I can't think of a better way to start my day than listening to "Shine" by Great Divide - what a joyful song. Oh wait, I know.. how about starting the day with two Great Divide songs in a row. "Fast Train" is awesome because I am a total sucker for "train" songs.
The Joy of Painting, in addition to being a classic PBS series hosted by the late Bob Ross, is a Nashville band who we've been digging on for a year or so. They have a brand new album called Tender Age, and today we have the catchy and generally just awesome "Back to Romance".
Back in the day, I completely fell head over heels for "Walk in the Woods" and subsequently all of Peter Case's self-titled solo debut. There was something clear and authentic and true about that album. When the follow up to that album was released, needless to say I had some pretty high expectation which Mr. Case met and exceeded many times over. The Man with Blue Post Modern Fragmented Neo-Tradionalist Guitar contains so many enduring songs (Traveling Light, Entella Hotel, Two Angels and This Town's a Riot to name just a few). "Poor Old Tom" is for me a stand out on an album of stand outs. A heart-breaking song, it is loaded with some amazing lines. "He fought for freedom, never took a free breath". "The night wind's free to blow wherever it pleases, Tom's free to walk until the cold daybreak." "The worse disease in the world is to be unwanted, to be used up and cast away". In just under four minutes, the listener is drawn into this broken, tragic life... it's nothing short of brilliant. The other night, I decided to add some older songs into the current mix - just to shake things up a bit. I don't know how many times I've listened to this song in the 24 years since it's release, but I never grow tired of it.
Moving on... Ghost and Goblin are a New York band who first came to our attention in a shout of from The End Men. They released an album called SUPERHORRORCASTLELAND back in April or so, and we've featured several songs from that record. "Look at the Clouds" is perhaps one of my favorites. A uncharacteristically breezy melody kicks into a more characteristic menacing hook. The album is out there on Bandcamp - check it out.
The Michigan band Decades are three kids who grew up on punk, ska and metal and then discovered the smooth pop songwriting of the 70s and 80s and the alternative radio rock of the 90s. The result is something surprising. Their music rocks and the punk/ska spirit still sits at the bottom of what they do, but layered on top is a focus on great pop songwriting and a genuine love of the music. "Popping Veins" from their album Deep Deep Pink Sessions is a good place to start.
Earlier this week, June 10 to be precise, was the 103 anniversary of the birth of Chester Arthur Burnett. You may know Mr. Burnett better as Howlin' Wolf and stone-cold authentic Mississippi Blues Man. "Smokestack Lightning" is one of his earlier songs and draws upon several earlier blues songs.
We've been covering a lot of music by the Vegas band Coastwest Unrest. Today we have the song "Empty Handed Painter" from the most recent release High Times on Lowly Streets which came out back in April. I sure hope you've checked out this band by now. If not, do it!
SHUFFLE BEGINS NOW... JUMP!
It was already hot and humid when I left home this morning - a sure sign that it is Bonnaroo time in Middle Tennessee. Today's Mix has nothing whatsoever to do with that music festival in Manchester, Tennessee.
As I was pulling out my driveway, the first song of the day came up on. It's another great number from the new Nikki Sue and the Bad News album, Nothing Gold. Location, Location, Location... "Location".
Anamanaguchi are from New York. "Endless Fantasy" is the title track from their latest release, and it is nearly six minutes of instrumental goodness.
13ghosts are a Birmingham, Alabama Rock band. Their song "Broken Objects" is from a 2011 album called Liar's Melody. I like it.
The final track from the EP of Ukrainian folk music is a lively number called "Ой Під Вишнею (Oj Pid Vyshneju)" performed by the quartet of Katarina Lkahovic, Mike Romaniak, Patrick Power, and Stephen Kreuger. I'm not exactly sure why, but I've always been a sucker for traditional ethnic folk music, and this is very good ethnic folk music.
I've been posting a lot of Year of October. They are a young Nashville band, that I recently become acquainted with and enamored of. They are playing a week from this Sunday night at the Basement (underneath Grimey's New and Pre-Loved Music). "Where I've Been" comes from the first volume of the band's acoustic sessions.
Squire were part of the Mod revival of the late 1970s. Today we have a song from a 2007 Squire Tribute album as performed by the San Diego band, The Shambles*. "It's a Mod Mod World" is extremely Mod and extremely cool. *The Shambles is also a fictional band invented by my pal Rex Silo. I don't know how he'll feel to know there is a real band by that name, but we will soon find out.
The Great Mistake are a Buffalo, New York band. Here is their description from Facebook.
""you guys sound like if Morrissey fronted a post-rock band that was forced to play pop rock at gunpoint." Also, we don't growl!" We will have more from The Great Escape coming up in the Shuffle for the day.
We have more of the smooth, new jazzy R'n'B from Atlanta - Joshua Worden with "Like a Rose"
POPCULT come from Denver and offer up some sweet alternative sounds from the Mile-High City. Today we have "Life in the Wind" from their eponymously titled album.
Which takes us into our Daily Shuffle - First JUMP
I decided to search through my collection and pull out some bands I've featured in the past, who I haven't had the chance to listen to for a while, and I added a couple into the Playlist from which I draw my daily mix. Three songs by one of those artists came up in the Pre-Shuffle today. Kafka (aka Wayne Kafka) plays pretty awesome alternative music. I think in the year or so since I heard songs from his Mysterious Skin EP (which was released in 2010), I had forgotten just how good his music is. "Jump Down" and "Don't Cry" were the first two songs in the Pre-Shuffle today, and another song "Run with the Buffalo" came up at the end of the Pre-shuffle.
I've been listening to and digging on the new album by Nikki Sue and the Bad News, but today's track goes back, way back, all the way to 2012 and the title track to the Lower Places EP.
Jake Miller's song "Steven" comes to my playlist via Amazon's Free Music from Rising Artists list for June. His album is called The Road Less Traveled. Maybe it's just me, but I think I expected a song by Jake Miller from an album called The Road Less Traveled to be countryish or Americanaish, but this is some pretty cool hip-hop.
I last heard The High Score backing Mic Harrison - at least I assume this is the same The High Score. In any event, the song is called "I Feel Bad for You" and yes, it does come from the current month's Feel Bad for You Mixtape.
Next up, I have another track from Wheelchair Sports Camp - namely the title track to the awesome Where We All Live EP. I seriously dig this band.
Our Pre-Shuffle closed just as I reached the parking lot with the aforementioned third Kafka song of the day.
More after the JUMP
Well, well, well.....
Again and again and again... we keep saying it, but we do have a great of songs. I can almost certainly guarantee that you will not find this mix of songs on your brand x music blog.
From Home to Parking Lot - Pre-Shuffle: Nashville's Mystery Twins return to the E2TG mix with another one off their Love is Strange EP. "The Rain Keeps Falling".
Yet another song from the self-titled album by Chicago's fabulous Great Divide. "Step Back"
A newcomer to the E2TG morning mix, Atlanta, GA singer-songwriter Joshua Worden employs a silky smooth R'n'B, Soul favor in delivering his unique brand of Indie Pop. Today's song is called "Midnight".
I'm not sure that change of pace is adequate to describe the transition from Joshua Worden to Tear Out the Heart. This St. Louis/Los Angeles Metalcore band have a new album called Violence out on Victory Records. "Infamous Last Words" is everything you want, need or expect from a Metalcore band. A definite shot of adrenaline for my morning commute.
Palma Violets are a UK indie band out on the Rough Trade label. "Best of Friends" comes to us today via Amazon's Free Music from Rising Artists. It is also the lead off track from their '180' album which was released in March.
Pickwick are from Washington State. "Hacienda Motel" is from their album called Can't Talk Medicine which was also released in March. Garage R&B.
Tom Mason is a genuine Nashville character. He makes Pirate music with his band of Blue Buccaneers - see the video included in the playlist below. This is Tom Mason solo from East Nashville Vol. 3 More Music from the Other Side with "Chaz Pozo's Shoes".
Canopy Climbers are three guys who live in three different cities and record via the internet. Their new album Miles is set to drop a week from today, and today we have the first taste in a song called "Stuck".
As I pulled into the parking lot and then began my walk across the State of Tennessee (I walk across a scale model map) and then up Capitol Hill. I began listening to "Kiss" a song by Scout Niblett a Portland, Oregon via England, singer songwriter. On this track Scout is joined by the iconic and insanely good Will Oldham (Bonnie "Prince" Billy).
JUMP
We're back. It's been almost a week since the last shuffle. Since that post, we saw an awesome if all too brief set from Black Jake and the Carnies and we scanned in some old Spin magazine clippings from the mid-80s. One post about the Minutemen has received over 120 "likes" since Saturday afternoon.
But, we are rested and rejuvenated and ready to bring you the constant variety of music.
PRE-SHUFFLE:
"
Вийди, Вийди, Іванку (Vyjdy, Vyjdy, Ivanku)" by
Katarina Ljahovic, Mike Romaniak, Patrick Power, Stephen Kreuger from Нема ні Шнурочка (Nema Ni Shnurochka) (2012) - More great Ukrainian folk music featuring Patrick Power of Valued Customer and my Instagram friend Stephen Kreuger.
"Lady Luck Death Dance" by Coastwest Unrest from Old Weird America (2010) - there is a real Velvet Undergroundish feel to this song. Love it.
"Nobody" by Cecile McLorin Salvant from WomanChild (2013)
"Nowhere" by Tipi Valley from Rock 'n' Roll Live On (2013) - Nobody, Nowhere, Noway, Nohow! ;-)
"Shut Up" by Savages from Silence Yourself (2013)
"Shout it Out" by Mikal Cronin from MCII (2013)
"The War Within" by Churchill from The War Within (2013)
"The Fire Pit" by Ben Shive from The Cymbal Crashing Clouds (2011)
"Humiliation" by The National from Trouble Will Find Me (2013)
Shuffle begins in 3... 2... 1... JUMP
Ready Set Go... well, I'm going to be out and about the rest of this week. I MAY sneak in an entry or two. In the mean time, I will leave you with another fine, fine mix of music...
PRE-SHUFFLE:
1. "Chili" by Dog Without Warning (Did I mention the latest Dog Without Warning record is bad ass? Well, it is. My shuffle mode has been digging this song and so have I.)
2."Oh Darlin'" by Mystery Twins (Happy to present another song from this Nashville-based musical side project. - two members of The Clutters)
3. "Infatuation" by Dog Without Warning (Did I mention that the latest Dog Without Warning record is really, really bad ass? Well, it really really is! This song is one of my favorites from the 'Bark' EP. Oh who am I kidding, all of the songs on 'Bark' are my favorites.)
4.
"The Escape" by SkyBurnsRed (more music from this hot UK band).
5.
"Sorry, But I'm Yours" by Ben Shive (Another awesome track from this unique Nashville Singer/Songwriter)
6. & 7. "Is There Anybody Out There?" and "Nothing Stays the Same" by Human Face (Really digging the Brit-Pop feel of this band)
8. "What's So Funny About Peace, Love and Understanding" by Steve Earle (covering Elvis Costello (doing a Nick Lowe tune)) (A live and loud version of the Nick Lowe classic. Trivia, Earle's son Justin Townes is in the band for this song)
9. "Bring Me Backwards" by Ellis Paul (Man oh Man, I dig this song. Came to me via the latest Feel Bad for You mixtape)
and then we transition into the Shuffle with one of the strongest cuts on the excellent new EP by Tipi Valley
SHUFFLE AFTER THE JUMP!
Hey ho! It's a brand new month. Let's kick it off right!
Pre-Shuffle: (I had some post Shuffle technical difficulties so I'm having to reconstruct the order of the songs from memory)
"Goin' to a Party" by Alabama Shakes
"From a Window Seat" by Dawes
"Freak Show" by SkyBurnsRed
"I Found You" by Aaron and Andrew
"Give Me Back my Wig" by Hound Dog Taylor and The Houserockers
"Last Stop" by Black Jake and the Carnies (Nashville Show Alert!!!! Black Jake and the Carnies will be playing at this Wednesday's edition of Music City Roots Live from the Loveless Barn. If you can't make it to the Loveless, you can catch the broadcast on Lightning 100 or at the Music City Roots website)
"Buried" and "On My Own" by Year of October
"Tina Says" by Those Darlins
And a song from Nashville's Ben Shive serves as a transition to the Shuffle which begins right after the JUMP!
