Blogs
Beneath the Beats: Rick Ross
Well, I'm screwed. I find myself writing a piece for a website where everyone knows a lot about music. To top it off, my post is in the company of some very good writers. So how does this music writing work? I'll just name-drop a couple obscure musicians, reference...
Review: This Will Destroy You @ Red Palace
The location of the Red Palace on H Street, to paraphrase “Sh*t DC Says,” was impossibly far away from everything. The atmosphere was crowded, the two opening acts were subpar, and the Red Palace stage could barely contain a full band's setup, with the...
A Look Back at Bastard
Tyler, the Creator- “BastardÛ Yeah, sure, it starts off with a satanically low-voiced doctor offering counsel, and the lyrics aim to kill with shock. The originality factor of these conceptual elements is not the highest, but please, please don't write this off as...
Not Enough Recognition: "Hey, We Tried"
Did you ever have one of those days where you have been working on something for multiple days and when it finally comes down to completing it, everything goes completely wrong? Sadly, that realization for me came a few days ago after I found out that my seven rolls...
Video: Capital Punishment 2012
Whether you missed Capital Punishment last month or just want to relive the fun, check out Staff Writer Marissa Cetin’s video retrospective of our first Cap Pun of the semester, featuring the Neologians, Western Affairs and Max Tani.
WVAU Open Mic: Mic Harder – Friday, March 2
WVAU’s second Open Mic of the semester is this Friday, March 2 in Battelle Atrium. The last one was a smashing success, so come and play guitar, sing, freestyle, do standup, read fan fic, improvise a song about your cat, WHATEVER. Email wvauevents@gmail.com with...
A Young Gypsy: Billie Holiday
I am writing in honor of President's Day. Even though it was a few days ago I decided to actually observe the holiday (pay no attention that I decided to think about what President's day actually is on a Tuesday and not on the designated day). I began to think...
World Geogroovy: FOKN Bois
It's hard to find someone that Ghananian rap duo FOKN Bois don't offend on their first official album and legitimate early bid for best rap album of 2012 “FOKN Wit Ewe.” But it's even harder to dislike them. Although M3nsa and Wanlov Da Kubolor have released a...
Beats on Repeat: "Hot Fuss"
Thumbing though used CD bins at Smash Records in Adams Morgan last week, I happened upon “Hot Fuss” for only $3. $3! Since then I've been on a Killers kick. “Hot Fuss” is one of those albums that was great when it was first released and is still great whenever you...
WVAQ&A: Of Montreal
Indie rock experimenters and Elephant 6 veterans Of Montreal are back again with a new record Paralytic Stalks that is just as funky, self-deprivational, and plain interesting as anything they’ve ever put out. Staff Writer Richard Murphy recently spoke to...
Concert of the Week: Javelin @ Red Palace
WVAU Capital Punishment 2010 veterans Javelin return to town on Saturday, February 25 to play the postcard-sized Red Palace. If you were lucky enough to attend their disgustingly danceable show in Kay Basement a few semesters ago, you know what Javelin’s...
Show Spotlight: Chido Cheverisimo with Luisa Armijo
For WVAU.org’s newest feature, we quizzed DJs about their shows, their most embarrassing on-air moments, their favorite 8th grade tunes, and everything in between. First up is Luisa Armijo, the host of Chido Cheverisimo with with Ana Sabalvarro on Mondays from...
Beats on Repeat: An Open Letter to Justin Timberlake
Haaaaaaaay Justin, Too much, I know. Allow me to try again, Dearest Mr. Timberlake, We can all agree that 2011 was a pretty great year for you. You were still riding the hype-waves from “The Social Network” through awards season. Your name made top-billing on two...
Electric Factory Presents: Chris Nitti
Join Electric Factory with Louise Brask today from 6pm-8pm for an exclusive DJ set with Chris Nitti (Lost & Sound, D.C.) Nitti is a rising local DJ who is slated to open for Ewan Pearson 2/22 at U Street Music Hall next week. He is a resident DJ at DC’s very...
Spin of the Week: Poli̤a
Poli̤a- Give You The Ghost I'd call it post-rock, but somebody sings. I'd call it R&B, but it's got too much drumming. I'd say it's Bon Iver, but the singer is a girl. And yeah, she sounds a lot like Justin Vernon, probably because Poli̤a (pronounced...
WVAQ&A: Royal Baths
Royal Baths are nothing if not unconventional. Their live performances are unpredictable and spontaneous, with very clear disregard for how things are supposed to be done. Their drummer sits atop what is, apparently, a small tall wooden side-table, and there is not a...
40 Years of Harvest
Neil Young has spent almost half a century compiling a catalog that is nothing less than extraordinary. It’s difficult to explain exactly what is so extraordinary about his music without blatantly contradicting myself: it’s straightforward, yet imbued with...
A Young Gypsy: Lana Del Rey’s "Video Games"
I have been in love very few times in my life. It is odd to say a few times because every happily married couple I have met (only one and they are my grandparents) has said they have only been in love once and that's only if you're lucky. To them the mere thought of...
Spin of the Week: Dr. Dog
Dr. Dog – Be The Void Let's be clear, Dr. Dog aren't reinventing the wheel here. Their latest release follows the same psychedelic, ’60s-style rock radio as their previous releases. It might seem easy for this band to grow tedious by their seventh...
Capital Punishment 2012: The Neologians, Western Affairs and Max Tani
This Friday, December 10 at 8:30 p.m, WVAU is hosting the semester’s first Capital Punishment, featuring three of WVAU’s finest student bands for one night in Kay Basement. Headlining is the Neologians, the afro-funk legionnaires who we first saw last...
Midwest Musings: Bunnygrunt
Winter break is over, and all we have to show for it is a stack of books to read, memories of sleep, and stale Christmas cookies. This depressing state of affairs led me to listen to almost exclusively slow, quiet Paul Simon songs. Fortunately, there are only so many...
From the Outside: Nicholas Szcezpanik-Please Stop Loving Me
Ambient music is always something that I’ve appreciated, but never fully engaged in. My first real experience with the genre was on a late night drive back from Philadelphia with my dad, when we could find nothing else on the radio to listen to but the excellent...
Spin of the Week: Cate Le Bon
Cate Le Bon – CYRK When I saw Cate Le Bon open for St. Vincent last February, I had only one real criticism: she needed a band. Thankfully, CYRK, her sophomore album, fixes that, and provides excellent results. Le Bon focuses not so much on catchy hooks or...
Beats on Repeat: Early-Semester Obsessions
Editor’s note: We caught up with last semester’s abroad columnist to get her own top tracks from last year. The verdict: club bangers and chillwave. These two picks would mos def be on a list had I compiled my favorite tunes from 2011, but it's early in...
A Young Gypsy: Joan Baez
I am from Las Vegas, Nevada. Las Vegas calls to all the outsiders to unite in this seemingly small city. Nothing surprises me anymore. From the time I was ten I could have named 20 strip clubs. My middle school English teacher was once a stripper. I've seen a drunk...
London Calling: 65daysofstatic @ Duke of York Picture House
I can honestly say I've never seen a live performance of a movie score, much less heard of the concept, until now. In late November, English band 65daysofstatic took their alternative score of the 1972 sci-fi flick “Silent Running” to the Duke of York Picture House...
WVAU Top Music of 2011: #1
#1 Album: Fleet Foxes – Helplessness Blues In the spring of 2011, the stakes appeared to be set impossibly high for Fleet Foxes. Their debut LP was a massive critical and popular success that shot them into the upper echelon of indie stardom almost overnight;...
Overlooked Records of 2011: The King of Limbs
Radiohead – The King of Limbs Unfortunately, one of the best albums of the year (in my opinion) has been subject to some of the worst qualities of the music-listening world: shallowness, self-righteousness, and stubbornness. Listeners who were waiting for a...
Mixtape: Overlooked Songs of 2011
Not all of your favorite songs made the cut for WVAU’s Top 10. Here are 10 honorable mentions, with music by Smith Westerns, Wild Flag and Neon Indian.
Really Contentious Overlooked Records of 2011: Lulu
Lou Reed and Metallica – Lulu I know what they say about Lulu. But I listened anyway, and found out they're completely wrong. The negativity surrounding Lulu started before the album even came out, with critics tearing apart the odd combination of Lou's...