Mixed CD

Every year I celebrate the closing days of Advent with last minute Christmas shopping that I intentionally put off until it can't be put off any longer. Not sure what it is... but I always know Christmas is coming and I know should come up with some ideas, but the creative juices remain constipated until the pressure of that looping deadline finally forces a few good ideas to pop into my head. For example, I decided to make a music mix for my 14-year-old cousin since we seem to like much of the same music and I had a $25 iTunes gift card to spend. No money out of my pocket, baby

So I went to work putting together this mix, probably investing a good three or four hours over a few nights searching for songs, throwing them into a playlist, pruning it back a bit, and finally configuring them into some kind of sensible order that will flow real pretty like. I may be a bit biased because it was my effort, but I'm a bit proud of what I came up with. It's about a half 'n half blend of Chrisitan/Catholic and secular artists and most of them have a bit of personal or spiritual meaning. Some just sound good... gotta have a little dessert with a good meal. Things get off on a crazed long-haired, Bible-thumpin' foot with...

1. Larry Norman - Jesus Freak
2. Morning State - Oh Yeah (secular indie band... I like the sound)
3. Switchfoot - Awakening
4. Chris Padgett - Golden (Padgett and Bob Rice write some pretty solid lyrics)
5. Wilco - Hate It Hear (a modern rock ballad, or so I call it)
6. Sojourn (Community Church) - What Child Is This? (very much diggin' how they produced this one... it's not boring at all)
7. Derek Webb - A Love That's Stronger Than Our Fear
8. The Whitsundays - It Must Be Me (another one that just sounds good)
9. Bob Rice - Unfinished
10. P.O.D. - Strength of My Life (Psalm 27 is one of my fave's and who doesn't heart Matisyahu?)
11. Curtis Stephan - Rescue Me
12. Larry Norman - Sweet Sweet Song of Salvation (proudly corny... it's like 80s music without the weed)
13. Sojourn - O Come O Come Emmanuel (I like the Wilco-ish sound)
14. My Morning Jacket - One Big Holiday (seems appropriate for Christmas)
15. The Priests - Hacia Belen (three Irish Catholic priests... no joke)
16. Matt Maher - Look Like a Fool
17. Ceili Rain - Long Black Cadillac
18. Jim Croce - Which Way Are You Goin'? (these last two I think make a good pair... and nothing closes out a thoughtful album like a philosphical acoustic folk song that calls out Christian hypocrisy)

So that's it... I got so into this, I had to make a Walgreen's run just to pick up more blank CD-Rs for a few more albums.