EOT58 Save the Frogs 4/26/11

Jacob Downey spoke with Rachel Hopkins, Wake County seventh grader, about her leadership role in protecting and raising awareness of North Carolina’s diverse frog population and efforts to have the state recognize April 29 as International Save the Frogs Day.

http://interviews.wknc.org/eot/EOT58_042611.mp3

SoundOff20 Bill Callahan/ Fleet Foxes

This week we speculate on the announced collaboration between Modest Mouse and Big Boi. We talk about PJ Harvey's latest video project. And we review new albums by Bill Callahan and Fleet Foxes.

http://interviews.wknc.org/soundoff20.mp3

Wake County student petitions state to save the frogs

In the April 26 edition of "Eye on the Triangle," correspondent Jacob Downey spoke with Rachel Hopkins, seventh grader and Wake County's top Girl Scout cookie vendor, about her leadership role in protecting and raising awareness of North Carolina's diverse frog population. After listening to our conversation, follow her progress in getting the state to recognize April 29 as International Save the Frogs Day at SaveTheFrogs.com and The North Carolina Herpetological Society.

Save the Frogs

Minute of Silence on WKNC

If you tune in to 88.1 FM Thursday, April 28 at 1 p.m. you will hear silence.  This is not a technical difficulty. This is not dead air. It is a statement.

In partnership with 13 other radio stations, WKNC is working with College Broadcasters, Inc in an effort to:

"...bring awareness of the deep impact that the sale of student radio stations is having on campuses and their surrounding communities. CBI, who represents over 200 student media outlets, has become increasingly alarmed at the sale of student stations...

Recently, student stations have been sold, and with them the loss of local voices and content.  Texas Tech University, Trevecca Nazrene University, Augustana College, Deerfield Academy and pending sales at The University of San Francisco and Vanderbilt University are all examples of student stations transferred or being transferred to non-educational operators...

The minute of silence is a first step as part of a broader effort to build awareness of the selling of student stations... Additional efforts to champion the importance of student stations will take place in the months and years ahead."

For more information and a complete list of sold stations, click here.

Other participating schools include:

WMCO, Muskingum University

WTUL, Tulane University

WNUR, Northwestern University

WSOU, Seton Hall

WFMU, Auricle Communications, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit group

WOBN, Otterbein University

WJCU, John Carroll University

KALX, University of California-Berkley
KSSU, Sacramento State

WLUW, Loyola University Chicago

KAOR, University of South Dakota

WMUA, University of Massachusetts-Amherst

Hank Sinatra headlines benefit concert for familes of tornado victims

For years, Tir Na nOg Irish Pub has hosted events to benefit local organizations like Hopeline, The Haven animal shelter, InterAct and countless others. Just Thursday they collected donations of food and $960 in cash for the Triangle chapter of the American Red Cross to help those affected by the tornadoes that ravaged Raleigh and other parts of the state April 16. The nOg Run Club also raised $600 on April 18 for the Triangle Red Cross.

Ten musicians/bands will grace the Tir Na nOg stage Tuesday to help raise money for burial costs and other necessities for the families of four children who were killed after a tornado hit the Stony Brook North Mobile Home Park - just five miles from the Pub. There is no cover charge for the event, but donations are strongly encouraged. According to a statement on the Tir Na nOg Web site, the restaurant will also be honoring storm victims and volunteers with free hamburgers (donations encouraged for all others).

The event begins at 5 p.m., with music to start at 5:30 and follow this schedule:

5:30 p.m. - Stella Lively
6:00 p.m. - Brett Harris
6:30 p.m. - Richard Bacchus
7:10 p.m. - This House on Fire
7:50 p.m. - Jack The Radio
8:30 p.m. - Maldora
9:10 p.m. - Anitbubbles
9:50 p.m. - The Olympic-Ass Kickin Team
10:30 p.m. - A Rooster for the Masses
11:10 p.m. - Hank Sinatra

If you are unable to attend this event, there are a number of other way to help tornado victims. From now until May 20, IndieNC is sponsoring an online fundraiser to benefit the Boys & Girls Clubs of Wake County. The Pour House has scheduled a two-night "We Are Raleigh" benefit for the Triangle Red Cross May 25 and 26, with details and performers to be announced. If you know of any additional benefit efforts, please post them in the comments below. You can also visit the City of Raleigh Web site for information on where to give and get help.

Full disclosure: WKNC and Tir Na nOg have been partners since March 2007 to present the weekly Local Beer Local Band free concert series.

The Mountain Goats come home

On April 8, the Cat’s Cradle was bursting with excitement as two local legends came home to play together in one epic evening.  That night the lucky few who managed to get their hands on a ticket (the show sold out weeks in advance) got the opportunity to see the North Carolina-grown bands: Megafaun and The Mountain Goats. I arrived a bit late, just in time to see Megafaun play their last two songs. Even though those two songs were fantastic, I was disappointed to have missed the majority of their set, but I arrived just in time to see what I came for: John Darnielle and The Mountain Goats.

I doubt that even some of the most devoted Mountain Goats fans present could have anticipated just how fantastic of a show it was going to be. There were literally too many great moments to list, but I’ll do my best to outline the highlights.  The show consisted of a healthy mix of tracks off of the new album and old classics. Before playing ‘Birth of Serpents,’ John told a short story regarding the origin of the song. He talked about a time where he recently went to Portland and tried to reconnect with an old friend, only to find that his friend had been run over by a car and died the previous year. The audience fell to a hush and listened with an impenetrable attentiveness as the stage erupted in a cavalcade of emotion and sound.

As with most Mountain Goats shows, there was a segment in the middle where the band left the stage and John did a solo set.  The set began with someone in the audience shouting, “play My Favorite Things,” to which John shrugged, said ok, and launched into a funny unreleased track about Coltrane.  The show carried on with songs about vampires, women with mystical powers, and crystal meth.

For the last song of their set, The Mountain Goats asked Megafaun to join them on stage.  Both bands, accompanied by just about the entire audience, performed ‘This Year,’ and it seemed as if the entire Cat’s Cradle was pulsing to the beat of the song.  The band then returned for a four song encore, which included the fan favorite ‘No Children’ and ended with the entire crowd chanting “Hail Satan!” as they closed with ‘The Best Ever Death Metal Band in Denton.’

But that wasn’t all.  The band then returned to the stage for a second encore and played “California Song,” during which John left the stage for the night giving the other members of the band a chance to flex their skills. The show made for a truly magical night and is a memory that will surely be cherished by each and every fan that had the opportunity to make it that evening.

WUNC sets schedule for Music on the Lawn concert series

Our neighbors to the west at WUNC North Carolina Public Radio have announced the line up for their annual Back Porch Music on the Lawn concert series. Starting April 29, the station hosts 10 free Friday concerts running through September. The series mixes national acts like Robin & Linda Williams & Their Fine Group and Loudon Wainwright III with local talent including Chatham County Line and Holy Ghost Tent Revival, but all the performers have some kind of connection to the state.

They aren't every Friday, so be sure to check the schedule. All shows start at 6 p.m. at the American Tobacco Campus in Durham.

Fri 4/29 - The Small Ponds
Fri 5/27 - The Freighthoppers
Fri 6/10 - TBD
Fri6/17 - The New North Carolina Ramblers
Fri 7/1 - Robin & Linda Williams
Fri 8/19 - Holy Ghost Tent Revival
Fri 9/2 - Craicdown
Fri 9/9 - Shady Grove Band
Fri 9/16 - Loudon Wainwright III
Fri 9/30 - Chatham County Line

LBLB April 21 Hopscotch Party!

This Thursday is truly going to be something special!  WKNC and Tir Na nOg are more than happy to have Hopscotch Music Festival and Vitamin Water Uncapped present a very special Local Beer Local Band Hopscotch Announcement Party featuring The Rosebuds, Heads on Sticks, and DJ SPCL GST spinning throughout the evening and a fashion show hosted by Revolver Consignment.

 

Come early - this show will be packed!!  Might as well get a cheeseburger (they're mad cheap at the pub on Thursdays) and down some beers with friends before the fashion show starts at 10 p.m. Following that will be all the live jams.

The Rosebuds are releasing their new album Loud Planes Fly Low on June 7, and I have a feeling you might get to hear a little sneak peak of it at the show... well at least I hope so.

Heads on Sticks has been my favorite local live act since the first time I saw them. This is music that I like.

There is hardly any other time you're going to get all of the awesomeness for the price of FREE so I don't understand why anyone would not come. I'm guessing there will be a few Hopscotch wristband giveaways at the show too.

Hopscotch Lineup to be Released 4.20

Hopscotch, the Independent Weekly's annual music festival in downtown Raleigh will be releasing the lineup for their September 3-day festival on Wednesday, April 20th. Greg Lowenhagen of Independent Weekly will be on-air with our very own Chuck from 11-noon to talk about the show and this year's line up.

Last year hosted names like Panda Bear, Public Enemy, The Rosebuds,  Sharon Van Etten, Megafaun, Best Coast and more than 100 other bands.  This year is sure to be even better; full of national acts as well as great local talent.  Tune in to find out who!

Tickets will go on sale as the lineup is released on April 20th. Free 3-day wristbands were given out at local record stores for Record Store Day April 16. Stay tuned to WKNC and keep reading Independent Weekly to find out ways you can win tickets.

For more musical fun, Hopscotch is hosting a few free local shows throughout Raleigh on Thursday, Friday and Saturday (4/21-4/23) in celebration of their lineup release!

'Just Another Thing' isn't just another thing...

While The Grayces aren't well known here on the east coast, in the Music City, they're music news.  Since the release of their 7" EP last year, they've been playing all over Nashville and touring the Midwest including venues in Chicago. And all those shows have earned them some real street cred. This year they've been asked to play the "Nobody's Vault But Mine" Festival at Nashville's Mercy Lounge, May 28-30. The festival is a Third Man Records fan appreciation event and will also include music from big names like Dan Sartain, PUJOL, Dex Romweber Du0, and The Ettes.



This morning, April 14, The Grayces gave a teaser of what's to come for them besides their appearance at "Nobody's Vault But Mine."  They debuted their first official music video for their new single, "Just Another Thing." With their association with Third Man Records acts you might expect the raw garage rock sound which assaults your ears as soon as the video begins, but what you might not expect is the perfect convergence of influences that make The Grayces so unique. Like a journey back in time, 80s pop-punk, 70s art rock, and the sarcasm of 60s British punk blend together in a simple mixture of head-banging rock that's not nearly as simple as it seems. Lead singer Iz Stone's ability to go from Pat Benatar to Grace Slick to Joe Strummer and back again in under 3 minutes is astounding and might be exhausting if it weren't for the band's keen understanding of when to let loose and when to pull back.

Sound amazing? I think it is. Granted, this isn't for fans of moody alt rock, synthy dance music, or the folk-mania that's been sweeping indie music, but if you like rock'n'roll, give your ears a treat and check out the brand new music video for "Just Another Thing" below.

\"Just Another Thing\"

SoundOff19 The Kills/ TV on the Radio

This week we look at Johnny Marrs' departure from The Cribs, that Coldplay fans allegedly have less sex, and we review new albums by both The Kills and TV on the Radio.

http://interviews.wknc.org/soundoff19.mp3

EOT57 Studio Collective 4/12/11

Tommy Anderson talks with members of the N.C. State Design Council, responsible for the College of Design's annual Studio Collective showcase. Entomology graduate student David Bednar talks with Matt Gardner about the invasive Asian needle ant. Mark Herring talks about the Neuse River Clean Up Project.

http://interviews.wknc.org/eot/EOT57_041211.mp3

Dr. Dog at the Cradle

 

The Philadelphia-based psychedelic, indie rock group Dr. Dog performed a stellar show Saturday, April 9, 2011 at the Cat’s Cradle. They performed a most appropriate set of songs exploring their three latest albums: We All Belong, Fate, and Shame, Shame.  The crowd was primed with the lovely set from the North Carolina group Floating Action.  They set the stage to what ended up being the best Dr. Dog show I have seen; being that it was the fourth time I have seen the incredible band. To highlight: the band entered the stage right…the crowd went wild…instruments were plugged in… sounds exploded out of those amplifiers and my mind, as well as the several hundred minds around me were filled with the sounds of AWESOME!  Toby, the bass player, said that the Cat’s Cradle is a special venue because it was one of the first venues the band had played at outside of Philadelphia, PA.

[in terminator voice], “They’ll be back!”

If you are unfamiliar with this band, some would say they sound like a modern Beatles, but I would argue they have an extremely unique sound especially on there first and second albums, Toothbrush: an introduction to Dr. Dog and Easy Beat. Easy Beat is my personal favorite album, but these guys have the Midas touch, and it is exhibited in all their art.

“Be careful of the judge inside| His gavel and his stand collide. |But he's only guilty of what's wrong. “  -an excerpt from Easy Beat

WKNC wins SCJ Awards for Excellence

You know WKNC is excellent, we know it's excellent, but its great to receive awards for a job well done.

In the annual 2011 Society for Collegiate Journalist Awards, NC State Student Media was highlighted for many different achievements.

WKNC earned:

2nd place in Companion Broadcast Website Overall Excellence

2nd place in Radio Commercial, Promotion,  Public Announcement

 

Among other facets of student media are the award-winning Agromeck yearbook; and photography and columns from the daily newspaper, Technician.

Record Store Day—April 16

Saturday will mark the 2011 installment of Record Store Day, celebrating the art of music and independently-owned record stores.  Main attractions include special vinyl and CD releases, in-store performances, and giveaways, like Record Store Day's website giving away a Buddy Miller guitar.

Schoolkids Records in Raleigh will open at 10:0 a.m. Saturday and have in-store performances by Radical Classical, Dex Romweber, The Raveonettes, and Adventure. CD Alley in Chapel Hill and Offbeat Music in Durham will open at 10:00a.m. as well. Durham's Bull City Records will open at 11:00 a.m., with refreshments and surprise performances.

"I think it's a great celebratory day that brings awareness to the physical stores," said Chaz Martenstein, owner of Bull City Records. "It's a joint day shared between the stores and the people who keep them open. I love the spirit of it."

As an added bonus, any purchase made at Schoolkids, Bull City, and Wilmington's Gravity Records will enter you into a drawing for two All-Show writstbands for Hopscotch music festival. The lineup for the September festival will be announced April 20.

For more information about Record Store Day and participating stores, visit RecordStoreDay.com.



"The Age of Adz" deviates from norm

88.1 WKNC’s Pick of the Week 10/28
By WKNC DJ Margot

Sufjan Stevens has been silent for the last five years. His last album, Illinoise, was released early in the summer of 2005 and consisted of his usual, brilliantly haunting pop that is anything but normal.

The Age of Adz, released in early October of this year, follows a different path for Stevens. Instead of the orchestral arrangements we have come to know and love from his older albums, Age of Adz is brimming with electronic sounds and synthesizers.

For many Stevens followers, such as myself, this album instilled shock and anger. Stevens already took the originality that we loved and threw it to the ground. Everything has changed.

Stevens is no longer following his quest to create an album for each of the 50 states. Shocked fans discovered that the states mission was only an advertising scheme.

Listening to the new album, there is hardly a hint of Stevens's famous banjo. This news hurts.

But, by giving The Age of Adz a chance and a good listen, fans are able to see Stevens as the artist he represents. He is no longer a one-sound musician, but a genuine talent who has more to offer the world.

For those who have not experienced any music by Stevens, this is the time. Stevens covers a full spectrum of sound. The Age of Adz gives listeners a taste of the future for music.

Brass instruments mixed with electronic, constant beeps followed by trills and Stevens's known harmonies alongside auto-tuned tracks -- this combination of sounds, both old and new, shows the expanse and brilliance of the artist that is Sufjan Stevens.

For fans who are like me, take a deep breath, plug-in and listen to The Age of Adz with an open mind. Stevens is still there, under all of that new sound. We first fell in love with him for his originality. Now we can fall in love with him all over again.

Instead of following Stevens through the past and present of Michigan and Illinoise, let him guide you into the future with The Age of Adz.

We expected great things and he followed through with something greater than we could have imagined.

If you are still looking for the old Stevens, listen to the first track, "Futile Devices," which falls closely in line with Stevens's 2004 album, Seven Swans. The best example of his combination of sounds is, "I Want to Be Well," which is featured toward the end of the album.

With Stevens, nothing can go wrong.

88.1 WKNC Pick of the Week is published every Friday in the print edition of Technician, as well as online at technicianonline.com and wknc.org.

Blind Guardian sails to the edge of time

88.1 WKNC’s Pick of the Week 10/22
By Jonathan Newman, WKNC Chainsaw Music Director

How does one define epic? I believe, in my humble opinion, that if you were to look up the word epic in the dictionary you would see a picture of Blind Guardian's latest magnum opus, At The Edge of Time.

This album is pure magic. From the opening strings and orchestra, to the closing guitar riff, this album is absolutely flawless. All of the songs on the album are based off of fantasy stories, and it really shines through in the lyrics.

The opening song, "Sacred Worlds," was originally in the video game Sacred 2, where you had to find the band's instruments in a quest. They extended the song with a full orchestra intro and outro, adding more depth and character to the song. This song immediately sets the tone for the whole album and gives you an idea for what you have in store.

The next song on the album that really shines is "Tanelorn (Into The Void)," based off the series of books Eternal Champion. The song is fast, having more speed metal akin to their earlier work. The guitars drive you forward, leading you to a catchy chorus you can't help but sing along to.

One of my personal favorites, "Curse My Name," is based off of John Milton's novel, The Tenure of Kings and Magistrate, where a king is killed for not fulfilling his duties. It is an epic ballad where you will sing along to every word, and even raise your fist in the air, screaming the chorus at the top of your lungs. It is one of the best tracks on the album and quite possibly the best out of their entire 20 year discography, ranking second only to "The Bard's Song (In The Forest)", a crowd favorite.

Another stand out track, released as a single earlier this year, was "A Voice In The Dark." This song is a combination of all things that makes Blind Guardian special. It is a fast, speed metal type song with a catchy chorus that cannot help but make you smile as you listen to it. Try as you might to resist, you will have trouble not singing along to the chorus every time it rolls around.

The last song to make mention of is "Wheel of Time," based off of the Wheel of Time fantasy series written by Robert Jordan. This song is very much akin to the band's last epic song, "And Then There Was Silence." It is bombastic with its huge chorus where the lead vocalist, Hansi Kursch, vocals are layered upon each other.

It is a fantastic way to close an album, and one that will force you to play the CD again, and again.

All of the songs on here are beautiful and composed perfectly. The orchestra added to the songs con-tribute depth that one rarely finds in CDs these days.

This band has been together for over twenty years and have grown immensely; evolving from a speed metal band, to something that defies genres. I recommend this album for anyone who loves power metal, prog metal or even just music in general.

It is a fantastic album and one I think that will be very hard to top. I will be listening to this album until I reach the edge of time.

88.1 WKNC Pick of the Week is published every Friday in the print edition of Technician, as well as online at technicianonline.com and wknc.org.

2nd Thursday = Brewer Series at LBLB

Come to this week's lblb/pound pound/## to catch Goodbye, Titan, Minor Stars, and Monsonia!

Lots of fun stuff to do this week thanks to WKNC and Tir Na nOg and New Raleigh. First of all there is the awesome line-up, second, there will be awesome delicious local beer. In particular Craggie Brewing Company from Asheville, NC will be there with THREE beers to choose from:

Burning Barrel- a bourbon chipotle porter

Antebellum Ale- an 1840s North Carolina beer recipe

Cask of the Battery Hill- an English style rye ale

Can't wait to get my hands on all of these. There is a different brewery at the pub every month on the second Thursday so be sure to mark your calendars! Oh, and the music. Goodbye, Titan is always a great band to see live. I haven't seen Minor Stars yet but they've gotten awesome reviews in the Independent and a lot of other places, so I'm absolutely excited for that one. And Monsonia I've heard once through the door at the Nightlight. We didn't feel like paying to get in (so used to free shows at Tir Na nOg , I guess) so I stood outside to listen, and I can tell you right now that they kind of sound like Arcade Fire.

As always it starts at 10 p.m., 21 and up, and FREE. See you there, friends.



 

April 8 Fridays on the Lawn Photos

Papercuts Float Through Raleigh

This past Thursday served as the end of March (and, hopefully, the cold). It also served as the second show WKNC has presented at the still-pretty-newly-reopened Kings in downtown Raleigh (the first being this year's Double Barrel Benefit).

UK-via-Italy act Banjo or Freakout opened the show with a set of airy songs not too far removed in style from Papercuts. Backed by a drummer and bassist/guitarist, main man Alessio Natalizia worked his way through a set of songs culled largely from his recently released, self-titled full-length debut. The first half of the set saw the trio playing songs full of interesting arrangements, with Natalizia's echo-laden, airy vocals up front. Unfortunately, the remainder of the set saw the band work their way through a handful of interchangeable standard-indie-rock songs that lacked the charm of the first half. That said, it'll be interesting to see where Natalizia takes Banjo or Freakout's sound.

Jason Quever, the main force behind Papercuts, brought along a full band to flesh out his dreamy songs, reminiscent of a male-fronted Beach House meets The Clientele. Touring behind the release of new album Fading Brigade, one of the best releases of 2011 so far, Quever and his band brought the songs to life with the sort of laid-back energy found on the recordings. The small, but appreciative, crowd swayed along to the effortless grooves of songs like "Do What You Will" and "Chills," cheering the band back out for a brief, but well-received, encore.

Local Beer Local Band Photos April 7

We have Mumford & Sons tickets!

Live Nation will be presenting English folk-rock band and recent Grammy performers, Mumford & Sons to the Raleigh Ampitheatre for a June 8 performance. Tickets for Mumford & Sons at the Raleigh Ampitheatre go on sale this Friday at 10 a.m. at LiveNation.com, but 88.1 has them now. When the WKNC deejay asks for it, be the correct caller at 919-860-0881 or 919-515-2400 and score a pair of tickets to the show!

Giveaways are a lot like hot cakes...

They are delicious and they are going FAST! (only you don't have to pay for them... )

This week at WKNC we have some amazing giveaways we are pretty excited about. We've also got something AMAZING coming next week, so stay tuned (literally). Or become our friend on facebook to find out NOW.

4/6 Black Lips @ Cat's Cradle

Bronzed Chorus @ Pinhook

4/7 Destroyer @ Cat's Cradle

Surf City @ Kings

Movie: Hanna @ Mission Valley Cinema

4/8 Fridays on the Lawn: Midtown Dickens and Butterflies @ Harris Field (Just kidding, you can't win tickets... its FREE for everyone!)



 

4/9 Dr. Dog @ Cat's Cradle



 

Rotting Christ (Chainsaw) @ Volume 11

4/13 The Greenhornes @ Kings



 

Remember, you have to listen to win!

April 7 Local Beer Local Band

Welcome to April friends! To kick off the month, and hopefully the warmer weather, WKNC and Tir Na nOg are happy to bring you North Elementary and Organos! Music starts at 10 p.m., 21 and up, FREE, and it is the cool thing to do.

Both of these bands are local music favorites and I have not seen them enough.  I am also super excited because they are putting out a 7" Split together. Will this show be a preview of the awesomeness ahead? Guess you'll have to show up to find out! Waiting to hear back to see if these two bands will talk to me LIVE ON AIR from 7-8 p.m. this Thursday.

ALSO there are very yummy burgers at the pub as well as yummy yummy beers.  Drink it upppp

 

I will see you at the pub.

Hammer No More The Fingers To Play Area Record Stores

Durham trio Hammer No More The Fingers are set to release their new album, Black Shark, on April 5. To celebrate the release, the band will play three in-store shows at local record stores. The band will play at CD Alley in Chapel Hill at 3 p.m., Bull City Records in Durham at 5 p.m., and Schoolkids Records in Raleigh at 7 p.m. The shows are free, so get out and support some local music and businesses.

Local Beat Mini Exclusive: The Huguenots

The Huguenots have been getting airplay on WKNC for nearly four years now, but the group has yet to release anything official but some spare demos. That is until April 8, when the group is putting out their first LP. The Huguenots are known for the super poppy and upbeat music they seem to craft effortlessly and their enjoyable live shows, but finally, the band will release some tangible music. Founding member York Howie came in to represent the band and share a couple unheard tracks from the upcoming album. It had been awhile since I interviewed the Huguenots, so we caught up and took a look back at where it all began at UNC Asheville. York was a wonderful guest and gave us an insightful look into the recording of the album and told us how it all came together.

The Huguenots: Local Beat Mini Exclusive

You can catch the Huguenots at their album release show at the Local 506 on April 8 where they are playing with the Tomahawks. Tickets are $6

Local Beat Mini Exclusive: A Rooster For The Masses

It has been quite some time since A Rooster for the Masses put out a new album, but the popular local group is doing just that on April 15 at Kings Barcade when they release their third and newest LP No One Is Ready. Still upbeat with a touch of disco and an air of reggae, ARFTM has certainly kept the same vibe with this record as their past discs, and that is a wonderful thing.  Founding member Adam Eckhardt and myself shared a brief 30 minute conversation where he reflected on the history of the band and its current state as well as the new album. We also listened to several new tracks including "No One Is Ready," "Make Much Sense," "At The Gates," and "Die By Day." Give it a listen below:

A Rooster For The Masses: Local Beat Mini Exclusive

The doors open at 9 p.m. and the show starts at 10 p.m. Greensboro-based Decoration Ghost and Raleigh favorites River City Ransom are also playing. Tickets are $6 online and $8 at the door.

SoundOff18 The Rural Alberta Advantage/ The Mountain Goats

This week K'nuckles joins DJ Ones to review new albums by The Rural Alberta Advantage and The Mountain Goats.

http://interviews.wknc.org/soundoff18.mp3

DJ Ones' Five Music Facts from the past week

1. LCD Soundsystem has announced that they will follow-up their final show at Madison Square Garden on April2 with a national tour. When asked about the change in heart, frontman James Murphy said, "I don't know. I thought it would be cool to go out with a bang. I was probably too hungover to realize what I was doing." (via DerpSounds)

2. Jack White has announced the latest creation of Third Man Records. In following up with the Double Decker album, a 12 inch with a 7 inch record inside, White has announced the Triple Decker. This new concoction contains a 12 inch with a 7 inch on the inside with a CD within the 7 inch. White claimed, "We're really bringing a new experience to music. This isn't a gimmick. This is a revolution." (Daily Speaker)

3. The New York band Yeah Yeah Yeahs have revealed a change in direction for their next release. The band, which has yet to announce their next album, will be renaming themselves. The No No No's will be the next name for the trio. (PhonoFun)

4. Bjork is set to release a new album. The album, which will be heavy metal instead of Bjork's usual pop sound, is set to released sometime, possibly never. Inspired in part by the work of Slayer, Bjork told reporters lots of words in a quiet and incoherent fashion, none of which the writers could decipher. (DeckCheck)

5. In an effort to confuse future fans, She and Him have confirmed that the follow-up to "Volume 2" will be titled "Volume 4." (Rolling Herp)

April Fools!

SoundOff17 Lykki Li/ Peter, Bjorn and John

In SoundOff we discuss the news of the songwriting process of The Strokes, and we review new albums by Lykki Li and Peter, Bjorn and John.

http://interviews.wknc.org/soundoff17.mp3