February 26, 2010 (Playlist)

February 26, 2010 (Playlist):
"Our Thirty-Ninth Show!"

The Soft Pack – C'mon
Built To Spill – Center Of The Universe
The Black Keys – I Got Mine
Delta Spirit – Trashcan
Yo La Tengo – The Forest Green
*"Allen Reed Memorial Cover Of The Week": Death Cab For Cutie (Feat. Mates Of State) – Free Fallin' (Tom Petty Cover) (Live).
Beach House – Norway
TV On The Radio – DLZ
Oasis – She's Electric
The Smiths – I Want The One I Can't Have
Throw Me The Statue – Noises

*"The Mighty Mighty Boss-Tune": Bruce Springsteen – Fire (Live)
My Morning Jacket – Aluminum Park
Ryan Adams – Do Miss America
*"Punk Trunk!": The Dead Boys – Sonic Recuder
*"Punk Trunk!": Bad Brains – Banned In DC
Talking Heads – Born Under Punches (The Heat Goes On)
Vampire Weekend – Giving Up The Gun
The Daves – Not In England
Radiohead – Electioneering
Shout Out Louds – 1999
Elvis Costello – Radio, Radio

*Background music consisted of various cult classic tunes from the 1980s. They ranged from The Cars to Toto, from cheesy to epic, covering multiple genres.

Classes were canceled and the campus was a ghost town, but on 88.3 FM KUR, the liveliest duo on college radio roared through the airwaves. It was the 39th installment of the Philadelphia AIR Award-nominated Never Mind the Mainstream and it was one of our most upbeat shows ever. The setlist was vibrant and our flow was unmatchable. We had the opportunity to spin new tracks this week from The Soft Pack, Beach House, Throw Me The Statue, Vampire Weekend, and Shout Out Louds. And we couldn't just forget about the past, so we cued up vintage tunes from Yo La Tengo, Oasis, The Smiths, Talking Heads, and more. Jim treated us to a rare, live cover of Tom Petty's "Free Fallin'" by Death Cab For Cutie and Mates Of State. I dished out a birthday song for one of our faithful listeners, with Talking Heads' "Born Under Punches (The Heat Goes On)". It was a solid show and a great one to go out on, heading into Spring Break. That being stated, we'll be off next week. Don't feel too bad, we'll be back in two weeks with more great sets. It's just about crunch-time and NMTM is delivering it's best effort yet. See you soon!

The Black Keys - "I Got Mine"


The Smiths - "I Want The One I Can't Have"


My Morning Jacket - "Aluminum Park"

Despite Snow, NMTM Is Go!

The roads may be icy, classes may be canceled, and most university buildings may be closed, but that is not going to prevent Big Jim Adair and Mike Pop from bringing you the 39th edition of 88.3 FM KUR's Never Mind the Mainstream. We arm ourselves with vinyl records and switchboards and laugh in Mother Nature's face. This week we're breaking out some newbies, including The Soft Pack, Beach House, Vampire Weekend, and Shout Out Louds. We'll also be spinning vintage tracks from Yo La Tengo, The Smiths, Bad Brains, and Talking Heads. A quick reminder: this will be our last show before we leave for Spring Break. The vacation is very exciting, though we will miss the show to a degree. This means you must to tune in tonight, 6-8 PM ET, for your weekly dose of awesome college rock. Studio line: (610)-683-4058. AOL Instant Messenger: KURRequest. See you to the left of the dial.

Julian Casablancas - "Out Of The Blue"

Thursday Lunchtime Notes

Hey, it looks like Kutztown, PA is going to get hit with even more snow. This sucks. I'm so sick of snow. Is it spring yet? At least it's not sticking to the roads ... yet. I'm currently held up in the Student Union's computer lab because I wasn't high on going to my literature class. Partially because I didn't read the assigned chapters and partially because I don't feel like walking in a winter wonderland any more. Anyway, these "note" posts are pretty lazy and I apologize for my lack of enthusiasm. I tend to get out all my energy doing other things. But, if this is your number one source for indie rock news, then thank you and I hope you are informed. Here are the notes during your lunch hour:

+ New Shout Out Louds record, Work, was released Tuesday. We'll be playing opening track "1999" on the show Friday (weather permitting).

+ LCD Soundsystem has apparently wrapped up recording their new record. Title unknown at this point. They'll be playing the big festivals this summer and touring with YACHT.

+ M.I.A. has hinted on a new album dropping in June. Of course, this comes from the world's foremost news outlet, Twitter. We'll have to stay glued to the tweets for more information on this one.

+ Vampire Weekend is returning to Saturday Night Live on March 6th. Some say they'll be playing "Giving Up The Gun". I'd rather hear "Diplomat's Son" or "Taxi Cab", but whatever's good. I might stay in that night. Maybe.

+ Thom Yorke's solo band has been named Atoms For Peace. They plan on doing some touring this summer.

Tuesday Mid-Afternoon Notes

Quarter til 6 - is it night yet? Who decides these things. I'm sure someone does. Whatever. Man, I'm so tired.

+ Stereogum has changed the format of their website. It looks weird. I kind of hate it. Not a fan of change.

+ The Hold Steady will release their fifth studio album Heaven Is Whenever on May 4th. Sweet.

+ Joanna Newsom releases Have One On Me tomorrow. Woo!

+ Jim will take on the Treadmill Trackstar album review in the near future. Their latest release is i belong to me.

+ New Vampire Weekend video: "Giving Up The Gun". Came out last week. Features a star-studded cast.

February 19, 2010 (Playlist)

February 19, 2010 (Playlist):
"Our Thirty-Eighth Show!"

Bon Iver – Blood Bank
Monsters Of Folk – Say Please
Morrissey – Suedehead
Editors – Papillon
Okkervil River – Unless It Kicks
The Whitest Boy Alive – 1517
St. Vincent – Your Lips Are Red
The Happy Hollows – Faces
R.E.M. – Driver 8
Sonic Youth – Pipeline/Kill Time
Harlem Shakes – Sunlight
The Hold Steady – Sequestered In Memphis

*"Punk Trunk!": The Thermals – Let Your Earth Quake, Baby
*"Punk Trunk!": Ian Dury – Sex & Drugs & Rock & Roll
Fionn Regan – Protection Racket
*"The Mighty Mighty Boss-Tune": Bruce Springsteen – You Can Look (But You Better Not Touch) (Live)
The Mountain Goats – The Oceanographer's Choice
*"Allen Reed Memorial Cover Of The Week": Nirvana – The Man Who Sold The World (David Bowie Cover) (Unplugged)
The Extraordinaires – The Ballad Of Janice Moone
Metric – Gimme Sympathy
Tokyo Police Club – Your English Is Good
The Rapture – House Of Jealous Lovers

*Background music consisted of various cult classic tunes from the 1980s. They ranged from A-ha to Violent Femmes, from cheesy to epic, covering multiple genres.

In what was described by a handful of our longtime, loyal listeners as "one of [our] most energetic shows", Jim Adair and myself presented the 38th installment of our college radio work of art: Never Mind the Mainstream. It's never a dull moment when the both of us get into that tiny studio and spin the best alternative and indie from yesterday, today, and tomorrow. This week we welcomed two former KUR members from years past onto the show: Manny and Cody. Both of these of two gentlemen have had large impacts on our time at KUR and we enjoyed having them talk on our show and through the airwaves to all of you. This week saw the NMTM crew playing some tunes we've been craving to spin for a while now, including a wintry gem from Bon Iver, a travelin' jingle from R.E.M., and a house jam from The Rapture. New music brought to you by Monsters Of Folk, Editors, The Happy Hollows, and Fionn Regan. Classics for all those old-timers out there presented via Morrissey, Sonic Youth, Ian Dury, and of course, Bruce Springsteen. We were both jacked up on coffee and treated the show like a circus, as it tends to get sometimes. Next week will be a show on the fly, as Jim may or may not go solo. I have to take a comprehensive exam to graduate from this crazy place, so we may be recording the gig and having it go off on Friday. Only time will tell. Regardless, as always, thanks for tuning in and participating by phoning in or messaging us. Tune in next week for another great set.

Bon Iver - "Blood Bank"


Sonic Youth - "Pipeline/Kill Time"


The Rapture - "House Of Jealous Lovers"

Our 38th Show Airs TOMORROW!

Tomorrow night. Friday. 6-8 PM ET. There's only one station to tune into to hear the best of yesterday's, today's, and tomorrow's alternative and indie rock: 88.3 FM KUR for the Philadelphia AIR award-nominated Never Mind the Mainstream. This week is our 38th show and we've got a great line-up in store for you. We'll be spinning new tracks from Monsters Of Folk, Editors, The Happy Hollows, Metric and more. We're also featuring some of the greatest under-the-radar acts of all time, the likes of Morrissey, R.E.M., Sonic Youth, and The Specials. Plus, don't forget our hourly special segments and skits. You can always expect a ton of surprises and a great two hours of college radio programming from Jim Adair and Mike Pop. We stream live at 6 PM ET on the web @ kur.kutztown.edu. Call into our studio at (610)-683-4058 or IM us on AOL Instant Messenger, screen name KURRequest. Hope to hear from all of you. Enjoy the show!

The Hold Steady - "Sequestered In Memphis"

Quick, Unimportant Note On B-Roo '10

I. AM. GOING. !!!

More details to come.

What Tokyo Police Club Has Been Up To

Well, this:

Dave Monks - "Hands Reversed"

Champ, the band's second LP, is due out in late Spring. Thank God. I can't stop watching this, even though it was posted in November. Here's to being a slacker. And, "here's your beer."

February 12, 2010 (Playlist)

February 12, 2010 (Playlist):

"Our Thirty-Seventh Show: 2010 Valentine's Day Edition!"

Razorlight – I Can't Stop This Feeling I've Got
Rilo Kiley – Pull Me In Tighter
Bloc Party – Two More Years
Wreckless Eric – Whole Wide World
Fountains Of Wayne – Hackensack
Elvis Costello – Alison
*"Allen Reed Memorial Cover Of The Week": Mumm-Ra – In Between Days (The Cure Cover)
*"The Mighty Mighty Boss-Tune": Bruce Springsteen – Valentine's Day (Live)
Pearl Jam – Just Breathe
The Magnetic Fields – The Book Of Love
The Replacements – Within Your Reach
Sufjan Stevens – The Predatory Wasp Of The Palisades Is Out To Get Us!

The Temper Trap – Love Lost
Afghan Whigs – Be Sweet
*"Punk Trunk!": The Buzzcocks – Ever Fallen In Love?
*"Punk Trunk!": The Clash – Train In Vain
The Postal Service – Nothing Better
*"Allen Reed Memorial Cover Of The Week": Ben Folds & Rufus Wainwright – Careless Whisper (Wham! Cover) (Live)
Miracle Legion – With A Wish
Billy Bragg – Levi Stubbs' Tears
The Police – Every Breath You Take
The Smiths – Pretty Girls Make Graves
Joy Division – Love Will Tear Us Apart
The Mountain Goats – No Children

*Background music consisted of various tracks featured on the Fired Up! Ultimate Dance Collection compilation. They ranged from Amber to Rockell. Cheesy, 90s club jams and roller rink anthems alike. It's the perfect soundtrack to your Valentine's Day weekend.

On our 37th installment of the show, not only did we spin both love and break-up tunes, but we managed to set a new NMTM record, playing a grand total of 24 songs in the entire two hours. It was no easy task by any means, as we had to keep our conversations with listeners and ourselves short. However, the show did not lose it's luster. We played everything we wanted to play, took requests from callers, and had great chats about our recent snow escapades, romance songwriting, and romantic films. A handful of people called in, from near and far, to wish us a Happy Valentine's Day, and so we must give a big shout out and thanks to all of those who did so. Like we've mentioned time and time again, we have the best listeners on college radio. We hope you enjoyed our blend of modern, classic, love and love loss songs; it's definitely one of our favorite themes to explore on the show. Keep up with the calls and messages. We'd love to put you on the air! Tune in next week for another great set.

Elvis Costello - "Alison"


Ben Gibbard (Feat. Jenny Lewis) - "Nothing Better"


Ben Folds & Rufus Wainwright - "Careless Whisper (Wham! Cover)"

Our 37th Show (V-Day Edition) Is Tonight!

Love is in the air, all around us, and we at NMTM are capitalizing on it. Valentine's Day is Sunday, but we're getting a head start, playing a selection of romantic tunes from some of the best alternative and indie rock artists of all time. It's going to be a great, big sweetheart fest so tune in for that ... in hour one. But when hour two hits, we're turning the holiday on it's head and playing some tunes about heartbreak, love loss, and the bitter misery of flawed relationships. We need to balance things out here! Tune in to hear newer tunes from Rilo Kiley, Pearl Jam, The Temper Trap, and Afghan Whigs. We've also got classics from Elvis Costello, The Replacements, Billy Bragg, and Joy Division in our arsenal for tonight. We'll be taking calls and IMs all show long (6-8 PM ET), so please get a hold of us: (610)-683-4058 and KURRequest. Talk to you all soon. Have a great Valentine's Day. And if you do tune in, bring a box of Kleenex tissues, because it's going to be a tearjerker. We stream live at 6 PM ET on kur.kutztown.edu.

Joy Division - "Love Will Tear Us Apart"

Post-"Snowmageddon"/Thursday Night Notes

Snow sucks.

Friday night into Saturday midday was bad enough, but on top of that snow, we folks in Kutztown received a fresh blanket Tuesday night into Wednesday midday. 28 inches total? I've seen enough snow. I'm moving to Florida. Perhaps the only thing good to come from the "Snowmageddon" was the outlandish and totally welcomed two full school days canceled. This kind of thing never happens, especially here in Pennsylvania. Whatever, no complaints from me about that. However, digging my jeep out the street sure wasn't fun earlier tonight. Sorry to the community of Kutztown for pushing my snow back out into the street. I had to get to the Student Union building to plan our show for tomorrow night. Oh, and while we were buffeted with white powder, my housemates and I built an epic snow fort and invited all our friends up to christen it. We also drank excessively and threw our empties in the woods. College kids will be college kids. Okay, onto the notes:

+ Holy Spring tours!: Arctic Monkeys, Juilan Casablancas, Phoenix, and The Tallest Man On Earth.

+ New Japandroids tune: "Art Czars".

+ New live She & Him track. It was played on the radio. How fun.

+ Yeasayer played Jim's favorite tune of 2009 on Fallon last night. Behold "Ambling Alp".

+ Thom Yorke is going to remix Major Lazer?

+ Bonnaroo line-up looks great so far.

+ Grizzly Bear and Arcade Fire found their way into the ears of Super Bowl viewers. Google had a sick ad, too.

VW: Contra Review & New Cover Tune

As promised (about a month ago; sorry for the delay), here's my review of Vampire Weekend's latest album, Contra, which was released by XL Recordings last month. The article is featured in Kutztown University's campus newspaper, The Keystone.

Also, check out the band covering California-based street punk outlet Rancid. We've known for a while now about frontman Ezra Koenig's punk infatuation, so it seemed only right for the group to take on "Ruby Soho".

Vampire Weekend - "Ruby Soho (Rancid Cover)"

February 5, 2010 (Playlist)

February 5, 2010 (Playlist):
"Our Thirty-Sixth Show!"

Radiohead – The Bends
The Cribs – We Share The Same Skies
The National – Baby, We'll Be Fine
Kings Of Convenience – Mrs. Cold
A.A. Bondy – Oh The Vampyre
Wilco – You Never Know
*"Allen Reed Memorial Cover Of The Week": Peter Gabriel – Flume (Bon Iver Cover)
The xx – VCR
Elliott Smith – Stupidity Tries (Live)
Tegan & Sara – On Directing
Black Rebel Motorcycle Club – Promise

*"Punk Trunk!": The Distillers – Beat Yr Heart Out
*"Punk Trunk!": Eddie & The Hot Rods – Do Anything You Wanna Do
Mos Def – Umi Says
*"The Mighty Mighty Boss-Tune": Bruce Springsteen – Prove It All Night
Tom Waits – The Piano Has Been Drinking (Not Me)
Lou Reed – Dirty Blvd.
Ryan Adams – To Be Young (Is To Be Sad, Is To Be High)
Talking Heads – Road To Nowhere
Japandroids – Young Hearts Spark Fire
The Tallest Man On Earth – King Of Spain
R.E.M. – Romance (Live)

*Background music consisted of various hip-hop, rap, and R&B tunes from the late 1990s and early 2000s. We busted out everything from dance club anthems to sensual slow jams. They ranged from Big Punisher to Will Smith. We had a little too much fun with these.

While patiently awaiting Snow-pocalypse 2010, the men from Never Mind the Mainstream had quite the mix for their audience. Hour one consisted of plenty of new music via The Cribs, Kings Of Convenience, Wilco, The xx, and Tegan & Sara. Hour two specialized in singer/songwriters the likes of Bruce Springsteen, Tom Waits, Elliott Smith, Lou Reed, and Ryan Adams. We also threw in our usual segments for all our dedicated listeners out there. In the end, the snow did not manage to ruin our show and we both made it out of the station in one piece. Kutztown is expecting to see even more snow in the middle of this week, so we're hoping it's enough to get us out of classes, but melts in time for us to bring you our thirty-seventh installment of NMTM: 2010 Valentine's Day Edition! The first hour will feature some of the most romantic and heartfelt alternative and indie rock songs in the history of the world, while hour two will appeal to all the love cynics in Radioland, as we will spin a variety of break-up tunes. No matter who you are, you will fall in love with our show next week. Thanks again for tuning in/calling in/IMing us. Tune in next week for another great set.

The National - "Baby, We'll Be Fine"


Eddie & The Hot Rods - "Do Anything You Wanna Do"


R.E.M. - "Romance"

New Radiohead/Thom Yorke LP(s) Finished?

Read, read, read! Now, now, now! Our good buddy David Greenwald from Rawkblog.net (a Los Angeles alternative music blog) has the scoop. Just to clarify: nothing is set in stone, but Radiohead has been known for busting out surprises as of late, so maybe we'll be in for a shocking release soon.

NMTM Listeners Demand Fresh Music!

Coming off our stellar return show last Friday, Jim and myself (Mike Pop) are proudly presenting our 36th installment of Never Mind the Mainstream, only on 88.3 KUR. This week, you can expect some oven-fresh tunes from real up-and-comers in the genre: The Cribs, Japandroids, Kings Of Convenience, The Tallest Man On Earth, and The xx. We've also got the latest from the legendary Peter Gabriel, who will be releasing a compilation of covers titled Scratch My Back due out February 15th. We've also have plenty more modern tracks mixed in with our usual blend of classic alternative and indie rock tunes from yesteryear. Don't miss as we also spin songs to our favorite segments, including "The Allen Reed Memorial Cover Of The Week", "The Mighty, Mighty Boss-Tune", and "The Punk Trunk!". Feel free to call into our studio line: (610)-683-4058 or IM us @ KURRequest. Folks, you're all in for another huge serving of great college radio this Friday 6-8 PM on KUR (and streaming live @ kur.kutztown.edu). Do not miss this program! Shout out to New York's 101.9 RXP Sunday night DJ, Rich Russo, who had a role in this week's "Punk Trunk!" selection.

Radiohead - "Optimistic"

Quick Tuesday Night Notes

Hey all, hope everyone's week was great. Mine was. I saw really crazy things around the community. College kids get a little wild after a few drinks. I saw that first-hand. All in all, good clean fun, for most of us. Here are some quick notes as we start the week (one day late):

+ Our first show of the year was awesome, in my opinion. We had a great time. Check out the recap here.

+ Joanna Newsom. Pretty hype for a pretty chick. Check it out here (all of it).

+ KUR participation, including volunteer work from veterans and newbies, is on the rise. I'm a proud President. More information on we're up to can be found at our web site: kur.kutztown.edu.

+ My review of Vampire Weekend's Contra has made it to the Kutztown campus newspaper, The Keystone. I'll have a link up here to that piece a little later this week. I favorite the record, as if you've been following the blog, you are well aware. It was my first crack at a legit music review so I hope it came out okay in my readers' eyes. You be the judge. Soon.

+ I've really been getting into some Whitest Boy Alive, Kings Of Convenience, and the latest from Tycho lately. SPOILER ALERT: they'll be making their way onto the show, no doubt.

+ I'm starting to become more of a morning person. Weird, I know. But I just turn on some acid jazz, lace up my running shoes and I'm out the door, ready for the day. Try it sometime, it's a great wake up.

That's all for now. Talk to you soon.

2010 Grammy's In A Nutshell

2010 Grammy's in a nutshell: Lady Ga Ga is insane, Taylor Swift wins a lot, Kings Of Leon get "Record of the Year", Stephen Colbert takes sarcastic jabs at various celebrities, and MJ's kids say a few words. Stereogum had it right; there were better things on TV last night.

UPDATE: Congratulations to The Boss, for taking home a Grammy. And I will even congratulate Kings Of Leon. The boys deserve it. Plus, they're acceptance speech was pretty great: "We're all kind of drunk right now, but the good kind of drunk." Phoenix also won a Grammy for Best Alternative Album. Way to go, gentleman. Sorry you had to be interviewed by Snooki, that orange planet of gross.