Category: Phranc

Monday Morning Music Shuffle – Hangin’ Downtown Mix

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After a long, productive weekend, I am back at the work week – shuffle thing….

ICYMI: my latest two live reviews are up on No Depression.   You can read the first part of my recap of the Safety Harbor Song Fest. (Part II coming soon)  And my Review of Friday nights Humming House hometown record release celebration.

On to the shuffle:

“Harley” by Don Henry

Don Henry’s 1991 album Wild in the Backyard was one of my favorites – great mostly humorous songwriting from a top Nashville writer.  I lost possession of the CD at some point, but the good news is I am pretty sure it ended up in the hands of a friend who went on to be a pretty awesome songwriter, too.  I was happy to come across this live version of a song from that album which was recorded at the Bluebird Café here in Nashville.

“Bozeman” by Matt Prater

I am seriously digging on Matt Prater’s Tables and Chairs album which was released earlier this year, and this is one of my favorite songs, a classic Boy meets… song. Great hook and a fun twist.

“Wave As We Run” by Sean Watkins

Another great song from the album, All I Do is Lie by Nickel Creek guitarist Sean Watkins.

“Tension” by Minutemen

Originally from the 1st 12inch release by post-punk legends the Minutemen – The Punch Line.  That record and What Makes a Man Start Fires were later compiled on the CD Release called Post-Mersh Vol. 1. The song was written by Mike Watt and the late Martin Tamburovich who was part of the band The Reactionaries which was a predecessor band to the Minutemen. 

“My Baby Don’t Understand Me” by Natalie Prass

The opening track from the self-titled debut album by one-time Nashville resident Natalie Prass.  The album was released earlier this year, and debuted at number 50 on the UK album charts. 

“Walked to You” by Tipi Valley

Dust is the latest release from E2TG favorite Tipi Valley of Swansea UK.  The song uses electronic sounds and effects to convey a gorgeous song.  Please take a look at Tipi Valley’s 2015 CXCW video located below the Video Playlist.  The video, like all of Tipi Valley’s videos, is available on Vimeo and not You Tube.

“The Extra Mile” by Jeremy Gluck/Robert Coyne

Another great track from the album Memory Deluxe: I Knew Buffalo Bill 2 which is a follow up to 1987’s album I Knew Buffalo Bill and featured Gluck along with Nikki Sudden, Rowland S. Howard, Jeffrey Lee Pierce, and Epic Soundtracks.

“One O’ The Girls” by Phranc

Phranc’s song about fitting in on the women’s swim team.. from Folksinger.

“Hangin’ Downtown” by The Replacements

From Sorry Ma, Forgot to Take Out the Trash.  A song about – hanging downtown because there is nothing else to do.

“Tear Me Down” by Ron Muga

Another cool song from the album Wonderful Doom by New York singer-songwriter Ron Muga.

VIDEO PLAYLIST


And because Tipi Valley isn’t on You Tube, here is his 2015 entry in Couch by Couchwest from Vimeo…
https://player.vimeo.com/video/121283095
Silent Breather for cxcw 2015 from Tipi Valley on Vimeo.
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Wednesday Morning Music Shuffle – Lullaby Dance Mix

“Tugena” by The Dead Milkmen

We begin with the 5+ minute almost instrumental from Big Lizard in My Backyard.

“Heal” by Telepathic Teddy Bear

We move on to another track from Telepathic Teddy Bear’s latest album, Forgiveness. Forgiveness heals, music heals…

“Carolyn” by Phranc

Phranc expresses her admiration for the muscular female form. from Folksinger

“1000 Deaths” by D’Angelo and the Vanguard

Black Messiah is one of the best records of the year (released at the end of 2014). 1000 Deaths is the second track on the album. 

“Your Own Lullaby” by Matt Phillips

I saw Matt Phillips on the stage a Music City Roots a week ago today – where he (coincidently) expressed his admiration for D’Angelo. Phillips was impressive and a great part of  a pretty awesome night of music.

“Treasures” by Telepathic Teddy Bear

One good Teddy Bear deserves another.  I am seriously loving this album (Forgiveness).

“Dance” by Blackfoot Gypsies!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’s never too early in the day to Dance – even when you are riding up the elevator to work (although I did get some strange looks – what do I care?). Seriously, now is the time to become a part of the Blackfoot Gypsies express train.  My friend Popa Tunes has been on board for a while now, I know. This is from the album Dandee Cheeseball.

VIDEO PLAYLIST

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Monday Morning Music Shuffle – Blue Turns Black and White Mix

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. 

VIDEO PLAYLIST

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Friday Morning Music Shuffle – Top Sider Clad Mix

Thank goodness for second wind…  I think I may survive this week after all.  On another note, the temperature is about 20 degrees cooler than yesterday at this time – welcome to winter in Nashville. I attended my first show at 3rd and Lindsley as a correspondent for No Depression/ND Roots.  My review should be up soon, I will post links on my Facebook page – so follow me there.

We have a pretty sweet shuffle to close out the week, so let’s get to it.

“Everywhere I Go (I Hear The Go-Gos)” by Phranc

The reference may be dated, but if you are of a certain age, you remember… From Folksinger.

“Atlas Shrugged” by Matt King

This is our last song we have from Matt King’s 2010 album Raw, and it is one of my favorites.  Next stop, Matt King and Killing Streets!

“Electric Worry” by Clutch

From Summer Sound Attack…. This is sooooo good.

“So Far” by Ben Arthur

Video directed by my friend Matthew Hendershot of #E2TG favorites The End Men.  If You Look for My Heart is such a tour de force… with such a variety of styles represented.  Including this slice of pure pop heaven…

“Coyotes” by Modest Mouse

How about some brand new Modest Mouse music. “Coyotes” is the second single from the forthcoming Strangers to Ourselves album. It based upon a true story of a coyote that rode the MAX lite rail line in Portland in 2002.

“The Intense Humming of Evil” by Manic Street Preachers

The Holy Bible turned 20 years old in 2014.  No not the book… the now classic album by Welsh band Manic Street Preachers.  It was the last album released before the 1995 disappearance of rhythm guitarist and chief lyrist Richie Edwards (Edwards was officially declared dead in 2008).  Stark and disturbing, the album is a startlingly real view into the mind of Edwards who was suffering from a depression, self harm, and anorexia nervosa.

“Kara Dean” by Ike Reilly

The first time I saw the title of this song, I thought it was about Nashville’s current mayor (whose name is just one letter different).  It is not.  The song is from Ike Reilly’s Junkie Faithful album. It is part of the 18 song retrospective Am I Still the One for You” which you can still get for free (donation encouraged) from Noisetrade.

“Harvest Moon” by Jason and the Scorchers

From their classic Fervor EP… the accompanying video was shot at a 1985 show in the Cat’s Records parking lot on West End Avenue in Nashville that this blogger attended – almost 30 years ago????

“Boscombe Armistice” by Blue Rose Code!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”);

Off the album The Ballads of Peckham Rye – I got hold of this on the latest Feel Bad for You mixtape.   Blue Rose Code is singer-songwriter Ross Wilson of Edinburgh, Scotland. This was my first listen to Blue Rose Code, and I want to hear more. window.amznpubstudioTag = “eartothegro00-20”;

VIDEO PLAYLIST


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Monday Morning Music Shuffle – I’m Not Down Mix

Every other Sunday Night, an amazing cultural exchange program takes place in Nashville.  The East Side Invasion at Bobby’s Idle Hour features some of East Nashville’s best songwriters holding court at the legendary Music Row watering hole.  Curated and hosted by performing songwriter Lindsay Ellyn, the typical evening includes two songwriter rounds, a set from a featured artist, and a show closer by Darrin Bradbury. The night is a casual, laid-back affair that happens to include some of the best songwriters Nashville (East or West) has to offer. Plus, I’m usually home before eleven to get ready to face Monday morning.  Come on out sometime. The next East Side Invasion is February 8.

In the shuffle today, we have some great songs by some of my heroes, another awesome track from a new Alt-Rock band that we have been featuring, plus something completely different… let’s dig in!

“It’ll Never Get Better Than This” by Bill Lloyd

We start off the week in shuffles with another great Pop song from Bill Lloyd’s Feeling the Elephant album.  Lloyd, who may be best known as 1/2 of the hit Country duo Foster and Lloyd, also happens to be one of the best Pop songwriters in America.  To paraphrase Joe Jackson, When I die and go to pure pop heaven, I have a feeling I’ll hear a Bill Lloyd song playing on the PA.

“That’s How it Goes” by Meat Puppets

One of the Meat Puppets most straight forward Country sounding songs. It’s still a definite Meat Puppets’ song. From Forbidden Places.

“Amazons” by Phranc

Another from Folksinger. Amazons is Phranc’s homage to great female sports figures.

 

“Human Touch” by Elvis Costello

From Get Happy!!  Elvis Costello and the Attractions 1980 album which was highly influenced by Ska, Soul, and Rhythm and Blues music.   

“Endless Farewell” by Soul Asylum

From Hang Time (1988) which was produced by Ed Stasium and Lenny Kaye. Endless Farewell is a slow burner in the midst of some of the most poppy punk rock songs on the album.

“Blind Among the Flowers” by The Tourists

The Tourist was a 1970s British band that featured (among others) Annie Lennox and Dave Stewart before they were Eurhythmics. The band wrote and recorded some incredibly catchy songs in the course of their 3 year existence. Appropriately enough, their 1984 retrospective was called Should Have Been Greatest Hits.  Blind Among the Flowers from the band’s self-titled debut album is one of my favorites.

“Out of Control (Into the Void)” by The Torn Images

I think this is the fourth The Torn Images song we have featured in one of our shuffles. From the Reviver album, the song is the kind of grungy rock songs, that you just don’t hear very often anymore. 

“Stellazine Blues” by The Georgia Satellites

From In the Land of Salvation and Sin comes some classic late 80s Southern rock and roll.

“Fracking” by Tanya Tagaq

From the album Animalism.  This is music unlike anything you have heard before.  Intensely primal Inuit Throat singing is joined with eerily droning electronica. I do not think this is for everyone, but I encourage everyone to listen with an open mind and recognize the artistry of what is happening even if the results are not to your taste.

                                                                          
“I’m Not Down” by The Clash

This is probably one of the songs on London Calling with which I am least familiar. It is a great song from one of the best albums of all time by one of the best bands of all time.

VIDEO PLAYLIST


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Wednesday Morning Music Shuffle – Pants on Fire Mix

Last night, I hung out at this wonderful weekly East Nashville happening, Derek Hoke’s $2 Tuesday at The 5 Spot. It was a great time with some great music. Host Derek Hoke played an awesomely perfect Western Swingish version of Led Zeppelin’s Houses of the Holy, and the night ended with a great full-band set by J.R. Wyatt who I have featured on this blog.

If you are in Nashville on Thursday, you have your next non-Fran’s chance to see Ear to the Ground 2014 Artist of the Year Darrin Bradbury. The show is also at The 5 Spot beginning around 9:00.  Mention Ear to the Ground and you will get some odd looks, but what the heck, mention us anyway.
“Liar Liar” by Phranc

I don’t know what a small town Tennessee boy was doing listening to an ex-punk, Jewish Lesbian Folksinger, but I did, and I loved it. As an Amazon reviewer noted, some of the cultural references are a bit dated, but the music prevails and hell, we can all think of people to whom this song applies. From Folksinger

“You Keep Me Hanging On” by Aretha Franklin

In 2014 the Queen of Soul released Sings the Great Diva Classics. This is the Holland Dozier Holland classic originally recorded by The Supremes. Aretha is still the Queen of Soul.

“Evona Darling” by Linda and Teddy Thompson

Evona Darling is a beautiful song written by Lal and Mike Waterson. Linda Thompson included this song on her 2002 album Fashionably Late. This version with her son Teddy was included on Shining Light: The Songs of Lal and Mike Waterson which was also released in 2002. This is an amazing cover by two incredible performers.

!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”); “In Memory of Elizabeth Reed” by The Allman Brothers Band

The Allman Brothers Band recently ended their long run, and a 6 disc box set of recordings from their legendary 1971 At Fillmore East shows was released in 2014.  This is the shortest version of this Dickey Betts’ song included in set (just over 12 minutes).  And, although, I cannot claim to be a huge or long time Allman Brothers Band fan, I can say that there are some amazing things happening here musically.  And I am moved to dig deeper.

“We Ain’t Gonna Die Today” by Atmosphere

From their latest album Southsiders, Minneapolis hip-hop duo Atmosphere… I dig it.

“This Must Be the Place” by Bill Lloyd

Feeling the Elephant is one of my favorite albums of the Nashville 80s Rock era, and it remains a true Pop masterpiece.

“Whirlpool” by Meat Puppets

From Forbidden Places, this song was later covered by They Might Be Giants.

“It’ll Come to You” by John Hiatt

Another great track from the classic album Slow Turning.

VIDEO PLAYLIST

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Monday Morning Music Shuffle – Move over Captain America Mix

I would like to preface today’s shuffle by saying that a big pet peeve of mine are people of a certain age who loudly decry “music these days” and who pine for some different era. They usually “prove” their point by referencing some trendy pop act of today and offer up for comparisons sake some legend of a different era who has stood the test of time.  It is not only the logic that is faulty, but such statements are a sign of laziness. There is a ton of great music being made “these days” – far more than even this music blogger than cover.  So my advise to those who would rant in the manner mentioned above is either 1. Seek out music – there are far more ways to do this than there ever were or 2. Shut up and admit that you are unwilling to do so and that you prefer the music of your younger days.

All that being said,  music has a special power to evoke… music which was an integral part of the formative years of our lives does hold a special place.  It is in that spirit that I offer up today’s shuffle which a total throwback to my days of yore.

!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”); “Nighttime” by Big Star/Alex Chilton

Count me among the legions who truly discovered Big Star and Alex Chilton thanks to The Replacements. This song comes from an Alex Chilton compilation which gave me a crash course in all things Chilton. It was originally on the legendary album Big Star’s Third/Sister Lovers.

“Bottle O’ Tears” by The Georgia Satellites

I know they are the Georgia Satellites, but I have always considered them a Nashville band.  I first heard “Keep Your Hands to Yourself” on WRVU several months before it became an international hit song, and I first read about the band in the legendary Metro magazine. This comes from the 1989 album In The Land of Salvation and Sin. I have always considered  that album an underrated classic or at least an under-heard classic.

“Shake That Thing” by The Georgia Satellites

Another great song from In the Land…. I think this song is about shaking something, but I’m not sure… Seriously, this is what Rock ‘n’ Roll is all about.

“Whoa!” by Soul Asylum

Soul Asylum released three albums in 1986.  This was the first. A glorious loud and fast punk inspired ode to joy called Made to Be Broken.


“Six Gallon Pie” by Meat Puppets

An instrumental from their 1989 album Forbidden Places – this was a few years before Kurt Cobain and Nirvana helped make the band household names.  I love this album, and it’s a good time to tell about the extremely hot and sweaty Meat Puppets’ show at 328 Performance Hall when the band took pity on the crowd of hot and sweat moshers and started handing out beers from the stage.  So, I can say that one of the Kirkwood brothers gave me a beer.  I know I’ve told this story many, many times, but if you give me a beer from the stage, I’ll tell the world about it, too. I’m easy that way.

“ window.amznpubstudioTag = “eartothegro00-20”; http://ps-us.amazon-adsystem.com/domains/eartothegro00-20_3dcd3a52-1a1a-4afe-a2fd-aaba8e251afc.jsPlum Dumb” by The Dead Milkmen

We have a pair of songs from the debut album, Big Lizard in Your Backyard, by everyone’s favorite punk brats.  I guess I could always relate to The Dead Milkmen because I was a bit of a punk brat myself….

“Beach Song” by The Dead Milkmen

Who hates the beach?  The Dead Milkmen hate the beach!

“King of the Mountain” by Midnight Oil

From their 1990 album, Blue Sky Mining.  I’ve always loved this song.  The interesting twist of time and circumstance is that these days, I get to see Midnight Oil bassist Bones Hillman just about every Friday in East Nashville helping the hold down the bottom for Tim Carroll.

“Caped Crusader” by Phranc

A song about a comic book based upon the life of Pope John Paul II from Phranc’s solo debut album Folksinger (1985).  Phranc was previously a member of the band Catholic Discipline and the band appeared in the landmark film about the L.A. punk scene, The Decline of Western Civilization.

“King of Fools” by Social Distortion

The most recent release in today’s shuffle from the 1992 Social D album Somewhere Between Heaven and Hell.  I dig just about every song on this album.

“Another Chance” by The Georgia Satellites

We shall close this shuffle with one of my favorite songs on In the Land of Salvation and Sin…. I think this song is a more elegant expression of the sentiment behind YOLO. 🙂

VIDEO PLAYLIST