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Today I'm mostly gonna let my Topical Thursday playlist speak for me. I will say that the world and history and many Americans are watching. We are seeing those who are in positions to do something about the corruption and nepotism and dishonesty and... - and who are doing nothing. Meanwhile, many, many people who are not in positions of power are actively resisting.
Last night, another really excellent night of music at The 5 Spot. Beginning with a full-band set from Adrian + Meredith followed by TV Mike and the Scarecrows (who were fabulous), Quinn Deveaux (who is now local - after leaving LA) also wonderful, and ending with the triumphant return of Buck n Stuff. I even got a shout-out from the stage before they did their version of "A-11", This will likely be the last time I see this band for a while - as 2/3 of the band are headed to Europe next week. The American Legion recordings are being worked on - so maybe some Buck n Stuff recordings are out on the horizon somewhere.
Well... Nashville is staring down the barrel of some potentially bad storms this afternoon and evening. But...
Tonight at The 5 Spot. Richie Owens and The Farm Bureau are celebrating 25 years of great music with appearances from the many members over those years. As an added bonus, The Movement are said to be reuniting to open the show. The last - and only time I saw The Movement live was Labor Day Weekend 1985, when my friends Boyd and Ron along with a younger guy named Greg drove from Cookeville to Cat's Records on West End (there is a bank or something there now) to see The Movement, Tim Krekel and the Sluggers, and Jason and the Scorchers. I sure hope the weather cooperates and that I am not huddled in an interior space.
After that show, the Family Wash is to be my destination to see Russell Thompson, Megan Palmer, and Sergio Webb.
Okay - time to move on to the Topical Thursday shuffle. Usual disclaimers... I have a topic in mind, but I'm not explaining it. The songs may only fit due to an alternate interpretation of the title, or some loose connection in my mind, or they may explicitly fit the topic. In all cases, I am not implying in any way the artists/writers/performers share any particular view point.
Also, I think there may be some repeats from previous Thursday shuffles - I refreshed the playlist and may have added some songs back - whatever- they are all good songs and they all still fit the topic. Other than that - enjoy.
"Bad to Worse/King of the World" by A Color Engine
We begin with a combined song from this band that featured Don Ryan (a long-time E2TG fave) and Eric Burchfield (of Elephant Goes West - an early E2TG Band of the Week/Featured Artist). I love the sound of this band - the King of the World part in particular brings to mind XTC.
"Thief in the Night" by Clint Morgan
Next up - Clint Morgan from Scofflaw. One of my favorites from 2016.
"It's Too Bad" by The Jam
Never a bad excuse to play The Jam. From All Mod Cons - one of my desert island albums.
"Bad" by U2
Next - a song from U2's album The Unforgettable Fire. In the video playlist, their performance of this song from Live Aid (1985).
"History Lesson" by Living Colour
A brief but important lesson from Living Colour. From their 1990 second album, Time's Up.
"Your Racist Friend" by They Might Be Giants
Unfortunately, as timely as ever. I played this on last Saturday's Double Shot show.
"Don't Let the Demagogue Get Your Down" by Strange Majik
E2TG has been following Strange Majik since early in our existence. His band, The Dead Exs, was a Band of the Week early in 2012. Solo, I reviewed his 2016 album Raised on Rock n Roll. He just recently released an EP called Soul Crisis. This is the first single - released ahead of the EP, and a direct artistic response to the things I have been writing about for the past couple of months. It is what art and music and rock n roll should be... relevant, truthful, and brave. And the music will make you shake your ass as you get up off your privilege to do something to change the world.
"Nothing Is The News" by Damien Jurado
We close things out with a track from Damien Jurado's 2012 album Maraqopa. The album was produced by Richard Swift - formerly of The Shins and more recently of The Arcs (and a touring member of The Black Keys).
VIDEO PLAYLIST
(click above to view the Video Playlist)
(click above to view the Video Playlist)
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