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Post by nickgoodway on Nov 27, 2009 21:44:30 GMT
I'm bracing myself for the coming onslaught of cheesy Christmas music on the radio and in the shops. Can anyone suggest some good festive music to take the edge off a bit?
I already have (and would strongly recommend)
One More Drifter In The Snow : Aimee Mann
Strange Communion : Thea Gilmore
Holiday Songs & Lullabies : Shawn Colvin
The McGarrigle Christmas Hour
And of course
Sweet Bells : Kate Rusby
Any further suggestions?
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Post by the bandit on Nov 27, 2009 21:54:56 GMT
Barenaked for the Holidays [ Amazon Link] - God Rest Ye Merry Gentleman is the best version of that song I've ever heard Pandora has a good holiday tunes selection -- multiple holiday channels, actually. |
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Post by nickgoodway on Nov 27, 2009 22:00:44 GMT
Unfortunately Pandora isn't available for UK users, good thought though.
Love your 'thanksgiving' pun.
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Post by Ulysses on Nov 27, 2009 23:49:19 GMT
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Post by basser on Nov 28, 2009 0:52:59 GMT
I've had a consistent love affair with A Great Big Sled by the Killers ever since it came out. Oh, and also, can't ever beat the Trans-Siberian Orchestra for festive holiday jams. Pyrotechnics plus cellos... what's not to like!? |
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Post by Mezzaphor on Nov 28, 2009 1:31:25 GMT
I highly recommend Sufjan Stevens' Songs for Christmas collection. (You can stream the whole thing here, under the "downloads" link) Sufjan's a multi-instrumentalist, and a fan both of folk music and of genre-bending prog rock, so there's a very interesting mix of styles here. And he manages to nail both the joy and the melancholy of the season, sometimes both in the same song. If you like piano jazz at all, Vince Guaraldi's soundtrack for A Charlie Brown Christmas is considered a classic for a good reason. If you like hard rock, you can't go wrong with Trans-Siberian Orchestra's Christmas albums. (Everyone's seen the video of Christmas lights programmed to light up in time with "Wizard in Winter" right?) BEC Records / Tooth & Nail Records put out a series of alt-rock compilations titled Happy Christmas. There's 4 of them; the quality of each is hit-or-miss, but there's enough variety that there's bound to be something you like on each. Someone uploaded the first volume to grooveshark so (assuming it works in the UK) you can listen to it here. |
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Post by odyseus on Nov 28, 2009 2:24:32 GMT
YEEAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA
Trans Siberian Orchestra ROCKS. I went to my first concert in Omaha, got front row seats and guess what. They gave me a guitar at the end of the last song, it has Tso stickers signed by all the members, the pyrotechnics were INSANE I could feel the heat i felt sorry for the people in the band it was so hot.
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Post by Mylian on Nov 28, 2009 17:27:23 GMT
This posts are absolutely correct. Trans-Siberian Orchestra is absolutely the best tonic for anyone who is sick of The Christmas Standards.
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Post by nickgoodway on Nov 28, 2009 22:02:44 GMT
The Trans-Siberia Orchestra video is pretty impressive, like a Michael Bay version of 'Nut Rocker' by B Bumble & The Stingers.
I liked Sufjan Steven's 'Illinoise' & 'Greetings From Michigan' very much, so his Christmas album sounds like a must.
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Post by Mr Pitchfork on Nov 30, 2009 3:33:20 GMT
Carol of the Bells is the only good one I can think of.
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Post by Mishmash on Nov 30, 2009 15:42:27 GMT
Thrice did a version of Carol Of The Bells which is very nice, calm and low key! Different from most Christmas music I am sure.
Also, if you search for Pomplamoose on youtube you will find a charmingly unusual version of O Come All Ye Faithful.
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cantabile
New Member
Never thought I'd be back on a forum...
Posts: 49
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Post by cantabile on Nov 30, 2009 19:08:59 GMT
That Pomplamoose video is part of an awesome YouTube Christmas collaboration from last year.
The Bird and the Bee also has a cute version of Carol of the Bells.
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Post by Max on Dec 1, 2009 3:44:44 GMT
A favorite in my family has always New England Christmastide, which is by Otis Read. It's a two-part series of traditional Christmas music, with absolutely beautiful arrangements that I really never get tired of, and it's a perfect counterpoint to the stuff played on the radio. Samples from his website: Volume 1: Volume 2: Tuba Christmas is good if you can make it to a performance. |
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Post by Mr Pitchfork on Dec 1, 2009 5:22:49 GMT
The Bird and the Bee did an incredible Carol of the Bells. I'll have to listen to it again.
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Post by sostorm on Dec 2, 2009 19:48:47 GMT
To indie pop fans like myself I can recommend the following compilation which I at least found on Spotify for those who can use it (they seem to all be on amazon as well).
This warm december: Brushfire Holiday's Vol 1
Best track: No Christmas for me - Zee Avi
It's Not Like Christmas (from Izumi Records)
Best track: Sleigh Ride - The Late Greats
The O.C. Mix 3 Have A Very Merry Chrismukkah
Best track: Christmas is going to the dogs - Eels
Also listen to Sufjan Stevens album Songs for Christmas (as mentioned)
Other tracks I like:
Christmas Wrapping - The Waitresses
Snowflake surprise - Lushy
Listen to the snow falling - Thea Gilmore
Etc
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broommaster2000
New Member
A stick, a bunch of twigs, a bit of rope, and presto!
Posts: 15
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Post by broommaster2000 on Dec 2, 2009 20:50:15 GMT
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Post by nickgoodway on Dec 2, 2009 21:00:19 GMT
I'll have to check sostorm's suggestions on Spotify. Good to see someone recommending the Waitresses, one of my favourites of the 'played on the radio, Christmas songs.
Incidently is someone messing with the posts changing 'your' to 'thine', it isn't even grammatically correct.
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Post by Mr Pitchfork on Dec 4, 2009 22:11:46 GMT
It's happening to thine posts and Mezzaphor's 'neath-avatar text.
IT'S HAPPENING EVERYWHERE D': What trickery is this, Tom?
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Post by Mezzaphor on Dec 5, 2009 4:57:28 GMT
Ah, forum word filters. Is there anything they can't do? Jars of Clay put out a really good Christmas album two years ago. Sounds Familyre Records has two compilations that you can download completely for free: Vol 1, Vol 2. It's very odd, and rather hit-or-miss (Sufjan's "We Wish You a Merry Christmas" is possibly the worst thing he's ever recorded, but Elin Smith's "Oh Holy Night" is one of my favorite versions of one of my favorite carols). |
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ding
Full Member
Posts: 129
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Post by ding on Dec 7, 2009 0:52:12 GMT
You can sneak this gem in between Trans-Siberian Orchestra tracks: www.youtube.com/watch?v=W9kKA698_WESee if any relatives notice! Thine-bot is hilarious... serious posts become less serious! |
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Post by wynne on Dec 7, 2009 6:20:02 GMT
You could always try that October holiday classic, "Do They Know It's Hallowe'en?"
Maybe it's not the right time of year for it, but it's better than "Do They Know It's Christmas?" by a mile. Or, if you're more traditionalist on your holidays and in an "embrace your inner child" sort of mood, you could try Fern's rockin' version of "Silent Night" from Arthur's Perfect Christmas. That was the best part of the whole CD. Of course, Bob River's More Twisted Christmas is always another choice, with such classics as "Holidaze" and "Jesus' Birthday".
Wait, that's probably not what you're looking for. Stick with the Trans-Siberian Orchestra.
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rageboy
Junior Member
just like real cows! only with lasers.
Posts: 91
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Post by rageboy on Dec 7, 2009 7:46:04 GMT
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Post by nickgoodway on Dec 7, 2009 19:57:25 GMT
You could always try that October holiday classic, "Do They Know It's Hallowe'en?" Of course, Bob River's More Twisted Christmas is always another choice, with such classics as "Holidaze" and "Jesus' Birthday". Wait, that's probably not what you're looking for. Stick with the Trans-Siberian Orchestra. Actually I love Bob Rivers, they used to play his songs on Radio 1 every Christmas, no longer sadly. Thea Gilmore's 'Drunken Angel' just came up on iTunes as I am writing this, an excellent, if mournful, midwinter track. |
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