E2TG 10/12/2021 - Another Day Here on Earth - Sing Mix (Start Remix)

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Featured Friday Playlist recap (part 3) (songs 13-16):

13. "Cherry Red" by BadCulture

First up, we have the latest single from Nashville's BadCulture who I saw last week at the Ponce EP release show. 

14. "Lights" by Lost Tuesday Society

Next up, we have the new single ahead of the new album by Welsh folk-pop band Lost Tuesday Society. 

15. "Haunted House Blues" by Man Made Hills

Next up, we have a track from Lostboy - the new album from Brooklyn based singer-songwriter who records as Man Made Hills. 

16. "Alone for Now (Maybelline)" by David Austin

And, we close this segment of music with the new single from this nomadic singer-songwriter who is based in Nashville. Here he sings about the difficulties of finding a stable relationship while on the road. 

 

    Featured Friday Playlist

E2TG 12/02/2020 - The Middle Part of the Title - More to Rust Mix (Cold Hard Curve Remix)

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As I mentioned the other day, as I do every year, I take stock of E2TG and what I might do differently.  One question that always comes to me and that I always struggle with is should I focus of featuring less music but be more in-depth or do I continue to cover as much music as I can - even if that means I can only write a little about each song/album/artist. 

Of course, I had plans for this year that due to 2020 never came to fruition, but overall, I am happy about how things have worked out. The Featured Friday Playlist has gained followers and I have gotten so hear so many great new artists. 

Initially, I thought I might just list the shuffle songs with no exposition and only focus on writing about new songs - but to be honest, I was never comfortable with that approach. I do know that longer reviews, interviews, etc. would be great, but right now, I am just not in the headspace to do those. Maybe that will change as we slowly emerge from this crisis - whenever that slow emergence begins.  

Some aspects of what I do have become harder - and it is really minor annoyances. Like tagging of Facebook. I like to tag featured artist on Facebook - 1. to let the artist know I wrote about  them and 2. so that interested readers can check out the social media pages of the artists featured. It has, however, become more difficult and  burdensome to tag pages on Facebook. To me, it used to be easier - now sometimes you have to use the exact format of how the page URL is named or Facebook brings up the artist's personal page first instead of the artist page - AND it won't let a page tag a personal page. 

The other thing which I posted about on Facebook is that it has become harder and harder to figure out where a band or artist is from. I am not sure if that is intentional for some reason I don't understand, but it is something I like to know and share. 

Any way, just being transparent about my process.  E2TG will be entering its tenth year soon, and it has survived this long by adapting to the changing circumstances and by my posting on a consistent basis. 

We continue on with our Featured Friday Recap... songs 14-16

14. "I Just Want U Here" by Xelfiy 

Up first, we have a direct artist submission that actually came in right as I was putting together this week's playlist. The e-mail was so genuine, and the song really caught me. Xelfiy is a young artist - I don't know much about him but this song is dedicated to his late father. Dig it!

15. "Tunnel" by Plastic Barricades

Next up, we have a track from the recently released Self-Theories by this duo who are based in London and Paris. Really interesting sound. 

16. "Lonely Landslide" by Perfectparachutepicture

And closing out this short segment, we have the newest single from the UK band known affectionately as PPP. Really nifty alt-rock. A great addition to the playlist. 

Tomorrow - we wrap up with weeks playlist.  Songs 17-19

 

    Featured Friday Playlist

Thursday Morning Music Shuffle - Oh My and a Boo Hoo Mix

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I got those post-birthday hangover blues... hangover in the figurative sense (or is it literal???)

Anyway, some killer tunes in the shuffle - so let's get to it.

Thursday Morning Music Shuffle - Like a Freebird Wheel Mix

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Today's subtitle is a tribute to the mind-blowing weekly party that goes down every single Wednesday night at Fran's Eastside Tavern in East Nashville, Tennessee. Tim Carroll and Darrin Bradbury have been doing this thing since July or so, and I've only missed a couple.  When it began, Darrin would play for an hour or so and then Tim would take over and then they would play together at the end of the evening. In time, drummer David Strayer began sitting in and then (when he returned from an extended time up North) Cameron Carrus joined in on the upright bass, and the Fran's Eastside Super High Band was formed. Now-a-days, Tim begins playing sometime before 8:30 (I don't think I've ever made it there before he began) and the band joins in as they arrive. Darrin plays (with Tim playing guitar).  Singer Luella Wood has been known to serenade us with a few songs each night, and at various times Trombones, additional guitars, and other assorted folks have joined in the party.  Special guests have been known to show up including singer/songwriter legend Dave Dondero and last night Nathan Kalish and the Lastcallers.  It's a seriously fun night and if you can handle the copious amounts of second-hand smoke, you should come on out if you are in the area. 

Last night's show ended the traditional "Freebird" and "Wagon Wheel" one-two punch which Darrin Bradbury managed to lyrically mash-up in the manner of our subtitle.

On to the shuffle:

Wednesday Morning Music Shuffle - Loot in the Boot Mix

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Hey ho! It's Wednesday.  We have a pretty fun shuffle today - 11 songs strong with some real curveballs and some real treats.  Scroll down or click through for the music:

Thursday Morning Music Shuffle - DCCC Mix

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Made it to 800!  You are currently reading the 800th post since I transferred the blog from Posterous (RIP) to Blogger.  Also, assuming a few of you read this or some other post, Ear to the Ground will reach a milestone number of pageviews (aka one with a bunch of 0's). 

It seems appropriate that this milestone (of a sort) post, contains a pretty random shuffle of some cools songs - including artists we've never featured, some old favorites, covers, pop culture references, and more.  We do this just about every day. 

In honor of post 800, I thought I would attempt to start a new hashtag meme - #twt (three word Thursday). 

Wednesday Morning Music Shuffle - Potential Energy Mix

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Okay pre-writing disclaimer... I'm just not feeling particularly verbose today.  So, expect some short, sharp comments... but who knows what will happen when I get started... What's fun about the randomness of the shuffle process is that it often does far better than I ever could arranging a fine mixture of divergent tunes into a pattern which at once defies and expands the conscious minds ability to understand the complexity of music as a part of human interactions.  Did I say, I wasn't feeling verbose? Oh well....

#E2TG is not at SXSW (This is a CXCW plug by the way)

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If, like me, you are not at the South by Southwest confab (conflag?) (whatever), you probably have some good reasons.  Can't get off work, lack of funds, the beer is too expensive, too many damn hipsters, it involves putting on shoes --- the list goes on.

For the last four years, there has been a great alternative to SXSW.  I hope by now, you are familiar with Couch by Couchwest -where the beer is cheap and the only hipster is you.  CXCW is an on-line music festival featuring a staggering number and variety of talented folks who submitted specially made videos specifically for the festival. Often, the videos feature couches. Often they don't. They may be filmed in bathrooms, kitchens, garages, on front or back porches, or in wide-open fields.  Jonny Fritz when he still went by Jonny Corndawg recorded one from the inside of a drainage pipe.



The atmosphere around Couch by Couchwest is low-key, laid back, and light-hearted.  Tacos are a popular food, beer is the drink of choice (often), and most importantly, the music is mind-blowing. 

If you are a regular Ear to the Ground reader you probably already know about CXCW and I hope you've been keeping up.  The festival is on day four, and if you haven't tuned it yet, you have some catching up to do.  Go now to Couchbycouchwest.com.

Ear to the Ground favorites like:

The Foresters

Sci-Fi Romance

MAKAR

Tim Lee 3

The Imperial Rooster

Tipi Valley

Todd Farrell, Jr.

Jeanette Lynne

(And probably some I'm forgetting (sorry!))

have already made an CXCW'14 appearance. Plus - we've been introduced to some amazingly talented folks who will more than likely grace our pages soon. 

We expect to see The End Men, Miss Shevaughn and Yuma Wray, and much, much more the before the festival wraps up. 


Among the most buzz-worthy moments so far has been Jamie Painter's cover of Jason Isbell's Cover Me Up which has earned a recommendation from Mr. Isbell himself.  Oh and Two Mule Blues set shit on fire. 

So, in conclusion, I get why you're not at South by Southwest. I'm not there with you, but why the heck aren't you at Couch by Couchwest?  Shoes are optional and probably not encouraged.

Friday Morning Music Shuffle - Superstar Mix

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We've reached the end of the week.  To get us into the weekend, I have a long list of additions to the E2TG Hall of Fall, and a pretty sweet little music shuffle.

E2TG Hall of Fame:
13. The Foresters (Bethany, CT) (ed. note: Some may say they are too young for a Hall of Fame, but it's my Hall of Fame, and by their inspiring dedication to their craft, they have already earned their place - even as I acknowledge their best work is ahead of them - I think that is true for most if not all of our inductees)
14. Those Mockingbirds (Montclair, NJ)
15. You and Me (Montreal, QC)
16. MAKAR (New York, NY)
17. The Gypsy West (Brooklyn, NY)
18. Tipi Valley (Swansea, UK)
19. Jo Wymer (Freehold, NJ)
20. Sci-Fi Romance















The inductees will continue. There are still some major favorites of mine who have not been added  yet.  Rest assured this will be rectified sooner than later.  I want to make more progress on the Hall of Fame Page before I add too many more. 

Here's the Shuffle-

Thursday Morning Music Shuffle - Opening Day Mix

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Well, it's back to school time, which means my morning commute reverts back, and the Morning Mix of Music goes back to a more manageable length - or something...

Let's get to it - after the jump...

Tuesday Morning Music Shuffle - Tall Order, Short Change Mix

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 Couch by Couchwest continues... head over to the Official Couch by Couchwest site
 today has already featured a world premier by our friend Vance and his band Sci-Fi Romance plus tons of other great artists.  To see my mini-review of E2TG favorites from Days 1 and 2, click HERE.

We have 10 videos in the daily Ear to the Ground You Tube playlist which is embedded at the bottom of this post.  6 songs from the pre-shuffle and 4 from the shuffle.  

Pre-shuffle:  

"She's So Sick/100 Watt Girl" by The Bluefields (who's new album dropped on iTunes today.

"Lovers Lane" by Hunx and His Punx

"Rave On" (Buddy Holly Cover) by Julian Casablancas

"What Did My Lover Say? (It Always Had to Go This Way) by Wolf Parade

"King's Flashlight" by Rose, de Costa Elliott

"Wreck Your Wheels" by Kim Richey

"With Signs Following" by Daniel Bachman

Today's shuffle is after the jump

Tuesday Morning Music Shuffle - Any Day Now Mix

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Good morning from chilly Nashville.  A cold drive and walk into today marvelous sights and sounds, plus a pretty cool random shuffle of the whole sound card....(Update: yeah, yeah, it's not morning any more... the day just kind of jumped on me... *sigh*

Shuffle after the jump:

Monday Morning Music Shuffle - Stereotypically Stereotyping Mix

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I try hard not to stereotype and I also try not to fall back on tired old clichés... however, then it comes to be a Monday Morning and it's raining and the car won't start, and I find myself understanding why people strereotype Mondays as bad and begin to hear in my head, that song about rainy days and Mondays....

We are back.  Friday didn't go as planned, and we didn't have a shuffle.  I can't believe we are already to the 10th of December.  I have to say, I am going to have to say no to any new major undertakings until after the first of the year.  The exception, obviously, is the 2nd Annual Band of the Year Poll.  We are hard at work rounding out the last couple of "wildcard" spots - and the poll should be open to receive votes by the end of this week.  As way of a preview, today's Shuffle comes from a playlist I'm creating with all of our Band of the Year candidates.  Shuffle after the jump...


2012 has been a big year for our friends The Dead Exs.  They released a fabulous new album called Relovolution and spent part of the fall playing some shows in the Longhorn State including some dates with the legendary Ray Wylie Hubbard.  Today we have the cautionary song Don't Mess With The Girl from Texas from the new record.  Let's hope The Dead Exs took their own advice.  The Dead Exs finished a close second in the Band of the Month poll for December 2011 (which we rolled into 2012), and they were an easy pick for a wildcard spot in the BOTY poll.

     

The California band Sci-Fi Romance also had a big 2012 and they, too fell just short in their BOTM competition in May.  The band released their ambitious and awesome album The Ghost of John Henry in May. From that record, which is a retelling of the story of the steel driver facing the possibility of obsolescence at the hands of modern machinery, comes the heartbreaking Steam Drill Blues.

 

Here is a CXCW performance of another track from The Ghost of John Henry

 

The Great American Novel are a great American band and Kissing is a great American record and by the way American Weekend is - you guessed it - a great American song.  The band ended up as co-Band of the Month is September when voting ended in a tie.  

 
We have a video of a different song from Kissing.

The upstate New York band Skeletons in the Piano were our Band of the Month in June and they currently have a Kickstarter deal going to get support for pressing vinyl for their forth-coming album.  Check out that information here.  Only a few hours to go and they are on the cusp of reaching their goal.  You could put them over the top.  In the shuffle we have the lead track from the band's 2011 album Stranger on a Damned Staircase. The song is called The Old Hound Dog.

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Wednesday Morning Music Shuffle - Simultaneous Mix

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ICYMI - Go check out the new Video from the Cosmonauts - our post about it is here:

Also, with just days to go, you can still vote for the Ear to the Ground Band of the Month.  Go HERE to vote. Remember you can vote as often as you want.  Right now, And the Giraffe are leading, but it is still wide open.  So vote now!

To the shuffle:

First up, we have a band we featured back in May when they released their stunning album The Ghost of John Henry. They are back with a new song called Just to Win the Fight  which features Vance Kotrla on 12 and 6 String Guitar, Banjo, Bass and Vocals.  Check it out!

Next up, we have Nashville based Americana recording artist, Derek Hoke, with a song from his most recent record, Waiting All Night,  Lonely Street is the kind of Country song that breaks and warms your heart at the same time.  I can't speak for anyone else, but I know I've walked that Lonely Street many a time.

 

Next we have Land of a Thousand Words which was the second single of Scissor Sisters' second album Ta-Dah.  The song is a twangy ballad reminiscent of early Elton John (who collaborated on the album if not this song).  

 

We close out this shuffle with the song, Hollowpoint Blues  from the album Shovels and Rope by Cary Ann Hearst and Michael Trent who record under the Shovels and Rope name. They hail from South Carolina and blue a ragged style of honky tonk music that is all their own.

 

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Polls Closed: Band of the Month is....

South of Ramona!  Congratulations to the lads from Salt Lake City and also kudos to Sci Fi Romance for a hard fought fight.  Four votes separated these two great bands.  So... South of Ramona gets an automatic bye into our Band of the Year Poll.  As for Sci Fi Romance, it's too soon to know for sure, but I wouldn't be surprised if they show up as one of our Wildcard selections.  Stay tuned.  


Okay - let's take it out with the Band of the Month for May:

Band of the Month Poll Reminder + a couple of videos by 2 of our June Featured Artists

REMINDER:  On the left side of the screen is a Poll to vote for our Band of the Month for May.  Voting ends tomorrow evening.  To help you decide enjoy the following:

Joy of Painting - No Bones (Slap Montage)

Sci-Fi Romance covering House of the Rising Sun

And here is South of Ramona's cover of the same song.

We continue our month long look at some great bands (See the Featured Artists of the Month on the right sidebar):

The Riverbreaks

Dogs of Oz

Featured Artist for June - Page Finished + other stuff

At long last, I have completed (sort of) the Page for the Featured Artists for June 2012.  The page is linked on the sidebar to the right or you can just click on the underlined "page" link earlier in this sentence.


Here's a video from one of our featured artists:  Dean Fields

Here's another: Shayfer James covering Leonard Cohen

In other news, the May Band of the Month poll is still going on.  South of Ramona have a big lead, but it's still anyone's game. The Joy of Painting and Sci-Fi Romance could easily mount a 11th hour charge.  Stay tuned, and more importantly, if you haven't done so, please vote now.  The poll is located on the left sidebar.  If you need a refresher course on who these bands are - here's the link to the the poll announcement --- (link)


Our friend's The End Men have completed their late Spring European tour, and they'd love to tell you all about it.  Hit them up on Facebook or on their website.  They are also about to head into the studio to record the follow-up to their amazing EP Build it Up.  Personally, I cannot wait.  If you are anywhere near the NYC area, or if you will be on June the 16th, The End Men will be playing the annual Northside Showcase at the Trash Bar hosted by their friends and ours, The Gypsy West.  Here are the details.

Here are The End Men performing live from this past March:

Finally, a really cool band that I am just now (and belatedly) getting into, Cupla, are taking a stand against Bullying with a new song and video called My Stand.


Here is a presser about the project:

Media Contact: Janet HansenEmail: conbriopr@gmail.comMake a Statement, Take Your Stand With Cupla to Stop Bullies(Nashville, TN – May 30) Bullying is a deadly global issue. It’s a social illness that can be cured and the British Columbia rock band, Cupla, is taking a stand to make it stop. The band is going into the studio the first week of June to work with Grammy-winning producer, Eric Tingstad, to cut their single, “My Stand.” To accompany the single, Cupla is creating a video with messages from people around the world to end the pain of senseless social behavior that has reached epic proportion. Cupla is asking people of all ages everywhere to send in still photos holding a written message to be used in a promotional video supporting, “My Stand.” Let your voice be heard and send photos in jpg format to billy@cupla.ca or bobby@cupla.ca by June 30, 2012. “My Stand” is slated for release this summer, along with the supporting video which will be sent to media outlets worldwide. When people take a stand for love we can put an end to senseless behavior that has devastating consequences, and often deadly outcomes. Add your voice, make a statement and help stop bullies once and for all.

That is all.  Enjoy the rest of your Sunday, and I will see you tomorrow with my Morning Shuffle.

Time to Vote - Band of the Month May 2012

Time to get your vote on... man that sounds soooo wrong coming from me.  Okay, time to vote for Ear to the Ground's Band of the Month for May 2012.  As stated before this will not the last Band of the Month poll, but it will be the last featuring Bands of the Week.  Tune in tomorrow to see what we have in store for June and forward.  In the meantime, here's a recap of the three bands up for the honor.

As usual, the poll is located on the left side bar.  You can vote once per computer.  Voting will end at 8:00p.m. (Central Time - I think) on Tuesday June 5th.  Good luck to all the bands. 


WEEK 1:  The Joy of Painting (Nashville, TN) - Website, BOTW Feature

WEEK 2:  Sci-Fi Romance (Los Angeles, CA) - Website, BOTW Feature

WEEK 3: South of Ramona (Salt Lake City, UT) - Website, BOTW Feature

Thursday Morning Music Shuffle - Get Ready Mix

Ahhhh..... Well, well, well... here we are again.  I will SPAM you one more time to ask you to please go to the Red Bull Soundstage site to vote for our friends Those Mockingbirds.  The contest ends at 11:59:59 tonight (Eastern Time I think), and you can vote once a day, so even if you voted yesterday, you can still vote again.  Those Mockingbirds are hanging on in first place, but they need all the support they can get to hold off a late surge from that other so called band.   Here is the link.

 To the list...

Robin Gibb past away last week, and most of the posts I've seen referenced the band's Saturday Night Fever era music. Many people, however, didn't know that the brothers began performing together way back in 1958.  In their early days, they were primary a pop/folk act, and Robin's vibrato voice was featured on many of their songs including our first track - I Don't Think It's Funny was on the band's debut album, The Bee Gees Sing and Play 14 Barry Gibb Songs which was released only in Australia.  

 

 

Next  - no really, the next song is called Next it is another track from The End is Now by L.A. Symphony.  Check it out...

 

Finally, we continue to dig into The Ghost of John Henry by recent Sci-Fi Romance.  Steam Drill Blues  is about as gritty as it gets.  As the story moves forward, we find our hero, who represents mankind, facing the challenge of competing with machine in order to maintain his livelihood. We feel the pain and determination through the lyrics and the musical tapestry which weaves the simple with the complex, the quiet with the noisy. And we pull for John Henry even knowing how it all ends...

  

 Here is another track from the album...

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Affiliated Links:

Bee Gees Anthology 43 of their biggest hits, including: Bodyguard * How Deep Is Your Love * Lonely Days * Love You Inside Out * Night Fever * One * Stayin' Alive * and more. Also includes discography and notes about the songs written by the band members.

Scout, Atticus, and Boo: A Celebration of Fifty Years of to Kill a Mockingbird "To Kill a Mockingbird" may well be our national novel. It is the first adult novel that many of us remember reading, one book that millions of us have in common. It sells nearly a million copies a year, more than any other twentieth-century American classic. Harper Lee's first and only novel, published in July 1960, is a beloved classic and touchstone in American literary and social history. To mark the fiftieth anniversary of "To Kill a Mockingbird," Mary McDonagh Murphy reviews its history and examines how the novel has left its mark on a broad range of novelists, historians, journalists, and artists. In compelling interviews, Anna Quindlen, Tom Brokaw, Oprah Winfrey, James Patterson, James McBride, Scott Turow, Wally Lamb, Andrew Young, Richard Russo, Adriana Trigiani, Rick Bragg, Jon Meacham, Allan Gurganus, Diane McWhorter, Lee Smith, Rosanne Cash, and others reflect on when they first read the novel, what it means to them--then and now--and how it has affected their lives and careers. "Scout, Atticus, and Boo: A Celebration of Fifty Years of "To Kill a Mockingbird"" is a lively appreciation of the many ways in which the novel has made--and continues to make--a difference to generations of readers. Harper Lee has not given an interview since 1964, but Murphy's reporting, research, and rare interviews with the author's sister and friends stitch together a brief history of how the novel, as well as the acclaimed 1962 movie, came to be.

Band of the Week - Year 2:Month 6:Week 2 - Sci-Fi Romance

By now - I'm sure - you've grabbed your copy of The Ghost of John Henry due to my compelling review and the fact that it is one incredible record.  If not - do it now.
The Ghost Of John Henry on Amazon.com.

Now, I want to tell you a little bit more about Sci-Fi Romance . 

Sci-Fi Romance was founded by Vance Kotrla. For sometime he was Sci-Fi Romance, but he has some help now.  Drummer Kurt Bloom and Cellist Jody Stark round out the starkly, darkly beautiful sound that is Sci-Fi Romance.

In 2010, Vance released ...and surrender my body to the flames.  A cover of the traditional New Year's anthem Auld Land Syne followed in December of that year. Just ahead of The Ghost of John Henry the band released an amazing cover of House of the Rising Sun.   You can get all of those releases via the bands Bandcamp page. 

I'm excited to add this band to my formidable list of Bands of the Week.  For an indie band this early in their career, I can't emphasize how impressive a piece of work, The Ghost of John Henry really is. You will want to get in on the ground floor (so to speak) of this band, and you will want to do that soon because the steam locomotive is leaving the station.