WNRN Archives - RVA Mag

Back To Back Gold

Kieran Cleary | January 28, 2021

Topics: Ammunition, charlottesville music, Gold Connections, Like A Shadow, Virginia bands, Virginia music, Will Marsh, WNRN

In spite of the contrasts between the two releases, digging into both the new EP from Charlottesville’s Gold Connections and their previous EP reveals equally great results.

Gold Connections, a Charlottesville-based underground-arena rock band led by guitarist/songwriter Will Marsh, released a new EP, Ammunition, early last November. Their hometown certainly enjoys them; Ammunition is ranked 46 on WNRN Charlottesville’s listener picked Top 100 Albums of 2020. Over the past months, I’ve heard Ammunition tracks “Bleed” and “Stick Figures” on the independent radio station’s playlist, as well as a cover of the Grateful Dead’s “Friend of the Devil.”

Ammunition follows the band’s previous EP release from March 2019, Like A Shadow. Both are quick listens. Short and sweet can be great, and neither of these albums will fail to make an impact.

In what context do they belong? On long car drives when you are eagerly switching albums with your significant other/co-pilot, or when you’re doing just what I’m doing as I write this – taking a short afternoon break from virtual responsibilities. I could plug in corded headphones, sit next to a big receiver stereo, and enjoy either of these albums in a sitting. Both have a smooth, kick-back-in-your-socks rock feel. My favorite individual tracks overall are “Like A Shadow,” “Don’t Tell Me Your Dreams,” “Turn,” “Locust Days” and “Stick Figures.”

In a big world of music, why listen to this band in particular? I’m on the fence about whether the best reason is for the philosophy debates or for the refreshing melodic constructions that shift with deft and whimsical wiliness. One of my favorite of their lyrics comes from “Plague 8,” off their first full-length, Popular Fiction. The title is one of several that suggest the songwriter’s background interest in Judaism. The lyrics are empowering and liberating.

I’m not in love with anyone or anything
I am enchanted by the pow’r and the pain
Of being in the world of
Pure emotion
The audio was coming in, but the image was not clear
The colors covered me but soon they just disappear
Into a world of pure emotion
It’s pure emotion

Critics have filed this group’s sound in the tradition of acoustic Springsteen, or Neil Young. Some of this territory that Gold Connections covers — folk melody with a western, outlaw inspiration — manifests on Ammunition. The opening title track is an innocent, modern outlaw rock song, where the speaker is a youth in suburbia seeking refuge from his lover’s disapproving mom. The speaker is getting in trouble for love and calls to his “baby” to help him defend their relationship. I generally don’t find guns charming; one of my mom’s favorite contradictions is that of Foster the People’s “Pumped Up Kicks,” with its dark, subversive lyrics and seemingly gentle, harmless melody. “Ammunition” feels more rugged and raw but still, “love bullets” fly right under my radar, and this outlaw couple is indeed charming.

“But you don’t get hung, just hung up” in this world of optimism for a future that still shares the pain of starting over — when memories of the library, of getting drunk, listening to music, and taking out the trash, are “dating,” and getting hung up on love makes one a kind of criminal. According to the song, unlike murder or a robbery, being in love (/failing) is comparable to a crime. It “happens to everyone” and “takes some time.” Big thank you to contemporary songwriters. Often, your words are a comfort and justice for all the silent thoughts I keep to myself.

Funnily, according to their updated website, this band accepts fan emails containing “suggestions and/or feelings.” So that’s track two, “Stick Figures.” Poppy, in a nutshell. It goes for a catalogue of all things awesome — like one of my old favorites, Bowling for Soup’s “1985” — but this one celebrates the trials of love in the “Late Obama Era.” The speaker rallies and winds up staying up late, watching the TV of his memories.

So far, the album’s approach is light, humorous, colorful. Pop rock with a twang. The band classifies themselves as “arena rock for the underground,” and I’d say that their catalogue of lifestyle images is within my own bubble. Therefore, my opinions about how well it meshes with people outside of my bubble would be distorted. By the way, I’d also like to see a photo of an underground arena. I think it’s an oxymoron.

Track three, “Bleed,” re-incorporates another of the group’s penchants for heavy, grunge rock sounds. It heavy-handedly mixes dark metaphors, but then rises out of confusion to simply sing, “You’re in my heart.” Could you love any more than a love that makes you bleed? Can you suffer any further past breaking strings? This song expresses a rebellious devotion. Neither person can be defined or depended upon, but both people can make the other bleed or cry. The limits of their relationship are undefined, and working things out is a mark of the individual’s strengths.

Track four, “Fortune,” addresses anger and death. A sustained, rapid tempo runs through this whole album, and this song is no exception; the texture is free and wandering, but polished like dice. Creative and scattered lyrics contrast with the music. The sound is a refreshing pick-me-up. The bass rhythm is strong, but like the singing voice, is light and bright. Anger finds a beautiful release. I enjoy the metaphor of “sticking around,” meaning one must play their fortune.

Track five, “Slow Diving.” Here, I want to recount the most instantaneous, bizarre crowd transformation I have ever seen: when Tame Impala took the stage at Bonnaroo in 2013, and the crowd collapsed into half its volume in ten seconds. Tripping on the windy western guitar waves, the final track on Ammunition takes me to a great place that makes me think of Tame Impala or Mac DeMarco. I like the contrast of bright lead guitar notes with the dark rhythmic strumming at the end. The suspended tension makes me feel like I’m watching the Windows Media Player visualizer. The cycling and inverting of a sound. How it seems to collapse and restore itself from nothing.

*Photo by Graham Barbour, via Gold Connections/Facebook*

This is a quick album, and a quick listen. These are all short, up-tempo tracks, and they achieve a polished and cool sound. It fits with the band’s name, Gold Connections, because I find their sound to be bright and inspired by light.

But then again, there is also their 2019 EP, Like A Shadow. This is Gold Connections crooning for a “melancholy baby.” Heavy, semi-distorted vocals on the rock edge, and a classic, good melody that haunts me – I’m grasping at straws, as they say, and trying to place the nostalgic feelings I have. Intro notes of the title track play, and I’m in the 80’s listening to “Jessie’s Girl,” but I fall back, back, back to relax into a riff with the dramatic potential (see arena rock) of John Cougar Mellencamp, and the even-ness in delivery of Tom Petty. Something I like about Will Marsh’s music is deft development of melody – lots of tension and buildup with the guitar strumming. This song takes the mellow route with a great fade-out.

Track two — “Locust Days.” Love the open references to religious influences on each of Will’s albums. This song is an honest dedication to the band — another one of those I liked this year was Car Seat Headrest’s “What’s With You Lately?” On “Locust Days,” I enjoy broad references to my love, my God, and “The West,” which contrast with concrete images – a road trip to D.C. and roadside cigarettes. The memories feel cherished and unique. “The West” is broad and big and bold, and invokes feelings of excitement inspired by the highway on an adventure. I often think of Bob Dylan when I hear Will Marsh’s expansive references, and I feel that they carry big musical inspirations with them, to which they dedicate their music. Musical and light, this song builds up to bright and gentle sounds, a pretty “round” at the end. “We want summer all the time.”

Track three – “Don’t Tell Me Your Dreams.” Intro to this song has a pretty verse that picks up immediately, is kind of complicated and leads into a complicated refrain. There isn’t much time for a breath in this song, and I think it plays nicely by picking up the after the previous song’s final repetitive ending; it even speaks back to it with a little irony. Acoustic guitar and the favorite vocalist style. This song discusses the blues, but quickly, like it doesn’t have time for the past, and has a beautiful ending that really leaves the listener in a different place from where they began, still perplexed about what just happened. So deft and complex is the song construction.

Track four – “Turn.” This song takes a flat intro, bending it down into a major chord. Where does it take me? To the liminal, slow Beatles songs like “Girl,” or “I’m Only Sleeping.” But then, it’s also retro in its approach, more like their early music, because it appeals to boys and girls getting together to dance. Acoustic guitar picking is very warm and distinctive, and the feel of venturing, perhaps into another genre… The vocals play off the warmth by fading upwards into a sharp, cooler note. Playful, entrancing and static, because the title calls for a turn, rather than a step into the unknown. Rhythm is spot on and so well done, as it leads a listener confidently through the weaving pattern of this song. I like the way it almost leans to and fro, mirroring the wavering vocals of the refrain.

In all, both of these albums, Ammunition and Like a Shadow, end in a very cool, modern dance-rock space. I think Like A Shadow is a little more introspective and melancholic than the tougher Ammunition, but listeners will find that both albums finish looking outward on the unknown future. Gold Connections has an inspiring, refreshing rock sound, and I most look forward to hearing this music (and really any music) live.

Top Photo via Gold Connections/Bandcamp

No Dead Air

David Tran | September 25, 2020

Topics: boomtown richmond, local radio, low power fm richmond va, music, richmond radio stations, the bridge, the mater, the work, WNRN, WRIR, WRWK

Local, independent radio stations are a unique piece of culture in their communities. We caught up with Richmond-area radio stations to see what it’s like to operate an independent station in the modern world of corporate-controlled playlists and syndicated DJs.

In an industry that is experiencing financial stagnation and a steady increase in banal programming, local independent radio stations are challenging the notion that the medium of terrestrial radio will go anywhere anytime soon.

For countless radio disc jockeys, on-air personalities, and station managers, the mission is to provide a voice and outlet for their community. The radio has been an illustrious and amplifying source for exactly that.

However, over past decades, the industry has not been the same force to be reckoned with as it once was. In 2019, there were 510 broadcast announcers and radio disc jockeys in Virginia, according to data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Just ten years ago, there were 800 employed in that same field.

Not all hope is lost, though. According to a 2019 Nielson study, terrestrial radio still reaches 92 percent of the population. The reach is higher than other platforms like television and mobile devices. Low-power FM stations are also on a rise: as of March 2020, there are 2,159 low-power FM stations in the U.S., nearly a 150 percent increase from 2010.

Providing a platform for the unheard, Richmond’s all-volunteer independent radio station, WRIR 97.3 FM, stays at the forefront of all things local and culture. And while it certainly has the highest profile with RVA Mag’s readership, WRIR is far from the only independent radio outlet Richmonders have access to. Independent radio stations are adapting to the rapid evolution of media and technology, adjusting their formats and accessibility to cater to the needs and wants of the Richmond area.

From music to talk shows, low-power FM stations have established a local foothold. Low-power stations like WRIR are required to be run by nonprofit organizations (schools, churches, Native American tribes, etc); their signals are allowed to cover about a four-mile radius. Like many low-power stations, Richmond’s 103.3 The Bridge is commercial-free and runs entirely by volunteers and donations.

Listeners of The Bridge can end their Wednesday night jamming out to Richmond’s underground music scene, including tracks from artists who are often overlooked.

“My goal as a DJ is to bring in new, emerging queer pop artists, with a focus on femme, trans, and non-binary people,” said Erin Gerety, Music Director of The Bridge.

That’s what Gerety hopes listeners will appreciate after tuning in to the station’s weekly “Little Rascal’s School Night Slumber Party” segment.

The Bridge’s mission is to highlight local artists, like Baby Grill, Gnawing, and Alfred. Gerety, who uses they/them pronouns, said they currently try to play two local songs an hour, and plan to increase the rotation to five.

As the singer for local band BUTT, Gerety is involved with the local music scene in a variety of ways. Before coming to The Bridge, Gerety was a DJ, and briefly the hip-hop director, at WRIR. Based on their prior radio experiences at WRIR Gerety decided to take on the task as music director at The Bridge.

The station has given them an opportunity to feature a diverse range of local artists, including “total weirdo music,” they said, “that wouldn’t be played elsewhere.” The Bridge allows Gerety to pre-record their programs, which allows them to record consistently regardless of their busy schedule and gives them full creative control over what is played.

“Working with The Bridge, I have the opportunity to run a regular program that I can take a deep-dive in,” they said. “It’s an exciting and different way of working, [and it] has allowed me a lot more freedom.”

One of the ways WRIR has achieved its closeness with local culture is through its prominent location in downtown Richmond, within a mile of VCU’s campus. But rest assured, if you live a little farther away from the city center, there are local independent stations based in your area as well.

Since 1998, Hanover County’s source of old-school throwbacks and local news has been WHAN, The Mater, 102.9 FM.

Before WHAN established itself as a strong Ashland-area source of music, it began as a talk radio station. For a short period of time, the station was leased to the University of Virginia, where music was weaved into the programming. When station owner Bill Roberts regained full control in 2017, the more music-oriented format was locked in.

While WHAN is known to play oldies — such as The Beatles or Jefferson Starship — in recent years, it has expanded to play a variety of music across a plethora of genres and eras, from the Grateful Dead to the Panic! At The Disco.

“We play some British artists. I played a German group today,” Roberts said. “We’ve got a pretty [diverse] mixture of artists.”

In the Ashland area, WHAN is best known for its local sports coverage. From Randolph-Macon College football to Hanover County high school sports, WHAN has widely covered sports in the area since 2011.

Rob Witham, operations manager of WHAN, came to the station as a sports announcer with previous experience in corporate radio. He said there is a disconnect nowadays between corporate stations and locals.

“One of radio’s greatest gifts has always been its way to connect with the local community,” he said. “And stations who don’t do it, do it at their own peril.”

Witham emphasized WHAN’s commitment to the Hanover community. The station broadcasts from local events like the Ashland Strawberry Faire and the Hanover Tomato Festival.

“If there’s something happening in our community, we’re going to be broadcasting live,” Witham said. “So people see us, they know we’re there, and that we care about things they care about.”

Over the years, WHAN has ventured into different types of talk shows and non-musical programming. They host a Sunday program targeted to the Richmond-area Hispanic population.

“Because we’re small and have nothing to lose, we can try things,” Roberts said. “We can experiment and do things that, maybe, other stations would be reluctant to do.”

The name Christopher Maxwell is a familiar one in some local radio circles. Having helped to start WRIR, Maxwell is also the founder of WRWK, The Work, 93.9. He created the community-based station because he wanted to provide an outlet for local voices to “push the needle” for progressive change.

WRWK focuses on talk shows involving local voices. They have interviewed candidates for local office, including those whose voices aren’t often heard in local media. They’ve broadcasted from a variety of local political events over their years of operation, including the 2017 Women’s March and the Virginia 7th Congressional District Debate.

“If we want to create a conversation across silos,” Maxwell said, “and one where humanity can become what’s [ultimately] possible, I need to go to that edge.”

That edge was Chesterfield County. A few months after being on-air, Maxwell saw changes in the county that he believes WRWK was a catalyst for. He noted the unseating of Congressman David Brat, a Republican, by Rep. Abigail Spanberger, the first Democratic representative of the 7th District in Virginia since 1970.

The Work’s operation depends on listeners’ contributions. One way the station receives donations is through fundraisers. Their next fundraiser is happening Saturday, September 26, at Rick’s Rock Cafe. They will, of course, be live-streaming from the venue.

Turn the dial to 92.9 FM, and you’ll find WBTL, the station known as Boomtown Richmond. Classics like The Beatles (who provide the station’s call letters) and beloved old-school local bands like Ron Moody And The Centaurs will be playing. Station owner Mike Mazursky started radio broadcasting in Richmond in 1996, and recently he noticed there was not a prominent station dedicated to oldies music from the 1950-1980s era. WBTL was born three years ago.

“I knew it was a huge opportunity for me to be the exclusive radio station for classic hits and oldies,” Mazursky said.

*PHOTO: WBTL, Boomtown Richmond, 92.9 FM.*

The coronavirus pandemic has created challenges for radio stations across the country and in Virginia, but it’s had a particularly tough effect for some independent stations. For WHAN, it wiped out months of planned programming.

“This is the first year since I’ve been [at WHAN] that we haven’t been able to do local sports because of the coronavirus,” Roberts said.

Faced with these challenges, local stations have gotten creative. WHAN filled some gaps in programming by spending a week playing their entire main music library of 4,000 songs in alphabetical order, a move that garnered positive feedback from their audience.

Pre-pandemic, Witham hosted a sports talk show that primarily focused on local high school and college sports. Since the pandemic, the show has shifted to sports news, concentrating on the ramifications of COVID-19 on the sports world.

“We do a lot of discussion about mental health issues,” Witham said. “We have experts on the air talking about that; how the pandemic is affecting student athletes and coaches.”

For Mazursky at Boomtown, it’s important to inform the station’s Baby Boomer demographic with coronavirus updates. Mazursky also owns WULT, Ultra Richmond, 94.1 FM, a Spanish-language radio station. WULT works with Sacred Heart Center and Capital Area Health Network to distribute masks and hand sanitizers at events.

As the radio landscape continues to evolve, local independent radio stations constantly adapt. The public shift toward streaming services threatened the mere existence of radio, and local stations including Boomtown, The Bridge, and The Work all have live streaming on their websites to make themselves more accessible in the streaming era.

At a time when the most powerful commercial stations beam in nationally syndicated DJs from far-flung locales, these independent radio stations are bringing a much-needed local touch that sets them apart. Whether spotlighting the local music scene or foregrounding social issues, their commitment to the local community shines through. It seems they won’t go radio silent anytime soon.

Top Photo by Jonathan Velasquez on Unsplash