E2TG 6/1/2020 - What's Going On? - Crocodile Mix (Woke Up Remix)

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Sometimes, it all seems to much!  Here in Nashville in 2020, we have had the March 3 tornado, the COVID-19 pandemic, the largest blackout in the cities history, and no protests and riots in the streets. I want to call for a time out!

BUT, then I think, relatively speaking I have at most been inconvenienced by all of this.  If I am this exhausted, I wonder how those who have been deeply and directly affect must feel. And, then I think about being a person of color in America twenty years into the 21st Century - and how long systemic racism has been allowed to go on. And, I think if I am this worn out, how much people of color feel...

So, yes, I am exhausted and I would love a week or more with no significant news, and I want to be able to safely go out and see my friends and attend live music events. But, until it is safe, I will stay in as much as I can and I will be okay.

 And I want there to be peace in our cities, but you know, until tangible changes are made, I understand the unrest.

I also have concerns about the role of right wing groups in instigating the violence in order to discredit the valid protests. And, this is where it gets trick and this is where maybe I don't get to offer my hot takes... Stay vigilant, stay safe, and spread love are the best advise I have to offer.

In spite of it all, this is a music blog, and music has always been a refuge for me through whatever turbulence I have experienced, and so, we will continue our review of this week's Featured Friday Playlist with song 7-12:

7. "Political Funk" by Mick Hayes

From the album My Claim to FAME which was recorded by legendary FAME Studio in Muscle Shoals, Alabama. I am just discovering Mick Hayes' music, and this album has blown me away. I picked this track partially because the song coincidentally shares its name with a short-lived early 90s Nashville group - that I can't find any proof actually existed. Nonetheless, this is a great song and a great diving in point for this album which is infused with the magic of the studio where it was recorded. 

8. "Young Loved and Free" by Audrey and Hugh

From the album Sisterman. There is a recurring theme lately of reconnecting with artists that I wrote about in the past. This is new album is the debut for the duo of Audrey MacAlpine and Hugh Trimble - along with Mason Wheaton. Sisterman was the name they previously used for the band. Totally coincidentally, E2TG wrote about Hugh Trimble a few years back when we covered some of the music he recorded at Mama Coco's Funky Kitchen in New York. Audrey and Hugh are based in Nashville name, and I got turned on to this release by a post of a good friend whose musical taste I  respect. 

9. "Fixer - Live" by Adrian + Meredith

I am missing Adrian + Meredith, and I am missing live music at The 5 Spot, so I thought I would play another track from Adrian + Meredith Live at The 5 Spot. I love these guys. For this recording they have their big band, and it is great hearing the Nashville horns.

10. "The Deleted History of Us" by Cursive is Code

Another song from our friends from Connecticut. Jason P. Krug and company have hit upon a great new sound that retains the spirit of his previous work (solo and with Grimm Generation). This time there is a funky liveliness that I really dig.

11. "You Got Me" by Bill Lloyd

New music from Bill Lloyd is always a pleasure. His brand new album is a called Don't Kill the Messenger. In the 1980s, Lloyd led the power pop band The December Boys before releasing his classic solo album Feeling the Elephant.  In the early 90s, he formed the country music duo Foster and Lloyd with Radney Foster and had some chart success. He was also in a supergroup called The Sky Kings - we covered a recent reissue by them recently.  He leads The Long Players - who recreate classic albums, and he has put out a series of albums of the last several years that represent pop songwriting at its best. 

12. "With Love, from Quarantine" by Shayfer James

Shayfer James was a "Featured Artist" exactly eight years ago. The New Jersey singer-songwriter came to our attention at the height of our New York/New Jersey obsession. This is a wonderful and timely new song. Great to hear from him and to be able to present it to you.

Tomorrow songs 13-18...

    Featured Friday Playlist

Music City Monday Shuffle

"Dirty Dishes" by Becca Mancari (from Good Woman)

Going back to her 2017 album, we have a great track. Mancari has a brand new album due out this month that was produced by Zac Farro of Paramore. 

"One Last Question" by Jason & the Scorchers (from Nashville, The Other Side of the Alley: Insurgent Country Vol. 3)

A wonderful Jason and the Scorchers track from that awesome mid-90s compilation released by Bloodshot records - the album also features Tim Carroll, Tom House, Kristi Rose, R.B. Morris, and Dan Baird among many others. 

"Woke Up Jake" by Dan Baird (from Buffalo Nickel)

Speaking of the aforementioned Mr. Baird, we have a track from his most excellent solo album Buffalo Nickel - which was the follow-up to Love Songs for the Hearing Impaired. 

"One Thing I Know About Love" by Jonell Mosser and John Hall (from Little Black Dress)

Next up, we have one of Nashville finest - Jonell Mosser has been a force on the Nashville music scene for many years, and having seen her live a couple of time this year (and very late last year), I can attest that she is still at the top of her game. 

"Freightliner Fever" by Jon Byrd (from Byrd's Auto Parts)

A tribute to truckers and more precisely to trucking songs from the debut solo album by the one and only Jon Byrd. 

"Crocodile" by Lori Kelley (from Under Stars and Storms)

And, we close with a long time friend of E2TG, singer-songwriter Lori Kelley from her most recent album.  Kelley helped organize and run the Eastside Takeover at Bobby's Idle Hour in 2015 or so, which provided so many memorable Sunday evenings. 

VIDEO PLAYLIST

NEW AND RECENT RELEASES

This Week

5/31 - Debra Power - That's How I Roll (LP)
6/01 - Bessie Smith - Get in Union (LP) (from the Alan Lomax Archives)
6/01 - Darwin - "Dance Alone" (single)

6/05 - Nicole Boggs and the Reel - "None of Your Business" (single)

6/05 - People Without Shows and Inkswell - Plasma Platter (LP)

6/05 - Short Haired Domestic - "A Song in Latin... A Song in Hindi..." (single)
6/05 - Turkeyfoot - Promise of Tomorrow (LP)

6/05 - Delta Maid - Katie (LP)

6/05 - KDF - "Innocence" (single)

6/05 - Lacey Williams - "Cut N' Curl" (single)

6/05 - Johnny Irion and Friends - "Inside the Endless OM" (single)

6/05 - Skanger - "Condolences" (single)

Last Week

5/25 - The Plastic Pals - "Hangin' in the Louvre" (single)

5/25 - Scarlet Drive - "Not My Problem" (single)

5/29 - Mick Hayes - My Claim to FAME (LP)
5/29 - G.F. Patrick - One Town Over (LP)

5/29 - Jack Stafford - "Background Worry" (single)

5/29 - Ryan Dishen - Whiskey for the Road (LP)

5/29 - Idle Noise - "Ghosts" (single)

5/29 - Altar of Eris - Isolation (EP)

5/19 - Merv Pinny - "I" (single)

Next Week:

6/11 - Luciano Illuminati - Terra Vision 2020 (LP)

6/12 - Sammy Brue - Crash Test Kid (LP)

6/12 - Andrea & Mud - Bad News Darlin' (LP)

6/12 - Teghan Devon - Little Lion (EP)

Upcoming:

6/19 - Darlin' Brando - Also Too... (LP)

6/19 - Dolour - The Royal We (LP)

6/19 - The Microdance - Our Love Noire (LP)

6/19 - Lady Couch - "Foolish and Blue" (single)

6/20 - David Starling - "Cowards" (single)

6/26 - The Special Pillow - World's Finest (EP)

6/26 - Dedicated Men of Zion - Can't Turn Me Around (LP)

6/26 - Serratone - "Groovy Lucy" (single)

6/26 - 8 Floors Up - "Roman Bones Make Good Glue" (single)

6/?? - Mighty Brother - The Rabbit. The Owl (Double LP)

7/03 - Nicole Boggs and the Reel - None of Your Business (EP)

7/03 - Paul Nelson - Birmingham Woman (LP)

7/03 - Matthew Frederick - "Laura Jones" (single)

7/07 - Afton Wolfe - Petronius' Last Meal (EP)

7/10 - Hurricane Ruth - Good Life (LP)

7/10 - Fintan McKahey - "Platinum" (single)

7/10 - Nocona - Los Dos (LP)

7/17 - The Bobby Lees - new album (LP)

7/24 - Tawny Ellis - Love Life (LP)
7/24 - Lee Gallagher - L.A. Yesterday (LP)

7/24 - Even As We Speak - Adelphi (LP)
7/24 - The Wild Blue - Anonymous Future (EP)
7/31 - The Jason Daniels Band - Downloads from the Universe (LP)

8/07 - The Furious Seasons - La Fonda (LP)

8/07 - Jason Molina - Eight Gates (LP)

8/28 - The Northern Belle - We Wither, We Bloom (LP)

10/16 - Malin Pettersen - Wildhorse (LP)

Recent:

5/01 - BOAT - Tread Lightly (LP)

5/01 - Laura Cortese and the Dance Card - Bitter Better (LP)

5/01 - Cut Beetlez vs Nice Guys - CBNG (LP)

5/01 - Grenon - "Imaginary Friends" (single)

5/01 - Paul Nelson - "Dying to Forget" (single)

5/01 - Felixity - Love Sick (LP)

5/01 - Easy - Radical Innocence (LP)

5/01 - Griffin Winton - "Think of Me" (single)

5/01 - Ender Bender - EQ

5/01 - The Rad Trads - 99 in October (EP)
5/01 - J.R. Wyatt - "I'm Still Here" (LP)

5/01 - Lekan Tellal - "Emptiness" (single)

5/01 - Angela Easterling - "Hero" (single)

5/01 - Miss Rayon - "Small Life" (single)

5/04 - Black Needle Noise with - "Seed of Evil" (single)
5/04 - Killing Kuddles - "Too Cool" (single)
5/06 - I Like Trains - "The Truth" (single) 

5/06 - CLOUDNiNE - "I Know" (single)

5/07 - Julius and Julia - "Why We Are Here?" (single)
5/08 - Brian Wright and the Sneak-Ups - Lapse of Luxury

5/08 - Watch Clark - Backscatter Effect (EP)
5/08 - Scenius - "Held" (single)
5/08 - Filthy Tricks - "Leah" (single)

5/08 - Vision Video - In My Side (single)

5/08 - The Attic Movement - "Truth Be Told" (single)

5/08 - Secret Bad Boy - "It Was Always Too Late" (single)

5/10 - Brett Ryan Stewart - "Let Her Know" (single)

5/11 - Sofia Talvik - "Broken (Steel Guitars in Heaven)" (single)

5/11 - Jonny Polonsky - "Sign in the Window" (single)

5/11 - Scott Howard - The Language of Clouds (LP)

5/12 - Kory Quinn & Co. - The Blueroom (LP)

5/13 - Dru Flecha - "Cama" (single)

5/15 - Special Consensus - Chicago Barn Dance (LP)

5/15 - Zach Aaron - Fill Dirt Wanted (LP)

5/15 - Secret Emchy Society - The Chaser (LP)
5/15  The Room in the Wood - We're the Martians, Now (LP) 
5/15 - Wicked Messenger - "Golden Eyes" (single)
5/15 - Lazerine - "There's Nothing in It" (single)
5/15 - Klashing Black - Thoughts on the Matter (EP)

5/15 - Aimee Steven - "Darling" (single)

5/15 - Wolfhounds - "Can't See the Light" (single)

5/15 - THË FŪÑŻØÑË® - "THË WËŁŁ (W/ MEKAGHOUL)" (single)

5/15 - BYSTS - "Runes" (single)

5/15 - Miss Rayon - "Regional Diction" (single)

5/15 - Party Nails - You Don't Have to Go Home But You Can't Stay Here (LP)

5/16 - The Electric Grandmother - Relaunch (LP)

5/18 - The Know - wearetheknow (EP)

5/20 - Town Meeting - Make Things Better (LP)

5/22 - Victor Wainwright and the Train - Memphis Loud (LP)

5/22 - Lazaris Pit - Conifers (LP) 

5/22 - Beauty in Chaos (feat. Steven Seibold) - "Almost Pure" (single)

5/22 - Beauty in Chaos - The Storm Before the Calm (LP)

5/22 - Ethan Gold - "Not Me. Us" (single)

5/22 - Nichole Wagner - Dance Songs for the Apocalypse (EP)

5/22 - Academy of Sun - Rose Devoid of Form (single)

5/22 - Blue Eyed Christ - World on Fire (LP)

5/22 - Electric High - "Waiting With a Gun" (single)

5/22 - FLEKS - "Mexican Standoff" (single)
5/22 - The Kondoors - "Good Times" (single)
5/22 - 2Square/ Mark Gardner - "Chained" (single)
5/22 - Adam "Ditch" Kurtz - Storms of Steel (LP)