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Carlo Mantuano

Carlo has loved music ever since his parents played Was Not Was and Blood, Sweat and Tears albums in the car when he was a toddler. His favorite album when he was five was Steely Dan's monster album "Aja" and the first album he bought was Kanye West's "College Dropout."

Pink Floyd Set to Release New Album This Fall

The great classic rock band Pink Floyd is about to come with their first album in twenty years. The band just celebrated their twentieth anniversary of their 1994 album The Division Bell on July 1st with huge rerelease. The new album, which is entitled, The Endless River will be mostly made up from recordings from the 1994 sessions.

The announcement of the album came from David Gilmour’s wife Polly Samson on twitter. The tweet reads, “Btw Pink Floyd album out in October is called ‘The Endless River’. Based on 1994 sessions is Rick Wright’s swansong and very beautiful.”

The announcement came rather out of the blue, but Rolling Stone Magazine confirmed the release with Gilmour’s representatives. Besides hearing from Gimour’s camp, Durga McBroom-Hudsona, singer who toured with the band in the 80s and 90s, confirmed the album on her Facebook as well.

The album will consist of completely unreleased songs.

World Cup

US Eliminated by Belgium 2-1 in World Cup Thriller

Today, the United States Soccer Team lost 2-1 in extra time in their World Cup match against Belgium.

The 2014 World Cup in Brazil just entered its knockout stage where the top sixteen teams in the tournament advanced. US and Belgium were slated to play the last match from this current round and the winner would be the last member of the top eight to move on.

Belgium had not lost a game in Brazil coming into the match against the US, while the US barely moved on from their “group of death” with Germany. Despite their perfect record, Belgium had been thought to have under performed with their level of talent on the roster. Yet the Belgian side still posed a tremendous challenge against a US squad with their injured star striker Jozy Altidore not ready to make any contribution.

The game was thrilling all the way until the end and regular time did not yield a goal. Tim Howard, the US goalie, made an astonishing sixteen saves for the offensively stagnant US side. At the end of regulation, the US got their chance to take the lead when midfielder Jermaine Jones headed a ball right in front of striker Chris Wondolowski, who mistimed his kick and sent the ball flying right.

Belgium attacked with vigor throughout the game and finally got their break when Kevin De Bruyne scored just three minutes after extra time started. If the US was not devastated enough at that point, Romelu Lukaku buried in a second goal just twelve minutes later.

After Belgium’s second goal, it seemed that all was lost for the US. Yet, in the 107th minute, two minutes after Lukaku’s goal, nineteen year old sub Julian Green connected a volley from midfielder Michael Bradley into the back of the net. This goal gave the US hope and lit a fire under the team.

The US attacked with pace and urgency and had numerous attempts to tie the game. One of them being on a set piece where captain Clint Dempsey almost put it away from a couple of feet outside the goal.

At the end of the day, Belgium withstood the relenting attack by the US and sealed their date with Argentina in the quarterfinals. Many American fans must be thinking “what if,” but the US should hang their head high on this performance for they showed tremendous heart and resilience.

4 Classic Party Songs

Every party needs music. Most of the stuff being played is going to be popular music on the charts now or released recently. However, these songs have their place in any party playlist, can fit with any crowd and really get the party going.

Ignition Remix by R. Kelly

I’m pretty sure by now that every white college student can recite the lyrics to this song by heart. And why not? It’s such a fun song to sing along to and always gets the whole party singing together. Make sure everybody is feeling pleasantly buzzed before putting this song on. That being said, “Ignition Remix” is the song that can take your party to another level in the span of only a couple minutes.

Just a Friend by Biz Markie

Party guests will break out the golden pipes for this one. Biz Markie struck gold with this hit that takes the hook from the 1968 Freddie Scott song “You Got What I Need.” This is another song that gets better the longer you wait to play it. Hearing people try and sing those high notes in the chorus will not only ensure laughter, but sometimes even applause. Plus, the simple piano line and drum beat is infectious enough to keep people on the dance floor.

Jumpin’, Jumpin’ by Destiny’s Child

When this song came out, Destiny’s Child was at their prime. Fifteen years later, it’s definitely a throwback jam but still gets the party going all the same. This song is all about the party, leaving everything behind to get down and having a lot of fun. And without fail this song will get people dancing with the fat synth groove and old school Beyonce belting her lungs out.

Wagon Wheel by Various Artists

There are so many artists who have covered this song, which was originally written and recorded by Bob Dylan. The Old Crow Medicine Show’s version is one of the most popular. This is a song that you almost always should play at the end of the night. The party is winding down and you’ve found that special someone to sing along that catchy chorus: “So rock me mama like a wagon wheel/ Rock me mama anyway you feel/ Hey mama rock me/ Rock me mama like the wind and the rain/ Rock me mama like a south-bound train/ Hey mama rock me.” Or you could just gather your close group of friends together, arms over shoulders, and sing the night away.

Looking for a Good Site to Stream Music, Movies, or TV Shows? Look No Further Than Pluto.TV

Tired of spending a bunch of time trying to come up with a playlist for that big party you’re hosting? Want to sit back and watch a movie or a TV show?  Pluto.TV is everything you’ve been looking for and more.

Taken from their website, they describe themselves in the following way: “The Internet is a big place, you’ve probably noticed. It’s full of great stuff, but often you spend more time searching than you do watching. We created Pluto.TV to solve that problem, winnowing out the best of online entertainment and organizing it into an easy-to-navigate system of channels.”

The channels they are talking about appear at the bottom of your window much like the TV Guide channel. All you need to do is pick what channel you want to watch and the channels range from Country to Hip-Hop to Documentary Journalism to Sci-Fi Webseries.

They describe their selection of channels by saying, “We didn’t sacrifice quality for quantity. We went broad: High fashion, snowboarding, epic fails, kids shows, medieval history, politics, entertainment, and dozens more – but we also went deep, sending out experts who live and breathe these subjects to hunt and gather the best content about their passions. They make the effort, you enjoy the results.”

Each channel plays a different program at a different time of the day and every music station plays the music video to each song.

They also have a mobile app available for download for both iPhone and Android so you can watch anywhere and on the go.

Wu-Tang Posts an Ad for an Intern on Craigslist

The Killer Beez are hiring

Wu-Tang Management recently posted an ad on Craigslist looking for people to add to their social networking department. The position is unpaid, but the idea of working for one of the most successful rap groups of all time is enticing enough.

The ad calls for people who are social-media savvy and are “up on the newest social networking trends.”

Wu-Tang could be looking for more members in management because of their upcoming album release. Their new album A Better Tomorrow is coming out soon after much anticipation. The album celebrates the group’s twentieth anniversary and is already available for preorder.

Listen here to their first single “Keep Watch.”

 

5 Awesome College Radio Stations

Listening to the radio can be frustrating. Whether it’s all the stations playing the same things, dealing with commercials, or dealing with “quirky” and “annoying” hosts, trying to find something decent to listen to can feel like a chore. That’s why I have compiled a short list of really cool college radio stations that play all different kinds of music. Fine, you might have to deal with some of the same “quirky” hosts, but all of these stations have fun and interactive shows to listen to! 

WESS
East Stroudsburg University

This college located in eastern Pennsylvania won the 2014 MtvU Woodie Award for The Best College Radio Station. One of the traditions of this station is that they host something called Winterfest where they get artists from all different genres for live performances, interviews, and more. They also air vintage radio programs on weekday mornings. 

WERG
Gannon University

Recent winner of the Intercollegiate Broadcasting System (IBS) Abraham & Borst Award for Best College Station in the Nation, this small college in Erie, PA takes its radio station seriously. Year after year they are in the running for multiple awards and have amassed listeners outside of the university. Their Sunday lineup is really fun as it includes everything from Good Morning Gospel to Festa Italiana to The Polka Party.

WICB
Ithaca University

WICB was this year’s top ranked College Radio Station by The Princeton Review. They mostly broadcast modern rock music, but have a lot of cool shows that focus on other genres including City Rhythms for Rap and R&B, Jazz Impressions for Jazz, and Reggae Explosions for Reggae. They also have a show entirely dedicated to funk music on Fridays from 6-7:30, which is the perfect way to start the weekend.

WBAR
Barnard College

No matter what kind of music you like, WBAR has it. They are on the air 24/7 with student DJs from both Columbia and Barnard playing any kind of show you can think of. Check out Pusha T is DIY if you’re into rap, Off Your Rocker if you like folk, blues, or punk, or Cowgirl: Hall of Fame if you want the classic blend of jazz, soul, and rockabilly. And if you are ever craving some brass instruments, French Horns & Taco Bells is right up your alley.

Radio DePaul
DePaul University

Radio DePaul won multiple IBS awards this year and in year’s past. It is home to all of the DePaul Blue Demon’s various sports teams and has a strong and diverse lineup of music as well. Also, on their website, they post the DJ’s phone number so anybody can text the DJ to make a request. Listen in to shows like Popaganda for all kinds of alternative music or Continental Drift for music from around the world.

Artist Profile: Alt-J

British band Alt-J is one of those bands that fall in between the rock and indie spectrum. They released their debut album An Awesome Wave in 2012 and received incredibly positive reviews from critics while amassing a significant fan bass. The album has a plethora of sounds vibrating out of the album ranging from folk to trip-hop to electronic. In an interview with Interview Magazine, the band addressed the genre-less aspect that came through on their first album.

“Our mission is not to create a new genre. We’re not interested in trying to define ourselves. We don’t like people trying to figure out what our music sounds like, nor do we feel like we do that for them. We’re just happy writing music, and now we’re lucky enough to do that hobby professionally. Apparently, people thought that we coined the term ‘folk step,’ but none of us said anything about ‘folk step.’ We’re not into branding what we do.”

While they sound here like a college fling that “dislikes labels,” they make a point to create the music they want and what sounds good to them. This yields a lot of different kinds of sounds, songs, and genres their music could fit. For the debut album, the band consisted of the four founding members Gwil Sainsbury on guitar/bass, Joe Newman on guitar/lead vocals, Gus Unger-Hamilton on keyboard/vocals, and Thom Green on drums. Recently, Sainsbury left the band. While it was on good terms, the band was unsure how they were going to move forward.

“Having to write songs as a trio rather than a foursome was a daunting prospect for us at first,” said keyboardist Gus Unger-Hamilton in an interview with NPR, “but coming up with [our new single “Hunger of the Pine”] reassured us that — for want of a better phrase — we were going to be OK.”

Their new song “Hunger of the Pine,” which they released on their Soundcloud and NPR, is a great start to usher the band into a new year of new music and new success. The song is not a huge departure from their last album, although it is hard to tell because of the fluctuating genres that the band tends to sound like.

The song takes a sample from the Miley Cyrus song “4X4” in which she is shouting out “I’m a female rebel.” The sample takes on a completely different life in this song and matches perfectly with the airy and minimalistic keyboard chords. Paired with Newman’s floating voice, everything comes together perfectly.

With this release now under their belt, the band also announced that their second studio album, This Is All Yours, comes out on September 22nd. We shall see how the trio moves forward with this release, but Alt-J has no doubt carved out a place for themselves in the alternative and indie scene.

US Soccer Team Captain Does More Than Score Goals: He Raps

Clint Dempsey to Release Rap Album

The United States soccer team recently capped off a huge comeback victory against Ghana in this years World Cup. Captain Clint Dempsey, or known as his rapper name Deuce, scored a huge goal in the first minute of the game.

Maybe we will hear about this moment in his upcoming album titled “The Redux,” which is a thirteen song rap album that Dempsey will release after the World Cup. Dempsey made the album with his rapper friend XO. They released the first single “It’s Poppin,” which can be heard here and bought on their website www.deuceandxo.com.

Dempsey talked about his new album in an interview with the Wall Street Journal.

“We just were having fun with it and it ended up being an album,” Dempsey said.

This is not the first time that Dempsey has dabbled into the world of hip-hop. In 2006, Dempsey released a song and video titled “Don’t Tread.” The song features XO as well and talks about Dempsey’s rags to riches story and his love for the game of soccer. Dempsey gives a shout out to legendary DJ and Houston rap icon DJ Screw, which shows his knowledge of his hometown’s rap scene. He also addresses the popularity of soccer in the US, which in 2006, was nothing like it is today: “Think soccer ain’t a sport?/ then why’d Nike sign me?”

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The Benefits of Vitamins and Supplements for College Athletes

Vitamins and supplements are vital for those who play sports in college

Being a college athlete can be hard. Between balancing classes, practice and maintaining a healthy lifestyle, some things can fall through the cracks. There is also an enormous amount of strain put on the body working out and staying up late to finish homework. Thankfully, there are a few vitamins and supplements that can aid in feeling better, growing muscle and getting stronger. These are the four vitamins and supplements we recommend for college athletes to add to their diet.

VITAMIN D

Found naturally in sunlight, Vitamin D promotes bone structure support, lessens the risk of cardiovascular diseases, and generally makes us feel better. Supplementing Vitamin D is often more beneficial than taking a multivitamin because most people do not have the ideal amount of Vitamin D in their body.

Available at Bodybuilding.com. 120 softgels from $4-7.

FISH OIL

Fish Oil greatly decreases the risk for many harmful diseases, is a tremendous source of omega-3 fatty acids, and can even increase brain activity. Another effect can be a reduction in DOMS, or delayed onset muscle soreness, that many college athletes experience after an especially hard workout.

Available at Bodybuilding.com. 100 softgels for $10, 200 softgels for $15.

WHEY PROTEIN

Whey Protein is one of the most popular supplements for the essential fact that it gives the body an extra source of protein. Whey can help in trying to gain muscle when bulking or it can be used to maintain lean muscle while trying to lose weight. The common method of taking Whey is in powder form, which can be blended with milk, fruits, peanut butter, etc. This makes for a post workout smoothie that is delicious and also healthy.

Max Roeske, a member of the Dayton Cross Country team, loves the benefits of Whey Protein.

“After a workout, I love having a shake with fruit and Whey because it tastes great and helps my muscles recover. Also, I run seventy miles a week and it’s nice to have that extra protein in my diet. Regular meals are sometimes not enough.”

Available at Bodybuilding.com. 1lb for $15, 2lb for $30.

CREATINE

While supplementing Whey Protein can marginally help in gaining muscle, research shows that Creatine, specifically Creatine Monohydrate, has incredible benefits in trying to get stronger. According to one study found on Examine.com, when taking 5g of Creatine daily, athletes could increase their improvement in strength by 8% and their power output by 14%. Those numbers are a complicated way of saying that when lifting weights, supplementing Creatine can be the thing that fuels you through that last set or last couple of reps. There are also studies that show Creatine improve lung capacity, which can help sprinters and even long distance runners. Creatine should be taken daily and is available in pill form or powder form. Make sure to drink lots of water or you may experience stomach cramping.   

Available at Bodybuilding.com. 600 grams for $16, 300 grams for $9.

College athletes can use these supplements and vitamins to improve their strength and lifestyles. It can be hard trying to manage your time as a college athlete and there may not be time to cook a full meal or eat healthy enough. That’s where vitamins and supplements can come in handy. However, it is important to remember that these are not miracle substances. Sleep and a healthy diet are the most essential aspects in getting the most out of these products and becoming a better athlete.  

Dave Chappelle and Nas to Perform Together at Radio City Music Hall

Nas will perform Illmatic in its entirety

Dave Chappelle announced on The David Letterman Show that he is collaborating with Nas for a special one-night show at the Radio City Music Hall in New York. That show will feature Nas performing his classic album Illmatic, which turned twenty years old this year, with a forty-five piece orchestra.

During the interview on Letterman, Chappelle spoke about his collaboration with Nas.

“I’m a big fan of the hip hop music. It’s the twentieth anniversary of arguably one of the best hip-hop albums ever made. That album is Illmatic. [The] artist is Nas.”

This show is one of the many ways that Nas and others are celebrating the twentieth anniversary of the album. Nas released Illmatic XX, a remastered version of the album with alternate mixes and demo tracks, and a full length documentary Time is Illmatic that will be released in theaters everywhere by October.

Chappelle and Nas will perform together on the night of the 23rd, while Chappelle’s full slate of shows runs from June 18th through June 23rd.

Chappelle’s series of shows at Radio City Music Hall are his first in New York in over ten years. Many can remember his sketch comedy show, The Chappelle’s Show, on Comedy Central, which has not been on the air for over seven years. Chappelle abruptly left the show before the third season and never returned.

Tickets can be bought at www.ticketmaster.com and run from $80-$100.