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Sorry for the inconsistency of posts the last couple of weeks… things will smooth out, but life sometimes gets all lifey…
I have been fighting with a cold all week (constantly changing weather -winter to spring and back – doesn’t help), and as a result, I have been mostly laying low this week, but I did manage to venture out (in a cold dreary rain) to The Basement (the original one) for some music. As if the case most nights in Nashville there was awesome music going on all over town, but I just didn’t feel up to venue hopping. In fact, the Basement hosted an early show with Erin Rae and Kelsey Waldron that I totally missed, but I did get to see three awesome sets of music from three of Nashville’s best “on-the-cusp” artists.
Andrew Leahey and the Homestead played their last local show for a bit as they gear up for the release of their new album (on Thirty Tigers) in May. As they have every time I have seen them, they played earnest heartland rock and roll and did not hold back.
Michaela Anne also has an album due out in May. Backed by her awesome band, she played her solid and gorgeous country songs. A highlight was her performance of “Me and Willie” (a CD bonus track from Emmylou Harris’ 1976 album Luxury Liner) which Michaela Anne introduced by recognizing the song’s writer, Laurie Hyde-Smith, who had come to Nashville from North Carolina for the show.
Darrin Bradbury closed the night with his first? full band show since his January Basement East residency (with the band that played with him for those shows). This was an extremely fun set which included an impromptu vocal assist (from the crowd) by Jon Latham. (Do I need to mention that Darrin and Jon are the current and most recently past E2TG Artists of the Year? No? Okay, I won’t then). It was fun seeing so many familiar faces (and awesome musicians/songwriters) in the crowd.
“I Believed You (Chicago)” by James Roquemore
This is the penultimate song (for me to feature) from Roquemore’s EP The First – which I got when I saw James opening for Patrick Kinsley’s album release show at The Basement. I really enjoyed his songs that night, and I have enjoyed this EP which was recorded while he was in college in Florida. From Facebook/Instagram, Roquemore is pursuing a variety of interests of late, but I would love to hear some new music at some point.
“Grand Funeral Procession” by The Jolly Light Brigade
The Jolly Light Connection are part of the Dord Music Group. The band is fronted? by Atticus Floyd (whose music I have posted before) and may include Evan and Hayden of The Foresters (who I have been writing about for roughly a fourth of their lives). This song (a lovely instrumental) is from an EP called CAK.
“Show and Tell” by Sugar and the Hi Lows
Nashville super-duo (Amy Stroup and Trent Dabbs) are up next with the lead track from their 2012 self-titled album.
“The Great Unknown” by Better Than Ezra
The long running New Orleans band Better Than Ezra jump into the Ear to the Ground shuffle with a track from their 2014 album All Together Now which came to me via a Noisetrade compilation from last year’s inaugural Pilgrimage Music Festival which was held in Franklin, Tennessee.
“You Caught Me Off Guard” by Brian Keenan
Another cool song from Fits and Starts, the latest album from this Brooklyn singer-songwriter.
“The Question Is” by SuperCrashingStar
Another really fun track from one of my new favorites. SuperCrashingStar are from New York City, and I have been really digging on their music of late.
“I Was a Teenage War Criminal” by Smokey the Firebear (Ft. The Indigenous People of Peru)
Another sound collage from Smokey The Firebear from his BNGFKR record of sound collages. His latest album Ohm Atlanta was released on Valentine’s Day. The video playlist features a track from that album. Note: it appears the $420 CD of BNGFKR is now sold out – probably due to my posts about it. I will wait patiently for my commission… 🙂
“Nobody Dance” by Patrick Sweany Band
One of East Nashville’s best! I have been fortunate to have seen Patrick Sweany a couple of times in the last year. This is a song that goes back about a decade to the album C’mon C’mere.
“Melva’s Wine” by Johnny Cash
From Cash’s 1972 album A Thing Called Love. This song was written by songwriter Vincent Matthews – who I read about in Michael Streissguth’s book Outlaw: Waylon, Willie, Kris, and the Renegades of Nashville. Matthews conceived a concept album about/set in Kingston Springs, Tennessee. This song was seemingly part of that project.
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E2TG: MUSIC/WORDS 