Friday, December 31, 2010

counting backwards


New Year' Eve has been a very neglected holiday in my life. Sometimes spent working, other times out clubbing, sometimes at home asleep with the little rockers. I don't even have solid plans for tonight. The only really notable New Year's Eve I've ever encountered was at the turnover from 1999 to 2000 at Brandenburg Gate in Berlin. It was spent with a million or so of my new closest angry drunk German friends with fireworks, Mr. IMo? and his best friend. It was mostly fun, deathly cold and the aftermath wasn't pretty.

When it comes down to it, nothing about New Years Eve matters more than the last few seconds and the countdown anyhow. In that spirit here's to music, counting backwards and the new year!


CHEERS!
*j


SONG OF THE DAY:

Thursday, December 30, 2010

a little less conversation, a little more tambourine


Last night, while driving around blissfully by myself in the misty fog, returning various Christmas gifts that didn't quite work out, and Beck's "Black Tambourine" came up.
Every time I hear this song I want to sing it in my best Elvis voice because it is so similar to "A Little Less Conversation". So today we are going to do a back to back listen to the two, and let me know what you think of my assessment.

I have no abilities whatsoever in the mash-up department but if anyone does, this is my request.

SONGS OF THE DAY:


Wednesday, December 29, 2010

peaceful day


The little rockers are all hopped up on freedom and excess and the indulgence of new toys, and it's only 9am. I still have to work today and I'm not sure how we can co-exist peacefully.

I have the lyrics to Pennywise running through my mind....
"Won't someone tell me how will I make it through today. Looking towards the future and all I can see is the next generation looking back with [NO] pity on me"

SONG OF THE DAY:



Tuesday, December 28, 2010

DIGESTIBLE TRAX 1st ANNUAL LEFT-OVERS FEAST (A.K.A. The Year –ender)

Top 20 Albums (New and newly discovered) in 2010

End of year lists are kind of like a big left-overs meal where you sift through everything you've collected up over the year and pick out what you liked well enough to have more. I decided to add the “new to me” caveat to the list because, frankly, I have a life and unlike when I was in high school and college, I can’t devote all of my time to chasing down the next new thing.

Album-Band

20. Falcon – The Courteeners

I first heard The Courteeners when they opened for Morrissey, and was really impressed. A seemingly under-rated, unknown band, (at least in the US) which is disappointing for their amount of talent.

19. Witching Hour - Ladytron

This album by Ladytron came out late last year, but didn't show up on my radar until early this year; I have since been hooked. This year has just seen the release of singles and remixes, but hopefully they are just teasers for 2011 .

18. The Best of the Undertones- The Undertones

This re-release of the classic Undertones ranks high for me. I first discovered The Undertones in a backwards sort of way. I first heard "Teenage Kicks" as a cover by Thee Headcoatees, then traced it back to a cover by The Vibrators and eventually to legendary band, The Undertones. That was a lot of work pre-internet. A great primer album for those learning their music history and a must-have for collectors.

17. Sherlocks Daughter- Sherlocks Daughter

Like an Australian version of Sigur Ros, Sherlocks Daughter is sure to impress.

16. There is No Enemy- Built to Spill

This one came out late last year, but I didn't pick it up until January. I did, however get to go see Built to Spill play again a few months ago. Having seen Built to Spill play more times in my life than any other band, I never pay more than $5 to see them, but no matter whether I seem them play for free at a neighborhood street fair in Boise or headlining a Festival halfway across the country, they never disappoint.

15. Trans-continental Shuffle- Gogol Bordello

I really wish I had listened to Gogol Bordello more BEFORE I saw them at Lollapalooza. It's always refreshing to hear bands that come up with a completely new sound and identity. On the flip side, I hope they have enough to say to outlast this current bright shining star they are riding. The band has the message and energy to be the new political band of the decade, like Rage Against the Machine in the 90s or REM in the 80s, but lack the angry passion of youth to push them forward. Fantastic album, but a bit skeptical about their future.

14. Idyll Intangible- Navvy

Every year I seem to get hooked on something kooky. Two years ago it was Art Brut, last year the Aquabats, this year it’s Navvy.

13. Sister Kinderhook – Rasputina

Thanks to Guy Magnificent for the introduction to Rasputina. Now if only I hadn't missed their concert….

12. Music for Men- The Gossip

The Gossip create such marvelous dance tracks. Another band I am looking forward to hearing more from.

11. A Guide to Love, Loss and DesperationThe Wombats

The Wombats put out my favorite workout album of the year. Probably not a conventional "workout" album, but it helps me get started taking those first steps on the treadmill like none other. Also a “late arrival”.

10. High Violet - The National

This album was the first I had heard of The National, but I love it. I need to spend some time with their archives.

9. Senior-Royksöpp

Royksöpp is simply delicious.

8. Crossing the Rubicon - The Sounds

The Sounds are my favorite new girl-lead band.

7. Sleep Forever – The Crocodiles

The Crocodiles are like having Jesus and Mary Chain’s musical twins putting out new music.

6. Smart Accessories – The Cute Lepers

The Cute Lepers had better keep putting out new music, and not break up again (they used to be the Briefs) or I will be very put out.

5. Under the Great White Northern Lights - The White Stripes

This is one of those albums that no one seems to agree upon when exactly it was released since the tour pre-dates the print date and release dates. Anyhow, I say it counts for this year. I usually only buy older music on vinyl, stuff I want to sit around and savor, but this was a only a slight deviation from that norm. The music is old and familiar to White Stripes fans, but the live performance was the new element. I plunked down 35 clams from my stash of "un-mommy money" at Reckless Records in Chicago for two heavy pieces of vinyl and it is worth every copper penny. The combination of favorites like "Iky Thump", "Little Ghost", "Blue Orchid" and "Seven Nation Army" combined with gems like the cover of Dolly Parton's "Jolene", Meg and Jack make this a must have for music collectors.

4. The Resistance- Muse

Yet another late arrival. Apparently one of the casualties of living in Turkey was I didn’t discover Muse earlier. Sheer musical genius.

3. A Brief History of Love- The Big Pink

Just can’t get enough of The Big Pink. This band has "it", that non-pinpointable thing I search for in music, a combination of smart lyrics, unique rhythms, clarity and distortion, beauty and elegance with a heaping dose of dark human grit. It doesn't hurt their cause having AkikoMatsuura, the coolest female drummer on the planet (tied right next to Meg White of course). Very high on my watch list to see live and crossing my eyes, fingers and toes for more from them this next year.

2. Peghead & Friendly Dog Salad & The Last Polka- Black Happy

Technically these Black Happy albums are re-issues that have been out of print for at least 15 years, but I have brand new 20th anniversary copies, AND they are now available on Napster and iTunes. There is nothing like a 20th anniversary edition of anything to make you simultaneously feel old and young in the same instant.

1. Foxy Shazam – Foxy Shazam

In my mind nothing has come as close to musical perfection this year as Foxy Shazam. They are the whole musical package. Seeing them play live 3 times and getting to know them a bit hasn't hurt either. But even if that hadn't been the case I would still stand by this year’s number 1 choice as the very best new thing out, and they have made the biggest impact on my musical tastebuds this year.

we used to vacation


Got back late last night from Chi-town. Yesterday was the working part of the vacation where I had to clean the apartment and meet the new tenant so I could make it a tax deductible Christmas Vacation (hooray for tax write-offs).
Now my vacation is done and I am in full blown
mommy mode until school starts back up next week.

On the ride home after the little rockers nodded off I hooked up Pandora and let Mr. IMo? choose the station. While he usually chooses The Pixies for late night drives, he switched things up and went for The White Stripes. He sort of has a man-crush on Jack White. What made me really excited was that his ears perked up when Cold War Kids came on. I had heard them off and on like a whisper over the past few years but they feature heavily on the Foxy Shazam station from Pandora, and I have really gotten into them this year.

It's unnerving to me how through technology Mr. IMo? and I don't really even listen to the same music, much less at the same time, unless we are on a road trip together or at a concert. Around town we listen to NPR or drive separate cars. So, I have come up with my first new resolution for the next year: I resolve to become more musically "in tune" with Mr. IMo? and make sure we are on the "same wavelength". (Sorry, I couldn't resist the puns). He doesn't read my blog; he lets me keep this as my own private yet public little outlet, but maybe I can hijack his MP3 player more often.

I have a personal fondness for the use of pianos/keyboards in bands and I am ecstatic to hear it start working its way back into non-synthpop music like Cold War Kids and Foxy Shazam. It is fascinating to hear the versatility of the instrument. Pianos are often seen as primarily for classical music or jazz or wimpy "adult soft rock", but when you hear it in a piece like this, you really understand the timelessness of the piano and wonder why it isn't used more often in modern rock music.


SONG OF THE DAY:





Thursday, December 23, 2010

boxing day


I'm still enjoying my escapist Christmas in Chi-town, not yet facing the crumbling faded remnants of Christmas just past.

Whether you are lounging in 2 day old pajamas because your belly is bulging more than a smidgen after too many sweets and cheeseballs, or feeling more of an industrious need to purge your life of holiday knick-knacks, Happy Boxing day to you.

A little bit of ALL to help you get moving.

SONG OF THE DAY:


Monday, December 20, 2010

Christmas 2010 PLAYLIST



2010 ROCK'N'ROLL CHRISTMAS COUNTDOWN PLAYLIST



25 Tunes for Christmas, in no particular order



a total of 58 were posted, 3 more are coming. check individual posts for more songs, links, info.

Check out Ophelia's Art for more cool Christmas Art
(cards, tees, etc)


  1. "Christmas Island" - Depeche Mode (not posted, link here)

  2. "Mary X-mess" - Sun 60 (not posted, link here)

  3. “Christmas Vacation” - Descendents

  4. “The Christmas Song” – The Ravonette

  5. “Zat You Santa Claus” – Buster Poindexter and the Banshees of Blue

  6. “Santa Baby” - Kylie Minogue

  7. “Christmas is the Time to Say I Love You” – The Cute Lepers

  8. “It Doesn’t Feel Like Christmas” – Toad the Wet Sprocket

  9. “She Came Home For Christmas” – Mew

  10. “When I Get Home for Christmas” – Snow Patrol

  11. “Last Christmas” – The Puppini Sisters

  12. “Snow Brigade” – Mew

  13. “Il est Né, le Divin Enfant” – Siouxsie and the Banshees

  14. “All I want For Christmas” – Yeah Yeah Yeahs

  15. “Father Christmas” –The Kinks

  16. “Fairytale in New York” – The Pogues with Kristy MacColl

  17. “Christmas Wrapping” – The Waitresses

  18. “Merry Christmas (I Don’t Wanna Fight Tonight)”- The Ramones

  19. “It Doesn’t Often Snow at Christmas” – The Pet Shop Boys

  20. “Little Drummer Boy” – David Bowie & Bing Crosby

  21. “White Christmas” – Iggy Pop

  22. “Walking in the Air” – Foxy Shazam

  23. “I'll Be Home for Christmas" - Girl in a Coma

  24. “Oi to the World”- The Vandals

  25. “It’s Christmas All Over Again” – Tom Petty


i was born on christmas day


Merry Christmas!

*j

CHRISTMAS SONG OF THE DAY:




'twas the night before christmas


This man wants YOU to have a Merry Christmas!


Since it is Christmas Eve I couldn't think of a better piece to share than Henry Rollins doing his spoken word thing.



Hope everyone has a great holiday!



Cheers!

*j



CHRISTMAS SONG OF THE DAY:



i wish it was christmas today


Thanks to The Vinyl Villain for sharing this fabulous bit.


Here is a little bit of Julian Casablancas (of The Strokes) to make your holiday merry and bright.





CHRISTMAS SONG OF THE DAY:



holiday has begun


The little rockers are done with school until January so now we can frolic in a Christmasy way.

Happy Holiday!

CHRISTMAS (HOLIDAY) SONGS OF THE DAY:






a ravonettes christmas



I got to see The Ravonettes at Lollapalooza last year and they put on a great show. Not much time to chat today, so I hope you enjoy a tasty assortment of Christmas ditties by the duo channeling their inner Lou Reed & Nico.



CHRISTMAS SONGS OF THE DAY:



'zat you, santa claus


As much as I wish I could present everyone with a New York Dolls Christmas tune wrapped up in a glittery box with a neon pink bow, it just doesn't exist.

So, the best thing I can do is give you David Johansen's alter-ego Buster Poindexter with his Banshees of Blue.

I have also included two other delectable versions of the tune.

CHRISTMAS SONG OF THE DAY:



Sunday, December 19, 2010

children, go where i send thee


Busy day around here, as Mr. IMo? has invited strangers to dinner, so I'm running late and don't have time to say anything but, here's today's tune by the talented Miss Natalie Merchant.

CHRISTMAS SONG OF THE DAY:

Saturday, December 18, 2010

santa baby


As much as I love Eartha Kitt, I have to admit that Kylie Minogue managed to infuse "Santa Baby" with even more coy seduction and mischievousness than the original.

Kylie Minogue and I have a strange long history that began when I was in high school. I had a friend living in Australia at the time who told me I looked just like this famous Australian pop star, so of course I had to look her up. Every time I am in Europe the same thing happens. Just this past summer, I saw an old friend of mine, and out of nowhere he said, "You know who always reminds me of you...Kylie Minogue". I take that as a serious compliment. I'm thinking of changing my facebook picture to hers for the day and seeing if anyone notices...
It wouldn't be a Christmas Playlist without this classic girl tune.
CHRISTMAS SONG OF THE DAY:

Friday, December 17, 2010

blackhearts and lepers for christmas


I have been in love with The Cute Lepers this year since I discovered them. And just yesterday I found their christmas tune on A Blackheart Christmas, a Blackheart Records album. Blackheart is the home of Joan Jett, so you know it has coolness as its superpower.

I already featured Joan Jett doing Little Drummer Boy, which is also on the album, so here are a few of the other tasty bits to be found.




"I'll Be Home for Christmas" -Girl in a Coma (the best version of this song I've ever heard)

"Blue Christmas" - Girl in a Coma ( on playlist.com sidebar, a more rockabilly version)

Thursday, December 16, 2010

it doesn't feel like christmas


You'd think that blogging about Christmas would help me feel Christmasier, but I got nuthin'.

Another "inclimate weather" day so that means Mr. IMo? has to go to work and I am home with cranky monsters who would rather be at school playing than at home stuck inside. So, since this is our second no-school day this week I have to come up with something, and I have decided that something is baking. We are going to bake Christmas cookies, Christmas cakes and Christmas goodies until it feels like Christmas. (Maybe listening to some Brian Setzer and moving our Saturday morning breakfast dance party to Thursday might help too.)

I have a long standing love for Toad the Wet Sprocket. They remind me of my junior year in high school. The year is a dark blank spot where I sort of checked out of the world, but I do remember listening to a lot of The Smiths, The Cure and Toad the Wet Sprocket. And the fact that they showed up in our town to do a concert was amazing. I was in the front row, which at The Crazy Horse wasn't usually saying much, but that was the only concert I attended there where the place was bursting at the seams. After the the show I gathered up a few guitar picks off the stage, and that was the beginning of my collection. It still rates as one of the top 10 concerts I've ever seen. The mixture of dark and happy memories seems fitting for today's song.

You can get a free download of the song at their website, just click the link below.

CHRISTMAS SONGS OF THE DAY:



Wednesday, December 15, 2010

home for christmas


Everybody talks about going home for Christmas. I generally prefer to run away from home for Christmas, and go some place else. This year I am doing a combination of both, running away from this home but going to our old home in Chi-town. Our 700 square city feet (closets included); our real home away from this home when someone else isn't living in it.

For all of you going home, wanting to go home, wishing everyone else would just stay at their home not yours, or just minding your own business at home, here are some homely Christmas tunes for you.

CHRISTMAS SONGS OF THE DAY:



and just because I love this song by Black Happy...

Tuesday, December 14, 2010

last christmas


I have really gotten into The Puppini Sisters' Christmas album. I think this is their best song. They take Wham!'s whiny original and make it palatable.

CHRISTMAS SONGS OF THE DAY:

"Last Christmas" -The Puppini Sisters

"Last Christmas" - Erland Øye (of Kings of Convenience)

"Last Christmas" - Travis

Over at 17seconds yesterday "last christmas" was also the feature. Check it out for yet another cover of the tune.


Monday, December 13, 2010

snow day


Having a school-free snow day today. We got hit with some of that mid-western blizzardy fun and now everyone gets to unexpectedly stay home. It's not even the fun, go outside and sled down the hill and build snowmen and snowboard down the small backyard slope kind of snow, so it's pretty much worthless. Bah-humbug!

So today's songs are less Christmas-y and more snowy.

CHRISTMAS (SNOW) SONGS OF THE DAY: photo from Mr. IMo?s recent trip to Alaska


Saturday, December 11, 2010

joyeux noël



I studied French forever; through high school and college. Then, I picked up a couple of other languages and it has fallen into a tattered mess in my brain. I can still understand it well enough, but the words all come out in a jumble. Luckily, I can still sing along. And this is my very favorite French Christmas song. If you don't check out a single other link this month PLEASE watch this one. It comes from the year when Robert Smith of The Cure was playing with the band. I was out of my mind excited when I found this video.


I have actually been saving this song for a special occasion. "The Divine Child is Born" is the perfect way to welcome my new little nephew, who is in the middle of being born right now and my sister is adopting and bringing home. I won't get to meet him for a long time, but we are excited to finally have a new kid in the family who didn't come from me.


CHRISTMAS SONG OF THE DAY:

"Il est ne, le Divin Enfant" - Siouxsie and the Banshees (best audio quality)from their boxed set ""Downside Up".

all i want for christmas


I may have mentioned before that I want to grow up and be the delicious Karen O. That girl can rock.

I was lucky enough to get a front row spot to see her at last year's Lollapalooza when the Yeah Yeah Yeahs filled in the last minute vacancy when the Beastie Boys cancelled. She was so incredibly humble and utterly fantastic.

So to warm up a chilly winter day here is a bit of Karen O and the boys.

CHRISTMAS SONG OF THE DAY:


Friday, December 10, 2010

"father christmas, give us some money; don't mess around with those silly toys"


One of the best things about The Kinks, is their storytelling. They don't mess around with half-baked lyrics that are disconnected and could have been written by a drunk monkey with a typewriter. In the same 4/4 time signature many rock musicians can only manage disjointed phrases or elementary rhymes, The Kinks weave tales of everyday life without sounding folksy.

I have always been more drawn to The Kinks rather than their more famous contemporaries (The Beatles, The Rolling Stones, The Who). They are weirder (and for me) more relate-able than the fresh-faced Beatles or the untouchable Stones.

"Father Christmas" could have been added to yesterday's distopian Christmas post, based on point of view, but it so darn infused with holiday jolliness I think it should stand on its own.
In my opinion, this is a top 5 Christmas track.


CHRISTMAS SONG OF THE DAY:
"Father Christmas" - The Kinks

Thursday, December 9, 2010

have yourself a distopian little christmas


Some really great Christmas songs are all about the disappointment that is closely entwined with holidays.

I am naturally suspicious of traditional holidays. Until I had Katydid, I never really saw the point. I just don't get all that excited about them. I am still reluctant, but since I don't want to be the "uptight mom on Miracle on 34th Street who is so caught up in her distaste for fairy tales that she can't even be excited about the hot lawyer who's in love with her", I have learned to put on a good face for the kids. I have some decorations and I take them to all the related activities, but that distance between me and the excitement for any given holiday never really closes.

Which I why I appreciate a good distopian point of view. Like the Grinch. So, today is a medley of Christmas songs for the suspicious, depressed, lonely, dysfunctional and all-round unhappy lot.


If you believe in Santa Claus these songs are not age appropriate.


CHRISTMAS SONGS OF THE DAY:



(these girls are so punk rock, we'll have to visit them again soon after Christmas)

"Christmas Wrapping" - either The Waitresses or The Donnas - hard choice.



Art again by the cool stuff at Ophelia's Art.

Wednesday, December 8, 2010

so, this is christmas

8 December 1980 I was busy being very young and awaiting my mother coming home with a new baby. I knew nothing about John Lennon being shot. I had more pressing concerns, like would I now have to share my Christmas toys with a smelly baby who would break everything?

But since then, I discovered The Beatles, and although I never went through a stage of utter devotion, I learned to play a few tunes on the piano and appreciate the extensive affect that they had on the development of musical genres in the mid-20th century. The were very much a catalyst for the mainstreaming of rapidly changing musical styles.

In honor of the 30th anniversary of John Lennon's death it feels appropriate that today's Christmas tracks should be his.
CHRISTMAS SONGS OF THE DAY:


Tuesday, December 7, 2010

"it doesn't often snow at Christmas"


This is such a good song, I have decided to let it stand alone. I like to just let it play 10 times in a row, and it's definitely Yaz's favorite Christmas tune to dance to.

The track comes from their 2009 album Christmas and is everything you expect from the Pet Shop Boys.

CHRISTMAS SONG OF THE DAY:

Monday, December 6, 2010

little drummer boy


I'm not really sure when I first discovered the duet between Bing Crosby and David Bowie. I do know know, however, it is one of the most incredible pairings of all time. Unusual, perhaps but not absurd. David looks so young, and hot as usual, and it is an incredible showcase of his bare vocal talent, void of make-up, costuming and musical experimentation. Really, one of the best duets ever.

Everytime I hear this song I think of Mr. IMo?'s brother, the drummer. I thought I'd dedicate today's song to him with this picture of him playing while his band was on tour.

CHRISTMAS SONG OF THE DAY:



(for those with week constitutions: yes, there is a blue-haired "Father Time"-style dancer to contend with.)

"Little Drum Machine Boy' - Beck ( a slight twist on the classic)

Saturday, December 4, 2010

"I've got my love to keep me warm"


Billie Holiday's voice in the background is such a relaxing way to spend a day.

My husband, the International Man of Mystery (a.k.a. Mr. IMo?) has been gone again the past week, which is no surprise. But the trip was an early Christmas present of sorts. A pilot friend of ours offered him a freebie flight to Alaska to go snowboarding with him. I am more of a warm weather girl, and although there was a polite offer for me to go too, I traded up his trip to Alaska for a future trip for me to visit my friend in Italy in the spring. Seems fair.

And although I haven't had "my love to keep me warm" this week, the thought of Venice in the springtime has been a nice diversion from the cold.

SONG OF THE DAY:

Prettige Sinterklaas!


One of the joys of marrying into a different culture means more holidays. For me I get Sinkterklaasdag, also known as St. Nicholas day. I celebrated it twice while in Poland (Święty Mikołaj) and it was fairly similar.

The long and short of it is this: Nicholas was a Bishop in Myra, Turkey. He was involved in the Council of Nicaea and was also responsible for the destruction of the Temple of Artemis (which is pretty devastating, there are only a few stones left that local kids chase each other around). He was a very important figure and was known for taking care of the poor and oppressed. The holiday story involves Sinterklaas (St. Nicholas) riding up in a boat from Spain with his white horse Schimmel and his mischievous Moorish companion Zwarte Piet.




On the night of the 5th he comes around to your house, praising good children and delivering small candies, coins and treats, and openly chastising bad children. Dutch parents threaten their children throughout the year to behave or when he arrives, bad children will be taken back to Spain. I personally would totally take them up on that offer, as I love Spain this time of year and I hate the cold. As you may have noticed the American version of Santa Claus is pretty much a warped version of the tradition the Dutch Settlers brought with them when they came to the New World.

So tonight, we set out our klompen. I have made my pepernoten (anise flavored cookies), I picked up some Dutch licorice candies, marzipan, a Sinterklaas nutcracker and chocolate coins at World Market, and there are some oranges in the fridge. Usually, I buy a few boxes of Hagelslag, (candy or chocolate sprinkles), but I have 4 boxes right now that I bought in Pella, Iowa this summer, so we are set.

Now, I am off to make our Sinterklaas feast; the one time of year I made a full Dutch meal from scratch.

Here are two of our favorite Sinterklaasdag songs for sinterklaasavond.



EXTRA SONGS OF THE DAY:


"Sinterklaas kapeontje"
(you may recognize this as the song Kris Kringle sings with the Dutch orphan in Miracle on 34th Street)
& "Hoor wie klopt daar"



















Friday, December 3, 2010

White Christmas


White Christmas ties with Miracle on 34th Street (original not the 1990s remake) as my top Christmas movies. My mom always wanted to have Bing Crosby be her dad so we watched a lot of Bing when I was a kid.

Irving Berlin's "White Christmas" first shows up in Bing Crosby's previous movie Holiday Inn, then was spun into a movie of its own. Since then everyone seems to have taken their turn at "White Christmas".

Here is the original and an assortment of interesting covers:

CHRISTMAS SONGS OF THE DAY:





Thursday, December 2, 2010

a very foxy christmas


Alright, I know that I am effusive with praise when it comes to Foxy Shazam, but they really have no equal right now.

Foxy Shazam brightened a gloomy winter, made my summer, redeemed a desolate fall, rocked my Halloween. I just couldn't wait to dangle this one before you, and promise lots of equally tasty tidings of great joy the rest of the season.


CHRISTMAS SONGS OF THE DAY:

"Heaven is on Their Mind"

- Foxy Shazam
(from Jesus Christ Superstar)

Matisyahu does Hanukkah



Just saw on NPR this new Hanukkah song by my very favorite Hasidic, Matisyahu.


HANUKKAH SONG OF THE DAY: "Miracle" - Matisyahu



Oi! to the World

"If God came down on Christmas Day, I know exactly what He'd say...Oi! to the World!"



CHRISTMAS SONG OF THE DAY:

(No Doubt does a respectable cover)

(not exactly the original)

Wednesday, December 1, 2010

another rock'n'roll christmas playlist


Alright everybody. I now pronounce it Christmastime!

I am just stingy enough that I require the month of December to begin, none of that pre-Halloween business that I have been seeing in the shops.

Due to very different opinions from the peanut gallery I have decided to go with the combo-pack and will pretty much chose either 1,2 or 3 songs per day. Some songs will be old, some new, with a bit of punk, ska, brit-pop, glam rock, alt-rock and synth-pop and at least twice they won't be in English. How's that for a preview?

So, here's to another rock'n'roll Christmas.

Cheers!
*j

CHRISTMAS SONGS OF THE DAY:




ps. i don't usually promote things other than music, but i am really liking the Christmas cards at Ophelia's Art. today's art is one of ophelia's.