j's indie/rock mayhem - 24th august 2005

[wow! what a great night for new music. so much that i didn't even have a chance to get to some of it, so more on the way next week. every single set in the show (all 7) started off with brand new music and there was even more contained within the sets! it's an exciting time of year for music.

also, apparently i was wrong. when i read the princeton review college best-of lists earlier this summer, they weren't officially out yet. we're now the #6 best college radio station in the country according to the princeton review. a big hearty thanks to the listeners and djs that make this possible.

this is a reminder to go vote in the go triad 2005 readers' choice awards. WQFS is nominated in the best college radio station category and we really need your help. you know you love us. now show us how much! doesn't take much time, plus you get to vote for tons of your other favorite triad businesses and people. the contest runs until september 15th, so get your votes in. currently the totals sit at WQFS with 36% and WUAG with 40%. read my previous post about why we're much better than then and then vote! so help us out! now, onward.]

Theme Song - Peaches - "Rock Show"
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Bob Mould - "Paralyzed" [finally! new rock from the man himself's new record, body of song. it's the return to his guitar driven music that everyone's been clamouring for. no, this is not zen arcade, but if you're a fan of his work with sugar then you will be very pleased.]
the Tears - "Autograph" [this would be on my best songs of the year list if i end up trying to do that. from the excellent here come the tears. glamour lives, thank goodness.]
the Happy Mondays - "Kinky Afro" [who knew? the mondays have reunited to play some festivals this summer and, potentially, work on a new album. if they can muster up another record as brilliant even as black grape's it's great when you're straight yeah, then all will be forgotten, shaun. i promise.]
Blackalicious - "The Fabulous Ones" [and another real exciting release for the fall. blackalicious' new album, the craft, drops on september 27th. meanwhile, this excellent song from their debut nia is just the thing to quell the excitement. for a moment at least.]
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the New Pornographers - "Use It" [huzzah! twin cinema is the new album from this canadian supergroup and it lives up to all the promises. a.c. newman is at the song-writing helm for most of the affair and this song just proves his chops even more. i'm in pop heaven.]
Semisonic - "Singing In My Sleep" [and speaking of pop heaven, one of my favorite songs of all time. from their amazing feeling strangely fine.]
the Avett Brothers - "Love Like the Movies" [from the carolina trio's debut album a carolina jubilee. one of the highlights of their live show recently.]
the Gun Club - "She's Like Heroin to Me" [one of greatest similes in the history of rock. from their nearly flawless debut, fire of love.]
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Rogue Wave - "10:1" [from their forthcoming album, descended like vultures, this track tears it up in a noisy din that is so irresistable i can't even believe. i'm really excited for this album.]
Kurtis Blow - "Rappin' Blow (part 2)" [after a bit of a misfire with a tape player, i had this lined up. this is actually the sequal to blow's big single "christmas blow," but this song hails from his self-titled 1980 album. it also includes "the breaks" which is undeniably one of the best rap songs of all time.]
Idlewild - "As If I Hadn't Slept" [more amazing sounds from the scottish band's new album promises/warnings. great rock.]
the Twilight Singers - "What Makes You Think You're the One?" [from their covers record she loves you comes this lovely fleetwood mac cover. greg dulli (ex-afghan whigs, current twilight singer) has a solo album coming out on september 6th and a new twilight album is due out in the spring hopefully.]
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Portastatic - “White Wave” [the review on this record (from one of our own music directors) praised portastatic and dogged on crooked fingers. totally different north carolina animals. portastatic is what superchunk would be if they hadn’t cooled their jets and chilled into the beautiful structured pop of their last two albums. all indie-vocals and distorted, poppy, hook-laden guitars. in other words, magnificent. from their new album bright ideas.]
Devin Davis - “Iron Woman” [my current power-pop hero. his lonely people of the world, unite! is a pop dream. oh, devin. i’m yours.]
David Bowie - “Sound and Vision” [by request. from low.]
Dinosaur Jr. - “Quicksand” [a cover of the david bowie classic from hunky dory. this is from their 1991 EP whatever’s cool with me.]
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John Vanderslice - “Trance Manual” [from his newest album pixel revolt. pitchforkmedia loves this guy to no end. i saw him a few years ago and a friend dubbed him ‘john vandersnooze’ because we were bored to tears. but this song is quite good. and i’m really thinking about giving him another spin. low-key, orchestrated. damn good.]
Dawn Chorus - “Got Some Blood On My Shirt” (live at KFAR) [ironically, i saw vanderslice play at the record store owned by one of dawn chorus’ front men, andrew dudek. dawn chorus is playing at guilford college’s sternberger auditorium on friday night as part of the greensboro fest along with citified. dawn chorus is a lovely band and this song is way up on my list of favorites.]
Citified - “Secret Knock” [you heard citified’s chris jackson on the show a few months ago for a wonderful interview. terribly nice guy and their self-titled EP is to be heard to believe. beautiful stuff.]
Tiger Bear Wolf - “I Bed Down” [but here’s my favorite current greensboro band. they’re playing saturday night at UNCG campus along with eugene chadbourne and filthy bird. all the greensboro fest shows are FREE. so go to at least one. this is from their new, brilliant self-titled album.]
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Nickel Creek - “Helena” [nickel creek gets loud! this song is amazing. i really adore this record something fierce. from why should the fire die?]
Denison Witmer - “California Brown and Blue” [more from philadelphia’s son. off his excellent, and best (in my opinion), are you a dreamer?]
Prince - “The Cross” [absolutely one of my favorite songs off of sign o’ the times. that record still just kills me.]
Gary Numan - “U Got the Look” (live) [from the alternative anthology. the second disc is a live disc which includes this gem of gary covering prince’s classic from the same sign o’ the times album. stellar.]
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the Rosebuds - “The Lovers’ Rights” [more great new NC music. great, old-school (and i mean buddy holly old school) rock and roll from their new album birds make good neighbors.]
Elliot Smith - “A Distorted Reality Is Now a Necessity to be Free” [by request. from the songs from a basement on a hill album.]
Big Country - “Inwards” [from their awesome the crossing album. it’s a damn shame big success eluded these scots. they were something else.]

That’s it for this week. We’ll be on temporary schedule for the next two weeks to do training. I’ll do my best to be in my slot. Check the blog for details. Don’t forget to vote in the Go Triad Readers’ Choice Awards. We really need your support! Take care.