Chatting with a Legend

Tune in today during the 11 o'clock hour on Wednesday, September 22nd,  to hear my interview with 6-time Grammy winner John Legend. During the past decade, Legend has become one of the most recognizable and acclaimed performers of soul and R&B. 

I had an amazing opportunity to sit down with him and talk about his collaboration with the busiest band in hip-hop, The Roots, and their new collection of socially conscious covers from the 1960s Wake Up!

Legend explains the selection process for the album, how he found his voice for the new project, and what it was like to team up with The Roots.


Listen to the Complete Interview

Janine Wilson Wakes Up on Baltimore Unsigned

D.C.-based blues rocker Janine Wilson returns to Baltimore Unsigned at 8 p.m. Tuesday (with an encore at 9 a.m. Saturday) to perform songs from her new album, Wakin' Up.

"We struggled for a long time over the title of this album. I think [guitarist] Max [Evans] came up with Wakin’ Up at one point," she says. "I feel like it really does have a lot of different meanings.” Wilson's original songs have won several national awards during her ten-year career; however, this is her first collection of all-original material. 

Janine Wilson plays the Common Ground Cafe in Hampden on Friday, September 24th.

CD of the Week: Wake Up!

John Legend and The Roots team up to tackle deep cuts from socially conscious soul icons such as Marvin Gaye and Donny Hathaway. The result is a classic collection that sounds remarkably vital.

No stranger to R&B collaborations, The Roots are one of the hardest working bands on the scene. Across the album, they create deep grooves that showcase Legend's vocals and pay homage to his musical predecessors. 

Tune in at 11 a.m. Wednesday, September 22nd, for Tyler's interview with John Legend.

Ra Ra Riot on Altered Fridays

When news broke that Ra Ra Riot was releasing a new album this year, Tyler immediately started itching for it. The band's debut, The Rhumb Line, was a standout in 2008. And their visit to WTMD resulted in a great version of "Dying Is Fine," which appeared on Live From WTMD, Vol. 3 (available with a $65 pledge).


Tune in to Altered Fridays at 4 p.m. Friday as Tyler welcomes lead singer Wes Miles and cellist Alexandra Lawn to discuss the new album, The Orchard, and deliver some acoustic versions of new songs.  

Altered Freebies: Warpaint; The Radio Dept.; Frankie Rose And The Outs

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.

Warpaint, “Undertow”

These ladies rock. The all-girl band Warpaint has been getting their name out there over the last few years. The four-piece was recently named one of Stereogum's top 40 new artists in 2010. Look out for their first full-length, titled The Fool on October 26^th. Grab the first song off it, “Undertow”, below.

The Radio Dept., “The New Improved Hypocrisy”

I won't pretend to know anything about Sweden's politics or the election coming up, but The Radio Dept. has written this song, “The New Improved Hypocrisy” just in time to get all political on their fans. Grab it for free.

Frankie Rose And The Outs, “Candy”

Have you been looking for music influenced by Phil Spector but are having a hard time finding it? You must not be looking too hard. It seems everyone grew up listening to him, Frankie Rose and The Outs included. Their self-titled release is full of hazy guitars and plenty of reverbage. It is some of the best stuff in the genre, right now and if you're into this track, I promise you'll love the whole album.

Weekend On the Radio Recap

Every Thursday morning at 6:20 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, 9/16

• Eureka Birds with Mia Riddle, Sgt. Dunbar,  Sgt. Dunbar and the Hobo Banned, and Cameron Blake, and the Hobo Band at the Metro Gallery 8 p.m.

Friday, 9/17

• Parking Day: An experiment that transforms parking meters into public parks. 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. West Franklin and Howard Streets
  
• Concerts at Belvedere Square with Donegal X-Press. 6 p.m. 

Saturday, 9/18

• 2010 Maryland Wine Festival, Carroll County Farm Museum. 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.
  
• Electronica Fest, National Electronics Museum, Linthicum. 10 a.m. to 8:45 p.m.
  
• Family Concert with Big Blow and the Bushwackers, Chesapeake Arts Center. 4 p.m. show for kids; 8 p.m. for adults. 

Sunday, 9/19

• Frank Zappa Statue Events
• 10 a.m. A Talk with Gail Zappa, Creative Alliance 
• 12 p.m. Free Concert with Arbouretum, Intersection of Eastern Avenue and Conkling in Highlandtown. 
• 2 p.m. Statue Dedication Ceremony and Free Concert with Zappa Plays Zappa. Eastern Avenue and Conkling

Listen to Erik's Interview with Gail Zappa!

• Maryland Steam Show, Old engines, tractor pulls, antique car show, rock crushing demonstration & more. Arcadia Fire Department Fairgrounds, Rt. 30 in Hampstead.
  
• Street Beat Festival in Federal Hill feat. Can't Hang, Almighty Senators, Old Man Brown, Chopteeth, and more. 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. 

Submit your next event.

Weekend Concert Line-Up Featured on "Stuck in the Jam" Tonight!!!

Tune in to "Stuck in the Jam" on 89.7 WTMD tonight from 9 to 11 p.m. for music from some great artists coming to town this weekend, plus your chance to be there!!

Friday - Dark Star Orchestra @ Rams Head Live

Saturday - Several Species @ Pier 6 Pavilion

Sunday - Widespread Panic @ Pier 6 Pavilion

Also on our "Phresh Phish" segment we dive back into the archives for a performance from 12/1/89 at the Paradise in Boston, MA.

Jesse Malin on Morning Sessions

Jesse Malin is a thirty-year veteran of the New York music scene. He performed with Heart Attack in the 1980's and D Generation in the '90s before setting out on a successful solo career. But in the midst of the recent economic recession, he had second thoughts about his career path. 

“I ended up in a spot where I was living on my sister’s couch. And then I found myself back down on the Bowery area, where I grew up playing CBGB’s. I was just busted broke, lost and I felt like it maybe was time to try something else,"he says. "I tried dj’ing weddings. I tried working on a couple of films. I tried some standup comedy and spoken word. Eventually, I got asked to write some songs for a film on J.D. Salinger and . . . realized that this is what I do."

A rejuvenated Malin returned to the studio and teamed up with producer Ted Hutt (Lucero, The Gaslight Anthem) to record a fast, loose and raw record. Tune in at 9:20 a.m. Friday as Jesse Malin and The St. Marks Social showcase their literate, weathered Big Apple punk with songs from the new album Love It To Life. 

Bob the Paper Guy's Special Delivery

It’s tough to remember most things early in the morning--especially without that first cup of inspiration--but Bob the Paper Guy’s synapses are already firing well before most of us slog out of bed.


He’s been delivering early morning media to the doorsteps of Baltimore County residents for years. During the last few years, Bob's called me during my shift to swap stories about memorable concerts and favorite records. He’s also sent me some great recordings I now treasure, including Christine Perfect’s (later McVee’s) pre-Fleetwod Mac blues band, Chicken Shack.


We thought it’d be fun if Bob recalled some of his musical moments with you. So, if you’re out in the Ruxton area on a Wednesday morning and you see the paper deliveryman talking on a cell phone, he’s not slacking, he’s yakking about musical memories for our new feature Total Recall with Bob the Paper Guy.

Tune in to the Morning Show at 6:20 a.m. Wednesday for the premiere installment as Bob discusses the artist who provided both his best AND worst concert experience.

The Christmas Lights Shine on Baltimore Unsigned

Tune in at 8 p.m. Tuesday as Baltimore Unsigned welcomes back The Christmas Lights. The Frostburg-based band started as a solo project by vocalist and guitarist Kenny Tompkins. "The band was formed to play those songs [from the debut Walk Like a Human], and just see how it went," he recalls. "People reacted fairly strongly to the sound of the band playing the songs, maybe even in some cases, even more than the record." 

On the forthcoming album, tentatively titled Getting Born, the group is exploring new opportunities bridge the gap between its indie rock and electronic influences. “If you’re holding an instrument that you’re familiar with, like a guitar or bass guitar, you so easily fall into rock and roll clichés," Tompkins says. "We’ve written a lot of songs and been like, ‘That’s pretty good,’ and then listen to it a week later and been like, ‘But it’s just the same old rock and roll that has existed for a long time.” And that’s not exactly what our band is about."

The Christmas Lights perform at Dante’s in Frostburg on Saturday, September 18.

CD of the Week: Everything Under the Sun

In early 2009, Jukebox the Ghost stopped by WTMD to perform selections from their stellar independent debut, Let Live and Let Ghosts. The Philly-based trio also previewed a new song called "Empire." A year and a half--and 10,000+ Ghosts sold--later, "Empire" appears as a standout track on the band's new album Everything Under the Sun.

Fans of Ben Folds can get a recommended allowance of piano-powered rock on the new album. And, in case you missed them on The Late Show with David Letterman, you have two chances to catch the band this Friday.

Jukebox the Ghost appears at Sound Garden at 6:30 p.m. Friday September 17th. The band plays a full show later that night at Sonar.

Altered Freebies: Belle & Sebastian; Sufjan Stevens; Crocodiles

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.

Belle & Sebastian, “Write About Love”

Belle & Sebastian return with a great new track off their upcoming Belle & Sebastian Write About Love. The album is set to be released October 11, but you can grab their first single, “Write About Love” below. You do have to be one of the first 10,000 to sign up for their mailing list in order to get the mp3, so hurry!

Sufjan Stevens, “I Walked”/“Too Much”

The Age of Adz (pronounced odds) will be Mr. Steven's first full-length in five years. Here is a taste to hold you over until its release on October 21st. Stick around on the second track, the best stuff is later in the song. Grab them both below.

Crocodiles, Fires of Comparison EP

Before they release their full length album next week, Crocodiles have posted a free EP via their label. If you aren't familiar with Joe Arpaio, the opening track is dedicated to him.

Beach House on Morning Sessions

Tune in at 9:20 a.m. Friday as we get ready for this Beach House's homecoming show at Merriweather Post Pavilion with an encore edition of a lively conversation and in-studio performance by the Baltimore-based duo.

Their major-label debut, Teen Dream, is one of morning show host Erik's favorite records of the year. He's a sucker for dream pop music, and Alex Scalley’s echo-driven guitar and Victoria Legrand’s bouncy, narcotic keys and sensually husky voice put me in a blissful trance. It's destined to grace more than a few year-end, best-of lists.

Attend a Live Taping with Fools & Horses

Baltimore Unsigned welcomes back Fools & Horses as the band previews songs from their self-titled album at The Bunker Recording Studio in Cockeysville, MD, on Wednesday, September 22nd.

Space is limited, so we're holding a random drawing for a few listeners to join us. Register by 2 p.m. Tuesday, September 14th, to enter a drawing to win a pair of tickets to attend the performance and interview.

Fools & Horses perform at the Recher Theatre on Saturday, October 9.

Eric Lindell's Acoustic Stop at WTMD

Hours before New Orleans-based blues rocker Eric Lindell takes the stage at the Recher Theatre on Thursday, September 9th, he'll return to WTMD for a special acoustic set with afternoon host John Mathews. 

A longtime friend of the station, Lindell always delivers an incredible live set, as witnessed during his Morning Sessions performance earlier this year. Tune in at 5 p.m. Thursday as Lindell previews selections from his new album Between Motion and Rest.