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I did not get a chance to post videos for every one of the “Earie” Awards. So, I decided to close out 2015 and the 1st Annual “Earie” Awards with a Video Playlist. This should help tide you over until I come back next week to kick off 2016. 55 Songs in the playlist.
Here we are! The final regularly scheduled shuffle of 2015. (I’m not ruling out a shuffle tomorrow but no promises). But first, we have one final bit of business to wrap up the debut edition of the “Earie” Awards. Remember: The “Earies” it sounds strange, but it’s not really. The final award is the Golden “Earie” Award (aka the E2TG Artist of the Year).
Since we have a bunch of new readers, I thought I would indulge in a brief history of the award.
I began writing the blog in May 2011. That year, I named a “Band of the Week” every week. As the end of the year approached, I thought it would be fun to have a Readers Poll to select a “Band of the Year”. So, I created an on-line poll that included all of the Bands of the Week. Being new to on-line polls, the poll was wide open meaning you could vote as many times as you wanted. The polling was spirited and fun with several artists really getting into it. At the end of the poll, The Mobbs (a UK band) flooded the ballot box and were named Band of the Year. Howard Rabach’s band Ubiquity Machine finished second and Don Ryan from New Jersey finished third.
Because the poll was so much fun (and brought a lot of page views to the blog), for 2012 I decided to have a Band of the Month poll – which I did. At the end of 2012, all of the Bands of the Month plus some “Wildcards” competed for Band of Year. The now defunct but totally awesome Skeletons in the Piano from upstate New York were the second Band of the Year.
By 2013, I had kind of grown tired of the polls. It seemed like some artists were more into it than others plus I kind of decided it was a distraction from what was really important – being the music. When 2013 year end came up, to me there was one obvious choice for Band of the Year. The End Men, of Brooklyn, remain to this day the most tagged artist on #E2TG. Beyond that they are really wonderful people. They had a big 2013 and (as I expected) they had an even bigger 2014.
In 2014, once again the choice was obvious. Darrin Bradbury emerged from a Wal-Mart parking lot and began to conquer Nashville. He dominated Ear to the Ground – at one point I think there was at least one DB song in the shuffle everyday for almost a month. In 2014, I probably saw Darrin play life on average 2 or 3 times a week. Also, as expected, in the year that followed (2015), he continued to excel and made me very proud to have him as my Artist of the Year (I had to rename it because he wasn’t a band).
Which brings us to the 2015:
The choice this year became pretty clear to me early in the year. my anticipation of Jon Latham’s debut album was so high. But, anticipation does not equal awards. Real Bad News managed to exceed my very high expectations. My review can be read HERE. And the album alone is almost enough to make Jon a lock for Artist of the Year. But, there were several great albums released in the past 12 months. But wait, there is more! Jon is one of the kindest people I know. Some people may say that has nothing to do with music, but I would disagree. Grant it, there is long list of really amazing artists who happened to be assholes, however, in the case of Jon Latham, his kindness comes through in just about every song. Beyond that, Jon’s knowledge and interest in a wide variety of music is almost encyclopedic. Again, at least in the case of Jon Latham, that depth of knowledge is, I think, crucial to his craft as a songwriter.
As 2015 rolled along, people began to take notice of Jon Latham. The Sin City vs. Guitar Town Eastside Throwdown was a turning point. Jon Latham backed Aaron Lee Tasjan in one of the most electrifying sets I have seen all year. Playing acoustic guitar and singing bgv, people took notice. Since then, Jon has opened shows for Aaron Lee and for the legendary Malcolm Holcombe. Real Bad News has garnered international acclaim and made some best of 2015.
You have one more chance to see the 2015 Artist of the Year in 2015. Jon will once again be joining the incredible Aaron Lee Tasjan in an opening slot for Christ Knight at the Exit/In on New Year’s Eve. On Monday, you can catch 2014 Artist of the Year Darrin Bradbury as he kicks of his residency at The Basement East. 2015 Artist of the Year Jon Latham is on the bill for that night. I, for one, am excited!
Basically, those who get it, will understand right away why Jon Latham is my Artist of the Year. If you don’t get it, check out the video playlist below and you probably will. Some of Jon’s best moments (plus if you look closely in one video you will see the jean shorts clad leg of 2014 winner Darrin Bradbury). A couple of bonus clips that I came across: one is a clip I had heard about but not seen, Jon doing a song that does not often make it to his playlist these days. The touching and tender, “Put It in Your Butt” plus so that we didn’t end on that note, a rare clip of the Latham Family Band doing a Dawes cover.
Congratulations Jon! Terry Rickards take note: 2013 Band of the Year, The End Men played the 2014 Post-Americana all-day marathon show at The Basement, 2014 Artist of the Year, Darrin Bradbury, played the 2015 Post-Americana all-day marathon show at The Basement East. I’m just sayin’ American Fest will be here before we know it.
Now the last shuffle of the year…. a short commute and walk, and some longish songs means only 5 songs in the shuffle
“Forgive All His Sins” by Jean Synodinos
Jean Synodinos is an Austin-based singer-songwriter. This is our first listen. The song is very moving. Her album is called Love and Blood. Expect to hear more of this one as 2016 gears up.
“45” by Silverbird
Another track from Pureland, the debut album by this New York City based rock band.
“Pound of Grain” by Tymon Dogg
A vegan anthem from the one-time Clash/Joe Strummer collaborator Tymon Dogg from his album Made of Light.
“Dorothy” by Jon Latham
The shuffle gods do right, and throw a Jon Latham song into this final shuffle of the year. “Dorothy” is one of the first songs I heard Jon sing.
“Mistreated” by Delta Deep
Given the spirit of #E2TG, it seems appropriate to close out the year with a band that I am hearing for the first time. Delta Deep is a band that features Phil Collen of Def Leppard and a real deal Delta blues singer named Debbi Blackwell-Cook plus Stone Temple Pilot bassist Robert DeLeo. I’ll be honest, I was not the biggest Def Leppard fan (although some of their songs were pretty damned catchy). But this! This is really cool. Blistering blues based rock back by an authentic blues voice. From what I have read, I believe Joe Elliot even appears on this track. I really like this. Expect more as 2016 rolls on. This song is a Deep Purple cover by the way.
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Hopefully, Lemmy is having a celestial beer somewhere… RIP
DISCLAIMER: For one of the first times (if not the first times) in E2TG history, I actually composed part of this post in advance. Over the long holiday weekend, I took time to go over the “Earies” and tried to figure out a game plan for my last three posts of the year (two “Earies” and Artist of the Year). When I figured out what I wanted to do for today’s final “Earie” before the AofTY, I knew it was going to be time consuming and so I wrote the next bit in advance.
FURTHER DISCLAIMER: Both yesterday’s and today’s shuffles produced head smacking moments of remembering artist deserving of “Earies”. I can only beg forgiveness for any and all omissions. Despite how it may appear, I do most of #E2TG posts by the seat of my pants. *I know shocking* and to boot, I often have a very disorganized mind. It’s part of my charm… Anyway, let’s jump right into the last “Earie” before the “Golden Earie”….
(this next bit was written on Sunday and editing since then)
Now, we have reached the penultimate E2TG 2015 Award. Tomorrow, I will unveil the 2015 Artist of the Year. As I frequently write and say, I find it very fortuitous that through a series of unfortunate events that I would have never volunarily chosen to end up in the place I am at the moment I arrived. Arrived without travelling… sure, but it has been a journey. Finding myself smack in the middle of the East Nashville music community in the middle part of the second decade of the 21st Century, I am keenly aware of what a moment I am experiencing. You might think I would be jaded or disillusioned by now, and you would be partially correct. I have been jaded and disillusioned many times, and certainly if you look for them or focus on them, there are plenty of reasons to be jaded and disillusioned by the state of music. But, there are causes for hope. The obvious examples that people will mention – Jason Isbell, Chris Stapleton, Sturgill Simpson… sure but it goes way deeper and way beyond that. The level of excellence here is incredible. Songwriters, guitar players, bassists, drummers, pedal steel players, photographers, music writers, bookers…. the list goes on,
Now, do not get me wrong East Nashville (or maybe more precisely the other side of Nashville) is not a perfect situation. I have made off-hand (kind of) joking comments about the Nashville Conundrum – referring to the sheer volume of incredible volume of awesome live music and the impossible choices this creates. Choices between two or more shows going on at the same time, choices between going out or staying in to get my own work done or to rest and recover. For a music fan, it is an excellent problem to have – for musicians – not always. It is, I think, a pretty well known fact that some of our community’s best spend a significant amount of time on the road because that is where there is money to be made. Nashville/East Nashville is home base and the spirit of collaboration and community keeps them coming back, but shows that would be events in another city are easily overlooked or passed over here in Nashville.
I do not propose or make any claim to a solution to the monetary issues facing the musicians these days. It seems to me to be a complicated equation. The amount of artistic freedom and autonomy made possible by advancements in technology vs. the increasing difficulty of getting music fans to spend money on independent music. Honestly, it can be discouraging even for someone not directly impacted by it. But, for me it just drives me harder to spread the word about music of substance that needs to be heard more widely and supported.
All that wordiness to say, I am giving the final “Earie” before Artist of the Year to the community of artists who have become a part of my life over the last year and a half. I am going to call out a few people by name, and ommissions are inevitable. In a hypothetic sense, this last “Earie” will be represented by a giant sized “Ear” right smack dab in the middle of 5 Points. You know, that weird intersection of 11th and Woodlawn and those other streets.
1. Aaron Lee Tasjan – I had to single out Aaron Lee for reasons which should become obvious if they are are not already. I had heard about Aaron Lee Tasjan before I actually heard him. The first time I heard him play guitar was on the same day that I met Darrin Bradbury. He was backing up Tim Easton at The 5 Spot. Later, he did a residency at that bar, and I finally got to hear him do his own songs. To say, I was blown away would be an understatement. In fact, I think it took me some time to fully grasp how amazing he was as a songwriter. His mixture of humor, cultural references, and emotional resonance is incomparable. Over time, I learned more about his history and got to meet him and found him to be a really nice guy. The other thing he is – which to me typifies this community, is generous. In 2015, as he began to garner more and more (well deserved) attention, ALT (as he is known) seemed to work even harder at lifting up his fellow musicians and writers. His album, In the Blazes, was one of my most highly anticipated releases and yet it still managed to surprise me. It is a rock and roll record, it is a alt-folk record, it is a alt-country record – it shows off his abilities as a songwriter and as a guitarist.
2. Tim Easton – the mentor and a driving force behind the Campfire Propaganda movement. His experience and wisdom has helped to push these younger songwriters forward, and their influence seems to have revitalized this long-time East Nashville presence. The celebrate his 100th published song, Easton began posting a song a day for 100 days. He is at the tail end of this marathon project.
3. Zach Schmidt – One of the brightest lights in the East Nashville community. Schmidt has an album in the can that will be released in 2016. He has all the attributes of a classic male country music star, and his songs manage to deftly walk the line between tradition and innovation. Watch for Zach Schmidt in 2016.
4. Nellie Marie Clay – Originally from Oklahoma, Clay made her way to Nashville after spending a few years in the far reaches of Alaska. Like Zach Schmidt, she brings a new energy to traditional sounding roots music. Her distinctive drawl and the twanginess of her music made her a force to be reckoned with. Her new album I Never Did What I Shoulda Done is excellent,
5. Megan Palmer – Besides being a go to side musician for the likes of Darrin Bradbury, Tim Easton and others, Palmer is an excellent songwriter in her own right. Her performace of one her best songs, “Knife Twister” backed by an all-star backing chorus that included Julie Christensen, Nellie Marie Clay and others was a highlight of the year. She has a new album ready to go in 2016. It will be worth your while to check it out.
6. Brian Wright – Probably a half dozen of my favorite musical moments of 2015 involve Brian Wright. A powerhouse guitar player, an unequaled songwriter, and a supporter of his fellow musicians. If you ever get the chance to see Brian Wright live – in any configuration, do not miss out!
7. Carl Anderson – Anderson came to Nashville by way of Charlottesville, VA. His album, Risk of Loss, is one of the best of 2015. Such amazing songs.
8. Other songwriters: Andrew Leheay, Lilly Hiatt, Tim Carroll, Tommy Womack, Kiely Schlessinger, Luella Wood, Bob Lewis, Allen Thompson, Russell Thompson, Amelia White, Adrian+Meredith Krygowski, Dave Coleman, Ariel Bui, Yosi Mesbah and so many more. Covering music that can be described as country, alt-country, folk-country, not country, roots rock, alt-folk, rock, blues-rock, jam band….etc. I tend to shy away from putting labels on music (though I understand that for artists it is a necessity sometimes). I think of it as excellent music. Traditionally, Nashville has been known as a town of songwriters, and even though the quality of writing on “the Row” can be called into the question – that tradition lives on around campfires, on porches, and in clubs around the city but concentrated in East Nashville. (And by reference, I include some of the amazing writers who have already won “Earie” Awards)
9. The musicians – once you have a song, the next step is to bring that song to life. And, although that can be done by just the writer and an acoustic guitar, when the song is developed and augemented by the help of some of the best musicians in the world, the results can be amazing. Many of the writers I mentioned are also amazing musicians who frequently back up other writers (Brian Wright, Megan Palmer, and ALT stand out). When you go out and hear music in Nashville, one thing you begin to notice is some of the same faces showing up again and again playing behind a very diverse mix of musical styles. Justin Amaral, Aaron Shafer-Haiss, Steve Ebe, Raun Shultz, David Strayer, Daniel Seymour, Cameron Carrus, Adam Kurtz, and many many more. Some of the above named front their own projects and some do not, but they are all part of the lifeblood that makes this new Music City what it is.
10. The non-musicians – Musicians and songwriters are the reason this scene exists but it would not run if it were for the photographers, managers, bookers, writers, publicists. and behind the scenes folks. I want to call out Stacie Huckaba, Mary Sack, Terry Rickards, Sue Havlish, Karen Leipziger (who is also a songwriter and musician as I recently learned), John McCollum. Skip Anderson, Heather Lose, Randy Fox, and many more.
11. Bands – I should probably mentioned some of the amazing bands who call Nashville home. Covering an incredible diverse range of syles and sounds, Year of October, Dogs of Oz, Turbo Fruits, Blackfoot Gypsies, Humming House, Benchmarks, Fendrick and Peck, and many more.
2016 is going to be an amazing year, and the “Earies” will be back for their second season. But, I’m not quite done with 2015. The Artist of the Year for 2015 will be revealed tomorrow. Stay tuned.
back to live posting Now for the penultimate regularly scheduled shuffle of 2015!
“Heaven’s Gonna Have a Honky Tonk” by Dale Watson
I’m gonna dedicate this one to Lemmy. I think heaven’s gonna have a pretty bitchin’ rock show… I’ll just bet Lemmy and the Ramones are playing “R.A.M.O.N.E.S.” right about now.
This is an older Dale Watson song which was included on his latest album, Call Me Insane which is definitely one of the best albums of the year and one of my favorire
“Windows Fogged Up in Your Pickup Truck” by The Paisley Fields
The Paisley Fields are a alt-country band from Brooklyn that boasts two opera trained singer and a prolific songwriter who happens to be gay. They have an EP that was released this year, but this is an older song of theirs.
“Tread Carefully” by The British IBM
Man, I have really been digging Psychopaths Dream in Black and White. This is really British Indie music the way it was meant to be. Catchy as hell with just enough of an edge.
“The Frame” by Jon Latham
One of the most powerful songs on Real Bad News. Jon will be playing as part of Aaron Lee Tasjan’s killer band opening for Chris Knight at the Exit/In on New Year’s Eve. Boom 2015!
“Only the Young” by Indigenous Engines
From the Werewolves EP, by Indigenous Engines aka “Earie” award winner Andrew Adkins. A new Andrew Adkins is on tap for 2016!
“The Old Testament” by Man Named Pearl
Yeah, Man of Pearl should have won an “Earie”. Can I give them a special award now? It is my blog… ug… whatever…. seriously, Man Named Pearl is the nom de plume of Jesse Turits and part of the fantastic collective/thing called Mama Coco’s Funky Kitchen. This is from -Quietus Make- which I highly and forcefully recommend.
I am back after an extended time away… When I last posted, storms were on the horizon for Nashville and that appears to be the case today six days later. In fact, as I look out the window, the rain has started.
This is always an odd week. Christmas is over, New Years Eve is still a few days away. There is a sense of winding down of the old year and anticipation of what is to come. In my office, there are many people out this week. The overall pace of life seems just a wee bit slower. But, here at E2TG, we keep pushing to the end. We have more “Earies” to hand out and more shuffles to be shared.
The “Connections” Award.
The premise: Although, I don’t always explicitly state it, one of the central themes of Ear to the Ground has always been the thread of connectivity that runs throughout all music. The Shuffle (which to me is more than random) can often serve to highlight those connections. When songs that seem to be incongruous are placed together, they can often serve to reveal previously unseen connections. These connections come in all different forms and can be difficult to explain. Long time readers may recall a post I made a few years ago when I shuffled together the then new records by Imperial Rooster and Black Jake and the Carnies. These two bands came from different regions of the U.S. and were not even aware of each others existence but I found connections.
The Award: So for this award, I thought about artists/bands who have come into my consciousness who have no visible connection but who speak to me in very similar ways despite their obvious differences.
1. Tim Lee 3/Bark – A long time favorite of #E2TG, I first encountered TL3 via Couch by Couchwest. They are based in Knoxville and have roots in Jackson, MS. As I have gotten to know Tim and Susan Lee, I have discovered their deep connection to much of the music I listened to growing up. To illustrate, I found out not too long ago, that Tim Lee produced or co-produced Will and the Bushmen’s Gawk album which has been a favorite of mine for a long, long time. In 2015, Tim and Susan celebrated their vinyl anniversary (33 1/3 years) with the release of a new Tim Lee 3 album (331/3) and the very first EP from Bark. I was lucky enough to see both configurations live in 2015. The music of both bands manages to sound both fresh and familiar to me.
2. Susan James – A couple of years ago, I got the opportunity to hear and write about Susan’s then new album, Driving Toward the Sun. Susan is based in Southern California. At the time, I saw where D.J. Bonebrake of X (one of my all-time favorite bands) had acted as emcee for a CD release show for an earlier album. In 2015, Susan James released Sea Glass which marked a departure from the Americana feel of her previous two releases. Sea Glass is a wonderful example of California pop music. Several times on the album, the Paisley Underground sound is evoked very effectively. It is an album I want to hear over and over.
Just to put too fine a point on my premise, Tim and Susan Lee have some very deep and personal connections to the original Paisley Underground scene of the 1980s which is evoked so well on Susan James latest album.
On to the shuffle: I am going to be shuffling from the “Featured Music” playlist for the three days I am at work this week. Trying to get through some of 2015’s featured music to clear some room for the many new releases expected in early 2016.
“Taste the Ceiling” by Wilco
So, I think I read somewhere that Wilco front man Jeff Tweedy did not know that there was a new Star Wars movie imminent when naming the band’s latest album. The album, which was initially offered as a free download, made many top ten lists for 2015. I enjoyed the album as I have much of Wilco’s long and extensive catalog.
“More and More” by Bob Margolin
Another track from the new album by Steady Rollin’ Bob Margolin. The album is called My Road. This is real deal blues music folks!
“Love to a Ghost” by Brandy Zdan
Nashville singer-songwriter Brandy Zdan recently released her self-titled debut solo album. She was previously a member of the duo Twilight Hotel and the band The Trishas. I was pleased to find a sampler from her new album on Noisetrade. Check it out and if you dig – pick up the whole album at the usual spots.
“Pinyin” (Instrumental Version) by Batkhi Dahn
We may be done featuring the Batkhi Dahn Chritmas EP, but we still have several more songs in our playlist. This is the instrumental version of the latest single.
“Call Out Mellobird” by The Jackals
Another track from People, the latest album from Edinburgh band The Jackals.
“In the End” by Ilana J
Another listen to the highly listenable debut EP, Free Fallin’ from the Ground Up. Ilana J is from Birmingham (not Alabama).
“Little Meghan Kelly” by Fendrick and Peck
Fendrick and Peck are a hard travelling, neo-traditionalist folk duo currently residing in Nashville. They released Lucky Penny this year, and it is one of my favorites of the year.
“Pills” by Carl Anderson
Speaking of favorites, we close out this shuffle with another track from Risk of Loss – which is definitely among my top ten albums of 2015 (if I made such a list). Carl Anderson is another Nashville artist having moved here from Charlottesville, VA.
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Happy Festivus! Stay tuned for the traditional airing of grievances and feats of strength.
You know, even though I have been featuring some holiday/Christmas/Winter/Red Cup themed music for the last few days, I honestly have not been in the spirit of the season. Maybe it the fact that it is almost 70 in Nashville and tornados are possible later today or maybe it is just the realities of current life. However, last night, I attended the Ornaments Christmas Show (it was actually their 14th performance this season) which featured the music of Vince Guaraldi from A Charlie Brown Christmas. The night also featured Holiday music from Tom Mason and the Blue Buccaneers and a Tuba Christmas. There was so much great music and great vibes present that I found myself- wholly against my will caught up in the Spirit.
It also helps that today will be my last day of work for four days and I get to leave early today!!!!
The “Earies” continue with the “Wind Comes Sweeping Down the Plain” Award.
The premise: I don’t think I’ve ever been to the state of Oklahoma (my parents lived there a short time before I was born). And other than the musical and some college football games, I’ve never given it much thought. (no offense – I really don’t think much at all about anything). In 2015, however, it seems like I kept hearing awesome music from artists who call Oklahoma home.
The Award:
1. I would be severely remiss if I did not give an “Earie” Award to John Moreland. His album, High on Tulsa Heat, was a break-through and definitely among the top tier of best albums of the year. Throughout the year, I was fortunate enough see him perform live a few time, and each and every time, he managed to give me goosebumps and stir my heart and soul. At Americana Fest, Moreland managed to mostly silence a packed out Mercy Lounge and garnered a very rare AMA Showcase encore.
2. Dan Martin. I met Dan Martin at a David Olney residency at The 5 Spot earlier this year, and I got hold of his CD Hoka Hey, and it quickly became one of my favorite albums of 2015.
3. Levi Parham and John Calvin Abney. These two amazing singer-songwriters blew me away when I saw them perform during the Campfire Propaganda residency at The 5 Spot. Actually, I kind of feel like their is a definite psychic link between Oklahoma and East Nashville.
4. Samantha Crain: I saw Samantha Crain perform as part of an incredible round at the Bluebird Café earlier this year. She combines excellent songs with a unique voice. There was some hope that she would make it back to Nashville this month or so, but it did not pan out. Hopefully, we will see her here again in 2016.
Next, we wrap up our Red Cup Season Playlist! Best to everyone no matter what you celebrate and if you are struggling with anything during this season remember you are not alone. Peace!
“somerkersfees” + “stille nag” by velodrones
We finish up velodrones Christmas EP with lovely versions of Christmas Carols.
“Blanket” + “Fantasy” + “Stocking” by Batkhi Dahn
We wrap up the Batkhi Dahn Christmas EP with three songs. “Blanket” refers to the thing you place under the tree. I’ve always called it a “skirt” but I will defer to the New Englanders since they actually might have snow this season.
“Barbeque” + “Closer Now Than Ever Before” + “Brothers” + “Hole in the Washtub” from Emmet Otter’s Jugband Christmas
We roll through the last four songs from the Emmet Otter Jugband Christmas. The two-tapping Barbeque, the two songs which were mashup yesterday, and the equally toe-tapping Hole in the Washtub. I just noticed that Hulu has the special, so maybe I will watch it all tomorrow.
“O Come, O Come Emmanuel” by Milktooth
Nashville band, Milktooth – who we have featured in the past, released a lovely version of this Carol along with a powerful and moving video (which is in the Video Playlist below).
“Winter’s Lie” by Angela Easterling
“Earie” Award winner Angela Easterling released a season song. It is a gorgeous song.
“The Earth Stood Still” by Future of Forestry
And we finish off the Future of Forestry Advent Anthology with this song. I think this is an original song – or at least I have not heard it before and I could not find anything in a brief search to indicate it is not a Future of Forestry original. A really lovely song.
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We are reaching the end of the 2015. After today’s post, we only have three more “Earies” to award before the crowning of the 2015 E2TG Artist of the Year. The anticipation is palpable.
One of the many perks of writing Ear to the Ground, is that I get the opportunity to hear and write about awesome music which otherwise may have slipped past me. So, today’s “Earie” Award is going to go out to the some of the best of that category from 2015.
1. The Poorhouse Says are an Americana/Indie-Folk/Folk-Rock band from St. Louis. They released As Patterns Go, and I was fortunate enough to get to hear it and tell you folks about it.
2. Broken Guru are a Alt-Rock band from New York City. They released Bent Up Halo earlier this year. The album injected a refreshing burst of hard alternative rock into our shuffle.
3. The Hidden Agendas are a Pennsylvania rock and roll band who came to my attention is 2015. Although, I have only been able to feature one or two of their songs, they made a big impression, and I look forward to more music ahead.
4. The Naddiks – This band from Canberra, Australia could have easily been included in the International “Earie” category, but then I could have had to do some heavy-duty geographic research to figure out if Canberra or Christchurch, New Zealand was further away. And nobody wants that. The Naddiks combine blistering, upbeat rock and roll with positive lyrics which are much appreciated in this day and age which can be a rather negative place. They released 21CB (21st Century Boy) this year, and more recently, they just released an anti-bullying single called, “Stop, Listen, and Love”
Moving on – we jump back into our holiday music shuffle with a very special edition….
A dialogue Intro from Emmet Otter’s Jugband Christmas
Jeff Black recently made available the 2008 edition of Black Tuesday Christmas Special featuring Black and his kids. The award winning Nashville songwriter performs such holiday favorites as “Away in the Manger”, “Rudolph the Red Nosed Raindeer”, “Winter Wonderland” and more. A great addition to the shuffle.
Two more classic tunes from the Jim Henson production. Some hard rocking critters called the Riverbottom Nightmare Band deliver their theme song. And although it is referred to as a medley, the other track is by all estimations a mash-up.
“Silent Night” by Future of Forestry
And we close out the shuffle with a lovely, atmospheric rendering of the German Christmas carol, “Silent Night”.
I have to just admit right now that I’m really not feeling it today. Whatever “it” is. The approaching holiday with everything surrounding it, the fact that this is the shortest day of the year, and that fact that it is a grey and rainy day here in Nashville… But, I will press onward… rest assured…
The “Earies” are getting down to the wire. Our last six awards are forthcoming. It is getting difficult to decide which award to post. Do I save one for right toward the end or do I go ahead and post it now… who have I forgotten… what should I call this or that award… but I don’t really have time for all that existential overthinking…
Consider this the counter-point to the “All the Young Dudes” award – kind of… I will call it the “Southern Women Showcase” Award focusing on some of the excellent music I came across this year that happened to come from female artists who either live in or originated the southern part of the United States) (or both)….
1. Tiffany Huggins Grant – A Jonquil Child from Smyrna, Georgia (now a Nashville resident). Tiffany released here stunning album, Jonquil Child early this year, and it serves as an excellent testimony to her extraordinary vocal abilities and her strength as a songwriter. The album was produced and features guitar work from fellow “Earie” winner – Mark Robinson.
2. Amy Black – Although she recently relocated from Boston to the Nashville area, Amy Black grew up near (but apart from) the music mecca of Muscle Shoals, Alabama. Her recent album, The Muscle Shoals Sessions includes classic and lesser known tracks recorded in that fertile ground – plus a few original compositions inspired by recording and being around that hallowed ground.
3. Angela Easterling – Hailing from South Carolina, Angela Easterling released the amazing, Common Law Wife this year. The album is a showcase of her amazing abilities as a singer/songwriter. Coincidently (or whatever) both Easterling’s album and Amy Black’s album feature the guitar work of Nashville icon, Will Kimbrough.
I was fortunate enough to see all of these talented artists perform live during 2015, and I look forward to what they each have in store in the future.
We have three shuffles before Christmas… so let’s have our second installment of the Red Cup Season Playlist shuffle. Remember – I tried to pick a name for this playlist that could not possibly cause offense. Red Cup seemed like a pretty neutral thing….
Just as E2TG strives to cover music from as many different angles has possible, today’s shuffle pretty much does the same with holiday music.
“Tree” by Batkhi Dahn
The opening track from the Batkhi Dahn Christmas EP. This one is about that classic Christmas symbol – the Tree – oh Tannenbaum. No, it is not that song. To add this EP to your collection simply use the widget below.
“Yancey Woodchuck’s Barbeque” from Emmet Otter’s Jugband Christmas
I’ve come to the realization that even though Emmet Otter was a Christmas special, the music was not particularly Christmasy.. This track records the moment when ol’ Yancey Woodchuck performs the song that Emmet and his Jugband were going to perform. Even though his performance was subpar, our heroes were forced to quickly rehearse an alternate song. You may recall, they went with the Metallica song, “Enter Sandman”… I think – it’s been years since I’ve seen the show.
“The Bathing Suit She Wore” from Emmet Otter’s Jugband Christmas
What says the Holidays more than a song about the extremely large bathing suit once worn by your deceased Grandma Otter? Not much, not much!
“Santa’Self (F*ck Your Christmas Party)” by Butch Walker
Thankfully, the Christmas party I attended this weekend was not like the one described in this song, but I do know what Butch Walker is talking about. Some NSFW language unless you are wearing headphones or working from home.
“Little Drummer Boy” by Future of Forestry
“Carol of the Bells” by Future of Forestry
I just grabbed hold of a holiday sampler from Future of Forestry on Noisetrade. These are some lovely and original arrangements of some classic songs.
“kom alle getroues” (O Come All Ye Faithful) by Velodrones
“Bleibet meine freude/Bron van al my Vreugde” (Joy of Man’s Desiring) by Velodrones
In a moment of inattentiveness, I first played this now (seemingly) unavailable velodrones EP in the Summer last year, before realizing it was some lovely experimental arrangements of Christmas tunes mostly sung in Turt Darren’s native Afrikaans.
“When the Mountains Part 2” from Emmet Otter’s Jugband Christmas
“Instrumental Theme” from Emmet Otter’s Jugband Christmas
We close out this Red Cup Season shuffle with two more tunes from Emmet Otter’s Jugband Christmas. We have the reprise of a song we played last week, and we finish up with the Instrumental Theme from the beginning of the show.
Once again, because I knew I would not find most of the songs in today’s shuffle on You Tube, I have created a playlist of some of my all-time favorite Red Cup songs….
Today’s “Earie” Award category is either called, “The Hall of Fame Part II” Award or the “E2TG Survivor Series” Award or something. Over the 4 1/2 year history of E2TG, I have been fortunate to get to know and write about a ton of really awesome and talented artists. As most people reading this know, making music and trying to be heard in 2015 is a challenging proposition. It is easy to get burned out or for more lucrative opportunities to take precedence. This award is meant to recognize long time favorites of this blog who are still out there doing their thing and making vital and interesting music.
1. Killing Kuddles – from Atlanta – Elwood “Killing” Kuddles first caught my attention a few years ago with his blending of punk and folk or folk and punk – which I hereby dub.. “Polk” (because “Funk” means something else). In 2015, Kuddles released the Sinking Ship EP which pushed his signature sound forward. I love his slightly twisted humor and the way his music makes me happy. Very happily, I made a Black Friday purchase that included a Killing Kuddles t-shirt, stickers, patches, and buttons.
2. The Danbury Lie – originating from Connecticut, I think he’s kind of a citizen of the world now. The Danbury Lie holds the distinction of being the third most tagged band in E2TG history. Like so many Connecticut artists, he is extremely prolific. In 2015 alone, he released Scattered Moments of Connection, Choose Your Delusion, Shallow Cuts (kind of a Greatest Hits collection), and the DVD (with accompanying soundtrack) called Whispers to Oblivion. And he is already at work on a new project schedule for early next year. His music is unique and amazing. It is an interesting mix of experimental metal, out there folk, and something harder to define. Whispers to Oblivion is a chronicle of his cross-country drive over the summer. It is an amazing video which manages to give the viewer insight into The Danbury Lie’s world. I would recommend it even if I didn’t make a voice-only cameo appearance.
3. Pony Boy – When I first came into contact with the music of Marchelle Bradanini – aka Pony Boy – she was in Los Angeles, and I was very impressed by both her songs and her incredible voice. Since then, she has partially relocated to East Nashville (she lives 1/2 time here and in L.A.), and she has begun to received some well deserved attention. Pony Boy released Blue Gold this year, and I have seen it mentioned on some best of lists already. And now, she has an “Earie”.
Our last featured Friday shuffle of 2015 is on deck….
“More Glue” by Tim Carroll
Tonight, as I have done many times in 2015, I will begin my Friday evening with one of Nashville’s best deals and best things. Just about every Friday beginning at 6 p.m., Tim Carroll and his band settle into The 5 Spot for an amazing Rock and Roll Happy Hour. There is no cover (but hit up the tip jar or the tip kettle), and settle in for two to two and half hours straight of some of the best music you are likely to hear. Happily, Carroll has begun to release some of his new songs which you are likely to hear on a given Friday. This is a track from his last album, Pure as Coal which is now largely unavailable.
“DMT” by Tymon Dogg
A really cool track from one-time Joe Strummer collaborator, Tymon Dogg . His latest album is called Made of Light, and you will be hearing much more of it in 2016.
“New Wave (Is this Rock ‘N’ Roll?) by Niall James Holohan
A Dublin born, London based recording artist. This is the current single, and my first listen. I like it.
“Clear Sky” by Matt Prater
Alabama-based country music singer-songwriter Matt Prater’s Tables and Chairs is a very good album. Prater makes the kind of country music that flies in the face of much of what the “industry” is putting out. That, to me, is a good thing, a very good thing.
“Dreaming On the Road” by Ted Drozdowski’s Scissormen
Earie Award winning Ted Drozdowski and his Scissormen are up next with an excellent track from Love and Life – one of my favorite albums of the year.
“Christopher” by Pony Boy
Fortuitously, Pony Boy – jumps into the shuffle on the same day that she picks up an “Earie” with a song from Blue Gold. Could this song be a reference to Christopher Thomas Howell who played Ponyboy Curtis in Francis Ford Coppola’s adaptation of the S.E. Hinton novel? I have no idea. I love this song, though.
“Mirror Black Mirror” by Indigenous Engines
Another “Earie” award winner – Andrew Adkins released a pair of EPs under the Indigenous Engines moniker. This track is from the EP called Witches. Ominously wonderful music.
“I Ain’t the Sharpest Marble” by D.L. Duncan
And yet another “Earie” award winner! With the lead track from his self-titled album. The title of this song makes me smile, and it is a really cool blues song.
“American Night” by Benchmarks
Todd Farrell and The Dirty Birds changed their name in 2015, and released their self-title debut as Benchmarks. This is a very summery album which was a great choice for this cold morning. Benchmarks are currently working on their follow-up, and I for one can’t wait. This is the kind of song that is needed to steal back the concept of driving down some desolate country road and partying with your friends from those bro-country bozos. The video in the playlist for this song is from a show that I attended – wherein Micah Schnaubel of Farrell’s other band (Two Cow Garage) jumped stage to join in.
This crazy time of year… Here I am posting this on a Thursday evening. Circumstances, blah, blah, blah… Any way, let’s get to it…
Last night, I had a blast – another great show at The Basement (the original one). “Earie” Award winners, Richie Owens and the Farm Bureau put on another outstanding show that included a version of “Can’t Be Satisfied” featuring Richie Owens on the lap steel. Bassist John Reed and stand-up drummer Brian O’Hanlon were in fine form. I also got to see Saint Luke’s Drifters for the first time. They called their sound Rockified Country. Songs ranged from high energy rockers that brought to my mind the Scorchers to some very honky-tonkish country songs. Vocal duties were shared and each singer brought something unique to the band’s sound. I really enjoyed myself, and I hope to hear much more.
So, by my rough count, there will be seven more regular E2TG posts before the end of the year – not counting any weekend or holiday bonus posts. My plan is to hand out “Earies” each of those days with Wednesday December 30, being reserved for the 5th Annual Ear to the Ground Artist of the Year. Which I will for the first time dub, the “Golden Earier” Award.
But, I am getting ahead of myself. We have some “Earies” to give away today.
Prologue: I have been having a really good time handing out these awards. Even though the categories are sometimes a bit silly, the sentiment behind them is very real. I really want to write about and honor artists who have made a big impression on my in 2015 (and before in some cases). I could have just made a list or handed out awards without giving them names, but really, this is more fun isn’t it? I say all this to preface the fact that I have struggled a bit with what to call this next award. Flippantly, I thought about the Six Degrees Award – as my having met these remarkable people has moved me up a few degrees of separation from some of the my all-time favorite artists (and some of the most famous in the world). But, really that name would only serve to diminish the extraordinary artists they are in their own right.
So – I hereby name this award the “Legends in Their Own Right” Award. And I am going to just get to it before I overthink it and decide to change the name again….
1. Reckless Johnny Wales – The first time I encountered Reckless Johnny, I did not know who he was, but I suspected (correctly it turns out), that I was in the presence of someone remarkable. The next time, and when I finally got to meet him, I was standing on what can only be called Hallowed Ground – namely the Cash Cabin recording studios… if those walls could talk… and even though I did not hear the walls talk that night (although it would not surprise me if some who have been there have heard stranger things than that), I did get to hear some of Reckless Johnny’s stories about meeting Johnny Cash and many others. More importantly, as a result of that meeting, I received a copy of Reckless Johnny Wales’ American Heart, and any doubts that I might have had (I didn’t really) were tossed out the window. The music on that album demonstrates that the remarkable storied life (lives?) can and were translated into some memorable music. I have a full review in my plans for early 2016, so I will stop here for now.
2. Bebe Buell – Speaking of a life filled with stories… As perhaps one of the world’s most famous groupies, Bebe Buell experienced first hand some of the defining moments of the rock and roll era. I will leave it to you to read more about her remarkable life, but for me the most important thing is happening now. Throughout all of those interactions with rock and roll royalty, Bebe Buell was paying attention. Having relocated to Nashville a few years ago, Buell is now focused on her own music pursuits. I first saw her performing Tom Petty songs with the amazing Long Players, and then I saw her own show at 3rd and Lindsay, and I was impressed by her music and her stage presence. That night and again at the end of October, I also saw that she is still the ultimate rock and roll fan – which is obviously when she talks about and dances to the music of the Blackfoot Gypsies.
3. Julie Christensen (Stone Cupid) – Julie Christensen is another fairly recent transplant to our fair city. Christensen’s musical career includes being a part of one of the pioneering Country/Punk bands, The Divine Horsemen with her husband at the time, Chris Desjardins founder of the legendary Flesheaters – a band whose membership history reads like a role call of the very best of Los Angeles music of the late 70s to early 80s. Later, Christensen spent several years as a featured background singer with Leonard Cohen. She reunited Cohen for the now legendary I’m Your Man concert film and album. Upon, relocating to Nashville (and even before), Julie Christensen began working with some of the finest writers and musicians this town has to offer. Her band, now called Stone Cupid, features an incredible line-up. Sergio Webb and Chris Tench are two of the finest guitar players in a city that has a few… and the rhythm section features Steve Latanation (Agent Orange) and Bones Hillman who was member of Midnight Oil throughout there was most successful years. (UPDATE: There is reason I do not usually post late, I totally forgot to mention Stone Cupid’s new album The Cardinal which will officially be out early in 2016. And I wanted to mention, that Stone Cupid played during the final week of the original Family Wash, and that show was one my favorite live shows of the year.)
On a personal note, having met them all, I am I find myself more interested in the people they are and the music they are making now than I am in their remarkable past. But, to be honest, I will not walk away from a great story about some of the most important musical giants of our time…
To the shuffle (before it is Friday): (a regular shuffle – we’ll hop back into the season music next week).
“Think I Said Too Much” by Sugar and the Hi Lows
Another great track from one of Nashville’s best. From their self-titled album.
“Tom and Bob” by Blake Babies
More from that Blake Babies live album- available on Noisetrade. This song was on their debut album, Nicely, Nicely which came out in 1987.
“Attention Shoppers” by Crazy Aces
More music from Nashville’s premiere instrumental rock band, Crazy Aces.
“Camera Roll” by Jonas H. Sjøvaag’s Navyelectre
From Norway. I have really been digging the music of composer Jonas Howden Sjøvaag. The album is called Large Ensemble.
“Fool Man Runaway” by Some Kind of Illness (ft. CaoilfhionnRose)
We move on to another song from Some Kind of Illness from their self-titled album. This track features Manchester singer-songwriter Caoilfhionn Rose (her first name is pronounced Keelin). Two songs in and I continue to be impressed by this band.
“Take My Time” by Daphne Willis
Another track from free-spirited Nashville singer-songwriter Daphne Willis’ new EP, Get It. Seriously, get it!
“Little Wild One (No. 5) by Marshall Crenshaw
We jump next into the first of two songs from two of my all-time favorite albums. This is the opening track to Downtown, which was Crenshaw’s third album following his amazing self-titled debut and Field Day. Downtown was released in 1985.
“I Misunderstood” by Richard Thompson
Rumor and Sigh was released in 1991, and it still stands out as some of the best music of one of modern music’s most prolific and talented musicians.
“I Can’t Tell” by David G. Smith
We close out the shuffle with our first listen to First Love, the new album by singer-songwriter David G. Smith. Smith, like Julie Christensen, comes from Iowa and now resides in Nashville. I will have much more to say about this album – which features great songs and an incredible line-up of musicians. This was a great way to close out the shuffle this morning.
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Wednesday! Well, thanks to about 500 of you, The Ear to the Ground Facebook page reached the 500 “Like” milestone late yesterday. It really means a ton to me. I promise bigger and better things for 2016.
I am running a bit short on time, but The “Earies” 2015 do continue on… I decided to call this one the “Dirty Rice” Award – aka – the “Land of my People” Award.
The premise: Although, I was born in Tennessee and have lived all but about one year in this state, my roots are in the bayous of Louisiana, and I still feel a deep connection to that very unique and colorful state. This year, I have been fortunate enough to write about two artists and albums with connections to Louisiana. This seemed like as good a reason as any to link them for this award.
The Awards:
Kevin Gordon – is one of the most respected songwriters around. He has released a number of excellent albums, and his album Gloryland definitely raised the bar. In 2015, he released Long Gone Time, and with it, he managed to raise the bar even further. Kevin Gordon is an incredible live act, and his music really captures the complicated realities of the post-Civil Rights era deep south.
D.L. Duncan – A well respected blues musician and songwriter, D.L. “Dave” Duncan, released a self-titled album in 2015 that really captured the essence of the what the blues are all about. The album was partially produced in Lafayette, Louisiana which happens to be where my parents lived when they were first married. Featuring an all-star cast of musical talent, the album has some of the most infectious blues grooves I’ve heard in a long time.
On to the shuffle: I have not downloaded a ton of Christmas/Holiday/Winter music this year, and so I had intended to wait until next week to break into that list, however, I did download a few more song last night, so I decided to kick things off today. As I mentioned before, I struggled with what to call this playlist. As creative as I can try to be, my playlist names are pretty unimaginative. The main playlist from which most shuffles are drawn, is just called “E2TG”. The Featured Friday playlist is called “Featured Friday”. When it came to this one though… I just was not sure. I have not problem with Christmas, however, for the sake of accuracy, I knew that the list might included some songs some of the other holidays celebrated at this time of year. I could have called it “Holiday Playlist” but I know the term, “Holiday” bothers some people. Some songs are not about a holiday, but rather are just about the season of Winter. Again, Winter playlist didn’t seem to work, because while the winter songs might be appropriate for a couple more months, I really don’t want to hear about mangers and Santa and elves in February. In the end, I decided to call this playlist the Red Cup playlist, because, who in the world could be offended by red cup? Am I right?
“Garland”, “Christmas Creation”, and “Home” by Batkhi Dahn
New England just seems like the place for a good old fashioned Christmas. Even though I am a lifelong resident of the South, when I think traditional American Christmas, the images that form in my mind all correspond to what I think Christmas in New England is all about. “Winter Wonderland” is not about Christmas in the South… that song in particular brings to my mind images straight out of a Norman Rockwell painting. This year, there is a brand new EP of Christmas songs from Connecticut – the one of the southern most New England States. Christmas EP features the talents of Hayden and Evan Nork and songs about various aspects of the Christmas holiday. One listen, and you can expect to have this one playing while you decorate your tree and house with maybe, say… Garland.
“Intro” (1st Interlude) from Emmet Otter’s Jug Band Christmas
From the Jim Henson classic Emmet Otter’s Jug Band Christmas was a 1977 Television special based upon a 1971 Children’s Novel. Yesterday, I grabbed the soundtrack from Aquarium Drunkard. Included a few Intro’s including this first snippet with the joke about Snake Oil Salesmen. “Not many people want to oil up a snake.”
“Jingle Bell Jezebel” by Kevin Gordon
Next up, a holiday tune from “Earie” award winner, Kevin Gordon!
“Take Me Home for Christmas” by Karen Mav
Karen Mav is an incredible singer from Liverpool. She recently put out this tune which really showcases her incredible vocal pyrotechnics.
“When the Mountains” from Emmet Otter’s Jug Band Christmas
A lovely song from Emmet Otter’s Jug Band Christmas.
“Light Shines Through” (feat. The Hoboken Holiday All Star Band) by Deena and Jon (from The Cucumbers)
Next up, a lovely holiday treat from Deena and John Fried who were both part of the New Jersey. Joined by an All Star band – this is a great new holiday song.
“Intro” (2nd Interlude) from Emmet Otter’s Jug Band Christmas
Next up, a second interlude from Emmet Otter and the gang.
“Too Early for Christmas” by Tom House
Another day, and another Tom House song. This is a sort of Christmas song from Songs Like Dreams… More Like Blood.
“Snoopy’s Christmas” by American Scarecrows
American Scarecrows are continuing a long line of folk/country inspired Rock and Roll from Minneapolis. Here they close out this shuffle with a song dedicated to the World War One Flying Aces, Snoopy.
VIDEO PLAYLIST
Note: Since I could not find videos for many of the songs featured in this playlist, I decided to post many of my favorite Christmas/Holiday songs of all time. Enjoy!
E2TG: MUSIC/WORDS 