Category: Blog

Categories
Weekly Charts

WKNC’s top 30 Daytime albums from the past week

Here are the top 30 albums played in WKNC’S Daytime format over the past week, compiled by Daytime Music Director John Hubbard:

1. Shearwater – The Golden Archipelago
2. Quasi – American Gong
3. Mumford and Sons – Sigh No More
4. Toro y Moi – Causers of This
5. Gigi – Maintenant
6. Surfer Blood – Astro Coast
7. Efterklang – Magic Chairs
8. Javelin – No Mas
9. Local Natives – Gorilla Manor
10. Golden Triangle – Double Jointer
11. Via Audio – Animalore
12. Angelo Spencer – Angelo Spencer Et Les Hauts Sommets
13. Gospel Gossip – Drift
14. Laarks – An Exaltation of Laarks
15. Donora – Donora
16. Dinosaur Feathers – Fantasy Memorial
17. Joanna Newsom – Have One On Me
18. Shout Out Louds – Work
19. Beach House – Teen Dream
20. Hot Chip – One Life Stand
21. Titus Andronicus- The Monitor
22. Strange Boys – Be Brave
23. Pantha Du Prince – Black Noise
24. Happy Birthday – Happy Birthday
25. Carolina Chocolate Drops – Genuine Negro Jig
26. These New Puritans– Hidden
27. Electric President – The Violent Blue
28. Terror Pigeon Dance Revolt – I Love You! I Love You! I Love You And I’m In Love With You! Have An Awesome Day! Have The Best Day Of Your Life!
29. Solid Gold – Synchronize
30. Yeasayer –Odd Blood

Categories
DJ Highlights

Five fun facts about DJ Ones

As you should know from exploring WKNC’s blog, the station is in the running for the Independent Weekly’s Best of the Triangle once again. This year, the  WKNC staff voted to determine who it considered to be the best DJ, resulting in a nomination for DJ Ones from the Daytime format. What better way to get to know our favorite DJ than to read some fun facts about him each week. While you’re at it, check out DJ Ones’ Five Music Facts of the Week blog.

Five Fun Facts about DJ Ones

1. DJ Ones’ family owns around two dozen chickens.
2. DJ Ones has a fake tooth – unfortunately, it is not gold.
3. DJ Ones has a voice! He had a solo in the fourth grade singing The Nutcracker. When you call in for requests, ask to hear his sweet, sultry voice. It’s worth it.
4. DJ Ones was his high school’s valedictorian.
5. DJ Ones has had the same cell phone since 2005. It would be safe to say that he practically has a 5-year-old child.

Well, there you have it folks! WKNC’s favorite DJ, DJ Ones, is a Renaissance man. Just look at that visionary face.

Click here to put in your vote for Best Radio Station in the Triangle and Best DJ. Polls close April 15.

Categories
Music News and Interviews

Benji Hughes interview Friday at 1 p.m.

If you’ve listened to the station recently, you probably know that WKNC is presenting Benji Hughes and Skullbuckle at the Pour House Music Hall tomorrow night.

In anticipation of the show, I’ll be interviewing the man himself at 1 p.m. sharp. Greg from Skullbuckle will also be in to talk about the band’s album and the show.

If you have any questions you have to hear answered, comment on this post and let me know!

See you on the airwaves.

Categories
Local Music

IWTDI song featured in Brazilian phone ad

Local band, I Was Totally Destroying It, has a song featured in a Brazilian cell phone service provider’s advertisement. The band announced on their blog yesterday that the “Come Out, Come Out” off of their latest album “Horro Vacui” was the song featured.

In response to the song featured in the commercial, the band posted, “I have to say, as a musician, it’s a very flattering thing to have a large company believe that a piece of material that you wrote can help them sell their product. Fun stuff!”

Categories
Non-Music News

EOT23 Derby Days 3/8/10

VIP focuses on Derby Days, Community Canvas covers the NC Symphony, and our WoW is Travis Hargett.

Listen to episode 23.

Categories
New Album Review

Reviews of two new reggae albums

Indubious – Cosmic Seed

Portland, Oregon’s Indubious is a trio of conscious musicians bringing funky, spaced out rhythms with a roots raggamuffin lyrical style that are similar to pacific rock bands such as The Black Seeds crossed with dancehall artists much like Damian Marley. Cosmic Seed, their second album, shows a notable progression from their debut, Fresh Leaves, which in itself was a fine album. Spanning from straight up reggae tracks like Be Kind to more Hip-Hop influenced ones such as Golden Tongue, which, by the way, is a collaboration with fellow dancehall heavyweight Prezident Brown, this album has something that anyone could appreciate. The variety of styles does not take from the flow of the album though as all of the songs are untited by a common message of peace and rightousness.

Alborosie – Escape From Babylon To The Kingdom Of Zion

I am not usually fond of VP releases, but I have to say this is an exception. Contrary to most VP records Alborosie’s  Escape From Babylon To The Kingdom Of Zion boasts excellent production. While this in no way roots reggae, my preference, this unmistakeably dance hall record hits all the way through. Plenty of dub style reverb and effects mixed with horns, plenty of bass, and hot lyrics makes this a catchy album with plenty of great tracks. Perhaps what makes this release different from other VP releases is that Alborosie is a multi-instrumental artists playing every part on many of his songs.  A few of my favorite tracks were Kingston Town, Money, and Kingdom of Zion.

Categories
Music News and Interviews

Miniature Tigers Interview Friday, 3/12 at 3 p.m.

Indie rock/pop band Miniature Tigers will swing by the WKNC studios this Friday for an interview with Dr. J and DJ Audity. The group joins Acrylics as support for The Morning Benders that evening at Local 506 in Chapel Hill before they head down to Austin to celebrate Saint Patrick’s Day at the South by Southwest music conference and festival.

Miniature Tigers released their first full-length album Tell it to the Volcano in 2008. MusicRemedy reports the band will release its second full-length album, FORTRESS, June 1 on Modern Art Records.

Categories
New Album Review

The attack of “Aealo”

Aealo is a Greek word meaning thrashing, catastrophe, or destruction. That is exactly what Rotting Christ’s latest album does – it destroys.  However, it does so in a beautiful way. It may crush you and pummel you, but it will find a way to lift you up with its guitar melodies.

I have always been a fan of Rotting Christ, and I enjoy all of their albums. Though the band may be as old as I am, this hasn’t stopped them from progressing and defining itself with each new album. “Aealo” is no exception to that rule.

Every song on the album is an entity of its own, bringing in so many elements from past albums as well as adding new elements at the same time.  It’s hard to pick just one song on this album because each one is that good, able to stand on its own. You could randomly pick any song on the album and you would still leave it on repeat.  What makes this album really standout is that it incorporates Mediterranean influences into the songs, such as Greek chants, and Greek melodies played on guitars. I want to pick out songs for someone interested to listen to, but I cannot, because they are all equally as impressive.  If I had to rate this album, I couldn’t because it is that well done. Sakis has written some of his best riffs to date, and Themis performs some of his best drumming on this album.

To use a quote I saw from Sakis in an interview with blistering.com, “This album is Hellenic, it is Greek.” And maybe that is what makes this album so amazing.  There is no question – I believe I have already found my album of the year, maybe even of the decade.  I cannot tell you how much I recommend this album to anybody who enjoys metal, or who wishes to expand their music library and tastes.  From the opening chants to the closing riffs,  you will be blown away by this album. The members of Rotting Christ are true defenders of metal, and keep the banner of not only the left hand path raised high, but also the banner of metal, and this album shows that.

Categories
DJ Highlights

Sessions@KNC: Aminal

No, not Animal: Aminal. You may have heard the Fight EPs (A Will to Fight EP and A Face to Fight EP), and they rock.  Since then, Aminal has come up with some extremely energetic new material, and it is time to share.

Photo by Eric Scholz

Aminal has two nearby shows coming up: March 13 at Jack Sprat and March 16 at the Pour House! This session was probably one of the more hilarious, yet packed with great tunes.

Photo by Eric Scholz

Categories
Music News and Interviews

DJ Ones’ Five Music Facts from the past week

1. The National’s new album entitled “High Violet” will be released in May. The National are planning to play a series of music festivals over the summer, with individual tour dates starting in late March in support to the follow up of 07’s “Boxer.” (via NME)

2. Pin Me Down, the side-project of Bloc Party guitarists Russell Lissack, is set to release it’s debut album April 19th in the UK. Lissack is joined alongside of singer-songwriter Milena Mepri. (via NME)

3. Belle and Sebastian are back after a short hiatus. In an email sent to the member of their mailing list, the band stated that they were currently writing new material in Glasgow, Scotland, and they plan on coming to Los Angeles to record the new material in the near future. The band currently has three shows scheduled in mid-July and early August. (via Pitchfork)

4. Adrian Utley  (Portishead) and Will Gregory (Goldfrapp) are collaborating to create a new score to the 1928 silent film, “The Passion of Joan of Arc.” (via Pitchfork)

5. Animal Collective have unveiled a new art exhibit for the New York’s Guggenheim Museum. The exhibit included psychedelic sounds and abstract models. The exhibit is called “Transverse Temporal Gyrus” and was created alongside Danny Perez. The exhibit featured all new music from the band. (via Spin)