Secret Mountains Revealed on Baltimore Unsigned

The psychedelic rock band Secret Mountains formed in the wake of The Owls Go, a duo featuring guitarist Jeffrey Lewis Silverstein and vocalist Kelly Laughlin. "There were some conveniences to being in a duo, but I think we were getting bored," Silverstein says. "We had these nice songs that people liked, but we wanted more rhythm."

In their quest, Silverstein and Laughlin rounded out the ensemble to include bass, percussion and keyboards. The additional personnel built a fuller sound--and a shift in the songwriting. "Our songs have gotten a lot less linear," says Laughlin. "We have to have everyone else because they all are an integral part of our music."

The resulting five-song E.P., Kaddish, garnered raves from the local music press, including City Paper and Aural States. Tune in at 8 p.m. Tuesday (with an encore edition at 9 a.m. Saturday) and discover Secret Mountains for yourself.

Secret Mountains performs at The Hexagon on August 23rd.



Secret Mountains - Dead Sea from Secret Mountains on Vimeo.

Altered Freebies: Blonde Redhead; Jukebox The Ghost; Best Coast

What's better than music? Free music. Producer Nick Jackson has scoured the Interwebs to bring you the best free downloads featured on this week's Altered Fridays, 4-7 p.m.

Blonde Redhead, "Here Sometimes"

Blonde Redhead returns with a new song off their upcoming album Penny Sparkle, set for release in September. By the sound of it, this album will be a nice lead-in to fall.


Jukebox The Ghost, "Empire"

WTMD favorites Jukebox The Ghost have finished their sophomore LP, Everything Under The Sun and are treating us to the first single off it. It's fun, quirky, and it's sure to please.

You may remember them performing this song when they were on Morning Sessions last year...

Best Coast, "Boyfriend"

Best Coast creates a fun little jingle for those summer crushes that you'll find during these hot days down at the beach. More will be available on their Crazy For You release, due out July 27th.

Hot August Blues Preview on the Roadhouse

Host John Mathews opens the TMD Roadhouse to everyone promptly at 7 p.m. Friday. But this week he'll keep a special eye out for Brad Selko, the force behind the annual Hot August Blues Festval at Oregon Ridge Park.

During the second half of the hour, John and Brad will adjourn to the Roadhouse back porch to partake in some cornbread and sweet tea and discuss all things HAB. 

In addition to featuring artists from this year's lineup, including Jackie Scott and the Housewreckers, Black Joe Lewis and the Honeybears, and Keb' Mo', John and Brad will share some breaking festival news and give one listener an opportunity to win a festival prize pack.

The WTMD Roadhouse airs from 7 to 10 p.m. Fridays.

Hot August Blues takes place 12 to 10 p.m. Saturday, August 21st at Oregon Ridge Park in Cockeysville, MD.

Good Old War Returns to Morning Sessions

In a summer full of great acoustic music, Good Old War's "My Own Sinking Ship" stands out. Although the band has been described as Americana, their sound is closer to the folk rock of Crosby Stills and Nash. Like CSN, the band's three-part harmony forms the nucleus of the music. And their upbeat arrangements wrap around the vocals, creating a very laidback listening experience.


Good Old War formed from the ashes of the progressive emo outfit Days Away. Guitarists Tim Arnold and Keith Goodwin hooked up with Dan Schwartz of Unlikely Cowboy and released their debut album in 2008. The band's self-titled sophomore release marks a turning point for the band according to Schwartz.


"When we were making our first record, we were about six months old as a band and we were escaping a lot of situations that we were in musically," he said. "That one was an experiment and we found out what we sounded like. And this one, we felt like we had become a band; that we knew who we were and we wanted to represent that."


The band has toured with The Gaslight Anthem and is currently on the road with Brandi Carlile. Tune in a 9 a.m. Friday as Good Old War drops by the WTMD studios for Morning Sessions.

Kenny Liner on Stuck in the Jam

Tune in at 9 p.m. Wednesday as Bug counts down to the All Good Music Festival in Masontown, WV, with an encore broadcast of The Bridge co-founder Kenny Liner's Stuck in the Jam takeover. Liner showcases some of his influences with tracks from Townes Van Zandt, My Morning Jacket, The Avett Brothers and Larry Williams.

Plus, in the second hour, Bug's Phresh Phish segment features selections from Phish's second night at Merriweather Post Pavilion on Sunday, June 27th. 

The Bridge kicks off the first full day of All Good at 1 p.m. Friday on the Dragon Stage. 

Victoria Vox Brings Exact Change to Baltimore Unsigned

In September 2009, singer/songwriter Victoria Vox found herself at a career crossroads. She just finished paying off her last album, Chameleon, and she couldn't afford to record a new one. When her fanbase kept clamoring for new music, she appealed to them through her website.


"I set a goal for about $4,000 and told the fans 'If you guys help me raise $4,000, I'll be able to put something out,'" she says. "We reached the goal at the end of the day and by the end of the week, we had over $8,000. So I doubled the goal to $16,000. Within a month, I'd raised over $21,000. It felt like the fans were telling me that I wasn't done yet. It was like a bolt of energy."

She rewarded her supporters with the new album, Exact Change, contained in some limited-edition cover art. "The designer . . . came to me with a shadowbox made of clear plastic that you could look in and see the back of [a washing] machine," she says. "At first I thought about putting in some socks that you could tumble around, or maybe an old school ball game. Then he was like, 'What about water?'" 

The resulting design features a fish skeleton swirling around Victoria's visage. And the final recording combines Vox's accomplished ukulele playing with elements of jazz, folk and traditional French pop.

Tune in at 8 p.m. Tuesday (with an encore at 9 a.m. Saturday) to hear Victoria perform selections from Exact Change and speak with host Sam Sessa about the recording process.

CD of the Week: Infinite Arms

Last summer when Band of Horses played Rams Head Live, the show had the feel of a backporch jam session. Band members casually switched instruments between songs, showcased some of the best selections from Everything All The Time (2006) and Cease to Begin (2007), and threw in a sweet Gram Parsons cover for good measure.


A few years after exploding on the strength of the standout single "Funeral," Band of Horses seemed comfortable developing its sound in a relaxed, live setting. Three years after their sophomore release, Ben Bridwell and company return with Infinite Arms, and the laidback country rock sensibility on display during last year's live show is front and center.


Bridwell's slightly off-kilter falsetto floats over echoing guitars and the tremendously catchy choruses are highlighted by rich harmonies that would do Parsons proud.


Check out the video for "For Annabelle," which Bridwell wrote for his two-year old daughter.

Behind Which Stage: A Guide to Bonnaroo 2010

Last month host John Mathews and Baltimore Unsigned producer Nick Jackson traveled to Manchester, TN, to broadcast live from Bonnaroo, the premiere music festival of the summer.

Tune in 12 to 2 p.m. Monday, July 5th, for Behind Which Stage: A Guide to Bonnaroo 2010, as John and Nick deliver the the best of the fest with a full two hours of artist interviews and one-of-a-kind backstage performances. 

Featured artists include John Prine, The Avett Brothers, The xx, Michael Franti and Spearhead, Regina Spektor, Phoenix, and John Butler Trio.

Whether you're reliving this year's festival--or already planning next year's trip--John and Nick are your go-to guides to Bonnaroo, An encore edition of Behind Which Stage will air at 9 p.m. Saturday, July 10.

Altered Freebies: J. Roddy Walston; Grouplove; Wolf Parade

What's better than music?  Free music. Producer Nick Jackson has scoured the Interwebs to bring you the best free downloads featured on this week's Altered Fridays, 4-7 p.m. 

(And if you haven't already, be sure to pick up of Montreal's new single, "Coquet Coquette.")

• J. Roddy Walston and the Business, "Brave Man's Death"

Baltimore's own J. Roddy Walston makes the major label leap with the mind blowing Don’t Break the Needle. They bring the rawk on "Brave Man's Death," which is available as a free download when you share your email address in the bottom right corner of his web site. (Try not to be hypnotized by the monsters of rock collage in the background.)

J. Roddy Walston and the Business celebrate their Baltimore Release Show at The Ottobar on Saturday, July 31st.

• Grouplove, "Colours"

Musicians from London, New York and Los Angeles meet on the island of Crete and decide to form a band. It's either the premise for a new reality show or the start of an exciting musical journey. You decide.

• Wolf Parade, "Ghost Pressure"

The Quebec rockers return with a strong track off of Expo 86. 

Truth and Salvage Co. Bring Heavenly Harmonies to Morning Sessions

Truth and Salvage Co.'s "Call Back" is an irresistible part of our summer soundtrack, featuring soaring harmonies from the band's four principal songwriters. The six-piece collective honed its Americana sound during late-night jam sessions at the famous L.A. folk club Hotel Café and caught the attention of The Black Crowes' Chris Robinson.

Last year Robinson produced the band's self-titled debut for his Silver Arrow label. "He was great at picking out how to phrase things," says vocalist/guitarist Tim Jones. "Losing one syllable or one word out of a line can change the whole way you can sing it."


Tune in at 9 a.m. Friday as Jones and his bandmates visit WTMD for an in-studio performance and interview on on Morning Sessions.

The Charm City Circulator Stops at First Thursday

Joining music lovers for an evening of incredible Americana music in Mount Vernon for our free First Thursday Concert with Paul Masson and Joshua James is a great way to kick off the holiday weekend. 

And if you're traveling from Penn Station, the Inner Harbor or any point in between, getting to the park is easier than ever before. The free Charm City Circulator runs until 9 p.m. Thursday with stops every 10 minutes along the Purple Route in West Mt. Vernon Park.  


The show starts promptly at 5:30 p.m. July 1st.  Just look for the monument and listen for the music!

The truth about of Montreal's "False Priest"

As Erik reported this morning, of Montreal announced the completion and details of their new album False Priest. The album is set to be released September 14th on Polyvinyl Records.

They are giving away the first single, "Coquet Coquette" for free. Grab it then compare it with the video of Kevin and B.J. premiering the song on Morning Sessions back in April 2009:

Smooth Kentucky's Bluegrass Blend on Baltimore Unsigned

Smooth Kentucky found inspiration on the back of a whiskey bottle. 

"The Baltimore Brewing Company used to have a bluegrass happy hour every Friday night," says guitarist/vocalist Ed Hough. "[Guitarist/vocalist Cris Jacobs] had a connection with the girl who put it on, and she told him to put together a bluegrass band. He called me up and we needed a name because the City Paper was about to go to print.  We got 'smooth Kentucky' off the back of a whiskey bottle and it stuck."

It's a fitting representation for the six-piece band's blend of new grass and Grateful Dead roots.

Tune in at 8 p.m. Tuesday (with an encore broadcast at 9 a.m. Saturday) as the band performs selections from its 2009 release A Few More Miles-- and previews some new songs--during a special performance and interview recorded at The Bunker Recording Studio.

Smooth Kentucky performs at Mick O'Shea's on Friday, July 16.

CD of the Week: High Violet

The National has received a lot of nationwide attention in the past few months, including a New York Times Magazine profile, late-night show appearances and headlining gigs in bigger halls. It may seem like a lot of hype, but the band has been making records for almost a decade to critical acclaim. And the band's latest release, High Violet, is their finest record yet.

High Violet is meant to be taken as a whole, but the single "Bloodbuzz Ohio" is a great introduction to the band's sound. The guitars drone instead of riff. The melody seems simple at first, but demonstrates a complexity after multiple listens. 

And vocalist Matt Beninger sings slowly and deliberately so the audience can pick up on every word--with lyrics moving from surreal ("I was carried to Ohio in a swarm of bees") to profoundly personal ("I still owe money to the money to the money I owe / I never thought about love when I thought about home").

The introspective album translates into an incredibly engaging live show, as witnessed in this awesome performance from the Brooklyn Academy of Music.

Baltimore Unsigned Encore Edition with Paul Masson

Tune in at 8 p.m. Tuesday (and 9 a.m. Saturday) for an encore edition of Baltimore Unsigned, featuring Paul Masson.

After spending some time in New York, the singer-songwriter returned to the Baltimore area and fell back in love with writing music. Masson's 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 work harkens back to a classic era of songwriters from 1970's.

When he spoke with Sam Sessa in October, 2009, he described his appreciation for the retro sound. “I have so many favorite records, like John Lennon’s The Plastic Ono Band and Neil Young’s Harvest and pretty much everything Hank Williams ever recorded," he said. "When I listen to music, there’s a sound that I love and you know, the modern sound, just didn’t fit with the kind of stuff I’m doing.”

Paul Masson plays WTMD's First Thursday Concert, with Joshua James, at 5:30 p.m. July 1st in West Mt. Vernon Park.