E2TG 2/24/2021 - Mid-Week and Indecisive Seasons - Favorite Picture Mix (Shake a Tail Feather Remix)

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Here in Nashville - it is like Mother Nature is not sure what season it is supposed to be.  After a week of snow and ice and frigid temperatures, yesterday and today have been near or just above 70.  I am not going to complain about the warmer weather, but I am also not going to take for granted that it is still winter and that chances are we are going to have more cold weather ahead. 

But, indecisiveness is what is on my mind. I can understand that tendency.  To me, the crux of the problem is the conflict between confidence, courage, cautiousness, and forethought.  "He who hestiates is lost" but my head says, "he who acts without thought lives to regret it". I don't know where the balance between those two is... but I am aware of missed opportunities because I delayed on something and someone else acted first. But, I am also aware of times, I acted in haste and regretted the action.  

So, I guess to go back to the weather which prompted this post, I should just take each day, each moment has it comes and make the best decisions I know how to make.   

Featured Friday (Songs 22-26):'

22. "Now Your Life's Gone" by Keith Mosfet

First up today, we have a Canadian/Irish singer-songwriter with his most recent single. Good stuff.

23. "Dying on the Vine" by Unify Separate

Next up, we have a collaboration between a Scottish singer (Andrew Montgomery - of Geneva) and a Swedish synth musician (Leo Josefsson  - of Lowe) - their latest single deals with the public nature of life in the modern age. 

24. "Lights of the City" by Distant Voices

Distant Voices is the solo moniker of London-based Valdis Stekelis, and the song is the debut single from this new project, and it is a most impressive debut. 

25. "Owl in the Parlour" by Cathal Coughlan

Next up, the new single from this UK artist of Microdisney and The Fatima Mansions.  A really great track. 

26. "Retrograde" by Goosechase 
 

And, we close out this segment of music with a track from the debut EP from Denison, Texas based singer-songwriter Goosechase. The EP was self-produced and sounds fantastic. 
 

    Featured Friday Playlist

 

E2TG 8/25/2020 - Some things on My Mind - Pokin' Round Mix (Gloves Remix)

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On my mind... I dedicate a sizable portion of my average day listening to and writing about new music. E2TG is dedicated to featuring new and often underground or lesser known music of various genres. I have long pondered this and myself as an oddity - not necessarily among the people I hang around but is terms of people in general. Many people are content to just listen to the music they already know. Or at most to check out the latest "hot" band according to someone. And, I get it. I was there several years ago, which is part of the reason I started E2TG. 

So, anyway, recently, I created a playlist on Spotify - at first it was going to include a handful of my all time favorite albums - just as a place to gather them. As I went on, I started adding more albums and ultimately, I decided to add as many albums as I could think of - albums that I own or owned and have listened to over and over through the years. My mind kept going down new paths and I kept adding music this playlist and now it is almost 62 hours long. At first, I called it Joe's Faves - but I eventually realized what it really was, and I renamed the Playlist "Comfort Food". When I shuffle songs from this playlist, it is like revisiting an old friend or having fried chicken or whatever at the end of a hard day. Some may bristle at the "Comfort Food" label being applied to some of the albums and artists on the list. But for me, in 2020, that is what they are... and that is not a bad thing at all. These are wonderful albums by wonderful artists across many genres and spanning years. 

Here is the thing, there is nothing wrong with comfort food - but if all I ate was comfort food, I would probably keep getting fatter and have other health issues. Listening to this "comfortable" music is not a bad thing, but for me, it can't be all I listen to... 

Onward...

Today, we present the next segment of this week's Playlist. Songs 16-22:

16. "Bare" by Matte Blvck

We start off this segment of the playlist with some darkwave, industrial., electronic music from San Diego, California. The trio of musicians have worked together in various incarnations, but decided in 2019 to work together on their own project. Their forthcoming album I'm Waving, Not Drowning was recorded during the COVID-19 shutdown, and this is their debut single. Happy to have more great darkwave music in this week's playlist. 

17. "Television Mister" by Jessica Luise

Next up, we have the new single from UK singer-songwriter Jessica Luise. This is first release with a full-band, and the press release name checked The Beautiful South - so I had to listen, and I this is a cool tune. Check it out!

18. "Dangerous Leon!" by The Aquabats!

Next up! We have the new single from the new album (Kooky Spooky ... In Stereo!) by costumed superhero punks, The Aquabats!  This is a ton of fun and thanks to Crashing Through Publicity for bringing this to my inbox!  Recommended for fans of exclamation points and cool fun music!

19. "Reckless" by Miss Molly Simms

Next up, we have a track from the wonderful new album by St. Louis' Miss Molly Simms. Miss Molly Simms came to prominence in St. Louis as a member of the rockabilly band Bible Belt Sinners. Her solo work has been more stylistically diverse, and with her latest album (her fourth) of which this is the title track, Miss Molly Simms has hit upon something special. The album features members of the Bottle Rockets, Old Souls Revival, and River Kittens.  

20. "Isolation" by Depression, Baby

Next up, we have a quarantine-influences single from North London 5-piece Depression, Baby. It is the follow-up to their earlier single "Home Again".  The band formed in 2019 and were on an upward trajectory heading into 2020. And then 2020 happened. They have focused on releasing music, and this is a song worth a listen. 

21. "Lock & Key" by KnightressM1

Next up, we have some Bay Area metal/rock from this impressive power trio featuring violinist, vocalist, pianist, and composer Emily Palen. The band also features drummer Rob Ahlers (50 FT Wave, Kristin Hersh), and bassist Uriah Duffy (Whitesnake).  I dig the sound and Palen's vocals are awesome. A great injection of metallic variety into the playlist. 

22. "Window" by Eric Bolander

The fertile grounds of Kentucky songwriters seems to be endless, and you can add Eric Bolander to a growing list of talented songwriters emerging from the Bluegrass State (or is it Commonwealth?). As with many of his contemporaries, Bolander brings a deep range of influences to his music that is rooted in the traditions of the folk/country genre. This is his latest single. 

Tomorrow 7 or so more songs...  

 

    Featured Friday Playlist

E2TG 5/20/2020 - Mid-Week Quarantine Blues - Hello Mix (Lyrical Therapy Remix)

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The week's press on, and even though I support the need for continued precautions and shutdowns and social distancing, that doesn't mean that all of this isn't weighing on me. 

I miss seeing live music, and I am not sure when it will be possible or reasonable to see it again. I miss hanging with my friends. I really want to visit my Mom.

We are approaching a three-day weekend, and I don't really have any plans - which in and off itself isn't that unusual. But, I won't be going to The 5 Spot on Friday night, and I won't be driving to Georgia to visit my Mom and we won't be going out to eat. This is not a rant or even a complaint - just an acknowledgment of the reality. 

I will be doing a live Greeting from Nashville tomorrow and a live Double Shot on Saturday. Plus, I will be recording next week's Double Shot on Sunday. Precautions and protocols will be followed for all of those. And it is a pain, but it is necessary.

One final thought, I sometimes hear people who are pushing for reopening or resisting taking any precautions at all, say that it is only dangerous to the elderly or those with preexisting health conditions. First of all, that is not 100% true (some people have died who were not elderly and who did not have any known preexisting health conditions), but even it were true, I still don't understand that argument. Are they saying that the lives of the elderly or those with certain health conditions are worth less than their inconvenience? Or that otherwise healthy and asymptomatic people can transmit the virus to those who may be at risk. 

Finally, when you see numbers of deaths or hospitalizations, even though the numbers may look "not bad, considering..." (as some people have said), each number represents a husband or parent or child or sibling or friend to someone. I know people who contracted the virus and were very sick, and I know people who have lost love ones. My inconvenience is not more important than those lives.

Okay, really finally, if you decide to share information on social media, make sure it is accurate and up-to-date.  There are reliable sources out there - better than an out-of-context YouTube clip or a clickbait headline article from a questionable outlet. In Nashville, asafenashville.org is a good way to track what is going on here and what the current recommendations are for members of this society.

    Featured Friday Playlist

Wild Wednesday Morning Shuffle - Crawfish, Cigarettes, and Fishing Line Mix

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By the way, a white supremacist/propagandist has been given unprecedented power by the current president.  I am not okay with this.  #Notapoliticalcomment #Facts #Vigilance #Resistance

Man - some days, you just have to push forward purely on force of will... yesterday, after a full day of work, I recorded an upcoming Double Shot show, then I headed to The 5 Spot for another $2 Tuesday.  Elli Perry, Thor Platter, Los Colognes - including Derek Hoke joining for a new song of his, AJ Hobbs (who I have featured here on E2TG and who is in the New Music playlist - by the way AJ Hobbs backing band included all three members of Buck N' Stuff, and the late night set was Buck N' Stuff themselves  Not a bad night of music for $2.  Dragging a bit today - but...

Today's Wild Wednesday Shuffle comes from a random shuffle of all of the songs currently on my phone.

Featured Friday Morning Shuffle - Waiting For the Fall Mix

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Well, we've made it to the end of another work week.  Sending good Father's Day wishes to all of the fathers and father figures. With special thoughts to those experiencing loss and/or pain when it comes to their fathers.

Week 3 of the Don Gallardo Residency at The 5 Spot.  Seriously folks, he has two more weeks. You do not want to miss seeing him.  The Cordovas opened the night, and they absolutely destroyed! They traded instruments, they harmonized... the music recalled a bunch of different bands (The Dead, The Band, The Everly Brothers and more) but it was all their own, too.

Don Gallardo and How Far West sounded amazing.  His forthcoming album, Hickory, will be a must hear. Pre-Sale begins July 8. The album drops July 22.

After that, I ended up at The Station Inn to witness the album release for Irene Kelley's latest bluegrass album, These Hills.  Heard some amazing music and met some really cool folks.  In a bit of a Nashville moment, Kelley's producer/guitar player was playing the guitar that was raffled off during Music City Roots on Wednesday night.  Glad to see and hear that the winner was someone who knew what to do with it.

ICYMI - I posted my review of Taylor Alexander's new EP, Real Good At Saying Goodbye.  You can read it HERE.

Also, just a reminder, the next Double Shot with Joe and Sue show will be broadcast tomorrow morning beginning at 11a.m. (Central Time) (for 2hrs).  The theme is "We've Got You Covered" (cover songs). This show was prerecorded.  We will be back live next Saturday June 25 when the theme will be "Our Favorite Years".  We can be heard at 101.5 FM (in Nashville) and streaming at WXNAfm.ORG .

On to the shuffle.... Featured Friday edition

Trending Tuesday Morning Shuffle - Ninety Nine and One Half Days Mix

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Hey! Lots on the horizon... keep checking back with us - in fact check back every day (at least once) and tell your friends to check back...

In case you missed it, The Grey A released their latest single this morning, and E2TG was on the case...

I will soon be making a big announcement about the Ear to the Ground 5th Anniversary Show (May 18 at The 5 Spot in East Nashville). 

Today is Tuesday - where we take a look and listen to what is Trending over here at E2TG....

Trending Tuesday Morning Shuffle - Till Your Well Runs Dry Mix

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Hey ho!  It's Trendy  Trending Tuesday at E2TG.  This will have to be a quick one.  Lots of music and not much time.