Category: Madi Diaz

Monday Morning Music Shuffle – Handle With Care Mix

Monday.  And we have another shuffle that demonstrates many of  the best qualities of what makes our daily shuffles so special (and they are special….) – we have a collection of excellent songs – a few mini-almost-themes running through some of the songs, a fairly diverse collection of styles but nothing terribly extreme (by our standards).  Let’s do it!

“Ghost Limb” by Emily Wolfe from Roulette

Emily Wolfe from Austin starts us off with the dreamy opening track off of their Roulette EP which was released just over a month ago. 

“Man I Am” by Goodbye June from Deer Head Music Presents: Indie Mixtape Nashville/ Nor the Wild Music Flows

The bluesier, rockinger side of Nashville Indie music, and another fine track from the Deer Head Music Presents mixtape. I really dig this song, and I want to hear more from this band.

“Savannah Almost Killed Me” by American Aquarium from Burn.Flicker.Die.

My internet friend and CXCW legend Josie Little has a birthday today (so Happy Birthday Josie).  This song goes out to her because she posted about seeing these guys this weekend, and my shuffle function was kind enough to include this song in the mix today.  American Aquarium ya’ll… just… American Aquarium!

“Shabbaditty” by Shabbadoo from Pajama

A little ditty by Shabbadoo… appropriately named…

“You’re So Small” by Lael Summer from Burden to Bear

Lael Summer doesn’t pull any punches.  I wish I had a voice like hers when I need to tell people off… I think I’ll just play this song and let them figure out what I’m trying to say.

“Medley: Johnny One Note/One Note Samba” by Barbra Streisand from Barbra Streisand… And Other Musical Instruments

Babs just needs one note.  Let’s Samba!

“Stay Together” (Acoustic) by Madi Diaz from Stripped Chopped + Screwed/ originally from Phantom

A mini-theme of three great female vocalists in a row.  A powerful stripped down version of a song from her most recent album.  Madi Diaz used to live in Nashville.

“Traveling Wilburys” by Heath McNease from Fort Wayne (songs inspired by the film)

Heath McNease sings about the late 80s supergroup that featured Tom Petty, Roy Orbison, Bob Dylan, Jeff Lynne, and George Harrison. Whoever they are… Any way, I dig this song, and I took advantage to include the Traveling Wilbury’s song (which gives its name to today’s mix and which is mentioned in the Heath McNease song) in the Video Playlist today.  Handle with Care…

“You’re My Little Mellowcreme Pumpkin” by The Radicals from Halloween Rhymes and Children’s Crimes!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”);

It is now 10 days past Halloween, but I know you still have some of the extra candy hanging around somewhere.  Here is a sweet number about murder and mayhem from the Massachusetts punk rockers, The Radicals.

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Tuesday Morning Music Shuffle – Don’t Think Twice Mix

I’m kind of wiped out today – so no precursor – let’s get right to the shuffle:

“The Other Side” (acoustic) by Madi Diaz from Stripped Chopped + Screwed/The Other Side

Former Nashville resident Madi Diaz tearing it up with a stripped down version of her single.

“The Shower Scene” by HOMESHAKE from In the Shower

Homeshake is the pseudonym of Peter Sager – a Canadian musician.  I grabbed this from the New Release lineup on Freegal.  Some pretty cool lo-fi jazzy, rhythm and blues – with ambient shower sounds…

“Mayday” by Pujol from Pujol Sampler/Nasty, Brutal, and Short EP

Nashville’s own – Daniel Pujol with a rocking tune from his 2011 EP.

“Sign O’ The Times” by Prince from Sign O’ The Times

The title track from Prince’s 1987 album.  I picked this up at the thrift store the same day I bought the Abigail Washburn and Minton Sparks CDs. Seemed like a good fit to me.

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As I understand it, Kimono Dragons are kind of a Built4BBQ super-group that specializes in instrumental surf music.  I can dig it.

“Bleed Me” by Miss Shevaughn and Yuma Wray from Lean into the Wind

Ear to the Ground favorites Miss Shevaughn and Yuma Wray were featured on the NPR show Sound Opinion as a “Buried Treasure”.  Regular and attentive readers of this blog will have unburied this particular treasure a good while back.  This is the last song in our playlist from their incredible album Lean into the Wind, and this track features the fabulous keyboard work of the late Ikey Owens (Free Moral Agents, Mars Volta, Jack White) who tragically and sadly passed away last week. 

“Don’t Think Twice, It’s Alright” (Bob Dylan cover) by Flatt and Scruggs from Changin’ Times

At Ear to the Ground, we have no problem bringing you bluegrass versions of Bob Dylan songs – especially when they are done by the legendary Flatt and Scruggs.

“Missionary Son” by Emily Wolfe from Roulette

And we close things out with an excellent track from Austin-based Emily Wolfe.  We grabbed this one of NoiseTrade, and we will have more to come from Emily Wolfe.

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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!

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Friday Morning Music Shuffle – Number Three Mix

One of the best side-effects of writing this blog (and certainly not one I expected or intended) has been the incredible people I have met.  Honestly, that is one of the main reasons, I have kept this up for three years.  One of the very first people I “met” way back in the early stages of Ear to the Ground was Howard Rabach.  Last night, I was fortunate enough to meet him in person and have an enjoyable dinner. Tonight, I get to see him again – playing bass for The Grey A for their CD Release Show at The Stone Fox.

Shuffle – let’s go!

Today, I found videos of the actual artists and songs for all but one of the songs in the shuffle…

“What a Way to Go” by Tim Carroll from Opening Up/The Devil is a Busy Man

Tim Carroll is about release a new album which should be awesome.  In the meantime, dig on this!

“When it Was Wrong” (Live) by The California Honeydrops from Honeydrops Live/Spreadin’ Honey

The California Honeydrops’ music just makes me feel good all over.

“Inside Job” by Little Village from Little Village

The hits keep coming from Hiatt, Cooder, Keltner, and Lowe

“Pictures” (acoustic) by Madi Diaz from Stripped Chopped + Screwed

A pretty song from the talented Ms. Diaz.

“In a Cold World” by Toot Sweet from Mama Coco’s Funky Kitchen: Section 5/American Hymn

Talk about a rich well of talent!  It seems like we’ve already featured like 100 songs from the latest Mama Coco’s sampler, and they are all good.  I really like this one, and I’m going to check out more music from Toot Sweet!

“A New Life” by Jim James from Regions of Light and Sound of God

I don’t care if you call him Jim James or Yim Yames. I don’t care if he is fronting My Morning Jacket, jamming with the all-star Monsters of Folk, or like here on his own – Jim James rarely misses the mark as far as I am concerned.

“Number Three” (Live) by They Might Be Giants from First Album Live

I think anyone who writes (music or words) has experienced (at least temporarily) the feeling that you’ve used up all of your ideas.  This song has always been a favorite of mine by TMBG.

“Ever Start to Wonder” by The Dirty Guv’nahs from Hearts on Fire

This is from The Dirty Guv’nahs’ most recently album. They are from Knoxville, Tennessee, and they groove like you won’t even believe.

“Vagabon Special” by an All-Star Cajun Band from Evangeline Made: a tribute to Cajun Music

This is the instrumental first track from the Evangeline Made album featuring an All-Star band of Cajun musicians that includes the legendary Michael Doucet. I could not find a video of this song, but the song was written by Marc Savoy, and I found a video of The Savoy Family playing and people dancing.

“It Didn’t Matter” by The Style Council from The Singular Adventures of the Style Council/The Cost of Loving

And we close out the day and the week !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”);of shuffles with another song from the impressive Style Council catalogue.

 
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