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DJ Highlights

Top Ten Hip-Hop & RnB Albums of 2017

2017 may go down as the poopiest year of the ‘10s. Unless of course you’ve spent the whole year with the TV off and your earbuds plugged in your ears, in which case you may think of 2017 as a pretty solid year for Hip Hop & RnB music. Not nearly as good as 2015 or 2016, but 2017 has given us many new faces and many new favorites, while also reminding us just how much some familiar faces have grown. So what better thing to do than to torture myself by only picking out my personal Top 10 albums for this year. I’m not sure if it was harder picking my top 10 or ranking my top 10, but nonetheless I am a fighter so let us move on to the list.

10. Smino – blkswn

 

The first time I fell in love with Smino’s music was last year on the Monte Booker assisted track “Kolors”. The song was just a teaser of what could happen when Booker’s atmospheric, groovy beats mix with Smino’s eccentric flow and sharp lyricism. That blend of styles is what eventually would become the St. Louis artist’s debut album, blkswn. Running at 18 tracks long, blkswn can best be described as a long, but never boring, ride through space at 2:00 a.m. in a Honda Civic (and yes I am aware that there is no sense of time in space). Producing nearly the entire album, it is hard to ignore what Booker is able to bring to the table as an up and coming producer redefining the genre of hip-hop. Smino raps on various different topics that range from Netflix and chilling with his shawty to speaking on the black experience in America and delivers this with a very fresh and unique flow. Also, the sequencing on the album cannot be ignored. It’s is so good to the point where you don’t know where one song ends and the next one begins, producing a very fluid album listening experience. For sure worthy of a Top 10 position this year.

Favorite Tracks: “Glass Flows”, “Netflix & Dusse”, “Anita”, “Father Son Holy Smoke”

9. Goldlink – At What Cost

 

Goldlink impressed many critics, fans, and myself with his second mixtape And After That, We Didn’t Talk, which was released two years ago. Instead of continuing his career in LA or another major city, Goldlink decided to stay home and create an album all about home. At What Cost is all about, and for, the DMV (a popular nickname for the area surrounded by Washington D.C., Maryland, and Virginia). Goldlink raps about many DMV related topics, such as go-go music and the increased gun violence and death of many black youth in the area. It’s easy for Kendrick Lamar or Drake to rep their hometown because their hometowns are so popular already. The DMV is a city often underlooked as a major hip-hop city and Goldlink wanted to prove that on At What Cost. With features from many popular DMV artists, like Wale, Mya, and Shy Glizzy, and songs that feature go-go production, At What Cost is a fun, dancey, and entertaining album that let’s the world in on the sounds of the DMV. Also, it would be remiss of me not to mention that “Crew”, with its infectious hook sung by Brent Faiyaz, is one of the best songs of this decade. Don’t @ me.

Favorite Tracks: “Have You Seen That Girl?”, “Meditation”, “Crew”, “Kokamoe Freestyle”, and “Some Girl”.

8. SYD – Fin

 

Despite the name of the album, Syd’s career in music is far from over. Syd (formerly Syd da Kid) has been around making music since 2011 with Odd Future. Her band, The Internet, has put out 3 albums, including the Grammy-nominated Ego Death released in 2015. In 2016, Syd delivered a few features for artists like KAYTRANADA, Isaiah Rashad, and Common. It was 2017, however, where Syd established herself as an independent and confident voice in R&B. Fin is Syd’s first solo project and she sounds as fierce as she has ever been. Leaving the familiar neo-soul sounds of Ego Death behind, Syd goes for a more contemporary, 90’s R&B flavor on Fin. Focusing on topics of success and relationships, Syd delivers a fresh R&B album in a time where R&B is beginning to become stale in lyrics and trap heavy in production. Syd has struggled with stage fright and anxiety for most of her career, but these past two years, and on Fin, Syd has proven that she is here to be a confident, sexy, and bold R&B artist. Syd’s songwriting ability and magical, lush voice make for a stellar debut album.

Favorite Tracks: “Shake em Off”, “All About Me”, “Smile More”, “Body”, and “Dolla Bills”

7. Princess Nokia – 1992 Deluxe

 

A few things caught my eye when i first saw Princess Nokia’s 1992 Deluxe: it was an album titled after a year (those albums are proven to be better), her bright smile on the cover, and her totally New York tomboy outfit. New York City’s Puerto Rican culture is huge and is one of my favorites. Unfortunately, there haven’t been many representatives of Puerto Rican culture in Hip-hop (Fat Joe is the only one to come to mind). But have no fear, Princess Nokia is here and she is amazing. You may know her from that video of woman throwing soup on a man’s face in a subway after he was screaming racial slurs and two young black males. Yeah, she’s the one who threw the soup. That same attitude is what makes 1992 not just a great, gritty album, but also a very classic New York album. Nokia’s bars and verses are vicious and unapologetic. Nokia raps about her mischievous upbringing (“Bart Simpson”), her tough personality (“Tomboy” & “Mine”), and the beautiful city she grew up in (“Saggy Denim” & “ABCs of New York”). She mixes modern trap production with classic NY boom-bap and clever, illustrious lyrics to create a wonderful peek into the life of Princess Nokia.

Favorite Tracks: “Bart Simpson”, “Mine”, “Saggy Denim”, “Green Line”, “Goth Kid”, “Brick City”, and “Chinese Slippers”

6.  Brent Faiyaz – Sonder Son

 

If Brent Faiyaz’s name sounds familiar it’s because it should. I mentioned him earlier when I was talking about Goldlink’s explosive hit “Crew” that really made Brent Faiyaz a popular name. He also worked on a project with his group Sonder, which was a very soft and smooth RnB album. But Sonder Son sounds completely different from anything he has released before. Sonder Son is the proper introduction to Brent Faiyaz himself and proof that he is more than just a really good voice. Sonder Son is filled with personal narratives and introspection, which is pretty different from most RnB albums you hear nowadays. It does, of course, come with a few love songs as expected on almost any RnB album. But what makes Sonder Son stick out to me the most, and why it’s on this list, is the throwback 90’s RnB production and 90’s feel it has. Faiyaz was born in 1995, but Sonder Son sounds like it was made in 1999. The 22-year old’s clever and mature songwriting and production with beautiful guitar riffs and slow drums makes for a very solid debut release.

Favorite Tracks: All of them but I want to say that “Talk 2 U” is my absolute favorite.

5. Vince Staples – Big Fish Theory

 

Vince Staples is young, black, intelligent, and loud and Big Fish Theory will not let you forget that. Vince came out with his strong double-disc debut Summertime ‘06 two years ago and in the last two years, Vince has drop any guest features for a wide range of artists (ScHoolboy Q, Gorillaz, Kali Uchis) and even dropped the Prima Donna EP last year. These last two years highlight how much Vince has grown as an MC and has even strayed away from his usual sound and Big Fish Theory is a good example of that growth and change. Vince is still rapping about topics concerning race and politics, but this time in more curt and direct manner than before. With shorter verses and repetitive hooks, Vince wanted to get straight to the point on this album. Fans of Vince Staples will no doubt the huge difference in production this time around. Giving off Yeezus vibes, the production is very industrial-EDM heavy with maybe only one or two songs that actually sound like a traditional hip-hop beat. With features from artists like Kilo Kish, Ray J, Ty Dolla $ign, and a killer verse from Kendrick Lamar, Big Fish Theory is the backdrop to a dark, apocalyptic future. Kind of imagine if Tron was set in Long Beach, California under a corrupt system and that’s what Big Fish Theory sounds like.

Favorite Tracks: All of them

4. Tyler, The Creator – Scum F*ck Flower Boy

 

Tyler’s debut studio album came out over six years ago and Mr. Creator has come a long way since his roach eating days. Released two years after the experimental album, Cherry Bomb, Flower Boy is Tyler’s most mature album to date from his writing to his production. The first single “Who Dat Boy” (featuring a verse from his buddy A$AP Rocky) was a very excellent return from his two year hiatus and “911/Mr. Lonely” is one of the best (and most fun) songs to come out this past summer. From the very first track, it is clear that Tyler’s production has been highly influenced by very bright and sunny sounds, which matches perfectly with the sunset and sunflowers on the front cover. You can also tell that, from the very beginning as well, that Tyler is getting more personal on this album than he has on any other album he’s put out. Discussing topics of fame, loneliness, nostalgia and his own sexuality, we get a very good look on what’s really going on inside the mind of Tyler, The Creator. As usual, the entire album was produced by Tyler himself and it is some of his best production. With lush strings and vibrant keys, it is very clear that Tyler has been learning how to incorporate more sophisticated instrumentation into his work. And despite the list of popular names that pop up in the features (Rex Orange County, Frank Ocean, Kali Uchis, Lil Wayne), it still feels like Tyler’s show and he is shining brighter than ever.

Favorite Tracks: “See You Again”, “Who Dat Boy”, “Pothole”, “911/Mr. Lonely”, “Boredom”, “November”, but really all of them

3. Kendrick Lamar – DAMN.

 

I think I speak for most people who listened to DAMN. that the title is more than appropriate. Once I finished listening to this 55-minute project, all I could say was “damn”. From beginning to end this album slaps. And it slaps hard. The transition from the suspenseful intro “BLOOD.” into the Mike WiLL Made-It produced “DNA.” is rush of bars and beats as we are reintroduced to much angrier Kendrick Lamar that we haven’t heard for a few years now. DAMN. is a pretty good painting of what 2017 turned out to be as far as politics and social issues go. Lamar discusses what’s going on his life (“FEEL.”, “LOVE.”, “FEAR.”) as he is becoming even more of a superstar, while also reflecting and commenting on the current state of the people (“LUST.” and “XXX.”). As expected, Lamar’s pen game is as vicious and intricate as ever and the production on this album has been taken new heights. Sounding nothing like his last two LPs, DAMN. further shows how Lamar has probably grown the most among his peers and is definitely one of the best.

Favorite Tracks: All of them let’s be honest it was pretty fire

2. SZA – Ctrl

 

Ctrl is one of my favorite albums of the year (it’s my #2 duh), but my sister loves the album even more than me and has her own personal connection to the album. So the following review will be told by sister, Carmen. Enjoy.

“This album is one of the most empowering albums of 2017 for women. Solána Imani Rowe is a badass woman who is not afraid to sing what she really feels. SZA released her debut album this past June, after months of delays, and it debuted at number three on the Billboard 200. The types of things she sings about mainly on this album are the empowerment of women, demanding respect from men, sexual acts and behavior, the intimacy and heat of relationships, and just the grimy truth of how people are in today’s society. The first song on the album is “Supermodel” and it is about how SZA slept with her ex-boyfriend’s friend because her ex did her wrong and left her. This was such a dope way to start an album off because she comes straight out and says basically “yeah I’m leaving and slept with your friend oh well that’s what you get”. Not many women in the industry will say something so straightforward. SZA’s lyrics and the way she sings them so confidently is what makes this album very strong. The following track on the albumis the Travis Scott assisted “Love Galore”. SZA wrote this song to tell the story of a man hitting a girl up saying he’ll be down and how he’s a real one but then after he gets what he wants he leaves. This song is one of the most popular off the album because of the boppy vibe it has. It’s something that as soon as you hear the beat and what she’s talking about you just go “ahhh sookie sookie now” and just dance.  My personal favorite off the album is “The Weekend” because she sings about the role of the main chick and the sidepiece in the relationship. Many women, and myself love the vibe that the song gives off because the feeling of having someone trying to play and take advantage of you but then the tables are actually turned and you’re the one who’s playing them is like no other. Also it explores the high people get off of sexual behavior because for SZA to be a woman and to tell that man you are only here to give me what I want to please me sexually and that’s it, incredible.”

— Carmen

Although it is not her first album under Top Dawg Entertainment, Ctrl is the proper introduction to SZA and proves she is ready to be a superstar.

Favorite Tracks: “The Weekend”, “Go Gina”, Drew Barrymore”, “Doves In The Wind”, “Garden(Say it Like Dat”

1. Joey Bada$$ – ALL-AMERIKKKAN BADA$$

 

Personally, I think Joey Bada$$ is the best MC in the game right now. While some people may give the “Best MC” award to Kendrick Lamar, I think if Joey can make 3 more albums like ALL-AMERIKKKAN BADA$$ (ABBA), then he would definitely deserve that title. Joey has put out three solo projects, one of which was his debut album. All three of his previous projects were solid, with clever lyrics and an old school boom-bap aesthetic. However, on his debut album, Joey never really switched things up and basically released another mixtape. I’ve always compared to Joey to Biggie in how he has the ability to sound effortless when rapping and has never really had a bad verse or song in his career. Since we know that Joey is a good rapper, I was really looking forward to ABBA in hopes that he would also be able to construct a good album with a message and a concept. And boy did Mr. Bada$$ deliver. Running 12-tracks long, ABBA is Joey’s most political album yet. Splitting in down the middle, we see in first 6 tracks that Joey takes on a Superman role in addressing racial issues in America and provides lots of hope. The production is rather light and joyful, and Joey has a very calm tone throughout. That is until the last 6 tracks on the album. Starting with “Rockabye Baby”, Joey switches the flavor and starts to release his own personal anger over the issues in America by rapping with a voice that is much more aggressive and production that slaps. Most importantly, though, this album is relevant and could not have come at a better time. Being so young, it is impressive to see an artist like Joey Bada$$ take on political rapping and while also making a good and cohesive project. ALL-AMERIKKKAN BADA$$ is one of Joey’s strongest projects and it was my personal favorite for the year of 2017.

Favorite Tracks: All of em fam

Honorable Mentions:

A$AP Mob – Cozy Tapes Vol. 2

Rapsody – Laila’s Wisdom (honestly have not given this a thorough listen or else it might’ve been top 10)

J.I.D. – The Never Story

Daniel Caesar – Freudian

 BROCKHAMPTON – SATURATION II

Categories
New Album Review

A Review of the Soundtrack of Loving Vincent

The artistically experimental movie Loving Vincent is about two months old now, and I, unfortunately, still have not gotten the chance to see it yet. I have been scavenging the website to see if I can find any news of when it may come near me, but alas, there is no avail. However, my journey on its website did allow me to see a few other interesting tidbits about the film. When I saw that the score was written by Clint Mansell, the same man who blessed humanity with the score for Requiem for a Dream, I immediately decided that I needed to check out the score of Loving Vincent even though I have not seen the movie yet. Yet, is the key word here, but until then, let’s look at the soundtrack as a stand-alone (perhaps in the future I will add in some words about how the soundtrack complements the movie).

The album as a whole is driven by pulsing violins, which seems to be a staple of Mansell’s style, that guide the listener on through the soundscape. There is never a strict emotion forced into the listener, though there are a few passages where the music feels as though it has formulaic chord sequences. Overall, there is a subtle feeling of tension and brooding that oversees the music (fitting, since I was working on chemistry while listening), which is appropriate for a movie about Van Gogh’s life, and there is never a true break from this ominous presence until the end.

  1. The Night Café – Interesting track that does not hesitate to suck the listener into the album.
  2. The Yellow House – Continues the trend of pulsing violin and serves as the first track where the underlying tension stands out. The fairly simple three-note motif stands out the most, but it is the layering of all of the individual parts, none too complicated on their own, that establishes the mood.
  3. At Eternity’s Gate – A calmer piece that has more of a brooding feel to it.
  4. Portrait of Armand Roulin – More tension led by two three-note motifs that echo in a call and response fashion. A beautifully done build in intensity, though it is all kept fairly contained.
  5. Marguerite Gachet at the Piano – Another calmer piece led mainly by violins. It is a bit less droning and more melodic than some of the other tracks.
  6. Still Life with Glass of Absinthe & A Carafe – This piece begins as something one would expect as the background for a small café, but it quickly transitions into what may be the most intense piece of the ones seen so far. The transition, however, does not feel forced and works well. The ending is reminiscent of the opening track. A personal favorite track of mine.
  7. The Painter on his Way to Work – Initially a calmer piece led mainly by piano that leads to something subtlety darker.
  8. Five Sunflowers in a Vase – Though certainly not cheerful and bright, this piece seems to have a faint flicker of hope embedded into it. It still retains the same atmosphere as the other, darker pieces, but there is something about the flute that makes me feel that maybe things are getting a little better.
  9. Wheatfield with Crows – Another piece that surprises halfway through. What begins as a nice piano solo gradually builds up to what almost feels like a wall of beautifully organized chaotic sound. The piece briefly backs down at the end, but one can still feel the weighted emotions from the earlier build. Another favorite of mine.
  10. Thatched Roofs in Chaponval – Keeps the tension from the previous track throughout. It breaks into ominous territory with a fair amount of soft yet high-pitched strings overlaying a deeper drone.
  11. Blossoming Chestnut Trees – Returns to the sound of the first few tracks as far as style and instrumentation, but it is much, much darker. Things are definitely not going well here.
  12. The Sower with the Setting Sun – A bit of a resolution piece. The beginning has a sense of closing and reconciliation, but as the piece goes on, it drifts into the same menacing sound from earlier pieces, almost as if there is a “last straw” of some sort. The chorus at the end is similar to that found in the title track.
  13. Starry Night over the Rhone – A short conclusion track that builds up to a chorus and then quickly dies down.
  14. Starry Starry Night – The end credits song sung by Lianne La Havas. At first, the gentle crooning of La Havas’ voice seems to be a bit dissonant compared to the mood established by the rest of the soundtrack, but listening on proves it to still maintain the same brooding feeling with darker lyrics and instrumentation.

 

Final verdict: Overall, I would say that this is a well-done soundtrack. I’m looking forward to seeing it paired with the movie itself, but it definitely stands well on its own as art.

Categories
Concert Review

The Front Bottoms @ The Fillmore

A week ago I had the pleasure of attending The Front Bottoms//Basement//Bad Bad Hats show in Charlotte at The Fillmore. Not only are The Front Bottoms my FAV band, but I love Bad Bad Hats as well and really enjoyed Basement’s set. 

Pop-punk, folk-punk, and indie rock are the genres I would say encapsulate TFB, and while normally at a show like this I’m nervous the crowd might be too rowdy or filled with some unsavory characters, however I’m pleased to say everyone there was more than polite, had a great energy, and were respectful to everyone attending! From the distance I watched as people glided over the crowd, surfing up to the front where security kindly grasped them like a mother would hold a newborn baby and safely took them to the side of the stage where many surfers made their way to the back to do it all again. 

The nearly sold-out show was one of the best I’ve been to recently, and each set had me dancing away in the photo pit between snapping some of these excellent photos below:

This was definitely a show you should be sad you missed, as the chorus of voices singing along to Brian’s vocals mimicked angels, stage banter from the bands produced more than your average chuckles, and the tears of joy ran down my cheeks. 

If you like these photos and want to hear more coverage of shows, let us know! We’d also love to hear from you about your favorite shows. 

–Double Duchess

Categories
Concert Review

mewithoutYou: A To B Life in Greensboro, NC

It’s perfectly normal for a band to change over time. They work through different projects, experiment with different sounds, express different ideas, etc. In fact, it’s hard to find a band that has stayed true to a single “vibe” for a long time. It’s even harder to find one that has done it well.

mewithoutYou is one of those few. I remember hearing Brother, Sister in middle school and instantly becoming a fan. When It’s All Crazy! It’s All False! It’s All A Dream! It’s Alright! came out in 2009, I guess you could say I “got back into the band”. I developed a love for that unapologetically loud, pull-no-punches style with which they poured emotion and story into their songs. I grew up listening to my dad’s bluegrass and classic rock, genres with big name influences such as Earl Scruggs, Boston, and The Who, but otherwise plenty of rather formulaic music. mewithoutYou was one of my first big steps away from these styles, and thus it had an air of novelty to it for me before I knew hardly anything about music. Now in 2017, after years or curating and recording music across many genres, I still remember that feeling.

mewithoutYou recently came to The Blind Tiger in Greensboro on tour playing through A To B Life to celebrate its release 15 years ago. If you follow mewithoutYou, you will recognize this as their 1st full album and not one of their softer. Naturally I had to go. My roommate and I, both long time fans who had not followed mewithoutYou as closely since coming to college, drove to Greensboro to crack some PBRs and reminisce in the angst of our middle school days. I’ll be honest with you. I was surprised. I was surprised by how much I still loved this band. mewithoutYou has released 5 more albums and plenty of singles and collaborations since A To B Life, but still held true to form. They played songs from most all of their albums, a few acoustic pieces, and some improv edits. Aaron Weiss, sporting 2 mics covered in flowers (one distorted, one clean, as per usual), told stories about the album, the inspirations for the songs, and his own life throughout the show. The band has, in my opinion, had a very successful 15 years of growing immensely, yet changing little at all.

The moral of the story is go listen to those bands you used to love. Go find their new stuff. Go rediscover their old stuff. Maybe go see their show? Who knows, maybe a brush with nostalgia and a few beers is just what you need to get through finals next week…

image source: https://mewithoutyou.bandcamp.com/

Categories
Band/Artist Profile

ARTIST SPOTLIGHT: BIG K.R.I.T.

IMAGE COURTESY OF BET

Big K.R.I.T. should be so prominent that an artist spotlight on him would be unnecessary. He should be an artist with the same reach as artists like Kendrick Lamar and J. Cole. Poor management by his former label stunted the growth of the Big K.R.I.T. brand, and left him in a weird gray area in regards to his relevancy. K.R.I.T. has a large fanbase and is far above the underground artist status, but he lacked the overall pull that some of his peers have. With the release of his double album, 4eva Is a Mighty Long Time, Big K.R.I.T. has put hip-hop fans on notice and shows everyone he deserves to be considered a top tier hip-hop artist.

Big K.R.I.T gained momentum through the release of various mixtapes, and it became very clear that he was a special talent. However, his debut album left a lot to be desired and his other album releases were good but not great. K.R.I.T.’s inability to connect on his albums could be linked to his label at the time, Def Jam Recordings. K.R.I.T. had everything you wanted in a hip-hop artist from versatility to style, but it seemed it all never came together on an album. Freeing himself from Def Jam seemed to be the answer as this latest release showcases all the the skills in Big K.R.I.T.’s catalogue.

K.R.I.T. embraces his southern roots from the accent in his voice as he raps to the production he puts together for his songs. He uses his ability to produce, rap, and sing to create a variety of songs. From southern bangers to reflections on him and his career to church-inspired tracks, K.R.I.T. provides the variety necessary to make sure things never get dull. He always makes for an interesting listen and can give you a lot of substance, whether that be commentary on others or himself. 4eva Is a Mighty Long Time is a double album that highlights all of the things that make K.R.I.T. great, but that greatness can be seen in a lot of his mixtapes and in flashes on some of his albums. It might have taken a might long time, but it is safe to say Big K.R.I.T. has arrived, not just as the “King of the South” but possibly as the “King of Hip-Hop”.

Categories
New Album Review

Album Review: Arch Enemy – Will To Power

Will to power is the second album with Alissa White-Glutz as their singer. She replaced Angela Gossow in 2014. Like the other records by Arch Enemy, their sound (instrumentally), is constant. This record has the classic Arch Enemy sound while Alissa adds her own personal style throughout the entire album. Only the vocals have changed throughout each album. This record came out back in September. The sound in this record has a very 80’s-ish during some of the chorus’ and the melodies of the instruments. For instance, the songs “A Fight I Must Win” and “The Race” are good examples. In every song, there are amazing melodies, and chants that will get stuck in your head all day. If you like the old Arch Enemy sound, the song “The Race” has the components that is very similar to their older sound. And if you like metal ballads, the song “Reason to Believe” is for you. This song shows the diversity and range in Alissa’s voice. She does some clean vocals but also has her signature growls. Now, I am a history buff, so in the song “Blood in the Water” when Alissa says, “an eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth…” I got really excited because Hammurabi’s Law Code is legendary (I literally just took a test on it). Alissa has developed her voice and she is now doing different styles and tones throughout this record. This record show how Arch Enemy is evolving and is demonstrating how talented this band really is.

Favorite songs: First Day in Hell, The World is Yours, and Reason to Believe  

Rating: 8/10 

The Saw 

Categories
Concert Review

Whitechapel – Decade of Defilement Tour 2017 @The Underground 11/14/17

I was looking forward to this show because Whitechapel is my all-time favorite band! This was my third time seeing them and every time it’s like it’s my first. I got to the venue four hours before the show started and I sat there in the front of the line until the doors opened. I have “Show Buddies” – friends that I meet-up with at various venues and festivals – who were also there! It was like a small reunion for all of us. This was my first time going to the Underground in Charlotte, NC and I really liked the venue. It was very spacious and there was plenty of room for everyone.

The first band to play was So This Is Suffering. It was my first time seeing them, and I was impressed. The singer is a good front man and really knows how to work a crowd. Speaking of the crowd, there was a little movement, a few pits, and some diehard fans that yelled every word to every song. Some of the songs that they played were: Sleeper Hold, Surveil, Dreameater, and Palace.

Next up was a band called, Entheos. I have never heard of them, but they put on a good show! I was getting Arch Enemy vibes from them (and not just because the lead singer is a girl) – there were great melodies and the singer was entertaining to watch. The crowd responded as with the first band, there were some pits but they weren’t as rowdy as other pits that happened that night. Among other songs in their set, they played: The World Without Us, Inverted Earth, Sunshift, and Pulse of a New Era.

Rings of Saturn played next and I was really looking forward to seeing them! I have been listening to them for quite some time and this was my first time seeing them live. Their sound was really good, but there wasn’t a stage show. Because of this, the crowd wasn’t getting into their set. Some of the songs that they played were: Margidda, The Relic, Harvest, and Inadequate.

The second-to-last band to play was Carnifex. This is my second time seeing them and they are amazing, live! Their stage show was insane!! They had pentagrams on stage, and they were all dressed up. The entire band were wearing spiked pants, and dark eye makeup. It gave them a creepy vibe that completed their overall stage presence. They had a good mixture of older songs and newer songs. The crowd was ROWDY! Everyone was moving, there wasn’t a single person in that venue that was standing still. Everyone was moshing, and singing with the band. Some of the songs that they played were: Slit Wrist Savior, Slow Death, Lie to My Face, and Hell Chose Me.

And finally, the band that I have been waiting to see all night was up: Whitechapel. While waiting for the band to come on, the crowd was singing “Sweet Caroline.” I was in Charlotte, and the Panthers just won a game, so you could say we put the “lit” in Charlotte. I was on the barricade; in the front for Whitechapel, and I was jamming! The light show was impressive and their live sound was the same as if I was listening to their albums. The crowd was absolutely insane and was hyped the entire time. The band was feeding off our energy too and kept egging us on to get even more rowdy. They played some of my all-time favorite songs such as: Mark of the Blade, Elitist Ones, The Saw Is the Law, and This is Exile. Shout out to Ben for giving me a guitar pick, and Gabe for giving me the set-list for the show. In my opinion, I would say that the show was a success.

To make things even better, while I was waiting in line to get inside the venue, my mom went to get some food and literally ate dinner with some of the members of Whitechapel. She got me some autographs, and also a video. What is that video you ask? It’s a video that has Whitechapel saying, “We are Whitechapel and we love Erika, The Saw, and WKNC 88.1.” So yeah, that literally made my life.

The Saw 

Categories
Weekly Charts

WKNC 88.1 Daytime Charts 11/7

TOP ADDS

1 AUTOBAHN – The Moral Crossing – Felte
2 EERA – Reflection Of Youth – Big Dada
3 JOHN MAUS – Screen Memories – Ribbon
4 SPINNING COIN – Permo – Domino
5 HOOPS – Tapes #1-3 – Fat Possum
6 ORA COGAN – Crickets – Hand Drawn Dracula

TOP 30 

1 YUMI ZOUMA – Willowbank – Cascine
2 LUNG – Bottom of the Barrel – Self-Released
3 MO KENNEY – The Details – Pheromone
4 JULIEN BAKER – Turn Out the Lights – Matador
5 BULLY – Losing – Sub Pop
6 PROTOMARTYR – Relatives In Descent – Domino
7 FLAT WORMS – Flat Worms – Castle Face
8 COURTNEY BARNETT AND KURT VILE – Lotta Sea Lice – Matador
9 WEAVES – Wide Open – Kanine
10 CURTIS HARDING – Face Your Fear – Anti-
11 MELKBELLY – Nothing Valley – Wax Nine
12 MINI DRESSES – Mini Dresses – Joy Void
13 PHOEBE BRIDGERS – Stranger in the Alps – Dead Oceans
14 MOTHERFOLK – Fold – Self-Released
15 VISSIA – Place Holder – Hurry Hard
16 THE PACK A.D. – Dollhouse – Cadence
17 ROSTAM – Half-Light – Nonesuch
18 LA LOUMA – Let The World Be Flooded Out – Bitchwave
19 CIRCUIT DES YEUX – Reaching for Indigo – Drag City
20 CULTS – Offering – Sinderlyn
21 BURNING PALMS – False Prophet – Little Cloud
22 ROZ AND THE RICE CAKES – Devotion – Team Love
23 SISTERS – Wait Don’t Wait – Tender Loving Empire
24 CARMEN VILLAIN – Infinite Avenue – Smalltown Supersound
25 MAKTHAVERSKAN – III – Run For Cover
26 MOSES SUMNEY – Aromanticism – Jagjaguwar
27 SADGIRL – Volume Three Point Five – Hard Feelings
28 SOUND OF CERES – The Twin – Joyful Noise
29 TRACY BRYANTA – Place for Nothing and Everything in Its Place – Burger
30 GRACE SINGS SLUDGE – Life With Dick – Empty Cellar

Categories
Weekly Charts

WKNC 88.1 FM Daytime Charts 10/31

TOP 30

1 – YUMI ZOUMA – Willowbank – Cascine
2 – MO KENNEY – The Details – Pheromone
3 – BURNING PALMS – False Prophet – Little Cloud
4 – LUNG – Bottom of the Barrel – Self-Released
5 – JESSICA LEA MAYFIELD – Sorry Is Gone – ATO
6 – BULLY – Losing – Sub Pop
7 – WEAVES – Wide Open – Kanine
8 – ALEX LAHEY – I Love You Like A Brother – Dead Oceans
9 – KING KRULE – The Ooz – True Panther/XL
10 – SISTERS – Wait Don’t Wait – Tender Loving Empire
11 – ROSTAM – Half-Light – Nonesuch
12 – PROTOMARTYR – Relatives In Descent – Domino
13 – MELKBELLY – Nothing Valley – Wax Nine
14 – FLORIST – If Blue Could Be Happiness – Double Double Whammy
15 – DESTROYER – Ken – Merge
16 – SOUND OF CERES – The Twin – Joyful Noise
17 – JAMILA WOODS – HEAVN – Jagjaguwar
18 – CARMEN VILLAIN – Infinite Avenue – Smalltown Supersound
19 – PHOEBE BRIDGERS – Stranger in the Alps – Dead Oceans
20 – ALVVAYS – Antisocialites – Polyvinyl
21 – ZOLA JESUS – Okovi – Sacred Bones
22 – CHURCH GIRLS – Hidalgo – Self-Released
23 – THE WORLD IS A BEAUTIFUL PLACE AND I AM NO LONGER AFRAID TO DIE – Always Foreign – Epitaph
24 – EVERYONE IS DIRTY – My Neon’s Dead – OIM
25 – THE WEATHER STATION – The Weather Station – Paradise Of Bachelors
26 – MINI DRESSES – Mini Dresses – Joy Void
27 – METZ – Strange Peace – Sub Pop
28 – CHELSEA WOLFE – Hiss Spun – Sargent House
29 – CHERRY – Dumbness – Lame-O
30 – MAKTHAVERSKAN – III – Run For Cover

TOP ADDS

1 – CURTIS HARDING – Face Your Fear – Anti-
2 – LA LOUMA – Let The World Be Flooded Out – Bitchwave
3 – THE PACK A.D. – Dollhouse – Cadence
4 – POPE – True Talent Champion – Community
5 – JULIEN BAKER – Turn Out the Lights – Matador

Categories
Non-Music News

Oak City Move 24: The Conjure and Journeymen

Phian and Jenaye speak with Gemynii, founder of The Conjure, a dance party for black and brown femmes, and Journeymen, an organization that teaches emotional literacy to young boys.

Listen to Episode 24 here.