CD of the Week: As I Call You Down

Three songwriters walk into a studio. They have three days of recording time but nothing written. When Ben Harper, Joseph Arthur and Dhani Harrison left the studio, they emerged as a harmonious new group.

Fistful of Mercy's debut As I Call You Down may be an acoustic one-off, a la Monsters of Folk. After all, Harper's career alone has touched on folk, gospel and straight-ahead rock during the past few years. But the album rewards repeat listening with standouts like the title track and "Father's Son."

Fistful of Mercy perform at Sixth and I Synagogue in Washington, D.C., on November 16.

The Top Songs and Albums of 2009

So, what were the Top Songs and Albums of 2009?
The WTMD staff weighs in below.

Join the debate by submitting your votes for the Top Songs by 12 p.m. Monday, December 21st.

We'll have it all figured out in time for the Top 89 Songs of 2009 Countdown on Wednesday, December 30th.

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Kristin Bachran, Membership Coordinator
Top 10 Albums

• Phoenix, Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix
• The Avett Brothers, I and Love and You
• Siversun Pickups, Swoon
• Dan Auerbach, Keep It Hid
• Joshua James, Build Me This
• Metric, Fantasies
• Black Joe Lewis and the Honeybears, Tell ‘Em What Your Name Is
• Umphrey’s McGee, Mantis
• Eels, Hombre Lobo
• Camera Obscura, My Maudlin Career
  
  

Top 10 Songs

• The Swell Season, "Low Rising"
• Silversun Pickups, "Panic Switch"
• Phoenix, "1901"
• Joshua James, "Coal War"
• The Avett Brothers, "I and Love and You"
• Camera Obscura, "French Navy"
• Passion Pit, "Little Secrets"
• Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros, "Home"
• Neko Case, "This Tornado Loves You"
• Tegan and Sara, "Hell"
  

Erik Deatherage, Morning Show Host

Top 10 Albums

• Bell X1, Blue Lights on the Runway
  
• Neko Case, Middle Cyclone
  
• Cotton Jones, Paranoid Cocoon
  
• U2, No Line on the Horizon
  
• Animal Collective, Merriweather Post Pavilion
  
• M. Ward, Hold Time
  
• Maia Sharp, Echo
• Robyn Hitchcock and Venus 3, Goodnight Oslo
  
• Sea Wolf, White Water, White Bloom
  
• Roman Candle, O Tall Tree in the Ear
  

Top 10 Songs

• Neko Case, "This Tornado Loves You"
  
• Black Joe Lewis and the Honeybears, "Gunpowder"
  
• Company of Thieves, "Oscar Wilde"
• Charlie Mars, "Listen to the Darkside"
  
• U2, "Moment of Surrender"
  
• Lily Allen, "Everyone's At It"
  
• Derek Trucks Band, "Down in the Flood"
  
• Wye Oak, "For Prayer"
  
• Erin McKeown, "Santa Cruz"
• Guggenheim Grotto, "Fee Da Da Dee"

Frank Diller, Online Services Manager
Top 10 Songs

• Phoenix "1901"
• Joshua James, "Coal War"
• The Hold Steady, "Atlantic City"
• Tommy Tucker, "Keep Good Time"
• Death Cab for Cutie, "Little Bribes"
• Sleigh Bells, "Ring Ring"
• Ben Harper and the Relentless7, "Shimmer & Shine"
• Black Joe Lewis and the Honeybears, "Sugarfoot"
• Neko Case, "This Tornado Loves You"
• Wilco, "You Never Know"

Matt Galler, Weekend Host
Top 10 Albums

• Animal Collective, Merriweather Post Pavillion
• Sea Wolf, White Water, White Bloom
• Grizzly Bear, Veckatimest
• Joshua James, Build Me This
• Pearl Jam, Backspacer
• The Dead Weather, Horehound
• Phoenix, Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix
• Peter Bjorn and John, Living Thing
• Death Cab for Cutie, The Open Door EP
• Wilco, Wilco (The Album)
  

Top 10 Songs

• Grizzly Bear, "Two Weeks"
• The Avett Brothers, "I And Love And You"
• Death Cab for Cutie, "Little Bribes"
• Animal Collective, "My Girls"
• Sea Wolf, "Wicked Blood"
• Manchester Orchestra, "I’ve Got Friends"
• Regina Spektor, "Eet"
• Joshua James, "Coal War"
• Tegan And Sara, "Hell"
• Fleet Foxes, "Mykonos"

Ryan Glaeser, Operations Manager; Stuck in the Jam Host
Top 10 Albums

• Phish, Joy
  
• Phoenix, Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix
• Portugal the Man, The Satanic Satanist
• Silversun Pickups, Swoon
• Passion Pit, Manners
• Heartless Bastards, The Mountain
• Umphrey's McGee, Mantis
• Ben Harper and the Relentless7, White Lies for Dark Times
• The Doves, Kingdom of Rust
• Monsters of Folk, Monsters of Folk

Top 10 Songs

• Phish, "Stealing Time from the Faulty Plan"
  
• Wilco, "Wilco (The Song)"
• Phoenix, "1901"
• Phoenix, "Lisztomania"
• MGMT, "Kids"
  
• Tegan & Sara, "Hell"
  
• Cage the Elephant, "Ain't No Rest for the Wicked"
  
• Death Cab for Cutie, "Meet Me on the Equinox"
  
• Silversun Pickups, "Panic Switch"
  
• Passion Pit, "Little Secrets"
  

Nick Jackon, Baltimore Unsigned Producer
Top 10 Albums

• Langhorne Slim, Be Set Free
• The xx, xx
• The Avett Brothers, I And Love And You
• Wale, Attention Deficit
• Bat for Lashes, Two Suns
• White Rabbits, It's Frightening
• fun., Aim & Ignite
• Regina Spektor, Far
• Vandaveer, Divide & Conquer
• Sunbears!, Dream Happy Dreams

Top 10 Songs (Again No Order)

• Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros. “Home”
• The Avett Brothers, "Kick Drum Heart"
• Andrew Bird, “Anonanimal”
• The Decemberists, “The Rake’s Song”
• Umphrey's McGee, “Cemetery Walk”
• Animal Collective, “My Girls”
• Conor Oberst, “Nikorette”
• The Dead Weather, "Hang You From The Heavens"
• Vandaveer, "Divide & Conquer"
• Manchester Orchestra, "I've Got Friends"
  

Melissa Lauren, Weekend Host
Top 10 Albums

• Monsters Of Folk, Monsters Of Folk
• Wilco, Wilco (The Album)
  
• Miike Snow, Miike Snow
• Heartless Bastards, The Mountain
• Wye Oak, The Knot
• Silversun Pickups, Swoon
• Black Joe Lewis and the Honeybears, Tell 'Em What Your Name Is
• Avett Brothers, I and Love and You
• Florence and the Machine, Lungs
• Lily Allen, It's Not Me, It's You

Top 10 Songs

• Wye Oak, "For Prayer"
• Miike Snow, "Animal"
  
• Heartless Bastards, "The Mountain"
• Florence and the Machine, "Dog Days Are Over"
• The Noisettes, "Never Forget You"
  
• Bat For Lashes, "Daniel"
  
• Joshua James, "Annabelle"
  
• Brendan Benson, "A Whole Lot Better"
  
• The Avett Brothers, "Kickdrum Heart"
  
• Black Joe Lewis and the Honeybears, "Sugarfoot"

Tyler Laporte, Mid-Day Host

Top 10 Albums

• Ben Harper & Relentless7, White Lies For Dark Times
• Wilco, Wilco (The Album)
• Phish, Joy
• Dan Auerbach, Keep It Hid
• Mos Def, The Ecstatic
• Animal Collective, Merriweather Post Pavillion
• Grizzly Bear, Veckatimest
• Avett Brothers, I and Love and You
• Dave Matthews Band, Big Whiskey & the Groo Grux King
• Black Joe Lewis & The Honeybears, Tell ‘Em What Your Name Is
  

Top 10 Songs

• Animal Collective, “My Girls”
• Cold War Kids, “Audience”
• Passion Pit, “The Reeling”
• Monsters of Folk, “Dear God (Sincerely M.O.F.)"
• Silversun Pickups, “Panic Switch”
• Neko Case, “This Tornado Loves You”
• La Roux, “Bulletproof”
• Grizzly Bear, "Two Weeks”
• Black Joe Lewis & The Honeybears, “Get Yo Sh&T”
• Brendan Benson, “A Whole Lot Better”

John Mathews, Afternoon Host
Top 10 Albums

• Jay Farrar & Benjamin Gibbard, One Fast Move Or I'm Gone: Music From Kerouac's Big Sur
• Robben Ford, Soul On Ten
• Derek Trucks Band, Already Free
• Brand New Heavies, Live In London
• Monsters Of Folk, Monsters Of Folk
• Bruce Hornsby & The Noisemakers, Levitate
• Joe Louis Walker, Between A Rock And The Blues
• Del McCoury, Celebrating 50 Years Of Del McCoury
• Alice In Chains, Black Gives Way To Blue
• Heartless Bastards, The Mountain

Top 10 Songs

• Heartless Bastards, "The Mountain"
• Robben Ford, "Indianola"
• E. Joseph & The Phantom Heart, "The Ghosts Around You"
• Green Day, "Know Your Enemy"
• Derek Trucks Band, "Days Is Almost Gone"
• Mike Zito, "Time To Go Home"
• Eric Roberson, "Borrow You"
• Monsters Of Folk, "The Sandman, The Brakeman And Me"
• Dead Weather, "Hang You From The Heavens"
• Foo Fighters, "Wheels"

Don Rogers, Weekend Host
Top 10 Albums

• Jay Farrar and Benjamin Gibbard, One Fast Move and I'm Gone
• Brandi Carlile, Give Up the Ghost
• Gomez, A New Tide
• Kasabian, West Ryder Pauper Lunatic Asylum
• Muse, The Resistance
• Phoenix, Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix
• Wolfmother, Cosmic Egg
• Ben Harper and Relentless7, White Lies for Dark Times
• Rodrigo y Gabriela, 11:11
  

Top 10 Songs

• Vandaveer, "Divide and Conquer
• Muse, "Uprising”
• Cory Chisel and the Wandering Sons, "Born Again”
• Gomez, ”Airstream Driver”
• Kasabian, ”Fast Fuse”
• One Eskimo, ”Kandi”
• Ben Gibbard and Jay Farrar, ”California Zephyr”
• Sara Watkins, ”Long Hot Summer Days”
• Silversun Pickups, ”Panic Switch”
• Death Cab For Cutie, “Meet Me on the Equinox"
  

Amy Wielunski, Membership Director
Top 10 Albums

• Joshua James, Build Me This
• The Avett Brothers, I and Love and You
• Good Old War, Only Way to Be Alone
• Portugal. The Man, The Satanic Satanist
• Rodrigo y Gabriela, 11:11
• Neko Case, Middle Cyclone
• M. Ward, Hold Time
• Sara Watkins, Sara Watkins
• Andrew Bird, Noble Beast
• Pink Martini, Splendor in the Grass

Top 10 Songs

• Andrew Bird, "Fitz and the Dizzyspells"
• K'naan, "Waving Flag"
• Joshua James, "Coal War"
• The Avett Brothers, "Kick Drum Heart"
• Black Joe Lewis & The Honeybears, "Sugarfoot"
• Portugal. The Man, "People Say"
• The Very Best, "Warm Heart of Africa"
• Noisettes, "Never Forget You"
• One Eskimo, "Kandi"
• Langhorne Slim, "Say Yes"

Steve Yasko, General Manager
Top 10 Albums

• Chris Isaak, Mr. Lucky
  
• Bruce Springsteen, Working on a Dream
  
• Robbie Williams, Reality Killed the Video Star
• Phoenix, Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix
• The Young Dubliners, Saints and Sinners
• Portugal the Man, The Satanic Satanist
• The Rurals, Rural Disco Vibes, Vol. 1
• Rosanne Cash, The List
• Monsters of Folk, Monsters of Folk
• Ingrid Michaelson, Everybody
  

Top 10 Songs

• Chris Isaak, "We Let Her Down"
• Bruce Springsteen, "The Wrecking Ball"
• Phoenix, "Lisztomania"
• Depeche Mode, "Wrong"
• Rosanne Cash, "Sea of Heartbreak"
• The Avett Brothers, "I and Love and You"
• Brett Dennen, "Heaven"
• Chuck Prophet, "Let Freedom Ring"
• One Eskimo, "Kandi"
• Black Joe Lewis and the Honeybears, "Sugarfoot"
  

Relentlessly Amazing

Ben Harper has always been a favorite of mine since I saw him opening for the Dave Matthews Band in the summer of 2000. I'm always excited when I hear that he's putting out a new album and this year is no exception to that statement. When the full album with his new band Relentless 7, White Lies For Lies For Dark Times slid across my desk I was elated. On first listen I decided it would be a featured CD of the Week here at the station and with tracks like "Number With No Name", "Shimmer & Shine", and "Fly One Time" there was no way around it.

I stayed up late to see every performance by the group on the late-night TV circuit and even passed up Nine Inch Nails' performance at Bonnaroo to see R7's show at The Other Tent. All I can say is that it was one of the most powerful performances I got to see at the festival and I had chills for the entire set. They even tackled a cover of Led Zeppelin's "Good Times, Bad Times" which left my face thoroughly melted.

Needless to say the band's set at the All Good Music & Arts Festival this weekend in Masontown, West Virginia, is one I have been looking forward to for a while.

Mix Tape Thursday, 5/21/09

WTMD listeners take over the airwaves with three-to-five song sets on Thursday.

7 a.m. Kathleen Milbourne

I call these "Morrissey Songs Not Sung By Morrissey." Basically, songs that capture the trademark awesome lyricism and delivery of the great man, and are fabulous songs in and of themselves, as well.

Cilla Black is actually one of Moz's childhood favorites, and I think you can see her influence on him, as well.

* "The Prayer," by Bloc Party
* "Lost in the Plot," by The Dears
* "Barricade," by Stars
* "I've Been Wrong Before," by Cilla Black


9 a.m. Alyssa Stokes

These songs have a great mix of humor, emotion and energy.
Truly original and all around fun listening!

* "Trashcan," by Delta Spirit
* "Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots," by Flaming Lips
* "Sipping on Sweet Nectar," by Jens Lekman
* "Cape Cod Kwassa Kwassa," by Vampire Weekend


11 a.m. Amanda Torbit

These are songs that WTMD has turned me onto.

I would have never found without listening to this radio station and now I can't imagine my life without them. Well, besides Patty Griffin--she's just my favorite and I love her so every list must have a Patty song.

* "In My Life," by Warren Haynes
* "Taste of Danger," by Jonatha Brooke and Davy Knowles
* "Gavin's Song," by Marc Broussard
* "You Don't See It," by The Duhks
* "Forgiveness," by Patty Griffin


1 p.m. Ryan Gardiner

I can never make it through these songs' respective albums without repeating these tracks.

* "We're the Same," by Matthew Sweet
* "You Are My Face," by Wilco
* "Smile," by The Jayhawks
* "Cannonball," by Damien Rice


5 p.m. Drew Walker

With no ticket to All Good yet, I decided to pick the top five songs I want to hear at Bonnaroo this year.

* "Hockey," by 3 a.m. Spanish
* "Ain't No Rest for the Wicked," by Cage the Elephant
* "100 Yard Dash," by Raphael Saadiq
* "Out at Sea," by Heartless Bastards
* "Wilson," by Phish


7 p.m. Jay Somers

Hey man, what can I say? I got a fever and the only cure is some Bens!

* "Catch My Disease," by Ben Lee
* "Landed," by Ben Folds
* "Wasted and Ready," by Ben Kweller
* "Bruised," by The Bens
* "Steal My Kisses," by Ben Harper

Mix Tape Thursday, 5/14/09

WTMD listeners take over the airwaves with three-to-five song sets on Thursday.

6 a.m. Tyler Waldman

Four very different songs by awesome local artists. Sure, only one of these acts has really hit it big, but all of them certainly deserve to.

* "Copy Write," by Caleb and Saleem
* "OK Apartment," by Oranges Band
* "Cyberspace Lip Gloss," by Karmella's Game
* "My Girls," by Animal Collective


8 a.m. Doug Desmarais

Roberta Flack's version of "Hey, That's No Way to Say Goodbye," found on her debut LP "First Take," is the definitive version of this Cohen classic. Breathtaking. Roberta Flack's cover of "Suzanne" is another classic. She is a masterful interpreter. (I'd love to see her do an entire album of Cohen songs . . . ) And Johnny Cash's acoustic resurrection included a great take of "Bird on a Wire." Fantastic.

* "Hey, That's No Way to Say Goodbye," by Roberta Flack
* "Suzanne," by Roberta Flack
* "Bird on a Wire," by Johnny Cash


10 a.m. Stanley Feldman

Five songs I've had stuck in my head recently.

* "Perfect Skin," by Lloyd Cole
* "Vicious," by Lou Reed
* "Spanish Bombs," by The Clash
* "Beercan," by Beck
* "Big Time Sensuality (Fluke Minimix)," by Bjork


12 p.m. Beth Homa

These songs are random, as random as my life is. Each reminds me of person or an experience that have been pivotal in my progression of life. Plus they are just really good songs.

* "Mississippi Half Step Uptown Toodeloo," by Grateful Dead
* "Another Saturday Night," by Cat Stevens
* "Memphis Train," by Buddy Miles
* "Ain't No Sunshine," by Bill Withers
* "Crying," by Roy Orbison


4 p.m. Kevin Majoros

Heavenly songs.

* "Sheep Go to Heaven," by Cake
* "Just Like Heaven," by Kate Melua
* "Come On Get Higher," by Matt Nathanson
* "Heaven," by Los Lonely Boys
* "Heavenly Day," by Patty Griffin

6 p.m. Raffi Creech

* "Shimmer and Shine," by Ben Harper and Relentless 7
Ben Harper has played All Good several times and the crowd always loves him.

* "Ain't Nothing Wrong with That," by Robert Randolph and the Family Band

* "Wrong Way Feeling," by Bob Weir and Ratdog
One of my personal favorites. I recently saw him and Jeff Chimenti (keyboardist) with the Dead in DC and NY and he was awesome with them. This will be my first time seeing him with Ratdog.

* "Hidden Hand, Hidden Fist," by Sound Tribe Sector 9
Everyone loves STS9's electronic jams.

* "Garden of Eden," by Donna the Buffalo
Donna the Buffalo will bring the folkish-bluegrassy jams to All Good this year and I'm really excited to see them.

Virgin Day Two: Wu, Yahu and You!

Just wrapping up things at V-Fest 2007 enjoying a little Wu Tang Clan.

In trying to gauge the vibe, I'd say the unofficial impression indicates spectacular music moments were had by festival-goers, artists, promotors and the numerous organizations represented.

Sources are telling us now that over 42,000 concert-goers attended Saturday and another 30,000 on Sunday.

So when you add it all up...that's over 70,000 concert-goers blistering in the sun at Pimlico for a festival that's just in its second year. Not bad at all. And the concept of having just two stages, versus the 5 or even 12 at, say, an Austin City Limits or Bonnaroo, respectively, I think puts V-Fest in a niche' market for fests; it's more compact and makes it easier to choose between artists.

We'll try to find out what kind of commitments Virgin Mobile has to future V-Fests in Baltimore later this week. Word on the street, though, is the company is very, very happy with Baltimore as a music city!

Top 5 highlights of V-Fest 2007 for me:
1. Ben Harper and the Innocent Criminals performing the best outdoor music set...I've ever seen.
2. The Police getting their act together and sounding, well, like The Police! I saw them at another show this summer, and as Stewart Copeland pointed out himself, he, Andy and Sting were not on the same page musically. On Saturday night...ALL the kinks were worked out and the band that got me loving music in the first place, reminded me of why.
3. The closest thing to a gospel tent: Matisyahu bringing a much needed dose of spirituality to the throngs of fans lined up very far back in the infield.
4. Regina Spektor: "Summer in the City"
5. Meeting everyone who stopped by the TMD booth! Thanks for that!