Some very eagerly awaited new music from Don Ryan comes to us by way of a new song called Vultures. It is pretty wicked, bad (and by bad I mean awesome). The song is available for pocket change at Bandcamp. In conjunction with the song release, we get some behind-the-scenes footage of Don and his band in the studio. So check it out and download the damn song.
While you are at it - if you haven't go get the Don Ryan's last album Tangle Town now!
In contrast to yesterday's shuffle which contained a mix of classic (i.e. very old music) and new stuff, all of the songs in today's shuffle were released in 2012. Let's get to it...
First up, we have a young band from Florida which I came across during some random surfing on Bandcamp. Grounded play noisy rock and I kind of dig their style... so yeah... The song we have today is called Take the Hit... We have the Bandcamp widget for you to listen and Download Grounded's three song demo and it's Free! So take a chance with Grounded.
Next up, we have another superb song from the Marvin Country! album by Marvin Etzioni (Lone Justice). This one is called Bob Dylan is Dead, and it's a really great song. Interesting and totally random incident... yesterday, I went to Twitter and saw that Bob Dylan was trending,and I had to immediately make sure he had not died. He hadn't. Rather he is releasing his 35th studio album soon. Anyway, you really need to go get Marvin Country!
I could not find a video for Bob Dylan is Dead, so here is a interview with Mr. Etzioni from Inside Music Row.
And finally, we dig deeper into the awesome debut by Nashville rock superground, The Bluefields. The album is called Pure, and the song today is called Trainwreck. The Bluefields started a three week run of free shows at the Hi-Watt in Nashville. I missed last night and will have to miss next week, but I am going to try to make it the week after. If you're around Nashville head on down for what is sure to be a good time.
Well this is it folks. Band of the Week has been a huge success for Ear to the Ground, and has really helped up to connect with some really amazing people. You've probably noticed over the last couple of months that the weekly aspect of this feature has been lacking. Rest assured it is not from lack of suitable bands, in fact, it has been the opposite problem - the best kind of problem to have. The number of bands who have approached me to hear their music has increased, and trying to narrow down all the great music to one band of the week has been difficult. And so, it is mixed feeling, but a great sense of hope that I announce that this will be the final Band of the Week feature on Ear to the Ground (at least until I decide to revive it ;-) ) But don't worry, as always, Ear to the Ground is dedicated to featuring bands on the rise, on the verge and on the edge. Next week, we will introducing a brand new feature which I think you will enjoy. Meanwhile, Band of the Month polling will continue (details to be announced soon as to how this will work) and around the first of December we will be unavailing our Second Annual Band of the Year Poll to see who will follow in the footsteps of The Mobbs. All 12 Bands of the Month (so far that is In Cages, MAKAR, The Gypsy West, Northbrook Garage and The Disappointment) will be up for Band of the Year, plus I will select up to 8 "Wildcards".
But enough, we have one more Band of the Week to introduce. South of Ramona are young band from Salt Lake City, Utah. The band features: Keith Araneo on banjo, Michael "Thom" Brown on drums, Richard Dean on vocals and bass, and Eric Lo on guitar.
South of Ramona - Demo
The opening notes of The Curse of Queen Laveau (which is the first song on the band's Demo which they are offering for free on Bandcamp) are a haunting foreshadowing of the music to come. The use of the banjo as lead on thee five song demo sets a plaintive - sometimes melancholy and sometimes wistful - tone. Richard Dean's vocals - especially when it stretches into a high register - sends a shiver down my spinal column).
The second track is called Westward Souls. For some reason, I imagine the ghosts of the early settlers who died on the passage to California moving silently but surely through desert canyons and across vast mountain ranges toward their destination. I'm not sure if that image is really what the song is about, but it's the emotional response I receive from the music.
The next track Misery actually brings the tempo up in a cathartic dance of release. Despite the slight up-tick in tempo, Misery lives up to it's title as the despair is clearly evident even in the midst of the lively folk dance around a smoldering campfire.
Robber's Roost is a classic folk music story song. It keeps the tempo of the previous song, but the dance has ended, and the dancers have sat at the feet of the band to listen to the tale being woven through the bands unique layers of sound.
Forgotten Memories' rollicking sound gets the dancers toes a tapping, and I found it hard not to move to the music. I really love the way the guitar and banjo interact and react to each other on this tune. The song and the demo end with an instrumental break which comes to an abrupt close which left me wanting more, which I suspect is just what the band had in mind.
South of Ramona are on Facebook and Twitter so go check them out. Like and Follow. This is a band with a unique sound and bright future. They are in the studio working an album, and we will definitely fill you in on the details when they become available. South of Ramona will be playing a show in SLC at The Dawg Pound. If you happen to be in Salt Lake tomorrow night be sure to check them out live and tell them hello from Ear to the Ground.
Will close with a video of the band covering the classic House of the Rising Sun, followed by the Bandcamp widget to grab the band's Demo for free.
Monday and I find myself back in a familiar routine. ICYMI - check out my review and listen to a stream of Sci-Fi Romance's new album, The Ghost of John Henry, which is due out tomorrow. We've also hooked you up with links to pre-order the CD or the download. GO!
Now, it is Monday and we have our regular morning shuffle. Still digging into the downloads added in April, tons we haven't played let so let's get to it.
1. Pistols and Radio Signals is the title track from an EP by Nashville-based neo-classical punk band Dogs of Oz. Grab the EP below and go to Bandcamp to check out the rest of the band's catalog. This band of teens are the real deal. According to their page, they are doing some recording with a member of Cage the Elephant which should produce so cool sounds. Lead singer/guitarist Greyson Anderson used to be this quiet kid in my daughter's pre-school class. Funny how time slips away.
2. The Only Place is the title track from the forthcoming Best Coast album.
Grab the single here:
You can "wishlist" the album here:
There is nothing unexpected here, but it's Best Coast and even the expected is pretty darn good.
3. J'ai Fait Un Reve (I Have a Dream) is another track of the Revolution album by DRUNKSOULS. The French reggae rock band's second album is an ambitious collection of great sounding music for the modern age. Check out Revolution below.
Yesterday, I stopped by someone who had stopped me on the street last week asking for a dollar for the bus. I thought they were going to hit me up again, and I was thinking about the fact that I wasn't carrying any money, but instead he reached in his pocket and gave me a dollar back.
Some days it rains, but inside I am feeling all sunny. Some days, the opposite is true. I like the former, better than the latter. Today is one of those former days, and I'm happy. One thing I've noticed, I love dark music and the blues whether I am happy or not. I'm not sure why. Maybe, when I down and dark and blue, that music reminds me that I'm not alone in feeling that way, and when I'm up and light and joyful, the music grounds me and reminds me that everything is temporary.
The music shuffle includes songs I've added over the past three or so weeks since the elevator incident.
When Etta James died earlier this month, she left an enduring legacy of great music. At Last, was written in 1941 for a film called Orchestra Wives and recorded by Glenn Miller and his Orchestra. Nearly 20 years, later Ms. James recorded her definitive version of the song on the album of the same name off of the Chess label.
Next up - The Disappointment are yet another kick ass band from Brooklyn - h/t to The End Men for pointing us in the direction of this great band. The song today Well Well Well comes from October 2011's Plastic Ono EP - which can be yours for free using the widget below (via the band's bandcamp page)
And finally, we have a track from Delta Spirit. It's called Bushwick Blues and it's some might fine music in the Americana/Alt-Country/ReallyCoolMusic vein. The version I listened to today is slightly different than the version available on this album:
The version I have came from a Noisetrade offering that is now unavailable - so if you missed that, grab the album above to hear Bushwick Blues.
I added some new music last night - I'm having some technical difficulties, but whatever...
A very cool mix this morning so sit right down and let me tell you all about it...
First up is a track from the latest twitter discovery... It's Big Mosey who hail from Brooklyn, New York. Head over to their site for a free download of today's featured song, Harold Called in the Morning, and keep your ear to the ground for more from these guys.
Check out the band's EP - Homeward at Daybreak which you can get for a song* at Amazon by clicking on the album cover below:
*a song in this case equals just under $4.00
Next up is another fine track from the amazing Bang Bang Boogaloo: Beyond Beyond is Beyond compilation. This comes to us from a band called Conspiracy of Owls a Detroit band - the song we have is one the band's 2010 self-titled album, and is called The Lesson.
Click on the kinda scary picture below to go to Amazon and get your own copy of Conspiracy of Owls for under $9.00.
Next the first of two tracks without vocals... from our current Band of the Week - From the Outside comes this propulsive number called Don't Look Back which is off of the brand new The Sound of Motion album which you can get for name your own price using the widget below (via Bandcamp)
Next comes a track by Jonti who comes from Sydney, Australia and is on the Stones Throw label in the U.S. - he's just come out with a collection called Sine & Moon (The Album) which includes today's track, Nagoya Train Station 3AM. Click on the album title to grab a free download of the album.
If you like what you hear, click on the album cover below to get Jonti's October release Twirligig for just under $9.00.
And finally, we've let too many days go by without a track from MAKAR ;-) So, here goes one we've featured before, but it's a good one... called In the Know from Funeral Genius.
Ha! It's Friday. My first Friday at work in at least three weeks. I decided to spin some tracks from my Ear to the Ground-related playlist which features Bands and Artists who have been featured here in some way (Bands of the Week, ETTG Recommends, etc.) I'm up to 83 songs on this list and hope to increase that number soon.
Band o' the Week alum Brother Howe are up first with the title track of the EP linked to below. Heaven is My Retirement Plan. The EP also features a cover version of the Weezer song Undone (The Sweater Song).
Next, friends of the blog, Valerie Giroux and James LeMay (aka You & Me), get funky with Head Up High. Check out the song and download it for free at Bandcamp by using the widget below.
Black Moon is a Wilco cover by Joseph Mooradian who was featured on a Soundcloud sampler some months ago. I need to do another one of those. He is a first year college student and the younger brother of 1/2 of Forest Mountain Hymnal (who have also been featured here.) Here a widget thingy from the cloud....
It's You & Me back again and showing off their bluesier side with Running Like Hell.
Finally, this morning, it's BenSem aka Ben Semmens with a track from his album Western Lights which you can add to your collection by purchasing and dowloading at the pic-link below. The song is calledFree. The album it comes from will set you back about 9 bucks (totally worth it!)
Spencer Walters is from Illinois or is it Illinois (I can never remember how you are supposed to pronounce it). He was in a pop band (from what I can tell), and now, he's making music that speaks to him - simply beautiful songs like There I Go and City Lights. You can use the BandCamp Widget below to purchase his solo debut EP, and you should. It's good stuff.
He's on the Facebook thing and that Twitter site...oh and he co-owns his own record label Paperduck.
Finally, I found a video for There I Go You can give it a view below the widget....
