E2TG 3/2/2022 - Takes a Second - Everyone I Know Mix (New Normal Remix)

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We are easing into March, and we have a great shuffle below the jump. 

 

    Featured Friday Playlist

E2TG 8/26/2021 - Wednesday - Un-Natural Mix (Lost at Sea Remix)

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Featured Friday Playlist recap (part 3 - the middle) (songs  26-31):

26. "Mr. Anyone" by Posh

First up, we have the new single from the Italian band Posh - who formed in 2001 but who remained silent for the last decade before reemerging in 2021.

27. "Music For Typewriter" by Meilir

Next up, we have the new single from Welsh experimental musician Meilir who is a classically trained pianist. Here, he switched his piano for a typewriter.

28. "Hailey" by MammaBear

Atlanta's MammaBear are up next with the third single form their album Free Radicals. 

29. "The Whip" by Aidan & the Wild

Next, we have the latest from this indie/acoustic artist from the Netherlands who is joined here by Mercel Sophie.

30. "Be Who You Really Want to Be" by Richard Turgeon

Next up, we have a track from Campfire Songs from San Francisco based, self-described "Dad Rock" singer-songwriter Richard Turgeon. 

31. "All About Love" by The Belle Sounds

And, we close with the title track from the new EP by this Austin based indie-pop band. 

VIDEO PLAYLIST 
 

    Featured Friday Playlist

E2TG 7/15/2020 - Mid-Week Musings - Hold On Mix (Mean Old World Remix)

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Just as a follow-up to yesterday's post, I do need to give a shout out too, to Dee's Country Cocktail Lounge, The Basement, The Basement East, Bowery Vault, 3rd & Lindsay, and several other local venues which have provided many memories over the years and hopefully for years to come. The Basement East, as many of you know, was decimated by the March 3 tornado.

Dee's has been running live streams since near the beginning of the quarantine. When Nashville entered Phase 3 of their reopening, Dee's started some live shows with a limited, socially distant audience, table service, and a mask mandate. Unfortunately, due not in a small part, the irresponsible Broadway venues, Nashville's case count has skyrocketed and Nashville moved back to Phase 3, and now it appears that bars will be closed until at least the end of July.

There are a variety of ways to support your favorite venues who are struggling.  I want all my favorite venues to be there when it is safe to attend live music again.



And now, songs 16-20 of this week's Featured Friday Place - a real international segment of music.

16. "Sacred Core" by Mayflower Madame

Our world tour starts in Norway, with the heavy psychedelic/post punk band Mayflower Madame. We have featured them a few times before. This is the latest single from their album Prepared for a Nightmare which was released in March. Cool stuff.

17. "Need Some Soul" by Black Paisley

Next, we head  to Stockholm, Sweden with some more straight ahead rock music from Black Paisley. This is a real catchy song. I dig it. 

18. "Hollow (Project Regeneration)" by Static X

Our only U.S. stop on this whirlwind world tour, and it is a doozy. Long-running and platinum selling industrial metal band Static X are back with a brand new album which features the Wisconsin Death Trip line-up. The album features some of the last known recordings of the late Wayne Static. Happy to be on the promo list for this one. 

19. "Easteria" by Monsieur Minimal

Off to Athens - Greece that is with another track from composer and artist Monsieur Minimal. The song has an Eastern Mediterranean influence with some 70s psychedelic fusion. Great sound.

20. "Waves" by Dust

We close out this segment of music with a comprehensive summer song from Italy. The song manages to encapsulate an entire summer of emotions from boundless fun and abandon to the melancholy that comes with the final days of the season.  A great ending to this segment of music. 

Tomorrow - we wrap up our review of the Playlist with the final four songs...

    Featured Friday Playlist

E2TG 3/10/2020 - David Olney (The Artist with a "Big A") - Make Do and Mend Mix (Peace of Mind Remix)

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The Artist with a "Big A"

Last night's Celebration of Life for David Olney was a  "not exactly somber"/"not exactly light-hearted" affair.  In many ways, the event was a perfect fit for the man.

Here are my impressions as they are coming to me as I write this.  The first word that came to mind as I arrived at the Belcourt Theater was community - that word has been on the fore-front of my mind lately anyway. But, I was struck by all the familiar faces I recognized waiting in line to enter, and that sense only increased as the night wore on. 

There were definitely some heavy-hitting in attendance.  Emmylou Harris arrived with The Road Mangler Phil Kaufman, Hayes Caryl showed up, Mary Gauthier and more. It was a packed house. 

The first thing I noticed was Olney's guitar with his trademark fedora balanced on top. The house band was David's band - Ward Stout, Sergio Webb, Daniel Seymour, and Justin Amaral.  They took the stage and played some of David's music as instrumentals - which was an emotional moment. 

(An aside - one recurring theme of the night was that David Olney was an Artist (with a capital "A").  Watching his band - both during the waiting period and during the celebration proper, I was struck with the feeling that not only was David Olney an Artist, but he surrounded himself with Artists. I have had the opportunity to witness Sergio Webb's guitar playing up close, and while I am not a musician, even I could recognize that there was something extraordinary about the way he coaxed sounds from his guitar. I have also had the chance to see Justin Amaral in various settings, and his talent and artistry is unquestioned - see him with The Fats Kaplin Gang if you need proof. Daniel Seymour, too have seen in a variety of settings, and seeing him play stand-up bass is treat no matter the style of music.  As far as I recall, I have only ever seen Ward Stout play with David Olney - but I recall when David first added him and how quickly he established himself as part of David's sound.  Nashville is filled with incredibly talented musicians, but it was clear to me last night that these artists where something special - and I sure hope they find many opportunities to play together in the future.  

The night was filled with performances and speakers.  The stories shared were a reminder of the way David Olmey touched peoples' lives. The musical performances were a testament to the greatest of his songs and to the way he inspired other artists. 

The musical guests were all amazing in their own way.  I feel like if I try to name some that I will forget another. 

I've run out of time - so there will be more later. Suffice it to say, that the event was yet another gift from the man who gave us all so much of himself. 

 

    Featured Friday Playlist

E2TG 2/11/2020 - New Release Highlights - Random Notes - Cardboard Suitcase Mix (Bullet-Proof Bandanna Remix)

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As I am still struggling to find time to do everything I want to do, I thought I would take some time to highlight some recent and upcoming new releases of interest.  As always, the complete list can be found at the bottom of every daily post (and it is updated constantly).

Some of this music has been added to my phone for inclusion in the daily shuffles, some has been included in the Featured Friday Playlist....

Recent Releases:
2/07 - Chicago Farmer - Flyover Country (LP) 

Sixth full-length album. Recorded with Band of Heathens.  I understand that Darrin Bradbury will be opening some dates for Chicago Farmer.

2/07 - The Flyin' A's - No Holds Barred (LP)

Austin Texas based husband and wife duo release their fourth full-length album featuring an all-star cast of Austin musicians. 

2/07 - Christopher Paul Stelling - Best of Luck (LP)

I caught Stelling at the ANTI- Records showcase at AMA this past fall, but his association with E2TG goes back to 2012 when he was a featured artist for November/December in that year. At that time, he was living in New York City, and I believe he was closely associated with some of the other New York bands we were featuring - like The End Men, The Disappointment, and The Gypsy West. 

 2/07 - Sammy Brue - "Teenage Mayhem" and "Crash Test Kid" (singles)

Some new music from the teen sensation. The full album is due out in June, but he released the title track and another single on Friday.  Sounding great. He first gained attention portraying a young Justin Townes Earle on an album cover and video, but he has flourished on the strength of his songwriting and relentless pursuit of music. 

 This week:

2/14 - Grant Peeples - Bad Wife (LP)

Excited for this release.  I have been a huge fan of Grant Peeples since meeting him at the first Wild Ponies Happy Hour I ever attended back in 2014?.  For his latest album, he has recorded songs by female songwriters (including Telisha Williams of the aforementioned Wild Ponies).

 2/14 - Kalee Smyth - "Bring Our Love Down" (single)

Great to hear new music from Kalee Smyth.  The full album drops in March.  As a member of The Western Shore, she played the first ever "E2TG Presents" show at The Building. For this new album, she has assembled a team with some majorly impressive credits ( including Kasey Musgraves, Usher, The Band Perry, George Jones, Diana Krall, and Hank III)

Later:

5/08 - Brian Wright and the Sneak-Ups - Lapse of Luxury

Super stoked to have a release date for the new Brian Wright album (E2TG Artist of the Year 2016). I got a preview of this music at his residency last year, and I have been so excited for this news ever since. 

In my rush to get things done and do everything and be everywhere, I have had uninvited thoughts fill my brain, so I have to speak to those voices, and I hope maybe someone else who needs to hear this will hear it.  The dilemma/conundrum/catch-22 in which I often find myself is that if I go out to every show I want to (and even then have to miss two or three others), then I don't get much writing done and I start to feel irrelevant.  But, if I stay in more often and miss a bunch of shows to get writing done, then I feel irrelevant because I am not going out.   Today, I just need to say, that nothing I do or don't do, nowhere I go or don't go - none of that makes me irrelevant. I am relevant even if I don't go out and even if I don't write. I write and go out because I love doing those things - not to make myself relevant.

I also need to say, that I should not compare myself to anyone.  I often judge myself harshly for not getting enough done (ignoring the fact that I have two radio shows, a music blog, a full-time job, and more). I give myself hell for resting, for relaxing, for goofing off, for whatever... I should stop that.*

*I have to say, I have improved in all of this greatly in the last few years, but I still need the occasional reminder.

    Featured Friday Playlist