Tift Merritt Returns to WTMD

Singer-songwriter Tift Merritt stopped by WTMD this afternoon during our summer fund drive. In addition to recording a full performance for Morning Sessions--which we'll air at 9 a.m. Friday, June 25--she treated our staff, volunteers and listeners to a live performance of "Mixtape," a standout single from her new album See You On The Moon. (View more photos, courtesy of volunteer Cindi Jansohn, on our Facebook page.)

Tift is an incredible artist and her new work is in the good hands of Tucker Matine, whom we last heard playing and producing Laura Veirs' July Flame.

Tift's relationship to WTMD dates back to her amazing set during our 5th Birthday Party. We're thrilled to have Tift back at WTMD--and we can't wait to share the complete performance next week.

If you value this type of programming on WTMD, pledge your support by calling 410-704-8970 or making a secure online donation. 

First Thursday Concert with Joshua James and Paul Masson

Kick off the Fourth of July weekend by joining thousands of music lovers for the next installment in WTMD's free First Thursday Concert Series at 5:30 p.m. Thursday, July 1st, in West Mt. Vernon Park.

Joshua James is a rising star on the Americana scene. His 2009 album, Build Me This, landed on numerous year-end, best-of lists on the strength of standout tracks like "Coal War" and "Magazine." James has developed a captivating live show while touring with artists such as John Mayer, David Gray and Ani Difranco, and he's coming to perform for you on July 1st.

Baltimore's own Paul Masson kicks off the show at 5:30 p.m. The singer-songwriter has spent much of 2010 on the road, making a name for himself throughout the northeast. His vocal stylings and intensity have garnered comparisons to Ray LaMontagne. And his songwriting harkens back to the era of Neil Young's Harvest.

Masson shared the bill with Joshua James during a memorable show at the 8 x 10 in October 2009.

Joshua James - "Weeds" from Townhall on Vimeo.

The Perfects on Baltimore Unsigned

Tune in at 8 p.m. Tuesday (with a rebroadcast at 9 a.m. Saturday) as Baltimore Unsigned welcomes The Perfects to WTMD. The brainchild of vocalist and songwriter Ric Peters, the band continues the tradition of brooding synth-fused rock of artists such as Depeche Mode and Nine Inch Nails.

Their upcoming full-length, New Life, arrives later this year. It features multiple producers, including Chris Vrenna (Nine Inch Nails), remixing a batch of older songs and working on several new tracks.

"I have moments where I'll write three songs real quick and then won't write anything for a few months and then go back," says Peters. "I don't force it. There was one song where I was folding laundry and then boom it hit me."

The Perfects perform at Bourbon Street on August 2nd.

CD of the Week: Broken Hearts & Dirty Windows

Next year marks the fortieth anniversary of legendary singer-songwriter John Prine's self-titled debut, featuring "Six O'Clock News"  and "Angel from Montgomery." These standout tracks have stood the test of time--and Prine's work has often taken on a life of its own with artists as diverse as John Denver, Bonnie Raitt, Ben Harper and Susan Tedeschi covering "Angel."



Old Crow Medicine Show delivers its own distinctive take on "Angel" as part of the new tribute Broken Hearts & Dirty Windows. The collection also includes contributions by Conor Oberst and the Mystic Valley Band ("Wedding Day in Funeralville"), Josh Ritter ("Mexican Home"), The Avett Brothers ("Spanish Pipedream"), and Drive-By Truckers ("Daddy's Little Pumpkin").

Longtime Prine fans are in for a treat--and newcomers can trace Prine's influence on this new batch of songwriters.

Tyler Books Tokyo Police Club

Fresh from last week's sold-out show with Passion Pit at Rams Head Live, Tokyo Police Club's singer-bassist Dave Monks and keyboardist Graham Wright sit in with Tyler for an interview and in-studio performance at 4 p.m. Friday.

The Canadian indie band garnered a ton of critical acclaim in 2006 on the strength of their intriguing EP A Lesson in Crime, and landed gigs at high-profile national festivals. This week Tokyo Police Club released its sophomore album, Champ, featuring "Breakneck Speed" and "Wait Up (Boots of Danger)."

Kick off your weekend with the band's exclusive, stripped-down set on Altered Fridays.

Turn the Page Back on Phish

Grab a pint of Phish Food, and tune in this Friday at 9:20 a.m. for an encore edition of Morning Sessions with Page McConnell.


A couple years removed from PHISH's (then) last show, the innovative keyboardist stopped by the WTMD studios (pictured with our very own Bug) to promote his self-titled solo album, which spawned the TMD favorite, "Beauty of a Broken Heart."

McConnell said that after the break up, he built a home studio. He and co-producer/engineer Jared Slomoff, patched together the music and lyrics that wound up on the album. And legendary session drummer Jim Keltner added his magic touch to the recording.

"He was just the nicest guy you could meet. Everybody knows him from the John Lennon 'Imagine' sessions," McConnell said. "He was such a pro and had so many stories. We were hanging on every word!"

And given that a couple of his Phish bandmates appeared on his disc too, we couldn't help but press Page just a little bit as to the status of any possible reunion.

Hear his answers and re-live a little history from one of the most legendary touring bands ever!

Ernie Fowler Trio on Baltimore Unsigned

Ernie Fowler Trio brings their sweet three-part harmonies to Baltimore Unsigned at 8 p.m. Tuesday. The band performs selections from the Life Lessons Learned EP, the latest chapter in Fowler's songwriting. 

"This is the trio's first EP, but I've made a bunch of CDs by myself," he says. "It's crazy to hear how these songs have morphed over the years. This trio is the best representation of the music to date."

The songs also embrace elements of some of the best the 90's had to offer. "Toad the Wet Sprocket was one of my favorites," says vocalist and guitarist Mike Prout. "If you listened on headphones, you could hear all these crazy harrnonies in the background. It thickens up the music."


Ernie Fowler Trio hosts a CD Release Party with Nelly's Echo at the 8 x 10 on Friday, June 18.

Sludge-tastic CD of the Week: The Dead Weather

Jack White's collaboration with vocalist Allison Mosshart is more than just a one-off. The Dead Weather recently released ther second album, Sea of Cowards, and they've ratcheted up the aural assault.


Heavier basslines and thick walls of sonic sludge serve as an undercurrent for Mosshart's vocal experimentations. She easily switches from loud to soft dynamics--and her harmonies with Jack White's higher growl create an effect that is spooky good.

The band's live show is reported to face meltingly heavy with lots of strobes. It's just colorful corner of Jack White's expanding universe.

The Dead Weather perform at Ram's Head Live on August 2.

ALO--and Jenny O'Grady--on Morning Sessions

Tune into Morning Sessions at 9 a.m. Friday as WTMD listener Jenny O'Grady interviews Animal Liberation Orchestra backstage at the 8 x 10. (She won the right to kick Erik out of the host chair during last year's Holiday Helper Auction.)

The band's latest album, Man of the World, was produced by longtime friend, collaborator and Brushfire Records label owner Jack Johnson, who essentially became the fifth member of the band. ALO spent two weeks recording live in Johnson's home studio in Oahu, Hawaii. Johnson's approach to recording was a radical departure for the band, who were used to building a song from the ground up.

Although Johnson is known for his laid-back lifestyle, he was all business in the studio. "He was a musical mediator," said drummer Dave Brogan.

"He kept us on our best behavior," adds guitarist Dan Lebowitz. "We only went to the beach a couple times."

You can hear Johnson's influence on the final product. Man of the World is extremely accessible, balancing pop hooks with their jam-band roots.

ALO and Jack Johnson perform at Merriweather Post Pavilion on July 17.

The Bridge's Kenny Liner on Stuck in the Jam

Tonight at 9 p.m. on Stuck in the Jam, Bug hands over the reins to The Bridge co-founder Kenny Liner. The Bridge have become have developed quite a reputation on the jam band scene with a relentless touring schedule that includes stops at this year's Bonnaroo and All Good Festivals.

Liner's mandolin adds touches of bluegrass and Americana to the band's fusion of classic and Southern rock. Tonight he features tracks from a variety of influences, including Townes Van Zandt, My Morning Jacket, The Avett Brothers and Larry Williams.

Colin Gowel's Superior Solo Debut

A couple months ago, afternoon host John Mathews received a copy of Colin Gawel's  EP Superior. The title track chronicles a dissolved marriage by the greatest of the Great Lakes, where the characters "break their hearts by its cool, cool waters."

After fronting the Ohio-based band Watershed for two decades (and owning and managing a coffee shop in Columbus), Gawel is launching a solo career with his EP.

John played the song twice in his office and then decided to feature it on the air during his next shift. Listener response, by phone and email, was immediate and ecstatic. And John had the opportunity to share that feedback directly with Colin.

Colin stops by WTMD at 5 p.m. Wednesday, June 2nd, for an in-studio performance and conversation with John.
Colin Gawel performs tonight at the 8 x 10.

John Mancini Band on Baltimore Unsigned

As we count down to First Thursday, we're looking back at John Mancini Band's recent visit to Baltimore Unsigned. The band performed selections from their 2009 debut, JMB.

After the album release, Mancini received an honorable mention in last year's Billboard World Song Contest for his track "Buried Alive." And last month the band beat out 250 artists to become New Groove winners on Jambands.com. It's the latest chapter in a journey that started a decade ago and miles away from Baltimore.

“I’ve been writing songs for about ten years and bouncing physically all over the place, from state to state, trying out living in different areas," Mancini says. "I really started getting into songwriting in Colorado, just sort of living the camping life and writing songs, you know, out in the woods and stuff like that. Just strumming and playing with different people and different players.”

Check out the result of all those years of playing at 8 p.m. Tuesday. And don't miss the John Mancini Band when they kick off First Thursday at 5:30 p.m. June 3rd in West Mt. Vernon Park.

Sister Act CD of the Week: Court Yard Hounds

As The Dixie Chicks enter the third year of an indefinite hiatus, sisters Emily Robinson and Martie Maguire set out on their own as Court Yard Hounds.

Robison and Maguire grew up playing music together and their voices mesh beautifully on the self-titled debut, featuring standout tracks like "See You in the Spring" and "The Coast."

The duo takes the material on the road this summer with a series of dates on the revived Lilith Fair, including a TBA August 3rd stop in or around Washington, D.C. Or is that just national booking code for a date at Merriweather?

Julian Velard Does It Alone

First Thursday alum Julian Velard returns to WTMD for a special in-studio performance on Morning Sessions at 9 a.m. Friday.  

Velard's piano pop single "Do It Alone" celebrates the freedom of getting out of a failed romance. But it can also be read as his musical mantra.

"If I were to describe my music to anybody, it's kind of like a birthday party for one," he says. "I'm like that sad kid in the corner with his birthday hat and his cake; he's having a good time, but he's lonely!"

Last year Velard ducked out of the major label party early, leaving EMI without releasing an album. His independent "major label" debut, The Planeteer, arrived a few months later on his own terms.

The album's self-effacing piano pop garnered a CD of the Week feature earlier this year--and proved that Velard can certainly do it alone. Brass sections add a bit of showy flair to some tracks. And a a toe-tapping rhythm invokes the pizzazz of contemporaries, such as Jamie Cullum or Harry Connick Jr., while adding a New York state of mind. 


Julian Velard opens for Marc Broussard at Rams Head Tavern on June 16 and 17.

Honey Island Swamp Band's Mix Tape

Although environmental disasters may pummel the Gulf Coast, they can never eclipse the joyous music of New Orleans.

Honey Island Swamp Band formed in the wake of Hurricane Katrina when veteran New Orleans musicians Chris Mule and Aaron Wilkinson found themselves displaced in San Francisco.

Now based back in the Crescent City, the band is touring in support of its new album Good To You. Mule and Wilkinson stopped by the studio to showcase some of their favorite songs and celebrate the resilient spirit of their hometown.

The mixtape incorporates many aspects of New Orleans' musical fabric, featuring songs from Dr. John, Lee Dorsey, and Taj Mahal. They also play Earl King's "Let The Good Times Roll," which Mule says, "sums up what New Orleans music is all about."

The New Orleans sprit even extends across the pond. Mule and Wilkinson wrap things up with a block of classic British rock n' roll, with songs from George Harrison, The Faces and the Rolling Stones.

"You can't have a show about rock n' roll without the Rolling Stones," Mule says before previewing “All Down the Line,” a track from the recently re-released Exile on Main Street. "If you are in a car while this is on, try not to speed."

Check out The Honey Island Swamp Band's mix tape tonight at 8 p.m.

Honey Island Swamp Band performs at the Federal Hill Jazz and Blues Festival on Sunday, June 6.