Monthly Archives: May 2011

Just a reminder that tonight’s episode of Public Interview, hosted by Lauren Hodges, will feature an interview with Jim Lehrer of PBS NewsHour with Jim Lehrer. Tune in at 9 pm at www.georgetownradio.com (“Listen Live”) or via iTunes (Radio > College Radio > WGTB) to hear the interview. Lehrer will step down as anchor of NewsHour on June 6, but will continue to moderate segments and stay involved in the production of the show.

The June 6 episode of Public Interview will feature Svetlana Legetic, the editor and founder of Brightest Young Things, in the WGTB studio.

When I was six, I learned that my younger brother was partially deaf. My parents had noticed that he was having a hard time responding to them, and after a couple of tests and trips to the otologist, they learned that was due to the fact that he was only able register the lowest frequencies of sound in his left ear. My parents were understandably concerned; Mr. Holland’s Opus had just been released, after all. Fortunately, though, the doctors said my brother’s imperfect hearing would only be a slight annoyance for him and that he wouldn’t really be at risk of full deafness as long as he avoided standing in the front row at rock concerts.

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It takes something special to stand out in the ever-deepening sea of mashups, remixes, and revampings that seem to have taken over the airwaves and internet-streams. It isn’t enough anymore just to play a few songs simultaneously—reworking a track is an art that should subtly enhance the original, while also bringing something new to the table, resulting in a unique, superior hybrid. A couple weeks ago when I first heard Labyrinth Ear’s souped-up rendition of Arthur Russell’s “This Is How We Walk on the Moon,” I felt like they accomplished just that. Read More »

Depravity reigns supreme in today’s intellectual music circles. It seems the more ripped up and worn down you sound, the more indie street-cred you are entitled to. A correlation has developed between your Pitchfork score and the number of visible track marks on your arms. Even quality sound mastering is often dismissed as overly “corporate” or pandering to a public uninformed to the virtues of the “lo-fi” revolution.

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Americana music has long suffered from an existential split. Purists long for the days of the Bakersfield sound of Merle Haggard and Buck Owens but can only stand by and watch as Toby Keith and Tim McGraw top the charts and stake their own claims as representatives of real American music. However, the lines are not always so clearly drawn. Recently, popular bands have started to incorporate the sounds of Americana, blues, and bluegrass, with the traditional stylings taking on new and different forms. Frat boys all over have grown fond of Old Crow Medicine Show, and chances are you’ve heard a few songs from Mumford & Sons.

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This Sunday, DC locals Ra Ra Rasputin (along with the Pietasters and Trouble Funk) will be helping out the hungry by playing the DC Central Kitchen Benefit show Soundbites at the 9:30 Club. We’re big fans, tickets include FREE all you can eat food from 20 local eateries including Jaleo, Dangerously Delicious Pies, and Mandu, as well as five of the area’s hottest food trucks, and it’s all for a good cause! Get your tickets now at Ticketfly.com for 40 bucks a pop.

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