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(10/30/14 7:34pm)
A lot of people have a lot of opinions on the maturation of Taylor Swift and her latest album, 1989.
I don't really have much of an opinion. But as an avid music listener and white girl, I'm sort of forced to have an opinion. So here it is.
Taylor Swift is the human form of the Pumpkin Spiced Latte two years from now when we're all laughing "haha remember back in 2014 when literally everything and anything was Pumpkin Spiced flavored? What a time to be alive! You know what would be hilariously ironic of us to do? Go to Starbucks and buy a Pumpkin Spiced Latte!"
But then your friend would point out that the hilarious irony isn't worth the sickeningly sweet, and quite honestly, gross $4 latte.
On 1989, Swift does her best to shed her Nashville country-girl image. Not that it's surprising, I mean all her hits from her past albums (think "You Belong With Me" and "I Knew You Were Trouble") were more Z100 than WMZQ. She also tries to attempt to discard her good girl, celibate lifestyle (I mean she dated Harry Styles, WE ALL KNOW WHAT YOU DID TAYLOR) she still doesn't outwardly talk about sex, but she talks about boys (Harry) staying over for a weekend, and there's only so many cats to play with and cookies to bake.
However, to me what makes this album so different and dare I say, revolutionary, in today's top 40 pop music industry-machine is that Taylor seriously tries so hard to sound like other female artists that have made a name for themselves. Not only that, but Taylor has become part of the ultra-friendship clique where she, Lorde, Tavi Gevinson, Lena Dunham and Haim are somehow friends. This is all so apparent and her friendships influence her music, arguably more than her past failed relationships which proves to her maturation more than anything else.
That being said, let's go track by track and see exactly who Taylor is trying to be. This will be fun.
1. "Welcome to New York"- This is the worst song on the album. I've listened to it once. Now twice to write this article. It's garbage, therefore she must be trying to be Kidz Bop because it sounds like a weird 80s synth version of a Kidz Bop song that plays at a Catholic middle school dance where the boys and girls in a small Midwest town have to slow dance far enough from each other to make room for God, as they dream about moving to New York, which one day they will learn is nothing like Taylor's version of New York.
2. "Blank Space"- People are already saying this is the best song on the album and I wouldn't disagree with that. Taylor's much publicized friendship Lorde is most evident in this track, and Taylor copies Lorde's minimalist bass lines sounding very similar to "Glory and the Gore." Taylor also kills it with the lyrics on this song, simultaneously being self-deprecating, "I've got a long list of ex-lovers/they'll tell you I'm insane," and showing off her new IDGAF attitude towards what they think, which I can't help but think is in part because of her new super friend group.
3. "Style"- A cookie-cutter pop song. Anyone could sing this song. Katy Perry could sing this song. Taylor is trying to be Katy Perry on this track I guess.
4. "Out of the Woods"-ARE WE OUT OF THE WOODS YET ARE WE OUT OF THE WOODS YET???? I love this song. Partly because it was produced by Jack Antonoff (Fun./Bleachers/80s pop enthusiast/Lena Dunham's lover) So much 80s synth pop it sounds like it could be another track on Bleacher's Strange Desire.
5. "All You Had To Do Is Stay"-A classic tswift song. Heartbreak. A soaring chorus. Lyrics anyone would relate to.
6. "Shake it Off"- Has anyone ever released a better single ever? Probably. But this song is so fun. It's so topical and relevant! Haters! Bullies! Gamergate! Ban all the haters! Bow down to Taylor Swift! The voice of awkward dancers everywhere!
7. "I Wish You Would"-Ok the first seven seconds of this song sound like a One Direction song. Is that on purpose? Will we ever know? But that's not important because on this track Taylor is trying to sound like Haim. Yes you read that correctly. The first time I heard this song I thought I heard the Max Martin produced version of "If I Could Change Your Mind." Weird right? But it does sound very similar.
8. "Bad Blood"- Be less excited about having relationship problems. Simmer down.
9. "Wildest Dreams"- Lana Del Rey. Taylor Swift is trying to sound like Lana Del Rey. Everything is nothing.
10. "How You Get The Girl"- Ahh finally a guide to get a girl! Sending this song to all my future boyfriends ASAP! No more awkward texts/no more "are we a thing or not a thing." Taylor's got us covered. This song is bad.
11. "This Love"-Nap time. Every album needs a song to nap through. Still some weird 80s synth going on here, making it almost sound like an 80s love ballad. But then you remember it's Taylor Swift.
12. "I Know Places"-THAT CASSETTE CLICK IS SO UNNECESSARY. Her audience, the born-after-2000 crowd, doesn't know what a cassette click is, granted they don't even know what a cassette is. "Woah there was a time when people had to pay for music and you have to use external devices to play it. Haha that sucks, let's go bully some kids on snapchat now."-every kid born after 2000 listening to this song probably. I actually really like this song though. Taylor's voice sounds really good.
13. "Clean"-In this track, Taylor sings about being 10-months sober from a relationship. She sings over a mechanical sounding beat. It's a decent song.
14. "Wonderland"-This is Taylor's impression of Rihanna circa "Umbrella."
15. "You R in Love"- It's a sweet song. And to all the people who freak out about Americans scoring so low on reading tests compared to people in other countries, maybe look to pop music. "You R in Love?" "R?"
16. "New Romance"-THIS ALBUM IS SO LONG. This song is fun though! [insert montage of girls dancing in a room forgetting about their heartbreak]
I'm exhausted.
(10/29/14 2:12pm)
Chance the Rapper
Chance the Rapper is headed to the IU Auditorium on Oct. 29 to start Halloweekend on a high note. Hailing from Chicago, Chance is undoubtedly influenced by the local rap scene, and in an interview he said that Kanye's debut album, The College Dropout, was the first album that he had bought.
In 2011, during his senior year in high school (yes if Chance was like the rest of us he would be a college senior) he was suspended for 10 days and during that time, he recorded his first mixtape, 10 Day. Since then, Chance has been steadily become a well-known name in the rap/r&b scene, especially after being featured on Childish Gambino's Royalty, and then opening from Gambino during his tour in 2012.
In April 2013, Chance dropped his first full-length album, Acid Rap, receiving praise from his original listeners as well as all the fans that led to the album going double platinum. Since then, Chance has appeared on track by everyone from Mac Miller to Gambino, and he returned to the big stage in his hometown this past summer, playing at Lolla. His smart lyrics, tight delivery and original beats make Chance one of the most exciting and fun young artists to listen to and watch perform
Last week, Chance announced that he's working with his band, the Social Experiment, on a new album called Surf. He explains that the album will be more soulful than Acid Rap, and the album, which he describes as a "project" will be ready to download for free by the end of the year.
After hosting Young the Giant just a week and a half earlier, the auditorium should get ready for another unforgettable performance by an artist that's just going to get bigger and better.- Jessica Yarvin
Kiesza
Everyone in the building who is unfamiliar with Kiesza is in for an absolute treat tomorrow night.
Let's look over the budding superstar checklist:
Score a number one single in Europe? Check. Her single "Hideaway" along with its' incredible video, dominated the summer overseas.
Have collaborations with some of music's biggest names? Check. Her vocal was featured on the first Jack U (Skrillex and Diplo) single and they have more tracks slated to come out. She also dropped collaborations with Harlem's rap prince Joey Bada$$ and Mick Jenkins.
Cover a song and out-do the original? Check. Her stripped down version of Haddaway's "What Is Love" a.k.a. the head-bopping anthem from A Night at the Roxbury, equally shows off her soaring vocals and innovative musical mind.
Kiesza is on the verge on becoming a worldwide pop superstar and she is gracing the stage as an OPENER tomorrow night! *that's pretty cool*
This will be something to remember and I have a feeling it won't be long until she sheds the "supporting act" label for good.
Young & Sick
Oh yeah and Young & Sick will be there. They should be an impossibly smooth opener; if you need evidence of this, check out their track "Willow" and other must-listen-to tracks from all three artists on tonight's lineup in the playlist below!-Kevin Hyland
Check out Kevin's interview with Brett Bassock, the guy who made this all happen.
(10/27/14 3:20pm)
I had a pretty weird weekend and I think that my music choices for this week's edition of Music For Your Monday will reflect that. Impromptu road trips through nearly three hours of cornfields=an eclectic playlist. Unfortunately Taylor Swift's new album isn't released yet (but I have it and it's my newest guilty pleasure) so sadly, she you won't find any of her songs, this week at least. Here we go.
This song for real rocks and I love blasting it in the car. There are few things more satisfying then flying down an empty road with the windows down blasting trippy rock like "Queen."
Another fun song to listen to with lyrics that I think anyone and everyone can relate to. Everything about this lo-fi tune is simple pretty cookie-cutter for the genre, but it works and I like it. Hopefully you do too.
This song recently came on the radio and I forgot how much I used to love it. Turns out I still do, and the music video is pretty fun to watch. If there's ever been a song that defines my taste in music circa 2010, it would probably be this one so we can all laugh about that together.
Another blast from my past, this song also came on the radio this weekend. I used to love this song so much and I'm only slightly ashamed to admit that. In other news, very happy not to be a very emotional #teen anymore.
First off, I promise this will be the last throwback of my questionable music days for this playlist, but this is a good story. Buzzfeed wrote a listicle about songs that emo people cried to back in the day when emo people still existed (side note: I worked in the emo capital of London this summer. Seriously, Camden High Street has like at least four stores dedicated to emo wear and one time when I was walking to lunch I saw a girl in white face powder IN 2014). Anyway, this song was on the listicle/spotify playlist and I immediately recognized it as my favorite song in like 2007 or one of those years I'd rather not remember. I mean Papa Roach. What a name.
Ben Howard's new album, I Forgot Where We Were, is so good this track is one of my favorites. His voice is as beautiful as ever and it's perfect winter music.
Let's end on a high note, aka this track. I first heard it on an episode of All Songs Considered from a few weeks ago and I can't stop listening to it. Just listen to the drummer and the percussion. If it wasn't for the drummer this would be an ok song but he's so freaking good. Drums=important; this song=good.
If you want more music on days that aren't Monday, tune into WIUX and/or follow me on twitter @jyarvin, I tweet about music a lot.
(10/22/14 5:31am)
Ever wonder what the WIUX Board of Directors listens to? Turns out it's not only 99.1 and B-Side. Check out some highlights and then be sure to listen to the entire playlist on Spotify. If you think we have a great taste in music, (we do) then check out what we were listening to this past summer.
SPEV director Brendan Biesen can't get enough of Porches' "Headsgiving," while Music director John Caito isn't so sure of these new fangled tunes, sticking to Neil Young's classic "Harvest Moon."
General Manager Carolyn Suna surprises absolutely no one, admitting that "Caretaker" by Laura Stevenson is one of her favorite songs right now. Sarah Thompson, Station Manager, picks the Kook's "It Was London," a nod to her very British summer.
Promotions director Rose Harding proves that not only can she make a modern masterpiece on Photoshop, but she also has a great taste in music, as she's playing Saintseneca's cover of Lucinda Williams' "Passionate Kisses" on repeat. Chief Engineer Collin Thomas is also a huge fan of covers, particularly Reel Big Fish's rendition of "Brown Eyed Girl."
Chelsea Patton, Social Media director, can't stop listening to SOHN's super chill, electro "The Wheel," while Mobile DJ Alec Steinmetz is listening to "Mamies in the House."
PR director Sam Velazquez is enjoying the nearly 15-year-old Death Cab for Cutie track, "The Employment Pages," while Sports Director Ben Wittenstein is sticking to 2014 with Bobby Shmurda's "Hot Boy."
SPEV director Ben Wittkugel is jamming to "Obligatory Cadence" from Flying Lotus' new album, whereas the queen of Sales, Mackenzie Mills, is listening to anything and everything by St. Paul & The Broken Bones.
Still trying to relive Culture Shock 2014, Music Director Jared Peterson is keeping "My Kind of Woman" by Mac Demarco on repeat and IT Director Shelby Stephens is apparently a huge Afroman fan, naming "Palmdale" on of her favorite songs right now.
Finally your favorite Internet man, aka Web Content director, aka Kevin Hyland, is probably dancing to "HyperParadise-Flume Remix (Ganz Flip)" by Hermitude as he's delivering some Jimmy Johns and your favorite Internet woman, aka Web Content director aka Jessica Yarvin, can't get enough of Jenny Lewis' "She's Not Me" as she's writing this very article.
For the entire playlist, click here or stream below!
(10/20/14 4:18am)
I don't have a ton of awesome music for you guys this week because I spent the majority of my music listening time (aka walking to and from class and working out) by listening to Serial, a podcast from This American Life, and it is truly amazing. If you haven't listened to it yet, stop what you're doing and download it, then finish reading this article and then listen to Serial. That being said, Music For Your Monday is going to featuring some older songs today, but luckily, unlike the bread in my pantry, music doesn't mold with age.
I really like this song, especially when I'm running, but unfortunately the rest of the album kind of sucks. At least this song is good!
I loved Strange Desire and I can listen to this song on repeat forever. I listened to it a lot this summer when the album first came out, for some reason forgot about it, and I'm just getting into it again. Highly recommend that you do the same.
Another great album from this summer that I forgot about, Conor Oberst proves that he's still a really fantastic writer. From the opening song to the last chord, Upside Down Mountain is a great album.
I would sit on my car during my second semester of my senior year in high school listening to this song and wasting time so I could spend as little time as possible at my internship, surrounded by smelly, yellowing stacks of the local newspaper. 17-year-old angst at it's finest.
Last week I declared the word "swag" when used as a noun to be permanently deleted from our collective lexicon. However, "swag" as an adjective is still acceptable, and I can say with confidence that the only time I've ever felt swag is when I was driving home from D.C. this summer blasting this song on the highway.
This song is a gift to your ears. Hearing "Black Rock" live is always a great experience, but this version for Red rocks is one of the best versions I've ever heard.
(10/15/14 1:18am)
Released: 10/14/2014
4/7 stars
Andrew McMahon has been a professional musician since he was 17 when his first band, Something Corporate released their pop-punk debut, Ready...Break. Now, McMahon is 32, a cancer-survivor, a husband and a new father. Suffice to say, it would be ridiculous to expect him to still be creating music that sounds like his pop-punk days with Something Corporate, or even his mid-00's piano-driven rock under the Jack's Mannequin moniker. However, despite tweaking his music a little to make it a little more synth-y and pop-driven, McMahon has once again proven why he still resonates with the black lipstick clad fans of 2002, who have become diaper bag toting parents in 2014. His lyrical storytelling remains strong and despite an obvious push to create more radio-friendly music, McMahon refuses to leave behind the piano that has always been a crucial aspect of his music.
In countless interviews, McMahon repeats that learning how to play the piano at a young age spurred his desire to create music. Even though most of his early work with Something Corporate tends to lean more towards the early 00's pop punk reliance on the simple combination of drums, guitar and bass, McMahon's piano gave the band an edge compared the the other angsty pop-punk, borderline emo. For example, no other band would release a song like "Walking By" or "Cavanaugh Park." And certainly, no other band could elevate a nine-and-a-half whiny track into a a cult classic like McMahon and his piano did with "Konstantine."
His work with Jack's Mannequin relied more heavily on the piano and McMahon's signature piano stomp during "La La Lie" or "MFEO" quickly became one of the best parts about seeing the band live. McMahon's voice matured during this time, simply due to growing up, but his songs also matured after he fought, and eventually beat cancer right after the release of Everything in Transit. Andew McMahon in the Wilderness is McMahon's first full-length release since his last Jack's Mannequin album, People and Things, and even though I knew that he would have to change his style a little to adapt to the current music market, I also knew that the success of his album would be contingent to pleasing his very loyal fans. And that would mean that he would have to keep playing the piano.
The ten track record is a clean 37 minutes long, with no song exceeding four minutes. This was probably a conscious decision by McMahon and his new label because shorter and consistent songs are usually the most radio friendly. McMahon usually dabbles in longer tracks ("MFEO," "Konstantine," "Caves"), however there really isn't a song on AMITW that needs to go past the four minute mark.
The album opens with "Canyon Moon," which thankfully starts with the piano that we all know and love. He then adds some synths and a pounding bass line that sets a strong tone for the rest of the album. The piano never goes away, and although McMahon explores some new instruments in the song, he keeps with the piano.
"Cecilia and the Satellite" was the first single that McMahon released for this album and it's about becoming a father to his daughter, Cecilia, and even though the song on the surface sounds unlike anything McMahon has ever released, it works. Despite the soaring chorus and synth-y beat throughout the song, the piano and linear storytelling lyrics are there. He alludes to his Something Corporate days when he sings ""been around the world in a punk rock band," and the simple line really connects all his work together. This song is for his daughter and it proves that all the directions that life has taken him have all made his the person he is today. "Cecilia" has also killed it on the radio, playing on XM all the time and making it's rounds on West Coast stations.
However, the album's belly isn't quite as strong as it's beginning or end. "High Dive" is a mostly forgettable track and I find "All Our Lives" to be cheesy and kind of annoying to listen to. Definitely not McMahon on his A-game lyrically.
"See Her On The Weekend" opens with the signature piano and class McMahon lyrics telling the story of writing and recoding out in the wilderness and only seeing his wife on the weekend. With lyrics like "cell phones dead/and she's calling/message box is full," at least on paper, it doesn't sound like a great song, but it's produced really well and it's really just a sweet song for his wife if nothing else.
"Black and White Movies" and "Driving Through a Dream" are the low points on AMITW. "Black and White Movies" has a weird flute randomly appearing throughout the song that doesn't flow with the rest of the album.
"Driving Through a Dream" has all the classic clues of a McMahon song: the piano, references to a freeway and references to driving, but that weird flute makes an unwelcome comeback on this track and it doesn't do anything for me.
Luckily, Andy redeems himself with "Halls" and "Rainy Girl."
Of any song on this album, "Halls" sounds most similar to a song that would be on Everything in Transit, with it's great linear storytelling and lyrics like "3 a.m. doing cartwheels down the hallway/I've been drinking since the day I set you free."
"Rainy Girl" is a beautiful piano-driven ballad and McMahon's voice sounds, at least in my opinion, the best on this track. Weirdly enough, this song really reminds me on "Walking By," a Something Corporate song off of Audioboxer.
McMahon ends the album on a decent note with "Maps For The Getaway." There's an obvious cheesiness factor that has to go into any song with a title like this, but McMahon's solid voice makes it hard to find the irony in the song.
AMITW won't lose any of McMahon fans that have stuck with him through three different bands now. It's a solid album that definitely will win him over some new fans who will undoubtedly search through his old projects and discover the music and experiences that brought him to where he is today.
Must Listens:
Cecilia and the Satellite
Halls
Rainy Girl
Listen to the entire album on Spotify
(10/13/14 4:01am)
Hope everyone had a relaxing "fall break," because a three-day weekend now constitutes as a "break." Whatever, it was nice not having to go to stats discussion on Friday. Here's a nice playlist to kick off WIUX Pledge Drive (!!!!!!) and Homecoming week! Lots of exciting things. Lots of great music.
I first heard this new song by Gregory Alan Isakov on NPR's All Things Considered, and it was the first time in a long time that I was excited for colder weather. The mellow melody and Isakov's characteristically soft voice make for a song that sounds like the soundtrack to a snowy day; the song version of a the white bean soup that my dad makes on the coldest day of the year. The stop-motion is absolutely beautiful and perfect for the song.
Hozier's bluesy, soulful voice first infiltrated my car speakers with "Take Me To Church," which all my favorite XM stations played like the song was going to disappear at any moment. Luckily, Hozier released his self-titled album last week so we have some different songs of his to listen to. "Work Song" is my favorite on the album and I just can't get enough of his voice, especially on this track.
I streamed Lorde's set at Austin City Limits today and even though I've seen videos of her using Kanye's "Flashing Lights" as an intro to her own "Bravado," it was still an awesome surprise and she sounded great. "Flashing Lights" has always been one of my favorite Kanye songs and covering Mr. West as an intro to a song called "Bravado" makes more sense than almost anything I've ever heard of.
I always support anyone who can figure out a different way so that I can enjoy @badgirlriri's greatest gift to society ever, "Stay." This remix kind of makes your brain hurt, but in a good way.
Andrew McMahon's latest project, Andrew McMahon in the Wilderness, began streaming last Tuesday, and is set to be released to the slice of population that doesn't know how to use Souncloud and Youtube this Tuesday. I had pretty unrealistically high expectations of this album and predictably, I was disappointed. But that review is for a later time (check back here Tuesday late afternoon/night for a full review!) The track, which is by far the most stripped down and classic Andy, is my favorite one from the album. It's also the least listened to track on the Soundcloud stream that Billboard set up. Go figure. The track sounds very similar to McMahon's Something Corporate days, which may be why people are choosing to listen to his more pop-sounding songs instead. But really listen to this one, it's great.
This is a really weird song. It's also a really good song. Jaden Smith is on it. Gambino's lyrics are on point and did I mention Jaden Smith is on it? But for real, the spoken word has some really great, insightful commentary and Gambino's verse is so clean and the lyrics prove that he's at the top of his game right now. But of course my favorite is when he starts throwing out Kanye references left and right, from "Monster" to "Flashing Lights" to "H.A.M" and "I Am A God."
(10/06/14 2:11am)
Bloomington has finally conceded to the predictability of the seasons and according to the temperature, it's fall. Even though I've put my sweaters in my shorts drawer and my shorts in the box that goes under my bed that doesn't mean that tracks I've picked for this Monday can't be as hot as the fourth floor in Ballantine on the last week of August.
Gambino dropped this gem last week and the mixtape chronicles growing up in Georgia and Hawaii. With his signature punny/smart lyrics and beats that match up to any rapper at the top of their game, maybe it's finally time that Gambino gets the attention and praise that he deserves.
Yeezy Season>Sweater Weather (is Yeezy season approachin??????)
Haim=eh, Lorde=great, the fact that this performance happened=how
This song is dedicated the summer ending :( Band of Horses covered this song, originally by The New Year, and I first heard it on an episode of the O.C. The scene brings me to tears pretty much every time because 1) Seth + Summer 4ever 2) This song is just so sad
Another single from Cold War Kids upcoming album, Hold My Home. It's coming out Oct. 21 and should be a great record considering what the band has released thus far.
Transport yourself back to 2008/stop this band from happening because they named a song "Mom Jeans"
Speaking of 2008, this was my favorite song in 2008. On that note, consider this edition of Music For Your Monday over. Don't forget to come back next week!
If you want music delivered straight to your ears the other six days of the week, follow me on Twitter @jyarvin
(10/01/14 6:05pm)
I used to hate the radio.
True, the D.C.-metro area is notorious for broadcasting some of the worst programs (example A: Hot 99.5) in the country, so my dislike the radio wasn't so far-fetched. Since I got my first iPod and the world of iTunes, (and later limewire and bitorrents and youtube and spotify) opened my ears up to the seemingly never-ending plethora of music, music has helped me form my own identity and make a place for myself.
There's nothing scarier than not liking what everyone else likes when you're a girl between the ages of 11-17. I have a distinct memory from sixth grade of sitting on the bus going to school one morning, listening to my metallic blue iPod mini and once the bus pulled in front of the school, I quickly rolled my finger around that ubiquitous white wheel to find Kanye's "Gold Digger," easily the most popular song at Robert Frost Middle School in 2006. The music I was listening to before was a part of my identity as an 11-year-old, but I wasn't necessarily ready to share that with everyone else, lest i be ~different~ The irony is, that today, Kanye's music is probably a larger part of my music identity than whatever whiney emo-ish song I was listening to on the bus that morning.
By the time I reached high school, I was beginning to accept my "weird" (i.e. not Top 40) taste in music. Not too many girls on the 2011 JV field hockey team got pumped up to play (sit on the bench) by listening to Death Cab For Cutie, Something Corporate and whatever else I listened to in my waning days of emo/pop punk, but I did. These were the days of avoiding my honors U.S. history homework, and instead browsing Limewire to find some variation of Punk Goes Pop Volume IV. I didn't do as well in school as I should have but at least I snatched that copy of Yellowcard covering "Girls Just Wanna Have Fun."
In an interview with Buzzfeed, Andrew McMahon of Something Corporate, Jack's Mannequin and as of most recently, Andrew McMahon in the Wilderness (I'm not embarrassed to say that he's been my favorite artist since about 2007), said "who loves music more than high school kids?"
For the most part this is true. For most of us at WIUX, we have a song or an album that instantly takes us back to a moment in high school, and most of us truly fell in love with music during those years in hell (high school). I remember when Death Cab's Codes and Keys came out in May 2011. I was so excited to finally listen to the album that I drove to Target after school to buy the CD. I mean I had a blackberry at the time and I didn't have any way to play music from my iPod in my car so I guess it made sense that I bought a CD. But still, it was 2011 and I bought a CD, I really wanted to listen to this album. After popping the CD into the CD player in the car, I rolled down my windows and blasted Ben Gibbard's voice through my absolutely terrible car speakers, just as any other 16-year-old would do. It was a beautiful, sunny, warm May afternoon that I will never forget.
I still hated the radio, but I loved music. Eventually though, that changed. Obviously, otherwise I wouldn't be here, in the station, writing this.
So yeah, spoiler alert, I no longer hate radio. I love radio. I love talking on the radio, I love telling the weather, I love blasting music and spinning around in the spinny chairs by myself. I love interviewing bands on the phone, I love bands coming in for in studio performances, I love making the perfect playlist.
I love college radio because it encompasses everything I am so passionate. It encourages me to continue to figure out who I am. I'm constantly surrounded by people who have also found themselves through music; people that don't make me feel like a loser for not listening to "Gold Digger."
Happy college radio day WIUX!
(09/29/14 3:54am)
It's been a long weekend of tailgating shenanigans so I hope everyone is well rested and has recovered enough to enjoy this week's edition of Music for your Monday.
Ask any of my friends and they'll tell you that I've been really into Drake lately. It's true. I've been really into this track in particular mostly because of the line about Drake playing at a bar mitzvah because it's really making me regret not booking him back in 2007 for my bat mitzvah.
I don't really ever think that Foxygen sounds like Bob Dylan, but in the song it's nearly impossible not to hear Dylan's whiny (in the best way possible) vocals. Only thing missing is the harmonica, but then again that's not necessarily a bad thing.
The last time I enjoyed a song that was this emo was probably early 2010. Everything about this music video screams "I WROTE DASHBOARD CONFESSIONAL LYRICS ON MY BLACK CONVERSE WHEN I WAS 14 AND I HAD A LOT OF EMOTIONS." I love it.
Haim covering Beyonce. No this is not a drill. You're welcome.
Dej Loaf if an up-and-coming rapper from Detroit and she spits fire smoother than anyone in the rap game. Slight exaggeration but give this track a listen (or ten) and you'll know what I mean. The second half of the song will have you begging for a Dej Loaf/Drake collab. Spring 2015?
This album comes out in two weeks and then I promise I'll stop talking about an artist that hasn't really been relevant since 2006 (BUT I DON'T CARE I'M SO EXCITED)
Lorde is in charge of creating the soundtrack for the next Hunger Games movie and she released this single which will be included on the soundtrack. As per usual, she kills it.
Until next Monday...........
If you can't wait til next Monday, follow me on twitter @jyarvin
(09/24/14 8:33pm)
On Friday, Sept. 26, Brooklyn-based Bishop Allen will be headlining at the Backdoor, on tour to support their album "Lights Out," which was released in August.
The band is signed to Dead Oceans, which is part of Secretly Canadian, the label based here in Bloomington.
Lead singer Justin Rice said that even though the current tour is long, "touring is great and it's amazing that people actually come out and see [us]." Between 2002-2009, Bishop Allen was constantly on the road touring and recording music and the band agreed to take a year off to regroup and experience a more normal life.
However, according to Rice, one year stretched into two years and after taking "about a year to make the record," the band finally released new music for the first time since 2009.
Rice credits their time off for a different approach and new sound on the band's latest release, but he also admits that the time off made them all a bit rusty and it took "a while to get back in the habit" of making music.
The show starts at 9 p.m. and is 21+
(09/22/14 10:42pm)
It's another Monday so that means I'm back for some more songs to make today a more bearable day. We have some more (!!!) new stuff from Childish Gambino, some old stuff from Real Estate and more. So kick back, turn the volume up and enjoy this perfect Bloomington weather.
First things first Gambino's the realest and with this just-released track that was supposed to be released over a year ago, we're reminded what makes Donald Glover so fun to listen to. This track sounds a lot more similar to his work on because the internet compared to "Sober," the single he released last week. I personally loved because the internet and "Free At Last" will be on repeat for a while.
"Green River" was released on Real Estate's self-titled album back in 2009, but I just heard it for the first time earlier this week. The dreamy tune is perfect to listen to in this perfect weather. Just like fine wine, this song seems to get better with age.
I got an email from a PR guy today about this song and since he personalized the email to the point of including an article I once wrote to persuade me that I would love this band, I decided to actually listen to the band's music. Turns out, PUBLIC is actually pretty good and the Cincinnati-based band is touring with Walk The Moon now, so they're doing big things. Good job PR guy on doing a good job.
I was at the gym and searched on Spotify for a song and for some reason this song started playing. I'm not complaining though cause there's nothing better than good rap especially when it's a cultural critique.
Feeling nostalgic for middle school? I don't know why you would be, but here's a great song to accompany your nostalgia for nine and a half minutes.
Antlers put out "Familiars" this summer and it's one of the most beautifully sounding albums I've heard in a while. This is my favorite track from the record and if you need to slow down, take a deep breath and play this song on repeat until your blood pressure returns to a healthy level.
Missed out on last Monday's music madness? Here's an early #tbt
(09/15/14 7:13pm)
MONDAYS AMIRITE??? Here's some tracks I've scoured from all corners of the Internet to make my Monday, and hopefully your Monday a little bit better.
A little Kanye never hurt nobody and here's a little throwback to his Graduation days with "Touch the Sky," remixed with the XX to make the classic song a little more synthy. A great tune to listen to while walking to class.
Two of my favorites collide with the video where Lorde covers another Graduation track, "Flashing Lights." She goes from the cover into her own song "Bravado." Sometimes life makes so much sense, and opening with a Kanye track and segueing into a song called "Bravado" makes the most sense.
Big Sean signed onto Roc Nation this weekend and celebrated by releasing four singles. This expletive-laced track is my personal favorite because I think the lyrics are absolutely hilarious and despite the silly lyrics, it's produced really well (by DJ Mustard and Kanye West). Highly recommended to listen to if your weekend consisted of boy/girl problems.
Miley covered Led Zeppelin and everyone is voicing their confusion/disdain/displeasure for the twerking queen covering the rock gods, but at the same time, despite the sound quality, this is a great cover. Even though it's easy to forget, Miley really does have a great voice and vocal range and it's nice to listen to her take advantage of it. Also a hot dog wearing a hat.
New Cold War Kids single, and like the other songs they've recently released, "First" sounds absolutely fantastic and I can't help but get excited for what the band's been working on.
"Stay" by @badgirlriri is my ultimate guilty pleasure. Also Jared Leto's hair. This cover, recorded in one of my favorite places I've ever been, the BBC Live Lounge, is my ultimate guilty pleasure and if you hate the song, just put it on mute to watch Jared Leto's hair.
Even though they are set to release a new record in early 2015, producer/guitarist Chris Walla of Death Cab for Cutie announced that he was leaving the band on amiable terms at the end of their tour. This video is the last song from the last show from the last tour that Walla will be in and it will tug on the heartstrings of every Death Cab fan when the band gives each other a group hug.
The Wu-Tang Clan name generator may have renamed Donald Glover as Childish Gambino but this is not Wu-Tang Clan music. That was irrelevant, but I just love that fact about Gambino. Anyway, the comedian/actor/writer/rapper released "Sober" over the weekend and it's great. Rumor has it that Gambino and Chance the Rapper are working together, so prepare yourself.
(09/13/14 8:08pm)
For the past 15 years, Ok Go has thrilled their ever-expanding fan base with insanely catchy songs and awe-inspiring music videos. On Sept. 14, the quartet will bring their music and hopefully their treadmills to the Bluebird, one of the many stops on a country-wide tour to support their upcoming album, Hungry Ghosts.
In June, the band released the Upside Out EP with four tracks that show off Ok Go's musically-innovative style while keeping their pop-rock sound that has propelled the band to numerous successes since 1998.
The band will be sure to play their newer music, along with unforgettable sing-a-long tracks like "Here It Goes Again," and my personal favorite "Needing/Getting." Doors open at 7 p.m. and the show is set to start at 8 p.m. As for all Bluebird shows, Ok Go is 21+ and tickets are $15-$17.
(09/04/14 8:21pm)
September is a transition month, transitioning from summer to school; from sweating to shivering; from lazy mornings to the library, yeah September kind of sucks. But September also has football and tailgates and the start of programming on WIUX! Here are 15 songs to make the transition a little easier, with some new, some old songs. Suscribe to the playlist on Spotify so it's always handy no matter where the month takes you.
Livepool born and raised, Dan Croll takes pop to new levels on "Compliment Your Soul"
Vance Joy slows it down with the catchy "Mess Is Mine" off of their just released album
"Hold On" shows off The Kooks' groovy new sound on their latest album
You really can't get away without listening to "Gotta Get Away" from The Black Keys' newest album, Turn Blue
Royal Blood's "Little Monster" is that perfect rock song to pump you up during a run
Wara from NHBD shows off a multilayered track that is as unique as it's good with "Get In"
A little dreamy and very melancholy,The Echo-Friendly's "Same Mistakes" names everyone's little anxieties
The Game, Rick Ross, Fabolous, Diddy, 2 Chainz, Wale, DJ Khaled, Swizz Beatz,Yo Gotti, Curren$y, Problem, King Pharaoh and TGT team up on this track about Ferguson and Mike Brown, creating a meaningful and really awesome song, simply named "Don't Shoot"
The Cold War Kids are back with "All This Could Be Yours," possibly teasing us with some new music on the way
All I'm waiting for the the release of the new Kanye West album, so here's "White Dress" to soothe me as I anxiously wait
One of my favorite artists since Abercrombie was cool, Andrew McMahon's newest musical endeavor, named Andrew McMahon in the Wilderness shines with a sweet song written for his newborn daughter, called "Cecilia and the Satellite"
Jason Isbell's voice seems almost synonymous with the last summer sun fading away and "Cover Me Up" is the perfect late September song
Everything about "Cigarette Daydreams" proves why Cage The Elephant has been ruling the summer festival circuit
Spoon's latest album is truly just fun to listen to and "Inside Out" reveals that musical heights that the band reached on They Want My Soul
Jack Antonoff and Lena Dunham are the power couple of the year and after the release of Antonoff's debut album under the name Bleachers, it's obvious that they won't be leaving the throne anytime soon. "Who I Want You To Love" underlines what makes Strange Desire one of the more memorable albums of 2014.
(09/03/14 3:23am)
Want to join WIUX? Already part of WIUX but want to sign up for a show and committee for this semester? Want to make friends? Want to work on cool things like this website, Pledge Week and a little thing we like to call CULTURE SHOCK?
If any of those things sound cool to you, come to WIUX's fall call out meeting, Wednesday Sept. 3 at 9 p.m. in Jordan Hall room 124.
Once the meeting is over, the application will be LIVE, and you can apply here, or click here. Whatever you want.
If you have any questions, head over to the facebook event.
(08/28/14 5:08am)
When Garrett Poortinga came back to Bloomington to work on earning his Master’s degree in design and production in Telecommunications, he knew that somehow he would like to give back to the community where he was raised and earned his degree in Telecommunications and Fine Arts in 2008.
Graduate students working towards a degree in Telecommunications Design & Production may go an atypical route when it comes to their theses. Instead of writing a thesis paper, telecom students work on “creative based” projects. For Poortinga, that meant using his passion for visual storytelling to work on a thesis about client relationships in non-profits and artist entertainment.
Like many other students, Poortinga navigates his way to class via bike. Last winter, during one of the coldest winters in recent memory, he began to notice a number of homeless people who were suffering day after day outside in the seemingly never-ending frigid temperatures.
“It was a crazy winter, people were dying in Bloomington,” Poortinga said. From there and after talking with a friend, he decided to focus his creative based thesis project on using his storytelling skills to bring awareness to the Interfaith Shelter, a Bloomington homeless shelter that provides a place for homeless people to sleep in the winter.
According to Poortinga, “the shelter is a collection of many community organizations,” and what really interested him was that there is “no barrier to entry to stay there for a night.”
That means that no man or woman could be turned away if they were under the influence of alcohol or drugs, if they were sick; if they were mentally ill.
But the Interfaith Shelter affected Poortinga in a more personal way than just being an important institution in the community that he had grown up in. After graduating in 2008, Poortinga moved in San Francisco to pursue a career in visual storytelling and left his lifelong home, describing Bloomington’s familiarity as a “comfort blanket.”
According to Poortinga, living in the Bay Area “changed my character,” and after finding it difficult to find steady work, he found himself “in between housing.”
Poortinga was homeless.
“I had never seen myself in that position,” he explained. However, instead of moving back into Bloomington, his comfort zone, Poortinga stayed in San Francisco, ultimately giving him the unique perspective on homelessness that would eventually lead him towards his Masters work with the Interfaith Shelter.
The Interfaith Shelter is staffed by nearly 500 volunteers, many of them, especially during the winter, IU students. According to Poortinga’s indiegogo campaign page, the shelter’s annual budget is around $35,000, which includes laundry supplies and bus tickets for people staying at the shelter. Each night, the shelter provides people with a “meal, a warm sleeping place with clean blankets and pillows, and pays for laundry services for the bedding [and] bus tickets.”
Since July 7, Poortinga has been using his skills in visual storytelling and marketing to raise over $32,000 in offline donations and $21,544 through the indiegogo crowdfunding page that he had set up. His original goal was to raise $35,000, the shelter’s annual budget. He now hopes to double it by the time the campaign ends on Sept. 5.
The 60-day campaign allowed Poortinga to recognize the strengths in visual storytelling. He explains that “people respond to visual art” and “people want to see a video, people would rather watch a video to get a story the quickest."
As of Aug. 28, the documentary-style video that Poortinga created to spread awareness about the shelter and his campaign has garnered 368 views and 544 shares on Facebook
Poortinga admits that although his campaign has surpassed his original goals, it still was not an easy or simple endeavor. For example, he explains that getting local support from businesses to provide “perks” for online donations was difficult.
“Not everyone believes in the Interfaith Winter Shelter,” he said. However, he was able to tap into Bloomington’s great wealth of local art and now, people who donate online can receive unique “perks” like an album recorded by a former homeless person who stayed at the shelter.
With just less than a week left before the campaign ends, Poortinga is beginning to reflect on the journey that his Masters thesis has led him. More importantly, he is excited for the future of what he describes as “planting seeds to something that can grow much larger.”
To learn more about Garrett’s campaign or donate online, click here.
(08/10/14 5:20pm)
Released: 8/5/2014
6/7 stars
Rockstars and Presidents have a lot in common.
Ask a group of kids and the majority will probably say that they want to be a rockstar or the President when they grow up. But after a few years, the same kids will realize that being a rockstar or the President isn't all that it's cracked up with be. Whether it be touring the world and selling out arenas or touring the world to meet with foreign leaders, both jobs are tiring; thousands of people dream of being rockstars and Presidents, but only few eventually succeed. And the ones that do, quickly learn that in order to reach to the top, you have to sell your soul is some way or another.
Spoon's eight studio album emphatically proves that they are rockstars without selling their souls by titling their album They Want My Soul. So, keeping with the comparison made earlier, if Spoon can be rockstars without selling their souls, then that makes them the rockstar equivalent of Abraham Lincoln.
In ten songs and 38 minutes, Spoon once again proves that minimalism doesn't necessarily mean simple. For example in two-and-a-half minutes,the cover of the Beatle's "I Just Don't Understand" takes the listener on an dissonant-sounding journey, explaining a "one-sided love" that's torturing lead singer Britt Daniels, evident through his emotionally-charged delivery and the repetitive lyrics.
Much like the build-up of the album opener and single, "Rent I Pay," Spoon's rise has been a slow, but smoldering flame. Consistently good, without the drama or derivatives to more radio-friendly music like other early 2000's rock groups have grappled with, Spoon has been quietly building up a strong repertoire of great music since '98's A Series of Sneaks. Due to a combination of Daniel's matured voice, the band's familiarity with playing and performing together, and finally working with producers like Joe Chiccarelli and Dave Fridmann, They Want My Soul is the band's best album to date.
"Inside Out" is probably one of the prettiest and tranquil songs that Spoon has ever released, which means a lot coming from a band that thrives on gritty soul. Daniels falsetto coupled with soothing, waterfall-esque trip-hop beat affirms why the album is one of the best releases of 2014.
Other highlights include "Outliers," where Daniels picks fun of himself as he describes a girl who "walked out of Garden State" because she "had taste." By taking a dig at the Zach Braff film that thrust indie rock into Hollywood, the band is also admitting that they've sold their sould at times; episodes of Veronica Mars and The O.C. both feature Spoon tracks. (Side note: I first discovered Spoon because of The O.C.) However, the self-deprecating lyrics also suggest that the band is no longer in the business of soul-selling, and that statement is reaffirmed in the title track, "They Want My Soul." "I've got nothing that I want to sell, they got nothing, nothing I want," Daniels croons over a catchy guitar riff that seems very Strokes-esque.
Closing out the album is "New York Kiss," a synthy dancerock number with a beat that's reminiscent of an LCD Soundsystem track. Singing about an unforgettable girl in an exotic city, Daniels vocals shine over the catchy and slick background.
Eight albums later, Spoon has created one of the most creative, unique and just simply good albums in recent rock history-all without selling their souls.
Must listens:
1. Inside Out
2. I Just Don't Understand
3. Do You
(07/28/14 2:41am)
With a little bit less than a month left before the first day of class rudely interrupts our summer vacation, the WIUX directors decided that it was time to make a playlist compiling our favorite songs that we've been listening to this summer. From rap to country with a lot in between, this eccentric mix has something for anyone with two ears and a great taste in music. Stream and follow the playlist here and don't forget to tune into WIUX to hear more great music like this all year long.
(06/25/14 6:56pm)
So I've been in London for nearly two months now, spending my days working and exploring in this wonderful city. My favorite two things in the world are music and history and considering that London has more history than I could ever ask for and so many great bands-from The Beatles to Oasis to One Direction-call England home, it's safe to say that these two months have been nothing short from stupendous. However, unfortunately I must go home July 6. That's unfortunate because a) I don't want to go home; b) I must spend the holiest of all holidays-JULY FOURTH-in London. It's utter blasphemy that I must spend my favorite holiday of the year in the country that we won our INDEPENDENCE from. It's hard for me to comprehend that I'll be spending that wonderful July day here instead of at home celebrating my freedom to grill meat, drink free water (can't legally guzzle pints in the U.S.), pretend the my fourth amendments rights are still somewhat relevant and bask in the glory that is celebrating a bunch of misogynistic, idealistic, racist and religious zealots who nearly signed their life away on the pretense of creating a democratic society. On that note, here's the ten songs that I'll be sure to be listening to this July 4th, and maybe, if I close my eyes and try hard enough I'll be able to smell that sweet scent of freedom that vaguely resembles burgers and hot dogs on the grill.
1. Bruce Springsteen- Born In the USA
What's more American that the Boss himself? Rock and roll? New Jersey suburbs? Being friends with the current President? Oh wait I'm just describing him. Bruce Springsteen is the America that we're all nostalgic for. Raise a Budweiser (or glass of lemonade) up for him this July Fourth.
2. Jason Aldean- Flyover States
Ahhh those flyover states. You know the ones that them city-folk fly over when they jet from La Guardia to LAX every other week just because they can and they don't know the comforts of home like pork and corn and cherry pie and family reunions. If there is a song that could make me actually wish that I grew up in the middle of a cornfield, this would be the song. And what's more American than growing up in a cornfield?
3. Jay Z and Kanye West- Made In America
Dream team. But apparently they aren't BFF anymore cause Jay and Bey didn't show up to the West-Kardashian hot mess wedding. So celebrate the past, like when Jay and Ye were still tight and when John Hancock proudly signed his name on the Declaration of Independence and listen to this song during your Independence day BBQ.
4. Miley Cyrus- Party in the USA
Before Miley was swinging naked on wrecking balls and making out with sledgehammers, she was naively wearing jeans and a cardigan in LA. I mean really Miley, check the weather app on your phone. LA is not jeans and cardigan weather. Miley and America are both very similar. They were both loved for their ability to seem cool but also be restrained, Miley a role model for young girls and America a role model for young democracies. But then something went wrong and now they're both overplayed on the radio. Maybe that comparison sounded better in my head.
5. Bob Dylan- Like a Rolling Stone
Never underestimate the power of a man armed with a harmonica with a captive audience.
6. Countess Luann- Money Can't Buy You Class
The Real Housewives Franchise is the best way for new immigrants to understand the precautions of actually succeeding in this capitalist society. Countess Luann of Real Housewives of New York fame decided that just being a Countess wasn't enough, so she went on to achieve her dream of being a singer. "Money Can't Buy You Class" is the greatest piece of irony since the work of another great American humorist, Mark Twain. The Countess proves that money really can't buy you class and that's a true American statement if there ever is one.
7. Wanksta- 50 Cent
Wanksta=white gangster. Celebrate post-racial America with this song, featured on the classic movie 8 Mile.
8. Ignition (Remix)- R Kelly
In England, when people get drunk and want to all sing a song together, they sing "Wonderwall" by Oasis. Brits are proud of Oasis, despite the ever-feuding Gallagher brothers. In America, when people get drunk and want to all sing a song together, they sing "Ignition." Make what you want of this.
9. All The Small Things- Blink-182
Blink-182 is the ultimate suburban kid band and "All The Small Things" is the ultimate suburban kid band. The suburbs are the ultimate American housing development and I don't know where I'm going with this but ask any random kid on a suburban street with headphones on if he has "All The Small Things" on his iPod and he will say yes.
10. I Am A God- Kanye West
The most basic principle that the U.S. was founded on was that there would be no state religion; anyone was free to practice their religion and under law, persecution would not be tolerated. There would be no king with rights endowed by some god and when citizens of the newly formed country offered to make George Washington a king, he scoffed at them and instead became President. Until 2013, we did a pretty good job as a country to keep up this great tradition of separation of church and state and the like. But then Kanye dropped Yeezus, proclaimed that he was a god and the rest is history. Kanye is a god and we are all his lowly subjects. At least maybe next year we'll get an invite to Kidchella.