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Home , American Goldwing, A Ghost Is Born, Blitzen Trapper, Chris Conley, Circa Survive, Dum Dum Girls

WORTHYVol. 21 Issue 2 - WSBU - #1 Station in the Nation shows their fans .

Beirut releases The Buzzworthy long-awaited comes back with helps you find the quick LP area’s best concerts Letter from the General Manager The Buzzworthy “Men want the same thing from their underwear Station Manager they want from their women: a little bit of support Kyle Zappia and a little bit of freedom.” Editor-in-Chief - Levi Trimble Managing Editor Karly Gombert

Contributing Staff Sam Berkhead, Bill Mulligan, Makeda Loney, Ashley Waterman, Mary For every person, family weekend means ing up and giving us the best compliments Sullivan, Heather Monahan, something different. To some, it means we could ever receive as a radio station. The that they get to see their family again! To first was a little woman who lived down the Akeyla Vincent, Morgan others it may mean, ugh my family is com- road; she approached our tent and said, Mack, Paige Winston, ing to visit. It could be a chance to meet with a grin, that she has really been enjoy- Patrick Hosken, Jess Rehac, your friend’s family, or a chance to enjoy ing the music we’ve been playing during Katie Ficcaro the company of friends and family. Bonagany. As a radio station there is noth- My perception of family weekend has ing else we want to hear than people enjoy changed since my first year at Bonas. As a the music we play. freshman, seeing my parents came far too Another lady, tall and slender, wearing soon after I was set free. However, as se- a Hickey Tavern t-shirt, came to us. She niors, we have formed traditions, so fam- said she lived in Allegany and every once ily weekend is something I look forward in a while she will turn on WSBU to see Table of Contents to. Usually, the tradition involves check- what new music is making it big. Well she ing out hypnotist Keith Karkut, wandering sang us a song that she hears frequently 3 Newsworthy @ around Bonagany, and going out for a din- on the Buzz and wanted to know the art- The Buzzworthy ner or two. ist so she should go purchase the album. This year, I wasn’t able to tour the sights After searching the lyrics we found out it of Bonagany with my family because I was “Sadness is a Blessing” by Lykke Li. 4 Upcoming Concerts spent most of my time selling t-shirts at Our mission has always been to introduce the Buzz table. I would say it was a fair listeners to the newest music, so I feel that 5 Dum Dum Girls trade, though. My parents get to go look it has been accomplished. at the arts and crafts, and I get to promote Knowing that not only students are en- WSBU. joying the station but the people of Alleg- 6 Beirut Interacting with the citizens of Allegany, any are too is a great feeling. We don’t just students of Bonaventure and their family want to have a presence in the Bonaventure 7 PBC, CYHSY is something we all look forward to hear at community; we want to have a presence in WSBU. Being able to get feedback from the the town of Allegany. So, thank you to all people who listen to us and enjoy our mu- the people of Allegany who support us. We 8 Wilco sic is something we don’t take for granted. will continue to bring you new and enjoy- I would like to thank two ladies for com- able music for you to listen to. 9 , Neon Indian

- Kyle Zappia 10 Blitzen Trapper, The Kooks Station Manager 11 New Directors

12 + WSBU Stubs 13

14 A Night at the Theater

15 TTUYL

2 The Buzzworthy | wsbufm.net September 30, 2011 Newsworthy @ The Buzzworthy What’s New at WSBU By Jess Rehac This semester the Programming Department has Check out our podcast page at www.wsbufm.net implemented a few new programs to make broad- and find your new favorite radio show today. casting on and listening to the Buzz a little easier for everyone. News Ticker To help the DJs learn the equipment and get comfortable in the DJ booth faster, last semester’s Podcasts: On Thursday, Sept. 29, Programming Department put together a manual come and groove to the that covers how to run a basic radio show; it cov- Rick Simpson Hour, Jazz cool jazz sounds of NY ers work all of WSBU’s broadcasting equipment, Standard Time, a trio with trouble shooting questions, and all of our station CJ Norman and Justin Alvarez, Hip-Hop Jan Rhody on and policies and regulations. This manual is e-mailed vocals, professor of music, to all of the DJs at the beginning of the semester, Les Sabina, on bass, and and there is a physical copy of the manual in the The Fuzz on the Buzz with Tony Zambito adjunct music instructor, DJ booth so it is on hand for anyone at the station and Sam Wilson, Moses Howden on drums. at all times. The group will perform The Programming Department is making listen- Skin and Bones with Pat Hosken and standards of Kern, Porter, ing some of the Buzz’s favorite shows a little easier Ellington, Jobim, and for the general public. Each week, of the Buzz’s Ryan Whitney, Indie-Rock others, from 7-9 p.m. best shows are recorded and uploaded to the web- site so they are available for download at any time. Night of the Living Bones with The Department of Featuring shows from each of WSBU’s major Bill Mulligan, Loud Rock Physical Education will genres, indie, classic rock, loud rock, hip-hop, and be offering a certification jazz, we have a podcast for just about everyone. training session from 5-9 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 2, & Tuesday, Oct. 4. Participants are required to attend both sessions. If interested contact Dr. Miguel Narvaez via email at [email protected] or by phone (716) 375-2233 before 5 p.m. on Thurs- day, Sept. 29. Space is limited. Cost: $50.00.

The summer issue of Blue & Gray magazine features a cover story co-authored by St. Bonaventure jour- nalism professor Chris Mackowski. Mackowski, as associate professor of journalism and mass communica- tion, paired up with collaborator Kristopher White to write an article on the Civil War battle of Spotsylvania Courthouse. The article, which covers the fighting from May 13- 20, 1864, picks up where a previous article left off.

September 30, 2011 The Buzzworthy | wsbufm.net 3 Upcoming Concerts What’s Coming To Your Area The Buzzworthy made this list to help its readers find out who the best performers coming to the area are. Check out this compilation of venues and artists within a three hour radius. We guarantee at least a few good shows you can go to.

Buffalo, NY Cleveland, OH Town Ballroom: Grog Shop: - The Head and the Heart: Oct 1 - The Drums/ Veronica Falls: Oct 3 - Skrillex: Oct 10 - Battles/walls: Oct 5 - : Oct 13 - Polar Bear Club: Oct 7 - : Oct 22 - Wild Flag: Oct 10 - : Oct 26 - Dick Dale: Oct 13 - Brett Dennan: Oct 28 - Neon Indian: Oct 15 - Panic! At the Disco: Nov 2 - The Toasters: Nov 5 - Jason Bonham: Nov. 4 - Thursday: Nov 28 - Lucinda Williams: Nov 6 - : Nov 22 - Mastodon: Nov 26 House of Blues: - Timber Timbre: Nov 29 - J. Cole: Oct 4 - Hanson: Oct 5 Mowhawk Place: - Blue October: Oct 9 - Polar Bear Club: Oct 15 - Bayside/: Oct 11 - Blitzen Trapper Oct 29 - NoFX: Oct 12 - Ziggy Marley: Oct 18 First Niagara Center - Umphrey’s McGee: Oct 21 - Further w/ Phil Lesh and Bob Weir -GWAR: Oct 24 - Gym Class Heroes: Oct 31 - Howie Day: Nov 6 - Ace Frehley: Nov 8 Rochester, NY - Owl City: Nov 17 - City & Colour: Nov 27 Water St. Music Hall: - Beirut: Nov 28 - The Joy Formidable w/ Fang Island: Sept 30 - Haha Tonka w/ Sara Elizabeth: Oct 1 - Mac Miller w/ Casey Veggies, & They Come Up: Oct 4 - Popa Chubby w/ Indigenous: Oct 9 - We Came As Romans, , Of Mice and Men: Oct 14 - STS9: Oct 15 - Blue October, Iamdynamite :Oct 16 - Bright Light Social Hour, Hurricane Bells: Oct 20 - , , Fake Problems, Carter Hulsey: Oct 23 - Wale- Oct 30 - Taking Back Sunday, The Maine, Bad Rabbits: Nov 2 - Chamberlin, Wildlife: Nov 3 - Assembly of Dust, Barefoot Truth: Nov 10 - Donna the Buffalo, Driftwood Nov 18 - , The summer Set, Downtown Fiction, Pulg IN Stereo: Nov 25

Bug Jar - Nightmares for a Week: Oct 18 - The Demos: Oct 21 - Sports: Nov 23

4 The Buzzworthy | wsbufm.net September 30, 2011 Featured Reviews

Dum Dum girls release sophomore LP.

By Makeda Loney You can easily tell that Dee Dee Penny’s You can hear the percussion beating soft- this album would be an amazing starter for musical taste is a product of her mother’s ly in the back behind the vibrant sound of someone looking for new music, and is an and father’s from the new album she and , and Dee Dee’s soothing, yet excit- amazing album for any music lover. her band recently released. Dee Dee, for- ing voice which gives some songs feeling of merly known as Kristen Gundred, is the liveliness and joy. The song “Just a Creep,” lead singer of The Dum Dum Girls, an would be a good example of that. Other band that originated in Califor- songs even-out ’s overall upbeat nia who released their second full length sound with a stronger drum song and album “Only in Dreams” in September of even slower vocals, like in the songs “Bed- 2011. room Eyes,” and “Hold Your Hand.” The With her father’s love of the smooth Dum Dum Girls remind me of another all Frank Sinatra and the Supremes, and her girl band Those Dancing Days, which is a mother’s love of the adventurous sound Swedish band with almost identical sound, of , the vibe for this album with their own unique spin on things. definitely resembles both genres. This The album is an amazing collection of Dum Dum Girls band of ladies has branched off of their sound and lyrics that are catchy and re- own taste as well, listing influences for the latable to anyone who has been through music from bands such as The Ronettes, a tough time, wanted something so badly, Only In Dreams , Siouxsie and the Banshees, Ma- or has or had loved someone or something donna and others. The diversity of band so much. I would recommend this band choice is clearly represented in the album, to anyone who hasn’t heard of The Dum with each song bringing something new Dum Girls, or hasn’t been introduced to and exciting. the world of indie pop, because I believe

September 30, 2011 The Buzzworthy | wsbufm.net 5 Featured Reviews Horns, woodwinds and strings:

By Sam Berkhead Beirut releases The Rip Tide. Not often does a collection of nine songs 3/4 rhythm and a forlorn, stunning vocal make you feel like you’re staring out across performance by Condon, the song slowly a dusk-dusted Mediterranean from a byz- crescendos into an emotionally cathartic antine building that probably shares its masterpiece. birth year with Jesus’. No song is out of place on The Rip Tide. Beirut’s The Rip Tide will do that to you. Lush instrumentation, brilliant songwrit- With its first two , Beirut made a ing and near-flawless song name for itself as ’s niche cosmo- overshadow its short running time. politan, multicultural-folk outfit. On The Despite reaching around the world for Rip Tide, Beirut doesn’t fall far from its al- influence, The Rip Tide’s real skeleton is ready trail-blazed path—yet with its latest shameless, classic American pop. This release, its most intimate yet, the band has band will put images in your head of places finally forged a sound of its own from the you’ve only dreamed of seeing, and they loose threads of its derivatives. are all stunningly beautiful. Led by Zach Condon, the Santa Fe native who found his calling in Europe’s world of , Beirut brilliantly incorporates horns, , unconventional percus- sion and ukuleles to flesh out its melodic sensibilities. The composite result is a bril- liant snapshot of another place at another time, tinged with rosy nostalgia. “East Harlem” showcases Condon’s sub- lime croon with a lilting, joyous melody. No other song on the album could be more ap- propriate as a lead single—the song sounds like an auditory sunrise as well as a sym- Beirut bolic one for the band. “And oh, the sound will bring me home again,” Condon sings, The Rip Tide and you wonder if his home is on earth or in the sound itself. “Port of Call,” The Rip Tide’s closing track, is a clear standout from a standout album. Starting with a gorgeous, sparse

Hyterical adds up as mediocre album for internet sensation

By Bill Mulligan In 2005, Clap Your Hands Say Yeah pro- “Same Mistake” opens the record with a mospheric synths. It begins to sound like pelled through the doldrums as an internet bouncy, hopeful declaration. It’s a heck of CYHSY on autopilot, and while consistency hype band, promoted solely through the a song. While the tone of the record shifts is important for upholding the integrity of early age of bloggers and the amateur mu- from track to track, the band has clearly the album, it too often comes across as sic critic. Their self-titled debut made them defined the sound of Hysterical as the paint-by-numbers than anything mean- a household name for anyone with an In- identity of CYHSY. ingful. ternet connection and was lauded as one of While this same consistency keeps the re- The first single, “Maniac”, starts with a the most influential works of the decade. cord afloat, you’d be hard pressed to find Spanish i sound that instantly reminds the It’s been four years since their more dif- stand out moments, because every song listener of Peter Bjorn & John’s latest re- ficult second album, Some Loud Thunder, sounds the same. Songs like “Into Your cord. Seriously, the symmetry is uncanny, casted rumors of a for solo projects Alien Arms”, “Hysterical” and “Mispent considering the similar career paths that and soul searching. Youth” sound almost completely inter- both groups have taken: hyped Those rumors are forgotten the instant changeable with upbeat pop hooks and at- 00’s bands struggling to find their place in

6 The Buzzworthy | wsbufm.net September 30, 2011 Featured Reviews the indie rock landscape. production, with producer John Congle- But while Gimme Some showed PB&J as ton (Okervill River, The Mountain Goats) a more mature band who had found their stringing together the songs into a wonder- place and sound, Hysterical is awkward fully cohesive work and articulately demon- and self-conscious. As though the band is strates the sound and direction that CYHSY very much aware of everyone’s assump- have embraced as their own. Although the tions and they hope that this record will tracking appears to be a bit uneven, with too cast them aside. many quiet tracks stuffed into the middle, The album is peppered with tracks of the album closes on shaky ground with the promise like “In A Motel” that contains predictable piano driven “Adam’s Plane”. airy, melancholic, acoustic guitars along While clearly lacking the originality and with spine tingling synths matched with subsequent hype of their previous efforts, haunting lyrics of lost relatives. “Ketamine Hysterical seems to be the band’s way of say- Clap Your Hands Say Yeah and Ecstasy” reminds me the most of CYH- ing, “We’re going to be around for a while.” Hysterical SY’s penchant for bouncy tempo and the Hysterical will not result in any mass rush- bizarre vocals. es to the music store, but it provides a base That said, Hysterical boasts impressive for the band to base the rest of their career.

Rochester natives push to hardcore stardom with their third LP

By Ashley Waterman With their third album, Clash Battle Guilt plemented by the band’s harmonies and ing where you came from. It took me on a Pride, Polar Bear Club shifts away from the tight rhythms. It shifts to a steady beat and journey that expresses powerful ambition rough punk-based charts heard on Some- the last chord resonates, setting the tone to strive for the best and also reminded me times Things Just Disappear and deliv- for “Killer.” of fond moments. ers a sound stronger than the LP Chasing In their second album with Bridge Nine, “Stealing your heart like an old t-shirt Hamburg. the B9 Newsletter quotes Stadt saying, you’ll never throw away,” from the track “I’ve gotta take my grab at something “When I think about the music that’s most “My Best Days,” represents how I feel great,” these words present the theme of meaningful to me, I realize it’s that way be- about the album. It’s one that you’ll use the album as part of the chorus in the first cause of what I was able to bring to it.” and abuse until it’s tattered and falling track “Pawner.” With a slow, melodic in- This album displays relatable topics such apart but you’ll never give it up. tro, the harmonies emphasize these words. as going after your dreams and remember- and vocal kick off the song, where Jimmy Stadt’s voice communicates the passion displayed throughout the album. The emotion behind these words is sup-

Polar Bear Club Clash, Battle, Guilt, Pride

September 30, 2011 The Buzzworthy | wsbufm.net 7 Featured Reviews

shows their fans The Whole Love WILCO by releasing eighth LP. By Pat Hosken There’s a certain point in a band’s career Tweedy shows his teeth for a smile in the guitar solos, but still spawned some mag- when they realize who they are and what quirky up-tempo swayers “Born Alone,” nificent (as well as goofy—see “Walken”) they’re capable of. At 17 years into theirs, “Capitol City” and “Dawned of Me.” Sure, melodies. 2009’s Wilco (The Album) was a golden boys Wilco seem to have Wilco still rocks on the frantic new-wave fully realized summation of the band up to found their niche—still growing, still ex- shred of “Standing O” and killer two-part that point. perimenting, but keeping their sights on opener “Art of Almost,” thanks especially Given all that, Tweedy recently told The the prize. On The Whole Love, the band’s to guitar virtuoso . But the days Wall Street Journal that he’s not quite sure eighth studio release, that prize is smart, of the three-chord rockers like “Monday” how audiences will respond to his band’s interesting . and “I Got You (At the End of the Century)” latest creation. As a title, The Whole Love clearly has a are as gone as the days of the acoustic-folk- “It’s pretty much invariably the case for strongly positive connotation, and the al- behind-a-wall-of-sound of “Radio Cure.” Wilco records to have the first song dictate bum doesn’t stray far from its name. Sure, This can be attributed to the fact that the critical shorthand that comes along that means there’s no scathing lyrics like Wilco is, corporeally, a very different band. with it. is the mellow record; “Dreamed about killing you again last Only Tweedy and bassist re- it starts with “Either Way.” Wilco (The night / And it felt all right to me,” from main from its 1994 inception, and half the Album) is the funny record; it starts with ’s “Via Chicago.” Gone are band that recorded their breakout album, “Wilco (The Song).” So that’s one reason the sitting-on-the-bed-and-crying lines , is gone as well. This it’s ideal to put [“Art of Almost”] first, be- (from ’s “At Least That’s new lineup also brings a new direction, as cause I don’t know what people are really What You Said). No more saluting “The evident on Yankee’s classic rock-inspired going to make of it,” he said. Ashes of American Flags.” follow-up, A Ghost is Born. 2007’s Sky Well, “Art of Almost” begins the record Instead, and vocalist Jeff Blue Sky was an exercise in gratuitous with some good rising action—a stuttering

8 The Buzzworthy | wsbufm.net September 30, 2011 Featured Reviews drum beat, some fuzzy background noise and three crisp keyboard notes—before it all fades into a lush string that gives way to Tweedy’s unassuming howl. The song unfolds around Tweedy, with a proud bassline coming in soon af- ter, and additional tones setting a mood of uncertainty. Then, at four-and-a-half-minutes in, the unthinkable happens. A surging gui- tar tone sustains for about a minute and a half before everything goes to rock and roll hell, the kind your Catholic school teach- ers warned you about. Luckily, if you wait Wilco it out, you’ll be pleasantly surprised by the The Whole Love madness that ensues. Fast cymbal crashes, distorted guitar arpeggios, thumping bass: all the components of cathartic rock per- fection. Grammy-winning superstars, Lady Antebellum,

By Mary Sullivan try to . If it’s a quarter after one and you’re all After listening to the entire album, you’ll piest person on earth. alone, you need to listen to Lady Antebel- come to realize that aside from “Friday The songwriting that the trio lum’s new album, now! The six-time Gram- Night” and “We Own the Night” listening spent months working on shines through my winning, band just re- to the rest of the album is like riding a roll- every song in this album. Whether you’re leased their third studio album titled “Own er coaster of emotions, and I’m not talking crying tears of joy or sorrow, “Own the the Night,” and it definitely has owned the about a kiddie coaster. Night” is worth a listen, especially for charts. If you’re stressed out, having a bad day, or country music lovers. And if you’re not into The first track “We Own the Night” is the in a fight with your sweetie, look no further country music, it will no doubt convert you. perfect start for the album. Whether you’re than the heartbreaking songs titled “Cold So quit denying your inner cowboy and lis- a fan of country music or not, the song’s as Stone” or “.” Having a ten to this album! Lady Antebellum is tak- upbeat tempo and bluegrass feel will make good day or feeling absolutely in love? Lis- ing over the charts… and soon enough they you want to get out of your chair and dance tening to the beautiful and bouncy lyrics of will be taking over your music collection. like a good ‘ol country boy. And hey, if “Singing Me Home” or “Dancin’ Away with Happy listening! you’re into the songs about getting crazy My Heart” will make you feel like the hap- on a Friday night, check out Lady A’s track “Friday Night.” It has the appeal of Rebec- ca Black’s song “Friday” minus the cheesy music, plus supreme talent and lyrics with actual meaning.

Lady Antebellum Own The Night

September 30, 2011 The Buzzworthy | wsbufm.net 9 Featured Reviews Blitzen Trapper continues northwest U.S. indie rock tradition. By Katie Ficcaro is the sixth album about booze and regret which is upbeat American Goldwing has the ability to from the indie group, Blitzen Trapper. This to the point where it is surprisingly more evoke American nostalgia, with their lyr- Portland, quintet has created an al- pleasant that mournful. ics allowing any listener to think back and bum comprised of simple instrumentation It’s one of the tracks that stands out the reminisce about times in their past. and powerful vocals from lead singer Eric most on the album, with a story behind the Earley. lyrics that allows listeners to feel like they The fact that indie rock is a broad genre have experienced the hurt that the song is allows Blitzen Trapper the opportunity conveying. to reach a large group of diverse listen- “My Home Town” provides listeners with ers. American Goldwing is an album with a nostalgic down-home feeling, taking a distinctive sound from one track to the them back to a place that is easily recogniz- next. The varying sounds go from honing able. Several of the tracks have a Southern in on their classic-rock roots to flirting with rock sound similar to that of Lynyrd Sky- their country side. nyrd, this is especially evident on the tracks Slide guitars, , , and har- “Might Find It Cheap” and “Fletcher”. Blitzen Trapper monicas provide the album with a classic The varying sounds of this group are es- and distinct flavor. With lyrics filled with pecially apparent on the track “Astronaut” American Goldwing emotions any listener can relate to, each which seems as though it was written as a track is given its own unique qualities. response to Elton John’s famous, “Rocket “Love the Way You Walk Away” is a song Man”. The Kooks Fall short on By Karly Gombert Junk of the Heart, The Kooks third album “Killing Me” follows a similar path, once Not everything was a winner this time, release, radiates just how kooky the band again playing on a more classically instru- but overall The Kooks don’t disappoint. can get. After their chart topping previous mental arrangement, but this time The release, it seems like The Kooks kinda re- Kooks dip into their country side, giving laxed with this one. The fist track, named the melody a jangly feel. Not enough to be after the album title, is classic indie, with determined country-western, but the influ- a folk-acoustic vibe. However, the rest of ence is definitely there. the album falls off in all directions, snag- The Band told BBC’s Newsbeat that they ging influences from , and had basically confined themselves to a surfer rock. friend’s cabin in Norfolk in order to come “Petulia,” definitely takes on a Bright Eyes up with new stuff, says the band’s Wikipe- sound with its calm acoustics and waver- dia page. Junk of the Heart definitely re- ing vocals, which continues into “Eskimo flects their experimentation. Kiss,” but with a much more upbeat mel- ody. “Eskimo Kiss” plays on the fun side of The Kooks, really playing up the happy disposition most of their tracks exude. “How’d You Like That” sounds almost like Lil’ Wayne’s “How to Love” with its very reggae inspired melody. Piano and synth accompany the standard guitar and bass to give the track an island feel similar to Kisses or Jacuzzi Boys. “Time Above the Earth” is heavily instru- mental, but not with washed out synths. Instead, classical strings play beside very The Kooks personal vocals from lead singer, Luke Pritchard. “How can one person be worth Junk of the Heart more than/ a thousand people knocking on his door,” he belts to the vibrato of and bass.

10 The Buzzworthy | wsbufm.net September 30, 2011 Meet The Newest Directors Welcome to the Board! Meet WSBU’s newest directors!

Karly Gombert Assistant Public Relations Director Where I'm From: Ransomville, NY

Year & Major: Sophomore, J/MC

Top Three Songs For A Saturday Night: 1. Ricochet- Shiny Toy Guns 2. Blow (Cirkut Remix)- Ke$ha 3. Move If You Wanna- Mims

Tony Gannon Assistant Music Director

Where I'm From: Whiskey Hollow,

Year & Major: Sophomore, J/MC

Top Three Songs For A Saturday Night: 1. Pink Floyd - Money 2. - Waiting Room 3. - All You Need Is Love

Paige Winston Assistant Programming Director Where I'm From: Tipp City, Ohio

Year & Major: Sophomore, J/MC

Top Three Songs For A Saturday Night: 1. True Affection- The Blow 2. Party Rock Anthem- LMFAO 3. Shake- Yin Yang Twins

September 30, 2011 The Buzzworthy | wsbufm.net 11 WSBU Stubs The Latest and Greatest from Stubs the Music Department Timony and Rebecca Cole, formerly of The well, everything. It’s not an album that I Minders. would suggest for a person to really delve Opener and lead single “Romance” is a into. catchy keys-and-strings shoulder-swing- er, like a great ‘50s prom-rock dancef- est. “Glass ” rocks with fuzzy War on Drugs strums and furious pounds a la The White Slave Ambient Stripes, but the song’s near-end harmonic By Ashley Waterman vocal breakdown helps it take flight past If you’re looking for an album to get your the standard alt-rock fare. blood pumping, Slave Ambient, the new The songs are tight, ornately crafted War on Drugs album released this past Au- rockers worthy of ample radio airplay. But Mates of State gust, is not for you. deeper than that, rock records like this, Mountaintops The first track, “Best Night,” begins with ones true to an ethos of dedication and By Heather Monahan an off-kilter beat that remains the under- hard work, don’t come along too often. It isn’t very common in this day and age tone of the song. It sets the style for the Wild Flag is a good discovery, but in about to see a family based musical group. How- rest of the album, which is far too relaxed six months, it’ll be an even better rediscov- ever, Mates of State goes against this com- with a bit of a twist. ery. mon trend, consisting of Jason Hammel The instrumental track, “The Animator,” and his wife Kori Gardner Hammel. The presents a unique sound but offers nothing duo, who married in 2001, four years after to compel you to listen to it regularly. It the band was formed, continue to release segues into the next track where the song albums despite the family that they have kicks up with a catchy beat but keeps the started since their band developed. tones of the last song in the background. Their latest album Mountaintops, re- Though War on Drugs is made up of tal- leased in early September, is a mix of up- ented musicians, this album drags with beat tunes that feature the and only two moderately fast tracks. “Baby CSS mellow songs consisting of choruses with Missiles” stands out with a strong rhythmic La Liberacion strong lyrics and melodies on the piano. intro and a interlude roughly 2 Palomino” is a strong way to start the al- By Paige Winston minutes in, but one track isn’t enough to bum, as it is one of the most upbeat tracks. make you keep listening. After a three-year break, CSS is back with Most of the songs flow together nicely, with their latest take on dance-rock. Their third the exception of a few, that tend to drag on album, La Liberacion, pulls influences slightly. Mountaintops ends with the low from multiple clashing genres such as reg- key song, “Mistakes,” a solid song to end gae, punk, and electro-pop. their sixth indie-pop album with. You could call it an album of whiplash. CSS blends genres for an obvious manip- ulation of mood. The songs range from the first track “I Love You,” which isa rip off club beat layered with lead singer Wild Flag Lovefoxxx’s simplistic lyrics, to something Wild Flag like “Yolanda.” By Pat Hosken “Yolanda,” the last track on the album, A year ago, told NPR sounds as if The Sounds, and She & Him she’d been playing some new music with collaborated. The male background vocals Saves The Day some old friends. Twelve months later, almost mirror those of M. Ward’s (She & Wild Flag dropped its eponymous debut on Him). Daybreak the world—and what a year it’s been. They took a turn with their single “Hits By Bill Mulligan Brownstein, former Sleater-Kinney vo- Me Like a Rock,” that sounds like it’s a Saves The Day’s seventh studio album calist and current writer-co-star of IFC’s forced effort to produce a song worthy Daybreak opens with a mini EP, and a “” along with Fred Armisen, of the next Apple commercial. Of course, darn good one at that. The title track is 11 sings the songs onWild Flag with great their little known prior fame was derived minutes long and contains 5 distinct pas- command. It doesn’t hurt that she’s backed from the same commercialistic situation. sages. The song opens with a defiant guitar up by former Sleater-Kinney drummer Ja- Overall, the album seemed a little too line that is still in my head, and then picks net Weiss, Helium -vocalist Mary cluttered with random moods, styles, and and chooses from several genres. The track 12 The Buzzworthy | wsbufm.net September 30, 2011 WSBU Charts is impressive and is a refreshing change of pace for the pop punk veterans. And by veterans, I mean . After 17 years, Conley remains the sole 1 DRUMS original member and driving artistic force Portamento of the group. After their major label debut, Conley began to leave his pop punk roots 2 NEON INDIAN behind, and brought focus to a sound that Era Extrana sounds more Beatles inspired . Daybreak is Saves The Day at the height Das Racist 3 ST. VINCENT of their musicianship. Some songs, like the Just Relax Strange Mercy Latin influenced “Chameleon” are down- By Akeyla Vincent right surprising. But through the record, it “One fish, two fish…” comes to mind 4 GIRLS is guitarist Arun Bali who shines the most, when I think about Das Racist’s “Relax” Father, Son, Holy Ghost providing crunching power chords and album, complete with smooth, laid back driving guitar solos. verses similar to Asher Roth and lyrics that 5 DUM DUM GIRLS Other tracks like “Living Without Love” remind me of Dr. Seuss. Das Racist has no Only In Dreams and “Undress Me” are classic Saves The established structure for composing songs, 6 JACUZZI BOYS lyrics including “blah, blah, and blah”. Day that harkens back to the days of In Glazin’ Reverie without sacrificing the band’s ma- Also songs entitled “Selena” and “Michael turity. Jackson” having no actual references to 7 GROUPLOVE those artists. The record provides excellent closure to Never Trust A Happy Song longtime fans that are able to see the band The high points include the title track and come full circle from their angst filled pre- “Punjabi Song” featuring Bikram Singh. 8 LAURA MARLING vious releases into some good old-fash- “Relax” addresses racial inequality and A Creature I Don’t Know ioned happy power pop. societal distress, while “Punjabi Song” is playful with the use of the Bhangra style 9 SLOW CLUB of music. The low points are “Booty in the Paradise Air” and “Brand New Dance” which glori- fies materialism and sexism. 10 WU LYF Overall, this album shadows a compila- Go Tell Fire To The Mountain tion of drunken freestyles over nice beats. The listener finds themselves laughing at 11 PEPPER RABBIT the ridiculousness of the lyrics, unable to Red Velvet Grouplove resist nodding to the rhythms, and just re- Never Trust A Happy Song laxing. 12 DOM By Paige Winston Family Of Love We all know them; rebellious indie kids with a knack for finding the perfect music 13 POLAR BEAR CLUB to compile on their summer playlist. How Clash Battle Guilt Pride aggravated they must have been when the 14 CLAP YOUR HANDS SAY YEAH release of Grouplove’s first full-length - al Hysterical bum occurred in mid-September. “Colours,” —first released on their self- 15 FRONT BOTTOMS titled EP— kicks off with a whining front- Number One The Front Bottoms man over a catchy riff that has you instant- ly second guessing yourself. You’ll ask “do Bash! 16 BLITZEN TRAPPER I like this?” and it may take a moment to American Goldwing process the overall melodious vibe, but when you finally do, the pedal from the 17 ELEANOR FRIEDBERGER bass drum clicks and the song is in full Oct. 24 Last Summer swing. A time comes in the summer where road The Rathskeller 18 ACTIVE CHILD trips to the beach are a must. When the You Are All I See time does come, “Naked Kids,” should be Live Music 19 MALE BONDING blaring in your vehicle of choice (my sug- Endless Now gestion— a VW bus). A clap track brings Free to you back to the days of peaceful thinking 20 WILD FLAG and tranquility within yourself. all students Wild Flag Never Trust A Happy Song offers more then just a few dramatic jams for the hip- ster masses, it has substance, rhythm and heart. September 30, 2011 The Buzzworthy | wsbufm.net 13 A Night at the Theater The Buzzworthy Reviews the Latest Feature Films Warrior: surprise oscar candidate. By Bill Mulligan “Haunted by a tragic past, ex-Marine regard for his actions. The performance that through Brendan. Tommy Conlon (Hardy) returns home for propels Hardy as a professional monster And while characterization is all well and the first time in fourteen years to enlist as a verbally destroys his broken father good, this is an MMA movie, and there are the help of his father (Nick Nolte) to train after systematically annihilating every op- some absolutely stunning fight scenes. I for SPARTA, the biggest winner-takes-all ponent he faces. You almost find yourself caught myself gasping a few times during event in mixed martial arts history. A for- frightened of what he will do time that he the more fantastic sequences. You will find mer wrestling prodigy, Tommy blazes a appears on screen. With a terrific perfor- yourself on the edge of your seats for near- path toward the championship while his mance like this, you can only imagine the ly every fight as the film has so beautifully brother, Brendan (Edgerton), an ex-fight- work that he will bring to The Dark Knight built up the characters so that you actually er-turned teacher, returns to the ring in a Rises. care about what happens to them. desperate bid to save his family from finan- Joel Edgerton’s character Brendan is per- In the hands of lesser talents, Warrior cial ruin.” haps the most preposterous: a retired MMA would falter under the weight of its stock Upon first seeing this plot summary and fighter turned physics teacher whose wife characters. Warrior is fully aware of the the subsequent trailer, most were prepared forbids him to fight. Brendan is not nearly fighting film clichés, but chooses toem- to write Warrior off as a cliché ridden also- as physically imposing as his brother, but brace them wholly rather than avoiding ran; in the same vein as 2008’s Never Back this is where the reality of MMA comes them. However, Warrior thrives with in- Down and Fighting (yes, there were two into play, as Brendan uses his smarts and credibly powerful acting, strong and relat- bad MMA films in the same year). stamina to lure his opponents into various able characterization, and the artistic re- Instead, Warrior excels as a case study of takedowns and submission maneuvers. spect of so many great fighting films. This how to properly execute a film in a genre MMA is not about just punching and kick- is the Rocky of mixed martial arts. that is rife with the familiar, coupled with ing, and the film is able to demonstrate a sport that has seen less than stellar silver screen portrayals, but where those films failed is ironically where Warrior soars. The film relies heavily on the performanc- es of its three male leads and it never looks back. Nic Nolte’s performance as Paddy, the brothers’ alcoholic father, is incredibly powerful. Watching Nolte as he tries to re- connect with his sons will rip your heart out. He’s a beaten down old man with nothing else in his life except his sons. His voice is gravelly, like Rocky’s Mickey, but it’s a voice that sounds like a man at the end of lifelong suffering, and on the edge of shattering. Tom Hardy is an unstoppable juggernaut as the tortured Tommy. The man figura- tively and literally plows through everyone that he encounters in the film without any Contagion’s cast doesn’t dissapoint. By Morgan Mack and Akeyla Vincent Contagion opened on September 9th and quickly society can dissolve in the face of Paltrow) spread the disease to the world. made 22 million its opening weekend. Its something that technology cannot simply The other interesting story line shows a all-star cast included Gwyneth Paltrow, fix in a matter of minutes. San Francisco journalist, Alan Krumwiede Lawrence Fishburne, Matt Damon and The film follows a few different story lines. (Jude Law) how he profits from the spread Marion Cotillard. It was portrayed as a sus- One of which, the Emhoff family story of disease, and uses the media to spread pense thriller surrounding a deadly, and shows the degradation of a family after two paranoia. seemingly unstoppable pandemic. Conta- of its members are killed by disease. You Contagion has intense moments that are gion is an accurate representation of how also find out that Beth Emhoff (Gwenyth overshadowed by dull scientific facts about

14 The Buzzworthy | wsbufm.net September 30, 2011 Take Us To Your Leader the how viruses are spread, and how vari- ous organizations deal with the spread of pandemics. There was a disappointing lack of suspense, and the film ends with the vac- cine being discovered but allows the audi- ence to assume whether or not everyone receives it. This leaves unanswered questions for au- dience members but also allows them to make their own conclusions, rather than providing one. It is a major success in cre- ating awareness for humanity but not so much for creating the thrilling ride that one expects from a “thriller”. Take Us To Your Leaders: Some Words From Your Editor-In-Chief By Levi Trimble For generations, American music has ied the blue collar idea. Artists like Bruce theme and realize that the American blue constantly pushed the theme of the blue Springsteen, John Mellencamp, the Eagles, collar worker does not just run the U.S. but collar worker. Without this theme, the mu- Creedence Clearwater Revival, Bob Seger also its music industry. sic industry would not be the same. and dozens more used their roots and their We go back to the roots of . background of coming from blue-collar- Sharecroppers from the south moved to heavy regions of the U.S. the big city to pursue the blue collar dream. These artists turned rock into what it is. These hard working Americans overcame They took the working man’s struggles and adversity after adversity, pursuing their put them into ballads of the heroic middle own idea of happiness, to become profes- and lower class. sional musicians. Since the 1920s people The Eagles sang about the ranchers of migrated to the cities from their rural old, their struggles with money and love, as farming backgrounds. well as the big city life. Mellencamp sang Tin Pan Alley arose from a boom of relo- of the small town heroes— the people who cating people looking to make it big. Cattle were masters of their own destiny. Spring- drivers and ranchers moved to western steen, who has been credited with being metropolitans, singing and yodeling their the king of the working class, sang about way into country/western fans’ hearts. his home state of and all the These movements gave birth to the best struggles that are contained in the garden and the brightest of stars. George Gersh- state. Gangs, poverty, teenage pregnancy win, Jimmy Rodgers, Gene Autry, Robert and many more problems and themes that Johnson, Blind Willie McTell, Son House, run through the middle/lower class were Blind Lemon Jefferson, Lead Belly and portrayed through the lyrics that were so many others would be nothing but a fig- gracefully placed in his songs. ment of the imagination without their blue Springsteen, a poet laureate of rock, de- collar backgrounds. fined multiple generations through his Even jazz, considered to be an intellectual work, all by listening to the roots. man’s music, arose from the blue collar Do yourself a favor and get on the inter- workforce wanting to make something of net. Look up Buddy Guy, George Gershwin Levi Trimble them and earning ends meat doing some- and Jimmy Rodgers. Listen to their mas- Editor-in-Chief thing they love. terpiece recordings. Then listen to their As we advance through the years you get contemporaries. into the pop-rock legends that embod- If you follow the roots you will find the Questions? Comments? Concerns? Threats? If you are experiencing the need to get any of these out please feel free to email us at [email protected]. WORTHY

September 30, 2011 The Buzzworthy | wsbufm.net 15 The No. 1 Station in the Nation