WZBC - Radio Show - 8/03/11

Wow, first week of August! Even though I threw together this playlist relatively quickly the previous night, I think this show turned out really well. It consists of three main blocks: a female vocalist block, a covers block, and a mostly 90’s/80’s alternative block. The covers block got a few callers who were really enjoying it, so I’ll be sure to do another one of those in the future. I played three songs from Stereogum’s Tribute to “Is This It”, released as the album just turned 10 years old. That fact is pretty insane to me. Thus that’s where this episode’s logo comes into play. That cover art never fails to remind me just how much I hate the cover of the US version.

WZBC - Econo Jams - 8-03-11

The Soft Boys - I Wanna Destroy You
Robyn - Indestructible (Acoustic Version)
Lykke Li - Get Some
Kate Bush - Pull Out the Pin
Joanna Newsom - In California
Karen Dalton - Something On Your Mind
Mazzy Star - Fade Into You
Titus Andronicus - Breed (Nirvana cover)
Frankie Rose - Soma (Strokes cover)
Real Estate - Barely Legal (Strokes cover)
Owen Pallett - Hard to Explain (Strokes cover)
Luna - Sweet Child O’ Mine (Guns ‘N Roses cover)
The Go! Team - Bull In the Heather (Sonic Youth cover)
Cap’n Jazz - Take On Me (A-ha cover)
Deerhoof - The Continuing Saga of Bungalo Bill (Beatles cover)
Rilo Kiley - After Hours (Velvet Underground cover)
Dinosaur Jr. - Just Like Heaven (Cure cover)
Sebadoh - Brand New Love
Guided by Voices - Awful Bliss
The Strokes - The Modern Age
Superchunk - Seed Toss
Yo La Tengo - We’re an American Band
Violent Femmes - Never Tell
Cibo Matto - Blue Train
Clap Your Hands Say Yeah - Upon This Tidal Wave of Young Blood
Ozma - Battlescars
New Order - Ceremony

Econo Jams website

WZBC - Radio Show - 7/27/11

This week’s show was extra long, given that I filled in for the DJ with the show after me. Four hours in a radio station is a long time! Thus this week is cut into two different blocks, as one four hour mp3 is a bit insane. I played a bit more theme specific blocks this week, including a loud/noisy block, a more hip-hop influenced block, as well as a brand spankin’ new 2011 music block. I even played The Beets! Are there any other occasions in history where “Killer Tofu” as been played on FM radio? I sincerely hope so.

WZBC - Econo Jams - 7-27-11 - Part 1
WZBC - Econo Jams - 7-27-11 - Part 2

Deerhoof - Twin Killers
Buzzcocks - Boredom
Au Pairs - It’s Obvious
Bauhaus - Dark Entries
..And You Will Know Us By The Trail of Dead - Mistakes & Regrets
Black Dice - Seabird
Clinic - Voodoo Wop
Devo - Jocko Homo (Be Stiff)
Le Tigre - Deceptacon
Titus Andronicus - Titus Andronicus
Lightning Bolt - Ride the Sky
Daughters - The Virgin
OFF! - Darkness
Pixies - Something Against You
Fugazi - Bulldog Front
Mclusky - Alan is a Cowboy Killer
Yeah Yeah Yeahs - Art Star
Microphones - Sand (Eric’s Trip)
Guided by Voices - Echos Myron
Ween - Freedom of ‘76
Magnetic Fields - Strange Powers
Wire - Map Ref. 41N 93W
Orange Juice - Falling and Laughing
Joanna Newsom - Peach Plum Pear
Beulah - If We Can Land a Man on the Moon, Surely I Can Win Your Heart
Beach Boys - Cabin Essence
Eric’s Trip - Sand
Lush - Leaves Me Cold
Smog - Cold Blooded Old Times
Felt - Rain of Crystal Spires
Harry and the Potters - Save Ginny Weasley
Minutemen - The Anchor
Gang of Four - At Home He’s a Tourist
James Carter, Cyrus Chestnut, Ali Jackson & Reginald Veal - Summer Babe

The Beets - Killer Tofu (Fuck Yeah 1990s Remix)
Cibo Matto - Sci-Fi Wasabi
WHY? - Gemini (Birthday Song)
Wugazi - Sleep Rules (I’m So Tired)
Madvillian - Accordian
Shabazz Palaces - Kings New Clothes Were Made by His Own Hands
The Big Pink - Velvet
Jesu - Silver
Girls - Vomit
St. Vincent - Surgeon
The Rapture - How Deep Is Your Love?
Bjork - Crystalline
Washed Out - Amor Fati
Handsome Furs - What About Us
Sleigh Bells - Tell ‘Em (Kingdom Remix)
Dom - Damn
Clap Your Hands Say Yeah - Maniac
The Tallest Man on Earth - The Blizzard’s Never Seen the Desert Sand
Vivian Girls - Take It As It Comes
The Vaselines - Lithium
Guided by Voices - Smothered in Hugs
The Zombies - Carre of Cell 44
Can - Mushroom
Magazine - Definitive Gaze
Psychedelic Furs - Sister Europe
Yo La Tengo - Our Way to Fall
Leonard Cohen - Avalanche
John Cale - Leaving it Up to You
The Birthday Party - Mr. Clarinet

Recording: Cibo Matto - Live at Brighton Music Hall - 7-20-11

Cibo Matto - Live @ Brighton Music Hall - 7-20-11

1. (Intro)
2. Beef Jerky
3. Le Pain Perdu
4. Sugar Water
5. (Boston Banter)
6. Spoon
7. BBQ
8. Tenth Floor Ghost Girl
9. Moonchild
10. Sci-Fi Wasabi
11. Check In
12. Birthday Cake
13. (Encore Break)
14. Blue Train
15. Know Your Chicken

Another awesome show at the Brighton Music Hall! This place is quickly shaping up to be one of my favorite venues in Boston. Continuing the much appreciated trend of 90’s reunions, Cibo Matto returning this year was a delightful surprise. Though I had only really gotten into the band in more recent years, “Birthday Cake” had been in my life for nearly 10 years due to the video game Jet Set Radio Future. Also I was very familiar with “Sugar Water” due to the classic Michel Gondry directed video.

When they first took stage, is was just Miho Hatori and Yuka Honda, the core of the band. The first three songs were all from their debut “Viva! La Woman” and sounded pretty spot on to their album versions. Yuka was clearly using some of the same equipment from the band’s original run, as her keyboard presents were saved on a zip drive! (Remember those?) The rest of the band then joined them for the Buffy approved “Spoon” from their second album “Stereo * Type A,” and remained for the duration of the set. I always think its cool when bands gradually bring out more members, and never see it used enough. In addition to highlights from their two albums and “Super Relax EP,” the band played two new songs, later hinting at an upcoming album! Both were good and fit in well with the rest of their setlist.

Overall “Sci-Fi Wasabi” and “Birthday Cake” got the biggest crowd reactions, both eliciting a band/audience call and response. The energy for “Birthday Cake” in particular was insane, and it will undoubtedly be one of my live highlights of the year. They closed the set with fan favorite “Know Your Chicken,” playing for a bit over an hour total. After the show, the band hung around the merch table, signing shirts/ticket stubs, and posing for photos. Both Miho and Yuki were very gracious and down to earth. In addition to the new record, the band expressed sincere interest in returning to Boston again. If you missed them this time, be sure to see them in the future!

WZBC - Radio Show - 7/13/11

I really enjoyed this episode. I ended up playing the leftover Summer blocks I created a few weeks ago, as well much more songs from 2011 than normally. I swear I always get callers when I play Polaris, and it’s great. The image this week is one Google result for “Sugar Water.” I can’t wait to see Cibo Matto play next week!

WZBC - Econo Jams - 7-13-11

Cibo Matto - Sugar Water
The Undertones - Here Comes the Summer
Dictators - California Sun
Hold Steady - Constructive Summer
Pavement - Summer Babe
Polaris - Summerbaby
Modest Mouse - Summer
Animal Collective - Summertime Clothes
Future Bible Heroes - Real Summer
The United States of America - The Garden of Earthly Delights
Broadcast - Tender Buttons
Aphex Twin - Goon Gumpas
Animal Collective - Winter’s Love
Pixies - The Happening
Clap Your Hands Say Yeah - Same Mistake
Bon Iver - Michicant
Lykke Li - I Follow Rivers
Cults - You Know What I Mean
Beat Happening - Indian Summer
Harry Nilsson - Just Wait Till Summer Comes
Belle & Sebastian - A Summer Wasting
Brighter - British Summertime
Magnetic Fields - Summer Lies
Beach Boys - Your Summer Dream
Ween - Sweetheart in the Summer
The Durutti Column - Sketch for Summer
Virginia Astley - A Summer Long Since Passed
The Zombies - Summertime
Modest Mouse - Dead End Job at the Dead Letter Office
Beirut - East Harlem
Les Demoniaques - Teenage Lust
John Maus - Quantum Leap
Bill Callahan - Drover
Marissa Nadler - Baby I Will Leave You in the Morning
My Morning Jacket - Our World

Recording: Bill Callahan - Live at Brighton Music Hall - 7-10-11

Bill Callahan Live @ Brighton Music Hall - 7-10-11

Wow! This show was pretty incredible. I’ve really gotten into Smog/Bill Callahan over the last year so I was quite excited with high expectations. However this show totally blew me away! It was such an emotionally affecting performance, and I felt emotionally exhausted after many of the songs. Bill is just such a talented musician and his music in a live environment is really powerful. Electric guitarist Matt Kinsey and drummer Neal Morgan were also big factors for the strength of the performance. Both are immensely talented and can bring some pretty moving and unconventionally beautiful sounds out of their instruments. I was taken aback by Neal in particular, though as Joanna Newsom’s drummer I had seen him live several times before. Still this setting allowed him to get a bit noisier at points, which ways always really engrossing to both watch and experience. I recorded this show on my pocket recorder though unfortunately the battery died during “The Well,” the first song of the encore. I regret not checking on the recorder during the pre-encore break. Thus “Too Many Birds” and “Blood Red Bird” were not captured. However I found the actual set to be the highlight, and I would have gone home more than satisfied after “In the Pines.” Highlights of the night for me included an incredible (way better than the album) rendition of “Our Anniversary” and an epic 18 minute version of “Let Me See the Colts.” Even songs I’m more lukewarm towards like “America!” translated wonderfully live. One of the best shows I’ve seen this year!

1. Riding for the Feeling
2. Baby’s Breath
3. Eid Ma Clack Shaw
4. University Applicant
5. America!
6. Our Anniversary
7. Drover
8. Let Me See the Colts/Say Valley Maker
9. In the Pines
10. Encore break
11. The Well (incomplete)

Mix: 2011 Fourth of July Songs!!

2011 Fourth of July Mix!!!

1. Matmos - The Stars and Stripes Forever
2. Galaxie 500 - Fourth of July
3. X - Fourth of July
4. Bruce Springsteen - 4th Of July, Asbury Park (Sandy)
5. Ryan Adams - Firecracker
6. The Decemberists - July, July!
7. Siouxsie and the Banshees - Fireworks
8. Elliott Smith - Independence Day
9. Ani DiFranco - Independence Day
10. Aimee Mann - 4th of July
11. Elvis Costello - Indoor Fireworks
12. David Byrne - Independence Day (Cumbia)
13. Beach Boys - 4th of July
14. Azure Ray - 4th of July
15. Sebadoh - Fire of July
16. Aereogramme - Fireworks
17. Bedhead - Roman Candle
18. Thurston Moore and Mike Watt - Fourth Day of July
19. Animal Collective - Fireworks
20. Jimi Hendrix - The Star Spangled Banner (Live)

Cover Art

WZBC - Radio Show - "Summer Songs" - 6/15/11

This episode was a lot of fun. The theme was “Summer songs”: either songs that evoked the Summer or in one way, or had Summer in the title. Mostly the later given that it made research much easier. Though being college radio I needed to keep the songs more “alternative,” I still tried to make a diverse mix. The Deerhoof song is the odd one out though, as I simply just wanted to play that one. Still, I’m very proud of this episode. It will continue over into next week as well, along with some 4th of July themed music!

WZBC - “Summer Songs” - 6-29-11

• Deerhoof - Super Duper Rescue Heads!
  Jamies - Summertime, Summertime
  Love - Bummer in the Summer
  Chad & Jeremy - A Summer Song
  Yo La Tengo - The Summer
  Semi-Gloss - The Sunburn Song
  Jonathan Richman - That Summer Feeling
  The Cure - Snow in Summer
  Islands - Jogging Gorgeous Summer
  Wilco - Summer Teeth
  The Sundays - Summertime
  Ladybug Transistor - Like a Summer Rain
  Red House Painters - Summer Dress
  Luna - Indian Summer
  Wild Nothing - Summer Holiday
  Neon Indian - Deadbeat Summer
  Yeasayer - Wait For the Summer
  Hüsker Dü - Celebrated Summer
  That Dog - One Summer Night
  Rentals - My Summer Girl
  Belle & Sebastian - I Know Where The Summer Goes
  Emiliana Torrini - Summerbreeze
  St. Vincent and the National - Sleep All Summer
  Girls - Summertime
  Best Coast - Summer Mood
  Jens Lekman - Sweet Summer’s Night on Hammer Hill
  Jonathan Richman - Summer Morning
  XTC - Summer’s Cauldron
  of Montreal - Oslo in the Summertime
  The Jesus and Mary Chain - Surfin’ USA
  Tullycraft - Stay Cool I’ll See You This Summer
  The Lucksmiths - Friendless Summer