Appendix E-J

The past two years, this nearly hasn’t happened. Last year, we had a change of heart. This year, the people of the Twitter-sphere poked at us until we said yes. And we are glad for that poking, because this turned out so great.

There is a free compilation album waiting for you to download it. It’s full of music from our fav musicians who released albums this year. Nine songs in all. Nine songs you’ll put on repeat and strut around the house to. Nine songs that will slay you. Nine songs…enough already.

Again, the compilation is free. Our gift to you, our community. The musicians donated the songs, so we would recommend buying their albums as last minute gifts or with that cash your great aunt sends you. Also, if you want to donate to Everyday Joe’s, you can do that too. All donated funds will go towards paying for a new espresso machine. We’ve made it very easy for you to do all these things: download the album, support the musicians, donate to EDJ if you see fit. Just click the cover art below and start treating your ears to what they’ve been waiting for their entire lifespans.

Popularity: 2% [?]

2.5 years goes quick, I guess. 2.5 years ago things weren’t too much different. The sun did shine and the grass did grow. Then our good friend Aaron Strumpel released his Elephants stampede of an album. The sun did shine and the grass did grow, but it all looked a little different. The gentle trampling of giant feet can change your perception.

Now we stand here in the early morn and midday swelter and evening cool, and we’ve been looking at the horizon. We’ve been surveying the skies. We’ve heard for some time…for nearly those 2.5 years…that there were Birds coming. We bought new perches and suet feeders for them. We tended the trees to make them a home. We have waited.

Then, in a moment, there were sounds so loud and so near and so prying and so immediate that we could not cover our ears. We could only skip at one moment, stomp at another, flutter at this one, swirl at that…and then the one from over there slapped a groove on our forehead. We stared up for a moment and then decided, “mmm hmmm. yes. this is precisely it. precisely and with joy.”

Today, Aaron Strumpel releases Birds. Birds  moves around and in and about you. It runs after you and you run after it. It picks you up by the shoulders and flies you to vital places…places that will shake your bones and heal the gash in your head if you just open your eyes/ears.

There are familiar songs that have been played live for years: “Angel” and “Black With Tears”. An Everyday Joe’s fav “Home On Your Heart” was featured on our  Love, Everyday Joe’s Vol. 2 compilation 3 years ago, but on Birds receives an analog synth giddy-up that has been rumoured to cause living room dance parties.

In total, 12 Aves wait to build nests in your earholes. The album is available for purchase now (read: purchase it now) on Aaron’s Bandcamp page. While you should just take these words for it and buy the thing, you can also stream the album – in its entirety – below.

Popularity: 3% [?]

This small speck of the blogosphere has been silent for some time. Why? Projects. Lots of projects in the physical realm…most of which have come to completion.

Also why? A lot of the people and things we share news about here have also been working on projects and surprises, which are beginning to be announced. And it starts now.

Our good good pal Ryan O’Neal who we wish were were eating at iHop with right now…he heads up the musical project Sleeping At Last. Yesterday, on the tale end of completing the daunting and extremely well-done Yearbook Project, he announced the following via Twitter:

Proud to announce that Sleeping At Last will be featured in the upcoming film “The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn – Pt.1

Vampires. Werewolves. Musicians from Chicago. Bruno Mars…can’t forget Bruno Mars.

While this writer does not enjoy Twilight, his dear wife does, which will provide proper justification for purchasing the Breaking Dawn soundtrack without shame or scorn. You can preorder the OST (industry language for Original Soundtrack) from iTunes. On your way to that digital domain, give our Sleeping At Last friends a high five and a low five, because this is a big deal…or so my wife says.

Dreamboats

Popularity: 2% [?]

Something exciting just might could be on the horizon. Branching out. Collaboration. Continuance. Cryptic hinting.

Popularity: 3% [?]

Summer time: yard work, high end yard games, drinking coffee on quiet mornings in your backyard.

All these things are greatly encouraged. Especially when the coffee is bought from Everyday Joe’s with a special, one-of-a-kind mug. Whoopsy. Just almost let a little secret slip. More later.

Music also goes well with grass and trees. Lucky for you, several friends of Everyday Joe’s have new or new-ish music for your ears. Stream ‘em all right here and enjoy your ladder golf.

JOSH GARRELS: LOVE & WAR  & THE SEA IN BETWEEN

This gem is hot off the digital presses. Mr. Garrels is offering it as a free download for a year (!) at his Bandcamp page.

Good for: early mornings in the yard, late evenings burning the citronella tiki torches.

YOU ME & APOLLO: CARDS WITH CHEATS

It’s a solid one. So solid you won’t be able to stop listening or strutting.

Good for: Downing tasty bevs under the midday sun, playing washers with the neighbors.

JAY J MATOTT & THE ARCTIC: TO THE BIG RIVER

This album is the surprise of the year. It is to these ears what You Me & Apollo was two years ago and what Nightbeds was one year ago.

Good for: contemplative grilling, cleaning up…post the rager you threw while listening to You Me & Apollo, driving to iHop in the rain, wandering the vacant streets of an early morning Oldtown Ft. Collins.

Popularity: 8% [?]

If you come into Everyday Joe’s during the early morning hours, chances are you will hear the album Seven Swans by Sufjan Stevens playing. I don’t know why, but something about being groggy and making coffee to that particular collection of songs is nice. Then, by the end of it, you’re ready for something to shake your rump to…like Huey Lewis & The News.

Today, a tribute/cover/benefit/reimagining of Seven Swans was released. It’s exciting enough that my head started buzzing a little little bit. The reimagining is titled On Joyful Wings. It is missing “Abraham” due to some things out of the curator’s control, but apparently that cut is coming down the pipes. It does have the other 14 songs, performed by:

 Bonnie “Prince” Billy (wow wow), The Gregory Brothers, Derek Webb, Joshua James, Unwed Sailor, Wakey! Wakey!, Elin K Smith, DM Stith, Half-Handed Cloud, Carl Hauck, David Crowder* Band, Jason Harrad, Shannon Stephens w. Gregory Paul, and Inlets

On Joyful Wings will only run you $10, and all profits will go to benefit Komen For The Cure.

Download the album at Bandcamp, or go ahead and listen to it below. Then buy it. It’s only $10. If you don’t like it, someone else will and you can give it to them. Help defeat breast cancer.

Popularity: 2% [?]

Two weeks ago today, one of the best shows to ever happen in this building happened. It was magic, as it felt it would be. Nathaniel Rateliff brought harmonies and musics and the like to levels that melt butter. Plus, some oldies from Desire & Dissolving Men were scattered through the set list, including Just For Me But I Thought Of You. Video below. Enjoy and watch on repeat.

Popularity: 10% [?]

Sometimes you read things that make you go “wow wow.”

I just went “wow wow” followed by “like, whoa.”

Our good friend Barton Dahl – who also manages Nathaniel Rateliff – sent over a message on the Google chat, insisting I go read what he posted on the shop’s Facebook wall. I did what he said.

Again…wow wow. Like, whoa.

The link took me to the MR PORTER Journal, where current “Man Of Note” Robert Plant (Led Zeppelin, Allison Krauss collaborator) lists his current musical playlist favs. Number one on that list? Oh…just NATHANIEL RATELIFF.

“Empty, fragmented and poignant” he says of Rateliff’s “Early Spring Till”. It’s a song I’m sure you’ve heard if you’ve been in the shop over the past couple weeks, as the volunteers have been playing Rateliff’s In Memory Of Loss on what seems like repeat in anticipation of his show at Everyday Joe’s on February 25 (tomorrow!).

Listen to “Early Spring Till” below. Head over to MR PORTER to get more musical suggestions from Mr. Plant. Tickets for the show- which are $10 in advance or $12 at the door – can be purchased here. Reed Foehl will be opening (that’s a treat), and the show starts at 7 pm.

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Popularity: 3% [?]

In 2011, we have decided to host less formal concerts in hopes to better the quality of the shows we do host. We have also decided to put more effort into helping develop local songwriters.

The Everyday Joe’s Songwriters Circle will be a chance to meet local musicians, share your music, and receive helpful feedback and critique. Our hope is that your craft will be bettered by this community, preparing you for when it is time to play out.

The circle takes place each Wednesday night from 7-9 pm in the downstairs auxiliary room at Everyday Joe’s. Each songwriter in attendance will have the opportunity to play at least one song and receive feedback, as well as offering feedback to the other musicians in attendance.

This whole thing started as an idea, and out of not wanting to abandon our beloved local artists. Through conversations with good people, our friends at Magnolia School Of Music and some of their friends are making this happen. We could not be giddier.

See you soon!

Popularity: 4% [?]

So…two of our favorite musicians are joining forces. Aaron Strumpel and Karla Adolphe (she’s Canadian and was in Aaron’s first Elephants troupe) are The Emporiums. The music they make is southern gothic folk and drips with a healthy dose of gravy…which is fantastic considering they’re from Iowa and Canada.

They’ll be celebrating the release of their album on January 21 with friends The Blackthorn Project (also releasing an album that night). In order to build the proper anticipation for the evening, Aaron & Karla have released a song from the album for your enjoyment and download. Listen to “Old Hickory” below, and download/support the project here.

See you on 1.21.10.

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Popularity: 9% [?]