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(09/13/15 6:53pm)
Cover bands are awesome! You get to hear all of the awesome songs from bands that either would cost a fortune to see, bands that are disbanded or bands that are no longer alive.
We at WIUX are here to give you all the songs you might want in a perfect cover band set list.
Baha Men - "Who Let the Dogs Out"
Formed in the late 70's this world groove band hails from the Bahamas and is most well known for their 2000 cover of Anslem Douglas' "Who Let the Dogs Out" which won the Nickelodeon Kids Choice Award for favorite song. It was many seven-year-old's favorite song in 2000, so 15 years later these kids are now hitting the bar scene.
The Roamantics - "What I Like About You"
While this might be a one hit wonder from their 1980's self titled debut album, it has lasted decades, including being on the soundtrack of Shrek 2 (2004).
Fall Out Boy - "Sugar We're Going Down"
Fall Out Boy is known for many things including having track titles being entire sentences.
Pat Benatar - "Hit Me With Your Best Shot"
Written by Canadian singer/songwriter Eddie Schwartz, but performed by the American Pet Benatar, this hit #9 on the Billboard top 100.
Destiny's Child - "Say My Name"
Formed in 1990, the youth of the day will know Destiny's Child especially form being the spring board for Beyonce's career.
Lustra - "Scotty Doesn't Know"
Written for the 2004 film Eurotrip. Youth adventures abound.
Stevie Wonder - "Superstition"
Got the spooks?
Smash Mouth - "All Star"
Formed in 1994, they are arguably one of the darlings from the 90's, and are been featured on the Shrek soundtrack. Their classic hit "All Star" came out in 1999.
blink 182 - "All The Small Things"
This song is from their third album Enema of the State and is rumoured to be composed for both guitarist Tom DeLonge's girlfriend and also The Ramones.
Rolling Stones - "Honky Tonk Women"
There are many good Rolling Stones songs, perfect to get any crowd going. But this is one of the great ones.
Steppenwolf - "Magic Carpet Ride"
It might not be their biggest hit, "Born to Be Wild", but it is definitely the one to sing along to.
Maroon 5 - "This Love"
Many teens have fallen in love to this 2002 pop song.
(09/04/15 12:15am)
Hello!
Welcome to the Purest of Student Radio - WIUX! We are very excited to have you. If you are interested in listening to music, reporting news, talking about sports or calling live games, having a talk show, planning a music festival, getting real sales experience, doing promotion, DJing or doing live sound for events, writing for a blog, or just meeting people WIUX is the place to be. We are geographically located at 717 east 8th, on 99.1 FM or on our B-Side stream.
All prospective WIUX staff members, including off-air staff members, must fill out this application. On-air applications will be accepted at any time, but priority will be given to those handed in before SATURDAY SEPTEMBER 5th AT 11:59pm. After this time, rolling applications will be accepted, but time slots cannot be guaranteed.
LINK TO APPLICATION
(09/01/15 12:52am)
Our favorite aquatic sponge has jumped from TV show, to movie, to video game and now you will be able to see Spongebob Squarepants in musical form in 2016 at Chicago’s Oriental Theatre. Directed by Tina Landau, this Bikini Bottom based musical will feature original songs from the likes of Dirty Projectors, David Bowie, and Panic! At the Disco. While it is based on the children's TV show, it will also have an original script that is “a rousing tale of a simple sea sponge who faces the unfathomable” according to a press release from Nickelodeon.
Other artists that are contributing original songs for the new musical include Aerosmith’s Steven Tyler and Joe Perry, Jonathon Coulton, The Flaming Lips, T.I., Sara Bareilles, John Legend, Lady Antebellum, Cyndi Lauper, Plain White T’s and They Might Be Giants. These artists and song concepts were curated by the musical's music supervisor Tom Kitt.The Flaming Lips have previously contributed original songs to Spongebob Squarepants projects. They wrote the original song "Spongebob and Patrick Confront the Physic Wall of Energy" for the first Spongebob movie which was released in theatres in 2004.
In a press release Tina Landau said "We will present the world of Bikini Bottom and its characters in a whole new way that can only be achieved in the live medium of the theatre. We’re bringing the show’s fabled characters to life through actors — not prosthetics or costumes that hide them — and we’re deploying some unconventional stage craft that will prove that anything can happen in Bikini Bottom.” The production will run from June 7th until July 3rd, with a plans for a Broadway opening in the 2016-2017 theatre season.
Hear the Flaming Lips's song "Spongebob and Patrick Confront the Physic Wall of Energy" below.
(08/31/15 6:18pm)
3/7
Miley Cyrus knows how to capitalize on fame, how to capitalize on the huge commercial success she has put what seems like a decade of her life into. From the Disney Pop-Princess Hannah Montana to the enormously successful radio charting album Bangerz, Miley has become a household name creating music through her record label RCA. But this new album Miley Cyrus and Her Dead Petz is different. Self-funded and being given away for free on her website this album isn't part of her contract with the major label and as such can be exactly what she wants it to be, without worrying about the commercial success of it. The result of this is sprawling songs, a large range of genres, with a weirdly cosmic vibe and almost every song being incredibly explicit. They aren't made for radio play, with most tracks being over 4 mins or under 1 min. They aren't made for children. They might be made for listening with your friends, or maybe made for when you're alone in you bed room. But the only thing completely certain is that this album was made for Miley.
The first track "Dooo It!" which Miley performed at the VMAs includes entire swaths of the lyrics that just repeat “Yeah I smoke pot//Yeah, I love peace”… “I don’t give a fuck”…”Do it”. In fact the song repeats the lyric "Do it" so frequently it is almost seeming to make a pop culture reference to the Shia LaBeouf motivational speech that tore across the internet late this summer. In a mid-album track entitled "Milky Milky Milk" - which coincidentally is also a good portion of the lyrics to the song - there are also lyrics that declare "I'm sucking on your nipples licking milky milky stars". Like most of the tracks on Miley Cyrus and Her Dead Petz the track makes you feel like you are on drugs. It creates a disjointed, eerie atmosphere where the lyrics don't do anything in particular. In fact the some lyrics don't seem like they had particular effort put into them. But, some stand out as being worth more than one or two listens. Included in this are the tracks "1 Sun", "Evil is But a Shadow", and "Something About Space Dude".
This project was made with many collaborators working with Miley. A huge contributor and producer on this album is Wayne Conye of the Flaming Lips whom Miley had worked previously with on the 2014 With A Little Help From My Fwends. His influence and musical styling can be easily herd through the album. In an interview with the New York Times Miley said “I am 100 percent in love with Wayne, and Wayne is in love with me, but it’s nothing sexual in any way. That would be the grossest.” Other contributors and collaborators for this album include Phantogram singer Sarah Barthel, Big Sean, Mike Will Made-It, and Ariel Pink.
While it is awesome that Miley had this opportunity to find self-expression outside of the consumeristic model that the music industry typically relies on for artists as huge as her, I wouldn't say this album is for everyone and I wouldn't say this album is for me.
Listen to the album below:
The track list is as follows:
Dooo It!
Karen Don’t Be Sad
The Floyd Song (Sunrise)
Something About Space Dude
Space Boots
Fuckin Fucked Up
BB Talk
Fweaky
Bang Me Box
Milky Milky Milk
Cyrus Skies
Slab of Butter (Scorpion) (feat. Sarah Barthel of Phantogram)
I’m so Drunk
I Forgive Yiew
I Get So Scared
Lighter
Tangerine (feat Big Sean)
Tiger Dreams (feat. Ariel Pink)
Evil is but a Shadow
1 Sun
Pablow the Blowfish
Mikey Tibetan Bowlzzz
Twinkle Song
(08/25/15 9:15pm)
Boy howdy this has been a year for music so far. Maybe it is something in the water, or maybe the planets have aligned in a way that everyone reading their horoscope out of Tiger Beat is encouraged to compose great tunes. Some of your favourite artists including Unknown Mortal Orchestra, Florence + The Machine, Father John Misty, Kendrick Lamar, and The Tallest Man On Earth have all cranked out solid albums. In case you missed it we have not ONE article but TWO articles that will help catch you up on 2015 albums that have been released thus far. Double the information, double the fun.
But don't feel like you have to live in the past, we at WIUX are always looking to the future. There are more great albums coming out right around the corner this fall and we are here to break down some of what you should be getting excited about.
FIDLAR - too
Expected release month: September
Previous album: FIDLAR
Song of theirs you may know: "5 to 9"
Beirut - No No No
Expected release month: September
Previous album: The Rip Tide
Song from upcoming able: "No No No"
Ben Folds - So There
Expected release month: September
Previous album: Way to Normal
Song of his you may know: "Jackson Cannery"
Robert DeLong - In The Cards
Expected release month: September
Previous album: Just Movement
Song of his you may know: "Happy"
Chvrches - Every Open Eye
Expected release month: September
Previous album: The Bones of What You Believe
Song from upcoming album: "Leave a Trace"
Kurt Vile - b'lieve I'm going down...
Expected release month: September
Previous album: Wakin on a Pretty Daze
Song from upcoming album: "Pretty Pimpin'"
Metric - Pagans in Vegas
Expected release month: September
Previous album: Synthetica
Song of theirs you might know: "The Shade'"
Wavves - V
Expected release month: October
Previous album: Afraid of Heights
Song of theirs you might know: "Flamezesz'"
City and Colour - If I Should Do Before You
Expected release month: October
Previous album: The Hurry and the Harm
Song of theirs you might know: "The Girl'"
!!! - As If
Expected release month: October
Previous album: Strange Weather, Isn't It?
Song of theirs you might know: "The Girl'"
(08/24/15 4:58pm)
Thom Yorke is a busy man. Not only is he heading back to the studio this September with Radiohead to record their 9th studio album - a follow up to the album King of Lambs (2011) - but he is also composing for his Broadway debut. Yorke is composing the score for the revival of Harold Pinter's 1973 play Old Times which will be directed by the Tony award winning Douglas Hodge.
In a statement Douglas Hodge says "The play itself is about memory and love – Thom's music works backwards and forwards and plays with time and repetition in the same way Pinter does." Much of the music is created on synthesizers to match the play's 70's era and includes intros, outros and scene transitions. Old Times will premiere at the American Airlines Theatre in Manhattan, New York on October 6th and it runs until November 29th
(08/24/15 4:58pm)
Our college radio brothers to the north, WSUM, have announced the line up for their annual Snake on the Lake Fest which will be held on Friday the 11th of September from 6PM until midnight at The Sett, which is right by Lake Michigan. WSUM is the University of Wisconsin Madison's student run station and is an avid supported of their local music scene which can be seen in the artists performing at their free music festival. The outdoor music festival aims to highlight local music "in order to celebrate just a piece of the vibrant music scene this city has to offer" according to WSUM. Past performers at Snake on the Lake Fest have included The Hood Internet, All Tiny Creatures, Saint Pepsi, and Wild Rose Harmonic. Below is a taste of the artists to hit the stage this year.
Burial Hex
Experimental Gothic industrial-pop from Madison, Wisconsin who's over decade long tenure has left an extensive discography of electronic noise compositions for eager listeners.
Feasts Of Copper by Burial Hex
Samantha Glass
Futuristic electronic ambient musics who's dreamy waves of synth and morphed vocals cascades into one another to create an almost eery indie electronic music. Samantha Glass - and her music which say calls "Bisexual Electronic" -also hails from Madison, Wisconsin.
Entering the Visible Winds of Spring by Samantha Glass
Mr. Jackson
Self proclaimed "the only synth funk in Madison", which could very well be true.
The Golden Hour Groove Session by MR. JACKSON
Myrmidons
Spooky surf math rock, as if the Mystery Machine pulled up to a beach party hosted by some really hip ghouls and goblins. This Madison, Wisconsin trio is composed of brother and sister Courtney and Frank Jarman - who were previously in a bro/sis duo -along will Bill Villain.
Swamp Cocktail by Myrmidons
Proud Parents
Madison made garage pop-rock made up of Claire Nelson-Lifson, Tyler Fassnacht, Heather Hussy and Alex Seraphin who this past April released a tape off of Turkey Records of their live set from Turckyfest. Proud Parents are lo-fi, loud, fun and self described as "jangle-chunk".
Live @ WSUM by Proud Parents
(08/08/15 2:21am)
In late July Brooklyn-based band Lazyeyes did an in studio with us at WIUX, live in our very own living room. You can watch them play their song "Wait" below to hear the sweet tunes from the heart of our station house.
Engineered, Mixed and Edited by our Chief Engineer Brian Berger.
(08/08/15 2:12am)
If you have ever attended a Jukebox the Ghost show you would know that they love Queen, and love to cover Queen live. If you haven't ever seen Jukebox the Ghsot live before WIUX can fill you in from when they came to Indianapolis last winter. Whether it is "Bohemian Rhapsody", "Under Pressure", or "Somebody to Love" this three piece band will pull out all the stops to do the track the justice it deserves. Jukebox the Ghost just announced that for two shows this fall Jukebox fans can catch Ben Thornewill, Tommy Siegel and Jesse Kristin perform a full set of Queen covers. According to their facebook page "there's nothing "guilty" or "ironic" about [their] love for [Queen]. So this Halloween, [they're] doing a two-set extravaganza." This means you can catch all of the original Jukebox songs you love, get a little breather, then get a full frontal Queen set.
The only downside for us is that the shows - which they are calling "HalloQUEEN" - are only out east. You can catch these sets in Brooklyn at the Music Hall of Williamsburg (October 24th) or in Boston at The Sinclair (October 28th).
For a sneak peak listen below to Jukebox's live cover of Queen's "Somebody to Love".
(08/04/15 8:36pm)
By Brian McMahon and Sarah Thompson
Friday 7/17
Ungodly heat waves brought a tamer crowd to the opening day of Pitchfork, it didn’t stop thousands
from attending, but it didn’t make for the most lively dance parties in the world. Friday kicked off with
fantastic performances from Wilco, Chrvches, Panda Bear, Mac Demarco, Tobias Jesso Jr, and many
more.
Best Show: Wilco
Wilco definitely stole the show Friday night, after an ungodly hot afternoon producing a few
unfortunate passed out festival goers, the Chicago band made an unforgettable home coming. Just
hours before their headlining Friday night set, the band released a surprise full length album named Star
Wars. Wilco dazzled fans by playing the debut of the album all the way through with minimal crowd
banter in between songs. Front man Jeff Tweedy then modestly stated “well, that was Star Wars”, then
the band hit their stride. The incredible improvisational breakdowns of “Impossible Germany”, “I am
Trying to Break Your Heart”, and “Heavy Metal Drummer” blew the crowd away, while the intense drum
solos during a slow “Via Chicago” stunned the senses. Wrapping up the night with “I’m the Man Who
Loves You” touched the heartstrings and brought a well-fitted closer to the first night of P4K ’15.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bt8F1F1mVpg
Runner Ups: Panda Bear and Mac Demarco
The only reason Panda Bear didn’t strike me as the best act of Friday was simply because of the timing.
Half of the show relies on the trance Panda Bear’s visualizer accompanied with an over bearing strobe
light put on audience members. A 6:25 PM while the sun still shined heavily down on the crowd didn’t
give off the full effect of a Panda Bear show, granted his vocal and sound was incredible throughout the
set, it wasn’t a typical Panda show. Especially considering he played an amazing kick-off show the night
before at Thalia Hall. For me, Mac Demarco set the stage for the weekend. The groovy vibes and
entertaining crowd banter set Pitchfork off on a great foot, but it wasn’t as incredible as the late night
Wilco show. Then again, that might be as if I was comparing apples to oranges because of the two
drastically different environments the shows took place in.
Weird Thing I saw: Security guards spearing individuals attempting to jump the festival fences. I bet
most of them felt the wrath of wanna be college football players who I assume never got into good
music or have daddy issues.
Best Vendor I saw: Firecakes Donuts. I got a Glazed Donut Cherry ice-cream sandwich. It was warm on
the outside and cold on the inside, sticky and delicious.
Saturday 7/18
The momentary cancellation of the Pitchfork early Saturday afternoon couldn’t keep the crowds away
for long, as many took shelter in the port-a-potties, made friends with vendors under tents, and
attempted to stay dry under the nearby L stop (frivolously might I add). Around 4:15 when those would
had followed directions and left Union Park were admitted back in the real party began. Pitchfork has a
no return policy, so tickets don’t scan more than once, so festival security had to permit basically
anyone into the festival, which made for some great mosh pits. The aftermath of shows like A$AP Ferg
appeared as if those closest to the stage had just spent a week in a trench the way they were covered in
mud. Regardless of weather, with a lineup consisting of Sleater-Kinney, Future Islands, Vic Mensa,
Shamir (who patrolled the fest grounds and was even front row for Mr. Twin Sister), The New
Pornographers, Kurt Vile and the Violators, and Parquet Courts it was difficult to keep fans away.
Best Show: Future Islands
Honestly, I cannot say I have witnessed a show where I believe any one band member or musician gave
as much energy or emotion as Samuel T. Herring put into their Saturday evening Pitchfork set. The
incredible dance/ hype moves Herring provided the crowd fueled a beautiful show. Imagine a young
Tiger Woods fist pumping after he won the US Open, and you may only get about one tenth of the
intensity Samuel T. Herring threw into some of his fist pumps, not to mention the points of his demonic
death metal snarls he threw his voice into while “singing” tracks. The ten song set took off after the
band played “A Dream of You and Me”. The followed up with two of their new tracks back to back, hit
emotional highs during a brief explanation of the song “Lighthouse”. When Future Islands broke down
into “Seasons” the crowd reciprocated one highest energy dance parties I felt all weekend. Ending with
“Spirit” sent the crowd on their way with rubbery legs, light hearts, and memory they won’t soon forget.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_RuMFDaJTEM
Runner Ups: Mr. Twin Sister & Vic Mensa
Mr. Twin Sister held down the 2:50 PM slot at the Blue Stage on Saturday afternoon and played just
until the massive downpour ensued. The at times down tempo electronic band killed the slot they were
given and embraced the rain, lead singer Andrea thanked the crowd for “getting wet with them”. The
rain didn’t seem to bother the early afternoon crowd much, I would even fashion to say the
precipitation empowered the crowd to dance even harder. Except unfortunately as soon as the show
ended all of the festival goers were notified Pitchfork would be closing in 20 minutes and then all hell
broke loose from the sky. The groovy five piece electronic band got the afternoon going, but after seeing
them just nights before at the Bishop, the outdoor festival set just couldn’t compare. Vic Mensa closed
out the Blue Stage on Saturday night with a wildly energetic set, which even put some fans partying up
into the nearby trees to get a better look. Vic held down the stage with grace and vivacity speeding it up
and slowing it down with ease. To my surprise Vic has an immensely talented voice which he displayed
on his rendition of Chance’s “Cocoa Butter Kisses”. Mensa also played a new track “No Chill” and ended
the set by mobbing with a near 20+ squad on stage for “U Mad”.
Weirdest thing I saw: A recycling bin went for a crowd surf during the A$AP Ferg set, eventually spilling
its contents all over fans. Hysterical, you literally cannot write stuff like that.
Shows I wish I would have seen: Vince Staples & Kurt Vile and The Violators
Sometimes it’s just not in the cards to see every show you would have wished to at a festival, be it your
friends, spots you want to get for another show, or just crappy timing. Vince Staples ended up being
stuck in another city and unable to make his slot due to travel delays, which is alright anyways because
he would have wound up being right during the momentary cancellation of the festival. As well, I would
have loved to see former War on Drugs member Kurt Vile, from what I have gathered he put on a
fantastic set.
Best Vendor I saw: The Ray-Ban tent let you screen print your own speak the truth shirt with a phrase of
your choice as part of their “#Campaign4Change” initiative for free. I made one that said “Snack as facts
for your brain”.
Best part of the mud puddles: After the torrential down pour that sent many festival goers scrambling
for cover as lightning streaked the sky there were quite a few mud puddles. There puddles congregated
together into massive sections of mud that few dared to walk through, let alone stand in. But for those
whose shoes were already soaked to the core and who were dedicated to the artists performing, these
puddles saved seats, opened up swaths of land allowing for more breathing room while rocking out.
Sunday 7/19
Sunday, debatably the best day for music, happened to also by far the best weather to attend the
festival in. Even though the sun beat down hot for the afternoon, shade could be found to enjoy shows
from slightly afar before getting close for desired acts. Individuals camped all day to see the
homecoming of rapper Chance the Rapper to close out the festival, while others hopped around seeing
the electro-dance power packed lineup. The live instrumented electronic music Todd Terje & The Olsens
and Caribou put all in ear shot into a dance frenzy, while the DJ stylings of Jaime xx sparked the sense of
revival of DJ’s who don’t set up a Mac and press play. Run the Jewels amazed the crowd with surprise
guests Zach de la Rocha and Gangsta Boo (which I was a fool and left early, but that’s beside the point).
Early afternoon performances by Madlib and Freddie Gibbs, Perfume Genius, Courtney Barnett, and Viet
Cong made Sunday arguably the best day of the festival.
Best Show: Todd Terje, Caribou, and Jamie XX
A three way tie wouldn’t usually wouldn’t constitute the best show, but it’s hard to differentiate
between who was better between these three acts. All three played amazing electronic music, but all
with different flavors and nuances. Jamie xx played earliest of the three and killed his one’s and two’s on
stage with a disco ball slowly rotating behind him. Opening with “SeeSaw”, hardly any of the tracks
following went note for note as one would hear them on his album In Colors, the former xx member
fused in and out of songs feeding off the crowd’s intensity. To a close listening fan a distinct introduction
sample of “Take Care” by Drake and Rihanna could be heard. Jamie spun one of his earliest singles “Far
Nearer” during the set and picked up and dusted off the “Good Times” vinyl to spin before launching
into “I Know There’s Gonna Be (Good Times)”, sending the crowd into a full-fledged 70’s dance party.
Ending the set off with “Loud Places”, which he had sampled hints of throughout the show, left the
feeling Jamie xx’s name won’t be going away anytime soon. Up right after Jamie xx was Caribou on the
Green Stage, a finer example of why live instrumented electronic music might possibly be some of the
best live music out there. Caribou kicked off the set with an amazing “Our Love”, breaking it down and
jamming it out, into “Silver” and “Mars”. Individuals in the crowd front left of the sound stage couldn’t
help but groove when Dan Snaith and co-electronic pad drummer vibed off one another. The dueling
drum pads put the crowd into an absolute fever of flailing noodles for appendages (or maybe that was
just me). The middle of the set was filled with tracks off of prior albums, many of which the crowd may
have not known, but the dancing never ceased. Ending with “Can’t Do Without You” and “Sun” left the
crowd giving the four piece band a standing ovation. Ending off the Sunday dance movement, Todd
Terje brought more of a jazz aesthetic to the live instrumented electronic music. Opening with “Swing
Star, Part 1” the band immediately starting getting after it, the following set included some sweet, sweet
live sax and a plethora of other jazz-esque sample stylings. Finishing off with “Inspector Norse” where a
group of females and one bearded dude line danced on stage in white “robes” (for lack of better
understanding of fashion” adorned with Christmas light necklaces stunning the crowd.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q_FpsXpMVTo
Runner Up: Chance the Rapper
Perhaps many will be in disagreement with the call of not putting Chance as the best show of the day,
but not being up close into the crowd and having been first row in an Auditorium venue will do that for a
person. Don’t misinterpret, the production value of the show was incredible and the sound even better.
The live band was barely visible above the setup of the stage, but their sound could be felt all the way
back in the “nose bleeds” of the field. Donnie Trumpet’s horn dominated the stage during his solos,
while hits “Pusha Man”, “Juice”, “Cocoa Butter Kisses”, and “Favorite Song” had nearly every person the
in the audience singing all the words. Ending with “Sunday Candy”, Chance begged the crowd to make it
their show and thanked them for being with him since the beginning. The Chicago native also expressed
how this homecoming show was also the closing to a chapter in the story that is his career as an
entertainer, so who knows what will be in store from his music in the future
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8bsI9sfqKIg
(07/22/15 3:44am)
**Quotes from artists contain explicit material, young children avert your eyes please**
As you walk westward towards Union Park the heavy bass of Pitchfork Music festival emanates down the city streets as a pinpoint compass, letting you know you’re heading in the right direction. When you finally get inside the wooded park - full of vendors, a market and music – the Sears Tower (okay the Willis Tower) can been seen poking out from the top of the Green Stage. This past weekend was Pitchfork’s 10th anniversary. Ten years of great music being played in a city known for music. Ten years of amazing performances.
What can really set performances apart is the banter that makes up the in between. What would otherwise be silence as they switch out guitars or re-tune is filled with interesting, funny, or insightful soundbites to their personality.
“Smoking is f*cking disgusting and is hard to stop once you start so be wise” –Mac DeMarco
Ever since Mac played at Culture Shock in 2014 WIUX has kept their music in it's heart. While Mac was chain smoking in between his lo-fi set that included favourites like “Ode to Viceroy” and “Cooking Up Something Good” from the album 2 the above words of wisdom were dispersed by his band mates. His Friday afternoon spot was visible and audible by those camping out for the Friday night headliner, Wilco. So the hardcore Wilco fans might have been confused by the excited pronouncement from Mac that Thom Yorke of Radiohead, was going to be the headliner that evening. Whether Mac actually believed that or not is up to deliberation, but it gave a chunk of the audience a hoot.
“We are way to British for this sunshine sh*t” - CHVRCHES
While it was noticeably toasty during their Friday evening set, what really warmed things up was the friction from dancing that engulfed a large part of the audience. The adorable, enthusiastic and talented electropop vocalist Lauren Mayberry also imparted a similar warning as the DeMarco bandmates, calling Mac out for littering cigarettes all about the stage “Tons of f*cking cigarettes, that’s disgusting, it’s bad for you, it’s bad for you guys”. Their performance included a single from their upcoming album Every Open Eye which is set to be released in September.
“You’re beautiful when you’re wet” – Kurt Vile and the Violators
Kurt Vile and The Violators’ set was shortened to only three songs due to the torrential downpour on Saturday during the late afternoon, forcing Pitchfork to close down until the rain subsided, making Kurt's comment both apt and hilarious. Despite playing for a short while, the music was spectacular, especially the beautiful live rendition of "Walking on a Pretty Day" from their album Walking on a Pretty Daze.
“Sometimes I have a quarrel with Pitchfork, sometimes I wish they gave us 0.5 more” – Future Islands
Since Pitchfork is notoriously picky in their album reviews, there are more than a handful of bands probably feeling exactly as Samuel Herring articulated. Whatever score Pitchfork gave the American synth-pop group, there was a good reason Future Islands were part of this year’s festivities.
“I like these trees, beautiful days, that’s it that’s my stage banter” - Bully
Blunt and a little meta lead vocalist Alicia Bognanno was stoked to be performing at Pitchfork saying “F*cking awesome holy sh*t this is so cool f*ck yeah”. But honestly everyone packed into the wooded grove of the Blue Stage to see them tear through tracks from their debut album Feels Like were just as stoked.
“Have you been to Australia? You can lie, I don’t care” – Courtney Barnett
Courtney shredded through her stream Sunday afternoon set, which was hot enough for this Australian to mention “This is the second time I’ve worn shorts on stage, I don’t know if you should feel lucky”. I will leave it up to someone else to decide if her clothing choice made us lucky, but the audience was lucky to hear Barnett jump through the highlights of her album Sometimes I Sit and Think, and Sometimes I Just Sit.
“I’m gonna take a sip of water….. Okay back to f*cking sh*t up” – Run the Jewels
The giddy mosh pits where everyone couldn’t help but end up drenched in sweat that wasn’t necessarily their own was a key ingredient to the vivacity of the audience. WIUX gave their album Run the Jewels 2 a rare 7/7 and their live show did it justice. While they didn’t perform anything from their kickstarter album Meow the Jewels, that was to be expected. Despite the aggressive tone in their music, both Killer Mike and El-P seem to be sweeties, just like their video giving advice to teenage girls in the “Ask a Grown Man” series could have predicted (If you haven’t seen the video they give great advice on love). They even reminded the audience to put on some sunscreen after declaring “One, congrats to the Blackhawks Two we gonna burn this city mother*cking down.”
“We don’t want nobody here who ain’t here” – Chance the Rapper and The Social Experiment
The show was the biggest visual spectacle of the weekend, with the intel lights programmed into intricate designs, home movies and cartoons projected on the back ground, and the Social Experiment highlighted on huge risers so that they could be seen far back in the audience. Chance also played songs from the group Donnie Trumpet & The Social Experiment including “Sunday Candy.” He kept referring to Chicago as “The Crib,” where everyone in the audience belonged, there was no need to be worried or pretend because everyone was home. He was positive, kind, and inviting. Having the audience become part of a symbiotic relationship that grew in energy.
(07/20/15 2:23am)
After over nine years and over 3 billion miles in space travel NASA’s New Horizon has sent home photos of one of our furthest known friends’ in the solar system, Pluto. Although after the launch the New Horizons spacecraft Pluto was demoted to a “Dwarf Planet” as part of the Kuiper Belt, it was discovered that what was believed to be a small icy is actually much larger than previous estimates and having a red surface. The diameter is now estimated to be 1,473 miles. Pluto’s moons are varying in size too with Charon estimated at 751 miles, Nix at 20 miles and Hydra estimated at 30. The remaining two moons, Kerberos and Styx, have not been given enough observation time to fully determine size. According to Dr. John Grunsfeld, of NASA, Pluto has a variety of surface types and that it possible that snows.
New Horizons is collecting an enormous amount of data for the past decade, to the point where it will take 16 months to send it all home according to a NASA press release. The below photo of Pluto and it's heart shaped birthmark was taken approximately 7,750 miles above the surface of Pluto. For more information about the New Horizons mission or photos of Pluto go to http://www.nasa.gov/.
(07/13/15 3:42am)
Pitchfork has established itself as a more underground and under represented music festival, aiming to highlight bands that might not have gained as much critical acclaim as those playing at other Chicago festival staples like Lollapalooza and North Coast. This is awesome for festival goers, encouraging them to seek out new bands, and find more music that they love. It also makes scheduling your festival day require more preliminary research. To help with that, WIUX has done some of your heavy lifting and compiled a stack of 5 bands to see before 5 p.m..
Ryley Walker
When: Friday at 3:20
Where: Blue Stage
Why: Ryley Walker is a 25 year old Chicagoan whose jazz folk fusion is full and inviting with intricate finger picking weaving around the compositions. It is music that meanders as if simply enjoying the audible path and is reminiscent of its 1960’s forbearers. His vocals quiver crisply and intertwine with the electric fuzz distortion that occasionally clings to the otherwise clean melodies. His second studio album Primerose was released this past March under Bloomington’s own Dead Ocean’s as a follow up to his 2014 All Kinds of You.
Bully
When: Saturday at 1:55
Where: Blue Stage
Why: According to their Facebook page the official band interests are “Milkshakes, Root beer, Dogs, Cats and comics” which is easy to relate to. Hailing from Nashville Bully has indie-grunge gusto that with energize an afternoon slump. Their debut album Feels Like was recorded at Steve Albini’s studio where founder and vocalist Alicia Bognanno used to intern. The vocals are layered sweet and tender but an aggressive, more grunge-y tone breaks through showcasing the stylistic variety that keeps Bully's songs interesting and fun to listen to. Bully are likely to shred through their set leaving the audience ready for the rest of the day and crushing on Bognanno. You can also catch them at Lollapalooza this summer.
Kurt Vile and the Violators
When: Saturday at 4:15
Where: Green Stage
Why: You might already know Kurt Vile from his stint as a member of The War on Drugs but once you listen to his 2013 album Walking on a Petty Daze you’ll probably also love him. The Violators, Kurt Viles’s backing band, is made up of Jesse Trbovich, Rob Laakso, along with Kyle Spence who is also in the band Harvey Milk. Lo-Fi indie rock equivalent of relaxing on a hammock by a lake, Kurt Vile and the Violators are a must see stop, maybe an early picnic dinner while they strum in the afternoon sun. With rumors of a new Kurt Vile album coming out later this year, there is a good chance you’ll catch some new songs.
Ex Hex
When: Saturday 3:20
Where: Red Stage
Why: Ex Hex came blasting out straight from the gates. A year and a half ago this Washington D.C. group hadn’t played a show yet, since then they have released a 7” called Hot and Cold, their 2014 album Rips as well as played a set at the 2014 SXSW in Austin, Texas. Formed by 90’s alt rock alum Mary Timony (Wild Flag, Helium, Autoclave and solo work) and joined by Betsy Wright and Laura Harris, Ex Hex is named after Timony's 2005 solo album Ex Hex. Now Ex Hex is a punky garage pop girl group that will charm the pants off of you, s and force you to dust off some of your better dance moves.
Courtney Barnett
When: Sunday at 4:15
Where: Green Stage
Why: Even if you haven’t heard the sometimes snarky but always honest album Sometimes I Sit and Think, and Sometimes I Just Sit from this Australian indie rocker that was released earlier this spring, you are likely to still be enthralled in the set. The humorous lyricism alone will have you captivated, as they are held prominently at the forefront of her music. The instrumentation complements it perfectly, being the river that carries the vocal boat down your ear canal. Barnett is not new to large festivals having played Coachella previously and with the sun sinking lower in the afternoon sky Barnett will be urging you so boogie or sway.
WIUX will be covering Pitchfork next weekend, so keep your eyes trained on the blog and follow WIUX on instagram @wiux991 to see the festival from our eyes.
(07/02/15 2:55am)
It is almost Independence day, or for those who like their holidays to also be a reminder of what day it falls on the 4th of July! While you wait to watch fireworks, eat corn on the cob and munch on burgers all the while, why not listen to the music from the beautiful land that the United States gained independence from in the first place?
Belle & Sebastian -
Scottish indie rock band that formed in 1996 and has over 9 albums to date. Although there is some question for how long Scotland will remain within Great Britain, at least as it currently stands Belle and Sebastian should definitely on your playlist of British bands.
Track to hear: "If She Wants Me" - Dear Catastrophe Waitress
The Boxer Rebellion -
Made up of Tennessee native Nathan Nicholson, Andrew Smith, and Englishmen Adam Harrison and Piers Hewitt, The Boxer Rebellion is the perfect indie-rock combination of British and America.
Track to hear: "Promises" - Promises
The Last Shadow Puppets -
I'd say that the 4th of July is pretty super, so it makes sense that an English supergroup is on your playlist. The Last Shadow Puppets is brooding indie rock made up of Alex Turner (Arctic Monkeys), Miles Kane (ex-The Rascals), and James Ford (Simian Mobile Disco).
Track to hear: "My Mistakes Were Made For You" - The Age of Understatement
The Magic Numbers -
Made up of siblings Angela Gannon & Sean Gannon as well as siblings Michele Stodart & Romeo Stodart this family band's pop rock will fit in at your family's patriotic celebration.
Track to hear: "Forever Lost" - The Magic Numbers
Miles Kane -
Wow! He is twice on the list? Yes. Yes he is. Born in 1986 this only child who was voted in the top 50 best dressed British men this year by GQ has been involved in more than a handfull of notible bands, but we are checking out his solo stuff for your BBQ tunes.
Track to hear: "Rearrange" - The Colour of the Trap
Mystery Jets
Formed in Eel Pie Island in Twinkenham, London the band was originally called The Misery Jets. Eel Pie Island was under the flight path of Heathrow airport for planes were on the mind.
Track to hear: "Two Doors Door" - Twenty One
Oasis -
With a run of 22 top hits in the UK, Oasis was inducted into the Guniess Book of World records in 2010 for “Longest Top 10 UK Chart Run by a Group”. This Manchester rock band might have had a colossal breakup between the brothers Liam and Noel Gallanger, but their music lives on and so does the saying "Anyway, here's wonderwall".
Track to hear: "Champagne Supernova" - (What's the Story) Morning Glory
The Pigeon Detectives -
Formed in 2004 in West Yorkshire The Pigeons are a five piece indie rock group. In an interview with the BBC Jimmy Naylor (drummer) spoke of Dave best (bassiest) saying "Dave breeds pigeons, and there's a pigeon that lives in a shed, that's his special pigeon, and this pigeon actually writes all the songs". This remains unconfirmed.
Track to hear: "I Found Out" - Wait For Me
Royal Blood-
Hailing from the seaside town of Brighton, England this British garage rock duo is made up of Ben Thatcher and Mike Kerr.
Track to hear: "Figure it Out" - Royal Blood
Saint Raymond-
The stage name of the 20 year old Callum Burrows who is singer songwriter is from Nottingham with entrancing harmonies.
Track to hear: "Fall at Your Feet" - Escapade (EP)
If you are still looking for stuff add to your soundtrack read an 2014's list of British bands reminding us that the British invasion might not have stopped. Or it's 2014 counterpart by the groovy Jessica Yarvin about American bands for your celebration.
(06/25/15 3:07pm)
5/7
I would like to tell you immediately that this album does not sound like what the name of the band might imply. When I heard the band name Bitchin Bajas, I thought it would be a reggae punk album– a genre I haven’t heard before but would most assuredly enjoy. Instead Bitchin Bajas and their album 2011 Water Wrackets turned out to be an ambient depiction of water. Made up of Cooper Crain, Dan Quinlivan, and Rob Frye, this Chicagoan trio has more than more water based album having released Vibraquatic in 2012.
Water Wrackets is encompassed in a droning synth like the tides of the deep ocean as if the record as a whole is a minimalist audible scuba diving experience. "Water 1" begins light like the shallow area of the ocean when the sunshine still can cascade down and illuminate the life that is in view. dancing synth echos like the calls of pods of dolphins. Slowly an endless throbbing, synth pulsates through the entire song slowly getting deeper and carries on into the next song. The second track of the album, amply entitled “Water 2”, has a long intro mimicking the songs of whales being recorded from the depth. The pulsating synth is more ominous now. What could be toned radar beeps of a submarine build in the song until the second half where they cascade in chiptune-eske melodies.
The next track “Water 3” has a hypnotic disco vibe that grows into rhythmic groove that is in cased in the droning that perpetuates throughout the entire album. As Water Wrackets progresses it feels like you are emerging from the depths, slowly ascending into water that more sunlight can reach. "Water 2 (reprise)" is a minute long ambient electro-pop track that breaks the surface of the water to a light rain fall.
I won’t tell you that Water Wrackets is the best reggae punk album you’ve ever listened to, because as you remember from before it isn’t reggae punk. But if you know how to swim and are looking for relaxing instrumental background music for when you study this wouldn’t be a bad choice. If you're looking to hear them live Bitchin Baja have a set on the Sunday of the Pitchfork Music Festival this July. They are suspected to play from their 2014 self titled album who's ambient drone is designed for the listener's full relaxation.
Listen to "Water 1" here:
Track List for Water Wracket is below:
1) Water 1
2) Water 2
3) Water 3
4) Water 4
5) Water 2 (reprise)
6) Water 1 (reprise)
(06/24/15 3:04pm)
5/7
Viet Cong, the self-titled second release from the Canadian Viet Cong, is a post punk album that builds a story which twists, tangles and grows up until the “Death”. Their first release from 2013, Cassette EP, was originally put out on a demo cassette and was heavily toured gaining Viet Cong enough recognition to earn larger audiences and venues including this year's Pitchfork Music Festival. Viet Cong is an album that seems to be structured to consume and experience as a whole, not just a selection of separate songs placed together under one title.
Viet Cong is made up of Matt Flegel (Bass, Vocals), Mike Wallace (drums), Scott Munro (Guitar) and Daniel Christiansen (guitar) and was formed in 2012 in Alberta, Canada. Flegel and Wallace were previously in the band Women, which called an indefinite hiatus in 2010 after an on stage brawl and the following year the lead guitarist of Women, Christopher Reimer, passed away. Flegel and Wallace were also in a Black Sabbath cover band with Christiansen before Viet Cong formed.
The opening track to Viet Cong is the industrial “Newspaper Spoons”. It is as if Big Brother had a thick post punk song it address the citizens with. Halfway through “Newspaper Spoons” breaks into a cleaner cacophony of cascading synth. “March of Progress” is a 6 min long focal point to Viet Cong. It has an enormous intro that layers in on itself building into a wall of tightly knit organized sound that breaks into the bear essentials. Flegal happily sings the cycnical lines “We play the life secure with give and take/We build the buildings and they’re built to break/Tell me, tell me, tell it to me, tell it straight/ What’s the difference between love and hate?” Flegal’s voice is commanding, and comforting in the way an authority figures voice can be.
“Bunker Buster”, with twanging guitars that match the minimalist march of the drums, encourages the listener to sway and move. With a softer indie into “Continental Shelf” pulls briefly into an eerie industrial drone for the verses which acts like a thin fog filling all the space between the melody. The last track on Viet Cong is the 11 minute long opus entitled “Death” that has subsections that flow in seamlessly together keeping attention for the entirety. It is the soundtrack to a breaking down apocalypse, a desolate death excited by the life that preceded it.
Listen to "Continental Shelf"
T
1) Newspaper Spoons
2) Pointless Experience
3) March of Progress
4) Bunker Buster
5) Continental Shelf
6) Silhouettes
7) Death
(06/23/15 3:01am)
Did you read part one? No? Well stop, go do that one first. See you in a bit.
Welcome back! Have fun discovering more about youself, and maybe more about your friends. Okay?
Would you rather:
1. Never be allowed to drink carbonated things again or never eat anything red ever again?
2. Unable to use cell phone cameras or unable to use microwaves?
3. Glow in the dark teeth or glow in the dark eyes?
4. Once a week get a free sandwich or twice a month get a free lasagna?
5. Have the focus (a la a Jedi) or ability to shape shift into any land mammal?
6. Cry at every cereal commercial or never eat cereal again?
7. Be a talented oboe performer or a talented potter?
8. Get top charting album for free every month or top charting book for free every month?
9. Not allowed to eat breakfast food for a year or having to eat only breakfast food for 6 months?
10. Have hair that grows 3 times the normal or nails that grow 3 times as fast?
11. Be afraid of corn on the cob or allergic to corn on the cob?
12. Think you can talk to grizzly bears or think teddy bears are alive?
13. Be a cast member in the new Star Wars or a cast member in Jurassic World?
14. Taste from your finger tips or listen from your hips?
15. Live 6 months in ancient Greece or not leave town for the next 2 years?
16. Walk around with slices of mango in your shoe all week or not eat fruit for 3 months?
17. Never use a fork again or never ride a bike or skate board again?
18. Be Kanye for a day or Dave Grohl for a day?
19. Have a flourishing lemon tree in your back yard or a flushing blueberry bush?
20. Have green eyebrows or purple leg hair?
21. Be able to run a 6 min mile or be able to the entire single ladies dance straight through?
22. Turn into a bee for 3 days a year or be deathly allergic to dairy products?
23. Have the nick name of “Funky Nancy” or “Groovy Chad”?
24. Unlimited supply of breadsticks and dip or unlimited garlic bread?
25. Permanently smell like grass clippings or have permanent Cheetos fingers?
Wow.
You just learned a lot about your self. Go journal!
(06/01/15 9:10pm)
I won't even try to have an argument of with you about if you should go see Sir Paul McCartney or the Alabama Shakes, Tame Impala or Sam Smith, Florence + the Machine or Of Monsters and Men. I'm not going to. If you are going to Lollapaloza in Chicago this July 31 - August 2 you probably have already picked the headliner you're seeing and sticking to that decision with all of your guns. And that is completely alright.
This is to help with the part of the day you haven't even thought about yet. Early afternoon, the bands that will have those making the trek in from the suburbs take an earlier train in. Yes, this list of bands comes from the bottom section of the list. For those unfamiliar with how Lolla sets out it's lineup, they announce it in an enormous list from the headliners and generally better known bands to the smaller and lesser known ones. These are the band you can get up close and personal with. You don't have to camp out all afternoon and evening long for a place by the front. These are the bands that probably will come back to Lolla in three years, but in an evening slot.
I've included the stages, the performance start time and the day for easy digestion. So as you're planing your personal lineup for the festival, take a listen to see if you want to add these to your schedule. The full lineup and schedule can be found on the official Lollapalooza website.
Coasts: (Bud Light - 12:45 p.m. - Friday) Coming to Chicago all the way from Bristol, this indie rock quintet will be performing on Friday. They were at Coachella earlier this year and are confirmed to play Reading and Leeds Festival in England this August. This is Coasts' single "Stay" which was released in 2012.
Spookyland:(Lake Shore - Noon - Friday) The lead singer, Marcus Gordon, sounds gravely and quivering. They are coming all the way from Sydney, Australia and this is their song "The Silly Fucking Thing". I personally like the adjective "Spooky" very much.
Bear's Den: (BMI- 4:30 p.m.-Friday) Set to play on Friday this three piece indie folk band comes to Chicago from London. According to their facebook page their genre is "swag" and their influences are "Wool and steel". Because that doesn't tell you a drastic amount about what they sound like, here is Bear's Den's song "Agape" from their album Islands.
Beat Connection: (Pepsi-Noon-Saturday) You'll find them on the Saturday. Formed in 2010, this four piece electro-pop has shared the stage with the likes of ODESZA, STRFKR, and Toro y Moi. Below is their track "Hesitation"
Elle King: (BMI-5:40 p.m.-Saturday) Early on Saturday evening this bluesy growling voice will draw you in. She song "Playing For Keeps" from the 2012 debut album The Elle King EP, which was released on Fat Possum Records, was the theme song for the show Mob Wives of Chicago. Here is her song "Devil Don't Go" from the album Love Stuff.
Hippo Campus: (BMI-1:10 p.m.-Saturday) This summer indie rock band performs on Saturday. You might have seen them perform their song "Suicide Saturday" from their album Bashful Creatures on Cohen. You can listen to the track below.
Raury: (Pepsi-12:50 p.m.-Saturday) Another great early afternoon act on Saturday. After graduating high school in 2014 he has be full throttle pursuing his musical career including contributing to SBTRKT's album Wonder Where We Land according to the Lollapalooza main website. This is his song "God's Whisper" from his album Indigo Child.
White Sea: (BMI-1:10 p.m.-Saturday)They have great harmonies that will draw you in during their Saturday set. Hailing from Los Angeles here is White Sea's song "They Don't Know" from their album In Cold Blood.
Black Tiger Sex Machine: (Perry's - 12:35 p.m. -Sunday) You'll find these Canadian EDM artists on Sunday. This is the Urban Contact remix of their song "Destroy It"
Lion Babe:(Pepsi - 12:50 p.m. - Sunday) This fierce duo of New Yorkers' singer/songwriter Jillian Hervey and producer Lucas Goodman on Sunday. This female empowerment song "Wonder Woman" features Pharrell Williams.
Circa Waves:(Samsung Galaxy - 12:45 p.m.-Sunday) This catchy British indie-pop band can be found on Sunday. Made up of Kieran Shudall, Sam Rourke, Colin Jones and Joe Falconer Circa Waves have been around since their founding in 2013. This is their song "T-Shirt Weather" from the album Young Chasers.
In The Whales:(Pepsi-Noon-Sunday) This duo will be performing their rock and roll songs on Sunday. The url for their band page is inthewhalesucks.com which I frankly think is pretty funny. This is their song "Heels" from their 2012 album Cake.
(05/26/15 10:25pm)
6/7
Bashful Creatures is the indie pop debut EP from Hippo Campus, a four piece band hailing from St. Paul, Minnesota that will have you pressing replay over and over. For their first studio EP, Hippo Campus is making big waves. This summer they will be performing at Lollapalooza in Chicago, they recently performed at SXSW in Austin, Texas and performed “Suicide Saturday” live on Conan. Clean, energizing, and infectious it is no wonder Bashful Creatures is getting such buzz.Hippo Campus is signed to Grand Jury Records which is also the home of Twin Peaks and Trampled by Turtles. The EP was recorded in Pachyderm Studios and is made to make you remember them (just like the portion of the brain referred to as the hippocampus).
The opening track “Sophie So” sets the indie vibe so the EP, with a hint of reggae that preserves through all 6 tracks. In “Souls” Jake Luppen joyously sings “Oh we won’t go back to the room where we sold our soul”. With its groove and clap interlude this track is a personal favorite from the EP. Lead guitarist Nathan Stocker's guitar riff in “Suicide Saturday” follows the vocal melody -foreshadowing or echoing that Luppen will sing- building harmonies to cascade within itself. “Opportunistic” would remind you of Ezra Koenig style vocals. This entire sweet summer EP is reminiscent of Vampire Weekend or Young the Giant from their self-titled album.
It is a shimmering album, the epitome of indie rock. Sweet, adventuresome, and youthful Bashful Creatures is a perfect Saturday early afternoon when you have specific no plans but plenty of time. It is no wonder it sounds so youthful, the band is made up of 18-20 year olds. They are fresh in the prime of youth, having only graduated high school in '13.The EP wraps up with the title track “Bashful Creatures” an peppy indie pop song with guitars that seem to dance. First declaring “Bashful Creatures, I don’t give a fuck… I don’t care who you are, I don’t care what you wear” as if they are done with pretenses. The song goes on to say “don’t try to fight it anymore”, as an overall encouragement - as cliché as it could be - to just be one’s self. There is a section of the song that sort of sounds like a group of monkeys heckling you, but it works.
Bashful Creatures is just scratching the surface of what Hippo Campus will become, but it is a great place to start their search. The album leaves you wishing that there were more, so here is to hoping their next release will be soon.
The track list is below:
Sophie So
Little Grace
Souls
Suicide Saturday
Opportunistic
Bashful Creatures
Below is the video to "Souls"
(05/15/15 9:41pm)
6/7
In a mayhem of fun frenzy, Crushed Beaks debuted their first album, Scatter. Their brand of fizzy, noise pop has the makings for rolled down windows on a hot summer day. This London trio is made up of guitarist Matthew Polie, Drummer Alex Morris, and recently recruited bassist Scott Bowley. Crushed Beaks formed in 2010, and Scatter has been long rumored since their Tropes EP in 2013. Like the crackling of heat on a hot road, Crushed Beaks’s Scatter is fizzying indie rock that is quick, earnest, and frankly, fun.
Opening with a softer side the intro of “April” is a swirling melodic mist which the drums burst through. Polie’s vocals seem to hover, tingle like a beach-y reverb on a guitar. His semi-gravelly voice quickly becomes a key component of their sound, something that is instantly recognized as part of Crushed Beaks. The second track, “Overgrown,” was the main single that came out in anticipation of the album slides into “Replicae” who’s guitars have tones reminiscent of surf rock melodies. The entire album free youthful, in the swirls of indie rock.
“Choices” is building excitement, with instrumentals that breaths more than those in the first half of the album. For a mid-album track, it is one not to miss, a slight air of aggressive wrapped up in the carefree enthrallment of youth. Scatter doesn’t lose energy.
Polie’s vocals gets dreamier in “Memory Loss.” There is a clean and open intro with waves of guitar reverb crashing inward on the song filling up all the cracks. The last track is “Litmus,” an exuberant seven-minute long song that despite the length doesn’t drag.
The album reminds the listener of a trip to the beach, the hot pavement, crashing waves, the sunset and the drive home. It is the sound of the summer time. Parts of Scatter call memories of the Kooks, and the entire album feels warm and inviting. While this is not necessarily an album that will change your life, it is one that could emphasize your life by being part of its soundtrack.
The track list is as follows:
April
Overgrown
Replica
Rising Sign
Choices
Feelers
History
Grim
Memory Loss
Litmus