Thursday Morning Music Shuffle – Lost in the Stars Mix

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So…  yeah…. it was almost 80 yesterday in Nashville – on November 4. Don’t worry, though, we are sure to have freeze in the near future.  That is autumn in Nashville. I’m not sure if it is the volatile weather or allergies or what, but I have really not felt all that great this week.  But, life goes on, and so do the Ear to the Ground Morning Music Shuffles…. 

“28 Cents” by Broken Guru

I have been digging on Bent Up Halo from New York Alt. Rock band Broken Guru for a while now.  I think this is the penultimate song for us from that album.

“That Ain’t Love” (Live at Eastside Manor) by David Ramirez

Austin Texas singer/songwriter released his latest album, Fables, a couple of months ago.  This is a live version of a song from that album which was recorded live at the wonderful Eastside Manor Studios in East Nashville.

“King of You” by Wilco

Another track from the recent Wilco album that has everyone wondering, “Where’s Luke?”…. #goofystarwarsjoke  hashtag #whydidIuseahashtag

“Beating of Your Heart” by The Silent War

The Silent War is a collaboration between Garrison Starr and AG (Adrianne Gonzalez of The Rescues).   Expect their debut album soon.  This track came from a Noisetrade sampler called Introducing The Silent War. 

“Bertha” (Live) by Grateful Dead

So, I have a few guiding principles in writing Ear to the Ground.  First and always foremost on my mind is being open to new music.  I also try to keep an open mind and allow my pre-conceived notions to be challenged.  Here is where I am going with that: musical interests and tastes form over time… for me, it has involved following certain rabbit holes and roots and branches of music.  The flipside of that means that some branches, I just have never followed. Many reasons for that… what my friends were into when I was younger, maybe some personal biases against the idea of something… what I am trying to say, is that for the most part, the Grateful Dead have been an underexplored branch of music for me.  For me having an open mind means being open to the voices of the universe and lately the universe has been dropping Grateful Dead references into my life – mainly via people who’s music I really love referencing or covering the Dead.  A long way to say, I grabbed this live version of Bertha (which  I saw Los Lobos cover during Americana Fest) which is from a Live recording from San Francisco in 1972. 

 “Big Hit” by Violentures

The Violentures are a Surf Garage Punk band from Brazil. Kind of if The Ventures had been influenced by Punk and Garage Rock music.  From that Continental Magazine CD, I have been spinning of late.

“Night” by Bruce Springsteen

2015 marks the 40th anniversary of the release of Bruce Springsteen’s seminal album, Born to Run.  I think Born to Run is a near perfect Rock and Roll album.  It’s big and bombastic and bold and also poetic.  “Night” is not my favorite song on the album, but there are not any songs on the record that I do not love.

“Sending Me Angels” by D.L. Duncan

D.L. Duncan plays straight ahead, no frills Blues music.  That is meant as a compliment.  To me that means, a smooth, well-played, well-produced album that places the listener deep into a groove and then keeps them company.

His new self-titled CD was released in August.  The album was recorded in Nashville and in Lafayette, Louisiana. This song is one of only two on the album not written or co-written by Duncan.  The song was written by Frankie Miller and Jerry Lynn Williams and has been recorded by a number of artists including Delbert McClinton who is part of Duncan’s band on the album.  The album also features contributions from Guthrie Trapp and The McCrary Sisters. 

“Little Details” by Brock Zeman

Our last track from Brock Zeman’s album, Pulling Your Sword Out of the Devil’s Back.  Nashville, you have two chances to catch Zeman and Blair Hogan next week.  First Monday, they will be playing the early show at The Family Wash along with Darrin Bradbury who will be playing with Megan Palmer.   Then on Tuesday, Zeman and Hogan will be at The Five Spot for Derek Hoke’s $2 Tuesday.  Check him out!

“Should’ve Known Better” by Low Society

Facebook just told me that I have been friends with Sturgis Nikides for one year today.  In a moment of good time, the shuffle brings up a song from his band, Low Society from Memphis.  From the album, You Can’t Keep a Good Woman Down… some down and dirty Blues…

VIDEO PLAYLIST

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Wednesday Morning Music Shuffle – Blues in King Mix

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As June turns into July…  another cool night of music in East Nashville – this time at The Building.  Ariel Bui, Emma Berkey, Todd Henkin (all local) and Alexandra Scott from New Orleans did a outstanding round, Dylan Lee Johnston did a short set, and #E2TG Artist of the Year Darrin Bradbury closed out the evening. 

Speaking of Bradbury, my show alert of the week is for Thursday night at The 5 Spot. Darrin will be opening for Austin Lucas starting around 9:00.  Should be a fine night, and I am off work Friday so….

I got to take in a couple of shows last week and talk some to Julie Christensen, and I wanted to send out a reminder/alert to her Pre-Order campaign for her new album with her incredible band Stone Cupid.  Here is the link.  You can Pre-Order the album and there are some fine options for merchandise and exclusives. Julie has a long, rich history with many of the best artists of the modern era, and I had the great pleasure to see her and her band play an amazing set at one of the final nights of the original Family Wash.  If you are in Nashville, her next band show is coming up at the end of this month, and I will have more details later.

Now to our first shuffle of this new month…

“Half Awake” by Broken Guru

The first of two Broken Guru songs in the shuffle today.  A vibrant rocking start for the day, but I can’t help feel that the title was mocking me as I groggily hit the shuffle button to begin my commute.

“Jack of All Trades” by Soul Asylum

From Hang Time.  And yes, this one always has and always does make me feel like moshing around in a crowd in front a stage.

“Tche Belew” by Hailu Mergia and Low Mentality

Another from the World Café Sessions.  Hailu Mergia is an Ethiopian keyboardist who was member of the legendary Walias Band.  Here is teams up with Low Mentality to do a updated version of the title track of Walias Band’s 1977 album.

“Blues in King” by Marshall Crenshaw

So for a moment this morning, as I was driving over the Victory Memorial Bridge in downtown Nashville, I was suddenly transported back nearly 30 years.  As I have mentioned, Marshall Crenshaw’s Downtown was released during my early college career, and I have very specific memories of driving across town on a warm evening listening to the album with the windows down on my car.

“Ghost” by Broken Guru

Our second track of the day from New York Alternative band, Broken Guru.

“El Diablo” by Low Society

Boasting powerhouse vocals and killer guitar work grounded by an excellent rhythm section… From Memphis, a town that knows a little something about the Blues… Low Society are the real deal. From their album, You Can’t Keep a Good Woman Down…  singing out those devil blues…

“Rain” by Ben Arthur

Another track from his upcoming album, Call and Response.  “Rain” is a good reminder of one of the things that sets Ben Arthur’s music apart for me.  His commitment to the craft of songwriting is evident in his work with Songcraft Presents,  Plus he has a great rich and resonate voice.

“Still Remains” by Dead in 5

Detroit rockers – Dead in 5 always inject some energy and attitude into the shuffle whenever one of their songs come up.  “Still Remains” has all of the hallmarks of a great rock song.  It is relentless, has a great hook, and man, does it rock hard.

“She Loves Love” by Michael Sackler-Berner

It’s a happy coincidence that a Michael Sackler-Berner song and a Marshall Crenshaw song appear in the same shuffle.  Crenshaw has been worked with Sackler-Berner on some of his recent songs, and he is also an excellent standard bearer fron the kind of intelligent Pop songs that Crenshaw has been making for years, and which is in short supply these days.

VIDEO PLAYLIST

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