Topical Thursday Morning Shuffle - Old Bones Mix

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Well, we sure do live in interesting times.  Interesting is an interesting word.  It can be positive, negative, or neutral... or even ironically.  Time will tell, how "interesting" these times are, but from this up-close perspective, it sure is interesting.  #Comey #DumpTrump #Resist #Persist
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So, last month, as you may know, E2TG turned six years old.  It has been quite a ride to be sure.  To celebrate, I created a 450 song "retrospective" playlist of music that have been featured in some way on this blog.  That is basically 450 different artist - with allowances that some may be crossovers (solo acts vs. bands they were in/ people in two or more bands etc.)  It has been fun revisiting all of the great music. I have lost touch with some of these fine folks and in some cases, I cannot find updated information, but they were all a part of getting me to this point, and while I am not entirely sure that I know where "this point" is, I do know that a whole bunch of good stuff is happening and has happened because I started writing this blog. My point being that every step along the way was important, and I am grateful of ALL of the awesome music I have encountered.  Today's shuffle spans the six years pretty effectively - picks up on some rare cuts from the past, and well - rocks.  In many cases, I could not find a video of the particular song today, but I think I got at least something to represent each artist.

Let's shuffle!

Thursday Morning Music Shuffle - Be My Enemy Mix

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It's been a weird week filled with annoyingly insignificant snow "events", a day off, a significant life event, just one (so far) live music night, and some pretty cool shuffles...

Shuffle.... pretty cool....

Featured Friday Morning Music Shuffle - MIDI Version Mix

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In the wee hours of the morning, I posted my review of "Shoreline Sessions" a new EP and video project from Weapons of Minor Disruption which features Rob from #E2TG favorite The Danbury Lie. Please check it out. It is really cool (that is the short version of my review, btw).

Last night another of those quintessential East Nashville musical happenings.  Hanging out in a kind of funky, kind of divey space with awesome people (many of them incredible musicians) listening to top notch music.  Last night, it was the East Room with Kent Eugene Goolsby, Lew Card, and Joey Kneiser and the Living Flames.

Tonight, #E2TG Artist of the Year Jon Latham is playing a FREE show at Soulshine Pizza beginning at 7:00.  It is a wrap up to his being Local Artist of the Week for Lightning 100.

On to the Featured Friday Shuffle....

Monday Morning Music Shuffle - An Angel's Kiss in Spring Mix

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Another month has begun... we celebrate with a randomly generated shuffle of music...

Tuesday Morning Music Shuffle - Strike the Proper Page Mix

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Hard to believe we've reached the end of another month.  My Facebook memory thing reminded me that it was a year ago today that I came off of my self-imposed hiatus and returned to posting daily morning shuffles.  It's been quite a year, and I have to stop and thank everyone who helped make it so.  All the readers, artists, and all the people who have sent me music.  That last group has increased exponentially  - especially in the last month or so, and I have been struggling to keep up.  I want to give all the music I receive a fair listen, and so I beg patience as I try to listen and respond to as many submissions as I can.  Believe me, it is a great problem to have for someone who loves to hear all kinds of music.

Thursday Morning Music Shuffle - The Motel Angels Sing Mix

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Temperatures started plunging yesterday in Nashville, but your favorite music blogger didn't let that stop him from exploring some of the city's mid-week music offerings.  And neither did I.  Here's the scorecard: 1. Hanging out with one of my favorite musician's managers and a top notch Nashville singer/songwriter and watching the granddaughter of an outlaw country music legend rock the house. 2. Meeting said granddaughter and some of her band. 3. Watching three of the absolute best songwriters around kick off their tour. 4. Making triumphant return to Fran's Eastside (first time since December 17?) and hanging with some cool folks and hearing some amazing music from some of my insanely talented friends.  Yeah!

This morning, it was as cold as... well you'll have to come up with your own saying, I'm still too cold to think straight.  Here are the songs that valiantly tried to keep me warm... well they sure made being cold more tolerable.

Wednesday Morning Music Shuffle - Pure and Noble Breed Mix

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We press on...

Thursday Morning Music Shuffle - A Few of My Favorite Things 2013 Mix Part Four

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And on we go... 

Just in case you  joined us late, we are looking back on some of our favorite music from 2013, and doing it as only Ear to the Ground would...  I created a Playlist with favorites released in 2013.  2013 was a great year for music.  Many of your favorite E2TG artists released new music this year, some new favorites were "discovered", and there was even some notable releases from artists you frequently read about on those "Brand X" music blogs.  All of those and maybe even more are included in the Playlist.  We've been shuffling through that playlist all week, and we will continue until the end of the year (and maybe a day or two more).

Let's get to it, and see what Mr. Shuffle has brought up today... shall we?

Wednesday Morning Music Shuffle - Love Hurts Mix

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Today we induct three more amazing artists into our brand new (still under construction) Hall of Fame.  As with the first two groups of additions, these names should be very familiar to regular readers of E2TG.

7.  Tim Lee 3 (Knoxville, TN)
8. Killing Kuddles (Atlanta, GA)
9. Don Ryan (NY/NJ)





Welcome to the Hall...

Also, we have a pretty cool shuffle up next...

Wednesday Morning Music Shuffle - Melon Farmer Mix

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Let's jump back into the Shuffles with an extended mix of music.

As usual, time is short - so no dilly-dallying.  Which is a shame, really, because I am so good at dilly-dallying....

JUMP to the tunage!

Wednesday Morning Music Shuffle - A Little Poison Mix

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Things are hopping.  Music is being made and released and for a part-time, amateur music blogger, it can be a bit overwhelming... but in the best way possible.  I can only say if you've sent me music in the past few weeks; I beg patience, and I promise -  I'm listening and will be posting soon.....

Today we have a mix of music to delight and inspire - but that is every day, but today is especially delightful and inspiring, but so is every day. Ah hell, comparisons are stupid. We have a great mix of music, and so, let us leave it at that.


JUMP - THEN SHUFFLE

Wednesday Morning Music Shuffle - All Rise Mix

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I was out of the office, so today's shuffle comes from yesterday's drive home.  and I have to make it quick.

Very quick...  JUMP NOW

Monday Morning Music Shuffle - Adaptation Mix

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Here at E2TG we are all about adapting to circumstances beyond our control. Most of our best ideas were born out of necessity...

With my earphones still on the fritz (although I'm suspecting it may be the earphone jack - which would suck since I'm just 10 months or so into a two year contract...), I decided to make some changes.

The first part of today's mix came from a drive across town I took last night while the second part is from this morning's commute.  It all washes out, and we have 12 great songs for your enjoyment and edutainment.

Thursday Morning Music Shuffle - Nearly Perfect Mix

Convergence of everything good.... a perfect storm of wonderment...

 

 

Year of October at Douglas Corner 6/27/2013



Today is like a near perfect early October morning and here it is mid August!  The mix of songs that shuffled out of my MP3 player was almost as perfect as the weather.  I can't wait to bring it to you, and so I won't.


Be prepared - after the jump...

Friday Morning Music Non-Shuffle - Lucky Dog Barking at a Jukebox Mix

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Well once again, fate, circumstance, procrastination and mysterious forces beyond my control or understanding have combined to lead me to this very point.... namely, as I've mentioned several times, I am way over due to for a wrap-up of April. As you may recall, at the end of March I did a big ole summary for the first three months on 2013, gave a shout out to old friends who made new music and welcomed a few new bands into the Ear to the Ground Family. I resolved at that time to try my best to do this same exercise monthly.

April was an amazing month for new music.  From our old friends, we covered new albums by Skeletons in the Piano, Taco Land, Killing Kuddles, The Danbury Lie, The Imperial Rooster and Black Jake and the Carnies.  - I've probably forgotten some, and if so, I sincerely apologize. 

Skeletons in the Piano  - Buy 

Taco Land - Buy

 

Killing Kuddles - Buy

 

The Danbury Lie - Buy

 

The Imperial Rooster -  Download


 

Black Jake and the Carnies - Buy


 

Now on to our new additions to the Ear to the Ground family (again family is my designation and no consent is required...)

After the JUMP, we get down to business with today's Mix (Unshuffled)

Friday Morning Music Shuffle - Heavy Metal Drummer Mix

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Good morning - er afternoon.  After two days of Non-Shuffles, I turned the Shuffle mode back on and came up with some songs to get us through the last day of the work week...

Pre-Shuffle:  We started things off with another track from the fantastic self-titled EP by The Foresters - a track called "Alone".  Next, we had a fun little triad of songs which featured two more songs from The Lucky Jukebox Brigade's album Pretty Well Damned.  In between, "Taffy" and "Carnivultures", we had Sinatra's version of Gershwin's classic Someone to Watch Over Me.  It was really cool how well those three songs worked together.  We closed out the pre-shuffle with a track from Odd Man Out, the Killing Kuddles' album we reviewed on Wednesday. 




Coming up after the JUMP, we have a shuffle which includes two cover songs and an Arrested Development reference...

Wednesday Morning Music Non-Shuffle - Odd Men and Pancakes Mix

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The plethora of great new music which has dropped in the first part of this rapidly aging year has lead me to this point - another Ear to the Ground first.  We did our first Non-Shuffle Album review earlier this year for The Gyspy West's EP Accomplices III: There are Rules.  Then, we did our first ever multi-part review Non-Shuffle for our review of The End Men's new album Play With Your Toys.  Today, we have two reviews for the price of one. 

 

Great music made by really cool people inspires me to step out of my comfort zones.  It encourages me to take chances.  After the jump, you can see what happened when I turned off the Shuffle mode and listened to Odd Man Out by Killing Kuddles followed by Pancakes and Pizza by Taco Land.

Wednesday Morning Music Shuffle - Regression: As a Path to Progress Mix

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I haven't counted in a while, but I believe there are over 50 bands/artists that we have featured here at Ear to the Ground.  This includes spin-off bands, solo projects etc. As we mentioned the other day, once we feature a band or artist here, we consider them family and try our dead-level best to keep up with their progress and new projects.  So far in 2013, the projects seem to be coming faster than our ability to keep up with them, but we're trying... This week, we received an invite to the release party for the new (and long anticipated) solo CD by The Alternates front-man Spencer Livingston. Now we get word that preorders for Christopher Paul Stelling's new album are underway. Not only that, but none other than Spin.com has the first single up...

Listen, I pick the songs which go into my MP3 player (duh), and so I get the credit and/or the blame for the Shuffles that some up (even if it is the Shuffle Monster than actually selects the order and timing of the songs).  All I can say, is today we have a damn good selection of songs - new music from old friends, a rock and roll classic and other cool tunes to help brighten your mid-week.  

As always, the You Tube playlist embedded at the bottom of the post includes the songs from the Pre-Shuffle and Shuffle (if possible) or at least a close representation from the same artist.

Pre-shuffle:   Another track from the Self-titled John the Conqueror album - brought to our attention by The End Men (there I said it - again).  We also have another great song from Ben de la Cour.  We have a track from Nashville band Kopecky Family Band's 2010 album The Disaster. Special Note to the person who keeps donating KFB albums to Goodwill: 1. You obviously are either dying or lack good sense and 2. Please keep it up.  Our good friend, the audaciously talented Elwood Kuddles (aka Killing Kuddles) just released a new EP called Odd Man Out.  We have our first taste in a track called Save Me a Seat.  Finally, we close out the Pre-Shuffle with one of the two older songs released by The Danbury Lie just ahead of their new album '?' - Rhode Island Summer is a great song that sounds nothing like the other music we've heard from this band.

 

 

On with the Shuffle - click on to read

Ear to the Ground Presents: A Heapin' Helpin' of Music News

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While we were busy writing and posting our 4-part review of  the new album by  The End Men and then being sick, a whole bunch of stuff has been happening musically from some old and new friends of ours.  Some of this "news" is no longer new, but in case you've missed it here is a quick survey of what's been hitting our News feeds, In-Box and how ever else we've heard about this stuff. News after the jump:

Monday Morning Music Shuffle - Can See No Reason Mix

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Before we get to the shuffle, I have to take a moment to send out lots of prayers, good thoughts and love to everyone affected by the tragedy in Connecticut on Friday.  And let's face it, it affected most of us in some way.  Several bands we follow regularly here at Ear t the Ground live not too far from Newtown. The Velveteens who were featured artists a couple of months back had family members who attend the school. Thankfully, they were okay. For those of us with children, for those of us who have any compassion - this was an unspeakably devastating event.  But talk we must.  So, I sent out the prayers and good thoughts and love to those in Newtown and those in Connecticut and those in the United States of America and those in the world.  We are sick of violence, but we feel powerless in the face of it.  But, if there is power to break the cycles and change the old ways, it will... it must come from within us.  And it won't all come in these fleeting moments of national and international grief and outrage.  The necessary changes have to come over time, even as the immediacy of the horror begins to fade and blend with all the previous horrors which were once in our immediate path.