This is the third year in a row I’ve made a mix called “Artists To Watch” to give away for our holiday party. It’s a nice way for our friends to find out about our favorite new music.
| Band | Song | Next appearance | Why them | |
| 01. | Quitter UK | Young Again | 1/13/06 9:30 Club | Members of emmet swimming and Smartbomb, great chorus. |
| 02. | Queen + Paul Rodgers | I Want It All | 3/9/06 MCI Center | Ok, not exactly a new band, but my favorite concert of 2005 and should be another good show in March (from their new live CD/DVD). |
| 03. | Crooked Still | Orphan Girl | We discovered them at the Falcon Ridge Folk Festival last year, but didn’t get the CD until this year’s fest. A spirited update of the Gillian Welch song. | |
| 04. | Marwood | Name To Me No More | Haven’t seen these guys yet, but they’ve opened for emmet swimming and I like the falsetto. | |
| 05. | Jenny Lewis | Handle With Care | My ears perk up for the Traveling Wilburys (who will finally have their CDs go back into print in 2006). Jenny Lewis is the lead singer of Rilo Kiley, who opened for Coldplay in 2005. She’s joined here by the lead singers of Death Cab For Cutie and Bright Eyes to form an indie supergroup to cover this classic. | |
| 06. | Jim Boggia | Once | 1/14/06 Birchmere | The nicest love song I’ve heard in a while. |
| 07. | Nellie McKay | The Big One | 1/22/06 Birchmere | She’s got a lot of influences and puts them all into her music. |
| 08. | O.A.R. | Love And Memories | The guys from Maryland with a more poppier song then their usual rock jams. | |
| 09. | Girlyman | Kittery Tide | I know you were wondering when we’d get to some banjo. | 10. | Alternate Routes | Who Cares | 12/23/05 Jammin’ Java |
| 11. | Paul and Storm | A Better Version Of You | They’ve got a great new funny CD out, but I had to go with this web only track. | |
| 12. | Tracy Grammer | Gypsy Rose | A new CD from Tracy with the remaining songs the late Dave Carter wrote. | |
| 13. | Joseph Parsons | Good Or Bad | Like Jim Boggia , another 4 Way Street alumnus. | |
| 14. | We’re About 9 | Brooklyn | 12/31/05 1st Night Alexandria | Great harmonies. |
| 15. | Erin McKeown | To The Stars | 3/30/06 Birchmere | We saw her open for Ani DiFranco last summer. |
| 15. | Getaway Car | Big Time Lullabye | 12/23/05 Jammin’ Java | Todd has to be the funniest frontman around, but he still rocks out when he’s not amking you laugh. |
| 17. | Michael Penn | On Automatic | The “No Myth” guy is still around churning out pop gems like this. | |
| 18. | Beth Patterson | Darlin’ Please | 2/12/06 The Old Brogue | A nice twist. |
| 19. | Arrogant Worms | Carrot Juice Is Murder | Funny Canadiens, recorded live at the Falcon Ridge Folk Festival | |
| 20. | Spoon | I Summon You | Stephen King’s pick for best single, and I like it too. | |
| 21. | Sufjan Stevens | Come Thou Fount Of Every Blessing | From his 2nd Christmas EP, a moving version of a hymn. |
Leftovers (best with gravy):
Ben Arthur – Mary Ann
James Blunt – You’re Beautiful
Tracy Bonham – Something Beautiful
Clap Your Hands Say Yeah – Over and Over Again
Kris Delmhorst – Broken White Line
Greencards – Time
Juniper Lane – Apology
Anna Nalick – Breathe
Okkervil River – Black
Beth Orton – Conceived
Razorlight – Somewhere Else
Adam Richman – Mary-Anne
Waifs – Waitress
I also made a Christmas mix CD for the first time. I’ve already got enough songs left over to make volume 2, but that’ll wait for next year. Jill asked why I ended with two depressing songs, but my logic is keep it happy for as long as you can – just like life. Besides, they’re catchy.
- Christmas All Over Again – Tom Petty
- Do They Know It’s Christmas? – Barenaked Ladies
- 2000 Miles – Coldplay
- Blue Christmas – Collective Soul
- Christmas (Baby Please Come Home) – U2
- Santa Claus Is Coming To Town – Bruce Springsteen
- Christmas At Ground Zero – ‘Weird Al’ Yankovic
- Holly Jolly Christmas – Marah
- I Saw Three Ships – Sting
- Christmas Song – Dave Matthews and Tim Reynolds
- Happy Xmas – John Lennon
- Please Come Home For Christmas – Eagles
- Christmas Song – Biohio
- I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus – John Mellencamp
- Step Into Christmas – Elton John
- Thank God It’s Christmas – Queen
- Christmas Eve/Sarajevo 12/24 – Trans-Siberian Orchestra
- Little Drummer Boy – GrooveLily
- Joseph Was A Carpenter – eddie from ohio
- O Holy Night – Sufjan Stevens
- Silver Star – emmet swimming
- You’re A Mean One, Mr Grinch – Whirling Dervishes
- Christmas – Getaway Car