Throughout the hour I spoke first with Kenny Roby about the differences between approaching his songs as a solo artist as opposed to a member of a full band. Roby performed an intimate take on “Tired of Being In Love,” before the focus switched over to the folks in Magnolia Collective. We then spoke a bit about the inception of Magnolia Collective and how it’s grown from their humble start with weekly jams at Carrboro’s The Station. Magnolia Collective then performed a brand new track from their...
Dec 16, 2013•40 min•Ep. 81
This fresh purveyor of bedroom pop joined me this past week on Carolina Grown to talk a little bit about the inception of this project and how it’s grown from a self-contained bedroom project to a full-fledged band. Franklin and I discuss the transition from solo arrangements to vivacious live shows and the difficulties in bearing your innermost thoughts and feelings before an audience, which when your music is as visceral as Bridges’ must be a bit of an emotional exercise. To top it all of Fran...
Dec 10, 2013•46 min•Ep. 83
Your standard Magpie Feast song feels reminiscent of a dirty southern take on Devendra Banhart. These tracks are firmly based in blues-rock stylings while interspersing traditional folk melodies, yet they somehow find their way into sprawling territory that gives this music a modernistic hue. Magpie Feast’s most recent release Out of the Womb sheds the lo-fi veil in favor of a much more dynamic and engaging approach, taking this already riveting sound and piling on layers to enrich the experienc...
Dec 06, 2013•31 min•Ep. 82
Upon hearing Haskins’ song, acclaimed North Carolina artists Caitlin Cary (of Whiskeytown) and Jon Lindsay decided to band together and form the NC Music Love Army, a project that snowballed into something far more encompassing than anyone could imagine. Within the 6 months since the Moral Monday protests, the NC Music Love Army has already written, recorded and now released a full-length album of protest songs geared towards the N.C. state legislators. Last week I spoke with Caitlin Cary, Jon L...
Dec 02, 2013•48 min•Ep. 84
When The Art of Cool began it was little more than a way for local jazz musicians to find quaint and intimate places to share their sounds. But what began in art galleries around the Triangle has swiftly flourished into one of the most promising festivals in recent memory. This past summer the Art of Cool announced their plans to hold a two-day festival in downtown Durham and on Nov. 15 they announced their brilliant lineup. Art of Cool is bringing some of the most renowned jazz artists from the...
Nov 25, 2013•36 min•Ep. 85
Porcelain Raft stopped by the WKNC studios to talk with the Kenosha Kid. Listen to their conversation here, and don’t forget to subscribe to the podcast so you don’t miss out on any of our great artist interviews.
Nov 21, 2013•22 min•Ep. 276
Whatever you want to call it, it’s damn good. Last week I was joined by several members of this massive seven-person crew to chat a bit about how so many voices can come together to create such a rich and seamless sound. Roach comments on how the band pulls their influences from a variety of regions, one minute you’ll hear traditional West African rhythms bleeding through and on the next track you’ll hear some Russian-inspired folk musings. Together the band of multi-instrumentalists play on a h...
Nov 20, 2013•29 min•Ep. 87
What resulted was a spastic interview that covered everything from the band’s origins with local music to their favorite cereal and youtube videos. The conversation is a bit indicative of what you can expect from the band’s music, regardless of how the direction you’re taking with it you know that you’re in for something that’s entertaining. While Whatever Brains’ past three untitled full-lengths have displayed a gradual progression from spastic punk stand-outs to electronically leaning front-ru...
Nov 19, 2013•40 min•Ep. 86
Little did we know Spitzer was biding her time by crafting insanely dense, yet brief pieces of vibrant music. The Ringtone Album is Felix Obelix’s latest offering, and it’s exactly what it sounds like. Inspired by the often mundane tones that we become so frequently attached to, Spitzer decided to craft a 30-track album of one-minute songs that were intended to be consumed as ringtones. While many may scoff at an idea so far out in left-field, the folks at Potluck Records warmed up to it pretty ...
Nov 14, 2013•32 min•Ep. 91
Throughout the hour Mike spun a slew of his favorite local tunes, which we sadly can’t share with you guys, but we do talk a bit about how he came to know and love the North Carolina music scene. Mike and I chatted a lot about how Gross Ghost has come to solidify their lineup, the process that goes into translating their live energy into studio energy, and who we need to be looking out for in the local scene. Without giving too much away, Dillon gives a fantastic peek into the machinations of Gr...
Nov 14, 2013•28 min•Ep. 88
The idea got kickstarted after Let Feedback Ring hosted a massive Hopscotch Day Party at Legends that housed 13 bands throughout the day. While the feat would drive most people to hang it up and accept that they’ve done their duty for the area, Hill and DeFusco craved more, as did Legends. On Nov. 1, Let Feedback Ring hosted the first of their monthly showcases with Ghostt Bllonde, Le Weekend and Corbie’s band Alpha Cop. So the week of the show I was joined by Chris, Corbie and Legends’ represen...
Nov 14, 2013•38 min•Ep. 89
When Mipso joined me in the studio they were preparing for their album release show at Haw River Ballroom, a momentous occasion that combines one of the state’s swiftest rising acts with arguably the finest venue in the area. When Joseph, Wood and Jacob joined me to chat about Dark Holler Pop , their sophomore full-length album that was released in late October, the conversation was free-flowing an all-encompassing. Ranging from the differences in life as a full-time student versus a full-time m...
Nov 13, 2013•48 min•Ep. 90
The band brought their instruments and played gorgeous renditions of “Mountains” and “Stars.” I’ve seen WOOL live several times in the past few months, and I was always struck by the beautiful noise they made: lovely dream pop songs, enveloped in hazy guitars, that build to rapturous crescendos. The acoustic versions they played were intimate and confessional: the pop underbelly of the songs were brought to the foreground. We played their recorded single “ Bulletin Air ,” and the band debuted th...
Oct 25, 2013•31 min•Ep. 314
We delve into some of the duo’s first interactions with hip-hop, the planning that goes into their ridiculously energetic live shows, and their process behind writing and producing their own tracks. I’ve been addicted to hip-hop since my adolescent self stumbled upon OutKast, Eminem and Busta Rhymes, but even I had no idea about how deep some of hip-hop’s roots extend to North Carolina’s music scene. There’s a lot more than Petey Pablo raising and Little Brother’s total domination of the scene. ...
Oct 25, 2013•43 min•Ep. 95
The first episode of Carolina Grown is one that’s dear to my heart. One of my favorite local acts joined me for an hour filled with fun conversation and incredible live performances, not to mention I got to talk about my favorite festival on the planet for the second hour of the show. The show was Shakori themed, with Virgins Family Band taking over the first hour for some enriching conversation and some dazzling music. The band performed two tracks from their phenomenal album Honeylion and also...
Oct 24, 2013•1 hr 7 min•Ep. 96
Jackson Scott is an Asheville based artist who just exploded onto the scene. His record Melbourne started to make the rounds and was picked up by outlets such as Pitchfork and NPR. The exposure he was getting attracted many different record labels. He eventually had to take his record down at which point it was released officially by Fat Possum records. The album received great reviews from many different sources. Jackson Scott stopped by the studio before his show at Cat’s Cradle with Unknown M...
Oct 17, 2013•25 min•Ep. 154
Airstrip started towards the end of 2011 when things ended between Matt Park’s girlfriend and bandmate Ginger Wagg. The two had formed a charming little duo by the name of Veelee that had all of the Triangle falling in love. The harsh turn of events inspired Airstrip’s debut album Willing which Matt describes as “nightmare pop”. Matt stopped by before his set at Hopscotch Music Festival to talk about his new band members and his debut album. Check out the interview below and on our iTunes podcas...
Oct 17, 2013•18 min•Ep. 20
The band’s original lineup fell to the wayside, but this new roster clearly displayed a newly invigorated vision of Schooner. They were touted as one of Paste Magazine’s “Best of What’s Next” and even made their way down to South-By-Southwest after the heavy acclaim from Duck Kee. But with the release of Neighborhood Veins , the band’s latest full length, they’re prepared to bask in the spotlight that they’ve so patiently waited for. Neighborhood Veins marks the first national release from local...
Oct 09, 2013•50 min•Ep. 305
WKNC interview with WAUMISS during the 2013 Hopscotch Music Festival. Check out the interview below and on our iTunes podcast!
Oct 09, 2013•14 min•Ep. 321
DJ Digiorno interviews Dustin Wong before a show with The Dodos at Kings in Raleigh.
Oct 07, 2013•32 min•Ep. 367
WKNC interview with Cy Dune during the 2013 Hopscotch Music Festival. Check out the interview and on our iTunes podcast!
Oct 07, 2013•11 min•Ep. 71
Boston-based indie noise pop Speedy Ortiz is a band that went from playing house shows to packing Kennedy Theater at Hopscotch 2013. This of course was spawned by the release of their debut album Major Arcana that received overwhelming positive reviews including “Best New Music” from Pitchfork. Within a week, this Boston quartet found themselves growing too large for the house shows they had originally booked for themselves. Speedy Ortiz have become one of our favorites here at WKNC as they have...
Oct 06, 2013•19 min•Ep. 289
The Dodos played Kings Barcade on October 4, accompanied by Dustin Wong and Raleigh natives First Person Plural, in support of the recent release of their fifth studio album, Carrier (Polyvinyl Record Co.). Before the show, I spoke with drummer and multi-percussionist Logan Kroeber of The Dodos. The band is no stranger to the triangle, having opened for New Pornographers, Drive-By Truckers and Guided By Voices in recent years. We discussed what influenced the new album’s songwriting and instrume...
Oct 04, 2013•21 min•Ep. 343
Casual Curious have become quite a phenomenon in the Greensboro music scene. They have had a revolving cast of members that has centered around T. Lee Gunselman. Casual Curious is currently comprised of T. Lee Gunselman (vocals, keys), Hunter Allen (drums), Walter Fancourt (saxophone), and Sean Smith (trumpet). Their new wave pop is a sight to see and always gets the whole crowd into it. Their show at Hopscotch 2013 may have been their last for the foreseeable future as they move onto to new and...
Oct 04, 2013•25 min•Ep. 94
The U.K producer crafts a mesmerizing blend of soulful R&B with contemporary beat music to create a hazy, yet infectious brand of electronic music. Lapalux’s music strikes both the mind and the body. He’s capable of both slow-brooding, pensive beats and outright bangers. Throughout the past few years he’s been honing his craft, releasing four EPs since 2008. But his full-length debut on Brainfeeder, Nostalchic , displays a full realization of these aforementioned themes. Heady beats are embe...
Oct 01, 2013•15 min•Ep. 215
Crystal Stilts stopped by the WKNC studio before their show with Deerhunter to speak to Walter-Ego and Prism about their new album Nature Noir, non-existent rooms, the inherent dangers of doing 90’s covers, and Snoop Dogg.
Sep 26, 2013•24 min•Ep. 72
Krill is a Boston trio comprised of three friends Jonah Furman (bass/vocals), Luke Pyenson (drums), and Aaron Ratoff (guitar). They just recently released their second full-length Lucky Leaves in June of this year. The trio was born out of the same DIY scene that spawned bands such as Speedy Ortiz and Pile. Like their counterparts, they have an innovative take on the world of indie music that has begun to garner national attention from the likes of Pitchfork and Consequence of Sound. Their frene...
Sep 23, 2013•29 min•Ep. 139
Pretty much exactly on time, the entire three-piece band consisting of Ryan Clancy, Ryan Spencer, and Adam Pressley walked right up to our 88.1 WKNC table at Wristband City and formerly introduced themselves. Once the interview was on its way, the band seemed to be having a little fun with it while also pointing out that their music is definitely different than most of the indie rock scene today. When asked how they were different, they did not hesitate to explain that it is because of their liv...
Sep 08, 2013•15 min•Ep. 153
Once the phone was answered, Jack’s Australian accent was quick to erase any possibly tension that could have been formed prior to. Being very laid back and respectful to all the questions, Jack was able to make the interview seem like a conversation that I could have had with one of my closest friends. The question from this interview that stood out the most was the one that we asked most the artists we interviewed at Hopscotch which is “If you could describe your sound as a room, what would th...
Sep 08, 2013•12 min•Ep. 105
The new duo immediately set to work constructing their debut EP Some Kind of Light due out September 24th on Trekky Records. In July, the duo set to work to record the EP with Brad Cook from Megafaun on the bass and Kyle Keegan from Lost in the Trees behind the drums. These five songs pull from a lot of the great talent surrounding them in this musical hotspot, but when put together create something entirely new. This EP is a promising glimpse at what is in store for this experienced duo. Be sur...
Sep 01, 2013•47 min•Ep. 208
