Wednesday Morning Music Shuffle – Just Fine Mix

!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”);

Be sure to “Like” Ear to the Ground on Facebook!

I don’t have a whole lot to say today… let’s jump into the shuffle…

“Grizzly Adams” by Roberto and The Tickety 2

Okay, I love this!  I am not sure when I added this to my playlist, but if you aren’t aware, the Dan Haggerty who played Grizzly Adams in the 1970s television series passed away last month.  This song is not really about that, it is a hilarious stab at (mostly) young guys who try to look like Grizzly Adams to “hide their weak chins”.  Roberto Cassani was born in Italy but now lives in Scotland.   I have to find out more about this…

“I Fell Asleep” by exedra

Another track from Elemental – the new album/new project from Jeremy Gluck. The album was released on Monday, February 1.  It’s ethereal, dreamy and oh so cool. Check it out.

“Skeleton” by Elf Power

Elf Power are from Athens, Georgia and part of the Elephant 6 collective. This song is from their 4th album The Winter is Coming which was released in 2000.  Elephant 6 is a big influence on several of the Dord Music Group artists, and I am pretty sure it was one of those guys who put this is my mind.

“Running Back Home” by Michelle Lewis

Another pretty song from the Live at Club Passim EP from singer-songwriter Michelle Lewis.

“Summertime” by Ships Have Sailed

Ships That Sail are an L.A. Alternative duo. The recently released their debut album Moodswings.  This is my first listen.  It is a shimmering song.  I was just reading that the album is tells a story from beginning to end. I will need to listen again with that in mind.  Good song.

“Just Fine” by Benchmarks

Benchmarks have been working on their follow-up to American Night and doing some short tours.  I am excited to hear the new music.  This is the final track we have from their debut (as Benchmarks).  Look for a solo Todd Farrell performance of this song in the Video playlist.  Also, Benchmarks guitarist Eli Rhodes celebrated a birthday on Monday.  And yeah, if anybody is wondering, I’m just fine.

“Words Are Cheap” by Leapfrogtown

Man, I really dig this song.  So far I’ve liked everything I’ve heard from Dreaming in Public.  The band formed in London in 2013.  Catchy as hell!

“A Better Day Tomorrow” by Le Folli Arie

A gorgeous song from the Italian prog-pop band. One of the English language songs on their self-titled album.

“Alex” by Bay Kee

Bay Kee is the solo project of Christine Spilka of The Jean Jackets (one of the MCFK bands we have featured here before).  Wonder Wild was released in mid January. This is crystal clear poppy indie rock music.  Really liking what I’ve heard so far.

“I Am” by Outta the Furnace

We close things out with a our first listen to this hard hitting three-piece blues rock band from southeast Virginia. This is no frills, straight ahead rock and roll with a authentic blues feel.  Expect to hear more from this band here.

window.amznpubstudioTag = “eartothegro00-20”; http://ps-us.amazon-adsystem.com/domains/eartothegro00-20_3dcd3a52-1a1a-4afe-a2fd-aaba8e251afc.js

VIDEO PLAYLIST

Wednesday Morning Music Shuffle – Life’s Revolving Door Mix

!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”); Be sure to “Like” Ear to the Ground on Facebook!

Thinking today about those pivot moments in life, when trajectories get changed…

I have been reading a book called Outlaw about Waylon, Willie, and Kris that is a lot about Nashville in the 60s and early 70s… Much about the “establishment” and the creative forces that bucked the system to carve their own path – or to follow a path blazed by Johnny Cash and Bob Dylan. It has me thinking a lot about Nashville in 2016….

Tonight is promising to be another of those nights… first off, it is the final night of Jason Ringenberg’s residency at The 5 Spot with tonight’s guests Kristi Rose and Fats Kaplin.  After that, The Family Wash is hosting a tribute to the late great J.J. Cale that has a cast of performers that is pretty amazing.

Shuffle time….

“Technocracy” by Zaibatsu

Some crunching, industrial-like sounds from Zero – the latest album by this Italian progressive rock band. 

“Col. Ratvurst Causes An Eclipse by Accident” by Balu and de Surfgrammeln

Keeping things European with another track from Los Chicharrones del Surf – the latest record by this Austrian surf rock band.

“Ruler of my Heart” by Luella

Luella (formerly of Luella and the Sun) doing her version of a song by the late great Allen Toussaint. This song is from a homemade sampler CD.  For more information check out Luella’s Facebook Page or you can come out to The 5 Spot any given Friday for Tim Carroll Rock ‘n’ Roll Happy Hour and hear Luella do great songs like this and maybe pick up your own copy of this CD.  The video was (I think) done by Earie award winning Paul Zografi.

“At Once” by Beirut

A track from No No No – the bands fifth and latest album which was released in September 2015.  It was their first album since 2011.

“Eye For An Eye” by Ben Lowry

Our second listen to Somnium from Bang Ok Bang front-man, Ben Lowry.  I really like the sound here, and as with the music I have heard from Bang Ok Bang – the songs are strong.

“Running Away from Me” by Sara Syms

Keeping it local, we have another song from Sara Syms’ most recently album, Way Back Home.  This is one of my favorite tracks on the album. 


“Space Song” by Beach House

Now, a track from dream pop duo, Beach house from their fifth studio album, Depression Cherry which was released in August of 2015. The band have already released their sixth album, Thank Your Lucky Stars, which was released just two months after this one.

“Run Run Run” by Michelle Lewis

This is not a cover of the Velvet Underground song, but it is an really lovely song by Boston-based singer songwriter Michelle Lewis which I got on a live album called, Live at Club Passim.

VIDEO PLAYLIST

window.amznpubstudioTag = “eartothegro00-20”;       http://ps-us.amazon-adsystem.com/domains/eartothegro00-20_3dcd3a52-1a1a-4afe-a2fd-aaba8e251afc.js   

Tuesday Morning Music Shuffle – Muscle and Blood Mix

!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”);
Be sure to “Like” Ear to the Ground on Facebook!

The unique and wonderful space known as The Building will be closing soon.  Over the years, it has provided a home for many of East Nashville’s finest songwriters and creative people. Right now, a series of “farewell” shows are happening there.  To judge by last night’s Open Road Monday, this is not a wake but a celebration of all that has happened in the years that The Building has been opened.

A large crowd gathered for featured acts Darrin Bradbury (with Megan Palmer) and Daniel Lawrence Walker and his band.  I stuck around for the open mic and saw a couple of guys whose names I did not catch, Yosi Mesbah, Dave Pahanish, and Tom Schreck.  It was a great night of some of the best of what Nashville does. 

The Building will be missed, and I hope other places open up to fill the void that will be left when it closes.

On to the shuffle:

“Sorry I Forgot to Write” by Michelle Lewis

Okay. I cannot remember who or how I was lead to Michelle Lewis and her latest release, the EP Live at Club Passim. I am awfully glad I was, though. This some pretty awesome folk music.  My first listen – we will be featuring the rest of the EP, and maybe I will figure out who turned me on to this.

“Happy Hour” by Sunny Sweeney

Sunny Sweeney is an Austin based Country singer.  This is another track from the excellent album: Cold and Bitter Tears: The Songs of Ted Hawkins.  The video playlist includes a different song by Sunny Sweeney as well as Ted Hawkins’ version of this song.  The album is out now and worth your attention.

“Penn’s Woods” by Jeremiah Tall

It seems like it has been a long time since we had a song from Jeremiah Tall’s Waking record in the shuffle.  We actually still have two more tracks after this one.  I am still enamored with the album and it was great be able to feature it again.

“Crash and Burn” by Carolina Story

From the EP Chapter Two by the Nashville-based alt-folk duo.  Chapter One and Chapter Two were released as a single download by Noisetrade earlier this year.

“Gimme the Car” by Violent Femmes

This song was a CD bonus track on the self-titled debut album by the Milwaukee post-punk band.  The song encapsulates the album’s theme of extreme teenage angst and yearning. 

“Good Feeling” by Violent Femmes

Originally the final song on Violent Femmes.  This slow – almost nostalgic – song stands in contrast to some of the band’s harsher songs. It captures a different (but still valid) side of teenage existence. It is the perfect ending to one of the best albums of its time.

“Sixteen Tons” by Tennessee Ernie Ford

The classic version of the song attributed to Merle Travis.  Tennessee Ernie Ford reached number one with his version in 1955.  The song was first recorded nearly a decade earlier.  This nearly seventy year old song still sounds fresh.

“Nail Driver” by Dirty Basement Blues

We close out this Tuesday shuffle with a hard rockin’ Blues band from Michigan who found me on Facebook. Really digging their music a bunch.

VIDEO PLAYLIST


window.amznpubstudioTag = “eartothegro00-20”; http://ps-us.amazon-adsystem.com/domains/eartothegro00-20_3dcd3a52-1a1a-4afe-a2fd-aaba8e251afc.js