E2TG 7/14/2020 - In Praise of The 5 Spot - The Charm Mix (Arrows of Time Remix)

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I am a bit short on time, but here goes. For the last several years, The 5 Spot in East Nashville has been my home away from home. It is simply put, my "Cheers" where everybody knows my name and they are always glad I came... or whatever. The best people, the best music. It is my place, and I am not alone in feeling that,

Back in March, before the mandatory shutdowns and before PPP, The 5 Spot voluntarily decided that to close was in the best interest of their patrons and employees. It was, I am sure, not an easy decision. I contrast this to the venues who are suing the city for being ordered to close and who have operated contrary to current regulations with no regard for the safety of their customers and employees.

Recently, The 5 Spot has unveiled a (in my opinion) top-notched live streaming system. Tim Carroll's Rock n Roll Happy Hour was one of the first.  Last week, they added a liquid light show to the mix. Derek Hoke played a Tuesday set with band - a much needed balm - as I have missed $2 Tuesday so much.

Afton Wolfe also had his release show virtually from The 5 Spot.

To me, the work The 5 Spot has done shows their commitment to the music and to finding a way forward into this uncertain future. Kudos to Todd Sherwood and everyone at The 5 Spot.


Our review of the Featured Friday Playlist continues now with songs 11-15

11. "Summer Road" by Mighty Brother

From the recently released double album The Rabbit. The Owl. Mighty Brother are a indie rock band from New Orleans. This songs has an Avett Brothers feel to it, but the band's music covers a lot of ground. I really like this song. 

12. "Iztac" by Joseph C. Krause

Not to be confused with our old friend, Joseph R. Krauss, Joseph C. Krause is a collaborative media artist from Detroit. This is the title track from his latest EP, and it is about a dreaming snow leopard from the Mexico City Zoo. The EP is filled with electronic music, sound design, and poetry. It is whimsical and fun. Joseph C. Krause is legally blind and gay, and I am a brand new and very big fan. 

13. "The Fever" by Slump Test

Another track from the self-titled debut album album by Nashville punks Slump Test. Ryan Dishen handles the lead vocals on this track. While there has been plenty to be bummed about these last several months, I am sad that we have missed the last three (soon to be four) Decline of Southern Civilization shows. I am very glad, though, that I caught the March show - which ended up being the last in-person The 5 Spot show before the shutdown. 

14. "Wander Feeler" by Easy Love

I love this song so much!  Easy Love is the solo project of Summer Twins drummer Justine Brown. This is the title track to her new album which was recorded in one week in January 2019.

15. "Master of Flow" by Glife

And why not do a sonic 180, and close this segment of music with a veteran hip hop artist from Salt Lake City. I don't know enough about hip hop to vouch for the song title, but this track does seem to flow extremely well.  

I think we covered sufficient musical ground today. Tomorrow Songs 16-20

    Featured Friday Playlist

Tuesday Morning Music Shuffle - Just Can't Win Mix

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After today, there are only nine work days left in 2015.  Which means no more than nine more days of the "Earies"  (unless I hit panic mode and start posting on weekends which is not out of the question).

So the next award...

I call this one the "Far From East Nashville" Award.

The premise:  I had a funny moment a while back when I was introduced as someone who writes an East Nashville music blog.  It was meant as a compliment, and I took it as such, but it did give me pause. When I started writing Ear to the Ground (on a lark and with no experience writing about music) back in May of 2011, some interesting things began to happen.  For whatever reason, when I wrote about Nashville bands and artists, I was generally ignored, but when I wrote about band's from elsewhere, it seemed more likely that my posts would be acknowledged, appreciated, and shared. This is not a criticism of Nashville musicians. My take was, honestly, that the folks in Nashville knew that I wasn't one of the "big players" when it came to music writing in Nashville. Meanwhile, folks from other places maybe didn't know that and so they gave me a chance.  I am forever grateful for the music and wonderful people I discovered and met during that period of Ear to the Ground, and my ear continues to be open to great music from any locale. But, in a very unintentional way, I have been able to meet and hear some of the amazing talents this town has to offer. Over the past year, in particular, I have noticed and maybe you have, too, that more and more Nashville artists (East or not) have been showing up in my posts. However, as I said, I still keep my ears open to wherever I am lead, and so this award goes out to International Artists who have been a big part of E2TG.

The Awards Go To:

1.  Start closest to home:  Brock Zeman has been on my radar for a while, but in 2015 he released, Pulling Your Sword from the Devil's Back.  I also was fortunate enough to see him three times this year. Once in an amazing round at The Bluebird Café, and later on subsequent nights at The Family Wash and The 5 Spot.  Shoot, I almost consider Brock and his musical partner Blair Hogan to be honorary Nashvillians.  Nevertheless, they are from Canada.

2.  Also from our neighbor to the north: Velodrones/Bosveld. Again, Velodrones which is Stopmo Turt Darren has been on our radar for a while.  In 2015, his project Bosveld released Veldbrand a very beautiful and unique collection of songs that combine several different and divergent music styles and wonderfully original way.

3.  From a bit further away, Jeremy Gluck.  You may recall back in the Spring or so, I think we had a Jeremy Gluck song in the shuffle for what seemed like weeks.  We were spinning tunes from Memory Deluxe: I Knew Buffalo Bill 2 which was actually release in 2014.  The album was a follow up to his 1987 album, I Knew Buffalo Bill - an album that featured Jeffery Lee Pierce of The Gun Club, Nikki Sudden, Epic Soundtracks, and others.   Gluck was in the band The Barracudas, and more recently has been working on a project called Plasticon (and some other projects). 

4.  Getting further away:  Artur U and  The New City Limits. From Helsinki, Finland.  Artur U and the New City Limits released their full length debut, Holiday from Eternity early this year. I fell in love with the high energy grooves. They are very closely connected to some of our friends at True Groove in Brooklyn.

5.  The farthest from East Nashville award:  The Transcendents.   From Christchurch, NZ.  I first connected with this band via their self-titled debut which was released late in 2014.  In 2015, they released two EPs, Lay Where You Collapse and Common Ground.  I really love the way this band creates unique and challenging soundscapes that still remain rooted in the kind of awesome pop music that I grew up listening to.

Congrats to the winners:

To the shuffle (I'm low on time!)

Tuesday Morning Music Shuffle - Yacht Mix

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Last week, one of the daily shuffles was heavily weighted toward Blues music.  Today, things turn more in a Country direction.  Of course this is Ear to the Ground, so it's never cut and dry...