Under

·      Death

·      Morbid Angel

·      Dying Fetus

If you listened to and liked any of these bands, look up bands that are similar to the ones that you liked to find more!!

·      Go to a show!

The best thing about metal shows is that they aren’t that expensive, the bands have merch that goes hella hard, and you will see some of the craziest shit. You will definitely get your money’s worth! Shows are also a great way to find new bands!!! You also meet people at the show and potentially become friends and then they can also show you music! My friends are the best because we all share what we are listening to on Instagram so it’s a fun, quick, and easy way to discover more music.

Some of my friends have said that they are scared to go to a metal show because they think the people are going to be mean, rude, or scary. But that is far from it! Although there are some people at shows that will be rude towards you, the majority of the people attending the show are really nice! For example, I took my friend (who has never listened to metal and has never been to show) to a house show in some guy’s basement and the people there thanked her for coming out and giving the music a chance. Moral of the story is, we may look hardcore but we are a bunch of softies… unless you piss us off!

·      Listen to The Saw’s Butcher Shop on Friday nights from 5pm-8pm on WKNC’s Chainsaw Rock!!

You already know that I’m going to advertise my show, right? I play all genres of metal in the span of 3 hours!!! This is a quick, easy, and fun way to discover which bands you like, what genres are your favorite, and also what you don’t like.

You can take these tips and tricks and apply them to any genre of music that you want to explore! Remember that WKNC plays Daytime Rock (Indie), Afterhours (Electronic), Underground (Rap/Hip-Hop), and Chainsaw Rock (Metal). We also have some specialty shows that play other genres! There is literally everything for everyone to listen to on WKNC. Take advantage of us invading your airwaves J

What bands helped you get into metal?

Stay Metal,

THE SAW

Categories
DJ Highlights

Tips on Really Listening to an Album

During my formative years, I’ve definitely skimmed through albums or never listened to them altogether. Back then I only chose to listen to singles I heard in the mall that cost $1.29 on iTunes or I just listened to the same rotation of songs on my iPod. Fourth grade was a long time ago and it definitely took a lot of growing up and an increased appreciation for music to figure out that albums are full on works of art and they gift you with many more, lesser known songs. Here’s some of my tips on how to better appreciate albums for what they truly are:

  1. Eliminate distractions: sit in bed, go to the park, push your worries to the side, put your headphones on and just listen.

  2. Focus on and consider different elements: some things you can focus on while listening is the track order, album cover, lyrics, the length of the songs, the tempo of the songs, influences you hear, etc. This helps in appreciate the smaller aspects that make albums unique and cohesive.

  3. Research the album and artist: After I’ve formed a pretty loose opinion on the album, I like to just google it and read other reviews to form a more well-rounded view of the work. And while you’re at it, research the artist if you don’t already know enough about them to give the album perspective.

  4. Consider concept: take a step inside the artist’s head; what do you think they were trying to convey with the album and all of its components? Is there an overarching theme, mood or message? Take those thoughts into perspective as you listen.

  5. Re-listen: there has been a TON of albums that I didn’t care for upon first listen. Before you write it off, give it another listen, another chance. And if you loved it the first time, listen again anyway.

  6. Remember that albums are a lot like people, they aren’t perfect, but instead a deliberate culmination of different ideas and influences chosen by the artist. The final product is a holistic work that can be experienced by a listener like yourself, but only if you allow yourself to receive it properly.

-cellar door Xx

Categories
New Album Review

ALBUM REVIEW: The Pinheads – Is This Real

Is this Real by The Pinheads album cover

BEST TRACKS: Feel it now, Is This Real?, So Alone

FCC Clean

Grab your swimsuit because this album seriously drips.

The Pinheads first gained some traction in the surf punk scene back in 2015 with their single I Wanna Be A Girl, which is still their most popular song to date, though their sound was still very course and scratching. Since then, the pinheads have continuously re-calibrated and tightened up their sound, moving in a more guitar-heavy direction and leaning away from thin, clattery percussion in favor of fuller drums. Is This Real, released in May of this year, is their smoothest album yet.

Is This Real has a very independent feel to it, which makes sense considering that this album was entirely created and recorded in a shed (lovingly called the Pin-shed Laboratory) belonging to the mother of one of the band members.

This album has a lot variation that will keep you on your toes, ranging from bluesy tracks like Is this real? to full out surf punk like track number two Feel it Now. Despite the mosaic of styles, the entire album is drawn together beautifully with familiar drawled vocals and fuzzy guitar. Similar sounding artists are Wax Witches and Shannon and the Clams.

As you listen, you might be wondering, with a guitar sound this drippin, what large body of water were The Pinheads adjacent to when they recorded this album? Answer: the Indian Ocean. Growing up in the suburbs of Wollongong, Australia, on the Leisure Coast, The Pinheads were always surrounded by surf rock, the influence of which shines through on this album in its wet, energetic riffs.

My favorite song on the album is definitely the title track Is This Real?. One of the slower songs on this album, Is This Real? sounds like the end of a perfect summer day. Especially when that harmonica comes in, you’ll remember one of those days where you hung out with your friends all day doing dumb shenanigans and now that the sun is setting you’re tired but happy and satisfied.

Happy and satisfied is also something you’ll feel after listening to this album.

-Safia Rizwan

Categories
Weekly Charts

Afterhours Charts 9/10

Artist Record Label
1 TORO Y MOI Outer Peace Carpark
2 LONE “Abraxas” [Single] Ancient Astronauts
3 KAYTRANADA Nothin Like U/Chances [EP] RCA
4 TOURIST Everyday Monday
5 GEORGE CLANTON Slide 100% Electronica
6 DORIAN CONCEPT The Nature Of Imitation Brainfeeder
7 KEDR LIVANSKIY Your Need 2MR
8 CHANNEL TRES Black Moses [EP] Godmode
9 LAURENCE GUY Making Music Is Bad For Your Self Esteeem [EP] Studio Barnhus
10 HOUSE OF FEELINGS New Lows Joyful Noise

Categories
Weekly Charts

Underground Charts 9/10

Artist Record Label
1 DENZEL CURRY Zuu Loma Vista/Concord
2 EARL SWEATSHIRT Some Rap Songs Tan Cressida
3 LITTLE SIMZ GREY Area AGE 101/AWAL
4 BONES LivingSucks Self-Released
5 MIKE War in my Pen Self-Released
6 TIERRA WHACK “Wasteland” [Single] Self-Released
7 BROCKHAMPTON Ginger Question Everything/RCA
8 SKI MASK THE SLUMP GOD Stokeley Republic
9 C. SHREVE THE PROFESSOR Daddy Love to Rap FTO
10 NONAME Room 25 Self-Released

Categories
Music News and Interviews

Keep Up with WKNC

Ever curious about what goes on with WKNC and wish you were more in the loop with our activities?

Follow us on all social media @wknc881 and as always, reach out to gm@wknc.org with any questions, comments, or concerns!

Categories
Non-Music News

Preserve This Podcast Workshop

It’s the year 2039. Where’s your podcast? (A Preserve This Podcast workshop)

Bring your hard drives. Bring your laptops. Bring your Dropbox password. We’re going to preserve your podcast. Zines will be provided.

If you’ve listened to our podcast or read our zine, you know that podcasts are disappearing. So how can podcasters protect themselves against loss? By attending our Preserve This Podcast workshop. This interactive workshop will tackle this issue head-on by walking audio-creators through the history of podcast technology, the basics of archival preservation, and simple steps you can take to preserve your audio. We will review through the tools and techniques to prevent data loss before it’s too late, as well as “bake” these concepts into podcasters’ existing production workflows.

Co-organized with the Center for Documentary Studies at Duke University.

About our instructors:

Dana Gerber-Margie (@theaudiosignal) listens to podcasts while living in Madison, Wisconsin. She earned her Master’s in Library & Information Studies at UW-Madison, and has worked as an A/V Archivist for WiLS and the Wisconsin Historical Society. She is the co-founder and co-editor of the Bello Collective, a publication about podcasts and storytelling.

Mary Kidd (@kiddarchivist) is an archivist and illustrator. By day, she works for New York Public Library’s Special Collections Division. She has worked on audio/visual preservation projects for New York Public Radio, the Magic Shop Recording Studio, and the XFR Collective, a non-profit organization that transfers at-risk media off magnetic tapes to digital format for individuals and groups with limited means. She enjoys creating drawings, zines, gifs, and other artful tidbits to make archiving, and the technology that supports it, accessible, approachable and fun for everyone.

Date And Time
Sat, September 14, 2019
10:00 AM – 2:00 PM EDT

Location
Center for Documentary Studies
1317 W. Pettigrew Street
Auditorium – 7 Bridges Building
Durham, NC 27705

Categories
Weekly Charts

Chainsaw Charts 9/10

Artist Record Label
1 INVOKE Invoking Chaos [EP] Arduous Path
2 KNOCKED LOOSE A Different Shade Of Blue Pure Noise
3 FIT FOR AN AUTOPSY “The Sea of Tragic Beasts” [Single] Nuclear Blast
4 WAGE WAR Pressure Fearless
5 DEVOURMENT Obscene Majesty Relapse
6 INFANT ANNIHILATOR “Swinaecologist” [Single] Self-Released
7 ASCENDING FROM ASHES Glory Darkscale Media
8 CHAMBER Ripping / Pulling / Tearing Pure Noise
9 RITUALIZER “Speed Of Sound” [Single] Self-Released
10 INCLINATION When Fear Turns to Confidence [EP] Pure Noise

Categories
Miscellaneous

Sampling in music: What is it? Good? Bad? Who knows?

cellar door’s take on Sampling

In short, sampling is the practice (an art form some may say) of taking a portion of another sound recording, music or not, and reusing it in another sound recording. Samples come in many shapes and sizes. They can be speech sounds, instrument sounds, ambient sounds, beats and even lyrics. Musique concrète, which originated in the 1940s, was a way of making music out of previously recorded sounds. Artists who indulged in this kind of music composition would literally take tapes, cut the audio out that they wanted and then proceed to manipulate them via music technology. The point of musique concrète was to find “music” in everyday sounds by looping them, slowing them down or speeding them up. Now, thanks to some French dudes, sampling was (sort of) born. Of course, artists were borrowing from each other since the beginning of music; sampling is an inherent element in music-making.

In the 1960s, Jamaican dub reggae artists would take previously recorded reggae tracks to create faster songs to dance to and then they would DJ over them, these songs were called riddim (not EDM, though they share the same name). Jamaican immigrants who moved to America shared their practice of sampling and so began its roots in hip hop in the 70s. Sampling is the foundation of hip-hop itself, which is why it’s so widely used in the genre today. DJs would use turntables and loop breaks in soul records from artists like James Brown and use them to rap over for their audiences.

So why do some people despise sampling? Is it because they don’t know about its history and thus make blind assumptions of stealing (yes.)? Or is it because they do know what sampling is and they still don’t exactly agree with the “taking” of intellectual property even if it is manipulated to create another work? I’m not the one to say, but I can say that there is plenty of controversy surrounding sampling in the music world. I mean sure, it is very wrong to literally take someone’s work, copy it, paste it and then call it your own. To me, that’s not what sampling is. Sampling is about paying homage or shouting out something you really like as a music artist and it gives artists even MORE creative room to work with. It gives artists the chance to share something new with their audiences and it sometimes propels the original to new stardom. Sampling also creates a unique space for music to be made of other music which is pretty meta if you ask me. However, running into copyright issues is where it can get tricky and controversial. Of course, nowadays, you hear a lot about artists having trouble getting samples cleared because of how expensive and difficult it is to get through copyright rules. Imagine all of the good, juicy sampled music we could have if these samples had been cleared. Personally, I love sampling. For me, it’s like finding hidden treasure because the original song is ALWAYS better than the song with the sample. It also broadens my musical horizons greatly and gives a song another layer of history. Hip hop and electronic music are my most favorite genres and sampling is at the base of their creation so I am all for it.

 -cellar door xx