It doesn’t matter if we’re talking about the Black Keys, the recording studio or the record label he owns, Dan Auerbach has a nose for musical magic.
Videos by American Songwriter
Since all of that isn’t enough to keep him busy, earlier this summer Auerbach launched a new project called Easy Eye Sound Vision. A curated playlist of videos housed on Easy Eye Sound’s YouTube channel, Auerbach’s playlists are part musical discovery, part hat tip to the past. Designed to introduce music lovers to things they otherwise might not ever know, the playlists shine a spotlight on various musical oddities, interesting interviews, rare performances and even good ol’ official videos. Country music, soul, rock & roll, roots and more; it’s all fair game.
The first Easy Eye Sound Vision playlist, released in mid-June, was incredibly well received by the channel’s 28,000 subscribers. With playlist number two ready in the chute, American Songwriter is proud to partner with Dan for an exclusive unveiling of the tracks as well as provide a sneak peek at one of the songs included. Kicking things off is what an excited Auerbach describes as “…an exclusive, intimate recording of Easy Eye’s very own Early James covering the demented Eddie Noack original, “Psycho.”
As for the rest of the playlist?
“This episode’s ‘holy smokes where has this video been all my life’ moment belongs to Dayton, Ohio’s Johnnie Wilder Jr, originally the lead singer of the group Heatwave. Here, he sings his original “my goal”. Paralyzed from the neck down, Johnnie uses his mouth to steer himself to the front of the stage On his mechanized wheelchair, and Proceeds to sing like a bird while smiling from ear to ear, beaming with joy. The first time I saw it, it brought tears to my eyes.
“Next up is gospel legend LaShun Pace absolutely destroying the church with her version of “I promised the lord.” Next are primitive rock & roll duo the flat duo jets performing on a front porch in Athens, Georgia. Then some electrifying desert blues played live in front of a mosque in Agadez by easy eye alum Bombino. Then old school west coast hip hop classroom style improv from the legend Suga Free, Iggy and the stooges absolutely killing it in their prime in 1970 Cincinnati, Ohio, our very own Bay Area rock and roll queen Shannon Shaw’s video for her Nashville easy eye sound recording of “broke my own” and, an intimate bedroom recording from under-appreciated Chicago bluesman Floyd jones doing “stockyard blues.”
“We end this episode with the spine tingling “will you miss me when I’m gone” sung by young soon-to-be-legend-gone-too-soon Keith Whitley in his bluegrass prime fronting the clinch mountain boys with the legend Ralph Stanley on old style clawhammer banjo and high harmony – and they absolutely destroy the ending!!! We figured that would be a great way to end the episode. Until next time, enjoy.”
High praise for Early James to be included in such a small yet mountainous gathering. While Auerbach was enthralled with the performance, James was just as moved by songwriter Leon Payne as much as he was the song itself.
“It’s just such a strange song. I didn’t know if I should laugh or cry the first time I heard it. Apparently, Leon Payne was a bit of a history buff and was pretty interested in researching serial killers. That research sure did provide a vividly gruesome and convincing narrative.”
You can view the entire Easy Eye Sound Vision Vol. 2 playlist below.
Leave a Reply
Only members can comment. Become a member. Already a member? Log in.