According to most, the holiday
listening season starts the day after Thanksgiving. Black Friday starts
the season off in a chaotic fashion for most, with people scrambling to re-load
their collection onto their respective media players, filtering through the
crap to re-find the good stuff. To help get right to the good stuff,
I have put together a list of 10 songs that I am most looking forward to
playing once the holiday listening season officially begins!
10. She & Him. I just downloaded this for $5 from Amazon. It was too irresistible to pass up. I can't wait to check out 'Baby It's Cold Outside'. I loved the duet with Will Farrell on Elf, and I kind of like the duet with Leon Redbone on the Elf Soundtrack. I'm very curious to hear Zooey Deschanel (She) with M. Ward (him)
9. Béla Fleck & The Flecktones - ’Jingle Bells' - I love this totally nontraditional version of the song done only as Béla Fleck could do. And I'm not just talking about it being done with the banjo. This is a must hear! !
8. Sharon Jones & the Dap Kings. 'Ain't No Chimneys in the Projects'. I actually find myself listening to this throughout the year. The funky Sharon Jones can sing about nearly anything and I'll enjoy it. I've never had to worry about the projects or waiting on a man for love ('How Long Do I Have To Wait For You?), but she sings with such soul and conviction, that I understand and feel her point of view every time.
Note: For some extra Funk before the holidays try 'Pick It Up, Lay It in the Cut' by Sharon Jones & the Dap Kings!
7. Erin McKeown - F*ck That! Anti-Holiday Album. Yeah I know this is an anti holiday album, but I would imagine this has a limited time of year play, such as the wonderful "holiday" South Park tunes. I am super thrilled for this album. Erin is so super talented in her range. Her traditionals album Sing You Sinners is so fantastic, it took me a while to realize she squeezed in faux traditional 'Melody'!
6. Meaghan Smith - 'It Snowed' From the 2009 Wish Upon A Star Holiday release. This Traditional/Pop artist makes candy coated cheery songs that an authentic music fan can enjoy instead of some of the over produced made for the clubs pop crap that exists. One of her songs was a free download/single of the week somewhere. It quickly made it into my heavy rotation, then I found more of hers last year when I went on a mini holiday music buying spree looking for some new tunes to spice up the playlist(s). Both her album The Cricket's Orchestra and the Holiday EP always cheer me up, when the pop into a playlist as the vocals well done, and the music has such variety ranging from a Big Band sound to some tweaks and scratches.
5. 'Donde Esta Santa Claus' by Guster. This treat was included on Kohl’s holiday album, including Death Cab For Cutie, Jason Mraz, and Carly Simon. It's yet another non-traditional song that is just cheery, and just happens where Santa Claus is? The Mraz, 'Winter Wonderland' is a chill simple version that relies on his quick bouncy vocal styles that is truly a one man Glee Club.
4. Ella Fitzgerald 'Christmas Island' I love finding these seldom heard holiday tunes by vocal legends. Ella Fitzgerald is known for so many better holiday songs, but this one just resonates with me where I find myself singing the lyrics to myself repeatedly during December.
3. KT Tunstall 'Fairytale Of New York' This rivals the Pogues original version, and just one of the gems from Have Yourself a Very KT Christmas. The whole EP is killer. It starts with the Pretenders cover '2000 Miles' which is spot on, includes a 'Christmas (Baby Please Come Home)' which rivals U2's version, and a chilly 'Lonely This Christmas'. Musically the xylophone heavy 'Mele Kalikimaka' (the best re-telling of the classic since Reel Big Fish in 1997) and the Toy Piano led 'Sleigh Ride' are just super fun to listen to. And really that's what holiday music should be about; being cheery and gay not burdensome and heavy.
2. Matisyahu 'Miracle' - Molly and I were obsessed with this re-telling of the Chanukkah story. Even the video is awesome! "I love chocolate stuff"
Matisyahu 'Miracle'
1. Anything Vince Guaraldi There is something about the glum cloudy days of winter that are just so perfect for the piano stylings of the late great Vince Guaraldi 'Linus & Lucy' has to be my all time favorite
10. She & Him. I just downloaded this for $5 from Amazon. It was too irresistible to pass up. I can't wait to check out 'Baby It's Cold Outside'. I loved the duet with Will Farrell on Elf, and I kind of like the duet with Leon Redbone on the Elf Soundtrack. I'm very curious to hear Zooey Deschanel (She) with M. Ward (him)
9. Béla Fleck & The Flecktones - ’Jingle Bells' - I love this totally nontraditional version of the song done only as Béla Fleck could do. And I'm not just talking about it being done with the banjo. This is a must hear! !
8. Sharon Jones & the Dap Kings. 'Ain't No Chimneys in the Projects'. I actually find myself listening to this throughout the year. The funky Sharon Jones can sing about nearly anything and I'll enjoy it. I've never had to worry about the projects or waiting on a man for love ('How Long Do I Have To Wait For You?), but she sings with such soul and conviction, that I understand and feel her point of view every time.
Note: For some extra Funk before the holidays try 'Pick It Up, Lay It in the Cut' by Sharon Jones & the Dap Kings!
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| New Anti-Holiday Album click here to listen and buy! |
7. Erin McKeown - F*ck That! Anti-Holiday Album. Yeah I know this is an anti holiday album, but I would imagine this has a limited time of year play, such as the wonderful "holiday" South Park tunes. I am super thrilled for this album. Erin is so super talented in her range. Her traditionals album Sing You Sinners is so fantastic, it took me a while to realize she squeezed in faux traditional 'Melody'!
6. Meaghan Smith - 'It Snowed' From the 2009 Wish Upon A Star Holiday release. This Traditional/Pop artist makes candy coated cheery songs that an authentic music fan can enjoy instead of some of the over produced made for the clubs pop crap that exists. One of her songs was a free download/single of the week somewhere. It quickly made it into my heavy rotation, then I found more of hers last year when I went on a mini holiday music buying spree looking for some new tunes to spice up the playlist(s). Both her album The Cricket's Orchestra and the Holiday EP always cheer me up, when the pop into a playlist as the vocals well done, and the music has such variety ranging from a Big Band sound to some tweaks and scratches.
5. 'Donde Esta Santa Claus' by Guster. This treat was included on Kohl’s holiday album, including Death Cab For Cutie, Jason Mraz, and Carly Simon. It's yet another non-traditional song that is just cheery, and just happens where Santa Claus is? The Mraz, 'Winter Wonderland' is a chill simple version that relies on his quick bouncy vocal styles that is truly a one man Glee Club.
4. Ella Fitzgerald 'Christmas Island' I love finding these seldom heard holiday tunes by vocal legends. Ella Fitzgerald is known for so many better holiday songs, but this one just resonates with me where I find myself singing the lyrics to myself repeatedly during December.
3. KT Tunstall 'Fairytale Of New York' This rivals the Pogues original version, and just one of the gems from Have Yourself a Very KT Christmas. The whole EP is killer. It starts with the Pretenders cover '2000 Miles' which is spot on, includes a 'Christmas (Baby Please Come Home)' which rivals U2's version, and a chilly 'Lonely This Christmas'. Musically the xylophone heavy 'Mele Kalikimaka' (the best re-telling of the classic since Reel Big Fish in 1997) and the Toy Piano led 'Sleigh Ride' are just super fun to listen to. And really that's what holiday music should be about; being cheery and gay not burdensome and heavy.
2. Matisyahu 'Miracle' - Molly and I were obsessed with this re-telling of the Chanukkah story. Even the video is awesome! "I love chocolate stuff"
Matisyahu 'Miracle'
1. Anything Vince Guaraldi There is something about the glum cloudy days of winter that are just so perfect for the piano stylings of the late great Vince Guaraldi 'Linus & Lucy' has to be my all time favorite
Thanks for the heads up about She and Him being $5 on Amazon. Excuse me, but WHY did Justin Bieber not make this list? he has an amazing rap with Busta Rhymes singing Drummer Boy...yeah. that happened.
ReplyDeletemy own two cents:
ReplyDelete(1) the muppets christmas album is a staple in our household.
(2) i'm almost embarrassed to admit this, but clay aiken's christmas album is divine. he sure can sing some christmas carols.
(3) mariah carey's all i want for christmas is you. classic.
@Abby: I had to limit to ten.. and there was a lot of "new" songs.. so the Muppets fell through.. I do listen to that album end to end, multiple times.. I even copied it straight from the vinyl so it has the authentic hisses and skips!
ReplyDelete@Abby & @Mandakay.. I will give nearly anyone a shot at holiday music. It's the only Celine Dion that I own!
Abby is right about Clay Aiken-the man has some serious pipes. Reminds me of Jeff Buckley.As for your list, You gotta have some Burl Ives in your list, as well as the Ventures Christmas album, Phil Spector-A Christmas Gift for You, and Root Boy Slim with the greatest Christmas song of all-Xmas at Kmart
ReplyDeleteIts Rockin' Rickey here. Been away for a few months. I likes the Charlie Brown Christmas stuff. What about the barking dogs doing Jingel Bells? You gotta have Cheech and Chong, and grandma gets runned over by tha raindeers to. I also love Spinal Tap-Chrismas with the Devil. rock on...
ReplyDelete