American Aquarium to record LIVE album Dec. 3

This Saturday, Dec. 3, Raleigh's own American Aquarium will be recording a live album with Shovels & Rope and Kenny Roby at The Pour House Music Hall on Blount Street!

That's homegrown, y'all. Buy your tickets online here.

Local Favorites Play the Cradle

Sunday, November 27 Lonnie Walker, Ed Scrader's Music Beat and Future Islands took the stage at Cat's Cradle in Carrboro. According to Sam Herring, it was the best-selling show yet of their US tour -- and it was date #30.

Local band Lonnie Walker opened. The set started a little early and was shorter than the fans wanted. What can we say - we love Lonnie. After closing out with their most popular songs, Ed Scharder's Music Beat took the stage. The two-piece is from Baltimore, where Future Islands now reside. The songs were short but powerful, up-in-your-face without scaring you away.



Jenna writes:

If you think you don't like Future Islands, go to one of their shows and you'll think again. Watching this band live is an unforgettable visceral experience that will leave you tired, sweaty and wishing for more. You will be entranced by frontman Sam Herring's theatrical stage presence and how every word he sings is so infused with genuine energy, passion and (usually) heartache. Sam is charming, entertaining and rigorously emotional all at once and his performance is one from which you will not be able to look away - you will see him crouch to the ground, jump, dance and beat his fists against his chest all while singing in his gruff and deeply yearning vocals. In between songs, Sam steps out of this character and engages the crowd instead with lighthearted anecdotes that starkly contrast the intensely emotional songs. The way the band interacts with the audience is humble despite all this, letting you know they're excited and grateful to be there, too.

Over the past few years every Future Islands show I've attended has seemed more packed than the one before it, and Sunday night's performance at Cat's Cradle was no exception. This is a band that consistently puts on a stellar live show and that has helped them continue to build a loyal following in the Triangle, and hopefully beyond. While their records are absolutely worth thousands of listens, if you have never seen Future Islands before I guarantee that after you do, you will appreciate this band in a way that you cannot even imagine now.



Last Sunday, Future Islands along with Lonnie Walker and Ed Schrader's Music Beat captivated the audience at Cat's Cradle with their diverse and energetic performances. These are three unique live acts that are definitely worth keeping an eye out for, whether you missed the show on Sunday night or because you can't wait to see them again.

 

Eye on the Triangle: No Show This Week

Nov. 29, 2011

Sorry! Eye on the Triangle will not be having a show this week.
We hope everyone had an awesome Thanksgiving.

Join us next week for our second to last show of the semester!

"Charity Starts At Home" by Phonte

Hip-hop fans have been waiting. Ever since the split of North Carolina hip-hop group Little Brother, many have eagerly anticipated the moment when Phonte would step back in the limelight, grab the mic and start to rhyme again. But the past few years have witnessed Phonte forging his path as a successful R&B crooner with Grammy-nominated act The Foreign Exchange, with all thoughts of rapping in the back of his mind, appearing once in a blue moon. So when it was mentioned that Phonte was set to finally release his debut solo album, anticipation hit the roof. And when it was revealed that Phonte and 9th Wonder, the producer of Little Brother fame, had reunited earlier this year, Little Brother fans rejoiced. Everything seemed ready for the debut of Phonte Coleman. The question was who would take front and center: “rapping Tay, four-and-half-mic honoree/Or singing Tay, first-time Grammy nominee”?

While each side of Phonte appears on the album, it’s the rapper that takes center stage here, tackling themes that don’t stray far from the material he has been putting out over his career. The themes of the common man are heard, stories of ourselves at our worst and best. “The Good Fight” is a song about money woes, uncertainty of keeping the job and all the frustrations of a 9-5 that the majority of Americans face, especially in the midst of an economic downturn. “Ball and Chain” weighs the pros and cons of marriage, specifically the suffocation that occurs when love dies out in the house. And of course the album has its fair share of lyrical wizardry, such as the back and forth wordplay of Phonte and Pharoahe Monch on “We Go Off” and the opening track “Dance in the Reign.”

Lyrically, Phonte is better than ever. His album combines the rawness and honesty of his Little Brother persona with the maturation he achieved with his recent work as singer of The Foreign Exchange. Having written for himself and other artists since starting his adventures with The Foreign Exchange, Phonte has clearly polished his skills as a lyricist and now, on this debut album, he brings that experience and writes verses like a “pro with the prose/what a concept.” Even with his weaker punchlines, Phonte’s wit and charisma pulls him through, making the lines seem as if he’s delivering them with a wink and a sly smirk.

The production, for the most part, is solid. Nothing stands out, however, and it serves more as backdrop for the lyrical wordsmith to pick up his mic and paint images with words. 9th Wonder provides the same repetitive drum patterns and looped samples that he has become well-known for (whether that is for better or worse). Swiff D introduces the album on “Dance in the Reign” with a church organ and takes it to the church with a synth and Phonte preaching to the congregation. S-1 and Caleb bring a modern production to the quiet-storm sound with hard-hitting drums and an atmospheric sound that allows Phonte and Carlitta Durand to get musically romantic on “Gonna Be A Beautiful Night.”

Overall, Charity Starts At Home features mature, honest, and raw songs from N.C.’s top-notch spitter and crooner Phonte Coleman. It may not feature a breakout song, hold mind-blowing production, but it holds plenty of love and humility that hip-hop seems to have lost in recent years. The last line of the song “Who Loves You More” sums up the album perfectly: “I got a room and a microphone and a family I ain’t seen in months. And I played this record a million times just hoping you would play it once.” Phonte is one of us. He works hard at his job and goes through the struggles in life and love, just like any of us, hoping that someone will take notice at least once. “Let that boy saute!”

EOT76 Students for Concealed Carry 11/22/11

Bad Movie Review - This week Jake reviews Mega Python vs. Gatoroid, another amazing piece of sci-fi gold that you "have to" see.

Roth Brewery - Chris talks to the owners of Raleigh's newest and smallest brewery to find out how it all began.

Students for Concealed Carry On Campus - With many gun scares on NC campuses recently, this student organization has been gaining some attention.  Jay talks to the president and vice president of the club to see what they're all about.

Seventh Day Adventists - Jake speaks to the vice president of the Adventist Christian Fellowship at NC State to see what makes this church different from others.

http://interviews.wknc.org/eot/EOT76_112211.mp3

This week on Eye on the Triangle

Happy Thanksgiving!

Class may be out for Thanksgiving break, but we've got one more show for you before we go!

This week, Chris Cioffi visited a local brewery started by a couple of N.C. State graduates and took a behind the scenes peek at what it takes to run a brewery. Jake Langlois spoke with a member of the Adventist Christian Fellowship to find out a little more about who they are and what they stand for, and Jay Tomblin interviewed two members of the Students for Concealed Carry on Campus group to discuss the recent gun-related incidents on campuses around North Carolina, as well as why concealed weapons should be allowed on school campuses.

As always, Nick and Dave return with This Week in History, and Jake reviews another bad movie. Be sure to tune in; it's going to be a great show!

Azealia Banks tops NME's 2011 Cool List

 



Azealia Banks may be a name unfamiliar to most listeners out there, and that's because she hasn't recorded her debut yet and her touring history has been rather scarce compared to most artists. But this isn't stopping Banks from being one of the most heralded up and coming artists; among those singing her praises, NME decided to put her atop their Cool List for 2011.

The list itself seeks each year to organize a handful of artists that NME has deemed cool for that year. What exactly that means is still quite vague. Regardless, NME has the task each year of sorting out which music makers go where, and each year it seems as if NME has to dip into a pool of artists that don’t seem as repetitive. However, this year features the return of several artists who seem to garner a large amount of NME press as it is.

With all this in mind it doesn't surprise me that NME would change their focus in terms of who makes the list. Although they seem to regurgitate a lot of individuals each year (Jarvis Cocker, Arctic Monkeys, Kasabian, and so on to a ridiculous extent), this year seems to highlight some of the biggest up and comers. This includes the likes of Lana Del Rey, and Ellery Roberts (of Wu Lyf). With the desire not to keep chucking out the same handful of artists each year it makes sense that Banks would reach the top. This is not to say that NME has forgotten their old favorites as they still dominate the list. They are back and in great force as expected, but I digress.

There is a lot more to Banks' topping of the 2011 NME Cool List. Her initial touchdown as a proper recording artist is based heavily in England. Banks recently finished up one of her first small tours in the United Kingdom with dates earlier in November in Glasgow and London. Banks will also be soon moving to London to record her debut alongside Paul Epworth.

With this type of visibility and promise, alongside the growing need for NME to introduce some new artists to their list and Banks' critical start within the UK, it makes sense that the magazine would put her atop their list this year.

Top 10 2011 NME Cool List:

1. Azealia Banks
2. Jarvis Cocker (Pulp)
3. Honor Titus (Cerebral Ballzy)
4.+5. Tom Meighan and Serge Pizzorno (Kasabian)
6. Lana Del Rey
7. Rhys Webb (The Horrors)
8. Theo Hutchcraft (Hurts)
9. Matt Helders (Arctic Monkeys)
10. Ellery Roberts (WU LYF)

CMJ Loud Rock from WKNC’s Chainsaw, 11/22/11

1. Gloominous Doom - Cosmic Superghoul (DRP)

2. Megadeth - Th1rt3en (Roadrunner)

3. Isole - Born From Shadows (Napalm)

4. Cradle of Filth - Evermore Darkly (Nuclear Blast)

5. Machine Head - Unto The Locust (Roadrunner)

6. Iced Earth - Dystopia (Century Media)

7. Ashes Of Your Enemy - Anthem (Zenergy)

8. Animals As Leaders - Weightless (Prosthetic)

9. Generation Kill - Red White And Blood (Season Of Mist)

10. Dub Trio - IV (ROIR)

Reflections on a Winter 2011 Playlist

[vimeo]http://vimeo.com/22958631[/vimeo]

Let me start by saying I had no intention of creating a definitive, all-encompassing Winter 2011 playlist. A feat like that should be left only to the people who can spend all of their hours sorting through thousands of albums, identifying the standouts, and only then would they be able to define what they believe a Winter 2011 playlist should consist of.

Knowing that my capacity as a human to waste away my days listening to music is limited, I instead turned to a modest sum of tracks that embody what I would describe as making for a pretty good Winter playlist that consist of songs released in 2011.

The problem for every individual's list is that it means something unique or holds a special attribute to them, and I am no different when it came to my formula for selecting songs. For me it meant that this playlist would encapsulate a few things: some of the best tracks of the year, and those that would send off vibes for what I would describe as being that of a "winter nature."

What exactly do I mean by something having a winter nature? It's pretty simple. I looked for tracks that would be incredibly rewarding to listen to while trudging through the rough winter weather or those which would be pleasant to warm up to after a day filled with having to deal with the growing loss of daylight.

Either way, after limiting myself to only tracks that came out this year, I think I came up with a pretty decent set of songs to listen to for the next couple of months on those days where you feel as if the season may have gotten the best or worst of you. Is it subject to change? Absolutely, and your feedback is always welcome as to what should be added to the playlist. And I have a way to share it with everyone that has Spotify; you can open it up here and listen to the playlist.

For everyone else the current tracklist is below:

01 The Dodos- Companions
02 Chad VanGaalen- Do Not Fear
03 Future Islands- On the Water
04 The Drums- Days
05 Youth Lagoon- July
06 Bon Iver- Wash.
07 The Antlers- I Don't Want Love
08 Atlas Sound- Te Amo
09 I Break Horses- Winter Beats
10 The Raveonettes- Recharge & Revolt
11 Deleted Scenes- Bedbedbedbedbed
12 Wye Oak- Fish
13 Wild Beasts- Deeper
14 Bombadil- Short Side of the Wall
15 Megafaun- Hope You Know
16 Fleet Foxes- Bedouin Dress
17 Real Estate- All the Same

 

What do you want to see on the Winter 2011 playlist? Leave your suggestions below.

Real Estate's "Days": Simple Can be Rewarding

Real Estate has fallen into somewhat of a song-writing algorithm.  I'm assuming their music making process works something like this:

1. Lead Singer, Martin Courtney puts together a few chords and some lyrics.


2. Matt Monandile (who has also achieved some praise for his exploratory guitar project, Ducktails) adds a catchy and psychedelic guitar hook.


3. Alex Bleeker follows the ideas with some bass, and a simple, rolling rhythm is added to finish it off.

Almost every single song follows this premise...which makes it exceedingly frustrating to pin down what makes Days so good.

Real Estate has always focused on perfecting easy-listening surf rock that retains a certain sense of sentimentality. That uniqueness manifests itself in wandering melodies and ambiguous emotions. While their previous releases have found themselves situated comfortably in smaller indie DIY-centric labels, such as Underwater Peoples and Woodsist, this record had a lot to live up to. Getting signed to a larger indie label like Domino is a serious deal these days and rising to the occasion was probably a mixture of exciting and stressful. Having to deal with the additional room high-fidelity recording practices is daunting enough, not to mention all of the expectations that high-profile music critics have been prophesying since the band's 2009 debut.

In no uncertain terms, Real Estate pulls it off with Days, all the while staying true to their earlier releases. What makes this record so fantastic is its easy-going demeanor. Every song fits into the larger context of the release perfectly. In particular, transitions seem extremely transient (in a good way) and no stand-out tracks eclipse the cohesive nature of the record. Instruments and vocals are clear and no instrument sits too high as to cause any obscurity.

In a gutsy move, Real Estate decided to re-record a song off their 2010 Reality 12", "Younger than Yesterday." When I saw this on the track-listing I was extremely concerned, having had one of my favorite songs (The Love Language's "Brittany's Back") de-lofi'd, only to have much of its gusto disappear. For Real Estate, this was not the case. Being able to work with a proper studio setup helps the melodies and nuances of each song on Days stand out. Since the focus of Real Estate's music has never been on emotional charge, the absence of grain doesn't cause any loss of ambiance.

The only minor issue I wrestle with in regards to Days is that Real Estate stays a bit too "safe" in order to achieve continuity. Aside from the psych-heavy "Kinderblumen" written by Matt and the Garage croon on Alex's "Wonder Years," every song features Martin Courtney at the helm. While he is an amazing songwriter, I'd be seriously impressed if they could retain this album's coherence with more flexibility in musical roles between the band's members. "Out of Tune," which features (or rather, includes) synth-styling from Daniel Lopatin of Oneohtrix Point Never fame, could use a bit more influence from the guest as well. It's important to note that these issues have nothing to do with the actual music presented in Days, and are more of just wishes from a long-time fan.

In all seriousness, Days is one of the best releases I've heard this year, and its spot on the WKNC Pick of the Week column is well-deserved.  Make sure you listen to this one and go see Real Estate the next time they come to the Triangle! If you thought their guitars have impossibly brilliant tones on album...just wait.

Top 30—WKNC’s Top Albums of the Week, 11/17/11

1. Widowspeak - Widowspeak (Captured Tracks)

2. Young Man - Ideas of Distance (Frenchkiss)

3. The Field - Looping State of Mind (Kompakt)

4. Class Actress - Rapproacher (Carpark)

5. Various Artists - GRPTPS Vs. PTLCK (Grip Tapes)

6. Memoryhouse - The Years (Sub Pop-Arcade Sound)

7. M83 - Hurry Up, We're Dreaming (Mute)

8. Donora - Boyfriends, Girlfriends (Rostrum)

9. Icebird - The Abandoned Lullaby (RJ's Electrical Connections)

10. Wavves - Life Sux (Ghost Ramp)

11. Real Estate - Days (Domino)

12. Gauntlet Hair - Gauntlet Hair (Dead Oceans)

13. Emika - Emika (Ninja Tune)

14. Bonnie Prince Billy - Wolfroy Goes To Town (Drag City)

15. Neon Indian - Era Extrana (Mom and Pop)

16. Future Islands - On The Water (Thrill Jockey)

17. Bleeding Knees Club - Virginity (Iamsound)

18. Mike Doughty - Yes And Also Yes (Megaforce-Snack Bar)

19. Viva Voce - The Future Will Destroy You (Vanguard)

20. Wilco - The Whole Love (Anti)

21. Marketa Irglova - Anar (Anti)

22. Pujol - Nasty, Brutish, And Short (Saddle Creek)

23. Hella - Tripper (Sargent House)

24. High Places - Original Colors (Thrill Jockey)

25. Wooden Shjips - West (Thrill Jockey)

26. Megafaun - Megafaun (Hometapes)

27. St. Vincent - Strange Mercy (4AD)

28. Ryan Adams - Ashes and Fire (Capitol)

29. Phantogram - Nightlife (Barsuk)

30. Body Language - Social Studies (Om)

Phantogram and EXITMUSIC at Cat's Cradle, 11/15/11

I had the opportunity to see Phantogram at Cat's Cradle last year, which ended up being a great show. I was really excited when I found out they were coming back around to the Triangle, but their performance this past Tuesday, Nov. 15, was not quite what I expected. I'll get into this in more detail in a bit, but first I want to discuss EXITMUSIC's opening performance.

EXITMUSIC was treated to a large crowd of fans, all pumped for the show that was about to ensue. Their set started out strong: the percussion was spot on and the lead singer had a very distinct, yet interesting voice; I instantly drew connections to the Zola Jesus performance I saw a couple of weeks before. Their style capitalized on the point at which a buzzy, guitar-driven band pushes into more intimate territory.  Unfortunately, that became redundant after a while. It was as if every song was meant to build momentum, but the set never hit a climax (although, it would fit their name of “EXITMUSIC”: every song written like the last song of an album).  The crowd was pretty stoical as well, presumably due to the fact they were just there to see Phantogram.  Their recordings do not succumb to this issue, however, so I would recommend listening to this band.

The set change involved putting a ton of lights around the stage, which got me excited for what was to come. The projections during Phantogram's last performance were spot on, so I was excited to see how all of these lights were going to be implemented into the show. After the stage had been filled with fog and all of the band's equipment set up, the crowd was pumped for Phantogram to begin.

After getting over the initial shock of the amazing light setup that was taking place, I realized I wasn't into the performance. Phantogram started by playing a lot of tracks from their new EP, Nightlife, and an irking rework of an older song from their debut, Eyelid Moves. The striking break-beat drums of that release had been replaced by a more rolling rhythm line, and the guitar had been pushed down in the mix to make room for heavily sequenced synthesizers. The dark and intimate emotion of their older work was being replaced by a sense of artificial happiness that did not go over well, in my opinion. The crowd, which was densely packed and composed of a lot of new faces, didn't seem to mind, and the band trudged on.

This mood pervaded a good bit of the rest of the set. Things started to change as the aggressive drumming on "Futuristic Casket" began (break-beat intact). The performance of that song was a complete change-up for the set. It felt aggressive and dark, and I was very impressed with how the lights interacted with the music. They ended their main set appropriately with "When I'm Small," which was also a very solid rendition that rang true with everything their fans love about the original.

As the band left the stage briefly, mountains of applause erupted. Phantogram came back for a two-song encore, which began with the uncharacteristically slow "Nightlife." This song was probably the highlight of my night; instead of pushing in those aggressive synths like they had for much of the performance, they kept the song rather stripped-down, which was a great stylistic choice both as a performance progression and as a closer.

All in all, Cat's Cradle put on a decent show, though there were some mixing kinks. In general, the vocals were fairly quiet, and the percussion during EXITMUSIC's set was mic'd too high. I would most definitely go back to the venue and am still digging the changes they implemented earlier this year.

-John and Kenneth

Come join WKNC at Homecoming 2011: Tame the Tigers

Support N.C. State and come to Homecoming events continuing through the weekend!

On Friday, Nov. 18, Wear Red, Get Fed will be providing food once again in the Brickyard starting at 11 a.m. A blood drive will also be held all day in the Bragaw Activity Room and Carmichael Playzone.

That night will be the Homecoming Parade on Hillsborough Street starting at 6 p.m. And guess what? The parade will be emceed by your very own KNC DJs! Come join jose jose, Mollypop, Elly May and Jeff as they host the festivities.

Right after the parade at 7 p.m. will be the Homecoming Pep Rally: Packhowl presents The Wayans Brothers emceed by KNC's DJ Carizmatic.

So come on out to the celebration and cheer on your Wolfpack as we try to Tame the Tigers!

 

St. Vincent Amazes at the Brudenell

Let me start by saying that on Wednesday, Nov. 16, a tiny woman in massive heels brought a packed venue to its knees. As one of my English pals so articulately put it, "She makes that guitar her bitch."

St. Vincent brought out the largest crowd that I have seen at the Brudenell Social Club (although I haven’t been to that many), and rightly so. She has come off of one of her most successful and critically acclaimed releases, Strange Mercy. With anticipations high, the tension was palpable as the stage crew tuned the guitars, adjusted the lights, and kicked the fog machines into full gear, after a wait that seemed like an eternity.

When she did come out, the tiny Annie Clark in her high heels showed that big surprises come in small packages. Playing mostly off of the excellent Strange Mercy, the powerful sound of St. Vincent demonstrated the best of the recent album. Despite the amazingly forceful performance of many of her excellent new tracks, Clark came across as incredibly modest throughout those brief moments in between songs where she gave the audience a brief glimpse into everything from her music video for "Cruel" to her recent cover of The Pop Group's "She Is Beyond Good and Evil."

It wasn't all constrained to the new work, as Clark and company provided some of the greatest moments performing older hits, including an excellent cover of "She Is Beyond Good and Evil." It was St. Vincent's performance of "Marrow" that they were able to give a much more intense life to, which cannot be given complete justice when listened to recorded. It was the encore that stole the show with an amazing rendition of "Your Lips Are Red." It featured Clark jumping into the audience at the most intense moments of the track, and within seconds doing a complete turnaround and calming down the song to what was the end of one of the greatest performances I have seen in recent memory.

And on that night Clark certainly made that guitar her bitch.

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Itt0rALeHE8

EOT75 Missions of Mercy 11/15/11

Impromptu Musicians- Nick caught up with some students at N.C. State who spontaneously play their instruments around campus to find out more about what they do.

No Shave November-  If you've noticed an increase in facial hair on some of our male students recently, that's probably because we are right in the middle of No Shave November.  Dave got the low-down on what's going on.

Cub Scouts- The WKNC studio was host to some special visitors: a scout troop.  Chris has the story.

Bad Movies You've Gotta See- In the kickoff episode of this series, Jake reviews "The Car", a 70s thriller that..... You've Gotta See!

Missions of Mercy Dental Clinic-  The Missions of Mercy Dental Clinic, a project started by the North Carolina Dental Society, travels around the state to deliver free care to those who can't afford the luxury.  Twelve times a year, the M.O.M. sets up for the weekend to serve 400 to 600 patients.  Our contributor Mark was there this weekend as they worked to keep North Carolina residents' teeth pearly white.

Poetry- The Windhover is N.C. State's premier literary magazine and is available for free on campus.  Occasionally here at Eye on the Triangle., we try to meet some of the artists who make the magazine, and this week Dave interviewed poet Tim Reavis about some of his poetry that will be featured in this year's publication.

http://interviews.wknc.org/eot/EOT75_111511.mp3

A Discussion of Oysters on Mystery Roach, 11/19/11

Tune in to Mystery Roach this coming Saturday, Nov. 19, from 8-10 a.m. for a discussion about oysters.  The conversation will cover their biological history and underwater soundscapes with MEAS graduate student Ashlee Lillis, and their cultural/economic history with historian Matthew Booker (Both from NC State). I will add cooking tips throughout the show and playing songs loosely based on an ocean theme. (Still up in the air about Octopus's Garden. Sorry, Ringo.)

Get in on the conversation (musically and otherwise) by calling the Mystery Roach Hotline (919-322-8863), posting on the Facebook Fan Page, or sending an email.

Talk to you then.

-La Barba Rossa

That one time when Architecture in Helsinki came before school work

Finals at N.C. State are coming up, and with them comes heaps of homework. This past Monday, Nov. 14, Nicole and I found ourselves in the best kind of dilemma. We both had a ridiculous night of homework ahead of us, but Dom and Architecture in Helsinki were performing at Cat’s Cradle! After weighing our success in school against our love of indie rock, we found middle ground. We justified a trip to Carrboro with hopes that the bands’ energy would help us to stay up for a late night of homework. We at WKNC are true problem solvers!

We arrived at Cat’s Cradle right in the middle of Dom’s set. The band resembled an Urban Outfitters catalog while playing the hazy pop tunes that we all fell in love with at the beginning of this year. Dom played a good portion of music from their first EP and ended with “Living In America,” by far their #1 single. The only thing lacking from Dom’s performance on Monday night was...well, energy. I wanted more excitement during “Living In America.” Instead, the band looked like they were bored and ready to get off stage. It was hard to tell through his thick mass of red hair, but it seemed Dom made eyes with us a few times. It wasn’t clear if this was intentional or if his head had just rolled to the side awkwardly, and that’s a problem. When they did leave the stage, we worried that this would be a theme of the rest of the night. Fantastic tunes, a great sound, but if I wanted those, I'd listen on iTunes. We couldn’t imagine Architecture in Helsinki being so boring. Thankfully, we were right.

[vimeo]http://vimeo.com/32237537[/vimeo]

Architecture in Helsinki hails from the distant land of Australia; they came to North Carolina in search of Cheerwine, which they nostalgically spoke of on stage. They complimented us on our warm November weather. The band walked onto the stage void of emotion, stood there, and then jumped into a high energy, fun series of songs that had the audience dancing and smiling at the stage. Seeing Architecture in Helsinki live reminded Nicole of what an ‘80s new wave style concert would have been like two decades ago: a mix of B-52s, Talking Heads, and energy. The members all had their own distinct dance moves that were used throughout the show. The one woman in the band, Kellie Sutherland, was one of Nicole’s favorites to watch throughout the show. She wore an amazing jumpsuit and just gave her all on stage, creating dance moves and driving the energy through the roof.

Two favorites for the night were the band’s newer single “Contact High” and of course “Heart It Races,” their last song of the encore. You know you’ve hooked an audience when you come out for an encore and they begin chanting for a specific song. “Like It Or Not” and “Do The Whirlwind” brought some crazy dance moves on the dance floor as well. Overall, the show was a fantastic break from homework and gave us a second wave of energy that lasted until we got back to campus and decided to call it a night.

Foreign tongues at the Cradle with Sophie Hunger and Tinariwen, 11/13/11

Scarcely before the ringing in my ears from Bombadil's album release party could fade, I found myself back at Cat's Cradle for something worlds away, both sonically and geographically.

Sophie Hunger was absolutely charming. The Sunday night crowd started out pretty far back from the stage, slowly trickling in and milling about, but by the end of her set she had coaxed more than a few to the front to better catch her heartfelt lyrics and genuine enthusiasm. Vocally she sounds a bit like Feist. They both have that soft, crooning quality in their voices, but Hunger proved she was no stranger to belting out a verse or two where necessary. She switched between singing in English, German and French fluidly and frequently, so I probably only caught a fraction of the lyrics, but I like to think the meaning still came through.

It's hard to pin her sound down to a specific genre. She herself switched between guitar and piano throughout the set and was accompanied by Michael Flury (trombonist/box player/chest percussionist) and Christian Prader (flautist/guitarist/pianist). Some songs were folk in the best tradition of the genre, while others sounded of heavy jazz influences mixed in with who knows what else. Whatever the influences, it was all a pleasure to listen to. Her endearing solo acoustic "Sophie Hunger Blues" was the song that won me over, and I could tell I wasn't the only one. The personal narrative, catchy melody and raw emotion she put into that song had the audience smiling and laughing in a big way.

From Swiss-born, European bred folk/jazz fusion we somehow made the transition to acoustic Saharan desert blues from former African rebels. For the uninitiated, Tiniariwen is a group from northern Mali made up of Touareg rebels. They received military training in Libya and fought for the rights of oppressed nomadic peoples in the Touareg rebellion. Sung in a Berber language called Tamashek, their songs carry the revolutionary message of the cause they fought for.

If you're not intrigued yet, then I really just don't know what to tell you.

Before they even came on stage there were enough guitars set up to comfortably field all of Broken Social Scene, plus a few percussion instruments whose origins I could only guess at. The band was all robes and cloth when they did come out, certainly looking the part of desert bluesmen. A few greetings in what sounded like French (why didn't I take French?) and they were off. You might not think that dusty, Middle Eastern folk and blues would be that danceable, but it definitely is. The percussionist (playing either a hand drum or a large half-sphere gourd of some sort hit with his palms and two lighters) and bassist laid down a simple but irresistible groove that the rest of the band built on. To their credit, they kept the crowd fully engaged throughout the night. I'm pretty sure I even spotted whatever the slow moving, mid-to-late-thirties equivalent of a mosh pit would be, but folks were packed too tight for me to venture out and investigate further.

Tinariwen's latest release, Tassili, has more of an acoustic sound to it, a departure from their previous albums which made extensive use of the electric guitar. The set drew heavily form the new album, but they broke out the ax for several numbers, including one of my absolute favorites, "Amassakoul 'n' Ténéré."

Tinariwen has been gaining a fair amount of international attention recently. There's even a track on Tassili featuring Tunde Adebimpe and Kyp Malone of TV On The Radio fame. If you haven't heard about them yet, you probably will soon. If you haven't listened to them yet, go ahead and do yourself a favor. I love local music but there's nothing like some African desert blues to broaden one's musical horizons.

Virginia's WROX 96X Winter Meltdown

Commercial radio stations that have a modern alternative format are hard to find - and those that put on good winter concerts are even harder to find.

96X is a modern alternative radio station based out of Norfolk, VA. The station will be putting on "Winter Meltdown," featuring Bush, Foster the People, Cake, Cage the Elephant, Taking Back Sunday, The Naked and Famous, Young the Giant, Sleeper Agent, and Grouplove. The event will be held Thursday, Dec. 1, at The Ted Constant Convocation Center in Norfolk, Va. beginning at 5:30 p.m.
Many of the bands performing at Winter Meltdown have already played major festivals this year, including Moogfest, Future Music Festival, Treasure Island Music Festival, Lollapalooza and SXSW.

WKNC will be giving away two pairs of tickets to this event - and it's not one to miss. Listen in over the next two weeks for your chance to win a pair. When the WKNC DJ asks for it, be the correct caller at (919)860-0881 or (919)515-2400.

Bombadil's album release extravaganza at Cat's Cradle, 11/12/11

I have discovered that in my later years (well, I’m only 21, but still) I have become more lazy and less inclined to ever leave Raleigh to do anything. Especially to do something that requires money, like go to a concert.

Add Bombadil to the picture and it changes things completely.

On Saturday, Nov. 12, Bombadil graced Cat’s Cradle with their album release party for All That The Rain Promises, the long awaited new album from this local band that is comprised of four very talented men: Bryan Rahija, Stuart Robinson, Daniel Michalak, and James Phillips. The show opened with local favorites Future Kings of Nowhere and Jay Kutchma and the Five Fifths, two groups that don’t play too much around the Triangle right now.

Seeing the lineup, I knew I had to get out of Raleigh for a night. So I filled up my gas tank, picked up some friends, and made my way to Carrboro after feasting on some delicious pre-Bombadil steak tacos cooked for us by Laser Beard, who also served as our photographer that night. We hoped to get to the Cradle early enough to get a rose, but arrived just a little too late. Instead we ate some cookies and milk (thanks Bombadil!) and moved toward the stage as Future Kings of Nowhere set up and tuned their instruments.

Future Kings of Nowhere was full of energy and a lot of fun. They played a selection which included new songs and started and ended with the crowd favorites “Let’s Be Pirates” and “10 Simple Murders.” I was really excited to see Jay Kutchma and the Five Fifths next. Red Collar always put on high energy shows and I was curious to see how Jay Kutchma would be without the rest of Red Collar. The excitement was for good reason. Kutchma’s stage presence was intense, the set starting with slower rock songs with a twang and building in energy until Kutchma was jumping up and down with his guitar accompanied by an enthusiastic Five Fifths. The bass player is the one who stuck out in my memory; he looked like he was having the time of his life on stage. Kutchma made sure to include powerful monologues as well, which is something that he has brought over from Red Collar. Overall, the opening bands were really fantastic and provided high energy that grew even higher while waiting for Bombadil to take the stage.

I can say without a doubt that everybody in the audience on Saturday night was truly excited for Bombadil to get on stage. The last time the band played was two months prior at Hopscotch Music Festival. The last time Bombadil played at Cat’s Cradle was December 2010, opening for the Avett Brothers at their surprise show. When a talented band like Bombadil does not play often, you know that when they do play it’s going to be a good time.

This was definitely the case for Saturday night. Wearing colorful embroidered and painted blazers, Bombadil opened the show with the old song “Jellybean Wine” which earned a huge cheer from the audience. They continued through a great mix of old and new songs with the audience giving wholehearted applause and the band grinning and thanking us for coming repeatedly throughout the night.

I think one of the best things about Bombadil is that the music they make is meaningful. After hearing bands play music that has no emotion or has no point, it is refreshing to listen to Bombadil and also to see a band that shares your excitement for being there. Highlights of the night included “Laundromat,” “I Will Wait,” “A Question,” “One Whole Year,” “The Pony Express,” and “Leather Belt” off of All That The Rain Promises and old songs like “Honeymoon,” “Oto the Bear,” “Marriage,” “Johnny,” “Three Saddest Words,” “Smile When You Kiss,” “So Many Ways To Die,” and “Cavaliers Har Hum.”

The band put on an amazing performance that the audience just didn’t want to end. Two encores later, the band had to ask the audience to stop cheering because they simply hadn’t prepared anything else to play. We certainly wore the band thin and I enjoyed every minute of Bombadil’s performance on Saturday night.

I only have one request for Bombadil: can we do it again?

This week in Giveaways!

Here are a few mid-November pick-me-ups you can win by listening to WKNC this week:

11/16: Signal presents Breakestra at Cat's Cradle

11/17: Machester Orchestra with White Denim and The Dear Hunter at Cat's Cradle

          The Tender Fruit with The Loom and Cat Martino at The Pinhook

11/19: Onward, Soldiers with Jack the Radio at The Pinhook

Bombadil Delivers With Their Newest Album

It has been a long time since we have heard anything come from the local folk group Bombadil, which is really quite a shame. Maybe that is why I was so excited for the release of All That The Rain Promises, a new album that follows their 2009 release of Tarpits and Canyonlands. Everything that you hoped would be present on a Bombadil album is apparent in this new release: strong emotional ballads, beautiful folk and pop melodies, and upbeat songs with deeper meanings all combine to create an album that one can become emotionally attached to.

Battling illness in the band and now cross country living situations, I would say that it is quite a feat that Bombadil has been able to get together and record All That The Rain Promises. The album was recorded in a barn in Oregon in the month of January, and the band had to warm themselves by a fire in between recordings. The album was named after a book found on site. Even after being separated and having gone through a lengthy break in recording, Bryan Rahija, Stuart Robinson, Daniel Michalak, and James Phillips of Bombadil were able to create an album that sounds like the same band that played together in 2009, as if no time had passed.

All That The Rain Promises begins with the strong ballad “I Will Wait,” sung by Stuart Robinson. This piano-driven song is an emotional and bare start to the album with Robinson singing to God and asking him to guide him in the right direction. “I will wait for you to swing below and take me away,” ends the ballad. It leads into “The Pony Express,” which includes all members of the band and speaks of a relationship that has fallen apart.

The album transitions to something more upbeat and hopeful with “Laundromat.” The percussion-heavy beginning turns into a catchy song about taking some chances at a Laundromat. “The next time I am at the Laundromat/ I’m going to talk to her!” or “The next time I am at the Laundromat/ I’m going to call my dad!” Bombadil’s use of vocals, harmonies, and storytelling songwriting is one major characteristic of the band and is just right for the music they are creating. It seems that the melodies are written around the lyrics instead of the other way around. The guitar, harmonica, drum, bass, piano, ukulele, keyboard, and trumpet used throughout the album create good accompaniment for the stories that Bombadil shares.

All That The Rain Promises continues with higher-energy songs. "A Question" is, well, awkward, but in the best way possible. The ukulele and high-pitched “what is it Stewart?” add a lighter aspect to something as potentially traumatizing as asking someone if they have deeper feelings for you, which could indeed make things uncomfortable.

Bombadil has mastered the art of emphasis in their music. There are songs on All That The Rain Promises where the spotlight is on the vocals. “Leather Belt” begins with a beautiful harmony concerning a dropped acorn, and “Flour Water Sugar” consists primarily of singing and harmonies. “Avery,” on the other hand, is a very successful instrumental piece almost right in the middle of the album.

When the last song, “Unicycle,” ends, it’s hard not to turn back to the first track and listen to the album again. All That The Rain Promises contains all the makings of one of the best albums of this year through the instrumentals, melodies, harmonies, and of course, the emotional attachment that accompanies every Bombadil song. I look forward to what this band produces in the future.

Constellations Festival Brings Some of Indie's Best to Leeds

I think I picked the right place to study abroad.

Constellations Festival is relatively young, but that doesn't keep the event from bringing in some of Indie's finest acts. 2010's festival included the likes of Broken Social Scene, Sleigh Bells, Local Natives, The Vaccines, and many other fantastic acts. With hopes high for this year, the festival returned to the University of Leeds Student Union on Nov. 12, and it brought acts including Yuck, Braids, The Big Pink, The Antlers, and Stephen Malkmus and the Jicks.

One building, five different proper music venues, and nine hours of cramming in as much music as possible is a daunting task to say the least, and thankfully the folks planning this event allowed for seeing the majority of the largest names with ease. They could have easily planned the event in a way that makes more sense musically. This would include The Antlers opening for Wild Beasts, Yuck opening for Stephen Malkmus and the Jicks, and Summer Camp opening for The Big Pink. Thankfully the large acts played back to back in the same venue with the periods in between sets long enough to pop over to another venue and catch the majority of another band's show.

The culmination of these elements made for one hell of an afternoon and night filled with music, and below are some of the highlights.

Summer Camp

This was by far the biggest surprise of the night. I was amused by the sound of Summer Camp after my initial listen of their debut album Welcome to Condale, but I felt as if there was still much to be desired. Although I had my reservations about the group, they put on one of the most delightful performances of the festival. Their love of 80s nostalgia, although they are probably too young to remember the 80s, brought about a charm to the performance. Famous dance scenes from 80s films projected to a screen on stage alongside the upbeat pop duets with some real swing left me wanting to reevaluate my initial stance on their debut.

 

Stephen Malkmus and the Jicks

One of the most anticipated acts of the festival did exactly what they needed to do. Consistent throughout, Malkmus and company brought their a-game during their hour-long set. Playing mostly new tracks off of Mirror Traffic, they also revisited some of the earlier solo work from Malkmus. The act left me feeling satisfied and lived up to many of expectations I had.

Yuck

If you are a fan of Yuck's self-titled debut, you need to see this band live. There are certain things that recorded songs cannot convey, and the sense of raw, distorted power is definitely one of them. The band had some initial technical hiccups after the mics cut out on them toward the end of their last song, and walked off as the stage crew came back on to get everything working properly. The band took it in stride. After walking back on stage frontman Daniel Blumber jokingly announced, "This is our longest encore ever." The band mixed up their tracks much like in their album, going from one faster paced harder sound to one a bit more reserved. It was the track "Rubber" that stole the show. The 7-minute song provided a visceral listening experience that shook the ears and body to its distorted 90s rock core, something much better understood when experienced instead of described.

 

The Antlers

This band is easily one of the best in filling the room with their atmospheric sound, regardless of size. That's exactly what they did on this night. Playing the best from their debut and their second album, The Antlers demonstrated how they are able to beautifully construct songs that in some moments lack vocals yet sound structured, and when the vocals kick in it provides a fine compliment to their rest of their truly gorgeous sound.

 

Wild Beasts

It was a bit of a homecoming for the band currently based in Leeds, and their set brought out the largest crowd of the entire night. The large room was packed to the ceiling as the band covered tracks from their entire discography, and the songs both slow and upbeat highlighted the best of the band. Like Yuck, Wild Beasts live proved just how incredibly powerful their vocals are. It felt like a somewhat surreal experience to hear these regular guys produce such operatic and captivating voices. All in all, they gave one of the best performance of the night ending what was already a fantastic day.

LBLB 11.10.11 Photo Recap

Photography by WKNC Photographer Katie Hill

Luego


Created with Admarket's flickrSLiDR.

Skylar Gudaz & the Ugly Girls


Created with Admarket's flickrSLiDR.

Mystery Roach Celebrates Four Years

On Saturday, Nov. 12, Mystery Roach will be celebrating its 4th anniversary.  Since the first broadcast on Nov. 17, 2007, the show has explored 1960s and 1970s Progressive, Garage, Fusion, Psychedelic, and noise every Saturday morning from 8-10 a.m.  Additionally, La Barba Rossa, the show's host, has welcomed an eclectic mix of guests from around NCSU's campus and around the Triangle.  There have been conversations about beer, ants, film, the suburbs, the Mellotron, roller derby, fungus, hot peppers, comic books, censorship, and more. Frank Stasio has even stopped by for beard care advice.

Be part of the show by calling the Mystery Roach Hotline (919-322-8863), posting on the Facebook Fan Page, or sending an email. What do you like about the show? What do you hate about it? Have you noticed any trends over the years? What do you do whilst listening to the show? Is it part of your Saturday ritual? Do you have any requests?

Thanks for listening over the years!

Top 30—WKNC’s Top Albums of the Week, 11/10/11

1. Future Islands - On The Water (Thrill Jockey)

2. Zola Jesus - Conatus (Sacred Bones)

3. Widowspeak - Widowspeak (Captured Tracks)

4. Young Man - Ideas of Distance (Frenchkiss)

5. The Field - Looping State Of Mind (Kompakt)

6. Class Actress - Rapproacher (Carpark)

7. St. Vincent - Strange Mercy (4AD)

8. Megafaun - Megafaun (Hometapes)

9. Youth Lagoon - The Year of Hibernation (Fat Possum)

10. Sugarplum Fairies - The Images We Get (M-M)

11. Various Artists - GRPTPS Vs. PTLCK (Grip Tapes)

12. Viva Voce - The Future Will Destroy You (Vanguard)

13. Wilco - The Whole Love (Anti)

14. Wild Flag - Wild Flag (Merge)

15. Mandolin Orange - Haste Make/Hard Hearted Stranger (Self-Released)

16. Icebird - The Abandoned Lullaby (RJ's Electrical Connections)

17. Real Estate - Days (Domino)

18. M83 - Hurry Up, We're Dreaming (Mute)

19. Bonnie Prince Billy - Wolfroy Goes To Town (Drag City)

20. Wavves - Life Sux (Ghost Ramp)

21. Mike Doughty - Yes And Also Yes (Megaforce-Snack Bar)

22. High Places - Original Colors (Thrill Jockey)

23. Jens Lekman - An Argument With Myself (Secretly Canadian)

24. Touché Amoré - Parting The Sea Between Brightness And Me (Deathwish)

25. Donora - Boyfriends, Girlfriends (Rostrum)

26. Phantogram - Nightlife (Barsuk)

27. Jono McCleery - There Is (Counter)

28. Patti Smith - Outside of Society (Columbia)

29. Hella - Tripper (Sargent House)

30. Wu Lyf - Go Tell Fire To The Mountain (L Y F)

EOT74 GLBT Center 11/8/11

EcoCar 2- Right now, we all use gasoline and fossil fuels to get around, but they won't last forever.  Students right here at NC State are working to solve the problem of oil addiction, and Nick had the story.

GLBT Center-  It's hard being a gay, lesbian, bisexual, or transgendered student here on campus.  Other students don't always understand what's going on in their heads.  The GLBT Center serves as a refuge for students who need support that they may not be getting elsewhere.  Jake met up with some members of the center and has the story.

Defense of Marriage Act- The Defense of Marriage Act, or DOMA, has become a hot-button issue here in North Carolina.  Recently in the student senate here at NC State, they came up with a bill of their own.  Jay has prepared a story to try and explain what's going on.

African Awareness Week- This week is African Awareness Week here at NC State, and Chris has the scoop on what it is, what it means to the campus, and what it means for the African American Cultural Center.

http://interviews.wknc.org/eot/EOT74_110811.mp3

11/4/11 Fridays on the Lawn Photo Recap

Photography by Student Media Photographer John Kovalchik


Created with Admarket's flickrSLiDR.

LBLB 11/4/11 Photo Recap

Photography by WKNC photographer Katie Hill


Created with Admarket's flickrSLiDR.

M83 sends us back to space

M83 does one heck of a job with their latest double disc album, Hurry Up, We’re Dreaming, which was released on Oct. 18.  Being their sixth studio album, and following behind such pivotal releases like Saturdays = Youth, M83 had a lot to live up to. Even though some have criticized the album for sounding different, I think it’s a beautiful new direction for the band.

Named after the Messier 83 galaxy, M83 continues delivering ambient tunes and goes back and forth between either solely instrumental or minimal lyrics with full-blown epic tracks on Hurry Up, We’re Dreaming. There are a ton of space and dream references, which create a feeling of being outside of this planet while the listener zones out to it.  

Anthony Gonzalez, producer and main component of M83, described this two disc compilation as “brother and sister, with each track having a sibling on the other disc.”   I personally can’t quite figure out if he’s referring to the six instrumental tracks, but that’s how I choose to believe the two discs are paired off.  There’s also a few interesting plays with the way the tracks are arranged on the discs with titles, like tracks 10 and 11 being, “When Will You Come Home?” followed by “Soon, My Friend.”   

Going back to the main theme of this album, dreaming, the listener can either feel it with the synth and shoegaze sounds, or with the spacial lyrics.  Gonzalez said himself in an interview with Spin magazine that, “It's mainly about dreams, how every one is different, how you dream differently when you're a kid, a teenager, or an adult. I'm really proud of it. If you're doing a very long album, all the songs need to be different and I think I've done that with this one.”  I agree that the album progresses perfectly, and one can get a sense of maturity as it continues.

Most of the lyrics on the album either refer to time, love, or space, like in “My Tears Are Becoming a Sea,” with the lyrics “I’m slowly drifting to you/ this star is a planet,” or in “Claudia Lewis,” saying “alone, twenty millions years from my place/ a slide on the starlight./ Watch out, a new planet right on my trail!/ The space, oh, oh it’s mine!”

They also chose to use instruments that they’ve previously never experimented with, like a saxophone jam on their first single and second track, “Midnight City.”  The use of the saxophone and other instruments, and the way in which M83 created this album, seems to be heavily influenced by a mixture of the synth-pop, as well as shoegaze, created in the 1980s.

Prior to this album, Gonzalez toured with Depeche Mode, who were huge throughout the ‘80s and still create music with the same darker electronic sounds.  The song “OK Pal” reminds me of Tears for Fears, who were also extremely popular in the ‘80s, because of the vocals and music.  You can get a sense of the shoegaze genre with the droning repeated lyrics accompanied by heavy instrumental emphasis in the songs “Another Wave from You” and “This Bright Flash.”

They’ve also included two monologues: the track “Echoes of Mine,” which is a beautiful story in French of a woman walking through a forest and reverting back to her twenty-year-old self, ending with “I loved like I'd never loved.” The second, “Raconte-Moi une Histoire,” which means “tell me a story,” is of a child telling the listener about a frog that changes its life, which sounds peculiarly like a story of a drug experience.  This adds a whole other level to some of the lyrics and sounds of the album, but relating it to space is enough detail on that, and it's interesting that they chose to do an English monologue with a French title, then the reverse.

In all, this album has to be a huge personal revelation for Gonzalez.  He said in an interview with music OMH, that Hurry Up, We’re Dreaming is "a reflection of my 30 years as a human being" and something he dedicated to himself.  Each listener can travel to the place where he was each time they put on this album, and float out to space with the beautiful lyrics and synth sounds.

 

EOT73 Rembrandt 11/1/11

Air Force ROTC Dining In, Rembrandt Exhibit, Fearless Ranger, Nancy McFarlane Interview, Sports, Soccer News, This Week in History

Air Force ROTC Dining In- Mark brings us a story about the on-campus Air Force ROTC's tradition of "dining in".

Rembrandt Exhibit-  The North Carolina is hosting the largest Rembrandt exhibit in North America and Jacob was there to check it out.

Fearless Ranger- Jake premiers the first episode in an original radio play in which we follow the adventures of "The Fearless Ranger".

Nancy McFarlane Interview- In continuing election coverage, we bring you an interview from the Raleigh Public Record with Nancy McFarlane to see what the next two years in Raleigh will look like.

http://interviews.wknc.org/eot/EOT73_110111.mp3

Ra Ra Riot 10/28 at Cat's Cradle

On Friday, Oct. 28, I had the pleasure of seeing Yellow Ostrich and Delicate Steve open for Ra Ra Riot.

Let me start off by saying I always love a band that takes sips of beer in between songs. The boys of Yellow Ostrich were delightfully playful, with front man Alex Schaaf charmingly interacting with the audience and willingly answering questions like “What is your favorite color?” (It’s red.) Not only that, but they were extremely talented. The songs ranged from garage rock grittiness to melancholic and haunting ballads, most of which included clever, not annoying, uses of looping. Schaaf passionately shredded on his guitar and drummer Michael Tapper beat the drums like they were someone he hated. However, it was bassist Jon Natchez who stole my heart. When Natchez was free of his duties as a bassist, he doubled as a full-blown brass band, playing the trombone and tenor sax with impeccable style and talent.

Following Yellow Ostrich, I had a feeling I was in for a good time with Delicate Steve when I saw the strobe lights come out. I am familiar with Delicate Steve’s music, and they have been climbing my “Most Played” list on iTunes throughout the year. The stage lights had been turned off, and one by one the members of the band arrived on stage, lit only from below by the aforementioned strobe lights. The minute Steve Marion and the band begin to play the appropriate “Welcome – Begin,” the audience knew it was time to dance. I felt like I was walking in on the Wild Rumpus, with the tribal-like percussion and Steve’s fancy fingers shredding on his treble-like guitar. It didn’t stop there, as Steve and his crew managed to keep the party going with upbeat jams like “Sugar Splash,” but still made time to showcase the band’s real talent with more melodic tunes (which are still very danceable). It was a phenomenal experience, one in which I will not miss out on if they come around again.

-Salt Water Jaffee

 

Ra Ra Riot returned to the Cradle in Carrboro with more dazzling dance songs. The newly-revamped Cradle provided almost twice the amount of dance space than in previous years, and most concert attendees took advantage of all the leg room! The six-piece band showed off their dynamic instrumental talents throughout their set, changing instruments and having different band members sing lead vocals. One of the best parts of Ra Ra Riot is their added twist on what could be average indie. Violinist Rebecca Zeller and electric cellist Alexandra Lawn were the most interesting to watch on stage because of their obvious passion for their instruments, and lulls in songs were spiced up with their luscious arrangements. Lead singer Wes Miles fed off the energy of the crowd thumping and dancing. He kept the crowd enthralled with his energy and vocals, which never seemed to miss a note. The New York band played their hits from their first CD, including "Ghost Under Rocks," "Can You Tell," and "Boy," as well as others from The Rhumb Line. The band mixed in new songs from their second album The Orchard, such as "Shadowcasting." Finishing off the night, Wes Miles told the audience we were a "special crowd," and continued into the encore that left everyone dancing even after the music stop playing.

-Riff Raff

EOT Preview, 11/1/11

This week, Eye on the Triangle brings you stories from the NC Museum of Art, where Jacob Downey went to visit the new Rembrandt exhibit.

Switching from the art world to politics, Nancy McFarlane gives us an interview as the new mayor-elect for the city of Raleigh.

Mark Herring visits with the ROTC to gain some insight into their long and proud history. Speaking of history, Nick and Dave return this week with another installment of This Week in History. And just so things don’t get too serious, Jake Langlois brings us tales from the Wild West, in The Adventures of the Fearless Ranger.

As always, we’re bringing you soccer news, happenings around campus, and the latest from the sports desk. Also, be sure to check out our blog and look for the podcast of this week’s show up on Thursday, Nov. 3. Stay tuned.

CMJ Loud Rock from WKNC’s Chainsaw 11/1/11

1. Absu - Abzu (Candlelight)

2. Anthrax - Worship Music (Megaforce)

3. Chelsea Grin - My Damnation (Razor And Tie)

4. Machine Head - Unto The Locust (Roadrunner)

5. Warbringer - Worlds Torn Asunder (Century Media)

6. Mastodon - The Hunter (Reprise)

7. Cradle Of Filth - Evermore Darkly (Nuclear Blast)

8. Iced Earth - Dystopia (Century Media)

9. Anvil - Monument Of Metal: The Very Best of Anvil (The End)

10. Hull - Beyond the Lightless Sky (The End)

Chainsaw Rock DeathPod Episode 2

Strap in for another amazing set of local and regional metal music! This set contains an awesome variety of thrash, death, and black with some progressive influences and the spirits of many Viking warriors. So unsheathe your swords, raise the horns, and get ready to rock to some of the best undiscovered metal talent for the next half-hour right here with Lucretia, the Mistress of Destruction, and Cannibal Cory.

This episode's lineup includes:
Murder from Baltimore, Md.
Blacktip from Raleigh
Æther Realm from Greenville, N.C. (They have freely released their EP here)
Wake of Redemption from Asheboro, N.C.
Mysterium Tremendum from Chapel Hill
Stygian Altar from Charlotte

If you dig any of these talented groups, why not like the DeathPod on Facebook and give them a shout-out?

Happy headbanging!

http://interviews.wknc.org/deathpod02.mp3

The Tender Fruit Receives NC Arts Council Grant

Christy Smith, the brilliant songstress behind The Tender Fruit, was recently awarded the NC Arts Council Fellowship for 2011-2012.  Smith has been making quite the name for herself over the past few years, between stirring up waves with her much heralded 2010 release Flotsam & Krill and playing out at festivals like Hopscotch, Shakori Hills, and Troika, her talent has permeated throughout the Triangle with many individuals picking up on the rustic brilliance of The Tender Fruit, including the folks at the NC Arts Council.

Each year the NC Arts Council awards $10,000 in grants to North Carolina artists like Christy as a way of giving back and showing appreciation to these artists.  Much of North Carolina's deep culture can be found in bunches throughout the local scenes that are scattered among the state and Christy Smith certainly stands out among the crowd.

The Tender Fruit will be using their grant to help fund work on their new album, purchase new gear, and fund various other projects in the near future.  It's always great seeing artists get the appreciation and respect that they deserve, and we here at WKNC extend our congratulations to Christy for this excellent achievement!