E2TG 9/29/2020 - Muddling Through - Isle of Hope Mix (Life is a Movie Remix)

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Muddling through... Interesting phrase... basically to do a somewhat decent job either with little effort or with little planning or without the proper tools. To me these are different concepts. Maybe I expend a great effort, but I don't plan and I don't have the tools I need. Or maybe, I plan but then don't extend the effort.  Or I plan and extend effort but don't have the proper tools... I muddle through and what needs to get done gets done - maybe in a half-assed kind of way. 

I don't think I like the expression, to be honest, especially in the context of 2020. To me it is too judgmental (or maybe that is just what I am reading into it). I think many of us are doing amazing work just staying somewhat sane and not completely falling apart. By pre-COVID standards - maybe we aren't excelling, but I am here to say, that's okay. 

So, I am getting through... but I am not going to say I am muddling through.  Onward!

Today our recap takes us to songs 11-14.... I am loving this week's Playlist:

11. "Talk to Me" by John Lensing

First up today, we have a really cool track from this singer-songwriter currently based in Denver. His music has elements of alt-folk and bedroom pop. It is rich and lovely. I dig it. 

12. "68th in Orbit" by Mt. Doubt

Next up, we have a track from the brand new album, Doubtlands by this Edinburgh-based band. This is their third album - with the sound evolving to this album which makes a powerful statement of band arriving. 

13. "September" by Lydia Loveless; Laura Jane Grace

One that I'm playing just because I want to... we recently featured Lydia Loveless playing with our friend Benchmarks. Now, she has released Daughter - her new album, and it is amazing.  On this track, she is joined by Against Me!'s Laura Jane Grace.  The intersection of punk and roots music which has been happening in the Mid-West for many years, is one of the most exciting things happening in music. Bands and artists like Two Cow Garage, Austin Lucas, and Lydia Loveless have an authenticity in both worlds and are creating memorable and important music. 

14. "Dig Deep" by Magnolia Bayou

We close out this segment of music with a track from Strange Place - the new album by Southern Mississippi based rock band Magnolia Bayou.  They are heirs to the long tradition of great music emerging from the swamps and bayous of that part of the Deep South. 

Tomorrow - 15-18...
 

    Featured Friday Playlist

Wild Wednesday Morning Shuffle - Off the Beat 'n' Path Mix

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You know, I am generally a pretty optimistic guy. I mean, I don't think I'm Pollyanna about it, but I do tend to look for the bright spot in things or at least the light at the end of the tunnel (that is hopefully not an on-coming train.)

Lately though, it is not easy to maintain optimism. It's not just the current occupant of 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue... I actually think he is more of a symptom (although a potentially fatal symptom) of a large problem.  I often hear the suggestion that we are part of an empire in decline. And maybe we are... maybe we have been for some time. There were certainly warning signs at various points of my life.

As someone who is deeply passionate about music (and art and creativity of all kinds), it is very hard to see incredibly talented people - who pour their souls into their art and who make vital and beautiful things - struggle to find an adequate platform for their work.  And then to read about a junk culture flash-in-the-pan figure getting signed to a record label... I just don't know.  It's easy to lay blame on the record companies... or on Spotify or whatever... but I think this all goes to a deeper problem in our society - where as a whole, we don't value truth or beauty or substance...

For the most part, I try to focus upon the communities of which I am a part that do value those things... and I do my part to put truth and beauty and substance into the world...


To that end... it is Wednesday... I call it Wild Wednesday... but really it's like classic E2TG day... from the beginning, I hoped to place new and under-heard music alongside some of my all-time favorites and recent discoveries (of older music) and oddball choices that stretch and challenge genre boundaries...   Eventually, things got so big that I needed to create specialized playlists for new music or Nashville music or whatever... but I am glad that I can have one day a week to shuffle all of the music I have on my phone and see what madness ensues....

Trending Tuesday Morning Shuffle - A Different Breed Mix

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And suddenly it is Tuesday.... At E2TG Tuesdays are the day we look at what is "trending"... no memes or celebrity gossip - just cool tunes of a generally recent vintage... shall we?

Featured Friday Morning Shuffle - Hipster Girl in the Old City Mix

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There are two parts of everyone of us.... well maybe more than two...

At this point, I can't see beyond this moment... one more time, one more time... it really makes no difference where or why.  There is an ugliness - I guess it has always been there... That ugliness does not discriminate. It really doesn't! Even though it may seem like it does.  The personifications of that ugliness - they discriminate - it is what they do... but the ugliness deep inside does not.  What I mean is that we all have some of the ugliness inside of us - the hate, the fear, the selfishness, the judgments.

Here's the thing... there is much beauty in the world... not just in special places or certain people. It is everywhere.  We all have the beauty inside of us - the love, the courage, the selflessness, the compassion.

The choice we have each day, each moment is to decide which of those we want to show to the world and more importantly which we want to manifest in the world.  Speaking for myself, I make those choices many, many different times every single day. Sometimes, I make what I think is the right choice and I show the world the beauty and I try to manifest that beauty.  Way too often, I fall short and little bits (or more) of the ugliness comes out.

So, today I am thankful when I allow the beauty to be what the world experiences.  But, I also have to thankful when I reminded that the ugliness is there, too.  Because, I  think that forgetting that I have that ugliness inside of me is far more dangerous than those moments when I show the world that ugliness.

Be good to one another -  I will try.

Anyway, I like sharing beautiful music of all kind.

Quick recap, I had a nice evening at The Country.  I was great to see Russell Thompson play for the first time in several months and to be reminded the beauty of his wonderful songs.   It was also great to experience Maynard and the Musties for the first time.  Really loved their sound and their songs.

Now, it is Friday and we shuffle songs from the Featured Friday playlist on Fridays.  Enjoy!

Featured Friday Morning Shuffle - Boiling Over Mix

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Still reeling from yesterdays news of the sudden passing of Prince.  I do not have a specific Prince story to tell.  I wish I did.  Being of a certain age, his music was a significant part of the soundtrack of my coming of age.  He was without a doubt one of the greats.  Certainly in terms of talent, but also in way his music cut across so many barriers. This, I think is a testament to the complexity of the man behind the music and to the power of the music itself.  Even at times, I was feeling the most anti-mainstream in my musical tastes, I could not deny Prince. Even when I did not completely understand what he was doing, I could not deny Prince. Nashville is going to light up the Korean Veterans Bridge and Courthouse in purple tonight.  Nashville is Music City and Prince was one of the most significant musicians of our time. Rest in Peace, Prince.  Let's Go Crazy!

Featured Friday Morning Shuffle - The Punk Will Always Be With Us Mix

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Happy Friday!  Sue and I had our first Radio DJ training at WXNA, and I got to see the studio of the first time.  When I know more about an on-air date, I will definitely be posting about that here. 

I am excited to announce that the line-up for the E2TG Anniversary Extravaganza has been set.  Look for the big reveal Monday morning (it may leaked sooner - so now would be a good time to double-check that you have "Liked" the Facebook Page.  It is going to be a good one, so go ahead and mark May 18 as "busy" on your calendar.

Tonight my plans include hanging out at The 5 Spot for the Tim Carroll Rock and Roll Happy Hour and then making my way to The Family Wash for the Mark Huff CD Release show with Jon Byrd opening up.  Good times...

Tomorrow is Record Store Day.  Make your plans accordingly....

Here are some of the songs we are featuring on E2TG....

Trending Tuesday Morning Shuffle - Am I a Shadow Mix

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A couple of East Nashville's finest songwriters crossed the river last night for a casual show in the front room at the recently reopened 12th and Porter. Joseph Robert Krauss writes really good songs, has a great voice, and his mildly self-deprecating humor hit the right notes, too.

The thing that struck me about Darrin Bradbury last night is that he is a true performer (dare I say entertainer?)  My appreciation for his songwriting is well documented, but last night, his talent as a performer really hit me.  Having seen him in a variety of settings (from band shows at his well-attended January residency to Saturday's impromptu performance for a handful of people under a canopy in the rain to last night's loose/casual solo performance in front of  relatively small crowd), what I noticed and realized last night is that regardless of the circumstance or setting, Darrin performs and performs well.   For me it was great to hear some older songs which he does not play very often.

Also, Brock Zeman and Blair Hogan are returning to Nashville with shows tonight for $2 Tuesday at The 5 Spot and tomorrow night at Bobby's Idle Hour.

Time for a shuffled peak into what is currently trending at E2TG:

Featured Friday Music Shuffle - Love Cures Mix

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Last night was a wonderful reminder of the depth and width of the musical offerings that this city has to offer.  Not even to mention the several awesome shows that I was able to attend.  It began with week one of the Fats Kaplin and Friends. Kaplin is an incredible multi-instrumentalist who has worked with everyone from Jack White and Beck to Nanci Griffith and Trisha Yearwood.  He also has several solo albums and albums with his wife - the amazing vocalist Kristi Rose (who sang several songs last night). The show was filled with magic tricks, good humor, and fantastic music.  The residency will continue throughout March (with the exception of March 17), and I highly recommend it if you are in Nashville on one of those Thursdays.

You may recall, I posted several songs some time ago by Bashful Hips.  It is very original music (think alternative hip hop as a jumping off point).  Bashful Hips has a brand new CD called After I Died, I've Never Felt So Alive, and he celebrated the release with a diverse and spirited show at The End.  Experimental, progressive rock band Work opened the night, Ted C. Fox played next with a sound that pretty awesomely melded bluegrass with more experimental post-rock elements, Bashful Hips was next delivering his new album song by song. Backed by Nathan Conrad of Spoken Nerd on bass and spieling over a pre-recorded track, Bashful Hips songs are complex and emotional and awesome.  Expect to hear songs from the album in the shuffle soon.  Spoken Nerd closed the night. This is unabashedly hip-hop music  featuring a live band and pre-ordered music. I have a great respect for good hip-hop music - even if I admit to not knowing a lot about it.  This was really good and when joined by Nashville rapper KidDead, the rapid fire word play was impressive. 

It felt good to step out of my comfort zone (both location and musical styles), and I really had a blast.

Today's themed shuffle is the original themed shuffle "Featured Friday".  Let's do it!