E2TG 2/28/2022 - Music City Monday - Closing Jam Mix (Talking Dogs Remix)

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It is Monday and time for another jam packed Music City Monday Shuffle - below the jump....

 

    Featured Friday Playlist

E2TG 2/7/2022 - Music City Monday - Suicide Weather Mix (Sunday Women Remix)

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Another Monday and another Music City Monday.  Let's go!

 

    Featured Friday Playlist

E2TG 12/20/2021 - Music City Monday - Knew Too Much Mix (Lorelei Remix)

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This may be the last post before Christmas - if not tomorrow certainly will.   So, happy holidays.

Tune in tomorrow morning for a Very Merry Ear to the Ground radio Holiday Spectacular.  All new Christmas, Holiday, Seasonal releases from Nashville and Beyond.   6am only on WXNA-LP Nashville 101.5FM or wxnafm.org. 

 

    Featured Friday Playlist

E2TG 12/13/2021 - Music City Monday - Keeping My Distance Mix (Out of Place Remix)

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The year is winding down.  Coming up tomorrow on Ear to the Ground radio, I will be presenting part 1 of my year-end special featuring some of my favorite music released in 2021. 

Then, Thursday, I will be presenting the 2nd Annual Seasons Greetings from Nashville holiday spectacular. (okay, fine, I didn't call it that last year but whatever). Some great holiday tunes by Nashville artists past and present. 

Next Tuesday, will be the first annual Ear to the Ground holiday special - some of the great new holiday releases which have come my way. 

Now, it's time for today's Music City Monday shuffle 

 

    Featured Friday Playlist

E2TG 10/4/2021 - Music City Monday - Every Sunset Mix (Have You Ever? Remix)

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Have you locked down your plans to be at The 5 Spot on Wednesday for E2TG Presents Bill Bloomer and Stuffy Shmitt?  Make sure you have your vax card (or negative test - within 72 hours) and your photo ID. Plus the $10 cover.  Then show up before 6pm, grab a drink, and enjoy what promises to be a fantastic evening of songs. 

Featured Friday Playlist recap (part 2 - Where from here?) (songs 10-15):

10. "It's a Wonderful Lie" by The Great Leap Forward

First up, we have another track from Revolt Against the Age of Plenty by Manchester band The Great Leap Forward - the first album in nine years from Alan Brown (Big Flame). 

11. "Endless Greed" by Lucy Frantic

Next up, we have the debut single from this rock trio from Finland. 

12. "All About You" by The Super Moons

Next up, we have the lead off track from Real Life Heroes - the debut album by this Scottish who have released an EP and five singles (including this one) since 2018.

13. "Eyes of the Storm" by Ali Dineen

Next up, via Spirit House Sessions - we have a single from New York City based artist Ali Dineen.  The b-side is a cover of a Judee Sill song - which I dig on a lot of levels. 

14. "Rain Days" by Chris Fox & the Beasts

 Next, we have the title track from the debut release by this band based in New Jersey and the Catskills. 

15. "Touch Me Like a Teddybear" by Tom Rodwell

And, we close this segment of music with a new single from this English artist, presently based in New Zealand. A cool tune to close us out. 

    Featured Friday Playlist

E2TG 7/30/2021 - Featured Friday - The Hustle Mix (Dark Clouds Remix)

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Another Friday means a brand new Featured Friday Playlist... let's get to it... The recap begins below the jump... 

 

    Featured Friday Playlist

E2TG 6/11/2021 - Featured Friday - Longer Short-Sighted - Cemetery Blues Mix (8:30 Remix)

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So, here is the deal.  This week's Playlist is a little shorter than the past few, and I am going to be out next Thursday and Friday, so I'm extending this Playlist over the next two weeks. Stay tuned and follow the Featured Friday Playlist.  

Short-Sighted People in Power (Deluxe Edition)

One of my favorite releases of 2020 was Short-Sighted People In Power by Nashville's My Politic. The duo just announced a deluxe edition of the album which can now be pre-ordered on vinyl.  This edition includes two new songs, and you can get a digital download now if you pre-order HERE

One of the new songs, "Driving Around", adds a local touch to the album while maintaining the consistency of the theme and the concept.  You can check it out below

 

    Featured Friday Playlist

E2TG 4/23/2021 - Featured Friday - Last Call Mix (Dirty Girl Remix)

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Time for another Featured Friday Playlist. This one is considerably shorter than last week's list, but it is crammed full of great new and recent music from old friends and new discoveries. As usual, the music crosses genre and geographic lines at will.  Please check it out. If so inclined, follow the playlist on Spotify. If you find music you like, support the artist(s)  by spending as you are able on music, merch, etc.  Spotify can be a great resource for sharing and discovering music but they do not sufficiently compensate artists for their work. 

 

    Featured Friday Playlist

E2TG 4/2/2021 - Featured Friday - Peggy Mix (Sharp Remix)

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Time for another Featured Friday Playlist.  This is a fairly large list - thanks to taking a week off... But, we have a ton of great music spread throughout the whole playlist - so please check out the full list on Spotify (below) and give us a follow if you are so inclined. 

It is also Bandcamp Friday - so be sure to support your favorite independent artists by buying music and merch from them - Bandcamp is waiving all revenue sharing - so your money goes directly to the artists you love. 

We have a bunch of music to get to and time is short - so let's dive right in...

 

    Featured Friday Playlist

E2TG 2/26/2021 - Featured Friday - Like a Dog Mix (Normal Girl Remix)

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Another Friday brings another Featured Friday Playlist.  I know I always say this - because it is always true - but I am really excited about this week's playlist. I am looking forward to recapping it over the next week - beginning with the first ten songs - below the jump.   You can also check out  the whole Playlist below and on Spotify. If you like what we are doing, please give us a "Follow".

    Featured Friday Playlist

E2TG 2/5/2021 - Featured Friday - Favorite Goodbye Mix (Dada Bois Remix)

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The Featured Friday Playlist is back!   I am mostly likely going to change up how I present the music on the playlist, but the most important thing is give it a listen.  I always try to pick a diverse collection of new and recent music.  I am sure there will be things you will like, and some that won't be your cup of tea. It's all okay.  If you feel inclined - please follow the playlist.  

By the way, I sort of (but just sort of) lied earlier this week. I said I was just going to move forward and not worry about "catching up" on what I missed while I was out. That is basically true, but this week's playlist does include a few choice tracks that came out during my January time away.  I am also not going to worry about explaining what is brand new and what has been out a couple of weeks.  If it comes to me, I will say something.  

And I am overexplaining again. 😀

As usual it is a collection of old friends and old favorites plus some new (to me) music.  

Enjoy!
 

 

    Featured Friday Playlist

E2TG 10/16/2020 - Featured Friday - Murder Industry Mix (Tin Foil Hat Remix)

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I am optimistic. Now, I have no idea how the election is going to turn out, and I have no idea when the pandemic will really be over or what life will love like when it is. I don't know how we will heal the division and hatred and fear that divides our nation, or how (or even if) we will deal with the bigotry which has been emboldened in recent years under a so-called leader to has done the emboldening.  Nevertheless, I am optimistic. 

I see a lot of good people who are united not by a common ideology or a singular political philosophy, but who are united against fascism and hatred and bigotry of all kinds. I see brilliant, compassionate, and creative people who are finding new ways of doing things and who are taking care of one another.

No doubt, the road ahead is difficult and uncertain, but I am optimistic- not that the path ahead is perfect or easy, but that we will continue marching down that road toward a brighter future. 

This week's Featured Friday Playlist is a bit longer than previous weeks, so I decided to start with the first 10 songs for today's post. You can find the recap - below the jump 

 

 

    Featured Friday Playlist

E2TG 9/4/2020 - Featured Friday - Vagabond Shoes Mix (Shallow Graves Remix)

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Excited to start of this week's Featured Friday Playlist with a brand new song from E2TG favorite Andrew Adkins. The Nashville singer-songwriter will be releasing his new album The Echoist on November 13, and this is our first taste of that album. Check out the powerful video for "Vagabond Shoes".

The next 7 songs from this week's playlist will be featured below the jump.  The whole playlist is also below for you to enjoy.  Be sure to give the Featured Friday a Follow and if you dig the music - share it with your friends.  A big thanks to everyone who had followed the playlist so far - it means a lot 

 

    Featured Friday Playlist

E2TG 5/22/2020 - Featured Friday - Memphis Loud Mix (Other Steel Remix)

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Today is Friday, and that means it is time for a brand new and all new Featured Friday Playlist of New and Recent Releases.  Remember you can follow, the E2TG Featured Friday Playlist on Spotify.

So, I have been trying to figure what exactly I want to do with this space of the blog - besides my observations on contemporary life.  On Friday, I try to write about the songs in the Featured Friday Playlist, but it is hard to get to them all on Friday - so I thought why not spread that out over the week. For today, I will be providing some info and reflections on the first six songs in the list down below because we don't do a regular shuffle on Friday and then I will cover the rest up here throughout next week.

Right now, I want to highlight a couple of recent releases that aren't on Spotify (yet or at all).

We met Ugggy has a member of Valued Customer who were early favorites of E2TG and eventually were named Band of the Year.  A few years back, Ugggy released new music every month for a whole year and in the midst of that, we named him our Artist of the Year.  Since that onslaught, he has been quite in terms of releasing music, but he has been busy making really interesting art. A month or so back, he released a stunning new song, and I wanted to highlight it here.


Very few artists can be credited with creating genres of music. I have no idea if that is true, but it seems like it might be.  A few years ago, E2TG became aware of The Electric Grandmother who invented the Sit-Com Core genre.  Their early albums referenced and were based upon classic sit-coms.  It is kind of an obsession (not be judgmental here) of the bands principal members Pete and Mary Alice.  We featured their non-sit-com album Cancelled a couple of years ago. That was a concept album about a man whose favorite t.v. cop show was cancelled.  They are back now with yet another concept album Relaunch - which involves Ronald Reagan, the Space Shuttle, and more. I can guarantee you that The Electric Grandmother is like nothing you have ever heard.


Now, given a listen to the Featured Friday Playlist and scroll down to below the jump for the first six songs in the playlist.

    Featured Friday Playlist

E2TG 1/20/2020 - Goodbye to a Legend - Music City Monday Mini Shuffle - Pop Tart Mix (Newark Remix)

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I have been sitting here staring at my computer trying to think about what I wanted to say about David Olney...

In case you have missed the news, David Olney passed away on Saturday - on stage at the 30A festival. By all accounts, it was a graceful and peaceful exit befitting the man himself. 

It has hard to imagine how my life worked out that I had the true blessing that my orbit crossed with such a legend.  I owe that almost entirely to Mary Sack - his long-time manager and my friend. I send my love and thoughts to Mary and of course to David's family and many friends and fans. 

David Olney came to Nashville in the early 1970s - as part of the wave of songwriters influenced and inspired by the burgeoning "Outlaw" movement. Whatever you think of "Outlaw"country in the modern sense of the term, the original outlaws were all about carving their own path outside of the control of the Music Row establishment. The Exit/In was a center and West Nashville was their stomping grounds. Among this group, Olney quickly gained respect and admiration for his songwriting prowess. 

In the 1980s, Olney was best known as a a rocker and leader of The X-Rays. That group signed to Rounder Records and made a  notable appearance on Austin City Limits (which is available on YouTube).  After the X-Rays ended, Olney began a storied solo career that would last the rest of his life.  I know the term is overused, but David Olney really was the total package. Obviously a great songwriter, he was also a consummate entertainer, a poet, an actor, and so much more 

Although, I was aware of David Olney for some time, I first began seeing him on a regular basis about five years ago. His live shows were always spectacles. He surrounded himself with great musicians: Daniel Seymout, Justin Amaral, Sergio Webb, and Ward Stout. But, at the heart of his performances was the man himself. At one larger than life and down to earth. 

There are many who are better qualified to write his biography, but I wanted my readers who didn't know him to have some sense of who he was. 

Some of the highlights of my interactions with David Olney:  

In 2017, he agreed to appear as part of the first ever E2TG Residency. Thanks to Mary Sack, this show marked his reunion with the great guitarist Sergio Webb - after about a year and half of not performing together. I had the pleasure to introduce him. I have no idea what I said, but from the pictures I used big hand gestures. 

A year later, David took part in a reading event that I help to put together. He read some of his sonnets which were incredible and a haiku or two. He and Rod Picott both expressed that they were initially uncomfortable standing on stage without a guitar in hand, but I think they both enjoyed,  Leading up to that show, David said that I had one of the "great names in Rock n Roll", which is something I will never forget. 

A humorous moment was the time that David went to Bobby's Idle Hour for a show that was scheduled at The Family Wash.  He made it on time and played a hell of show - as always. Both those venues are gone and now so is David.  

I remember running into David a few years back at the Southern Festival of Books - this was right after he survived a frightening fall down the stairs at his home. He was in a neck brace, and all he could talk about was how bad he felt that he had to drop out of a show that was scheduled for that night. 

As is often the case when things like this happen, I thought I would have many more opportunities to interact with David Olney in this world. I take solace in knowing that his legacy will live on in the artists whose work he inspired and the people whose lives he touched. 

Last night, I went out to the John Dennis CD Release Show, and John - who didn't know David personally - did a great job acknowledging his passing. Anana Kaye and Irakli Gabriel opened the show by playing some songs they had been writing with David Olney. It was a beautiful moment. John Dennis' own set - playing his album in its entirety - likewise brought up heavy feelings. 

I do have to acknowledge that losing David Olney about a month after losing my father has had an effect on me. My father's passing was far less sudden and so in some ways, it has been harder to access my feelings. Somehow, the sudden loss of someone I didn't know well but whose spirit and art touched my life, has allowed me access a lot of feelings about my father's passing. Yet another gift from this great man who is gone too soon, but who is also very much still with us.

Music City Monday Morning Shuffle - Fist Fight Mix

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All of this happened a long time ago when the world was a very different place. Of course, none of us knew that at the time.
(From The Drift - A Novel by Joe Wolfe-Mazeres) Available at Amazon.com (Kindle edition also available)

If you have read The Drift, please consider writing a review on Amazon. If you haven't read it, you can get your own copy through Amazon or if you are in Nashville, you can get them from me.

I am continuing to work on my Spotify playlists for E2TG.  So far, I have completed seven - January - July2018.  These are meant to be a cross-section of music I featured during those months - not necessarily music released in those months.   If you are interested, you can check out the playlists (links below)  and follow my personal profile to find out when new playlists are created.

E2TG January 2018
E2TG February 2018
E2TG March 2018
E2TG April 2018 
E2TG May 2018
E2TG June 2018
E2TG July 2018
E2TG August 2018 (coming soon!)
E2TG September 2018  (coming soon!)

SAVE THE DATE!!!!!  Thursday, November 15, 2018 - We have a pretty cool event in the works.  More to come!


Now, it is Monday - a very wet and gloomy commute this morning, but some awesome tunes to get me through.  Let's shuffle!