WUMB management indeed knows what it is doing, it is following a the formula prescribed by NPR and CPB to increase marketshare. The weekday program hosts have no programing authority, the same tired AAA songs are repeated over and over. WUMB today sounds like WZLX of old, and no wonder, that's where its music director came from.
I run a Yahoo group serving the folk and roots community. It has a "clunkers" database -
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/NorthEastFolknRoots/database?method=reportRows&tbl=3 where, since 3/08 (near the beginning of the folk-to-AAA/pop format change) members have been logging the worst songs WUMB's music director mandates be played.
Restricting Dick and Dave's ability to produce their own programs is a shame and waste of their talent. Does anyone believe they would choose to play crap below?
A few recent examples:
6/2/10 1:00pm What is this feeling? Guggenheim Grotto AAA pop crap.
6/2/10 1:20pm Court Yard Hounds The coast AAA pop crap. Slide rips off George Harrison.
6/2/10 9:40pm My Town Quincy Mumford AAA pop crap.
6/2/10 12:45pm Carry you home Kenny White Pop, and a rip off of the Doors and Martin Sexton.
6/3/10 11:05 Just Breathe Pearl Jam Pearl Jam? WUMB really has gone AAA pop!
6/3/10 6/3/10 Thinkin' 'Bout You Bradley Winfield Parker Nashville pop.
6/3/10 11:50am Tennessee Stud The Little Willies Pop. Give me Doc Watson, please!
6/3/10 11:55am Meet me in New Mexico Anders Osborn Pop rock. Repeated lyrics.
6/3/10 12:10pm Beautiful (I Guess) Erin McKeown Pop. Weird electronic noise from a 50's sci-fi movie.
6/3/10 1:40pm Two shots of jealousy Julien Dawson American Idol comes to mind
6/3/10 1:45pm You and I Wilco w/ Feist AAA pop crap.
6/3/10 2:15pm I can't stand it Lee Harvey Osmond (Tom Wilson) AAA pop crap.
6/3/10 4:47pm Turn To Stone Jim Lauderdale Nashville pop.
6/3/10 7:10pm Northern Lights Dala Juvenile pop
6/3/10 7:50pm Take it Easy Samantha Gibb & the Cartell Pop. What would you expect from the daughter of Maurice Gibb (besides disco)?
6/3/10 9:45pm Learning to swim Backayard Tire Fire World Cafe pop
6/4/10 2:55pm Boom boom Will Dailey Pop
6/4/10 3:05pm I saw a bird fly away Dar Williams Pop rock. Sounds like Bare Naked Ladies. Dar, please go back to your roots.
6/4/10 3:40pm Beautiful Desdemona Raina Rose Austin pop.
6/4/10 3:55pm Life threads Lucy Kaplansky Corporate sell out. This pop song (released as a single) was funded by/is a commercial for a perfume company.
6/4/10 4:40pm Sparks in the radio Jim Photogio AAA pop crap.
6/9/10 2:10pm Don't know why Norah Jones Las Vegas lounge pop.
6/9/10 2:45pm The way I am Ingrid Michaelson "I buy you rogain when you are losing your hair"???!!!! Please!
6/9/10 3:25pm When you wake up feeling bad Allison Moorer Beatlesque pop rock
6/9/10 4:10pm Follow that sound Sharon Little Crash bang pop.
6/9/10 4:50pm I can't stand it Lee Harvey Osmond This song hurts my ears. Turn off WUMB whenever it is played.
6/10/10 3:25pm Northern Lights Dala Over-produced sappy teen pop love song.
6/10/10 4:20pm I wouldn't need you Norah Jones Sappy pop love song.
6/10/10 4:45pm Tom's Diner Suzanne Vega Isn't this the melody from the 60's TV show "I dream of Jeannie" -
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a_DzyH0zsx4
6/10/10 6:20pm Fly like an eagle / come together Laura Love AAA pop.
6/10/10 8:10pm The loneliness and the scream Frightened Rabbit Horrible pop rock. ugh!
6/11/10 2:40 Then again Court Yard Hounds Pop. la de da, la de da, la de da, la de da...
6/14/10 12:25pm Meet Me In New Mexico Anders Osborn Pop rock
6/14/10 2:00pm Finally Found a Reason BoDeans AAA pop.
6/14/10 2:13pm White Light Vienna Teng World Cafe-type electro pop.
6/14/10 4:00pm The King of Spain The Tallest Man on Earth Bob Dylan wannabe/impressionator.
6/14/10 4:20pm Carptebaggers Jenny Lewis & Elvis Costello Crash bang Nashville pop.
6/15/10 1:35pm Got your heart Anders Osborn Simply horrible!
6/15/10 1:50pm Turn To Stone Jim Lauderdale Simplistic Nashville pop, Hee haw! How many times dos the phrase "turn to stone" need to be repeated?
6/21/10 7:20pm Dead Slow Judith Edelman Breathy pop rock.
6/21/10 3:10pm I gotta go Yarn Nashville pop.
6/22/10 3:50pm Everybody needs somebody China Forbes AAA pop crap. Slide rips off George Harrison's My Sweet Lord"
6/23/10 12:00pm Old Dominion Eddie From Ohio Faux, pop bluegrass.
6/23/10 6:30pm The King of Spain The Tallest Man on Earth Bob Dylan wannabe/impressionator.
6/23/10 7:55pm Dumbed down James Maddock pop
6/23/10 8:00pm Everybody loves you Milton pop - oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo
6/24/10 9:50am Sunshine Jonathan Edwards was pop when released, remains pop today
6/24/10 10:05am Make it snappy Kate Taylor Pop / lite rock
6/24/10 10:45am Crystalize Anne Heaton Sappy pop, cheesy electronic effects.
6/24/10 10:50am Turn to stone Jim Lauderdale Nashville pop.
6/24/10 12:15pm For a while Anthony da Costa Pop rock. 7 CD's in 3-4 years? This kid has talent but needs to learn the difference between quality and quantity.
6/24/10 12:18pm Downtown Christine Lavin Elevator pop.
6/24/10 12:20pm Hard lesson The Burned Pop rock From where does Laureti dredge up this crap?
6/24/10 1:05pm Something about the passion R.E.M. Pop rock
6/24/10 3:30pm Alibi Shelby Lynne Singer-songwriter love pap pop drivvel.
6/25/10 12:40pm All the things that are left behind Blue Radio Canadian pop.
To paraphrase Clara Pella's "where's the beef", I would like to know "where's the folk"?
