I thought about going ahead and reaching for that vaunted one year between postings mark, but something got in the way and stopped (or started?) me. It was easy to fall out of the routine of spinning the Texasbound.net yarns because there really never was a routine to begin with. I'm not calling this a New Year's resolution, but I am going to make a concerted effort to share the wealth in 2006.

First off - my faves of 2005. The list may be shorter than most years and that's probably because of two things...

1. I am getting a bit fickle in what I can repeatedly listen to without screaming out "WE NEED A CHANGE"!
2. I just don't listen to as much new stuff as I used to.

Keith Gattis - Big City Blues: Had heard Keith's Reconsider on the radio for about two weeks before seeing him live in May at KNBT's Americana Music Jam at Gruene Hall. I watched him walk in the gate at the Jam thinking he might be Shooter Jennings before he was intro'd as an unscheduled special guest performer prior to Joe Ely's set (which was freaking awesome). Just Keith and an electric guitar captivated me for about 20 minutes and made me a fan. Got the record soon after and still love it.

Dwight Yoakam - Blame The Vain: This guy gets it. Plain and simple. Get this record.

Old Crow Medicine Show - O.C.M.S.: I hate to make comparisons, but if you like the Weary Boys you'll like this...and if you don't like the Weary Boys I hope it is because you haven't heard their music. Rock-a-Billy Bluegrass.

Ryan Adams - Cold Roses & Jacksonville City Nights: Both of these (actually three since Cold Roses was a double album) have some real gems on it. Ryan has been on preferred status with me since his solo debut Heartbreaker. I don't care if everyone says he's an ass. I don't care that he flipped out at a show because someone called him Bryan Adams. I don't care if he is helping popularize the homeless beard. Ryan's songs cut me like a knife and I like it that way. Still. I wish he would be a little more stringent on the song selection and put out half the records.

Reckless Kelly - Wicked Twisted Road: More great stuff from one of the most underrated bands around.

Shooter Jennings - Put the 'O' Back in Country: A real fine place to start for Shooter. There never was a complaint when throwing this record on before hitting the streets on a Saturday night. Fourth of July was definitely the song of the summer.

That about wraps up what hit the gas for me in 2005. I'll throw out a couple of Non-Americana/Texas music selections as well because I can...

Motion City Soundtrack - Commit This to Memory
The Darkness - One Way Ticket to Hell...And Back
Kelly Clarkson - Breakaway (was all too eager to buy this for the wife for Christmas)
Kings of Leon - Aha Shake Heartbreak

My Top 5 Songs of the Moment

Big Blue Hearts - Loving You
Jack Ingram - Great Divide
The Thrills - Santa Cruz
Death Cab For Cutie - The Sound Of Settling
The Replacements - Here Comes A Regular

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