Off the Grid and Off the Hook!

If you're like me and are fascinated by world travel (or at least the idea of it), and miss the spirit of Joe Strummer, there's a band that literally made their latest album The Golden Hour at all corners of the globe and fronted by a globetrotting, gruff-sounding frontman. His name is Tod A. and the band is Firewater.

Tod jetted outa here to escape contemporary issues at home (both political and personal). And like a sad clown, Firewater's music brings the tear-swelling melancholy of Balkan and gypsy sounds with the joyful sounds of an Indian wedding (if you've ever seen the reception scene in Bend It Like Bekham, you get an idea of that kind of joy). The music is percussive, world-embracing, yet still jadedly punk rock. Tod's lyrics reflect his travels to Indonesia, Thailand and Israel and the lead off track to the The Golden Hour, the chanty "Borneo" tells you all you need to know about why he left the US.

Check out the min-documentary on this amazing band.

Jukebox the Ghost Release Music Video!

WTMD 1st Thursday Main Stagers - Jukebox the Ghost have released their first official music video. One of our favorites "Hold it In"

The National, Modest Mouse and R.E.M. Rock Merriweather

The National

The National kicked things off last night at 630 and what a performance they had. My favorites were "Apartment Story," "Mistaken for Strangers," and "Squalor Victoria". Singer Matt Berninger is phenomenol, lifting my spirits at times in a screaming, vulgar rant and then immediately going to his soft but deep voice. Great way to kick off the night.

Modest Mouse played a better set than last years Virgin Mobile Festival in my opinion. Issac Brock, lead singer of the band, seemed almost possessed as his wet vocals left those in the front row wishing they had ponchos. The guys rocked the house with a set mainly of older tunes with only 3 songs from We Were Dead Before the Ship Even Sank.

R.E.M. took the stage with a roaring welcome, playing several songs off Accelerate, the guys put together a 3 song themed set for DC and Michael said "I wanted to get the patriotic set over early in the show." They rocked out 27 songs in just under two hours. Mike Mills took lead vocals for "(Don't Go Back To) Rockville." Michael only stopped to talk to the audience for a little bit about every five songs. My favorites of the night, "Horse to Water," "The One I Love," "Driver 8," "Supernatural Superserious," "Losing My Religion," and the final song, "Man on the Moon."

Being my first R.E.M. show I have nothing to compare it to, Michael Stipe was full of energy dancing from one end to the stage, doing the robot quite a lot, and breaking out the harmonica from time to time.

The Anti "Great One" Checks In

So, by now, you probably have heard the line, "you're the 'Great One', I'm Marty McSorley" from Kathleen Edward's "I Make the Dough, You Get the Glory." Well, apparently the disgraced hockey player is a good...sport...appearing as himself in the video for the song!

Sunday School For Saints and Sinners Playlist for June

Sinners and Saints--Here's what you woke up to this fine June Morning. Listen, Overindulge, Confess, Repent, Repeat. We took a trip around the Zodiac and hit some 80s heavy handed pop hymnals. See you next month on Sunday School for Saints and Sinners on WTMD.


Ancient Of Days
New Breed
Kingdom: Sound Of The New Breed

It's Time To Testify (Mc5 Mix)
Steinski
What Does It All Mean?: 1983-2006 Retrospective

Hallelujah You're Worthy
Brooklyn Tabernacle Choir
I'll Say Yes

Promises, Promises
Dr. John
The City That Care Forgot

I've Got A Home
The Blind Boys Of Alabama
Down In New Orleans

Downtown Lights
Annie Lennox
Medusa

It's Hard To Be A Saint In The City
Bruce Springsteen
Tracks (Disc 1) [Box Set]

Sing, You Sinners
Tony Bennett & John Legend
Duets: An American Classic

Tears for Fears - Woman in Chains

Litany (Life Goes On)
Guadalcanal Diary
Hang The DJ: Modern Rock 1987

Promised Land [Radio Edit]
Paul Weller & The Style Council
The Hit Parade [Disc 2]

Nun's Song
Alejandro Escovedo
Real Animal

Soul Of A Man
Ollabelle
Ollabelle

Lazarus
Spottiswoode
Building A Road

God Helps Those (Who Help Themselves)
Jasper Street Company
Basement Boys Anthology (Disc 3)

Praisin' His Name (Grant Nelson Edit)
Ann Nesby & Jasper Street Co
Basement Boys Anthology (Disc 1)

Soap Box Preacher
Robbie Robertson
Storyville

Gemini Dream
The Moody Blues
Gold (Remastered)

Crab Town Crawl / Rude Dog
Rude Dog
Baltimore On Tap/Live At the Cat's Eye

Your Love Is Like a Cancer
Son Seals
The Son Seals Blues Band

Feeling Scorpio
Brian Lovely
Superimpose

Scorpio Rising
10,000 Maniacs
The Wishing Chair

Jesus Was a Capricorn
Kris Kristofferson
Jesus Was a Capricorn

Black Capricorn Day
Jamiroquai
Woodstock '99

Aquarius/Let the Sunshine In (The Flesh Failures)
The 5th Dimension
The Age of Aquarius

Strong Man
Shirley Caesar
WOW Gospel #1s: 30 Of The Greatest Gospel Hits Ever! [Disc 2]

Pork and Beans

Weezer's Red Album was released this week and if you haven't seen the video for Pork and Beans yet...here it is...featuring YouTube Celebs

Don't Try This At Home

David Ford must have had a bowl of Fruit LOOPS with his cup of coffee in this video. I never did find out if he finished his java.

Nigel is back with the Truth about the Origins of Stonehedge

Remember Spinal Tap? Who doesn't? If you recall the Stonehenge on stage as the guys played...Nigel is back to tell National Geographic the true origins of Stonehenge...



Watch the rest here Natgeochannel.co.uk

Altered Friday This Week

Siouxsie Celebrates A Birthday This Week, So We'll Look At Her & The Banshees Work
In The Old School Segment On Altered Friday This Week.
Here's "Kiss Them For Me"

And " Peek-A-Boo"


Plus There's New Tunes From
Chum "Cracker Park" Live At The Grog Shop

And Walter Meego With "Girls"

Also New Sigur Ros! Here' "Olsen Olsen" Live

It All Starts Friday At 4

A Great Story Teller Is Gone

Utah Phillips- folk musician, achiever, hobo, Korean War Veteran, story teller, labor organizer, and the "Golden Voice of the Southwest"- died on Friday.

I really enjoyed the two CD's he made with admirer Ani DiFranco, especially The Past Didn't Go Anywhere.

Take a look at this video interpretation of "Bridges," and remember a man who will live on through his transcending skill for storytelling.



...and here's Utah himself doing what he did best.

Gladys Knight and The Pips?

I have to admit that I don't watch American Idol, it's just not my thing...but at lunch yesterday with a good friend I hear about Gladys Knight being superimposed on stage and joining her as the Pips are Jack Black, Robert Downey Jr and Ben Stiller...a classy trio if I must say, as you get ready for Memorial Day Weekend here's something to show your friends at the BBQ...

Grace Under Pressure

I had to document just what I saw last night. So, let me set the scene - the 8x10, packed with people and all eyes trained on the stage in anticipation of Caleb Stine & the Brakemen's CD release show.
They got on stage opening with track after track from their new album I'll head West Again, which sounds so warm and inviting, you could swear you knew these songs by heart.
The guys took a short intermission and came back with their friends Wye Oak joining on a few tunes.
These are the makings of a fine show, but it's the truly unexpected that tests us. Caleb's Test? BGE shut-off the power. Seriously! Doing routine maintenance, on a Saturday night in Federal Hill. Seriously?
But rather than let things get out of hand Caleb picked up his acoustic guitar and his band and guests rallied around as he lead us in a sing-along of Pete Seeger proportions.
Now Caleb is an engaging performer that works to make each person feel like he is singing just for them. That intimate style even came across with just pen lights to spotlight him.
It's that kind of grace under pressure that illustrates the heights that this performer should reach.
The power did come back on and the crowd was primed for the final songs and 2 encores that were bestowed on us.
Great show Caleb.

A Little Bit Of Soul For Your Summer

Nothing gets me in the mood for summer more than some vintage, way-down-in-your gut soul. Ryan Shaw's got it, as does, lately, Sharon Jones and the Dap Kings and Eli "Paperboy" Reed. But, perhaps, the album to watch this summer is JIM by Jamie Lidell. I can just picture the typical Baltimore 90 degrees in the shade, hazy kind of day, that would make a Marvin Gaye-inspired tune like Jamie's "Another Day" go down easy like a cold one.

A Brit who was known more for his one-man-band beatboxing chops, Jamie is earning some serious soul cred. Catch some of it below on "Little Bit of Feel Good Goes Along Way." Indeed.





...and check him out live with Jools Holland!

New! Langhorne Slim Video

Our next 1st Thursday artist, Langhorne Slim, just finished a new video for his tune "Rebel Side of Heaven" ... it's great. Check it out:

Live from New Orleans Jazz Fest

Good Afternoon Baltimore,
I'm writing from a tent here in New Orleans, it's sticky, hot and muddy...it's been a great weekend so far, I dove into the culture of New Orleans yesterday at Cafe Du Monde and a few other spots before heading into the festival.

TodayI've been enjoying the music of the Dirty Dozen Brass Band, and while hanging out with the guys backstage Ludacris...not your typical tmd artist...was hanging out with The Roots...I'm gearing up for Jimmy Buffett tonight...my favorite acts so far have been Brett Dennen, John Butler Trio, Stevie Wonder and the Subdudes...

....Sitting in the airport waiting for the plane to Baltimore, I'm sunburnt and exhausted, amazing jazz fest weekend in new orleans...all the interviews are posted online now at wtmd.org...pictures will be online tomorrow