E2TG 1/20/2022 - Heading - Big West Mix (This Skin Remix)

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 Once again, I find myself short on time - so minimal.

Today's Greetings from Nashville is up on the archive at WXNA. 

6:00am Greetings from Nashville by Jason & the Scorchers on Still Standing (EMI/EMI Records (USA))

6:01am When It Rains by Tiffany Huggins Grant on Jonquil Child (Mgw Records)

6:06am Wasting My Time by Kiely Connell on Calumet Queen (Kiely Connell)

6:10am Some Things Must Die by Tristen on Aquatic Flowers (Mama Bird Recording Co.)

6:14am Shaking Hands by Hannah Fairlight on Muscle & Skin (FAIRLIGHT, inc.)

6:17am The Slow Down by Amanda Broadway Band on The Slow Down – Single (Electric 3 Records)

6:22am Churches & Bars by Sophie & The Broken Things on Churches & Bars – Single (Fail ghost)

6:28am Killer Without a Heart by Dianne Davidson on Breaking All the Rules (Dianne Davidson)

6:32am Maggie the Superstar by Sally Jaye on Too Many Heartaches, Pt. 1 (Sally Jaye)

6:38am Broke but Not Broken by Amelia White on Black Doves (Funzalo Records)

6:44am Who Said We Were Friends by Mercy Bell on Golden Child (Bell Records)

6:47am Fallen People by Kyshona Armstrong on Listen (Kyshona Armstrong / Tone Tree Music)

6:53am Beth Cohen’s Set (with Francesco Turrisi) by Rhiannon Giddens on There Is No Other (with Francesco Turrisi) [Deluxe Version] (Nonesuch)

Today's shuffle san comments is below...

    Featured Friday Playlist

E2TG 7/17/2020 - Featured Friday - Heartache Mix (Talk to Angels Remix)

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Some days, I want to lose hope, but I don't have that luxury.  People are at risk. Not just from COVID-19 (but definitely many, many people are at risk from that - as the U.S. response has continued to be a dismal failure). LGBTQ+ people are at risk of discrimination, violence, and persecution. People of Color - Black and Brown people are at risk for policy brutality and discrimination, and persecution.  People with disabilities are at risk for having their right stripped away, the access to education hampers, and increased marginalization. The poor are at risk of having their meager earning cut - while failed CEOs cash-in on their golden parachutes of having housing ripped away. The list goes on and on.  It is up to us, who are not on these lists or only marginally (if at all) impacted by these things....


Well, we have reached the end of another work week, and that means it is time to unveil another Featured Friday Playlist.  This week's list is 33 songs and exactly 2 hours of music (all new and recently released).  I think I have fulfilled my mission to featured diverse and generally independent music. Enjoy and please Follow the Featured Friday Playlist on Spotify.  Mostly, if you discover new music that you love by reading E2TG - do whatever you can to support that music. Buy merch, spread the word, attend shows (when it is safe), and follow the bands on their social media sites.

Our review of the Playlist commences below the jump with the first 8 song.  We will recap the rest of the list throughout next week in this space.

    Featured Friday Playlist

Featured Friday Morning Shuffle - When It All Comes Down Mix

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Time is marching on... we've reached the end of another week of E2TG.

By the way, tomorrow, on WXNA (101.5fm in Nashville or wxnafm.org everywhere), my radio show that I do with my dear friend Sue - Double Shot with Joe and Sue will be celebrating our 100th show!  I hope you can tune in!  Double Shot kicks off at 11:00am (Central Time).

Today, we have our Featured Friday shuffle - shuffling songs from our "new music" playlist of albums/artists/songs we are featuring here on E2TG.

Go!

Trending Thursday Morning Shuffle - Trouble By the Score Mix

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Always a good night, when I get to see two former E2TG Artists of the Year share a stage.  Darrin Bradbury and Jon Latham along with Nick Nace opened up their residency which will run every Wednesday for the rest of May.  Ryan Sobb opened the show.  It was my first time seeing this recent arrival in Nashville, and I was highly impressed.

Coincidentally, on this date in E2TG history 2017, Jon Latham was scheduled to play week 2 of our sixth anniversary residency, but he ended up in the ICU - so we made the night a benefit and raised some money.  That night both Nick and Darrin played.

It's Thursday, and time to delve back into the "New Music" playlist.  I'l running a little late today, so let's jump right in!

Mondo Monday Morning Shuffle - Leaned in Close Mix

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I guess this is what they call the home stretch.... As we head into the final week of the Earie Awards for 2017 (as well as the final week of shuffles for 2017), I find myself reflecting on the year that is winding down.  On many, many levels, it was a difficult year, but I remain bolstered by the incredibly wonderful people I have come to know and the incredible variety of amazing music that has come to my attention just because I started writing this blog.

The highs of this year were high and the lows were low, and I prepare to enter 2018 with much uncertainty as to what it will bring. I have been pondering some tweaks to E2TG for the coming year - something I have done periodically over the six and half years of this site. I'm not sure what those will be. Certainly there are things that don't work like they used to  (like my inability to embed my video playlists). I guess, I'll just say - stay tuned.

Let's jump right into the shuffle and the Earies for Monday December 18, 2017....

Featured Friday Morning Shuffle - Gonna Be Okay Mix

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Well... here we are. It is December!  The 3rd Annual Earie Awards will kick off next week.

Two years ago, I awarded the very first "Earie" Award to Darrin Bradbury. He is about to enter the studio to work on a new album of all new songs. I am excited to hear the results.


A great night of live music in Nashville. I checked out WoodMackFleet (formerly Carpetbaggers 615) at The 5 Spot followed by the one and only Stuffy Schmitt.  After that, I headed across the river to Springwater to see Connor Rand and Matthew Moon performing as Acquired Tastes followed by a rare full band show my Tom Schreck Escapes.  Great seeing some awesome people at both shows.

Well, we have some cool songs fired up in the shuffle, so let's hit it!

Featured Friday Morning Shuffle - Drafty Aisles Mix

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This is my last day to post about the WXNA Fall Pledge Drive, but the drive itself continues through Sunday.  So, if you haven't made a donation, you have just a couple more days to get on board.  You can call 615-933-9962 or go to wxnafm.org it's easy as pie. You can make a one-time donation or set up an automatic monthly bank draft. If you give just $6.00 a month (or $72) - or more - you will receive a WXNA coffee mug.  Everyone who donates will receive a limited edition WNXA heart sticker. What are you waiting for?

Well, we made it the end of another week. This is actually the last full week of blog posts in November.  Next week, I will be posting Monday through Wednesday before taking off for Thanksgiving.  The week after that, Friday is the 1st of December!   That means it is almost time for the 3rd Annual Earie Awards.  Wow!

Well, today is Friday so let's see what songs/bands/albums we are featuring....

Mondo Monday Morning Shuffle - Pair of Dice Mix

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Once again, I find myself feeling overwhelmed by the world and "humankind's inhumanity to fellow humans"... and I am also overwhelmed by the divides we see - especially (as far as I can tell) in this country - between people. I see all sorts of layers and causes and symptoms of this problem, but for right now, I don't see any or much hope of a solution.

Does social media exacerbate the problem or merely amplify it?  Comment sections on any even vaguely political post are depressing as hell.  And, just about anything and everything is at least potentially political.  Food, sports, weather, fast food cups, innocuous holiday greetings... all political and by definition divisive in these times. And I want to blame it all on the OTHER side- I really do... but... THE OTHER SIDE is part of the problem.  Everything seems to viewed as a one or the other, all or nothing proposition.  Shop a particular store, well, you must be (fill in the blank).  Watch a particular sport... you get the idea. 

I don't feel like I know a whole lot about much of anything, but in my life, I have ascertained that almost everything is more complex than it seems to be... especially if people are involved. I guess it is a sort of human nature to put people or things into categories... good, evil, progressive, conservative, pro, anti... people rarely ever fit neatly into boxes we design - especially if there are only ever two choices. 

The point I am trying to make is that this either/or thinking tends to back people into a corner. It says you can't be this one thing without being all these other things which get conflated with that one thing. Faced with that, people dig in and end up feeling the need to support something that they might otherwise never support. 

I already said, I don't see a solution in sight - at least not an easy one. All I know to do is to watch and check myself when I find myself exhibiting this either/or mentality or projecting all sorts of things onto people because of one particular aspect of who they are. 

That and music (although that can and has been politicized)... for me music heals a part of me that is damaged and in pain.  For me it is certain songs, artists, styles of music.  For someone else, it may be something else (that I may not like or understand) and that is okay. If music (any music) does that for someone - then who the hell am I to criticize that?

It's a misty, overcast raining Monday in Nashville.   And the world is a harsh and bitter place sometimes.  Here's some music that helped make it a little better this morning for me....

Featured Friday Morning Shuffle - Time is Now Mix

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I went to see Nashville Rep's production of Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson last night.  Really good!  Andrew Jackson was cast as a kind of emo rock star. The show was funny and engaging, and the music was great.  Very irreverent and kind of raunchy at times. Perfect.  It was also a great satire of populism and how it doesn't always work out like it seems like it might.


Well, it is Friday.  Another rainy, gloomy day in Nashville. It's been an odd week for me. Not sure why. I took Monday off. Haven't felt 100% most of the week.  Feeling better today.  But, it's Friday! And that means we get to delve into the Featured Friday shuffle - more songs from the "new music" playlist.

Featured Friday Morning Shuffle - Turned 24 Today Mix

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Several years ago, someone pointed out that I would often make a very subtle sarcastic comment or joke, and then ruin the effect by saying "Just kidding". This guy even started calling me "Just kidding Joe".  I think he was right. My desire was to make sure I was understood. Like, if people thought I was being serious they might think I was an idiot or mean or whatever. But, it's not my job to explain myself to everyone and it is not my business what they think about me. 

I have tried since then to catch myself when I want to add a "just kidding" - although full disclosure: emojis have kind of given me a cheat on this  ;-) And I'm working on that now, too.  Twice in the last two days I have posted something on social media that was facetious without a "tell" that I was kidding. The first case, if anyone took me as serious, they would think I was kind of stupid and maybe a little self-important. The second case, could potentially lead to a political reaction of some sort...

I don't know. 51 1/2 years in and I'm still working on this life thing, and I'm kind of okay with that for today....

Let's jump headlong into some featured music for a lovely Friday in Nashville...

Featured Friday Morning Shuffle - Mad Dog Wine Mix

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Hey all - I got to be quick.  I spent my lunch hour at the Southern Festival of Books - checking out Jon Byrd - so I didn't get to finish this post.

It's Friday - here is what we are featuring today:

Featured Friday Morning Shuffle - Lips are Moving Mix

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All right. It's Friday....  saw Will Kimbrough and Tommy Womack doing their Daddy (duo)  thing last night at The Family Wash.  Lisa Oliver Gray joined them for a couple of songs.  Always great to see the two of them.  There are working on the third DADDY record and it is open to pre-orders now - through Will Kimbrough's PayPal account.

I'm going to jump right into the Featured Friday shuffle...


"Funny Feeling" by Luxury Mane

We start things off with the last track we have to feature from Lux Runnin Out - the 2016 album by this band from St. Petersburg, Florida.  I look forward to what's next from this band.

"Gluten Farmer" by Discount Ravioli

It's becoming a regular Friday thing to have a Discount Ravioli track or two or four as part of every Friday's shuffle. This is (apparently) a sequel to the classic Circus Propaganda song, "Gluten Farm" What is a Gluten Farmer?  Check out Discount Ravioli's Baby Arm Sessions and find out.  

"I Know" by The Maxx

Next up, we have another track from Funk Box - the latest album by this long-running 70s-style funk/soul band from Atlanta. Adding some groove to my Friday commute.  

"id" by Ugggy

This is the opening track from Ugggy's May 2017 release,  STŒND ALŒN (uncollected thots), (the third of seven so far this year).  It is a fifteen second introduction to the release. 

"Stagger Lee" by Taj Mahal

or "Stack-o-Lee". The first of two tracks from the Labor of Love album released in conjunction with the Music Maker Relief Foundation. Taj Mahal originally recorded a version of this song (which dates from 1911) on his De Ole Folks at Home album in 1969.

"Warning Sign" by Black Needle Noise  with Kendra Frost

Next up, we have another track from Black Needle Noise - which features John Fryer of This Mortal Coil.  The most recent album, called Lost in Reflections features a number of collaborations included this one with Kendra Frost. 

"News Blackout" by Tim Easton

Next, we have another cut from Strange Freedom: Songs of Love and Protest which Cafe Rooster put out recently. This track was originally released on Easton's 2008 album Ammunition. The words seem pretty appropriate today. 

"Song for Brenda" by Taj Mahal with Cool John Ferguson

Next, we have an instrumental - and a cool one at that  - from Labor of Love featuring Taj Mahal and Cool John Ferguson.  Ferguson is a frequent collaborator with Taj Mahal (and others).  Taj Mahal has said that Cool John Ferguson is among the top five guitar players in the world.  He is also the Director of Creative Development at Music Make Relief Foundation.

"Nedobity" by The Foresters

And we close out the shuffle with a track from the latest album (House Stories) by E2TG faves, The Foresters. There is some crossover between Discount Ravioli and The Foresters.   Near as I can tell, "Nedobity" is a reference to something or someone or somewhere in Connecticut.  In other words, it's a Connecticut thing. Follow E2TG on Facebook and maybe someone from The Foresters camp will explain what it means or not. 

VIDEO PLAYLIST

Wild Wednesday Morning Shuffle - Spike Driver Mix

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I'm back after an unintentionally extra long, long weekend.  So much going on in the world. And, right now, I don't feel able to even begin to comment effectively.  Life is interesting. Life can be hard. Life can be unexpected. Life is a constant lesson being learned. Sometimes grace (for want of a better word) comes from unexpected places and people. It is easy to focus on all of the negatives - whether it is the state of the world or the state of our own lives, whether it is forces beyond our control or our own human fallibility.

It is Wednesday and as per our regular schedule, I have shuffled up all of the songs currently residing on my phone memory card. The results are "wild" which is why I call Wednesday shuffle's "Wild Wednesday".  Things start off in a decidedly experimental vein before moving into standard (if awesome) song structures.

Let's shuffle!

Featured Friday Morning Shuffle - Dutch Baby Mix

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Harvey hit Middle Tennessee last night and today. Obviously nothing like Texas, but tornado warnings and flooding all around.

Meanwhile, it's a big day for a couple of E2TG favorites.  2015 E2TG Artist of the Year, Jon Latham, releases his long awaited follow-up to Real Bad News.  Lifers is out on Cafe Rooster Records and available at a bunch of the usual places to find music.

Also, Ugggy (1/2 of 2016 Band of the Year, Valued Customer) releases his seventh mixtape in seven months today. It's called The H​{​ear​}​T Beet Tape.  Expand you mind and your horizons.

"smoke to it. . . .
rap to it. . . .
nap to it . . .
peace to all the gods . . ."

Meanwhile, it's Friday and we have a pretty wild mix of songs from our "New Music" playlist to feature today....