Marquette, Michigan’s Liquid Mike is a power pop band that has been releasing yearly albums since 2021. Their latest record, Paul Bunyan’s Slingshot, was released in February this year and has proven to be something of a breakout release for the band. The band’s high energy, crunchy guitar riffs and catchy vocals have gotten them compared to bands like Guided by Voices and Weezer, and since its release the album has garnered attention from publications like Rolling Stone and Stereogum. Just a month ago, the band released the deluxe version of the album, featuring two new songs: “ Man Dies ” and “ Man Lives. ” According to a recent Stereogum article, frontman Mike Maple has finally been able to quit his USPS day job to focus on the band, which is exciting news for any fan of the already prolific group. The shift coincides with the release of the deluxe version of the album, a brand new single entitled “ Crop Circles, ” and a 17-show U.S. tour. One of my favorite aspects of the record is that Liquid Mike takes pride in their roots in the Upper Peninsula. In fact, the name Paul Bunyan’s Slingshot refers to a no-longer-extant tourist attraction in Gladstone, Michigan. For me, the album’s recurring themes of life in the rural Midwest evoke all-too-familiar scenes of growing up in the U.P. “The American dream is a Michigan hoax You can see it from your window Rust on the frame from the salt on the road” I had the pleasure of seeing this band play live at the end of February alongside Marquette’s Charmer and Kalamazoo’s Saturdays at Your Place at Bell’s in Kalamazoo. Liquid Mike rocked the sold-out room with songs like “ K2 ” and “ Mouse Trap. ” For the tour that started on 9/28 in Bay City, the band will be performing at The Intersection in Grand Rapids on 10/8 alongside The Wonder Years and The Menzingers . They won’t be coming to Kalamazoo this time around, so get your tickets to the GR show while you can! Listen to Paul Bunyan’s Slingshot here on Spotify . Written by: Benjamin Smith 89.1 WIDR FM Oct 3rd 2024

Will Kriss WIDR FM 09-21-24 After taking a year off in 2023, Big Fam Music and Arts Festival  is set to return for its third installment early next month with a new location in South Central Michigan. Previously, the Electronic and Jam festival was held in Lake Ann and Farwell, but will now be held in The Groves of Michigan , which is located in Brooklyn. [Big Fam Lineup Photo - Image Courtesy Kat Fisher] While the festival has historically taken place in late August or early September (with the second installment occurring on Labor Day Weekend), the third installment will mark its first time being held in October. The festival will take place from Friday, October 4 - Sunday, October 6, and will include camping, multiple musical stages featuring both local and big-name artists , an extensive art gallery  and much more.  Regardless of where it occurs, Big Fam is noteworthy for creating the feeling of being at a large-scale festival while remaining in a small-scale space.  Ahead of the event, I spoke with Kat Fisher, the visual artist behind KatFish EyeKandy  and the curator of the Big Fam Bayou , to learn more about what to expect. [Interview quotes edited for length and clarity]. “I’m excited that we were able to change the date this year, to accommodate our audience being able to go to Lost Lands, Wakaan, Wheatland and things like that,” Kat said in a phone interview. “We were on a really busy weekend before, so moving it makes it easier for us to be the final festival of the season. We ran into some issues having our festival on a holiday weekend previously, and it worked better for our crew to choose this date as well.  We love a fall festival, and it’s nice because Electric Forest this year was so hot. I just want people to feel comfortable - the air will be crisp and nice, you can wear a jacket or hoodie if you want to, there won’t be little gems melting off your face in the middle of the summer.” According to an official website statement , the staff behind the festival believe that “when people come together to celebrate music and art, that magic will happen. We ask that you always keep an open mind and never be afraid to experience something new,” while also noting that the key word is “Big.” Fisher echoed these ethos during the interview. “As most people know, Big Fam refers to the friends that become your family, so that’s really what we’re referencing when we talk about Big Fam,” Kat said. “I’m excited to have an annual meeting place where everybody can come back and see all their friends that they haven’t in a long time, just share in the space and be able to communicate with each other and be like an end-of-the-season reunion. It’s really the family vibes that make it feel like a Big Fam reunion coming up in October, so that’s how I’m looking at it.” The New Venue I had never heard of The Groves of Michigan  before Big Fam announced that it would be there, so I asked Kat for some insight. Located directly behind the Michigan International Speedway, itself the host of many events, the property is no stranger to hosting large groups of people.  “This property has been an active campground in Brooklyn for several years,” Fisher said. “It has gone through a couple different changes in ownership, it used to be called Juniper Hills. But it’s located directly behind the MIS Speedway, where a lot of NASCAR races are held throughout the year. The MIS is also where the Faster Horses music festival is held every year.  So a lot of times, campers stay at this property to attend Faster Horses or the NASCAR races, so they are used to hosting a large number of people for the past several years. I talked to some people who said they've come out every year for more than 20 years, so there’s quite a history of people coming out to that campground.” Kat also noted that the Groves fit the aesthetic of the festival, saying that the new Bayou area is especially wooded, which was part of why they selected that property.  But what IS The Bayou? The Bayou  is the centerpiece of Big Fam, which is the culmination of years of work between Kat and her husband Dave. The area is essentially a living interactive art exhibit, or “dreamscape,” and contains one of the festival music stages as well. “The Bayou is an immersive dream, how I like to put it. We host one of the main stages, I don’t like calling us the second stage anymore, it’s really like we don’t have a main stage. Both Apogee and Bayou feel like main stages.  It’s tucked away; the Bayou has a little water feature where I can give people the vibes that they are in an enchanted fishing village. So that’s where the theme of the Bayou comes from, we have quite a few different installations that include boats, and we want people to feel like they’re in a completely different place.” In previous years, the Bayou has had many different pieces that add to this theme, including water fountains, boat houses, mermaids, intricate lights, and even tea parties featuring Alice and the Mad Hatter.  As Kat described, it truly does feel like another world, in the sense of its immersiveness.  “The biggest takeaway for me is that it’s more symbolism that we all have an opportunity to begin, so I think this rendition of the bayou is going to be the best one yet,” Kat added. “The way the layout goes into the woods, you really walk in and feel like you’re transported to another place. You’re led along a trail that takes you through the boathouses and some of the installations before you even see the stage, so it’s kind of nice to go through the trails and discover those things. And then to walk into the stage and see this magnificent stage surrounded by light…we’re really excited to take people on a little journey through the Bayou.” [Bayou Photo - Caption: A scene from The Bayou in 2022 - Photo by Will Kriss] Kat also noted that it was very difficult moving all of the Bayou materials from the previous venue (Liberty Mountain in Farwell), but she is remaining optimistic with the new area. “Even though it’s been a challenge to rebuild and to move again, what I really like to focus on is that we all have an opportunity to begin again,” Kat said. “Even when you think times are tough, you can always start over, you can always begin again. So that’s what I'm looking at this year coming back this October.” The Musical Lineup Since the festival was put on hold in 2023, a lineup had already been in the works for a while, much of which remains unchanged. Again, the lineup features many Michigan locals (in keeping with the “Big Fam” vibe), in addition to larger-name artists in the electronic and jam world. While there will be multiple stages featuring a wide range of artists, Kat noted that the Bayou Stage lineup is curated for a very specific kind of sound. “Especially in The Bayou, we like to focus on Psychedelic Bass as well as Instrumental Bass, or bass musicians that also play an instrument in their sets,” Kat explained. “We’re excited to have artists like Josh Teed  come back and play the violin again, as well as Manthom Phenace  and Dixon’s Violin . Some of our more local performers are also bringing instruments to include, just to kind of stay with the vibes. We’ve also modified the way the stage looks this year to accommodate performers with instruments, so we’re really excited about that.” The Bayou stage will also feature an actual band for the first time, which is the Detroit-based Opal . The stage includes platforms for fire and flow performers, but Kat said the stage could easily be used for a musical group. “As soon as we started working with Opal, we knew that we wanted to have them in the Bayou. The way that the stage is set up, with one platform in the center and two on each side, we thought we could put a band there. When we first designed the Bayou stage, we never thought that we would host a band.  We always thought that we would have DJs and that would be it, but once we started toying around with the idea of hosting Opal, since it’s a three piece band, we figured we could have one member on each platform. They can spread out and have space to perform - we’re really excited to have them in the Bayou this year.” Additionally, the Bayou stage has been slightly modified - the LED wall has been moved to the ceiling of the center platform, with the idea being that viewers can better see performers with instruments.  Headliners and Label Takeovers The full lineup includes three different label takeovers, and I rapid-fired with Kat to get a quick idea of what to expect for each one. Philos Records : “We have the Philos Records takeover on the Apogee stage, and we’re very excited to have Daily Bread  back again. We see him as a rising star and we are so excited to have had him at our festival every year.” all:Lo Records : “We also have the all:Lo takeover, which puts three of the all:Lo collective artists into the bayou on Saturday night, so we’re super excited for Parkbreezy , TF Marz , and Alex Unger .” Sub.mission Records : “We’re happy to have a fan favorite, The Widdler , come back. Part of that collective is a newer performer who we featured at one of our “Another Dimension” events in Detroit, Yoko .  Yoko is going to be on our Apogee stage this year as part of the Sub.mission takeover, and we’re excited to try to get her back for a Bayou stage performance next year.” A Dream Come True While Kat was excited to talk to me about all these artists, there was one in particular that she said really made the lineup for her - the Canadian downtempo artist ATTYA . “We have ATTYA on Friday night, and to me, that tops everything,” Kat said. “I’ve dreamt for years about, if i were to throw a festival, who would i want to play in my space? ATTYA has always been at the top of my list, so to have ATTYA playing in the Bayou is a dream come true. I can’t wait for that moment.” Interview with a Local Performer - Panther Having spent many years living in Kalamazoo for work and school, I became quite familiar with the local electronic scene and its many artists, one being Norberto Birruete III, who spins under the name Panther . [Photo - Panther - Photo by @aisnapped, courtesy Norberto Birruete III] I first met Birruete in 2017 while writing an article about a Kalamazoo show featuring Antiserum , which he was preparing to open for. In more recent years, he has provided direct support for artists such as Minnesota, smith., and Zingara - all leading up to making his Big Fam debut. Birruete has spun under the name Panther since 2010, but learned how to start DJing when he was 11 - a total of around 19 years. “My cousin showed me how to mix, so I went from looking up to him and learning the very fundamentals, and then making it into something completely different when electronic music started to blow up,” Birruete said in an interview. “Early on, I didn’t learn about beat-matching, but now it’s about harmonics and different time signatures, just working with different aspects.” When asked to describe his style, Birruete noted that he doesn’t necessarily like to put a label on it, but that there are notable aspects of his performances. “It’s always hard to narrow my style down, I always say ‘to define is to limit,’ but definitely deep dubstep, lots of 140 BPM, as well as trap music and world sounds,” Birruete said. “World sounds is one of the things that I would definitely say I tailor to a lot of my sets. Whether or not I'm going for a more upbeat show, I’m still going to include some of those cultural and world sounds, whether it’s stuff from South America, Asia or the Middle East. All the harmonics from all the different instruments around the world are just beautiful when brought together.” Even with some of his high-profile slots in recent years, Birruete said he’s been wanting to play at Big Fam since the first installment. “Of course, Big Fam is the Big One I’ve been waiting for since year one, so it’s definitely just thrilling,” Birruete said. “I know tons of friends and family that go every year - it’s certainly one of my favorite festivals, so I’m sure you can only imagine how I feel about that.” To prepare for his debut, Birruete added that he’s been collaborating with Kalamazoo-based visual artist Connor Ryan, whose artist name is Hawkkn . “One of the things I can say is that this is the most A/V curation that I’ve put towards a set, where I actually have an idea I want to bring into fruition,” Birruete said. Given the insight as to things I try to tailor in my sets, like the world sounds, I really want to bring that vision to a visual aesthetic. In conversations with Conor, he and I plan to do just that. I’m thrilled people will be able to immerse themselves solely into the same vibe across the board. I’m thrilled to be working on an A/V set with Hawkkn for this one.” To learn more about Panther, visit his Linktree by clicking here . Further Information: Again, the third Big Fam Music and Arts Festival will take place from Friday, October 4 through Sunday, October 6. The Groves of Michigan is located at 13500 US-12, Brooklyn, MI 49230. For more information on the event including tickets, visit the official website by clicking here . For a daily lineup schedule, click here . For my written reviews of the last two installments, visit the following links below: Big Fam 2021 Review Big Fam 2022 Review Preview written by Will Kriss [DJWILLKILL]

Michigan Metal Fest will return to the Leila Arboretum in Battle Creek on Saturday, August 24, for another packed day of headbanging entertainment.  After taking two years off due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the festival initially returned in 2022, but was marred by storms, delays and mud . There were no such delays when the event was held in 2023 , marking an even stronger return. The 2024 installment will mark the sixth annual year, and those behind it are more excited to host it than ever, according to Michigan Metal Fest (MMF) Co-Owner Steve Maple. “We are on the sixth installment, and that makes me very happy,” Maple said in an interview. “To say that we’re now on our sixth year feels amazing, especially since we have so much help doing this now. We have so many people and companies from all over the US heavily involved with the event now. You’re gonna see a lot of really intense changes this year, really good things for the festival and for everyone who goes.” Some of those changes include a tighter schedule and a more curated selection of bands, which will be achieved by only holding two stages for music. Historically, each installment has included three stages. Maple had told me as much when I reviewed the festival last year , and the idea is to make sure people can watch every band performing that day with no overlap, should they choose. “Basically, where the main stage has been recently, and where the second stage is now, that’s the two spots we’ll have music this year,” Maple said. “There will be a five-minute gap between bands, but it’ll just bounce back and forth between those two stages all day. The third stage is being completely cut, so you can catch every bit of the sets.” Maple added that the second stage will see upgraded production as well. In terms of music, MMF is well-known for booking very eclectic lineups featuring both big names and a “who’s who” of local and regional metal bands. The main headliner this year will be the masked Cleveland nu-metal legends Mushroomhead , who will be performing just a few weeks after the release of their ninth studio album “ Call the Devil .” Known for their experimental and genre-bending sounds, numerous lineup changes over the years have not slowed the band down. With the addition of new vocalists on their album prior to Call the Devil, the band has essentially entered a new era, and one that I will be excited to witness. The last time I saw Mushroomhead live was back in 2014, a time period where all three original vocalists were performing in the lineup. While that was one of the most memorable performances in my concert-going career, ten years later, I’ll be excited to see what’s in store for Mushroomhead now. While many bands will be making their MMF debut, the 2024 lineup notably also features many returning artists, some of which haven’t played since 2019. One such returning band is HED PE, another well-known Nu/Fusion Metal band   with genre-defying characteristics. As I’ve written before, it can be difficult to show the band to new listeners, owing to the many different styles incorporated, such as metal, rap, punk and reggae.  Regardless, they were a big hit when they last played in 2019 , acting as a sort of “wild card” to the lineup. “As far as the returning bands go, HED PE is a band that we’ve wanted to put back on since we had them the first time in 2019,” Maple said. “They really threw down - we had Chelsea Grin and Hatebreed go on after that, and the crowd was its biggest when HED PE was out there. I don't know if that was a coincidence or if they had the highest captivation rate of the night, but we ended up losing some crowd after that, which doesn’t always happen. I love Chelsea Grin and Hatebreed, so I was surprised that it happened. But they put on an absolutely electric show - I loved the act they put on at the festival, I felt like it popped off really hard. These guys really show out, and it was somebody that a lot of people requested back when we were doing surveys for returning artists.” Interestingly enough, both bands have toured multiple times together under a banner known as the “HED to HEAD” tour. I was never able to make any of those tours, so this will be a welcome experience for me 12 years after the fact.  While there are returning bands from years past, some of them actually made their debut last year and are now returning for round two.  Those include the Florida-based metal band TRAITORS  (Maple’s personal favorite set from last year), along with the mysterious Symphonic Nu-Core (my own description)   Cultus Black . “We had [Cultus Black] last year, everybody talked about them, and they did a really cool meet-and-greet afterwards,” Maple said. “I really feel like they are going to be a big band - some of those bands, you just see them and that’s all you can think. They’re not going to be where they’re at for long, so I thought it was appropriate to get them back on before their big launch. We’re making good friends with the Cultus Black boys.” As a personal anecdote, I am very excited to see the North Carolina-based Sci-Fi metal band Voraath   making a return.  Voraath was, in my opinion,   the best band of the day during the 2023 event. The trouble is, not a lot of people saw them - they were playing on the now-decommissioned third stage during the headlining main stage slots, so not a whole lot of people were actually there. I wrote as much last year, and Maple took this to heart. “That band in particular, there’s several reasons they’re back on,” Maple said. “First of all, they’re my homies. That doesn’t necessarily get you on the lineup, but those guys, when they were out last year, you know what happened. This is part of the reason we aren’t doing that third stage this year - they got put on the stage, and nobody was over there. Nobody knew this band was even going on, they were just waiting around for what they thought was the headliner coming next. Meanwhile, Voraath is over on the farther stage, and they’re throwing down one of the best acts of the night.  They are also a band that’s going to grow fast, and they got kind of a bum deal by that, so I had them come do a headlining show earlier this year [at The Music Factory] , and I offered them a spot on the main stage for Metal Fest. I want everyone to be able to see these guys and what they’re all about.” In addition to a day full of great bands, there will be other attractions as well, including a live glassblowing show from Two Kings Glass . “They’re very good friends and awesome people to have on the team,” Maple said. “They’re gonna put on a live glass show that has all these crazy aspects to it. They make glass everything - deluxe bongs, swords, and more. So they’ll be there all day selling MMF Glass and all kinds of different stuff.” When asked what he would tell someone who has never been to MMF, Maple highlighted the independent roots of the event. “I’d say I think you’re gonna love it here, because this show is built by local metalheads,” Maple said. “This cool event is curated on pure volunteer sweat. We all work our butts off to create this thing. We basically have to build an entire venue to put on this event, the small amount of money we end up with is going toward the infrastructure of the event and actually making things better. We started from scratch with no funding from a big corporation and we’re super proud of where we’ve gotten with this. We take it seriously to make sure you have a smile across your face the entire time you’re there - it’s not just show up, watch music, and leave. We appreciate everyone who has ever bought a ticket or stepped through the gate in any form. Whether it be a fan, band, vendor, sponsor or stage worker, we just love and appreciate everybody who has been a part of this family for all these years.” Again, the Sixth Annual Michigan Metal Fest will take place on Saturday, August 24 at the Leila Arboretum in Battle Creek. Tickets, VIP packages and merchandise bundles can all be purchased at the official website, https://michiganmetalfest.net/ .  To keep up with MMF on Social Media, visit the official Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/michiganmetalfestival/ .   Will Kriss  //  [DJWILLKILL]

After running a 5k, attending a graduation open house, and frantically rummaging through my closet for a “My Kink Is Karma” themed outfit, I pulled onto South Burdick Street and saw numerous people in red and black clothes similar to my own. Our color coordination could only mean one thing: We were all on our way to the Kalamazoo State Theatre to see Chappell Roan’s “The Midwest Princess Tour”! After a stunning performance at Coachella 2024, an NPR Tiny Desk Concert performance, and opening acts for Olivia Rodrigo’s GUTS tour all over the U.S. it was no wonder that the sidewalks were full and the show was completely sold-out. However, these meticulously crafted outfits told me that many of the audience members knew Chappell long before her seemingly overnight success. Whether the fans on either side of me had known her for years or mere days, it was clear that they couldn’t get enough of the latest queer pop icon, Chappell Roan. Upon my arrival, I was hoping to purchase a Midwest Princess t-shirt or hoodie to show my own support. As I attempted to find the end of the line, I realized that there were at least 80 people with the same idea as me, and they waited all the way down the hall and up to the mezzanine! I decided to get a drink instead, and loved the personal touch that the State Theatre added with a “My Drink is Karma” shirley temple. The bartenders were efficient and patient as I waited to order a drink (non-alcoholic, of course). With a Redbull in one arm and my ticket in the other, a helpful usher directed me to my seat and I began feeling an energy like no other. This electric buzz of excitement was no doubt in anticipation of hearing Chappell Roan’s music live, but was added to by the history of the State Theatre itself, a building that is nearly 100-years-old and has hosted countless greats of music and comedy. While I was pretty high up in the theater, there isn’t a bad view in the house. Eyeing the gorgeous domed ceiling and lights around the stage, I settled in for my most anticipated concert of 2024. Chappell is known for having local drag performers open for her shows, and they did not disappoint! Perry Dox (@okperryok) got the party started, Howdy Rowan and friends (@howdyrowan) got everyone singing and dancing, and the finale, Alex Suarez (@queenalexsuarez), stole the show. All of the ladies were talented and F-I-E-R-C-E!! While opening with drag is a Chappell Roan show requirement, it was extra fitting for the first day of Pride Month. After the opening acts had left the stage, the wait for Chappell became more difficult than ever. I was a little nervous to be at the concert by myself, but the atmosphere of the State Theatre intertwined with the outgoing energy of Chappell’s fans, and I had some great chats with not one, not two, but three other concert-goers that were also seeing the show solo! Plus, I kept myself busy with a story takeover on WIDR’s Instagram (@widrfm!!). Either way, the lights were down before I knew it. As the opening chords of “Femininomenon” sounded in the pink-hued space, the audience ROARED. Still, I was able to hear every word of the song and all the rest that followed it. There’s something so special about an audience knowing every word to a show, and it was obvious that Chappell’s album, The Rise and Fall of a Midwest Princess, had been heavily listened to by everyone in the room. Chappell Roan emerged in a pink leotard studded with rhinestones of the same color, black stars on the breasts, black straps, and black detailing. Accessories included pink fringe on each hip, black wrist cuffs, and a thick black choker with pink beads attached. A pair of pink cowgirl boots completed the look, but was complimented even further by her long, curly red hair and blue eyeshadow. In reference to the outfit, she made this sweet remark: “I feel so lucky to be able to wear this to work”. Aside from the combined aesthetics of the theatre and outfit, the production for the Midwest Princess tour featured many colorful lights and Chappell herself definitely used the space she was given. In addition to the iconic ‘Hot To Go’ dance that featured full audience participation, there were two parts of the night that really stuck out to me: the kindness of the people around me and Chappell’s opinion of Kalamazoo during the introduction of “Kaleidoscope”. After expressing her gratitude to everyone for being there, she said the following about our special Midwestern city: “It’s (Kalamazoo’s) such a cute town, I didn’t really know what to expect when I came to it, but I was around yesterday and I went to a little karaoke bar, there was some blues being played in the park that I went to, I got some wine… it was so fun!” She finished by saying, “I love it here, it’s so beautiful.” Hopefully Chappell knows that she is welcome here anytime! After playing a majority of the songs from The Rise and Fall of a Midwest Princess, Roan closed with “My Kink Is Karma” and topped the show off with an encore featuring “California” and finally, “Pink Pony Club”. I was breathless and exhausted by the time Chappell made her last exit, almost dizzy with the joy of a wonderful concert at a beautiful venue. I am so grateful to WIDR and the Kalamazoo State Theatre for the opportunity to attend Chappell Roan’s Midwest Princess Tour. While I enjoyed free admission to the show, I would have paid for my ticket any day! I look forward to more shows at the State Theatre, coming up soon. The Kalamazoo State Theatre is bringing more exciting guests to their stage soon, including Steve-O on August 16th and Andy Grammer on October 25th. A full calendar of upcoming shows and events can be found here. Written by Logen Crandall, WMU Alumni and former WIDR Program Director (2023-24)

Sometimes you hear an album that makes you want to talk about it. It’s the kind of album that makes you want to immediately send it to everyone you know and rave about how good it is. It’s the type of album that has clear influences and sounds iconic and well established, but you can’t name anything that sounds quite like it. Hex Dealer by Lip Critic is one of those albums, and it is by far the most refreshing thing I’ve heard this year. I’m sure the band is tired of being compared to Death Grips, but I think it is still warranted. Lip Critic manages to capture the raw intensity that early Death Grips releases have, while still pushing the sound forward. Musically, the album takes influence from hip hop, industrial, hardcore punk, noise rock, and even breakcore to create a chaotic mess. Held down by the blown out drums and the soundscapes of distorted noise in the beats, the album's vocals take center stage with frontman Bret Kaser mainly rapping about money hungry religious figures who are in it purely to fill their own pockets without actually caring about the ideas they spread or the things they say. His words conjure up images of a runaway consumerist hellscape with references to various forms of technology, expensive clothes, and even sandwiches at one point. The record starts off strong with “It’s The Magic”, a lumbering and metallic track that introduces you to what you’ll be hearing on the rest of it. “Love Will Redeem You” and “The Heart” are both high energy bangers with excellent production and crazy sound palettes, with “Bork Pelly” and “Spirit Bomber” keeping the energy going. “Sermon" is perhaps the climax of the album, with the initial desert tinged beat becoming a chaotic, raucous mess of thrash metal drumming, fuzz, and Bret growling and screaming his way through poignant lyrics. The album finishes with back to back bangers, as “In The Wawa” os the type of song mosh pits were made for (see the breakdown at around 1:29), and “Toxin Dodger” ends on a rather bleak note lyrically, which works well in the context of the album. This tracklist is very well paced, and you’d be hard pressed to get bored at all while listening to it. Since this album was my first exposure to Lip Critic, I looked on YouTube to see what their live shows were like. Again, I hate to make this comparison, but as someone who has been to a Death Grips show before, these guys have the insane energy in their live performances that Death Grips always does. Bret jumps onto every surface in the venue at least once (barring the ceiling) and will even run into the middle of the crowd to perform his verses. Aside from that, the two (yes two) drummers and co-producer Connor Kleitz operating various electronics add to the chaos that is a Lip Critic show. If you have any interest in punk, alternative or industrial hip hop, metal, hyperpop, or just any off-the-wall electronic music, I highly recommend jumping on the Lip Critic train, as I certainly have after this album. Recommended if you like Death Grips, Street Sects, or Danny Brown Favorite tracks: In The Wawa, Spirit Bomber, and Sermon

Enjoy our Dj Recs from this week! You can also listen on Spotify. The Monkees - I'm a Believer The Rock Show w/DJ Koda anna luna - rotten Been Jammin w benjamin Weatherday - Come In Shut Up and Listen w/Sarah Mike Mains and The Branches - Fever Coffee Break w/ Caity Jo saturdays at your place - eat me alive Variety w/ Sydney Donna Summer - I Feel Love Electro-Pop Therapy w DJ Danger Groove Aureole - 10,000 Bells Resonate Cosmos Untold

I made this setlist for the WIDR Valentine’s Day Special! I chose a lot of these songs from playlists I’ve made years ago and FINALLY had a chance to share all of the love songs I’ve accumulated over the years! The chill, indie-pop vibe is what I was going for and all of these songs really resonate lyrically with love. This playlist is filled with my favorite songs and artists, from The Backseat Lovers to Weezer to the Dirty Dancing soundtrack, this setlist has it all! -Caity Jo

Happy Monday WIDR-ites! We have a super exciting poll happening on The WIDR App right now! Go cast your vote! The WIDR ALL NIDR Jam Session has been released, check it out here! This week is also election week for WMU students. One of the issues on the ballot is raising the Student Assessment Fee (SAF) from $42 to $62 a semester. The SAF is what funds things like RSOs, and 89.1 WIDR FM! The Western Herald covered the story earlier this month and WMU students can vote beginning February 21st at 8AM. Voting closes February 28th at 8PM. In 10 day 6 WIDR directors, and out advisor Glen, are traveling to New York City for The IBS conference and awards! Logen Crandall, Dan Hubble, and Sydney Kott will be presenting about building a brand and WIDR had 9 award nominations! This is an amazing learning experience for students, and wouldn't be possible without donors, so thank you! Don't forget, orientation is at 11:00, and media team meetings are 1:30, on Fridays! Check out last weeks Dj recs!

At the end of 2023, Harto Falión and producer evilgiane released their second collaborative album, a sequel to 2021’s Im_my_worst_enemy. Im_my_best_friend came at the end of a prolific year for both artists, it being Harto Falión’s third full-length project of the year and following countless production credits on the year for evilgiane including Baby Keem, Kendrick Lamar, and Earl Sweatshirt. The duo, both members of the New York rap collective Surf Gang, enjoyed a considerable surge in popularity in 2023 despite the turbulence that Surf Gang has endured over the past couple of years. The album features evilgiane’s signature production: unique, simple, spacious melodies with deep 808s and minimalistic drum patterns. Evilgiane’s production embodies the Plugg subgenre perfectly, and despite being a genre a decade old (or older) at this point, Im_my_best_friend immediately claimed the #1 spot on the all-time Plugg charts on rateyourmusic.com. Complimented by Harto’s droning vocals and clever lyricism, the album is perfect for either chill background music or close listening. Every other listen I find myself piecing together some wordplay that flew over my head on the last play through. As a long-time fan of both artists, I’ve had the album in my rotation for 2 months now and it still seems infinitely replayable. The album is a must-listen for fans of the Plugg subgenre, and for those who are not yet tapped into the Plugg scene there is no better place to start. Furthermore, new fans of Harto Falión and evilgiane will be happy to see the insane output that both artists have sustained over the last couple of years that only seems poised to continue with the release of #HEAVENSGATE VOL 1 on January 23rd, an album executively produced by evilgiane and featuring 4 new Harto Falión tracks. Keep an eye out for more from Surf Gang in 2024. RECOMMENDED IF YOU LIKE: Summrs, Yung Lean, Sickboyrari FAVORITE TRACKS: I am a patient boy 2#, Diogenes, Clueless

Enjoy this week's Dj recs on Spotify! Kirby Krackle - Great Lakes Avengers The College Wave with The Voicebox Turnstile - Alien Love Call (BADBADNOTGOOD, Blood Orange) Renaissance Alt w/ Spin Kitten Lunaa - Narnia(d1v) been jammin w benjamin underscores - Locals (girls like us) Shut Up and Listen w/Sarah Small Faces - Ogden's Nut Gone Flake The Rock Show w/DJ Koda Hiatus Kaiyote – Red Room Anything Goes w/Autumn Ang!e - Dance Machine Electro-Pop Therapy w DJ Danger Groove Petrification - Transmissions of the Unseen The Iron Temple w/ DJ Red Special

The WIDR Newsletter is coming back! Get ready for the WIDR Wednesday Newsletter. Email widr-promotion@wmich.edu if you want to be added to the newsletter. Catch up on Juju in Midyard on YouTube so you are ready to listen to the Second Chapter Premiere on Tuesday at 5PM. Enjoy some special programming this Wednesday in honor of Valentine's Day! Thank you to everyone who joined us as orientation and Media Training last week. It is always fun seeing new faces joining WIDR. Read about last week's DJ Recs HERE!

Listen to this week's recs on Spotify HERE! LEISURE - Slipping Away Renaissance Alt w/ Spin Kitten Slow Pulp - At Home The Void w/ Logen Bipolar Architecture - Immor (t) al The Iron Temple w/ DJ Red Special Urban Heat - Sanitizer Electro-Pop Therapy w DJ Danger Groove Waterparks - ST*ARF*CKER Variety w/ Sydney Blue Smiley - Dark Mort's Mega Mix