E2TG 10/13/2020 - Idealism, Realism, Cynicism, and Fascism - No Hope Mix (Only Love Remix)

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Thinking today of isms. Some seem objectively bad but are they all? I kind of think it depends.  I tend to see myself as an idealist, and I usually think it is a good thing. Idealism is NOT synonymous with naiveté. Being idealistic does not mean I see the world through rose-colored glasses, but just that I have a vision of how I think the world should be. My problem is that I often disappointed when I see the way the world is compared to how I want it to be. But, if my idealism drives me in my efforts to shape the world around me, then it is good. 

Realism  - I tend to think of in negative terms. I tend to see realists as lacking vision. They see the problems of the world and resign themselves to it. But, what if, instead of resignation - the realist instead has a clearer vision of the world and can better react to the situation at hand?

Cynicism - I think an idealist can also be a cynic. Especially, if we let our disappointment in the gap between what is and what we believe should be make us bitter. But, healthy cynicism can be a good thing.   

I also don't think these three are mutually exclusive. One can have idealism, realism, and cynicism. The issue is how you use it. I think the world needs all three working together to come up with solutions that are practical but which strive for an unattainable ideal - while being questioned by a discerning eye and mind. 

But ah- Fascism... do the true fascist of today seem themselves in that light? Some do - maybe, but most do not. Thinking about the creeping rise of fascism in the United States which has been marching hard in recent years. People can get caught up in their vision to the point that they only see it.  I do think it is possible for an idealist and a realist to become a fascist without knowing it. Which is why I think my idealism needs the voice of the realist and the cynic -whether an internal or external voice to keep it in check.  

Today we featured the Next 4 songs in this week's Featured Friday Playlist. Songs 13-16:

13. "Bury" by Christian Singles 

First up, we have the lead track from the first solo release by Rob I. Miller (Mall Walk, Blues Lawyer) - a Bay Area singer-songwriter. The album is called Maybe Another Time and is out now on Mt. St.. Mtn. records. I dig it. 

14. "Distraction" by Kevin Burnstein

Next up, we have the lead single from the new album by recent Nashville resident Kevin Burnstein. The album is called Attack Distract Divide, and it is out October 23. This first single - "Distraction" is out now, and it is - as the titles might suggest a song and an album for our time. The song reflects the divided nation at a time when unity was most needed, and the role of leaders and some media and their tactics of distract and divide. Powerful stuff. 

15. "Prana Light" by Laraaji

After some heavy truth telling, it is time for some beautiful piano music courtesy of New York City based musician, mystic, and laughter meditation practitioner Laraaji. His album is called Moom Piano - which is his companion to his previously released Sun Piano. Just a lovely piece of music.

16. "Alive Again" by So Are We 

And we close out this segment of music with a fantastic song by this duo from Norway. So We Are has been together five years, and they just released their debut full-length album Piece of the Puzzle. This is the lead track, and I was captivated by the vocals of 

Guro Vikingstad and the guitar work of Stian Haslie.

Tomorrow - songs 17-20 

 

    Featured Friday Playlist

Wild Wednesday Morning Shuffle - Paranoid, Nervous, and Mellow Mix

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Another day of being short on time!  Let's get to it!  It's Wild Wednesday!

Tuesday Morning Music Shuffle - Cosmo and Seventeen Mix

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PRESENTING THE  1st Annual E2TG Awards - "The Earies"  (The Earies - it sounds kind of strange, but not really). 

Well, it is December, and as I promised, we will begin our month long celebration of all things E2TG.  Welcome to the first annual E2TG awards.  Our red carpet welcome had to be cancelled due to rain in the Nashville area, plus we don't have a red carpet, and someone forgot to book the Ryman.  So, this will be an on-line awards show this year... 

I thought long and hard about how to begin this award month, but finally it seemed fitting and proper to begin the 2015 awards with the artist who closed out 2014 by being named the Artist of the Year.

Presenting the first award for 2015 is ..... me...   Thanks, Joe.  The first award to be presented is the Flattery Will Get You Everywhere Award.  It recognizes the artist or artists who have realized that the blog host is basically a big ball of insecurities and self-doubt and that a little bit of flattery (even somewhat dubious flattery) goes a long way.

This artist not only routinely dedicates one of his signature songs to me, but he also included my likeness on the album cover of his most recent release.  I think "Bob" is a pretty handsome guy, even if I would not say that he is short or tall.     The 1st ever "Earie" goes to Darrin Bradbury.  Darrin is currently on tour out West, so I will accept the award on his behalf.  Also, we don't have actual
statues.  Maybe next year.  



Stay tuned all month for more awards....

On to the shuffle:

Wednesday Morning Music Shuffle - Onward Mix

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Longish shuffle today - time is fleeting... here we go...

Wednesday Morning Music Shuffle - Not Gonna Mix

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Time is marching on.  Hey, if you haven't now is the time to vote for the Band of the Year. The E2TG elves are busy, so don't expect much outside of Morning Shuffles and Band of the Year voting SPAM, but we have great things on tap for 2013.  Shuffle it up after the jump:

Tuesday Morning Music Shuffle - Red Door Mix

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Greetings from chilly, overcast Nashville, home of the hit television series and a bunch of other things, too.   Well, this could very well be the final Music Shuffle from my current cellular telephone.  A new phone is scheduled to arrive today, and if all goes as planned, we will begin a new era of superior music shuffling here at Ear2theGround.

Meanwhile, as you know (you do know, don't you?) we load up the memory card with fresh tracks on Monday nights. We had some fun selecting songs this week and some of the fruits of our fun make an appearance in this morning's shuffle. Shall we?


While, we don't highlight it as we once did, here at Ear2theGround, we dig a cool cover version.  We have a good one for you today to lead off our Morning Shuffle:  How about legendary Phoenix band, Meat Puppets with a song from a 1981 compilation album covering a song from Neil Young's second studio album (and his first with Crazy Horse).  Herewith, please find enclosed for your enjoyment, Meat Puppets doing their version of The Losing End from the album Keats Rides a Harley, which is a cover of  the Neil Young and Crazy Horse song which appeared first in 1969 on the album Everybody Knows This is Nowhere.

How about Elvis doing The Losing End

I know absolutlely nothing about our next band. But, we do have another cover.  This one is a cover of the Rolling Stone's classic Paint It, Black  and is performed by a band called The Insurgency from a Stone's tribute album called Exiled Again.  I found a band called The Insurgency on Facebook, but I do not believe it is the same band.  This band apparently has done several tribute albums on Cherry Red Records.  In any event, here is the album:

 Here is the real deal since I couldn't find a video of the cover...

California punk band, White Flag are up next with their contribution to the 1987 compilation Rat Music for Rat People Vol. III called Kitchen Diaster.

 
Here is another White Flag song from the same era.

And, we close things out with a change in direction of sorts with one of the bands currently in the running for Band of the Month - The Ugly Club with an acoustic version of  their song Last Evenings from their recent, Songs from a 10th Street Apartment.

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Friday Morning Music Shuffle - Miles Standish Proud Mix

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 Well... it's the end of the week, and I'm hoping to get some time this weekend to listen to all of the music that has come my way over the past week or so.  Looking forward to a quiet weekend...  

Let's get right to the Morning Shuffle:

First up we have the opening track from the brand spanking new album by Nashville resident Andrew Osenga - late of The Normals and more recently part of Caedmon's Call. His new record which dropped September 18 and is called Leonard, the Lonely Astronaut. Today we feature - Brushstroke.

Next we have Neil Young's chilling 1970 song, Ohio.  Our version today comes from a 1971 Bootleg.  The song was originally recorded by CSNandY. It was included on their So Far album in 1974.  The song is a reaction to the May 1970 shootings during a Vietnam War protest on the Campus of Kent State University in Ohio.

Next up we have Legalize It the title track to the 1976 from the solo debut by the late Peter Tosh of The Wailers.  

Finally, we wrap things up with a song (Yesterday (Circa Summer 80 somethin) )  from Cory Branan's first album in six years, Mutt, which came out in May.  This album also marks his debut with the Bloodshot Record Label. 

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Wednesday Morning Music Shuffle - Black House Mix

Good Morning American how are you? Here we are at the mid-point of the month of August.  Very soon now, I will be posting the Band of the Month Poll. Stay tuned for that one.  We have ten great Featured Artists this month, and I hope we can have some spirited competition. 

We continue to spin some of the newer tracks added to our Playlist in August.  This are brand new songs, newish songs and older songs. Today, we have a plethora of goodies for your listening enjoyment.  Let us get to the Shuffle now!

We begin today with part of the split 7" we've mention a time or two before.  Nashville bands Turbo Fruits and Bad Cop teamed up with Jeffery Drag Records also from Nashville to release a split 7" single which is tons of fun.  Bad Cop contributed the song Wet Lips while Turbo Fruits have contributed their ode to the burgeoning local scene here which is called Love Tennessee. The Turbo Fruits track is in the shuffle today.
 

 

Here is a Turbo Fruits powered Crawfish Boil - Nashville style

Athens Georgia band Five-Eight are up next with an awesome cover of Neil Young's classic, The Needle and the Damage Done which the band released on their 1993 album The Angriest Man.

Here's Five-Eight doing Sitting Still with a couple of blokes who might know that song pretty well.

And here is Neil Young's version this time from the Johnny Cash Show.

Next we have June Featured Artist, Tipi Valley with a track from his latest EP, Into the Woods which you can head over to Bandcamp to pick up.



 

And finally, we have an ironically danceable track from the 2006 album Ta-Dah by New York band Scissor Sisters in collaboration with Sir Elton John.  I Don't Feel Like Dancing brought me into my office and closed out the morning shuffle.

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Elton John - Elton John's Greatest Hits - MP3 Download This greatest hits compilation is Elton John's ninth album and his best-selling record to date.  Released in November of 1974, Elton John's Greatest Hits is a collection of ten hit singles, including epic classics like "Goodbye Yellow Brick Road", "Your Song" and "Saturday Night's Alright For Fighting".  The album spent 10 weeks at #1 on the Billboard album chart and has sold over 10 million copies in the U.S. alone.

Five Eight Five Eight

Turbo Fruits Tickets 2012-09-13  New York, NY, Mercury Lounge - NY Buy Turbo Fruits, tickets. Tickets for 09/13/2012 at Mercury Lounge - NY in New York, NY are available. TicketNetwork.com gets you in!