Hey all of you cool cats, WPRB is making its every effort to enter the 21st century, and this blog will hopefully be a great way for us to keep in touch with you (listeners and fellow djs alike) to let you know upcoming shows, reviews of shows we’ve seen, reviews of records we’re spinning, and other music and programming related news. WPRB had an incredibly exciting year in 2007 as we became community-supported radio, and thanks to help from many of you the station is in better shape than ever before. So this should be a great outlet for us to open communication to the community like never before in 2008. We try to keep you guys savvy to events going on in the area with programming on air like our awesome concert calendar, (if you haven’t checked it out the whole list before, go to wprb.com for the entire concert calendar listing!) but this blog should allow us more extensively to talk about all of the fantastic tunes out there. Check back frequently and there should always be new stuff posted! We have an awesome cast of writers from our station board who will be posting regularly, and hopefully some other guest characters and syndicated posts from the blogs of some of your favorite djs.

Every week I’ll be posting a list of rad music related links, legal downloads, and other stuff we find on the web and are digging at WPRB, so we are going to kick things off with the best of the interweb this week! More after the jump….

• RETRO THROWBACK: In the totally unrelated category, check out this rad but simple design site, put on your favorite song, and play away. If only we could go back to the internet in 1998. [Yellowtail]
• LEGAL DOWNLOAD: I’ve really been enjoying this online-only release, from the great Asa Breed‘s sessions on RCRD LBL. Matthew Dear recorded this beautiful and perhaps overlooked song “Don’t go this way.” It builds with some pretty sweet beats/synth-jangly jams by keeping his beautiful moaning vocals and keyboards sustaining short quick notes that makes a really unique sound. Since RCRD LBL posted this the song has been getting ton’s of good press in the blogosphere. It’s rough and basic considering some of his more lush recordings; but when Matthew Dear even just plays around he makes pretty awesome songs. [Don't go this way]
• LEGAL DOWNLOAD: And speaking of great free songs, the last Tokyo Police Club Smith EP was getting some heavy rotation over here at WPRB. They’ve been signed to indie-darling-label Saddle Creek, and Stereogum has a sneak peak off the new album that will be hitting the streets 4/22. [In a cave]
• Following the awesome Marina Gasolina EP, Marina, Bonde do Role’s lead MC and album namesake, QUIT. So in the news this week, Brazilian group and Philadelphia-scene-Diplo-spawn quickly found not just one but two new band members. And they’re taking their new lineup and funky favela-electro to MTV Brazil with a reality television show to recruit new MCs. I’m skeptical, but then again why should I care? I don’t know when I’ll ever find myself watching MTV Brazil. [Da me mas gasolina]
• RIP. Polaroid announced earlier this week that they are going to stop making film! This is immensely sad. To mourn this cultural relic, enjoy these one-of-a-kind shots from the Black Lips live. [Polaroid rock out]
• Pitchfork made me turn my head, when I realized they were right in questioning why a bunch of hipster orchestral Canadians (the much hyped up Arcade Fire) are doing benefit shows for Barack Obama. [Canadians 4 Obama]
• BEST NEW VIDEO: And here is a great new music video from Beachhouse and a brand new song from Grizzly Bear all in one post! [Heart of Chambers]
• Tomorrow is one of the best days in extended Radioland. WFMU, one of our favorite other independent stations around these parts is hosting their 50th annual (wowsas!) membership drive. And as if that isn’t crazy enough, since 1996 Yo La Tengo has been coming on the air and performing every karaoke singer’s ultimate fantasy, a radio show to “Murder the Classics” and cover whatever they feel like and whatever you request when you pledge. So tune in at 2pm tomorrow with Gaylord Fields and Bob Brainen and Yo La Tengo, donate to a fellow great station, and support your independent radio! Check it online and get more info about their drive!
• In the most exciting news, Animal Collective announced a new EP on Domino! Mark your calendars and attack your local record stores, 5/6. [Water Curses EP]
• In sad news, the Elliot Smith memorial was vandalized. [Again!]
• And in the most controversial news of the week, who writes music reviews without listening to the album? And why is Maxim magazine writing music reviews anyway? (WPRB will try to avoid “educated guesses” about our music reviews!) [Black Crowes "medicore" even without record]
• Oh wait, and then they “guessed” AGAIN [Nas also "medicore".]
• Lastly, the music consuming community at large was informed this week that Steve Jobs owns our ears and wallets; Walmart still owns family-friendly country music. [$$$$]

So that about wraps up our first week in links! Stay posted for more original material and WPRB-curated links and guides to upcoming shows. Regular posts will start Monday. And make sure you don’t miss out on Yo La Tengo tomorrow at 2pm on WFMU, its like nothing you’ve ever heard! (… And as if I didn’t have to tell you, keep those radio dials to 103.3 FM or your iTunes radio to WPRB!)