Off schedule today…. so, an early shuffle and limited commentary. Great tunes, though, so check it out.
“Never Gave Nobody Trouble” by Leonard Cohen
From the forthcoming Can’t Forget
“Slave Magic” by The Great Game
Another one from the self-titled album by The Great Game.
“The Gate” by Cletus Kennelly and Lori Kelley
From the album Lotus.
“The Cape” by Guy Clark
Taken from a live recording from the Bluebird Cafe that also featured Townes Van Zandt and Steve Earle. Not a bad lineup.
“El Pistolero” by Whale Fall
Another from The Mandrean.
“The Headmaster Ritual” by The Smiths
From Meat is Murder
“Plastic Jesus” by Joe Nolan
From Blue Turns Black
“Breath of Youth” by Ricky Mirage
From Pop Goes the Sun Don’t know much about Ricky Mirage except it was recommended via Facebook by someone I respect. First listen, I dig. Could not find a video, so here is the bandcamp widget.
If trudging through the work week is like climbing a mountain, then my question has to be is Wednesday really the day we get over the hump or is it just a day that finds us clinging desperately to the sheer face of a rocky cliff and wondering how the hell we are going to make it the rest of the way? Food for thought… happy Wednesday!
“Get Drunk” by Drag the River
From the 2002 Album closed. Ear to the Ground just presents song titles, we make no statements for or against the sentiments expressed in such song titles. Drag the River’s membership includes/has included members of the band All who were previously discussed in posts about the band The Descendents. Both this song and The Descendent’s song were included on the February Feel Bad for You Mixtape of “short songs” This song is considerably longer than the other.
“Graves” by Whiskey Shivers
Speaking of Raucous roots based music… gotta love The Whiskey Shivers.
“The Great Game” by The Great Game
The Great Game is the name of the band, the album, and the song. It is New World music with an original and decidedly European sound, and I kind of like it… a ton.
“The Almost Great Lakes” by Darrin Bradbury
A live recording of a song that may be on Darrin’s new album or maybe not, what do I know. It is about the great state of Wisconsin. Everyone knows about the Great Lakes, but what about those that didn’t quite make that cut? Now you know about them, too. I could not find a video of this song, so look it up on Bandcamp to hear/buy it.
“Nearly Lost You” by The Torn Images
We still have a couple of tracks from the fantastic album Reviver by The Torn Images. This song has all of the elements of a great true alternative Rock song. It’s not poppy, it’s not light and fluffy… It is just Gut wrenching emotion backed by killer guitar licks.
“Silent Breather” by Tipi Valley
Found out recently that Jeremy Gluck who we have been featuring quite a bit recently lives in the vicinity of Tipi Valley, a long time favorite of all of us here at Ear to the Ground (it’s just me by the way). This is another killer track from the latest Tipi Valley release called Dust.
“Middle of America” (Worktape) by Will Hoge
Ahead of his latest album, Small Town Dreams (which was released last week), Will Hoge released a Noisetrade sampler of some rough (worktapes) of a few songs from that album. This is one of those tracks. Hoge is one of Nashville’s best.
“What I Have Not Got” by Tim Lee 3
A live version of the lead track from their 2010 double album Raucous Americanus… Tim Lee 3 are not a quiet band. If you are in Knoxville for Record Store Day, you can catch them at Lost and Found Records along with their spin off band, Bark, the last of the full grown men – Webb Wilder, and a host of others.
“I Know What Boys Like” by The Waitresses
If you, like me, were alive in the 1980s chances are pretty good that you heard this song many, many times. The Waitresses were from Akron, Ohio. The Waitresses were the creation of Chris Butler who came out of the same Akron music scene that produced DEVO, The James Gang, and Chrissy Hynde of The Pretenders. Lead vocalist Patty Donahue passed away in 1996 at the age of 40.
“See About You” by Joe Nolan
Another track from the forthcoming Blue Turns Black remaster by Nashville songwriter and writer Joe Nolan.
“Bleed” by Jeremiah Tall
My latest Noisetrade “discovery” is Jeremiah Tall from Bucks County, Pennsylvania. He is a one man band that plays a pretty awesome brand of folk/rock music. This is the final track on his latest album, Walking which has been out just under a month.
As I alluded to yesterday, I am heading out, and so I leave you with a shuffle and a related Video Playlist (with the songs or other songs by the same artist if the exact song could not be found on You Tube)…. Enjoy…. see you next week!
I am ridiculously short on time, and I will be out of town the next two days so no shuffles until Thursday. I am going to be quick, but if you have more time than I do, please give these great songs the attention they deserve. I found videos for most of the songs. The only one I didn’t find was the Mothers song, and I will put a link to their bandcamp page so you can listen and/or buy.
UPDATE:7:05pm CST – I actually ran out of time to get this posted earlier. As I said, I will be off of blogging for a couple of days, but I’m sure you can keep yourselves entertained.
!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”); “The Weight of Changing Everything” by Tim Easton
One of East Nashville’s finest and true road warrior.
“My Ride’s Here” by Warren Zevon
The last song on Warren Zevon’s “meditation on death”.
“My Place” by Young Buffalo
A great song from an Oxford, MS band.
“Apartment King” by Mothers
A great band from the Mama Coco’s camp in New York. Alex contacted me recently, so I included his MCFK Testimonial since I couldn’t find a video of this song. Here’s the link to the album Panamanian Times.
“Paradise” by Joe Nolan
A bonus track from the remastered version of Blue Turns Black.
“Mark on the Bus” by The Beastie Boys
Another from the short song mixtape. Off of Check Your Head.
“The Madrean” by Whale Fall
Fresh from the Inbox. I haven’t had time to process this amazing music, but I will have more to say. The title track from the 2014 album.
“Second Guessing” by R.E.M.
A classic from Reckoning.
“No Surprise There” by Floating Action
From a New West Sampler out on Noisetrade. Floating Action are from Black Mountain, NC.
“Killer” by Jeremy Gluck/Robert Coyne
Another…ehem… killer track from the album Memory Deluxe: I Knew Buffalo Bill 2
“The Loneliest Man in the World” by The Tourists
Another slice of pure pop heaven from 1979…
“Overpass LA” by Whale Fall
Another track from the Whale Fall album The Mandrean. This is some amazing music.
“What I Have Not Got” by Tim Lee 3
The opening track from Raucous Americanus performed live and loud by Tim Lee 3. Bonus trivia: I just noticed that Tim Lee co-produced Gawk by Will and the Bushmen which was one of my favorite albums when I was in college.
No work today due to President’s Day. Didn’t leave home today due to Nashville Ice Storm 2015. Got bored this evening due to cabin fever, and so I’m doing a rare evening shuffle for you and for me…
“Blue Rondo a la Turk” by The Dave Brubeck Quartet
I hit shuffle, and I don’t know what will come up. When Jazz comes up, I am happy. Dave Brubeck Quartet from Time Out – 1959.
“Walkin’ With the King” by Joe Nolan
Joe Nolan back in the shuffle. I really dig this song. The video is from his appearance at the East Side Invasion at Bobby’s Idle Hour a couple of weeks back. I was there. From his EP called King.
“Crazy” by Georgia Satellites
Old school Georgia Satellites. Released on In the Land of Salvation and Sin.
“Old Vinyl and Innocence” by Two Mule Blues
Really love this song. The video is from Couch by Couchwest 2014. Couch by Couchwest 2015 will be here sooner than you know. Get cracking.
“Circle Unit Document” by The Transcendents
People send me music. I hope I never get too blase and cynical about that. People from New Zealand send me really cool music. So, I write about it. Check out this band. Their self-titled album is available on Bandcamp.
“Old South” by Neighborhood Texture Jam
Memphis Tennessee in the late 80s was a pretty weird place. I speak from experience. Well, it was weird for me, but there was some cool music happening. Like Neighborhood Texture Jam. Off of Funeral Mountain.
“This Ol’ World” by Young America
I’ve gotten to know the two of the members of Young America who are currently residing in Nashville. Taylor and Drew are great songwriters in their own right, and I really love it when they sing together. This is the first single from the forthcoming Young America album.
“Everything Has Proven to be Futile” by The Transcendents
Another from The Transcendents self-titled album.
“Roll Me Up and Smoke Me When I Die” by Willie Nelson et. al.
Willie Nelson, Kris Kristofferson, Jamey Johnson, and Snoop Dogg. What?
“American Haikus” by Jack Kerouac
Close things out with Kerouac, Al Cohn, and Zoot Sims and ten minutes of American Haikus and Jack cracking himself up on a couple of occasions.
I have a three day weekend coming up, and so I am ready to blow this week out of the water. We have an awesome shuffle today. If you receive the No Depression e-mail newsletter, my work covering shows at 3rd and Lindsley gets a mention in the Notes from ND section. I am extremely grateful for this opportunity and to all of you who have encouraged me throughout this journey. If you don’t subscribe to the No Depression E-mail or don’t have time to search through your inbox to find it, you can check it out here…
“Bother Me” by The Bell Hours
The second tune we’ve had from Denver band The Bell Hours. Their album is called Easy Weather. Check them out.
“Planet Claire” by B-52s
Planet Claire was the second single from The B-52s self-titled debut album (1979). The B-52s were part of the wave of bands that helped solidify Athens, GA’s place as a great music town.
“Forgotten Years” by Midnight Oil
Ignoring the uncomfortable truths of the past is not a viable option. From Blue Sky Mining (1990).
“Camp Pendleton” by Camper Van Beethoven
From the latest album (El Camino Real) by the legendary alternative rock band lead by David Lowery. The thing I love about this song is that it manages to sound fresh and current while staying true to CBV’s classic sound. Not an easy thing to do.
“Greetings from Nashville” by Jason and the Scorchers
A summation of Nashville in the 80s and hell probably still a pretty accurate look at Nashville today. “Somewhere Hank and Lefty are rolling in their graves…”
“The Riddle Song” by Forest Mountain Hymnal
It’s nice to have Forest Mountain Hymnal back in the shuffle. This Nashville couple always offer amazing traditional folk music – sometimes pretty, sometimes spooky… This song is the first from a project of music based upon the Ballad Book of John Jacob Niles. You can read more about the project called Dear Balladeer here. The first song is one of the better known songs they will record and has been recorded many times. This is a very lovely folk song.
“Emily” by Joe Nolan
Another cool song from my friend Joe Nolan from his forthcoming remastered version of Blue Turns Black.
“The Man I Was Before” by Christian Lopez Band
West Virginia’s Christian Lopez has garnered quite a bit of attention as of late including this song from his 2014 EP Pilot which appeared on the Noisetrade compilation The Best of What’s Next 2015. I realty dig this song.
“Nothing Comes Close” by Bill Lloyd
We close things out with another great song from Bill Lloyd’s classic album Feeling the Elephant. The video I found (included in the video playlist below) makes me remember his awesome band The December Boys and makes me nostalgic for the late, great Nashville street festival Summer Lights which brought people downtown at a time when people didn’t really want to come downtown except for work. The festival also always offered an amazing lineup of local and national artists.
We have a diverse group of songs today… and several artists making their first ever appearance in the E2TG shuffle… which means I have to do some quick research to know what to say….
“All My Love” by Joe Nolan
Hats off to my second favorite Joe for writing a song and giving it the same title as a Beatles’ classic. Helps that it is a really good song. Second favorite Joe is obviously a joke. All the Joes I know are tied for second favorite except for one. And I know who I am. From the forthcoming remastered version of Blue Turns Black.
“Notte Insonne” by Ben Arthur
The penultimate song from Ben Arthur’s If You Look for my Heart. Having explored an insane number of musical styles on the record, he ups the ante by singing a song in Italian. When he is not making insanely good records of his own, Ben Arthur is co-writing songs in the road between Nashville and Memphis.
“I’m Not Ready (Hotel Lobby Version)” by CHAPPO
New York band CHAPPO come back into the shuffle with a song from a recent Noisetrade release. This is the Hotel Lobby Version of I’m Not Ready from the EP Celebrate. Not to be confused with the Father John Misty song Chateau Lobby… not that you were going to be confused until I confused the issue.
“We Will Fall Hard” by Jeremy Gluck/Robert Coyne
Another great track from Memory Deluxe: I Knew Buffalo Bill 2. There is an awesome video to accompany this song. Check it out in the VIDEO PLAYLIST BELOW.
“Baby Let Me Lay on You” by Etta Baker
The late Etta Baker was a Piedmont Blues singer/guitarist from North Carolina. This is from another Noisetrade compilation put out by the Music Maker Relief Foundation.
“Impossible Request (Alternate Version)” by Clap Your Hands Say Yeah
The last song on the latest album (Only Run) by the Philly based Indie band.
“Manman Mwen”!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”); by Leyla McCalla
Another from the Music Makers compilation. Leyla McCalla is a New Orleans based cellist and singer, who has played with Carolina Chocolate Drops. This song is from here 2014 album Vari-Colored Songs, and is based upon a Langston Hughes poem.
“Julia” by Science!
Seattle based Science! make there way back into the shuffle with another song I came from Noisetrade. From the album Alcoves and Alleyways.
“Handsome” by The Vaccines
The Vaccines are an English Indie rock band. Handsome is the first single from their forthcoming album which will be called English Graffiti.
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.
I’m kind of running on fumes on this Thursday morning, so I am going to try another three word Thursday and see if I can get out and get some caffeine to help get me through the afternoon.
“All This Time” by Telepathic Teddy Bear
Indie Pop Heaven
“Swordfish” by The Dead Milkmen
Joanie Love Crotchy
“The Lonesome Death of Hattie Carroll” by Bob Dylan
Rolling Thunder Version
“Dream in the Doorway” by Joe Nolan
Mighty Dreamy Joe
“Games” by Minutemen
Post Punk Games
“Johnny and Mary” by Todd Terje featuring Bryan Ferry
I am honestly at loss for what to write about in this introduction. I am scheduled to see a bunch a good music including taking in my first 3rd and Lindsley show for No Depression. At the rate things are going, I may not even make it to East Nashville until Friday – which is highly unusual.
Today’s shuffle is a pretty balanced mix of current (or at least recent) music along with some of my all-time favorites…. Let us see what is in store….
“Honey Honey” by Hugh Mitchell
This is the second track we’ve featured by Hugh Mitchell who is currently hanging around Nashville. I had the great pleasure of talking to him some this weekend and here’s hoping for some new music from him soon. I absolutely love this song. It is so well-crafted and man that hook!
“Monsters of the World Unite!” by Homer and Jethro
Country Music Hall of Fame duo Homer and Jethro sing about all of the misunderstood monsters of the the movies…. with the chorus of “Gory, Gory Alleleuia” Perfectly awesome!
“Shut In” by Strand of Oaks
Timothy Showalter aka Strand of Oaks with a track from his latest album HEAL.
“And a Bang on the Ear” by The Waterboys
This song does not advocate violence. A “bang on the ear” is similar to a “peck on the cheek”. An exuberant song about falling in love.
“Got My Mind Set On You” by George Harrison
From the last George Harrison solo album released in his lifetime (Cloud Nine). This was considered a comeback of sorts or at least a triumphant return. And this song…
“The First to Know” by Joe Nolan
Joe Nolan was the featured artist at this past Sunday’s East Side Invasion, and it was so good to hear him play several of his great songs. This song is from the remastered version of his album Blue Turns Black which is scheduled for release soon.
“Bad Self Portraits” by Lake Street Dive
This is the title track from the latest album by Boston’s Lake Street Dive. I really like this song.
“Slow Burn” by Telepathic Teddy Bear
I am always glad to hear new music from Telepathic Teddy Bear – who besides having the best name ever also makes great electronic pop music. This is from his new album Forgiveness.
“This Land is Your Land” by The Waterboys
Another one from Fisherman’s Blues. This is a modified version of the Woody Guthrie folk standard that was a response to “God Bless America”.
“Another Moon” by Meat Puppets
We close things out with another song from the amazing Forbidden Places album.
E2TG: MUSIC/WORDS 