...and a new Christmas one from Sufjan

In keeping with his prolific holiday tradition (he makes music like some folks make garlic prime rib), Sufjan Stevens has recorded a new home EP of Christmas songs for 2008.

As he's apparently "Astral Interplanet Space Captain" this year, many of the songs are of the synth-Casio variety, and I'm kinda finding the mood a bit off-putting, compared to the way I love his banjo with my whole backwoods heart. I mean, "Wonderful Christmastime" should have never happened. Have we learned nothing from the past! Christmas means no synthesizers.

But in any case, there is one sweet piano-based tune on the new EP that has risen above the interplanetary action to warm my heart. I do hope your day was happy.

Christmas In The Room - Sufjan Stevens

Get the whole EP over on So That's What The Volume Knob Is For.


And . . . I'm off to California for a few days of sun and fun and friends (well, maybe not the first one. It is December.)

Your Naughty/Nice Christmas mix

Christmas is coming and kids are having fun (so said the chorus of my fifth grade play "Shaping Up Santa," for which I still know all the words and thankfully no longer have to wear the green elf costume).

I have a love/hate relationship with this time of year because of the overabundance of really bad, synthy, jingly, repetitive Christmas music that bombards me at every pass. But tonight I was listening to my friend Dainon's superb radio show out of Salt Lake City and he filled two and a half hours with the kind of Christmas music that reminds me why I do love it.

I tend towards the melancholy, the meaningful, the achingly pretty at this time of year, and tonight's show inspired me to finally put the finishing touches on my own mix of music for the season. Twenty-five songs to get at the goodness under the busy surface this time of year. Enjoy.

NAUGHTY/NICE CHRISTMAS MIX 2008
No Christmas For Me - Zee Avi (new Malaysian artist I'm excited about)
Joy To The World - Clem Snide
Christmas Is Coming Soon - Blitzen Trapper
Egg Nog - Luna
It's Christmas So We'll Stop - Frightened Rabbit
It Won't Seem Like Christmas Without You (alternate take 6) - Elvis Presley
Christmas TV - Slow Club
Sweet Secret Peace - Neil Finn
Xmas Time Is Here Again - My Morning Jacket
Gift X-Change - Calexico
This Christmastime - Mascott & Gramercy Arms
The Secret of Christmas - Ella Fitzgerald
Christmas - Leona Naess
Just Like Christmas - Low
Song For A Winter's Night (Gordon Lightfoot) - Erica Wheeler
Icicles - Let's Go Sailing [from the Plastic Snow compilation]
Goin Home For Christmas - Nicolai Dunger
Goin Home For Christmas - Merle Haggard
Snowfall - Josh Rouse
The First Noel - Pedro The Lion
Please Come Home For Christmas - Willie Nelson
The Gift of Grace - Denison Witmer
New Year's Resolution - Otis Redding & Carla Thomas
Winter Wonderland - Radiohead
Silent Night - Evan Dando

ZIP IT ALL UP, BABY


If you want even more Christmas music, the excellent WXPN out in Philly is hosting 12 Days Of Christmas with local bands and free mp3s each day. Ten down, two to go, check it out.

Merry Christmas.


[image from the fabulous Anne Taintor]

Had to be good for Santa Claus: Pearl Jam 2007 Christmas single

In all my years of collecting the Pearl Jam Christmas singles, I can tell you for a fact that the annual 7" has never arrived on Christmas Eve, in the purple twilight, with snow dancing all around me.

I stopped by my mailbox a few hours ago on the way back from last minute grocery shopping for the Christmas dinner I am making tomorrow. As I stood there shivering, fumbling the key with my frozen-in-two-seconds fingers, I got a fantastic Christmas present in plain brown wrapping, stamped "Ten Club" in the corner. As every year, my heart began to thump as I savored the slow unwrapping. Most years we use the term Christmas single loosely because it turns out to be a Presidents Day present or an Easter gift. But for 2007, Ten Club -- your timing was impeccable.

Merry Christmas, guys.

Santa God - Pearl Jam
Jingle Bells - Pearl Jam


Thanks to DropTheLeash for the audio rip and SYM

Christmas mixery

Mmmmmm. Cookies. My 4-year-old and I baked those Rudolph cookies last weekend. There was sugar and M&Ms everywhere, and don't even get me started on how hard it was to bite those pretzels into antler shapes. Unsanitary, but it gets the job done the only way I could figure out how. The end result was fantastic, and we've been delivering (what I now realize are little saliva-contaminated) batches to our good friends all week long.

While we baked, we listened to my new Christmas mix for 2007 that I've been tweaking and perfecting for weeks. I think I'm good now, and since I just realized that Christmas is in 5 days, we should hop to it. Let me just say that there is so much annoying Christmas music out there. Good heavens, no one should be allowed to cover Little Drummer Boy again, and nothing with synthesizers, ever.

These 20 tracks have passed my Grinchy muster, and all 20 of them are non-annoying -- good Christmas listening that won't bug the snot out of you.

FUEL/FRIENDS CHRISTMAS MIXERY 2007
The Christmas Song - The Raveonettes
Merry Xmas Everybody - R.E.M. (2007 fan club single)
Father Christmas - The Kinks
Let It Snow - Magnet
Do You Hear What I Hear? - Third Day (with the night wind talking to the little lamb, this song was a favorite as a kid)
Merry Christmas, Baby - Otis Redding
Christmas Song - Denison Witmer
Xmas Eve - The Damnwells
Hey Guys! It's Christmas Time! (Sufjan cover) - Luke Flowers
Here It Is Christmas - The Old '97s (new song 2007)
Much Farther To Go - Rosie Thomas (pretty sure w/ Sufjan)
Christmas Means Love - The Soul Stirrers
In The Bleak Mid-Winter - Sarah McLachlan (from Wintersong)
That Was The Worst Christmas Ever! - Sufjan Stevens (still my favorite of his thousand Christmas songs)
It Feels Like Christmas - Al Green (and to hear it, by "Christmas" Al means "sex")
Ding, Dong, Ding, Dong - George Harrison
Sing Mary Sing - Jennifer Knapp
O Holy Night - Tracy Chapman
Waking Up On Christmas Morning - The Smithereens
Christmas Message from Elvis / Silent Night - Elvis Presley

CHRISTMAS MIXERY ZIPPERY

One note: Luke Flowers, who covered Sufjan up there in spot #9, is a talented local artist here in Colorado Springs. I saw him perform that song Tuesday night at a coffeehouse in my neighborhood, and he recorded the whole set. By the magic of the internet we can listen again and recreate that event. You can download the 12-song live Christmas album for free on his site: some lovely reworkings of traditional tunes, 4 Sufjan covers, and an original song about his Christmas pony that froze solid. Merry Christmas!

If I invite Chris Kattan to my Christmas party, will he do that motion with his head?

Just watching Chris Kattan's straight face while he plays the important role in this SNL Christmas song performance of 1) holding the keyboard and 2) turning his head back and forth makes me bust up laughing. My friend swears that this song must be the inspiration for Josh Rouse's "Hollywood Bass Player" tune (although I say Rouse's is clearly the better), and he says whenever he puts on the new Country Mouse City House album, he wants to do "the Kattan."

And by the way -- what, exactly, is Tracy Morgan's function in this song? Jogging and gesturing? That is so awesome.


[direct link]

SNL Christmas Song (Christmas Time Is Heee-ere) - Jimmy Fallon, Horatio Sanz, Chris Kattan & Tracy Morgan

And for those of you who have asked, I am indeed putting together a Fuel/Friends 2007 Christmas mix. Just hold your one-horse open sleighs - that's coming soon.

Coldplay covers The Pretenders for Christmas

Coldplay is streaming a lovely cover of the Pretenders song "2000 Miles" on their website with the above description. I'm definitely a Pretenders fan, and this song is filled with a melancholy longing and wistfulness, those things that a greeting-card Christmas isn't supposed to be . . . but often is.

In these frozen and silent nights
sometimes in a dream you appear
outside under the purple sky
diamonds in the snow sparkle
our hearts were singing
it felt like Christmastime

2000 Miles (Pretenders cover) - Coldplay

and Season's Greetings from Robbers on High Street

Clearing the Christmas tune backlog, here's more festive fare with retro leanings. This little benediction from Robbers on High Street [previous mention] would make a fine closing track on your Christmas mix CD that you're making up for all your friends. Hmm . . . good idea.

It's a charming cover that feels like The Kinks' "Better Things" in style and content, but all dressed up for the holidays. The tune was originally found on the album Daddy, Is Santa Really Six Foot Four? (Bar None) which is a quirky compilation of amateur song-poems from the 50s, 60s and 70s written by folks would mail in their lyrics to "professional musicians" who set them to music for a fee. Odd but sweet, and the Robbers' version sounds good to me.

Season's Greetings - Robbers on High Street

The Christmas Sound with The Swimmers

Hey look! It's finally December 1st. Since Thanksgiving fell relatively early in the month this year, the Christmas emails and music started filling my inbox in mid-November. That's too early to start being holly jolly. With a sigh of relief, December has arrived and I can start sharing the goods with you guys that I've been sitting on.

Here's one from Fuel/Friends favorite out of Philly, the retro jangle and shimmer-harmonies of The Swimmers. Great minds think alike, I see that Philly pal Bruce posted this same song earlier today -- and his description of it is spot-on so we'll just be lazy and repeat it: "A little bit indierock, a little bit Motown."From that opening thump-buh-bump beat, he's right.

The Christmas Sound - The Swimmers

The Swimmers play a Christmas party show at World Cafe Live in Philly on Tuesday at 7pm.

Humble blogger makes good for kiddos this Christmas

I love being a part of the exciting medium of blogging, and am always proud of my fellow bloggers when they do something cool related to the actual production of music, like Aquarium Drunkard's Autumn Tone Record label, and now It's Hard To Find A Friend's Caleb Palma, who has curated an original indie-rock Christmas album called Peace on Earth.

I know, it's yet a little early for jingle bells, but we gotta get the word out on this -- especially since all the proceeds of Caleb's compilation go towards Toys For Tots (which delivers toys to needy kids on Christmas morning)! How rad is that?

The album is only $7 for high-quality digital download, and features a solid list of bands and musicians, including Death Cab for Cutie's Chris Walla, American Music Club, Rosie Thomas, Via Audio and many more. The tunes include never-before-released covers, some new original songs, and a couple "non-holiday exclusives to keep the grinches happy."

This preview mp3 is from The Long Winters, and starts with the scene-setting lyrics: "A studio apartment in a dull part of Seattle, a string of lights suspended by a thumbtack in the drywall..."

Sometimes You Have To Work On Christmas (Sometimes)
- The Long Winters


FULL TRACKLIST: PEACE ON EARTH
1. Prayers & Tears of Arthur Digby Sellers - Shepherd's Song
2. Quiet Company - Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas
3. Great Lake Swimmers - Gonna Make it Through This Year
4. Someone Still Loves You Boris Yeltsin / Sweetwater Abilene - The Wheels Are Off
5. Chris Walla - Coventry Carol
6. David Karsten Daniels - In The Bleak Midwinter
7. Casiotone for the Painfully Alone - Hark! The Herald Angels Sing
8. The Winston Jazz Routine - Through the Snow
9. Via Audio - My Boo
10. The Long Winters - Sometimes You Have to Work on Christmas (Sometimes)
11. TW Walsh - Drop the Bomb
12. Ohtis - American Christians
13. Aaron Robinson - End of the Year
14. The Cotton Jones Basket Ride (Michael Nau of Page France) - White Christmas
15. American Music Club - Please Please
16. Johnny Bertram - Merry Christmas (You Won't Get What You Want)
17. Rosie Thomas - Christmas Time is Here
18. Sleeptalker - This is Christmas

Stream some other tunes below, and go buy it for the kiddos!

Holding in my hands...

My Pearl Jam fanclub single for 2006 finally arrived in the mail just now, and I have to say that I literally jumped up and clicked my heels together in joy on the walk back inside. Because I am a dork.

I think the cover art is some of the best yet and made me get a little flutter somewhere in my gut. As previously mentioned, the tunes this year are the Who cover "Love Reign O'er Me" (which gives me even more chills with the pure vinyl audio sound) and the Neil Young cover "Rocking In The Free World," with U2 from Melbourne last year.

Love Reign O'er Me - Pearl Jam
Rockin' In The Free World (Neil Young cover) - Pearl Jam w/ U2

This gives me pause to also mention two Pearl-Jam-related items I've been sitting on:
** Vedder will induct R.E.M. into the Rock And Roll Hall of Fame on March 12 (link)

** Ed is the ultimate Cubs fanboy (more pics here). Cara saw these and affectionately referred to Vedder as "tiny mofo." I think she means that as a term of endearment.

Isn't there anyone who knows what Christmas is all about?

I know, I know. Christmas is over. Trees are dropping their needles at an alarming rate, I've made a clean sweep of several bags of wrapping paper, and I'm thinkin' about taking the Christmas kitsch down.

My Christmas was fulfilling and, surprisingly, largely music-gift free -- unless you count the singing frog toy (from an elderly relative) that squawks that "It's Five O'Clock Somewhere" song when you squeeze its foot. Other than that . . .

As I sit bloated in excess, and enjoying the extra bit of cash I have now lining my pocket, one thing that always deeply touches me every year is to sit down and read the World Vision Gift Catalog. I see what a difference I could make in a very, very real and immediate way in someone's life with just a little bit of the resources that I am so blessed with. There are some really cool ideas contained within these pages. So yes, allow me to get a little Sally Struthers on you for a minute, and use this blog for a bit of good - here are some ideas of worthy final resting places for your end-of-the-year largesse:


Provide a goat
The early-morning bleating of a dairy goat is a happy sound for children in countries like Haiti and Kenya. They know it’s ready to be milked! A goat nourishes a family with fresh milk, cheese, and yogurt, and can offer a much-needed income boost by providing offspring and extra dairy products for sale at the market. It even provides fertilizer that can dramatically increase crop yields. A perennial favorite, both to give and receive!
[$75 - give]


Change a child's life through music education
Music instruction can be life-changing for a child — cultivating his or her ability to learn, fostering emotional development, and allowing an expression of inborn creativity. For children with troubled backgrounds or impoverished living conditions, it is especially beneficial. Your gift provides training and musical instruments such as guitars, xylophones, and keyboards to benefit children in need in countries like Indonesia, El Salvador, and Mozambique.
[$20 - give]


Warm woolen blanket
Even in warm-weather climates, nights can be chilly, especially at higher elevations. Show your love by wrapping a child, expectant mother, AIDS patient, or elderly person in a clean, durable wool blanket for a cozy night’s sleep.
[$30 - give]



Small business loan for an impoverished woman
Put strength in the hands of an impoverished woman with a small loan she can use to start or expand a business — the income from which can help feed, clothe, and educate her children. As loans are repaid to World Vision’s WILFund (Women’s International Loan Fund), the funds are used to provide new loans to others. Your gift today can be recycled to literally hundreds of women in years to come!
[$100 - give]

Help pay for a much-needed eye surgery
Imagine being kept out of school, or shunned by your peers, for having crossed eyes — or trying to care for young children without being able to see well. Your gift, in partnership with a nonprofit eye clinic in Azerbaijan, can provide surgery for children suffering from seriously impaired vision. Or, it can resolve common yet debilitating vision problems for a Zimbabwean grandparent caring for children who have lost parents to AIDS.
[$20 - give]

The gift of play: Soccer balls
Playtime is an essential part of childhood, but many impoverished children have never even seen a real toy. Your gift of a soccer ball will replace rounded wads of trash and banana leaf balls for an energetic boy or girl. And with a generous match from Baden Sports, your gift gives two brand-new balls instead of just one!
[$16 - give]


BROWSE OTHER LIFE-CHANGING GIFTS



Wait for it . . .




We Are The World - U.S.A. For Africa
(man alive, that brings back some serious mid-'80s memories for me! You know it makes you want to sway back and forth with one hand over your ear -like holding a headphone- and wail like Tina Turner)

I'll have a blue Christmas without you, Chris

Maybe it's the huge blizzard that has (this time seriously) immobilized my city, but I am feeling all holly and jolly. I think that my favorite Christmas album that I am playing the most 'round the house this yuletide season is Chris Isaak's 2004 Christmas CD.

In addition to rockin' retro covers of several old standards, there are five originals and duets with Stevie Nicks as well. It's got such a nice cozy feel to it, with a hint of the surf/jangle/crooner vibe that makes me love Chris. I do recommend buying the whole thing for your Christmas enjoyment -- it's one I look forward to taking out each year. Some people have an aversion to Isaak, but not me. There is nothing but love in my heart for that man.

Santa Claus Is Coming To Town - Chris Isaak
(duet with Stevie Nicks)

Pretty Paper - Chris Isaak

(for good measure:)
Pretty Paper - Roy Orbison

Gotta Be Good - Chris Isaak
(check the fun & naughty innuendo)

And this song's not on the album, but I have categorized it in my iTunes as a bonus track for the CD. The shimmering cymbal roll at the beginning of the track is reminiscent of the sound of the waves - just me and Chris 'round a fire on Ocean Beach singing the season.

I'll Be Home For Christmas (bonus track) - Chris Isaak

And, here's one thing that I had completely forgotten about that made me smile when I opened the CD this year:

Christmastime is here again

Well, it finally happened.

I was finally subjected to my first live performance of the season of "Feliz Navidad," which ne'er fails to make me want to gouge my eardrums out with a knitting needle. I also was at a fancy office Christmas party on Friday night and the soul cover band kept throwing in trombone lines from Joy To The World and Sleigh Ride, etc etc etc.

It brought to my attention the fact that this post is long overdue. I've got a pretty sizeable collection of "Christmas Music That Won't Drive You To Drink Unless You Want To" -- which just got a shot in the arm this year thanks to a rockin' 3-CD compilation I received from Philly friend Brian (yay Brian!).

There's a lot of schmaltzy crap out there this season, kids. Stay safe. Here's a haven of good stuff for your seasonal mixmastery:

FUEL FOR YOUR FRIENDLY CHRISTMASTIME FIRE
We Four Kings - The Blue Hawaiians (surf music!)
Everything's Gonna Be Cool This Christmas - Eels
Do They Know It's Christmas - Pete Yorn
Work on Christmas - Harvey Danger
God Is Real (Jesus Is Alive) - John Davis (of Superdrag)
Angel In The Snow (unreleased version) - Elliott Smith
Washington Square - Chris Isaak
I'd Like You For Christmas - Julie London
Donna and Blitzen - Badly Drawn Boy
You're A Mean One, Mr. Grinch - Luce
That Was The Worst Christmas Ever! - Sufjan Stevens
Back Door Santa - The Black Crowes
Baby, It's Cold Outside - Leon Redbone & Zooey Deschanel (Elf)
Winter Wonderland - Liz Phair
The Gift of Grace - Denison Witmer
Christmas Eve - Teenage Fanclub
Silent Night - Ben Harper & The Blind Boys of Alabama
When I Get Home For Christmas - Snow Patrol
Listening To Otis Redding At Home During Christmas - Okkervil River
Xmas Curtain - My Morning Jacket
Fairytale of New York - Stars
The Rebel Jesus - Jackson Browne
Maybe This Christmas - Ron Sexsmith
What A Year For A New Year - Dan Wilson (of Semisonic)
Merry Christmas Everybody - Rooney
The Winter Song - Eisley
White Christmas - Mark Kozelek
Christmas - Leona Naess
Christmastime is Here - Snowden
Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas - Hem
Holy, Holy, Holy - Sufjan Stevens
Silent Night - Brian Wilson


**HO HO HO, The file as a ZIP**


That helps to slightly ease the sting of briefly having -- and then cruelly LOSING -- the vinyl Christmas With Elvis record last night at a houseparty with a white elephant gift exchange.

It was mine. I was so excited. But now the doe-eyed Elvis (with those dewy lips, good heavens) is gone from my Christmas celebration, stolen by another gal, sending me home with a plastic candy cane full of little bottles of flavored Stoli instead.

I'm still in mourning.

New Christmas tune from Mike Mills (R.E.M.) and Sally Ellyson (Hem)

With everyone's top lists popping up all over the place and Hem's album Funnel Cloud on many (and R.E.M. always on mine) I thought this new Christmas single for charity could use a little shout-out:

Mike Mills of R.E.M. and Sally Ellyson from Hem have recorded as new song as a benefit for kids this holiday season. It’s available right now on iTunes for 99 cents, all proceeds benefiting the Red Apple Foundation.

You can hear a sample of the tune on their MySpace: http://www.myspace.com/redapplehelpskids. It is a cover of a Big Star song ("Jesus Christ"), so you know you've got some great power pop right there. Check it out, I think you'll like it.

Pearl Jam Christmas Singles Collection (It's not the world that's heavy, it's just the things that you save)

There's over a decade of collecting behind this post.

The plan was to hold off for a few more weeks to make this more of a Christmas present but, well, I failed to contain my joy. Today as we decorated our full and lovely Christmas tree that makes the whole house smell fabulous, I pulled out my entire complete collection of vinyl Pearl Jam Christmas singles from the inaugural year (1991) until the 2005 edition to listen to on the old record player. I am expecting the 15th vinyl single for 2006 to grace my mailbox -- well, sometime between now and Valentine's Day. Maybe Easter. Punctuality has never been on the list of reasons to appreciate this divine collection.

But turning these fine specimens over in my hands and reading the labels, looking at the album art, slowly lowering the needle and spinning the black circle gives me a deep happiness every time. The fact that Pearl Jam sends one of these (almost) every year to their fanclub is just awesome. From the earliest one, which started with Beatles-like Christmas greetings and some ramblings, through various live gems and little studio recordings just for the fan club, there is always a fantastic variety from year to year, a small and welcome surprise in the mailbox.

Every once in a while they'll toss in an actual Christmas song (1991, 2002, 2004), and there are some wonderful covers (1992, 1998, and 2000 are favorites). If I had to pick just one song from this bunch for the rest of my life, it would probably be "Angel," which is stunning in its wavering purity, and inspired by a poem called The Eloping Angels: A Caprice. I love it fiercely and thoroughly.

I was going to try and walk you through the rest of my favorites, but as I looked over each record, I realized there is no way I could. I've written this paragraph 4 times and keep deleting it because it's getting too long. So just listen to them all -- I know not of a better way to spread Christmas cheer (than singing these loud, for all to hear).

PEARL JAM CHRISTMAS SINGLES

1991
Let Me Sleep
Ramblings I

1992
Sonic Reducer (Dead Boys cover)
Ramblings II

1993
Angel
Ramblings III (live in Indio, CA 11/5/93)




1995
History Never Repeats (Split Enz cover, live in Auckland with Neil & Tim Finn)
Sonic Reducer (Dead Boys cover, live in New Orleans with Joey Ramone)
Swallow My Pride (Green River cover, live in Las Vegas)
My Way (Elvis cover with Elvis' cousin Terry, live @ The Aladdin in Vegas)


1996
Olympic Platinum (Nick Didia)
Smile (live in Barcelona, 11/21/96)




1997 (joint effort with R.E.M.)
Happy When I'm Crying (written by Jack Irons)
Live For Today - R.E.M.




1998
Soldier of Love (originally recorded by Arthur Alexander, 1962)
Last Kiss (originally recorded by J. Frank Wilson, Ed found a 45 copy at the Fremont Antique Mall)


1999
Strangest Tribe (written by Stone Gossard)
Driftin

2000
Crown of Thorns (Mother Love Bone cover, live 8/22/00 in Vegas)
Can't Help Falling In Love (written by Elvis Presley, live 8/22/00 in Vegas)

2001
Last Soldier (live @ Bridge School 10/21/2001)
Indifference (with Ben Harper, live @ Bridge School 10/21/2001)
Gimme Some Truth (Lennon cover, live @ Groundwork Benefit, Seattle 10/22/2001)
I Just Want To Have Something To Do (Ramones cover)

2002
Don't Believe In Christmas (Sonics cover, soundcheck Seattle Showbox 12/6/02)
Sleepless Nights (Everly Brothers cover, live @ Wiltern Theatre 2/26/02 with Beck)

2003
Reach Down (with Chris Cornell, 10/28/2003 in Santa Barbara)
I Believe In Miracles (Ramones cover, 10/28/2003 in Santa Barbara)


2004
Someday At Christmas (Jackson 5ive cover)
Betterman (with the Walmer High School choir from South Africa)


2005
Little Sister (with Robert Plant, 10/5/05 House of Blues Chicago)
Gone (demo, recorded 9/30/05, Room #1152, Borgata Hotel in Atlantic City)



PEARL JAM CHRISTMAS SINGLES 1991-2005 ZIP


UPDATE: 2006 and 2007

And yes, I actually do own a Pearl Jam stickman Christmas ornament, an internet purchase circa 1995. Rock on.

Sarah McLachlan: Wintersong

A completely welcome surprise in my mailbox yesterday was a new Christmas album from silver-throated Canadian songstress Sarah McLachlan: Wintersong (Arista Records). I didn't even know she had anything new coming out, so I was excited to pop this baby in the player and hear what Sarah has to offer us this Advent season (even though we just started November).

Does this foray into seasonal bliss sound like it may be a bad idea for McLachlan? As one reviewer wrote, "An album like this could cement [her] as a middle-of-the-road crooner ready for the Andy Williams Christmas Show, but there's more beneath the surface of Wintersong than just Christmas chestnuts, over-roasting on an open fire." I completely agree, and absolutely love the elegant, ethereal collection that she has created here with longtime producer Pierre Marchand.

I know that your sentiments on Christmas music can diverge in two very different ways. I have to admit, there are days when I'll be moseying along in Macy's and "Here Comes Santa Claus" will come on and I will want to run for shelter. Now that it's November, I'll have to make a mental note to avoid the mall as much as possible until January for that very reason.

But there are so many Christmas songs that are quiet and lovely and meaningful, that make me feel like all can be right with this world. Sarah picks those songs. She picks the ones that underscore the stillness, the mystery, and some original compositions with an air of bittersweetness. There is not a single track on here that I want to skip, no gaudy garish upbeat tracks with cracking whips and ho-ho-ho's that seem out of character to the collection.

First and foremost you must listen to her wrenchingly sad and flawlessly beautiful cover of Joni Mitchell's "River" (oh, and I've decided to plunge into Joni Mitchell, but that's another post). It could be one of my favorite songs of the year. If a note can break your heart, they way she tackles the line about "I would teach my feet to fly . . . away" could do it for me.

The album opens with a fairly straightforward cover of "Happy Xmas (War Is Over)" by Lennon (complete with a chorus of children in the background), and sandwiched in between her lovely arrangements of old standards is a brand-new song that she penned, the title track "Wintersong." Also a longtime five-star favorite of mine, "Song For A Winter's Night" (written by Gordon Lightfoot) has previously only been available on her B-Sides, Rarities, & Other Stuff album, and is a wistful & welcome addition to this album.

The songs have a uniqueness in the production and the arrangements that are distinctly McLachlan. Whether it is her new melody to the verses in the minor keys of "Greensleeves/What Child Is This" or the bright banjo plucking (a la Sufjan) in "O Little Town of Bethlehem," she adds a distinct fingerprint to each song. The album closes with a melancholy and simple version of Vince Guaraldi's "Christmastime Is Here" (with Diana Krall accompanying Sarah on piano). You can almost see the snowflakes falling.

There is a spare, glistening beauty to this effort, and I can seriously see myself listening to every Christmas for years to come.


River (Joni Mitchell cover) - Sarah McLachlan

Stream other new songs at her MySpace, or watch some video on Amazon.

The Black Crowes want to put something in your stocking for ya

Oh, I am SO out of season. What the heck, Heather? Well, compare this post to your half-off after-Christmas sale. You can get really good things after the holidays are over.

I was a little slow on the uptake finding this new Black Crowes cover of an old R&B/Blues song, and didn't find it until after Christmas (like January), and then I forgot to post it. But take a listen, it is so good, so swaggering, so Southern-moonlight that I had to post it.

Back Door Santa - Black Crowes

Chris and Rich Robinson are heading out on an acoustic tour in April, just the two of them. That will be insane - just look at the intimate and rad venues in San Francisco alone! Tix onsale next week:

ACOUSTIC TOUR DATES
4/13 - Brooklyn - Warsaw (on sale: Fri 2/24 @ Noon)
4/14 - New York - Frederick P. Rose Hall (on sale: Fri 2/24 @ Noon)
4/15 - New York - Town Hall (on sale: Fri 2/24 @ Noon)
4/17 - Austin - Cactus Café (on sale: Fri 2/17 @ Noon)
4/18 - Austin - Cactus Café (on sale: Fri 2/17 @ Noon)
4/20 - San Francisco - Café Du Nord (on sale: Fri 2/24 @ Noon)
4/21 - San Francisco - The Fillmore (on sale: Sun 2/26 @10:00 AM)
4/22 - San Francisco - Bimbo’s 365 (on sale: Fri 2/24 @10:00 AM)
4/24 - Los Angeles - The Roxy (on sale: Fri 2/24 @ 11:00 AM)
4/25 - Los Angeles - The Roxy (on sale: Fri 2/24 @ 11:00 AM)

There is a live DVD coming out from the Crowes in March, titled Freak 'N' Roll into the Fog, recorded at the Fillmore in San Francisco in 2005. There's also a new album alleged in 2006 from these guys, but nothing concrete. Let's hope.

"Wakin' up the reindeer, makin' little kids cheer"

For my *final* seasonal post, a little '60s punk rock cover:

"Don't Believe in Christmas"
Pearl Jam
(right click, save target as)

This was one of the two songs on the Pearl Jam 2002 Christmas Single vinyl (ask me sometime to show you all of them; I've got the whole set and look for any excuse to bust 'em out).

It is a cover of a song by The Sonics, a '60s-era Tacoma, Washington punk band. This is a live version from the second night of Pearl Jam's epic 2002 club shows at The Showbox in Seattle.

So jump around by the stockings and make a little mistletoe romance with this good-time tune.

Merry Christmas, guys. May we all remember how blessed we are.

A few more Christmas tracks

Okay, here are a few more good Christmas tracks I discovered on the Something Old, Something New blog. I promise this will be my last holiday post for a while, I will try to restrain myself.

Everything's Gonna Be Cool This Christmas, Eels
The Christmas Song, Weezer
Just Like Christmas, Low
1963 Fanclub Christmas Album, The Beatles (not really listenable as music, but a nice trifle of memorabilia)

One more random thought I have recently had while being assailed by Christmas music. Can we talk for a second about that line in Walking In A Winter Wonderland where they sing, "He'll say are you married? We'll say no man, but you can do the job when you're in town." (?!?) That has always seemed a little racy to me.

Christmas Music That Won't Drive You To Drink (unless you want to)

Well, it is December 1, which means that you are all now at the mercy of the Christmas Music Industry.

You will minding your own business, out shopping or driving along listening to the radio, when suddenly you cannot escape the strains of "Feliz Navidad" (my personal most hated) or "Sleigh Ride" (which actually isn't SO bad, because of the redeeming quality of the whip sound). Or the godawful Chipmunks thing? What IS that? While I actually like the warm-fuzzy-inducing abilities of Christmas music, and the wonderful message it brings, my qualm is that so much of it is just terribly done and kind of annoying.

So, you can run, but the only way to truly hide is to bring along your iPod and pull up this playlist of not-lame Christmas music. This should also all fit nicely on one CD for portable holiday cheer. Have fun!

That Was The Worst Christmas Ever! - Sufjan Stevens
Let Me Sleep - Pearl Jam
Christmas With Jesus - Josh Rouse
Gotta Be Good - Chris Isaak (a little naughty holiday cheer)
White Christmas - Otis Redding
Christmas (Baby Please Come Home) - Death Cab For Cutie
What I Want - The Winter Blanket
Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas - Coldplay
Merry Christmas - The Ramones
Come On! Let's Boogey To The Elf Dance! - Sufjan Stevens
Washington Square - Chris Isaak
Christmas - Leona Naess
Christmas Time Is Here - Charlie Brown Christmas
I'll Be Home For Christmas - The Winter Blanket
Someday at Christmas - Pearl Jam
Hey Parker, It's Christmas - Ryan Adams
Silent Night - Johnny Cash

YOU CAN ALSO DOWNLOAD THE ENTIRE MIX AS A ZIP FILE HERE

Ho, ho, ho. Pass the eggnog, chief.