Category: The Features

Wednesday Morning Music Shuffle – Girl in Me Mix

ICYMI – be sure to read my review of Deena’s album Rock River.   

Today’s shuffle could have been subtitled “My Ever Changing Shuffle”… just saying

“Moontana” by Darrin Bradbury from A Car Becomes a House

Expect a real deal new album from Darrin Bradbury in 2015.  In the meantime, he recently released a new collection of demos including this place-name dropping song.  The collection also includes the crowd-pleasing hit song, “Junkie Love”.

“Whatever Happened to the Girl in Me” by Ike Reilly from Am I Still the One for You?/Sparkle in the Finish

From the 2004 album by The Ike Reilly Assassination…  another great song. 

“Zombies in Disneyland” (Original Album Version) by Doctor and the Crippens from Raphanadosis

A cheerful 80s British Punk Rock number that apparently has flown under the radar of the lawyers for Walt and Co…. I hope this exposure doesn’t change that… (*read last statement with a note of sarcasm – okay?).  Anyway, this song pre-dates the current Zombie phenomenon by about a quarter of a century.

“That’s No Way” by Sidestreet Reny and Lil’ bell from Holler

Holler is a great tribute to North Mississippi Blues.  This is a cover of a Robert Wilkins song.  Wilkins was from Hernando, Mississippi and was a contemporary of Son House and Memphis Minnie in the 1920s in Memphis.

“Whiskey Man” by Heather Powell from Believe it To Life

“Now that’s some damn drinking music right there…”  A sultry number that takes me back to some smoky bar from the 1930s or 40s as recreated on the holodeck in Star Trek: The Next Generation…  okay, so I’m a nerd and my cultural references are a bit skewed… I love this song… I love what I’ve heard of her new album, too.

“Whatever Gets You By” by The Features from Old Familiar Melodies – 2008-2013/Some Kind of Salvation

A brief but catchy song…

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The Complete Studio Album Collection from Leonard Cohen recently became available on Freegal… I have been filling in my collection ever since.

“My Ever Changing Moods” by The Style Council from The Singular Adventures of the Style Council/Café Bleu (aka My Ever Changing Moods)

For some reason, this song always makes me happy then sad then angry then mellow then…. okay bad joke, but I do love this song.

“City of Refuge” by Abigail Washburn from City of Refuge

The awesome title track from Abigail Washburn’s 2011 album which I picked up at the thrift store and have been featuring ever since. 

“Hesitate” by Judah and the Lion from Sweet Tennessee

A great Nashville band that has been getting a lot of attention.  I recently found out that Judah is the son of two people who were a year behind me at my high school. To my knowledge, I have no connection to the Lion.  The band will be supporting Mat Kearney on his Spring 2015 tour which includes a stop at the historic Ryman in Nashville, Tennessee.

VIDEO PLAYLIST


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Wednesday Morning Music Shuffle – Gratitude Mix

Short and Sweet. In spite of Because of all of the difficulties of this year, I am more aware than ever of the reasons I have to be grateful.   In a randomly shuffled way – that will be my focus today….

“Cry Over You” by Tami Neilson from Dynamite!

I am grateful for the Feel Bad for You monthly mixtape for expanding and enhancing my musical palate. I am also grateful for new music that sounds like it comes from another era – like some lost classic recording.

“Don’t Walk Away” by Aaron Lee Tasjan from Crooked River Burning

I am grateful for circumstances which have allowed to see and meet incredibly talented musicians/singers/songwriters like Aaron Lee Tasjan.  “This is a song about not walking away when someone’s talking to you, it’s called ‘Don’t Walk Away I’m Talking to You'”

“Two of Me” by Haesemeyer from Three Mirrors

I am grateful for discovering new music from near and far from a variety of sources and through the (sometimes) mixed blessing of social media getting to know the people behind the music.

“Fort Wayne” by Heath McNease from Fort Wayne

I am grateful for Noisetrade for introducing to music I might not otherwise hear. And for heartfelt people making the music they want to make regardless of labels or genre restrictions.

“Rambo” by The Features from Old Familiar Melodies – 2008-2013/Wilderness

I am grateful for people who come from near the place that I come from who go on to do great things who remind me that nothing about me holds me back except for me.

“God I Miss You” by Dan Coyle from Perfect World, Perfect Beat

I am grateful for people who notice when I write about them. As corny as it may sound, it is good to have reminders that I am not writing into a void. I am also grateful for people who remember and allow me to follow their journey through their music.

“Leaves” by The Western Shore from Thunderstorm

I am grateful for the insanely talented group of people I have been fortunate enough to become a part of over these last few months.  People pursuing their own version of the elusive but ever-present dream.  Nashville/East Nashville is filled with people like this, and I think I have found a pretty special (and ever expanding) group of folks with which to continue this journey.

“Can’t Say No” by The Fleeting Ends from Can’t Say No EP

Noisetrade again…. I am grateful for new music that manages to capture a bit of the music I grew up with without being derivative. I am grateful for a well-crafted Pop song, and I am grateful for continuing to discover new music almost every day.

“My Friend (Times Aren’t Too Bad)” by D. Joseph Mooradian via Soundcloud

I am grateful for young people continuing to express themselves through the art form of music. In this town, in this age… it is easy to get caught up in the music “business” and the charts and articles and opinions and pageviews and the bloody $$$$s. Music is or at least can be art – not in an elitist kind of way, but in a spiritual kind of way.  We trade a bit of ourselves with one another through the various ways be express ourselves.  I am grateful to hear and see the children of friends following this path of expression no matter how far or where it leads.

This turned out to be a pretty cool exercise in gratitude. Of course, I left out so many.  That’s why I use the random shuffle – if I was trying to create some “perfect” gratitude playlist – I would worry and obsess and it wouldn’t be done until next Thanksgiving.  

Have a good Holiday if you are celebrating.  To my Canadian friends – I send that greeting back through time to last month.  For others…. well, there is quite a bit about this American holiday that you may think is weird and excessive… but when it comes to taking time to be grateful – well, I think we got that part about right.

VIDEO APPROXIMATION

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Monday Morning Music Shuffle – What’s He Building? Mix

Time to ease into a new week, a new month, and for some of us a new time structure – as Daylight Savings Time ends and Standard Time begins.  It’s Monday…  Let’s do this shuffle thing…

“For The Battered” by Tommy Womack from Stubborn

From his 2008 album, we have Nashville songwriting icon Tommy Womack (Government Cheese, Daddy) with a powerful song about a serious issue – domestic violence.  I could not find a video of this song, so I picked a version of one of my favorite Tommy Womack songs – The Replacements.

“Lay Me Down” by Heather Powell from Believe it to Life

True Groove recording artist Heather Powell, just recently released her latest album, A Haze of Grays and Blue.  Today, we have the first of two tracks from her previous album Believe it to Life.  Such a powerhouse vocalist!

“Tarwater (The Fighter)” by The Dirty Guv’nahs from Hearts on Fire

Another fine track from The Dirty Guv’nahs of Knoxville, TN.  The band’s song “Morning Light” was featured on the latest episode of the ABC television show, Nashville.

“Chess Piece Face” by They Might Be Giants from First Album Live

This morning E2TG finally wraps up this live revisit to one of my all-time favorite albums.  The first album from They Might Be Giants.

“Long Gray Line” by Heather Powell from Believe it to Life

Here is our second track from Heather Powell.  A strongly delivered song about her family’s history of military service.

“Tubular Bells” (from the “Exorcist”) by Mike Oldfield from Tubular Bells (Deluxe Version)

This one got added for Halloween, but one can never go wrong with Tubular Bells and/or music from the classic 1973 Horror film, The Exorcist. 

“Saint Mary’s” by American Aquarium from Burn. Flicker. Die.

Music loving procrastinators please note, if you’ve not yet got around to picking up American Aquarium’s awesome 2012 album Burn. Flicker. Die. which was recorded and Muscle Shoals and produced by Jason Isbell – now is your chance to grab it for free (donations welcome) via Noisetrade.  Their next album Wolves is due soon – so get this one now and be ready.  This is about a close to perfect as an album can get.

“What’s He Building?” by Tom Waits from Mule Variations

Another added for Halloween, but again – you cannot go wrong with Tom Waits.  Here he asks the musical question, What’s He Building in There?  All about that quiet neighbor who keeps to himself.  You know… that neighbor…

“Town Clown” by Kelsey Waldon from The Goldmine

I’ve been hearing a whole bunch about Kelsey Waldon, and I see a bunch of my Facebook friends are Facebook friends with her.  Finally, getting a chance to check out her music, and so far, I am digging it bunches. This here is a fine, fine song.   She is based in Nashville.

“The Temporary Blues” by The Features from Old Familiar Melodies – 2008-2013/!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”);Some Kind of Salvation

And we close out our first shuffle to November with a nifty song from Tennessee-based band The Features.  From my You Tube search it appears that this song was featured in the television show Degrassi.  At least in some incarnation of the long running, multiple generational, multiple incarnated series about teens.

VIDEOS

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Monday Morning Music Shuffle – Working Up a Sweat Mix

I need to give some credit where it is due….  About a year and a half ago, based upon a suggestion from the enigmatic and amazing The Danbury Lie, I began compiling a daily Video playlist based upon my daily shuffle.  Before that I just posted videos with the song, but my hope was to create an easier listening experience. 

Now, due to the newishness and/or obscurity of some of the music I feature – as well as the vagrancies of what is available on You Tube, sometimes I can find the exact song, sometimes I can find a different song from the same artist or a different version of the same song, and sometimes I just have to punt.

Anyway, I mention this today because many of videos in the playlist today are not the exact song I listened to during my morning commute.  It’s still a fine video playlist, and I hope you like it. 

I should also say that we don’t really do theme shuffles here at #E2TG – we used to, but whatever… still by the laws of randomness and selective playlist creation, we do have some Halloween themed songs…

Shall we…

“Working Up a Sweat” (Alice Cooper cover) by Royal Court of China from Welcome to Our Nightmare: A Tribute to Alice Cooper

Some people like to start their morning by working up a sweat… there are different ways to accomplish that.  We start off with a song that was on the last album that featured the original Alice Cooper line-up as performed by the awesome Nashville band Royal Court of China.  The video is from the original recording since we couldn’t find the cover on-line.

“What Do I Know (About Love)” by Lael Summer from Burden to Bear

We move on to True Groove recording artist Lael Summer with another great song from her album Burden to Bear. 

“Lions” by The Features from Old Familiar Melodies – 2008-2013/Some Kind of Salvation

Tennessee band the Features are up next with Lions from their 2009 album Some Kind of Salvation.

“Bringing Mary Home” by Vernon Oxford from Keeper of the Flame (disc 4)

How about a ghost story to get us into the Halloween season… this one is a touching pure country ghost story from Vernon Oxford.

“Iblis” by Brown Bird from Fits of Reason

A great instrumental track from this Brown Bird album we’ve been featuring for several weeks.

“Call Me D” by David Dondero from The Pity Party

As previously reported, I had the great pleasure of seeing David Dondero sing a few songs during my near-weekly foray to Fran’s Eastside Tavern.  It was an incredible treat.  The song we have today goes all the way back to 1999 and what I believe to be his debut solo album.  The video is from a more recent album.

“Memphis Woman” by Lulu Mae from Deer Head Music  Presents: Indie Mixtape Nashville/Mean River

The Deer Head Music Presents – Indie mixtape of Nashville bands which we have been wearing the heck out of was curated by the band members from Daniel Ellsworth and the Great Lakes.  They did a fine job putting the compilation together, and we have another great track from the album today – this time from Lulu Mae who offer up a rocking song from their most recent album.

“Moonlight Man” by Lindsay Ellyn from Shores EP

I could make some lame attempt to pass this off as a Halloween-themed song.  Moonlight Man = Werewolf (get it?), but there isn’t any need for that.  Nashville-based Lindsay Ellyn is hard at work on her next release, and I have had the good fortune to hear some of the songs and potential songs from that record.  This song is from her previous EP called Shores.  I love Lindsay’s voice, and I think you will, too.

“Dracula Mountain” by Lightning Bolt from Wonderful Rainbow!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”);

#E2TG isn’t shy about awkward and abrupt transitions, and so we slide gracefully away from the lovely music of Lindsay Ellyn to seasonally appropriate instrumental track from Providence, Rhode Island based Noise Rock purveyors Lightning Bolt.  To paraphrase the band Alabama, “Play me some Dracula Mountain music….”

window.amznpubstudioTag = “eartothegro00-20”; http://ps-us.amazon-adsystem.com/domains/eartothegro00-20_3dcd3a52-1a1a-4afe-a2fd-aaba8e251afc.js VIDEOS (SOMEWHAT RELATED TO THE ABOVE PLAYLIST)

Thursday Morning Music Shuffle – Gallatin Pike Mule Mix

It is axiomatic that on any given night, if you go hear live music in Nashville – no matter how epically awesome your experience – there is something equally epic and awesome going on either next door or across town.  This is even more true – if something axiomatic can be “more” true during Americana Fest week which is going on now.   I just added a corollary to this axiom (Can an axiom have a corollary?  Can it have a coronary?), which states that if you hang out in the same smoky dive bar in East Nashville long enough you will hear “Freebird” accompanied by a trombone and it will be amazing.



Tonight – E2TG favorite Mark Robinson joins an amazing line-up of Rocking Roots Guitarists at The Five Spot from 5-8pm.  At 8:00 – another E2TG favorite – Pony Boy will be leading off a Five Spot Favorites show at that same location.  And it goes on…

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Another cool song from Nashville’s The Features.

“After the Hurricane” by Tim Carroll from Opening Up/Not For Sale

One of my favorite Tim Carroll songs.  I can neither confirm or deny that Tim may or may not have been involved in the formation of my corollary mentioned above…

“Cold Chicago” by Humming House from Humming House Party!

More Nashville and a prime example of the original axiom – just last night.  A fun song from a fun album recorded live in East Nashville.

“I Refuse to Lose” by Jarekus Singleton from Alligator Records: 21st Century Blues and Roots/Refuse to Lose

Some great 21st Century Blues.  And there is even a Nashville connection – as I got an e-mail just 2 days ago that Jarekus Singleton will be playing in Nashville in about a week.

“Gallatin Pike Blues” by Tim Easton from Not Cool

I got to see Tim Easton do this song with the amazing Megan Palmer at The Building this week.  Another cool slice of Nashville and a tribute to the late John Hartford.

“Mule” by Francie Moon and the Great Outdoors  from Francie Moon and the Great Outdoors

I saw Francie Moon do this song in East Nashville a month or so ago. It was awesome.

“Lonesome Poor” by Pork Chop Willie from Love is the Devil

This is one of my favorite albums of 2014.  I had some technical difficulties that kept this out of my shuffle for a while, but it has been resolved.  This album was passed along to me by Sue Havlish who I hope to see tonight at The Five Spot.

“Here Comes Love” by The California Honeydrops from Like You Mean It

I have no Nashville connection – I hate when I write myself into a corner like this…. ah heck man, this is a great song with a great groove – just enjoy…

“In and Out” by Francie Moon and the Great Outdoors  from Francie Moon and the Great Outdoors

Two songs from New Jersey’s own in the shuffle.  By the way, one of the Francie Moon videos I added is from this past year’s Couch by Couchwest Virtual Music Festival.

“Johnny Has Gone for a Soldier” by A.A. Bondy from Divided and United: The Songs of the Civil War

Just before this song came up on the shuffle – I was feeling a particular vibe from the shuffle and I was realty hoping the final song didn’t harsh that vibe.  I mean, I like all of the music I add to my player, but because I have such wide-ranging tastes… okay, I think I’m over explaining.  Anyway, this old, old song from the American Civil War did not harsh my vibe.  In reading up, this song has been covered many, many times by a variety of artists.  I haven’t heard them all, but I can safely say that this is a great version.  All around the Nashville area, you can monuments to Civil War battlefields.  Also, just to wrap this shuffle into as neat a bow as possible…  The album from which this is drawn features new versions of Civil War era songs performed by relatively new “Americana” artists like A.A. Bondy and Angel Snow along side songs performed by some amazing Country music legends – including Dolly Parton.  Dolly’s cousin and former band member Richie Owens is playing the Rocking Roots Guitar Showcase with his band The Farm Bureau. 

And that is a wrap…

VIDEOS

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Wednesday Morning Music Shuffle – Ear to the Wall Mix

Life is a balance of patience, hard work, dumb luck, and the occasional moment of happy coincidence. Or so it seems from this particular moment in my existence. I was thinking about the two recent reviews I wrote, and the circumstances that lead me to having the opportunity to write those reviews.  In 2011, when I started Ear to the Ground, I was trying to find a blog platform that would be easy to use and be visually interesting.  I came across Posterous which seeming fit the bill.  Through that site, I came into contact with Howard Rabach and his enigmatic band Ubiquity Machine.  We became Facebook friends, and now Howard plays bass for The Grey A, and he sent me their new album to review.

About six months later, around the time that I decided that Posterous could not do everything I wanted to do*, I happened upon a cool band from New Jersey called Those Mockingbirds. That band lead me to Don Ryan, Popa Tunes, The Dead Exs, The End Men, and my whole fascination with New York/New Jersey/Connecticut bands and artists which continues to this day.  Through all of that, and I think through a direct recommendation from Don Ryan, I became familiar with a band called Big Wilson River – a cool band which featured Darrin Bradbury who put out Motel Oatmeal, the other album I reviewed last weekend. 

Just thought I’d share… I don’t know what it all means…  The End Men have taught me the idea of saying yes to almost everything, and so far that philosophy seems to be working out okay.

Well we have a shuffle to put on… so enough musing…

“The T.G.V.” by Tim Carroll from Opening Up/Always Tomorrow

“Great, great speed. Oui, Oui!”

“Take Another Look” by Little Village from Little Village

You take Jim Keltner, Nick Lowe, John Hiatt, and Ry Cooder and you put them together in one group – what could possibly go wrong.  Absolutely nothing!  Just wished it had lasted a bit longer.

“What’ll We Do ‘Til Then” by Tim Carroll from Opening Up/All Kinds of Pain

This and the first song of this shuffle are from a live album called Opening Up which was recorded in Atlanta (I think).  Both tracks feature intros of a sort from Elizabeth Cook. I’ve been fortunate enough to hear Tim do these songs over the last few weeks, and maybe I’ll hear ’em again tonight.

“From Now On” by The Features from Old Familiar Melodies – 2008-2013/The Twilight Sage: Breaking Dawn – Part I Original Motions Picture Soundtrack

That’s right I said Twilight Saga… Edward, Jacob, Belle, vampires that don’t act like vampires… the features are a cool band from Nashville who make some really catchy music that a bunch of people really like.  They’ve released a kind of best of… sampler on NoiseTrade.

“This Thing That I’ve Found” by The Autumn Defense from NoiseTrade Eastside Manor Session/Fifth

I added began adding a bunch of The Autumn Defense music to my list after seeing them play live at last years Americanarama deal at Grimey’s.  For now, this is the last of those tracks. This is part of their Eastside Manor Session – recorded in East Nashville for NoiseTrade.

“Heart Full of Now” by Deena from Rock River

Two days in a row, we have songs from Deena’s remarkable album Rock River.  For pure fun, this may be my favorite song.  After I hear it, it takes quite a while to stop singing it.

“Cry for Me” (live) by The California Honeydrops from Honeydrops Live

Also two days in a row for The California Honeydrops, and this two is very fun and funky song.  Groovetastic!

“(She Was A) Hotel Detective” by They Might Be Giants from First Album Live

“She’s got her ear to the walls and she’s tapping the calls
If you’ve got a secret, boy, forget about it”

“Puts The Sugar On” by Tim Carroll from Always Tomorrow

Why not three from Mr. Carroll?  He played this one last week during his Happy Hour at The 5 Spot.  If you’re in Nashville, he’ll be back at The 5 Spot this Friday for Happy Hour with his crack band featuring Bones Hillman (Midnight Oil) and Steve Latanation.  Tonight you can catch Tim solo at Logue’s Black Raven Emporium at 8:00 opening for Greg Garing and later at Fran’s Eastside with Darrin Bradbury opening up.

“Sad Saturday Night” by David Olney from When the Deal Goes Down

Speaking of… what? The Five Spot Happy Hour? Artists we featured yesterday? Nashville? Whatever, David Olney is back in the shuffle today with another from his When the Deal Goes Down album.  He will be at The 5 Spot tonight from 6-8:30 with his crack band featuring Sergio Webb, Dan Seymour, and Justin Amaral.  The video from this song is kind of new, and features some awesome Nashville locales.

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VIDEOS:

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