E2TG 6/3/2020 - Now What? - Beloved Mix (Elephant Remix)

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I said quite a bit in yesterday's post (posted today), so I will just get on to the music... (More will be said, you can be sure)

And now, let's review songs 19-22 from this week's Featured Friday Playlist:

19.  "It Was Always  Too Late" by Secret Bad Boy

Next up, we have Secret Bad Boy - a Chicago band conceived and led by Ben Joseph of Ezra Furman's band. The song is a synth driven ode to nihilism and the vastness of space. 

20.  "Ghosts" by Idle Noise

The latest single from this indie rock band from Coventry. 

21. "Not My Problem" by Scarlet Drive

New single from this indie rock band from Perth, Australia. The song was recorded during the COVID-19 pandemic between the state boundaries between Perth and Sydney. I really dig this song.  By the way, in searching through my e-mail, I discovered that this band had contacted me a few times going back to 2018, so I am really glad I gave this a listen. 

22. "Background Worry" by Jack Stafford

We close today's review with the new single from British singer-songwriter Jack Stafford. The song captures the negative mental processes that many of go through daily.  A wonderful chamber pop sound, and a great addition to the playlist.

Tomorrow, we finish up our recap of the Playlist with songs 23-26

    Featured Friday Playlist

Wild Wednesday Morning Shuffle - Bastards Mix

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Braved the storms to take in another $2 Tuesday with friends on stage and in the crowd.  Erica Blinn Lauren Anderson, Derek Hoke (with Jon Radford, Adam Kurtz, and Jared Manzo), and Samantha Harlow (with a great band).

Programming note: there is a chance that there will not be a shuffle tomorrow.  I am out of pocket in the morning, and I may not have a chance to post, but I will try.

It is Wednesday - time for some Wild Wednesday action. 

Trending Thursday Morning Shuffle - Colorful Recipes Mix

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Well, I'm back after being a little under the weather yesterday.

Happy Birthday to the 2014 E2TG Artist of the Year, and the most tagged artist in E2TG history - Darrin Bradbury!

Only 7 more shuffles and 7 more days of the 2017 Earies.  After next Friday, I will be out for the rest of the year, but you can expect the Golden Earie Awards to drop during the week between Christmas and New Year's Day.

Meanwhile, we have another batch of Earie awards that are burning a hole in my pocket (small award or big pocket?).   As always, no nominees - my categories are arbitrary and sometimes silly but the awards are heartfelt.

Wild Wednesday Morning Shuffle - Sleep Talking Mix

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"I mean, I'm not disagreeing with what they are trying to say but..." 

"...they could have found a better way than dumping all that tea into the water."
"...why'd they have to sit at the lunch counters during lunch time? I just came to get a sandwich not to see this." 

Civil disobedience is supposed to be civil, it is not supposed to be convenient. (although I'm having a hard time understanding why someone respectfully kneeling during the National Anthem bothers people so much.  (that is a rhetorical question). 

Racism and other forms of bigotry are not new, but it is disheartening to see so many racists and bigots being emboldened by the current administration.  Maybe it is necessary to bring evil into the light in order to destroy it.  That, at least, is my hope.

 "I do not pretend to understand the moral universe; the arc is a long one, my eye reaches but little ways; I cannot calculate the curve and complete the figure by the experience of sight; I can divine it by conscience. And from what I see I am sure it bends towards justice."  Theodore Parker (later paraphrased by Martin Luther King Jr.)
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Wow, the 3rd Quarter of 2017 is almost over... It's just about time for me to start thinking about the 3rd Annual Earie Awards and the 2017 Band(s) and Artist(s) of the Year.  As is often the case in recent months, I find that I cannot possibly get to all of the music sent my way.  I try my best because I know some really awesome stuff is slipping by me. And, even with those that slip by... my "New Music" playlist recently topped 500 songs.  Beginning Monday, I am going to adjust my schedule to cover more of the "New Music", and I will also be working to clear some older songs from that playlist. I am really excited about some of the new music that has been coming my way...

Today is Wednesday which is "Wild Wednesday" here at E2TG.  We shuffle up all the songs in my phone memory and present a decent cross-section of the diversity of music that I dig. Sometimes, I will think that maybe I could have a bigger audience if I narrowed my focus... but I could also have a bigger audience if I used click-bait headlines and made controversial statements about popular artists just for the sake of being controversial. I don't want to do any of those things... so here is E2TG just being E2TG..... Peace...

Featured Friday Morning Shuffle - Angel Food Cake Mix

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I am excited to announce that E2TG has more daily readers than any other music blog ever.  It's like billions and billions of readers every day (maybe more).   In fact, the editor of one of the lesser known music blogs PASTE called me to congratulate me and ask me for some advice on how to attract readers.

This is all true because I wrote it, and any "evidence" you see to the contrary is just FAKE NEWS.
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On a more serious note (all though the sentiment behind my little joke is very serious), I wanted to remind my readers (both of you ;-)  )  that I am taking next week off - so no regular shuffles... maybe a special post or two (but maybe not).

It is Friday - the end of another work week, and as we do, we have our "Featured Friday" shuffle - where we shuffle up songs from our New Music playlist.

Shuffle after the jump!

Tuesday Morning Music Shuffle - Sun Blown Mix

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Hmm... I'm just not feeling like a commentary today... maybe it's the heat. Maybe it's just life... whatever... ah more time for the music... music is a constant for me.  Hot, cold, good moods, bad moods... music is a balm, it makes me think sometimes, it makes me dance sometimes, it makes me nostalgic sometimes...

Today is Tuesday so we dive into the "New Music" playlist for our Trending Tuesday Shuffle....

Featured Friday Morning Shuffle - Five More Minutes Mix

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Well what the heck! It's Friday!

Next week, we will get back to the regular schedule for E2TG:

Monday - Music City Monday featuring all music connected to Nashville. Old stuff, new stuff, loose connections, maybe some connections that exist only in my head...

Tuesday - Trending Tuesday featuring songs from the "New Music" playlist.  Mostly music submitted to me - occasionally a cool newish release that I just want to highlight.  "New" is relative - although I will be occasionally taking out lingering songs that are over a year old. That being said, if it's relatively new and new to me, I will also add stuff a year or so old (or older in special cases). It is what it is okay?

Wednesday - Wild Wednesday - we go hog wild and shuffle up all the songs stored by my device. New, old, really old, well-known, obscure, weird, normal - it's all possible.

Thursday - Topical Thursday - we shuffle off a of pre-selected "Topic" playlist. For a few months, we had a unexplained topic built around the current events of the world (loosely or tightly connected), since May we have been shuffling up a special E2TG anniversary playlist - featuring one song each from 250 or so artists who have been featured in some way over the six years of our existence as a blog. This topic will continue until it changes.

Friday - Featured Friday (see Trending Tuesday - it's the same thing).


So today is Featured Friday and we have a pretty cool shuffle so let's go!

Wild Wednesday Morning Shuffle - Cold Steel Facts Mix

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Remember when he who shall not be names stated: "I could stand in the middle of 5th Avenue and shoot somebody and I wouldn't lose voters,"?  And his supporters did not even realize they were being insulted?  Well, every time his administration or he makes another insane, blatantly corrupt, or bizarre move - it's like he is metaphorically trying to prove that.
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Made it out for part of $2 Tuesday last night.  Finally got the chance to see E2TG favorite Gabrielle Louise live -and she was wonderful.  Dylan Lancaster was next, and I really dug his set, and as always Derek Hoke (backed by Mark Robertson and Steve Latanation) was awesome!  I had to bow out before The Prescriptions played the late set, but they are going to be holding down that spot for several weeks - so hopefully I can catch them soon.

TONIGHT!!!!!! The E2TG Sixth Anniversary celebration continues with Week 2 at The 5 Spot in East Nashville. As previously announced, Jon Latham is not going to be able to perform due to some serious health issues.  We have some friends of Jon and friends of friends... set to try to fill the gap he left.

Kristen Englenz and Nick Nace - who Jon picked to open for him - are going to get the night started.  Darrin Bradbury, Matt Benjamin, and Sean Quinn and the Tremblers are set to perform. I have beer koozies! Free to the first ten paying customers. I will be reading a short section from one of novels-in-progress.  The night is going to be dedicated to Jon, and the money we make will be going toward his medical expenses.  We will also be talking about a Benefit being planned for June 5 at The Basement East.

Today, we are intentionally "Wild" and coincidentally begin with a couple of tracks that are on our "New Music" playlist - to even things out from yesterday.

Trending Tuesday Morning Shuffle - Mumblin' Mix

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Running very late.... busy, busy, busy... This will be brief, but here are some cool tunes for the day!  Hopefully, I'll have a bit more time for commentary tomorrow.

Featured Friday Morning Shuffle - Milky Way Mix

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Here we go... It is Friday...  and yes, a white supremacist is still holding a position of power in the White House - along with unqualified family members of President. This is somehow okay to people who believed this president would "drain the swamp".  If any swamp was drained, it was replaced with a cesspool.  Just saying.
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Ah, but music.  Last night - one of the most rewarding and well-done shows of the year (and in a while).  Richie Owens celebrated 25 years of his band Richie Owens and the Farm Bureau.  The show opened with a reunion Owens' 1980s band The Movement. They sounded wonderful and really seemed to be having a great time.  It definitely took me back to my 30 somewhat years.

Next, the history of The Farm Bureau was told beginning with the original line-up and then past and present members entered and exited the stage playing music from every era of the band, the most recent line-up performed a few songs and then everybody returned for one of the bands signature songs that has spanned the band's history. Throughout Richie Owens narrated the shifting tides and times. Just about perfect.   The Farm Bureau will be playing Muddy Roots this fall, but otherwise, Richie will be devoting his musical time to Smokey White Devils and an acoustic project that I can't remember the name of.  So, in some ways this was a farewell show for now at least.

After I left that show at The 5 Spot, I headed down Main Street to The Family Wash in time to catch Megan Palmer with Jonathan Beam and Paul Niehaus - sounding amazing, followed by Russell Thompson with Sergio Webb plus David Conrad and Rebecca Weiner-Tompkins  (of Conrad y Skordalia), and ending with Sergio Webb backed by David and Rebecca.

The bad storms spared Nashville, and so here we are...


Show alert:  Tomorrow night - April 1 is the CD Release and Art Show for the latest album by Nashville legend David Olney.  Brock Zeman (who produced the album) will open and be joined by his regular sideman Blair Hogan.   You really want to be at this show - whether you know it or not.


It's Friday, and that means a Featured Friday Shuffle...

Featured Friday Morning Shuffle - No Bees in the Breeze Mix

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This has been a pretty rough week, to be honest... I haven't been feeling particularly wonderful, but it is Friday, and for right now, I am feeling pretty okay.

Last night was one of those nights that really make me glad to live in Nashville. Zach Schmidt, who is one of the best people I know and a great songwriter/artist, too, held his CD Release party at imogene + willie over in 12th South. It was a wonderful, candlelit backyard party. A great atmosphere and an amazing line-up of performers including: Hugh Masterson, Becca Mancari, Jon Latham, Charlie Whitten, Joshua Black Wilkins, Brian Wright, Aaron Lee Tasjan, and more. Schmidt closed the evening with a full-band set. His album, The Day We Lost the War is out, and worthy of attention.

Another album that is out (as of today) is Aaron Lee Tasjan's Silver Tears.  Tasjan who has been on an unstoppable upward trajectory since I became aware of his music may have just hit the hyper-drive. To celebrate the new album, he is, as I write this, conducting bus tour #12barblues and making stops (and performances) at 12 venues in and around Nashville.  It all culminates tonight at 3rd and Lindsley.  Brian Wright opens tonight's show and joins Tasjan on stage.

If all goes as planned, there will likely be no shuffles next week, but look for some posts from the highways...

By the way, not that I pay attention to things like this, but... as I am writing this, E2TG is 17 page views away from October 2016 being the highest page view month ever. Thanks for everyone who is reading.

On to the music shuffle....

Trending Thursday Morning Shuffle - Skinny Jeans and Bad Hair Mix

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Okay... here we go. The good thing about starting you work week on Wednesday is that you suddenly find yourself at Thursday!  First things first.

Really enjoyed night one of Amelia White's September Residency at The 5 Spot.  Jesse and Noah opened with some new songs, some old songs, and a nifty Donovan cover. Amelia White and the Blue Souvenirs were awesome as always - Parker Hawkins, Fran Breen, Paul Neihaus, and Dave Coleman. We really are spoiled here in Nashville by all the great players. Amelia debuted some new songs in addition to playing some of my favorites. She threw in an awesome cover of "Silver Wings" - a song by the late Merle Haggard that I was introduced to by The Knitters.

Tonight, Mark Robinson's September Residency at The 5 Spot continues.  The band will include Rick Schell and Daniel Seymour, and the special guests will be Mark Huff and Webb Wilder!  Seriously, do not miss this show if at all possible!

Since, I missed Trending Tuesday, and since I have an overabundance of "new music", I am going to forgo Throwback Thursday for this week only and present a rare Trending Thursday shuffle... enjoy!

Trending Tuesday Morning Shuffle - A Different Breed Mix

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And suddenly it is Tuesday.... At E2TG Tuesdays are the day we look at what is "trending"... no memes or celebrity gossip - just cool tunes of a generally recent vintage... shall we?

Featured Friday Morning Shuffle - What They Call Punk Rock Mix

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Whew! It is FRIDAY!  I have to say, I have had a pretty difficult week - only partially due to coming back from a week off last week.  I am happy for the weekend to be here, and I am really looking forward to getting back on the radio with my dear friend Sue Havlish.  Tune in tomorrow from 11-1pm (Central Time) on WXNA (101.5FM in Nashville and streaming live at wxnafm.org world-wide.
Our theme this week in "Animal Kingdom", and you can expect to hear some music by some E2TG favorites as well as other great songs.

I caught a super hot show last night at the original Basement (located four flights of stairs below to WXNA studios).  When I say it was hot, I mean both the music and the temperatures. Darrin Bradbury opened with some favorites and some sneak peaks of an album is currently working on.  The stars of the night were definitely Andrew Leahey and the Homestead who are releasing their new album Skyline in Central Time today. Leahey and his excellent band sweated through a rocking set. Singer songwriter, Bill Eberle closed the show with an excellent set.  Eberle was backed by a stellar band that featured Dave Coleman on guitar as well as members of Sad Baxter.  I think we all lost about ten pounds in the sauna, but it was totally worth it.

Onward, to a week-closing Featured Friday shuffle

Trending Tuesday Morning Shuffle - Heads Explode Mix

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Don't Forget! #E2TG 5th Anniversary Extravaganza May 18 at The 5 Spot in East Nashville!


Writing and posting late today. I've been at a work conference all day, and then stopped by Charlie Bob's to see Jon Byrd and eat some $.50 tacos and drink some $2 Little Harpeth.

Tomorrow could be iffy, as I am back at the conference all day, but I will post if I can.

Let's jump into the Trending Tuesday Shuffle - because Patrick Kinsley is filling in for Derek Hoke tonight at $2 Tuesdays, and he and A Fistful of Dollars are playing a set.  If you can't make it out tonight, you can and should come out and see them on May 18 when they are playing the E2TG 5 Year Anniversary Extravaganza (hey I'm getting good at these subtle self-promotion deals).