Author Topic: Good holiday music  (Read 15663 times)

spoko

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Good holiday music
« on: November 23, 2007, 06:42:59 AM »
I believe against all logic that there are in fact several good holiday-music albums out there. No Mannheim Steamroller, no Dolly Parton, no shitty compilations, just good ones. As proof, I offer my three favorites:

Chris Isaak, Chris Isaak Christmas
He does some old standards, of course, as well as a few uncommon "standards," and about a half-dozen originals. There's hardly a dud in the bunch, and there are quite a few surprises. His originals, for example, turn out to be pretty good. And his takes on the standards are really surprisingly good.

Allison Crowe, Tidings
A Christmas album with very few strictly "Christmas" songs. Crowe chooses songs that evoke the feeling of the season, rather than just songs that are directly associated with it. So there are ones like "The First Noel," "It Came Upon a Midnight Clear," but there are also (some of the best covers I've ever heard of) songs like "Let It Be" and Leonard Cohen's "Hallelujah". This is the one Christmas album that I listen to songs from all year round. Oh and by the way, the whole album is available for free download.

Vince Guaraldi, A Charlie Brown Christmas
Come on, who doesn't love these songs?



So, those are my recommendations. But I'm looking for some more. Any suggestions?

alexarch

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Re: Good holiday music
« Reply #1 on: November 23, 2007, 09:52:08 AM »
Vince Guaraldi, A Charlie Brown Christmas
Best.  Christmas album.  Ever.

Any of the Mannheim Steamroller Christmases, but I'm partial to the one with "Little Drummer Boy"

A Canadian Brass Christmas

Barenaked for the Holidays - Barenaked Ladies

Wintersong - Sarah McLachlan

When My Heart Finds Christmas - Harry Connick Jr.
« Last Edit: November 23, 2007, 09:55:44 AM by alexarch »

Tom the Drunk

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Re: Good holiday music
« Reply #2 on: November 23, 2007, 10:29:00 AM »
I third the motion - Vince Guaraldi, A Charlie Brown Christmas is my favorite.

I don't really like any other albums, I just have a collection of individual songs in an ipod playlist.

skjerva

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Re: Good holiday music
« Reply #3 on: November 23, 2007, 11:17:24 AM »
"Closer" was on my thanksgiving mix:)
But I wish the public could, in the midst of its pleasures, see how blatantly it is being spoon-fed, and ask for slightly better dreams. 
                        - Iris Barry from "The Public's Pleasure" (1926)

VmSoze

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Re: Good holiday music
« Reply #4 on: November 23, 2007, 11:28:00 AM »
Am I the only one who gets sick of Christmas/Holiday music WAY before Christmas actually rolls around?



facedad

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Re: Good holiday music
« Reply #5 on: November 23, 2007, 11:36:30 AM »
Am I the only one who gets sick of Christmas/Holiday music WAY before Christmas actually rolls around?



No, not even remotely. I may already be sick of it.
You're just jealous! Nobody loves you because you're tiny and made of meat!

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skjerva

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Re: Good holiday music
« Reply #6 on: November 23, 2007, 11:48:37 AM »
Am I the only one who gets sick of Christmas/Holiday music WAY before Christmas actually rolls around?



No, not even remotely. I may already be sick of it.

I think it is hard-wired in me to dislike the stuff
But I wish the public could, in the midst of its pleasures, see how blatantly it is being spoon-fed, and ask for slightly better dreams. 
                        - Iris Barry from "The Public's Pleasure" (1926)

facedad

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Re: Good holiday music
« Reply #7 on: November 23, 2007, 11:56:09 AM »
Am I the only one who gets sick of Christmas/Holiday music WAY before Christmas actually rolls around?



No, not even remotely. I may already be sick of it.

I think it is hard-wired in me to dislike the stuff
Don't underestimate the learned reaction.
You're just jealous! Nobody loves you because you're tiny and made of meat!

https://twitter.com/thefaceboy

http://www.thereelists.com

skjerva

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Re: Good holiday music
« Reply #8 on: November 23, 2007, 11:57:54 AM »
Am I the only one who gets sick of Christmas/Holiday music WAY before Christmas actually rolls around?



No, not even remotely. I may already be sick of it.

I think it is hard-wired in me to dislike the stuff
Don't underestimate the learned reaction.

Good point, as always.
But I wish the public could, in the midst of its pleasures, see how blatantly it is being spoon-fed, and ask for slightly better dreams. 
                        - Iris Barry from "The Public's Pleasure" (1926)

spoko

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Re: Good holiday music
« Reply #9 on: November 23, 2007, 05:42:35 PM »
Am I the only one who gets sick of Christmas/Holiday music WAY before Christmas actually rolls around?

I do, but that's actually why I started this thread. I've found that if I raise the ratio of good-holiday-music to crappy-Applebees-holiday music, I'm less nauseated by the whole thing overall.

Alex, technical foul. The rules explicitly ruled out Mannheim Steamroller. I used to live in Omaha, where they play that crap year-round. I didn't like it before that, but now I'm convinced that exposure to that music would be a valid defense for random acts of violence.

 

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