This is a chance for WTUL DJs to let our listeners know more explicitly about something they're really excited about. Maybe it's not obvious from the show, maybe it's not music... it's another opportunity to share something great.
DJ Outmeal Dubs recommends Micröclimate
A few months back I saw Micröclimate here in town for a one off show. Sexy Dex and Jneiro Jarel started making some music together under the name (or at least Dex is in the live band and the collar somehow) and there's a great EP here. I've played at least 3 of the 5 tracks on my show in the past months. It's all 100-120s bpm, and has a great funk feel on top of a dub stomp structure, like a sexed up King Midas Sound or a steppers nod to Prince. The call and response vocals and attention to melody make it super catchy. Supposedly a full record is in the works.
DJ Oatmeal Dubs is on every other Saturday from 6-8am.
J Junca recommends A Walk on the WIld Side by Nelson Algren
This novel is a seedy romp. It has the adventurous style of Twain, centered around dark subjects. It follows an illiterate youth in 1930 who rides the rails to New Orleans to live out the Depression between brothels and speakeasies, predominantly. The period depiction of the Crescent City is fascinating. The city is full of hustlers, pimps, and prostitutes. Everyone seems to be running a con or flat broke, against a grimy backdrop. People forced to find a way to survive with little or no choice. It has beauty, humor, and human insight.
J Junca is spinning Jazz 6-8pm on Thursdays
DJ Fun recommends the art of Rembrandt.
I recommend Rembrandt Harmenszoon van Rijn. I love all forms of art, and no painter has captured my interest like Rembrandt. You hear his name a lot, but rarely do I find that people know his story is constantly evolving. Many of his artworks are no longer considered his, like 'The Man with the Golden Helmet'. Some of his other works were darkened over time and are being restored to their original tones. 'The Night Watch', an unbelievably massive painting really titled 'Militia Company of District II under the Command of Captain Frans Banninck Cocq, is not a dark painting. It's a daytime image of Musketeers which gained the nickname "Night Watch" after it darkened. It's worth taking the time to research this great artist and keep up with the current news. If anything, take a note on the actual size of his works. Harmenszoon, as I like to refer to him, made some fairly monolithic art.
DJ Fun's show is called Radio Wowowowo. He plays mostly mostly dub reggae, carribean, african, and electronic music.
DJ D-Rob recommends Jay-Z - Marcy Me
Just came back from NY and saw advertisements for his new album on on the tops of cabs and on the sides of buildings in Time Square. Even though he doesn't need and shouldn't get much college/community radio play, I think all hip-hop lovers need to hear this deeper cut at least once. It's Jay-Z spitting his most poetic lyrics to date, reflecting on how far he's come from his beginnings in Brooklyn, over a sentimental piano beat. There was a time where people thought hip-hop was just a fad that wouldn't last, and now we have a rapper that's pushing 50 making age appropriate music.
DJ D-Rob is Tuesdays Noon-2pm
(editor's note: can't find a link to share this song)
Hunter recommends Room Thirteen - Roccopulco
This local release has been a DJ favorite this summer (even topping our weekly albums list recently) and I thought it deserved a mention. It's an oasis amidst all the turmoil in the world right now, purely relaxing and uplifting with its loungy, tropicalia sounds and heavenly voices. Room Thirteen is basically a renaming of Danny Clifton's project called Danny, and he plays nearly all the instruments on this record, but there are so many little instrumental touches that reveal themselves with repeated listens. The real jam is "Crazy From the Heat" with an earworm of chorus that cools you down before exploding into some beautiful vocals.
I've been an enthusiastic hypeman for this record to the point where I feel like I need to back away a little bit, but it's easily my record of the year so far and deserves some attention outside of WTUL.
Hunter DJs Storm Surge of Reverb: Surf & Instrumental Rock & Roll Mondays 4-6pm
DJ Liz E's montly sci-fi recommendation: The Wanderers by Meg Howrey
Lately I've found that I'm drawn to sci-fi stories that are either (1) futuristic dystopian or (2) near-future/contemporary space themed. The Wanderers fit the latter. Prime Space, a SpaceX-esque company has committed to sending a Mars expedition in four years, and as part of the preparations, has selected a three-person crew who all have International Space Station experience - an American (Helen), a Russian (Sergei) and a Japanese (Yoshihiro), whose personalities, skills and background have been scientifically determined to be the perfect compliments to each other, and thus the "perfect team" for the Mars expedition. The book follows the three, in chapters that switch perspective between each of them ( and their family), as they prepare for and participate in a realistic simulation for the Mars trip. The three crew members are supposed to spend 17 month long simulation in a full scale replica of the spaceship in the Utah wilderness, which is intended to replicate every possible aspect of the real trip. There is even a simulated take-off and landing on Mars. In addition to scientific and mechanical aspects of the simulation being evaluated for the real trip, the crew is constantly observed by specific members of Prime Space's Mission Control team to monitor their psychological, emotional and interpersonal reactions and behavior. The book also switches perspective to follow Helen's daughter, Segei's sons, and Yoshihiro's wife as they also deal with the separation during this 17 month long simulation. Knowing that they are all being observed this way by Prime Space provides some of the most interesting internal dialogue in the book as each character evaluates their own responses, and modifies them in order to fit into what they think Mission Control wants to see. As the simulation continues, the book provides a deep and intriguing look at the internal struggles each of the characters is dealing with. Rather than a typical space mission type story, this book is much more of a character-driven exploration of the ability of the human mind to adapt in extreme physical and psychological tests.
What's really hard, is to talk about this book without spoiling anything - and it is those things I don't want to spoil that made this book such an intriguing read. So all I can do is recommend it, and after you read it, let's talk!
DJ LizE is the host of the Kids Show every Saturday from 8-10am.