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George Graham's Best of 2005 Albums List

This is a the list of albums featured during the ten-part Best of 2005 series presented during December on Mixed Bag, heard on WVIA-FM. These albums were selected by series host George Graham from the over 500 CDs featured during the year on the New Releases segments presented daily on Mixed Bag. The Mixed Bag musical styles include rock, folk, blues, reggae, world music, Celtic, electronic, and other varieties presented on the program. The emphasis is on records that received little or no attention in the commercial media. Selection criteria include originality, uniqueness of sound, and quality of musicianship.

The lists are arranged chronologically by month of release.

* designates Homegrown Music Artists.


January

Corky Siegel: CORKY SIEGEL'S TRAVELING CHAMBER BLUES (Alligator)
Roomful of Blues: STANDING ROOM ONLY (Alligator)
Sonny Landreth: GRANT STREET (Sugar Hill)
Tom Alexander: FLYING AGAINST THE TIME ZONES (Gatsby) *
Shawn Z: WISHFUL DRINKIN' (independent) *
Meg Johnson Band: BETWEEN YOU AND THE GOLDEN SUN (Fluke) *
Virginia Coalition: OK TO GO (Bluhammock)
Charlie Musselwhite: DELUXE EDITION (Alligator)
Sloe Guns: LAST WILL AND TESTAMENT (independent) *
Alexis P. Sutor: SHUGA FIX (Hipbone)
MOODY BLUEGRASS: [various artists] (Rounder)
Hem: EVENINGLAND (Rounder)
Tishamingo: WEAR N' TEAR (Magnatude)
Marianne Faithfull: BEFORE THE POISON (Anti)
Josh Rouse: NASHVILLE (Ryko)
The Duhks: THE DUHKS (Sugar Hill)
Pat Metheny Group: THE WAY UP (Nonesuch)

February

Bent Blue: ALL THE NUMB SOULS (independent) *
Grazyna Auguscik: THE LIGHT (GMA)
Jay Smar: ACOUSTIC BUFFET (Fuzzy Bugger) *
John Hammond: IN YOUR ARMS AGAIN (Back Porch)
Kyle Hollingsworth: NEVER ODD OR EVEN (SCI Fidelity)
JP Jones: THUGS AND LOVERS (Vision) *
Nik Everett: SUMMER'S GONE (independent) *
A.J. Swearingen: A.J. SWEARINGEN (independent) *
Louise Grasmere: BLUE AIN'T ONLY BLUE (LEG)
Cheryl Wheeler: DEFYING GRAVITY (Philo)
Zydecoal: WHERE YOU GET THEM SHOES (zydecoal.net)
Solomon Burke: MAKE DO WITH WHAT YOU GOT (Shout)

March

Mike Guldin: ROADHOUSE RHYTHM (Wah Wah Boy) *
Ann Rabson: IN A FAMILY WAY (Emit Doog)
Solas: WAITING FOR AN ECHO (Shanachie)
Dave's True Story: NATURE (Bepop)
Lazlo: OLD STEEL COMPANY (independent) *
Jack Johnson: IN BETWEEN DREAMS (Brushfire)
Amos Lee: AMOS LEE (Blue Note)
Paris Combo: MOTIFS (DRG)
Glen Phillips: WINTER PAYS FOR SUMMER (Lost Highway)
Green Inside: LEFT AT THE PROM (independent)
Mary Gauthier: MERCY NOW (Lost Highway)
Stacie Rose: SHADOW AND SPLENDOR (Enchanted) *
Kati Mac: POSEIDON'S SON (Baby Munsta) *
Karan Casey: CHASING THE SUN (Shanachie)
Blind Boys of Alabama: ATOM BOMB (Realworld)
Otis Clay: RESPECT YOURSELF (Blind Pig)
Altan: LOCAL GROUND (Narada)
John Brown's Body: PRESSURE POINTS (Easy Star)
Greg Trooper: MAKE IT THROUGH THE WORLD (Sugar Hill)
Laura Brereton: LEAP OF FAITH (independent) *

April

Happy the Man: THE MUSE AWAKENS (Inside Out)
Knife and Fork Band: COLD CEREAL AND JUICE (Groovedisques) *
Judith Owen: LOST AND FOUND (independent)
Bill Wyman: JUST FOR A THRILL (Fuel)
Tony Furtado: BARE BONES (independent)
Over the Rhine: DRUNKARD'S PRAYER (Back Porch)
Cathie Ryan: THE FARTHEST WAVE (Shanachie)
Benevento-Russo Duo: BEST REASON TO BUY THE SUN (Ropeadope)
Capitol Steps: FOUR MORE YEARS IN THE BUSH LEAGUE (independent)
Little Charlie & Nightcats: NINE LIVES (Alligator)
Marcia Ball: LIVE DOWN THE ROAD (Alligator)
Judy Collins: PORTRAIT OF AN AMERICAN GIRL (Wildflower)
Special Consensus: EVERYTHING'S ALL RIGHT (Pinecastle)
Rosheen: MUSIQUE CELTIQUE (Compass)
Tommy Emmanuel: ENDLESS ROAD (Favored Nations)
Loudon Wainwright III: HERE COME THE CHOPPERS (Sovereign)
Tracy Grammer: FLOWER OF AVALON (SignatureSounds)
Ellis Paul: AMERICAN JUKEBOX (Philo)

May

Maddy Prior and the Girls: BIB AND TUCK (Park)
Al Pettaway and Amy White: LAND OF THE SKY (Maggie's Music)
Sylvie Lewis: TANGOS AND TANTRUMS (Cheap Lullaby)
Squeaky Clean: PULL TOGETHER (Drip Dry) *
Danu: WHEN ALL IS SAID AND DONE (Shanachie)
Alison Brown: STOLEN MOMENTS (Compass)
Robbie Fulks: GEORGIA HARD (Yep Roc)
Michelle Albano: SECOND GUESSES (independent)
Oojami: URBAN DERVISH (Mondo Melodia)
Christy Jefferson: LIVE IN PHILLY (Terrinish) *
Kneebody: KNEEBODY (Greenleaf)
Bobby Fingeroth: DILETTANTE (independent) *
David Knopfler: SHIP OF DREAMS (Paris)
Johnnie Johnson: JONNHY BE EIGHTY AND STILL BAD (Cousin Moe)
Ryan Adams: COLD ROSES (Lost Highway)
Girlyman: LITTLE STAR (Daemon)
Buckwheat Zydeco: JACKPOT (Tomorrow)
Gentle Giant: IN A GLASS HOUSE [reissue] (DRT)
Searson: FOLLOW (independent)
Harper: DOWN TO THE RHYTHM (Blind Pig)
Jordan Tice: NO PLACE BETTER (Patuxent)
Lizz Wright: DREAMING WIDE AWAKE (Verve)
George Wesley: WHEN I'M NEXT TO YOU I FEEL LUCKY (Joy & Harmony)
String Cheese Incident: ONE STEP CLOSER (SCI Fidelity)
Hugh Masekela: REVIVAL (Heads Up)

June

Oliver Mtkudzi: NHAVA (Heads Up)
Al Stewart: A BEACH FULL OF SHELLS (Appleseed)
Robert Cray Band: TWENTY (Sanctuary)
Grayson Capps: IF YOU KNEW MY MIND (Hyena)
John Mayall: ROAD DOGS (Eagle)
Gordon Stone Band: RHYMES WTH ORANGE (independent)
Shooglenifty: RADICAL MESTIZO (Compass)
Terry Evans: FIRE IN THE SKY (Valley Ent.)
Tom Ball & Kenny Sultan: HAPPY HOUR (No Guru)
Indigo Girls: RARITIES (Epic)
Corey Harris: DAILY BREAD (Rounder)
Dave Weckl Band: MULTIPLICITY (Stretch)
Carole King: THE LIVING ROOM TOUR (Concord)
Northern Lights: NEW MOON (Fifty Fifty)
Michelle Shocked: DON'T ASK DON'T TELL (Mighty Time)
Blue Highway: MARBLETOWN (Rounder)
Mem Shannon: I'M FROM PHUNKVILLE (Northern Blues)
Youngers: OUTPUT (independent) *

July

Son Volt: OKEMAH AND THE MELODY OF RIOT (Transit Sound)
Townhall: AMERICAN DREAMS (TownHallMusic) *
Michelle Nixon: WHAT MORE SHOULD I SAY (Pinecastle)
Dancing Dogs: PATIENCE (Whaling City)
Del McCoury Band: THE COMPANY WE KEEP (McCoury Music)
Cosmic Farm: COSMIC FARM (Tone Center)
Dreamsicles: LUV SONGS FOR GROWNUPS (independent)
Snacks: UNITED NATIONS OF SNACKS (independent)
Chris Hillman: THE OTHER SIDE (Sovereign)
Lindsay Mac: SMALL REVOLUTION (Red Cello)
Sufjan Stevens: ILLINOISE (Asthmatic Kitty)
Richard Thompson: FRONT PARLOUR BALLADS (Cooking Vinyl)
Big Blue Hearts: HERE COME THOSE DREAMS (Eagle Eye)
Ry Cooder: CHAVEZ RAVINE (Nonesuch)
Nickel Creek: WHY SHOULD THE FIRE DIE? (Sugar Hill)
John Prine: FAIR & SQUARE (Oh Boy)
Ellis Hooks: GODSON OF SOUL (Evidence)
Drew Emmitt: ACROSS THE BRIDGE (Compass)

August

Horace X: STRATEGY (Omnium)
Amy Rigby: LITTLE FUGITIVE (SignatureSounds)
Organissimo: THIS IS THE PLACE (Big O)
Third World: BLACK GOLD GREEN (Shanachie)
Kennedys: HALF A MILLION MILES (Appleseed)
Hickory Project: TRAVELIN' ON (Hickory Project) *
Rodney Crowell: THE OUTSIDER (Columbia)
Swap: DU DA (Northside)
Shemekia Copeland: THE SOUL TRUTH (Alligator)
Siegel-Schwall Band: FLASH FORWARD (Alligator)
Pieta Brown: IN THE COOL (Valley Ent.) *
Teeter Gray: BLUE LOVE (teetergray.com)
Harv: POLKA RAGGIOSO (Northside)
Stephen Stills: MAN ALIVE (Titan/Pyramid)
Various Artists: VISIONS OF THE INNER MOUNTING APOCALYPSE (Tone Center)
Jordan Chassan: EAST OF BRISTOL, WEST OF KNOXVILLE (Strong) *
Joe Mannix: A TOWN BY THE SEA (Bongo Beat) *
Danielia Cotton: SMALL WHITE DOWN (HipShake)
Craig Thatcher & Jimmy Supra: HARD TIMES (independent)
Elvin Bishop: GETTIN' MY GROOVE BACK (Blind Pig)
Tony McManus & Alaine Genty: SINGING SANDS (Compass)
Steve Kimock Band: EUDEMONIC (SCI Fidelity)

September

Hannah Bingham: RIGHT, RIGHT NOW (independent) *
Joan Baez: BOWERY SONGS (Koch)
John Doyle: WAYWARD SON (Compass)
Mike Marshall: BRAZIL DUETS (Adventure Music)
Blues Traveler: BASTARDOS (Vanguard)
Fusion for Miles: [various artists] (Tone Center)
311: DON'T TREAD ON ME (Volcano)
Scott Law Band: DELIVER (Liquid)
Wayne Scott: THIS WEARY WAY (Full Light)
Cindy Bullens: DREAM #29 (Let's Play)
Liz Carroll & John Doyle: IN PLAY (Let's Play)
Halloween Alaska: TOO TALL TO HIDE (East Side Digital)

October

Chris Daniels & the Kings: 10 (Moon Voyage)
Susan Tedeschi: HOPE AND DESIRE (Verve Forecast)
Jackson Browne: SOLO ACOUSTIC VOL. 1 (Inside)
Buddy Guy: BRING 'EM IN (Silvertone)
Cary Cooper: YELLOW (Hudson Harding)
Rebecca Pidgeon: TOUGH ON CRIME (The Lab)
Saxon Shore: THE EXCELLENT DEATH OF SAXON SHORE (Burnt Toast Viny)
Bruce Cockburn: SPEECHLESS (Rounder)
Jamie Cullum: CATCHING TALES (Verve Forecast)
Erik Balkey: SANCTUARY ROAD (Hudson Harding) *
Burning Spear: OUR MUSIC (Burning Music)
Ladysmith Black Mambazo: THE CHILL OUT SESSIONS (Rasa)
Lou Pride: KEEP ON BELIEVING (Severn)
Five Percent: 3483 SECONDS OF YOUR LIFE (independent) *
B.D. Lenz: TOMORROW'S TOO LATE (Apria) *
Kerry Kearney Band: SECRETS FROM THE PSYCHEDELTA (Dwaz) *
Lex Romane and Joe Riillo: LIVE AT THE CHICORY HOUSE (Lex and Joe) *
Imogen Heap: SPEAK FOR YOURSELF (RCA Victor)
Kate Rusby: THE GIRL WHO COULDN'T FLY (Compass)

November

Tom Paxton: LIVE IN THE UK (Pax)
Mick McAuley & Winifred Horan: SERENADE (Compass)
Will Taylor & Strings Attached: COLLABORATIONS (Heart Music)
Black Bear Crossing: THE TRAIL (independent) *
Zoe Lewis: SMALL IS TREMENDOUS (Wildflower)
Dr. John: SIPPIANA HERICANE (Blue Note)
Dave's True Story: SIMPLE TWIST OF FATE (Bepop)
Slammin: ALL BODY BAND (Crosspulse)
Muckrakers: FRONT OF THE PARADE (Label X)

December

Joe Giacoio: I SING THE BODY ACOUSTIC (Romantic Devil) *
John Mayer Trio: TRY! (Columbia/Aware)
Various Artists: OUR NEW ORLEANS 2005

(c) Copyright 2005 George D. Graham. All rights reseved.
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This page last updated August 03, 2014