Topical Thursday Morning Shuffle - Nalgas Mix

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Here goes... it's Thursday - this week has kind of flown by... I have quite a bit to say, but eh... I'll stick to music today....

It's Thursday, and I continue my exploration of my specially created E2TG playlist... artists/bands spanning the 6+ year history of my little spot on the web... enjoy!

Wednesday Morning Music Shuffle - Call me Admiral Byrd Mix

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Yes, I chiseled my way out through the thick blanket of ice and crossed the frozen tundra to make it to work today.  I only fell once, and I don't think anyone saw me, and anyway, I fell with the grace and dignity befitting of someone of my importance and position. (that is a joke by the way....)

I had a lovely collection of fine, fine music to accompany me on my treacherous journey....

#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.

Tuesday Morning Music Shuffle - A Few of Favorite Things 2013 Mix - Part Two

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First of all... Tuesday? Really? Just Tuesday?

Second... how about a couple of my favorite Christmas songs...

 

 

 

Third... Rest in Peace to Mr. Ray Price. In seeing some of the news reports, I was most struck at how his voice held up into his late 70s/early 80s. So smooth...  Thanks for the music.

 

 

 

 

Now... to today's music...

Tuesday Morning Music Shuffle - Tender Mercy Mix

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Well, well, well... we managed to stir up some controversy with yesterday's Hall of Fame inductees due to our blatant omission of the Latin American singing group Menudo.*

*True except for the controversy and the fact that our omission of Menudo was not blatant.

As we prepare to induct the next three E2TG favorites into our HofF, we still do not have Menudo, but we do have a boy band of sorts to head today's list.  (A Hall of Fame page is still in the works)

 







4.  Valued Customer (Toronto, Canada)
5.  The Dead Exs (New York, NY)
6. The Imperial Rooster (Espanola, NM)

Welcome to the E2TG Hall of Fame!

Shuffle begins in 3....
2....
1....
JUMP

Friday Morning Music Explosion - Digging Underneath Mix

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So we made it through our holiday shortened workweek, and it's practically the weekend.  Let's celebrate with a virtual explosion of music ... after the JUMP

Tuesday Morning Music Shuffle - Run Boy Mix

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As I write this, I hear thunder behind me and the gentle, almost soothing sounds of car tires moving across wet city streets. It's August 20, 2013, and I am alive, and though not perfect by any means, life is good.

Some days I want more out of life, but for me that is just a normal state of being. The key for me is to find peace in the now without thinking this is where I will and must always be. 

As of this date, I have been writing Ear to the Ground for 2 years and about 3 months. The blog has not made me rich or very famous, but I consider it a huge success nonetheless. Because of the blog, I've been fortunate enough to meet some incredible and talented and just generally good people. I heard tons more music than I would have had I not written the blog. Every so often, I see one of my quotes in the promotional material of a band I've written about.

I'm not sure why I'm writing all this right now, but it seemed like as good a time as any to remind myself why I do this.

This morning brought an interesting mix of music.  Let's get to it - after the jump...

Thursday Morning Music Shuffle - Nearly Perfect Mix

Convergence of everything good.... a perfect storm of wonderment...

 

 

Year of October at Douglas Corner 6/27/2013



Today is like a near perfect early October morning and here it is mid August!  The mix of songs that shuffled out of my MP3 player was almost as perfect as the weather.  I can't wait to bring it to you, and so I won't.


Be prepared - after the jump...

Wednesday Morning Music Shuffle - Waters Part Mix

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picture goes here (not really)

 

 

 

It's nice outside... I'm gonna make this as quick as I can...

MUSIC AFTER JUMP

Tuesday Morning Music Shuffle - Play Wagon Wheel Mix

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More clouds over Nashville.  Much on my mind today, but nothing to share right now.  We have a nice selection of music so... shall we? 

After the JUMP

Friday Morning Music Non-Shuffle - Lucky Dog Barking at a Jukebox Mix

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Well once again, fate, circumstance, procrastination and mysterious forces beyond my control or understanding have combined to lead me to this very point.... namely, as I've mentioned several times, I am way over due to for a wrap-up of April. As you may recall, at the end of March I did a big ole summary for the first three months on 2013, gave a shout out to old friends who made new music and welcomed a few new bands into the Ear to the Ground Family. I resolved at that time to try my best to do this same exercise monthly.

April was an amazing month for new music.  From our old friends, we covered new albums by Skeletons in the Piano, Taco Land, Killing Kuddles, The Danbury Lie, The Imperial Rooster and Black Jake and the Carnies.  - I've probably forgotten some, and if so, I sincerely apologize. 

Skeletons in the Piano  - Buy 

Taco Land - Buy

 

Killing Kuddles - Buy

 

The Danbury Lie - Buy

 

The Imperial Rooster -  Download


 

Black Jake and the Carnies - Buy


 

Now on to our new additions to the Ear to the Ground family (again family is my designation and no consent is required...)

After the JUMP, we get down to business with today's Mix (Unshuffled)

Monday Morning Music Shuffle - Big, Bad Wolfe Mix

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 "Not bad meaning bad, but bad meaning good!" Run D.M.C.

 Wow.  April is almost toast.  It's been a helluva month for music.  We hope to have a recap up soon.  In the meantime, we're packed with our usual quirky mix of old and new music to enlighten, entertain and excite your senses.

PRE-SHUFFLE

"Did You Lie" by Taco Land
"Being John McEnroe" by The Pistolwhips
"Brick x Brick"by Christopher Paul Stelling
"Soulard" by Taco Land 
"Mary Magdalene" by Game Theory

The two Taco Land tracks are from the band's latest Pancakes and Pizza.  The Pistolwhips song (great title and a great song) is off The Appetizer Sampler put out by the good folks and Built 4 BBQ.  The song by Christopher Paul Stelling is the first track released from his brand new album False Cities which is tearing it up right now! The pre-shuffle ends with the Game Theory song - as we continue to feature the great music of this 80s era San Francisco band in memory and homage to the late Scott Miller.

SHUFFLE commences after the jump...

Friday Morning Music Shuffle - Goodbye Possum Mix

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Sad to hear about the passing of the one and only George Jones.  It's been amazing to see the posts coming up on Facebook from all around the world and from creators and fans of so many different genres of music. He lived the life of his songs and he traveled many roads (sometimes on a Riding Lawnmower). He leaves behind an amazing legacy of song and lore.

We move on... and time is very short.

The Pre-Shuffle:  

"The Shit Song" by The Imperial Rooster

"The Only Lesson Learned" + "What the Whole World Wants" + "White Blues" by Game Theory

"Salvation" by Langhorne Slim and the Law 

"Hard Love" by The Mohawk Lodge

Shuffle after the JUMP.... JUMP

Wednesday Morning Music Shuffle - Waiting for Cluckaphony Mix

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Let's face it, there is no shortage of bands dancing around the "Americana", "Roots Rock", "Alt-Folk-Bluegrass-Country-Blues" sound. Hell, these days it's not too unusual to hear a banjo (or  more likely a banjitar) even on the "Hit" radio stations.  If you liked Mumford and Sons then you'll probably like the other half a dozen or so bands who sound just like them.  Right? So, here is the question: If there is this glut of Rootsy sounding bands being blasted out of radios and computers and MP3 players, does not mean any band falling however loosely into that area of music is redundant or superfluous? Well, keep in mind, this is coming from someone who writes a music blog for goodness sakes!  But, I think the answer is... wait what was the question?  Bottom line, the world can never get enough of creative and talented people following their passion down whatever path that leads them. So if a creative or talented group of musicians happen to play rootsy music (or punkish indie, or blues based rock or whatever) so be it and more power to them.

All that long windedness to say, I have had the good fortune to become acquainted with tons of amazingly talented people over the last couple of years, and it seems like at least half of them are releasing new music this year.  Today, I'm going to delve into two bands who are similar in a different way from each other (or maybe they are different in a similar way)... Join us after the Jump for a very special episode of Ear to the Ground's Morning Shuffle:

Tuesday Morning Music Shuffle - Roadrunner Mix

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I want to take a minute to send my love to the City of Boston. As well as to send my love to all victims of violence everywhere. Unfortunately, the capacity of human beings to inflict pain, death and destruction on our fellows is not new. I do think the best response when things like this occur is for each of us to work toward making small movements away from fear and anger and toward love.

Today's subtitle is a reference to one of Boston's many great musical exports.

Music heals, so let's dive in...

First up, with a h/t to The End Men, we discovered that Ear to the Ground has and has had a theme song.

Today in the pre-shuffle, we heard another great song from R.E.M.'s Document album which has been in the shuffle, since we found a copy at our local Goodwill (on Half-Price Saturday)!

We also heard two more songs from The Essential George Gershwin which we picked up on that same shopping excursion.  This time, a couple of classics performed by Tony Bennett and Ethel Waters respectively. 

Throw in another track from the awesome new The Imperial Rooster record which they are giving away on Bandcamp. (Throw them some seed if you are able).

We also heard a track from the Skeletons in the Piano album, Please Don't Die which we reviewed last week.

We close out the pre-shuffle with a song by a band from South Alabama called The Bear which we dig a whole bunch.

Now for the Shuffle - after the JUMP

Wednesday Morning Music Shuffle - Regression: As a Path to Progress Mix

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I haven't counted in a while, but I believe there are over 50 bands/artists that we have featured here at Ear to the Ground.  This includes spin-off bands, solo projects etc. As we mentioned the other day, once we feature a band or artist here, we consider them family and try our dead-level best to keep up with their progress and new projects.  So far in 2013, the projects seem to be coming faster than our ability to keep up with them, but we're trying... This week, we received an invite to the release party for the new (and long anticipated) solo CD by The Alternates front-man Spencer Livingston. Now we get word that preorders for Christopher Paul Stelling's new album are underway. Not only that, but none other than Spin.com has the first single up...

Listen, I pick the songs which go into my MP3 player (duh), and so I get the credit and/or the blame for the Shuffles that some up (even if it is the Shuffle Monster than actually selects the order and timing of the songs).  All I can say, is today we have a damn good selection of songs - new music from old friends, a rock and roll classic and other cool tunes to help brighten your mid-week.  

As always, the You Tube playlist embedded at the bottom of the post includes the songs from the Pre-Shuffle and Shuffle (if possible) or at least a close representation from the same artist.

Pre-shuffle:   Another track from the Self-titled John the Conqueror album - brought to our attention by The End Men (there I said it - again).  We also have another great song from Ben de la Cour.  We have a track from Nashville band Kopecky Family Band's 2010 album The Disaster. Special Note to the person who keeps donating KFB albums to Goodwill: 1. You obviously are either dying or lack good sense and 2. Please keep it up.  Our good friend, the audaciously talented Elwood Kuddles (aka Killing Kuddles) just released a new EP called Odd Man Out.  We have our first taste in a track called Save Me a Seat.  Finally, we close out the Pre-Shuffle with one of the two older songs released by The Danbury Lie just ahead of their new album '?' - Rhode Island Summer is a great song that sounds nothing like the other music we've heard from this band.

 

 

On with the Shuffle - click on to read

Ear to the Ground: The Unheard Music - Vol. 2

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(Kissin' Antonio - Tom Tom Club)

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Tuesday Morning Music Shuffle - Discarded Detritus Mix

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Have you voted yet?  No? Well, go VOTE!  Yes? Well, go VOTE again?  Not sure, well VOTE!  I guess I'm saying - it's that time of the lunar cycle... no not that time... the time when we ask you, loyal reader, to take part in a demonstration of out-of-control competitiveness and to help determine the Band of the Month for October 2012. Look, music is what matters, and all of the voting etc. is just an excuse to put the music out there again, plus, if two or three bands really get into it, it can be tons o' fun.  So go VOTE!
 Oh yeah, and for our U.S. readers, there is some sort of election thing happening soon, and you should probably vote in that, too.

We have a packed music shuffle today, so let's get to it.


The Imperial Rooster keep it concise and to the point with this track from Decent People. 45 Seconds of Blood delivers just what it promises (actually the track clocks in at 48 seconds, but the blood only lasts for 45 of those).

 
Here's The Imperial Rooster from this year's CXCW fest (anti-fest?)

San Diego Indie Rock band Future of Forestry released an album in July called Young Man Follow.  Today we've got Would You Come Home. There is a certain lushness to this record that I'm really digging. Check it out:

Tipi Valley have been on our radar for a number of months.  We've had them as a Featured Artists and several of their songs have appeared in Morning Music Shuffles.  In July, Tipi Valley released an acoustic-leaning EP called In the Woods. Now, they are back with the follow-up, Beautiful Sunrise, on which they plug in, power up and offer 4 great new songs including Needle For Your Love which is part of today's shuffle.  Man oh man, I love this song.  Obviously, I'm a fan of Tipi Valley, and I've been impressed by the diversity of music they've offered.  Needle for Your Love offers a sonic blast reminiscent of Husker Du/Bob Mould with some Beatlesque hooks and enough fuzzy goodness to maintain the band's shoegaze rep (I still don't know what shoegaze means by the way).  Check out the latest from Tipi Valley.


Next, we continue digging into Marvin Etzioni's excellent and epic double album, Marvin Country!  Lay It On the Table features the lovely and talented Lucinda Williams joining Marvin for a Sam Shepard worthy tale of broken love and fractured hearts.

 

Here's a video of Marvin, Lucinda and friends playing together.

And finally, The Dixie Hummingbirds are a Gospel group who have been making music for more than 80 years.  They perform a version of You Are the Light on Marvin Country!  Here we have When the Dollar Rules the Pulpit which we pick up off on of the albums to come out of the Occupy movement.

 

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VOTE NOW: BAND OF THE MONTH - AUGUST 2012

Go here to find out more about these great bands - then vote, vote, vote and spread the news!

Tuesday Morning Music Shuffle - Yellow Nuclear Submarine Mix

Hey you guys, the week is off to a rousing start, or else it had better be because I'm really sleeep.  If I drift off, please poke me................


Let's get to it.

First up with have Mike Watt (Minutemen, fIREHOSE, Stooges) with a 2007 cover of the 1981 Blue Oyster Cult song Burnin for You. The song is on the 2007 compilation called Guilt By Association.  The compilation features Indie/Alternative/whatever artists covering Pop, Hard Rock and R&B songs.  Watt's association with Blue Oyster Cult is long standing and well documented. 

 

 

Next up, we have Featured Artists The Imperial Rooster with the last song on their outstanding Decent People album.  Suzie Anna Riverstone offers the band's trademark stew of American roots music - this time taking a darker turn down a miry creek. Don't forget your raincoat.

 

Next up, we have a fun song from the Liverpool Horror Rock band, Zombina and the Skeletones.  Nobody Likes You (When You're Dead) is off 2002's Taste the Blood Of... for a reference think about if The Misfits were reincarnated as a 60s era "girl" group. 

 

 

 And finally, we have track called There Goes My Freak by L.A. Indie band Panic Movement from their 2010 album Sensation Generator.

 

 Here's a Live clip of Panic Movement

 

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