#drawing this while listening 2 mitski hits hard

[sxrve]

I wonder whether Jim Davis himself will ever see this

[kuciradio]

As 2018 is coming to an end it’s time to reflect on this amazing year for new music and artistry. KUCI is a diverse group of DJs and we are proud to represent all genres of music. I have finally put together our Top 10 albums of 2018 along with some honorable mentions towards the end accompanied by some lovely words written by our fellow DJs. We can’t wait for what 2019 brings for us and continue tuning in on kuci.org or 88.9 FM if you’re in the Orange County area. Have a safe and happy new year!

1. Mitski - Be The Cowboy

“Mitski Miyawaki’s powerhouse voice resonates with a haunting clarity on her stunning masterpiece Be the Cowboy. She creates entire worlds and characters out of pieces of herself, from paranoid, awkward women who yearn for traditionalism and some idealist version of what life or love should be (hello “Lonesome Love”), to cowgirls who can do it all on their own. From sorrowful to triumphant, Mitski colors the spaces in between from soul-bearing ballad “Geyser” to unforgettable dancing-alone-in-your-bedroom anthem “Nobody.” (Sophie Prettyman-Beauchamp)

“This album was so personal and raw and I also liked how the songs flowed well on this album.” (Heidi Barragan)

2. The Internet - Hive Mind

“I can't talk about this album without mentioning how mad I am at myself for missing the tour. Syd, Pat, Steve, Matt, and Chris, The Internet, are prominent figures of musical evolution; this speaks volumes and not just because they got their start with Odd Future, a hub of avid freeform artists. If you’re inclined to believe what I believe, Ego Death is a heartbreak album and Hive Mind is loaded with recovery anthems and passionate songs to share with your new partner who is not a rebound. Across the timeline, the sounds change from R&B and Hip-Hop to Funk and Soul; but what captures my attention the most, from Ego Death to Hive Mind, is the way a facade is casted aside. Hive Mind is just so sincere and therefore, perfectly fitting for being a part of my top three.” (Thorson Munoz)

“[This album] is a very funky album with heavy tones of R&B. The Internet does not disappoint with their funky sounds, which can be heard on “La Di Da”. Overall the album has powerful baselines, thanks to the amazing Steve Lacy, and groovy beats backed by Syd’s smooth vocals. It is hard to listen to this album and not dance along to it.” (Melissa Palma)

3. Kali Uchis - Isolation

“Colombian singer Kali Uchis’ long-awaited debut album is a high-production value journey into her uniquely sultry, dreamy world of R&B. The songstress’s silky voice pushes boundaries of various genres, from bossa-inspired intro “Body Language” to the Amy Winehouse-esque “Killer,” each track better and more of a banger than the last. Isolation features artists like The Internet guitarist Steve Lacy, British soul success Jorja Smith, and reggaeton icon Reykon. Uchis also recruited her friends Tyler, the Creator and legendary bassist Bootsy Collins for the hit single “After the Storm,” a follow-up to her and Tyler’s song “See You Again” from his 2017 album Flower Boy (supported by a stunningly whimsical music video by director Nadia Lee Cohen). The producer credits are just as stacked, including the likes of Thundercat, BROCKHAMPTON’s Romil Hemnani, Tame Impala’s Kevin Parker, and Gorillaz frontman Damon Albarn. Uchis proves herself as the new sound of pop, never veering from her originality that made her a Soundcloud sweetheart.” (Sophie Prettyman-Beauchamp)

4. Janelle Monae - Dirty Computer

“She’s such an intelligent creative weirdo and I LOVE HER. Not to mention her oozing femme POWER.” (Naseem Eskandari)

“About the moxie I mentioned earlier, this emotional rollercoaster has an abudnace of it and I cannot get enough! Cover to cover this album packs a punch, and as the visual companion--which brought me to tears--would suggest, this entire album is a celebration of deviant bodies and identities. This album contains the perfect ratio of soft and tender tracks and upbeat exciting ones so its no wonder why NPR named Dirty Computer their number one of 2018.” (Thorson Munoz)

5. Anderson .paak - Oxnard

“Sometimes artists, after huge successes, feel that they need to make music that sounds just like their previous work to gain the same traction, but really the true artists are the ones that stay honest and true to their creative ability - their sound moves through life with them.” (Naseem Eskandari)

“Anderson .Paak, to me, is responsible for every playlist I've ever built that revolves around driving in Los Angeles with the windows down, no matter the time of day. However, I don't drive a convertible, so instead I honored Venice and Malibu using my radio program, Detours. Not only am I excited to honor Oxnard as well, but Oxnard was built for driving; this is evident after listening to "Tints", the first release, and "Headlow". This album, just like Malibu, is masterful; the only difference is that Dr. Dre stepped out of the shadows and was a feature. Oxnard is beyond incredible and worthy of it's legendary features, Snoop Dog, Q-Tip, and Kadhja Bonet, to name a few. I'm really excited for what will likely be Anderson .Paak's next Grammy nomination.” (Thorson Munoz)

6. Blood Orange - Negro Swan

“AMAZING production, amazing narrative!!!!!!!” (Angel Cortez)

“Dev Hynes never fails to make master pieces of albums that narrate the experience of marginalized people in an oppressive and toxic environment. Hynes brings together artists as big as ASAP Rocky to smaller artists of equal talent such as Steve Lacey creating a beautiful medley of indie hip hop to soul and funk.  Coupled with interviews, Hynes is able to make this album a personal experience for the listener. For me it always feels as though he is singing to me personally, something that not many artists are able to do.” (Kelsey Villacorte)

7. Kevin Krauter - Toss Up

“Toss Up has to be my personal #1 favorite album of 2018 by Kevin Krauter who began making music apart from lo-fi dream pop band Hoops in 2015. Toss Up was released this past summer and was the perfect album to listen to during warm summer nights and has carried through to the end of the year as a comforting reminder of those warm times during these cold nights. It has that dreamy, nostalgic feeling, something that you would listen to as you’re reflecting on the tender moments of your life. Krauter mixes vaporwave-esque sounds with sweet ballads with no one song sounding like the other.” (Kelsey Villacorte)

8. MGMT - Little Dark Age

“MGMT's come-back album is focused, synthy, and fresh. Without abandoning the dark undertones present in their older albums, this album reflects the band's personal growth and resonates with fans, old and new. Tracks like TSLAMP and Little dark Age are some of my favorites!” (Angelica Sheen)

“MGMT has maintained their status as an alternative staple and has since transformed their sound into something more experimental since their debut album Oracular Spectacular. MGMT did not disappoint and gave us an album that went from the weird wii-fit/dystopian vibes of She Works Out To Much to 80s dance of Me and Michael to another sweet ballad titled Hand It Over which is super reminiscent of the ending/title song of their second album Congratulations. MGMT never fails to write well thought out lyrics that all almost feel like their own story. All in all, they did not disappoint and this is exactly the kind of MGMT album I was hoping for after a 5 year hiatus.” (Kelsey Villacorte)

9. Ian Sweet - Crush Crusher

“Jilian Medford refines IAN SWEET’s sound and practices self-care on sophomore album Crush Crusher, her most intimate release yet. Medford rediscovers her identity as she considers how much of herself she has forgotten while preoccupying herself with being a guardian to others (she warbles “The sun built me to shade everybody” on “Holographic Jesus”). Ever poetic while satisfyingly straightforward, she notes that “It’s been too long since I let myself cry about something that wasn’t even sad” on the pummeling single “Spit.” She coos, squeaks, and screams in perfect, dissonant harmony over her guitar’s cathartically melancholic reverb. IAN SWEET remains a perfect contradiction that only grows sweeter.” (Sophie Prettyman-Beauchamp)

10. Parquet Courts - Wide Awake!

“This band's genius shows through with every new release. Wide Awake throws all of their influences together and expels energetic funk beats with poignant, dark, and brutal lyrics that are especially political. The juxtaposition of these themes with upbeat and optimistic instrumentals speaks to their compositional talent, making it a fan favorite. AND THEY USE COWBELLS.” (Angelica Sheen)

Honorable Mentions:

Glenn Crytzer Orchestra, "Ain't it Grand?"

This album couldn't have been better aimed at me if the band had come and asked me what I wanted to hear.  A modern swing-style orchestra performing both classic tunes from the 1930s and modern pieces written in the big band style.  The ensemble playing is tight, the solos just exactly right, and the production quality a lot sharper than any of the original Duke Ellington recordings.  Top notch stuff. (Michael Payne)

The Vaccines - Combat Sports

"The Vaccines brought back the spirit and energy of their debut album but with a new twist when they released their 4th album early in 2018. Get pumped up with the "I Can't Quit" and "Nightclub" or settle down with  "Maybe (The Luck of the Draw)" or "Young American". The Vaccines perfectly embody the sound and snark of the '70s and '80s artists of which their influenced while still creating a modern feel of the 2010's. My personal favorite off the album "Out on the Street" definitely a treat live! Over all Combat Sports is an excellent album and what we needed in 2018." (Stacey Brizuela)

Cobra Man - Toxic Planet

“Los Angeles local duo Cobra Man blows it out of the water with their sophomore album that carries the heart and groove of something you'd hear out of '84. It is indeed one of the best albums of the year because it utilizes one of the most underrated instruments in the game, the saxophone.” (Spartacus Avina)

Nu Guinea "Nu Guinea"

Heaven & Earth by Kamasi Washington is an album that’s loud and bold in both sound and vocals. A lot of the album often creates an ethereal effect with the heavy instrumentals ascending into a grand peak, most notably heard on “Street Fighter Mas”. The vocals on the album accompany the instrumentals in their same form, loud and climaxing. Listening to this album is like a rollercoaster with its thrilling jazz sounds. (Melissa Palma)

Drug Church - Cheer

Mac Miller - Swimming

“The tragic beauty of this album speaks for itself. Mac was such a raw and very real individual and it reflects in his music the way that many others cannot replicate. May he rest in peace - I hope the next life will be better for him.” (Naseem Eskandari)

Thank you to all the amazing DJs who submitted their Top 10 list of 2018! I am super glad to have been part of an amazing and diverse radio station for this past year and this is only a small piece of what our DJs music tastes are like here. I hope everyone has an incredible and safe New Years Eve and a happy 2019 :)

-Kelsey Villacorte (Music Director)

[sportsandsongs]

Wayhome 2017

Just as I did last year, a long sprawling post covering everything I loved and liked last weekend at Wayhome. Mostly for myself to look back on in time but also to share the love of great music. None of the videos linked here are mine – the photos are.

 Highs:

The People – This was only the third year of Wayhome, hopefully not the last (more on that later) but it seemed to me that people were starting to get the hang of the weekend camping festival this year. There were a lot more high fives, a fair bit of “Happy Wayhome”, evidence of neighboring campsites keeping an eye out for each other and just all around good vibes. This is even more so on our own campsite where with our camp mates from the US we had as much or more fun sitting around the campsite as there was in the festival grounds.

The Beer on our Campsite – This was mostly of our own planning and preparation  but it was one of my best weekends ever in terms of sampling new craft beers. I had made sure to get a few good/unique beers before we left, our American friends brought some great beers from the Buffalo area and we participated in an onsite craft beer exchange where we traded 10 of our own beers for 10 unique craft beers – mostly from the East Coast of Canada. There was a lot of beer to go around for sure but it was mostly being shared communally among our group of 4, so it went a pretty long way…

Cage the Elephant - Not necessarily my favourite band of the weekend heading in but they put on one hell of a show. Their front man is energetic, engaged and all over the stage. They have a lot of big singalongs and their folkier hits (“Trouble”, “Cigarette Daydreams”) really come across well in a large group setting. It wasn’t quite last years’ Foals revelation, but it was pretty close.

Justice – I’m obviously more of a rock guy than an electronic/dance fan but Justice straddles the line enough for me to be really into their set. This was the best “show” of the weekend, without a doubt. Big lights, epic sounds – they don’t come around much at all and it really felt like an “event” to me – much more than Frank Ocean, whose appearance actually was an event. It’s hard for me to imagine a better song from any band to open a concert than “Safe and Sound”.

The Darcy’s – I had seen them play last year at the ArtWalk at Wayhome and they were good but didn’t blow me away. Since then, I’ve come to realize that their 2016 album Centerfold is a really good synthy-summer in Miami style album. They played at 3:30 in the afternoon in the blazing sun, not far from a Bacardi tent. Sipping on my Lemonade (and Bacardi) in the blazing heat, listening to them play the likes of “Studio City”, “San Diego, 1988” and “Miracle” was everything I wanted to do in that moment. The lead singer had a broken arm and the sling was bright gold and bedazzled – what more can you want.

PUP – Their 2016 album The Dream is Over is just ridiculously good and I knew going in that this was going to be one of the highlights of the weekend. One of the very very few bands that gets me into the mosh pit, they’re just so high energy and so infectious, you just can’t help but get swept up in it. It was different than seeing them in a club – the security at Wayhome was a bit more uptight about the crowd surfing etc… but at the same time, you’re not going to see their lead singer climb to the top of the posts surrounding the stage at a club stage either. There is no better set closer than the “If This Tour Doesn’t Kill You/DVP” combination. “Resevoir” was pretty great too.

The Shins – Their setlist was exactly what I wanted it to be – lots from their first two albums, as well as “Simple Song”, “Australia” and “Phantom Limb”, and the obligatory songs from the new album, which are pretty strong in their own right. They sounded tight, had one of the best backdrops of the night and all in all just put in a really great festival set.

Imagine Dragons – Probably the surprise of the weekend for me. I knew their songs like everyone does but mostly shrugged them off as a headliner – after the likes of The Killers, Arcade Fire, Neil Young and LCD Soundsystem the past couple years, they just didn’t meet that level for me. That said, their set was every bit the headlining show. It was an hour and a half of singalongs, positivity and infectious happiness and it was fantastic. He never stops moving around the stage and he looks like an MMA fighter but it all works. Sure, there were possibly some religious undertones to it but as a diehard Killers fan, I can’t hold that against them too much – I’ll just chalk it up to them both being from Las Vegas. In any event, they made me a… Believer

Traffic Flow/Viewpoints – There were much fewer people there this year – fewer bands and smaller headliners will do that. There was one less stage as well. While those were negatives coming in represented less value for the cost of the ticket, it meant it was very easy to move from stage to stage to catch every act we wanted to see, and especially for the sets early on in the day, get very close to the front.

Royal Blood – I had heard they were very good live and they definitely lived up to that reputation. The songs were tight, loud and they were pretty good at getting the crowd feeling in – not always easy for a 2 piece band.

Vance Joy - Maybe somewhat similar to Imagine Dragons, I knew a lot of his songs and I have long loved “Fire and the Flood”. This seemed to be the most child/family friendly set of the weekend and also very heavily populated with screaming/swooning young women. And for good reason – a handsome guy with an Australian accent singing nothing but love songs. He definitely won me over – I was swooning myself (and sending love texts back home) by the time he was a few songs in. As far as love lyrics go, not much better than “Everything is fine, when your head’s resting to mine” in my books.

WayAway Stage – This stage isn’t new this year but it’s the first year I’ve seen a significant number of shows on it (probably many of these would have been on the WayBold stage which didn’t exist this year). Seeing the likes of PUP, Car Seat Headrest, Houndmouth and Haerts on a small stage surrounded by trees was a fantastic experience – if you didn’t want to be up front, you could lean against a tree or sit in the shade – though for most of these bands, up front was the place to be.

Houndmouth/”Sedona” – We were debating among ourselves what the biggest singalong song of the festival was this weekend. Was it “DVP” by PUP? For our group, probably but not for the masses. Was it “Ivy” by Frank Ocean? For many maybe but judging by the people leaving that set, maybe not. “Radioactive” or “Believer” by Imagine Dragons? Objectively, probably yes, but in the moment, tucked away on the WayAway stage with a small but very energetic crowd, “Sedona” by Houndmouth felt like the biggest song of the weekend. Everyone was belting it out for all they had, myself included. Their whole set was fantastic, but this was the moment.

San Fermin - This is a big band (8 members), with a lot happening on stage and two different singers playing a variety of different styles. There are a lot of ways it could not work but they really sounded great and pulled off both the more indie rock oriented and the poppier, electro-influenced tunes very well.

Tegan and Sara – I didn’t watch this whole set, they overlapped with Car Seat Headrest, but what I saw was really good. This is the second time I’ve caught the back half of one of their shows (when they played Peterborough MusicFest, I raced down after my baseball game). This show seemed better, probably because they have new songs like “U-Turn” and “Boyfriend” which are among the very best in their catalog. I did see both those songs, as well as “Nineteen” and “Closer” they were fantastic – need to see a full show soon.

Breakfast - This year we brought eggs for breakfast, which were scrambled and combined with a tortilla shell, sausage and salsa for a wonderful breakfast wrap every morning. The more camping festivals we go to, the better the onsite food preparation gets.

Mitski - She has almost no stage presence, it’s basically her and her bandmate playing songs, with little banter and nothing to draw you in. But the songs are just so damn good and they pop live. Her big guitars and sweet voice played very well for me, despite the lack of movement or banner  or engagement of any sort on stage.

BANKS – Because of Mitski’s show, I only caught the back half of this show and I was towards the back. Her stage presence and her songs are undeniable. The choreography and backup dancers make it a real show – I feel like I need to see her again, closer to the front and the full show to properly appreciate it.

Phantogram/Haerts/The Naked and Famous – All very solid, if not particularly memorable synth-pop-rock acts to get the weekend started on Friday. Haerts were my first show of the weekend and they were a great way to get things going in a positive direction. I had the highest hopes for Phantogram and it was a very good, if somewhat emotionless show. The Naked and Famous played the hits I wanted (“Young Blood”, “Girls Like You”, “Higher”). No complaints.

The Dirty Nil – Good hard rock band. This set was so short (30 mins) and we probably missed the first 5 minutes (or at least only heard it from afar as we entered the grounds). They were solid and one of the few true pure rock bands here this weekend.

Porta Potties – They were pretty clean, pumped regularly, no complaints

Food Lines – This was a complaint last year, so I have to give big ups here – no lines, great options for food – sure smaller crowds helped but still, props.

24 Hour Area – There were two of them and both had Pizza Pizza and poutine options. You’re basically only here after 1 AM and at that point, beggars can’t be choosers and let’s be honest, pizza or poutine is probably what you’re craving after a day full of beer.

  Lows/Disappointments

Death From Above – This was a pretty underwhelming set for me. I’d seen them in Toronto at Riot Fest in 2014, right around the time “Trainwreck 1979” came out and that show was amazing. This time around, they didn’t seem to have the same energy (maybe it was the smaller crowd?), didn’t have the best setlist and really didn’t compare favourably to fellow 2-piece rock band Royal Blood who played immediately after them.

Car Seat Headrest – It isn’t fair to call this a low, it was a very good set by a super talented guy – he even wrote a song called “Oro-Medonte” in honour of where the festival was being held – and his band. It just felt a little slow to me compared to the album versions of the songs. I get that the slacker vibe is part of their shtick but there really isn’t much to this show, which combined with the slowed down tunes and weak-ish playlist, didn’t live up to my expectations (this was probably my 2nd or 3rd most anticipated show of the weekend).

Value vs. Previous Years – It has to be said that we paid the same as last year for fewer bands, worse headliners, worse sub-headliners and one less stage. The shows each day started an hour later and ended an hour earlier. The overall value of the weekend for me is still there because I loved every second I was there, saw amazing bands and was in my element the entire time and there really isn’t a similar camping festival within a few hours of our area, so I will always go back, but it did feel like we were paying the same (more?) for much less in comparison to the first two years.

Canadian Content – Similar to the above, this means not to disrespect the bands that were there this year – as you can see above, PUP, The Darcy’s, Tegan and Sara were among my favourite acts, but 2016 alone had Arcade Fire, Arkells, Mac DeMarco, Wolf Parade, Stars, Half Moon Run, etc… and 2015 had Neil Young, Hey Rosetta, The Rural Alberta Advantage, July Talk, Alvvays, Yukon Blonde, Sloan, Metz, Dear Rouge, Chad VanGaalen and more. You would think the one area Wayhome would have a distinct advantage over it’s U.S. competitors is being able to book these Canadian bands that presumably cost less and are less impacted by the exchange rate but are big draws here north of the border – I just don’t get why they cut back in this area this year.

Crowd Size – The crowd size was a high when it was letting me get to the front of the stage to see a show and letting me move from one stage to another. It is a low in that it means the festival may not return for a 4th year. It also meant the singalongs weren’t as epic, the pits weren’t as bumping and it has to affect the performers to some extent. To say there were half as many people as there were in 2016 would be very generous – and that’s with them giving away a ticket to anyone willing to take one in the weeks leading up to the festival, which leads to...

Everyone and their brother getting a free ticket – I get it – they needed to get people on site to try to recoup some money from lost ticket sales in the form of people with free passes buying beer or food or merchandise but it still sucks that they gave literally anyone in Barrie/Orillia who wanted them free weekend passes and also held an “Everyone’s a Winner” contest in the weeks leading up to the festival through Hive. Maybe without these people on site, the festival doesn’t happen at all, but I paid a couple hundred dollars for my weekend pass and have all three years – it’s weak that the guy beside me likely got in for free.

Frank Ocean/Leaving Frank Ocean – I’ll preface this by saying that I like but don’t love Frank Ocean’s music, I respect him tremendously as a musician and I absolutely love “Ivy”, “Novacaine” and “Pyramids”.

The set was odd – he is not afraid to get halfway through a song, decide he’s unhappy with it and start over from the beginning. He spends a lot of time talking to someone in his headset? That none of us can hear or see onstage. The stage setup is minimal and it is an “unplugged” set up to the show. The visuals are being recorded through an old school device and are unique and different and disarming. We sat towards the back of the Wayhome stage, allowing the diehards the area towards the front of the stage. The songs mostly sounded pretty good. It is slow/minimal R & B so it can be hard to stay in it if you don’t really love the song. By about the halfway point of the show, from our perspective at the back, we saw a lot of people leaving the show. That took me out of it. Him restarting songs took me out of it. He played “Ivy” and that was enough for me – we’d seen an hour or so and seen my favourite and I was happy to go at that point – I’d seen his setlists and knew he wasn’t going to play “Pyramids” anyway and half our group had already left.

Then, walking back to the campsite, I heard the unmistakeable sounds of him playing “Pyramids”. It might have been my least favourite show of the festival but I feel like had I been into it more, closer to the big crowd, not seeing everyone else walking out on it and staying to the end, it could have been one of my favourites. Looking online after, it was a pretty polarizing set, you love it or hate it and I think I loved it and hated it as well.

Lack of Indie Rock – I wasn’t expecting them to match the 2016 trip of Arcade Fire/Killers/LCD but after that, and a sub card including Haim/Foals/Chvrches/M83/The Arcs/Arkells/Wolf Parade/Last Shadow Puppets/Nathaniel Rateliif/Kurt Vile/Stars and much much more, to take a hard left turn away from indie rock and towards more EDM type bands was pretty unexpected. I did not pre buy a “Midnight Madness” ticket before the lineup was announced but I really do feel for people who bought based on 2016’s lineup and then were handed Marshmellow, Flume and the like. The lineup still had lots to love and I like my share of pop and electronic influenced music but it wasn’t what I’d come to expect based on the lineups of the first two years.

Beer in Festival Grounds – I’ve whined about this the past two years as well where the only options were Coors Light, Canadian and Creemore Original. I mean, Creemore is fine in a pinch but there are so many good craft breweries within 90 minutes of this festival and it’s a young, indie rock, dare I say Hipster crowd who would soak up any craft beer options. Festivals like Bonnaroo bring in a craft beer tent with 30 different brewers and craft options at every beer stand. So what does WayHome do for 2017? They take away the Creemore option!? I guess Molson pays big money to sponsor and get that exclusivity, so congratulations Molson, you drove me to drink Somersby and Bacardi in the grounds all weekend. I hope you play no part in their distribution. In any case, they taste much better than Canadian or Coors Light.

All in all, a fantastic weekend, I hope they find a way to bring it back next year and get it back to where it was for year 2 in terms of the lineup and crowds. In terms of the logistics, spirit and people it keeps getting better. If not (and maybe even if so), perhaps 2018 is the year I finally get to Bonnaroo.