I'm one of those guys who coordinates his car trips to the radio schedule. I plan my Saturday errands, for instance, to WMSE's "Saturday Afternoon Boogie Bang," and try to time my evening drives to either FM 102.1's "Indie Soundcheck" or to WMSE shows like "Mad Kids" or "Planet Prog" (Milwaukee's most reliable source for symphonic rock from communist countries). Friday evenings are all about the "Basement Crew" on Jammin' 98.3. Saturday nights belong to over-sized megamixes on V 100.7, and Sunday mornings are reserved for crackly, old-ass jazz on WMSE.
While my allegiance will probably lie with themed, niche-specific blocks of music, Radio Milwaukee 88.9's freeform mix has been a godsend for those times when one of my programs isn't on.
Easing the pain of a long, errand-filled trip to the northern suburbs last night, for instance, was a really set on 88.9 that included The Afghan Whigs' "Debonair," Broken Social Scene/Brendan Canning's "Churches Under the Stairs" and The Replacements "Merry Go Round." You can't time your day to it, but that's great radio.
