Archive for March, 2010
Shudder to Think: an examination of early 90′s hardcore hybridization
March 31st, 2010 • 3 comments Commentary, Rock
Tags: Hardcore, Shudder to Think
Lately I’ve noticed my iTunes drifting back into the listening habits of my high school days: exclusively D.C. Hardcore/Post-Hardcore i.e. anything released on Dischord from 1980-1996. Literally, this is all I would listen to for two straight years of high school. I hadn’t even heard Modest Mouse until sophomore year, when a friend started proclaiming their newest album at the time, “Good News…,” as shit, lamenting the fact Issac Brock stopped taking acid and drinking heavily.
Dischord Records has affected the majority of what I listen to. Immediate heavy listens went to Minor Threat, Fugazi, Nation of Ulysses, Q and not U…bands that remain my favorites to this day. But lately, I have really started to delve into what is their most nuanced and subtle heyday: early 90′s indie rock. What band captures this crazy blend of post-punk/hardcore, avant-garde/art rock, and pop? Shudder to Think.
The first song I heard by them is ‘Red House’ and I’m grateful for that day. It’s a great introduction to what this band’s sound is about. Starting off with some slow palm muting and a tepid drum, you can tell this shit was recorded in ’91. And once the riff begins, and the bass and full drums kick with the full climax of the second chorus, a listener cannot help but remember how solid independent rock music used to be (by the third chorus, you have no choice but to endorse this view). Read more »
Seabear Cometh
March 31st, 2010 • Folk, Iceland, Video
Tags: seabear
WRBC and Bates College were really fortunate to have world-class Icelandic indie-folk-rockers Seabear to drop by campus on March 29, 2010 for a little concert. With our new flipcam, The Monkey recorded the concert for those of you that were maybe too tied up with thesis or abroad to come. Here are a few of the highlights:
Sindri talks about performing at Bates
Arms from “The Ghost that Carried Us Away”
Cat Piano from “The Ghost that Carried Us Away”
Stay tuned for more videos as they become available. To those of you that came out on a rainy Monday, WRBC, Seabear, and all involved are really thankful. Read more »
Charts 3/30/10
March 30th, 2010 • 1 comment Charts
Tags: beach house, black rebel motorcycle club, broken bells, frightened rabbit, Joanna Newsom, rogue wave, seabear, shout out louds, Spoon, Ted Leo and the Pharmacists
Some New(ish) Punk acts
March 28th, 2010 • Commentary, Rock
Tags: Brilliant Colors, Masshysteri, Title Fight
I’ve been embracing my punk-rock self lately. Any one who started with Ramones and went from there understands the appeal of fast chords, leather jackets and ratty tennis shoes. ‘Punk’ is a surprisingly diverse and general term and I tend to think there’s almost something for everyone within it. Punk’s not dead, just different nowadays. Enjoy!
Masshysteri—This Swedish act released Var Del Av Stan (rough English translation ‘Be Part of Town’) last year, but they’re relatively new to me. This LP contains excellent, jangly, anthemic punk tracks almost like the legendary Wipers (from Portland, OR).
The best comparison is probably Denmark’s recently disbanded Gorilla Angreb. Great male/female vocals, and almost garage-like guitars. They’ll be putting out a new record and touring the US later this year. Check them out here.
Title Fight—All I can say is damn, yes. This is pop-punk at its unadulterated best, slick guitar riffs, excellent fast parts, equal parts Saves The Day, early New Found Glory and maybe Dude Ranch-era Blink. Read more »
Why? plays in Paris
March 27th, 2010 • 4 comments Concert Review
Tags: Why?
Listening to Why? sometimes feels like the audio equivalent of voyeurism. Lyrics to songs like “Good Friday” are raw and gritty, evoking images that are twisted and grotesque. Between the dirt, however, the Independent/New Wave group somehow manages to weave in extremely heartfelt and wholly relatable matters of the heart. Considering the band’s body of work, it is unsurprising that lead singer Yoni Wolf lists MF Doom and Lil’ Wayne next to Joanna Newsome and Bob Dylan as sources of inspiration.
The contrast between the clashing sentiments in Why?’s music makes the group entirely intriguing, if not irresistible, and the large crowd at their show at La Maroquinerie in Paris last Thursday March 25 is evidence of their universal, however bizarre, appeal.
The night began with a set by Josiah Wolf, Yoni Wolf’s older brother and an up-and-coming solo act in his own right. British band Popular Damage followed, and the headliners took the stage after making the Parisian crowd wait what seemed like an inappropriate length of time. But Why? didn’t loose any lovers for the delay. On the contrary, Yoni Wolf knew all his lines, lamenting between songs on the set list, “Paris, man… everyone here looks so good it makes me self-conscious.” The Cincinnati-based band put on a great show, and despite having caught a cold, Yoni’s distinct voice was both controlled and vivacious. The often-brutal honesty evident in Why?’s lyrics is intoxicating, and makes the group a live act not to be missed. Read more »
BOBCATRACKS 1
March 26th, 2010 • BOBCATRACKS
Tags: infinite body, seabear, sleigh bells, the xx, tune-yards
Here are our editors top songs for March 25, 2010:
Doug Ray (Editor in Chief): Seabear – Cold Summer (We Built a Fire)
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Bradley McGraw (Deputy Editor in Chief): The xx – Teardrops (Tour 7)
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Liana Blum (Art Editor): Sleigh Bells - Ring Ring
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Charles Thaxton (Rock Editor): Infinite Body – Drive Dreams Away (Carve Out The Face of My God)
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Charlotte Simpson (Culture Editor): tUnE-YaRdS – Hatari (BiRd-BrAiNs)
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Introducing BOBCATRACKS
March 25th, 2010 • BOBCATRACKS
Tags: BOBCATRACKS
When we got this blog started last semester, the team involved with its development hoped that it could become a forum where members of the Bates and Lewiston-Auburn communities could come to find out about events, albums, concerts, culture and all things WRBC. In only a few short months, we have grown this into one of the premiere independent music blogs in the state of Maine with a fairly steady growth in regards to hits and posts.
Today, we are rolling out a weekly column called “BOBCAT TRACKS,” which will each week have our editors throwing out a song that is relatively new that they believe is worth a listen. It will be published every Thursday evening. We hope this new feature will lead to some stimulation in your ears and that you make BOBCAT TRACKS a weekly destination as you travel across the internet.
Stay tuned for the first BOBCAT TRACKS, it will go live this evening at about 9 PM. Read more »
Charts for 3/23/10
March 22nd, 2010 • Charts
Tags: beach house, black rebel motorcycle club, broken bells, frightened rabbit, Joanna Newsom, rogue wave, seabear, shout out louds, Spoon, Ted Leo and the Pharmacists
Middlebury, VT
March 19th, 2010 • Commentary, Hip Hop
Tags: Middlebury College, YouTube
In case you have been living under a rock outside of the Northeast Liberal Arts College circuit, a group of students at the esteemed Middlebury College in Vermont came out with the following video a few weeks ago, and, not surprisingly, its gone viral.
One thing that I think is clear about this video (other than the fact that, excepting the quidditch verse, you could basically replace Bates and Midd and get the same effect) is that us liberal arts kids love to lampoon ourselves and our athletic departments. It is sometimes shockingly scary how truly generic we can all be in our attempts to be original, which, at some level, is where The Allen Jokers’ humor comes from in the 5 minute song. Read more »
Concert Review: Toro Y Moi/Washed Out/Small Black/James Cook
March 16th, 2010 • 1 comment Concert Review, Electronic, Maine
Tags: chillwave, Jamie Cook, Small Black, Toro Y Moi, Washed Out
Editor’s Note: This article was originally written for The Bates Student, and was published in that publication on March 9, 2010.
Music lovers of Bates turned out in distinct droves and waves on Friday night, March 5th for a WRBC-sponsored event at The Benjamin Mayes Center. The concert was much promoted by the campus radio station, in an effort to get students listening and excited for these up and coming groups.
The artists, who fall under the blog-spun catch-all genre “chillwave” all actually sounded pretty distinct. Each group brought a distinct and enjoyable sound to students who were clearly very excited to dance and enjoy what the bands had to offer. Read more »