From the Christian music underground (mostly):

1. Brand New – Sowing Season – I know it's not really "underground" Christian music….but it's in the mix. Suck it. I've never really liked Brand New until Dean was playing their most recent album at Sauced one day. I still don't like their old stuff. Favorite line: "I'm not your friend. I'm just a man who knows how to feel."

2. Lovedrug – Radiology – Matt Puttman (Unwed Sailor / Eso-Charis / Living Sacrifice) doesn't play with them anymore. They aren't very good anymore either….coincidence?

3. LN – Tuscany – Man, this takes me back to high school. Actually, I can say that for most of the rest of this mixtape. Bet you didn't think you'd hear "I can smoke cigarettes all day" on something released on a Christian label.

4. Roadside Monument – Sunken Anchor – Man…..Jonathon Ford. Cool guy, makes some damn fine music (Unwed Sailor is on most of the mixtapes I make). The more I go back and listen to Roadside Monument, the more I regret not being able to go to the last show they played in Tulsa a few years ago (with Pedro The Lion & Ester Drang….fail)

5. Duraluxe – Dura-Lux – Did you know these guys are still around? True. This was on the Starball Contribution that Flying Tart put out in the 90s….and Zachary Gresham (Joe Christmas / Summer Hymns) sings? WIN

6. mewithoutyou – Seven Sisters – I'm glad these guys are making music…It took me a while to warm up to them, but they're legit, dude.

7. Denison Witmer – 24 Turned 25 – My absolute favorite song of his. Man, this guy is also pretty cool. He's the reason I bought a baritone guitar

8. Starflyer 59 – Somewhere When Your Heart Glowed The Hope – I don't know where I would be if I had never heard Starflyer. The Gold album probably influenced me both musically and personally more than any music has before or since. Everything is so simple, melancholy and gorgeous. I love it.

9. Steamboat – Anatole – There's a story around here somewhere….maybe I'll tell you one day. Long story short, I did the site for the label these guys were on (the Red Crown Record Empire….RIP) and ended up meeting Joey Parish (played drums on this record. Also played with Lewis & Ester Drang) randomly at this camp where I used to work when he was playing with Chris Tomlin. I think he's still playing drums with Shane & Shane. Dude is legit.

10. Pony Express – Together We're Electric – OK, this is turning into a mixtape of people who have made me want to do things like music other fun projects. Jeff Cloud is a badass. (citation)

11. Poor Old Lu – For The Love Of My Country – I can remember listening to this song when we moved into this sweet split-level rental house in North Carolina in the autumn of 1995. My room had orange shag carpet. I bought my first laptop a couple months later and it was all over.

12. Tess Wiley – Idle – She wasn't really in Sixpence None The Richer…she just toured with them for a while. She also played w/ Velour 100 and has a few albums I need to track down. This is another one of my most favorite songs…I can't tell you how good it makes me feel. Suck it.

There's other stuff that I'd like to include (Delta Haymax, Lewis, The Julies, Blenderhead, My Hotel Year, Ran Away To Sea, Luxury, uh….early Plankeye? and some Joy Electric Remixes? Lance Alton Hemmingway?) but that's all on my iPod and I'm too lazy to get it off there….maybe next week.