My annual giveaway Christmas party mix of Artists To Watch for 2007:
| Band | Song | Next appearance | Why them | |
| 01. | Ember Swift | Some Fine Day | I was alerted to her by my friend Meg. Catchy folk pop, this tune’s got a nice ska tinge. | |
| 02. | Jonathan Coulton | Code Monkey | 12/17/06 Jammin’ Java | One of my favorite discoveries of the year, via slashdot.org. Funny songs, ala Weird Al’s songs that aren’t parodies, but good melodies too. This one just speaks to me (guess why). |
| 03. | Hem | Not California | Ok, I found out one of the members was a childhood friend, but that doesn’t take anything away from their charming chamber pop. | |
| 04. | Gomez | See The World | 1/26/07 Patriot Center | Opened for Dave Matthews Band this past summer, a nice poppy British band. |
| 05. | Heather Nova | Mesmerized | I just love, love, love her voice. | |
| 06. | Winterpills | Laughing | Massachusetts based band I saw at the Falcon Ridge Folk Festival, gorgeous gloomy harmonies. | |
| 07. | Catie Curtis | It’s A Wonder | 4/20/07 JMU | I found her through a surprise show, but this song is no surprise – catchy folk. |
| 08. | Shane Hines And The Trance | Slowly | 1/12/07 Jammin’ Java | Features Scott and Chuck from Quitter UK on backing vocals. |
| 09. | Red Molly | Darlin’ Corey | 2/3/07 Moore Music In The House | 3 member harmonies, good folky tune also done by Crooked Still. |
| 10. | Porcupine Tree | Lazarus | Fast rising star in the progressive rock scene, a lovely ballad. | |
| 11. | Neko Case | Star Witness | Member of the New Pornographers, she’s reached a new high with her solo work. | |
| 12. | OK Go | Here It Goes Again | 3/23/07 Constitution Hall | Sure, their video on YouTube was addicting, but it’s a great pop tune too. |
| 13. | Natalia Zukerman | Anyway | 4/27/07 Rams Head | Acoustic folk from Jill’s new fave, we found her opening for Ember Swift. |
| 14. | Golden Smog | Corvette | Members of Jayhawks, Soul Asylum, and Wilco, great song featuring Gary Louris from the Jayhawks. | |
| 15. | Lorraine a Malena | It’s Just Me And Eve | Lorraine Garland is Neil Gaiman’s personal assistant, and in each of the bands she’s been in, she’s done songs by Neil. This is the best one off her new album. | |
| 16. | Brindley Brothers | Up All Night | 1/13/07 Iota | A Jersey rocker from the local institution and coffeebar/rock club mavens. |
| 17. | The Veltz Family | Come On Love | Formerly known as Cecilia (the band), when their bass player left it was back to the original family. Smooth pop with harmonies. | |
| 18. | My Chemical Romance | Dead | Formerly in the emo/punk scene, they’ve swung for the fences with an epic pop/rock concept album (with Green Day’s producer) and hit a grand slam. | |
| 19. | Crooked Still | Ain’t No Grave | Rocking newgrass with the wickedest cello player ever. | |
| 20. | Angie Aparo | All Her Pretty Ways | The man with the falsetto you can’t mistake for anyone else returns. | |
| 21. | Nina Gordon | Kiss Me ‘Til It Bleeds | Remember Veruca Salt? Or “Tonight And The Rest Of My Life”? I do, and this is the catchy single off her new one. | |
| 22. | Infidel, Inc | Fix | I’m glad I’m not the only one who remembers T-Ride. Their industrial funk deserves to survive, and I was glad two of the three members came back to play on this track. |
Leftovers (in no particular order):
The Blackjacks – Malina
Paul and Storm – Hip-Shop
Great Big Sea – The River Driver
Leah Morgan – Square Plate Song
Jason Karaban – Perfect Falling Out
Mike Clem – I.S.O.
Gary Cherone – Need I Say More
David Gilmour – Take A Breath
Little Willies – Roly Poly
Robbie Schaefer – Professor Schnoodle
Eric Schwartz – Keep Your Jesus Off My Pen*s
Umphrey’s McGee – Believe The Lie
Lindsey Buckingham – To Try For The Sun
Ollabelle – Fall Back
Rhett Miller – Question
Barenaked Ladies – Bull In A China Shop
Shawn Mullins – Blue As You
Matthew Sweet and Susanna Hoffs – She May Call You Up Tonight
The Magic Numbers – Forever Lost
Blue October – Into The Ocean
Gin Blossoms – Long Time Gone
Guster – Manifest Destiny
Railroad Earth – Elko
Blues Traveler – Amber Awaits
Keane – Maybe I Can Change
Live – The River
Pete Yorn – Alive
Chris Whitley – Last Million Miles
Robbie Williams – Spread Your Wings
John Popper Project – Everything
Thea Gilmore – Even Gods Do
Razorlight – In The Morning
Caitlin Cary and Thad Cockrell – Second Option
Dresden Dolls – Dirty Business
KT Tunstall – Suddenly I See
Queensryche – The Hands
Everclear – Hater
Ellis – How Would It Be
Sam Ashworth – Look Back
Lynn Carey Saylor – This Is Your Life
Nellie McKay – Swept Away
Carbon Leaf – Learn To Fly
And if listening to all that didn’t take enough time, I also made a second Christmas mix CD. I had enough songs left over after last year to make another, but ordered a bunch of CDs because there were some songs I didn’t have but needed (“Christmas Is The Time To Say I Love You”, “Silent Night”, “Song For a Winter’s Night”, “What Child Is This”, “Wonderful Christmastime”, etc.).
- Silent Night – eddie from ohio
- O’ Come All Ye Faithful/O’ Holy Night – Trans-Siberian Orchestra
- Carol Of The Bells – THEdeepEND
- Christmas Is The Time To Say I Love You – Billy Squier
- Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas – Hem
- Christmastime – Aimee Mann and Michael Penn
- I Believe In Father Chrismas – Emerson, Lake and Palmer
- River – Rachael Yamagata
- It Came Upon A Midnight Clear – Gary Hoey
- Last Christmas – Jimmy Eat World
- Silver Bells – Martina McBride
- Christmastime – Smashing Pumpkins
- Song For A Winter’s Night – Sarah McLachlan
- Father Christmas – Kinks
- What Child Is This – Dar Williams
- Rudolph – Jack Johnson
- Winter Wonderland – Liz Phair
- X-mas Time – Red Henry
- Wonderful Christmastime – Paul McCartney
- Grandma Got Run Over By A Reindeer – Less Than Jake
- Good King Wencelas – Loreena McKennit
- White Christmas – Goldfinger
- American Noel – Dave Carter and Tracy Grammer
- Christmas Time Again – Extreme
- Auld Lang Syne – Barenaked Ladies