YBOT & WIDR present Music at the Library. The new "Tiny Desk" inspired series showcases WMU music artists performing in a very raw and stripped down environment

The Splatterhouse - Two Hours of industrial, metal, goth, punk, and other types of electronic jams! The darkest, heaviest, filthiest show on WIDR FM! Friday nights from Midnight to 2am! We sat down with DJ WILL KILL and asked about his experiences here at WIDR FM. How long have you been DJing at WIDR? I’ve been DJing at WIDR since January 2016 but I’ve been volunteering with WIDR since Fall 2015. What is your most memorable moment at WIDR? Being able to interview artists that I’ve respected and been a fan of for a long time have been my proudest moments at WIDR. I got to interview Edsel Dope from Dope, Zoog Von Rock from Angelspit and more! Who would be your dream guest to have on your show? I’d like to have myself on my own show as an interview subject! Nobody ever asks me anything. Seriously though, I would love to have Jimmy Urine from Mindless Self Indulgence on my show. I feel like he would be a lot of fun to interview. But I wouldn’t say no to Al Jourgensen of Ministry or Dave Wyndorf from Monster Magnet either! What does WIDR and Radio Evolution mean to you? Growing up and going through high school, I never joined a single club or extracurricular activity because nothing ever interested me. So the fact that DJing for WIDR has become such a passion of mine surprises even myself, sometimes. Even with as popular as other types of electronic music have become in the United States, I feel that Industrial is still super-underrepresented, and DJing through WIDR means being able to give it an outlet, and I’m honored to be able to be the one to do it. The fact that I get to play music that I love and care about and have been listening to since my single digit years to a wide audience means so much to me, and I have a niche in Kalamazoo, because Kalamazoo in general isn’t really an Industrial-music type city. If even one person listens to my show and hears something that makes them think, “Wow, this is cool! What IS this?” and looks it up, then my job is done. I have spread the good word of Industrial music. On top of helping with exposure, I also get props and love from the bands that I play! Whether it be a nice message, free promotional downloads, or an interview, I get a deep amount of satisfaction that the bands I play take notice of my show. Plus, as I mentioned earlier, I get to interview my heroes! I get to talk to artists and bands that I’ve admired for a long time on my show, and if that isn’t cool, I don’t know what is! All of this is what WIDR means to me. I get to live the rockstar lifestyle, and I can’t even play any instruments! Most importantly, WIDR FM has provided me with a network of friends, colleagues, and like-minded individuals. WIDR FM has made my time at Western Michigan University well worth it. I wouldn’t change any of it for anything!

This month brought WIDR’S rotation rack a lot of synth-pop, synth wave music and just 80’s feeling electric music. Our DJ and staff picked some of their favorites for a June playlist that would fit any night drive to the beach. 1. “Do You Want Love?” , by Dave Depper off the album Emotional Freedom Technique This song comes first on the album giving off groovy night time drive vibes. It also comes first on our playlist due to it’s to the tandem of its lyrics and melody. 2. “Bedtime Intimacy” , by Das Mortal off the album Always Loved Creating more of spacey night time drive on our playlist is this upbeat but slightly dark synth-wave tune from Das Mortal. The song comes third on the album and features little colorful pop of sounds that definitely feel very 80’s. 3. “Stay Close” , by darkDARK off the EP Heathered Fading into a slower synth-wave song with melodic soft vocals and darker notes is this funky futuristic song by electronic duo darkDARK. Unique with it’s use of analogue synths, it helps move the playlist along in it’s 80’s vibes. 4. “Feel It (feat. Anfa Rose)”, by Jackal off the EP Endorphins Ridding off of the darker notes of “Stay Close” we fade into this EDM-R&B tune. The vocals are smooth which makes the hard waves of sound in the chorus stand out, but it blends itself together nicely to still create a vibe of night time, making it fit uniquely in our playlist. 5. “Heatwave” , by L.A. Takedown off the album II Bouncing off the darker EDM sounds in “Feel It” this songs slower synth wave is a good come down song from the earlier vibes. It builds in drum and synth to reach a melodic feel good tone. 6. “Lannoy Point” , by Ride off the album Weather Diaries “A lone echoing guitar, and slowly builds instruments on top of each other as the tempo picks up.” This song has been a must play at WIDR with a full album review by Emily Sabourin. It fits in our playlist with it’s darker guitar riffs but airy backbeat. 7. “Rules” , by Hoops off the album Routines Our finale song on our playlist comes from semi-local Grand Rapids band Hoops. A perfect beach tune with spring guitar and synth-pop vocals. Ending our June favorites playlist on a dreamy note.

This past Thursday WIDR hosted a WIDRAMA at Ruperts with bands Fishing with Dynamite, The Suburbans, Nothing New, and BFF. Thanks to all who came out and supported Radio Evolution with these amazing local bands, good beer, and your friends from WIDR. Photo Cred: Landon Lacey

When I discovered Brit band Ride was coming out with an album this year, I couldn’t have been more excited! Pioneers of shoegaze in the late 80s/ early 90s, their debut album Nowhere is considered one of the most influential and greatest of its genre. The band only released four albums before they broke up in 1996. The band played together again for a brief one-off reunion in 2001. Guitarist Andy Bell went off to play with Oasis and the off-shoot of Oasis, Beady Eye, while vocalist Mark Gardener and drummer Laurence Colbert went off on their own projects. Ride reunited in 2014, but it wasn’t until this year that they released new material. Weather Diaries, the band’s fifth album, is their first in 21 years! Fans have been waiting for this album for a long time, and it did not disappoint! The album gets off to a running start with the opening track “Lannoy Point”, which is a nearly 6 minute long ride (pardon the pun), and easily my favorite of the album. Immediately on hearing this song, I knew the rest of the album was going to be great. The tracks starts off with a lone echoing guitar, and slowly builds instruments on top of each other as the tempo picks up. “Lannoy Point” has everything that you love about classic Ride, but don’t think they’re getting too nostalgic on you. There are also elements of modern electronica peeking through in the ascending synth line that gives the track more edge, and the lyrics are a giant slap in the face to Brexit. Just when you think you’ve pegged how the rest of the album is going to sound, the band does a 180 with “Charm Assault”. One of the singles of the album, this shows a garage-rock side of Ride, and it’s fantastic! You can really tell that the band members have hit their stride as songwriters and musicians. Ride has become comfortable with their signature sound, but also expanding out into other genres, and they’ve never sounded better! In the middle of the album, the band slows it down with tracks like “Home Is A Feeling”, which is a throwback to Ride to their 90s shoegaze glory, and title-track “Weather Diaries”, a psychedelic rock-tinged masterpiece featuring a stunning and understated guitar solo. And just as you’re sitting back comfortably, the band turns it around again with “Lateral Alice”, a hard-rocking tune, and another example of how Ride eased so well into other genres with this album. The band continues to surprise with the final tracks. The last songs, including “Impermanence” (a title that sounds like it came straight of a Joy Division album) and “White Sands” are slower and filled with melancholic lyrics and melodies. The last lyrics of the album “Time waits for no man, what’s left behind is ours” set the mood for the rest of “White Sands”, a full minute of nothing but distortion and brooding. Just as the album began unassuming, so does the end, as you’re still processing what happened three songs ago. Weather Diaries leaves you wanting more, but in the best way possible. Favorite Tracks: “Lannoy Point”, “Weather Diaries”, “Lateral Alice”, “Impermanence”

Alt-J has gone through their fair share of backlash since their last Grammy-nominated album. The peak of the backlash might have been that infamous viral clip, in which two men munching rice takes create a perfect parody of an Alt-J song and call it “Put It In My Butt”. (You can watch it here if you are so inclined https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rlBskd3IaNw). But this third album from Alt-J strays a bit from what fans might have been used to hearing but still has that Alt-J feel that is very authentically theirs. It might be a subtle clap-back to the backlash and haters with how ambitious this album feels. These eight songs are packed with a lot of little quirks that make each song feel more like a complete modern art piece. The album fulfills its name Relaxer in offering soothing synth, guitar, and harmonies. If you had to travel through space at night this would be the album to put on it. It “3WW”, the opening track, has some surprising female vocals that add a nice melodic layer over the song. The third track is Alt-J’s cover of “House of the Rising Sun” it’s spacey feels makes it stand out from the many other covers that this song has gone through in the past years. It’s ambitious for how the style and mood of the songs changes. “Deadcrush” which comes fifth on the album, is arguable one of the best tracks on the album. The song is a melting pot of funk-synth and twisting layered vocals. It’s the song that hits closest to their last two albums in aesthetic sound, and makes Relaxer feel complete as an album. Another noteworthy song is “Adeline” with is subtle build in strings and vocals leaving a hauntingly peaceful feeling about it. This is an album where you can take from it what you want. If you want to throw it on as back noise to a late night drive this album can become the soundtrack for that. But, if you want to study each song for its charms, spaciness, and mashing of genres you can do that as well. It offers a relaxing experience to both music lovers and music listeners.

YBOT & WIDR present Music at the Library. The new "Tiny Desk" inspired series showcases WMU music artists performing in a very raw and stripped down environment

Never being exposed to (Sandy) Alex G before this album, I was excited to dive into the sound from this Lo Fi Pennsylvania born songwriter. The album was nothing like I expected after listening to the opening few tracks, but this contrast means the album is never dull keeping you on your toes. Three prep strums, banjo, and dogs barking is the opening to (Sandy) Alex G’s new album Rocket. The song title Poison Root, and it’s avant Garde strings, lyrics about poisons trees, and becoming wholly omniscient sets an ominous tone for the album to come. Proud is next on up, and it is filled with jangly guitar, and bright piano. Lyrically it seems to explore the feelings of doubt, and not wanting to fail love ones. County graces the 3rd spot, and it starts with a surreal soundscape, that feels Jazzier than earlier tracks. Synth organ, and multi vocal parts liter the mix, and immerse the listener within the vinyet. Lyrically exploring life within the jail system, and misfortune. Bobby is batting clean up 4th, and is back with the banjo, country jangle we’ve heard earlier. Introducing a female vocalist onto the album as well. I feel this is the first true love song of the album, and lyrically is “cute”, but also heartfelt. Ironically possibly Witch is the next track, with a harpsichord to start the mood off, and varied percussive sounds used to drive the sound. Giving into a more psych/indie sound is fresh within the middle of this folk album beginning. Laying vocals into the song as it moves to close, though it seems to end sudden. You’re greeted next to a cacophony of digitally created sounds, claps, clanks, and drones, along with a steady thump from the depths of the mix. The track is entitled Horse. Avant Garde at its finest. Brick is just as the title implies, it comes through the album like a brick through a glass house. More uses of avant garde house flavors, distant vocals makes this track harshness less overwhelming. Sportstar leads us into space, changing the sound again, using peter frampton esque guitar, and vox. Judge is number 9 on the album, and it feels as heavy as standing in front of one. Layered vox, eerie high melodies, and droning guitar. The track where the album might get its name sake is sprinkled in at 10, and it is littered with the motif of banjo, country strings, and another place. Powerful Man is my favorite song on the album, and it’s melding of genres, while being some of the finest uses of folk styling on the album. Alina softly graces the ending stages of this album, using hand drummed percussion, and other timekeeping devices to drive this floating sound aloft, and into space. Unlucky 13 is home to Big Fish giving us more of what we’ve been hearing, but rawer, and less symphonic. Bookending at 14, Guilty is back to the jazzy, organ filled style of earlier. Adding more instrumentation, and flavors. Genre bending, Lo Fi generating, Indie darling (Sandy) Alex G ignites in this album that is 14 tracks with a shared goal of propelling the listener to a different world, and maybe help relax you in the process.

YBOT & WIDR present Music at the Library. The new "Tiny Desk" inspired series showcases WMU music artists performing in a very raw and stripped down environment

YBOT & WIDR present Music at the Library. The new "Tiny Desk" inspired series showcases WMU music artists performing in a very raw and stripped down environment

I’m Alone, No You’re Not This album from singer-songwriter sisters is absolutely stunning.The vocal harmonies are melodic and light, they add a rich tone to the genuine lyrics. If you like the other sister act First Aid Kit, then you will these girls. As they follow some similar folk like patterns that First Aid Kit has on their album, and they share producer Mike Mogis. But they aren’t folk, while they carry that singer-songwriter vibe their music has more tone’s of pop-rock. And pack some punches with some colorful rhythmic hooks. The album begins with “Canyon”, and the lyrics grab you right away. They flow above the gentle guitar, and builds to a strong chorus where the harmony of the group is on full display. It’s a fitting first track that doesn’t hold anything back. The second song, “SOS (overboard)” might be a surprising choice to follow the power of “Canyon”, but a full listen through shows a gentler, but still powerful side of Joseph. One of the best song on the album is “White Flag”, which comes eighth on the album. The song is mixed with low smooth harmonies and belted notes. The drums carries this through a series of twisted guitar riffs, leaving you feeling breathless and excited. This is how the album balances itself out. Each song shows the power in vocal ability and crafty lyrics in strong and soft ways. Even the dreamy folk song, “Planets”, still shows the group’s powerfulness. This album set’s to prove that being vulnerable, open and sweet is powerful. And Joseph undoubtedly proves that.

The First Days of Spring You know a band or an artist has got some talent when their sophomore album isn’t a letdown. Noah and the Whale’s “The First Days of Spring” show’s that this band knows what kind of music it wants to write. The album is one hundred percent a break up album, so if you have a broken heart you might want to wait before diving into this album. But the songs never feel cliche, or overly sad. You don’t get tired of the tone of the album or what this band is trying to do. The lyrics of this album are the centerpiece. They are honest, hard, and beautiful. You can tell that a lot of time was spent on developing the lyrics because of how each word truly fits well into each song it’s in. The music that the lyrics rest on is just as heartbreakingly stunning. The subtle violins add so much to the album as whole giving you wave after wave of somber peace. The two best tracks on the album are “I Have Nothing” and “Blue Skies”. These songs really showcase the band’s harmonies, lyrical writing skills, and musical abilities. Both of these song have such a calming feel, even though the piano and drums are at full force. “Blue Skies” lyrics, are probably one of the most poignant on the album. It feels like it should be at the end of a movie, the last scene fading out and credits rolling type deal. There’s a strong sense of resolution within the song, and I think that’s part of the reason it comes across as powerful as it does. This album really takes you on a journey of heartbreak going from sadness, loneliness, acceptance, and realization. It’s a good album to really listen to, it would be a shame to just ignore the idyllic lyrics on this album.

Ouroboros Ray Lamontagne continues to explore genres and how they can relate to his singer songwriter roots on “Ouroboros”. The album is divided into two parts. Although, the album connects as a whole, with each song flowing into the next. The artwork for the album is very fitting concept piece. With part one having a hallow feel, being the blood red moon and part two being the lighter sun coming to peek from behind. Lamontagne raspy whisper voice carries melodically over all the songs pulling the album together as a whole. Part one is full of psychedelic rock guitar and dreamy lyrics. The third song in part one, “The Changing Man”, will really carry the weight of it’s name if your fan of his first three albums. The guitars are heavy and the whole tone of the song is very dark. But it shouldn’t come as a surprise as Ray Lamontagne had been experimenting with these tones and riffs on his later album. This album really feels like a musical point that Ray Lamontagne has been trying to experiment with and create over the past couple of years, and it’s come together beautifully. Part two is arguably a bit lighter than part one. With softer notes and nods to his earlier and warmer singer-songwriter songs. The album ends with “Wouldn’t It Make a Lovely Photograph”, which truly feels very distant from the rest of the album in terms of sound. The lyrics are melodic and thought provoking, and make references back to earlier lyrical moments on the album. This is truly an album that you have to listen to from first song to last song. Ray Lamontagne takes us on a journey of genre, lyrics, and guitar. It would be a crime to put this album on shuffle, because it would loss all of its magical and cosmic effect that this album carries.

Fading lines This dutch born musician, Annelotte de Graaf, makes her debut with Fading Lines. The album is beautifully simple. The vocals are spacey and light, giving this album a glowing feeling to it. Yet the guitar riffs feel darkly retro and carry some tones of today’s harder indie-pop. This album is a marriage of the darker and lighter side indie music can often bring. It’s a must play for summer, giving off vibes of afternoons spent by the beach or long drives into the sunset. If you’re a fan of Alvvays or Widowspeak this is a girl for you. The album opens with “Come with Me” a song that has bit of harder edge than the rest of the album, so it makes for a fitting opener. Yet the chorus of the song build’s so blissfully with the vocals and guitar that you feel amazed these two elements of the song are within the same song. It works so well in feeling and tone. The third title song on the album, “Fading lines”, is a true representation of what this album is trying to accomplish in marrying darker riffs to lighter vocals. The song ends with this leading guitar that speaks pure fun. It reminded me of how “Joke”, by Chasity Belt ends, just a slammin guitar breezing through melodic riffs. A personal favorite of mine is “Right Now”, which comes sixth on the album. The guitar has this pleasant melancholy tone to it. Which makes the light vocals stand out on this album a bit more. The song is bit more spacier than some of the other songs but it fits well within the album. Keeping in theme with lighter and darker notes, the chorus has an amazing guitar shift, with some colorful harmonies. The album as a whole is a very impressive debut album for what it tries to accomplish. Annelotte makes a musical statement with “Fading lines” about what kind of musical elements she wants to explore and who she will be as an artist.

Scatter Paul Simonon said “Pinkis the only true colour of rock and roll”, so it’s fitting that this album is pink. London trio Crushed Beaks blend dreamy indie pop sounds with aggressive guitar and gravelly vocals. “Scatter” feels like an essential indie college kid album. With lyrics that balance between poetic and being angsty-honest. “Scatter” is an apt name for the album. The album doesn’t feel scattered, but the genres, melodies and lyrics that Crushed Beaks has gathered from other genres feels scattered. But, it undoubtedly works. The second song overgrown is arguable one of the best on the album. The melodic guitar riffs feel very light, while the drum really focuses in on feeling very brash 90’s. Replica. The third song the album feels very different, with its airy vocals and spacey guitar, yet the core melody feels the same. Feelers which comes sixth on the album is another beautiful example of how this band ties together different feelings that genres can bring. It feels like “The Smiths” in vocals, yet in guitar and drums it carries the whole other 80’s hard rock the vibe. It’s a stunning song on the album that is a good example of what this band is capable of. What ties this album together is the melodic motifs throughout the album. The album dips a bit towards the end. The lose a bit of their up-beat rock tempo a bit, and become slightly calmer in feel. But it’s a good ending for the album as a whole.