10 Days.....

In just 10 days, Guy-Manuel de Homem-Christo and Thomas Bangalter will climb atop a glowing pyramid of light at Keyspan Park in Brooklyn and promptly destroy New York City. In honor of this momentous event (and to relieve the overwhelming anxiety and anticipation that I feel every minute I'm not listening/dancing to Daft Punk), I will be posting a daft punk track/remix/live set (or two) every day up until the concert.

Day 10: Harder, Better, Faster, Stronger. Featured on 2001's Discovery, this track featured a simple house edit of Edwin Birdsong's Cola Bottle Baby (1979) and that robot talk box vocal we've all come to know and love. Now I still believe that it is impossible to remix Daft Punk (because improving on perfection is fairly difficult), but here are a few remixes by The Neptunes, Cutso, Dirty Disco Youth, and Diplo that are definitely worth a listen.

Daft Punk - Harder, Better, Faster, Stronger
Edwin Birdsong - Cola Bottle Baby
Daft Punk - Harder, Better, Faster, Stronger (The Neptunes Crazy Remix)
Daft Punk - Harder, Better, Faster, Stronger (Cutso Special Blend)
Daft Punk - Harder, Better, Faster, Stronger (Dirty Disco Youth Remix)

and of course there's always Kanye....

Kanye West - Stronger
Kanye West - Stronger (Diplo Work is Never Over)

and a stupid and awesome youtube video;)

.......†.......

That's right. Its what you've been waiting for all summer. Gaspard Augé and Xavier de Rosnay. Justice. The French designers turned DJs who have been crusading the world for the past 2 years converting the ignorant masses with their face melting 'Christian/Club' awesomeness. Now, finally, Justice returns to North America for a 10 city tour of conquest and destruction. Tickets for most shows went on sale yesterday. Buy your tickets now. Repent and be saved.

October 9 Los Angeles, CA Henry Fonda
October 10 San Francisco, CA Mezzanine
October 11 Seattle, WA Neumo's
October 13 Vancouver, British Columbia Commodore
October 16 Minneapolis, MN Foundation
October 17 Chicago, IL Metro
October 18 Toronto, Ontario Republik
October 19 Montreal, Quebec Metropolis
October 20 New York, NY Webster Hall
October 21 Philadelphia, PA Starlight Ballroom
(follow the links to buy tickets)

Justice - D.A.N.C.E
Justice - DVNO
Justin Timberlake - LoveStoned (Justice Remix)

*Many thanks to Dado for the sweet pics from Justice in Tokyo;)

Spank Rock vs. Justice - Thunderous Bumps (Back From Japan Edit)

Expansion of the WRMC Empire

The 1/2 Lounge had no idea what hit them. What was before a mellow, pseudo-hip, semi-artsy, yuppified bar the size of my apartment lined with plush booths graced with smiling good looking twenty and thirty somethings and a glam compact bar tucked into the back corner suddenly became a sweaty, bouncy, noisy WRMC dance fest whose glam compact bar tucked into the back corner slung Bobby Teenager more drinks than he could shake a stick at.

Dakota was sweating so hard the fractal on his cast began to run.

Alex has no idea.

Thank you, Mr. Requina of Chazology, for humoring us and our antics by keeping the beats hard and dirty all night long. Mr. 1/2 Lounge, though we do not know how you actually felt about our virtual takeover of your Burlington establishment, we respectfully thank you. But now you're ours.

Lupe Fiasco - Kick Push (Estaw Remix)*

*this song made my night, hopefully it will make yours;)

shake what you got in them jeans...

so word on the street is, if you are a girl, skinny jeans are out and high waist, wide leg jeans are in. now this has nothing to do with music, and even less to do with independent college radio, but i would like to make an appeal to those of the female variety: don't wear high waist, wide leg jeans.

skinny jeans have been the greatest thing to ever happen to girls' pants. after years of watching you walk around in all those ugly styles, skinny jeans came around and finally made you look amazing from the waist down. don't let some jackass fashion designer convince you that these wide leg, high waist jeans are attractive, because they aren't. they are really ugly, and you will look really ugly (and fat) if you wear them. don't change.*

Jim Jones - We Fly High (Them Jeans Edit)
Yelle - Ce Jeu (Them Jeans Edit)

*word up to nora matson for the fashion updates

What are you doing tonight?

Well, if you're in the Great Hot North, then you are heading to the 1/2 Lounge in B-town to hear Mr. Requina spin all your favorites. That's right, Charles Requina (aka Chaz from Chazology) is DJing a party in Vermont! I know Ward, Dakota, Groutypants, Rai Rai, and I will be there dancing our faces off. Shouldn't you be there too? (also, hoptronica is my new favorite word;)

p.s. chaz, fix yo blog!

Ward Wolff Wednesdays 5

Sorry about the delay, some very important people showed up two days ago and we had to do very important things. Like when we bought a terabyte.

Bottom of the Hudson (Fantastic Hawk) - Bobby says, "As expected, Pitchfork hates on good Emo. Bottom of the Hudson though, have made the jump from lo-fi to highly produced rock and have done it gracefully. The next album should be dirty." Bobby eats Pitchfork for breakfast.
Fantastic Hawk (mp3)

Dean & Britta (Tuned to Love) - Dean Wareham and Britta Phillips from Luna; they wrote the score to The Squid and the Whale. And this song is pretty too.
Singer Sing (mp3)

Bitter, Bitter Weeks (Peace is Burning Like a River) - Ward said that he wished he had found this earlier this summer. That could have changed EVERYTHING.
Writing Letters (mp3)

The Loose Salute (Tuned to Love) - This song really sums up why summer is America's favorite season. Pour it over strawberries and eat on a beach towel.
Death Club (mp3)

Scissors for Lefty (Underhanded Romance) - This is the band that radio station Live105 in San Francisco picked to represent local music at their BFD festival this year. One time I got to dj an hour long set on Live105.
Next to Argyle (mp3)

Oh No! Oh My! (Between the Devil and the Sea) - twee 4 me 4 evr. they r pretty. pretty great. The Party Punch (mp3)

Common (Finding Forever) - New Common? With Lily Allen? Dagnammit, I'll bet it's good.
Drivin' Me Wild(w/Lily Allen) (mp3)

Christian Keifer (Dogs and Donkeys) - "With help from members of Low, Wilco, and The Band, this is a a great piano-and guitar-led rainy day narrative." (Ward Wolff 2007)
Economic Theory (mp3)

K-os (Collected) - K-os just released a compilation of his great work thus far. This is the first of his that I heard a couple years ago and still one of my favorites.
Man I Used to Be (mp3)

The Asteroid #4 (An Amazing Dream) - "...fuzzy large landscape instrumentals and solid vocals with effects that color them, not create them." ok Ward, go back to Breadloaf.
Outside (mp3)

Phonograph (Phonograph) - Seriously, this sounds just like a new and very enjoyable Tom Petty album.

Parsons White (mp3)

Laura Veirs (Saltbreakers) - Laura Veirs' is enjoyable like Skittles and Vodka. We highly recommend both and want some more, yes please.

Saltbreakers (mp3)

Wale - 100 Miles and Running | Mixed by Nick Catchdubs

TRACKLIST:

Let’s Ride f. Daniel Merriweather (Produced by Mark Ronson)
DC Gorillaz (Produced by Best Kept Secret)
Breakdown (Produced by HitterQuitter Boyz)
Ice Cream Girl (Produced by Best Kept Secret)
Tasty Skit
Payback
Jay Joint (Produced by Judah)
Please Listen (Produced by Judah)
The People
Daytona Squared (Produced by Judah)
Bonified f. Tabi Bonney (Produced by DJ Book and DJ Jealousy)
W.A.L.E.D.A.N.C.E.
Good Girls (Produced by Teamwork Music)
Work
Warming Up Cane
Smile Remix (Produced by Mark Ronson)
Camp Lo
Nobody (Produced by Osinachi)
Rehab (Produced by Mark Ronson)
Rediscover Me (Produced by Aqua)

"introducing phantom of the whatever you call it/i'm better than all of 'em, leave them in awe, incredible artists/a fucking scholar who never did college..."

Wale (pronounced Wah-lay) is a "22 year old son of Nigerian born parents" and a DC Native. If the tracklist to the July 11th release, 100 Miles and Running | Mixed by Nick Catchdubs, hasn't already compelled you to go download the whole thing (for free) on Wale's myspace or NYC DJ Nick Catchdubs's blog, then you should listen to these three tracks....and then you should download the entire album.

Wale - DC Gorillaz (Produced by Best Kept Secret)
Wale - Ice Cream Girl (Produced by Best Kept Secret)
Wale - Good Girls (Produced by Teamwork Music)

Simply Too Amazing #1

Inmates of the Cebu Provincial Detention and Rehabilitation Center, Cebu, Philippines performing MJ's "Thriller." We can't tell if this is some form of torture or just a really low security/high innovation prison. Both?

Bishop Allen & The Broken String

Epiphanies are not a rare occurance in the Champlain Valley, especially here on Middlebury campus. And it's not unreasonable for two of us to have an epiphany within the same hour. But when they both happen while listening to the same new album, it can be said with scientific certainty that said album is an epiphany-promoter (p<.05). As I listened to Bishop Allen & the Broken String, I secretly prayed that it would never stop raining outside and that this album would never stop playing. Even though fans already know many of these songs from previous eps and live recordings, this was my first time--and it didn't hurt at all. Says Bobby Teenager: "You believe everything he says and every note that they play. This is real music, and from beginning to end you never forget that. Nothing feels forced or out of place. You simply accept that this is good music." While posting a couple songs out of context of the whole album does little justice to this day-changing piece of work, they represent why we still have hope for good new music and authentic songwriting and rainbows at the end of the storm. And puppy dogs too.

Bishop Allen--Rain(mp3)
Bishop Allen--Click, Click, Click, Click(mp3)
Bishop Allen--Corazon(mp3)

Ward Wolff Wednesdays 4

It's a Wednesday afternoon. It rained all day today. Steve's Diner breakfast sandwich is still in my chest. I'm listening to W.A.L.E.D.A.N.C.E. right now (see below). I can see Bobby dancing through the glass. Happy birthday Tomie.

Arthur & Yu (In Camera) -"Think: boy and girl on a swingset in grainy, faded color and choppy film." (Ward Wolff 2007)
Come to View (Song for Neil Young) (mp3)

Devon Sproule (Keep Your Silver Shined) - "Beautiful voice, charming nooks and crannies, sometimes even a pinch of attitude." (Ward Wolff 2007)
Dress Sharp, Play Well, Be Modest (mp3)

The Pierces (Thirteen Tales of Love and Revenge) - Music-noir. Pretty girls. Songs about cold-blooded revenge.
Lights On (mp3)

Losksley (Don't Make Me Wait) - These guys pump out sweet glazed pop faster than 7-11. But goddamn it's catchy.
Why Can't I Be You (Why Not Me) (mp3)

Simian Mobile Disco (EP) - omg omg omg. It's unreleased SMD.
Simple (mp3)

WALE (100 Miles and Runnung) - Fresh to def flow with an undeniable sample.
W.A.L.E.D.A.N.C.E.

Aaron Ross (Shapeshifter) - Aaron Ross of Hella has enough flavor to give this solo effort a good kick. Oh, and Ward likes it too.
Looking Glass Mass

Small Sails (Similar Anniversaries) - "Laptop beats and acoustic guitar loops a lot like the Books, but not nearly as obscure." (Bobby Teenager 2007)
Aftershocks and Afterthoughts (mp3)

Mosquitos (III) - Rilo Kiley's twin sister from Brazil.
Ele (mp3)

Fake Problems (How Far Our Bodies Go) - An alt-folk/punk band with a sound reminiscant of Against Me! Good for summer jumping.
Crest on the Chest (mp3)

Digitata (II Daggers) - Lucious electronica out of Minneapolis. And the drummer used to be in a band called Mel Gibson and the Pants, which is a much better name than Digitata.
Bangin J.A. (mp3)

Up Up Down Down Left Right Left Right B A Start (Worst Band Name Ever) - Jersey emo that has little to do with Mortal Kombat, but everything to do with immortality.
The Red Loop

Radio Campus Orleans 88.3FM: Miam Les Fruits vs. DHK Inside

yesterday was Bastille day, so in honor of the french and the founding of the first republic i introduce to you: Radio Campus Orleans 88.3FM

. radio campus orleans is a french, independent radio station, and Miam Les Fruits vs. DHK Inside is a weekly program on the station. despite my francophilia, i unfortunately don't speak any french, and therefore have no idea what i'm talking about, but from what i gather, miam les fruits is a dude and the show he does is somehow affiliated with pharrell from fluokids. their show is pretty much playing sets from famous djs, as well as their own electronica or reggae/hiphop/dub sets.


anyway, i came across their program and 88.3FM on fluokids this spring, when pharrell posted a show by Mitch Silver and A-Trak. like most things i download, the show disappeared into the abyss of my hardrive. yesterday, however, in the process of breaking and fixing my ipod, i inadvertently updated all the podcasts i had ever subscribed to and voila, next thing I know i'm listening to this dirty 1 and 1/2 hour house mix.

so the point of this post is that Radio Campus Orleans 88.3FM is an amazing radio station. head over to http://www.orleans.radio-campus.org/, click broadcast in the right hand column, and then click les emissions to see all the programming. to download their older podcasts, head over to miam les fruits's myspace. vive la france;)

*if anyone understands french and wants to correct our mistakes, comment and/or shoot us an email.

Bodies of Water

Yeah, I know - I hate "sounds like" or "recommended if you like" characterizations as much as the next guy, but there's no better way to describe them: Arcade Fire if they were from Southern California, didn't have so many members, and were into God; ABBA if they weren't so old. Guy/girl vocal trade off, epic sound landscapes, spine-tingling shouting choruses in unison, ahhh AHHH ahhh ohhhh ahhhh bridges, and that unexpected accidental or modulation thrown in there. If the gospel qualities throw you off, I'm sorry. You learned to deal with the music of David Bazan in your own way, so think of the uber-positive, rousing, God-invoking moments as just, like, really inspirational. Jump up and down drunk if you want.

I may not have found God, but I found this album, and perhaps it will do for now. At least until the next Arcade Fire album drops. Or ABBA decides to stop being so old..

Bodies of Water - Doves Circled the Sky

MONTREAL 7/12/07: CHROMEO & FLOSSTRADAMUS at CLUB 1234

alex, stina and i paid a visit to our quasi-French neighbors to the north last night to catch the hotness that is chromeo and flosstradamus, at club 1234 in montreal. after enjoying the favorable exchange rate, taking part in some shady dealings, and waiting in line for an hour, we made our way into the club. flosstradamus came on around midnight and, as expected, murdered the crowd with their ill-mixery.....

...an hour later chromeo came on, opened up with tenderoni, and the place fell apart. apparently a home town crowd makes a difference, because halfway through the first song the floor had devolved into one giant, french-canadian hipster mosh pit. raucous crowds aside, chromeo put on an amazing performance (the highlight for me was definitely needy girl). but i already knew chromeo was tight going into the show......

...what i didn't know was how dirty flosstradamus really was. not only do they look cool, but they know how to DJ a sick party. (when they mixed where's your head at into their yeah yeah remix, i literally shit my pants right there on the dance floor). hands down, the best dance party I've ever heard/been to. in celebration of my recent enlightenment, i've posted a few of my favorite flosstradamus tracks, as well as a mix they put out this winter (courtesy of kissatlanta).

D4L- Laffy Taffy - (Flosstradamus Remix)(mp3)
Flosstradamus - Overnight Star (Sigur Ros vs. Twista)(mp3)
Flosstradamus - Act a Fool (Ravestradamus mix)(mp3)
Matt & Kim - Yeah Yeah (Flosstradamus Remix)(mp3)
Flosstradamus - 3 Peat Mix(mp3)

*special thanks to lost cause over at powder horn terrace for introducing me to flosstradamus this spring

Ward Wolff Wednesdays 3

This music is so good, it hurts to listen to. Almost as much as Dakota's wrist hurts right now.

Gouseion. (Puisne) - If these beats had lyrics, they'd be cooler than the other side of your pillow.
Turing Test(mp3)

Get Cape. Wear Cape. Fly (The Chronicles of a Bohemian Teenager) - Sweetest band name ever. Their songs are also good.
Call Me Ishmael(mp3)

Mountaineer (When the Air is Bright They Shine) - Soft pop melodies and lazy, lo-fi vocals. Also, the lead singer is named Henning Wandhoff.
A Line for Every Letter(mp3)

Anaïs Mitchell (The Brightness)- Don Mitchell's daughter. "...she has some serious storytelling skillz and a pretty raw sound - pretty and raw, that is." (Christina Spencer 2007)
Your Fonder Heart(mp3)

Against Me! (New Wave) - Ward likes this "political folk-punk band" alot. Ward knows his shit.
Thrash Unreal(mp3)

Iron And Wine (Boy with a Coin EP) - "I don't know if I'm ready for the september release. Maybe I'll lisen a copule hundred more times before then. Like, to prepare. Caution: listen to track 3 while seated." (Ward Wolff 2007)
Kingdom of the Animals(mp3)

Joan as Police Woman (Real Life) - Joan as Police Woman has been doing her thing for some time. With Real Life you can certainly tell: "...this has the edge and excitement of a debut with the polish of a veteran." (Ward Wolff 2007)
I Defy(mp3)

Black Moth Super Rainbow (Dandelion Gum) - "Crazy dudes in the woods (seriously)..." (Ward Wolff 2007)
Sun Lips(mp3)

Frog Eyes (Tears of a Valedictorian) - "Think of any adjective and it will fit. Love it." (Ward Wolff 2007)
Idle Songs(mp3)

Dntel (Dumb Luck) - I've been in love with Jenny Lewis since she starred alongside Fred Savage in The Wizard (and I always will be;).
roll on (ft. Jenny Lewis) (DTAS)(mp3)

Bat for Lashes (Fur and Gold) - "Harpiscords and lutes. Pretty pretty." (Dakota 2007)
The Wizard(mp3)

Of Montreal (Suffer for Fashion EP) - "Extras from the last Of Montreal album with a really long name." (Dakota 2007)
Du Og Meg(mp3)

stupid.......

so the college supposedly paid a consulting firm $20 million to come up with this brilliantly intricate logo. $20 million for 12 lines....wow. that breaks down to something like $1,666,666 per line. and it looks like the school is somehow affiliated with Canada.

more food for thought: 666 is the number of the devil, and that number appears twice in the price tag for each line of the new logo. that means that Satan technically appears 24 times in the logo. also, the color of the Canadian flag is red, and everyone knows that Satan is red.

coincidence? i think not;)

van halen - runnin' with the devil(mp3)

DAVE GROHL IN '08

1997 was recently hailed in a New York Times article as the "last golden year of the music industry in America" and a defining moment of pop music. Business was booming, fans were actually buying CDs, and it was still ok to listen to Garth Brooks. But in the meantime, everything else was going to shit--Biggy died, Elton John redid 'Candle in the Wind', and it was still ok to listen to Garth Brooks. But there was one album* that held the nation together through such tumultuous ups and downs. Inspired by the very essence of life, this piece of unearthly magic was molded by the hands of a demi-god and his band of good-doing minions. That man was Dave Grohl. That band was the Foo Fighters. That album was The Colour and the Shape. And today we celebrate that miracle

...with the release of a remastered version of the entire album with 6 bonus tracks.

Says Nate Mendel in the liner notes: "We are a better band now. More self-assured and capable...(lots of skipped writing here)...TCATS is a great record. And one we're very proud of. But just wait until you hear the new one. It's...[fucking immortal, just like Dave Grohl]" Dave responded: "One last thing before I quit I never wanted anymore than I could fit into my head I still remember every single word you said and the shit that somehow came along with it still there's one thing that comforts me since I was always caged and now I'm free don't want to be your monkey wrench." yeah, and he did it in one breath too. If I could rearrange the alphabet, I would go next to Dave Grohl. Don't ever change.

*Other contributing albums may have included Radiohead's OK Computer, Prodigy's Fat of the Land and U2's Pop.

July 15 - The day internet radio dies

A pretty good article from CMJ.

IRON & WINE

We present to you Mr. Beam's latest release, featuring the whispery vocals and tales of little boys that we have all come to know and love. This time, though, he has upped the ante. Guitar and bass loops alongside synth whirs and whips add to the new rough electronic sound. We will have to wait until September for the full-length, The Shepherd's Dog, but we here at WRMC have been graced with a teaser 3-song EP called Boy With A Coin. An appetizer, if you will.

Iron & Wine - Boy with a Coin

*UPDATE 7/12/07 - K so apparently the entire upcoming LP leaked. It is gooey and dripping all over the internet like sharp Cabot cheddar on the dashboard on a sunny day. Go find it! Or, wait for the release like a decent, self-respecting, productive member of society would do.

2 nights ago.....

.......the coolest people in the world were at studio b in brooklyn, dancing their pants off to kid sister, flosstradamus and the sensational chromeo. make sure you catch them this summer on their fancy footwork tour. until they make their way up to montreal's club1234 on july 12, those of us trapped in the northeast kingdom will have to be content dancing alone to these ultra frais chromeo remixes;)
chromeo - tenderoni (etienne de crecy remix)
chromeo - tenderoni (sinden remix)
chromeo - fancy footwork (guns n' bombs remix)
chromeo - fancy footwork (strip steve you and i remix)
chromeo - my girl is calling me (blaze's extended edit)

..................

ward wolff wednesdays 3 was cancelled yesterday, 4 July 2007, while all of us at WRMC celebrated the birth of our nation....

...as well as the great service and sacrifice Will Smith and his fellow Air Force pilots made to our country, and world, during the 1996 Alien Invasion.



God Bless America.