Featured
SOTW: Molly Burch – “Tattoo”
Thursday, February 15th, 2024 by Liz Kosik
by Fiona Galang ’27
Song of the Week: Molly Burch – “Tattoo”
Released: September 2023
Rate: 10/10
RIYL: Julia Jacklin, Dreamgirl, Whatever, Dad, Soccer Mommy
Molly Burch is an Indie Pop/Rock artist who started her music journey in 2010. Her music is mostly about heartbreak, loss, and love. She’s released four albums and various singles. She’s received the most attention from her song “Please Be Mine”. In 2023, she released her newest album called Daydreamer, where “Tattoo” came from.
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The Prime: Alt Through the Ages
Monday, February 12th, 2024 by Liz Kosik
by Liz Kosik ’25
Genre: Alternative
Subgenre: Chillwave
RIYL: Washed Out, Neon Indian, M83, Beach House
Chillwave arose in the late 2000s as a genre that combined elements of dream pop and shoegaze with lo-fi aesthetics. The term “chillwave” was coined by the blog Hipster Runoff to describe the hazy, atmospheric sound of artists like Washed Out and Toro y Moi. Artists embraced electronic production techniques, vintage synthesizers, and dreamy vocals to create a distinctive sound that evoked a sense of nostalgia and relaxation.
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Baltimore Sports History: Negro League Baseball
Thursday, February 8th, 2024 by The Professor
In our new series Baltimore Sports History, WLOY Sports Director Andrew Ciofalo, host of After The Whistle will explore some of the great lost history in our Charm City. People know about the O’s and the Ravens but maybe not so much the Elite Giants or famous players that passed through our teams. In celebration of Black History Month, we are covering some of the too little known history of Black sports in Baltimore. Check in every week for more.
Baseball has a rich history in Baltimore, dating all the way back to the 1870s. Today we see the Orioles as the big team in town, but this wasn’t always the case. Before the birds landed in 1954, the only professional baseball Baltimore had was Negro League Baseball. Between 1900 and 1950, no white professional baseball team had seen more than 2 full seasons of baseball (and that’s being generous.) (more…)
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AOTW: Kid Cudi – “INSANO”
Thursday, February 8th, 2024 by Liz Kosik
by Fiona Galang ’27
Album of the Week: Kid Cudi – “INSANO”
Released: 2024
Rate: 8/10
RIYL: Tory Lanez, Trippie Redd, Frank Ocean, Travis Scott
To kick off the New Year’s right, Kid Cudi released INSANO. This album falls under Hip-Hop/Rap but also includes the experimental nature that Cudi is known for psychedelia, electronica, synthpop, and maybe even a bit of R&B mixed in. If you’re a fan of Travis Scott, this might be the album for you.
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On This Day: February 7
Wednesday, February 7th, 2024 by Liz Kosik
by Charlie Wahlberg ’24
On this day in music, in 1959, Buddy Holly was laid to rest in his hometown of Lubbock, TX. His tombstone included an incorrect spelling of his last name (Holley) as well as a carving of his Fender guitar. The 22-year-old artist passed away in a plane crash on February 3.
In 1963, the first Beatles single, “Please Please Me,” was released in the US via Vee-Jay Records. Dick Biondi, of Chicago’s WLS, played the song on the radio, becoming the first American DJ to play a Beatles record on air.
In 1970, Led Zeppelin earned their first UK No.1 album with Led Zeppelin II. The British band’s second studio album remained on the chart for a total of 138 weeks, while across the Atlantic, it topped the Billboard 200 for seven weeks. Written throughout the band’s 1969 European and American tours, Led Zeppelin II was recorded at multiple studios in the UK and US, with lead guitarist Jimmy Page serving as producer.
In 1987, after nearly 20 years, Aretha Franklin returned to the top of the UK pop chart with “I Knew You Were Waiting (For Me),” a duet with George Michael. The pair later won a Grammy for Best R&B Performance by a Duo or Group With Vocal.
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SOTW: SPRINTS – “Shaking Their Hands”
Tuesday, February 6th, 2024 by Liz Kosik
by Isabelle Braudakis ’25
Song of the Week: SPRINTS – “Shaking Their Hands”
Released: January 5, 2024
Rate: 8/10
RIYL: Bully, PJ Harvey, Le Tigre, Sonic Youth, Patti Smith, Girl Band
The SPRINTS’ “Shaking Their Hands” is a must-add to your favorite playlist. As soon as this song starts, the mood is set with a brooding guitar, quickly followed by a rhythmic drumline. Without delay, soft and melodic vocals enter with the lines, “It’s been a long day, it’s been a long night, it’s been a long life.” These dark lyrics prepare listeners for an intense and heavy song. My favorite part about this track is the fantastic build-up to the chorus that beautifully fits into the garage-punk genre. The dynamics throughout keep you hooked which has worked on me, as I have been listening to this on repeat all week.
I recommend this song if you are eager to explore more of this type of rock, its raw energy and unapologetic attitude serve as a great addition to your playlist.
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The Prime: Alt Through the Ages
Monday, February 5th, 2024 by Liz Kosik
by Liz Kosik ’25
Genre: Alternative
Subgenre: Art punk
RIYL: Talking Heads, Wire, Sonic Youth, The Slits
Art punk gained attention mid-1970s as a response to the commercialization and mainstream conformity of punk rock. Bands like Wire and Television brought an experimental edge to punk music, incorporating elements of avant-garde, post-punk, and art rock. The genre was characterized by its innovative song structures, unconventional use of instrumentation, and lyrical themes that often explored topics beyond traditional the common punk tropes.
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DJ Spotlight: DreamGAZE
Friday, February 2nd, 2024 by Liz Kosik
Show name: DreamGAZE
DJs: Terence Hannum, Erica Burgner-Hannum, and Rob Savillo
When: Thursdays @ 6 PM
Q: Name of your show along with a brief description:
A: DreamGAZE is a show I do with my spouse Erica Burgner-Hannum and bandmate Rob Savillo, of The Holy Circle, where we play our favorite shoegaze and dreampop tracks and interview bands and DJs – but we ask them to pick their favorite shoegaze or dreampop and talk about it.
Q: Why did you choose to host a show at WLOY?
A: I also do DEAD AIR the show devoted to horror soundtracks we run in October, and I’ve been doing that for almost a decade with WLOY. So when Erica, Rob, and I started an event night called dreamGAZE at The Crown to kind of focus on the growing scene in the region, the radio show made it easier to loop in the guests we bring in and the shows write themselves.
Q: What is your favorite part of hosting a show at WLOY?
A: It’s very easy as a community member and John champions your ideas and content, offers suggestions. I like finding new bands like The December Sound or hearing great stories from our guests like ON and Pale Saints.
Q: Top played artist/s on your show:
Q: Word of advice for prospective DJs?
A: Curate your sets, and know the info about the releases, think of it like a story you’re trying to tell. Keep it tight and focused. Also bring a friend, or two, who is as passionate as you are and bring on guests.
WLOY thanks Terence, Erica, and Rob for their mutual love of music and dedication to the station! Tune in to DreamGAZE every Tuesday @ 6 PM. 🙂
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AOTW: 21 Savage – “American Dream”
Thursday, February 1st, 2024 by Liz Kosik
by Fiona Galang ’27
Album of the Week: 21 Savage – “American Dream”
Released: January 12, 2024
Rate: 9/10
RIYL: Young Nudy, Drake, Travis Scott, Young Thug, J. Cole
21 Savage is a British-American rapper who has created several worldwide hits like “X”, “Bank Account”, “Rockstar” with Post Malone, and more. His most popular albums are Issa Album (2017), I am > I was (2018), Her Loss (2022) with Drake, and now American Dream (2024). From I am > I was, he won a Grammy for Best Rap Song for “A Lot” ft. J. Cole. He’s collaborated with many popular artists and producers like Travis Scott, Metro Boomin, and more, many of them being on his newest album.
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The Prime: Alt Through the Ages
Monday, January 29th, 2024 by Liz Kosik
by Liz Kosik ’25
Genre: Alternative
Subgenre: Britpop
RIYL: The Verve, Oasis, Blur, The Stone Roses, The Boo Radleys
Britpop rose in the mid-1990s as a British music movement that celebrated the return of guitar-driven pop music and aimed to reclaim British cultural dominance in the music industry. Its main objective was a reaction to the dominance of grunge and the American alternative rock scene. The movement was characterized by melodic guitar riffs and lyrics that often explored themes of British identity and working-class culture and rebellion.
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