Tuesday, July 26, 2005
Grading Milwaukee Radio (OR) On Torture
I think that unless one lives in New York or LA, people will always complain about the radio stations. When I lived in Eau Claire, people complained about the small town radio stations. I remember people there who came from the Twin Cities (otherwise known to people in the area as "The Cities" . . . as if there were no other cities) making this complaint; they would fondly recall the great stations of "The Cities"; they would claim that on a clear day, one could gain slight reception. But that was all nothing more than homesickness. Yes, folks, I've been to "The Cities". Radio sucked there as well. In fact, after a careful, five-year analysis, I found Eau Claire's radio to be slightly better.
Milwaukee radio is . . . something just slightly better than torture. We've got: 2 pop stations, 2 rock stations, 3 classic rock stations, 2 country stations, 2 urban stations, 1 soul station, 1 classical station, 2 sports talk stations, 2 am talk stations, and 1 independent station. I won't review them all, as I don't really spend any time on the urban or country stations. But here they are:
94 WKTI
KTI is one of the sugary, pop stations. The whole attitude of this station is, "We're so much good-natured, Milwaukee-lovin' fun!" They love to play the 80s. I've got a theory that each station has a favorite artist that they play more than any other. KTI's favorite is the Barenaked Ladies. Of course, they only play two or three songs from them, but they play those two or three songs like they were SOS signals. The worst thing about KTI is . . . my wife loves it. On weekdays, she takes my car to work while I watch the kid. When she comes home, I get ready for work, head downstairs, get into my car, turn on the car, and BLAAAAAAM! KTI is blaring out of the speakers. Every day, blaring the KTI. It's gotten to the point that every time I turn on the car, I scream, "Make it STOOOOP!" Grade: D-.
99 WMYX
Ah, yes. "The Mix". This is the pop station that's not as sugary as KTI. I'll give The Mix some credit: they've started playing rock and soul on the weekends . . . kind of an experimental, grab-bag approach. This has been interesting, if not altogether successful. There's as much drudge as there are welcome surprises. And they do this terrible switch every Thanksgiving, until January 1, in which they change to an all-holiday format. Utter torture. The DJs at this station are probably the worst in the city. Not sure about favorite band. Maybe Alanis. Grade: D.
96.5 WKLH
The classic rock station. This one's distinctive for having the worst, most annoying morning team in the history of radio: Dave & Carole. I really can't fully communication how much I hate Dave & Carole. Is it that their show is so filled with random idiots that one never actually listens to Dave or Carole? Is it the feel-good BS behind every interview they give? Is it the cliched sarcasm? Is it that they think they know everything and acknowledge their Milwaukee stardom? I think it's all of the above. Additionally, KLH has a favorite artist: Elton John. They cannot stop playing the Elton John. They loooooooove the Elton John. Anyone who knows me, knows my feeling on that subject, thus -- Grade: D. And the grade is only that high because they have some decent Sunday radio shows.
95.7 WRIT Greatest Hits of the 60's and 70's
Says it all, doesn't it? This is the former oldies station. Favorite band is the Beatles. They play some decent old hits, but there is so much garbage that goes along with the gems. Grade: D+.
97.3 The Brew
This is the new 80-rock station (although it includes some 70s rock). Everybody seems to love this station right now, as it's spanking KLH in the ratings. Still, it's hit or miss. For every Van Halen song, there's an REO song. Favorite band is Foreigner. Grade: D+.
91.7 WMSE
This is the snobby, independent station. The format changes every two or three hours. In the mornings, I like the Middle Eastern music. You get a pretty good afternoon alternative rock show that gives way to a decent blues show. On Saturday mornings there's an "early" hip-hop show. Other than all that -- which is still hit or miss, just hit or miss with stuff you haven't heard often -- it's filled with unlistenable shite. No favorite band. Grade: D+.
102.9 Lazer
Lazer's the long-time hard rock station. Great morning show is what keeps the grade above water. Favorite band is easily Metallica. They play a lot of the new, toneless hard rock you hear so much these days. Stuff that -- production-wise -- is inspired by Creed and Nickelback. Very boring, bass-heavy mix. Cliched lyrics. Buncha crap. Still, good morning show and hit-or-miss songs give it -- Grade: C-.
102.1 WLUM
LUM has gone through the changes. I first remember them as "Hot 102", a hip, urban station that allegedly switched platforms because of gang violence in the city that was so associated with the music of LUM. Then in like '93 or '94 they became "New Rock" 102.1, which had a lot of chick rock and grunge. That changed around '98 or so to "Rock" 102.1, which was interesting. For about 2 weeks, they played everything: the chick rock, old rock, new rock, hard rock. It was good. But all good things end quickly in radio. Thus, "Rock" 102.1 became just hard rock. They essentially tried to out-Lazer Lazer. It failed. So now they're "Milwaukee's alternative station," which is . . . a nice effort. They don't try to replicate Lazer. They play plenty of 90s rock. They have a decent, "new music" show at night for an hour. The problem is they only play big-label alternative. They won't try anything independent. Still, it works for me: B-.
So, of eight stations reviewed, we've got a D-, two D's, three D+'s, a C-, and a B-, averaging out to a pretty solid D.
Milwaukee radio is . . . something just slightly better than torture. We've got: 2 pop stations, 2 rock stations, 3 classic rock stations, 2 country stations, 2 urban stations, 1 soul station, 1 classical station, 2 sports talk stations, 2 am talk stations, and 1 independent station. I won't review them all, as I don't really spend any time on the urban or country stations. But here they are:
94 WKTI
KTI is one of the sugary, pop stations. The whole attitude of this station is, "We're so much good-natured, Milwaukee-lovin' fun!" They love to play the 80s. I've got a theory that each station has a favorite artist that they play more than any other. KTI's favorite is the Barenaked Ladies. Of course, they only play two or three songs from them, but they play those two or three songs like they were SOS signals. The worst thing about KTI is . . . my wife loves it. On weekdays, she takes my car to work while I watch the kid. When she comes home, I get ready for work, head downstairs, get into my car, turn on the car, and BLAAAAAAM! KTI is blaring out of the speakers. Every day, blaring the KTI. It's gotten to the point that every time I turn on the car, I scream, "Make it STOOOOP!" Grade: D-.
99 WMYX
Ah, yes. "The Mix". This is the pop station that's not as sugary as KTI. I'll give The Mix some credit: they've started playing rock and soul on the weekends . . . kind of an experimental, grab-bag approach. This has been interesting, if not altogether successful. There's as much drudge as there are welcome surprises. And they do this terrible switch every Thanksgiving, until January 1, in which they change to an all-holiday format. Utter torture. The DJs at this station are probably the worst in the city. Not sure about favorite band. Maybe Alanis. Grade: D.
96.5 WKLH
The classic rock station. This one's distinctive for having the worst, most annoying morning team in the history of radio: Dave & Carole. I really can't fully communication how much I hate Dave & Carole. Is it that their show is so filled with random idiots that one never actually listens to Dave or Carole? Is it the feel-good BS behind every interview they give? Is it the cliched sarcasm? Is it that they think they know everything and acknowledge their Milwaukee stardom? I think it's all of the above. Additionally, KLH has a favorite artist: Elton John. They cannot stop playing the Elton John. They loooooooove the Elton John. Anyone who knows me, knows my feeling on that subject, thus -- Grade: D. And the grade is only that high because they have some decent Sunday radio shows.
95.7 WRIT Greatest Hits of the 60's and 70's
Says it all, doesn't it? This is the former oldies station. Favorite band is the Beatles. They play some decent old hits, but there is so much garbage that goes along with the gems. Grade: D+.
97.3 The Brew
This is the new 80-rock station (although it includes some 70s rock). Everybody seems to love this station right now, as it's spanking KLH in the ratings. Still, it's hit or miss. For every Van Halen song, there's an REO song. Favorite band is Foreigner. Grade: D+.
91.7 WMSE
This is the snobby, independent station. The format changes every two or three hours. In the mornings, I like the Middle Eastern music. You get a pretty good afternoon alternative rock show that gives way to a decent blues show. On Saturday mornings there's an "early" hip-hop show. Other than all that -- which is still hit or miss, just hit or miss with stuff you haven't heard often -- it's filled with unlistenable shite. No favorite band. Grade: D+.
102.9 Lazer
Lazer's the long-time hard rock station. Great morning show is what keeps the grade above water. Favorite band is easily Metallica. They play a lot of the new, toneless hard rock you hear so much these days. Stuff that -- production-wise -- is inspired by Creed and Nickelback. Very boring, bass-heavy mix. Cliched lyrics. Buncha crap. Still, good morning show and hit-or-miss songs give it -- Grade: C-.
102.1 WLUM
LUM has gone through the changes. I first remember them as "Hot 102", a hip, urban station that allegedly switched platforms because of gang violence in the city that was so associated with the music of LUM. Then in like '93 or '94 they became "New Rock" 102.1, which had a lot of chick rock and grunge. That changed around '98 or so to "Rock" 102.1, which was interesting. For about 2 weeks, they played everything: the chick rock, old rock, new rock, hard rock. It was good. But all good things end quickly in radio. Thus, "Rock" 102.1 became just hard rock. They essentially tried to out-Lazer Lazer. It failed. So now they're "Milwaukee's alternative station," which is . . . a nice effort. They don't try to replicate Lazer. They play plenty of 90s rock. They have a decent, "new music" show at night for an hour. The problem is they only play big-label alternative. They won't try anything independent. Still, it works for me: B-.
So, of eight stations reviewed, we've got a D-, two D's, three D+'s, a C-, and a B-, averaging out to a pretty solid D.
