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Vinylthon 2024 – Saturday, April 20-21
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On This Day: April 11
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Battle of the Bands Spotlight: Love Hurtz
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Baltimore Sports History: Oriole Park 4 & 5
SOTW – Kilby Girl
December 19th, 2021 by The Professor
SONG OF THE WEEK: The Backseat Lovers – “Kilby Girl”
By Ben Ostrowski ’24
Indie-pop rock has never sounded so good. “Kilby Girl” by The Backseat Lovers comes from their first album “When We Were Friends” and has been a hit ever since, with 130 million streams and counting. The song is a hint towards Kilby Court, a popular outdoor music venue in Salt Lake City, the area the band reigns from. The Backseat Lovers wrote the song about the type of girl that would frequent the venue.
With catchy bass lines, mellow verses that build up into an upbeat chorus, and instrumental experimentation, it’s difficult to sit still while listening to “Kilby Girl.” And if you didn’t think the song couldn’t get any better and just when you think it’s over, the band throws you for a loop with a great turn around ending to once again up the energy and bring the song back to life. The experimentation can be heard with introducing some soft guitar and the harmonica to lull the song to a close.
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Explore Baltimore: Strawberry Fields
December 3rd, 2021 by Ronnie Gruseck
What: Antique Shop
Where: 803 W 36th St, Baltimore, MD 21211
When: Thursday-Sunday- 12-4 pm Tuesday/Wednesday- 12-5 pm
Reviewed By: Amelia Dunat
When I first entered Strawberry Fields it just looked busy and cluttered. However, upon further inspection, this little shop was packed with utterly unique finds and tons of little knickknacks to dig through. Even if you are not looking to collect or purchase anything, it is always fun just to look through everything since there is always something new each time you return, and every item is priced low. You can find items like costume jewelry, mirrors, vintage art, sunglasses, figurines, vintage magazines, CDs and vinyl, Vintage décor, pins, beads, brooches, and even toys like Beanie Babies. The owner is also incredibly kind, greeting every customer at the door. She is very enthusiastic about her inventory. If you are looking for anything specific, you can leave your name with her, and she will give you a call if it turns up. The last time I went she was standing outside the store asking customers and even strangers on the street to guess her age- and if they got it correct, she gave them a $25 gift card to purchase anything they want in the store. She even gives a 10% discount to students and teachers! It is impossible not to like Strawberry Fields or its friendly owner, and it is always so much fun going in because you never know what to expect!
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Album of the Week: Language & Perspective by Bad Suns
December 1st, 2021 by Ronnie Gruseck
“Language & Perspective” by Bad Suns
Reviewed by: Ben Ostrowski
Pop songs can take you on a journey in 3 minutes, and this is exactly what this song does. It sounds catchy, it’s simple and quite lovely.
Bad Suns are a Californian-based quartet whose slick hooks earned them a spot on today’s song of the week! Their song “Cardiac Arrest” was released with their album “Language & Perspective” and was an instant hit. One of the song’s greatest attributes is its echo, especially during the intro. This reverberating into lick builds up to a neo-new wave guitar fill and an insanely catchy drum beat that will stay stuck in your head for weeks.
With finals going on, you’ll need some catchy and relaxing music to calm you down, and Bad Suns will deliver just that every single time.
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The Maine – XOXO review
November 18th, 2021 by Ronnie Gruseck
The Maine – “XOXO: From Love & Anxiety in Real Time”
Rating 10/10
Reviewed by Ben Ostrowski ’24
On their most recent album, The Maine have been tapping into our deepest, darkest, and most vulnerable feelings. “XOXO: From Love & Anxiety in Real Time” is all about unconditional love, the good and the bad.
From start to finish, you experience all aspects of a relationship and gain an understanding that it is all facets – not just the good bits – that make love so special, and that push you to be stronger in any relationship. From the lustful infatuation that defines album opener ‘Sticky’, to the warm embrace ‘Face Towards the Sun’
“XOXO: Love & Anxiety in Real Time” is some of The Maine’s strongest material, telling a powerfully detailed story while simultaneously making it so relatable. The understanding that so many emotions can exist in one single space, makes you recognize that love doesn’t make everything better, but having a rock to lean on during the rough times makes things easier. It’s a love that continues to grow with each listen until you’ve all but burst. It’s the most authentic kind of love there is, and it on that will always have you coming back to this magnificent record.
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Album of the Week: Girlfriend By The Driver Era
November 17th, 2021 by Ronnie Gruseck
Girlfriend by The Driver Era
Reviewed by: Isabelle Braudakis
Rate: 9/10
RIYL: Wallows, HUNNY, Kid Bloom, Lovelytheband, Ruel, Bad Suns, Hippo Campus
Girlfriend by The Driver Era, released on October 18, is the duo’s second studio album. Based in Los Angeles, Rocky and Ross Lynch crafted this R&B/Pop-Rock/Alternative record. The duos sprinkle bits of so many genres in their music. Starting with the first track, Heart of Mine, right from the beginning this song is a perfect example of genre-blending. This record has the ability to mix in different genres and styles without making anything seem mismatched.
This album has earned its place in my personal top albums for 2021. The Driver Era does such an amazing job at creating such an addictive sound. Creamy bass lines and smoothing vocals help create a very vibrant and electric experience. One of my favorite bands of all time, you should give them a listen!
Try out “Flash Drive” and “Heart of Mine” from this album!
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RED SAMMY Live at Starbucks this Saturday, Nov. 13!
November 10th, 2021 by Ronnie Gruseck
Our second live show since COVID-19 takes place again on Saturday, Nov. 13 from 8-10 p.m. at Starbucks, this time with RED SAMMY where there will be a live showcasing of RED SAMMY’s new album Vultures! Lead singer and songwriter Adam Trice from Baltimore, Maryland performs with a variation in instrumentals, where the cast of talented musicians that work alongside him ranges from a full rock band to a quartet string ensemble. This new release contains a blend of rock, folk, country, and blues songs, perfect for this Saturday as we approach a more sobering time with colder weather! RED SAMMY has made previous appearances at WLOY Loyola Radio.
We are excited to have him back again and have the first chance to see his new collection of songs live and in person!
Follow RED SAMMY
Facebook: @redsammyband
Instagram: @red.sammy
Twitter: @redsammy_band
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Album of the Week: This Thing Called Living by Eloise
November 8th, 2021 by Ronnie Gruseck
“This Thing Called Living” by Eloise
Reviewed by: Aliyah Smith-Bradley
Rate: 9/10
RIYL: Billie Eilish, Laufey, Lizzy McAlphine
Released on May 31, 2019, this album is the perfect album for chill studying vibes. The Alternative-R&B young artist recorded this first album which has been shelved since she was a teenager. She is currently producing new singles. The most recent released single “Hungover” is her new comeback song released in 2021.
My personal favorite song off this album is “Left Side”. Popular Artist Billie Eilish did a short cover on her snapchat of this song which is where Eloise got her popularity from. Eloise wrote this song for the reason most artist do, a broken heart. “Left Side” describes the weird feeling of being in the gray zone of a relationship. The mellow jazz tunes tell the story of a breakup. The artist sweet vocals makes this a great song to listen to while multitasking and studying.
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Berry the Band Interview
November 6th, 2021 by Ronnie Gruseck
Music Director, Anna Markulis ’23, gets to know Berry! The Band comprised of guitarist/vocalist Joey Lemon, drummer Paul Goodenough, and bass player Shane Bordeau has been together for nearly 20 years now, and we cover how they came to be and their journey all over the country.
Instagram: @BerrytheBand
Facebook: /BerrytheBand
Bandcamp: BerrytheBand
YouTube: BerrytheBand
Website: berrytheband.com
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Acid Dad Interview
November 5th, 2021 by Ronnie Gruseck
Trevor from psychedelic garage rock band Acid Dad and our Music Director, Anna Markulis ’23, chat about tour life, fun facts, and touch on Acid Dad’s long-awaited album Take It From The Dead. Acid Dad is currently on their US tour.
Record label: Greenway Records
Youtube: Acid Dad
Instagram: @AcidDad666
Twitter: @AcidDad666
Facebook: Acid Dad
Soundcloud: Acid Dad (NYC)
Spotify: Acid Dad
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QueenEarth and Modern Nomad Live at Starbucks this Friday, Nov. 5!
November 3rd, 2021 by Ronnie Gruseck
Our first in-person show since COVID-19 put our events on pause. Our first show will include two artists very familiar with Baltimore and Loyola! QueenEarth worked at WLOY and is a grad school alumnus, while Modern Nomad’s alma mater is Towson University!
QueenEarth (Missy Smith) is an artist and educator whose breadth ranges from writing/composition to diversity and inclusion to music and arts. She also hosts and travels with Queercore, a concert series that highlights Queer stories through storytelling, visual, and performing arts. Her lyrics are beautiful in their simplicity and their word choice, in which all of her pieces stay true to her roots and enrich the learning experience of listeners.
Modern Nomad (Tom McLean) began recording songs in his bedroom in Baltimore at the age of 16. He recently released a new music video “Baby, I Love You” and another album after Bardo! His music can be defined as cosmic and groovy indie-pop that makes listeners feel good after finishing his songs.
Come to Starbucks from 8-10 pm Friday, November 5 to experience this double bill of acoustic awesomeness! Both are smooth and creative artists that complement each other, and now you can now finally see them in person!
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