SONG: All Is Well
ARTIST: Michael W. Smith
ALBUM: Christmas
RELEASED: 1989
AVAILABILITY: Amazon ( CD | 2-pack | MP3 )
Merry Christmas.
Showing posts with label Music. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Music. Show all posts
Saturday, December 25, 2010
Friday, December 24, 2010
CHRISTMAS COUNTDOWN Day 24: O Holy Night (Sufjan Stevens)
SONG: O Holy Night
ARTIST: Sufjan Stevens
ALBUM: Songs For Christmas, Vol. 3
RELEASED: 2003
AVAILABILITY: CD/MP3 (5-pack of EPs)
"O Holy Night" has always been one of my favorite Christmas songs, and I was excited when I heard that Sufjan Stevens did a version of it. But when I first heard it, I wasn't quite sure what to think. In fact, I was even a little offended. It seemed almost sacrilegiously low-effort and bizarre. But eventually it won me over with its down-to-Earth charm, and now I think it's one of the best arrangements there is. It actually represents the subject matter perfectly. Because people were anticipating the birth of a messiah for centuries; and when they were told that it finally happened, and it was just some poor people in a stable, and he wasn't even planning to overthrow the government or anything, they also couldn't help but wonder: "Is this it?" But it couldn't have happened any other way. And that's the feeling that this version of the song captures, for me. When all of the instruments finally come in for the final chorus, it gives me chills.
So yeah, I just proved that if you don't like Sufjan's version of this song you don't know the true meaning of Christmas. I win!
ARTIST: Sufjan Stevens
ALBUM: Songs For Christmas, Vol. 3
RELEASED: 2003
AVAILABILITY: CD/MP3 (5-pack of EPs)
"O Holy Night" has always been one of my favorite Christmas songs, and I was excited when I heard that Sufjan Stevens did a version of it. But when I first heard it, I wasn't quite sure what to think. In fact, I was even a little offended. It seemed almost sacrilegiously low-effort and bizarre. But eventually it won me over with its down-to-Earth charm, and now I think it's one of the best arrangements there is. It actually represents the subject matter perfectly. Because people were anticipating the birth of a messiah for centuries; and when they were told that it finally happened, and it was just some poor people in a stable, and he wasn't even planning to overthrow the government or anything, they also couldn't help but wonder: "Is this it?" But it couldn't have happened any other way. And that's the feeling that this version of the song captures, for me. When all of the instruments finally come in for the final chorus, it gives me chills.
So yeah, I just proved that if you don't like Sufjan's version of this song you don't know the true meaning of Christmas. I win!
Thursday, December 23, 2010
CHRISTMAS COUNTDOWN Day 23: White As Snow (U2)
Wednesday, December 22, 2010
CHRISTMAS COUNTDOWN Day 22: Greensleeves / What Child Is This (Kevin Max)
SONG: Greensleeves / What Child Is This
ARTIST: Kevin Max
ALBUM: Holy Night
RELEASED: 2005
AVAILABILITY: Amazon ( CD | MP3 )
Each of these two tracks would seem incomplete without its counterpart, so I included them both. Kevin Max's 2005 Christmas album adhered to traditional hymnal classics rather than songs about Santa Claus and stuff, but he even went so far as to include the medieval predecessor to "What Child Is This" in a brief, one-verse-one-chorus format. This gives him some leeway to double up on the "What Child" verses and choruses, lining them straight up instead of alternating between verse and chorus. It's thanks to this that we get my favorite moment on the album: the full-octave jump between verses 1 and 2. It demonstrates not only Kevin's amazing range, but that he sounds great at either end of it.
ARTIST: Kevin Max
ALBUM: Holy Night
RELEASED: 2005
AVAILABILITY: Amazon ( CD | MP3 )
Each of these two tracks would seem incomplete without its counterpart, so I included them both. Kevin Max's 2005 Christmas album adhered to traditional hymnal classics rather than songs about Santa Claus and stuff, but he even went so far as to include the medieval predecessor to "What Child Is This" in a brief, one-verse-one-chorus format. This gives him some leeway to double up on the "What Child" verses and choruses, lining them straight up instead of alternating between verse and chorus. It's thanks to this that we get my favorite moment on the album: the full-octave jump between verses 1 and 2. It demonstrates not only Kevin's amazing range, but that he sounds great at either end of it.
Tuesday, December 21, 2010
CHRISTMAS COUNTDOWN Day 21: Flight Into Egypt (Phil Keaggy)
SONG: Nativity Suite part 3: Flight Into Egypt
ARTIST: Phil Keaggy (featuring the London Festival Orchestra)
ALBUM: Majesty & Wonder: An Instrumental Christmas
RELEASED: 1999
AVAILABILITY: Amazon ( CD | MP3 )
The soundtrack to a Christmas movie that doesn't exist. Well actually, I guess the movie probably does exist... well, you know what I mean.
ARTIST: Phil Keaggy (featuring the London Festival Orchestra)
ALBUM: Majesty & Wonder: An Instrumental Christmas
RELEASED: 1999
AVAILABILITY: Amazon ( CD | MP3 )
The soundtrack to a Christmas movie that doesn't exist. Well actually, I guess the movie probably does exist... well, you know what I mean.
Monday, December 20, 2010
CHRISTMAS COUNTDOWN Day 20: Walking In The Air (Howard Blake)
SONG: Walking In The Air
ARTIST: Howard Blake
ALBUM: The Snowman
RELEASED: 1982
AVAILABILITY: Amazon Marketplace ( CD | MP3 )
"The Snowman" is an odd little animated short. It sort of came out of nowhere, adapting a children's book most people weren't particularly familiar with. And the animation isn't really "good" on a technical level (although it definitely works, stylistically). And it's mostly silent, and a little depressing. But the score, by relative unknown Howard Blake, is legendary, and this main theme is the epitome of haunting Christmas music.
ARTIST: Howard Blake
ALBUM: The Snowman
RELEASED: 1982
AVAILABILITY: Amazon Marketplace ( CD | MP3 )
"The Snowman" is an odd little animated short. It sort of came out of nowhere, adapting a children's book most people weren't particularly familiar with. And the animation isn't really "good" on a technical level (although it definitely works, stylistically). And it's mostly silent, and a little depressing. But the score, by relative unknown Howard Blake, is legendary, and this main theme is the epitome of haunting Christmas music.
Sunday, December 19, 2010
CHRISTMAS COUNTDOWN Day 19: Evergreen (Switchfoot)
SONG: Evergreen
ARTIST: Switchfoot
ALBUM: Happy Christmas Vol. 2 (BEC) / Happy Christmas Vol. 4 (Tooth & Nail)
RELEASED: 1998 / 2005
AVAILABILITY: Amazon ( original CD compilation [discontinued?] | newer CD compilation | MP3 )
This Switchfoot rarity, available only on compilations, is one of the better "I've got the Christmas blues" type of songs out there. It starts off with the usual stuff about not feeling too great on Christmas, but then it employs the frequently-forgotten symbolism of a Christmas tree -- a tree that lives all year round, ironically enough -- to turn the singer's pity party into an object lesson about the holiday.
ARTIST: Switchfoot
ALBUM: Happy Christmas Vol. 2 (BEC) / Happy Christmas Vol. 4 (Tooth & Nail)
RELEASED: 1998 / 2005
AVAILABILITY: Amazon ( original CD compilation [discontinued?] | newer CD compilation | MP3 )
This Switchfoot rarity, available only on compilations, is one of the better "I've got the Christmas blues" type of songs out there. It starts off with the usual stuff about not feeling too great on Christmas, but then it employs the frequently-forgotten symbolism of a Christmas tree -- a tree that lives all year round, ironically enough -- to turn the singer's pity party into an object lesson about the holiday.
Saturday, December 18, 2010
CHRISTMAS COUNTDOWN Day 18: Adoration (Newsboys)
SONG: Adoration
ARTIST: Newsboys
ALBUM: Adoration
RELEASED: 2003
AVAILABILITY: Amazon ( CD | MP3 )
Without really being advertised as a Christmas song, "Adoration" was quietly snuck onto the Newsboys' "worship" album of the same name. Although I would generally regard this phase of their career as a mistake, some really high-quality songs still came out of it, and this is one of the best new Christmas songs in ages. It's a little sad how much better it is than the so-called Newsboys Christmas album that recently came out, which is really just a Michael Tait Christmas album with an indistinguishable studio backup band... but I digress.
ARTIST: Newsboys
ALBUM: Adoration
RELEASED: 2003
AVAILABILITY: Amazon ( CD | MP3 )
Without really being advertised as a Christmas song, "Adoration" was quietly snuck onto the Newsboys' "worship" album of the same name. Although I would generally regard this phase of their career as a mistake, some really high-quality songs still came out of it, and this is one of the best new Christmas songs in ages. It's a little sad how much better it is than the so-called Newsboys Christmas album that recently came out, which is really just a Michael Tait Christmas album with an indistinguishable studio backup band... but I digress.
Friday, December 17, 2010
CHRISTMAS COUNTDOWN Day 17: Take a Break, Guys! (The Brian Setzer Orchestra)
SONG: Take a Break, Guys!
ARTIST: The Brian Setzer Orchestra
ALBUM: Wolfgang's Big Night Out
RELEASED: 2002
AVAILABILITY: Amazon ( CD | MP3 | Greatest Hits CD/DVD )
Fulfilling the prophecy by Mr. Bean, this swingin' arrangement of "God Rest Ye Merry, Gentlemen" (think about the title for a minute) first appeared on Setzer's classical music reinterpretation project, but it's also showed up on his Christmas compilations.
ARTIST: The Brian Setzer Orchestra
ALBUM: Wolfgang's Big Night Out
RELEASED: 2002
AVAILABILITY: Amazon ( CD | MP3 | Greatest Hits CD/DVD )
Fulfilling the prophecy by Mr. Bean, this swingin' arrangement of "God Rest Ye Merry, Gentlemen" (think about the title for a minute) first appeared on Setzer's classical music reinterpretation project, but it's also showed up on his Christmas compilations.
Thursday, December 16, 2010
CHRISTMAS COUNTDOWN Day 16: Siberian Sleigh Ride (Trans-Siberian Orchestra)
Wednesday, December 15, 2010
CHRISTMAS COUNTDOWN Day 15: Winter Wonderland / Misty Mountain Hop (Fleming & John)
SONG: Winter Wonderland / Misty Mountain Hop
ARTIST: Fleming & John
ALBUM: (None)
RELEASED: I'm honestly not really sure
AVAILABILITY: MP3 only via www.myspace.com/flemingandjohn
A little soon for another version of Winter Wonderland, you say? Well, it's never too soon for more Fleming & John, especially since their particular version of the song sets it to the tune of Led Zeppelin's "Misty Mountain Hop". This also guarantees that it will never get any sort of mass distribution, as the Zep guys aren't exactly known for their lenient stance on copyright, so get it while you can!
ARTIST: Fleming & John
ALBUM: (None)
RELEASED: I'm honestly not really sure
AVAILABILITY: MP3 only via www.myspace.com/flemingandjohn
A little soon for another version of Winter Wonderland, you say? Well, it's never too soon for more Fleming & John, especially since their particular version of the song sets it to the tune of Led Zeppelin's "Misty Mountain Hop". This also guarantees that it will never get any sort of mass distribution, as the Zep guys aren't exactly known for their lenient stance on copyright, so get it while you can!
Tuesday, December 14, 2010
CHRISTMAS COUNTDOWN Day 14: Emmanuel (Michael W. Smith)
Monday, December 13, 2010
CHRISTMAS COUNTDOWN Day 13: Wonderful Christmastime (Earthsuit
SONG: Wonderful Christmastime
ARTIST: Earthsuit
ALBUM: Happy Christmas vol. 3 (compilation)
RELEASED: 2001
AVAILABILITY: Amazon Marketplace (CD)
If you've ever found Paul McCartney's original arrangement of this song to be too cheesy or oddly disturbing, consider giving this one a shot. It's by Earthsuit, the greatest failed band of all time, and even though it lacks many aspects of their trademark sound, they still brought the song to life.
ARTIST: Earthsuit
ALBUM: Happy Christmas vol. 3 (compilation)
RELEASED: 2001
AVAILABILITY: Amazon Marketplace (CD)
If you've ever found Paul McCartney's original arrangement of this song to be too cheesy or oddly disturbing, consider giving this one a shot. It's by Earthsuit, the greatest failed band of all time, and even though it lacks many aspects of their trademark sound, they still brought the song to life.
Sunday, December 12, 2010
CHRISTMAS COUNTDOWN Day 12: The Nutcracker Suite (Brian Setzer Orchestra)
SONG: The Nutcracker Suite
ARTIST: The Brian Setzer Orchestra
ALBUM: Boogie Woogie Christmas
RELEASED: 2002
AVAILABILITY: Amazon ( CD | MP3 | Greatest Hits CD/DVD )
To me, Christmas and big band / jazz music have always gone together nicely for some reason. So I was glad when Brian Setzer gave it a shot, even though making 2 Christmas albums and then a "Christmas Greatest Hits" was overkill.
ARTIST: The Brian Setzer Orchestra
ALBUM: Boogie Woogie Christmas
RELEASED: 2002
AVAILABILITY: Amazon ( CD | MP3 | Greatest Hits CD/DVD )
To me, Christmas and big band / jazz music have always gone together nicely for some reason. So I was glad when Brian Setzer gave it a shot, even though making 2 Christmas albums and then a "Christmas Greatest Hits" was overkill.
Saturday, December 11, 2010
CHRISTMAS COUNTDOWN Day 11: Winter Wonderland (Steve Taylor)
SONG: Winter Wonderland
ARTIST: Steve Taylor
ALBUM: Christmas (compilation)
RELEASED: 1988
AVAILABILITY: Amazon Marketplace (CD)
This full-on mariachi arrangement of "Winter Wonderland" is actually one of the first versions I can ever remember hearing, so to me, it's always just felt natural. It's by Steve Taylor, the satirical pop singer/songwriter/producer best known as the guy who finally made the Newsboys good. (WHERE ARE YOU NOW, STEVE?!) He also produced Sixpence None The Richer's self-titled album, which included the mega-hit "Kiss Me." Currently, he's working on the upcoming Blue Like Jazz movie.
ARTIST: Steve Taylor
ALBUM: Christmas (compilation)
RELEASED: 1988
AVAILABILITY: Amazon Marketplace (CD)
This full-on mariachi arrangement of "Winter Wonderland" is actually one of the first versions I can ever remember hearing, so to me, it's always just felt natural. It's by Steve Taylor, the satirical pop singer/songwriter/producer best known as the guy who finally made the Newsboys good. (WHERE ARE YOU NOW, STEVE?!) He also produced Sixpence None The Richer's self-titled album, which included the mega-hit "Kiss Me." Currently, he's working on the upcoming Blue Like Jazz movie.
Friday, December 10, 2010
CHRISTMAS COUNTDOWN Day 10: Hey Guys! It's Christmas Time! (Sufjan Stevens)
SONG: Hey Guys! It's Christmas Time!
ARTIST: Sufjan Stevens
ALBUM: Songs For Christmas, Vol. 4
RELEASED: 2005
AVAILABILITY: CD/MP3 (5-pack of EPs)
In contrast to the "What Child Is This?" I posted earlier, this is one of Sufjan's original Christmas songs, and it actually sounds more "modern" than most of his other work. It's almost unheard-of for him to use an electric guitar riff as the main part of a song. But it's Christmas time, so I guess anything can happen.
ARTIST: Sufjan Stevens
ALBUM: Songs For Christmas, Vol. 4
RELEASED: 2005
AVAILABILITY: CD/MP3 (5-pack of EPs)
In contrast to the "What Child Is This?" I posted earlier, this is one of Sufjan's original Christmas songs, and it actually sounds more "modern" than most of his other work. It's almost unheard-of for him to use an electric guitar riff as the main part of a song. But it's Christmas time, so I guess anything can happen.
Thursday, December 09, 2010
CHRISTMAS COUNTDOWN Day 8: Christmas Jazz (Trans-Siberian Orchestra)
SONG: Christmas Jazz (Good King Wenceslas)
ARTIST: Trans-Siberian Orchestra
ALBUM: The Lost Christmas Eve
RELEASED: 2004
AVAILABILITY: Amazon (CD | MP3 | 3-pack)
A bit different from the Trans-Sbierian Orchestra you may be used to; this is a very pleasant jazzed-up acoustic arrangement of everybody's favorite "I don't know what this means but it sounds nice" Christmas Carol, "Good King Wenceslas".
ARTIST: Trans-Siberian Orchestra
ALBUM: The Lost Christmas Eve
RELEASED: 2004
AVAILABILITY: Amazon (CD | MP3 | 3-pack)
A bit different from the Trans-Sbierian Orchestra you may be used to; this is a very pleasant jazzed-up acoustic arrangement of everybody's favorite "I don't know what this means but it sounds nice" Christmas Carol, "Good King Wenceslas".
Wednesday, December 08, 2010
CHRISTMAS COUNTDOWN Day 8: Carol of the Bells (Fleming & John)
SONG: Carol of the Bells
ARTIST: Fleming & John
ALBUM: (None)
RELEASED: 2000
AVAILABILITY: MP3 only via www.myspace.com/flemingandjohn
Most lyrical versions of "Carol of the Bells" sound stupid. Luckily, Fleming & John are incapable of sounding stupid. They're the world's coolest married couple, with Fleming doing lead vocals and John Painter playing every instrument known to man. I don't think this has been on any compilations, but it was made available on their web site a while ago. Their 2 albums are well worth seeking out.
ARTIST: Fleming & John
ALBUM: (None)
RELEASED: 2000
AVAILABILITY: MP3 only via www.myspace.com/flemingandjohn
Most lyrical versions of "Carol of the Bells" sound stupid. Luckily, Fleming & John are incapable of sounding stupid. They're the world's coolest married couple, with Fleming doing lead vocals and John Painter playing every instrument known to man. I don't think this has been on any compilations, but it was made available on their web site a while ago. Their 2 albums are well worth seeking out.
Tuesday, December 07, 2010
CHRISTMAS COUNTDOWN Day 7: Must Be Santa (Bob Dylan)
SONG: Must Be Santa
ARTIST: Bob Dylan
ALBUM: Christmas In The Heart
RELEASED: 2009
AVAILABILITY: Amazon (CD | Deluxe | Vinyl)
Last year, Bob Dylan confounded the world by releasing an album of completely straightforward, traditional arrangements of Christmas songs. At least, they would be straightforward, but they're sung by 2009 Bob Dylan. This is actually the least bizarre song of the bunch... and impossible to get out of your head. You're welcome.
ARTIST: Bob Dylan
ALBUM: Christmas In The Heart
RELEASED: 2009
AVAILABILITY: Amazon (CD | Deluxe | Vinyl)
Last year, Bob Dylan confounded the world by releasing an album of completely straightforward, traditional arrangements of Christmas songs. At least, they would be straightforward, but they're sung by 2009 Bob Dylan. This is actually the least bizarre song of the bunch... and impossible to get out of your head. You're welcome.
Monday, December 06, 2010
CHRISTMAS COUNTDOWN Day 6: First Snow (Trans-Siberian Orchestra)
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