As the last album to feature founding member and drummer, Bill Berry, New Adventures in Hi-Fi, released in 1996, has the most diverse set of songs by R.E.M. The process of the album is unusual in that most the songs were written while R.E.M. was on tour for their 1994 album, Monster, and were recorded live with eight-track recorders. As a result, most of the album centralizes itself on themes of motion and travel. This album mixes the country sound found in their previous albums, Out of Time and Automatic for the People, with more of a rock feel found on Monster and Lifes Rich Pageant. I believe that although critics had mixed dispositions about the album, New Adventures in Hi Fi is one of R.E.M.’s best efforts, especially from the 1990s.
The album begins with the pleasant groove of “How The West Was Won and Where It Got Us”. This is probably the catchiest tune from the album with its highly recognizable and memorable piano staccato riff. Michael Stipe’s yell at the end of each chorus gives the song most of its power. The next song takes the listener to a fast pace run with “The Wake-Up Bomb”. It carries itself with a hard rock guitar riff. “New Test Leper” plays with religious themes with more of an acoustic sound. The band takes another turn to a light groove with “Undertow”. The bass carries this song as the guitar riff guides it towards its climatic chorus. This song also uses religious references that are subtle, in which Stipe contemplates about life. The chorus is surprisingly in a major key as Stipe yells “I’m drowning….” The most well-known song off this album is “E-Bow The Letter” and for a good reason. It is one of the most charming tracks from the album with Patti Smith featured as a guest vocalist behind Stipe’s echoes of sadness.
Read More →
Actor and comedian Tom Green called in an interview on WOBC this Friday 12/2 at 11:30am.
“You know Tom Green from his anything-goes run as the funniest, most unpredictable personality on MTV, and his unforgettable, deliciously loony roles in uproarious film comedies including ‘Road Trip’ and ‘Freddy Got Fingered.’ He’s graced the cover of Rolling Stone, commandeered the coveted guest-host chair on ‘The Late Show with David Letterman’ and conquered the World Wide Web with his free-wheeling, wildly popular internet talk show, ‘Tom Green’s House Tonight.’ Now, Tom brings his unique brand of hilarity to the art of stand-up comedy…”
Tom Green will be headlining at Hilarities Comedy Theater in Cleveland December 1-3 as part of his world stand-up tour.
Listen to the interview, conducted by WOBC DJs Curtis Cook and Shalena Wallace, here:
Tom Green Interview 12/2/11
 Bluegrass Erwin in the WOBC On-Air Studio - November 30, 2011 Tune in every Wednesday from 2-5PM for Bluegrass Special with Bluegrass Erwin, longtime radio personality and WOBC DJ. Featuring the “best bluegrass in the State of Ohio,” Bluegrass Special has been a fixture of WOBC’s programming since 2001. It was then that Erwin took over for a fellow bluegrass expert, longtime DJ Freeman Morgan who had hosted Bluegrass Express on WOBC since 1982. Since then Bluegrass Erwin has filled Lorain County’s airwaves with bluegrass every week, rain or shine.
I visited Bluegrass one Wednesday afternoon during his show. I found him perched in the on-air studio sorting through his collection of CDs for the next song he would play. I was there to take a picture for this post and to ask him a few questions. But there is hardly a spare moment with Bluegrass at the controls and the request line ringing. After snapping the Polaroid above, I asked him if he ever plays folk music on the show. He replied with a grin, “yeah, sometimes–but not that often.” Then he put on a bluegrass version of the country song “Honey Won’t You Open That Door” by Ricky Skaggs. “You can tell ‘em I play country too,” he joked.
Bluegrass Special has been surreptitiously re-broadcast in states other than Ohio by radio DJs who just couldn’t match Erwin’s selection and passion for the music. According to Bluegrass, his show has been heard on college stations in Nebraska, Texas, and California.
Listen below to the beginning of an episode of Bluegrass Special originally broadcast on October 19th. -Will Floyd
Bluegrass Special, October 19, 2011 – 1:10:42
 OHS junior Megan Tuckosh sings live on the show, 11/7 One of WOBC’s new shows this semester is OB Teen Radio, a program recorded and produced at The Backspace at The Bridge, Oberlin’s community technology center. During the week, middle school and high school students record their show, which airs on Mondays 6:30-7:00pm. Students DJ collaboratively, record station IDs, and record original vocal recordings over a favorite song instrumental. The show is a forum for the youth of Oberlin to share new music, opinions, pertinent news, school events and humor.
Check out the back episodes of OB Teen Radio, below, and be sure to tune in Mondays at 6:30!
OB Teen Radio 1
OB Teen Radio 2
About The Backspace :: The back computer lab at The Bridge, The Backspace, provides a more relaxed atmosphere open to teenage patrons (grades 6-12) weekdays, 3- 6 pm. The space is equipped with 10 computers with Internet access, couches, tables, TV/DVD, school supplies, and resources available to help students prepare for the SAT/ACT & OGT, learn how to type, and receive help with homework through our free drop-in tutoring program. The Backspace is also equipped with digital music and film editing programs as well as a digital keyboard, mixer,and a microphone. Throughout the school year, we also offer various educational and recreational programs in which students can participate. In the past, these have included activities such as crafts (pumpkin carving for Halloween or mural painting in the Backspace, etc.), software education (Photoshop, Garage Band, Microsoft Office, etc.) or movie late nights.
-Stella Byrne
On November 13th, Shahida Nurullah performed live in front of a full house in Afrikan Heritage House’s Lord Lounge. The event was organized as a part of Kuumba Week, a celebration of the arts and culture of the Oberlin Africana community organized by the MRC. Shahida Naurullah, a veteran Jazz vocalist and native of Detroit, was accompanied by the Oberlin Jazz Ensemble directed by Dennis Reynolds. The two-hour event was hosted by longtime WOBC DJ Meeko Israel and broadcast live on The World Famous Meeko Show. The event was the first live broadcast on WOBC this year. -Will Floyd
Shahida Nurullah and OJE with Meeko Israel – Part One 50:09
Shahida Nurullah and OJE with Meeko Israel – Part Two 1:04:11
tuesday is a generally nasty day of things, so here’s something to clear your main mind-thing. it’s a cover of ghost town dj’s classic hit, “my boo”, off of the college sampler by friends. this was one of our top 5 adds this week, so when you’re trying to figure out how to play it on your show (which, trust me, you will be), grab it from the digital library. i’m feeling tranquilized by these horse-diva vibes. check it out for yourself, and stay strong for wednesday!!
Friends – My Boo
-devra
 Real Estate - Days #2 this week 1 BUILT TO SPILL There Is No Enemy
2 REAL ESTATE Days
3 TORO Y MOI Freaking Out [EP]
4 GIRLS Father, Son, Holy Ghost
5 BEACH BOYS The Smile Sessions
6 ST. VINCENT Strange Mercy
7 M83 Hurry Up, We’re Dreaming
8 ATLAS SOUND Parallax
9 JAMES BLAKE James Blake
10 BJORK Biophilia
11 NEIL YOUNG
12 PURE X Pleasure
13 KATE BUSH Hounds of Love
14 COCTEAU TWINS Heaven or Las Vegas
15 ZOLA JESUS Conatus
16 CANT Dreams Come True
17 WASHED OUT Within And Without
18 TWIN SISTER In Heaven
19 BEIRUT The Rip Tide
20 DUM DUM GIRLS Only In Dreams
21 FEIST Metals
22 BONNIE PRINCE BILLY Wolfroy Goes To Town
23 WISE BLOOD These Wings [EP]
24 NEON INDIAN Era Extrana
25 JOHN MAUS We Must Become The Pitiless Censors Of Ourselves
26 BRILLIANT COLORS Again And Again
27 ARCHITECTURE IN HELSINKI Moment Bends
28 OTIS REDDING Dreams To Remember: The Otis Redding Anthology
29 WILCO The Whole Love
30 EMMYLOU HARRIS Hard Bargain
stay tuned for next week’s charts!
|
|
