If it’s December at You Ain’t No Picasso, then it’s time for Mixmas! Every year I like to turn YANP over to some of my favorite bands to showcase some of their favorite songs through a themed mix. They pick a theme, five songs that fit the theme and then share a little about why they picked each one. This year I’m also giving away a YANP shirt, so check below for the hint about tomorrow’s mix.

MP3: Langhorne Slim – Say Yes

As I said in Friday’s clue, Langhorne Slim opened up the first show I ever saw at the old Dame in Lexington. Robert Schneider snuck me in and I got to see him, Slim and Clem Snide. Not a bad way to start things off. Now, in 2009, Langhorne Slim continued his success streak with the release of Be Set Free. And on that album, you’ll find “Say Yes,” my favorite song of his.

“Songs By Friends We Have Made Beautiful Music With” by Langhorne Slim

The Decemberists – The Wanting Comes In Waves / Repaid [Youtube link]
We are all big fans of the Decemberists. We were so lucky to have Chris Funk from the Decemberists produce our new record. He really took the record in a direction that we weren’t expecting but we loved it. We are super proud of the work we did with him. Here is a song off of there most recent record The
Hazards of Love.

MP3: The Heartless Bastards – The Mountain
We co-headlined a tour with the Heartless Bastards last year after our self-titled album came out. It was one of our most memorable. I’m a huge fan of Erika’s voice. So honest and beautiful. She even sang a duet with me on our new record. The song was “Leaving My Love” but, this is the title track off of their newest record called The Mountain.

MP3: Dawes – Love Is All I Am
These guys supported our most recent CD release tour. This is one of our favorite new bands and swell guys to match. This song is off of their incredible debut album, North Hills.

The Avett Brothers “Head Full of Doubt / Road Full of Promise” [Youtube link]
The Avett Brothers have been friends of ours forever now. We have toured with them several times and they even cover one of our songs, “Mary.” We have 2 huge shows with them on New Years Eve in Asheville, NC and New Years Day in Atlanta, GA. Both shows are 5000+ capacities. This song is off their new record, which came out the same day as our new record, titled I and Love and You.

MP3: Austin Lucas – Somebody Loves You.mp3
Austin toured with Dawes and us on our most recent US CD release tour. I know how tuff it is to get up in front of a room full of people by yourself and Austin killed it every night. He is such a talented guy. Here is the title track from his record Somebody Loves You.

Tomorrow’s hint: the next contributor is a Lexington band who were the first band to play at the reopening of Buster’s. They’ve also been known to cover Peaches, These United States and the Cramps.