I still remember the first time I listened to a Radiohead CD. I was in the 8th Grade, and couldn’t wait to rip off the packaging, begin listening to Kid A, and browse through the haunting artwork in the CD booklet. Immediately I was in love, and had to listen to it again and again. That same story can be repeated, to varying degrees, for every other Radiohead CD, save Pablo Honey, which like many other fans I tend to selectively forget. Which brings us to last week.

Like many other people I spent Valentine’s Day, also known as Single’s Awareness Day if you’re alone and bitter, trudging along through another day of classes, waiting anxiously for another night of sleep. But to my surprise upon returning home I saw the announcement that Radiohead would be releasing a new album, The King of Limbs, the very next Saturday. It would be their first proper release since 2007′s In Rainbows. I was ecstatic to say the least, and got my pre-order in just as fast as I could. Fast forward to Friday, after sleeping in and wasting half the day, Radiohead surprises me once again by announcing that digital downloads would begin a day early. Needless to say I pretty well canceled the thought of getting anything else done that day, it was a day for listening to Radiohead’s new album on repeat.

After a few short minutes the download was complete and I was ready to start listening. Coming in at about 37 minutes, The King of Limbs is Radiohead’s shortest effort to date. After my first listen I was put in something of an awkward position, for the first time when it comes to a Radiohead album I just don’t love it.

That’s not to say it is a bad album, however, as it’s actually quite good. But it just doesn’t live up to the expectations of one of the most inventive bands of the last 20 years. The King of Limbs gives Radiohead fans a lot of what they’ve learned to love over the last decade or so, a litany of blips, bloops, loops and digital effects, mixed in with Thom Yorke’s chilling voice and the occasional horn section, but this is entirely the album. For a band that so frequently reimagines their sound from album to album at times The King of Limbs sounds all too much like some of the spacier and more abstract songs of Kid A or In Rainbows.

Which is part of why this album is so difficult to review. It’s unlike past Radiohead efforts in that it reminds me too much of past Radiohead efforts, but that doesn’t mean it is a bad album. The King of Limbs has several songs that stand out, particularly Codex with its piano driven opening the raw emotion of Thom Yorke’s vocals, and has a coherent sound and well organized sound throughout, giving the listener a 37 minute sonic journey. Other highlights include Mr. Magpie and the effects laden Lotus Flower.

If I had to put a numerical value on this album, on first blush I’d give it a respectable 3.5 out of 5, fairly good but nothing to write home about. After a few more listens, however, The King of Limbs has grown on me some, as in true Radiohead fashion new sounds and themes are recognized and explored with every listen, so at the time of this writing I may be willing to go as high as a 4 out of 5. Still,  when December rolls around I don’t expect The King of Limbs to be topping my album of the year list–I’m not even sure it’s the best album of the week.

Yesterday, February 19, the Majestic Theater hosted Gettysburg College’s 22^nd Annual Winter Jazz Concert. Directed by John “Buzz” Jones, Gettysburg’s jazz ensemble played songs such as “Georgia On My Mind” by Hoagy Carmichael (1931), “Quien Sera” by Pablo Beltran Ruiz & Norman Gimbel (1954) and “I’m Beginning To See The Light “by Duke Ellington (1944). The students of the ensemble had the fortunate opportunity of playing with saxophonist Denis DiBlasio.

DiBlasio is the Director of the Jazz Department at Rowan University located in Glassboro, New Jersey and a well-accomplished saxophone player. Prior to joining Rowan, DiBlasio played in the big band of trumpeter Maynard Ferguson and spent five years as his Musical Director. With over 30 albums, Denis DiBlasio is well experienced in the field of music.

The Gettysburg College Jazz Ensemble was recently part of the Northern Lights Tour last year traveling to New York, Connecticut and Pennsylvania and toured Europe in 2008, performing in Amsterdam, Paris, Heidelberg, Bruges, Athens, and Venice. The ensemble plans on performing at major European jazz festivals again in July 2011.

The Gettysburg College Wind Symphony held their second performance of the semester on Friday, December 3, at the Majestic Theatre. Led under the direction of Dr. Russell McCutcheon, the theme of the concert was “Music of the British Isles,” and incorporated tunes from England, Ireland, Scotland and Wales. Guest artists from the Celtic folk band Knot Fibb’n performed as well, playing a selection of Irish melodies on traditional instruments.

Visiting from Columbus, Ohio, Knot Fibb’n has played at Irish fairs and festivals across the United States. Members of the four-person band spent the last few days working with students at the Sunderman Conservatory of Music.

In a master class held this Thursday, flutist R. Beth Hicks offered advice on musical techniques and emphasized the importance of playing by ear.

“If you can learn to play by ear, notes becomes more than just black markings on a page,” Hicks said. “Sometimes it helps to take a step back from the written music and really listen to the notes.”

At the end of Friday’s concert, Knot Fibb’n joined in with the Wind Symphony on the rousing second movement of Dan Welcher’s “Minstrels of the Kells,” encouraging the audience to clap along with the beat.

In addition to Knot Fibb’n’s guest performance, Friday’s concert showcased the local talent of both students and faculty from Gettysburg College. John Williams “Buzz” Jones, Professor of Music, conducted his original composition, “Variations on an Ancient Irish Song,” and James Merrifield, a senior Music major, conducted “A Welsh Rhapsody,” by Clare Grundman.

The Wind Symphony at Gettysburg College plans to go on tour for the first time ever this January, performing in Pennsylvania, Virginia and Washington D.C. Their first concert of the spring semester will be held on April 8 at 8:00pm in the Majestic Theatre.

Alright ladies and gents, bros and bras, this is an epic playlist full of fresh tracks and a few throwbacks (Chumbawamba you bitch!) that are in just the right order to get yourself shitfaced this weekend and forget that you even took these nasty-ass midterms. I have a feeling we’re all gonna be needing it, even if it is a short weekend here at Gburg.

Hey by: 30h!3 (feat. Lil John)

Fire vs. Snow (Hey Oh) by: Mother Earth Remixes

Blah Blah Blah (Rokcouture Remix) by: Ke$ha

Kiss Me, I’m Shitfaced by: The Dropkick Murhpys

Get Low by: Lil John & the Eastside Boyz, ft. the Ying Yang Twins

Freak by: Estelle, ft. Kardinal Offishall

Tubthumping by: Chumbawamba

Feel It (feat. Tiesto) by: Three 6 Mafia

Fireflies (DJ Strobe Remix) by: Owl City

Sweet Caroline by: Neil Diamond

So alright, there it is, one last 10-song set of pregaming pureness before Spring Break. Now I’ll let all you losers out there get back to studying. Just remembe: make it through these last few days of bro-hating, then its 15 days of pwning bitches in COD, slaying slampieces, and getting fuck up. I know I’m gonna be getting wastey-faced this Wednesday, and my whole half of campus is going to find out how thirsty be and my bros are this thursday, and I want everybody doin’ the fucking same.

So, it was a good week for me…I found out somebody actually read one of my articles. Good week, right? Hell fuckin’ yeah. Shake and bake baby. Anyway, here’s ten more songs. This is actually my favorite compilation of pre-gaming songs I think, between Luda and the newer mash-ups and remixes. Its a ten-song streak that —when blasted— is pretty much guaranteed to make you wanna toss back some (more) shots and get a few haircuts with your friends.

Pimpin’ All Over the World (ft. Bobby Valentino)  by: Ludacris

Don’t You Want My Bad Romance by: A Plus D

↑ This mash-up by A Plus D is pretty damn good one in my opinion, but its hard to find in an easy-to-download form unless you’re a mash-up whore like me. So to download this one right-click where it says “Don’t You Want My Bad Romance” or “Click here to download” and click “Save Link As” to download this lil’ gem.

Pursuit of Happiness (Steve Aoki remix)  by: Kid Cudi, feat. MGMT

DVNO  by: Justice

Mr. Right by: Mickey Avalon

Human by: The Killers

Heard ‘Em All (Remix) by: Amerie (feat. Lil Wayne)

Walkin’ on the Moon (Feat. Kayne West) by: The-Dream

Enter Galactic (Love Connection Part 1) by: Kid Cudi

I Told You to Beat It by: Divide and Kreate

OK bros and bras, have a fun weekend, turn the music up! For the guys out there, lets get shitfaced at these pre-rush parties we may or may not be getting e-mails about (hey its free beer, why wouldn’t you go chill) and lock it up if you got a lady in mind! As for you ladies, keep it classy, don’t get with any jackasses this weekend, you know you’ll regret it. Alright,well, that’s it for now, have a fun weekend full of outrageous shenanigans. Just remember one thing: Do great work.

Hey readers and fellow illegal downloaders, here’s another crop of ten songs to throw back those shots and chug that Natty Light to:

Cry for You  by: September

Circle of Fifths  by: Milkman

Overnight Star  by: Flosstradamus

Strokin’  by: Clarence Carter

Electric Feel  by: MGMT

D.A.N.C.E.  by: Justice

Sleepy Head  by: Passion Pit

Nothin’ On You  by: B.O.B

Night by Night  by: Chromeo

Dancefloor Sex  by: The White Panda

Alright, there’s the ten for this weekend! Hope this weekend is as good as mine was last weekend (minus the black-out bits…) and have great Thirsty Thursday, Fucked-Up Friday, and of course have a great Super Saturday. Remember, keep the fluids up, keep those hangovers away. Have fun, be safe, don’t be a fool, wrap your tool…or something.

Another new weekly column from EvanYourstruly Petrack! Available every Thursday,ten songs a week, old and new, to throw in with your personal party songs. You probably already have at least a couple of these, but if you don’t, don’t feel left out. I’ve included some Gettysburg College classics, and some that you guys have probably never heard before. For this first one, I tried to include tracks that I think should belong on everyone’s weekend playlist, from some of my favorite mash-ups, to timeless college jams, to pop hits.

1. United States of Pop 2009  by: DJ Earworm

2. Use Somebody (Remix) (feat. Kings of Leon)  by: AC

3.  Bulletproof Radar (La Roux vs. Britney Spears)  by: DJ Schmoll

4. Tik Tok  by: KE$HA

5. Broseidon, Lord of the Brocean  by: Super Mash Bros.

6. Shine On  by: Sunloverz

7. Coastin’ (feat. K. Flay)  by: Zion I

8. I Hate College (Remix)  by: The Wiz

9. Infinty  by:  Guru Josh Project

10. Call On Me  by: Eric Prydz

Well that’s it for this week ladies and gents, don’t be afraid to brave this shitty weather, you know it’ll be worth it. Don’t break your tibia, and have a good weekend.

On January 30, I decided to take a trip to the city after what seemed like a week that would never end. After walking around in the cold and snow all day in Philadelphia, the last thing I wanted to do was wait in line for another hour outside the Electric Factory. This building seemed vibrant enough with the doors drenched in neon colored graffiti bearing the venue’s name. From the outside, it looked like an abandoned warehouse, except for the marquee which was ingeniously placed on an old water tower.

My green North Face pullover was the only comfort from the wet and cold. As I waited, my hands began to shake, not from the excitement, but from the bad weather. The only thing keeping me sane at this point was the hacky-sack game I joined, purely to keep moving and warm. The other guys in the circle and I swapped concert stories about the band we were about to see. I told them about seeing State Radio once before as the opening act to 311 in November of last year.

The game was short lived and we still had to wait another 30 minutes until the doors opened during which time all I could do was stand there shivering. I doubt I have ever withstood so much pain for a concert. (If you know me, then you know I’d do almost anything for good live music.) It was truly a miserable experience.

At 7:30 p.m., the doors opened to cries of joy and sighs of relief. After an unintentionally (I hope) sensual pat down by a member of security, I ventured inside. The inside of the venue was like nothing I had ever seen. It was basically a club with a stage for bands, but lining the walls were themed decorations, such as a projection system made to display an image of machinery on the wall. Also plastered across the walls were posters from concerts past.

On the second floor that was less like a floor and more like a balcony, was a bar with chandeliers made from what seemed like hundreds of light bulbs. Being under 21, I was not allowed up to the second floor, and after a quick trip to the rest room, I found myself a cozy little spot in the front row.

After a brief encounter with some inquisitive drunks, the band American Fangs came out for a set. American Fangs is a band based out of Houston, TX and played mostly hardcore punk music. I bought their EP after the show, only to realize that they are a lot better live. As energetic as they were, some of the crowd did not return the energy. They left the stage to a sound of mixed cheers and jeers from the crowd.

Dephonic, a Philadelphia-based rap band, was on next, blending funk and hip-hop in a way that I hadn’t heard since 311. The band’s front man connected with the crowd immediately tossing his Pittsburgh Penguins baseball cap into the crowd after the first song. Tons of energy was put into the performance especially during their last tune, which involved a duel between a guest fiddler and the turntables man scratching away at their respective instruments. They took out all the stops.

After Dephonic finished their set, the drum and guitar technicians came out and made the stage ready for the night’s main act: Boston-based reggae-rock band State Radio. After the break-up of the famed jam band Dispatch in 2002, Chad Urmston formed State Radio, which originally contained four members and was more of a punk band than its current incarnation. The band is now a trio and has been gaining popularity since the release of their debut album, Us Against the Crown, released in 2006. State Radio made the Electric Factory one of the stops of their Lefty Rides Again tour in support of their recently released third album, Let It Go.

When the guitar and drum techs finished, State Radio took to the stage, a single spotlight on Urmston. Almost immediately, he began with the opening chords to a popular fan favorite, “Camilo,” a song about a soldier who was imprisoned for being a conscientious objector. Throughout the show, they played almost all of the songs off of their debut album. After their second tune, “Mr. Larkin,” a song that leaned towards their punk roots, Urmston revealed that it was the band’s first time playing at the Electric Factory and that the venue was one that the band had dreamt of playing for a long time.

The band then coasted through an energy packed set, incorporating songs new and old. A couple of the new songs, after seeing them performed live, became a couple of my favorites, such as “Calling All Crows,” a clearly reggae-influenced song, utilizing guitar chords strummed on the upbeat, and the tune “Knights of Bostonia,” a punk song with a clear Irish/Celtic influence reminiscent of Dropkick Murphys

Peter Gabriel, an icon and pioneer in the world of rock music will soon release his first solo record since 2002′s Up. Granted, Up was a fantastic effort which gave way to his Growing Up Tour. This tour was documented in a concert film called Peter Gabriel: Growing Up Live. Many would criticize the aged artist’s new effort, entitled Scratch My Back, as it is an album full of cover tunes. On the album, he covers an array of different artists in rock music. Some artists included on the album are Talking Heads, Randy Newman, Arcade Fire and even Radiohead.

Peter Gabriel was once known as the lead singer of the band Genesis, which boasted a great lineup that included Phil Collins and Mike Rutherford. Through his time in Genesis, his songs catapulted the band to progressive rock stardom. His final record with the band, The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway, showcased Gabriel’s ability of songwriting as well as storytelling. In Genesis, Gabriel showed his fascination with great orchestral arrangements to compliment the rock music style of the band.

Gabriel continued his use of orchestra through the years on his solo albums to come. Scratch My Back is no different. In fact, the entire album builds on Gabriel’s finesse in arranging classic rock tunes into emotional, moody symphonies.

The album slows down the tempo of some songs by other artists. The album’s opening track, a slow, emotional version of David Bowie’s “Heroes,” is an example of this. In slowing down the tempo, Gabriel succeeds in conveying an emotion in his voice that was not accessible within the original version.

While “Heroes” was not originally a fast song to begin with, he does slow down some tunes in order to showcase his orchestral abilities. An example of this would be on his version of Paul Simon’s “The Boy in the Bubble,” which originally appeared on the quintessential album Graceland. Simon’s version of the tune offered a more uplifting mood while Gabriel turns it into a slow, depressing track.

Peter Gabriel is a fantastic composer. We have witnessed this with his scores for the films The Last Temptation of Christ and Rabbit-Proof Fence. There is nothing wrong with an artist expressing his interpretation of another’s work. Local bands cover songs all the time. Much like Poison’s Poison’d and Reel Big Fish’s Fame, Fortune and Fornication , his new album leaves the listener wanting something better. It leaves the listener wanting classic Gabriel, from the days when he recorded “Solsbury Hill” and “Games without Frontiers.” We want some more Gabriel classics, not his interpretations of other bands’ works.

The album is due for release on February 16, 2010.

Recommended Tracks: “Philadelphia,” “Heroes,” “Street Spirit (Fade Out)”

Bottom Line: C-

If you aren’t wearing a v-neck, own a fixed gear bike or are from a previously rural area and are now located in an urban area…please stop reading.

There is one word that you will be hearing a great deal in the next few weeks that hasn’t come up since the Cold War: Contra. Vampire Weekend recently released their anticipated second album on January 12th and they have literally sucked in thousands of listeners. Pun intended, this shit is really good.

This is the first album of the band to hit number one on the Billboard Top 200, a rare event for many independent artists.

The eclectic nature of Vampire Weekend surfaces everywhere. Starting off with “Horchata,” the band sticks straight to the roots. Haters, start hating here. “In December, drinking horchata / I’d look psychotic in a balaclava”…only Vampire Weekend. This song encompasses a quite airy feel and with a fireworks show of diverse percussion, instruments native to southern countries of Africa such as the kalimba and mbira are cleverly used on the track. The album glides along with “White Sky,” a great electric poppy song with that shines bright as the leader singer yelps through a rainbow of a chorus.

All over this album one can see contrast between the light and heavy guitar along with newer synth beats and hip-hop, reggae and electro accents. This can especially be seen in the song “Diplomat’s Son,” featuring the M.I.A. track “Hussel.” (M.I.A., coincidentally is another artist who samples The Clash, see below.) The inner frat bro in all of us that rocks to this album’s beats, which are heavily influenced by the 2009 LP release from Discovery, a group which features Vampire Weekend’s keyboardist Rostam Batmanglij.

Later on in the album we feel a hyped up rock-steady, especially in “Run.” “Cousins” is a roller coaster in New Mexico. Fast, thrashy and fun. Check out the video as well.

Finally I was extremely impressed with the final track “I Think UR a Contra.” In this song we see a wonderful vocal performance, a forceful jazzy piano line and dissonant strings. This track is just pretty as shit and different. Vampire Weekend’s album ends leaving you with the beats of hand drums and craving more.

What is super interesting about this album is it’s direct juxtaposition and has some influence from The Clash’s “Sandinista” (For those who do not know, The Clash were a classic British punk band based in the 70′s and 80s prominently, if this does not ring a bell…please stop reading.) The album does not have the same political connotations and disco-like fuel as “Sandinista.” Yet, Koenig’s lines aren’t solely about being a prep and getting out of Cape Cod anymore. His songs playfully use colorful lyrics and riffs to comment the triviality of image and hypocrisy of class. Oh yeah, themes about moving and love are there too…I mean, this is supposed to be some sort of rock album, right? Rock is right, as the workings and style of Elvis Costello, another British artist can be seen in Ezra Koenig’s lyrics and style especially in “Cousins.”

This album is a quickie and ends before you even realize it. Contra takes a few listens to grasp, because it is more complicated than you initially think. Vampire Weekend is not just colorful, but soulful and interesting. Yet they still encompass that signature Beach Boys-esque sound, simple and so freaking catchy you can’t help but smile. Honestly, if this doesn’t put a sprout in your step, you might just want to stick with the Postal Service…I can’t believe you are still reading.

Now, seriously, stop reading this review and go listen to Contra.

Recommended Tracks: “Cousins” (for all the A-Punk fans), “White Sky,” “Holiday,” and “I Think UR a Contra” (Into Sigur Ros? This one.)