I recently mastered a Baltimore compilation for SpliceToday.com. When Zach came to me asking if this is something I’d be in to, I didn’t even hesitate. We love Baltimore bands and the community they enrich, but Baltimore bands covering Baltimore bands! That’s just too good to be true.

Crossing genre lines, this mix tape reflects the beautiful diversity and vitality of the Baltimore scene. Caleb Stine covers Small Sur. Small Sur covers Wheatie Mattiasich. Mickey Free covers Wye Oak. And Wye oak covers Rod Lee. It’s like one big musical do-si-do. We love it! And you can download it for free. Look out for a Volume 2 coming soon!

Here are a few of my favorites:

Little Dreamer f/ Victoria Legrand by Jones (Future Islands)

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Dance My Pain Away by Wye Oak (Rod Lee)

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Two Mantras by Caleb Stine (Small Sur)

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Love those pretty Beach Boys harmonies at the end of Two Mantras! You can just drink it.

Last week, we hosted Austin Stahl for our monthly microshow. He brought new and moving interpretations from his latest solo record, The Things You Carry, and pulled some songs from the vault, including covers of Private Eleanor, Hank Williams, Small Sur and Bruce Springsteen. It was a warm and intimate night and so still as we held our breath listening to each heart-rending verse.

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I just finished mastering Austin Stahl’s (Private Eleanor, Small Sur) first solo record, The Things You Carry. It’s a great record. Wonderful lyrics and beautiful melodies. He recorded it on his cassette 8-track at his house. You can download the record for free here.

Prelude/The Things You Carry

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The Ballad Of Buena Vista

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