Tuesday Morning Music Shuffle – Never Chew a Pickle Mix

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ICYMI – check out the exclusive premiere of Mark Robinson’s “Gone South (Electric Rock)” Video.

It is a rainy day in Nashville… You know what I like on a rainy day?  Music!

“Memphis Bound” by Richie Owens and the Farm Bureau

Richie Owens was an important part of the 1980s Nashville music scene that I became interested in during my musical formative years.  Back in those days, he lead a band called The Movement.  That band’s song, “Lost Horizon” seemed to be in my ears or stuck in my head almost constantly during that time period. When the once promising Nashville Music Scene of the mid to late 80s  crashed and burned – overcome by poor decisions and excesses of various kinds – Owens left for the West Coast. Thankfully, he came back and his current band, Richie Owens and the Farm Bureau are making awesome music and putting on great shows. You can catch them most Tuesday’s at Drifters in East Nashville.  The band’s most recent album, Tennessee, is filled with songs based upon stories that Richie Owens heard growing up or in the case of the song we are featuring today – the song was inspired by a invitation and trip to play a Blues Festival in Memphis.  The video is awesome!

“Come On” by Hoodoo Gurus

From Blow Your Cool!  “Well come on!”

“Rattle That Lock” by David Gilmour

Rattle That Lock is the title track of the brand new album by David Gilmour of Pink Floyd fame. It is his fourth solo and his first studio solo album since 2006’s On An Island.  Expect a US tour next Spring.

“Slap and Tickle” by Squeeze

A funky fun track from Cool for Cats.  Seriously, I know they were very British in some respects, but I really don’t understand how Squeeze were never completely massive here in the U.S.  Suffice it to say, they were very massive in my circle of friends.  I am thrilled that I got to see them in 1985 on their “reunion tour”.

“Old Rugged Cross” by Carl Rutherford

What kind of psychopath follows up “Slap and Tickle” with “Old Rugged Cross”? Seems like another great time to point out, again, that the shuffle function on my phone orders the songs – I am just the messenger.   That being said, it has great having so many tracks for the Music Maker Relief Foundation come up in the shuffles of late. This is a devastating take on the Inspirational classic from the late Carl Rutherford. 

“Plaster Shoes” by Atticus Floyd

Plaster Shoes is the single release from Atticus’ 7 song release, We’ll All Come Down. Atticus just released a new song, “Walking into Murals”.    The video is a repeat, but it is one I love – an animated retelling of Atticus Floyd’s first show.

“Don’t Look That Way” by Shelly Poole

This is a song from British singer/songwriter Shelly Poole’s 2006 debut album, Hard Time for the Dreamer.  I’m honestly not sure where I got this song, but I really dig it.  It’s my first listen to Shelly Poole.

“Peace and Happiness” by Evan Felker

Another track from the Ted Hawkins tribute album, Cold and Bitter Tears. Evan Felker is best known as a member of the Oklahoma Red Dirt band Turnpike Troubadours.

“East vs. West” by Units

Another from the 13 O’clock compilation by PPNW Records.  Units were an electronic band from San Francisco, active in the late 1970s to early 1980s.  East V. West is from 1979 and it is a sturdy electronic rock instrumental.  This compilation has introduced me to a several bands that I missed out on the first time around.

“Trumpets” by The Waterboys

One of my favorite tracks from This is the Sea.  “Your Love Feels, Like Trumpets Sound”.

“Leave a Trail” by Dan Martin

And we close out the day with another track from Dan Martin’s album Hoka Hey.  A great way to close out another wildly diverse shuffle of music.  

VIDEO PLAYLIST

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Wednesday Morning Music Shuffle – Down do be do do wop a do do wop a do do wop Mix

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We move confidently into the middle of the week, and step one day further into this September. 

“You’re a Whole Different Person When You’re Scared” by Warren Zevon

How about we start off the mid-week shuffle with some Warren Zevon doing a song co-written with Hunter S. Thompson.  Yeah, sounds good to me, too.

“The Bountiful Child” by Atticus Floyd

0:39 seconds of cool stuff from Atticus Floyd’s We’ll All Come Down 7 song EP.

“Chinese Dogs” by Mothers

The New York band Mothers’ album Panamanian Times has been in our playlist for a while now. This is the second to last song for us to feature.  The band has an awesomely original punk rock sound. 

“Damballah-Wedo” by The Shakers

A beautiful instrumental from Songs from Beneath the Lake.  One of my favorite albums.

“If I Could” by John Prine

John Prine is one of our greatest living songwriters, and so if he covers a song, you know it has to be really, really good. From Prine’s 1997 Live on Tour album, this is Tim Carroll’s “If I Could”  (You may remember Tim Carroll was our 300th “Like” on Facebook.) It is, by the way, the only cover song on that album.

“High Steppin’ Mama” by Clyde Langford

Clyde Langford was born in Centerville, Texas in 1934.  He learned guitar from Joel “Thunder” Hopkins as a boy.  As a young person, he would listen to the radio and imitate the songs he heard on his guitar, and he added his own spin to the songs.  He never stopped making music, and the Music Maker Relief Foundation helped him to record an album (of which this is the title track) as well as helping him with medical and other expenses.  This is the real deal blues, ya’ll.

“Beggin’ Jesus” by Ted Drozdowski’s Scissormen

Speaking of the Blues.  We have another track from Ted Drozdowski’s Scissormen from their album Love and Life.  As luck would have it, I used the video for this song in the video playlist yesterday (substituting for a song that didn’t have a video), but you know what – it’s a really cool video so watch it again today!

“Cash” by APE|MEN

From their debut EP Zero – APE MEN make “edgy inditronica from the Iron Curtain fringe of the European Union.”  This is good stuff.

“Ball and Chain” by Ted Zmaster and the Wranglers

Ted Z and the Wranglers are a Southern California band that play some pretty fine roots based, indie rock and roll.  This was my first listen, and I like what I heard.

“Honky Tonk Blues” (Live) by Jason and the Scorchers

A live version of the Scorchers cover of the Hank Williams classic… Lord, I got ’em…

“Pretty Girls” by Joe Jackson

Another track from the Joe Jackson’s Look Sharp! album… a song about being distracted by the scenery.

VIDEO PLAYLIST

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Wednesday Morning Music Shuffle – Champagne Eyes Mix

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The mid-week point has been reached… A fun night at The 5 Spot last night for $2 Tuesday.  Got to meet and hear  Angela Easterling.  Her new album, Common Law Wife – which we have featured a few songs from – is one of the best I’ve heard this year.  She has a very unique and beautiful sound.  Joe Nolan played a full-band set.  It was the first time I saw him with a drummer, and it sounded great!  Host Derek Hoke played a short set backed by Paul Niehaus on pedal steel, Steve Latanation on drums, and Mark Robertson (of the Legendary Shack Shakers) on upright bass.  Then, Carl Anderson played a long set of his wonderful songs.  Not a bad $2 show…

Tonight, Brian Wright opens up the last week of the Joe Fletcher residency at The 5 Spot.  I had to miss the first two weeks, but I will not miss this one.  Two of East Nashville’s finest writers.

Onto the shuffle:

“And She Plays” by Reckless Johnny Wales

Another track from American Heart, by the man, the myth, the legend – Reckless Johnny Wales.  One of my favorites from the album… a fine, fine song.

“A Sucker’s Evening” by the transcendents

 

From the latest EP from this uniquely wonderful band from Christchurch, New Zealand where it is tomorrow already.  They already know how this day turns out, but they probably won’t tell me…

 

“Don’t come around here angry
This is a house of water
You’ll be cold and soaking wet
‘Ere you leave here”

“City of Strange Delight” by The Shakers

Another from the awesome album Songs from Beneath the Lake.  This gorgeous song is one of my favorites from that album.  This music transforms and transports me.

“Lavender Child” by Atticus Floyd

Another day, and more music from the good folks at Dord Music Group. We’ve featured Atticus Floyd a few times before, but this is our first listen from the We’ll All Come Down” EP which was released in June.  She has promised a change of direction for her next record.  In the video playlist, we have an “animated” recounting of Atticus Floyd’s first show… which included Hayden and Evan Nork of The Foresters.  Speaking of Hayden, today is his 14th birthday – which I believe is about the number of bands he is or has been a part of… Happy Birthday Hayden.

“No Count Superstition” by Indigenous Engines

 I ran into Andrew Adkins last night, and coincidently, we have a song from his Indigenous Engines project. Word has it that Adkins next project will have a new sound.  Looking forward to it.

“Sweet Thing” by The Waterboys

We finish up our re-visit to the classic album Fisherman’s Blues.  This one is a cover of the Van Morrison classic which they finish up with a few lines from “Blackbird” by the Beatles.  “Take these broken wings and learn to fly…” 

“Considerations” by Damfino

Mama Coco’s Funky Kitchen collective just recently released their latest sampler – the first since the relocated and built a new studio space. Damfino is primary Joe Merklee and Joel Bachrach backed by many others – including some familiar Mama Coco’s names.  They have a new EP called Disembodied Smile.  This track is a tasty bit of power pop goodness.

“Close Your Eyes (And Count to Fuck)” by Run the Jewels (feat. Zack de la Rocha)

From a Noisetrade Bonnaroo sampler.  Hip-Hop duo Run the Jewels team up with Zack de la Rocha of Rage Against the Machine for this hard hitting track.  I hear that there may be a new collaboration between these three in the works.

“Through Different Eyes” by TV21

From the 13 O’clock compilation recently released by PPNW Records out of Atlanta.  TV21 are a New Wave band from Scotland.  They are about to release their first new record in 28 years.  This is a previously unreleased track from 1981.  Really dig this.

VIDEO PLAYLIST

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Friday Morning Music Shuffle – Another Planet Mix

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Sad to hear the news yesterday that Billy Zoom the legendary guitarist of Los Angeles band X was diagnosed with bladder cancer.  Happy, though, to report that a GoFundMe campaign to help him out has almost been completely funded after just one day.  If you want to help push it over the top, here is
the link.
We reached the end of another work week, and we have a pretty interesting shuffle to close things out…

By the way, a couple of songs in the shuffle today prompt me to issue the reminder that I repeat every so often.  Each morning’s shuffle is randomly selected by my music player from a Playlist that I create and maintain. 

“One I Love” by Kevin Gordon

Nashville is a town of songwriters.  One of our best, is Kevin Gordon.  I feel fortunate that I have had several opportunities to see him over the last month or so, and he never disappoints.  This song goes back to his 2012 album Gloryland.

 

“Waitress” by Hop Along

Hop Along are an indie folk band from Philadelphia. This song is from their album called Painted Shut and the recording is from one of the World Café sessions.  I am interested in hearing more from this band.

“Another Planet” by Human Radio

Another track from the self-titled album by the Memphis/Nashville band who reformed last year and who are trying to raise funding for a comeback album.  Visit their Facebook page for more information.  By the way, the band is making a return trip to the town where they were formed tonight.  If you are in Memphis, check it out.

“Communist Daughter” by Atticus Floyd

Another awesome track from the album Russell Stover Stole My Babbie (sic). Since, we last posted an Atticus Floyd song, they have added a video to the You Tube universe.  It is a cover of the Neutral Milk Hotel song “Engine” and features Atticus with Hayden and Evan from The Foresters.

“Weakness Was Always Your Strength” by The Transcendents

Our friends from Down Under (New Zealand to be more precise and Christchurch to be even more precise), The Transcendents, just released a new EP called “Lay Where You Collapse”.  In order to make room for that EP, we need to clear out some space (not really), but to get you ready for a flood of posts  from the new EP, here is a track from their self-titled debut album. Two bits of trivia/important info: 1. The new EP includes  a cover of a Will Oldham song from before he was Bonnie Prince Billy and 2. The Transcendents and I share a mutual love of early (and very late) R.E.M.

“Ahull” by Loscil

Loscil are an ambient band from Vancouver, B.C.  This track comes to us from a sampler associated with the Big Ears Festival held in Knoxville, TN – earlier this year.

“It’s All Going to Pot” by Willie Nelson and Merle Haggard

If the Shuffle was not random, some might think I posted this song because it happens to be Willie Nelson’s granddaughter Raelyn Nelson’s birthday, but the shuffle is random… so it is in retrospect that I dedicate this song to Ms. Nelson.  Also, I was talking about this song with a friend just a couple of nights ago.  Again just a coincidence.

“Pancho and Lefty” by Mike Thomas

Never a band thing to close out a week of shuffles with a Townes Van Zandt song.  I’ve kind of lost touch with Mike Thomas, but if you ever see him playing around Dickson or Nashville, check him out.

VIDEO PLAYLIST

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