Monday Morning Music Shuffle - Blue Morning Mix

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“Mountains of Sorrow” by Amos Lee from Mountains of Sorrow, Rivers of Song (2013)

When your Monday morning, bleary-eyed commute begins with Amos Lee, you just know it's all gonna be okay - even if Amos is singing about Mountains of Sorrow.  From his latest album, produced by the amazing Jay Joyce (and the first album ever recorded at Joyce's new studio in East Nashville.)

 

“The Morning Bird” by Carolina Story from Home (2011)

Things keep rolling along with an appropriate song for a morning shuffle.  The East Nashville connection continues with Nashville based Carolina Story with this song from their 2011 album.  The married duo just released Chapter Two last month.

 

“Summer Bummer” by NO ICE from Mama Coco’s Funky Kitchen: Section 5 (2014)/Single  (2014)

More great music from Mama Coco's.... "sad, sweet, noisy american indie rock featuring members of The Brooklyn What."  This is a very young band, and this is their first single which was released in April with a full album expected by the end of the year.

 

“Treasure of the Broken Land” by Chagall Guevera from Orphans of God (A Tribute to Mark Heard) (2004)

Back in the early 90s, Chagall Guevera filmed/taped a planned live album/concert with an almost free show at the legendary  328 Performance Hall in Nashville. The place was packed and when the band began to play, it exploded with such incredible energy.  Me and my buddy Rex Silo lost the people we were with, but we had a great time...

 

 

“Wichita Lineman” by Kevin Jenkins from Step Inside (2013)

From the True Groove Label - Kevin Jenkins delivers solid smooth jazz flavored music, and this stunning take on the Jimmy Webb classic first done by Glen Campbell is a daring and awe inspiring feat.

 

“From the Dirt” by The Delta Saints from Death Letter Jubilee (2012)

More swampy goodness from this Nashville band.

 

“Feel You Now” by The Autumn Defense from Noise Trade Eastside Manor Session (2014)/Originally from The Autumn Defense (2007)

A lot of Nashville connections in today's shuffle.  Chicago band The Autumn Defense stopped by Nashville and recorded this treat at the fabulous Eastside Manor.

 

“Made to Be Blue” by Adam Hill from Little Time (2013)

Adam Hill is from Nashville.  I've featured several tracks from his Little Time album.  They are all good.  So is this one.

 

 

“Morning” by The Jean Jackets from Field Theory Blues (2013)

Another appropriate song for the Morning Shuffle, and another stunningly beautiful pop song from The Jean Jackets.  I really need to get caught up with their music...
 

 

“The Beatles; Conspiracy” by HIPPIE CULT from demo (2013)

 Clocking in at over 10 minutes (and still only the second longest song in today's shuffle.  I'm a big enough man to admit that I don't have a clue what this song has to do with The Beatles (or with conspiracies for that matter), but it's a sonically interesting extended jam.

 

“Wash it Down (with a Little Whiskey)” by Taylor Brown from 3 Folk Songs (2012)

Taylor Brown is a California folk singer who has appeared with (among others) Carly Simon, Levon Helm, and Dar Williams.
 

 

“Blue Dream” by Miss Shevaughn and Yuma Wray from Lean Into the Wind (2014)

Ear to the Ground favorites, Couch by Couchwest darlings, and road warriors extraordinaire - Miss Shevaughn and Yuma Wray dropped an incredible new album in the midst of my hiatus.  I've been fortunate enough to see them live a couple of times in the last year, and I am more and more impressed with their sonic prowess every time I hear them.

 

 

“Surrender to the Storm” by Joseph Arthur from Redemption City (2012)

Taking us home on this blue Monday is a stunning 11+ minute song from Brooklyn based Joseph Arthur who more recently released an ambitious and awesome tribute to Lou Reed.

 

 

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Thursday Morning Music Shuffle - Guess That I Just Don't Know Mix

Tweet #E2TG I guess that I just don’t know… Shuffle after the jump---

Wednesday Morning Music Shuffle - Freak Out Mix

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Pre-Shuffle:

1. “Winterlight”/The Autumn Defense/Ten Full Paces

Such a great sound. Saw them live in the parking lot of Grimey’s for Americanarama last September.

2. “living on”/The Lies/whatever
3. “Look in Your Eyes”/Taco Land/Home Sweet Home

During the hiatus, our old friends Taco Land dropped a new album called Home Sweet Home, and this track has such a great sound. It’s everything we’ve come to expect from Taco Land and more.

4. “Tar”/The Jean Jackets/Field Theory Blues

Infectiousness…

more after the jump....

Tuesday Morning Music Shuffle - Two in a Row Mix

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Pre-Shuffle

“Power”/Tomas Doncker/Power of the Trinity – Global Soul….

“Ven Hacia Mi (Come Unto Me)”/The Mavericks/In Time* - Another from my friend Ronnie’s 2013 mix CD – love this!

“Feel So Down”/Solardrive/Solardrive – another great song from Solardrive – the awesome project fronted by Balthazar Getty.

“Terra Animata”/The Plum Magnetic/Terra Animata – New Orleans based World/Fusion/Rock band.


“Big Mountain Fudge Cake”/The Foresters/Living Hold – the three Nork Brothers from Connecticut continue their musical growth spurt with a Zeppelinesque rocker.

“Calypso Foam”/The Graveyard Kids/Mama Coco’s Funky Kitchen: Section 5 (Graveyard Kids II) - Another great band from the seemingly bottomless wellspring that is Mama Coco’s.

“Splinters”/Austin Lucas/Stay Reckless – three time CXCW alum… shows how it’s done with a smart, heartfelt song.

“Life is Hard”/Darrin Bradbury/True Love – “It’s funny where it stops, it’s funny where it starts, and the whole thing in the middle well it’s bound to break your heart.” – such a great line in a song that name drops Jack Kerouac, Lenny Bruce, and Daffy Duck!

  “Magic and Fire”/Brave Baby/Forty Bells – another great song by this South Carolina indie band.

“Could We See”/Grounded/untitled – Grounded were first featured on Ear to the Ground back in September 2012. They have such a unique sound, and I love the acoustic vibe of this song. Trivia: This is the second time that Grounded have appeared in a Shuffle with Darrin Bradbury’s song “Life is Hard”. Their song “Break it Up” appeared with a live version of Bradbury’s song on January 9. #themoreyouknow

“The Best Record Ever Made”/Bill Lloyd/Boy King of Tokyo - a true Nashville treasure who has worn many hats in his long career, and worn them well – I may add. This homage to great records from his 2012 album – has a simply gorgeous hook.

Shuffle after you jump....

Monday Morning Music Shuffle - E2TG v2.1 Mix

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Guess what....  we have a Shuffle!  It's good to be back and I won't waste any precious time with further commentary on that.  We have a swell list of songs today - so let's get to it.

Pre-Shuffle:

“Vivid”/Rewpart/ ½

“Surrender to the Storm”/Joseph Arthur/Redemption City

“Grey (Under the Sky)”/The Jean Jackets/Field Theory Blues**

“Blood is Not Enough”/Tomas Doncker/Power of the Trinity

“Straight to Hell”/The Clash/5 Studio Album Set (Combat Rock)

“Sing to Me”/The Delta Saints/Death Letter Jubilee

“T.H.M.F.O.T.F.O.T.E.”/Sam Davison/Always Around**

“Don’t Swallow the Cap”/The National/Trouble Will Find Me*

“K’Rar”/ Tomas Doncker/Power of the Trinity

“Do No Harm”/Charles Howl/Charles Howl

“Oh Henry”/The Civil Wars/Bare Bones EP

* - from a annual mix CD by the illustrious DJ Ronnie B.
** - from Mama Coco's Funky Kitchen (more on them below)

Odds and Ends - The End Men's Pivot Point

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Okay - regular readers... we are back again after another unintentional extended break. Soon, soon, soon, I hope to have #E2TG back on it's usual schedule and better than ever.  I'm certainly keeping my ears to the ground and "discovering" some awesome music to bring your way.  Luring me back this time, is the impending release of Odds and Ends the new collection from Brooklyn-based The End Men*. As the album title implies, this is not a cohesive album like 2013's Play With Your Toys.  This collection shows off the depth and diversity of the band's signature style, and as such serves as both a great access point for the uninitiated and a delightful sonic treat for the long time fan.  To me, it also shows a band reaching for the potential of what their name implies and a tantalizing glimpse into what we can expect down the line.

The album opens with three familiar tracks reworked for this collection:  "Wolves" is one of my favorite songs - a snarling aggressive rocker that was first introduced via their entry in this year's Couch by Couchwest festival,  "Work" was their Fall 2013 single with accompanying video which casts Drummer Livia Ranalli and Guitarist/Vocalist Matthew Hendershot as mean and nasty 1%ers, and "A Storm is Coming" is an awesome bluesy rocker written as Hurricane Irene bore down on NYC amid dire, alarmist warnings of impending doom.  Then things start to get really interesting. The fourth track, "Salute", begins with a sultry piano and violin intro which is then joined by the rich vocals of Andrea Parodi which creates an atmospheric gypsy carnival type sound, and just when I was about to check my device to make sure of what I hearing, Matthew Hendershot's familiar Waits gargles sandpaper made of silk vocals join the mix, and yes this is The End Men after all, and they've just exploded all expectations while expanding my mind to what they are all about.

The surprises don't stop there.  The next track "War" features an appropriately martial-esque sound and the brilliant spoken/sung voice of London-based Dion Freewheelin  Troubadour Power.  "Whiskey Rain" is a gloriously expansive and rocking collaboration with Singer/Songwriter Ben Arthur.  The End Men then take us full circle to what I believe to be one of the oldest songs on the collection and which features the pre-2012 The End Men line-up when they were a three-piece.

What you need to do:

If you in or near New York City at the end of this month (April 30 specifically), you need to get yourself down to the Mercury Lounge for an album release, tour kick off celebration.  Details to be found HERE  and HERE.  Matthew and Livia will be pulling double duty as The End Men and also part of Matt King's backing band Killing Streets.

If you are going to the Europe between May 10 and May 31, keep and eye and an ear out for The End Men who will be embarking on a European Tour.

Also, they are playing Some Kind of Jam 9 in Pennsylvania Friday.  So get your camping gear packed if you are nearby.

Follow them on  Facebook or bookmark their website and when it's out - make a quick purchase of Odds and Ends.
 
Listen, you've put it off far too long... come join me on The End Men express train... it's guaranteed to be a wild ride, but you are also guaranteed to have a blast and meet a lot of cool people along the way.



*2013 E2TG Band of the Year.


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Another Random Mix of Great Music - April 4 Edition

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Friday 4/4/2014

Still irregularly posting, but working hard a number of fronts.

Here's my latest collection of music that has crossed my ears and/or mind since we last visited.

No rhyme or reason... never that...