Soundcheck

All this week on Soundcheck we're revisiting the summer of 1993, and looking back at some of the biggest hits and watershed musical moments from 20 years ago. Today, writer Maura Johnston, the founder and editor of the online and app-based publication Maura Magazine, talks about some of her favorite music from that year — including The Smashing Pumpkins' Siamese Dream, PJ Harvey's Rid of Me, The Breeders' Last Splash, and SWV's single "Weak." Maura Johnston's choice selections from 1993: The Smashing Pumpkins, "Mayonaise" from Siamese Dream   PJ Harvey, "Man-Size" from Rid Of Me   The Breeders, "Saints" from Last Splash   SWV, "Weak" from It's About Time

Join Soundcheck all this week as we revisit landmark albums, singles and watershed moments that sizzled in the summer of 1993. Plus, special guests join us to look back at movies, pop culture and city life from the steamy months of '93. Today, Soundcheck continues its look back 20 years ago with music writer Maura Johnston, who shares a few of her favorite album picks from the summer of 1993 including alternative rock albums by Smashing Pumpkins and PJ Harvey. Then, Craig Fahle of WDET reflects on where he spent his summer in 1993: working in a record store in Detroit. What was Detroit's music scene like 20 years ago? Fahle sets the scene. And !!!, the California dance rock band with the hard to pronounce name (it's "chk-chk-chk," in case you didn't know), stops by the Soundcheck studio to play songs from its new record Thr!!!er.  

!!! may have a hard to pronounce name (it's "chk-chk-chk," in case you didn't know), but the group's accessibility issues end there. The California dance rock band crafts songs that'll get you moving in no time, and the band's new album Thr!!!er is no exception. The band's connections to classic pop dancers don't end with the album's nod to Michael Jackson — the funky, bass-driven single "One Girl/One Boy" features Sonia "Saja" Moore, who sang on iconic dancer and rapper MC Hammer's monster 90's hit "2 Legit 2 Quit." Since Moore isn't on the road with !!!, the band invites one lucky fan to join them on stage to sing. Let’s be grateful that the guys didn't prod Soundcheck host John Schaefer to assume the mic for their Soundcheck session. Set List: "One Girl/One Boy" "Except Death" "SLYD" Interview Highlights Nick Offer, lead singer of !!!, on the band's un-Googleable name: We started 16 years ago, and that was before Google. We just wanted a name that set us apart from all the other bands. We felt like we were completely original at that point. We wanted something that set us apart from everyone. And it has, because I don’t think most bands are still answering questions about their name after 16 years. On the coping with band members living in several different locations around the country: We never think about it. We’re like, "Okay, we're practicing in Santiago, Chile. Alright. That's what we're doing." One song was recorded in like three countries. We're all over the place. We just do whatever's clever, and we’re just like “Okay, now it's time to work! We're working." On listening hearing Stereolab for the first time on a cross-country trip in the summer of 1993: I asked what they were playing, and it was Stereolab, [Transient Random-Noise Bursts With Announcements]. I was punk at the time. It's not often that you ask the record store because they’re going to act kind of weird to you, but I had to know. And I bought it. I remember telling a friend, "It's really weird. I really like this band and they play 20 minute songs." That was really mind-blowing to us at the time because we were punk.  

This week, Soundcheck is revisiting the Summer of 1993, looking back at some of the best and most influential albums and songs from 20 years ago. Today, Ann Delisi, host of WDET's Essential Music, shares some of her own essentials, including grunge cornerstone, Nirvana's In Utero, Bjork's Debut, and a certain hit single from UB40. Plus she also reflects on discovering Sheryl Crow's country rock classic Tuesday Night Music Club before any of Detroit's major radio stations did.   Listen to a few favorite 1993 songs chosen by Ann Delisi: Nirvana, "Heart Shaped Box" from In Utero     Sheryl Crow, "Strong Enough" from Tuesday Night Music Club     Bjork, "Human Behavior" from Debut    

November of 1993 might have brought us Wu-Tang Clan's groundbreaking debut Enter The Wu-Tang: 36 Chambers, but there was still plenty going on in hip hop in the hot summer months leading up to it. There was Tag Team's "Whoomp There It Is," a certified radio hit, and the Bay Area was a hotbed for hip hop artists. On the East Coast, a rapper going by the name of Biggie Smalls debuted with "Party and Bullshit." Meanwhile, lesser-known but no-less influential hip hop albums dropped in ’93 including Digable Planets' Reachin' (A New Refutation Of Time And Space). Not only was the sound of hip hop changing, but the media landscape was changing as well, with MTV introducing more hip hop videos and radio formats embracing the new sound. NPR Music editor Frannie Kelley, who's been doing extensive coverage of hip hop's Golden Year, tells us about these artists and more in the world of hip hop during this year.  

In 1977, the young art-punk band Wire released its first record -- the seminal Pink Flag. The group put out two more well-regarded records in quick succession, fractured, and went through a few lineup changes. Now, over 35 years later, Wire is back with its 13th studio album, and it's one that looks back to those early days. That's because Change Becomes Us is comprised of updates on musical sketches and material Wire first wrote more than three decades ago for a record that never happened. Until now. The band brings those new songs to life in the studio.     Set List: "Love Bends" "Re-Invent Your Second Wheel" "Adore Your Island"  

Join Soundcheck all this week as we revisit landmark albums, singles and watershed moments that sizzled in the summer of 1993. Plus, special guests join us to look back at movies, pop culture and city life from the steamy months of '93. NPR Music editor Frannie Kelley looks back to what was happening in the world of hip hop during the summer of 1993 -- the months leading up to the release of Wu-Tang Clans seminal debut Enter The Wu-Tang: 36 Chambers, which dropped in November of that year. From Tag Team's hit "Whoomp There It Is," and albums from LL Cool J, The Roots, Digable Planets and Biz Markie and the rise of The Bay Area scene, Kelley gives us the lowdown on the hip hop of the summer. Then, WDET radio host Ann Delisi shares several albums and singles that were released -- including Bjork's Debut and Nirvana's In Utero -- and tells us why they were important to her. And the influential British post-punk band Wire performs songs from it's recently released 13th studio album, Change Becomes Us, which features updates on musical sketches first written more than 30 years ago.  Plus: Where were you in the summer of ’93 and what were you listening to? Tell us your story at 866-939-1612, send us a message on Twitter or Facebook, or leave a comment below. 

Chris Molanphy, chart columnist and NPR Music contributor, calls the summer of '93 a "dog's breakfast of assorted stuff." We're not exactly sure what that means -- but he says it's a good thing. On the charts, "there were two songs that dominated that summer -- one was by Janet Jackson, 'That's The Way Love Goes,'" he says. "And the other was a light reggae cover of the Elvis Presley classic 'Can't Help Falling In Love' by the reggae band UB40."  But those weren't the only big songs of that summer. "There was a record that peaked at number two that summer that I would argue was even more omnipresent," Molanphy says. "'Whoomp! There It Is' by the Atlanta duo Tag Team.... it was very bass heavy, kind of booty shaking music, kind of perfect for blasting out of your Jeep."  The summer of '93 was also a big one for Pearl Jam -- even though they hadn't put out a new album in several years. "Pearl Jam's 'Ten' was by this point a little less than two years old," says Molanphy. "You can kind of think of Pearl Jam in the summer of 1993 as the presence or the elephant in the room. They were still everywhere."  Gangster rap also was also in the air during the summer of '93 -- particularly Dr. Dre's "The Chronic," which was released at the end of 1992. "In the spring, [Dr.] Dre and his protege, Snoop Doggy Dog, as he was known back then, had a huge number two hit with 'Nuthin' But a G Thang,'" says Molanphy. "And in the summer of '93 he had another followup hit called 'Dre Day' and he had a third followup hit called 'Let Me Ride.'"  What were you listening to during the summer of '93? Leave us a comment below, or leave us a voicemail at 866 939 1612.

Join Soundcheck all this week as we revisit albums, singles and watershed moments that sizzled in the summer of 1993. Hear about landmark releases from Liz Phair, Biz Markie, Sheryl Crow, Smashing Pumpkins, Bjork, Nirvana, PJ Harvey and more. Plus, special guests join us to look back at movies, pop culture and city life from the steamy months of '93. Chris Molanphy kicks things off with a look at the pop charts from May through September of that year. He sheds light on the big sellers, hit singles, and his personal favorites. Then, Sarah Neufeld, the Montreal-based violinist most known for her playing with Arcade Fire, the Luyas, and Little Scream stops by the Soundcheck studio to perform songs from her adventurous new solo record, Hero Brother. Plus: Where were you in the summer of ’93 and what were you listening to? Tell us your story at 866-939-1612, send us a message on Twitter or Facebook, or leave a comment below. 

Usually when we hear Sarah Neufeld's violin, it's soaring over jangly guitars, pounding drums, and the full-throated cry of Arcade Fire. She's also been heard performing with Montreal-based indie rock bands The Luyas and Little Scream. Yet Neufeld has also been exploring her instrument on her own. Her immersive new album, Hero Brother, puts the spotlight on the violin in a way that combines minimalism, improvisation, and her own rock experience to propel her stomping, layered compositions. For more photos, visit Soundcheck's Tumblr page.     Set List: "Hero Brother" "Dirt" "Wrong Thought" Sarah Neufeld plays Rockwood Music Hall on August 28.

It's one thing to write a book about a polarizing act like the beloved, yet divisive jamband Phish or the carny-rap impresarios of Insane Clown Posse. It's something else entirely to write a book about both Phish and Insane Clown Posse. In his new book You Don't Know Me But You Don’t Like Me, Nathan Rabin chronicles his adventures with "two of music's most maligned tribes" and searches for common ground among two very different fan communities. Along the way, Rabin is diagnosed with a bipolar disorder and his personal life begins to unravel.  INTERVIEW HIGHLIGHTS Nathan Rabin on Phishheads:  They're caricatured as being hippies, being lazy, being drug-addled, being slackers, contributing nothing to society. And over my travels, I found that to be very much not the case. I found their fanbase to be incredibly eclectic. A lot of them are really, really smart -- a lot of academics. There's something about Phish fandom that is very conducive to being a bit of a geek, a bit of an audiophile -- to the sort of obsessive fandom. On Juggalo culture: I loved visiting the Gathering of the Juggalos, which is their festival in Cave-in-Rock, Ill., every year. I've come to really, really embrace it. There's freedom -- freedom from judgment, in particular, and freedom from self-consciousness.  How a book about these two bands ultimately became a book about his personal life: What was supposed to be a pop-sociological tome... became this crazy story of my path through these seemingly disparate worlds that actually have a lot in common. They both offer this incredible sense of escape. Following ICP or following Phish is about as close as you can get in 2013 to running away to join the circus. And in the summer of 2011, when a lot of the book takes place, that was incredibly appealing to me: the concept of running away from my life. 

If you’re interested in picking up vinyl copies of Frankie Rose’s Interstellar, Queen’s Flash Gordon, or Sonny Rollins’s The Bridge, you don’t have to go on a record store treasure hunt or dig through bins in a garage sale. You can find all of these records at Urban Outfitters, the hip and often pricey clothing chain. Chris Chafin penned the Village Voice article “Is It OK to Buy Records at Urban Outfitters?” He joins Thomas Bernich, the owner of the vinyl processing plant Brooklynphono, for a discussion about buying vinyl in this modern age. Chris Chafin, on stumbling upon a large selection of quality records at Urban Outfitters: I thought, like I say in the article, it would be basically the record version of a college dorm room poster sale. The Doors, Britney Spears for kitsch value, and then that would be it, and onto hamburger phones. But there was a lot of stuff….I started flipping and I thought it would be very quick, but there’s just bins and bins and bins. It was actually pretty fun to look through. I think my lunch was cold by the time I got back. Thomas Bernich, on why he would be happy if Urban Outfitters carried his vinyl: The medium is the message, so seeing it in Urban Outfitters feels good…. We’re not going to evaporate tomorrow as an industry. And in the same breath I see it going to little places all over. I know it’s OK. Also, I hear Dinosaur Jr. now, and this is something that I didn’t hear everywhere ages ago. So it has the evolution. I see the little things eventually evolving, and customers like that. Chafin, on why labels like to stock their records in Urban Outfitters: The people I spoke with at Sub Pop said they were so happy not just to be put in front of that audience, which is mostly college kids, but Urban works with them on all sorts of stuff, like making temporary tattoos that say Sub Pop, putting up big window displays for them. And for a label like that, which has a big name but a lot of their great releases are maybe a little bit in the past, like early Nirvana, stuff like that, they’re thrilled to get in front of that audience. Other people I spoke with say [that] nobody buys one record. If you’re going to buy a record and a record player, you’re hooked.

In this episode: We hear about a surprising (and successful) new place to buy and sell vinyl records -- the hip clothing chain, Urban Outfitters. Plus: Los Angeles folk-rock band Dawes is no stranger to the road -- their travels have taken them from the rolling hills of California, all the way to Rwanda. Their latest album is called Stories Don’t End -- they play some of it live. And: We talk with author Nathan Rabin about his adventures with fans of the bands Phish and Insane Clown Posse, which he writes about in his new book, You Don’t Know Me But You Don’t Like Me.

The Los Angeles-based folk rock band Dawes plays songs from their new album, Stories Don't End in the Soundcheck studio. Dawes is a group that is no stranger to the road -- their travels have taken them from the rolling hills of California, all the way to Rwanda. Along the way they’ve shared the stage with acts like Jackson Browne, Bob Dylan, and Alison Krauss. The band joins producer Gretta Cohn in a stripped-down setting to discuss their travels, the new album -- which was influenced in part by the work of writer, novelist and journalist Joan Didion -- and storytelling in song. Plus, they play live. Set List: • From A Window Seat • Most People • Side Effects

Belize and Canada are two countries that you might not expect to mesh musically. Yet The Garifuna Collective and Danny Michel are proving otherwise. The Garifuna Collective has spent a career playing the music of Central America's Afro-American community. Their new album Ayó serves as a tribute to its late bandleader, Andy Palacio, and the beginning of a new chapter for the band, which includes Michel. The Canadian singer-songwriter tapped The Garifuna Collective to inject their Central American sounds into his new record Black Birds Are Dancing Over Me. Michel and The Garifuna Collective perform songs from both of their records in the studio. For more photos, visit Soundcheck's Tumblr page.