Tuesday Morning Music Shuffle – Just for One Day Mix

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We move on… 

Last night was Week 2 of the Darrin Bradbury Residency at The Basement East. It also happened to be Stop 2 of my Birthday Week excursions. A great night of music spent with some amazing friends…

Tim Easton opened the night with a cover of David Bowie’s “Five Years” which was really good. He followed with a set of old and new songs some of which featured Megan Palmer on fiddle.

Zach Schmidt backed by Adam Kurtz on pedal steel were next.  Zach’s song and voice get to me every time.

Darrin Bradbury closed the night with a spirited set that included a new arrangement of his classic song, “Swordfish”.  He brought out guest Margo Price and Adam Kurtz again for a couple of songs before closing the night with an amazing cover of “Ziggy Stardust”. 

Tonight: There are two stops on my Birthday tour. First, I will be at The Basement for an industry showcase featuring Sara Syms.  From there, I am going to move over to The 5 Spot for $2 Tuesdays – Derek Hoke’s weekly extravaganza.  This week’s lineup includes Ashleigh Flynn and Jon Langford. Langford is best known as a member of the bands The Mekons and The Waco Brothers.

On to the shuffle…

“Broken Lungs” by A Color Engine

It seems like this album has been hanging around the playlist for some time.  It is from a defunct band that featured Don Ryan (who first introduced me to Big Wilson River – Darrin Bradbury’s old band) – He was also an early E2TG favorite. A Color Engine also featured Eric Burchfield formerly of the band Elephant Goes West which was an E2TG featured band a few year ago.  This is one of my favorite songs of theirs. From the album Voyage Underwater, 56 Knots.

“Fashion” by Paul Zografi

Another tune from Bright.  Zografi has a new release called Brevity Lane which I will begin featuring soon.

“(What’s so Funny ‘Bout) Peace, Love and Understanding” by Tomas Doncker Band

Tomas Doncker Band with a cover of a song written by Nick Lowe and made famous by Elvis Costello. Doncker makes the song his own here.  From an album of covers by The True Groove All-Stars.

“Far From Any Road” by The Handsome Family

From the 2003 sixth studio album by Albuquerque based Americana duo, The Handsome Family. This song was used as the Main Title Theme for the first season of the HBO show True Detective.

“Vetvi” by Theodor Bastard

The title track from the latest album by this Russian metal band.

“Change for a Thing” (prod. *hitmayng) by Rich Robbins

Another awesome track from Nimbus by recent college graduate Rich Robbins.

“Sad Deep Inside” by Black Vincent

Another track from Teardrop Deluxe an album produced by Nashville based super producers Adam Landry and Justin Collins (they produced the recent Pony Boy album Blue Gold).

“Sweet Jane” by Mott the Hoople

I added this song to the playlist a few weeks back.  This is a cover of a Velvet Underground song from the Mott the Hoople album, All the Young Dudes which was produced by David Bowie.

“War on Wilcox” by Brian Wright and The Waco Tragedies

We close out this Tuesday shuffle with another song from Bluebird by Brian Wright and the Waco Tragedies.

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VIDEO PLAYLIST

Wednesday Morning Music Shuffle – Stain on my Notebook Mix

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It seems like the week has just begun, and yet here we are at mid-week.  Went out to The Bluebird Café last night for a great songwriters round. In an audience filled with people from Australia, Scotland, England, Poland, and other places, I got to see some of my favorite East Nashville songwriters perform some of their wonderful songs. Tim Easton hosted the night which featured Amy Speace, Darrin Bradbury, and Megan Palmer.

We have kind of short but sweet shuffle today… let’s get to it.

“Long White Line” by Sturgill Simpson

Via the World Café Sessions, Sturgill Simpson leads off today’s shuffle with a song that was on his latest album Metamodern Sounds in Country Music. 

“Hellfighters of Harlem” by Tomas Doncker Band

Another track from the Big Apple Blues – one of the most innovative and ambitious albums of the year.  This one tells I story that I never heard about in American History classes, about the regiment of soldiers who cross the Atlantic to risk their lives to defend freedoms that they were systematically denied based upon the color of their skin.

“The Drinking Song” by Boy Named Banjo

Another track from Long Story Short by this young Nashville band.

“Fools Gold” by Pony Boy

I just recently got hold of Blue Gold, the new album by Pony Boy. However, this song is part of an anti-fracking compilation called Buy This Fracking Album. Great cause, and a very good song which Pony Boy delivers in her characteristic rich and powerful voice.

“The Chemist” by Liberty’s Exiles

From the brand new album, The Price of Immortality, we have this track by London based Progressive Rock band Liberty’s Exiles.  Excellent modern progressive rock.

“Black Coffee in Bed” by Squeeze

Who says Pop songs have to be 3 minutes? Clocking in at just over 6 minutes, comes Squeeze’s classic song of lost love. The song was the first single from Sweets from a Stranger the band’s fifth album.  Also included on the essential compilation, Singles 45s and Under.

“10 Year Fight” by Brock Zeman

Another view of lost love and one of my favorite songs on Pulling Your Sword Out of the Devil’s Back. Word is that Brock Zeman will be back in Nashville in November, and I will have my ear to the ground for that one… (see what I did there?)

VIDEO PLAYLIST


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Tuesday Morning Music Shuffle – #300 Tim Carroll Mix

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We’ve teamed up with The Finger to put on what we hope will be the first of many showcase events… it’s going down tomorrow (Wednesday August 19, 2015) at The Building in East Nashville.  Details can be found at the Event Page on Facebook!

Yesterday, our Facebook Page crossed a milestone yesterday when we reached 300 followers.  Thanks to a groundswell, we are a mere 94 away from 400! Seriously, it means more to me than you will ever know.  When I started E2TG in May 2011, I honestly didn’t know if anyone would read it.  Anyway, I promised surprises for the lucky 300th Follower…. in an incredible stroke of luck – the awesome Songwriter/Guitarist Tim Carroll was the lucky one!  It’s kind of funny because when we reached 200, another great Songwriter/Guitarist, Richie Owens, was the one! 

So… You can see, that the Tim Carroll’s name graces the post title.  I think this is the first time a real person has had that “honor”.  Who knows, now that I am big time, maybe I will start selling naming rights…. or maybe not…

It would have been cool if a Tim Carroll song had come up in the shuffle, but alas… still, I know there are some songs in today’s shuffle that Tim will dig.

“You Ain’t Goin’ Nowhere” by The Byrds

From Sweethearts of the Rodeo, comes The Byrd’s version of a Bob Dylan song. “Down into the easy chair…”

“She’s Gone” by The Train Set

The Train Set were a UK band from the late seventies/early eighties.  Their music is getting some renewed interest with the release of the compilation, Never California. “She’s Gone” was an early single by the band.  We will have more by The Train Set coming up… this is an amazing slice of a great era in music and for me a second chance to hear something I missed the first time around.

“Tell Me Cosmo” by Susan James

More awesome fresh original Paisley Underground inspired Pop music from the fantastic album Sea Glass!

“That Horse” by Tomas Doncker Band

Big Apple Blues is a fantastic achievement for New York No Wave veteran, Tomas Doncker.  It is a powerful, bluesy ode to the greatest city in the world.  “That Horse” delivers a brutally powerful message.

“Cindy Vedantam” by Batkhi Dahn

Batkhi Dahn, as I have share before, is a side project of The Foresters Hayden Nork.  It is delightfully weird in the best possible ways.  This song comes from the Four Song Delinquent EP (which was released back in November 2014).  Many things have been released since this one… those The Foresters kids are nothing if not prolific.

“Letter to Shreveport” by Kevin Gordon

Kevin Gordon is flat out one of the best songwriters and performers working today.  I’ve had the great opportunity to see him several times over the last few months, and every time he impresses me more and more.  He has been at this music thing for a while now, and his latest album Long Gone Time is set to be released in September.  This song is from that album, and showcases some of the things that makes Gordon such a powerhouse.

“Dead Man’s Shoes” by Brock Zeman

Pulling Your Sword Out of the Devil’s Back is a pretty long album title, and it is also a damn fine record.  If you have yet to hear Brock Zeman, correct this oversight right away. 

“Watermelon Kid” by Ted Drozdowski’s Scissormen  

We close out today’s shuffle with track from Love and Life, the brand new album from Ted Drozdowski’s Scissormen.  This is the story of a real life man called Watermelon Slim, who besides being a bluesman is a member of mensa and used to drive trucks.  This song was one of the highlights of the Album Release Party last weekend for Love and Life.  By the way, I ran into Tim Carroll at that release show, and I guess that brings this post full circle back to the beginning.  window.amznpubstudioTag = “eartothegro00-20”;

VIDEO PLAYLIST


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Wednesday Morning Music Shuffle – Too Far From the Limb Mix



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And now, we reach the mid-point of the work week… tonight in Nashville is the final week of Kevn Kinney’s residency at The 5 Spot.  Warner Hodges and Chuck Mead are the guests, and word has it that Dan Baird, Joe Blanton, and Brad Pemberton will be on hand as well… should be a fun show!

“All My Best Friends Are Cigarettes” by Darrin Bradbury

We start off the shuffle with another track of Darrin Bradbury’s The Story of Bob EP.  A good chance for a reminder that Darrin, Brian Wright, Raelyn Nelson, and Lauren Farrah will all be playing full band sets at The Basement East on Thursday (tomorrow night).  That show begins at 9:00p.m.  If you get there early, Nancy Terzian and the Leg Men and Stone Cupid featuring Julie Christensen are playing starting at 7:00p.m.

“IX” by Mike Watt

What have hear is Mike Watt (Minutemen, fIREHOSE) setting the words of James Joyce to music.  It is from a 2008 compilation that features all 36 of Joyce’s Chamber Music poems adapted by different musicians.  The album is called Chamber Music – James Joyce (1907). 1-36.

“Most in the Summertime” by Rhett Miller

This is from Rhett Miller’s album The Traveler which features Black Prairie.  The recording is from a World Café Session.  

“Woman on Fire” by Amy Black

Another of the three original tunes on Amy Black’s new album, The Muscle Shoals Sessions is a powerful statement of purpose embedded in a song that sounds as timeless as the classics that dominate the rest of the album.

“Driven Back” by Jesse and Noah

I just got a listen to the first song from the forthcoming Jesse and Noah album – which will be in the shuffle soon, I’m sure.  In the meantime, we have the excellent title track from their album Driven Back.

“Save the World” by Shovels and Rope

Swimmin’ Time is Shovels and Rope’s 2014 release.  This song is from that album.  More evidence of just how awesome Shovels and Rope really are.

“Pretty Girls” by Against Me!

Another from World Café… The song originally appeared on the band’s 2005 album Searching for a Former Clarity, and a live version will be on 23 Live Sex Acts – a live album due in September.  I really dig the World Café Session version of this song.

“The Sky is Crying” by Elmore James

From 1959, the Elmore James original of a song that has become a Blues standard.

“The New Day” by Tomas Doncker Band

Another song from the Big Apple Blues album.  Doncker and his band have become extremely adept at fusing a variety of influences into a complex, diverse, and yet consistent “Global Soul” sound.  

“Back Back Back” by Anthony D’Amato

From the album The Shipwreck From the Shore… From a Noisetrade compilation. I’m late getting to the Anthony D’Amato party, but I really like this song, and I want to hear more!

VIDEO PLAYLIST

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Friday Morning Music Shuffle – How many ‘L’s are in Van Halen Mix

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The reality of writing an independent music blog, as I have done for over four years now, is that you have to push through those days when it seems like no one is pay attention (and even those days when seriously no one is paying attention). Maybe by attrition or maybe dumb luck, sometimes good stuff starts to happen, and you find yourself in incredible situations that almost do not seem real. The key in those moments (for me at least) is to not lose my sense of wonder and no matter what to never lose the hunger for discovering new music.  For me, when I lose that hunger, it will be time to move on… fortunately, I am not there yet.

Okay, so what prompted all this?  Several things, some amazing opportunities have come my way, and I choosing not to be cynical or jaded about them. Also, something seems to have broken open in the last couple of weeks and the number of people contacting me to listen to their music has grown exponentially. It can be overwhelming, but seriously it is the most incredible good fortune.  So be patient… I will listen to everything sent to me, but I can’t make any promises beyond that.  Every time someone sends me music, I hope it will be one of “those” albums that changes everything… it isn’t always, but even when it is not, I still get to hear some incredible music.

“I’m Indestructible” by The Colored Parade

This song by my friend Andrew Adkins’ band The Colored Parade was featured in a motion picture starring Ethan Hawke which was based upon a play by William Shakespeare.

“Sweet Sunshine” by The Satisfactors

New Jersey Rock and Roll supergroup with another song from their debut album.

“Has He Got a Friend for Me?” by Maria McKee

Seriously, do you need to know more than this is Maria McKee covering Richard Thompson?  I think the shuffle added this song today because I am going to see Richard Thompson on Saturday night.  Maybe he will do this song???

“Happy Alone” by Saintseneca

Saintseneca are a folk band signed to ANTI Records and based out of Columbus, Ohio. The album is Dark Arc, and it was released in 2014.

“High Water (For Charley Patton)” by Bob Dylan

From Love and Theft .  Charley Patton was a Delta Blues musician.  The song references the Patton song, “High Water Everywhere”.  Another good reminder that for all of his flaws and inconsistencies, Bob Dylan remains one of the most important musical figures of the current era.  

“Long Night” by Guster

From the seventh studio album by Boston alternative rock band Guster. Evermotion was produced by Richard Swift who is now a member of The Shins.

“Living Proof” by Aaron Lee Tasjan

The shuffle brought up this song from Aaron Lee Tasjan’s recent EP, Telling Stories to the Wall, which is amazing by the way. A great example of Tasjan’s way of speaking the truth with humor and spot on cultural references.

“Big Apple Blues” by Tomas Doncker Band

The title track from New York’s Tomas Doncker Band and their latest album which is a collaboration with Pulitzer Prize winning Poet Yusef Komunyakaa.

VIDEO PLAYLIST


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Friday Afternoon Music Shuffle – What’s So Funny Mix

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I took the day off work and barely saw the morning….  so no traditional shuffle but I did run an errand earlier and shuffled a few tunes…. Plus I had some other things to share:



First off though, to me whether you are nuts for all things Christmas or a bit of a Scrooge, whether you are Christian or Pagan or whatever… I’d like to think the honest desire for true Peace is something all of us can agree on in principle.  So, if there is one message of the season that the world needs as much if  not more than ever, it is a message of Peace.  Ear to the Ground favorites, The Tomas Doncker Band have just released a bit of Christmas card in the form of a fantastic cover of the Nick Lowe song made famous by Elvis Costello.  “(What’s So Funny ‘Bout) Peace, Love, and Understanding”.  Below is a link to the song.  We have also included a video of the song at the beginning of our Video Playlist.  If you Spotify, the song is also now streaming on that site.


Last night, I attended the Lockeland Springsteen Christmas show which served as a benefit for St. Jude’s.  It was a great show and a lot of fun.  Music was provided by Boom Forest, Elenowen, Blackfoot Gypsies, Cory Branan, and Alanna Royale.  Of course. I took pictures:

To the Shuffle:


“Frank is Gone” by David Olney


The Nashville Scene published a nice feature about the incredible guitar player Sergio Webb. The Video Playlist features a version of this song with David Olney and Sergio.


“Do Not Go Gently into that Good Night” by Dylan Thomas


Besides his amazing music, David Olney is known for his ability to offer amazing renditions of poetry. So it seems in good order to follow up, David Olney with Dylan Thomas reading one of his own poems.  Plus that is what the shuffle decided to do.


“Lemonade” by Megan Palmer


Yesterday, I wrote a bit about Wednesdays at Fran’s Eastside.  Among the special guests who have appeared over the weeks I have been a regular attendee as been the amazing fiddle playing of Megan Palmer.  Here is have a refreshingly tart treat from Ms. Palmer.


“Proud and Dangling” by Hugh Trimble


Hugh Trimble joins this abbreviated shuffle with a different version of the song that first turned me on to his music.


“Better Off Dead” by Stacy Mitchhart


And we close out the shuffle and the week with Nashville’s own Stacy Mitchheart doing a cover of a Bill Withers song.




VIDEO PLAYLIST

Monday Morning Music Shuffle – Fight the World Mix

So, Americana Music Fest week is over, and Nashville can go back to being this cool city with live music happening every single night all over town….  Even with being an official attendee at AMA, I managed to see some amazing music, saw a bunch of old friends, made some new friends, and discovered some new music which will be showing up on E2TG soon…

 

The End Men @ The Basement 9/21/2014

More pics and commentary coming up.

Let’s shuffle…

“Ratking” by The End Men from Odds and Ends

Look, I really swear – the shuffle function picks the songs! Really!  But… but! How appropriate to start things off with The End Men who made a rare Nashville appearance, shook up The Basement, and helped to wrap up AMA Week as part of a Post-Americana fest all-day show.  Also, today is Livia Ranalli’s birthday – so please wish this amazing drummer an awesome day!

“I’d Fight the World” by Jim Reeves from Gentleman Jim

In honor of Matthew Hendershot’s nervousness about the significant lack of Twang in The End Men’s sound compared to most of the other awesome acts on the bill (hint: nobody cared), I thought we would follow up The End Men with Country Music legend, Gentlemen Jim Reeves. (Except, I didn’t decide – see it really is the shuffle function).

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Moving on with this great song from Dar Williams.  The video is a fan-made mash-up of the audio of the song with scenes from the Japanese anime series Cowboy Bebop. Please don’t ask me…

“Crawdad Song” by Pork Chop Willie from Love is the Devil

Pork Chop Willie doing the American standard.  Our video playlist features another Pork Chop Willie performance plus a version of this song by Woody Guthrie.

“Someone to Love” by The Dirty Guv’nahs from Hearts on Fire

“Slow Down Easy” by The Dirty Guv’nahs from Hearts on Fire

Two in a row from this enthusiastically awesome Knoxville band.

“All She Wrote” by Deena from Rock River

Another great track from the most recent album by the former The Cucumbers member.

“Promised Land” by The Style Council from The Singular Adventures of The Style Council/Non-Album Single

A late period The Style Council single.

“Blind Melon Morpheus (missed the train)” by Tomas Doncker Band from Moanin’ at Midnight: The Howlin’ Wolf Project

And, we close things out with the one and only Tomas Doncker and his band from the stunning Howlin’ Wolf tribute album.  Tomas is wrapping up work on his follow-up which is going to be ground-breaking and freaking awesome.

VIDEO

Tuesday Morning Music Shuffle – Whiskey Thunder Mix

Another day, another cool mix of music….  Today we close out a few albums we’ve been spinning for some time, we have a track from one of the coolest and most underrated bands of all time, and we close things out with four tracks in a row from some Ear to the Ground favorites. 

In case you missed it (shameless self-promotion): Check out an audio rendition of a excerpt from my novel-in-progress… 

Shuffle begins right after the jump:

“deep on the inside” by The Lies from whatever

The Lies are from New Jersey.  Like 95% of all New Jersey bands I play, Popa’s Tunes helped make me aware of this rocking band.  We’ve been shuffling songs from their album whatever for a while now, and this really awesome track finishes up the album for us.  The Lies video is one of their contributions to the 2014 Couch by Couchwest (I’m willing to be Popa had a hand in that, too).

“The Bends” by Solardrive from Solardrive

For the second day in a row, we have music from Solardrive.  This closes out this album for us.  In case you are wondering, this is not a cover of the Radiohead song, but an incredible original which I think you will dig.

“Devil on my Back” by Stoney from More Than Animals

A deep blues vibe from Austin, Texas’ Stoney.  Another final track from an album we’ve been featuring for several months.

“Like Calling Up Thunder” by The Gun Club from Miami

You don’t know how much I love having a Gun Club song in my shuffle.  Fronted by the late, great Jeffrey Lee Pierce this California punk, blues band set so many standards, and they were already legendary during my formative musical years in the mid 80s.  This song sounds fresh and even progressive 32 years after the fact.

“Whiskey Rain” by The End Men from Odds and Ends

Reigning E2TG Band of the Year, The End Men return to the shuffle with another track from their latest collection.  Whiskey Rain shows the band at the top of their game.  The accompanying video is from a series of videos about the recording of the song from Songcraft. All the gearheads who read this blog should definitely check that shit out…

“Justice is Due” by Tomas Doncker  from Power of the Trinity

True Groove Global Soul!  Tomas Doncker Band from the Ethiopian influenced Power of the Trinity album with some killer sax work.

“Glory” by Mr. Kind from Wide Awake/Open Hands

The full EP Wide Awake/Open Hands is now available from Mr. Kind.  We’ve presented two of the tracks already.  Here is a third – showing Brian Bergeron and company doing what they do so well…

“Moanin’ at Midnight” by Tomas Doncker Band from Moanin’ at Midnight: The Howling Wolf Project

!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”); And we close out with an encore from The Tomas Doncker Band with the title track from their stunning Howlin’ Wolf tribute. 

VIDEOS

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Friday Morning Music Shuffle – If I Could Mix

Francie Moon and The Great Outdoors at Fond Object 8/16/2014

Plodded my way through another week… Today’s shuffle is a strange trip… or something…

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

New Jersey’s Francie Moon and the Great Outdoors stopped in Nashville last Saturday. (Photographic evidence above)  Popa Tunes shot me a heads up, or I might have missed it.  It was a pretty nice evening.  East Nashville summer, people strolling in off the streets, great music, women dancing, a nifty shop, and I even ran into an old friend (a nice surprise).  They performed this song.

“Until They Find Us” by The Grey A from My Country

Three weeks from tonight, The Grey A will be at the Stone Fox in Nashville for release show for this album.  I will finally get to meet Howard Rabach in person. He has been a friend of the blog since almost the very beginning, and he is slinging the bass for The Grey A these days.  Nashville folks it should be an amazing night with lots of local guests who helped with the record expected to appear.

“Waiting for the Man” by The Velvet Underground from Boston Tea Party, Jan. 10, 1969

This may be the only kind of Tea Party you will find on Ear to the Ground.  I don’t drink tea. I don’t support the political kind of tea party, and I really don’t post that much about US history.  But, when it comes to a live recording of The Velvet Underground from 1969 – well, that is my kind of tea party. “Oh pardon me sir, it’s the furthest from my mind”

“Smokestack Lightning” by Tomas Doncker Band from Moanin’ at Midnight: The Howlin’ Wolf Project

Explosive Blues guitar with a  Global Soul flair – Smokestack Lightning ya’ll… Howlin’ Wolf ya’ll…  Tomas Doncker ya’ll!

“If I Could Then I Would” by Tim Carroll from Opening Up/If I Could

Isn’t this cool, Tim Carroll covering my favorite John Prine song  playing a song he wrote that has been covered by John Prine and several other folks.  Tim played this when I saw him at Fran’s a couple of weeks ago.  Great song!

“Billie Jean 2008 Kanye West Mix” by Michael Jackson from Thriller 25 Super Deluxe Edition

Nothing to see here… just Ear to the Ground posting a Kanye West mix of an iconic Michael Jackson song.   This is what happens when I get bored and started surfing around the Freegal music site. It won’t be the last time. Deal…

“Everything Right is Wrong Again” by They Might Be Giants from First Album Live

Story of my life….  It’s been fun rediscovering how great They Might Be Giants’ first album really is and was.

“The Quiet Side of Hell” by Darrin Bradbury from Death in My Left Ear!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”);

Confession:  Today’s shuffle could have ended after They Might Be Giants.  I had made into the office, but then I started fixing my morning coffee, and I got distracted and I didn’t stop the shuffle when that last song ended.  And then, this song started playing, and it’s a really good song, and god knows I don’t post enough Darrin Bradbury on here – do I?

I hope you’ve enjoyed this week of music.  If you hear music you like then you need to Like/Follow/Stalk them on social media, buy their music, see them live, and/or buy their merchandise. (Except Kanye and Michael Jackson.  Kanye is rich enough and Michael is dead.)


VIDEO PLAYLIST O’ THE DAY
 
 
 

Tuesday Morning Music Shuffle – Chill Out Mix

Today’s shuffle takes us from the Mississippi Delta via one of Nashville’s hottest bands, up to New York with a singer-songwriter who’s lead instrument is the bass.  To the North Mississippi Hill Country with a legendary blues player, to New York City where a cover of a Howlin’ Wolf classic gets a dub remix, and ends up with some Connecticut teens taking on a lo-fi classic from the Pacific Northwest.  Not a bad ride for a Tuesday…

“Old Man” by The Delta Saints from Death Letter Jubilee

The penultimate track from our survey of the Death Letter Jubilee album. 

“Chill Out” by Sam Davison from Always Around

Another great track from this album and the source of today’s post subtitle.

“You’re Gonna Fine Your Mistake” by Junior Kimbrough from Root Damage/God Knows I Tried

Lately, it seems like I have been loading a lot of blues music into my mix… probably for good reason.  But to me, the Blues isn’t about wallowing in your misery, but rather it is about letting it all out so you can rise above…

“Moanin’ at Midnight (Ras Jah Ames Dub Remix)” by Tomas Doncker Band from Moanin’ at Midnight: The Howlin’ Wolf Project

I don’t feel like I can say enough about this amazing project by New York City’s Tomas Doncker Band.  To do a fabulous Howlin’ Wolf tribute album is one thing – a noble achievement.  But to take that classic and well-loved music and to transform it and to make it your own… that is what makes the Moaning at Midnight project one of my favorite albums of the year. Case in point – this dub remix of the title track – which loses none of the power of the original and simultaneously takes it higher, higher, higher. 

“I Want Wind to Blow” (The Microphones Cover) by The Foresters from Download Home Recording!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”);

The Microphones was Phil Elvrum before he was Mount Eerie. The Microphones primarily released music between 1996 and 2004.  The music was lo-fi and folk-based modern music.  This cover is done by recurring E2TG favorites The Foresters, and it happened to be released as a download yesterday. 

window.amznpubstudioTag = “eartothegro00-20”; http://ps-us.amazon-adsystem.com/domains/eartothegro00-20_3dcd3a52-1a1a-4afe-a2fd-aaba8e251afc.js The cover (along with the band’s recent Neutral Milk Hotel cover) marks yet another milestone for this very young and very promising band.  It is scary exciting to think about where this band of brothers could take their music.  Meanwhile, just sit back and enjoy the music. (The video playlist includes a full almost two hour Snow Day show live from The Foresters’ home.

VIDEO:

SHOP FOR MUSIC:

http://bandcamp.com/EmbeddedPlayer/album=3765208637/size=small/bgcol=ffffff/linkcol=0687f5/transparent=true/

http://bandcamp.com/EmbeddedPlayer/track=1877890928/size=small/bgcol=ffffff/linkcol=0687f5/transparent=true/

http://astore.amazon.com/e2tg_chill_7-29-2014-20