The KLC Blog

The official blog of KLC Radio, Lewis & Clark College's student-run radio station. Find us online at KLCRadio.com

[theklcblog]

Fleet Foxes announce Crystal Ballroom show

By Ben Weinstein

As part of the Seattle band’s gradually unfolding comeback, Fleet Foxes announced last week that they’ll be playing Portland’s Crystal Ballroom on Thursday, May 18. Their third full-length album Crack-Up is scheduled for a mid-June release, and — in addition to sharing the record’s first single, “Third of May / Ōdaigahara” — they’ve already announced a healthy run of tour dates. 

Many are pleasantly surprised that Fleet Foxes have chosen Portland as the site of (what is currently, at least) their first post-hiatus show. It’ll undoubtedly be a performance to remember, and feels only fitting that they plan to kick off the next iteration of their existence in a city where every other man looks like Robin Pecknold. 

All jokes aside, the show is sure to sell out quickly, so act fast if you’re looking to attend the Crystal Ballroom show. There isn’t yet a date announced for when tickets will go on sale, or conclusive information about how much they’ll cost. There is, however, a mysterious Ticketfly link that pops up when you Google the show, and it suggests that tickets might be going for $46 (which sounds about right). 

[theklcblog]

A Quick Look at Ty Segall’s Sentimental Goblin

By Micael Lonergan

Less than 50 days after the release of his self-titled LP, renowned and restless rocker Ty Segall has issued a brand new EP, Sentimental Goblin. While Segall seems to have an endless talent for exploring different niches of rock, the EP remains rooted in the retroactive garage noise he has come to own so well.

Tackling the tracks in reverse order, Sentimental Goblin’s second song was described in its press release as a “lush glam rocker.” In it Segall sings weary melodies over fizzy tunes with a slightly ‘60s infused style, making “Black Magick” unexpectedly wholesome. In contrast to the subdued sounds heard on Side B, the EP’s opening track “Pan” is a warped and sludgy psychedelic jam weaved with riffs and words designed to rip out your bleeding heart.

Destroy yourself here.

[theklcblog]

New albums up for streaming: Tinariwen, John Fahey

by: Conor James

Elwan and Your Past Will Come Back to Haunt You: The Fonotone Years [1958-1965] are both albums that guitar lovers (and lovers of righteous music) will love to marinate in. DOn’t wait, download these albums, put your ipod shuffle in your back pocket, and get to walking.

Last month, Tuareg blues rockers from the Sahara Desert region of Mali “Tinariwen” released their seventh album Elwan through Anti-Records on February 10th. On the same day, the John Fahey retrospective compilation album Your Past Will Come Back to Haunt You: The Fonotone Years [1958-1965] was published for streaming on Spotify (the album was originally released on CD on Oct. 10, 2011). Beyond both hitting the net on the same day, the two albums both feature the guitar as a primary story-teller.

Elwan begins with two distorted guitars speaking back and forth in mimicked melodies in the song “Tiwàyyen”.

The sounds are soon joined by the hand percussion which quickly reminds listeners that these blues musicians are not westerners and though wielding the electric guitar, they come from a distinct musical tradition. This blend of emotive rock and rhythmic elegance is further textured by the often call and response, chant-like gang vocals. Tradition-inspired Tuareg melodies are sung in Tamasheq and the rough tenor of many of the male vocalists is downright hypnotic. The lack of English should not deter any American listeners, as the melodies and instrumentation are equal parts catchy, engaging, familiar, and new. In addition to this, anyone who enjoys the guitar will have no trouble listening to any Tinariwen album start to finish. Beyond spoken language, the guitar weaves a tale of it’s own, dipping in and out of parallel melodies to the vocals, taking time to converse with the other instruments, or lamenting in wailing solos.

The track Ittus is a phenomenal example of the guitar’s narrative work. The first minute is entirely trod upon by a single somber electric guitar. By the time a solitary voice joins the guitar, it is easy to feel the impression that the singer is accompanying the voice of the guitar, and not the other way around. With closed eyes, the guitar in this track can be seen leaving lonely impressions in the Saharan sand as it crosses the three minute song.

The album is rich and filling, with thirteen tracks to make you move and feel feelings you could not begin to express with words (instead, reach for a guitar).

Favorite Track: “Assàwt”

Your Past Will Come Back to Haunt You: The Fonotone Years [1958-1965] is a whopping 105 tracks of pure American primitive guitar music, (excluding the first track which is a cheeky interview with Fahey). The bulk of the album’s instrumentation is much more minimal than Elwan, with most songs only containing the sound of a single acoustic guitar, but like all the great American primitivists, Fahey manages to multiply the sound of the guitar into the sound of three guitarists all playing at once. Many of the tunes are folksy and merry, such as “Over The Hill Blues”, others are slow and melancholy, “Takoma Park Pool Hall Blues” being a prime example, and some are proto-psychedelic, like the trippy and shaggadelic track “Transcendental Waterfall (2)”. On later discs, the songs begin to include vocals like on the jaunty “Zekiah Swamp Blues”.

The music feels timeless in a way that is always old and nostalgic. It is a pleasure to listen to a mostly stripped down journey of perhaps the most celebrated American primitivist, and the opening track in which Fahey describes his first time ever recording music sets the whole epic collection in a mood for travel and movement, though not too quickly. Like Elwan, the album is of another place and time while seeming comfortingly familiar. Some of the songs could easily be something your friend recorded in their bedroom.

Overall, the album is the perfect thing to pop onto your ears during a nice trip in the woods, and a fantastic celebration of John Fahey’s early music.

Favorite Track: “Little Hat Blues”

[theklcblog]

Author/professor/editor Roxanne Gay speaks at LC

By Carmel Companiott & Ben Weinstein

As part of Lewis & Clark College’s 36th annual Gender Studies Symposium, Roxanne Gay spoke to a sold-out house on March 10th. Gay is a writer, cultural critic, professor, and active Twitter user who confronts the state of modern culture with a sharp mix of humor and insight. She brought this wit to LC in the form of an hour and a half talk, comprised mainly of her reading short stories from her recent collection Difficult Women and then giving a lengthy and thorough Q&A session.

Gay read two short stories, entitled Florida and Open Marriage, as well as an essay she composed after Donald Trump’s 2016 election. The short stories explored varied subjects, but remained linked by Gay’s sense of humor and matter-of-fact writing style. Gay began with Open Marriage, prefacing the reading with a short tangent about Jamie Lee Curtis commercials and Activia yogurt, assuring the crowd that the nasty yogurt really does work. She also built suspense for the story by claiming that “The first time [she] read it, someone threw up.” The narrator of Open Marriage describes a time her husband suggested an open marriage; he wants to explore sexual possibilities with other women. The narrator in uninterested herself, but, as she eats Activia seductively, assures him that he can do whatever he wants. She plays with him and, over the course of their conversation, we realize that he is not going to pursue his own suggestion – when it comes to sex, he has always been at her feet. In Florida, Gay explores an array of people and lives behind closed doors of a gated community in – you guessed it - Florida. She touches on themes of race, class, and sexuality in each house.

Before opening up the floor for a Q&A session, Gay read her political essay. Here, she left her usual sense of humor behind and instead attempted to confront the pain and hopelessness she experienced on November 8th, 2016 with an unflinching seriousness. She referred to this new era as the “Age of American Disgrace,” and questioned how best to proceed. She challenged the hopeful slogans, such as “Love Trumps Hate,” because, as the election proved, love does not always win in the United States. She also  grapples with avoiding vapid idealism while also avoiding complete and utter hopelessness. In response to the white people that have come to her after the election with shame and pity, she stated: “I don’t want your shame; I want your fight.”   

Following the pair of short stories and the essay, Gay opened up the floor to a question and answer session. Attendees of the talk asked a wide range of questions, touching on topics ranging from Remy Ma and Nicki Minaj’s recent feud to methods of combatting people who refuse to acknowledge the use of they/them pronouns. Other artistic/pop-culture topics arose throughout the Q&A, including this year’s Oscars, specifically in relation to Best Picture winner Moonlight and the drama surrounding the reception of the award. Raoul Peck’s Oscar-nominated I Am Not Your Negro also became a topic of conversation, which Gay brought up during a discussion about her thoughts on violent versus non-violent protesting. She observed, within her answer, the degree to which white people have twisted the image of Martin Luther King Jr. into somebody they’re more comfortable celebrating, and also tied in the recent protests surrounding alt-right figurehead and general piece of shit Milo Yiannopoulos’ recent (would be) appearance at University of California, Berkeley.

Gay also gave powerful advice to several students who asked her for words of wisdom regarding more personal aspirations. One of these questions concerned how to write about important issues without necessarily knowing how to. “I wait until I feel the fire,” Gay said of her own writing experience. She recalled her immediate reactions to some of the past few years’ most horrifying tragedies, and encouraged the aspiring writer to speak up when they feel they have something unique and important to say.

She ended up giving fairly thorough answers to seventeen total questions, making for an incredibly wide-spanning talk about a variety of pressing social issues. Her responses brought together urgent points about racism, sexism, xenophobia and bigotry with clever witticisms that ignited the room in a fit of laughter. Lewis & Clark College should feel incredibly lucky to host such an accomplished mind as Gay’s, as well as thankful towards those that helped host this year’s Gender Studies Symposium.

[theklcblog]

Ticket Giveaways Are Back! Yes!

Thanks to KLC Radio’s resident ticket wizard Cameron, we’ve got tickets to a handful of great shows/events this spring. This Saturday, Minnesota rapper and Doomtree founder P.O.S. is coming to the Wonder Ballroom, and KLC has one pair of tickets to give away for this all ages show. Also at the Wonder (and also with one pair of tickets up for grabs) are Scottish power-pop masters Teenage Fanclub and NYC indie-rocker Mitski, on March 23 and April 9, respectively. Additionally, for those of you that would rather listen to a podcast than an LP, we got our hands on three pairs of tickets to Serial creator Sarah Koenig’s talk at Arlene Schnitzer on March 17. Head on over to our website to enter!

[theklcblog]

Daddy’s Home

By Micael Lonergan

After teasing our abandonment issues for seven months, Atlanta Rapper, Producer, and Awful Records Founder, Father dropped one of the hottest pop-trap singles of the new year “Hands.” The track is one of two collaborations between Father and rising independent producer Meltycanon, whose sound can only be characterized as an (almost too precise) intersection of anime, nintendo, and trap. The young “cute beat” curator laced the single with heavy low end, snare, xylophone, and chimes making Father’s flow fly  dangerously close to “bubblegum trap”[^1] but, as always, the rapper’s deliverance of rowdy rancor energy rawes it up enough to keep it from being a complete hubba bubba beat. The dynamic between Meltycanon’s teen tunes and Father’s deep-seated malignity (see lyrics for further details) makes for track with non-stop momentum; bound to stay in your gut a few minutes after consumption.

[^1]: Thomas

[theklcblog]

10 Portland Shows to Catch This Month

By Ben Weinstein

Spring is (slowly but surely) arriving, and as Portland begins to dry up, artists are growing less and less apprehensive to come play shows here. Now, while this is by no means an accurate statement, it would at least help explain why March boasts so many fantastic shows across town. If you’re looking to leave your room and experience some live music in March, consider making one of these concerts your destination.

Wed. March 1: Vince Staples, Kilo Kish @ Roseland Theater ($25, AA)

It’s unclear—to me, at least—why Long Beach rapper Vince Staples would choose Wes Anderson’s underwhelming 2004 film The Life Aquatic as a theme for his tour. Perhaps he saw Seu Jorge on his own recent Life Aquatic tour and found inspiration in it? Whatever the case, this Roseland Theater show promises to be as captivating as his discography has been thus far. Vince’s next full-length project seems imminent, and he’ll definitely be playing quite a bit of new material from said project on this tour. Support from The Internet collaborator Kilo Kish gives further reason not to miss this show.

Wed. March 1: Mykki Blanco, Cakes Da Killa @ Holocene ($13, 21+)

It’s a shame that this show has to be the same night as Vince Staples, but also great that there are multiple opportunities to see fantastic hip-hop shows this month. Mykki Blanco is both an exciting musician and an inspiring poet and activist, and both Blanco as well as Englewood-based Cakes Da Killa are two of the most outspoken LGBTQ+ voices in hip-hop. If you’re of age, don’t sleep on this double bill. 

Fri. March 3: Jens Lekman @ Revolution Hall ($25, AA)

Fresh off the release of his fourth LP Life Will See You Now, lovable Swede Jens Lekman is playing a sitting-room only show at the beginning of the month. The concert will undoubtedly be filled with the witticisms that make his music so hysterical (and, just as often, heartbreaking). Based on the entirely seated layout of the show, it seems as though it will be an intimate evening—or at least as intimate as a concert at a decently large-sized public venue can be. It’s anybody’s guess as to when the next times Jens will be in the US is, so take advantage of the opportunity to catch him live while you can. 

Thurs. March 9: Denzel Curry @ Doug Fir ($3, 21+)

As part of their Sound Select series, Red Bull are bringing Florida MC Denzel Curry to Doug Fir Lounge for only $3 (as long as you RSVP online). You might recognize him from XXL’s Freshman Class of last year, or perhaps from collaborating with artists such as Lil Ugly Mane and SpaceGhostPurrp. Curry has proven himself as a rapper to keep your eye on, and at only 22 years old, it seems as though his already accomplished career is only beginning. 

Mon. March 20: Xenia Rubinos @ Holocene ($10, 21+)

New York singer Xenia Rubinos first caught my attention because of a fantastic Tiny Desk Concert she played last summer, in which she presented a pretty unique mixture of a variety of clear influences: soul, funk, beat music, indie rock, etc. Her band seemed especially tight, and she’s sure to turn into Holocene into some kind of dance party. 

Wed. March 22: Xiu Xiu @ Holocene ($13, AA)

Xiu Xiu, the project of songwriter Jamie Stewart, has been a fixture in experimental music for nearly a decade and a half, and they don’t show signs of slowing down anytime soon. Last year saw the band release an album of covers from the amazing Twin Peaks soundtrack, and their new album of original material, FORGET, comes out this month. Xiu Xiu boast an expansive discography and a cult following, and—for only $13—this is as great a time to see them as ever.

Wed. March 22: Elvis Depressedly, Boreen, Clovver @ Parkway North ($15, AA)

Boreen may just be my favorite Portland band, and—spoiler—the mastermind behind the project is also on the KLC Board. Does that make this a conflict of interests of sorts? I don’t really give a fuck if it does, because Boreen’s intimate, evocative music is something any and all should experience live. The fact that they’re playing with lo-fi legends Elvis Depressedly is amazing (and amazingly well-deserved), so do yourself a favor and head on over to PSU for this show.

Thurs. March 23: Teenage Fanclub @ Wonder Ballroom ($20, 21+)

Scottish power poppers Teenage Fanclub might not be as young as they were in their ‘90s heyday (duh), but that should by no means be a deterrent from catching them at the Wonder Ballroom. On their latest LP, 2016′s Here, the band proved that they are still highly capable songwriters, and their set will likely be heavy with material from that release. Songs from their more celebrated albums, however, are sure to still be played, and if you haven’t checked out their classic records like Bandwagonesque and Grand Prix, you’d be doing yourself a disservice by not diving in as soon as possible. Also, KLC is giving away a pair of tickets to this show! Enter here to win.

Fri. March 24: WHY?, Open Mike Eagle @ Revolution Hall ($16, AA)

I’m truthfully not as well-versed in the music of WHY? as many I know, but their blend of indie rock and hip-hop is something I’ve seen praised by critics and friends alike. Open Mike Eagle, on the other hand, is a rapper I’ve been familiar with for a few years now, mainly through the Hellfyre Club collective he’s a member of. His shows have always been a blast in my experience, and he’s just as funny as you’d expect someone who is good friends with Hannibal Buress to be.

Mon. March 27: Maggie Rogers @ Doug Fir ($15, 21+)

Maggie Rogers’ recent and sudden rise to success is a unique one, mainly involving a glowing review from Pharrell after hearing her song “Alaska” at an NYU class. The praise was well-earned; Rogers writes gorgeous pop songs, blending elements of electronic music with her own live instrumentation. She just released her debut EP, Now That the Light Is Fading, and is embarking on a huge tour in support of it.

[theklcblog]

Meet the New Blog Team

Carmel Companiott

Major: English

City of Origin: Idyllwild, CA

3 Songs to Describe Carmel: Robert Pollard- Slick as Snails, The Strokes- Trying Your Luck, Duke Ellington- My Little Brown Book

Most Commonly Found In: A Corner of Watzek Library

Fav Portland Eatery: Pok-Pok

Fav Show Seen in Portland Pacific Northwest: Twin Peaks @ Chop Suey, Seattle

Fav Show Seen Ever: Guided by Voices @ The Wiltern, LA

Conor James

Major: English

City of Origin: Silver Spring, MD

3 Songs to Describe Conor: John Maus- Cop Killer, The Style Council- Long Hot Summer (12” Version), Novos Baianos- Mistério do Planeta

Most Commonly Found In: Glowing Greens mini-golf

Fav Portland Eatery: Anna Thai Basil

Fav Show Seen in Portland: Sunflower Bean @ Analog Theater

Fav Show Seen Ever: Tinariwen @ Sixth and I Historic Synagogue, Washington D.C.

Micael Lonergan

Major: International Affairs

City of Origin: Dallas, TX

3 Songs to Describe Micael: Current Joys-Televisions, The Districts- Silver Couplets, Ty Segall- 20th Century Boy

Most Commonly Found In: JR Howard or under the covers in her room.

Fav Portland Eatery: Imperial 

Fav Show Seen in Portland: Aero Flynn @ Wonder Ballroom 

Fav Show Seen Ever: The Districts @ The Loft, Dallas + Anamanaguchi @ Trees, Dallas

Ben Weinstein

Major: English

City of Origin: Wilmette, IL

3 Songs to Describe Ben: Young Thug ft. Gucci Mane- Shooting Star, Yo La Tengo- Sugarcube, Death Grips- Eh

Most Commonly Found In: 2nd Avenue Records

Fav Portland Eatery: Anna Thai Basil

Fav Show Seen in Portland: Jonathan Richman @ Pickathon 2014

Fav Show Seen Ever: LCD Soundsystem @ Metro, Chicago

[theklcblog]

KLC Board’s Best of 2016

Check out the records and songs that the KLC Board loved the most this year!

Cameron Crowell (Ticket Wizard)

Top 10 Albums

1. Frankie Cosmos - Next Thing

Serious pure pop magic from NYC’s Greta Kline. Kline has an infinite supply of catchy demos available on her bandcamp page, but Next Thing is her second full-length studio album and it adds lush beautiful synth, keyboard melodies, and harmonies to what were already tender-hearted, powerful songs. Kline’s style of storytelling starts grounded, from a small and simple place like trying to see what your crush is reading (“Sappho”), but expands into moments of enduring transcendence.

2. LVL UP - Return to Love

The third LP of the Brooklyn/SUNY Purchase-DIY stalwarts. Along with running perhaps the most consistently fantastic modern indie labels (Double Double Whammy), this four piece makes loud empathetic-if-slightly-unhinged pop songs in the same vein as Neutral Milk Hotel and Guided By Voices. They split songwriting duties between three people (Nick Corbo, Mike Caridi, and Dave Benton), who have expanded upon suburban loneliness and self-loathing to earnest exploration of personal spirituality and nature.

3. Mitski - Puberty 2

The fact this is my second favorite Mitski album (2014’s Bury Me At Makeout Creek is also phenomenal and gets a slight edge because it’s a Simpson’s reference). Between songs like “Happy,” “Your Best American Girl,” and “I Bet on Losing Dogs” this album has a massive scope blending straight-up indie rock, percussive electronic jazz, and densely packaged folk.

4. Solange - A Seat at the Table

On her third studio album, Solange Knowles showcases her soaring voice over some of the most exquisitely arranged R&B melodies of the past decade. Whether the song is sad, uplifting, or filled with fraught frustration Solange delivers with a raw sensuality and radical sentiment.

5. Strange Ranger - Sunbeams Through Your Head

The Portland band (FKA Sioux Falls) begun 2016 with their double LP Rot Forever, a sprawling and antagonistic exploration that takes post-hardcore to it’s absolute limits. Instead of plunging further forward with their established indie rock-punk sound, songwriters Isaac Eiger and Fred Nixon went for a more understated moodiness adding synthesizers, electric organ, and layers of textured guitars. In place of abrasiveness of Rot Forever, this EP sits and festers with feelings of emptiness and disconnection akin to the Pacific Northwest DIY godfather Phil Elvrum.

6. Florist - The Birds Outside Sang

Florist’s debut LP follows songwriter Emily Sprague’s life after getting hit by a car riding their bike. The first half of the album is fraught with desperation and painkiller-laced isolation, but follows with a slow progressing journey to communal care and connection.

7. Little Star - Being Close

The Portland trio’s debut LP came right at the very beginning of the year, so it could easily fall under the radar. However, Dan Byers songwriting is deeply personal and frighteningly empathetic. His voice delicate, but descending into screeching nightmare is reminiscent of a post indie-rock Cure.  

8. Boreen - Cartoons

Portland musician/field recording wizard Morgan O’Sullivan (who, full disclosure: is on the KLC Board) quietly self-released his debut LP to his Bandcamp and I was instantly hooked. O’Sullivan’s songwriting is the kind that builds an entire story world that is both innocent and fragile, gripping at the remaining moments of sweetness within a larger universe that can seem infinitely fucked.

9. Mic Capes - Concrete Dreams

The North Portland (St. Johns) rapper released his long awaited debut album after a string of stellar singles and music videos (“Razor Tongue”, “Jansport”, “No More”) that balanced heavy-danceable beats and biting critique of the “American” tendency to forget about violent racist history (and present). Concrete Dreams is a celebration of Capes community, childhood, and the rapidly expanding Portland hip-hop scene.

10. Martha - Blisters In The Pit Of My Heart

Coming out of the cloudy depths of rural Britain is perhaps the best pure power pop album of the year. This Durham four-piece beautifully chronicles the depths of the shitstorm of a year 2016 has been in “Chekhov’s Hangnail” (When it rains / it really fuckin’ pours), though not without the bubbling elation of a new relationship in “Precarious” (The music video has the best queer meet cute in film history). I slept on this record for far too long and now I actually haven’t stopped listening for the past week. There really isn’t a song that doesn’t ooze catchy emo charm.

Top 5 Songs of 2016

1. Springtime Carnivore - “Nude Polaroids”

Had to stop listening to this on the bus, because I can’t listen to this without crying.

2. Frankie Cosmos - “Embody”

A sublime testament to friendship, beauty, and the life-long struggle of seeing both those things in yourself.

3. Strange Ranger - “Oh Oh Oh Oh”

Isaac Eiger plays one of the most moving organ melodies I’ve come across while he screams out haunting questions like, “Is this the deal? / Growing numb or lying / living till your dying.” Whether these questions have answers depends on the day.

4. Florist - “1914”

On The Birds Outside Sang, Emily Sprague’s voice is almost uniformly solitary, sung over sparse, cold musical accompaniment, but “1914” features the entire band singing together in an emergent moment of genuine, loving connection.  

5. Snow Roller - “Fritz Brickle”

The catchiest song dedicated to a diabetic cat (who has since made full recovery), Portland power-pop songwriter Collin Kritz makes the line “‘Cause I’m a piece of shit / who never learned to quit” sound blissful.

Harrison Smith (General Manager)

TOP 10

1. Life of Pablo - Kanye West

2. Cardinal - Pinegrove

3. Goodness - The Hotelier

4. Flood Network - Katie Dey

5. Human Performance - Parquet Courts

6. WORRY. - Jeff Rosenstock

7. Borrowed Floors - Lithics

8. Light Upon the Lake - Whitney

9. BBF Hosted by DJ Escrow - Babyfather

10. In Summer - Jefre Cantu Ledesma

SOTY

black beatles - #SREMMLIFE

captive of the sun - parquet courts

Skyler Pia (Owns a Very Cool Cocteau Twins Shirt)

Skyler’s 10 Favorite Albums of 2016 (+ haiku reviews)

i tend to ramble when i write about music so i’m trying this

1. Mitski - Puberty 2

explosive and calm balance atop perfect pop plus, that goddamn VOICE

2. David Bowie - Blackstar

you know this is good easy number two, and a perfect last statement

3. Solange - A Seat at the Table

‘lemonade’ was great i liked this much better though why? “cranes in the sky”

4. Anderson .Paak - Malibu

sometimes life’s too good not to throw a party to neo-soul bangers

5. Car Seat Headrest - Teens of Denial

will toledo sure can write thoughtful lyrics but sometimes they’re liKE THIS!

6. Told Slant - Going By

like a friend who knows when you’re sad sometimes it helps to commiserate

7. Radiohead - A Moon Shaped Pool

twinkly and downcast in other words, all i could ask of thom and friends

8. Mutual Benefit - Skip a Sinking Stone

speaking of pretty: this album sounds real nice quite underrated

9. Naps - Checking Out Early

pretty aptly named (both the artist and album) snoozy ambient

10. Andy Shauf - The Party

idk, my dudes sometimes pretty, well-written folk pop’s all you need

SOTY: Pinegrove - Old Friends

“emo with banjos”

doesn’t really do justice to how good this is

(i put less effort into these as i went on cuz it’s gimmicky)

Elias Williamson (Knows Car Seat Headrest Lyrics Better Than You)

1 told slant - going by 2 bad heaven - cool hell 3 angel olsen - my woman 4 anderson paak - mailbu 5 pinegrove - cardinal 6 mitski - puberty 2 7 hello shark - delicate 8 florist - the birds outside sang 9 crying - beyond the fleeting gates 10 juliana barwick - will 11 porches - pool 12 ttng - disappointed island

fav song : bad heaven - if u want

Miguel Posada (Multicultural Engagement Manager)

1. Emotion Side B - Carly Rae Jepsen 2. Emotion - Carly Rae Jepsen (Didn’t come out in 2016- still relevant) 3. #1 - Jaloo (Didn’t come out in 2016- still relevant) 4. Dangerous Woman - Ariana Grande 5. Freetown Sound - Blood Orange 6. Lemonade - Beyoncé 7. Teens of Denial - Car Seat Headrest 8. Mind of Mine - Zayn

Wilson Mather-Glass (Events Team, Occasional Hunk in Certain Lighting)

10 Favorite Albums by Leading Female Songwriters

Grimes- Art Angels (Ok, admittedly, this is not the most solid front to back, but it contains (probably) my two favorite songs of the year, so it takes the top spot.)

Noname- Telefone

Mitski- Puberty 2

Crying- Beyond the Floating Gates

Frankie Cosmos- Next Thing

Angel Olsen- My Woman

Cate Le Bon- Crab Day

Savages- Adore

Solange- A Seat at the Table

Margaret Glaspy- Emotions and Math

Brendan Nagle (DJ Co-Manager)

1. Young Thug- JEFFERY / Slime Season 3/ I’m Up

2. Blood Orange- Freetown Sound

3. David Bowie- Blackstar

4. Kanye West- The Life of Pablo

5. Jeff Rosenstock- WORRY.

6. Frank Ocean- Blonde/Endless

7. Pinegrove- Cardinal

8. Preoccupations- Preoccupations

9. 21 Savage & Metro Boomin- Savage Mode

10. Katie Dey- Flood Network

SOTY: Rae Sremmurd- Black Beatles

Cade Miller (PR Manager)

A Moon Shaped Pool - Radiohead Blackstar - David Bowie Bottomless Pit - Death Grips Plays the Music of Twin Peaks - Xiu Xiu Everything he put out this year - Young Thug Preoccupations - Preoccupations Atrocity Exhibition - Danny Brown Sirens - Nicolas Jaar A Place to Stand - Sculpture Club MEGA - Blank Banshee Amnesty (I) - Crystal Castles Spiritual Songs for Lovers to Sing - Lost Under Heaven Birds in the Trap Sing Brian McKnight - Travis $cott Too Many Voices - Andy Stott Blonde - Frank Ocean

Song of the Year: Memory - Preoccupations

Ben Weinstein (Blog Boi)

1. Young Thug- JEFFERY / Slime Season 3 / I’m Up

2. DIIV- Is The Is Are

3. Kanye West- The Life of Pablo

4. Pinkshinyultrablast- Grandfeathered

5. Whitney- Light Upon the Lake

6. Frank Ocean- Blonde

7. Yumi Zouma- Yoncalla

8. Death Grips- Bottomless Pit

9. Noname- Telefone

10. Hovvdy- Taster

SOTY: Frank Ocean- Self Control

[theklcblog]

KLC Interviews the Orwells

Last month, a couple of KLC board members caught the Orwells before their show at Portland’s Star Theater. Watch their conversation above!

Video edited by Eli Sylla

[theklcblog]

DJ Bryan Miller’s Best of 2016 List

Editor’s note: Now that 2016 is coming to a close, we wanted to know which records and songs were favorites amongst KLC DJs and board members. Throughout the final weeks of the year, we’ll be posting lists from the KLC staff, and ideally determining the 2016 releases that were most loved by KLC Radio as a whole. 

Bryan Miller, a DJ here at KLC, broadcasts his show “The Metal Detector” Thursdays at 3 PM PST. Miller says: “The show focuses on the broad genre of metal. Each week, normally, is a different theme centered on either a specific subgenre or a specific country's output.” 

The Metal Detector’s Top 10 of 2016

Preface: This year, as proclaimed by those who create media and echoed by those who consume media, was terrible. I don’t know how true that is in reality, obviously a lot of people who shouldn’t have suffered did and a lot of people who shouldn’t have prospered did. But a year is not a vacuum in time or space, it is not separate from all that came before it. 2016 did not appear out of nowhere. Anyone who has faced the institutional prejudices and oppression, that so many of us just this year became aware of, could tell you that any of the problems that we love to talk about with outrage and panic have actually existed for longer than most of us have been alive. That being said, good things came from this year as well, good music specifically. It’s important to remember that, like all the issues that faced our society in this year, most of this music did not simply appear from the void. These albums are labors of love that often take a long time to make. If and when you, the reader, chose to listen to any of the music that I recommend, try to let it transport you to a place transcendental of “bad years,” a place where the human condition is revealed as it truly is, something that I’ve always felt is a fundamental purpose of good art. Thank you for taking the time to read this list and all the others compiled by the loyal DJs of KLC. Without further ado, I present 10 albums from 2016, in no particular order, that I would consider to be my favorite.

10. Carl Stone- Electronic Music from the Seventies and Eighties

I have to admit something: though I said that this list would be in no particular order, this is my favorite. For those unfamiliar, Carl Stone is a pioneer in the use of sampling both traditionally musical and nontraditional audio to create long-form experimental pieces. He does this in some of the most incredibly creative and thought provoking ways imaginable. While this is technically a reissuing of several of his older songs, it also contains previously unreleased material that is very worthy of exploration. I could not recommend this highly enough to anyone interested in experimental music. Favorite Track: Shing Kee

9. Joey Purp- iiiDrops

While the most popular member of the Chicago based Savemoney crew is undeniably Chance the Rapper, it is my humble opinion that to overlook their other members would be a grave mistake. Savemoney is the talented collective featuring Vic Mensa, Towkio, and Leather Corduroys (which is comprised of Joey Purp and Kami). All of these artists have proven at least once that they can each create projects with enough variety and talent to please any listener, but I would posit that their best release of this eventful summer would be Joey Purp’s iiiDrops. The songs show an impressive range in style but remain consistently headnod-worthy, while Purp’s flow grows increasingly infectious throughout the album. Favorite Track: Godbody

8. Japanese Breakfast- Psychopomp

I first heard of Michelle Zauner’s inventive, Cranberries-influenced band when I went to see a Porches show at the Analog Cafe in September. Since then I’ve been nothing but obsessed with their brief yet powerful debut album. Zauner’s voice has a clarity and strength unlike any I’ve heard in recent years, but beyond that it carries a vulnerability that lends a truly unique quality to the music. There’s really not more to say besides the fact that there’s no reason not to like this album. Favorite Track: Jane Cum

7. Xiu Xiu- Xiu Xiu Plays the Music of Twin Peaks

I’ve been a Xiu Xiu fan since Angel Guts was released last year, but before this semester I had never delved deep into their back catalogue. This was why I was initially surprised to find out that they were putting out this album. It became clear to me, through a little digging, that Xiu Xiu not only are able to deftly transform another artist’s music into their own — they often produce their best work when doing so. In the canon of Xiu Xiu’s albums Nina and Die Die! You 80's Obsessed Pinocchio!, Xiu Xiu’s rendition of the Twin Peaks soundtrack simultaneously captures the spirit of the original while also feeling incredibly familiar to any fan of Xiu Xiu. Favorite Track: Harold’s Theme.

6. Blank Banshee- Mega

I hate the fact that vaporwave is a meme. I hate the fact that it started that way and I hate the fact that it is still considered that way. I am not afraid to say that my love for vaporwave is totally unironic. I think that Blank Banshee’s skills as a producer are unmatched in the world of electronic dance music and I think that anyone whose only interest in vaporwave is shitty videos of Bart Simpson bopping along to a (great) Blank Banshee song are cheating themselves. Blank Banshee seems only to be improving his craft and this new album proves it beyond a reasonable doubt. Favorite Track: My Machine

5. Vektroid & Siddiq- Midnight Run

I wasn’t joking when I said that I really loved vaporwave. For those unfamiliar, Vektroid is the Portland-based vaporwave pioneer who has gone by many aliases (most popularly Macintosh Plus). On this album she teams up with Texas rapper Siddiq, whose laid back flow fits in perfectly with the hazy, obscure synths and pounding beats that Vektroid lays down. This album is perfect for those days when all you want to do is soak in a hot tub in your neo-Tokyo highrise apartment. Favorite Track: Midnight Run 2013 (also would recommend their follow up EP: No Title, under the name Palacio Del Rio).

4. G.L.O.S.S.- Trans Day of Revenge  

This album puts all the rage and violence it can fit into 5 excellent tracks. This superb punk album features seething vocals and wailing guitars as well as a very political agenda. For anyone who would like to get really angry about institutional oppression or really anything, this short release will certainly get your blood boiling. I’m not really sure if I could say anything for TDoR that it couldn’t say for itself; it really is short enough that there is no reason not to check it out. Favorite Track: Out From The Desk

3. Russian Circles- Guidance

This far into the list, I’m beginning to run out of words to describe the music I like. Incidentally, this is the only band from the list thus far that I’ve actually played on my show. These guys are amazing Chicago prog-metal musicians in the tradition of Tortoise or Yakuza. If you’ve enjoyed their stuff before this is very in line with that. Favorite Track: Mota

2. Boris with Merzbow- Gensho

I have played songs from both of these Japanese noise legends. This album is horrible and magnificent all at once. Not for the faint of heart and not for those who cannot play 2 CDs at the same time. Favorite Track: I don’t have a favorite track, it’s all terrible

1. Kool A.D.- Real Talk

The members of Das Racist have both found truly unique voices in their post-breakup, but I think Kool A.D.’s monstrous collection of work is some of the most worthy of examination in hip-hop today. He possesses a carelessness and silliness that is not seen in most rappers, and his adoption of total auto-tune saturation makes his tunes catchy and campy, not an easy feat by any means. Real Talk is one of many rambling, artsy, joky releases from 2016 but it is definitely the most coherent. Favorite Track: G Flat Minor

Written by Bryan Miller

[theklcblog]

Kate Bush Gives First Interview in Five Years

About a day ago, celebrated English musician Kate Bush gave a rare interview for BBC Radio, her first in five years. The interview spans roughly an hour, and focuses on—among other things, such as her friendship with Prince— Before the Dawn, the live triple-album Bush is preparing to release. The recordings are taken from her run of comeback shows in 2014, which were met with unanimous praise and sold out every night. You can stream her interview here.

Bush’s last release was 2011′s 50 Words for Snow, her tenth studio LP. She hasn't yet announced any plans for more shows, but hopefully we can look for that on the horizon. Below, watch the video for her 1985 hit “Hounds of Love.”

[theklcblog]

A Tribe Called Quest Release Final Album, We got it from Here... Thank You 4 Your Service

Hip-hop pioneers A Tribe Called Quest have released their sixth (and supposedly final) studio album, which you can now listen to via Apple Music and Spotify. The album features guest spots from Kanye West, Kendrick Lamar, Anderson .Paak, and more.  

The 16-track release seems to be formatted as two distinct disks, each with eight songs. Find the Spotify link to the record below.

https://open.spotify.com/embed/album/3WvQpufOsPzkZvcSuynCf3

[theklcblog]

What’s that??!

Get your black lipstick and Cure shirts ready folks... 

[theklcblog]

[theklcblog]

Show Preview: DJ Spooky @ World Forestry Center

By Alex Cohen

Paul D. Miller (aka DJ Spooky) will be playing a one hour set titled “Heart of a Forest” on November 9th, 7-8:30pm at the World Forestry Center in NW Portland. His set will consist of a live mix accompanied by aerial footage of Oregon’s forests, along with a conversation with a forest ecologist. DJ Spooky is known for his hip-hop DJ sets, his work on the soundtrack for the film “Re-Birth of a Nation,” and for his time as an artist-in-residence at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City. Tickets are $5 with a student ID.

[theklcblog]

Watch Dev Hynes (Blood Orange) Give a Lecture for Red Bull Music Academy

Ben Weinstein // Blog Boi

Dev Hynes, one of the most prolific producers and songwriters of the past decade, sat down at Red Bull Music Academy recently to give a lecture. In it he touches upon a multitude of topics, including working with female voices in his music, being a black fan of classical music, and influential composer and musician Arthur Russell. 

Earlier this year, Hynes released his third LP under the Blood Orange moniker, Freetown Sound. The album, which features collaborations from Empress Of, Debbie Harry, Carly Rae Jepsen and many others, is among my favorites released this year. Watch the video for Freetown Sound cut “Augustine” below, and find his Red Bull Music Academy lecture above.