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Well... here we are... on the precipice... of what, I don't know... this does feel like a tipping point. The only thing I have left to say is if you are reading this and you are registered and eligible to vote and the polls are still open in your area and if you haven't vote - do so. A lot of "Ifs" and an awkward sentence but you get my point.
I think I always have some anxiety on election day, but I have never felt like this in my life. The stakes are high. I have voted. I don't plan on watching continuing coverage. I will likely check in, and otherwise keep myself busy or distracted.
The thing is - I don't know what the path forward looks like - regardless of the outcome. I do think one path is much more hopeful than the other - but no matter what - we have a long, difficult journey ahead.
One last thing I have to say... in the past, I have understood the perspective of people who say - both sides are the same. I may not agree, but I do understand. Over, at least, the last nearly 30 years, the vote for President has been a vote for Center Right vs. Center Left. All that being said, I do not understand those who are saying that today. I think the choice today is as stark and definite as it can be - and not because Joe Biden is a far left candidate but because the other choice is fascism and dictatorship.
So, vote if you haven't. If you have, well then I wish you peace and serenity to the extent possible, and if you have any tips for coping with the stress of it all - please let me know.
Meanwhile, the best thing I can do is to do what I do everyday and that is talk about the music that I am listening to today.
Let's get back to our recap of this week's Playlist... Songs 15-19...
15. "Am I Dreaming" by EG Vines
This is the second song by Nashville singer-songwriter EG Vines that we have featured, and I can honestly say that I am a big fan of his music now. The only reason I wasn't before is that I hadn't heard it. There is appropriately enough a dream-like quality to this song - which is nonetheless firmly rooted in everyday life. It is a remarkable song with a verse perfect for today.
16. "Nothing's Sweeter Than Loving You" by Andy Kahrs
Next up, we have another Nashville singer-songwriter. This is our first listen to Andy Kahrs. This song has a sweet southern soul vibe to it - and Kahrs vocals fit like a glove. I like this song a lot, and I look forward to hearing more.
17. "Alabama Gone" by Jackson Capps
Our third Nashville singer-songwriter in a row. This is the second single we have covered by Jackson Capps. This one has a bluegrass feel to it. Just a flat out good modern country song. A great addition to my playlist.
18. "Close Enough for Government Work" by Mike Stinson (feat. Johnny Irion)
This is a perfect song to show up on the blog on Election Day. Singer-songwriter Mike Stinson has ties to Houston and Los Angeles. He wrote the song "The Late Great Golden State" which Dwight Yoakam covered on his 2003 album Population Me. Stinson wrote this song while in quarantine in Massachusetts. It is a direct response to the President's handling of the pandemic and uses Trump's own words. Stinson worked with Johnny Irion who we have mostly recently heard about for his work with This Frontier Needs Heroes. We also Featured Irion's own music earlier - his tribute to Ravi Shankar - that featured Jeff Bridges.
19. "When the Devil Knows Your Name" by Ben Arthur
And we close out this segment of music with another track from Ben Arthur's new Collision album. Over the years that we have been covering Ben Arthur's music, one thing that has been crystal clear is his dedication to the craft of songwriting - most obvious in his Songcraft Presents program. What I am seeing with this release is more evidence that his study and practice at his craft has paid off. The songs here are top-notched.
Featured Friday Playlist
"Turning Wheel" by Sonny Landreth (from South of I-10 1995)
When I think about I-10, I remember the final leg of the drives to visit my Mom's family in Southwest Louisiana. I especially remember getting past Baton Rouge and the long bridge over the bayous and swampland. This classic album really captures the feeling of those visits and the unique people and sights of Louisiana. This album features Allen Toussaint, R.S. Fields, and our friend Steve Conn.
"Black Lung Application" by Adam Stafford (from Taser Revolutions 2016)
Next up, we have a track from Scottish singer-songwriter Adam Stafford - that we featured a few years back. The video for this track is only available for "premium" users - so I found an older song by the artist to substitute for the video playlist.
"Stranger" by Beauty in Chaos (ft. Kat Leon) (from The Storm Before the Calm 2020)
Michael Ciravolo - the mastermind behind the Los Angeles based collective Beauty in Chaos has been busy the last few years and seemingly especially so this year - with a couple of long players and several singles. This is a July 2020 single featuring Kat Leon of Holy Wars. Clocking in a over seven minutes - the time flies by.
"Berlin" by Moist (from Lavine 2018)
Next up, we have a track from an album we featured a couple of years ago. Moist is a Swedish electronic music artist. Great stuff.
"Goodnight Sweet Maria" by Lee Gallagher (from L.A. Yesterday 2020)
Singer-songwriter Lee Gallagher is based in San Francisco but recorded this album in Los Angeles -in a studio with vintage 70s equipment. The album drips of California gold and sounds fantastic. One of my favorites of 2020.
"Diggin' Up Steels" by Adam Kurtz (from Storms of Steel 2020)
And why not close with a track from an instrumental pedal steel tribute to Randy Travis' Storms of Life album - from E2TG favorite Adam Kurtz. With his usual busy schedule of touring on hold, Kurtz has been busy releasing music - both on his own and with bassist Cameron Carrus. By the way, the fifth volume of the Genius of... series from Carrus & Kurtz is due out on Friday. And, did I mention he is also the mastermind behind Buck N Stuff.
VIDEO PLAYLIST
NEW AND RECENT RELEASES
THIS WEEK
11/03 - Amy Ray Band - "Tear It Down" (single)
11/03 - Paul Maged - Culture War (LP)
11/06 - Love Tractor - Love Tractor - reissue (LP)
11/06 - I Could Live in Hope - PSA, Not OK (EP)
11/06 - Anxiety Spiral - Demo (EP)
11/06 - Tom Mason - Under the Mistletoe Sky (LP)
LAST WEEK
10/26 - The Amboys - "In My Head" (single)
10/29 - Evan Isaac - "Dark Room" (single)
10/30 - Andrew Grimm - A Little Heat (LP) *(NEW DATE)*
10/30 - Philip Parfitt - Mental Home Recordings (LP)
10/30 - Graber Gryass - Late Bloom (LP)
10/30 - Ghostlawns - Motorik (LP)
10/30 - Richard X. Heyman - "Choices We Make" (single)
10/30 - Marten Larka - "Parfum Du Nuit "/ "Je Suis Un Rocker" (singles)
10/30 - My Politic - Short Sighted People in Power (EP)
10/30 - Wheeler Del Toro - Quiet Alright (LP)
10/30 - The Mojo Slide - "Good Man Down" (single)
10/30 - The Wake - Perfumes and Fripperies (LP)
10/30 - Eugenius - Midlife (LP)
10/30 - Strays Don't Sleep - A Short Film for a Long Story (EP)
10/30 - Mugstar - Graft (LP)
10/30 - Cosmopolis - "The Distances" (single)
10/30 - Various Artists - CRAWLING SPIDER - A Tribute To Mike Montgomery Vol.1 The LA Sessions (LP)
10/31 - Beauty in Chaos - Out of Beauty Comes... (LP)
NEXT WEEK
11/10 - Lou McMahon - "Wide Eyed Lady" (single)
11/12 - Spencer Cullum's Coin Collection - Spencer Cullum's Coin Collection (LP)
11/13 - The Flat Five - Another World (LP)
11/13 - Andrew Adkins - The Echoist (LP)
11/13 - The Silverbeets - Halcyon Days (LP)
11/13 - The Sensational Country Blues Wonders! - The World Will Break Your Heart (LP)
11/13 - SWANS - Children of God - reissue (LP)
11/13 - Last Year's Man - Brave the Storm (LP)
11/13 - Lady Couch - "Good God" (single)
11/13 - Cindy - Free Advice (LP - Reissue)
11/13 - Antonio Lopez - "Going to the City" (single)
11/13 - The Junior League - The Fall Back (LP)
11/13 - Tambourinen - Wooden Flower (EP)
UPCOMING
11/20 - Stuffy Shmitt - "Sweet Krazy" (single)
11/20 - John Calvin Abney - Familiar Ground (LP)
11/20 - Josh King - The Shed (LP)
11/20 - Life in a Blender - Satsuma (EP)
11/27 - Lady Bugs - From the Cities, To the Shores (LP)
12/04 - Stuffy Shmitt - Stuff Happens (LP)
12/04 - Scenius - Enough Fears (LP)
12/04 - Bad Sauna - Olen rikas sillä minulla on teidät (“I’m Rich Because I’ve Got You”) (LP)
12/11 - The Red Step - The Red Step (LP)
1/01/2021 - This Frontier Needs Heros - Go With the Flow (LP)
1/01/2021 - Antonio Lopez - Roots and Wings (LP)
2/05/2021 - A.J. Croce - By Request (LP)
2/05/2021 - The Orchestra of Cardboard - The Antidote (LP)
RECENT
10/02 - Buckle Bunny - Pet Speak (LP)
10/02 - Divine Horsemen - "Mind Fever Soul Fire" (single)
10/02 - Will Payne Harrison - The Stratford Sessions (EP)
10/02 - The Jensen Sisters - Yellow Frames (LP)
10/02 - Mantis & The Prayer - Murder Ballad and the Blue (AA singles)
10/02 - Kouatchou - "My Teacher"/"Change" (AA singles)
10/02 - Gold Hick - Formed at Depth (LP)
10/02 - Laura Fernandez - Okay, Alright (LP)
10/02 - Stuffy Shmitt - "Jim's Dad" (single)
10/02 - Leron Thomas - More Elevator Music (LP)
10/02 - The Subtheory - IMPACT (EP)
10/02 - This Frontier Needs Heroes - "Go With the Flow" (single)
10/02 - Fly the Nest - "Wild Ride" (single)
10/02 - Christian Singles - Maybe Another Time (LP)
10/02 - Ashes to Omens - "War Cry" (single)
10/02 - Elkyn - beech remixes (EP)
10/02 - Short-Haired Domestic - Short-Haired Domestic (LP)
10/02 - Steve Poltz - "Quarantine Blues" (single)
10/02 - Elkhorn - The Acoustic Storm Sessions (LP)
10/02- The Orchestra of Cardboard - "Black Flag" (single)
10/02 - Lefthnd - Ad Mausoleum (LP)
10/02 - Klammer - "I Don't Know What It Is" (single)
10/02 - White Ribbon - "You Say You Don't Want Me" (single)
10/02 - David Woodard - The Grand Scheme of Things (EP)
10/02 - My Politic - Short Sighted People in Power (EP) - bandcamp release date
10/08 - Melting Mallows - "I'm Okay" (single)
10/08 - Jenee Halstead - "Heart Light" (single)
10/09 - Year of October - Wastelands (LP)
10/09 - Great Peacock - Forever Worse Better (LP)
10/09 - Fred Abong - "The Minit" (single)
10/09 - Zao - Preface: Early Recordings 1995-1996 (LP)
10/09 - Zao - All Else Failed: 25th Anniversary Edition (LP)
10/09 - Laraaji - Moon Piano (LP)
10/09 - Tomas Welding - "Arcade" (single)
10/09 - So We Are - Piece of the Puzzle (LP)
10/09 - Howard Gladstone - The Promise (LP)
10/09 - Rick Hromadka - Better Days (LP)
10/09 - Josh Werner - Mode for Titan (LP)
10/09 - Amelia White - "No Sound" (single)
10/09 - Seagoth - "Dreamworld" (single)
10/09 - Lee Taylor - "Pay It No Mind" (single)
10/09 - Kevin Burnstein - "Distraction" (single)
10/12 - The Pull of Autumn - "The Stars of the Jungle" (single)
10/13 - New Yeller- "Mama's Got a Gig" (single)
10/16 - Malin Pettersen - Wildhorse (LP)
10/16 - Matt Eckstine - Lil' Blue (LP)
10/16 - The Mastersons - Red, White & I Love You Too (EP)
10/16 - Watch Clark - Generator Room (EP)
10/16 - Taiwan MC - Special Request (LP)
10/16 - Jeremy Ivey - Waiting Out the Storm (LP)
10/16 - Shape & Sound - "All Day Morning" (single)
10/16 - Davey Woodward & the Winter Orphans - Love and Optimism (LP)
10/16 - Burris - "Who I'm Thinking Of" (single)
10/16 - Bad Sauna - "Haluun pois (“I Wanna Get Out”)" (single)
10/16 - Volcanic Brass feat. EvilA - "Consoled Forts" (single)
10/16 - The Plastic Pals - "More Than an icon" (single)
10/16 - The Silverbeets - "Girlfriend" (single)
10/16 - Maxximo - Live at Home (EP)
10/16 - Taiwan MC - Special Request (LP)
10/16 - Rid of Me - Broke Shit Demos (LP)
10/16 - Shiva and the Hazards - Revolution Son (single)
10/16 - Sunstack Jones - Golden Repair (LP)
10/16 - Isabelle Stillman - Heartrender (LP)
10/17 - The Fortune - "All Eyes" (single)
10/20 - Strange Majik - "Can't Remember to Forget You" (single)
10/21 - Griff Clawson - "Chasing Highs" (single)
10/23 - Cellarscape - "Blindfold" (single)
10/23 - The Agency - In the Haunted Woods (LP)
10/23 - Lera Lynn - On My Own (LP)
10/23 - Stuffy Shmitt - "Mommy & Daddy" (single)
10/23 - A.J. Croce - "Ooh Child" (single)
10/23 - Justin Farran - Pretty Free (LP)
10/23 - The Luxembourg Signal - The Long Now (LP)
10/23 - The Greek Theatre - “Demos & Alternate Takes Vol. 1” (LP)
10/23 - Raves Kole - 3D Immersive (LP)
10/23 - Andrew Weiss and Friends - Lookout Mountain (EP)
10/23 - The Subtheory - Impact (EP)
10/23 - Kevin Burnstein- Attack Distract Divide (LP)
10/23 - Paul Nelson - Birmingham Woman (LP)
10/23 - Rodney Rice - SAME SHIrT DIFFERENT DAY (LP)
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