The Greatest Musical Discoveries of 2006

So it's a brand new year and there's nothing to write about so far since I've spent the first full 24 hours at Nick's farm getting away from work and stress. There was one thing I'd love everyone to take a look at, these are some of the best songs I've heard this year that hardly anyone has heard of, but I was fortunate enough to come across. These songs hit that emotional nerve everytime I listen to them...

1. 18th Floor Balcony by Blue October - There is some genuine art and bonafide genius in this quirky little alt-pop ballad. It's not often I feel like I'm standing in the songwriter's shoes when listening to their work, but with this one, I'm right there for four minutes...

2. What You Are by Joan Osborne - This song was actually penned by the always great Patty Griffin, but her version was never officially released. Some hardcore Griffin fans have the bootleg that leaked online, but you can't easily obtain it. Joan Osborne (of mid 90's fame for her hit single, "(What If God Was) One Of Us?") released her Nashville album in 2006 with this gem. I'll never forget the first time I was driving in my car listening and heard the line, "What do you wish you were? Do you wish you were the light of every star? Nobody knows, but maybe that's just what you are." This song will pull at my heart strings until the day I die.

3. Time Has Told Me by Nick Drake - Some of you may actually know this song, this song was written and recorded before I was born, but nearly 30 years after his death, Nick Drake is becoming a legend. This song is not only a quirky love song, it speaks infinite wisdom to people like me, "Time has told me, not to ask for more...someday our ocean will find it's shore. So I`ll leave the ways that are making me be, what I really dont want to be...leave the ways that are making me love what I really dont want to love." No matter what happens in life, I can't complain about what I don't have...not only because I have so much else, but that when the times come, life happens...

4. Easy Silence by Dixie Chicks - So most will recognize this year's Dixie Chicks by their hit come back single, "Not Ready To Make Nice" but to me, "Easy Silence" was the song was what sold me this album. This song just talks about how crazy life and this world is and all the noise that fills your head in the day, still there's a beauty in the loving silence someone can make for you. I listen to this song on the way back from long days and meetings and it calms me down...kudos Dixie Chicks...kudos...

5. Peace by Joel Gragg - This song will be pretty difficult for most of you to find as it has never had a wide release. Even though I didn't discover this song in 2006, I had to include this because of how much I still listen to it. Joel Gragg is a good friend from my college days and this song has been one of my favorites since I first heard it years ago. To this day, I still get chills hearing those first few phrases, "Is it somewhere in your memory? Is it somewhere in your heart? Is it in between the distance that is keeping us apart? Oh, Peace, where are you tonight?" This song originally appeared in a limited release on Joel Gragg's indie project, "Pipedreams" and later featured on the Greenville College Christmas compilation, "BRR!...It's Christmas!" Between the two, I'll bet there are only a couple hundred official releases of "Peace". Still, tap Joel's MySpace (http://www.myspace.com/joelgragg) and bug him for this track, it will tug your tears...

So that's it for 1/1/07...check out this music, it's good for your soul...

-Rod