Monday Morning Music Shuffle – Stupid Boy Mix

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

There is a phenomenon that I like to call the Nashville Dilemma or the Nashville Conundrum depending on my mood… It is basically this, a friend or hero or hero/friend or friend/hero announces a show.  You readily and enthusiastically indicate on Facebook that you are either Going or Interested… meanwhile, others of the same category(ies) also announce shows and you again readily and enthusiastically Join the event.  Then, the day or week of the event arrives and you check your calendar and realize that two or more of the aforementioned events coincide with one another, and you have to use some complex algorithm of friendship, location, cost, in-town show frequency, etc. to decide which show you are going to see.  And so, you decide and you have a blast and it’s a great show – like you knew it would be and then you see pictures from the show(s) you elected not to attend, and there are surprise special guests and puppies and stuff, and you rework you algorithm for next time and the process repeats.  It’s really a nice problem to have….

“You’re a Star” by Tim Carroll

One of the best things about the last eight months or so for me, has been having the opportunity to see Tim Carroll play music at least  twice a week almost every week.  If you can stand the smoke, I recommend visiting Fran’s Eastside just about every Wednesday from 8:30 until… or if you can’t handle the smoke, I recommend heading to The 5 Spot just about every Friday from 6-8:30.  With Tim Carroll, the music and the great songs do not stop.  This song is from his latest album, Pure As Coal which you can get now.

“Boiling” by Minutemen

If the fact that I am a huge Minutemen fan has not come across, then I promise to try harder.  Lately, I have been featuring songs from the CD Post Mersh Vol. 1 which includes the albums, The Punch Line (from which this song is taken) and What Makes a Man Start Fires?   I am a huge Minutemen fan, by the way.

“American Standard” by Folk Family Revival

From their very recently released album, Water Walker….  I really dig this song.

“Brushed the Dust Off (Lean into the Wind)” by Miss Shevaughn and Yuma Wray

It was just over a year ago, that fate and scheduling and whatever conspired so that Miss Shevaughn and Yuma Wray happened to be playing at The Basement in Nashville on the same day that their album, Lean into the Wind was released. It was a great night, and Miss Shevaughn and Yuma Wray (and Ben Tufts and Derek Evry) sounded amazing.  They are hard and work on their next record, but in remembrance of that show from last March, we have the song from which the album title was derived.

“Handbags and Gladrags” by Rod Stewart

The song was written by Mike D’Abo – at the time he was the lead singer of Manfred Mann.   

“Stupid Boy” by Gear Daddies

Along with “Sonic Boom” this is probably the song on Billy’s Live Bait with which I most closely relate.  The Gear Daddies are playing a three night stand of 25th Anniversary shows at 1st Avenue in Minneapolis.  This album still sound fresh to me today.

“Postcard” by Jukebox the Ghost

Washington D.C. based Indie band… I grabbed this song from a Noisetrade SXSW sampler put out last month. It’s from the eponymously titled album which was released last week.

“It Could Happen Here” by Beat Rodeo

from Home in the Heart of the Beat… Beat Rodeo were on IRS Records. One of those songs from my younger days which takes me back…

“Baby Caught Fire” by Tim Lee 3

A great song from the latest TL3 album, 33 1/3… it’s about spontaneous human combustion.  This Knoxville band is one of my favorites. 

“King Bee” by Captain Luke and Cool John Ferguson

Another track from the Music Maker Relief Foundation sampler released on Noisetrade.  Some awesome old school, “real” blues… The most recent information I’ve seen via the folks at Music Maker is that Captain Luke is under hospice care. So I’d to send this out to Captain Luke and all who know and care about him.  Again, I am so grateful to the Music Maker folks for all that they do to bring this music into the light and assuring it stays there, and to support the people who make the music.

VIDEO PLAYLIST

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E2TG Dustin’ off Cobwebs…. Part I

Ug.. it’s been a month or more since I posted… due to circumstances yada yada…

I hope to be back up to full speed ahead soon, but I need to dust off the cobwebs to share some things – some long overdue. 

First of all – time is getting short (and I’m talking you bands and artists):  CXCW ’14 runs March 9-15, 2014 – location to be determined by you.  There is still time to submit you video – check out the details here:  Couch by Couchwest 2014



Jump —-

First:

On February 14, still relatively new Nashvillian, Darrin Bradbury released his full length – True Love.  Previously, I’ve called Darrin the best pure songwriter I’ve heard in a long, long time. True Love solidifies that claim, and if I must say, makes me look damn prophetic.   Give it a listen, download, and name a good price.

 
If that wasn’t enough, just five days after the release of True Love, the prolific Mr. Bradbury released a live album produced by Spader Music.
 

Next up, I have a big congratulations to send out to E2TG favorites Miss. Shevaughn and Yuma Wray who officially became Mr. and Mrs. Shevaughn-Wray.  Kidding about the name, but they Erin and Chris did tie the knot and will be embarking on a humongous honeymoon tour that will take them coast to coast – which is what they like, and includes a return trip to Nashville later this month.

In fact, the Nashville date March 25 happens to correspond to the release date of the highly anticipated new album, Lean into the Wind which will be released on Seven Dead Arson Records.  Here are a couple of tracks from that album. 



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In other news, the new Taco Land album is due out soon  between writing and posting – I saw that Home Sweet Home is out now!, and we have a preview of the title track for you:



Next: It’s been a little since we heard from Ear the Ground Featured Artists – Dogs of Oz, but they are back with a new single ahead of one of the band’s long anticipated full-length album.  The single is out on Cassette and Digital Download from Unruly Factions.  Get it HERE and take a listen below:



I got to hang out with and see E2TG friends, Year of October (look for a new album from them in the summer.  They are sounding better than ever and I can’t wait for the album.  On the bill that night were a rocking Nashville Blues/Rock band called The Static Trees who sounded great and did a pretty sweet Stones’ cover (“Shake Your Hips” from Exile on Main Street), and a folksy/americanaish Murfreesboro band called Island Wren who are awesome and just released an EP called Fountain which you can get from iTunes and other places.



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Friday Morning Music Explosion – Digging Underneath Mix

 
 



So we made it through our holiday shortened workweek, and it’s practically the weekend.  Let’s celebrate with a virtual explosion of music … after the JUMP

Here is our playlist which stretches from yesterday afternoon’s ride home until this morning’s drive to work.

“Make Up With Me” by Let’s Active

“Blue Moon” by Big Star

“Someday Sometime” by Scott Miller and Rayna Gellert (FYI – this is the Scott Miller from Knoxville from the band The V-Roys, and not the late Scott Miller of Game Theory and Loud Family) (FYI #2 – This is a great song!)

“Kings and Thrones” by Outer Minds (Chicago-based Baroque Bubblegum Psych)

“Outside the Rain” by Stevie Nicks (from Bella Donna)

“Breakfast” by Humming House

“Empty We Are” by McNary

“Digging Underneath the House” by Skeletons in the Piano (from Please Don’t Die – one of our favorite records of the year by E2TG’s Band of the Year 2012)

“Double Trouble” by Jack and White (LA duo – Brooke White and Jack Matranga)

“You” by Keaton Henson (a 25 year old London based Folk Rock musician, visual artist, and poet – this song is on a ANTI records sampler via Noisetrade)

“My Funny Boy” by Katey Laurel (A Denver-based Folk-Pop singer/songwriter who we have come to like a whole bunch)

“Skilly Bom Billy Flop” + “The Savior” by The Imperial Rooster (two in a row from Cluckaphony which is one of our favorite’s from this year.  The second song is a cover of a song from the second album by Michigan Punk Rock band The Crucifucks)

“Muskegon Harbor” by Taco Land (another from Pancakes and Pizza – a beautiful instrumental – coincidentally, the second song in a row with a Michigan connection)

“Lost My Way (live)” by Miss Shevaughn and Yuma Wray (I’m hoping to meet Miss Shevaughn and Yuma Wray in a couple of weeks)

“Eire” by The Shakers (The Shakers were an amazing southern gothic, alt-folk band that was formed by Oscar Rice and Robert Logue from Royal Court of China who were joined by the amazing Rebecca Stout to create a highly unique and original style.  This particular song comes from a great compilation of 1980s era Nashville Rock music – called Return to Elliston Square – 1979 to 1989)

“General Dome” by Buke and Gase

“Birmingham” by McNary (a second track from this Nashville singer/songwriter’s 2013 album, While We Are Waking)

“Zombie Girl” by Shake Jack (the title track to the EP by the Buenos Aires Surf, Rockabilly band)

“Together” by The Box Tops

“The Stars That Left” by Telepathic Teddy Bear

“Trains (Rose, Mary and Time) by Johnny Flynn (a recent “discovery”.  Johnny Flynn has an incredible vintage sound applied to thoroughly modern music.0

“Just Two Old Friends” by EdTang (another track from Goodbye, Zen5, Sushi Dinner…)

Video Playlist
 
 
 
Amazon Web Store
With many of this weeks featured songs and artists

Tuesday Morning Music Shuffle – Bobby Freaking Keys Mix

I’m doing a super quick mix today, but for good reason, I used my lunch hour to walk a couple of blocks to see legendary (I mean LEGENDARY) sax man Bobby Keys with his excellent band that includes former Georgia Satellite and current leader of Homemade Sin and member of The Bluefields Dan Baird. I only had time to stay for the first part, but they ripped through a set that included a few Stones songs, a George Harrison number, and Joe Cocker’s version of the Box Tops’ song.  All of which featured Mr. Keys in their original versions.

TODAY’S MIX IS AFTER THE JUMP…

“Neon Rainbow” by the aforementioned Box Tops.

“The River Made Me Do It (Live)” by Miss Shevaughn  and Yuma Wray

“Wear Me Out” by Summer Cannibals (a Portland Oregon band that includes a second cousin of mind who I have never met)

“Forever is Better With You (Live)” by Humming House

“Country Death Song (Live)” by Violent Femmes

“Drive Real Fast” by Mark Robinson

PLAYLIST
 


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Wednesday Morning Music Shuffle – Stalagmite or Stalactite Mix

I am so tired today.  So, I am going to make it short, sweet, to the point, and hopefully interesting – because we have some great music today..



(part of my morning walk –
so you can imagine me as you are reading
and listening to the morning mix)
 
 
MUSIC AFTER THE JUMP

 

PRE-SHUFFLE

 
 
 I know it’s going to be a good morning mix when it begins with the inimitable Don Ryan.  What can you say about a guy who loves ICP, Townes, Pantera, Nickelback, and One Direction* and who makes great music that manages to not really sound like any of those artists*. 
 
 
*one of more of those listed may not belong…
 
 
“Top of the World” by Don Ryan (recorded live in the studio. It’s so good to be getting some new music from Don Ryan and company – looking forward to more.)
 
“Get in Line” by Ron Sexsmith (for some reason, I always get Ron Sexsmith and Charlie Sexton mixed up.  Musically, they are not similar so it must be the sex in the name.  I’ve always gotten mixed up when it comes to sex.)
 
 
“Piece of Peace” by Marla Mase (From Scream (Deluxe) – one of our favorite albums of the year)
 
“Pull My Coat” by Mark Robinson (from Have Axe – Will Groove – another favorite album of the year.  A great blues guitarist from (East) Nashville)
 
“Infatuation” by Dog Without Warning (from Bark – yet another of our faves – I love this song)


SHUFFLE

 
“Cloin’s Lament” by Miss Shevaughn and Yuma Wray from Live @ DC9 (11-13-12) (2013) originally on We’re From Here (2012)
 


One of the highlights of CXCW 2013 was the coast to coast submissions from Miss Shevaughn and Yuma Wray. Yuma Wray also won the Beardliest Beard Award.  Miss Shevaughn and Yuma Wray are heading out on tour.  Check out the dates and more goodies by heading over to Popa’s Tunes.

“Bowser’s Castle” by Alvin Band from Rainbow Road (2013)



Rainbow road will be released next week, but you can check out Bowser’s Castle and some other songs (old and new) via Noisetrade – using the widget above.

“Lifetime Prescription” by Mark Robinson from Have Axe – Will Groove (2013)

 


Don’t worry about refills… Another track from the awesome Have Axe – Will Groove album which features some of Nashville’s best blues artists.

“Flood” by Dog Without Warning from Bark (2013)

 
 
 
 
Dog Without Warning were one of my big take-aways from CXCW this year. I began featuring their Go Girl album.  When the band contacted me to give their new EP a listen, I was blown away.  Not only was this a huge change of direction, it was also an excellent record with some memorable songs.
 
 
PLAYLIST