Interview: WOOL

 

WOOL is very promising band from Raleigh on the cusp of releasing their first EP, Delta, this Friday, and they stopped by the After Work Special for an in-depth chat with DJ e baby and myself, Spaceman Spiff.  We discussed their songwriting process, the happenstance nature of musical discovery on the internet, and their myriad of creative influences.

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 their recorded version of "Delta."  If the other two songs on the EP sound this great, we're truly in for a gem.

WOOL's EP Release Show is this Friday, October 25 at Kings Barcade with See Gulls and Derek Torres of T0W3RS.

http://interviews.wknc.org/wool102113.mp3

Show Review: Wavves with King Tuff and Jacuzzi Boys

The energy at the Cat's Cradle on Monday night was electrifying.  We were heartbroken to have unfortunately missed the opening set by Jacuzzi Boys, a trio whose most recent self-titled release dropped this past September, but we were hyped to arrive to catch King Tuff in all his rough and tuffness.  His band’s sound is nostalgic, their influences ranging from glam rock to psychedelic garage. The crowd reached a wide range of ages, from middle school skater bros to cool dads. Towards the stage, throngs of trill bros jammed and moshed out. Even old Old Gary on drums seemed to be having a good time. King Tuffy ended his set with “Bad Thing,” off his eponymous release, a song the crowd chanted and screamed along with him. King Tuff’s persona is out of this world: totes rad, bro. He is bad to the bone.

[caption id="attachment_26932" align="aligncenter" width="400"] Rock on, man! King Tuff's scuzzy performance was loaded with killer riffs and bad 'tudes.[/caption]

Why are some people so easy to idolize?  Nathan Williams, the frontman of Wavves, attracts fervent devotees.  His casual, fuck-off charisma is magnetic.  Many of the teenagers in attendance at Monday night’s show knew all of his lyrics, chanting along to his songs while joyfully working themselves into a writhing, moshing mass.

[caption id="attachment_26933" align="aligncenter" width="400"] Wavves had the crowd in a frenzy; we stood back where the moshing was less intense[/caption]

Perhaps Williams is so popular because his music fills the pop-punk void left when Blink-182 and Green Day became more self-serious: his songs are anthems for kids yearning for catchy, angry, Endless Summer rock ‘n roll.  As Wavves’ mangy bass player announced the song “King of the Beach,” a trio of high schoolers shoved past me as they raced to the front row.  We stood back and basked in the crowd’s energy, and we couldn’t help but dance and try to sing along.

 

by e baby and Spaceman Spiff

Show Review: Saint Rich with WOOL

WOOL is one of the most promising new bands in the Triangle, and it was a pleasure to be wrapped up in their sound on Sunday night at the Pinhook.  Frontman Troy Hancock writes gorgeous, glowing dream pop gems, his romantic vocal melodies enveloped by a sound womb of guitars and brilliant, wiry bass lines.  These are earnest pop songs wrapped in a blanket of noise.

[caption id="attachment_26927" align="aligncenter" width="400"] WOOL played a mesmerizing set[/caption]

Troy expressed their excitement for opening for Saint Rich before launching into a short, mesmerizing set.  Songs such as Mountains and Bulletin Air broiled into enchanting, slow-burning climaxes.  Our station has been enamored with the Bulletin Air single released in January, and I cannot wait until they officially press these songs.   Their EP release show is on Friday, October 25 at Kings with The Human Eyes and See Gulls, and I’ll surely be there.

[caption id="attachment_26928" align="aligncenter" width="400"] Saint Rich had swagger and songs to boot[/caption]

Saint Rich followed shortly after a hushed pep talk with Mac McCaughan, who co-leads Merge Records (might I add that Mac’s band Superchunk has an amazing new album?).  Saint Rich announced that Sunday night’s show was their first in their record label’s hometown, and they did not disappoint.  These guys made playing rock and roll look effortlessly easy.  The band nailed a roaring set of country rock, and their triumphant guitar leads of Steve Marion and swaggering vox by Christian Peslak had my toes tapping.

[caption id="attachment_26929" align="aligncenter" width="400"] The Pinhook has the nicest bathroom graffiti![/caption]