Monday Morning Music Shuffle – Band of the Year and More Mix

You have before you, the FINAL Ear to the Ground of 2013, so let’s blow this thing out!

First order of business:  As promised, it is time to unveil our 2013 Band of the Year. As announced, for the first time in E2TG history, the Band of the Year will be selected by me, myself, and I.  Back in 2011, I came up with the idea of a Band of the Year, and frankly, I didn’t want the pressure/guilt in picking one band over others. So, I created a Readers’ Poll, and with a massive last minute push, UK band The Mobbs stormed to a narrow victory over underdogs Ubiquity Machine.

Following the success of that initial poll, I began running Band of the Month polls beginning with December 2011, although initially successful, the concept of pitting bands against each other began to stale.  We carried on, and at the end of last year, we had another successfully Band of the Year Readers’ Poll wherein Skeletons in the Piano were selected by popular election.

Since that time, I decided to focus on featuring as much new music as I could, and I dropped the Band of the Month and related features. Although I briefly considered another year-end poll, I came to the conclusion that I wasn’t willing to give that power away this time…. oh yeah, and the thing about bands working together for their common good….

So…. after all that background and unsolicited explanation, I am very excited to announce the 2013 Ear to the Ground Band of the Year.

The 2013 Band of the Year were selected for the following reasons:

1. They are among the coolest, most bad ass people I’ve had the good fortune to get to know as the result of writing this blog.

2. They are extremely generous and supportive of other bands and artists.

3. They released on of the best albums of 2013.

4. I got to meet them and see them blaze through an all too brief set back in early Spring.

5. They had a successful tour in the US and in Europe.

6. The followed up their amazing 2013 album with a brand new single which was accompanied by an incredible video that visually depicted their total bad-assery.

7.  Because I said so……

The 2013 E2TG Band of the Year is…..  THE END MEN from Brooklyn, New York!!!!!!

 






Congrats kids!  Here’s to an even better 2014!


Okay, we have unfinished business as we continue to feature some of our favorite music of 2013… let’s do it!



I’ll forgo a whole bunch of commentary, but I will see this extended shuffle does show off the variety of music you hear here at Ear to the Ground:


“We Got Soul” by Christian Robins (prod. Jazz Logic)
“Dropped the Pop” by Killing Kuddles
“Four Flame Candle” by Sturgill Simpson
“The Truth” by Dr. Dog
“You Can Have the Crown” by Sturgill Simpson
“Rock and Roll is Dead” by Killing Kuddles
“Black Eyes and White Lies” by Don Ryan and the Blank Canvas Movement
“From this Valley” by The Civil Wars
“Flying Over Water” by Jason Isbell
“Lost Innocent World” by Gogol Bordello
“Cleaning Your Mind” by The End Men
“Dromedary” by Dog Without Warning
“Long Way to the Ground” by The End Men
“From Afar” by Vance Joy
“Hell’s Kitchen” by The Westies
“Lollygagging” by Less Love
“Stack Chips” by The End Men
“Baby Loves It” by Penicillin Baby
“Your Dreams Will Always Follow” by prattle on, rick
“Permanent/Impermanent_1213” by Peck
“Ratking” by The End Men
“Winged Victory” by Lys Guillorn
“I Had Me a Girl” by The Civil Wars
“Clark Gable” (Postal Service Cover) by Mr. Kind + holychild
“The Lost Art of Idle/Entitled” by Peck
“Cool Kids” by Christian Robins (feat. Lord of the Fly) (prod. 5Star)
“Mercy” by prattle on, rick

NOTES:

Americana told Sturgill Simpson he was too Country for Americana.  His reply, I made a country album.

Peck is Chris Peck who we first met as part of the Brooklyn-based The Disappointment. He is releasing his new album one song at a time, at we have two of those songs in today’s shuffle.

Confession: I didn’t think I liked Dr. Dog. I lumped them in with a bunch of “Jam” bands that just weren’t my cup of tea (actually tea isn’t my cup of tea either, but that is another story). Anyway, so I got the chance to actually listen to some of Dr. Dog’s new music this year, and believe it or not, I dug it.  Go figure.

Penicillin Baby are part of the growing and impressive Jeffery Drag Records family and like the other Jeffery Drag artists they offer a nice counter argument to any one who says all Nashville indie bands sound alike. 

I don’t know if The Civil Wars are finished. I hope they aren’t, but if their 2013 self-titled album is the swan song, it’s a hell of a swan song.

In addition to their new EP, Mr. Kind released a series of cover songs wherein they teamed up with other indie artists to cover indie rock classics.  Here they team up with fellow California band holychild to cover The Postal Service classic.

SHOP
 
WATCH

 



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Thursday Morning Music Shuffle – A Few of My Favorite Things 2013 Mix Part Four

And on we go… 

Just in case you  joined us late, we are looking back on some of our favorite music from 2013, and doing it as only Ear to the Ground would…  I created a Playlist with favorites released in 2013.  2013 was a great year for music.  Many of your favorite E2TG artists released new music this year, some new favorites were “discovered”, and there was even some notable releases from artists you frequently read about on those “Brand X” music blogs.  All of those and maybe even more are included in the Playlist.  We’ve been shuffling through that playlist all week, and we will continue until the end of the year (and maybe a day or two more).

Let’s get to it, and see what Mr. Shuffle has brought up today… shall we?

“Open the Door” (Magnapop cover) by Tim Lee 3

“Play With Your Toys Pt. II” by The End Men

“Ankle Biters” by The Great American Novel

“Save Me a Seat” by Killing Kuddles

“Rain On” by The Blind Owl Band

“Silver” by Lys Guillorn

“Stockholm” by Jason Isbell

“Dance the Tango” by Marla Mase

“KidGrownUp” by Christian Robins (feat. JD) (Prod. G Money)

“Ain’t No Grave” by Black Jake and the Carnies

“Just Two Old Friends” by EdTang

“Rhythm Doctor” by Mark Robinson (from Have Axe – Will Groove)

“Any Day Now” by Tim Lee 3 (from Devil’s Rope)

“Loose Kites in Harbor” by Skeletons in the Piano (from Please Don’t Die)

“Crow Till We Croak” by EdTang (from Goodbye, Zen5, Sushi Dinner)

“Maliced Hearts” by Mr. Kind (from Mr. Kind)

Some notes:

I claim 2013 as a victory because I got to know Tim and Susan of Tim Lee 3. Whether you are interested in Bassett Hound Rescue, BBQ, or just some awesome tunes, they are your source. When I heard their 2013 album Devil’s Rope, I honestly didn’t know much about them – other than that they were from Knoxville, Tennessee and participated in CXCW. Devil’s Rope seemed like this near perfect distillation of  all the music I love tied up in a unique and original sound. Turns out, the heart of the band has direct links to many of the people who I grew up listening to in my smaller market eastern middle Tennessee youth.  I had the great chance to meet them in October and see them play an all-to rare Nashville show.

The album Play With Your Toys  by The End Men of Brooklyn contains two instrumentals which true to the titles demonstrates the great things that can happen when talented people play.

His name is Elwood and he performs under the moniker Killing Kuddles. If that alone doesn’t get your attention, then give a listen to his music. “”He brings a grungy, punk spirit to a folk troubadours’ heart (or maybe it’s the other way around).”  Some genius music blogger said that.  He released Odd Man Out this year, and it was one of my favorites of 2013 – which is why it’s represented here. Duh!

The Blind Owl Band play contemporary music on traditional instruments, and the result is well… nothing short of greatness. In my dream E2TG Festival, these guys will play back to back to back sets with The Imperial Rooster and Black Jake and the Carnies.

Lys Guillorn came to our attention via The Grimm Generation for which she often plays.  This year, she released her first solo album in a decade.  The wait was worth it. Winged Victory is flawless music that twangs and twists in all the right places. It’s pretty much unlike anything we’ve heard, and I hope more and more people will check it out.

Ex-Drive-by-Truckers (which is now more of a trivia item than a necessary introduction) Jason Isbell just keeps making great albums that push the American/Folk/Alt-Country/Country labels forward. He doesn’t need any help from me, but hey, I love listening to his music, and in case you haven’t heard him….

I’m not sure what most people will think when a 40 something white guy from Tennessee tells them to listen to a 20 year old Hip-Hop/Rapper/Poet from the Midwest that he heard about from another 40 something white guy who grew up in the same Tennessee town.  I just hope they listen. By the way, neither of us are anywhere close to typical 40 something white guys from Tennessee. Also, Christian Robins is not any close to a typical Mid-West Hip-Hop artist.  He dropped his debut KidGrownUp this year.

EdTang is from Asbury Park, New Jersey. He dropped one of the most interestingly titled albums of the year, Goodbye, Zen 5, Sushi Dinner.  I don’t know what that means, but the album is filled with some of the best folk/Americanaish rock, I’ve heard. The songs are amazing.

So, can I confess something, I don’t really know much about the Blues. I’ve listened to a lot of the greats of the early to mid 20th Century, and several bands we regularly feature have a strong foundation in the Blues. I’ve heard a lot of Blues music that really didn’t do anything for me.  So, when I was asked to give a listen to Mark Robinson‘s new album, I was worried that it would be really good Blues music, but that I just wouldn’t get it. Boy, talk about unfounded fears.  I’ll leave it to the true Blues aficionados to explain why they love Mark Robinson (and judging my many, many awards and accolades they do love him), and I will just speak from the heart as a music fan. Oh my God this is incredible stuff. I mean, I could listen to him play guitar for hours, and being a non-musician that is saying something. Robinson is a prominent Nashville musician, and he recruits some amazing players for his second solo album. The only thing I’m left wondering is how did I miss out on this guy until 2013?

Besides their team-up cover EP, Mr. Kind also dropped an EP of original songs in 2013 which are notable for pushing the band’s sound forward and for the heretofore (at least from my perspective) clean-up Brian Bergeron singing about heavy drinking and even dropping an f-bomb as he does on the EP opening song which we feature today.  Well played, Mr. Bergeron, well played.

SHOP 

http://bandcamp.com/EmbeddedPlayer/album=4201000188/size=medium/bgcol=ffffff/linkcol=0687f5/transparent=true/
http://bandcamp.com/EmbeddedPlayer/album=5244004/size=medium/bgcol=ffffff/linkcol=0687f5/transparent=true/
http://bandcamp.com/EmbeddedPlayer/album=998121910/size=medium/bgcol=ffffff/linkcol=0687f5/transparent=true/

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WATCH*
*A Video playlist featuring many of our 2013 favorites plus a few related videos. The second day, I moved the newer songs to the top, but then I got lazy so the newer songs are at the end of the list
 

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Thursday Morning Music Shuffle – Life’s a Gas Mix






A longish shuffle today – so I will dispense with pleasantries and unpleasantries as well….

Shuffle – after the jump



“The Wylie Coyote Cliffs” and “Bob Newhart” by Darrin Bradbury (from NEW!!!!The Almost Great Crepe’s.  Man! What a great way to start the shuffle… a pair of truly great story-songs from new Nashville resident Darrin Bradbury.  I hope all my Nashville music friends will check out this music and support his music.  Nashville is a songwriting town, and there are tons of amazing songwriters here, but there is always room for more great ones, and Darrin Bradbury is a great one.)

http://bandcamp.com/EmbeddedPlayer/album=2839766575/size=medium/bgcol=ffffff/linkcol=0687f5/transparent=true/


“Fall Asleep” by Jars of Clay (Noisetrade Eastside Manor Session.  The song comes from the band’s twelfth studio album Inland. The Eastside Manor Session doesn’t seem to available, but the single version of this song is up now – with all donations going to support relief efforts in the Philippines )


“Fake Palindromes” by Andrew Bird (from Andrew Bird and the Mysterious Production of Eggs.  A delightful tune with really disturbing lyrics.)

“I Can’t Wait” by Star and Micey (from the I Can’t Wait EP.  A brilliant song by this brilliant band from Memphis.)

“Last Goodbye” by The Coal Men (from Escalator.  Another great song from this awesome album that I was introduced to during an amazing night of music at the 5 Spot back in September.)

“Life’s a Gas” by T. Rex (from Electric Warrior. Yes, it is.)

“More the Man I Used to Be” by The Tremolo Beer Gut (from Nous Sommes The Tremolo Beer Gut…Qui Le Fuck Etes Vous.  Okay so how did I not know about this band?  I grabbed this off this month’s Feel Bad for You Mixtape.  Here’s some info (via Lastfm: “They love tremolo, they love beer and they’ve got guts! The Tremolo Beer Gut draws inspirations from the ultra cool rough twangy guitar sound of 50’es and 60’es surf as well as the great film music of Mancini, Barry and Moricone. TBG has made it their style to use the same cover-photo for all their releases, they just change the color and design a little bit. As they say: “You can’t improve on perfection – and by the way: when you’re drunk, it’s easier to remember the color of the sleeve than the name of the record!” 
The band was formed in 1998 by Sune Wagner (The Raveonettes) and Yebo (Jesper Reginal – Thau/ Crunchy Frog Records) “Jengo” (Jens Erik Lembcke) (ex-Trains and Boats and Planes) and Per Sunding (Eggstone).”)

“KidGrownUp” (feat. JD) (prod. G. Money) by Christian Robins (from his KidGrownUp mixtape. The title track… Dig it! Really!)

“Lost Innocent World” by Gogol Bordello (from Pura Vida Conspiracy.  Some awesomeness which this New York based Gypsy Punk artist.  We grabbed this off an ATO Records Sampler)

“Smile” by Andrew Ferris (from Yellow Lorry.  A great cheery Pop song.  You know… Pop is a good way.)

“Ooby Dooby” by Creedence Clearwater Revival (from Cosmo’s Factory. How ’bout this CCR cover of the Roy Orbison hit from their 1970 5th album)

“Judging You” by TimLee3 (from Devil’s Rope. Hell yeah! “Maybe I shouldn’t be judging you, but that don’t mean that it ain’t true.”)

“Goodbye Summer” by Jonny Fritz (from Dad Country. The artist formerly known as Jonny Corndawg. Oh man I love this song.  In 2012 while still billed as Jonny Corndawg, Fritz recorded an solo, a cappella song from inside a drainage pipe for Couch by Couchwest. His 2013 submission – as Jonny Fritz – was from Andrew Combs’ kitchen floor. Yeah, he’s that cool.)

“That’s What I Want for Christmas” by Annie Sellick (from Let’s Make a Christmas Memory. Another track from this album. This song – a cover of a jazz ballad features noted Nashville jazz pianist Joe Davidian).

“Loose Kites in Harbor” by Skeletons in the Piano (from Please Don’t Die.  Our 2012 Reader’s Poll – Band of the Year – upstate New Yorkers SITP released one of our favorite albums of the year back in April or so.  Today also happens to the birthday of SITP dancer Katarra Peterson – so Happy Birthday Katarra!)

 
 
WATCH
 
 
 



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Monday Morning Music Shuffle – 99 Mix

Earlier this year, E2TG featured several songs by Christian Robins from his debut mixtape called KidGrownUp.  At the time, he didn’t have any videos for us to feature.  However, he just dropped the Official Video for his song “Suburban Trap Rap”.  So we thought we would post it now.




Now, let’s get into today’s shuffle —- you know the drill – JUMP

We are back with our first Shuffle since last Thursday.  Let’s ease into the week with a nifty little mix of songs…  99…

“CKW” by ItsTeeth (from the album Divided.  This one came to us from our friend Gabriel Lucas Gitin Riccio of the Gabriel Construct.  Its Teeth is an (mostly) instrumental Post-Rock project. Primarily Jacob Belcher. On Divided, Belcher teams with Travis Orbin who was part of The Gabriel Construct album.  And… Gabriel himself contributed vocals to one track on Divided – but not this one.  Anyway, it’s cool stuff – check it out.)



“November” by Grace and Tony (from November.  Tony is the brother of The Civil Wars’ John Paul White.  They call their music Punkgrass. Their debut album is due out next month. Grace and Tony were married in July. So congrats to them.  Check it out!)

“Jesus” by The Velvet Underground (from The Velvet Underground.  “Help me find my proper place”)

“99” by Sonny Boy Williamson (from A Ray of Sonny.  “You asked me for one hundred dollars, and I didn’t have but ninety nine”)

“Easy Easy” by King Krule (from 6 Feet Beneath The Moon. This track is currently free from Amazon.  The description is “Rock and Soul with a Voice like Joe Strummer.”  You be the judge.)

 
Here is today’s Video Playlist (99)
 


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Wednesday Morning Music Shuffle – Well Trained Badgers Mix

Busy, busy…. busy as a well trained badger.
Music – after the JUMP

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Pre-Shuffle and Shuffle combined for your enjoyment….
 “You Know, I Know, You Know” by Bleu <!– google_ad_client = "ca-pub-5465441380757075"; /* E2TG #2 */ google_ad_slot = "6306625404"; google_ad_width = 728; google_ad_height = 90; //

–> (From Redhead)

“True North” by Sam Morrow (Title track of his recent EP)
“Church Kids” (Poem by Jordan Gaines) by Christian Robins (from KidGrownUp)
“Ghost of Virginia” by Justin Townes Earle (American Songwriter Sessions version)
“Bread or Wine” by Heath McNease (from Thrift Store Jesus)
“Oh Well, My Love, Farewell” by Brad Jones (Nashville based singer-songwriter)
“Second Moon” by Valued Customer (the first release from their new album Kalpa)
“My Alien Father” by The Gabriel Construct (just featured by Huffington Post! After making a comparison, I get to hear Valued Customer and The Gabriel Construct back-to-back. Sublime!)

“Jennifer” and “W-O-E” by Little Comets (British Alt-Pop band)

“This Song Will Make You Love Me” by The Great American Novel (an early treat from the forthcoming record. This song will make you love The Great American Novel.)

“Funny Heartbeat” by Kisses (LA band. Kind of digging it)

“You’ve Got Your Head on Backwards” by The Sonics (from 1966 – one of the predecessors of punk)

PLAYLIST

Tuesday Morning Music Shuffle – Out of the Starlight Inn Mix

On a road… JWM 7/28/2013
Short on time – the music is next


PRE-SHUFFLE AND SHUFFLE

 
PLAYLIST

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Thursday Morning Music Shuffle – Hit Parade Mix

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 Come join me on a magical, musical journey covering over 60 years and crossing at least one ocean…..

Pre-Shuffle:

“How Time Goes By” by Howlin’ Brothers (Nashville’s own -from their new album Howl produced by Brendan Benson on Readymade Records)

“Intro” by Wheelchair Sports Camp (a brief beginning of our coverage of this hip-hop artist from Colorado.  Currently on tour with Flobots.)

“Jukebox Cannonball” by Bill Haley and the Comets (a variation of the country music standard, Wabash Cannonball made famous by the late Roy Acuff)

“Blood Beach” by Ghost and Goblin (another great track from this band’s SUPERHORRORCASTLELAND album.  Shares a title with a 1980 horror movie which I saw at a all-night horror movie marathon when I was young – I’ve included the trailer to the movie in the Playlist below)

“Rock n’ Roll Lives On” by Tipi Valley (our friend from Swansea, UK is back with a new EP.  This is the title track – an awesome straight-ahead rocker.)

“She’s Got a  Boyfriend” by Jack Carty (great song by this Indie/Folk artist from New South Wales)

“Suburban Trap Rap” (Prod. Ta-Ku” by Christian Robins (another great track from this ultra-fabulous KidGrownUp mixtape)

SHUFFLE UP NEXT – FIRST WE JUMP!

  • “Alpha Dogs” by Holy Ghost Tent Revival from Sweat Like the Old Days (2012)

Excellent stuff from the latest album by the Greensboro, NC band. 

  • “Imagination” by Savoir Adore from Our Nature (2013)

A first taste of the forthcoming album by this Brooklyn band.  They are touring with Sea Wolf – who we had in the mix the other day.  Coincidence or wily move on my part? You be the judge.

  • “Tennessee” by Great Divide from Great Divide (2013)
Another song from this Chicago Rock/Soul band I’m really digging on right now.  This ones about my home state. So there!

  • “Carry Me” by Morgan Page with Nadia Ali from In the Air (2012)

We close out the shuffle with a change of pace (actually, I think the whole shuffle has been all change of pace).  Morgan Page is an Electronica artist from L.A. via Vermont. Nadia Ali is from New York.  She was nominated for a Grammy for a track Morgan Page remixed.  To be honest, this is a genre I know very little about. Based upon Facebook likes a whole lot of people are into this. For me, it was a great change of pace and it’s always fun to step outside my comfort zone (which I hope is pretty large anyway).

PLAYLIST

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Tuesday Morning Music Shuffle – Fly Over Mix

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Some may say, I take way too much pride in presenting morning shuffles that span such a diverse landscape of musical marvels.  Some may say I would be far more successful if I focused on one genre or only wrote about those certain “buzz worthy” artists that you can read about in all of the other music blogs. Some may say, I should stick to the script and just echo back the language of the music promoters and publicists. 

I don’t bother responding except to offer up today’s pre-shuffle and shuffle.

PRE-SHUFFLE:

“I’m One of Three” by EndAnd (new punk music from Brooklyn)
“River Rose” by Meat Puppets (the post-punk legends are back)
“Bangs” by Valued Customer (some music from our crazy friends from Toronto)
 “‘Til I’m With You” by Neighbour (More from the awesome Kacie Williams)
“Waiting for Something New” by Mozes and the Firstborn (This band is from Antwerp and I first heard  them over  the weekend – dig it)
“Cloudy Morning Blues” by Black Cold Bottles (Modern rock from Sao Paulo)
“Where You Going Northern” by Game Theory (Your daily dose of the genius of the late Scott Miller)
“Love and You” by Jeanette Lynne (more music from this amazing Philadelphia area singer-songwriter)

 SHUFFLE AFTER JUMP

Okay, okay… like me, my shuffle button is in love with this young hip-hop artist currently from Wisconsin. Check it out, if you haven’t already.

  • “Rule the World (feat. C4RV) (prod. Since’93) by Christian Robin from KidGrownUp (2013)
I’ve often said that once of the best things about writing Ear to the Ground are the incredible people I have met and “met” as a result of the blog. Some time last year, I heard this awesome track called “Frank Ocean” by a group called Valued Customer. I dug it and I even Featured them on Ear to the Ground.  These young guys are completely nuts, and I’ll be honest about half the time, I don’t understand exactly what’s going on with them, but mostly, I am completely charmed by their awesome weirdness (which goodness knows I can appreciate). We are finally about to get some new music from Valued Customer, but I couldn’t wait. So, I headed over to their Bandcamp page and downloaded some older music.  The song “Bangs” was in the Pre-shuffle.  For the shuffle, the following track came up….
  • “WELCOME” by Valued Customer from Babylon Hill (2012)
Okay – so what we have here is the opening track of the Babylon Hill collection. We have a guided meditation with a warning not to listen while driving.  I’m not sure but I think I’ve been brain-washed into really digging these guys.

  • “Somebody Else” by JJ Grey and Mofro from This River (2013)

 

What better way to close out this uniquely Ear to the Groundish Mix of music than with some smooth modern blues from the new album by the long-running Florida band JJ Grey and Mofro.

PLAYLIST

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Monday Morning Music Shuffle – Swoony Day Mix

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I’m back after an extended and mostly rainy weekend.  Dreary, drizzly morning drive and walk, made more than tolerable by the superlative collection of fine tunes and tracks. By the way, my Current Month Playlist that I shuffle up for the Morning Shuffle had dropped to about 150 late last week, but over the weekend it has skyrocketed up above 200 again. We’ll begin chipping away, as we present some Pre-Shuffle and Shuffle Shuffle tunes for this, the 6th day of May.

Pre-Shuffle:

Jeanette Lynne’s 11 second “Intro” to her fabulous album You’ve Got Me serves has the intro into today’s Pre-shuffle.

Kyle Andrews  “Connecting the Dots” 

Set in Stone doing “The Way I Felt” (a Twitter discovery from this weekend)

Game Theory “Toby Ornette”

Those Darlins “Glass to You”  

Holy Grail “Ride the Void” – Why not.. some infectious Metal via Amazon’s Free Music from Rising Artists

Game Theory “Rolling with the Moody Girls”

The next song served as a transition into the Shuffle – and we included it after the JUMP

  •  “Off With My Head (acoustic) by Seth Philpott from Bad Hearts (2013 – Out Tomorrow)

 This Nashville singer-songwriter bills himself as a Country Gentleman.  I just say he’s a killer singer/songwriter worth checking out.  His EP Bad Hearts drops tomorrow (May 7, 2013), but if you can’t wait that long, he has a Noisetrade sampler ready for your perusal right now!


  • “Catcher and the Rye” by Neighbours from Catcher and the Rye (Single) (2012)


Some more outstanding music available now on Noisetrade. This is the second song we’ve featured from Neighbour which is a project of singer/songwriter Kacie Williams another Nashville (by way of Amarillo, Texas) singer/songwriter.




The Big Shot Chronicles was produced by the great Mitch Easter. If you want to support the family of Scott Miller – here is the link.


  • “Bring Me Down (prod. Bitoy Beatz) by Christian Robins from KidGrownUp (2013)

Get this amazing Mixtape here. And when this kid is famous, tell them you heard about him first at Ear to the Ground who heard about him first through my hometown friend – Jeff.


PLAYLIST




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Wednesday Morning Music Shuffle – Tripped Up Again Mix

 Reminder, Saturday April 20 is Record Store Day.  Be sure to support your local brick and mortar record store.  I have to say, Nashville appears to be THE place to be for RSD13.

Grimey’s New and Preloved Music as always has a stellar lineup for live music and DJs.

RECORD STORE DAY! – Saturday, April 20th, 10AM-8PM
10:00 – Store opens
11:00 – djb (DJ set)
11:30 – Poplar Grove Middle School Ensemble (performs selections from Beck’s “Song Reader” album of sheet music)
12:00 – Daniel Bachman
12:30 – Pimpdaddysupreme (DJ set)
1:00 – Paramore
1:15 – MINDUB (DJ set)
1:45 – Alanna Royale
2:15 – The Record Wranglers (DJ set)
2:45 – Josh Rouse
3:15 – DJ Hammelandeggs (DJ set)
3:45 – PUJOL
4:15 – Janet from Out The Other (DJ set)
4:45 – Hotpipes
5:15 – D-Funk (DJ set)
5:45 – The Features

 Third Man Records has live music by Karen Elson and Mark Watrous plus they have this:

In addition to the Nashville RSD festivities, I know our friends Tim Lee 3 are playing at Lost and Found Records in Knoxville, Tennessee.

If anyone else has Record Store Day events to promote, please let me know, and I will try to get it mentioned in the next couple of days. Bottom line people, support your local record store(s) not just Saturday but all through the year.

Pre-Shuffle:  In the pre-shuffle today, we heard a couple more tracks from the KidGrownUp mixtape by Christian Robins.  If you haven’t – check it out here.

 We heard music from a couple of totally unrelated but equally awesome Nashville artists.  Leroy Powell and the Messengers released their latest album, Life and Death, at the end of February – this is some real deal Country/Rock.  Grass Root Kids have been getting a lot of buzz in the past several months since I first found out about them.  Among their members is the daughter of a good friend.  They have a 3 song sampler from their Debut Ep Loose Change out on Noisetrade.

Rounding out the Pre-shuffle is a raucous and totally cool cover of the Hank Williams song, Lost Highway, by The Replacements from their brand new benefit CD, Songs for Slim. The record is to support Slim Dunlap who took Bob Stinson’s place in The Replacements, and who suffered a devastating stroke.

Shuffle after the jump.

  • “Built for BBQ” by The Slaughterhouse Chorus from The Appetizer (2013)/The Slaughterhouse Chorus (2012)
We had the good fortune of seeing The Slaughterhouse Chorus live on their No Tour for Old Men with The End Men just a few weeks back.  They play an awesome mix of Americanaish Punk, and it’s even better than that description implies.

  • “Waiting Around to Die” by The Be Good Tanyas from Introducing Townes Van Zandt via The Great Unknown (2009)

A Shuffle that includes a Townes Van Zandt song cannot be over-appreciated, and this gorgeous cover by the Vancouver Alt-Folk group The Be Good Tanyas was very much appreciated.

  • “Indian Ate a Woodchuck” by April Verch from That’s How We Run (2011)

A traditional old time fiddle song done up right by another Canadian musician.  For the video we have another April Verch song and another artist doing Indian Ate a Woodchuck since we couldn’t find a video of April’s version.

  •  “Power Failure” by Minuteflag from Minuteflag (1985-86)
Why not close out a shuffle that included a bunch of folksy, countryish music with a straight up avant garde jam featuring members of Minutemen and Black Flag.  “Yes, This is the way I want to…

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