Radio Gaga
WQKL, “Ann Arbor’s 107.1,” is heartbreakingly close to being a great radio station. You hear three to four songs in a row of 80’s New Wave (The Smiths, Elvis Costello, Talking Heads) interspersed with the Shins and Spoon. Commercial radio pop bliss — some claim to prefer less-hyped local artists, but then some also claim to prefer a dessert of an unadorned pear to creme brulee. (107.1 does have a local music show, although we haven’t listened to it much.) But then the next five songs are all cut out of the same bland earnest acoustic John Mayer/Jack Johnson pap mold, and you start to forget why you’re listening to this in the first place.
We were listening last week when they played what was likely the single best exemplar of the worst aspects of this station: a soulful, sensitive acoustic version of Men at Work’s Down Under, from lead singer Colin Hay’s solo album Man @ Work.
Try 93.9 if you must listen to the radio. I know it’s not an A2 station, but it’s a little better than 107.1. I believe 107.1 is a Clear Channel station which will mean that they will never be great.
posted by cat on October 8th, 2007 at 9:47 amYeah, I do like 93.9 slightly better than 107.1, but even the best station is going to play something I want to hear about 20 percent of the time.
posted by ann arbor is overrated on October 8th, 2007 at 9:53 amShrug — I’ll admit to liking much of Jack Johnson as well as Spoon (though not John Mayer — has there been a more annoying, nausea-inducing song in the last decade than ‘Daughters’?) And Elvis Costello and Talking Heads were pretty mainstream (Elvis Costello still is).
My peeve with 107.1 is the constant self-puffery. Dudes — I’m already listening to your station, as in, you know now, so you really don’t need to sell me on how indie, and hip, and ‘hand crafted’ you are. Stop tellings us you’re cool at every station break — just be cool.
Still, it’s a good station. They do a nice job with promoting live music and getting acts in the studio. Most cities now (sadly) really have nothing like it, so I’m not going moan too much.
posted by mw on October 8th, 2007 at 9:54 amI think pretty much ALL the commercial radio stations around here are Clear Channel.
I once made the mistake of imagining, out loud, a radio station that wasted no time on self-puffery. The radio guys just hooted at me for my naivete. Such a station would be “eaten alive in the marketplace,” they said.
I have a low tolerance for radio ads and DJ chitchat, so I can’t imagine listening to any one commercial station for long.
posted by Larry Kestenbaum on October 8th, 2007 at 10:43 amWCBN is the only Ann Arbor station.
posted by Kim Scarborough on October 8th, 2007 at 11:07 am107.1 is indeed better than the average commercial radio station, but I see no point in listening to ANY commercial radio station when faced with the vastly superior options of my iPod and/or Michigan Radio.
posted by Zach Shoup on October 8th, 2007 at 12:06 pmI’m a fan, and I believe that they shrugged off Clear Channel in the past year or so. I also noticed a real improvement in the song quality at that time. They’ve introduced me to some music I hadn’t heard before, and that’s pretty unusual for commercial radio. (I particularly like Under the Radar on Sunday).
posted by Mike on October 8th, 2007 at 3:17 pmOne of my biggest beefs with 107.1 is there claim to represent the Washtenaw Region…If you really represent it you’d be aware that NOBODY calls it the Washtenaw Region.
posted by Andy on October 8th, 2007 at 3:44 pmCommercial stations drive me completely up the wall. I mostly listen to WEMU, WRCJ and CBC Radio Two.
posted by tom brandt on October 8th, 2007 at 4:34 pmNever knew the difference between Clear and Citadel until last weekend. I guess it does make a difference to the Worker Bee. More $$ @ Citadel.
posted by Worker Bee on October 9th, 2007 at 7:46 amI like 107.1, even though it’s not perfect. But I agree. You get several great tunes, and then some pop pablum. I tried 93.9 and don’t find it to be much better. I’d like to hear Martin Bandyke and the other afternoon dj (Brad?) be freed from the requirement to play pablum so often.
posted by Just a homeowner on October 9th, 2007 at 9:20 amI’ve been listening to 107.1 for a while, and I agree. I think they are trying to cater to multiple audiences and the results are just pretty weird:
Depeche Mode
(107.1 — CUSTOM DESIGNED FOR THE WASHTENAW REGION!)
Bob Marley
(107.1 — WE PLAY MORE MUSIC THAN ANYONE!)
BenHarperJohnMayerJackJohnsonColbieCaillatJossStoneBarfomatic
(107.1 — OUR FREQUENCY IS 107.1!)
So you have a little something for aging New Wave hipsters, aging hippies, and aged corporate execs.
93.9 is pretty good, and 93.1, one of those “Firstname FM — we play everything!” stations, has its moments.
I listen to commercial radio more than I otherwise would because it’s all I have in my car. It’s obvious the airwaves are totally moribund, and has been for 25 years.
posted by Dave on October 9th, 2007 at 2:10 pmI always thought that the “We Play Everything” stations were completely alike, but the one in Chicago plays way, way fewer annoying promos than the one here.
posted by ann arbor is overrated on October 9th, 2007 at 2:40 pmListen to internet radio!
posted by (former) OFWinsurgent on October 9th, 2007 at 11:07 pmlove it, especailly when its horoscope time at 10….well I guess that is 12 AA time. Definitely in my top 3 favorite stations ever. I mean it’s powered by the sun, dudes.
posted by christina on October 10th, 2007 at 1:03 amhttp://www.ktao.com/
posted by christina on October 10th, 2007 at 1:05 amI loved that this article came up on this radio station…..They play way to much Natalie Merchant and Sheryl Crow for my taste. When you call or email them to suggest a great song or a new one, they blow you off! I am starting to not listen anymore. Martin Bandyke is listenable but the other guys often seem kinda stupid!
posted by Yup, they SUX! on October 10th, 2007 at 4:54 pmApparently they’ve been playing the new Chris Bathgate (so I hear), so they can’t be all bad. Then again, this is all hearsay, I live in Queens now.
posted by Brandon on October 11th, 2007 at 10:26 pmOK - who remembers ‘back in the day’ when we listened to CKLW?!? It was the soundtrack of my youth. Truly. Good times.
posted by jane on October 14th, 2007 at 8:32 pmJohn Bommarito has played a number of my requests. And I think they are a Cummulus station? I’m pretty happy with 107.1 but perhaps the best station in the world is KGSR in Austin, TX. I also do listen quite a bit to 93.9 The River. And I agree - 107.1 needs to cool it with the Natalie Merchant.
posted by jill on October 16th, 2007 at 8:55 pmColin Hay’s “Man At Work” (from which that acoustic song came) is a wonderful album — restrained and intelligent. Give it a try!
posted by Lucy Ament on October 18th, 2007 at 8:52 amOh, fuck, I hated that station when I was there. I already have all of the greatest hits of the ’80s and ’90s, thanx. Sure, it’s what people want to hear, but people want to hear shitty music repeated ad nauseum.
Though, over the weekend while I was in Chicago, I heard the Eurythmics “Sweet Dreams” four different times (three in bars, once in a wedding). If I never hear that tune again, it’ll be fine by me.
posted by js on October 18th, 2007 at 5:11 pmWFMU in ‘Joisy gets my vote for best station. Check it out!! I think it is one of the few remaining freeform stations left. It seems like Ann Arbor used to have one but I ain’t been back in 10 sad sad years.
posted by ggb on October 21st, 2007 at 1:43 amI fully agree with this post to the point where I’m surprised I didn’t write it. Way to be on point.
posted by RC on November 3rd, 2007 at 4:38 pmIsn’t he the auzzie fellow with the wonkie eye?
posted by howard Rourke on May 6th, 2008 at 9:37 pm