A Quiet Surf For Neil Halstead

One of the most curious, but oddly-sensible musical pairings recently has got to be Brushfire Records putting out 4AD artist Neil Halstead's latest solo project.

The Slowdive and Mojave 3 guitarist's breathy, deadpan delivery on Oh! Mighty Engine recalls Nick Drake and Syd Barrett. The emotions run the gamit.

It's a quiet disc, full of British-isms (look up "Elevenes"), deeply felt lyrics and cool melodic acoustic riffs.

Like Jack Johnson, Neil surfs (now you're getting the picture) albeit in cold Cornwall, England and he's got a warm, laid-back vibe to his music and personality.

Neil plays Talking Head tonight and joins me for Morning Sessions on Friday.

What's Eating Neko?

The Pacific Northwest-based, red-headed siren has always used her formidable pipes as a pre-emptive weapon to mask vulnerabilities lurking beneath the surface. But, on WTMD's CD of the Month Middle Cyclone, Neko Case charges head on by singing less in the abstract.

Though on "People Got a Lotta Nerve," I'm sure there are still a few double and triple meanings.

Check out how Canadian animators Paul and Julie Morstad imagined the song and see if you can guess which animal gets her in the end.



Neko plays two sold out shows at the 930 Club 4/8 and 4/9. Hope you've got tickets!

Victor Wooten: Amazing Bass

The incredible bass virtuoso and composer Victor Wooten (founding member of Bela and the Flecktones) plays Rams Head in Annapolis tonight.

Check out how he turns a gospel standard into this majestic, jazzy beauty of a song!

Mix Tape Thursday, 3/19/09

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

Submit your own mixtape and enter a drawing to win a pair of tickets to see Depeche Mode and Peter, Bjorn and John at Nissan Pavilion!

6 a.m. Elisabeth Hyleck

They seem to fit - and I had to go with the concert theme!

• "Amsterdam," by Peter, Bjorn and John
  
• "Nothing," by Depeche Mode
  
• "Clark Gable," by The Postal Service
  
• "Blue Savannah," by Erasure
  

8 a.m. Jennifer Brasher

They represent stages in relationships: happy, complaining, obsessing, gone but missing, and finally alone. And the middle three are linked by artist or title.

• "Another Day," by Jamie Lidell
  
• "You Don't Treat Me No Good," by Sonia Dada
  
• "Dorina," by Dada
  
• "Corina, Corina," by Ray Peterson
  
• "Lonely Blue Boy," by Conway Twitty
  

10 a.m. Shawn Crow

These are my honest-to-goodness top 5 desert island songs. I didn't worry about appearing worldly or well-listened. Each song genuinely moves me. Keep up the awesomeness!

• "Fields of Gold," by Eva Cassidy
  
• "In the Basement," by Etta James
  
• "The Sweetest Drop," by Peter Murphy
  
• "Mercenary Territory," by Little Feat;
• "Can't Get No Grindin' or Champagne & Reefer," by Muddy Waters
  

12 p.m. Carly Wais

Ghost Theme!!! Plus, I love all of these songs, and I really want to win those free tickets!

• "Walking with a Ghost," by Tegan and Sara
  
• "Ghosts Under Rocks," by Ra Ra Riot
  
• "Little Ghost," by I'm from Barcelona
  
• "Is There a Ghost?," by Band of Horses
  
• "Fake Palindromes," by Andrew Bird
  

4 p.m. Kathy Judge

These songs make me smile!

• "Hole in the Moon," by The Waterboys
  
• "My Doorbell," by The White Stripes
  
• "Hiroshima," by Ben Folds
  
• "Acid Tongue," by Jenny Lewis
• "Penguins," by Lyle Lovett
  

6 p.m. Derrick Dallas

• "Puppets," by Depeche Mode
  This has always been my favorite of Depeche Mode's lesser-played songs and Speak and Spell was my first DM album.

• "Five Years," by David Bowie
  Always a huge Bowie fan, and listening to this song still gives me chills.

• "The First Time I Met the Blues," by Buddy Guy
  Truly a great blues song and Buddy does it incredible justice.

• "Raining in Baltimore," by Counting Crows
  I heard this track on an episode of Homicide: Life on the Streets, and realized that I owned such a great song.

• "Safety in Numbers," by Crack the Sky
  The very first song I heard from CTS. I think they're the most under-appreciated local area band. Their music was incredible and had so much more depth than some hits of today.
  

Live from Mobtown Studios

Mobtown Studios has been hosting free micro-shows for local bands in their recording space on Charles St. in Baltimore. ellen cherry, Red Sammy and now the Eureka Birds have been their guests and the music coming from these shows is amazing and sounds fantastic.

You can stream the shows here:
Eureka Birds
ellen cherry
Red Sammy

Oh, and Mobtown Studios also will record your album for you.

Trachtenberg Family Slideshow Players Turn Memories Into Sweet Music

Witty, kitchy, vaudeville-style inde rock is one way to decribe, at least, the music of the Trachtenberg Family (Dad Jason on guitar and vocals, Mom Tina on vocals and sixteen-year-old Rachael on drums and vocals).

But, what you see at a Trachtenberg Family Slideshow Players show (which drops by the Ottobar Wednesday night) is an enteriely surreal experience.

Vintage slides culled from anoymous strangers at estate sales are shown on a screen as the music hilariously and often movingly tells their stories.

I'll chat with Jason on the TMD Morning Show Wed. at around 820am!

In the meantime, check out what the incredible, edible egg meant to some people from the 70's. It looks similar to some of my Easter egg hunts!



and let's take a Mountain Trip to Japan!

Eleni Mandell: Hip Sway

Taking songwriting cues from Aimee Mann and Tom Waits and with a sound that might make you think of X, Los Angeles-based Eleni Mandell swaggers her sexy alto on Artificial Fire, a jazzy, new wave-noir-ish new record we'll feature on New Music Tuesday.

Check out the cool minor key guitar riff on the title track.

Like Kevin Bacon on "Go My Way," I wonder what's on Eleni's I-Pod!

Bell X1 performs "The Great Defector" Live at WTMD

Click to Play

The Irish trio stops by the WTMD studio (http://www.wtmd.org) to perform selections from its new album, "Blue Lights on the Runway."

Bell X1 performs "The Ribs of a Broken Umbrella" Live at WTMD

Click to Play

The Irish trio stops by the WTMD studio (http://www.wtmd.org) to perform selections from its new album, "Blue Lights on the Runway."

Bell X1 performs "How Your Heart is Wired" Live at WTMD

Click to Play

The Irish trio, Bell X1, stops by the WTMD studio (http://www.wtmd.org) to perform tracks from their new album, "Blue Lights on the Runway."

Mix Tape Thursday, 3/12/09

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

Submit your own mixtape!

7 a.m. Amanda Torbit

I've seen all of these women in concert and each blew me away like I would never believe, including Bonnie Raitt who I went to see because there was an extra ticket. She totally rocked, what a nice shock.

Patty is my favorite and I just saw her a couple weeks ago at the Meyerhoff and she was by far the best. I never thought I would have a favorite singer because I like so many kinds of music but I'm glad I found Patty and she will remain my favorite forever.

I hope you get as much joy from these women as I do!

• "Words Fell," by Lucinda Williams
  
• "You Got the Silver," by Susan Tedeschi
  
• "Angel from Montgomery," by Bonnie Raitt
• "Forgiveness," by Patty Griffin
  

9 a.m. Laurie Little

We try to support live music and would love more airplay for all of the following bands. Any chance that I can get to share their music with others is chalked up as a good day!

• "Little Black Angels," by Jonah Smith
  
• "Our Love," by Derek Trucks Band
  
• "Magnolia Soul," by Ozomatli
  
• "Heart Can't Tell a Lie," by Los Lonely Boys
• "Barrel House Blues," by Albert Cummings
  

11 a.m. Kevin Burke

Literary and historical inspiration for artists' lyrics.

• "Ramble On," by Led Zeppelin, based on the The Lord of the Rings;
  
• "Riddle in London Town," by State Radio, tells stories of American history;
  
• "The Crane Wife, 1 & 2," by The Decemberists; based on a Japanese folk tale;
  
• "Carolina Drama," by The Raconteurs; Jack White sings about the south as only he can;
• "Franklin's Tower," by The Grateful Dead; More literary connections in one song than many bands put in an entire album.
  

4 p.m. Corey Profit

• "Wonder," (Live) by Colin Meloy
  
• "Imitosis," by Andrew Bird
  
• "Summersong," by The Decemberists
  
• "Beautiful World," by Colin Hay
  
• "Fake Palindromes," by Andrew Bird
  

5 p.m. Grace DeWit

Isn't it all about you, anyway?

• "Bones of You," by Elbow
  
• "Pictures of You," by The Cure
  
• "Thinking of You," by Norah Jones
  
• "Anyone Else But You," by Moldy Peaches
  

6 p.m. Nick Frye

A beautiful girl walks in through the front door of the bar wearing a pair of tapered leg jeans. Her two-tone hair is pulled up in the back and her piercing green eyes are partially covered by her bangs in the front. I stand, unable to move, like a wooden soldier frozen by her enigmatic presence.

I become paranoid and overly aware that I'm just staring. I can't take my eyes off of her. It's as if this is the first day of my life. That's the story of how I met my current girlfriend. Plus, we love all of these bands and songs.

• "Taper Jean Girl," by Kings of Leon
  
• "Bangs," by They Might be Giants
  
• "Wooden Soldiers," by Person L
  
• "Paranoia in B-Flat Major," by The Avett Brothers
• "First Day of My Life," by Bright Eyes
  

Matt Duke performs "I've Got Atrophy on the Brain" Live at WTMD

Click to Play

Philadelphia-based, singer-songwriter Matt Duke visits WTMD (http://www.wtmd.org) to perform selections from his major-label debut "I've Got Atrophy on the Brain."

Middle Distance Runner "The Unbeliever" video premeire

DC-residents Middle Distance Runner, a staple band on Baltimore Unsigned, has premiered their music video for their latest single "The Unbeliever." The band becomes claymated for this awesome song.

Be sure to check them out when they come to the Metro Gallery on March 26th.

Check out the video below.

Mix Tape Thursday, 3/5/09

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

The first two submissions are gearing up for The Decemberists and Andrew Bird show at Merriweather Post Pavilion on Monday, June 8th.

(Tickets go on sale at 10 a.m. Friday, March 6, through Ticketmaster.com.)

And tune in at 8 p.m. as Alayna Blazakis chats with Tyler about her expanded "Bird song" mix tape, featuring tracks from Andrew Bird, Apples in Stereo, Neko Case, Stevie Wonder, Wilco, and more.

Submit your own mixtape!

6 a.m. Megan Linehan

Three songs that Colin and The Decemberists have covered to show a wide range of influences. Also, all these songs are totally awesome.

• "Mr. Blue Sky," by ELO
• "Blues Run the Game," by Jackson Frank
  
• "Everyday is Like Sunday," by Morrissey

8 a.m. John Kelly

What a time to be a music lover! A simple, random walk through the months of the year, sparked by a love of the Decemberists. I'll let you know when I've got a full 12 month cycle selected, and other WTMD listeners could try it out and see what they discover.

• "January Song," by Five Times August
  
• "Summersong," by The Decemberists
  
• "November," by Azure Ray
  
• "October is Coming," by Marc Hessenberg & The Tulips
  

10 a.m. Courtney Block

These are the songs that lift me up when a client has just done a beat down—or if I'm the recipient of some less than good news.

• "Cannonball," by The Breeders
• "Warning," by Wye Oak
  
• "No Bad News," by Patty Griffin
  
• "Starless Summer Sky," by Marshall Crenshaw
  

12 p.m. Kenny Friedman

To pay homage to the great Jewish-American artists, I have compiled this very short list. Lou Reed from the Velvet Underground is Jewish. Adam Duritz from Counting Crows is both Jewish and from Baltimore—the double whammy. And Beck is Jewish via his maternal grandmother. He's my wild card.

• "Heroin," by Velvet Underground
  
• "Fidelity," by Regina Spektor
  
• "Raining in Baltimore," by Counting Crows
  
• "New Pollution," by Beck
• "Shadrach," by Beastie Boys
  

5 p.m. Hope Ashton

Songs like these were the armor I wore in high school. And if they were books of mine, they'd be dog-eared and falling apart, as testament to my love for them. To call them nostalgic is inaccurate because they're just as relevant and alive today as they were back then.

• "Regret," by New Order
  
• "You are the Everything," by R.E.M.
• "Kiss Them for Me," by Siouxsie and the Banshees
  
• "Birthday," by The Sugarcubes
  
• "Monkey Gone to Heaven," by The Pixies
  

7 p.m. Benjamin Pillow

Sonic Youth for my '80s & early '90s upbringing; Bloc Party for the best band I saw at Virgin Fest last year; Drive by Truckers b/c I'm from S.C.; and QOTSA just rock out

• "JC," by Sonic Youth
  
• "Positive Tension," by Bloc Party
  
• "Boys from Alabama," by Drive-By Truckers
  
• "Song for the Dead," by Queens of the Stone Age
  

Lazlo Lee & the Motherless Children perform "Don't Play With the Dead" on Baltimore Unsigned

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Lazlo Lee & the Motherless Children stopped by WTMD to perform on Baltimore Unsigned. They rip their blues-rock sound with their song "Don't Play With the Dead" performed here.