Good King Wenceslas Wednesday Morning Shuffle - Close Your Eyes Mix

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So, as of about 4:44 this morning, the days have officially started getting longer (see I can be glass half full kind of person... now fill my glass!)  It is officially Winter here in the Northern Hemisphere. Which in Tennessee somehow means the temperatures are going to rise a bit over the next few days. The way it looks now, I may be laying out by the pool on Christmas Day in Georgia... well not really but it is supposed to be close to 70.  Did I mention, E2TG is now a weather blog?

Okay let's move on...

Back in May, this blog turned 5 years old, and we celebrated by throwing a big old party down at The 5 Spot. I am forever grateful to the artists who performed. So, I thought I would give them each an "Earie" which I can calling the "Extravaganza Award".  

By the way, although it would have been understandable if these five acts had decided to just call it year - knowing they could never top playing the E2TG Anniversary Spectacular - they nonetheless soldiered on and did other amazing things...

1. The Foresters came all the way from Connecticut just to play the E2TG show. Okay, fine, they were here for a conference but I am very grateful for the fortuitous timing.  Later in 2016, they played Athens Pop Fest where they got to meet some of their musical inspirations from the Elephant 6 collective. They also put out some early recordings of Robert Scheider of Apples in Stereo on their own Dord Music Group label. Plus Dord got a cool new logo designed by Will Cullen Hart who designed the Elephant 6 logo.

2. Stone Cupid (trio - Julie Christensen, Sergio Webb, and Chris Tench) - I was so honored to have Julie, Sergio, and Chris play the show. Look for some new Stone Cupid music in the coming year,

3 Patrick Kinsley and a Fistful of Dollars - Kinsley and company rocked the house, and I hoping to hear some more new music from them in 2017.

4. BARK - okay Tim Lee 3 already won an "Earie" but this award goes to Tim and Susan's side project which will become their main music project with TL3 going on hiatus. I was happy that so many of my friends and fans got to hear BARK for the first time, and I know that they all became fans.

5.  Adrian + Meredith  - What a great way to close out the show.  A + M certainly did not rest on the laurels that come with playing an E2TG Anniversary Show... They released More Than a Little earlier this year to widespread acclaim.  The album features some of Nashville's finest musicians (which includes Adrian and Meredith themselves),

Speaking of The 5 Spot (way back I was speaking about The 5 Spot)... I took in the final $2 Tuesday of 2016.  As it is every time I go it was a blast.  (It's probably a blast even when I do not go, but I cannot personally attest to that).  Hank Erwin opened up, and his first song was a cover of a Chris Porter song. Porter, you may recall, was killed (along with a band mate) in a tragic auto accident while on tour a few months back... It was my first time hearing Erwin, but I really loved his music.

After that Derek Hoke lead cool band through some classic Christmas tunes with guest singers.

The music for the night ended with Jerry Pentecost leading a song by song tribute to Elvis Costello's second album, This Year's Model,  Oh man, that was fun.

I think I will just post Christmas/Holiday/Seasonal songs for the rest of this week...

Friday Morning Music Shuffle - A Real Double Duchess Mix

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"We Are Undone" by Two Gallants

The title track from the album of the same name... see what I did there?  This folk duo are from San Francisco and their name is a reference to the title of a James Joyce story from The Dubliners.  Grabbed this track from an ATO Records sampler, and I want to hear more.

"The Silent Orchestra" by Hamilton Leithauser

From Black Hours, the debut solo effort by the lead singer of The Walkmen.

"Expressway to Your Heart" by Soul Survivors

Some late Sixties' Philly Rhythm and Blues... Yeah! From When the Whistle Blows Anything Goes... yes it does...

"This Day" by Meat Puppets

Another from Forbidden Places, I am definitely under the influence of Meat Puppets.

"Riverside" by Julie Christensen Band

Ah! A last chance to plug tonight's show at The Family Wash.   Julie is incredible and she has a killer band, so yeah... Nashville - get down there.

"Jimmy Hickey's Waltz" by The Waterboys

Instrumental from Fisherman's Blues.  Shall we waltz?

"Revolution Rock" by The Clash

from the classic London Calling... I love this song and this sound. 

"My Uncle Used to Love Me But She Died" by Roger Miller

I am a fan of absurdity.  This song is purely absurd, and I love it. 

"New Amsterdam" by Elvis Costello and the Attractions

Elvis Costello! Get Happy!! One of my favorite songs...

VIDEO PLAYLIST

#E2TG Christmas Closeout

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So, I ended up with 21 Christmas songs left on my playlist and since I'm out of shuffles, And since, I don't want to have Christmas music left over after the Holiday is over,  I thought I would post a special Evening Shuffle of music from my commute home.  This will take care of 13 songs.  Special thanks to PopaTunes aka David Horton for thinking of me - as he often does and sending me the mixtape of vintage Christmas songs.  A most interesting collection - I must say.

I'm not going to comment on these songs, I'll just post the playlist since i managed to find all 13 songs on YouTube and let you listen at your leisure.  These songs range from the sublime and spiritual to the silly and groovy,  Something for almost everyone.  Enjoy! And Happy Christmas and Peace on Earth to all no matter what you do or don't celebrate.

I intend to post the remaining 8 songs over on the Ear to the Ground Facebook page in a little bit.  So if you haven't, now might be a good time to head over and give the page the old "Thumbs Up!"

PLAYLIST