E2TG 6/16/2020 - California Darkland Twilight Moon - Green Mix (Odyssey Remix)

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You know what I hope for from the next President. Sure, to begin to undo some of the damage that has been done and to move us back in the right direction, but more than all that, I want a President who won't be saying and doing stupid and dangerous things EVERY SINGLE DAY.  I want a President that at least pretends to speak to all Americans. A President who rebuilds our ties with our allies and not with corrupt dictatorships.  I want a steady hand.  I expect that there will be times I will not agree with the next President and will need to speak up, but I want to go back to a time when upheaval and turmoil were not daily reality.

I got to spend some time outdoorts hanging out with some good friends (at a distance), the first time I had just hung out like that in a good while. The weather was perfect and it was wonderful. I see that I need to start coming out of my comfort zone (safely).

I am still concerned about the return of live music as I knew it - when it will happen, how it will happen, and if I will feel safe enough to go.  It still seems surreal that so much was stripped away in such a short period of time.

BUT, COVID-19 is not over, we haven't beat it.  In some places, we are seeing a spike in cases, and in my observation many people are acting like it is over. Wear a mask, stay in when you can, avoid crowds.

We have four more songs to feature from this week's playlist!

Featured Friday Recap Part II (Songs 5-8)

5. "Our Future is California" by Cursive is Code

I am fortunate to get to feature a lot of music here on E2TG - and to get to hear music that I might not otherwise get to hear.  And every once in a while, I come across music that just connects to me in a way that it hard to explain and even harder to write about. I remember the first time I heard Grimm Generation.  It was music that sounded like what music I might make might sound like - if I made music.  I got to know Jason P. Krug through writing about that band. Then, when Grimm Generation imploded, Krug released an amazing solo album, and I knew I had to name him E2TG Artist of the Year. He was the one that inspired me to create Artist of the Year Nashville and Non-Nashville. Things have been quiet music-wise since that 2016 album The Zen of Losing, and that is why I am so excited that Krug has a new band - along with his significant other Julie Kay and some other Connecticut musicians - and some new music. We featured an earlier single a few weeks back. This latest single really connected with me, and it reminded of why I fell in love with Krug's music in the first place.  

6. "Darklands" by Tayls, Heaven Honey

Tayls has been on my radar for awhile, but I feel like I just recently really started to connect. They have been releasing some single collaborations with other Nashville bands, including this one with Heaven Honey. I didn't know much about that band before hearing this track, but I want to know more now. I am very excited about the variety of music being made in Nashville these days. While I am tempted to say that this doesn't sound like Nashville music, the fact is - more and more (at least in my orbit)- music that doesn't sound like Nashville is becoming the norm. Which is not to suggest that there is anything overly familiar about this music - on the contrary - I would say that it is the uniqueness of Tayls' music - and I'm guessing Heaven Honey as well - that makes it distinctively Nashville (circa 2020).

7. "Magic Moon" by Eric Bolander

The last few years have definitely marked a renaissance of sorts in Kentucky music. Sturgill lead things off for sure. The exciting thing is that in his wake has come a line of unique and talented musicians carving their own path. This is the brand new single from Eric Bolander from Lexington, Kentucky.  It is the first single from his forthcoming third album (due in August). I love this song, and I can't want to hear more from him, and I want to go back and check out his first two albums. 

8. "Perpetual Twilight" by Crooked Heart

We close today's recap with the title track from the new album by Grand Rapids, Michigan based post hardcore/alternative band Crooked Heart. This is a sprawling, noisy soundscape. A great addition to the playlist. 

(Tomorrow songs 9-11)

    Featured Friday Playlist

Wednesday Special Red Cup Morning Music Shuffle - Oil Up a Snake Mix

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Wednesday!  Well, thanks to about 500 of you, The Ear to the Ground Facebook page reached the 500 "Like" milestone late yesterday.  It really means a ton to me.  I promise bigger and better things for 2016.

I am running a bit short on time, but The "Earies" 2015 do continue on...   I decided to call this one the "Dirty Rice" Award - aka - the "Land of my People" Award. 

The premise:  Although, I was born in Tennessee and have lived all but about one year in this state, my roots are in the bayous of Louisiana, and I still feel a deep connection to that very unique and colorful state.  This year, I have been fortunate enough to write about two artists and albums with connections to Louisiana.  This seemed like as good a reason as any to link them for this award.

The Awards: 

Kevin Gordon - is one of the most respected songwriters around.  He has released a number of excellent albums, and his album Gloryland definitely raised the bar. In 2015, he released Long Gone Time, and with it, he managed to raise the bar even further.  Kevin Gordon is an incredible live act, and his music really captures the complicated realities of the post-Civil Rights era deep south.

D.L. Duncan - A well respected blues musician and songwriter, D.L. "Dave" Duncan, released a self-titled album in 2015 that really captured the essence of the what the blues are all about. The album was partially produced in Lafayette, Louisiana which happens to be where my parents lived when they were first married.  Featuring an all-star cast of musical talent, the album has some of the most infectious blues grooves I've heard in a long time.


On to the shuffle: I have not downloaded a ton of Christmas/Holiday/Winter music this year, and so I had intended to wait until next week to break into that list, however, I did download a few more song last night, so I decided to kick things off today.  As I mentioned before, I struggled with what to call this playlist.  As creative as I can try to be, my playlist names are pretty unimaginative.  The main playlist from which most shuffles are drawn, is just called "E2TG".  The Featured Friday playlist is called "Featured Friday". When it came to this one though... I just was not sure.  I have not problem with Christmas, however, for the sake of accuracy, I knew that the list might included some songs some of the other holidays celebrated at this time of year.  I could have called it "Holiday Playlist" but I know the term, "Holiday" bothers some people.  Some songs are not about a holiday, but rather are just about the season of Winter.  Again, Winter playlist didn't seem to work, because while the winter songs might be appropriate for a couple more months,  I really don't want to hear about mangers and Santa and elves in February.  In the end, I decided to call this playlist the Red Cup playlist, because, who in the world could be offended by red cup?  Am I right?

Thursday Morning Music Shuffle - Crying for You Mix

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Having come of age musically speaking in and around Nashville in the late 80s, it would not surprise anyone that last night's show featuring Webb Wilder and the Beatnecks, Bill Lloyd and his fantastic band, Warner Hodges and his fantastic band, and the newly reunited Government Cheese would be an exciting thing for me to see. I think what impressed me the most was that it wasn't all or even mostly about nostalgia or looking back.  I mean sure, I got a certain thrill when Webb did Poolside from It Came From Nashville - his first album. And there were significant memories stirred in the Nashville Jam finale - when everyone returned to the stage to do the late Tim Krekel's "I Can't Help Myself" (a song that Jason and the Scorchers recorded). The most significant aspect of the evening was that everyone had newer material and seemed to be looking forward not back.  Government Cheese has a brand new album after decades apart. And Warner Hodges, I dare say, rocked the Music City Roots stage about as hard as it has even been rocked. 

On to the shuffle...

Friday Morning Music Shuffle - Masks That Pass for Faces Mix

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Well... I'm back.  After feeling less than 100% all week, the percentages dropped dramatically Wednesday night into Thursday... but I'm back to feeling less than 100%.  Actually, (knock on wood), I am feeling pretty darn close to 100%. 

So it's time for our weekending shuffle and I think we have a good one...

Monday Morning Music Shuffle - Bouncing in to Graceland Mix

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Last night, I took in a fine show at 3rd and Lindsley with East Nashville songwriter Aaron Lee Tasjan opening for the legendary Ray Wylie Hubbard.  And, yes this was as badass awesome as it sounds like it would be... but don't take my word for it... okay, take my word for it... read my review at No Depression...

Tonight I am seeing some up and comer named Bob Dylan. Heard some good things about him...

Shuffle-wise, we start off the week with some good stuff.

Wednesday Morning Music Shuffle - R-E-A-C-T Mix

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"There's a splinter in your eye..."    Todays shuffle has it all (or it has a bunch of it, or at least some of it....):  Old and new friends of E2TG, heroes, legends! Crossing stylistic boundaries without any hesitation! Crossing decades of music like we have a freaking time machine!  This is what we do at Ear to the Ground!     Look, my viral infection is lingering, yesterday's 60 degree high is in free-fall, it is a sucky rainy day that is supposed to give way to all kinds of frozen junk which this Southern city is ill equipped to handle, and so I am just trying to maintain the kind of enthusiasm this eclectic and fine mix of music deserves.  Sorry for any unnecessary hyperbole or manic-ness of the above introduction....

Friday Morning Music Shuffle - Heck of F-f-friend Mix

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After Tennessee's Icepocalypse kept me in for most the week, I ventured out into the cold last evening to check out a new consignment store called Hang the Moon in East Nashville and to hear some of my favorite people play music. I just caught the tail end of the set by Tim Carroll and Luella Wood but what I heard was (as usual) awesome.  The Western Shore were next delivering an awesome set of their unique style of Americana music, and the night wrapped up with the super-duo of Lindsay Ellyn and Taylor Alexander doing a set of some of Lindsay's great songs augmented by some classic country songs.  These two voices are amazing together.

Meanwhile, more snow and ice are on tap followed by heavy rain tomorrow... joy!  What the hey, we have music to present!