CD of the Week: Intoxicating Iron and Wine

The clouds part and a heavenly chorus of winged Brian Wilsons float into your ears.

The fuzzed out sweet intensity of opening  track "Walking Far From Home" on WTMD's CD of the Week, Kiss Each Other Clean from Iron and Wine sets the tone for Sam Beam's expanded obsession with sonic experimentation that made his last album The Shepherd's Dog such a treat.

The second track, "Me & Lazarus" rolls along with a funky bass groove and a Kind of Blue-like sax, taking Beam's minimalist folk out for a late night crawl.

The other tracks combine out-of-tune whistles, female doo-woops, xylophones, electric pianos, and Beam's warm, multi-tracked voices for a warm, earthy 70's FM radio feel, a long way from Beam's  hushed, acoustic confessionals from those early Iron and Wine records.

Enjoy tracks from Kiss Each Other Clean all week on WTMD and catch Iron and Wine at Rams Head Live April 20th.

The Bridge Debut New Dance Move

The Bridge clean up pretty good in the video for "Rosie" from their latest album National Bohemian.

And if you think the Baltimore band, known for it's improvisation, is tightening things up with the ties, focus in on Kenny Liner's interpretive dance. Debbie Allen, eat your heart out!

CD of the Week: Eulogies Mourn a Young Life With Joyful Music

In May of 2008, Eulogies frontman Peter Walker's son was born. But elation for the first time father was short lived when just a week later he learned his good friend , business partner and Dangerbird Records founder Jeff Castelaz would face an unspeakable battle: his young son Pablo had a rare and fatal form of cancer called bilateral Wilm's Tumor.

Walker stood by Pablo's bedside in 2009 when he took his last breath at the age of only six.

While WTMD's CD of the Week, Tear the Fences Down pays tribute to a brave soul and deals with loss and healing in general, the jubilant guitars, bass and drums and Butch Walker production casts a less somber tone than the name of the band would suggest .

In fact, the single "You Hide" is as catchy and as positive sounding as anything you'll hear this year, and even the closer, "Little Else to Say," with the line, "You're gone, but you live on," sounds joyful and celebrates a young life cut way too short.

Listen all week long to track from Eulogies, Tear the Fences Down, WTMD' S CD of the Week.

What's up this Weekend?

Remember to vote for your Top 10 Desert Island Songs before heading out to one of these events going on around town.

Weekend on the Radio Recap

Every Thursday morning at 6:20 a.m. and 8:20 a.m. Sam Gallant of the Creative Alliance shares with you all the cool happenings around town on Weekend on the Radio. In case you missed a detail about a specific event, here's the list for this week.

Thursday, 1/27:

• Literary Death Match, Creative Alliance 8 p.m.

Friday, 1/28

• Mondawmin Song and Story Hour, Mondawmin Mall 4-5 p.m.
• Sowebo Members Show, Sowebo Gallery 6 p.m.
• Self Portrait as Rock Star opening reception, Current Gallery 7 p.m.

Saturday, 1/29

• Polar Bear Plunge, Sandy Point State Park 8 a.m.
• Baltimore Oriole Fanfest, Baltimore Convention Center 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.
  
• Airplane!, AMC Owings Mills 12:30 p.m.
• Baltimore School of Rock, Recher Theatre 1 p.m. (Also on Sunday)
• Egg Babies Orchestra, The Ottobar 9 p.m.

Sunday, 1/30

• Mad Hatter's Tea Party, Baltimore Clayworks 2 to 4 p.m.
  

WTMD to Countdown Your 500 Desert Island Songs

Desert Island Songs are the ones you can't live without.  They may not be the best or most important songs--but they are deeply personal choices.  They keep you sane in insane times!  Vote your 10 Desert Island Songs and this February, we'll tally up the votes and come up with a list any WTMD listener should have if their plane crash lands on a remote island with a hatch and a smokey black cloud monster.

CD of the Week: Amos Lee's Desert Soul

Out of the Desert Southwest city that produced such turbulent and tragic headlines recently, comes some beautiful, soothing, soul-searching sounds from Amos Lee.

Joey Burns of Calexico produced WTMD's CD of the week, Lee's fantastic Mission Bell.

A chance meeting led to Lee packing his bags for Tucson to join Burns and John Convertino (whose drum rolls stand out on the TMD favorite, "Windows are Rolled Down") at Calexico's Wavelab Studios (where Neko Case recorded some of Middle Cylcone)

The Philly-native simply strummed, minimalist songs breathe with wide-eyed added dimension thanks to Burn's expansive brushstrokes of mandolins, pedal steel, organs, horns and other earthy instruments.

Lucinda Williams, Sam Beam of Iron and Wine and Greg Leisz lend their talents, as does the great Willie Nelson, whose comforting, nasal croon graces the closing song, "El Camino (Reprise)."

A fine album for a desert highway, or maybe even a desert island, listen all week long for tracks from Mission Bell.

Weekend on the Radio Recap

Every Thursday morning at 6:20 a.m. and 8:20 a.m. Sam Gallant of the Creative Alliance shares with you all the cool happenings around town on Weekend on the Radio. In case you missed a detail about a specific event, here's the list for this week. Sam was out of town this week, so Erik was joined by The Creative Alliance's Megan Hamilton.

All Weekend Long:

• The BSO goes Robustly Russian, The Joseph Meyerhoff Symphony Hall, Thursday 8 p.m. and Saturday 3:15 p.m.
• 12: An aerial performance for 12 actors, MICA Blackbox Theatre, check website for details

Thursday:

• Midnight Sun Happy Hour, The Don't Know Tavern 7 p.m.

Friday:

• The National Rifle; Eureka Birds; The Ugly Club, Charm City Artspace 7 p.m.
• Yo La Tengo, 9:30 Club 9 p.m.
• Wild Gypsy Dance Party, Creative Alliance 8 p.m.

Saturday:

• Crowded Streets: A Tribute to Dave Matthews, Rams Head Live 7 p.m.
• 4 Hours of Funk!, The Wind-Up Space 10 p.m.

Sunday:

• Cinema Sundays at The Charles: Today's Special, The Charles Theatre 9:45 a.m.
• The Footworks Dance Ensemble, The Smith Theatre at Howard Community College 2:30 and 4:30 p.m.
• Steve Kraemer, The Fells Point Waterfront 4 to 8 p.m.

Tour Dates canceled For STS9

After their performances at Mayan Holidaze (Jan 20th -24th) this weekend, STS9 will be forced to cancel their upcoming tour dates thru March and possibly further. One of the bands members, David Murphy, better known as Murph, has been diagnosed with cancer. The group has more information and a letter written from Murph himself on their website. www.sts9.com Our thoughts go out to Murph and the entire STS9 family. Get Better soon Murph!!

WTMD's CD of the Week: Allman's Joy of the Blues

"Lord I felt sure like was dying" an unnerved Gregg Allman  growls on Sleepy John Estes' 'Floating Bridge," which opens his mostly covers record and first solo release in 14 years, Low Country Blues.

Far from a last will and testament- he recorded WTMD's featured CD of the Week just before his liver transplant last June- the Estes song and producer T-Bone Burnett's, almost, supernatural way of "getting" him somewhat spooked the Allman Brothers singer and keyboardist. And so did Burnett's fondness for keepng first takes!

The dark piano rolls of Dr. John (who gets credited with his real name Mac Rebnnack),  Doyle Bramhall II's rock guitar brushstrokes and some seductive brass add an uptown sophistication to Allman's homage to rural blues heroes like Skip James and Muddy Waters.

But, it's Allmans' commanding, redemption-seeking voice and Hammond B3 prowess that's not to be missed. Listen all week to hear more tracks from WTMD' CD of the Week!

Check out a live version of the opener, with Allman giving some heartfelt thanks for a second chance.





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Altered Freebies: Bright Eyes; Oh Land; James Vincent McMorrow

What's better than music? Free music. Producer Nick Jackson has scoured the internet to bring you the best free downloads featured on this week's Altered Fridays, 4-7 p.m.

Bright Eyes, “Shell Games”
Conor Oberst returns with the long-awaited, possibly-last album under his alter ego. Those who may have gotten over Bright Eyes might want to give him another try this go 'round.

Oh Land, “EP”
A friend sent me the Oh Land EP after meeting her at CMJ. Since then, MTVU won't stop playing her videos. Now, it's not a free download, the site displays the whole EP for streaming purposes. Each song features a different video so you may want to get off your iPhone to enjoy the full experience.

James Vincent McMorrow, “If I Had A Boat”
In theme with WTMD's 500 Desert Island songs, this one is a pretty literal pick. If you're not familiar with James, his album should hold you over until the release of the new Fleet Foxes LP. Grab this one for those cold winter nights.

WTMD Renovates Program Schedule

Hey Everyone,

WTMD is making some big changes to our program schedule based on the listener surveys we've conducted over the past three years.  Thanks for filling them out and helping us program the station.

The new schedule includes 16 new hours hosted by one of our DJs or is a new national program.  


Some Highlights:

• We've added a new DJ to our weekday line up.  Listeners told us local DJs are the most important part of our schedule and Scott Mullins hosts Noon to 3 pm. Tyler moves to 9 am to Noon.  You might have guessed some of our current DJs will have shorter shows.  That's a good thing!  They'll be preparing new program segments and hosting weekend shows too!
• Don Rogers takes you to the Witching Hour Monday through Thursday from 10 pm to Midnight
• Weasel gets a repeat broadcast Fridays from 7 to 10 pm.  The Roadhouse and Altered Fridays move to Saturdays (yep, it's now called the Saturday Alternative!).
• World Cafe moves to 7 pm Monday through Thursday.  Listeners told us moving this show to evenings would have no effect on the amount of listening to WTMD. The show is also available on line at worldcafe.npr.org anytime.
• WTMD's Jam Band Line Up moves to Sunday Night starting with the recognized expert-Bug!  Stuck in the Jam starts at 9 pm then The Grateful Dead Hour and Keller's Cellar.

Here's a PDF of the full program schedule you can print out or send to your mobile.
  

• The Dirty Soul Party is about music listeners feel…from the waist down!  Every week it will feature a saucy bump and grind blend of vintage designed to get listeners off the couch and on the dance floor.  The DSP is played mostly from the original 45s, hand-mixed into a gritty night of funky floor shakers.  The Dirty Soul Party airs Saturdays from 9 pm to Midnight.

• Mat the Cat’s Juke in the Back showcases the unknown rhythm and blues tracks that gave birth to modern rock n’ roll.  Listeners can join Mat for this journey back in time every Friday night at 10 pm on WTMD. 

• The Weekly Feed brings the newest, most discussed tracks making news in the blogosphere to the airwaves every Wednesday night.  Kyle Meredith will guide listeners through a musical detective story with surprise call-ins from known and unknown artists each week.  The Weekly Feed is the crystal ball into what is going to happen in music next and airs Wednesdays at 9 pm.

There is something else going on this weekend besides the game....

Here's a list of all the other things that you might want to do when you're not drinking purple beer or wearing purple undergarments or trying to die your cabs and shrimp purple.  And please, if you give birth this weekend...Lavender is about the only acceptable purple name you can use.  Think of the rest of the child's life!  Here's the list

Weekend on the Radio Recap

Every Thursday morning at 6:20 a.m. and 8:20 a.m. Sam Gallant of the Creative Alliance shares with you all the cool happenings around town on Weekend on the Radio. In case you missed a detail about a specific event, here's the list for this week. Sam was out of town this week, so Erik was joined by The Creative Alliance's Megan Hamilton.

All Weekend Long:

• Baltimore County Restauraunt Week, various restauraunts in Baltimore County. Check website for details
• I Have a Dream Weekend Celebration, Port Discovery

Thursday, 1/13

• Das Racist, Sonar 9 p.m.

Friday, 1/14

• Chef Mac's and All That Blues Louisiana Buffet, 7-11 p.m.
• IMAX Film Festival, Maryland Science Center, check website for details
• The Second City Does Baltimore, Center Stage, check website for showtimes
• Stone Hill All-Stars with Jonathan Gilmore, Creative Alliance 8 p.m.
• Punk Rock Tribute Night, The Ottobar 9 p.m.

Saturday, 1/15

• Ravens vs. Steelers, every sportsbar in the greater Baltimore area, seriously
• Fells Point Food Tour, various spots in Fells Point
• School of Rock, Recher Theatre 8 p.m.

Sunday 1/16

• Mark Brine and Caleb Stein, The Wind-up Space 5 p.m.

CD of the Week: The Decemberists Keep it Sweetly Simple

"Here we come to a turning of the season," Colin Meloy declares over a bluesy harmonica riff which opens WTMD's new CD of the Week, The King is Dead.

It's an organic, straightforward return for this Portland, Oregon band, whose ambitious The Hazards of Love, featured a hard-to-digest plot line and cast of characters. The Decemberists new salt of the earth songs come courtesy of the comfortingly familiar, Fables of the Reconstruction-era guitar and mandolin of REM's Peter Buck, some sweet steel guitar from multi-instrumentalist Chris Funk and the ghostly Appalachian background vocals of Gillian Welch, who sings on most of the album's ten tracks.

A serene, seasonally-themed album that sees Meloy mining American roots influences rather than his usual English folk muse, The Decemberists' The King is Dead makes the first, "now top that!" statement in 2011. Listen this week on WTMD to hear more!