Monday Roundup: Tuesday New Year Edition

Wherein I take a look at select cuts from what Spotify has recommended in this week's Release Radar.



I've been listening to my massive, 650+ song Christmas playlist for a few weeks and now Spotify is going to recommend holiday music until April.

"Let's Cozy Up (Put Your Hands In My Muff)" - Barbara Dixon
I didn't know who Barbara Dixon was (now I do - is this like when Maeby pretended to be a Annette Austero but on Broadway instead?) or where this song came from, but now it's on the Christmas playlist, a veritable melting pot of the sacred and profane. A++++++++ selection, Spotify!

"X-MAS TIME! - Live version" - ShitKid
This doesn't grab me enough to go on The Playlist, but it's interesting enough for me to want to listen to their other releases. Can't fault Spotify then, I guess.

"Red River Rock" - Metronomy
This is... "Red River Valley"? But it sounds like a Christmas song? And The Oregon Trail at the same time? I don't know what to do with this one.

"Read My Mind" - Rebecca Black feat. Slayyyter
I love Rebecca Black. I'm not sure if I love this song, but I certainly like it well enough. The cover is wild, and I feel like I should watch the music video for context at some point.

"Last Night on Northgate" - The Long Blondes
That gorgeous anniversary vinyl has been released, and Spotify will also be adding all the b-sides to this playlist for ever and anon. That's not necessarily a complaint, and while I've certainly heard a lot of them, I don't recall this one. This is classic Long Blondes, on the less cinematic, dramatic side; it sounds more lighthearted, more DIY, more fun. Recommended.

"Buzzed" - BENNETT
This reminds me of "Playground" and other songs I was listening to in the summer of 2019, but those ones were... better. I know why Spotify added this - the remixes include one by Icona Pop. Sometimes the lyrics are interesting anthems ("Good girls don't go bad, they go back") but overall, it just feels like an incoherent message of depression and drugs from a(nother) white R&B artist.

"Landed on My Head" - Barenaked Ladies
I've noticed a few high-quality cuts from BNL over the past couple of years. This is no exception, turning well-worn lines and clichés on their head and throwing in a catchy chorus with just the right chord progression to boot.

"Leading" - Best Coast
I like a good '90s / early eughts throwback. This is a band I've meant to listen to for nearly a decade - they debut came out my personal wasteland of the early 2010s - but have never made the time for.

"Listen, The Snow Is Falling" - Yoko Ono, The Plastic Ono Band
This is gorgeous.

"Let's Go" - The Beaches, Lights
Another band I've meant to dig into. This feels a little more early aughts, like an early iPod commercial, and I love it.

"We Are Children of the Light" - Black Dresses
I'm so delighted when Spotify gives me a band with an absolute bare bones bio. I'm dead serious here. Who the hell are they? A mystery! This is great.

"Featured Singer" - Cheekface
Someone wants to be the Talking Heads! This is fun and yet, I can't decide if the lyrics are also fun or depressing? THIS REMINDS ME OF A SONG I USED TO LISTEN TO CA. 2006 (it's not a Talking Heads song) AND I CAN'T PUT MY FINGER ON IT.

"Stepped On A Bee" - MisterWives
I was deeply into 2014's "Reflections," rolling in the throes of one of the crushiest crushes I've ever crushed, one of my handful of Guys I Know Because They Opened for OK Go That One Time, the best catalyst for getting away from a toxic ex but a situation which never panned out the way I wanted. And while I suppose that's always for the best, "Reflections" captured me in that moment perfectly - desperate, sad, sparkly, and dancing.
I was excited to hear them again so many years later, and yet, this feels so... generic. Sure, despite the fact that break-ups are universal, they still allow for "intensely personal reflection," but where the hell is it here? "We're all the clichés I swore would never come true" indeed.

"Spud Infinity" - Big Thief
This is a refreshing to follow up with - pared down, playful, nonsensical and yet makes all the sense in the world. I'm even willing to sit through this 1:00+ outro. I guess our elbows really are on their own.

"Walker" - Animal Collective
I'm 99% sure that it was Animal Collective which a friend dragged a bunch of us to go see at Hampshire College in like, 2004 or 2005, and we all complained so much that we subsequently dragged her away, and then Merriweather Post Pavillion came out and suddenly they were all over, and I thought, "Oh, maybe I should've paid more attention?" I can see the appeal here, but honestly, I was bored af at that show.

"sleeping with a frend - revisited version" - Neon Trees
Are "revisited versions" the new "record anniversary show"? I was never big on this particular single, and stripped down like this, "Ooh ooh, we're in danger / Sleeping with a friend" feels like the point is just too painfully obvious.

"Yellow Venus" - The Cribs
I got to see the Cribs early in their career, opening for Franz Ferdinand and playing at Siren '06, and then I just... stopped following around Men's Needs..., to my own detriment. They've put out a series of singles over the last year, and I'm grateful to Spotify for continually reminding me they exist. That ending tho.

"Favorite Person" - The Sunshine State, Hayley Gene Penner
Is this a Christmas song? Does it count as a Christmas song? The Sunshine State had a few releases last year that I got into, and I'm glad to see another, though this one vibes more melancholy than ones like "Dating a Drug Dealer." Those last few lines, though.

"My Weight" - Lady Pills
Is this a love song? This is a long song! It feels like a modern version of "Head over Feet," and friends, I've always loved that song. Another song that sticks the landing, too.

"Just For Love" - Bully
The kind of song that makes me feel like I should be at a divey rock club, holding a beer and bopping along without really knowing what's going on. That's a thing we used to do in the Before Times, right?

"Walking in the Air" - Gemma Cullingford
"Tis The Season" - Big Freedia
I told you - this will keep going until April.

Monday Roundup: NO HOLIDAY MUSIC YET.

Where I take a look at select cuts from what Spotify has recommended in this week's Release Radar. 

New John Rutter?  New Handel recordings? Early English Polyphony? I guess this is a reminder to clean up my massive Yuletide playlist. I’ll have to come back to the John Rutter EP - no holiday music yet! 

"No" - Little Mix 

Me, looking at the cover of this greatest hits collection: Weren’t there, like, four of them? What happened to the one with the lip fillers? 

 This led me down a rabbit hole of googling pictures of Jesy Nelson back in 2011 and hoooo boy she went full Ari, like... even more Ari than Ari. (Listen, I love Ari and I enjoy Little Mix, but people ain't wrong here.) Anyway, this is standard Little Mix, but nothing to write home about. 

"Sunrise/Sunset" - The Dodos 

Do I like the Dodos? I think I heard some of their stuff, liked it, then tried to get into their early aughts stuff and was like “meh.” I like this. It sounds, well, “early aughts indie” enough to evoke a certain nostalgia in me. The drive of it reminds me of Matt and Kim, the outro of the '60s, very generally. It’s repetitive, but not in a bad way; not quite earworm catchy but enough for your brain to latch onto.

"Never To Be Repeated" - The Long Blondes

The Long Blondes!!! It’s hard to tell if I’ve heard this before - Google says it was released in 2006, so very probably? This is classic Someone to Drive You Home-era Long Blondes, before "Couples", which felt more contrived. I started reading this interview in The Quietus, and it's fascinating. I miss this band, deeply, and their aesthetic. And that vinyl reissue looks gorgeous. 

"Barely Reason for a Smile" - NNAMDÏ, Lynyn

Every now and then, NNAMDÏ comes up in a playlist and I think, “I know that name…” and then I remember the absolute gem that is “let gO Of my egO.” I feel like this would go well on the alternative radio station out of Philly I used to listen to, and yet it feels cinematic and classical, a piece rediscovered and reinterpreted in the 21st century. 

"tend the garden" - Gang of Youths 

I overlistened to "the angel of 8th avenue" over the summer, and everything on this track is sweeping and lovely and somehow feels very New York and very Tom Waits at the same time. But maybe I don't know what I'm talking about. 

"Mr. Fix It" - Darlene Love 

Why does this make me think of New Year’s Eve? (It came on and I thought, "No, no holiday music yet!") (This is Barry's fault.) Doesn’t mean this isn’t great. 

"Pumpkin Spice Heaven" - Parry Gripp 

SPOTIFY. SPOTIFY, STOP. I. LISTENED. TO. ONE. ALBUM. A YEAR AGO. 

"Good As What You Give" - I Know Leopard 

Is this distorted or purposely out of tune? (Shows what I know, don't hire me for your next record.) I think I might’ve liked this when I was younger - it feels like a synthy, distorted DCFC with a dash of the ‘70s in the bridge - but it’s a bit too plodding for post-pandemic me. 

"Try a Little Act of Kindness" - OK Go 

Confession: I haven’t paid attention to any of OK Go’s more recent single releases. But my god, this sounds like their earlier stuff - squeaky clean, bright powerpop with just tinges of their fourth record. It’s for a soundtrack, so it sounds just a little contrived. I wish it was a little longer and given the opportunity to end a little more organically. A-, more like this, and a tour, please. 

"Billy Goodbye" - Franz Ferdinand 

FF’s releasing a greatest hits record and going on tour and Paul’s left the band and I’m not sure how I feel about all of those things together. But FF’s fourth record is absolutely my favorite, followed by their first, and this feels like a straight-up rock effort that mixes both of those eras with a little stadium rock feel and I love it. The bridge gets wonderfully weird. It’s catchy, fun, and wonderfully classic FF, keeping the energy going right up to the very end. 

"Fearless" - Hanson 

This is so dramatic! I keep seeing poll tweets from them about Against the World, and I honestly have no idea what it’s about. Is it a new record? A tour? This is not my favorite release from them, but it’s sort of like what Imagine Dragons might sound like if they were actually good. I’m still stuck on this summer's “Don’t Ever Change,” a ‘70s powerpop song that was magically transported and released in the Year of Our Lord 2021. 

"Nails, Hair, Hips, Heels (Just Dance Version)" - Todrick Hall
How many versions of this song can he release and get away with it?? 

"Teletron for the Populace" - The Apples in Stereo 

The Apples in Stereo? Now that’s a name I’ve not heard in a long time, a long time. But this is a hard “nope” from me. 

"Lonely Boy - BBC Session" - Black Keys 

I was not expecting to listen to this all the way through, since I usually skip over remixes and live versions in this playlist, but this recording is wonderfully unpolished. 

"Wake Me Up" - Foals 

And now for something different! So ‘80s! Reminds me of VHS or Beta, who were very derivatively ‘80s! (And whom I loved!) Reminds me of all the ‘80s stuff I just listened to on the Monster Jams playlist! Parts remind me of FF, which also shows how they tapped into the ‘80s too! I like the lyrics, too! This is great! 

"Love in New York" - HalfNoise 

After the bop that is “Wake Me Up,” I was ready to dismiss this, but it’s really lovely. It reminds me of Summer Fiction, about whom I got really worked up about a few years ago, but then I just... could not stand that guy live. This feels both sweeping and intimate. If this had come out in 2003, it might have been on the Garden State soundtrack; I don’t feel that’s a bad thing, because that record was the thing my first semester of college. The last line lingers: I’ll keep dreaming if you keep dreaming about us. 

"If U Can't Dance - Demo Version" - Spice Girls 

Normally, if you throw a demo version at me, I will automatically declare that it is the best thing ever and why did they even bother going into the studio and re-recording it because they just ruined it, but this is... hoo boy, this is not good. 

"Run Me Down" - Carla Prata 

I swear to the Universe, this did not show up on my playlist on Friday. I adore Prata, and this is exactly what I want and need right now.

"Holiday Rock" - Neon Trees 

NO, NO HOLIDAY MUSIC YET.

Serious Business Holiday Party + a new song from Benji Cossa.

SERIOUS BUSINESS Holiday Party and Revue!
starring…
The Homosexuals
Benji Cossa
Secret Dakota Ring
The Unsacred Hearts
Higgins
Rocketship Park
Jack and the Pulpits
The Octagon
Boshra al Saadi of Looker
but not the Two Man Gentlemen Band!

SATURDAY DECEMBER 20 2008
7PM-10:30PM don’t be late!!! * REVUE BEGINS AT 7:30 SHARP!
@ THE STUDIO @ WEBSTER HALL
125 E. 11th Street between 3rd and 4th Avenues
NEW YORK, NY
A three hour tour of non-stop music from your favorite Serious Business super-friends.

There is no better time than the Holidays to celebrate togetherness! Community! Feeling good! Serious Business dares to get happy on Saturday, December 20 with its now-annual Holiday Party and Revue. We’re cramming everyone we know into the new Studio at Webster Hall, we’re cramming nine acts into three hours, we’re cramming multitudinous musical gifts into your tender ear-holes, we’re cramming love in your hearts!

Its an old school 60s styled REVUE with the Serious Business super-family sharing the following: equipment, points of view, an evening of revelry and celebration! Your best Christmas party! No egg nog! Your first New Year’s Party! Yes!! SERIOUS BUSINESS!!! Bring it on!

Some fun facts—
–Gift giving!! We’ll be giving away lovingly crafted CD copies of The Year In Business: 2008, the second annual installment of our all-free year-end hits compilation series.
-The show starts EARLY! 7PM SHARP! COME EARLY!! Make a night of it! Dress nicely! Don’t roll in late like a jerk! You’ll miss everything! People will leer at you! Its Christmas! Be nice! Make it nice around the TREE!
-Benji Cossa will be performing all Christmas numbers!
-Jack and the Pulpits make their first ever official public appearance! Hopefully they’ll play “Dance Area”
-Sadly The Two Man Gentlemen Band will be absent. In their place they send new recorded music, their 4th album Drip Drying with the Two Man Gentlemen Band, which we’ll listen to some of!
-In the absence of Andy Bean (see previous fun fact), the Unsacred Hearts will reunite with original bass-man Andy Ross who will also be fronting his band Secret Dakota Ring (which features members of the Unsacred Hearts, Rocketship Park and Higgins…and the Homosexuals…and Jack and the Pulpits…and more.)
-The Homosexuals play their last show until spring 2009!


Was it mentioned that this shindig is free? That The Homsexuals are headlining and that Secret Dakota Ring will be playing their second show like, ever? Yes? Well, I just mentioned it again.

In other news, Benji Cossa, who put out a free Christmas record last year, recorded a new, original Christmas song, "Christmas (It's The End of the Year)," for TimeOutNY. You can listen to it and a few others over here.

It's the most wonderful time of the year.

Outside my window this morning.

Last year, if you'd been paying attention, I did a Christmas-song-a-day thing which wasn't actually updated daily, so while I did pass out 24 songs, it was a bit of a mess. Which is why I decided not to do the same thing this year. Though, looking back at it, I did cull together a good set of songs.

Anywho, because I'm feeling jolly today, I will throw in a classic or two here:

Andy Williams - "The Most Wonderful Time Of The Year"
Bing Crosby - "White Christmas"

And while we're on the topic of Christmas songs, can we talk about how much I don't like "Baby, It's Cold Outside"? I'm sorry, is this the Date Rape Christmas song? I mean, "Say, what's in this drink"? Or how about "What's the sense in hurting my pride"? Um, I say you stop worrying about your "pride" and remember that "no" means "no," jerkface!

Dean Martin - "Baby, It's Cold Outside"

Annnnnd I'm done with that for now.

Merry Christmas!

It's your last day of songs- though, really, we could go straight through to the 6th and all. But I won't do that to you. Unless you really want me to do.

Er, anyway, here's a few selections for today!

I finally got Breakfast on Pluto on DVD! Yay! The Wombles' "Wombling Song" is on that soundtrack (which I suggest you search out, because it's pretty amazing), and just recently I found The Wombles' "Wombling Merry Christmas"! Very exciting.

The Wombles - "Wombling Merry Christmas"


I've mentioned it before- we're big on Mannheim Steamroller around here. Here's the song to which we have traditionally woken up for pretty much my entire life:

Mannheim Steamroller - "Deck The Halls (Welsh Ayre)"

And just because...

OK Go - "Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas"

Happy Christmas, everyone.

Holiday songs: 21, 22, 23, 24 December

We're going to play "two-for" with this edition- you get two versions of the same song.

When Benji Cossa put out his Christmas record this year, I had never heard of Big Star or their song "Jesus Christ." Here's both the original and Benji's cover, which he performed live at the Serious Business Holiday Party.

Big Star - "Jesus Christ"
Benji Cossa - "Jesus Christ"


And since we've already heard both Elvis and Hanson today, why not stick with what we know? Here's "Merry Christmas Baby" from both.

Elvis Presely - "Merry Christmas Baby"
Hanson - "Merry Christmas Baby"


Also, if you're looking for more to play at tonight's Christmas Eve bash, check out Bag of Songs' Christmas Song of the Day list, which is far superior to mine and includes this awesome cover of "Last Christmas" by The Fire Apes.

Back tomorrow with a few more Christmas songs, if I make it through the annual crazy Italian family get-together...

Holiday songs: 17, 18, 19, 20 December

I owe you songs! I'm so not good about keeping up with this. Have I mentioned that I'm working in retail over the holidays? I think I did.

We'll split this up, because I don't feel like posting eight songs all together.

So let's go with a "love sucks Christmas songs" theme, because I'm feeling that a bit right now.

First off, coming off my post about The Long Blondes' upcoming record release and UK tour, here's their 2006 Christmas single, "Christmas is Cancelled."

Stood by the fire place, you look ridiculous
You can't just come and stay here like you did last Christmas
You know what you did wrong,
and Christmas and Christmas well Christmas is cancelled this year

The Long Blondes - "Christmas is Cancelled This Year"


Christmas isn't Christmas without Elvis, so here's "Blue Christmas" for you. (My copy cuts off about two seconds too soon, dunno' why.)

Elvis Presley - "Blue Christmas"


When I was about 12, not only was I super into the Spice Girls, but I was in looooove with Hanson as well. Does this surprise any of you? It really honestly shouldn't. My friend posted yesterday that the Hanson Christmas record is really underrated, and I have to agree. Here's their version of "Christmas (Baby Please Come Home)."

Hanson - "Christmas (Baby Please Come Home)"


And lastly, probably my favourite overplayed Christmas pop song:

Mariah Carey - "All I Want For Christmas Is You"

I'm a girl. I grew up in the '90s. What do you want?

Katy fails at keeping up with these holiday songs: 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, and 16 December

The title says it all. I owe you six songs. Today's post is divided in two parts.

Part One focuses on "Carol of the Bells." As I've mentioned before, I've been involved with the Handbell Choir since first year (and I've been a proud band geek since 4th grade), barring my junior year, spent in Paris, and this semester, spent at home. This, of course, means having to play "Carol of the Bells" a lot.

My favourite version of "Carol," though, is the one by the Trans-Siberian Orchestra- you know, the one with the crazy electric guitar that they play on the radio all the time around Christmas? Yeah, that one. I really enjoy the irreverent take on a classic, and beyond that, I just really love the arrangement.

Trans-Siberian Orchestra - "Christmas Eve/Sarajevo 12/24"

And now for a completely different take on the same song: The Bird and the Bee's "Carol of the Bell." The reedy vocals and interesting instrumentation make it hauntingly pretty.

The Bird and the Bee - "Carol of the Bells"

Finally, this piano-based version from the National Philharmonic Orchestra flies fast and stays light on its toes. A little more classic, still a little bold in its delivery.

National Philharmonic Orchestra - "Carol of the Bells"


And onto part two...If you're living anywhere north of central Jersey, then you probably experienced the lovely winter weather that I had to drive through last night at around 3:20 am. I made it home okay, though, and spent the day in my pj's, baking, decorating, and, er, shoveling. In light of all that, here are a few classics celebrating the snow and the cold.

London Symphony Orchestra - "Sleigh Ride"
Dean Martin - "Let It Snow! Let It Snow! Let It Snow!"
Bing Crosby - "White Christmas"

And while we're on the topic of winter wonderlands, ftw???:

Holiday song thinger: 7, 8, 9, and 10 December

Sorry to all three of you that read this on any sort of regular basis- I haven't been keeping up with this project so well because my new job has kind of started eating my life. Om nom nom. Yay for working retail during the holiday season!

I do owe you at least three holiday-esque songs, yes? I do. I was at a friend's house recently and realised why all those friends of mine don't like Christmas music- a lot of it is really lame and sappy. So, in attempting to avoid the "lame and sappy" vein, I think today's theme will be "amusing Christmas songs," because, why not?

I heard "The 12 Pains of Christmas" for the first time at a friends' house when I was about 12. Maybe 11. I was still living in Manville, in any case, and I moved out of there when I was almost 13. At the time, I had no fucking clue what a "hangover" was, and I went home yelling things like, "NOW WHY THE HECK ARE THEY BLINKING?!?!" (Because I was 11 and couldn't say "hell.") ANYWAY. I've had a soft spot for this song ever since.

Bob Rivers Comedy Corp - The 12 Pains of Christmas

My mom's favourite Christmas song, and one of mine, is "Santa Baby," but only the Eartha Kitt version, because La Kitt is pretty much amazing. And it's perfect for our ridiculously expensive tastes. Hey, I can't help it if I was brought up with Veuve Cliquot in the house. Like mother, like daughter.

Eartha Kitt - Santa Baby

I downloaded Holly Golightly's "The Christmas Tree's On Fire" from Brooklyn Vegan's 2007 Holiday Mix. Maybe it's really an after-holiday song, since it's set in February. But it's a laugh, I promise you.

Holly Golightly - The Christmas Tree's On Fire

Um. So I don't really know if this last song is really a Christmas song, nor is it particularly amusing, but I've already given you "Christmas Wrapping" and "Christmas Number One," and besides, I like the title's play on X-mas. Also, I've been posting about The Lashes a bunch, so...here ya' go.

The Lashes - Ex-Mas (Young In Love)

Holiday song project: 5 and 6 December

Clearly, posting every-other day is working out.

It's time for the two songs that start off my "Christmas Stuff" playlist*, because they sound good together.

Last winter, I was bemoaning the fact that I'd left all my holiday music in the States. I'd like to say that my friends gave me a hand, but sadly, this wasn't true, because apparently they all hate Christmas music. Pfft. Evs.**

Joe came through for me, though, and introduced me to this song by The Singles. The Singles are a powerpop/rock band with a really great old school, early Beatles, '60s Britrock vibe, complete with requisite skinny ties and scene kid glasses. Maybe that's a little done to death? I don't know, but it's the sort of thing I like, if you haven't noticed already. Here's their 2006 Christmas single (haha, get it?):

The Singles - Baby, It's Christmas

Also released last year was OK Go's*** cover of The Kinks' "Father Christmas." Leave it up to OK Go to do a Christmas cover that's also a social commentary. I wouldn't expect anything less of them.

OK Go - Father Christmas (The Kinks cover)


Play these two back-to-back.


*This isn't a mixlist proper; as I've said before, I've never actually gone and made a mix of my favourite songs. This is just all the Christmas music I have on my iTunes mashed into one big list for convenience's sake.
**OMG did I just use "evs"??? *hates self for a moment*
***I made it four posts this time. Aren't you proud of me?

Holiday song project: 3 and 4 December

So I was lazy yesterday and didn't feel like choosing a song and writing about it. Isn't sloth a deadly sin? And does it apply to, you know, updating your blog? Hm.

Okay, so you're getting two songs today to make up for that. (Maybe I'll stick to updating this every other day...)

Yesterday, The Black Arts released a new Christmas single. This begs two questions:

1) Who are The Black Arts?: The Black Arts would be Black Box Recorder and Art Brut's Eddie Argos, along with some other friends, who decided to get together and write a tongue-in-cheek parody of the Christmas #1 tradition.

2) What the hell is the Christmas #1 tradition?: Well, apparently, in the UK, it's a pretty big deal to have a song on the top of the charts come 25 December. Don't ask me why, I'm not British.

Anyway, the Black Arts have unleashed their own "Christmas Number One" into the fray, a song about- you guessed it- a holiday song that goes terribly awry and takes over and starts insisting it's Father Christmas and other such things. It's pretty funny, and doesn't come off as campy or over-the-top, which would be pretty easy to do considering the topic.

So will "Christmas Number One" be this year's Christmas number one? I think that would be pretty great. Until then, you can hear part of the song over here on their MySpace. Or you can check out the video:



It's also currently available for download, and will soon be available on a limited edition 7" from Fantastic Plastic Records.

(I would link you guys up with a downloadable copy, but I haven't got it on my comp, and besides, would it kill you to spent the 99 cents this time around?)


(Thanks to Stereogum for a lot of that info.)




Speaking of Christmas number ones, did you know that The Beatles and the Spice Girls are the only acts to have had three consecutive Christmas number one singles? Bet you didn't.

In honour of that and the fact that they just kicked off their reunion tour last night, here's the Spice Girls' version of "Christmas Wrapping."

Spice Girls - Christmas Wrapping

Holiday song project!

Well, the holiday season is here again, which means that every radio station and blogger you know will be assaulting you with random holiday pop songs. I work in the mall, and I've already been subjected to hours on end of the same holiday tunes, including this one version of "I've Got My Love To Keep Me Warm" which I actually like quite a bit, and I hear it all over the place, but I have no fucking clue who the artist is, which is sort of a problem. (We also play the Spice Girls at work, and I keep getting "Headlines" stuck in my head, and it's growing on me.)

Anyway, every year I intend to make a big ol' playlist of my favourite holiday tunes, and every year, I never get around to it. So we're going to try an experiment here. For the next 23 days (I considered making it 35, 'cause, you know, Christmas isn't actually over 'til Twelfth Night, but then I decided better of it), I'm going to post a song (maybe two or three, if I feel up to it) that I like. And that's how we're gonna' roll this year.

So I suppose I owe you two songs, for today and yesterday, then.

One of my favourite holiday traditions is Christmas Vespers at Smith. Each year, a majority of the musical ensembles (including the Handbell Choir, of which I've been a member since first year- hi, I'm a geek, what do you want?) gather together and play a cross between a Christmas concert and a church service. I'm not religious, really, but I do enjoy the experience.

My favourite part of all that is the very beginning of the service, when the Smith College Chorus proceeds into John M. Greene Hall by candlelight, singing "Veni Emmanuel," which is followed by the orchestra swelling to life and everyone singing along. It's a really moving moment, musically, and I almost lose it every year.

Tonight was this year's Vespers, and unfortunately, I couldn't be there for the second year running. In honour of that, here are the recordings of "Veni" from my sophomore year.

Veni Emmanuel - Smith College Chorus and Glee Club (Vespers 2005)
O Come, O Come Emmanuel - Smith College Orchestra, etc. (Vespers 2005)

We're also pretty big on Mannheim Steamroller in my family, so here's "Veni Veni" from the Fresh Aire Christmas 1988 record.

Veni Veni (O Come O Come Emmanuel) - Mannheim Steamroller

Did I just give you three versions of the same song? Yes, I did. Deal with it.



(If you have any suggestions for songs, feel free to comment or email me and share.)

Happy Belated Turkey Day!

And Happy Belated Birthday to myself.

I guess now that it's post-Thanksgiving and that the Christmas season has officially started (HAHA LOOK AT ALL OF YOU SUCKERS DRIVING AROUND THE MALL PARKING LOT, TRYING TO GET A SPOT HAHAHA....sorry....), I can't yell about people putting up Christmas decorations or playing Christmas music anymore.

So if you're going to get your season started, musically at least, then do it the right way: Benji Cossa, indie recording genius and the guy who brought you "What's That Sound?" for Hallowe'en, has released a Christmas record entitled Merry Christmas to Friends and Family. Love, Benji Cossa. Mostly long-standing Christmas carols and classics, offered up Cossa-style (think lo-fi, think banjos, acoustic guitars, harmonicas, and steel drums), plus a new song, "Friends and Family," by Mr. Cossa himself. (Check out this pretty awesome rendition of "Silver Bells".)

Best part of it all is that the entire record is available for free. Think of it as an early Christmas gift from Benji and SBR.

Click here to see track listing, commentary, etc.
Click here if you're in a total rush to download a .Zip file of the entire record.




Okay, I've got some leftovers to eat and some partying to do, so if you'll excuse me...


ETA: So it's a day late, but mixlist master EarFarm whipped together a Thanksgiving Day mix, so maybe you should listen to that one before you run out of turkey and stuffing.