Wednesday Morning Music Shuffle – Dark Empty Places Mix

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Back after a day off… Feeling a bit overwhelmed by a lot of things… let’s listen to music!

“Blinkin’ Thinkin'” by Bud Sugar

Bud Sugar are from Hull. Which as a “dumb American” I know only from the Housemartin’s album London 0, Hull 4 (hey at least I’m a dumb American with good taste in British music).   Anyway,  Bud Sugar seem like a really interest band, and I really dig this song – which is their latest single. The music has elements of ska with some rapped and some sang lyrics.  It sounds the band is not afraid to use some guerilla style marketing to get their music to the masses.  Fortunately, from what I have heard so far, the music is worthy of being heard.  Check them out!

“Love Sick” by Bob Dylan

Bob Dylan’s 1997 album Time out of Mind was his 30th studio release and is widely considered a comeback of sorts.  But seriously, people could and probably have written books upon books which differing viewpoints on Dylan’s career arcs. I know people who could discuss this for hours without breaking a sweat.  This is just a blog post about an 18 year old song that was later used by Victoria Secret commercial and was the song being performed at the 1998 Grammy Awards when the infamous Soy Bomb incident occurred.  By the way, it’s a great song.

“Like a Vague Memory” by Marshall Crenshaw

I have already written about the personal importance of Crenshaw’s Downtown album, and in fact, I just mentioned it again in a Facebook comment thread.  Beyond the greatness of the music and the album, this album and all of the songs on it – have an ability to incite very real, almost tactile memories in me.

“Endlessly” by Guster

This is the second song on Boston band Guster’s most recent album Evermotion.  It came to my playlist via a Noisetrade compilation.  

“Gold” by Carolina Story

I fell for Carolina Story’s music when I first heard it.  They are East Nashville residents by way of Memphis by way of Arkansas and North Dakota. They are a married couple, but their music evokes blue collar men and women, and their original sound gains inspiration from Hank Williams Sr. and Heartbreaker-era Ryan Adams. Noisetrade released their first two EPs as one download. This song is on the EP called Chapter one.

“Louisiana Hannah” by Webb Wilder

A week ago tonight, I saw Webb and his band The Beatnecks at Music City Roots. Most of their set was dedicated to songs from Webb’s latest album, Mississippi Moderne. The new songs were awesome and all indications are the album may well be Webb’s best in many years. I have not added the new album to my playlist, so we are digging deep into his album Hybrid Vigor which was released back in 1989.

“The Wanting” by The Danbury Lie

The Danbury Lie are in the top tier of E2TG all-time favorites. Part of the ever expanding Connecticut faction of Ear to the Ground favorites (currently roaming the country and possibly in the Pacific Northwest at the moment).  The Wanting comes from Choose Your Delusion which was released back in March.  The urgent Metal-inspired music matches the intense yearning of the lyrics.

“Easy Company” by Ohioan

Ohioan are from the Sonoran Desert.  They are working on a new album called Empty Every MT.  This song is the b-side to the first single from that album.  My first exposure to this band, and I am liking what I’m hearing. Intensely Rustic and Real and True music (my descriptions).  Check them out!

VIDEO PLAYLIST

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Friday Morning Music Shuffle – How many ‘L’s are in Van Halen Mix

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The reality of writing an independent music blog, as I have done for over four years now, is that you have to push through those days when it seems like no one is pay attention (and even those days when seriously no one is paying attention). Maybe by attrition or maybe dumb luck, sometimes good stuff starts to happen, and you find yourself in incredible situations that almost do not seem real. The key in those moments (for me at least) is to not lose my sense of wonder and no matter what to never lose the hunger for discovering new music.  For me, when I lose that hunger, it will be time to move on… fortunately, I am not there yet.

Okay, so what prompted all this?  Several things, some amazing opportunities have come my way, and I choosing not to be cynical or jaded about them. Also, something seems to have broken open in the last couple of weeks and the number of people contacting me to listen to their music has grown exponentially. It can be overwhelming, but seriously it is the most incredible good fortune.  So be patient… I will listen to everything sent to me, but I can’t make any promises beyond that.  Every time someone sends me music, I hope it will be one of “those” albums that changes everything… it isn’t always, but even when it is not, I still get to hear some incredible music.

“I’m Indestructible” by The Colored Parade

This song by my friend Andrew Adkins’ band The Colored Parade was featured in a motion picture starring Ethan Hawke which was based upon a play by William Shakespeare.

“Sweet Sunshine” by The Satisfactors

New Jersey Rock and Roll supergroup with another song from their debut album.

“Has He Got a Friend for Me?” by Maria McKee

Seriously, do you need to know more than this is Maria McKee covering Richard Thompson?  I think the shuffle added this song today because I am going to see Richard Thompson on Saturday night.  Maybe he will do this song???

“Happy Alone” by Saintseneca

Saintseneca are a folk band signed to ANTI Records and based out of Columbus, Ohio. The album is Dark Arc, and it was released in 2014.

“High Water (For Charley Patton)” by Bob Dylan

From Love and Theft .  Charley Patton was a Delta Blues musician.  The song references the Patton song, “High Water Everywhere”.  Another good reminder that for all of his flaws and inconsistencies, Bob Dylan remains one of the most important musical figures of the current era.  

“Long Night” by Guster

From the seventh studio album by Boston alternative rock band Guster. Evermotion was produced by Richard Swift who is now a member of The Shins.

“Living Proof” by Aaron Lee Tasjan

The shuffle brought up this song from Aaron Lee Tasjan’s recent EP, Telling Stories to the Wall, which is amazing by the way. A great example of Tasjan’s way of speaking the truth with humor and spot on cultural references.

“Big Apple Blues” by Tomas Doncker Band

The title track from New York’s Tomas Doncker Band and their latest album which is a collaboration with Pulitzer Prize winning Poet Yusef Komunyakaa.

VIDEO PLAYLIST


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