Soul Cannon

Soul Cannon (self-released)

If one band could be described as capturing the essence of Baltimore through sound, it would be the experimental hip-hop collective Soul Cannon. MC Eze Jackson and his Peabody-trained bandmates have been breaking musical boundaries in this city for more than a decade with their sonic hybrid fusing the likes of rap, rock, punk, jazz, and blues into a powder keg of NWA-meets-Rage Against The Machine fire. Speaking to everything from personal growth to politics, Jackson’s explosive vocals and breathless verses push the limits of tempo and power and encourage his bandmates’ livewire guitar, crashing drums, and glitchy electronics to play catchup. It’s this raw, unexpected energy that makes them so much like this town, refusing to back down or stay inside any lines. A mix of both new and old tracks, this long-awaited record bottles the band’s own inferno—a perfect introduction for the uninitiated, and a magnum opus for longtime fans. To see what we mean, simply start with “Play Hard.”

Sean K. Preston & The Loaded Pistols

Forgive (Rusty Knuckles)

Stumbling upon Sean K. Preston for the first time gives you a little taste of what it must have felt like for record execs to discover Johnny Cash or Elvis Presley. This rough-and-tumble raconteur happens to sound a little bit like both of those legends, but he is a man of his own talent, combining a medley of old-school genres—early rock-and-roll, roadhouse blues, honkytonk country—into something fresh and fierce in 2018. Preston has been one of Baltimore’s best-kept secrets for the past decade, bringing achy-breaky ballads, fiery barnburners, and bona fide musicianship to the city’s music scene. And it’s his honest-to-god storytelling—human tales, from hard luck to heartbreak—that we expect will put this new record, released via indie label Rusty Knuckles, on the map. Whether you’re from the Chesapeake, the Rockies, or the Rio Grande, you’ll swoon for old favorites, like the second track, “Homeward Bound,” and legacy-cementing newcomers, like the first single, “Last Call.”

See our full interview with Sean K. Preston.

Maybe you’ve been one of the lucky ones to stumble down the cobblestone streets of Fells Point one late Tuesday night and hear a heart-wrenching sound pouring out of a neighborhood dive bar that it literally stops you in your tracks. This is the power of old-soul troubadour Sean K. Preston, who has been toting his country-tinged rock-and-roll around Baltimore for at least the last decade.

He’s undoubtedly one of this city’s best-kept musical secrets, writing the sort of songs for both saints and sinners—from lump-in-your-throat ballads to earth-scorching barnburners—that just don’t get made like they used to. On the eve of Forgive, his accomplished new album with his band The Loaded Pistols, we spoke with the singer-songwriter about sad songs, Johnny Cash, and finding his own voice.

Your music is inspired by a medley of genres. Which was your entry point into making music?

When I started playing music, I was a teenager and into punk rock. I was drawn to it immediately because of the energy­—because it was something you could do right away. You didn’t have to be trained; you didn’t have to be rich or famous. You just had to find a guitar and some friends and make a lot of noise.

I got into country music on accident. I had a construction job in the Baltimore area, and they would listen to country music at the job site. I just really liked some of those songs and the lyrics. They were very emotional and sentimental and economical poetry. Not overly wordy, but direct and honest, and I found myself crying on the job. It was like 7:30 a.m., somewhere in the middle of nowhere, I’m swinging a hammer, and I hear this song about heartbreak, and it’s making me sad, and it’s perfect.

Do you remember what the song was?

I don’t think I’ve told anybody officially, but it was a song called “Love, Me” [by Collin Raye]. It’s beautiful. It’s a love story. It’s a metaphor for dying. Like, I’ll see you on the other side. It freakin’ killed me. But that was pretty much the start of me liking country music, and that eventually led back to discovering all the old stuff. But I didn’t really want to admit it to anybody, because it wasn’t punk rock.

You didn’t start performing country until you were living abroad in Ireland in the early 2000s, busking on the streets.

At the time, the music I was listening to and writing was heavily influenced by bands like The Cure and the Pixies and Jeff Buckley. One day in Ireland, somewhere along the way, I started playing some Hank Williams, and that afternoon, I made a lot of money. People would stop and say, ‘Hey, that’s really good,’ and then of course the movie Walk The Line came out.

Do you think you found the courage because you were in a place where no one knew you?
I think it gave me a bit of courage, being an American, playing American music. I started to dress more cowboy all the time, wearing hats and boots, which made me stand out but also felt a little bit like a barrier that protected me. If you project that up front, then people don’t have to see what’s going on behind the scenes.

Is it still a protective barrier for you?

I’ve actually made the conscious decision to stop wearing the cowboy hats. I still like them and have plenty of them and I wear them on occasion. But I decided that putting on a persona might have been good for a while, but now I’m taking that off. Maybe I feel more confident now. I decided to start looking presentable and get a nice haircut.

Of course, over the years, you’ve had a lot of comparison to Johnny Cash.

I’m flattered when people say that, but I think that it’s just an easy point of reference for people. I don’t think I have that much in common with him, except lately I’ve been wearing a lot of black. There are definitely artists that were more important to me, but sure, he was an influence. You can’t say anything shitty about Johnny Cash.

And now you’re coming back to Baltimore to release Forgive, your much-anticipated fifth album, and your first through a record label. How does it feel?
I’m very proud that we’re releasing this record and that we’re going to have a physical artifact that documents this time. We worked on this album in five different recording studios in three different cities over the course of two years. I’m really proud of it and I want lots of people to know these songs. I hope that people listen to the album all the way through, because there are so many kinds of songs on it.

You’ll be releasing it on Thanksgiving Eve at the Ottobar. What’s it like to come back and play in your hometown after being on the road for so long?

I guess we’ll find out. When I’ve come home before and played our final show of a tour, it feels really good. We’ve picked up a lot of support and fans in Fells Point over the years, but I think we’ve reached the top of our game in that neighborhood, and I hope this record reaches a wider audience.

This job is difficult. It does get lonely and it can be very melancholy at times. Many of these songs have elements of longing or homesickness. But it feels like people back home are watching what’s happening out here on the road, and I think they’re proud of us.

Catch Sean K. Preston & The Loaded Pistols live at the Ottobar on November 21.

In the latest iteration of The Big Baltimore Playlist, we round up five local songs we can’t get enough of right now, ranging from funky R&B to fiery Southern blues to two very different tunes called “Shadow.” Check back each month for new songs of the moment, and follow our Spotify playlist as we continue to build a soundtrack for our city.

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“14 Daze” by Josh Stokes*

Josh Stokes is not new to the Baltimore music scene, having been around for years now, producing music for the likes of Eze Jackson, DJing at The Crown and Motor House, and, perhaps in our favorite iteration, drumming alongside the inimitable Abdu Ali. But it’s Stokes’ solo albums that truly set him apart, and are continuing to make him an artist to watch in Baltimore. In short, they’re unlike anything else coming out of this city, traversing the decades and fusing old-school styles into his own spin on ’60s soul, freaky ’70s funk, ’80s pop and hip-hop, and ’90s R&B. His eclectic new record, Funktion, refuses to stay inside any lines, and for that it’s hard to pick a favorite song. But put on this not-quite-slow-jam with an effusive, dreamy melody and addictive clap-beat, and you’ll see what we mean.

“Shadow” by Andy Bopp

If you listen to WTMD, you’ve likely heard this hit single riding the airwaves of the local station. Since it was released last year, the power-pop track has been in constant rotation, shining a much-deserved spotlight on this Baltimore music veteran of the past four decades. Bopp is a man of many bands, but his solo rock act is a standout, and this Beatlesian melody might be his new album’s very best. With ruminative lyrics, anthemic guitar, and a hint of psychedelia, it transports you to a time when a melody just made you feel good, even if it’s recognizing all that could go wrong. Find the silver lining in the rest of this new album, Wherewithal.

“Last Call” by Sean K. Preston & The Loaded Pistols

There have been few better feelings than stumbling into Cat’s Eye Pub on an oddball Friday night and finding Sean K. Preston at the mic, belting out some heartbroken ballad or burning down the house with a fiery set of honkytonk blues. This rock-and-roll raconteur has long been one of Baltimore’s best-kept secrets, bringing some serious skills to the Fells Point dive bars while keeping the neighborhood’s old rough edges alive and well. He’s always had chops, and we wouldn’t be surprised if his new album, Forgive, out next month, puts him and his Loaded Pistols on the map. This first single is a raw, rabblerousing ultimatum that showcases his talents and shakes you to the core.

“Sticky Clix” by Sweepstakes

We can’t get this lovely melody out of our heads. It carries the listener like a rolling tide, moving through the experimental indie band’s signature valleys and peaks, propelled forward by Allyson Little’s haunting vox, Justin Custer’s undulating bass, and Dan Todd’s punchy drums. Old trappings of romance lost appear in the lyrics, but it definitely doesn’t feel like their self-ascribed “sedated pop.” Rather, this is a fiercely confident love song—even if only about trying to find it, after the fact, within yourself—with swift, soaring vocals running in step with tight swells of both instrumentation and emotion. The trio has found fresh power and precision in this first track off their new album, Warmbloods.

“Shadow” by Wume

It’s been three years since Wume’s last album and now, with a brand-new record out via Northern Spy, we find ourselves even more mesmerized the experiment duo than when we first laid ears on their cosmic sound. Across eight songs, the band’s intricate polyrhythms remain, but they dig even deeper, with electronic master Albert Schatz crafting even more expansive soundscapes that you’re guided through by the newly present (and exceedingly spellbinding) vocals of drummer April Camlin, who still slays on the kit. This is just a taste of Towards the Shadow’s many wonders. We’ve said it before and we’ll say it again—follow these two, wherever they go. And if this new album is any indication, it’ll be far.

*This song is not on Spotify. We’ll add it to the playlist if or when it comes online.

Five things to eat, drink, see, hear, and do with your Charm City weekend.

 EAT

Oct. 21: Shuck Like A Pro

Sandlot, 1000 Willis St. 1 & 4 p.m. $30.

This Saturday afternoon, experience the best of both seasons with the beach vibes of the Sandlot harbor-front hangout and the R-month rewards of oyster season. Gather with fellow ostreaphiles and enjoy a step-by-step shucking demonstration by Scott Budden of Orchard Point Oyster Comany on the Eastern Shore. Master the craft of cracking open these delightful local delicacies—made extra earthy and sweet from their northern bay birthplace—and slurp a few down as Budden discusses oyster farming and reef restoration, with a take-home gift of your very own shucking knife and gloves to boot. All the while, sip Spike Gjerde’s brand-new Snake Oil lager and support the Oyster Recovery Partnership, the region’s leading nonprofit dedicated to restoring local oysters.

 DRINK

Oct. 21: Jake’s Skatepark Fundraiser & Landing Bolts Launch

Key Brewing Company, 2500 Grays Rd., Dundalk. 2-6 p.m. Free. 410-477-2337.

In Baltimore, breweries and benefits often go hand in hand as a means of nurturing the local community. On Saturday, Key Brewing Company, in collaboration with Checkerspot Brewing and Stillwater Artisanal, will be launching a Landing Bolts lager to support a new section of the redesigned Rash Field Park known as Jake’s Skatepark. This new skate area will pay tribute to Key Brewing co-owner’s son Jake, a young South Baltimore boy who loved skating but tragically lost his life because of a phone-distracted driver six years ago. This weekend, all proceeds from the Landing Bolts release will go towards its creation, so join the local skating community for boarding tricks and grub from Blue Pit BBQ and Chuck’s Trading Post.   

 SEE

Oct. 19-21: Rocky Horror Picture Show

Creative Alliance, 3134 Eastern Ave. Fri.-Sat. 7:30 p.m., Sun. 7:30 & 10:30 p.m. $12-17. 410-276-1651.

With Halloween nearly upon us, there’s no better time to watch the 1975 cult classic that is the Rocky Horror Picture Show. For three nights at the Creative Alliance, dress up as your best Frank, Janet, or Riff Raff and enjoy a screening of the film that spawned an audience-participation phenomenon. The twisted comedy is set in a mysterious castle on a dark and stormy night, with wild characters, elaborate rock songs, and a plot that thrills, no matter how many times you’ve seen it. Join local burlesque dancers Betty O’Hellno, Bunny Vicious, Tapitha Kix, and Whiskey Joy, to name a few, for a punk-rock singalong to songs like “Sweet Transvestite” and “Hot Patootie, Bless My Soul,” with themed cocktails served at the bar all night. 

 HEAR

Oct. 21: Sean K. Preston

Cat Eye’s Pub, 1730 Thames St. 9 p.m. Free. 410-276-9866.

At first glance, Sean K. Preston, a Fells Point regular and beloved Baltimore artist, looks like a classic country singer with his cowboy hat and sometimes-acoustic guitar. But underneath that outlaw appearance is a mix of musical styles waiting to be executed by his fast-flying fingers and gritty vocals that are as classic and rebellious as Johnny Cash. At Cats Eye Pub, hear the local songwriter alongside his band, the Loaded Pistols, for a night of blues, punk, country, and old-school rock-and-roll as Preston ruminates on topics of love, loss, and wanderlust.

 DO

Oct. 21: Baltimore Running Festival

Locations & times vary, starting at 7 a.m. $15-280. 410-605-9381.

This Saturday, whether you’re a diehard runner or recreational jogger, it’s time to grab your sneakers and hit the streets during Baltimore’s 17th running festival. From team relays and 5Ks to half and full marathons, there’s something for everyone in this run around town, which fills the city with thousands and thousands of athletes. We even recommend standing on the sidelines as an onlooker, because this beloved annual race is truly a sight to behold.