Her Jazz

While everyone has gone off to work, I am at home in the thick of Slothathon 2009 and growing impatient by the moment. Soundtracking today are Connecticut’s Eula, whose Fill Your Heart EP is out now-ish.

This is pretty much your standard-issue 90s-style quiet-loud-quiet-LOUD indie rock tune, but I’m just seriously feeling that vibe today. There’s just enough to this song to grab on to, and anymore would be simply overdoing it. With only one verse, yet repeated twice, the song’s point is succinctly made. As guitarist/vocalist Alyse Lamb sings, “Listen dear I’ve had enough, ” you can hear the patience not simply fade, but totally disappear.

By the time the second verse rolls around, it’s completely gone, as are the glistening wistful guitars that seemed to be holding her up. In it place are some pretty thunderous sounds demanding not simply your attention but perhaps a little bit of respect, too. Didn’t all the old etiquette books say you shouldn’t keep a good lady waiting, anyway?

Eula, “A Hold” (from Fill Your Heart EP)

» Eula’s website
» Eula on Myspace

First show of the year! On the drive to Princeton I saw a Lil’ Kim-esque woman driving a brown and pink Bentley. I wish that was totally made up, but nope, all too real. I considered this a good omen.

Good show overall, except for when male listeners call in to let you know that WPRB’s female DJs are their “crushes”. Um, that’s just creepy.

Had a couple of people who rreeealllly wanted to hear At the Drive-In’s “One Armed Scissor” so much that they called in five times to request it. I never understood this behavior. Call in for a request, fine. I do this. But five times for the same song? At that point you’re just better off cueing up the iPod.

I think I’ve got some new background music, The Ventures in Space. We’ll see. My Jimmy Castor Bunch sample might get lonely.

01-02-2009 | 1900-2030 | WPRB 103.3 FM

Laura Cantrell - Early Years - When Roses Bloom Again
Lilac Time - I Went To The Dance - And Love For All
My Favorite - The Suburbs Are Killing Us - A Cult Of One
Clement “Coxsone” Dodd - In Cold Blood Version - Studio One Dub - C
Endless Boogie - Move Back! - Focus Level
Guapo - Five Cornered Square - Great Sage, Equal Of Heaven
—————————————
Youth Gone Mad - We Are The Fog - Rotten EP
The Van Pelt - Nanzen Kills A Cat - Sultans Of Sentiment
Keji Haino & Alan Licht - 4.45 - Gerry Miles
Evil Dean - Just A Bastard - Grambo Moses 7″
Red C - 6 O’clock News - Flex Your Head - C
Mr. Oizo - Last Night Herbert Murdered My Poodle - Last Night A DJ Killed My Dog
Bettye Swann - Angel Of The Morning - Bettye Swann
Tiger Trap - Supercrush - 7″
—————————————
Hang On The Box - There Is A City - Di Di Di
Fucked Up - No Epiphany - The Chemistry Of Common Life - N
Youth Brigade - Sink With California - 45
The Mutants - True Story - Fun Terminal
Extremes - S.O.S. - 7″
—————————————
Leningrad Blues Machine - Moon & Milk-Bar - Leningrad Blues Machine

Well, I did it. I made it through my first [intentional] extended broadcast. And I couldn’t have done it without the support of the best people on the planet: WPRB’s listeners. When I had a severe energy crash around 9:30 PM ET, it was our listeners who phoned, twittered, IMed and so on to keep me going.

Though it was a little strange being at the WPRB studios alone for such a long time, I can safely say I had a blast doing this program and I look forward to doing another NYE. Quite possibly the most fun I’ve ever had on a NYE.

2008 could be called “The Year of the Blessing In Disguise.” A lot of terrible personal things happened that paved the way for some really amazing opportunities and experiences. Though I could have lived without the stress, the payoffs have been enormous and I wouldn’t have changed a thing. Here’s a sliver of the highlights from this year:

• I turned thirty. Nothing feels “different” about it though. I’m thinking this whole “thirty is the new 21″ concept that people keep pushing is overrated.

• I went through some big job changes this year, all for the better. I had a blast working at WPRB this summer and teaching this semester has been an amazing experience.

• I moved! Twice! But in the end I wound up with a legitimately great place! I have spaces for things. And a basement, where I think I will hold at least one West Philly-style basement show.

• I ditched my rusty old hulk of a bike for a new one.

• I started Pop Recon and then put it on hiatus! Doing the program was amazing and I look forward to having more time to devote to it in 2009 once I finish writing my master’s thesis.

• I met so many great new people and reconnected with a ton of old friends. And I made it through the wilderness of ‘08 thanks to some amazing folks.

Anyway, as a treat to you, here’s my countdown to 2009 from last night and a couple of songs afterwards. Enjoy! Happy New Year!

For the most part New Year’s Eve is a social trainwreck waiting to happen. Not necessarily on my behalf, but if there’s one thing you can count on, it’s knowing that somewhere in America someone is drunk, getting in a fight, crying — or sometimes all three at once. That’s what happens when a decent holiday turns into Amateur Hour. For the record, I hate this holiday.

Which is why I’m pretty psyched to host WPRB’s countdown show tomorrow. I can’t wait to share the music that’s ruled the airwaves this year (it’s a good list!) and be a part of your own NYE plans (even if it’s just a small one). And if you know my show, you should know that I’m kind of excited to read public service announcements about drunk driving (don’t do it!), because there is something wrong with me.

Anyway, I hope you can tune in! I will have the chat room and twitter feed going. In the meantime, RSVP for the event!

Three times makes it a tradition! Again I found myself on the WPRB airwaves leading into Jon’s Xmas Marathon, playing my favorite records of the year. Unlike previous years (and I’m sort of glad to be out of this racket), I didn’t put together a numerical list. Just came up with three hours worth of music I dug and played it. Seems much more simple and satisfying without the listmaking and stupid handwringing — turns out I liked 2008 a lot more than I thought.

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If there is one thing that is good about Philadelphia, it’s the fact that there’s always something to surprise you. You’re never really “done” with this city (which is both good and bad, but that’s for another time). Today I got a sneak peek at a great public project: Lower Merion Township’s Cynwyd Trail.

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At my housewarming party over the weekend, I busted out my tape recorder, locked the doors, and made my guests sing “Do They Know It’s Christmas?” Actually, they picked the song, I just taped it. Anyway, thanks to my guests, who did this relatively sober, but no thanks to my laptop, whose battery died during the performance.

You may have heard this during Jon’s annual 24-hour Xmas Marathon and thought to yourself, “This is terrible.” Happy Holidays, folks.

Kool Aid, “Do They Know It’s Christmas?” Live at the Epic Fail Resort (By Sands)

I totally forgot to mention this, but it looks like I’ll be going to the PCA/ACA National Conference in April to give a paper about concert photography.

Will anyone else be heading down to New Orleans for this?

I love reading, but with ~100 students under my tutleage this semester, reading academic work meant I was in a struggle to stay awake the moment my eyes hit the page. So here are some of the pieces that really kept me going all semester long.

I realize that some of y’alls aren’t academics, but if you want copies of these articles, drop me a line in the comments.

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Friday 12/09: Holding down the fort during my regular slot time of 6-830 PM. Glad to be back after a week of finals, not so glad to be going on the air with a cold.

Wed 12/24, 4-7 PM: Pregame Jon Solomon’s 24-Hour marathon with me! I’ll be putting together my personal “Best of 2008″ show, which is not necessarily new stuff from this year but I found enjoyable nonetheless.

Wed 12/31, 12PM - 12AM: Count down WPRB’s 103 favorite albums of 2008 with me. It’s my first ever marathon (planned one that is), so expect some deliriousness around seventh hour.

» RSVP for the “103 of 2008″ countdown here.