91.5
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Friday Morning
News News News:Friday Morning
- The French Divorce Rate: 50% What They Are Doing!
- RIP Jerry Fuchs
- Bleach Reissued, Live at Reading boot leg remastered/officially released
- Redford on "The Greatest Sports Movie Ever Made"
- Shutthefuckupabouttheapocalypse, especially YOU
- We hope you didn't miss the Lil Wayne Documentary either
- Interesting Top 25, Paste
- Aron Eckhart, "Indie Black Comedy Asshole?"
- Don't Mess With Texassssssssssssss
- Zombies
- Fall Seminar: "Global Economy - Local Woes" 11/30 ICC
- Gingerbread?!
- Bear in Heaven - Good thing they put out another album because you can't just start sounding like Eno, you have to earn it. Beast Rest Fourth Mouth is a spastic, layered, entrancing quagmire.
- Mary Onettes - Someone's always sounding like Joydivisionneworderfactoryect...but who knew it would come from the Swedes. Droney and driving, the Mary Onettes invoke the shimmery 80s rock ballad and update synth-soaked dance-pop for us all.
- Nirvana - Even though the Bleach reissue is fucking insane, Live at Reading may be insaner. If we have to write something more about this...I'm sorry.
The dBs - Stands for Decibels - Power pop jangle. I guess that about sums it up. Until the mid 1990s, when it became clear this commercially unsuccessful band was highly influential on the likes of REM, Yo la Tengo, and probably a little bit Pavement and Nirvana. Stands for Decibels was their debut, and the opening track Black and White was a perfect rock song. Really fast, with the drummer utilizing rims and clicks over straight rock beats, each song seems to build. Headed by not one, but two singer-songwriters in Peter Hopsdale and Chris Stanley who play guitar/synth/vocals across the whole album. Each is a perfect 'alt-rocker' and each brings an idea to the early 80s pop table. Listen as they interpolate the Kinks!
with subverso's newest ep, "within the hour", the band solidifies a change that has been itching to emerge from their latest series of ep's. this ep opens with an electric based instrumental "towers". the ambience that it creates is something different than previous efforts, but also starkly different from the rest of the ep. with that being said, it transitions really well into the next track. "giving it all" is a very catchy song. intricate guitar lines weave a web of twelve-string beauty over the now signature driving drums and appropriate, yet challenging bass lines. the song breaks down into a complex and funk sounding interlude around the 2 minute mark, breaking up the easier to grasp beginning and ending sections. "counting electric storms" is a slower to build, but very well crafted, intense song. the dynamic and tempo contrasts between the beginning of the song, and the middle sections are brought back together with an ending much like the intro. the song really conveys a very desolate, yet profound feeling. the last track on the ep, the title track "within the hour" really ties together all of the solid characteristics of the ep. a more up tempo song, it drives along with a force unlike the other songs, but still evokes similar emotional reactions from the listener. as an ep, "within the hour" showcases a newer writing style for the band, and new elements being brought to the forefront. the vocals are usually very airy and reverb heavy, or spoken in an almost muttered tone. this really adds to the emotions that the songs are trying to portray. in all, the ep is a little short, with what i would consider an intro and three songs. though brief (about 15 minutes), it is definitely a solid album with a lot to offer.
rating: 7/10
standout track: giving it all
BIG NUG
(myspace.com/bignugforyou)
Wild improvisational electronic music that's going to cleanse your soul... or make you want to roll face, freak out, and murder your parents. The solo project of WUML's own, beautiful savant, Harrison Cubberly: armed with an electribe, Korg, and big nugs- Big Nug thrives in a live setting. Words to describe the live performances? Says Nug himself, "WILD, LIFE CHANGING, UNCOMFORTABLE, FREAK OUT/FREAK ON A LEASH, and DEPRESSIVE SEX".
There you have it, folks. Big Nug has a show at Fox Common this coming Thursday night, so come down and check him out!
Wild improvisational electronic music that's going to cleanse your soul... or make you want to roll face, freak out, and murder your parents. The solo project of WUML's own, beautiful savant, Harrison Cubberly: armed with an electribe, Korg, and big nugs- Big Nug thrives in a live setting. Words to describe the live performances? Says Nug himself, "WILD, LIFE CHANGING, UNCOMFORTABLE, FREAK OUT/FREAK ON A LEASH, and DEPRESSIVE SEX".
There you have it, folks. Big Nug has a show at Fox Common this coming Thursday night, so come down and check him out!
With the release of the new Boston Spaceships album and Guided By Voices Suitcase 3, one can't help but wonder what Pollard is doing. The answer is sort of the same stuff... Pollard has been writing and recording since the demise of the DIY deities Guided By Voices. GBV formed in 1983 and beginning with 1992's Propeller, began a recording a slew of incredible albums on 4-track. Alien Lanes, Bee Thousand, Vampire on Titus, and Mag Earwhig were the perfect Indie albums to couple with the 1990s. Pollard, who wrote most of the songs, infused GBV the aurora of a silent majority of regulars.
Even as late of 2001, the release of Isolation Drills could be considered one of their best. Bob's 1:30 - 2:15 minute gems usually found their place on an album of 15-25 tracks. Between '83 and today, he has released 16 with GBV, 13 solo projects, and 26 under other banners. This massive mesh of interlocking projects featured some of GBV, the man in particular was Tobin Sprout with whom he released two Airport 5 albums. Bob can write songs. The 1998 documentary Watch Me Jumpstart features a interview with Bob and his brother explaining how he used to come up with songs when he was younger, and they're in the burger joint (probably in Dayton, as Pollard is a notorious home-body) where Bob can recall it word for word. Boston Spaceships is just the latest of this phenomenon. Already on their 4th release, entitled Zero to 99, it seems each new project is just a way of writing Bob's legacy.
Zero to 99 discusses some facet of an older man reminiscing on beautiful 90s slacking...or perhaps looking ahead to a cloudy future. The beauty isn't in the meaning which you get instantly, its usually veiled in a strange character (Pluto the Skate) or some extended awkward metaphor (Godless). Zero flows in and out of strange pops, Let it Rest For a While has chunky, reverbed guitar and floating vocals where as Trahsed Aircraft Baby begins with a cheesey sample which seems just sewn on the front end, ready to fall off. Godless is a solitary, clean bard's tale. Track after track, you can see the seams in the album. Did he write this group on a rainy day? Had he just got done listening to the Cars for a day? Or perhaps he just got over a recording session running late into the night and had to go out for beer. Regardless, it is still chock full of lo-fi sounds, ranging from trumpet to loosed-cord...or (chord) guitars and tin-foil headed snare drums.
One could never fathom how many songs he's actually thought up because we only get to experience those he's recorded. Even Dylan needed a backing band eventually. Randy Newman wrote about the good old days in Ohio. Leonard Cohen's returned, far from his golden years. And you can pretty much always find Bowie. Bob Pollard has certainly joined the ranks.
One could never fathom how many songs he's actually thought up because we only get to experience those he's recorded. Even Dylan needed a backing band eventually. Randy Newman wrote about the good old days in Ohio. Leonard Cohen's returned, far from his golden years. And you can pretty much always find Bowie. Bob Pollard has certainly joined the ranks.
I'm going to put this out there immediately for all you who can't read through the whole article: This show was absolutely fucking mindblowing.
Boston natives Big Digits are one of the funnest live groups to catch in the area. Part Girl Talk mash up/sampling, part over the top Spank Rock rap, every song is like your favorite party on fire. With two DJ's rocking their Macbook Pro's and two MCs, the quartet claimed this would be their last show in a long while to take time off to "regroup". And, well, if this said statement was true, then it was a great way to go out. With balloons being tossed everywhere over the mass of sweaty art students, Big Digits were a glorious site to behold. Let's hope they come back as soon as possible.NUCLEAR POWER PANTS
NPP have been on tour with Dan Deacon for a little over a month now; coming into this show, I had no idea what to expect what-so-ever, so this was a pleasant surprise. Mixing heavy sci-fi concepts with synth-y music, costumes, 2 lead singers, and 3 back-up school girl singers, Power Pants were here to rock. The Baltimore band admitted they usually weren't too fond of making the trip down to Boston, but were pleased to be playing, and asked the crowd to make them famous. Although the band was fun, I thought it might have been a little to gimmick-y. Be the judge on this one!
(on a super special note, there was a couple feeling each other- under the shirt- throughout their whole peformance)
DAN DEACON
NPP have been on tour with Dan Deacon for a little over a month now; coming into this show, I had no idea what to expect what-so-ever, so this was a pleasant surprise. Mixing heavy sci-fi concepts with synth-y music, costumes, 2 lead singers, and 3 back-up school girl singers, Power Pants were here to rock. The Baltimore band admitted they usually weren't too fond of making the trip down to Boston, but were pleased to be playing, and asked the crowd to make them famous. Although the band was fun, I thought it might have been a little to gimmick-y. Be the judge on this one!(on a super special note, there was a couple feeling each other- under the shirt- throughout their whole peformance)
It was the moment we were all waiting for. Prepped with multiple strobe lights, masks, and his Trippy Green Skull, Dan Deacon was ready to get everyone psyched. The show began with him counting down his favorite Aerosmith cars, followed by banter about a car with dogs for wheels... This amazing form of absurd escapism continued all night, while Deacon tore through "Woof Woof", "Snookered", "Trippy Green Skull", "Wham City", and even a new piece of music- one that was both pummeling, sprawling, jumbling, and absolutely batshit crazy. Chipmunk vocals intact, Deacon led us through a dance competition, high fave track run, and interpretive dance version of "Of the Mountains". The crowd was going wild, throwing each other towards Deacon any chance there was room to breathe. Rather than dance to the electronic spasms of pure joy Deacon shot out, people seemed to convulse, scream, and freak out entirely. Frightening, but fun, and maybe even a little bit beautiful.On a similar note, WUML has an interview lined up with Dr. Dan Deacon on Saturday, and shall be aired the following Tuesday (the Beautiful Savant) and Wednesday (Bedlam: The American Dream)... It will also be posted, in it's entirety on this blog! So stay tuned, folks.
www.myspace.com/dandeacon
www.myspace.com/bigdigit
www.myspace.com/nuclearpowerpants
As the 20th anniversary of the falling of the wall is celebrated today, one can't help but wonder the massive influx of art which would've of occurred during November of 1989. "Nazi Germany was the only genocidal regime that made aesthetics and art an important component of regime ideology," according to Johnathan Petropoulous in his book Art as Politics in the Third Reich. So what do you get in Berlin at the end of the '80s? Massively suppressed music behind the curtain and people who are now able to shop for music which is in good supply.
Finally, Kraftwerk, Alphaville, and Einstürzende Neubauten, who were popular German bands all at the time, could be bought by people as they were most likely on sale in the west. The Sex Pistols is another example, in examining the underground Punk scene there. Even the Scorpions, who formed in Hanover, were not behind the curtain. For some, it may have even meant getting their hands on legitimate copies of U2, Queen, Hall and Oates, or Michael Jackson and ect. They also banned 1984, so I wonder if they got the hint about Pink Floyd.
For the most part, the Beatles and the rolling Stones had made it into the Red half of the world and were giving a hazy view of rock and roll. Local scenes sprang up in large numbers due to government oppression of radio and other important media, there was also a lack of record labels. Bard music, or songwriters making music against the grain of Soviet establishment, was popular in the 60s and began merging with rock and roll over the next two decades. Soon enough, folky renditions of the Gulags, fascist governments, city living, crime, and the Great Patriotic War (WWII) would be merged with full 5 piece bands with amps.
The gasp of hope for these bands might be the above LP from a 1980 rock festival was held in Tbilisi Georgia. Officials there awarded prizes to bands Mashina Vremeni and the Magnetic Band, a Credence Clearwater Revival sound alike and a metal band, respectively. 9 Years later, several bands from the festival would hit the world. Awards also went to Autograph, Labyrinth, Integral, VIA-75, and Gunresh, all of whom were featured on the LP. It should be noted, the two first place bands had the same front man in Gunnar Grap, who had been touring at the time.
Of course now we have the complete westernized bastardization of the whole event.
Finally, Kraftwerk, Alphaville, and Einstürzende Neubauten, who were popular German bands all at the time, could be bought by people as they were most likely on sale in the west. The Sex Pistols is another example, in examining the underground Punk scene there. Even the Scorpions, who formed in Hanover, were not behind the curtain. For some, it may have even meant getting their hands on legitimate copies of U2, Queen, Hall and Oates, or Michael Jackson and ect. They also banned 1984, so I wonder if they got the hint about Pink Floyd.
For the most part, the Beatles and the rolling Stones had made it into the Red half of the world and were giving a hazy view of rock and roll. Local scenes sprang up in large numbers due to government oppression of radio and other important media, there was also a lack of record labels. Bard music, or songwriters making music against the grain of Soviet establishment, was popular in the 60s and began merging with rock and roll over the next two decades. Soon enough, folky renditions of the Gulags, fascist governments, city living, crime, and the Great Patriotic War (WWII) would be merged with full 5 piece bands with amps.
The gasp of hope for these bands might be the above LP from a 1980 rock festival was held in Tbilisi Georgia. Officials there awarded prizes to bands Mashina Vremeni and the Magnetic Band, a Credence Clearwater Revival sound alike and a metal band, respectively. 9 Years later, several bands from the festival would hit the world. Awards also went to Autograph, Labyrinth, Integral, VIA-75, and Gunresh, all of whom were featured on the LP. It should be noted, the two first place bands had the same front man in Gunnar Grap, who had been touring at the time.
Of course now we have the complete westernized bastardization of the whole event.
THE SINBUSTERS
Based around our wonderful city of Lowell, the Sinbusters take classic, loveable rock 'n' roll and rape the tears out of it. I'd like to call it "garbage rock": regardless of how you want to label them, the Sinbusters are big up-and-comers in Lowell's scene, and are- by far- my favorite local band.
Rather than sit around and describe their sound(s) to everyone out there- I'll leave it with a simple garbage rock/garage/psych/absolute insanity tag- I'll tell you who they are, and send you over to them.
THE SINBUSTERS ARE (from their myspace):
Nick - vox, guitar, sonic youth t-shirt, turning guitar up way too loud.
Pat - keys, vox, costumes, pigtails, sequins and flounce.
Jen - tambo, vox, shaker, "feminine mystique", drunk.
Seth - Drums, hair flips, jazzy beats, nutless treats.
You can check them out at, http://www.myspace.com/thesinbusters
Based around our wonderful city of Lowell, the Sinbusters take classic, loveable rock 'n' roll and rape the tears out of it. I'd like to call it "garbage rock": regardless of how you want to label them, the Sinbusters are big up-and-comers in Lowell's scene, and are- by far- my favorite local band.
Rather than sit around and describe their sound(s) to everyone out there- I'll leave it with a simple garbage rock/garage/psych/absolute insanity tag- I'll tell you who they are, and send you over to them.
THE SINBUSTERS ARE (from their myspace):
Nick - vox, guitar, sonic youth t-shirt, turning guitar up way too loud.
Pat - keys, vox, costumes, pigtails, sequins and flounce.
Jen - tambo, vox, shaker, "feminine mystique", drunk.
Seth - Drums, hair flips, jazzy beats, nutless treats.
You can check them out at, http://www.myspace.com/thesinbusters
91.5
7AM-9AM
Friday Morning
Sorry about our hiatus. You're part of our team.
News:Friday Morning
Sorry about our hiatus. You're part of our team.
- The Radio London Movie: The Boat that Rocked/Pirate Radio
- The Philip Seymour Hoffman Breakdown
- Top Ten Future Sports
- Art of Healing in Lowell
- Ghostbusters Part III
- Films: Inconsistency a Virtue?
- Dennis Hopper has Prostate Cancer
- Easier than NYC, but don't call it the fucking T
- 50 Best Films of the Decade
- The Carl Sagan/Steven Hawking 7" split.
- Mickey you're so fine.
- SUF[YAH]AN not JAN
:15
Been defogging your windshield often? Do your eyes itch, nose get stuffy, hands feel dry? Flying Elves are back! November and December are perfect elven weather, don't be caught off guard. For more information on Flying Elves call 1-800-348-2299. This message has been brought to you by WUML Lowell.
:30
You can see them, you can't hear them, but you must be aware of them. Flying Elves are back! November and December are perfect elven weather, don't be caught off guard. Remember to carry a de-icer in your car, wash your hands...especially when using public restrooms on second floors, and only wear socks twice at most. Don't let yourself get elffed! For more information on Flying Elves call 1-800-348-2299. This message has been brought to you by WUML Lowell.
Been defogging your windshield often? Do your eyes itch, nose get stuffy, hands feel dry? Flying Elves are back! November and December are perfect elven weather, don't be caught off guard. For more information on Flying Elves call 1-800-348-2299. This message has been brought to you by WUML Lowell.
:30
You can see them, you can't hear them, but you must be aware of them. Flying Elves are back! November and December are perfect elven weather, don't be caught off guard. Remember to carry a de-icer in your car, wash your hands...especially when using public restrooms on second floors, and only wear socks twice at most. Don't let yourself get elffed! For more information on Flying Elves call 1-800-348-2299. This message has been brought to you by WUML Lowell.
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