When you are having a stressful day, sometimes a Townes Van Zandt song is all you need to turn things around. Other days, you need two Townes songs… well today, for me, it is definitely a 3 TVZ kind of day… Fortunately, the shuffle obliged….
For the same reason I needed three Townes Van Zandt songs, I cannot add any commentary. I apologize for that, but enjoy the music and if you are interested in any of the artists, look them up and support what they do…
BTW, Day 4 of Couch by Couchwest included some Nashville heavy weights like David Olney, Tommy Womack, Amy Speace, Wild Ponies, and #E2TG favorite Mark Robinson channeling the Possum on his lawn mower….
“It’s Your Grave” by Bark.
“Pretty Persuasion” by R.E.M.
“Tecumseh Valley” by Townes Van Zandt
“Carry On” by Humming House
“Right Wing Pigeons” by The Dead Milkmen
“Pancho and Lefty” by Townes Van Zandt
“Hobo Bill” by Townes Van Zandt
“Stolen the Moon” by Bob Walkenhorst
Bob Walkenhorst was the leader of a vastly underknown band called The Rainmakers…
Well… Couch by Couchwest 2015 kicked off yesterday… So far, I have seen videos from Science! who has been featured recently on E2TG, plus my friend Drew Kohl of Young America (who coincidently are releasing a 3 song EP today), The Foresters, Miss Shevaughn and Yuma Wray, and I have a bunch I need to catch up on eventually. Keep on couchin’! And if you haven’t submitted a video, there is still time!
“She’s My Lowcountry” by The Lucky Jukebox Brigade
This is the last song we have to feature on Familiar Fevers, but who knows, I might reload and start over… I can do that… it’s my blog! Anyway, I love this song. In honor of CXCW, I picked 2013 submission from The Lucky Jukebox Brigade to lead off today’s video playlist.
“Bad Boys and Painkillers” by James Dean Bradfield
From the 2009 album, The Great Western… James Dean Bradfield is the lead singer and lead guitarist of Manic Street Preachers. I really love this song – it rings very true and sounds pretty darn fresh.
“It Doesn’t Have to Be This Way” by The Tourists
From Should Have Been Greatest Hits… originally the lead track for Reality Effect (1979). Even if the production does sound dated, the song is top notch…
!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”); “Transference” by Matt Phillips and the Philharmonic
Some psychological music from Matt Phillips and his band The Philharmonic…
“On the Riverside” by Boy Named Banjo
My first listen to Nashville Americana band, Boy Named Banjo. I like it a bunch, and look forward to featuring some more from them soon. Thanks to my friend Boyd for pointing this out to me. From the album, Long Story Short.
“Spooky Boots” by Reverend Horton Heat
From the album REV! It’s the Rev, doing what they do best… psychobilly at it’s finest.
“(Quicksilver Daydreams of) Maria” by Townes Van Zandt
From the live recording, I got hold of on TVZ’s birthday. Further evidence (as if it was needed) that Townes Van Zandt was and is a giant among songwriters. This song was originally on his 1968 debut album, For the Sake of the Song.
“UP” by The Renaldo The Ensemble
I am so glad to have The Renaldo The Ensemble back in the shuffle. They are delightfully offbeat and impossible to classify, and who wants to waste time classifying anyway? Just sit back an enjoy the show..
“The Unanswered Question?” by Syd Straw window.amznpubstudioTag = “eartothegro00-20”;
Even since I first heard this record way back in the day, I’ve always felt there was an other worldly quality to this music. Like hazy fever dream of a great pop song…. From Surprise. For a treat, since I couldn’t find a video of this song, I picked a video from the very first episode of MTV Unplugged (according to the Youtube description) with Jules Shear, Chris Difford and Gleen Tilbrook (Squeeze), Elliot Easton (The Cars) and Syd Straw doing “I’m A Believer” (the Monkee’s hit song, written by Neil Diamond)…http://ps-us.amazon-adsystem.com/domains/eartothegro00-20_3dcd3a52-1a1a-4afe-a2fd-aaba8e251afc.js
I had the great opportunity to hear some tracks from two of my most anticipated albums of the year, and man oh man are they going to be good… keep your ear to the ground or stay tuned to Ear to the Ground for new albums from Jon Latham and Darrin Bradbury in the future.
In other news, CXCW is rapidly approaching. Get those videos made and submitted…
Now to the shuffle… as I have written on more than one occasion, I love short songs, but long songs make writing the blog easier… we have a bevy of longer songs and thus we have only six in the shuffle today…
!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”); “I Shall Sail No More (No More Shall I Sail)” by Whale Fall
Whale Fall are an awesome sounding Instrumental band from Los Angeles which features lush melodies fleshed out by a cello and a saxophone. I dig this track a whole bunch. The album is called The Madrean and it was released back in December.
“Everyday I Love You More” by [debut]
Hot and fresh from my inbox to your earhole…. Another innovative band from L.A. [debut] add an alternative flair to their brand of electronica. The album is called Postcards from Berlin, and it is out now.
“Mother Knows Best” by Richard Thompson
I will redundantly say that this is one of my favorite songs on Richard Thompson’s classic solo album Rumor and Sigh…
“For the Sake of the Song” by Townes Van Zandt
Saturday was the 71st anniversary of the birth of one of the greatest songwriters of all time. I grabbed this recording of a 1973 convert from Aquarium Drunkard. It sounds amazing… and it is Townes!
“The Best Room” by Modest Mouse
The new Modest Mouse album is about a week away. The album is called Strangers to Ourselves, and this is the second listen we’ve had here at E2TG.
“Rebel Woman” by Chiwoniso Maraire
We close out this short set of music with a song from the late American born, Zimbabwean mbira musician who was the daughter of mbira master Dumisani Maraire. I first read about Dumisani on Valued Customers peacefork blog, and that is how I rabbit holed my way to this track. A perfect selection, I think, for the day after International Women’s Day. window.amznpubstudioTag = “eartothegro00-20”;
!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”);https://apis.google.com/js/plusone.js It’s Monday and here in Nashville, temps and humidity are creeping back up to August levels.
We have a pretty interesting mix of music today. Any time a week begins with a Townes Van Zandt song, it a great sign.
Let’s jump right into it….
Pre-Shuffle:
“Pancho and Lefty” (live version) by Townes Van Zandt. (I love this song, and this is a crystal clear and beautiful live version from a 1973 show in Houston, Texas)
“Anniversary” by Susan James (from Driving Toward the Sun – one of my favorite albums of the year)
“I Hear You Knockin'” by Lazy Lester (A blues legend with a legendary story)
“Brooklyn Girls” by DD Dagger (An Austin-based indie artist. E2TG friend Rob Porta (Raindogg) worked on the latest DD Dagger video. This song is about those girls from particular borough of NYC)
“U-Haul in the Driveway” by Susan James (also from Driving Toward the Sun – btw, the two videos included in today’s PLAYLIST are from two separate CD Release shows – one for this album, the other for the predecessor – DJ Bonebrake of X fame appears prominently in the older video)
“In New York City” by Brad Jones (Nashville singer/songwriter sings about the greatest city in the world).
Shuffle:
“I Can Live Forever If I Slowly Die” by Chris Schlarb from Psychic Temple (2010)
A nine plus minute jazz oriented instrumental – remarkable and mind expanding. Schlarb released Psychic Temple II this year – the new album features new takes on songs by Brian Wilson, Frank Zappa, and Joe Jackson
“Ponzi Scheme” by Eric Brace and Peter Cooper from The Comeback Album (2013)
A pair of amazing singer/songwriters who help make the case for East Nashville being the coolest place on earth. (‘though I’m proud to rep for South Nashville!)
“Emotion as Weapon” by Telepathic Teddy Bear from Reactions (2011)
I’ve said it before (or something similar), if you are going to make music under the name Telepathic Teddy Bear – you’d better make it awesome. Forget the name, this is some really cool music. Don’t forget the name – Telepathic Teddy Bear.
The subtitle of this post references a comment made by my friend Rex Silo regarding the fact that the reconstituted Black Flagis headlining a music festival in our hometown. By the way, Ear to the Ground favorites Black Jake and the Carnies as well as newly discovered FOTEM (friends of The End Men) John the Conqueror are also playing that festival. More details on all that later.
I decided today to add all the songs from my morning listening that I could into the Amazon Widget. Therefore, you will find music from George Gershwin, The Black Keys, + Shane MacGowan covering Townes Van Zandt. In addition, the pre-walk portion of the morning music featured some early period Hayden Coleman with a chunky, cool beat called “Vans (Down by the River)” which you can check out here:
The official Shuffle is after the jump and after the widget:
“Pride (In the Name of Love)” by U2 from The Unforgettable Fire (1984)
Seen at the time as a radical departure, U2 worked with Brian Eno and Daniel Lanois for the first time on The Unforgettable Fire. The song, a stirring tribute to Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. contains a historical inaccuracy – “Early Morning April 4, shot rings out in the Memphis sky…”. King was shot in the late afternoon of April 4. Chalk it up as poetic license.
“For the Summer” by Ray Lamontagne and the Pariah Dogs from God Willin’ and The Creek Don’t Rise (2010)
“Rollin’ through these hills I’ve known I’d be comin’ Ain’t a man alive that likes to be alone?” The New England based singer-songwriter with a cool song from his most recent studio album.
“Neanderthal” by Willie Ames from Night Owl (2011)
More great music from the San Diego based singer-songwriter. There more I listen, the more I love this album.
“It’s a Drag” by Tommy Stinson from It’s a Drag/Spork My Ears single (2012)
“Just another poor bastard born under a bloodshot moon” – a track from Stinson’s 2011 One Man Mutiny. Stinson was in his early teens when he started playing with the bands that would become the legendary Replacements. Lately, he’s been hanging out with Axl Rose in the current incarnation of G’n’R.
Sometimes, just when I get to my morning destination, a song will start up but I won’t hear enough to include it in the Morning Shuffle (unless it’s a really cool song that will majorly impress you all). Today, the next song in my random shuffle happened to be “Photo” a Studio Demo from the Expanded Edition of Pleased to Meet Me. Go figure.
Song 4 is We’re Comin’ Out by Bright Little Field from Treatment Bound: A Ukulele Tribute to The Replacements. Bright Little Field is Jonathan Bright and Tom Littlefield. Littlefield led the legendary 80s Nashville band, The Questionaires. We’re Coming Outwas on The Replacements best album, Let it Be.
Song 5 and our final song for the day is Messin’ Round by another of our featured artists for the month Pigeon Park and can be found on their 2010 album, The Sun.
Welcome to the working week. After a productive President’s Day of studying Presidential trivia and decorating the President’s Day shrub and taking part in at least six different President’s Day parades, we are back at it for another, albeit short, week.
We first caught up with Taco Land back last year when they were our Band of the Week and went on to a fifth place finish in the Band of the Year competition. We’ve recently been able to add some more great music from the San Antonio based band’s Heart of Texas album and today we feature Lost and Found. Taco Land, which is now the duo of Joseph Russell and Jerry Lafere, write and play smart and smooth indie rock.
Our second and fourth songs from today’s shuffle comes from the 2006 album Four Thieves Gone – The Robbinsville Sessions by The Avett Brothers. First up with have a cheerful little number The Lowering (A Sad Day in Greenvilletown).
Townes Van Zandt was a national treasure. To say he was under appreciated in his lifetime is a gross understatement. He suffered from a variety of mental health issues and substance abuse problems, and eventually, these problems slowed his once prolific musical output. Today’s song is the painfully fractured gem Sanitarium Blues which was released posthumously on the A Far Cry from Dead album.
We close it out with another song from The Avett Brothers’ Four Thieves Gone album, this is one Matrimony.The Avett Brothers will be appearing at this years Bonnaroo festival.
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And so, we begin another week. my last full week of work until the second week in January. Sweeeet…
First up is Band of the Year nominee, Ben Semmens aka BenSem with a track called Apathy from his Western Lights album. (click on album cover to purchase and download Western Lights at Amazon.com)
Next up is one of my favorite songs from last year. Soft Skin by Mountain Man from their Made the Harbor album.
(Click on album cover to purchase and download Made the Harbor at Amazon.com)
Next we have another Band of the Year nominee. It’s Joseph Russell aka Taco Land with a track from his brand new album Heart of Texas – the song is C’est La Vie which I’m pretty sure means awesome Texas music… or at least it should be… que sera sera…
(click on album cover to purchase and download Heart of Texas at Amazon.com)
Staying in Texas, we our final song of the day, is the classic Pancho & Lefty by the late, great Townes Van Zandt. (click on album cover to purchase and download A Far Cry From Dead at Amazon.com)
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