The Best of the Scene-Baltimore

We in Baltimore are fortunate to live in a city with a great music scene. A few years ago Rolling Stone  magazine named Baltimore the “Best Scene” in the country.  I know I am prejudiced (I live here) but I agree with the Rolling Stone declaration. We do have an amazing music scene here. Ten years ago this may have not been a correct statement, but today I believe that we do have a flourishing scene. We have many smaller venues that have opened up the past five years or so. Many of these venues support local bands writing and playing original songs or smaller touring indie bands. We have also had some larger clubs open that support a variety of larger touring acts. Ten years ago the larger touring acts wouldn’t come to Baltimore, but now many of these acts want to play here. A lot of this is because Baltimore supports all kinds of local music. It is a city that encourages the type of creativity that allows a band to be itself. Because of this attitude we have had a number of bands over the past five years signed onto major labels and are doing very well. The list ranges from Dan Deacon to Wye Oak to J. Roddy Walston to Beach House. All very different musically and style wise from each other, but all have the same roots and support in Baltimore. The signing and success of these bands has brought many music people and labels to Baltimore to check out the music and try and sign some new bands.  Lower Dens and Future Islands  are two bands that have been recently signed to larger labels.

I have had the fortune of working the merch table for many of these bands. Today I want to share some other bands currently working out of Baltimore who I think you should pay attention to. This represents a shift in our blog because all the bands we have previously written about, you could go to any good independent music store and purchase. These next bands you would have to dig a bit deeper to find. I will highlight their web sites so if you interested in buying their music, you can do so from their websites. I will also give a disclaimer in that all of these are bands I have worked on multiple occasions and all of them I consider friends. For you however, they are great musicians who are very talented and creative. They will also show you the depth of the music scene here in Baltimore.

The first Baltimore musician I want to highlight is singer –songwriter Caleb Stine. I feel Caleb is the heart and soul of the Baltimore music scene. He tirelessly helps others in the beginnings of their career. He offers advice, encouragement, and support to all who ask for it. He has helped a number of local bands by having them open for him and introducing them to the venue owners. Having Caleb’s stamp of approval can go a long way in this city. However, he is first and foremost a remarkable musician. Caleb is one of the most honest songwriters out there. This Colorado transplant has written songs about things he cares about whether it is homelessness or a lost love. His songs are deep, honest, and thought provoking. Enjoy a song from his last album “I Wasn't Built for a Life Like This” titled My Service Isn't Needed Anymore:

While his main style is Americana and folk, he is much more. He has played with a full band, solo, and plays with other groups as a guest artist. He spent part of last year in an Off-Broadway show in NYC about Woody Guthrie and has even worked with a local hip-hop artist Saleem Heggins. WTMD radio put these two together and challenged them to write 4 songs in 6 weeks. They not only did it successfully but put a full album together called "Outgrown These Walls". Their collaboration has produced one of our cities favorite songs titled (of course) Baltimore. Enjoy.

I hope these two videos show Caleb’s diversity. Who would have ever thought a singer-song-writer and a hip hop artist would ever get together and write music. They not only put out a album but have become the best of friends. This is who Caleb is in his heart and soul. He is always looking to the next musical step that makes sense for him. We are fortunate to have him in this city.

My next post will be a Part II  and look at some other Baltimore bands you should know about.

Best of 2010

What a year it's been at Audio-Didact. The blog went live in April. In June my good friend and emerging band mentor Fletcher kindly agreed to co-blog with me. We never dreamed that by the year's end we would have close to 700 visits from a dozen countries. It was Fletcher who came up with the terrific idea to make our final post of the year a "best of" posting by both of us. Enjoy! And please comment with your thoughts about the best music of 2010. Fletcher and I hope that this piece will truly be interactive with our readers, to whom we are grateful for making this blog possible. We wish all of you a wonderful holiday and look forward to enjoying new music with you in 2011.

Fletcher's Picks

It’s the end of the year as we know it (and I feel fine). It has been a great year for music and we are going to reveal some highlights for each of us.

First of all, it has been a wonderful year for this rookie blog. I thank Larry so much for inviting me to share some of my musical passions with all of you. I have been overwhelmed by the positive response and thank all of you for that support. I have really enjoyed writing it. I will say that many of my year's favorites are bands that I have written about. I always write about bands that I am passionate about, and it is good for me to see that at the end of the year, I am still in love with their music. Now, let’s get down to it.

Top Albums of the Year (alphabetical by band)

Delta Spirit, History from Below -- A great album from one of the best live bands on tour. Don’t miss this album, don’t miss this live show.

Goldspot, And the Elephant Is Dancing -- Every song on this album will get stuck in your head (in a positive way).

Jukebox the Ghost, Everything Under the Sun -- Piano pop at its best by this upcoming band.

Portugal the Man, American Ghetto -- A solid follow up to Satanic Satanist. Lots of intriguing sounds mixed with sonic sounds throughout.

Vampire Weekend, Contra -- A great album influenced by world music, it will pleasantly surprise you. Many hummable tunes. "Holiday" even used in a car commercial.

Top Songs of the Year (alphabetical by band)

Birds and Arrows, "Not Interested" -- Stunningly beautiful harmonies by this husband-wife team from North Carolina. Very soothing vocals in this song about life on the road.

Caleb Stine, "The Last Curtain Call" -- A man, with just his guitar, who will move you with his songs about the difficulties of living today. Truly a folksinger in the mode and spirit of Woody Guthrie. This one melts me every time I listen to it.

Delta Spirit, "Golden State" -- My favorite song on this album and a band that I can’t say enough good things about. Matt’s vocals are so passionate that you can hear his love for his home state.

Fools and Horses, "Follow" -- This radio friendly song comes from a band that has all the talent needed for a modern rock career. The soaring guitars and layered vocals of this song are the best on their new self-titled album, their finest yet. Lot of catchy hooks that deliver.

Goldspot, "One Year Anniversary" -- As I said before, every song on this album will get stuck in your head. I just love the way this song builds and the great chorus with the Beach Boy perfect harmonies.

Jukebox the Ghost, "Empire" -- From the opening to the end you get caught up in this song that wowed folks when they opened for Ben Folds and Guster this year. Another great chorus.

Port O’Brien, "My Will is Good" -- I had never heard of this band until I saw them open for Portugal the Man. This song blew me away. A fantastic opening and vocal. Wonderful backing instrumental track on this song. I really like the way this song is mixed.

Ra Ra Riot, "Boy"-- What can you say about a band that features chamber music with cellos and violins and combines it perfectly with indie rock? You get this band. This song has a killer bass line that drives it all the way through.

Victoria Vox, "Oh I Wonder" -- Uke need to make sure uke listen to this one. Victoria is an amazing singer-songwriter with a beautiful voice; she is also a ukulele player. My favorite song on this wonderful new album takes playing and listening to a ukulele to a new level.

Wye Oak, "My Neighbor" -- This duo creates beautiful sonic music that seems to have control and lose control at the same time. Jenn’s vocals and Andy’s drumming are both stunning as they take you on a musical journey with this song. I love this band's sound.

Best Musical Moments

Portugal the Man in Denver and Delta Spirit in Baltimore. Both of these were the best live shows for me during the year. I wrote about the Portugal show in an earlier blog. I just worked the Delta Spirit show when they came through here a few weeks ago -- it was the best show I have seen in three years. Both shows were magical nights and remind me why I love to see live music.

I have worked the merch table for many bands this year and appreciate all the good people I have met.

Looking Forward to in 2011

New Wye Oak and Cold War Kids albums. Can’t wait for either of them.

Larry's Picks

Top Albums of the Year (alphabetical by band)

Arcade Fire, The Suburbs -- A great album with overtones of a concept approach. Having grown up in the suburbs of Washington, D.C., I found the album's autobiographical climax set in Houston's suburb of The Woodlands particularly moving.

Esperanza Spalding, Chamber Music Society -- How can one not love the excitement of this young prodigy not fitting into her jazz box? She is moving towards something new, something beautiful, something profound.

Sharon Jones and The Dap-Kings, I Learned The Hard Way -- So retro they sound comparatively avant-garde. This band just plain improves with each album.

Spoon, Transference -- A welcome return to raw rhythmic energy. I found myself listening to this album daily for many weeks this year.

Vampire Weekend, Contra-- Like Fletcher, I fell in love with the music on this album. Incredibly complex world music flows from this quartet like cool flowing water.

Top Songs of the Year (alphabetical by band)

Bettye LaVette, "Love Reign" -- Ms. LaVette takes the Who's song from Quadrophenia and re-invents it as a R&B song. Although this live performance took place in 2008, the recording was released this year on Interpretations, The British Rock Songbook Album.
Buddy Guy, "74 Years Young" -- Buddy Guy, the living legend, starts off his autobiographical album Living Proof proudly proclaiming, "I'm 74 years young." Yes, he is, and he is still a master at singing and playing the blues.
The Damnwells, "She Goes Around" -- Catchy, rocking, and fun. This song is from their forthcoming album. You can receive a download of this song by supporting their new album or signing up for their mailing list here.

The Decemberists, "Down By The Water" -- Terrific Americana sounds and beautiful harmony. I can't wait for the album The King is Dead, scheduled to be released on January 18th, 2011.

Harper Blynn, "Lonliest Generation" -- Fletcher turned me on to this band and song, and I could not get enough of them for weeks. The delightfully comic video for this song is fun to watch as well.

Sharon Jones And The Dap-Kings, "If You Call" -- Powerful longing, blues, emotion, tears, it's all there. Fasten your seat-belt and prepare to suffer with Sharon.
Vampire Weekend, "Cousins" -- Incredible energy, tight, lots of sounds, the driving snare drum -- I often find myself humming this song.

Best Musical Moments

Early in the year I saw John Scofield at Tipitinas in NOLA. He performed many of his amazing transformations of New Orleans-inspired gospel music with a quartet of gifted jazz and r&b musicians. Vampire Weekend put on a truly amazing and magical show in Houston. Alex Denzen from The Damnwells played an terrific hour set at the Houston's wonderful independent record store, Cactus Music. He played both new music and old favorites from the Damnwells.

Looking Forward to in 2011:

New Decemberists and Damnwells albums. I eagerly look forward to both.