Music City Monday Morning Shuffle – The Road Got Blurry Mix

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So, spring has arrived and here in Nashville that has meant a brief cold snap. I seem to be over whatever it was that kind of knocked me out at the end of last week… ready to take on a new week. According to Facebook, I have 12 events with 51 friends coming up this week.  Fortunately, I do get Friday off work…

I did manage to venture out into a misty rain last night for a fine night of music at The Basement. Despite some vocal duress, Jon Latham was amazing as always.  Throwing a new song (for me anyway) into the mix and inviting up Peyton Parker to sing on a couple of tunes.  Peyton Parker has been on the current season of The Voice.   Next up was Charlie Whitten, who I saw a few weeks back, I once again was struck by his awesome songwriting, gentle good humor, and his whistling (which especially impresses me because I cannot really whistle).  Closing the night was Caleb Caudle who recently released Carolina Ghost to widespread acclaim. A great ending to a great night of music at a pretty pack out Basement.

It’s Monday – I’m in Music City… let’s do Music City Monday….

“Helpless” by Lindsay Ellyn

Lindsay Ellyn’s EP Out of Road (one of my favorites of the year) was named Number 1 EP by Queens of Country. This is a great track from that EP.  Readers in New York City, Lindsay and Jeremy Nash (both Nashville songwriters who moved to town from NYC) will be playing at Rockwood Music Hall tonight, and I highly recommend both of them. 6:30p.m. to 8:30p.m. EDT.

“Feels Like Rain” by John Hiatt
 

John Hiatt moved to Nashville very early in the 1970s and been making incredible, ground-breaking music ever since. This is the final track from his 1988 album, Slow Turning. The song was later covered by the great Buddy Guy.


“Mockingbird” by Cory Chisel and the Wandering Sons
 

Cory Chisel moved to Nashville from Appleton, WI.  This song is from his 2009 album Death Won’t Send a Letter.  I think I was first introduced to his music around this time when I saw the band open for Peter Case at 3rd and Lindsley. More recently he was nominated for a Grammy award for his co-write of the Rodney Crowell/Emmylou Harris song “The Travelling Kind”. He also recently toured with Robert Ellis and Jonny Fritz as Traveller.


“Still With Me” by Charlie Hager
 

Among the events I regretfully missed during my brief convalescence at the end of last week was the CD release show for Charlie Hager’s new album American Saga.  It sounds like it was an awesome night packed with tons of great artists.  I really hate that I missed it, but at least I get to hear the album, and it’s out so you can hear it, too.  To me it is pure and honest songwriting at its best.

 

“You Could Be My Baby” by SHEL
 

This is a track that will be on SHEL’s new album, Just Crazy Enough which is due out in May.  They will be playing the Safety Harbor Song Fest in a couple of weeks, and they are scheduled to play Nashville’s Earth Day show later in April.  

“Fun Machine” by Colorfeels
 

This is another track from that Music the Film: Music City Underground.  Colorfeels were a Nashville band that broke up in 2014. I don’t know much about them, except that I like this song and a bunch of my East Nashville friends were fans of the band.


“Speed Trap Town” by Jason Isbell

 

It’s been pretty interesting to watch the meteoric rise of Jason Isbell over the past several years. I was lucky enough to see Isbell with the 400 Unit in the back parking lot of Grimey’s a few years ago for Record Store Day.  There was a decent crowd, but nothing like what it would be today.  This is a track from his latest album, Something More Than Free which won the Grammy for Best Americana album. 

VIDEO PLAYLIST
 

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Wednesday Morning Music Shuffle – Sparkle Gone Mix

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Tonight on a very special episode of Music City Roots… Really looking forward to tonight’s benefit show for Tommy Womack.  A rare Nashville area appearance of Jason and the Scorchers, Webb Wilder and the Beatnecks, Will Kimbrough, Dan Baird and more guests… If you can’t be there, you can watch the livestream.

After that it is Aaron Lee  Tasjan, Nellie Clay, John Calvin Abney, and Levi Parham at The 5 Spot- where conveniently, the Roots bus will drop me off.

“Me Oh My” by The Honeycutters

 

The title track of the latest album from the Asheville, North Carolina band who have been getting some great and well deserved press.  I dig this song.

 

“Wait a Minute” by David Schnaufer

A brief instrumental interlude from the late, great David Schnaufer.  Schnaufer was one of those rare musicians who having mastered his instrument (in his case the Mountain Dulcimer) found the ability to expand the sonic possibilities of that instrument. 

“I Got What I Wanted” by Randy Weeks

The first of three songs in the shuffle today from the brand new Ted Hawkins tribute album – Cold and Bitter Tears. Hawkins was a long time and well known street performer in Venice Beach. During his storied life, he mostly managed to elude mainstream or financial success, while earning respect from his fellow musicians and songwriters.  During the last year of his life, he did find some degree of financial success, and from what I have gathered, he lived it up.  Randy Weeks is a longtime Austin musician who was once a member of the Lonesome Strangers.  By the way, for all three of the Hawkins’ songs in the shuffle – the video playlist contains a song by the artist AND the original Ted Hawkins version of the listed song.

“Strange Conversation” by Jon Dee Graham

The shuffle brings up another song from the Cold and Bitter Tears album and another from a longtime Austin resident – the legendary Jon Dee Graham whose credits include a who’s who of the music I have loved for the last 30 something years. He was a member of both The Skunks and True Believers.  Coincidently, he is playing tonight at the Continental Club in Austin just before embarking on an extended tour that will take him all up and down the East Coast. 

“Old Love Letter” by Reckless Johnny Wales

Speaking of legends… Reckless Johnny Wales is a legend in and of himself – with a storied history which we have previous recounted. His latest album American Heart is one of my favorites of 2015.

“My Last Goodbye” by Ramsay Midwood

And a third track from Cold and Bitter tears.  This one is performed by yet another Texas musician.  By the way, Randy Weeks is listed a member of Ramsay Midwood’s band. I got to hear Midwood perform this song at the Cold and Bitter Tears launch party during Americana week.

“Throw Down Your Guns” by The Colored Parade

Another great song from Andrew Adkins – this time from his band The Colored Parade – off their album …And The Walls of the City Will Shake.  The Colored Parade called it quits back in August, but expect much more music from Adkins.

“Ghost Soul Traffic” by The Jackals

We have another great track from People – the latest album by Scottish band, The Jackals.

“Flagship” by Jason Isbell

And we close out today’s shuffle with a track from Jason Isbell off his most recent album Something More Than Free.

VIDEO PLAYLIST

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Thursday Morning Music Shuffle – Critical of Comedy Mix

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Went out for the first time since Americana last week. Visited Twin Kegs II which is located just 4 minutes from where I live. I don’t know what I had never been there before. Neat place.  Saw some great songwriters including the brother of someone from the show Nashville, and a tremendous young writer from Sydney who was celebrating the release of her new album, Love and Lovely Lies . Her name is Imogen Clark. 

We have another fine shuffle with some of those odd connections that seems to happen all the time when you closely follow music and the people who make it.

“The People’s History” by Eleventh Dream Day

This Chicago band have been making music for over 30 years.  Their late 80s/early 90s albums Beet and Lived to Tell were among by favorites back in the day. I somehow lost track of them, but I was happy to discover that they have continued to make music and that I have a lot of catching up to do.  They just recently released Works for Tomorrow, and this is our first listen to that record.  And man does it rock!  I was immediately reminded why I loved this band so much.

“President Clinton Blues” by Drink Small

The second day in a row for some Piedmont Blues.  Klout is going to name me an “Expert” of Piedmont Blues any day.  This is definitely politically incorrect, and pretty damn funny.

“Nothing Else” by Livingmore

Ok two notes here.  This song has been in the playlist for a heck of a long time. It is the first track from the 3 song self-titled release by this L.A. duo.  Livingmore is Alex Moore and Spencer Livingston.  Spencer used to be in a band called The Alternates, and that band was one of the very first Ear to the Ground Band’s of the Week (a long since abandoned feature from our very early time) – we are talking mid 2011.  Livingmore is making some awesome music and they seem to be playing out in L.A. fairly often.  Hopefully we can talk them into making a trek east at some point.

“I Should Go/Thinking of You” (Live) by Good Old War

A live mash up of two songs from the self-titled Good Old War record (2010).

“That Joke Isn’t Funny Anymore” by The Smiths

The Smiths have come up several times of late.  The Smiths made some pretty amazing music.  This one is from Meat is Murder.

“1945” by Carl Anderson

Nashville by way of Virginia songwriter Carl Anderson.  1945 goes back to his album Wolftown

“Come Together” by Michael Hedges

The amazing, late great guitar genius – takes on the iconic Beatles song from his album Live on the Double Planet.

“If It Takes a Lifetime” by Jason Isbell

The Nashville based  songwriter has been a roll for the past year of so. This is the opening number from the his latest critically acclaimed album.  BONUS VIDEO: a cover of this song by my friend Drew Kohl…

“Filet of Sole” by The Dead Milkmen

In the strange coincidences very few people will get – The Dead Milkmen once wrote and recorded the line, “You’ll dance to anything, by the Smiths”… happy dancing…

VIDEO PLAYLIST


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Tuesday Morning Music Shuffle – Sunburn at Night Mix

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It is Tuesday.  A bit tired today after a night of great music. The Nashville Conundrum was in full effect, but one thing I didn’t say yesterday, is that I’ve learned that it is okay to feel bad for the shows you missed – especially when it means missing the show of a friend, but in the end, when you’ve made your choice, you should expend more energy appreciating the show you did see than you do regretting the show(s) you missed.  Life is kind of like that, too, I think.

 “Walter Mitty” by Cletus Kennelly and Lori Kelley

Cletus and Lori were a popular duo in the Greater Washington D.C. area over the last decade.  In 2014, Lori Kelley decided to move to Nashville to pursue a solo career, and I have been fortunate enough to hear some of her great music.  Recently Cletus Kennelly came through Nashville, and I had the rare treat of seeing them perform together.  I also got hold of their 2005 album Lotus, and I have been digging it tons.  “Walter Mitty” is a track from that album.  In the video playlist, we have the duo’s cover of “America” by another duo – Simon and Garfunkel.

“When a Car Becomes a House” by Darrin Bradbury

The title track from Darrin Bradbury’s most recent collection of demos. This song is about the time that he lived out of his car.  Stay tuned for news of his new record. I have had the pleasure of hearing the final mixes, and it is going to be amazing.

“Back Inside the Shell” by Artur U and the New City Limits

Relatively new #E2TG favorites, Artur U and the New City Limits are from Finland, and this song is from their relatively new album, Holiday from Eternity.  This is some innovative music with elements of Rock, Pop, and Alternative.

“Hymn” by Tom Schreck

A gorgeous song from Schreck’s incredible album Save Your Glory.  He calls himself the Nashville Outsider, but dammit Nashville! Let him in!

“Maggots and Flies” by Dead in 5

Sometimes, I wonder if my quest for diversity in the music I feature serves to bring a diverse audience or to drive people away.  It doesn’t really matter, I guess.  I am what I am, and Ear to the Ground is what it is.  There is no logical way to explain following up a gorgeous song like “Hymn” with a song called “Maggots and Flies” – except to say that it is a great big weird wild world, and I have a variety of interests and who is to say that the world always makes sense, and so why should my shuffles always make sense… Dead in 5 are from Detroit, and they rock… hard.  Check them out, if you dare.

“Black Pony” by The Wans

The Wans are a hard rocking, Nashville garage band who I have been hearing about.  This song is from the Noisetrade SXSW mixtape, and it was featured in a commercial for BMW – as all good aggressive, garage rocks songs should be.

“Dance With Me” by The Danbury Lie

I have two The Danbury Lie albums in my current playlist.  This is from Scattered Moments of Connection – the oldest of two albums (by about two months).  Fun fact:  two of the artists in today’s shuffle first came to my attention directly as a result of my writing about Don Ryan back in late 2012 or so.  Today is Don’s birthday, so it seems appropriate to have music from The Danbury Lie and Darrin Bradbury in the shuffle.

“A Farm Named Froo” by John Hamilton

This is the theme song to the 1970s film Come On Children which I mentioned the other day.  The song composed by John Hamilton, one of the young “stars” of the film introduces the cast.  The film is an interesting view into a particular moment in time and a particular group of young people.  As I said before, it’s kind of a representation of what “reality” television could be in some alternate reality (early 1970s Canada) where a group of teens could be transported to a farm (name Froo) and left to their own devices and vices with just a camera crew to document.  Short of major drama, the film nonetheless is fascinating to watch.  It’s available through the Criterion Collection.

“Born in the U.S.A.” by Amanda Shires and Jason Isbell

If anyone was still confused about the meaning of Bruce Springsteen’s song (how many times have you heard it played at a 4th of July celebration). This devastatingly beautiful version by Amanda Shires and Jason Isbell leaves very little room for misinterpretation.  From the Dead Man’s Town – Springsteen Tribute record. 

“Keep Yourself Alive” by Queen

The first single off the very first Queen album.  Because sometimes you need a little 70s arena rock in your life.

“The Ballad of Ira Hayes” by Townes Van Zandt

Van Zandt’s cover of a folk classic written by Peter La Farge.  The song has been covered by among others: Bob Dylan, Johnny Cash, Kinky Friedman, and Pete Seeger.

“Ghost of the Road” by Guadalcanal Diary

We close out today’s shuffle with a song from the album, Walking in the Shadow of the Big Man, by Georgia band, Guadalcanal Diary.

VIDEO PLAYLIST


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Thursday Morning Music Shuffle – Don’t be Koi Mix

All I can say is that life is probable sometimes, and although we don’t always choose the things that happen (or maybe in some ways we do), what we do choose is whether or not to be fully present in those moments (to the best of our ability).

“Seven Sons” by Tomas Doncker from Power of the Trinity

We finish off our presentation of Tomas Doncker’s Ethiopian inspired album with a track that truly grooves… see what I did there?


“This is Where You Can Reach Me Now” by U2 from Songs of Innocence

How did this end up on my phone?  How many times can I make the same joke that wasn’t altogether funny the first time?  I really don’t hate this music, I just don’t find it especially significant.  Then again how many bands that have been together with the same line-up for over thirty years are still making significant new music?  How many bands can you think of who have been together 30 plus years period?


“Freight Train” (live) by Humming House from Humming House Party!

When Humming House throw a party, it seems safe to assume that dancing will be involved.  Plus, I’m a total sucker for songs about trains.  Woo Woo!


“Super 8” by Jason Isbell from Southeastern

I was fortunate enough to see Jason Isbell and his incredible band in the parking lot of Grimey’s a few years ago – just before things really took off for him.  This year, he swept up a bunch of awards at the AMA’s, and they were well-deserved in my opinion.  Southeastern is a great album, and this song is an almost instant classic.


“Runnin’ Away” by Heather Powell from Believe It to Life

It’s been great having Heather Powell in the shuffle several times recently, and she is working on/about to release the follow-up to this album.  Awesome soulful pop vocals!


“Snake Drive” by Pork Chop Willie from Love is the Devil

“Love is the Devil, but it won’t get me.”  And I guess that’s why they call it the blues….


“Tomorrow” (acoustic) by Madi Diaz from Stripped Chopped + Screwed/Phantom

An acoustic version of a song from the new album by the Indie/Pop singer.


“I Wrote This Song for You” by Chris Stamey from Lovesick Blues

A song about a song…  I really dig this whole album.


“Fish Joke” (2011 Live) by Darrin Bradbury from The Almost Great Crepes (Demos)!function(d,s,id){var js,fjs=d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0];if(!d.getElementById(id)){js=d.createElement(s);js.id=id;js.src=”//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js”;fjs.parentNode.insertBefore(js,fjs);}}(document,”script”,”twitter-wjs”);

“If it’s all right with you, I gonna start this one out with a fish joke.”  Darrin Bradbury is not a comedy writer.  Get that straight right now!

VIDEOS

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WOW Wednesday Shuffle – Shook Up Mix

A wonderfully diverse mixed bag of treats for your Wide-Open Whatever Wednesday Shuffle….

“There’s Always Money in the Banana Stand” by Bridge Under Fire from The Appetizer (Build4BBQ Sampler)/Why Wait?
Some invigorating punk rock and roll from Upstate New York – part of the awesome Build4BBQ collective. 

“Stockholm” by Jason Isbell from Southeastern
Ex-Drive By Trucker and one of the hottest commodities on the Americana/Alt-Country scene.  From his most recent album. (Time for a new one?) 

“Shake, Shake, Shake” by Bronze Radio Return from A Bit of Bronze/Shake!, Shake!, Shake!

Connecticut Indie Folksters Bronze Radio Return with a cool song and the title track from their 2011 album.
 

“May” by prattle on, rick from A Decade Begins
A little taste of the now seemingly long gone Spring from Nashville-based prattle on, rick.  From a fan club exclusive instrumental album covering a whole year month by month.
“Nowhere” by Tipi Valley from Rock ‘n Roll Lives On (EP)
We close it out going back to the 2013 EP from our friend from Swansea Wales.
 
WATCH:
 

//player.vimeo.com/video/66842871
Nowhere from Tipi Valley on Vimeo.

 

http://astore.amazon.com/wow_shook_7-23-14-20

 

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Another Random Mix of Great Music – April 4 Edition

Friday 4/4/2014

Still irregularly posting, but working hard a number of fronts.

Here’s my latest collection of music that has crossed my ears and/or mind since we last visited.

No rhyme or reason… never that…

THE PLAYLIST

1. “Gimme the Car” by Violent Femmes (This was a Bonus Track when the CD version of the Femmes self-titled debut was released.  I always dug this song.)

2. “Heavy Metal Boyz” by Gear Daddies (Back when I first started posting “Shuffles” on Facebook – even before the launch of Ear to the Ground – it seemed like there was a time when a Gear Daddies’ song showed up on my list almost everyday.  This song was always one of my favorites – along with a number of others…)

3. “No Depression” by Uncle Tupelo (If I have to explain why….)

4. The Rollins Band Live in 92 (News of a forthcoming Black Flag show in Nashville made me remember seeing The Rollins Band at 328 Performance Hall back in 1992 – the same year this video was made. Corrosion of Conformity was also on the bill.  At the time, I lived a few blocks away and actually walked to this show)

5.  “Chains” by Soul Asylum (somebody posted Whipped Cream and Other Delights by Herb Alpert and the Tijuana Brass.  For some reason, it made me think of this…)

6. “Alabama Pines” by Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit (heard this on the radio… such an exquisitely beautiful song)

7. The Bisquits partial reunion 2005 (So The Bisquits were a Nashville band that featured Tommy Womack, Will Kimbrough, Michael Grimes, and  Tommy Meyer.  Just last week, when I was at The Basement seeing Miss Shevaughn and Yuma Wray, I showed them a picture of The Bisquits which hangs on the wall between the two restrooms. About a week later, I hear that The Bisquits are reuniting to play Music City Roots on April 16. Coincidence or something more mysterious???)

8.  “Emotion Sickness” by Will Kimbrough  (speaking of Will Kimbrough – one of the busiest men in music – his latest solo album Sideshow Love has been climbing the Americana charts. Check it)

9.  “Smoke on the Water” by Deep Purple (a heard this on the radio, too.)

10. “Somebody to Love” by Queen (ditto)

11. “99 Luftballoons” by Nena (I got this song stuck in my head the other day for no reason.  Passing it on…)

12. “My Hometown” (Bruce Springsteen cover) by Jason Ringenberg (just surfing around You Tube… here you go)

13. Pujol at Grimeys for RSD 2012 – (Just heard Daniel Pujol will be playing Record Store Day at Grimey’s again this year.  Found this video from two years ago.)

14. “Solsbury Hill” by Peter Gabriel (“My heart going boom, boom, boom.”)

15. “Superman’s Song” by Crash Test Dummies (another ear worm from me to you)

16. “Sweet Virginia” by Rolling Stones (Exile on Main Street ya’ll.)

17. “Layne Montgomery is Bad at Girls” by The Great American Novel (In honor of the band’s final show :,-( which is going on tonight)



 


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#E2TG is not at SXSW (This is a CXCW plug by the way)

If, like me, you are not at the South by Southwest confab (conflag?) (whatever), you probably have some good reasons.  Can’t get off work, lack of funds, the beer is too expensive, too many damn hipsters, it involves putting on shoes — the list goes on.

For the last four years, there has been a great alternative to SXSW.  I hope by now, you are familiar with Couch by Couchwest -where the beer is cheap and the only hipster is you.  CXCW is an on-line music festival featuring a staggering number and variety of talented folks who submitted specially made videos specifically for the festival. Often, the videos feature couches. Often they don’t. They may be filmed in bathrooms, kitchens, garages, on front or back porches, or in wide-open fields.  Jonny Fritz when he still went by Jonny Corndawg recorded one from the inside of a drainage pipe.



The atmosphere !function(d,s,id){var js,fjs=d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0];if(!d.getElementById(id)){js=d.createElement(s);js.id=id;js.src=”//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js”;fjs.parentNode.insertBefore(js,fjs);}}(document,”script”,”twitter-wjs”);https://apis.google.com/js/plusone.js around Couch by Couchwest is low-key, laid back, and light-hearted.  Tacos are a popular food, beer is the drink of choice (often), and most importantly, the music is mind-blowing. 

If you are a regular Ear to the Ground reader you probably already know about CXCW and I hope you’ve been keeping up.  The festival is on day four, and if you haven’t tuned it yet, you have some catching up to do.  Go now to Couchbycouchwest.com.

Ear to the Ground favorites like:

The Foresters

Sci-Fi Romance

MAKAR

Tim Lee 3

The Imperial Rooster

Tipi Valley

Todd Farrell, Jr.

Jeanette Lynne

(And probably some I’m forgetting (sorry!))

have already made an CXCW’14 appearance. Plus – we’ve been introduced to some amazingly talented folks who will more than likely grace our pages soon. 

We expect to see The End Men, Miss Shevaughn and Yuma Wray, and much, much more the before the festival wraps up. 

Among the most buzz-worthy moments so far has been Jamie Painter’s cover of Jason Isbell’s Cover Me Up which has earned a recommendation from Mr. Isbell himself.  Oh and Two Mule Blues set shit on fire

So, in conclusion, I get why you’re not at South by Southwest. I’m not there with you, but why the heck aren’t you at Couch by Couchwest?  Shoes are optional and probably not encouraged.

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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Friday Morning Music Shuffle – Ex-Eye-Aye-I Mix

Happy Friday the 13th to all you triskaidekaphiles out there.

Monday starts our march to 2014 by highlighting some of our favorite music of 2013. Culminating in the Third Annual Band of the Year unveiling ceremony blog post.  Who will join The Mobbs and Skeletons in the Piano in this super exclusive category?  You better tune in to find out.  It’s all soooo exciting!

Anyway to close out a great year of Shuffles, we have another shuffle with some songs and stuff…

#E2TGWorthy… it started as a simple blog post, but everything got turned upside down. What happened next will change the way you look at simple blog posts for at least a couple of minutes…

EXTRAS:  “Light Years” by The Quick and the Dead    “When the Dawn Becomes The Day” by Humming House    “Made to be Blue” by Adam Hill   “A Song About Making Out in Cars” by Joseph Mooradian (either an earlier version of a song we featured a couple of weeks ago or an earlier song about the same thing.)   “Happy With Me” by holychild   “Under The Big Black Sun” by X   “Heaven Underfoot” by Damfino (another great track off of the fourth Mama Coco’s Funky Kitchen comp)    “One Reporters Opinion” by Minutemen    “Skulldiggin'” by Black Joe Lewis    “Carry Me Home” by Carolina Story   “Going Down to Liverpool” by The Bangles    “The Hawk” (Kris Kristofferson cover) by Tom Verlaine  

Transition Track of the Day:
“Ginger Ale” by Adam Hill (from Little Time.)

http://bandcamp.com/EmbeddedPlayer/album=2983219457/size=medium/bgcol=ffffff/linkcol=0687f5/transparent=true/

SHUFFLE:

“Shit from Old Notebook” by Minutemen (from Double Nickels on the Dime. “Let the products sell themselves”)

!function(d,s,id){var js,fjs=d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0];if(!d.getElementById(id)){js=d.createElement(s);js.id=id;js.src=”//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js”;fjs.parentNode.insertBefore(js,fjs);}}(document,”script”,”twitter-wjs”);https://apis.google.com/js/plusone.js“High Road” by Cults  (from Static.)

“Cover Me Up” by Jason Isbell (from Southeastern.  Southeastern has deservedly ended up on many year end “best of” lists.  Who knows, you may even here some tracks from the album during our 2013 wrap up…)

“Ziggy Stardust” by David Bowie (from The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars.  “but boy could he play guitar…”)

“Like Shaking Hands” by Less Love and Wondernaut (from Paradigms in the Design.  Formal thank you to Gina Sigillito for introducing to this great music from Oklahoma City.)

http://bandcamp.com/EmbeddedPlayer/album=3618790823/size=medium/bgcol=ffffff/linkcol=0687f5/transparent=true/



WATCH


 

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