Whew!

When I read online that New York City's WRXP was dropping the Rock Experience branding tightening up the playlist in a "pure rock" direction . I nearly panicked as I pictured Black Sabbath Weekends and Godsmack supersets.

Apparently not on Program Director Leslie Fram's watch. So far the changes seem to be fine tuning rather than radical revamp. Here's a random hour:

Close to Me -- The Cure
Hemorrhage (In My Hands) -- Fuel
Owner of a Lonely Heart -- Yes
Today -- Smashing Pumpkins
American Slang -- The Gaslight Anthem
Bad Reputation -- Joan Jett
Learn to Fly -- Foo Fighters
In the End -- Linkin Park
Blue Monday -- New Order
Enter Sandman -- Metallica
What You Need -- INXS
Tighten Up -- The Black Keys
Ring of Fire -- Social Distortion

What they seem to have gotten rid of was the pre 1977 rock, which was tricky to mix in with the modern stuff. The problem with the station wasn't that no one was listening, it was that people didn't listen very long. The people who wanted to hear Against Me weren't the same as the ones who wanted to hear Jethro Tull. The station also seems to continue its transition from a particularly hip AAA station to a particularly hip Active Rock-Modern Rock hybrid.

Hope this works.

Essential 11 for June

Hello again. It's been awhile but I've got some posts that have been marinating for a while that I'll be getting to you. In the meantime here's a Canadian heavy essential 11 -- the songs your alternative/AAA station ought to be playing.

21 @ 12 -- Hot Hot Heat They're back and herkier-jerkier than ever. For some reason CFNY 9probably because it is faster & louder) is playing "Goddess of the Prarie", Can't wait to hear the rest of the album.

American Slang -- The Gaslight Anthem The boys from New Brunswick have streamlined and toughened their sound, but also have gotten more creative with their guitar work. WWCD is already playing the follow up "The Boxer" no, not the one who squndered his resistance with a pocket full of mumbles such are promises.

Junebug -- Robert Francis A really punchy rocker about a love lost, possibly to drugs crossing over from NPR AAA to your finer alternative stations everywhere.

I Should Have Known It -- Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers Wow do they rock on this one, harder than they've had in a while. No chance this crosses over from AAA though. Shame. Yeah I'm a fan. So sue me.

Crash Years -- New Pornographers Just when I'm about to write this off as pleasant but dull the whistling chorus breaks in and hooks me for reasons I'm unable to fathom.

The Suburbs -- Arcade Fire Sounds jaunty, quite different from the heavy, apocalyptic Neon Bible. Then you read the lyrics -- still apocalytic after all these years. Check the single out on the website. You can actual use your mouse to play the single. Not the ideal way to listen to their music (the song kept slowing to a stop when the mouse slipped off hte disc) but still lots of fun.

Wait Up (Boots of Danger) -- Tokyo Police Club Indie faves from the Suburbs of Toronto. Not sure what the song means but damn it's catchy. Not getting a lot of airplay yet other than CFNY where it's a big hit.

Drunk Girls -- LCD Soundsystem Hilarious video that ends up with James Murphy (who is LCD Soundsystem) and two band members (I assume) getting duck taped together and pummled by rowdies in the world's worst dog costumes (at least I think they're dog costumes)

My Time -- Minus the Bear In which a crtics fave cult band makes its move from progressive indie to synth pop. They keep it interesting and challenging enough to ward off the inevitable sellout brickbats.

Amongst the Waves -- Pearl Jam Do I really have to sell you on Pearl Jam? Really?

Immigraniada (We Comin' Rougher) -- Gogol Bordello Punk, world music and folk poured into a blender with lyrics that leave no mistake on where they stand on the recent immigration backlash (agin it of course) all played with passion, anger and pure energy.