Thursday Morning Music Shuffle - Unfinished Business 2013 Mix

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Well, it's a brand new year, and I already have some great stuff queued up to get 2014 off to a good beginning.  But, before we dive headlong into the new, there is some unfinished business - namely more 2013 favorites I wanted to offer up.  So today and tomorrow, I will wrap up the end of 2013 Mix and then Monday January 6 -  E2TG will kick off 2014 with a rousing start.

I've decided that the subtitle of this end of the year wrap-up should be: "If you think music sucked in 2013, then you were listening to the wrong music." 

I humbly offer #E2TG has your antidote to the bad music blues....

Wednesday Morning Music Shuffle - Bank Robbery Mix

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So - I just received word that Those Mockingbirds will be releasing the first official single from their highly anticipated new album on October 22.  It's called "How to Rob a Bank" and we have the cover artwork post above. The cover art was hand-drawn by Bella Agnello who happens to be the 7 year old daughter of legendary producer John Agnello who was worked with Sonic Youth, Dinosaur Jr., Kurt Vile and more.  I would hit up Those Mockingbirds on FACEBOOK so you don't miss out.

What some of you may not realize, is that I give a ton of credit to Those Mockingbirds for the success of Ear to the Ground.  Here's why.  I started Ear to the Ground in May 2011 without a clue or a direction.  Over the course of the remainder of that year, I began to find my voice. Late in the year, I came across Those Mockingbirds via a Twitter follow (I think and choose to believe). I quickly became enamored with their melodic hard alt rock sound. I named them my Band of the Week.

Shortly after that, I received a contact from Don Ryan who was and I suppose still is friends with the band, his video This Town still ranks among my all time favorites. Around this time, I met venerable NJ music blogger and raconteur Popa Tunes who turned me on to Dead Exs, The End Men and so many more.  Through The End Men, I met Gypsy West and Chris Peck's band The Disappointment. Through Don Ryan, I met The Danbury Lie. Somehow, in all that, I met Skeletons in the Piano who ended up being our Band of the Year for 2012...  And in all that, I became the number one ranked Tennessee Based Music Blogger Who Mostly Blogs About Bands from New York, New Jersey, and Connecticut  (an albeit lightly populated category).  Of course, I've diversified since them, and I've even been known to write about Nashville and Tennessee  bands on occasion.

My point being, Those Mockingbirds play a vital role in shaping this blog which all of you have come to know and love.  By the way, the mockingbird is the State Bird of Tennessee. Coincidence? You be the judge.

Ahem.... now that I've made this post all about me, I will turn it around and implore you to grab the new Those Mockingbird single on October 22 and keep your ear to the ground for impending details on the full album.

Today's shuffle is after the JUMP

Tuesday Morning Music Shuffle - Say Hello to Never Mix

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Rejoice! Yes, it's back to work after a long weekend.  Work. A four letter word if I ever heard one, but there is cause for celebration.  Our friends, Matthew and Livia, aka The End Men, have unveiled a brand new song accompanied by a stunning music video.  The song is called "Work".  You can grab the single of "Work" featuring an unreleased b-side called "Ratking" along with a download of the Video -right now at the band's Bandcamp page:





(Get the "Work" single)

 

Let's get to today's Shuffle now! (Jump)

Monday Morning Music Shuffle - Brilliant, Shining, and Nasty Mix

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ridinghome by JWM - 7/28/2013

(My First Soundcloud sound... a spoken word bit from a novel-in-progress)

 i can't stand people who bitch and whine

 lets drink a beer from a paper bag while we got time 

bang bang let the music go bang! 

brilliant shining & nasty 

bang make the music go bang! 

let me hear a guitar sound like a train 

bang bang make the music go bang!

bang bang make the music go bang!

 X

 Today's Mix after the JUMP

Friday Morning Music Shuffle - The Myth is This Mix

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thanks to Pam Slavin for the image

Hey ho!  The weather here is near ideal - at least for late July in Tennessee, and so I am going to make it outside to enjoy... 

So I'll make today's post brief.  First off, several songs were not on YouTube and in at least one case, I couldn't find any videos by the artist, so please check out (google and Facebook search work well) all of these artists/songs.

BEGIN NOW - AFTER JUMP

Thursday Morning Music Shuffle - Log Jam Mix

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Live* from Nashville - Music City USA. Ear to the Ground proudly presents - the Morning Shuffle.... 

*Live when written - except on the West Coast where 60 Minutes will be seen at it's regular time.   

Once again, we find ourselves abundantly blessed with music, and running a bit tight in the time department... so dispensing with the ado...  Join the Mix - after the JUMP

clicky....

Thursday Morning Music Shuffle - Previewing the Purview of Perfection Mix

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 Propane, Storm Clouds, and Custom Hitches by JWM 7/10/2013

 I have a ton of ground to cover and as per usual not as much time I was would like... so forsaking the pleasantries....

Today, we begin with three previews of upcoming releases.  

Let's begin with Grow the long awaited solo effort by Spencer Livingston of The Alternates (who were one of our early Bands of the Week about two years ago).  Grow is due out next Tuesday July 16, 2013.  The album features guests like Butch Norton (Lucinda Williams, Eels) and Kenneth Pattengale (Milk Carton Kids).  One of the things that first caught my ear with The Alternates was Livingston's super rich vocals, and he is in full voice on what I've had the chance to hear so far from the new record. American Songwriter premiered the first video from the album "Have a Little Faith".   Spencer is heading East for a run of shows before returning to California for a couple of shows at the beginning of August.  You can grab all his tour dates here.

Easy Getting By is the Debut EP from Glen Falls, NY band The Quick and The Dead.  It will be released on July 26.  The Quick and The Dead features our old friend Joey Mansman (Today is his birthday by the way  - so have a good one Joey) who we met through his other band Cosmonauts (who are supposed to be wrapping up their epic final album soon - from what I read). You may remember our interview and video premier of the Cosmonauts song Cold Harbor.  The Quick and The Dead offers up a more roots/Americana vibe, and based on what I've heard so far, it is pretty awesome.  I can't wait to hear the whole EP.  The first taste from Easy Getting By is called "Into the River"

Finally, we are very happy to present the first taste of Kalpa which is the new EP by Valued Customer.  The band is excited about this new music, and finally, we get our first hint at what all the excitement is about. We have to wait until July 17 for the full course of Kalpa, but the band have graced us with "Second Moon" as a Free Download over at Bandcamp (Name Your Own Price). The track is six minutes and 13 seconds of mind-blowing music and words. Valued Customer, as I have mentioned, are from Toronto. They are often weird, sometimes silly, but above all they are amazingly talented artists, and I mean that sincerely.  Here's a sample of lyric:

ugggy gotta alotta luv in his heartbeat
but i seen it all before, Koyaanisqatsi 

I mean, hell, just the fact that they rhymed heartbeat and Koyaanisqatsi would be enough to sell me, but this isn't even the best moment. Ah, heck just judge for yourself..

We still have a shuffle to do, and not a lot of time.  JUMP then SHUFFLE

Wednesday Morning Music Shuffle - What's Going On Mix

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Music City Railing by JWM (June 2013)

Ok.  We've whipped up a rich and hearty stew of good music - as usual crossing genres, styles, and decades with the greatest of ease.  

The mix begins next...

JUMP

Tuesday Morning Music Shuffle - An Unmade Bed Mix

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Man, it felt awesome this morning - July 2, and there was an ever so slight chill in the air. 

Let's get right into the music...

Pre-Shuffle... I hit shuffle, and the first track up was "Lanquishing in Lower Chakras" by The Gabriel Construct from Interior City. This track begins with some minimalist piano. The track is eleven minutes long and features some spoken dialogue. It was truly a great way to start the morning.

In an odd sort of way, the second song of the mix, "Colonizer" by Canopy Climbers from Miles, fit well coming on the heels of The Gabriel Construct. I think it was the piano sound. Even though the use of the instrument could hardly be any more different, it still served as an effective bridge between the two songs.

Next up "Cup o' Tea" by Austin band, Little Radar.  Their new album is not due out until next month, but they currently have a sampler up on Noisetrade.

Lambchop is a band from Nashville. They are awesome. "Chelsea Hotel" is a classic song by Leonard Cohen.  It is awesome.  Lambchop covers "Chelsea Hotel" and faces will be melted and brains will explode.  Shari Lewis was not involved, but she did have a puppet named Lambchop.

Among the several albums we are anxiously awaiting, one that has us especially excited is the new record from Great American Novel. To help us all wait, the band recently made their last album Kissing available as a Free (Name Your Price) download via bandcamp. "I Want You" hits all the right notes.  They also have two tracks from the new album available.  Hit them up. 

Another day, another Ramones song.  This time we have "Outsider" from Subterranean Jungle.

We close the pre-shuffle with some "old school" Cee-Lo Green.  "Evening News" is on his second solo album Cee-Lo Green...Is the Soul Machine.

SHUFFLE UP NEXT

Tuesday Morning Music Shuffle - Take It Mix

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I am very excited and pleased with today's mix of music.  I know, I know, I'm always pleased with the mix of music, but today especially we have a great mix of new and old music that darts across the vast field of genre and styles.

PRE-SHUFFLE:

We begin with another direct from my e-mail inbox to my ear-hole.  Liquid Casing is a four-piece progressive/rock band from Houston, Texas. Their brand new album A Separat|Divide is out today and takes on the subject of borders and illegal immigration. Today, we got our first listen via an instrumental track called "Non-Linear Solution", and I have to say I was very impressed.  Combining elements of hard progressive rock and at times dissonant.  I hope you will check this band out, and I know I can't wait to hear more.

Next up some awesome Americana from William Pilgrim and The All Grows Up with "About a Girl" which is on their debut EP The Great Recession which was released last September.

 How about some music from the legendary jazz artist Charles Mingus.  This live recording of "Mingus Blues" comes from an album called Charles Mingus and Friends in Concert which was released on Columbia in 1972.

 Periodically, I check out Noisetrade and read descriptions of some of the selections to see what catches my fancy. When I read the description of The Weight of Glory by Heath McNease which stated that it was a hip hop remix of the works of C.S. Lewis, I was skeptical but intrigued. They had one track available to preview and I listened and was pleasantly surprised enough to download. Today, the track "Surprised by Joy" came up, and I have to say I really dig it.

We next have another great track from the new album, Miles, by Canopy Climbers. This one is called "Melody".

How about the new one from The Civil Wars.  "The One That Got Away" is our first taste of the band's follow-up to the break-through Barton Hollow. My first impression is that it is a strong song that moves things forward nicely.

 We close out the Pre-Shuffle with another track from Christopher Paul Stelling's Songs of Praise and Scorn. "Solar Flares" is flat out an amazing song.

SHUFFLE NEXT