E2TG 9/17/2020 - Something, Something -Am I A Fool Mix (Good Company Remix)

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I have been thinking a lot about perception vs. reality lately. I thinking I am coming to some very interesting conclusions, but I am still struggling with some aspects. As soon as I get my thoughts organized enough, I will share that here. It kind of goes back to my post about cilantro the other day, but I have taken in a few steps further. I think it is clear that two people can experience the same thing (sight, sound, feeling, smell, taste) and their experience be totally different. But, then how do you define what the "true" experience really is? Any those the directions my mind is going... more to come. 

We've reached the end of another Featured Friday Playlist - as always we saved some great music to take us out.  Tomorrow, we will be back with a brand new Playlist - it is shaping up to be a big one - stay tuned.  Now, here are songs 22-27:

22. "Killing the Dead" by Brian Cullman

We start of this segment of music with a track from Winter Clothes, the new album, by veteran NY musician and Paris Review correspondent Brian Cullman. The album was a cooperative effort with the late Jimi Zhivago - a long-time friend and collaborator. Zhivago sadly passed away during production. It took Cullman a year to get back to completing the album. This is wonderful stuff. 

23. "Shade" by Atta Boy

Atta Boy are a Los Angeles based indie/Alt-Americana band that released their first album in 2012 on summer break from their first year of college. The members have continued making music on both coasts, and now they have come back together to released their second album - eight years later. 

24. "Every Day Is A Black Day From Today - Radio Edit" by Blink

This is the first release of "new" material from the vaults of the Irish band Blink. This song was recorded during sessions for the band's 1998 album The End is High and was meant to be included on the soundtrack to the film The Butcher Boy. The song didn't make either the album or the film, but it is out now, and it seems perfect for 2020. Look for a full album of archived material in the winter.

25. "For the Wretched of the Earth" by Once Upon a Flatline

Theatrical, post-hardcore - New York band Once Upon a Flatline are up next with a powerful new single. It is always good to have some really hard stuff to spice up the Playlist - when it is also fun - it is a bonus.

26. "Lost" by SLD

In the penultimate position of this week's Playlist - we have some nifty power pop music from the Brooklyn band SLD (Sounds Like Digging).  The band builds their songs as a response to songs by some of their favorite artists - the result is original music that feels familiar on an emotional level. Great stuff. 

27. "Hate Speech" by HMO 

We close things out this week with some heavy-hitting hip-hop music from the South Coast of New South Wales.  HMO is an MC, musician, and producer - whose music is inspired by funk, soul, reggae, and blues music.  A great ending to a great week of music. 

 

    Featured Friday Playlist

E2TG 2/5/2020 - Music City USA - Another Engine Mix (Sideshow Remix)

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I hoped to be making my big announcement on this blog post, but I am still waiting for the official okay...

Ever since, 2014 or so, when I started really connecting with the local music community, I have been interested in making connections between the Nashville music I came of age (musically) listening to and the music being made today (and everything in between - including stuff I missed).  I didn't know what context I wanted to do this (or rather I had several ideas).

Nashville is called Music City. The term was used by WSM-AM announcer David Cobb (I don't know if he is any relation to Dave Cobb - super-producer) in a 1950 broadcast and caught on, but the idea of Nashville being a "musical city" can be credited to none other than Queen Victoria - who made that pronouncement upon hearing a performance by the Fisk Jubilee Singers in 1873.

If you read E2TG with any regularity, you know how enamored I am with the live music scene here in Nashville, and you probably have caught one of my "Music City Monday" shuffles which tries to highlight the musical diversity of the city.

I have a new project coming very soon, which I will be announcing as soon as I get the green light.  In the meantime, I need to state publicly that E2TG will always be a place to highlight music from all over regardless of genre (and with an emphasis on artists who may not get the attention from other music sites).

Now, we have a nifty mid-week shuffle, so check it out below.  Plus, the current Featured Friday Playlist and our Release calendar down below.

    Featured Friday Playlist

Trending Tuesday Morning Shuffle - Love in Winter Mix

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For your holiday shopping: The Drift - A Novel by Joe Wolfe-Mazeres Available at Amazon.com (Kindle edition also available)


Back from the extended holiday.  I listened to my Music City Monday Spotify playlist on my drive, and it made a great travel companion.  Check it out here and follow if you like.  It is a continuous work-in-progress with new music added regularly.  LISTEN HERE


It is Tuesday, and time for Trending Tuesday - where we explore a sampling of some of the newish music to come to E2TG.  Let's shuffle!

Trending Tuesday Morning Shuffle - Wham Bam Boo Mix

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TONIGHT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Words No Music A Reading coming Thursday, November 15, 2018 6:30pm Radio Cafe Nashville. No Cover, tips accepted and books will be for sale. We have an incredible line-up featuring David Olney,  Rod Picott, Luke Powers, Rebecca Weiner Tompkins, and yours truly. All but me are incredible musicians and songwriters, but for this show - they will let their words speak for them without music.  I will be reading from The Drift plus some selections from a forthcoming book.   FACEBOOK EVENT HERE!


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 nine - January - September 2018.  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.

JUST ADDED!  August and September 2018 Playlists!

E2TG January 2018
E2TG February 2018
E2TG March 2018
E2TG April 2018 
E2TG May 2018
E2TG June 2018
E2TG July 2018
E2TG August 2018 (NEW!)
E2TG September 2018  (NEW!)
E2TG October 2018  


Hey, it is Pledge Week at Nashville's All-Volunteer Community Radio Station, WXNA.  I am thrilled to have a small part in this valuable community resource. WXNA recently announced that we are moving our studio early next year, so one of goals of this Fall's Pledge Drive is to raise funds to defray the cost of that move.

As always, WXNA can be heard at 101.5FM in Nashville (as I like to say, within the Briley Parkway loop) and it can be streamed anywhere at wxnafm.org or through the TuneIn app.

If you want to pledge your support, contact WXNA at 615-933-9962  or go on-line at wxnafm.org


I am super excited about the Words No Music event tonight at Radio Cafe.  Doors open at 6:30, show starts around 7.  We have a super line-up of readers.


Speaking of super line-ups. I am particularly proud of today's shuffle which has all the hallmarks of a great E2TG shuffle - diversity, first listens, serious songs, silly songs, and more.... 

Jump in!

Featured Friday Morning Shuffle - French Tabloid 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)

If you have read The Drift, please consider writing a review on Amazon. If you haven't read it, you can get your own copy through Amazon or if you are in Nashville, you can get them from me.

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!)
E2TG September 2018  (coming soon!)

SAVE THE DATE!!!!!  Thursday, November 15, 2018 - We have a pretty cool event in the works.  More to come! I can tell you this isn't really an E2TG event.  It is connected to my novel, The Drift, and we have some super cool guests lined up.  Announcement soon!

First off, I am saddened by the news of the untimely passing of Tony Joe White. I say untimely because at 75, he was still making great music. I am so glad, I had the opportunity to see him last year during Americana Fest. His music will live on. My thoughts are with his family and with those who knew him personally.

This has been a rough week in many respects, and it ends with a dreary day in Nashville. "I believe it's raining all over the world..."  But also, a ray of hope.

Another reminder: If you are eligible and registered to vote, do so - early voting is still going on in many places and Election Day is just days away.  If you are eligible to vote, but did not register, then ask yourself why and think hard about it.  You may feel like your vote doesn't matter, but the fact is- if enough people decide to vote, it can make a difference.

At press time, I am hearing that a suspect in the recent bombings has been apprehended. I am hoping this phase of violence is over, but major changes are needed to stem a dangerous time in our nations history.

It is Friday, and we dive into our "New Music" Playlist once again. As typical for E2TG, we have a pretty wildly diverse set of songs from all over the globe. Sit back and enjoy.

Wild Wednesday Morning Shuffle - Smart Ass 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)

If you have read The Drift, please consider writing a review on Amazon. If you haven't read it, you can get your own copy through Amazon or if you are in Nashville, you can get them from me.

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!)
E2TG September 2018  (coming soon!)

SAVE THE DATE!!!!!  Thursday, November 15, 2018 - We have a pretty cool event in the works.  More to come!


After a rather dreary week here in Nashville, the sun is actually shining today. So there's that.

There is a lot going on, and as usual, it is music that is pulling me through.  Today is Wednesday - so let's get "Wild"!  This is a shuffle from all the songs saved to my phone memory right now.

Trending Thursday Morning Shuffle - I Feel Off 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!)


Well Americana Madness is coming next week!  For those not in the know, Americana is not really a musical genre - rather it is a way of marketing music that is a development of one of several types of roots music that originated in the United States. At least, that is my take on it.  If a group tells me they are "Americana" - I don't think I know anymore about the band's sound or influences - except that they might have influences of country, folk, blues, bluegrass, and/or soul (or some combination of those).

As for the Americana Music Festival - it is a fairly diverse music festival (it is also a conference with many workshops and panels) - I mean you likely won't hear hip-hop or speed metal (but you might hear bands who include those genres in their background/influences). The festival itself has grown exponentially over the last several years.  It has come to incorporate almost all of the major music venues in town, and it has spawned many unofficial and official parties and events featuring many musicians - including many who are regularly featured on E2TG. With this growth, it has become impossible to see everyone one may want  to see, and problematic to navigate between venues to catch as many faves a possible.  The other day, I posted on Facebook that my goals were to see as many out of town friends and possible and to hear as much "new to me music" as possible.  Fortunately, in attempting to meet these goals, I will also get to hang with some of my favorite local people and hear some of my already favorite acts.

Thinking about all of this has made me think about "success" - First of all, I think the concept of a successful musician/artist is different for everyone, however, in thinking about this from a "fan" perspective - at E2TG - my goal has always been to listen to and talk about music that is meaningful to me. I want my friends and favorite bands to find success (however they define that), but that success is never really the focus of what I am doing. I mean this not to diminish the hard work and sacrifice of those who have achieve some measure of mainstream "success" - rather it is meant to acknowledge the hard work and sacrifice of those for whom such success has been more elusive, but who still produce meaningful and wonderful art.

All of that to say, American Fest will - as always - feature artists who are at every marker on the imaginary continuum of success. My personal advice to anyone attending AMA week - is to not limit yourself to artists who have heard of. Do some research and try to see some artists that are new to you.

Finally, Americana week is basically like a "normal" week of live music in Nashville  - on steroids.


It's shuffle time - as we close out the last two days of the week - delving into the "New Music" playlist.

Trending Tuesday Morning Shuffle - Mayhem and Maidens Mix

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Be sure to "Like" Ear to the Ground on Facebook!

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 - Junly2018.  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 NEW!
E2TG July 2018 NEW!


As much as I hate to miss a Music City Monday, it was good to have a day off. I spent yesterday recovering from my Sunday at Muddy Roots Festival. This was my first time at this festival, and I am grateful to Smoky White Devils and Richie Owens for helping me get there. 

I had a wonderful experience.  Music performances from Smoky White Devils (who rule hard!), Sarah Shook and the Disarmers, Dexateens, Joshua Black Wilkins, The Dead Boys, L.A. Witch, Meat Puppets, and X - plus a few more I heard partial sets from. Also, great hanging with the WXNA contingency and the Smoky White Devil folks. Wonderful food. And meeting interesting people who come to Muddy Roots from all over the country.

Speaking of WXNA - there are just a couple days left to vote for WXNA as Best Radio in the Best of Nashville 2018 Readers Poll - at the Nashville Scene. You must vote in 25 categories for your votes to count.  Best Radio Station is located in the Media and Politics section.

Time to jump back into the shuffle with a Trending Shuffle.  We have some cool first listens and the return of some favorites.  I also have some new music I still need to add to the playlist. This year of great music rolls on!

Trending Thursday Morning Shuffle - Before and After Temple Mix

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Fun night last night checking out The Coal Men and The Truehearts at The 5 Spot.  Both are top-notch bands who have deservedly achieved a great reputation in this music city. This was evidenced by the stellar musicians and songwriters in attendance.

It is Thursday and time to dive headlong into the "New Music" playlist for this "Trending Tuesday".  All of these tracks are (more or less) recent additions to my collection, and artists/albums that I waited to feature here at E2TG.

Let's shuffle!