Category: fIREHOSE

Throwback Thursday Morning Shuffle – Tying Faith Mix

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It seems like just about everybody is at or on their way to South by Southwest, but believe it or not there is still plenty of live music here in Nashville.

Last night, I headed to Bobby’s Idle Hour on Music Row – where every single Wednesday Sam Cooper hosts Sam’s Jams which runs from noon until 8:00p.m. with constant songwriters all day. Last night, Brock Zeman and Blair Hogan from Ottawa played their second Nashville show – this time an acoustic show which sounded amazing. 

Back across the river to The 5 Spot for the AGD Entertainment Spotlight.  It was great to see Adrian + Meredith (who sounded great with an awesome full band – including Paul Niehaus on guitar and pedal steel)  and Patrick Kinsley and a Fistful of Dollars (who are consistently one of my favorite live bands in town).

Tonight is the CD Release show for Charlie Hager (I have featured some songs from his brand new album American Saga). The music gets underway at 7:00 and The Crying Wolf – and there is a stacked lineup of music going all night.

Now, it is Thursday, so let us throw it back…  I mean… let us throwback to some great tunes from some non-specific number of years ago.

“When My First Wife Left Me” by R.L. Burnside

First up is song from blues legend R.L. Burnside.  This song comes from his 1994 album, Too Bad Jim which was produced by the late journalist and producer Robert Palmer (who was not the “Addicted to Love” guy in case you were wondering).

“Summertime” by Janis Joplin

Another legend.  In her short, troubled life, Janis Joplin left behind some incredible music.  This is her take on a song from Porgy and Bess which was composed by George Gershwin with lyrics by Dubose Heyward who wrote the novel from which Porgy and Bess is based.  Ira Gershwin is also credited as lyricist on this song.

“Beg, Borrow and Steal” by Scruffy the Cat

A song from 1980s Boston band Scruffy the Cat. Blending power pop and punk with a mild country feel, they are among the many great bands who helped to create the alt-country/Americana music of today.


“Caroms” by fIREHOSE

Next up a track from the very first fIREHOSE album, Ragin’, Full On which was released in 1986.  The band featured Mike Watt and George Hurley from Minutemen along with vocalist/guitarist Ed “fROMOHIO” Crawford.

“Backstreets” by Bruce Springsteen

When Bruce Springsteen classic album, Born to Run turned 40 years old at the end of last summer, I added to my phone and have been featuring it ever since.  The album holds up really well – it stands as one of the best albums of all time, and it was one of my earliest favorite albums when I was first really getting music.

 

“From the Middle Room” by The Tourists
 

A non-album single from the British band that included Annie Lennox and Dave Stewart before their left to form Eurhythmics.  The single was included as a promo with the band’s 1980 final studio album Luminous Basement. The song was written by Lennox and Stewart.

“Everyday People” by Jeff Buckley
 

A rare new release in the throwback shuffle. The compilation, You and I was released last week and includes recordings done in 1993. The album contains mostly cover songs including this cover of the Sly and the Family Stone classic.

 
“Old Dreams” by The Shakers

And we close out the throwback shuffle with another from the 1990 album, Songs from Beneath the Lake by Nashville band, The Shakers.

 
VIDEO PLAYLIST
 

Thursday Morning Music Shuffle – Enough is Enough Mix

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First of all, let’s all try to be good to one another…

Second, The “Earies” continues.  I call today’s award, “So You Think Joe Can Dance??? Really???” award. 

The premise: I mean c’mon, I’m a fighter not a dancer… or something like that. I mean, sure I will flail around sometimes in a crowd in front of the stage, but when it comes to spontaneous dancing, it does not happen that often… however….

The Winner:  As I have said before, The Mark Robinson Band is one of the best and most entertaining live acts in Nashville. They do not play in town super often, and so when they do, it is Must See Live Music.  Mark Robinson is a stellar guitarist and his rhythm section (usually Justin Amaral and Daniel Seymour) are simply the best (at the most recent show, Rick Schell filled in for Justin and he’s not slouch either…. ahem*Pure Prairie League*ahem).

So at the tail end of this years Tomato Fest in East Nashville, it came about due to the infectious grooves and some instigators, I found myself dancing not once but twice.  I figured that deserved an award (not my dancing!!!).  By the way, many of the awards are directly or indirectly going to be related to albums released in 2015…. because I hate doing Top 10 lists – basically.  Mark Robinson and his band did not release a new album in 2015 (expect one next year), but Robinson has been busy producing other folks and he did release a two-sided single, “Gone South” (both an Electric Rock and Acoustic Folk version).  

Congrats to The Mark Robinson Band with a hat tip to the instigators Mary Sack, Karen Leipziger, and Mark Robinson’s lovely other half, Sue Havlish.  Let’s Dance!

Third, I am emerging for my self-imposed exile from live music beginning tonight.  Over the next three days, I expect to see the following artists on Nashville stages:  Fats Kaplin, Red Collar, Two Cow Garage, Austin Lucas, Jon Latham, Malcolm Holcomb, Sadler Vaden, and Drivin’ n’ Cryin’ with Warner E. Hodges.  Whew!  Other cool stuff that I will have to miss, too.

Fourth, we have a very cool shuffle this morning… so jump to it!

“No Holding Back” by Graham Parker

From The Up Escalator.  The opening track to Graham Parker’s follow-up to the classic Squeezing Out the Sparks. Released on Stiff Records in 1980 and produced by Jimmy Iovine.  If you are not familiar with Graham Parker.  Start here (or just about anywhere) and get hip! (but not too hip!)

“Another Theory Shot to Shit” by fIREHOSE

We are approaching the 30th Anniversary of the death of D. Boon – guitarist, singer, spieler with Minutemen.  His loss was truly one of modern music’s most tragic. Some people spend way too much energy (in my opinion) comparing fIREHOSE (the band formed by surviving Minutemen Mike Watt and George Hurley) to the predecessor band.  I, for one, am just glad that Ed Crawford (Ed from Ohio) convinced Watt and Hurley to continue on, and I really dig the fIREHOSE albums.  And I also think that Mike Watt is a national treasure! This is from Ragin’ Full On. 

“Wait For Me” by Bosveld

Another track from the amazing album Velbrand by Canadian experimental, chamber, folk band Bosveld which features Velodrones (Turt “Thean” Darren) and other players. This is the final track from that album which I really want a bunch of people to check out.  So do it!

“Up the Junction” by Squeeze

I am fickle… which is why I don’t make Top Ten Lists.  The minute I hit post, you can bet I will be second guessing myself.  However, this song (along with just about all of the songs that ended up on Singles 45s and Under) will always have a place among my all-time favorite songs.  This is my kind of feel good music.

“Shanghai Surprise” by Smokey the Firebear

Finally, a track from Smokey the Firebear which is over 1 minute (1:37 I think).  I dig this one a bunch. From Teshio Democracy EP – which Smokey the Firebear describes as follows: “A few of the shitty demos that I recorded in my living room with Audacity and an Xbox Live mic. You can hear relatives opening doors and my dog’s collar jangling through the whole record. Good luck.” Similar to the perhaps better known Chinese Democracy album, this one took over seventeen years to come out due to the fact that Smokey the Firebear was busy being born and growing through infancy, toddlerishness, and childhood. 

“Live Free or Die” by Joe Mansman and the Midnight Revival Band

Another track from the brand new and awesome, Too Far Gone record.  This is really great music and one of my favorite new records of the season.

“Breakfast in Bed” by Dusty Springfield

Dusty in Memphis makes many critics all time favorite lists.  I’m not a critic and I don’t do lists, but you will get no argument from me.  One of my favorite albums, and this (Eddie Hinton, Donnie Fritts) song is a great example of how gorgeous this music is. 

“Enough is Enough” by The Unravelling  

The Unravelling are back in the shuffle for a second time, and this track groves more toward experimental alternative than metal, and the title seemed like a fitting subtitle for the blog given the times in which we live.  The video playlist includes an earlier song from the band called, “Where Will It End?” which seems even more appropriate for the times.     window.amznpubstudioTag = “eartothegro00-20”;

“Until You Came Along” (Live) by The Jayhawks

And we close out the shuffle with another one from that live Jayhawks album currently available on Noisetrade.  This Gary Louris penned song was included on the 1998 Golden Smog album Weird Tales.  It is the final song on the live Jayhawks album and appears to be the last song from the show.    http://ps-us.amazon-adsystem.com/domains/eartothegro00-20_3dcd3a52-1a1a-4afe-a2fd-aaba8e251afc.js   

VIDEO PLAYLIST

Monday Morning Music Shuffle – Something to Chew Mix

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Nashville really is a beautiful wonderful city for live music.  There is way too much awesome stuff for one person to see anywhere near it all.

Friday evening, I hung out the WXNA folks.  They are working a really cool thing. 

https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/wxna-lpga/x-plosive-radio-wxna-lpfm-nashville/widget/video.html

Then, I spent a rare evening in Midtown and saw Taylor Alexander and Lindsay Ellyn, The Gasoline Brothers, and Richie Owens and the Farm Bureau and hung out with friends.

Saturday night, I went to The Basement for Pony Boy’s CD Release Show – her new album Blue Gold is amazing by the way. Lilly Hiatt opened the show and was awesome.  Pony Boy was spectacular and Robyn Hitchcock joined to play harmonica on Bob Dylan’s “It’s All Over Now, Baby Blue”, and yes, I did get to introduce myself as the goofy guy who made the Soft Cell joke. 🙂  Justin Collins and the Cosmics closed the night with some really great high energy rock.  Justin and Adam Landry produced Pony Boy’s new album. They are the duo behind Deer Tick and Diamond Rugs and Black Vincent (who we have been featuring here of late). I got to meet Adam, too. 

Sunday night, a great night at Bobby’s Idle Hour on Music Row.  Julie Christensen and Patterson Barrett performed some of Julie’s awesome songs.  Russell Thompson played with Megan Palmer, and then Megan did her own set and reminded me again of just how awesome she is.  For the last song, she and a chorus of great female singers (Julie Christensen, Ariel Bui, Nellie Clay, and more) closed the night with a rip roaring rendition of Palmer’s “Knife Twister”.  Oh and Victoria Williams was in the audience, too.

Tonight, I am going out to see my friends Zach Red Stacy and Taylor Alexander playing 8 off 8th at Mercy Lounge.

“Carried” by Jelena Ciric

Another track from Places. Jelena was born in Serbia, lived in Toronto, and now teaches voice in Mexico.  This is the kind of music that I hope never goes out of style. Harkening back to the likes of Joni Mitchell, Leonard Cohen, and yet highly original.

“On the Safeside” by Webb Wilder

From Hybrid Vigor, this music never fails to lift my spirits.

“I’ve Got You Covered” by Sugar and the Hi Lows

Trent Dabbs and Amy Stroup – two acclaimed singer-songwriters (both part of the Ten Out of Tenn collective) – teamed up a few years ago to perform together as Sugar and the Hi Lows.  They just released their second album, but this song goes back  to their self-titled debut.  They are playing later in September at the Ryman with Kacey Musgraves.

“You Gotta Move” by Amy Black

Amy Black brings the Blues with another track from her Muscle Shoals Sessions.  The song is a traditional African American spiritual that was popularized by Mississippi Fred McDowell, and was later covered by The Rolling Stones for Sticky Fingers (one of three songs from that album recorded at Sound Studio in the Shoals).

“Ginnie and Lou (From Kalamazoo)” by Darrin Bradbury

Just about every day, someone will stop me in the street and ask, hey aren’t you the guy on the Darrin Bradbury record, The Story of Bob?  When I admit that yes, I was the inspiration for the picture, they ask what is it that makes Darrin Bradbury so awesome. This song kind of encapsulates that mystery for me.  Yes, Darrin can be funny and offbeat.  But, he can also write a beautiful and tender song like this one. I could not find a video version of Ginnie and Lou, so I have included an old video (featuring a short-haired Darrin Bradbury singing the equally tender, “You Are Cordially Invited to My Backyard Pass Out Fest”.

“Zia S’dba” by West Philadelphia Orchestra

Some perfectly awesome Balkan inspired music from The West Philadelphia Orchestra from a World Café Session.

“Harder to Lie” by David Ramirez

From the brand new album Fables via a Noisetrade release that features songs recording live during an Eastside Manor Sessions recording.  This is the album version of a track from Fables.

“Relatin’ Dudes to Jazz” by fIREHOSE

From the debut album by fIREHOSE, Ragin’ Full On. I am of the camp that does not think that there is any reason or point in comparing fIREHOSE to the Minutemen. For my part, I am just glad that Ed Crawford convinced a still grieving Mike Watt and George Hurley to start playing again.  fIREHOSE made some great music during their run.

“Rocking Chair” by The Districts    

Another World Café Sessions recording the Philadelphia band. This is the opening track from the band’s self-titled EP.http://ps-us.amazon-adsystem.com/domains/eartothegro00-20_3dcd3a52-1a1a-4afe-a2fd-aaba8e251afc.js

VIDEO PLAYLIST


  

Tuesday Morning Music Shuffle – Bukowski in my Underwear Mix

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So, I find myself short on time, so I have to speed through this. I hope you find time to dig deeper.  I could not find the exact track for all the songs for the Video Playlist, so you my have to do some internet searches.  Some great stuff, and well worth the effort.

“Racing to the Ruins” by Syd Straw

I have enjoyed so much revisiting Syd Straw’s classic album Surprise. Truly one of the best albums of the late 80s.

“Reprise” by The End Men

What a reprise! From the 2013 E2TG Band of the Year’s latest album, Terms and Conditions. The End Men are currently tearing up Europe!

“Takin’ a Ride” by The Replacements

The opening track from the first studio album by the one and only Replacements!

“Send Me on My Way” by Rusted Root

Some people say, I don’t have enough 90s music on Ear to the Ground.  Actually, to my knowledge no one has ever said that, but they may have thought it… but I can’t prove it.  In any event, here is a song released as a single in 1995.  A rough version appeared on Rusted Root’s debut album, Cruel Sun.  The song was rerecorded and included on their second album (and major label debut), When I Woke.  Undeniably infectious.

“India” by Roxy Music

A lush instrumental from the classic 1982 album, Avalon.

“Magnetic” by Michael Sackler-Berner

A song from the Shimmer and Shine EP by the fast rising New York singer-songwriter.

“One Too Many” by Tiffany Huggins-Grant

From the forthcoming album, Jonquil Child, by Nashville-based singer-songwriter Tiffany Huggins-Grant, this song was written by Pamela Jackson (one of only two songs on the album written by others). The album was produced by E2TG favorite Mark Robinson who also produced David Olney’s 2014, When the Deal Goes Down. Really digging this album so far. 

“Snow is Falling” by Cletus Kennelly and Lori Kelley

Another track from the long-time D.C. area duo.  Lori Kelley is now a Nashville resident, and I got to hear her perform Sunday night.

“Just Like You” by Gill Landry

A fantastic track (and first single) from the recent self-titled solo effort by the Old Crow Medicine Show guitarist.

“On Your Knees” by fIREHOSE

From Ragin’ Full On…  one of my favorite fIREHOSE songs.

“The Road Ahead” by Boy Named Banjo

Another great song from the album Long Story Short by the young Nashville band who will be playing Bonnaroo in about a month.

“When the World’s Against Me” by Andrew Adkins and The Colored Parade

I also saw Andrew Adkins perform live Sunday night.  Here he is with his band, The Colored Parade with a song released on KidzlikeDanny 4 a compilation from an organization that raises money for various autism causes.  A great song to end today’s shuffle.

VIDEO PLAYLIST

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Friday Morning Music Shuffle – Barefoot on the Dancefloor Mix

Traversed snow and ice and cold to witness the birth of a new East Nashville musical happening at the Mad Donna’s Loft… a super-serious, super-cool songwriting thing (the name is still being bandied about), but who needs a name when you have Joe Fletcher, Brian Wright, and Darrin Bradbury playing their awesome songs to a small but dedicated audience of super-serious music fans (including some other great musicians).  Here’s to many more of these happenings and much better weather for them.  Hats off to the awesome Terry Rickards for making this thing happen…

Since I traversed the snow last night, I kind of had to do it this morning… guilty conscience if I said I couldn’t make it to work… but I had an awesome sound track for this slippery and frigid journey…

“Back on the Wagon” by Matt Prater

Another excellent song from Matt Prater’s latest album Tables and Chairs recorded in Mussel Shoals, Alabama.

“Made to be Broken” by Soul Asylum

The title track from Soul Asylum’s second album released in 1986 one of three releases for the band in that year… 

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A brief instrumental partial title track from Scattered Moments of Connection.  In lieu of this song, I included a video of  the epic The Great Jester.  Thirty seconds for like eleven minutes seemed like a fair trade off.

“Wish I Was in Heaven Sitting Down” by Bark

Tim and Susan Lee could have named their side project Tim Lee 2, but they went with Bark.  This is from the debut Bark EP which is having it’s release celebrated (along with the new TL3 album 33 1/3 and the new album by Kevin Abernathy) with a triple release show at Scruffy City Hall in Knoxville this very night.  This song is an R.L. Burnside cover. 

“Revolution On the Rocks” by Gumball

A bit of 90s alternative rock from NYC, two of the members of Gumball were previously (and briefly) part of Dinosaur Jr. This was the lead track on the band’s 1994 third and final studio album called Revolution on Ice.

“Brand New Cadillac” by The Clash

From London Calling.  This was a cover of a 1950s British Rock and Roll song by Vince Taylor.

“Crazy American” by Syd Straw

From Syd Straw’s 1989 solo debut, Surprise.  Surprise is one of my favorite albums of all time.

“Train in Vain”  by The Clash

Originally a hidden bonus track on London Calling (subtitled Stand By Me in the US because we Yanks were too dumb to handle a song whose name wasn’t the most repeated phrase). Also not called “Stand by Me” because everyone is too dumb to figure out it is not the Ben E. King song.  Man I love this song!

“This…” by fIREHOSE

A mellow side of Watt, Hurley, and Crawford… from Ragin’ Full On.

“Blue Sky Mine” by Midnight Oil

The “sort of” title track to the 1990 album Blue Sky Mining.

“The Eye” by Brandi Carlile

An absolutely gorgeous song from Brandi Carlile’s album The Firewatcher’s Daughter which was released this past Tuesday.

“The Bedlam Express” by The Lucky Jukebox Brigade

An awesome rave-up and one of my favorite songs on Familiar Fevers.  The source of today’s Shuffle subtitle.

“White Gardenias” by Justin Townes Earle

Finally, we close out the shuffle with  a song from the 2014 album Single Mothers which was the predecessor to Justin Townes Earle’s latest album Absent Fathers.

VIDEO PLAYLIST


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Monday Morning Music Shuffle – Blue Turns Black and White Mix

Today we have an E2TG signature mixture of old and new music, the return of favorites and the first appearance by some soon to be new favorites.  We have it all here in black and white with a tint of blue added for effect…. enjoy!

“Temptation” by Elvis Costello and the Attractions

I am emotionally wrung-out and physically feeling a bit under the weather, but we press onwards and upwards… but when your Monday morning commences with Temptation by an Elvis song from Get Happy!!,  you know that despite it all…

“Space Invader” by The Pretenders

An instrumental from the self-titled debut by Chrissy Hynde and company. I guess it’s like their version of “Pac Man Fever” (I’m kidding relax!)

“For Your Eyes” by The Bell Hours

I grabbed this off Noisetrade… The Bell Hours are an indie-folk band from Denver, CO.  This is from their EP called Easy Weather.  I downloaded the EP last night, and so this was my first chance to listen to them.  I definitely want to hear more.

“The Candle and the Flame” by fIREHOSE

Ed Crawford, Mike Watt, and George Hurley from their 1986 debut album, Ragin’ Full On.  fIREHOSE in a mellow mood.

“Chateau Lobby #4 (in C for Two Virgins)” by Father John Misty

In other bit of coincidental shuffle timing, we have a song off the forthcoming (due tomorrow) album by Joshua Tillman (called I Love You, Honeybear).  We heard the actual track, not the Midi version which was released for streaming by Father John.

“Kizza Me” by Big Star

One of my favorite tracks on one of my favorite albums – Big Star’s Third/Sister Lovers.  This was taken from the Alex Chilton retrospective album called 19 years.

“Memory Deluxe” by Jeremy Gluck/Robert Coyne

I was honored to receive the album  Memory Deluxe: I Knew Buffalo Bill 2, in my inbox via Flicknife Records. The British label released some classic music in the 1980s including albums by Hawkwind, Alien Sex Fiend, and the 1987 predecessor to this album, I Knew Buffalo Bill which featured Gluck along with an all-star band that featured members of Swell Maps, Birthday Party, Crime and the City Solution plus the late Jeffrey Lee Pierce of Gun Club.  The label was resurrected in 2012, and this sequel album features Gluck and Robert Coyne who is the son of the late, lengendary British musician Kevin Coyne. 

“(Takin’ These) Blues to the Highway” by The Sky Kings

Another great sounding song from the very long anticipated album by the early 90s supergroup, The Sky Kings featuring Bill Lloyd (Foster and Lloyd), John Cowan (New Grass Revivial), Patrick Simmons (Doobie Brothers), and Rusty Young (Poco). The album called 1992 was released by Sony this past December.’

“Black and White World” by Elvis Costello and the Attractions

The only thing better than an Elvis song in the shuffle is two Elvis songs in the shuffle.

“Blue Turns Black” by Joe Nolan

The title track from the forthcoming remastered album by Nashville singer/songwriter/writer Joe Nolan.  Love it! 

“Female Mudwrestling” by Phranc

From Folksinger.  To be clear, Phranc does not like female mudwrestling.  Special note to Phranc, do not attempt to find a video for this song on You Tube – just saying. 

VIDEO PLAYLIST

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Tuesday Morning Music Shuffle – Don’t Need a Hammer Mix

Today’s shuffle is a pretty nice mix of friends and heroes with a “new to me” band thrown in for good measure….

“If I Had to Guess” by Hugh Mitchell

I met Hugh hanging at some of the same places I hang – usually Darrin Bradbury is involved. I had never heard his music; so, I located his bandcamp page and grabbed a couple of tunes.  This is a single from 2012, and I like it a bunch.  I hope you do, too.

“Ipana” by Batkhi Dahn

Another track from The Foresters’ bassist Hayden Nork’s solo project.  Hayden is thirteen and started playing music a few years ago after attending a Green Day concert with his Dad and brothers. This is definitely not Pop-Punk… it is experimental and weird (in the best possible way), and pretty amazing. I noticed on his You Tube page that he has been posting some Daniel Johnston.  All I can say, is keep it up, kid.

“Mission” by Joe Nolan

Fresh out of my inbox from the forthcoming remastered release of Joe Nolan’s 3rd album Blue Turns Black.  This sounds amazing, and I look forward to sharing more in the near future.  Great song.

“I’m Not Ready” by CHAPPO

This one comes to me from a NoiseTrade compilation called Best of What’s Next which is available now and has tons of great music on it.  CHAPPO are a garage psyche rock band from Brooklyn.  A nice introduction for me, and I will listen for more. From their EP Celebrate.

“Rush Hour Blues” by Joe Nolan

One good Joe Nolan tune deserves another.  This one is off of his Plain Jane album, and it sounds like it could be a lost song from a great 1970s singer/songwriter.  A nice tune for my morning drive – although it was just work waiting at the end of my drive.

“Gilbert Takes the Wheel” by Guadalcanal Diary

A fine instrumental from one of my favorite bands.  From their album Walking in the Shadow of the Big Man.

“Brave Captain” by fIREHOSE

The first song off the very first fIREHOSE album Ragin’, Full On.  After D. Boon’s tragic death, a persistent Ed Crawford drove to Pedro and eventually got Mike Watt to listen to him, and the rest was history.  I am a big Minutemen fan and a big fIREHOSE fan, and I’ve never understood people who put so much energy behind comparing… I was fortunate to see fIREHOSE play back in the day, and they were amazing.

“Lionel I” by The Lucky Jukebox Brigade

Our second instrumental of the day, and the first of two Lionel songs on Familiar Fevers.  I was half way up the hill when this song came on, and I kind of felt like I was in a New Orleans funeral… or something.  Dig it.

“Nail it Down” by Meat Puppets

Meat Puppets.  This was the album that immediately preceded the band’s appearance on MTV Unplugged with Nirvana which helped deliver to the band to a much wider audience.  This was their major label debut after releasing several albums on SST Records.

“Radio Free Europe” (Original Hib-Tone Single) by R.E.M.

We close things out with original version of R.E.M.’s iconic first single.  A different version would later appear on the band’s first album Murmur which was released on IRS Records.  This version would reach a wider audience when it was included on the retrospective final IRS release Eponymous.

VIDEO PLAYLIST

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Fine, Fine Music (Cavalcade into Spring)

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Just a cavalcade of Fine, Fine music (some old and some new) – (heroes, friends, madmen, geniuses, and the like) – to herald the beginning of spring!

 

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Wednesday Morning Music Shuffle – Not Gonna Mix

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Time is marching on.  Hey, if you haven’t now is the time to vote for the Band of the Year. The E2TG elves are busy, so don’t expect much outside of Morning Shuffles and Band of the Year voting SPAM, but we have great things on tap for 2013.  Shuffle it up after the jump:


Stevie Wonder’s classic album Talking Book turned 40 in 2012.  Today we have You Are the Sunshine of My Life.  

By 1989 Neil Young had left Geffen and returned to his old label Reprise.  Freedom was a big, bold album which produced the now iconic Rockin’ in the Free World.  Today we have No More from that record.
One of the bands we featured during our first year of existence was the L.A. alt-rock band The Hunting Accident.  One of the songs we love by them is As You Choke which we grabbed from a 10″ Master released by the band. It’s also on their Trees and Parks EP.


U2 are back in the shuffle for the second straight day.  This time we have a song from their iconic third studio release, War.  The Refugee features interesting rhythms, classic Bono vocals and strong meaningful lyrics.

We’ve been posting a bunch of Minutemen stuff recently, and we make no apologies. The band was known and named??? for their minimalist approach which included many, many songs which clocked in at 1 minute or less.  More Spiel from Project: Mersh which was part of the early 90s CD release Post-Mersh Volume 2 is an exception, at nearly 6:00, the song features minimalist lyrics and a free-jazz sound.  By their last studio album, the band was making still great but more traditional rock songs (3:00 or so).  This song showcases a band following their muse and letting convention and expectations be damned.


In depths of our pre-history, in the first weeks of the existence of Ear 2 the Ground, we (without much forethought – as is our custom) named a group called Maxim Ludwig and the Santa Fe 7 as our first ever Band of the Week (a feature which continued for 1 year ending in May of this year when South of Ramona was named our last Band of the Week).  Earlier in 2012, Maxim disbanded the Santa Fe 7 and started a new band called Drive He Said.  That band has just released their first music and we have a song called Run Like Hell from their EP entitled Multitudes.

Not finding a video for Drive He Said – so check out the EP at the band’s website.

Another early Band of the Week – the Canadian trio Inner City Elegance called it quits in 2012.  We wish all three of those guys the best in whatever they choose to do.  Today we have All Square so check out what you missed.

I don’t know much (yet) about the band Twin Berlin except Popatunes saw fit to include them on one of his awesome compilations and they rock as per expectations.  Check out Skulls and join me in getting educated about this band.
 here’s a different tune (produced by Travis Barker)
 Everything has been coming up Watt and Hurley recently which is pretty cool in my book.  Here’s those guys second band – fIREHOSE from their album Flyin’ the Flannel with Lost Colors.

Richard Barone (Bongos) solo masterpiece Cool Blue Halo turned 25 in 2012.  Here is Flew a Falcon from that great record.


 

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Friday Morning Music Shuffle – Exclusive Exclustivity Mix

 Greetings from Nashville.  Back with a long set of music for today’s shuffle.  So, no more ado about nothing….

Shuffle will follow the…. Might as well…. Jump!


The Gunbunnies were a sadly short-lived band from Arkansas.  The released one album for Virgin Records, the now out of print Paw Paw Patch.  A collection of outtakes was released in 2009 and is available from Amazon – I’ll link to that below.  I could not find a video of today’s song Little Drops of Water – so I will post a video for the college radio hit Stranded.  Little Drops of Water is the only song from today’s shuffle not included on the widget of clips above.


 

How about some Sly and the Family with Run, Run, Run from their 1967 debut A Whole New Thing.
Look Sharp! It’s Pretty Girls from Joe Jackson’s 1979 debut.

 

Next up is the Balancing Act with This is Where it all Begins which was on the album Three Squares and a Roof.

How about some Christmas music – Sufjan Stevens with Ding-a-ling-a-ring-a-ling from the Christmas extravaganza Silver and Gold.  
Shelly Colvin is a Nashville singer-songwriter, she was a Featured Artist recently and we got to attend her CD release a little while back.  We have Nine Rose Rock from her debut CD. No video was found for Nine Rose Rock – so check out this video featuring Shelly Colvin.

The Hunting Accident are a cool alt-rock band from Los Angeles.  We made them Band of the Week back in 2011.  Here we have the fabulous Jack Trap.

Blitzen Trapper with Dragon’s Song which is on the album Destroyer of the Void.
A classic track from The Jam.  Mr. Clean is on the legendary band’s album All Mod Cons – one of my all-time favorites.  “..I hate you and your wife…”
Okay, so the band fIREHOSE, which is the band featuring Watt and Hurley from the Minutemen along with Ed “fROMOHIO” Crawford released an album called If’n.  This is a song called If’n which is not on the album called If’n but rather on the album called fROMOHIO.  Got it?
And finally, the rousing and powerful lead track from Miles Davis’ soundtrack to the Louis Malle film classic Ascenseur Pour l’Echafaud (Elevator (or Lift) to the Gallows).  Generique features incessantly beautiful trumpet work from Mr. Davis.
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