Mad-Sweet Pangs perform "D'Artagnan" Live at WTMD

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The Newark, Delaware-based jam band visited WTMD (http://www.wtmd.org) for a recent appearance on Baltimore Unsigned, performing the track which originally appeared on the band's debut album "Stumbling Through Blydepoort Canyon."

Mad-Sweet Pangs released the follow-up, "Witness & Wait," in 2008.

A "Case" for Killer Whales

Hopefully, you've had a chance to hear the new Neko Case single, "People Got a Lotta Nerve" from her album due out March 3rd, Middle Cyclone.

Typical Neko song: short, unconventional song structure, she says what she has to say and exits the song quickly- in this case, the "man, man, man, man, man, man, man-eater" refers to cases of humans getting too close to creatures such as tigers and killer whales and losing a limb, or worse, and the unjust fates of those who simply act naturally.

The charity that's benefiting from the sales of the single rescued Michael Vick's dogs.

Animals have shown up subjects/metaphors in Neko's music for awhile and with her recent move to a Vermont farm, that's likely to continue.

Can't wait for the new record, being the Neko nut that I am- in fact, she bought a bunch of old pianos and set them up in an abandoned barn and had friends play simultaneous notes- should create quite a wall of sound.

Neko plays the 930 Club for 2 shows in April (the 8th and 9th.)

Animal Collective: Pet Sounds on Acid

The Baltimore boys with the strange monikers (Avey Tare, Panda Bear and Geologist) make music worthy of being played.....loud.....at the venue that makes up the title of their eighth album (Merriweather Post Pavilion).

Avant-garde harmonies, psychedelic keyboards, hand-claps- it's a total mind-bend, but with a heart and a point.

I must say: haven't heard anything like these guys in a long time, but they certainly would fit nicely with same Merriweather subscription series (remember them?) that would have included, say, the Moody Blues and Yes.

Animal Collective has THAT kind of spirit, but make no mistake, it's not just some throwback, this is innovative music for 2009.

Merriweather Post Pavilion - A...

Tom Principato and Carl Filipiak perform "Too Damn Funky" Live at WTMD

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Acclaimed guitarists Tom Principato and Carl Filipiak visited WTMD (http://www.wtmd.org) and performed several songs, including this track from Principato's 2008 release "Raising the Roof!"

The Cheaters perform "Super Fudge" Live at the 8 x 10

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Annapolis-based band The Cheaters perform "Super Fudge" during a recent Baltimore Unsigned live taping at the 8 x 10 for WTMD (http://www.wtmd.org).

Pittsburgh: Meet Tracy Turnblad!

They'll meet her and many other Baltimore characters Monday at 1pm, as I broacast on WYEP, an excellent public radio music station in Pittsburgh following the Ravens victory over The Steelers.

If this proves to be more than wishful thinking, I'll spin their audience a little taste of Baltimore!

Like, perhaps, this (I think Tracy is wearing purple)



Alright, per the friendly station to station wager, IF, somehow Ray Lewis, Joe Flacco, LeRon McLain et. al, get lost on the way to Heinz Field and we have to forfiet the game, Mike Sauter, WYEP's midday host, will be on WTMD's air to rub it in Monday at 1pm.

June Star performs "Slightly Damaged" Live at the 8 x 10

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Alt-country band June Star performs "Slightly Damage" during a recent Baltimore Unsigned live taping at the 8 x 10 for WTMD (http://www.wtmd.org). The song is featured on the band's 2009 release "Honor, Love, and Negotiate."

June Star perform "Highway" Live at the 8 x 10

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Alt-country band June Star performed "Highway" during a recent Baltimore Unsigned live taping at the 8 x 10 for WTMD (http://www.wtmd.org). The song is featured on the band's 2009 release "Honor, Love, Negotiate."

Stars Bar-Rock DC

If you want to find out where you can hang out with Jessica Alba and Citizen Cope or Sting and Denzel Washington this weekend and early next week, just click on this highlighted link.

The forecast calls for painfully cold weather down at the National Mall on Sunday (at around 2pm), when Bruce Springsteen, U2, Sheryl Crow, Stevie Wonder and more take the stage in front of the Lincoln Memorial for a 90 minute concert. It's free and open to the public.

Word is, each artist will perform a song each, but keep an eye out for some collaborations.

If you miss that, you can still catch Elvis Costello and Michael Franti (which is cool, because, much to his regret, he was in Canada and NOT Chicago the night Obama was elected- his plane did make a stop in Chi-Town), and more around town, during a star-studded week of history!

Hopefully, Sunday at The Mall will look something like this:

Jenny Lindfors: Shamrock Sublime

While we're on the subject of our new CD of the Week from the Guggenheim Grotto, I wanted to share more of that gorgeous female voice that comes in three quarters of the way through "Fee Da Da Dee."

Her name is Jenny Lindfors, and like Mick and Kevin, she comes from the talented ranks of folk-oriented musicians out of Dublin, who often-times perform in front of each other at clubs like the one in the video.

So, if you think Glen and Marketa, Damien and Lisa, heck even Rodrigo and Gabriella, make Dublin a romantic corner of the world when it comes to beautiful harmonies, instrumental prowess and heartfelt songs, add Jenny's 70's Southern California vibe to the list.

Bewitching!

Check out this live version "Timewarp," which appears on Jenny Lindfors recent album, When the Night Time Comes.

Guggenehim Grotto: Melodic Haunting

The duo from the same Dublin scene that spawned Damien Rice and Lisa Hannigan return with their second record, and WTMD's new CD of the Week, Happy the Man.

It's melancholy and relationship wit dressed up in a sunny, New Romantic keyboard bounce- not the kind of concoction you'd expect.

Mick Lynch and Kevin May first got my attention around three years ago with the song "Told You So."

Take a look at The Guggenheim Grotto's imaginative animated video for "Her Beautiful Ideas." How long do you think it took to make it?

Pressing Strings performs "Lift" Live at WTMD

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The Annapolis-based trio visits WTMD (http://www.wtmd.org) to perform songs from their album "Where We Are."

Jukebox the Ghost performs "Empire" Live at WTMD

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The piano-pop trio visits WTMD (http://www.wtmd.org) to perform tracks from their forthcoming follow-up to "Live and Let Ghosts."

Jukebox the Ghost performs "Ghosts Inside an Empty House" Live at WTMD

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The piano-pop trio visits WTMD (http://www.wtmd.org) to perform tracks from their forthcoming follow-up to "Live and Let Ghosts."

Viva Glasvegas!

I love bands out of Scotland, especially one's who can't, or won't, hide their deliciously undecipherable Scottish accents (think The Proclaimers, Paolo Nutini, The Fratelis).

Another one who are set to release their self-titled debut, are Glaswegians, Glasvegas.

The three guys and a girl sound like what would happen if The Waterboys and Jesus and Mary Chain met Ronnie Spector- a pretty cool hybrid.

And Glasvegas take on ripped-from-the headlines subjects (Khriss Donald on "Flowers and Football Tops") and self-assessing themes, all in loud, feedback-drenched anthems.

Check out my good friend Jools (wishing here) and the band from a recent episode.