Music City Monday Morning Shuffle – Marshall Tucker on My Stereo Mix

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Back at it on a Monday!   Had a good time Friday at The Country (after checking in with Tim Carroll and company at The 5 Spot) – Richie Owens and the Farm Bureau  + Saint Luke’s Drifters.  Richie and company have a new album out now.  Saint Luke’s Drifters are finishing up their new album.  If you get the chance to see either one or both of these bands, I highly recommend it.

Tonight: My recommendation is Matt Phillips and the Philharmonic from 7-9p.m. at Charlie Bob’s on the eastside.   Here is the Facebook event, if you Facebook.

This is definitely prime season for new music – look for some awesome new albums coming up in the next few months – I think I got at least 5 albums to listen to and possibly review over the last four or five days.

Shuffle:

“Down The River” by Ben Lowry

Another track from Somnium, the solo album by Ben Lowry of the band Bang OK Bang.  For some reason  (the banjo and vocals and lyrical content) this song reminded me of Hallowed Ground, the much maligned sophomore album by Violent Femmes.  In the face of widespread criticism, I am a proponent of the Femmes album. No, I do not think it is better than their seminal debut, but it is bold and in its own way subversion.  That being said, even if you aren’t a fan of the Femmes album, you will probably dig Lowry’s album.   

“I’m Gonna Love You Forever” by Carolina Story

From the Chapter Two EP.  Carolina Story are about as damn good as it gets.

“Theme from Crazy Aces” by Crazy Aces

Instrumental Rock from Nashville’s Crazy Aces… it’s their theme song!

“You Could Be My Baby (Samuel Stewart Remix)” by SHEL

The remix of the first single from SHEL’s forthcoming album, Crazy Enough. We featured the unremixed song earlier.

“Jesse” by Tom House

From Winding Down the Road – an album that was produced by Brock Zeman.  Tom House is a Nashville treasure.  Check out his music.  

“40 Miles” by Zachariah Red

E2TG debuted this song when it was released. It was the first single off of Zachariah Red’s EP Backbone. A driving, roots rock song of the highest caliber.

“WHIP” by Ricca Vita

Okay – this right here is why I love Nashville (and love my random shuffle function).  Ricca Vita’s music could not be any different  than Zachariah Red’s music.  So, that in and of itself, makes the transition here really cool – showcasing the diversity of music being made here in the home of the Grand Ole Opry… but wait, there is more.  Timothy Ryssemus – the mastermind behind Ricca Vita – also happened to have co-produced Zachariah Red’s record. Any way, I love the Ricca Vita album, and this track is just so damn good.   

“Promise Me Beautiful” by Lori Kelley

Moving on, another awesome song from songwriter Lori Kelley’s album, More.  Gorgeous vocals and great songs – a great combination.

“Swimming New Orleans” by The Grey A

Okay smartypants!  The Grey A are a Washington DC band.  But Grey Jacks used to live down here, and this album was recorded in Middle Tennessee and features a lot of local folks including Kelly Smith, William Tyler, and the Nashville Horns.  You may recall, I reviewed the My Country album when it was released in late 2014. “Swimming New Orleans” was released as a single (a wonderfully packaged vinyl 45) in 2015, and ahead of the forthcoming release of the next single (watch this space), I thought we would add this song to the playlist.  So, yeah, I stand by it’s inclusion in the Music City Monday playlist.  E2TG trivia gurus already know that Howard Rabach (who was probably one of the first ever readers and supporters of this blog) plays bass with The Grey A, who have some great shows coming up in support of their new single – including a date  with Austin Lucas +  Joey Kneiser and Kelly Smith (who Grey Jacks played with in Glossary at one point).

VIDEO PLAYLIST

Wild Wednesday Morning Shuffle- Madonna After George Jones Mix

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Another fine night of tunes at $2 Tuesdays at The 5 Spot – hosted by Derek Hoke with DJ Tim Hibbs providing the pre/post/between performance music.  The vinyl theme was girl groups.

A $2 cover netted performances by Jack Grelle with Ryan Koenig (from Pokey LaFarge’s band), the return to Nashville of E2TG favorite Brock Zeman with the always amazing Blair Hogan*, Hoke and his always amazing band, and for the second night in a row Joseph Robert Krauss – this time with a full-band that was pretty darn impressive.  I wasn’t able to hang for the last act.

*If you missed Brock and Blair last night, they will be at Bobby’s Idle Hour on Music Row tonight.

Patrick Kinsley and a Fistful of Dollars and Adrian + Meredith are part of the late show line-up at The 5 Spot.

Wednesday’s are when we go wild at #E2TG.  No not that kind of wild…

“Dog Days” by The Weeks

To celebrate their 10th year as a band, Nashville (by way of Jackson, MS) band The Weeks recently released their earliest recordings (from when the band members were 15) – Lost Days.  It is available on Noisetrade.  We have our first listen today.

“Rex Bob Lowenstein” by Burrito Deluxe

Burrito Deluxe is a descendent band from the legendary Flying Burrito Brothers.  This track was from the 2004 The Whole Enchilada.  The song (which I claim as an influence for what I do) was written by Mark Germino  (a poet/songwriter) based in Nashville.  It is the story of a free form DJ fighting against the march of corporate radio.

“Back Up Train” by Al Green

I finished reading The Chitlin’ Circuit: And the Road to Rock ‘n’ Roll by Preston Lauterbach.  I learned a whole bunch in reading that book, and I got turned on to/reminded of a ton of great music from the last century – including Al Green.  This was the title track from Al Green’s debut album which was released in 1967. 

“Flying with the Champ” by Discount Ravioli

Clocking in a 9:44, this is the final track on Captain Fettuccine and the Quest for the Champ on Earth.  Man – burritos, enchiladas, ravioli, and fettuccine – I’m glad I just ate lunch…  self described as such: A concept album about space, time, birth, life, death, love, hate, compassion, envy, betrayal, discovery, wonder, creation, destruction, science, math, language, history, dedication, perseverance, and Italy. Voted the worst concept album of all time by CT Music Nerdz.  For the video, this time (still not ready to post videos of making ravioli), I selected my favorite Batkhi Dahn video – “Yip”.

“Canaria Islands” by SuperCrashingStar

We check in again with one of my new favorite bands. Supercrashingstar are from New York. They are the kind of band that doesn’t just add variety to my playlists; their music embodies the concept of variety.

“In the Arms of the Prince of the Dark in the Night” by Ricca Vita

This is the final track from the Ricca Vita EP – adding some indie/electronica/funk/alternative good times to the shuffle…

“96 Tears” by Garland Jeffreys

From Jeffreys’ 1981 album Escape Artist, his cover of the 1966 hit by Question Mark and the Mysterians.

“Bright Lights, Big City” by Them

From the 1965 first album by Northern Irish band, Them (featuring Van Morrison) comes this cover of the Jimmy Reed song which was first released in 1961.

“Metal Storm/Face the Slayer” by Slayer

So, what better way to close out this set of music than with some early 80s thrash metal from the debut album, Show No Mercy (1983).  When I was in high school, there seemed to be an unwritten rule that you were either a punk rocker or a heavy metal kid.  Bands like Slayer laid bare such notions – even if it took me a few years to catch on.

VIDEO PLAYLIST

Wild Wednesday Morning Shuffle – All the Way to Peter’s Gate Mix

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I hesitate to report again about how awesome $2 Tuesdays are at The 5 Spot.  Derek Hoke and DJ Tim Hibbs throw a massive weekly party.  It cost you just $2 to get in and you can get Yazoo pints for just $2 all night.  I hesitate because it was packed out last night, and maybe enough people know about it… but hell.  For that $2, every single time I have gone, I have seen and heard some pretty amazing music.  Hell, $2 would be cheap just to hear Derek Hoke and his amazing band play a couple of songs.  Dead Horses from Wisconsin were awesome, Quinn from here in Nashville (and featuring E2TG Artist of the Year Jon Latham on guitar and BGVs) have an awesome sound.  Probably the only complaint I have (and I guess my age is showing) is that I left before the last band played and it was already midnight.  But, the young folks love it – ah, I remember… I remember…

Wednesday? What the hell is it?  Some call it hump day and celebrate having reached the mid-way through the work week, what does that say about us?  1. We are wishing our lives away and/or 2. We hate our week day existence so much and/or 3. We are optimists (I mean we would say we’ve toiled away for days and still have days of toil ahead).  Who knows? Wednesday are wild!  Wild used in the same way as “Jokers Wild”.  Wednesday can be anything.  Or maybe wild used in the sense of wild!

Welcome to the first ever Wild Wednesday Shuffle.  Make sure your seatbelts are locked and loaded… or whatever…

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Here goes nothing!

“Lucky” by The Dead Milkmen

How awesome!  The very first “Wild Wednesday” shuffle, randomly kicks off with The Dead Milkmen with a deep cut from Big Lizard in My Backyard. How lucky!

“Jesus Everyday” by Treat Her Right

How sad is it that this brilliantly satirical song could un-ironically be the campaign theme song for the top GOP candidate (whose name I refuse to mention)… Treat Her Right, as you may or may not know were a Boston-based blues rock band fronted by the late, great Mark Sandman who went on to front the band Morphine.  This is from the self-titled debut of the band which came out the year following The Dead Milkmen album mentioned above.

“Yr Hallway” by Youngstrr Joey

In the spirit of Wild Wednesday, we jump ahead about 30 years for this track from Glascow based – experimental musician, Youngstrr Joey from his album Grilled Wiig. And, yes all of those words are spelled as intended.

“Feels So Right” by Discount Ravioli

The debut from Discount Ravioli (Robin Schultz and the 21 Prayers) is a gift that keeps on giving. This is a favorite of mine from that album. The combo has just released yet another record (Ermilaw EP).  I guess it keeps the kids off the street. 😉

“Dirty Cop” by Ricca Vita

Ricca Vita is an eclectic electronica project of Timothy Joe Ryssemus who co-produced the new Zachariah Red album, and who also has the best hair in Nashville. This EP is available on Noisetrade where it is currently “New and Notable”.  Recommended to spice up your music collection.  

“Laundromat Song” by The Dead Milkmen

Wild!  Two songs from Big Lizard in My Backyard.  One of the coolest things garnered from posting this album is that I now follow Rodney Anonymous on Twitter, and his tweets are awesome.  I hope somebody on the new WXNA plays “Bitchin’ Camaro” (I will if no one else will), because back in the day on the old WRVU, I must have heard that song a couple hundred times.

“Nothin'” by Townes Van Zandt

We finally wrap up the early live recording of Townes Van Zandt with this song which I like a bunch.

“B.N.G.F.K.R.” by Smokey the Firebear

Six minutes of noise via the title track from Smokey the Firebear’s noisy album.  To bad, I couldn’t add this to the video playlist. 

“Clickin'” by Whistlin’ Britches

Proving that noise is not limited to teenagers from Connecticut – this mouth noise track comes to us via Music Maker Relief Foundation. Haskel Thompson (known as Whistlin’ Britches) passed away in 2011, and Music Maker Relief Foundation helped him to spread his unbridled joy with the world. 

“Out” by Mouth Reader

This final track from Mouth Reader’s Hands EP has been hanging out in our playlist for several months. You may or may not recall that the EP was released on Record Store Day as a limited edition Playable pop-up book. Mouth Reader are from Murfreesboro, TN.

“Weather Report Suite”  by Lena Horne

I actually may need some help with this one.  This was an unlisted track on my friend Ronnie’s annual mix CD.  According to Amazon Firefly, the track is as listed above.  I could not find this recording on You Tube, and my quick research created a bit of mystery for me.  The Grateful Dead have a 12 minute, 3-part song called Weather Report Suite, however, this track appears to be a cover of another Dead song called Franklin’s Tower.  I hope either Ronnie or one of the Grateful Dead fans I know will shed some light.   Anyway, the track is awesome.  I did find it on Amazon (UK) and it is titled as above and playing a sample proves it to be song I have.  Either way, Lena Horne covering the Grateful Dead is a pretty darn cool thing. Since, I could not find a video of this, I posted Lena Horne doing “Stormy Weather” which is cool, but still not this… 

VIDEO PLAYLIST