Topical Thursday Morning Shuffle - Hambones and Spider Queens Mix

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About 2/3 of the way through American Aquarium's set at The Basement East last night, I had a thought. I was thinking about all the people (many of them people about my age or older or younger) who say things like "Music these days sucks." or something and then they will usually compare some classic band from an earlier era to some disposable pop star of the moment (as if there have not always been disposable pop stars).  My thought, my message to those people, is turn off top 40 radio and go out and see live music. I know I am very spoiled by living in Nashville, but I also know that there is great music (crossing all genres and styles) being made every night and every day all around world.   Cordovas opened for American Aquarium, and as I have come to expect from that band, they totally destroyed.  Seriously, Cordovas are a band I will never get tired of seeing live.

American Aquarium leader B.J. Barham has gone through some major changes in the last two and half years (which is about the time I first really got into the band).  Among those changes was the departure of his entire band.  He has a newly formed band, and they were incredible last night.  Most of the band comes from Texas (Barham is a North Carolina native) and also includes Nashville's own Adam Kurtz (Buck n Stuff) on pedal steel.  I may be bias, being a big Buck n Stuff fan, but I think Kurtz was one of the stars of the night.  As of Barham, he seemed energized and he seemed to be enjoying himself - bouncing around the stage and engaging with the band and the audience.  He speaks hard truths with love, and explores his own life with honesty. 

This show came after taking in the early show at The 5 Spot - which local Sarah Clanton and a band that included the bass player from The Barefoot Movement.  Clanton plays the cello and I had just recently been turned on to her by my DJ partner Sue.   After Clanton's set, Heather Mae from D.C. took the stage. She injected some much needed positive energy into my soul. I am a fan, now. Turns out she knows my friends in FuzzQueen - proving just how small the music world is, Tom Goss closed that early show, and I dug his music, too. 

I hate that I missed Benchmarks at The 5 Spot - as it turned out, I probably could have seen most of their set....  also last night E2TG 2015 Artist of the Year Jon Latham made his debut on Music City Roots with his killer band.  I am looking forward to catching the video of this.

Anyway, from my point of view, the state of music is just fine - the business/money side of it may be a different story, but that is a topic for another time.

Today, we jump back into our exploration of E2TG history.  E2TG began in May 2011.  A vast majority of my posts are the monring shuffles like this one.  The basic premise is, "Hey, I heard some cool music this morning on my way to work, let me tell you about."  So, let me....

Wednesday Morning Music Shuffle - Once Bitten, Once Bitten Mix

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Time moves on.  We walk unaided into the abyss. Sail our ships closer to the sun. Life become a series of movements, of stanzas. We stand alone and yet never truly alone...

We have some cool tunes to refresh, reinvigorate and renew your damaged innocence. Or something... we have cool tunes...

Pre-Shuffle:  

"A Little Bit Longer" by Grass Root Kids (a nifty song by this awesome new band from Nashville)

"Red Light Love" by Those Darlins (Awesome song and check out the cool video in the playlist below.  Nashville - Those Darlins will be playing at Eastside Hootenanny this Saturday and this will the first and only opportunity to hear some new songs from the next Those Darlins album which is due out in the Fall.)

"Peace and Quiet" by Waxahatchee (love this song. The band is from Illinois.)

"Waters of Babylon" by Valued Customer (first of two from our friends Patrick J. Power and Ugggy).

"Big Blue Wave" (Alternative Mix) by Hey Ocean! (Hey Ocean! are a Pop/Indie band from Vancouver, BC).

"The Drinking Song" by Valued Customer (Yes! Just Yes! and Very Yes!)

"Nine Lives to Rigel Five" by Game Theory (More Game Theory with a Star Trek reference - I am a equal opportunity geek)


SHUFFLE _after_ JUMP

Wednesday Morning Music Shuffle - Tripped Up Again Mix

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 Reminder, Saturday April 20 is Record Store Day.  Be sure to support your local brick and mortar record store.  I have to say, Nashville appears to be THE place to be for RSD13.

Grimey's New and Preloved Music as always has a stellar lineup for live music and DJs.

RECORD STORE DAY! - Saturday, April 20th, 10AM-8PM
10:00 - Store opens
11:00 - djb (DJ set)
11:30 - Poplar Grove Middle School Ensemble (performs selections from Beck's "Song Reader" album of sheet music)
12:00 - Daniel Bachman
12:30 - Pimpdaddysupreme (DJ set)
1:00 - Paramore
1:15 - MINDUB (DJ set)
1:45 - Alanna Royale
2:15 - The Record Wranglers (DJ set)
2:45 - Josh Rouse
3:15 - DJ Hammelandeggs (DJ set)
3:45 - PUJOL
4:15 - Janet from Out The Other (DJ set)
4:45 - Hotpipes
5:15 - D-Funk (DJ set)
5:45 - The Features

 Third Man Records has live music by Karen Elson and Mark Watrous plus they have this:

In addition to the Nashville RSD festivities, I know our friends Tim Lee 3 are playing at Lost and Found Records in Knoxville, Tennessee.

If anyone else has Record Store Day events to promote, please let me know, and I will try to get it mentioned in the next couple of days. Bottom line people, support your local record store(s) not just Saturday but all through the year.

Pre-Shuffle:  In the pre-shuffle today, we heard a couple more tracks from the KidGrownUp mixtape by Christian Robins.  If you haven't - check it out here.

 We heard music from a couple of totally unrelated but equally awesome Nashville artists.  Leroy Powell and the Messengers released their latest album, Life and Death, at the end of February - this is some real deal Country/Rock.  Grass Root Kids have been getting a lot of buzz in the past several months since I first found out about them.  Among their members is the daughter of a good friend.  They have a 3 song sampler from their Debut Ep Loose Change out on Noisetrade.

Rounding out the Pre-shuffle is a raucous and totally cool cover of the Hank Williams song, Lost Highway, by The Replacements from their brand new benefit CD, Songs for Slim. The record is to support Slim Dunlap who took Bob Stinson's place in The Replacements, and who suffered a devastating stroke.

Shuffle after the jump.

Grass Root Kids Kickstart Their First EP

Grass Root Kids are a young indie band from Nashville.  They are currently running a Kickstarter campaign  to fund their first EP.  We have the campaign video below. Check it out.  




Now check out the band's song Forty Dead Men.  If you feel moved and are so able drop send some love and $ their way.