E2TG 6/3/2020 - Now What? - Beloved Mix (Elephant Remix)

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I said quite a bit in yesterday's post (posted today), so I will just get on to the music... (More will be said, you can be sure)

And now, let's review songs 19-22 from this week's Featured Friday Playlist:

19.  "It Was Always  Too Late" by Secret Bad Boy

Next up, we have Secret Bad Boy - a Chicago band conceived and led by Ben Joseph of Ezra Furman's band. The song is a synth driven ode to nihilism and the vastness of space. 

20.  "Ghosts" by Idle Noise

The latest single from this indie rock band from Coventry. 

21. "Not My Problem" by Scarlet Drive

New single from this indie rock band from Perth, Australia. The song was recorded during the COVID-19 pandemic between the state boundaries between Perth and Sydney. I really dig this song.  By the way, in searching through my e-mail, I discovered that this band had contacted me a few times going back to 2018, so I am really glad I gave this a listen. 

22. "Background Worry" by Jack Stafford

We close today's review with the new single from British singer-songwriter Jack Stafford. The song captures the negative mental processes that many of go through daily.  A wonderful chamber pop sound, and a great addition to the playlist.

Tomorrow, we finish up our recap of the Playlist with songs 23-26

    Featured Friday Playlist

Wild Wednesday Morning Shuffle - Krokodil and Lions Mix

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All of this happened a long time ago when the world was a very different place. Of course, none of us knew that at the time.
(From The Drift - A Novel by Joe Wolfe-Mazeres) Available at Amazon.com (Kindle edition also available)

I am continuing to work on my Spotify playlists for E2TG.  So far, I have completed seven - January - July2018.  These are meant to be a cross-section of music I featured during those months - not necessarily music released in those months.   If you are interested, you can check out the playlists (links below)  and follow my personal profile to find out when new playlists are created.

E2TG January 2018
E2TG February 2018
E2TG March 2018
E2TG April 2018 
E2TG May 2018
E2TG June 2018
E2TG July 2018
E2TG August 2018 (coming soon!)


In the seven plus years that I have written E2TG, there have been more than a few days that I didn't really feel like writing.  Days when the world and/or life was getting me down. The reason E2TG persists when other blogs go dark, is that I write anyway. The reason I write even when I don't really feel like it, is because of the music. I turn to music when I am down and out, and it always helps.

There is a lot in the world that has me down lately - both in the wide-world and closer to home. Bullies.  That's what gets me down. I am sick and tired of bullies, and I am sick and tired of having a bully in the White House. I just a clip where an 18 year old woman asked a Republican candidate for Governor (don't remember what state - it doesn't matter) a legitimate question about climate change. He called her "young and naive" and refused to answer the question. Whatever else that man is, he is a bully. This week, I found out that the 17 year old son of a high school friend of mine - who had been bullied for years - died tragically in an incident either directly or indirectly caused by bullies.

Since I was younger, music has been an escape and a refuge for me. One of the reasons, I don't put down forms of music that aren't my thing - even if I may think they are lame - is that I know that any kind of music can be that refuge to someone who needs it.  I just choose to write about the music I dig and the music that helps me get through the days when I don't want to write about music.

Here's today's shuffle. It's Wednesday and as we do on Wednesdays, we shuffle up all the songs saved to my phone - so we get some new tracks, some older tracks, and who knows what all. It's often a wild ride, so we call it Wild Wednesday.

Wild Wednesday Morning Shuffle - Sasquatch Mix

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First off, I wanted to give out a show alert for tonight.  The late show at The 5 Spot in East Nashville will feature a CD Release show by Erica Blinn for her new album Better Than Gold. You may recall, we premiered her song, "Dance with the One (Who Brought You Here)" last September.

Closing the night will be another local favorites, Andrew Leahey and the Homestead.

Opening the show will be Memphis based and Fat Possum recording artist Liz Brasher - who I read is making her Nashville debut. I may be wrong about that.   Here's some information about Liz Brasher - NPR says, "Good-God-Hallelujah... Brasher shouts, rocks, rolls, and tears it up on stage; her music will dig down deep to touch your soul." A Memphian of Dominican descent who grew up singing in Spanish in the church, Brasher synthesizes the sounds of of '60s garage, girl group sounds, dirty blues, holy roller church music, and Bob Dylan into something completely her own.  And below is a video for her song "Body of Mine"  


Should be a great night of music.

Today is Wednesday so let's get "Wild" and shuffle from all the songs on my phone memory.

I'm am just a bit rushed, so bear with me...

Wild Wednesday Morning Shuffle - Corn and Juice Mix

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Okay, I'm going to speak directly to the "both sides are equally bad" crowd. Although, I do not necessarily agree with your assessment; in normal times, I can at least respect your viewpoint. And, I am not afraid to say that I am not always happy with the decisions, policies, and practices of "my side".  However, I think to continue that line of argument under the current situation is disingenuous. I need to say that if you are only making this argument on certain single-issues - then your argument may be accurate but flawed.  For people of color, for people with disabilities (and those who care about them), for the LGBTQQIP2SAA community, for people with preexisting health issues, for basically anyone who is not part of the 1% - I can unequivocally say both sides are not equally bad. I have always disliked the two party system.  I would love to see few strong third parties to emerge. Unfortunately, it will not be easy because in many ways the two party system seems to be codified both in actual code and in the wiring of most Americans. I'm not saying it can't or won't change, but it will not be easy.  In the meantime, I really would love to see people of good conscience of all political stripes to step forward against the dangerous direction the current administration is taking this country.
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Despite still being tired from Monday night's late night, I headed out to $2 Tuesday at The 5 Spot. This weekly night - hosted by Derek Hoke with Tim Hibbs spinning tunes - is one of the best hangs in this town of great hangs.  $2 cover/$2 Yazoo pints and always great music.  Last night saw the $2 Tuesday debut of Jon Latham and his powerhouse band plus  Jacob Thomas Jr., host Derek Hoke, and The Royal Hounds.  All that and good hangs with good friends.  Can't be beat.

If you caught Jon Latham and company last night and were blown away, be sure to head back to The 5 Spot on May 10 when they will have a full set to spread out and rock your socks off. (Part of the E2TG Anniversary residency - all May long).


It's Wild Wednesday on the E2TG Shuffle.  All the songs... You know, sometimes Wild Wednesday produces an eclectic mix of music - covering widely diverse eras, genres, and geographic areas. Sometimes - not so much. I will let you decide for yourself which category today's shuffle fits.

Trending Tuesday Morning Shuffle - It's Too Late Mix

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MAY 18. The 5 Spot. 9pm. $5. Be there!

Hey - welcome to Tuesday.  E2TG turns 5 this month, and I am going to reflect on this milestone throughout the month.

Other than the incredible people I have met as a result of writing this blog, my next favorite thing has been all of the music from all over the world that has come to my ears. Music, I might otherwise never have had the opportunity to hear. Not only that, but I am fortunate enough to get to write about and try to help spread the news about this great music.

Let's jump right into the Trending Tuesday shuffle which contains some music that fits that last description.

Featured Tuesday Morning Music Shuffle - At the Crack of Noon Mix

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Rolling on toward Thanksgiving.   Keep an eye out for the 1st Annual E2TG Awards - 2015 - which I calling "The Earies". (Tagline: "The Earies, it sounds strange but it's really not"). 

About "The Earies":  I will begin announcing the awards around the first of December and continue on and off throughout the month.  There will not be nominees - because no matter how much people say that it was an honor to be nominated... well, you know.  Also, we will have recipients and not "winners".  This is for two reasons, 1. Calling someone a winner may imply that others are "losers".  2. The recipients may think there is some sort of cash reward, which there is not.  Nor are there actual awards.  It is an honorary honor.

The awards will culminate with the naming of the 5th Annual Ear to the Ground Artist of the Year.

There will not be fan voting, sorry.  Although we had fun in 2011 and 2012 running Readers Polls, I decided at the end of 2012 to suspend the practice. 

Bribes will be accepted and the awards will probably go to the highest bidder. 

Anyone caught taking the awards too seriously, will be severely teased.

All the awards are not all that serious, what I am serious about is taking another opportunity to recognize some of the great music that came my way in 2015.

In other news, after Thanksgiving, pending my getting in a bunch of seasonal music, I am thinking of having a once-a-week shuffle from a playlist filled with such songs. I am debating what to call the playlist.  Christmas is too specific as their may be songs that have nothing to do with Christ's birth.  Holiday Playlist will probably piss off people - since apparently Holiday is a nasty word or something.  I may just call it the Red Cup Playlist.  We shall see.

We have another featured music shuffle today - featuring some favorites (old and new) and some artists hitting the shuffle for the first time.