3 Table of Contents
Transcription
3 Table of Contents
Table of Contents 4. A Letter From the Station Manager 6. A Buyer’s Guide to Local Record Stores 14. Concert Venue Guide 18. The State of Hip Hop 20. PVRP FEST 8. WPTS Program Guide 21. Kanye’s Korner 10. Love Advice with DJ Silky Smooth 22. News & Sports 12. A Look Into Progressive Radio with DJ T-Gunz 24. Importance of Albums 26. Indie Genre Word Search 27. Contact Information Credits: Natalie Benoy, Head Editor, Designer Kayla Sweeney, Head Editor, Designer Thomas Visco, Copy Editor All artwork by Natalie Benoy, Kayla Sweeney, Lily Nacht, & Jeff Ihaza @WPTSradio WPTS-FM 3 A Letter from the Station Manager For the last 29 years, WPTS Radio has been filling the ears of the campus and community with progressive music, news, and sports coverage, and now we’re invading your news stands with our annual publication, the WPTS Zine! At WPTS, we’re dedicated to delivering progressive content uncovered by any other outlet in Pittsburgh. Our DJs craft unique playlists that bring underrated music some deserved attention. We also post some super rad content like reviews, previews, and interviews on our website. College Broadcasters, Inc. awarded WPTS several national awards for creative content in the last couple years. WPTS also ranked in the top ten for the mtvU Woodie Award for best college radio station for several years in a row, placing third in this year’s contest. We owe our success to our dedicated staff and directors, without them, we’d just be another “indie college radio station.” The WPTS office and on-air studio functions as a communal living room and is the place of many slumber parties, meals, and homework parties among our staff. It’s the personal investment and dedication to giving our listeners top notch content that unites our staff and incorporates the multitude of tastes and preferences that make our sound distinct. We bring you this zine so you can keep a piece of us right in your pocket. Enjoy! 4 5 A Buyer’s Guide to Local Record Stores Zachary Wenzel A guidebook to some of the record stores around town you can check out to get quality vinyl that you won’t regret. • Sound Cat Records (4526 Liberty Ave, Bloomfield) This place stands out because it had more new records than used, like Desolation Row. There’s a lot of Indie stuff here but they also have a good selection of reasonably priced reissues in all genres. A small collection of LPs by local metal bands is also a nice touch. It’s definitely worth checking out and it’s in a pretty neat neighborhood. A 4/5 for great records from yesterday and today. (Pictured right) • The Exchange (3613 Forbes Ave, Oakland) The Exchange is one of the few chain stores with a decent selection of records. There is pretty cheap used vinyl here and they have a location in Oakland. However, It can be challenging to dig through records that have been there for literally years because no one wants them. The Exchange usually has pretty neat reissues and new records for sale too but they seem overpriced. Rated 3/5 for convenience in the face of mixed quality. 6 • Jerry’s Records (2136 Murray Ave., Squirrel Hill) Everyone in Pittsburgh who likes records has been to Jerry’s at least once to explore this huge location in Squirrel Hill. The place was even named one of America’s best record stores in Rolling Stone Magazine back in 2010. Jerry himself is a pretty cool guy who’s usually manning the counter and spinning discs while you shop. Speaking of which, there are also a number of turntables around the store to test out the records before you buy them, a feature that most places lack. It has several large rooms stacked to the ceilings with vinyl of all genres. The sheer quantity of quality, affordable records is staggering although the majority are used. It may be hard to find exactly what you’re looking for at times but every visit feels like a treasure hunt. I give it a 5/5 for having almost everything (even 78s!) • Desolation Row (410 S. Craig St., • Slipped Disc (260 Atwood St., Oakland) Desolation Row is located in the back of the Caliban Book store on Craig Street (Near where the awesome Wicked Discs used to be, R.I.P.). They are mostly brand new sealed records, the majority of which are modern music and Indie releases instead of just reissued albums. These can get pricey, but their used record bin does have some buried treasures. Often there are also local artist’s records for sale. The biggest problem is only about two people can see the records at a time in the tight space they’re in. A 3/5 for great modern records despite high prices and awkward setup. A great Oakland record store, Slipped Disk offers a wide variety of records at reasonable prices. The guy who runs the place is pretty friendly and knowledgeable about the music he sells. He quickly offers stories about when he saw The Alarm in concert or about neighborhood spots where the Iron City Houserockers used to play back in their glory days. There’s a pretty diverse collection of records here with about 60% being used. There is also an interesting selection of eclectic CDs, movies and even books (try to ignore the discount boxes of porn they sell unless you’re into that sort of thing). I give it a 4/5 for good prices, variety, and atmosphere. Oakland) WPTS Program Guide Andrew Gretchko At WPTS, we’re proud to provide our listeners with some of the most progressive music out there. Whether it’s the kind of music skinny jean wearing hipsters are diggin’ these days or the tunes that the New Era fitted hat hoodlums are rockin’, we’ll give you today’s best music…and not the kind of hits you’ll find on Kiss FM. Although our shows change each semester – with students coming and going – there are a few mainstay shows that can be heard week after week, year after year. Morning Show (7-9am weekdays)– Airing each weekday from 7-9am, the Morning Show covers a wide range of topics as students gather in our studio to discuss, well, pretty much everything. Debating topical issues such as whether Star Wars is fantasy or sci-fi and discussing the newest tracks to drop, the Morning Show is all the progressive talk you need in the mornings. If you’re in need for a good laugh, this is something you won’t want to miss. Countdown Show (5:30-7pm Wednesday) – Stuck in traffic? We’ve got you covered. Each Wednesday from 5:307pm, the Countdown Show takes you through our 20 most played tracks of the week, using our charts to give you the finest power chords, drum solos, and high notes today’s music has to offer. 8 Sports Talk (9-10am weekdays) – Immediately following the Morning Show each weekday is an hour of sports talk from 9-10am, as the sports team covers Pitt athletics as well as nearly all major pro sports, giving you valuable insight into today’s sports world. News and Sports (4-5pm weekdays) – Just in-case you miss the morning sports recap, another half hour of sports retakes the air for 4-4:30pm each weekday, followed by a half hour of news, which provides nuanced, original analysis of pressing local and national news. Local Show (7-9pm Wednesday) – Wednesday only gets better, as the next two hours are dedicated to the musicians of Pittsburgh. Our Local Show airs Wednesday’s from 7-9pm and is just one of the many ways in which we give back to the community of music lovers in Pittsburgh by playing the best local, organically grown music from the Steel City. Music a la Fresco (9-10pm Monday) – Taking a break from our regular programming, Music a la Fresco whips up a brand new dish, creating a show using only the crispest ingre- dients hand-picked from each week’s new music. This culinary masterpiece airs from 9-10pm each Monday. Live Show (9-10pm Wednesday) – Immediately following the local show our Live Show gives musicians, comedians, and other entertainers the chance to perform in-studio from 9-10pm each Wednesday. These sessions are recorded and uploaded to our website for your viewing pleasure so if you’re too busy pretending to do homework you can always go back and watch them later. Super Slot (10-11pm Wednesday) – As if WPTS could get any better, the next hour of programming each Wednesday night consists of our highly specialized Super Slot. Each week, a new DJ takes control of this unique show, bringing with them an hour long set-list full of music that simply couldn’t be played anywhere else. From folk covers of hiphop to Chinese rock, Disney mash-ups and video game soundtracks, the Super Slot is a wild ride not to be missed. At this point you must be saying, “WPTS, you guys are amazing! I can’t wait to listen to you guys all the time!” Well good, because just like a superhero, we’ve got you covered around the clock 24/7, 365…except without the spandex. Definitely without the spandex. Make sure to check out our website – www.wptsradio.org – for an up-to-date schedule, pictures of corgis, and our DJ Spotlight, which highlights our favorite DJ of the week, leaving you no choice but to listen to their show. Hipster Trashfest (10-11pm Monday) – Hosted by a slew of DJ’s and a rotating cast of friends, Hipster Trashfest is a hour long program that isn’t afraid to tell you which Pitchfork reviews are trite (all of them), which albums in your Top 10 list are totally contrived (all of them), or even which things your favorite band did that another band did seven years ago (most of them). Often called the cultural nadir of society, or where music comes to die, Hipster Trashfest promises to be honest, charming, funny, sad, awkward, and a tad mean. 9 DEAR SILKY... AAsexy sexyadvice advicecolumn columnfrom fromresident residentWPTS WPTSlove loveGuru, Guru,DJ DJSilky SilkySmooth. Smooth. Dear DearDJ DJSilky SilkySmooth, Smooth, I think I think I’veI’ve met the metlove theof love my life. of He’s my alife. tall, cool He’s blonde a tall, withcool icy blue blonde eyes that withpierce icy into bluemyeyes soul. Every that week, pierceheinto comes myinto soul. the café Everywhere week, I wait hetables, comes orders intothe the same café slicewhere of chocolate I waitcake tables, and cappuccino, orders theandsame leaves.slice I try tooftalkchocoto him, but latehiscake English andis terrible, cappuccino, and I don’t and leaves. speak Finnish. I try What to talkcantoI do him, to win buthim his over? English is terrible, and I don’t speak Finnish. What can I do to win him over? -Looking for the Language of Love, -Looking for the Language of Love, Dear Looking for the Language of Love, Dear Looking Many for of my theacquaintances Language of Love, might recommend that you would learn the one true language Many of my of love: acquaintances Esperanto. might However, recommend the path that to mastering you wouldthe learn universal words romance time consuming. Instead, to to speak in his the lanthe one true of language of islove: Esperanto. However, thetry path mastering guage. Next time of heromance comes into your consuming. café, wear something mighty fine and reuniversal words is time Instead, try to speak in his cite language. to him Next sometime lineshefrom comes theinto works yourofcafé, the wear famous something poet Eino mighty Leino. fineIf and that doesn’t recite towin himhim some over, linesyou from probably the works didn’t of the properly famousenunciate poet Einoyour Leino.umlauts. If that doesn’t win him over, you probably didn’t properly enunciate your umlauts. -Silky -Silky Dear DJ Silky Smooth, Dear DJI Silky wasSmooth, born twenty years ago in the small city of Gary, Indiana to a I woman was born by twenty the name years of ago Elizabeth in the(last small name city withheld). of Gary, IndiYou might ana toknow a woman here as by Little the name Blondeof Lizzy Elizabeth who (last worked nameat withheld). the truck You stop back mightwhen know you hereroared as Little through Blondetown. Lizzy who Doesworked that ring at thea truck bell, Dad? stop back when you roared through town. Does that ring a bell, Dad? I want answers, I want Son answers, of Silky Son of Silky 10 DearSon SonofofSilky, Silky, Dear DJ SilkySmooth Smoothhas hasnever neverininhishislifelifebeen beentotoGary, Gary,Indiana. Indiana.Gary, Gary, DJ Silky InIndiana is where love goes to die, and thus Mr. Smooth has no interest in diana is where love goes to die, and thus Mr. Smooth has no interest in visitvisiting it. Ever. Furthermore, Mr. Smooth not recall any trysts a ing it. Ever. Furthermore, Mr. Smooth does does not recall any trysts with awith womwoman by the name of “Little Blonde Lizzy.” Any further attempts to contact an by the name of “Little Blonde Lizzy.” Any further attempts to contact his his Smoothness witha aprompt prompt and and devastating defamation Smoothness will will be be metmet with defamation suit. suit. -DJ -DJScotty ScottyPimpin, Pimpin,Attorney AttorneyatatBall Ball DearSilky SilkySmooth, Smooth, Dear I’m longtime timelistener listenerof ofthe the Love Zone, but everytime IItry I’m aalong tryto tomeet meetaalady lady with the same passion for the great lovin’ songs of our era, I come up with the same passion for the great our era, I come upshort. short.I’ve I’ve beentrying tryingonline onlinedating, dating,but butnoticed noticed that there isn’t a site been sitebased basedon onthe thetenets tenetsofof theLove LoveZone. Zone.Have Haveyou you started started working on a Silky the SilkySmooth Smoothonline onlinedating datingsite sitefor for people like me? One that unites us in our passion for smooth music to get down people like me? One that unites us for smooth music to get downto? to? -Web -WebBound BoundLover Lover DearWeb WebBound BoundLover, Lover, Dear I have some good news news for you. Smooth I have some good Smooth Connections, Connections, my my online online dating website, is already in the works. Now, for those readers who dating website, is already in for those readers whoalready already knowabout about online online dating, dating, there there may be questions as know as to to how how Smooth SmoothConConnections will separate itself from the rest. The answer is my skillfully nections will separate itself from answer is my skillfullyhoned honed matchmaking techniques. techniques. All All members will be personally matchmaking personally interviewed interviewed ininororder to assess their attractiveness,, and they will receive an der to assess their attractiveness,, receive an evaluation evaluation ofofSilk Silk and Smoothness Smoothness measured measured inin percentiles. percentiles. Only those who and who are are inin the the top top percentile will able to mingle with others in the top percentile, thus percentile will able to mingle the top percentile, thus ensurensuringthat thatthe the sexiest sexiest members members aren’t trifled with by the ing the rest. rest. You’re You’rewelcome. welcome. -Silky -Silky DJSilky SilkySmooth Smoothisisthe thehost hostofofthe theLove LoveZone, Zone,airing bringing youThursday only the night silkiest DJ every from and smoothest love music to get down to. 11:00PM-1:00AM. 11 A Look Into Progressive Radio with DJ T-Gunz We throw the word “progressive” around quite a bit here at WPTS, but what it means exactly is unclear to many. Progressive is more a quality of music than it is a genre in itself — in fact all genres of music have their own little progressive niches. Progressive music demands progress. It breathes new life into old ideas to completely reinvent itself. It is not afraid, but encouraged to take risks and sound unfamiliar, if not totally alien. In doing so, it reshapes what music will sound like years, months, or even weeks from now — But at what cost? Most people don’t like music that’s unfamiliar to them, and major record labels know this all too well. New artists are constantly propped up by major label bankrolls that invest in them for the sake of manufacturing a new hit single. As well produced as those songs may be, they are usually nothing more than shallow monsters pieced together from lose bits of main- 12 John Teoli IV stream culture. Their music is formulaic, but it is played at infinitum across the country on corporate radio stations. It’s a vicious cycle: Corporate radio stations control what the masses listen to, and thus what people consider to be familiar. Major record labels have all the money they need to easily reproduce these sounds. The record labels also have access to promoters. Promoters are paid to service radio stations with whatever “hit singles” the labels are pushing at the time. Corporate radio station are all too happy to use this service to refill their coffers with all the trite pop music they need to satiate the masses. Music is an industry and business is booming. However, not all hope for popular music is lost. Progressive music eventually reshapes the popular tastes. When Arcade Fire first released their album Funeral, they were celebrated only among hipsters. Seven years later they won a Grammy. It takes time for progressive tastes to proliferate into the mainstream, and often it has to be introduced by the right sources, curators with plenty of reach and reputation such as NPR or BBC Radio 1. Of course this process is never easy and happens sporadically — usually after the artists have released their best material. In the meantime, these artists are supported solely by fans, people who habitually scour every available resource in hopes of finding the next big thing, and progressive format indepependent and college radio stations. Essentially, those three groups are one in the same. College radio has a unique advantage over corporate stations — and even other music outlets — because we are nonprofit organizations. The people who work tirelessly to review our CDs or volunteer hours of their time to do radio shows choose to do so because it is their passion. We do not play music to gain the listenership of the lowest common denominator. Nor do we play music in a vain attempt to appear cool. We simply play the music we love because we live to share our music and have fun doing it. You will not hear the same five songs played at infinitum on WPTS because all of our DJs are completely different people. Their backgrounds range from punk, hip hop, electronic, pop, folk, rock, foreign or jazz, and they all have a unique view point on their respective genre. 13 A Guide to Pittsburgh Concert Venues Rachel Mauer Mr. Small’s Fun House (A) Where: 400 Lincoln Ave, Millvale PA Age: Generally all ages; occasionally 21+ Price: $10-$20 A former church, Mr. Small’s is now a music venue filled with circuswave decorations.. Mr. Small’s has a wide range of performances ranging from local rock bands to electronic artists to folk performances. Stage AE (B) Where: 400 North Shore Dr, North Shore Age: Generally all ages; occasionally 21+ Price: $20-$40 As one of Pittsburgh’s larger music venues, Stage AE tends to bring in more popular indie artists. In the summer, all shows are outdoors. Stage AE also offers a smaller indoor area for more intimate shows. Brillobox (C) Where: 4104 Penn Ave, Bloomfield Age: 21+ Price: $10-15 Brillobox is a relatively community-oriented venue hosting local bands & DJs, art events, and fundraisers. They also work with Opus One Productions to bring in non-local performances. The Rex Theatre (D) Where: 1602 E Carson St, Southside Age: 21+, 17+, all ages.. just keep an eye out! Price: $10-$20 The Rex Theatre is a key venue to Pittsburgh, having opened as a vaudeville theater back in 1905. Now, the Rex brings in a lot of DJs and smaller bands. 14 Altar Bar (E) Where: 1620 Penn Ave, Strip District Age: All ages Price: $15-$25 The Altar Bar is another church-turnedmusic-venue of Pittsburgh that strives to bring cutting edge performances to Pittsburgh’s music scene. This venue prides itself for bringing in big names but being small enough for the audience to actually enjoy the show. The Altar Bar is self-described as having “ballsy” acts. 222 Ormsby (F) Where: 222 Ormsby St., Mt. Oliver Age: All ages Price: donations 222 Ormsby is a donation-based venue in Mount Oliver that brings in a lot of small but talented acts. There’s a focus on grunge and punk acts. Also, there’s a dog. The venue has a dog. A DOG. 6119 (G) Where: 6119 Penn Ave., East Liberty Age: All ages, sometimes 21+ Price: $5-$15 Tucked behind a parking lot in East Liberty, 6119 (run by the crew that hosts the VIA festival every October) is quickly becoming the hippest venue in Pittsburgh. 6119 specializes in underground electronic, world, and hip-hop musical artists. Garfield Artworks (H) Where: 4931 Penn Ave., Garfield Age: All ages, occasionally 21+ Price: $5-$15 Garfield Artworks (lovingly nicknamed GarfArt by its patrons) is everyone’s favorite grungy venue. Featuring a wide variety of indie artists and local art shows, It has that unkempt charm that makes you feel like you’re there to see the next big thing. 15 The State of Hip Hop Andrew Gretchko Ever since the funeral bells tolled for the death of hip-hop’s golden age during the mid-90’s, hip-hop has been in a period of transition. Golden Age legends like A Tribe Called Quest and De La Soul were quickly exchanged for a series of fads; first ringtone rap, then trap music, and eventually various rappers who artfully inserted dollar signs into their name, most of which sullied the legacy created by those that graced the mic before them. Luckily, rap has a progressive side to it, and while many left the genre for dead, they failed to realize that it isn’t gone, it’s just buried deep underground. Unlike Soulja Boy, the rapper who taught us how to “Crank That (Soulja Boy)” and dissed hiphop veteran Ice-T simply for being old, underground rap sets itself apart by paying homage to those that paved the way for its success. Led by those who grew up listening to classics like Pete Rock & CL Smooth’s “They Reminisce Over You,” many underground tracks feature shout-outs to the artists that influenced them, paying their respects 16 to artists like Nas who were, “Deep like The Shining,” and “Put in work,” like Gang Starr. This may not earn artists like Ta-Ku fame, fortune, or a contract with a big time record label, but it’s just one of the many ways in which today’s underground artists manifest integrity in a genre that has sold out a million times over. Aside from using their knowledge of the rap game to earn the respect of hip-hop heads, underground artists also learned much about their craft from their predecessors. While underground rap has dozens of different styles and sounds, the genres roots are unanimous throughout – with rappers like Action Bronson and People Under the Stairs emulating the fun-loving style of hip-hop coined by artists like The Pharcyde and The Beastie Boys. Don’t get me wrong, fun-loving is in no way synonymous with Weird Al, but keeping it in perspective is key, and being able to fit creative comedy into verses is a skill lost by mainstream acts such as Pittsburgh native Wiz Khalifa who made the jump from party rap to the egotistical mentality of most big time artists. Another one of rap’s seemingly lost arts is the often-misunderstood battle rap, a lyrical fight between two opponents looking to test their skills on the microphone. Popularized during the Golden Age of hip-hop, battle rap was one of the many ways a rapper could rise to the top, defeating foe after foe like a boxer taking down opponents in the ring. After the violence that ended the lives of two of rap’s greatest MC’s – Tupac Shakur and Christopher Wallace (a.k.a. Notorious B.I.G.) – battle rap’s battlefield became less regulated, leaving room for less talented rappers to try their hand at taking the throne. With no heir apparent, battle rap went in two directions: the underground and the streets. Street battle rap involved far more death threats, anger, and actual violence than it did skill and prowess. Underground battle rap became one of the genre’s breeding grounds for hot new MC’s who were not only able to hold their own on the mic, but do so with wit, humor, and the unique element that makes each artist in hip-hop so special. Take the rugged hip-hop duo Trace Blam & SoulChef for example; two devoted hip-hop enthusiasts who won’t hesitate to remind you that they believe they’re some of the best in today’s rap game. These are some of the guards of the genre; those that hold hip-hop sacred and vow to never sell out to a corrupt industry that values money, cash, and clothes over everything. These guys (and girls) embody hip-hop. So where are we now? Autotune, shock value rap, and artists willing to take on the role of corporate sponsorship – a disastrous future hip-hop’s forefathers never could have imagined. Not all is lost, however, thanks to those that have held on to the nearly extinguished flame that burned so bright in the early 1990’s. Thanks to the underground, the future of hip-hop may not be so dimly lit after all. 17 www.pvrpfest2k13.com PVRP FEST the only festival you need a prescription for HOME TICKETS FAQ LOST & FOUND As the Styrofoam cups decompose from the first-annual PVRP FEST music festival there comes the messy issue of clean up; and after this inaugural banger culminating in a hologram performance by Pimp C, clean up has been a large-scale endeavor. This is where you come in, loyal PVRP attendees who refreshed your web-browsers incessantly, waiting for tickets to go on sale. We have a storage room full of YOUR STUFF and in the spirit of keeping this festival TRILL AF we’re opening the comment section of this post for you guys to post what you lost, and of corse ruminate about your experience in anticipation for next year. 36 Comments: TrapGAWD666:Yo I wuz wayyyy 2 turnt up during that Waka Flocka set and I lost my shadez (cuz I wear my shades at night bruh) while I was making out wit dis fyneee shawty so if yall know where my shades orwhere ol’ girl is at that’d be TRILL AF A$AP_POCKY92:wuts Gucci yalll, how sick was the TNGHT set??? I popped like 3 molly and wuz sweatinnnn WOOP! aye but I lost my fanny pack—it had all my drugs in it—I really need it you guys xxBADDESTBITCH97xx:so I was ttly making out with the hawtest alt bro during the Kitty Pryde set where she started crying midway through and it was beautiful but I lost my iphone…it has a kreayshawn background that’s super #rare TrapGAWD666: YO WERE WE MAKN OUT DURING WAKA FLOCKA TOO?!! lemme get yr number either way I DJ sometimes and u should come out 2 one of my showz we turn up and we throw bandzzz SPACEGHOSTBVRP:wut it do yalll!! how sick was fxckin PVRP FEST!!! Me n my goons wuz toooo ractchet!! I found like 9 disposable cameras? yall want me to just upload deez pics NSFW THO #BASED_PROPHET91:TYBG!!! PVRP FEST WAS THE BEST DID YALL SEE ME COOK WIT THA BASED GOD OMG SWAG ON 30,000!!!! 18 T HELP KANYE FIND HIS CLIQUE! e m n, o START! my ere nd ETIHAM UXRIU RNFMCKUEQ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ AJ$Y DEO$AB _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ K$YAPCRA O _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ EEKHFIFC E _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ OWKTAF _ _ _ _ _ _ N$UYCERR _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ TI DAMIDRNE$AJ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ HLOCOBS OQY _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ answers: Mr. Muthfuckin Exquire, Joey Bada$$, A$AP Rocky, Chief Keef, OFWGKA, Curren$y, Trinidad Jame$, Schoolboy Q ber BUZZ RAPPER WORD SCRAMBLE 19 News at WPTS Some people read the news; few people understand it. WPTS News strives to bring together the brightest students from across campus to discuss relevant, topical news stories affecting local, state, and national politics and culture. Students fill our weekly news slots with topics students care about, crafting their own thematic angle for each show. Our star show, Campus Round Table, broadcasts for an hour every Wednesday from 4:30 to 5:30 PM. This show brings together a panel of student leaders to discuss pressing campus issues from Student Government Board to education policy at Pitt. Along with our live news programming, WPTS also has a number of podcasts posted to our website, wptsradio.org. These podcasts cover specialty topics and include Earthlings Talking Earth Things, our environmental podcast run by Free the Planet, and a brand new program sponsored by the Campus Women’s Organization. Finally, WPTS does a number of high-profile interviews. Philadelphia Mayor Michael Nutter, New York Times writer John Broder, and City Councilman Bill Peduto have all joined WPTS News in-studio to answer the honest questions of students. WPTS also hosted a Pittsburgh Mayoral Debate in the Spring of 2013. WPTS News does not have an agenda or creed. We want enthusiastic students to fill our talk shows with creative, honest approaches to commonly discussed issues. Sports atWPTS WPTS Sports is all about having an opportunity to talk about your favorite sport. From broadcasting and calling live football and basketball to interviewing Pitt’s biggest stars, WPTS Sports gives you the opportunity to be a member of Pitt’s sports media. Our sports shows are every weekday with a morning show from 9:00-10:00 AM and an afternoon show from 4:00-4:30 PM. In addition to sports talk shows, WPTS Sports also broadcasts a selection of live Pitt sporting events, doing both play-by-play and color commentary. We broadcast every Pitt football game, which means that our broadcasters go on the road for all the away games. During basketball season, WPTS Sports does home games for the men’s and women’s basketball teams and travel for tournament games as well. Our student broadcasters receive the same treatment as professional media members. We interview Pitt players and coaches as part of the post-game proceedings, and during the game, we are up in the press box working with the professionals. It is an invaluable experience that never gets old. Whether pursuing a professional career or simply wishing to have a closer understanding of Pitt sports, WPTS Sports brings together enthusiastic and passionate students to cover the University we all love. 20 Importance of Albums William Bongiorni CDs may be dying, but albums will remain for the foreseeable future. Jay-Z pulled his solid 2007 concept album American Gangster from iTunes because he wanted listeners to experience the whole album, as opposed to only downloading a few songs. He would have made more money by releasing the album on iTunes, but he had a story to tell, and he didn’t want people listening to only experience fragments of the story. Albums, at their base level, are stories. Stories, like albums, are linear experiences, progressing from one anecdote and song to the next. Most traditional concept albums have a clear progression, so it is easy to see the significance of song order for them. A perfect example of this is another 2007 album, M.I.A.’s Kala. A common theme throughout the album is her hatred of America’s view of immigrants, and her animosity increases until it reaches the penultimate song, “Paper Planes”. The track’s lyrics, the screeching sounds, and the noises of the gunshots and cash registers that pierce the chorus raise the tension to an extreme and unprecedented level. And then, suddenly, everything changes in “Come Around”, the album’s final song. She becomes the Americanized woman she despised since the beginning of the album, talking about Sidekick phones and Ray-Ban sunglasses, and she even gives Timbaland, possibly the most Americanized rapper ever, a verse. Thus, the order of the songs 22 make for a powerful story that chronicles M.I.A.’s battle with the perception of immigrants and her eventual defeat. Stories are not written for narrative’s sake, they’re evocative vehicles for thought and emotion. What’s the point of a story if it doesn’t cause any feelings? Songs can certainly provoke emotions, but albums can cause a range of emotions that greatly enhance the listening experience. A good example of this is the fascinating Since I Left You, released in 2000 by The Avalanches. Many interpret it as a breakup album, and when listening to it in that manner, the feelings that the story produces enrich the music. The opening track, “Since I Left You”, provokes the happiness and bliss after being freed from a relationship. “Close To You” captures the energetic atmosphere of a night out. “A Different Feeling” and “Electricity” replicate the intimacy and excitement of falling in love with someone new. “Etoh” duplicates the sadness felt when things aren’t working, while “Summer Crane” elicits the optimism of going back to the old relationship. The Avalanches made an amazing album that causes listeners to run the gamut of emotions felt during a breakup. In these examples, and many others, having only a few songs from the album wouldn’t be enough to truly experience it. As long as there are artists who care storytelling, I believe the album will remain the definitive form of music. WPTS Radio broadcasts live fr the Cathedral of Learning. 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