Category: Year of October

Wednesday Morning Music Shuffle – Bad Voodoo Mix

!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”); Casual readers may not know this, but although I was born in Tennessee, my parents were both born in Louisiana, and I still have some deep roots in that state.  There is quite a bit of Louisiana in today’s shuffle by some twist of fortune/juju…

My phone did feel heavier this morning – probably due to the nearly 100 songs I added to the current playlist.  How much does an MP3 file weigh anyway?

Ah- let’s jump into it…

“Blues de Bosco” by Rodney Crowell from Evangeline Made: a tribute to Cajun Music

On Record Store Day, while the cool kids were enduring the long lines for the rare vinyl releases, I was perusing the $1.00 CD bins looking for cool finds.  I came across this star-studded Cajun Music tribute from early in this century.  Americana standard bearer Rodney Crowell is from southern Mississippi which is about as close to Cajun country as you can get without being in South Louisiana.  The video is a version of this song from a New York City Cajun band named for a small town near where some of my family lives.

“Loud Loud Loud Loud Guitars” by Young Fresh Fellows from Songs for Slim – A Benefit Compilation for Slim Dunlap

Stick some cotton in your ears if you must… hell, I’ll likely be deaf before too long…

This reminds me of three things:  1.  Seeing Slim with the ‘Mats in the sweaty National Guard Armory in Nashville in the late 80s. 2.  Seeing Warren Zevon with the Odds at the Ace of Clubs in Nashville in the early 90s (it was one of the loudest shows I’ve ever experienced) and 3. that line from They Might Be Giants “She doesn’t have to have her Young Fresh Fellows tape back…” 

“Fury of the Light” by The Bones of J.R. Jones from Dark was the Yearling

The Bones of J.R. Jones is from Brooklyn and makes some incredible dark, rootsy, blues/folk music. I grabbed this from the July Feel Bad for You mixtape, and I have to hear more!

“Miller, Don’t You Even Care?” by The Grimm Generation from The Big Fame

The first of three tracks in today’s shuffle from perennial E2TG favorites The Grimm Generation.  What you need to know about The Grimm Generation:  They are from Connecticut, they make music deeply rooted in themes and influences of which I am all too familiar, and they are awesome.  Get The Big Fame  – as soon as you possibly can!

“The Big Fame” by The Grimm Generation from The Big Fame

The title track from the landmark album!

“French Quarter” by Delta Spirit from Lost and Found

Our second Louisiana-inspired song… Delta Spirit are from San Diego and currently reside in Brookyln, but as their name implies, the spirit of the Mississippi Delta runs all through their music.  This is from a free sampler released on Noisetrade ahead of the band’s fourth album which is due in just a couple of weeks.  It takes us to a post-Katrina New Orleans…

“Real Bad Voodoo” by The Grimm Generation from The Big Fame

We stay down in the Crescent city and wander into a strange shop with no distinguishable signage, filled with tables and shelves of trinkets and bottles… there is some real bad voodoo…

“Youth Culture Killed My Dog” by They Might Be Giants from First Album Live

In honor of yesterday being National Dog Day, we offer this first album gem from TMBG.  Damn you hipsters – stay out of my yard!
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“Kentucky” by Year of October from WDVX Blue Plate Special 4/12/2014

And we close things out with one of Year of Octobers prettiest and most heartfelt songs – about their home state.  This is the first track on Golden Days – their new album which you can pre-order now!

VIDEO PLAYLIST

Monday Morning Music Shuffle – Toddler Superman Mix

Monday – and as usual I’m short on time so let’s jump into the shuffle:

“Toddler Hiway” by They Might Be Giants (with The Avatars of They) from First Album Live

Another from the Live album version of TMBG debut album.  This one features the sock puppets known as The Avatars of They with the shortest song on the album.

“My Friend Superman” by Deena from Rock River

Another great track from the Rock River album.  I tend to dig songs that mention superman, and this is no exception.

“In Remembrance” by The Grey A from My Country

My Country by The Grey A will be released in less than a month.  Nashville readers, there will a CD release show on September 12 at The Stone Fox.  The show should include appearances by many of the Nashville artists who appeared on the record.

“Riverside Blues” by Year of October from WDVX Blue Plate Special 4/12/2014

Pre-Orders for Golden Days, the new Year of October release have begun.  This is the second track on the album. 

“If I Gotta’ Die (murdered by someone I love)” by Darrin Bradbury from Death in My Left Ear

Death in My Left Ear is no longer the most recent release by Darrin Bradbury, but it’s a good one, and this is one of my favorite songs of his.  In the video playlist, we have a track from his latest release Motel Oatmeal.

“Their Finest Hour” by Clocks and Clouds from The Creation of Matter

More orchestral goodness from Clocks and Clouds from their album The Creation of Matter.

“How Bout” by Taco Land from Home Sweet Home

A sweet, sweet song from our friends Taco Land from their latest album.

“Liquid” by Gumshen from Progtronica

Our final track from Gumshen’s Progtronica album is a good one.

“The Mechanical Motion of Dying Stars” by aCr from ghost note manifest!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”);

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VIDEO:

Friday Morning Music Shuffle – Ambulance Mix

It is Friday….  We have some big name artists, some E2TG favorites, some live versions of songs, special sessions, and an awesome Blues song to close out the week…. Have a great weekend everyone, and I will see you on the otherside…

“Calypso Foam” by The Graveyard Kids from Mama Coco’s Funky Kitchen: Section 5/ II

Maybe I posted this one before and didn’t delete it from my Current Playlist. Maybe I didn’t, but if I did, so what? It’s my blog and it’s a cool song – so there.

“Don’t Swallow the Cap” by The National from Trouble Will Find Me

The National are from Cincinnati. They have been around for a while, and the album from which today’s track was taken was nominate for a Grammy.

“Thirty Two Footsteps” by They Might Be Giants from First Album Live

I posted the widget to get this album for free from NoiseTrade for a limited time.  I highly recommend it.  These are great versions of classic tunes.

“Come the Meantimes” by Elvis Costello and The Roots from Wise Up Ghosts and Other Songs

It’s like if Burt Bacharach recorded an album with Doc Severinsen… who knows maybe he did – somebody look that up… anyway, Jimmy Fallon’s multi-talented house band and Napoleon Dynamite (the original one) make some nice music together…

“V. The Meaning of Things (The Dream Lives Ought to See)” by Left of Logic from In Formation

Transition  time… The Roots are from Philly and so are Left of Logic.  The way my shuffles come together don’t have to have a logical sequence, but when Left of Logic are involved, they sometimes do…

“Spell on Me” by Year of October from WDVX Blue Plate Special 4/12/2014

Year of October make another appearance in the Morning Shuffle (they had two songs in yesterday’s mix.  This is a live version of a song slated to appear on their new album due out in a couple of months.

“Every Day” by The Autumn Defense from NoiseTrade Eastside Manor Session/Once Around

Wilco’s John Stirratt and Pat Sansone are The Autumn Defense. They spent some time in Nashville a little while back. I saw them at Grimey’s for Americanarama, and they recorded a Eastside Manor Session for NoiseTrade. 

“Don’t Call No Ambulance” by Selwyn Birchwood from Alligator Records: 21st Century Blues and Roots/!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”);Don’t Call No Ambulance

We close out the day with some great Blues music from Selwyn Birchwood from Tampa Florida.  Yeah!

VIDEO

SHOP

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Thursday Morning Music Shuffle – Daddy Sang Bass Mix

Took a drive across the river last night, to a little dive bar in East Nashville called Fran’s Eastside. Saw E2TG favorite Darrin Bradbury and the amazing Tim Carroll.  Fun night with great music, meeting cool people, and even the Music City Roots bus was there… and why not?  I have some pictures, but my phone is being stingy and won’t release them yet.

By coincidence and because I have a ton of his music loaded right now, Darrin is in the shuffle again today – an older song – one of the first that really caught my attention.  He has a new release which I will be sharing more about soon….

To the shuffle:

“You Were Mine” by Year of October from WDVX Blue Plate Special 4/12/2014

We begin with E2TG favorites  – Nashville’s Year of October from a live radio show in Knoxville from this past spring. They have a new record coming out – appropriately enough in October.

“The Day” by They Might Be Giants from First Album Live

The first of three songs from a recently released (and Free on Noisetrade) live version of their self-titled debut album. Filled with great songs like this one and the other one and the one after that…

“Boat of Car” by They Might Be Giants from First Album Live

Giving us the subtitle of this post.. the opening line of this song was later used in the song Will the Circle Be Unbroken? and in a song by Johnny Cash (written by Carl Perkins)… or I could have my chronology mixed up…

“Memorial Day” by The Danbury Lie from Fourth Time’s a Charm

Another great track off the new release by another E2TG favorite.  The Danbury Lie are on of the most original bands I’ve come across, and I will keep spreading the word… 

But don’t trust me – listen/read the words of Jason from The Grimm Generation: ““I downloaded the new The Danbury Lie for my ride in this morning and oh man. Love this record. Weird subsonic classical merged with something like The Shins, all sparkly sounding and weirdly well thought out. Well done, tDL.” – JKrug “

“She’s an Angel” by They Might Be Giants from First Album Live

That other song from the previously mentioned live album.

“Avant Gardener” by Courtney Barnett from The Double EP: A Sea of Split Peas

Courtney Barnett is from Australia, but she would fit in well here in Nashville and is welcome here any time.  Says me, the official gatekeeper of who can come to Nashville….  Cool song, and I approve of the title and so do the Avant Guard Dogs.

“My Baby Took My Baby Away” by Bobby Bare Jr’s Young Criminal’s Starvation League from Undefeated

Great song by Nashville legend and son of a Nashville legend Bobby Bare Jr. who has been a staple on the Nashville scene since I was a kid… come to think of it, he must have been a kid, too because he isn’t that much older than me.

“Twenty Little Soldiers” by Darrin Bradbury from The Almost Great Crepe’s (Demos)

The aforementioned song by the aforementioned Mr. Bradbury.  Nashville readers go see this guy either Wednesday’s at Fran’s or sometime…  for the video I picked a version done by his old band Big Wilson River who were a Featured Artist here before I even knew Darrin. 

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

Yet another new song from Bay Area band and E2TG favorites Mr. Kind.

!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”); “Winter” by Year of October from WDVX Blue Plate Special 4/12/2014

And we close out where we began with a song from Year of October’s Blue Plate Special session.  For the video I chose a slight more seasonally appropriate song Indian Summer.

VIDEO

SHOP

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WOW Wednesday Music Shuffle – On My Own Mix

As we do pretty much every Wednesday, we dig into the well that is the music currently residing on my phone’s memory, and we hit “shuffle” and let the chips fall where they may…  Today’s shuffle yields a nice mix of different styles of music which makes sense only to people like me…

Shall we?

“Douchebags on Parade” by Mudhoney from Vanishing Point

Somebody made some kind of dick move on the road in front of me while this song was playing.  I have no memory of this happening, but I was driving in Nashville, so it’s a good bet… anyway, a rockin’ tune from the veteran Seattle Grunge band’s 9th and latest album.

“Most People” by Dawes from Stories Don’t End

We live, contained in our skins, filled with aspirations and self-doubt and all kinds of crap, and we some how think we are all alone.  The truth, though, is quite different.

“Black Cat Bone” by !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”); window.amznpubstudioTag = “eartothegro00-20”; http://ps-us.amazon-adsystem.com/domains/eartothegro00-20_3dcd3a52-1a1a-4afe-a2fd-aaba8e251afc.js Hat Fitz and Cara Robinson from Beauty ‘n the Beast

“Aussie bluesman and Irish Songstress get married, form a band and make great music together. This shabby hill country blues oozes cool”. Guitar & Bass Magazine
I should have known Popa Tune’s was already all over this… hell, he’s probably my source. The duo released a new album this past May. This is from their 2010 album…

“Can’t Get Over You” by Kevin Jenkins from Step Inside

I think we featured this just a few weeks ago, but that’s the way WOW Wednesday’s work. It’s some silky smooth soul jazz sounds from NYC and the True Groove label.

“On My Own” by Year of October from Stories

E2TG favorites, Year of October are a couple of months away from the release of their new album Golden Days.  They just released the first single called “Gone” complete with a ninjatastic video.  We kick in with a song from their earlier release Stories.

“Myth” by Beach House from Loss Opportunity: The 2012 Sub Pop Records Sampler/Bloom

Dream Pop duo Beach House join the WOW Wednesday hysterics with the first release off their 2012 album Bloom.  It’s dreamy and poppy…

“Hope and Promise” by prattle on, rick from Some Quiet Majesty

Another Nashville-based E2TG favorite is prattle on, rick.  This is from his latest album, and I think it is one of the bonus songs you can get from downloading the album.

“Deperate Hand” by Garrison Starr from Relive (NoiseTrade Version)

Garrison Starr has been making some great music for a number of years.  This song is from a 2012 live album recorded at 12th and Porter here in Nashville. 

VIDEO:

SHOP:

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Tuesday Morning Music Shuffle – Smells Like Gin Mix

Here’s some music from your Tuesday…. window.amznpubstudioTag = “eartothegro00-20”; http://ps-us.amazon-adsystem.com/domains/eartothegro00-20_3dcd3a52-1a1a-4afe-a2fd-aaba8e251afc.js

“Golden Days” by Year of October from WDVX Blue Plate Special 4/12/2014 1.

 

“Spacetic Fever” by Left of Logic from In Formation 2.

 

“Sharp Feathers” by Telepathic Teddy Bear from Forgiveness 3.

 

“bleibet meine freude/bron van al my vreugde” by velodrones from kersfees tape $ 4.

 

“Running Wild” by Moon Taxi from Mountains Beach Cities

 

“A Real Woman” by Slew of Young Gentlemen from Mama Coco’s Funky Kitchen – Section 5 5.

 

“Cross-Eyed Woman” by Michael Burks from Alligator Records: 21st Century Blues and Roots 6.

 

“Titfull of Mumbles” by Tipi Valley from Blue Moon EP 12.

 

“Falling (Theme from Twin Peaks)” by Verdigirls from the single 7.

 

“Bait and Switch” by Gumshen from Progtonica

 

“Sharkjaw Beartrap (Megan)” by No Shoes from Cow Drawings EP 8.

 

“In the 9th Inning” by The Jean Jackets from Field Theory Blues  9.

 

“Drinking Song” by The Danbury Lie from Fourth Time’s a Charm 10.

 

“Infinity of Folded Cloth” by Ghostpal from Mama Coco’s Funky Kitchen – Section 5

 

“A Life Spent Pissing in the Wind” by Darrin Bradbury from Death in my Left Ear 11.

 

“Open Ended Life” by The Avett Brothers from Magpie and the Dandelion

 

Hitting some highlights…

 

1.       A performance of a what will likely be the title track from the forthcoming Year of October album – recorded at the band’s April appearance on the WDVX Blue Plate Special from Knoxville.

2.       A crazy fun song from Left of Logic.

3.       Some new music from Telepathic Teddy Bear.

4.       Another awesome track from Velodrones.  Thean Slabbert’s other band Bosveld are currently on a bike tour in Canada.  Check them out if you are there…

5.       A band that lives up to it’s name…. 

6.       Real Woman meet Cross-Eyed Woman….

7.       Formerly The Velveteens an E2TG featured artist.  Now Verdigrls and covering the Twin Peaks theme..  how cool.

8.       Our Mama Coco’s love fest continues with 4 more Mama Coco’s related songs in today’s shuffle including this one.

9.       Coincidently appropriate given the All-Star Game is tonight…

10.   Another awesome song from the new The Danbury Lie release.

11.   One from Darrin Bradbury’s latest release, and just as expected it’s a really great song..
12.  I almost forgot.  Our friend Tipi Valley is from Wales.  The Mumbles is a place in Wales or something.  Anyway, this is a cool song, and quit giggling at the word Titfull.

VIDEO LIST:

E2TG Dustin’ off Cobwebs…. Part I

Ug.. it’s been a month or more since I posted… due to circumstances yada yada…

I hope to be back up to full speed ahead soon, but I need to dust off the cobwebs to share some things – some long overdue. 

First of all – time is getting short (and I’m talking you bands and artists):  CXCW ’14 runs March 9-15, 2014 – location to be determined by you.  There is still time to submit you video – check out the details here:  Couch by Couchwest 2014



Jump —-

First:

On February 14, still relatively new Nashvillian, Darrin Bradbury released his full length – True Love.  Previously, I’ve called Darrin the best pure songwriter I’ve heard in a long, long time. True Love solidifies that claim, and if I must say, makes me look damn prophetic.   Give it a listen, download, and name a good price.

 
If that wasn’t enough, just five days after the release of True Love, the prolific Mr. Bradbury released a live album produced by Spader Music.
 

Next up, I have a big congratulations to send out to E2TG favorites Miss. Shevaughn and Yuma Wray who officially became Mr. and Mrs. Shevaughn-Wray.  Kidding about the name, but they Erin and Chris did tie the knot and will be embarking on a humongous honeymoon tour that will take them coast to coast – which is what they like, and includes a return trip to Nashville later this month.

In fact, the Nashville date March 25 happens to correspond to the release date of the highly anticipated new album, Lean into the Wind which will be released on Seven Dead Arson Records.  Here are a couple of tracks from that album. 



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In other news, the new Taco Land album is due out soon  between writing and posting – I saw that Home Sweet Home is out now!, and we have a preview of the title track for you:



Next: It’s been a little since we heard from Ear the Ground Featured Artists – Dogs of Oz, but they are back with a new single ahead of one of the band’s long anticipated full-length album.  The single is out on Cassette and Digital Download from Unruly Factions.  Get it HERE and take a listen below:



I got to hang out with and see E2TG friends, Year of October (look for a new album from them in the summer.  They are sounding better than ever and I can’t wait for the album.  On the bill that night were a rocking Nashville Blues/Rock band called The Static Trees who sounded great and did a pretty sweet Stones’ cover (“Shake Your Hips” from Exile on Main Street), and a folksy/americanaish Murfreesboro band called Island Wren who are awesome and just released an EP called Fountain which you can get from iTunes and other places.



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Thursday Morning Music Shuffle – Freaks Mix

Busy, busy… A few things before we jump into the shuffle…

First, a reminder that next week we begin our very #E2TG approach to The Best of 2013.  Stay tuned for that.

A couple of live videos hit our inbox this week and wanted to share…  The Mad Doctors are from Brooklyn and they kick some major butt.  Check out this performance from 11/30/2013.

 

This next video is from our Nashville friends Year of October.  We are looking forward to a new album (fingers crossed) for 2014.  Meanwhile, this past weekend, they did a mini-tour which included a stop in Louisville which is where this next video was filmed.  Check it out!

 



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On to today’s mixture of mixed musical melodies….

EXTRA BITS:  “The Remainder” by Andrew Ferris    “Freaks” by The Hawk in Paris   “Jealousy” by Chamberlin  (note: read the band’s Facebook Page Biography)    “Sunday Morning” by The Velvet Underground (and Nico)     “Hold Tight” by Fats Waller   “Cold Chicago” by Humming House   “Refuse to Hide” by Jenny Leigh   “Viet Nam” by Minutemen   “R*A*M*O*N*E*S” by Motorhead   “Sweet Head” by David Bowie  “The Wheels of Love” by Terminal Gods 

Our twofer Thursday Tracks (okay I made that up and I know twofer should be on  Tuesday but whatever):

“Nothing Indeed” and “Take 5, D.” by the Minutemen (from Double Nickels on the Dime.)

SHUFFLE:

“Sex” by The 1975 (from The 1975.  A band and album that made some year end lists.  I like what I’ve heard so far.)

“Cold Blooded” by American Babies (from Knives and Teeth.  A Philadelphia band.  Another band that I’m just getting acquainted with, and I like what I hear)

“Fox” by Cloud Gavin (from Posture.  This song has become a world-wide sensation and it’s dance inspiring video  has become an internet hit.  This is a really cool Rock song by a band from Illinois.  No silly dances were inspired by this song.)

“Whatevering” by The Great American Novel (from 😦  . A stand-out track and a great introduction to the musical and humorous style of this New York band.)

“Fallen” by The Westies (from West Side Stories.  This album is rapidly becoming a favorite of mine.  Just pure honest songwriting, well played and sung.  Really… that’s all it takes.)

 
 
 
WATCH
 


“Nothing Indeed”

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Thursday Morning Music Shuffle – Nearly Perfect Mix

Convergence of everything good…. a perfect storm of wonderment…

 
 
Year of October at Douglas Corner 6/27/2013



Today is like a near perfect early October morning and here it is mid August!  The mix of songs that shuffled out of my MP3 player was almost as perfect as the weather.  I can’t wait to bring it to you, and so I won’t.

Be prepared – after the jump…


So when I say it is a near perfect mix, what do I mean and why is it not a perfect mix?  First of all, I’m not sure a perfect mix is even a thing. To me, it’s kind of like those “definitive” lists you see all the time on Facebook or wherever – “Top 10 Guitarist of All Time” – “Beatles Albums from Worst to Best” or whatever. Whenever I read these lists, it is almost guaranteed that there will be at least a couple of items that are questionable if not downright objectionable. So for my near perfect list, how can I call it perfect if it doesn’t have The Minutemen or Townes or The End Men or Valued Customer or Don Ryan or whomever? 

Why this mix is near perfect: It was a perfect storm of an almost unbelievingly gorgeous day and a succession of songs that seemed to flow perfectly. Plus, it includes some of my favorite people that I’ve met through this blog.

Such a near perfect mix deserves more than the usual list format – so indulge me a bit.

The Near Perfect Mix:

I first heard about the new album by Those Darlins back in the spring. I was excited because I love Those Darlins who always bring the right combination of sass and twang.  A few weeks back, I was driving home from work, and as I passed Grimey’s New and Preloved Music as I do almost every day, I saw this huge poster on the side of the building. Turns out this was the cover image of the new Those Darlins album – a very revealing image at that.  So, I finally got my hands on the first song from the record “Oh God” which happens to be the first song in this morning’s mix. Despite my high expectations (did I mention I love Those Darlins?) this song does not disappoint. To me, it’s one of those great songs that sounds like it has always existed.  We shall have to wait until October for Blue the Lines to be released.  BTW, the very revealing cover image is featured in the PLAYLIST posted at the end of this post. So, we warned or notified. 

Calexico is another band I dig. For some unknown reason, they’ve always flown a little under my radar, but every single time one of their songs comes up, I think “Why don’t I listen to these guys more often” which is exactly what I was thinking as I listened to “Splitter” which I got from a Noisetrade ANTI Records Summer Sampler and which is taken from the band’s most recent album Algiers which was released almost a year ago.  The song flowed beautifully from “Oh, God”.

When the familiar blues riff of Year of October‘s song “Black Hearted Man” came up, I began to suspect that this mix was going to be special. Nashville-based, Year of October, which is fronted by husband and wife – Josh and Phlecia Sullivan, are working on their next album. This song comes from the album Stories. Very quickly, Year of October have become one of my favorite bands.

At this point, it is almost like a perfect game, and I hate that I’ve noticed the near perfection because the wrong song could throw the whole thing off. Keep in mind, that I add the songs that make up the Playlist, and I don’t put bad songs on the playlist, but this mix was so perfect that the wrong song (even if it was a great song) could really mess things up.

Which makes it ever so sweet when “Monkey Dance” from Tim Lee 3‘s Devil’s Rope comes up. By now, I hope I’ve made it clear how much I love Tim Lee 3.  Besides the great music they make, they are really awesome human beings.  “Monkey Dance” is just a flat out great song which addresses some realities of the music business and does so in a way that is so much fun and makes me want to dance around.

One thing I didn’t know until recently is that Tim Lee was a onetime de-facto member of the iconic 80s band, Let’s Active. So, it is fitting that we follow up Tim Lee 3 with  “Edge of the World” which was on the 1983 Afoot EP. As you probably know, founding member Faye Hunter recently and tragically took her own life recently. Therefore, this makes it good time to direct you to the second volume of Country Fried Rock’s benefit for Nuci’s Space – an Athens, GA based organization which specifically addresses Suicide Prevention for Musicians.  I posted about the first volume when it was released last year.  If you pre-order Vol. 2 right now, you can get a free download of the first Volume.

So as “Edge of the World” finished up, I arrived at the parking lot, and I breathed a little sigh or relief, no matter what came next, I had a near perfect Pre-Shuffle.

But, the near perfect mix wasn’t done yet. Taco Land has been on my radar since the first year of this blog. When they dropped their latest album, Pancakes and Pizza, I knew I was in for a treat. The album featured some more hard hitting music than I had come to expect from Taco Land, but it is very much as good as I have come to expect. “Machine Gun”, our track today,  is great representation of the album.

Recently, I began adding some of my all-time favorite music into the Playlist – it’s always fun when a classic song comes up in the mix, and it is interesting how the “old” stuff sounds along side all the great new music (and vice-versa).  Besides, Let’s Active, the most recent “classic” album added was More Fun in the New World by X. “Painting the Town Blue” came up today and it sounded great in the middle of this awesome mix of music.

When someone named Elwood Kuddles – who performs under the moniker Killing Kuddles – asks you to listen to his music, you don’t hesitate. Well, I honestly don’t know what you would do, but I didn’t hesitate, and I can recommend you do the same.  Killing Kuddles has become another of our favorite artists. Punkish Troubadour Alternative Folk Music for the rapidly aging millennium. He released an EP called Odd Man Out back in the spring, and we actually did a dual non-shuffle review of that album along with the latest Taco Land. “Not Coming Back” is an energetic fireball of a song – I  love it!

The Killing Kuddles song almost got me all the way to the office, and given the near perfect streak, I almost cut off the Shuffle after that song, but I’m glad I didn’t.  And so, on this near perfect morning, my near perfect mix came to a near perfect end with a near perfect song from a near perfect album by a near perfect band – another of our favorite artists from one of our top albums of the year so far. “Santa Cruz” by The Imperial Rooster from Cluckaphony.  Ah… sweet near perfection….

Our Near Perfect Playlist
 


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Thursday Morning Music Shuffle – Log Jam Mix

Live* from Nashville – Music City USA. Ear to the Ground proudly presents – the Morning Shuffle…. 
*Live when written – except on the West Coast where 60 Minutes will be seen at it’s regular time.   
Once again, we find ourselves abundantly blessed with music, and running a bit tight in the time department… so dispensing with the ado…  Join the Mix – after the JUMP
clicky….

 

PRE-SHUFFLE
“Honeymoon” by Bombadil (“your life is books you never wrote
and tote only for money”)
“Red River Valley” by Slim Whitman (“From this valley they say you are leavingWe shall miss your bright eyes and sweet smile”)

“Everywhere I Go” by Caitlin Rose (“In a room out of town There’s a picture in a drawer
of all that could have been and all that came before Standing in the light or hiding in the dark”)

“Sea of Lights” by Year of October (“Been swimming in a sea of lights for so long, surprised I haven’t drowned”)
“The Randall Knife” by Guy Clark (“There it slept and there it stayed For twenty some odd years Sort of like Excalibur Except waiting for a tear”)
“King of the Waves” by Little Barrie (“Let’s be like children play, pretend we started again”)
“Who Are You” by Ivan and Alyosha (“And you paint your face, and you change your hand
Tell me what happened to you such a long time ago And all your friends, well they have no clue Who are you when no one is around?”)

PRE-SHUFFLE moves into the SHUFFLE with the next song
“Only a Song” by Ben Sollee (“I get a little scared when I’m driving through the ghetto.
There’s a part of me that wants to hide, there’s a part of me that wants to move in.
Cuz even though I, I grew up in the suburbs I didn’t really grow until I learned how so many others lived. But this is only a song, it can’t change the world.”) 
“Leaky Seams” by bellwire  (“Your backyard was a shrine to summer nights–– a bedsheet theater.
Someone prepped the reel and let it rip–– the camera slipped through leaves”)
  

“Open Pt. II” by Great Forest (“When you first saw me in my shapeless body”)


“Checkpoints and Borders” by Liquid Casing (“Checkpoints to see where we belong “Can’t you see?” I don’t belong My skin said it all; that border I just can’t cross”)
“No More Lonely” by Caitlin Rose (“Nobody’s asking questions here but me”)
PLAYLIST
 

 

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