Radio Like It (Never Quite) Used to Be

Radio just ain't what it used to be. Or so I gather. The year was 1962, and an FCC ruling had just informed AM stations that they could no longer simply simulcast their programming on their FM sister-stations. To help fill the airwaves, many stations simply let the DJs play whatever they pleased. Thus, freeform radio was born (or at least hugely popularized). 47 years later, there exist only a small handful of freeform radio stations that don't employ strict programming rules with a "clock" and playlist rotations. New Jersey's WFMU is perhaps the reigning king of such stations. Their shows are manned by DJs with a true passion for and deep knowledge about the music they spin. In fact, most of them are succesful and acclaimed artists in their own right.

But what good is this bounty of freeform broadcasting for those who reside outside the State of Garden, you ask? Well, fortunately for everyone living in the technology-laden present, the Podcast giveth where the Telecommunications Act taketh away. WFMU is kind enough to provide free versions of many of their fantastic programs, automatically delivered directly to your computer on a regular basis.

As you might imagine, without the lowest-common-denominator filtering, the content can get somewhat out-there. So here's a handy guide to some of their most consistently wonderful, if a bit off-beat, offerings:

Downtown Soulville with Mr. Finewine: [iTunes Link]"We're gonna start from the beginning, and teach everyone how to scratch! Are you ready! Jump up! Jump back! Bring in your knees! Scratch your back!" Yeah, I know. It's a bit hard to believe that Ty Terrel's "The Scratch (Pt. 2)" never caught on as a national dance craze. Then again, our host Mr. Finewine has made a habit of delivering sweet long sets of rare soul 45s that'll have you twistin', scratchin', and shakin' your head in disbelief at the amount of absolutely classic soul you've somehow managed never to hear. Put your good dress on. Let's go downtown!

Mudd Up! with DJ/Rupture: [iTunes Link] As a recording artist, Rupture is one of the most critically acclaimed DJs of the decade. His radio show covers much of the same territory as his records, taking the listener for a spin across the world's dance floor. Ragga, Cumbia, Dancehall, Dubstep, North African and Arabic folk music, and indigenous music from every corner of the globe are all woven together into a seamless tapestry. Don't let your perception of modern day dance music mislead you: this is absolutely captivating stuff. Immensely accessible, especially considering the breadth of the terrain it covers, and never off-puttingly outre, Mudd Up! is a fascinating listen, at once hypnotic and eye-opening.

Do or DIY with People Like Us: [iTunes Link] Imagine if the Italian Futurists' inner children hosted a radio program. To be fair, this one can get a bit weird. But even more so, Do or DIY is all fun-loving, lollipop-toting, Easter-Bunny-believing, wide-eyed, technicolor wonder. Weird has never been this much fun. There's really no easy way to describe the contents of this playfully avant-garde celebration of collage and pastiche. The most recent episode saw a breezy duet between Tropicalia legends Caetano Velosa and Gal Costa segue into The GTOs "I'm In Love With The Ooo-Ooo Man" (who was raised in Shnitt-Schnitt land, and who's first name is the same as his last). Later on you're treated to The 13th Floor Elevators' Roky Erickson wailing over a baroque Beach Boys arrangements. One second you're wondering what on Earth you're listening to, the next you're playing it for everyone you know.

Also try: Sinner's Crossroads for good-ole hand-clappin' vintage gospel and The Best Show Gems for the funniest fake call-in show on the dial. Also be sure to stream some old episodes (the podcast is on hiatus) of Radio Freetown's 70's-era West-African guitar rock for the some of the funkiest, grooviest, most infectious tunes ever recorded.