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Posting the new Featured Friday Playlist and recapping the first ten songs.
Consider this a bonus post. The first "real" post of 2021 is coming Monday.
Featured Friday Playlist
This is a previously unreleased track from the 1996-1999 era of the Irish band Blink. This our second song to featured. A full-length release of archival recordings in scheduled for the Spring.
Next up, we have the lead track from The Little Black Book - the new album from this Chicago based rock band that formed in 2019. Cool sound.
Next up, we have the new single from a Nashville based pop artist. This emotionally powerful break-up song was recorded here in Nashville.
Next up, we have the new single from Australian country music duo Souly Us. The song was recorded in their home studio while on lock down.
Next, we have a track from a new AA single from this Manchester art-pop band. A great sound.
We always like to save some of the most interesting music to close out our playlists. The penultimate track from this Playlist comes in the form of a nearly 8 minute title track to the new album by Finnish singer-songwriter Mauri Dark. The song has an epic quality and a deep emotional resonance. I love this song.
And we close this long playlist out with the return of French electro-pop band KissDoomFate - and the lead track from their 3 song b-side collection called Dead of Winter Beats. A deliciously chilly song to bring us into the heart of winter and to get us ready for a brand new year of music.
Our second time featuring this indie pop duo from Southern California. I love this song.
Next up, we have the sixth single in eight months from Belgian artist BUN. Brecht - the musician behind BUN started in an instrumental post-metal band called Miava which had developed a good following. Unfortunately, the band's drummer and Brecht's best friend was killed in a hit and run accident. Brecht eventually returned as BUN - as a project to celebrate life. This is my first listen and I dig it.
Next up, we have our second Featured track from Nolen R. Chew Jr. from Star Prairie, Wisconsin who collaborates with musicians and producers from LA to London as The Star Prairie Project.
Next up, we have the lead track from the second album (appropriately named '2') from this New Jersey based band. This track laments the loss of intimacy of the modern age of communication.
A lot of interesting music coming our way from Wales. This duo came to fruition during and because of the lock down.
Next up, we have a track from Rhode Island based experimental artist Dylan Murphy aka Fear Rua. Great ambient, psychedelic vibe. Very cool.
And we close this segment of music with the new single from Indiana-based hippy metal band Glostik Willy. I am going to admit I don't really know what hippy metal is - I do know that heavy metal originally emerged from the hippy subculture so... anyway, this is a cool song and a nice way to close out another diverse segment of music.
of1000faces returns to the E2TG playlist with the title track from the new album. This is the solo recording project of Chicago based Matt Walker (drummer and producer) whose credits include Morrissey, Smashing Pumpkins, Garbage, and Filter.
Next up, we have the new single from Montreal based No Trombones featuring vocals by Chicago native and L.A. based Sakari. A great addition to the playlist.
Next up, we have a single from this UK based duo that formed during quarantine. Jane and John are the middle names of C.J. Wadsworth who had never been in a band before and M.J. Hibbett who claims to be an "international rock star" who is best known for "Hey Hey 16K" which was a number one hit in IT departments if not on the charts.44. "Shame" by Tristan Wood
Next up, we have the title track from the new EP from this emerging singer-songwriter based in Seattle. Tristan was part of the HIGHSCHOOL Nation tour in 2018.
Next up, we have opening track from I LOVE YOU - the new album from this Boulder, Colorado based singer-songwriter. I dig the sound.
How about a cover? Up next, we have a cover of the Frankie Goes to Hollywood hit via this rock band from South Wales. The track is included in Acoustic and Autumnised - the new EP which features new arrangements of all the songs from the band's debut EP Dance Floor Mayhem plus this track.
And, we close this segment of music with the opening track from Violet Paper Wings by this Columbus, Ohio based duo of Andrew Gavin Williams and Luke Elliot Fleeman. A great tune to close out this part of our Playlist.
First up, we have the opening track from Hard World by this Charlottesville based folk-rock band. Wonderful song.
Next up, we have the return of this Norwegian band to the Playlist with their latest single.
Next up, we have the new single from this Boston-based singer-songwriter. As the writer of a novel called The Drift - this song title caught my attention, but the song itself kept it. This is a wonderful song by a new-to-me artist that I look forward to finding out more about.
Fish in a Birdcage is Dustan Townsend a young musical virtuoso originally from Red Deer, Alberta and currently in the midst of a two-year long busking adventure through Europe (currently in Spain). The name of his third album is Waterfall and this is the lead and title track.
Next up, we have the title track from the debut album by this psychedelic funk/hip-hop duo from Lewiston, New York. Really cool stuff.
Next up, we have a track from an up and coming rapper from Chicago. This was a direct artist submission that caught my attention. Check it out.
Next up, some indie rock from London. This latest single was inspired by the pre-Hispanic cultures of South America.
We close out this segment of music with the latest single from the new wave/indie band from Dublin, Ireland. The band formed in 2019 and released their debut album in March of 2020. A nice way to close things out.
First up today, we have the opening track from Glare of Deliverance - the new concept album from this Italian symphonic death metal band. The album tells the story of Eleanor - a young woman persecuted for crimes of witchcraft by the Holy Inquisition.
Next up, we have our second listen and the title track from the new album by this L.A. based chamber rock artist. A really lovely song - perfect for the longest night of the year.
Next up, we have something special. This is a live recording of a song which was originally included on the 2012 debut album Open Fire - by this melodic rock band from the Southeast of the UK. The song was written about vocalist Martin Wilson's son Josh and his struggles with childhood cancer. Sadly, Josh recently passed away at age 20, and the band have released this recording (from a 2018 performance in France) as a tribute. All proceeds from the song will go to Phillis Tuckwell Hospice who cared for Josh. You can download the song - here
Next up, we have the first single from the upcoming 2nd EP by this band that features band members of Noel Gallagher's High Flying Birds, Slash’s Snake Pit, Finn Brothers, Alice Cooper, Air & Beck - and all formerly of Jellyfish.
Next up, we have the debut single from this Wilmington, NC based hard rock multi-instrumentalist and singer-songwriter. The song deals with Williamson's personal demons and is offered as a message of healing and hope.
Next up, we have the first single from If Wishes Were Horses (due in March) from the outlaw country duo of Nate Rylan and Chris Brooks. The album was recorded in Nashville with an all-star line-up that includes Guthrie Trapp, Eddie Bayers, and Michael Spriggs to name just three - the band was directed by Dean Miller.
Next up, we have the title track from the debut album by this band from South Mississippi. The album is a love letter to the music that defined the New South. The album was an official Record Store Day release and is now available on streaming platforms.
And we close with the title track from the second album by L.A. based electronic indie band Forester. A lovely song and a great way to close out this diverse set of music.
Featured Friday Playlist
First up today - we have the latest single from legendary producer John Fryer's Black Needle Noise project - here he is joined by Croatian-Australian soprano Helena Mamich.
Next up, we have a collaboration between L.A. band Society 1 (led by Lord Zane) with special guest DMC (as in Run DMC). This hard hitting track sounds like a match made in...well - maybe heaven isn't the right word here... but this is damn good.
Chicago musician, producer, and music educator Marshall Greenhouse records as MANCHO, and he just released his cover of the classic John Lennon/Plastic Ono Band album - which is celebrating its 50th anniversary this year. MANCHO calls his version Plastic Oh No (2020).
French label Chinese Man Records introduced a new series of releases meant to highlight new artists. The series is called DIG IT! and the first single came out earlier this month, and this is it. Cool stuff. The second is out now as well.
Next up, we have some hard rock from Nashville! The Sacred are a four-piece band - this was my introduction to them, and I dig it. The band have been crowd-sourcing their debut album.
Next up, we have the first single from the forthcoming reunion album by this UK band - whose initial run was from 1998-2002. Peter Buck of R.E.M. plays on the new album Transmeridian which is due out next year.
L.A. band Pushing Veronica believe rock and roll should have a message and that the message should be loud. This new single features a video that includes imagery from A Clockwork Orange.
And we close out this segment of music with the title track from the debut album by this Canadian First Nations singer-songwriter. An impressive debut, and a great sounding record.