WZBC 90.3 FM Newton
Boston College Radio, Chestnut Hill, MA
Student-run radio station at Boston College, Chestnut Hill, Mass. USA
Gulls Window Circus
- Every week on Tue at 5:00 PM
Specialty
With Carl Thien
In the same way that a seagull locates the one good piece of food inside of a crumpled up brown bag blown underneath a car after a worker’s lunch break, Carl finds the one good
song hidden at the end of side 2 on a dusty record in a forgotten corner of a record store,
and brings new finds to you every week on Gulls Window Circus, weaving a story that
never repeats itself as it ebbs and flows through time, geography and genre.
Feb 28, 2023 5:00 PM – 7:00 PM
With Carl Thien
#560
The third week in the non-rock 12″ played alphabetically series completes the letter ‘B’ and starts the letter ‘C’. The scope of the sounds is fairly wide, and hidden within are Sun Ra and Elvis re-edits (The Cosmologist and Pepe California). Comic Kids track has stuck in my head, but mostly I have enjoyed the trip though these 2 hour-long segments.
Feb 21, 2023 5:00 PM – 7:00 PM
With Carl Thien
#559
The second week in the alphabetical non-rock 12″ series continues the letter ‘B’, which will be completed next week. The show starts off with an Al Kent re-edit of Dave Baker, covers some early 00s electro courtesy of Bangkok Impact and later the the 3 Crème Eclipse 12″s. We go way back to 1979 with Black Devil, pleasantly revisit 2005 with Baxendale, then settle in with electronic artists/re-edits of the last decade.
Feb 14, 2023 5:00 PM – 7:00 PM
With Carl Thien
#558
Today begins a new series ’12” played alphabetically’ which will not cover labels I buy lots of releases from, instead covering the one-offs, played alphabetically by artist. If the 12″ is VA, the title is the alphabetical hook. I love this type of series because it is fun to wrestle a fluid show out of such a constraint, and I usually uncover new favorites while re-evaluating old finds. Today’s show brought me a lot of joy, which I hope you experience, especially as it goes live on Valentines Day 2023.
Feb 7, 2023 5:00 PM – 7:00 PM
With Carl Thien
#557
Today’s show has 6 pairings of Television or Tom Verlaine tracks with suitable companions, then a bunch of songs his stuff makes me think of. I did not play Felt, who may be the most Television-like band, but I will have them covered in weeks to come and I wanted to make lass obvious parallels. The tracks that have thrilled me and stuck in my head the most are ‘Penetration’ and it’s New Order pairing (both just incredible), and the TV21 / Psychedelic Furs pairing. I also love the dB’s track ‘I Lie’.
Jan 31, 2023 5:00 PM – 7:00 PM
With Carl Thien
#566
An all-vinyl power pop show, everything fitting together neatly, though the last 3 songs in the second hour break the mold a bit, but somehow suggested themselves as I was recording this. I learned interesting stuff about Hollywood Stars (they shared a split 7″ with The Kinks) and Plastic Bertrand while recording this show. The Sweet track is a strong 2021 studio recording from a pandemic inspired LP. The Adverts track had been going through my head for weeks, glad to put it out in the open here. The Jordan Jones, KRGA, Brett Smiley trio that closes the first hour is ‘just right’, while bands to discover in this show are Beachheads, The Trend, Modernettes, The Stiffs, The Lloyds, and The Demons.
Jan 24, 2023 5:00 PM – 7:00 PM
With Carl Thien
#555
All vinyl as always, an LP tracks Carl’s living room show with 11 feels-good-together pairings, then 3 David Crosby and 4 Jeff Beck tracks to celebrate the life and works of those artists. Special attention to the Traffic track that has been going through my head, the Stargazer Lilies track from their brand new record, and the David Bowie remix of a track from his The Next Day LP.
Jan 17, 2023 5:00 PM – 7:00 PM
With Carl Thien
#554
A Carl’s living room LP tracks rock show with three 7″ tracks tucked in at the end of Part 2. Some 80’s goodness from ten records gifted to me, which shaped some of the other selections. Special attention should be called to Scott Miller (Game Theory) early band ALRN and to The Yummy Fur’s Bowie cover, though as I usually say, EVERY track fought long and hard to be included here and has a rightful place in the Circus.
Jan 10, 2023 5:00 PM – 7:00 PM
With Carl Thien
#553
A vinyl rock Carl's living room show that offers 13 pairings (26 tracks) spread across two 60 minute segments. The first hour pairs Mary Timony w/The Farmer’s Boys, Ace Frehley w/Fanny, Can w/Grand Funk Railroad, Del Shannon w/Robyn Hitchcock, Suzi Quatro w/The Rolling Stones and live tracks from The Sound w/Duran Duran. The second hour pairs Carambolage w/The Male Nurse, Bone Of Contention w/Human Sexual Response, Julian Cope w/Detective, The Kinks w/Hot Tuna, and Swamp Dogg w/Bryan Ferry (perfect pair). Everything will make sense, I promise!
Jan 3, 2023 5:00 PM – 7:00 PM
With Carl Thien
#552
A 7" singles show with a 12", four 10", five LP and five CD tracks: a mix of all formats. The labels Precious Recordings Of London and Igor Records get a large spread. The Gulls Window Circus 'pairing' concept is here: two track sets where each track somehow complements thew other. Notable tracks are excavated from the collective unconsciousness of the world of music, and sit proud for your discovery.
Dec 27, 2022 5:00 PM – 7:00 PM
With Carl Thien
#551
A CD spinning’ show: Buried among a clutch of songs so good you might think they are covers, are 2 covers that are good – Artful Dodger doing Eddie Cochran and Cherie Currie & Brie Darling doing T.Rex, both to stunning effect. The Curt Boettcher produced single by TV actress Cindy Malone (Batman, Bewitched, Love American Style) is great, and the Peter Bagge band Can You Imagine? are as well. Oiler vocalist Beth Capper needs to be heard, as does Atomic Rooster guitarist John Du Cann. Thanks to Harriet Records (recent release High Rise Group is here) for introducing Gulls Window Circus to the Pittsburgh label Igor Records, which you will hear with Bone Of Contention and Minimalist Love Gods. The ones I didn’t mention? If I had written this 5 minutes ago or 5 minutes from not maybe they would have been the track’s I’d mention: listen to all.
Dec 20, 2022 5:00 PM – 7:00 PM
With Carl Thien
#550
Show #550 is an Electronic show that continues the feel of last week’s show, with a brief 2 song diversion of holiday tracks at the halfway of the first hour. All the main theme songs are longer and breathe well with a shared depth field that had me really enjoying this program. Zip away, and walk the space within.
Dec 13, 2022 5:00 PM – 7:00 PM
With Carl Thien
#549
Electronic 12″/10″/LP-tracks show with an expansive sound. There is a cohesive sound to the chosen tracks till the end of the second hour, when a recently discovered Walter Gibbons reel-to-reel razor edited track (the 10″ in this show) that I LOVE is brought in to close the gates.
Dec 6, 2022 5:00 PM – 7:00 PM
With Carl Thien
#548
A CD spinning’ show that starts with a track from the latest (2005) Steve Harley & Cockney Rebel CD – he still tells stories you want to listen to in his lyrics. A whole bunch of junk shop glam and power pop from CD-only comps are sprinkled throughout this show. Cushioning these many tracks are tracks from Julian Cope’s new CD-only release, tracks from the 2 latest Harriet Records CDs, two tracks from the latest of Joe Viglione’s long running Boston Rock & Roll Anthology series (one of them a Kenne Highland project), a track from new Boston band Crow Follow, Gulls Window Circus fave Richie Parsons has a track, paired with Dictator-related David Roter Method. The Jook’s track Aggravation Place has been going through my head all week, so be sure to hear that one as well.
Nov 29, 2022 5:00 PM – 7:00 PM
With Carl Thien
#547
An all 7″ singles show. Every track earns love, but here is context for some of them: Ford was a band from SF that Boston native Carolyn Keddy played in when she moved west to write for MRR. Joe Viglione’s label Vaurulven gets mightily represented by a bunch of singles today, including that of Phobia, who had Kurt Henry (who passed away last year) on guitar. Startoon is a band I discovered through Lenny Kaye’s Lightning Striking book and CD. Ed Gein’s Car is a band I went to school with. Limbo Race counted Randy Black among their members, and their track has a Burma sound to it. All tracks guaranteed.
Nov 22, 2022 5:00 PM – 7:00 PM
With Carl Thien
#546
13 records brought back from Poland from the store Paul’s Boutique in Kazimierz, bought during a recent Unsound trip, form the centerpiece of a Carl’s living room rock show that ranges from the 60s to the 20s. An unplanned New York Dolls track HAD to be brought in because the Adam Ant track before it had background vocals that suggested it. One pairing (Aztec Camera/Rickie Parsons) showcases two songs I’ve long thought belonged together. They are long distance relationship songs, which tie in to the US Thanksgiving holiday, which causes 1 out of 5 residents to travel long distance to celebrate together.
Nov 15, 2022 5:00 PM – 7:00 PM
With Carl Thien
#545
An electronic Carl’s living room (vinyl LP tracks played on a real turntable) starts with a Polish artist from the soundtrack to the film Tonight She Comes, moves to Lucrecia Dalt (who I experienced recently at Unsound in Poland and loved), soon moves into African tracks re-edited by several different artists, then goes into Indonesia with Wahono, takes a quick 5 track dip into original underground disco/re-edits, and ends with 2 Ukrainian artists before ending for-real with the appropriately titled ‘Ending’ from the soundtrack to Peter Fonda’s 1971 film The Hired Hand.
Nov 8, 2022 5:00 PM – 7:00 PM
With Carl Thien
#544
A CD spinning’ show – all CDs as opposed to the usual all-vinyl Gulls Window Circus fare. Boston institution Joe Viglione’s 1985 album ‘Love Songs Just For You’ was recently reissued on CD, and 1980 Tampa band The Strait-Jackets get their first release of any kind on a 2022 CD. These two discs bookmark a show that finds so many highlights that it’s almost not fair. Recent Harriet Records release ‘Start All Over Again ‘ by Snog 6 is here along with 2 songs currently on my fave list – the Swallow Tongue and April Showers tracks, alongside longtime faves Jackass, Airport Girl, Gilded Lil, Fanny, Beachwood Spark, Further, Suzi Quatro, Helen Love – heck, even Halfnelson (Sparks) and The Psychedelic Furs are here. The tracks I haven’t mentioned are no less deserving, they are just left for your own personal discovery.
Nov 1, 2022 5:00 PM – 7:00 PM
With Carl Thien
#543
Hard rock - what does that mean to you? This show gives a Gulls Window Circus slant to the genre, and features some artists you may think you don't like, with tracks I think you WILL like. I loved programming this show and can't wait to listen to it again. My personal faves? 'Blue Turk' has a great baseline and jazzy feel. David Coverdale, Pandora, Montrose, Detective, Blackfoot and Thin Lizzy round out my list of faves in this show, but I love it all - just let it play.
Oct 25, 2022 5:00 PM – 7:00 PM
With Carl Thien
#542
Carl’s living room rock show with a really enjoyable selection of tracks that go together well. I will divide it to old, medium and new. For ‘old’ you have Mitch Ryder & The Detroit Wheels, The Animals, Bo Diddley, Them, Buffalo Springfield, The 5th Dimension, The Kinks, T.Rex, Twink, and Federal Duck. For ‘medium’ you have Madness, Pere Ubu, Todd Rundgren, Broadcast, Everything But The Girl, Neil Young, Crazy Horse, John Martyn, Little Feat, NRBQ, Nick Lowe, Joe Jackson, Jeff Buckley, Nico, The Sound, and Virgin Prunes. For ‘new’ you have Parquet Courts and Ducks Ltd.
Oct 18, 2022 5:00 PM – 7:00 PM
With Carl Thien
#541
Wasn’t exactly what to call this show, so it is tagged as Carl’s living room, international, soul/funk, soundtrack, and electronic. Qualifying as ‘international’ would be Giuliano Sorgini , Trio Balkana and Anni-Frid Lyngstad , ‘soul/funk’ would be Esther Marrow, Curtis Mayfield, Home Boy And The C.O.L., The Prolifics, and Slave, ‘soundtrack’ would be Nico Fidenco and Tangerine Dream, ‘electronic’ would be DYYU∩E, Loveshadow, and MLO & Spacetime Continuum, and Alex Ho. That leaves Miriam Makeba with a Buffalo Springfield cover, Les Baxter And His Orchestra with classic exotica, Smith & Mudd with a contemporary tribute to library music, Scream And Dance with post-punk, and Michael James Pollard, a one-off 7″-only discovery from the 80s.