Because as charming as Burl Ives can be, it’s tough to let your holly down and your jolly loose when you’re partying to the exact same Christmas music your parents went for a roll under the tree to (September babies! WHOO!) Our music correspondent, Tim Johnstone, has assembled a new standard for holiday mixes. All of it is current or even brand spanking new, with a mix of singles and albums to get you from first eggnog to taking down the mistletoe. Your additions are welcome in the comments section.
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Grace Potter & The Nocturnals – “Naughty Naughty
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Vermont’s ascendant Queen of Rock and Roll delivers this gritty blues influenced barn-burner in a manner that suggests she knows a little something about being naughty. Capable of thawing any brittle winter chill. (From Christmas with Grace Potter and the Nocturnals)
Scott Weiland – The Most Wonderful Time Of The Year
An irony-free squirm-inducing croontastic disaster. Occasionally hilarious, always ridiculous, this instantly qualifies as one of the worst ideas ever. The must give White Elephant gift of the holiday party season.
Michael Buble – Christmas
Because if there’s one time of the year when an old fashion crooner with a sense of humor and the levity needed to pull this sort of thing off is called for, it’s the holidays. And Buble is the best at the moment. This is the go-to holiday collection of the year, capable of winning over Grandmas and Grinches alike.
Lyle Lovett – “The Girl With The Holiday Smile
”
Whereupon the former Mister Julia Roberts channels Randy Newman with this West Texas flavored ditty about a Christmas prostitute. If you’re a Lyle Lovett fan, you know exactly what to expect and you’ll wonder why we haven’t heard this before now.
She & Him – A Very She & Him Christmas
The current It (New) Girl Zooey Deschanel elevates the profile of her indie rock retro-pop outfit (alongside M. Ward) with a holiday collection that is nothing if not brazenly cheerful.
Fitz & The Tantrums – Santa Stole My Old Lady
L.A.’s current ambassadors of flashback grooves and party vibes serve up a yuletide warning about the fat man in the red suit. Yes, there are horns.
Various Artists – Noel! Noel!! Noel!!!
For the Francophile on your holiday list, this new collection from legendary pianist and arranger Michel Legrand features appropriately grandiose big band and swing versions of classic holiday songs with the help of Jamie Cullum, Madeleine Peyroux, Rufus Wainwright, Teddy Thompson, France’s first lady Carla Bruni, and Mika. Oui! Oh, and Iggy Pop on “Little Drummer Boy.” You read that right.
The Killers – (RED) Christmas ep
The annual holiday singles from the band that seems to be ready made for stadiums have been gathered in this digital ep. While this year’s “The Cowboy’s Christmas Ball” is uncomfortably hokey, “A Great Big Sled” remains one of those rare contemporary Christmas songs that is much bigger and better than the season that defines it.
Matisyahu – Miracle (ep)
NYC’s Hasidic Jewish reggae/hip hop/alternative rock star delivers a joyful and uplifiting celebration for Chanukah, six times over.
Annie Lennox – A Christmas Cornucopia
The former Eurythmic lead singer has one of the most radiant voices in music and this holiday collection lets that voice drape itself over often surprising arrangements. A nice mix of traditional Noel selections and classic favorites.
Tim Johnstone is a former Virgin Records Label Rep and current award winning Music Director, Assistant Program Director, and on-air host at FMQB’s AAA station of the year markets 50+. Additions you’d like to see added to this list should go in the comments section below. Top Photo Credit: Luca Sartoni
What? No Bieber? REJECT ENTIRE LIST
Buble?
If you’re up for modern jazz, this came out last year (link is to an NPR Tiny Desk concert): http://www.npr.org/2011/01/04/132118091/matt-wilsons-christmas-tree-o-tiny-desk-concert
It has been in my rotation ever since; and I guess the first Wynton album, Crescent City Christmas, isn’t a bad listen, either.
Of course, there are tons of good jazz Christmas albums from back in the day.
How can you not have the Yeah, Yeah, Yeahs on this list?
Also recommend: Dean Martin. Can’t beat the classics.
check out Versaemerge’s rendition of ‘You’re A Mean One, Mr. Grinch’
http://youtu.be/_bhW2lrG4ug
Mariah’s “All I Want for Christmas is You” is the best Christmas song ever. Don’t even try to tell me otherwise.
Yo, Dappered, I’m really happy for you, and I’ma let you finish, but Barbra Streisand’s A Christmas Album is the best pop Christmas music of all time. Of all time!
Listened to Zooey on the way in this morning. Not always on key, but it’s a great visual to picture her singing.
This was just pointed out to me on black Friday; I really like it & thought perhaps some of you Dappered men might as well.
Tim Minchin – White Wine In the Sun.
http://youtu.be/fCNvZqpa-7Q
Otherwise
Having Scott Weiland croon christmas tunes was an absolutely terrible idea just from the outset, but of course he couldn’t even act like he had it in him. Forgetting the lyrics (to an immensely popular, everyone-knows-the-lyrics song) and not even forging confidence while singing the wrong verses… jeez. “If I sing it sort of quietly, and mumble a bit, maybe nobody will realize how terribly this is going for me.”
I’m a big fan of “Joy to the World” by Pink Martini: http://www.amazon.com/Joy-World-Pink-Martini/dp/B0041QSZJM
Best Auld Lang Syne I’ve yet heard, and also really like their version of We Three Kings.
You are hereby banned from all future holiday discussions, and may God have mercy on your soul.
Ben. I wouldn’t begin to argue with you. It remains my favorite classic Christmas collection. But I was just focusing on the new stuff.
Even though he’s a complete whack job, The Phil Spector Christmas album “A Christmas Gift For You” has always been a favorite.
Haha nice troll. I worked retail 15 years ago and still have nightmares of folding jeans to that song.
Some good picks here. Personally though, my favourites are the old-school stuff (Elvis anyone?) and Irish Christmas music.
Recently though I’ve been adding in a lot of somewhat ‘darker’ Christmas albums. Maybe they’re more ‘winter’ albums, but bear with me–most of the stuff that rolls out every year reminds me unpleasantly of malls and screaming children, so my current favourites are:
Loreena Mckennitt–A Midwinter Night’s Dream
http://www.amazon.com/Midwinter-Nights-Dream-Loreena-McKennitt/dp/B001G9LVGG/ref=sr_1_1?s=music&ie=UTF8&qid=1323805003&sr=1-1
Enya–And Winter Came
George Winston–December
http://www.amazon.com/December-Piano-Solos-20th-Anniversary/dp/B00005NNDO/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1323805095&sr=8-1
Bruce Cockburn–Christmas
http://www.amazon.com/Christmas-Bruce-Cockburn/dp/B0000028TK/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1323805140&sr=8-1
Irish Rovers:
http://www.amazon.com/Irish-Christmas-Rovers/dp/B00006LHYX/ref=sr_1_1?s=music&ie=UTF8&qid=1323805236&sr=1-1
The Chieftains:
http://www.amazon.com/Bells-Dublin-Chieftains/dp/B000003F53/ref=sr_1_1?s=music&ie=UTF8&qid=1323805283&sr=1-1
Oh and of course Charlie Brown Christmas
http://www.amazon.com/Charlie-Brown-Christmas-Recording-Television/dp/B000000XDJ/ref=sr_1_1?s=music&ie=UTF8&qid=1323805161&sr=1-1
The first stuff may be a bit depressing, but for me it conjures images of sitting by a fire and the tree with a glass of scotch or eggnog, talking with family, thinking over the year, or just staring into the flames.
Cheers,
Ben
Haha. Well all jokes aside, I hope we can all agree that the newish “last Christmas I gave you my heart” song is the current reigning champ for worst Christmas song ever.
The Pogues – Fairytale of New York.
This is the only Xmas song I will ever need: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OR07r0ZMFb8&ob=av2e
Je vous remerci, tres formidable!
John Zorn’s amazing band The Dreamers recently put out an Xmas album
John Zorn – The Christmas Song (Ft Mike Patton)http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5HNkrBKV83cJohn Zorn – Santa Claus Is Coming To Townhttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NjytNSncOhMJohn Zorn – Snowfallhttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fJ_ufWZH1aE
Be sure to check out the Brian Setzer christmas albums.
Also, download spotify. makes assembling all these party playlists so much easier.
Thank goodness no Bieber! But no Mariah? I don’t get it and no Pogues either. I love All I Want for Christmas. Buble’s good though.
The Low Christmas album is one of my favorites.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IippcraBPKA
You’d have to be of a certain age to truly appreciate this, but 8-bit Christmas by Rush Coil is my new standby…
http://rushcoil.bandcamp.com/
The whole She & Him Christmas album is just superb.