Norway's Kings of Convenience

Harmonizing folk-duo Kings of Convenience hail from Bergan, Norway.

After a five-year recording absence, Erlend and Eerik are back with the beautifully hushed Declaration of Dependence.

It's got sparse instrumentation which bring out the full-flavor of their blended voices.

This video for "Boat Behind" makes cramming hitchhikers into a tiny vehicle look like, well..... fun!

Countdown to Bruce -8 Days To Go

One of the greatest things about being a long time Bruce fan is you can chart your life against the music and the changes in our society. Now, of course we all remember Bruce when he started going to the gym and got those biceps! Here are pictures of Bruce over the decades.

From 1973

This one is from 1975 when he was promoting Born to Run

Now of course the 80s were not good to any of us. Bruce Included:

1980--do you really think he skated?...it s pre photo shop, I just don't think he's that kind of guy.

Patty MUST HATE THIS PICTURE!! 1988

We'll do the 90s and 00s Tomorrow Gang. Do you have any Bruce photos that you'd like to post and share? Do it on our Facebook Page or email to me at syasko@towson.edu and I will post here on the blog.

I think I am going to bust out my Japanese Rising Sun Bandana to wear to the show!!!!!

Remember to let me know where you're sitting. Beer on me Baby.

I'm starting to think next week is going to crawl all the way to Friday. Now, the question is....how early should I leave the station to get down to the Arena? Where will you do your pre show dinner and drinking? It's party time!

Count Down To Bruce - 9 Days To Go

How Do you know You're a True Bruce Fan?
10. You know it's Deuce
9. You only date women name Mary, Crazy Janie or Rosie
8. You have to live within walking distance to a river
7. Your last Family Vacation was in Asbury Park
6. You have shoulder pain from repeated fist thrusts during Trapped at at least 20 Bruce Concerts
5. You actually found that place they play guitars all night and all day in San Diego
4. You made a sign with a song request for next concert with a cut from Tracks
3. You actually own a copy of Tracks
2. You chalk up Juliane to youthful indulgence
1. All you have to do is look at the crowd at the show and know you're not alone.

I'll see you at the show.

Simon Says "Sesame!"

It's hard to believe Sesame Street is celebrating their 40th anniversary today. Some things may change, including the introduction of computer generated characters in place of some puppets, but the show still knows how to capture the wonder of childhood.

Tyler had Harper Simon play live yesterday. I'll have him on for a full Morning Sessions that will air early in 2010. His self-titled debut (in his late 30's) just came out and it's quite excellent. He gathered some of the greatest session musicians of yesterday (including the steel guitarist who played on Sweetheart of the Rodeo by The Byrds) and contemporaries including Sean Lennon and Inara George. The result is cosmic country meets vintage pop.

Harper sat in with another famous musician back in 1976 for a Sesame Street segment on how to make an album: his father Paul. I'm barely over 40, so I feel like I literallly grew up with Sesame Street. Enjoy this little memory with your little one!

Countdown To Bruce --Born to Run

Most would agree that Bruce Springsteen is one of the most important storytellers and artists of our time. Coupling his history and ability to tap into our collective mind sets is certainly a gift. But the side that makes Bruce so endearing is his ability to reduce that collective Gestalt into something individually important to each of us.

Much is being made of Bruce and E Streeters playing full albums at the last shows of the tour. I've been to more shows than I can count but the there is a special moment when Born To Run explodes onto the stage. Goosebumps, tears and introspection collide and carry those of us old enough to remember the Stone Pony into a state of middle aged well being.

I'll post one Piece of Bruce a Day between now and the show here in Baltimore. Please feel free to share your Bruce Stories. I'm staring here at my tickets and the station has been so busy that I really haven't had the time to focus on my pre Bruce anticipation. It hit me this morning that I'm seeing Bruce IN the the Town I Live In! That hasn't happened in quite a while (DC not withstanding). I've flown to Tampa, driven to Richmond twice and left at noon to make an Asbury Park Rehearsal Show and returned home at 3 the next morning--But here in Baltimore--that's gonna rock!

How far have you gone for a Bruce Show?

This one is from the 2002 Video Music Awards taped in NYC.

To steal a line--ARE YOU READY!?

Just a weekend Find

I took guitar lessons in my teens. I wasn't very good. But I did master this little ditty. I found the video this weekend by accident and want to share it with you! Nothing like a little 70s glam pop to end the weekend.

At The Wtmd Roadhouse This Week

Eric Lindell & His Band Will Be Playing Club 66 In Edgewood Next Friday

We'll be Doubling Down On Eric In Our First Hour And Giving Away Tickets For The Show.

Here's Eric Preforming At Club 66 This Past May


Plus In Our Last Hour We'll Feature Cephas & Wiggins & Other Piedmont Blues Artists as

The John Cephas Tribute Show Is Friday Night @ The Creative Alliance At The Patterson.

Join Us At The Roadhouse Friday Night From 7-10pm On 897 Wtmd

Tweet Away Johnny Boy!

For a guy that can do anything he wants: from dating Jennifer Aniston, seemingly at will, to forming a Hendrix Experience-summoning blues trio, he doesn't rest on his laurels.

And despite the, possibly ironic, self-obsession with his celebrity, John Mayer doesn't simply retreat into a club-going socialite, instead, he writes this gem of a hook for "Who Says," from his forthcoming disc, Battle Studies. I'm pretty certain he'll be adding another Grammy to his mantel.

So John, tweet away about any subject- you've earned it baby!

Dark Shadows

The 5 O'Clock Shadow Is Halloween Themed All Week.

Monday-Season Of The Witch-Donovan

G. Love-Sessions At West 54th was the Shadow

Here's Donovan's Original




Tuesday-I Walked With A Zombie-Roky Erickson

REM-Where The Pyramid Meets The Eye Tribute




Wednesday-Psycho Killer-Talking Heads

Here's Cage The Elephant's Live Cover



Thursday-The Monster Mash-Bobby "Boris" Pickett & The Crypt Kickers

The Misfits-Project 1950




Tune In Tomorrow With Tyler For Altered Fridays Haunted Shadow.

And Listen To Melissa Lauren On Saturday For 3 Hours Of Halloween Tunes From

5-8pm On 897 Wtmd

Mix Tape Thursday, 10/01/09

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

9 a.m. Suzanne Clay

When I was little, I would often visit my grandmother and she had this extensive collection of stuffed monkeys. As a child I loved to play with them, but now that I am older, the more I think about those monkeys the more they creep me out.

There happen to be a lot of songs out there with “Monkey” in the title. Here are some of my favorites…..both lovely and creepy.

* "Monkey Man," by The Rolling Stones
* "Shake Me Like A Monkey," by Dave Matthews Band
* "Everybody’s Got Something To Hide Except for Me and My Monkey," by The Beatles
* "New Monkey," by Elliott Smith

11 a.m. Kevin Majoros

These are artists whom I missed on their last stop in Baltimore. I will not miss them again.

* "Will You Return?," by The Avett Brothers
* "Take My Heart," by Danielia Cotton
* "See How We Are," by X
* "Folsom Prison Blues," by Brandi Carlile
* "Ruby, Don't Take Your Love To Town,” by Cake


5 p.m. Greg Lockwood

As the Baltimore Running Festival is rapidly approaching on October 10, these songs are dedicated to all runners training for a fall race.

These songs remind me of the joy of running, the training that goes into preparing for a race, the nerves before the race starts, the "runner's high," friends you make on the road, and the satisfaction of completing your goal.

* "Run," by Ben Kweller
* "The Distance," by Cake
* "New Shoes," by Paolo Nutini
* "I Feel It All," by Feist
* "Long May You Run," by Neil Young

The Electric Mason Jennings

Minneapolis-based, acoustic singer-songwriter Mason Jennings, plugs in with some electric roots rock on the new album Blood of Man.

It's a solid release and a new chapter for an expert, acoustic strummer. One of the standout tracks is "Ain't No Friend of Mine." And video director Barry Kimm's angry doodles definitely complement the corrosive guitar lines.

I Want Kandi

Here's a song that, everytime its spun, seems to genarates phone calls...of the good kind.

It's the irresistable "Kandi", the one with the line, "He called me baby all night long." The female vocal is, appropriatley, Candi Staton, a 70's soul singer who had a hit with "He Called Me Baby." The UK band with an animation obsession, One Eskimo does the song and it appears on their self-titled latest.

Hood to Hood Membership Challenge Standings Update!

Roland Park/Charles Village has taken an early lead, with Cockeysville/Lutherville/Timonium and Howard County looking to close in. It's still early, so the 3rd Annual Hood to Hood Challenge is anyone's game. Head over WTMD.org for complete standings and to help your hood take the lead by pledging now!

Current Standings:

1 Roland Park/Charles Village (Waverly/Guilford/Homeland)
2 Cockeysville/Lutherville/Timonium (Hunt Valley)
3 Howard County (Ellicott City/Columbia/Clarksville)
4 Owings Mills/Reisterstown
5 DC Metro (MoCo/PG County/NoVa)
6 Pasadena/Glen Burnie/Anne Arundel County (Brooklyn/Annapolis/Odenton/Crofton)
7 Fells Point/Harbor East (Little Italy/Butchers Hill)
8 Canton/Highlandtown (Patterson Park/Brewers Hill/Greektown)
9 Station North Arts District/Mt Vernon/Downtown (Bolton Hill)
10 Bel Air/Harford County
11 Catonsville (Dickeyville)
12 Federal Hill/South Baltimore (Pigtown/Locust Point)
13 Hampden/Remington (Clipper Mill/Woodberry/Wyman Park/Keswick)
14 Herring Run Corridor (Lauraville/Echodale/Mt. Pleasant/Lake Montebello/Perring Parkway)
15 Parkville/White Marsh (Carney/Perry Hall)
16 Mt. Washington/Pikesville (Govans)
17 Sparks/Glencoe/Parkton (Hereford/Monkton)
18 Towson

Mix Tape Thursday, 9/17/09

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

7 a.m. Cricket Masson

You need music to keep you awake on the long haul. Criteria for The Essential Road Trip playlist:

1) Fast beat to stay awake.
2) Know the words to sing at top of lungs.
3) Tinted windows so other drivers can’t see driver’s seat dancing and singing.

Picking 4 is hard as that barely gets you out of town but these are a few of my must haves, of which I have WTMD to thank for two and Doug to thank for one of them.

* "Spam," by Save Ferris
* "Kiss Off," by Violent Femmes
* "Brother Lee," by Citizen Cope
* "Wonderful Night," by Fatboy Slim
* "In Your Head," by The Mentionables


11 a.m. Kelly Carneal

Born and raised in Baltimore, I found myself drawn to farms early on and have worked in the agricultural field for several years now. Having lived all over the United States, and having visited many farms and farmers along the way, there tends to be a reoccurring alt-country soundtrack in my head.

These five rise to the top for me, especially on those perfectly brisk days, when I find myself walking a beautiful farm, instead of sitting inside with my nose in my laptop.

* "Gone Wanderin'," by Jackie Greene
* "Tailspin," by The Jayhawks
* "No Bad News," by Patty Griffin
* "Snow Is Gone," by Josh Ritter
* "To Be Young,” by Ryan Adams


5 p.m. Todd Heston
No real theme here, except all of the artists produced some of the best music of their generations.

* "Up on Cripple Creek," by The Band
* "Can't You Hear Me Knocking," by The Rolling Stones
* "Life by the Drop," by Stevie Ray Vaughn
* "Plush," by Stone Temple Pilots
* " Kill," by Jimmy Eat World

Hood to Hood Membership Challenge Standings

With only a week to go before we hit the start of our Fall Fund Drive, WTMD's 3rd Annual Hood to Hood Membership Challenge is off to a great start!

Communities throughout the WTMD Listening Area are competing for the chance to host WTMD's 7th Birthday Party this spring. Get all the details here: WTMD.org/hood

Last year, Howard County took the prize. The year before, Cockeysville/Lutherville/Timonium was victorious. But this year, it's anyone's game. And rather than tally up the dollar amount raised by each hood, we're looking at the number of contributions to determine our winner. So the more people in your neighborhood who contribute, the better your chances of winning. Check out the standings below, then help us spread the word!

Current Standings:

1 DC Metro
2 Owings Mills/Reisterstown
3 Howard County
4 Cockeysville/Lutherville/Timonium
5 Pasedena/Glen Burnie/Anne Arundel County
6 Fells Point/Harbor East
7 Mt Vernon/Station North Arts District/Dowtown
8 Canton/Highlandtown
9 Bel Air/Harford County
10 Catonsville
11 Federal Hill/South Baltimore
12 Hampden/Remington
13 Herring Run Corridor
14 Parkville/White Marsh
15 Mt Washington/Roland Park/Charles Village
16 Sparks/Glencoe/Parkton
17 Towson