Q & A of the Week

What is the best Christmas album?

Lise: Although I certainly love the A Muppet Christmas Carol soundtrack and A Charlie Brown Christmas, my favorite Christmas album is Rosie Thomas's A Very Rosie Christmas. Her cover of "Christmas Don't Be Late" (youtube) is one of my absolute favorite songs.

Em: There's a really good compilation called Now that's what I call Christmas! That has a lot of old classics that I really like. And my friend Chaz Kangas, who is a talented rapper in his own right, years ago made an awesome punk rock Christmas mix that he called "Christmas Carnage"

Ant: Nat King Cole, The Christmas Song

It's well understood that Nat King Cole owns "The Christmas Song", but he stakes a firm claim on several other songs on this album as well. Backed by triumphant orchestrations and a chorus of voices, his versions of "O Holy Night" and "Hark, the Herald Angels Sing" are forces to be reckoned with. He also takes stabs at Latin and German (the former being more successful than the latter). The upbeat carols ("Deck the Halls" and "Joy to the World") don't come across quite as naturally, but the rest of the album is pretty much Christmas at its classiest.

John Denver and the Muppets, A Christmas Together
John Denver and the Muppets were both revered separately among my siblings, so having them together, for a Christmas album no less, was (and still is) pretty much considered to be the greatest thing that ever happened. Jim Henson could masterfully combine sincerity and whimsy to create work that was both profound and entertaining. Paired up with a peaceful soul like John Denver, they were able to create a Christmas album that is funny, touching and spiritual, one that I think captures the full spirit of Christmas as well as anything else ever has. (Alternatively, as this is the soundtrack to nearly all of my Christmas memories, it's possible that my conception of Christmas is just permanently colored by the album.)

The Harry Simeone Chorale, The Little Drummer Boy: A Christmas Festival
The original version of this album was released in 1958 as Sing We Now of Christmas and then reissued in 1963 as The Little Drummer Boy to celebrate the breakout hit. But I grew up with a version that I believe was rerecorded in 1981 and swaps a couple of the original tracks to include "Do You Hear What I Hear?" (another hit for the group) and the outstanding "A Simple Prayer" (which I've already posted here). Apart from those and a couple of other stand-alone songs, the rest of the album consists of vocal medleys of carols, some of which apparently date to the fifteenth century. The original liner notes read: "There's a quiet ecstasy about this splendid recording. As you listen to it there grows within you, wondrously, a feeling of great peace." That's a bit overblown, but not too far off.

What say you? What do you think is the ultimate Christmas album?

Holiday Hash!

Sorry for being so late on the Holiday Hash this year; I kept waiting to get more holiday music in the inbox (hint hint musicians). At any rate, even though in the past I've posted more classic stuff, I hope you'll enjoy this taster of mostly newer tracks:

Last Christmas - The Puppini Sisters [mp3] (iTunes)
Away In A Manger - The Very Most [mp3] (iTunes)
Sleigh Ride - The Late Greats [mp3] (iTunes)
Electronic Santa - Blazer Force [mp3]
This Christmas - The Elves of Heaven [mp3] (iTunes)
God & Me - Kopecky Family Band [mp3] (iTunes)
Frosty the Snowman - Banjo or Freakout [mp3]
Hanuka Dance (Hanukkah) - The Klezmatics [mp3] (iTunes)
It's Christmas - Coconut Records [mp3]
Xmas With The Jews - Elizabeth & the Catapult [mp3]
Christmas Tree - Bewitched Hands [mp3]
A Hard Year - Jon Hardy & The Public [mp3] (iTunes)
Happy Holiday (Beef Wellington Remix) - Bing Crosby [mp3] (iTunes)
I Wish It Was Christmas Today - Julian Casablancas [mp3] (iTunes)

Holiday Hash: "A Simple Prayer"

The household I grew up in didn't worship Christ so much as it worshiped Christmas. I have ecstatic childhood memories of Christmastime: the tree, the decorations, the food, the gifts, and the music. The holiday playlist was heavy on operatic vocal music (livened up here and there by Nat King Cole and John Denver and the Muppets), and Christmas still inspires a magical wonder and awe for me that I find to be best accompanied by reverent music, despite my secular beliefs.

One of my favorite records that my Dad would play was from the Harry Simeone Chorale, who popularized both "The Little Drummer Boy" and "Do You Hear What I Hear?" (the latter of which I've just learned was written as a plea for peace during the Cuban Missle Crisis). But my guilt-free holiday pleasure is the exultant "A Simple Prayer", which is not about the Nativity but is unabashedly religious nonetheless, with an interpolation of the Prayer of St. Francis. It's also fairly swingin', in a tent-revival sort of way.

A Simple Prayer [mp3] (iTunes)

New EP from The Duke Spirit

Here's a new mp3 from sassy, rockin' Brits, The Duke Spirit, and you can download another song from their new EP, Kusama on their website.

Everybody's Under Your Spell [mp3]

Seasonally Significant Albums

A few weeks ago, a friend of mine devised the following statement and component question, one that I've been since kicking around in my head for quite a while:

"For some reason, listening to certain albums during the winter makes them sound extra bleak, but more fitting. Is there an album that, for you, takes on added seasonal significance?"

[I'm paraphrasing, of course - even though most of my friends do in fact speak to me as if I'm standing in front of a podium. I, in turn, make them first state their names and professions before carrying on conversations. Because I'm an insufferable human being, you see.]

At any rate, here's the answer that I came up with:

Winter usually brings out the more instrumental early 90s emo for me: heavy on Sunny Day Real Estate, Mineral, and the like. [Alternative winter choice: ethereal, atmospheric sounds of Sigur Ros' ( ).] Autumn = change = Owen, who (un)coincidentally has an album titled New Leaves. But he's one of my year round favorites, so I'm not sure if that's an accurate submission.

There are four things I know for certain in answer to this question:

1. Death Cab For Cutie's "Blacking Out the Friction" is the best winter song. It might even be the song that serves best as a celebration of a season. And damn, does it make me get excited about northern exposure (North Face?) clothes, particularly the opening lyric: "I don't mind the weather/I've got scarves and caps, and sweaters/I've got long johns under slacks for blustery days." HELL YEAH, MOTHERFUCKER! Doesn't that just make you want to break out the L.L. Bean, drink some hot apple cider, and put on/listen to The Thermals? WINTER!
2. Don't have a choice for spring. Sorry, April. Enough said.
3. I dare anyone living in Chicago (outside of Nathan Rabin, whose features on these I love) to seriously listen to a volume of Now That's What I Call Music! in January or February. That's a toughie. Whoever does so can probably also listen to Jock Jams outside of sporting venues. I also imagine they have several Fatheads, Wallbangers, and love letters addressed to Chase Utley.
4. We, the Vehicles by Maritime [pictured above] is the ultimate summer album. It encapsulates everything about the season perfectly without explicitly trying to do so (though the band name doesn't hurt imagining wearing a striped shirt on a schooner, if you're into that sort of thing). It gently breezes through the SCHOOL'S OUT, Y'ALL! feeling with tracks like "Parade of Punk Rock T-Shirts", "Calm", and "Tearing Up the Oxygen" before capturing our recognition of its fleeting nature in "Don't Say You Don't" and "No One Will Remember". Oh, and "Young Alumni" does all of this in one song.
   

It's required summer listening for me, and I don't think that will change anytime soon. If you have any albums that take on seasonal meaning, or simply feel they best reflect the weather (in connotation/denotation/pigmentation), feel free to use the space below to discuss.

Q&A of the Week

This past week saw Julian Assange in the slammer. If the man had been granted his ipod, what do you think would be on his playlist?

Em says: I have no idea what Julian Assange's music taste is like, so if I could make him a mix, I would appeal to his activist/anarchist sensibilities, while trying to throw in a good variety, with the following:

• Sunday Bloody Sunday - U2
• April 26, 1992 - Sublime
• Rock is Dead - Marilyn Manson
• Personal Jesus - Depeche Mode
• God Save the Queen - Sex Pistols
• The World Has Turned and Left Me Here - Weezer (or maybe "Undone (the Sweater Song)" or to throw a cheerier song on there, "Island in the Sun" )
• Holding Out For a Hero - Bonnie Tyler (Footloose)
• Bomb.Repeat.Bomb - Ted Leo & the Pharmacists
• Everybody Knows - Leonard Cohen
• Machine - Regina Spektor
• Guatemala - Emanuel & the Fear
• Cold War - Janelle Monae
• Punk Rocker - Teddybears
  

Lise says: Probably "Little Secrets" by Passion Pit, "This is War" by Smile Empty Soul, "Karma Police" by Radiohead and just a whole ton of Between The Buried And Me.

Ant says: I kind of think being denied music in prison should be part of his punishment.


So what do you think readers? Should Julian ever be granted his ipod, and if so, what do you think he'd be listening to?

Junk Culture To Open For Girl Talk On Spring 2011 Tour

Deepak Mantena, the mastermind behind pop-project Junk Culture, will join Girl Talk this spring as his opener. In February 2011 Junk Culture will release Summer Friends, an album with influences that range from Caribou, Animal Collective and the Beach Boys. With cleaner and simpler pop tunes from his debut 2009 album West Coast, this newest album see Junk Culture relying more on Deepak's enigmatic vocals and raw thunderous energy. You can check Junk Culture's upcoming tour dates alongside Girl Talk here.

Summer Friends [mp3]

CMJ Music Marathon: Dice Raw, The Wellington Papers & Shayna Zaid and the Catch

On the second night of CMJ, I headed to the Knitting Factory for the Music Dealers showcase, which enticed me based on its eclecticism.

The first act I caught was Dice Raw, who hooked up with the Roots when he was still in high school and has had a growing presence on the group's recordings, leading up to this year's phenomenal How I Got Over, a good chunk of which he rapped on and/or co-produced. But his solo career hasn't really taken off, and he doesn't seem to find that very fair. Apparently not sensing a great response from the crowd, Dice cut a couple of songs short and then skipped to the end of his set and bowed out early. For what it's worth, I thought he was being received just fine, especially considering it was early in the night and he was the only rapper on the bill.

Gearing up for his first release in 10 years (titled, ahem, The Greatest Rapper Never), he's released a mixtape where he raps over various J Dilla beats, from which the below track is taken. You can also check out the album's proper lead single, "100," on YouTube.

Dice Raw - Get Ready [mp3] (DiceRaw.com)

The Wellington Papers' official bio describes their music as "rooted in the playful realism of 1990s hip-hop" and having "a unique blend of punk, surf rock, ska, and dub influences." Their live show initially succeeded on the group's energy and personality, and I was also just surprised and excited to encounter some late 90s–style ska for the first time in a long while. But this quality couldn't keep me hooked for the whole show, nor unfortunately does it translate well to New York Times, the album that the group is calling their "mixtape." Some of the songs have a nice bounce, but in general I find it dull and uninspired, with a dash of pretension.

The Wellington Papers - Jackie [mp3] (Bandcamp)

The evening was closed out by Shayna Zaid and the Catch. Zaid led the band through a fun set of perky pop dressed up in folky instrumentation that made my companion recall Natalie Merchant and 10,000 Maniacs. It's a commercial sound that's gotten them some TV spots, including, it seems, doing the music for an updated rendition of Cotton's "Fabric of Our Lives" jingle. ("The touch... the feel...")

Zaid's a great songwriter and an endearing performer, and the group was definitely the highlight of the show. If you like the track below, they have several more available for streaming at ReverbNation.

Shayna Zaid and the Catch - Morning Sun [mp3] (iTunes)

Adele - Rolling in the Deep

I really like this song and this video - particularly the shots of the tons of glasses of water vibrating with the beat. Very cool yet simple concept.

Late to the Party - The D.C. Sound of The Dismemberment Plan

I'll make this brief: I had not listened to The Dismemberment Plan until 2006. My friend gave me a copy of Emergency and I, and I could not stop listening to it for a month. Better yet, it rekindled my interested in Q and Not U, Shudder to Think, Fugazi, and all others things that could be labeled as having a distinctly "D.C. Sound". It remains, to date, my favorite regional sound. (That's right, Omaha.)

So my Monday question to you is this, and it's twofold: what is your favorite regional sound (with accompanying bands listed), and were you on board from the get go or did you discover it later in life? If this sounds like a pretentious question, it probably is. (And, oh, the irony of posting it on this blog!)

Solander

Solander - Narcissus from A Tenderversion Recording on Vimeo.

Solander is a Swedish pop/folk/indie trio who make beautiful and haunting tracks perfect for these cold winter nights. They released their debut album Since We Are Pigeons back in October of last year and are currently working on their next album which will hopefully be out early 2011. You can download more free tracks over at their bandcamp and grab their debut album on Amazon.

Narcissus [mp3]

U.S. Royalty

With the release of their debut album Mirrors coming up in January 25th2011, the D.C.-based band U.S. Royalty have made appearances at SXSW, NXNE and CMJ, gaining positive reviews from Esquire, SPIN, The New York Times and the Washington Post. Comparisons range from Local Natives to Fleet Foxes due to their acoustic guitar-led folk-pop numbers with a hazed edge and a sturdy drum beat, but it's the catchy hooks layering on top that really gets my toes tapping. Definitely worth a listen.

Equestrian [mp3]

Holiday Hash - Volume 1

Time for some holiday music - a little later than we normally start posting it this year.

Some old fashioned Christmas goodness: 

Santa Baby [mp3] - The Puppini Sisters ( Amazon / iTunes )

A very contemporary, unique take on a classic (you can get a whole lot more where this came from on their website):  

Jingle Bells [mp3] - Javier Morales/The Dream Scene

A rather dark Christmas song for those who don't like cheery Christmas songs:

Hard Times on 34th Street [mp3] - The Elves of Heaven

And we'll finish with a kinda silly video from Matisyahu for Hanukkah. I have to say, Matisyahu's not a bad ice skater...

BBC Sound of 2011 Poll Nominees Revealed

I look forward to the BBC Sound of... every year as a soothsaying highlight of famous musicians to come. One, or perhaps many, of these could be the next Adele or Florence and the Machine in a year's time (my bets are on Jessie J), but take a look at the list yourself:

• Anna Calvi
• Clare Maguire
  
• Daley
• Esben & the Witch
• Jai Paul
• James Blake
• Jamie Woon
  
• Jessie J
• Mona
• The Naked & Famous
• Nero
• The Vaccines
• Warpaint
• Wretch 32
• Yuck
  

Q&A of the Week

Matt poses the question:

For some reason, listening to Mineral during the winter makes it sound extra bleak, but more fitting. Is there an album that, for you, takes on added seasonal significance?

Em: Ok, so it looks like I'm going to be re-using a few artists here, because part of the reason I picked them for the Thanksgiving question last week was for their wintery quality, but I'll try to add some new ones. For me, Frankel is definitely a winter band. And the Antlers' "Hospice" certainly can add a bleakness to Winter. It's a beautiful but tragic album - it is called "Hospice" after all. Chris Garneau is another I'd add to the wintery bleakness list. Probably much of Matt Jones' stuff too. But there are also some songs that make winter feel a little more snuggly, like Ane Brun, whose voice is so warm and inviting, or Temazcal by Monsters of Folk, which always makes me feel thoughtful and introspective, but in a pleasant way.

Lise: Olafur Arnalds' Found Songs is exceptionally beautiful to listen to while watching snow fall and making rosettes in a cozy kitchen (holla fellow Norwegians!)

Matt: As previously stated, winter usually brings out the more instrumental early 90s emo for me: heavy on Sunny Day Real Estate, Mineral and the like. [Alternative winter choice: ethereal, atmospheric sounds of Sigur Ros' ( ).] Autumn = change = Owen, who coincidentally has an album called New Leaves. But he's one of my year round favorites, so I'm not sure if that's an accurate submission.

There are three things I know for certain in answer to this question:
1) I don't have a choice for spring. I'm sorry, April. Enough said.
2) I dare anyone to seriously listen to a volume of "Now That's What I Call Music!" in the winter. That's a toughie. Whoever does so can probably also listen to "Jock Jams" outside of sporting venues. I also imagine they have several Fatheads, Wallbangers, and love letters addressed to Chase Utley.
3) Maritime's "We, the Vehicles" is the ultimate summer album. It encapsulated everything about the season perfectly without trying to do so (though the band name doesn't hurt imagining wearing a striped shirt on a schooner, if you're into that sort of thing). It parades through the SCHOOL'S OUT, Y'ALL! feeling with tracks like "Parade of Punk Rock T-Shirts", "Calm", and "Tearing Up the Oxygen" before capturing our recognition of its fleeting nature "Don't Say You Don't" and "No One Will Remember". Oh, and "Young Alumni" does all of this in one song.

It's required summer listening for me.

What about you? Leave your favorite winter-time albums in the comments!

Quinn Marston

Quinn Marston is a NY-based 20-year-old singer/songwriter who writes energetic slightly-scuzzed indie rock numbers, which she refers to as "classic jangle-and-crunch alterna-pop." Quinn collaborated on her debut EP Can You Hear Me See Me Now? with Tom Beaujour (Nada Surf, Right On Dynamite) and guitarist Tim Foljahn (Cat Power) .

Can You Hear Me See Me Now? [mp3] (iTunes)

CMJ Music Marathon: E-S Guthrie

E-S Guthrie is another artist that I was introduced to on the first night of CMJ. His set at the Living Room's Googie's Lounge was freewheeling and intimate and enticed me to snag a copy of his live record.

Live in the Neighborhood was recorded during an opening set for Colin Hay, and the two artists' sensibilities couldn't be a better match. The acoustic-slinging singer-songwriter is a well-worn archetype, and it takes a serious talent to develop a distinct voice when working within that form. Like Hay, Guthrie manages to convey what are sometimes conventional, potentially schmaltzy sentiments with a certain soulful sincerity, vision and wit that unearths the profound from the familiar. And his facility with words is bolstered by his impressive and immersive guitar work and arrangements.

The disc is currently only available at shows, but here are a few of the choice cuts:

Note to Self (live) [mp3]
Daydream (live) [mp3]
From the Ashes (demo) [mp3]

"Be nice to everybody, everybody."

Quotable - Nathan Followill (Kings of Leon)

Might start posting things like this occasionally, as I have heard some really great music-related quotes lately. Nathan Followill of Kings of Leon said this in an interview with The Telegraph, and I immediately related (while many people have made the analogy of music as religion before, and it's a philosophy I pretty much live by, I chose this quote especially because of the part about concerts giving people highs and making people feel like they're a part of something bigger - a good concert always leaves me feeling giddy and so happy to be alive and experiencing these wonderful shows!):

To some people, music is their religion. Going to a concert gives them a high like a Christian going to a revival. Anything that awakens that feeling inside that you are part of something bigger – whatever that is – that’s good enough.

Read the full article on Kings of Leon here.