If you ever wondered what two of the coolest mags on campus do when they are not producing issues and web content, we bring you just a glimpse of the shenanigans. You might be surprised at what you’ll see from a bunch of nighthawks used to the Newhouse labs. There is nothing more fascinating than a group of AP Style junkies stuck on the quad on a rainy Syracuse afternoon kicking a red ball around.
There was sweat, tears and most definitely blood.
In case you were wondering- Score: 20 Watts (8) | Jerk (4)
Love and stereo,
– 20 Watts
Filed under: Uncategorized
So what do you get when you combine sick jams about ninjas, sung by self identified Zef trio (South african slang for white trash) and the miracle of internet? How about a sick viral phenomenon that caused Hetzner, a South African hosting provider, to disable their hosting account following massive bandwidth overage. Name of the phenom: Die Antwoord.
This South African trio has emerged on the scene in 2009. While slightly rough around the edges to say the least, once you get past the mildly morbid exterior, there is a raw talents that challenges most contemporary standards of the music industry.
If you think Gaga extravaganza is the pinnacle of modern artistic expression, hang up your coca-cola hair curlers and give these guys a gander. You will be gladly surprised to what frontiers Internet is taking the music industry.
–Irina Dvalidze, Co-Multimedia Editor
Filed under: Editor Picks, Industry News, Uncategorized | Tags: Devendra Banhart
Devendra Banhart's new video features a few good acts
While everyone has been going insane over the new Gaga video, the real artists have been putting out some work we can actually enjoy. The very awesome and much beloved Devendra Banhart has finally collaborated with MGMT‘s Andrew VanWyngarden and the Strokes‘Fabrizio Moretti to grace the public with a very trippy and very fun piece. Animated aliens, cigarette shaped spaceship, a butt-hole planet, a baby and a few visuals you have to see to believe, simply scratch the surface of the genius Banhart personifies.
Check out the video here
–Irina Dvalidze
Preview: Make sure you check out Audiocandyradio.com
It is Thursday night and 20 Watts Radio is on Audiocandy. Make sure you tune cause we have something sooo mind-blowing lined up for you, you simply cannot ignore it. Tonight we have the sassy and highly talented Keith Smith and Farasha Baylock of The Fly joining us for an awesome set of chit-chat and live performances. Hear what they have to say about music, being an artist in Cuse and much much more.
To tune in Click Here.
Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: andrew bird, Aphex Twin, Arcade Fire, Beirut, Belle & Sebastian, Choir of young believers, Daft Punk, deer tick, Deerhunter, Devendra Banhart, Edward Sharpe & The Magnetic Zeros, Explosions in the Sky, Fleet Foxes, Girls, Kanye West, Kings of Convenience, Mika, Neon Indian, pavement, Peter Sarstedt, Ra Ra Riot, Siouxsie & The Banshees, St. Vincent, The Antlers, The Cool Kids, The Hold Steady, The Red Hot Chili Peppers, The Rural Alberta Advantage, the static jacks, the white stripes, Vampire Weekend
20 WATTS RADIO: THURSDAY FEB 25TH ON AUDIOCANDY
Preview: Make sure you check out Audiocandyradio.com
It is Thursday night and 20 Watts Radio is on Audiocandy. Make sure you tune in and don’t miss out on our great selection of awesome tunes. We have some cool news happening at 20 Watts you simply cant miss. We are gonna give you a run down on some local shows that will be happening this weekend. If you are in Cuse you are most likely snowed in anyway, so join us for a quick getaway as we give you a run down of the awesome stuff you can do in Syracuse once this snow melts. Not to mention if you wanna request a song, all you need to do it tweet at you host here. So make sure to join 20 Watts on Auodiocandy 10 pm sharp. To tune in Click Here.
Show Playlist
Filed under: Releases of the Week | Tags: “Easy”, “Good Intentions Paving Company”, Have One On Me, Joanna Newsom
Joanna Newsom releases her third studio album Have One On Me
PREVIEW: VISIT Joanna Newsom’s MySpace
WE GIVE IT: 16/20 Watts
Joanna Newsom has been well known for her exceptional songwriting skills, quirky persona and harp proficiency. While she may not be every music lover’s ideal match, this undeniably gifted Californian can be credited for rescuing the harp medium from hotel room lobbies and your grandmother’s dinner-table music library. While claiming credit for all those achievements, it has been over 4 years since her last studio album. Luckily, after several false alarms, the wait is finally over with Have One On Me.
All we can say is that the time was well worth it, with an album spanning over three discs and two hours and eight minutes. If nothing else, the release is completely massive, containing a mindboggling amount of pieces. What is even more interesting about the album is that it actually puts all of this space to good use. It has variety, great beats, memorable melodies and more importantly, it is never boring. Quite an accomplishment for a two hour album.
Newsom’s voice is absolutely captivating. It is unusually refreshing, with a capacity for both extremely vocal notes and mellow/raspy jazzy arrangements. Tracks “Good Intentions Paving Company” and “Easy” are a perfect example of Newsom’s range as an artist. She maintains her signature avant garde qualities retaining a mass appeal. The entire album is incredibly melodic and natural. It is a light, simple listen dominated with hushed tones and low tunes, only occasionally laced with high notes where necessary.
Lyrically minimalistic, the record relies primarily on melodies for range. The lyrics are secondary to the melodies to such an extent that they become unnoticeable at times, merely supporting the melancholy tunes that captive the listeners.
Have One On Me balances a variety of sounds, all of which are evident throughout. Newsom gathers a bevy of sounds– you can hear everything from smoky, room cabaret tunes to Japanese influenced melodies, to what sounds like a much needed update to Lord of the Rings soundtrack.
The entire release stays true to Newsom’s artistic capabilities while retaining her commercial appeal. It is full of simply beautiful music that doesn’t require much effort from the listener. It flows through smoothly as a nice backdrop to a relaxing day.
–Irina Dvalidze
Filed under: 20W Magazine, Issue 20, On-Campus Artists | Tags: 20 Watts Video, Delirium
Marcus Neal aka Delirium, may seem like an ordinary SU freshman at a first glance but there is much more to this Jersey native than meets the eye. Looks like he has been taking the campus by storm since he stepped first his foot at SU. You’ve read about him in our Sound-Alikes section so now its time you give him a listen and check out what he has to say about his music, his inspirations and hopes for the future.
– Video by Paris Peckerman
