Music for Christmas

One of the best things about the Holidays is getting some down time to listen to music with family and friends. Here is my Christmas listening list for this year. It's a mixed bag of genres, from alternative to jazz to commercial pop. Not ranked in any particular order. These are all great ways to celebrate the season with fresh sounds. Rest assured, I will be listening to the old favourites too!

Verve Presents: The Very Best Of Christmas Jazz
This was released in 2001 and the songs are all recorded much earlier, but this is an excellent way to keep Christmas and your good taste. It contains the classic The Christmas Song (Chestnuts Roasting etc.) by Mr. Mel Tormé and he actually wrote it too, along with Bob Wells.

The Boy Least Likely To: Christmas Special
Pete Hobbs and Jof Owen are the English pop duo TBLLT. It's twee but wonderful.
Here is their original Christmas song about Wham! Called George and Andrew. Weirdly great…
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C5CJpVUYOY8

Low: Christmas
From 1999 this album was a free gift to their fans. Low is from Duluth, Minnesota so they know a bit about Winter. This is a great record.
Listen to the song Just Like Christmas for a taste:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IippcraBPKA

Scott Weiland: The Most Wonderful Time Of The Year
Warning: Not for everyone. This 2011 recording features traditional arrangements and a traditional Christmas repertoire with the distinctive voice of the Stone Temple Pilots singer. I think I like it… I think.

This Warm December: A Brushfire Holiday, Volume 2
A mostly fun compilation that's worth a listen for a number of tracks. Check out G. Love's Christmas Cookies, Paula Fuga's Winter Swell Blues, and ALO doing Let It Ride.

Carole King: A Christmas Carole
If you've ever wanted to hear My Favorite Things sound just like It's Too Late then this album is for you. The amazing Ms. King has a way of making many of these Christmas classics sound like she wrote them. Here she is performing Carol of the Bells
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0JdSGrSoVA4

The Good Lovelies: Under the Mistletoe
Easily my favourite to play for a mixed audience, this 2009 release from the lovely Good Lovelies is full of beautiful harmonies and clever arrangements. The Juno award winning trio hails from Toronto, Ontario. Santa Claus is Canadian you know ;)
It's not on the album so I include it here, The Good Lovelies performing Gordon Lightfoot's Song For A Winter's Night
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B7T6sqfHjfE&feature=related

Sufjan and friend

Sufjan Stevens: Songs For Christmas, Vol. VI: Gloria!
He's from Detroit, Michigan (again, a land of snow and ice) and you pronounce it SOOF-yahn if you're in the know. This album brings together songs previously released as EPs. Mainly originals but he does include The Coventry Carol, Silent Night, and Auld Lang Syne. Quiet, pretty, and with banjos.

Indie/Rock Playlist: Christmas (2011): Various Artists
A hit and miss compilation that will simultaneously please and irritate. Kate Rusby's Kris Kringle is a charming discovery, while Zee Avi's reworking of Frosty The Snowman will drive purists crazy. There is also some overlap with the This Warm December collection discussed above. And the She & Him song on this one is more than enough for me.

And finally, one to avoid unless you just can't help yourself…

Him & She standing wrong way 'round

She & Him: A Very She & Him Christmas
Zooey Deschanel is cute and I loved her in Elf. But her voice gets on my nerves (and a lot of other people's too) pretty quickly. She & Him is Zooey and M. Ward. So enjoy the picture and leave it at that!

I wish you a Very Merry Christmas, a politically correct Happy Holidays, and a Wonderful New Year.
Peace and Goodwill,

Mark