E2TG 2/10/2021 - Music Saves - Lost Mix (See Through Remix)

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Time and again, I am reminded of how important music has been in my life. I have found comfort, friendships, and countless joy through music. It may seem like hyperbole to say, "Music saved my life", but honestly, it is difficult to imagine my life without music.  

I am grateful everyday for E2TG and the people I have met and the experiences I have had as a direct or indirect result of what I started almost a decade ago. 

If you are a long-time or first-time reader, my hope is that you will give a listen to the music featured and if you hear something you like - you will find some way to support the artists. 

Featured Friday Playlist Songs 25-31

25. "Don't Mistake" by Brandon Mills

Brandon Mills is a Marine Corp Veteran and poet. He is also an alumni of The Bachelor.  I like this song a lot. 

26. "Here It Comes" by Dan O'Farrell & the Difference Engine

From the album Richard Scarry Lied to Me - we have our first listen to this UK band whose song moves from indie rock to agit folk and beyond. 

27. "2Lovely" by Griff Clawson

Next up, we have the second single from this Southern California singer-songwriter. We featured his debut single previously. 

28. "Stepping Out" by Peter Stampfel

From the ambitious album Peter Stampfel's 20th Century - which features 100 songs spanning the last century - a fine cover of the song that made me a lifelong Joe Jackson fan. 

29. "Something Sweet" by Melting Mallows

Next up, we have the title track from the debut album by this Belgium band - a fine debut. 

30. "Light That Shines" by Bitter Defeat

Next up, we have the lead track from the debut EP by this indie rock band from New Zealand. Cool stuff. 

31. "Slaughterhouse Road" by Miguel Rios 

And we close out this segment of music with the title track from the 2nd album by this Australian singer-songwriter who has Mexican and Yaqui blood. Super proud of this playlist that we are 31 songs deep and have such a wonderful song. 
 

    Featured Friday Playlist

E2TG 6/17/2020 - Parenthetical - Chrome Mix (Bullethead Remix)

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A gentle reminder that "Outrage fatigue" is real and is actually a tool of fascists like Trump.  Keep fighting but give your self permission to step back and relax and rest before picking up the fight again.  I was thinking about this today, and in my head, my initial counter-thought was that it was my white privilege to think I could take a break (and that is a question worth considering), but I say this for everyone in the fight.

 The other thing is recognizing what is productive. I absolutely hate comment sections - it brings out the shittiest side of everyone. But, (if you critically evaluate the role of trolls in such forums) it can be a way to understand the "other side". If a person making comments is being genuine and honest, even if you think they are misguided or wrong, the words they use and the arguments they make can help to shed light on what we are up against.

That being said, I can waste time and energy getting worked up over posts in the comment section of articles, tweets, or Facebook posts. It can (and does) put me into a mental tailspin and contributes to my exhaustion and burnout.  Like all of life, balance is important. This fight is essential and critical and vital, but it is not everything. Quite moments, laughs with friends, music, art, nature are all important, too.

Continuing our Featured Friday Playlist recap with songs 9-12.  We will cover songs 13-15 tomorrow to wrap up this week's list.

9. "I Love You (Don't Laugh)" by Andre Salvador and the Von Kings

Andre Salvador and the Von Kings is the moniker of indie pop singer-songwriter Tim Cheplick who is based in Brooklyn.  This is the debut single from the forthcoming self-titled album.  The album was recorded in Nashville and produced by Robin Eaton. Proving that coincidences reign supreme here at E2TG, Robin Eaton has worked with numerous artists and friends including Tommy Womack, Tim Easton, and Swan Dive to name a few. Most famously (I guess), he has worked alongside Jill Sobule on several albums.

10. "Hold On (Italians in the Night)" by Beth McKee

Friend of E2TG Beth Mckee is back with a new single that captures the feelings this time in which are are living. The song was co-written at the beginning of the pandemic with fellow Orlando singer-songwriter Terri Binion. McKee's drummer husband plays on the album. And she once again works with producer John Pfiffner who produced her Dreamwood Acres album - which was our introduction to her music. 

11. "Your Parents (Dancing with the Stars)" by Benedict Sinister

Next up, a rather interesting track from electro-pop artist Benedict Sinister which is a pointed and clever take on meeting the significant other's parents - told with a distinctively New York bent. The song is packed full of references - pop culture, politics and more. The cleverness never overwhelms the joy of the track. 

12. "Barcelona (Memoryy Remix)" by Kevin Herig

A remix of a recent single by indie-pop singer-songwriter Kevin Herig by electro-pop artist Memoryy.  I dig it. A cool addition to this week's playlist.  

    Featured Friday Playlist

E2TG 5/20/2020 - Mid-Week Quarantine Blues - Hello Mix (Lyrical Therapy Remix)

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The week's press on, and even though I support the need for continued precautions and shutdowns and social distancing, that doesn't mean that all of this isn't weighing on me. 

I miss seeing live music, and I am not sure when it will be possible or reasonable to see it again. I miss hanging with my friends. I really want to visit my Mom.

We are approaching a three-day weekend, and I don't really have any plans - which in and off itself isn't that unusual. But, I won't be going to The 5 Spot on Friday night, and I won't be driving to Georgia to visit my Mom and we won't be going out to eat. This is not a rant or even a complaint - just an acknowledgment of the reality. 

I will be doing a live Greeting from Nashville tomorrow and a live Double Shot on Saturday. Plus, I will be recording next week's Double Shot on Sunday. Precautions and protocols will be followed for all of those. And it is a pain, but it is necessary.

One final thought, I sometimes hear people who are pushing for reopening or resisting taking any precautions at all, say that it is only dangerous to the elderly or those with preexisting health conditions. First of all, that is not 100% true (some people have died who were not elderly and who did not have any known preexisting health conditions), but even it were true, I still don't understand that argument. Are they saying that the lives of the elderly or those with certain health conditions are worth less than their inconvenience? Or that otherwise healthy and asymptomatic people can transmit the virus to those who may be at risk. 

Finally, when you see numbers of deaths or hospitalizations, even though the numbers may look "not bad, considering..." (as some people have said), each number represents a husband or parent or child or sibling or friend to someone. I know people who contracted the virus and were very sick, and I know people who have lost love ones. My inconvenience is not more important than those lives.

Okay, really finally, if you decide to share information on social media, make sure it is accurate and up-to-date.  There are reliable sources out there - better than an out-of-context YouTube clip or a clickbait headline article from a questionable outlet. In Nashville, asafenashville.org is a good way to track what is going on here and what the current recommendations are for members of this society.

    Featured Friday Playlist

E2TG 2019 Recap - Part 4 - No Roses Mix (Theresa Remix)

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Our recap of 2019 rolls on.  E2TG has always been primarily about presenting artists that you might miss out on if you only read or follow some of the more mainstream music blogs and sites. My decision to make this a focus of E2TG came from a point in my life when I felt like I had gotten out of touch with new music.  I wasn't really interested in a lot of the music that certain outlets (which I had previously followed) were writing about. A few things happened that made me realize that there was a ton of great music that seemed just out of reach. 

Over the years, as E2TG has grown and become a little more known (at least in certain circles), I have been fortunate to connect with some great publicists who send me a wide variety of great music. Some of which ends up being by some well-known artists, but I still try to dig through my direct artist  submissions to find a hidden gem or two or three. 

What I am trying to say is that I am quite proud of the quantity and quality of the music I have been able to present this year.  I think the Spotify playlist I created reflects this.  As I mentioned, I have been removing songs as I include them in these recaps - just so that each shuffle is unique and so that we can get to as many of the 160 or so artists we featured this year.  I hope you enjoy this recap.

On we go!

Featured Friday Morning Shuffle - Presto Mix

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It is Friday!  This week has about done me in, so I am ready for the weekend. 

Let's get right to our Featured Friday Shuffle!

Trending Thursday Morning Shuffle - Twisted Up Mix

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It is just over two weeks until the Magnolia Roads American Roots Hoedown IV (April 26 and 27) at The 5 Spot.  I am excited to officially announce that I will be acting as Co-MC for this mini-festival.  Great music, beer specials, a silent auction, a community canvas art project, and so much more. This is a don't miss event!

I am working on getting a ton of new music added to my playlist - I may have to move some songs off of  "Trending" playlist. That's never an easy decision for me to make.

Anyway, let's dive right into to today's shuffle because time is tight!

Trending Thursday Morning Shuffle - Must Be Crazy Mix

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Moving onward.  We move back into our "Trending" playlist for the last two days of this week.  A ton of music to get to - so let's do it!

Featured Friday Morning Shuffle - Cardboard Suitcase Mix

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I'm not going to lie, it's been a rough week.  I am so glad it is Friday.  I've had a lot to talk about, but I haven't had the time or energy to do it. So, expect me to unload at some point.

As always, though, music is my solace.  We have an interesting shuffle to close out this week and to close out the month of March.  Let's dive in!