Alternative Christmas Music: 2006's Playlist
The first two years had just been for fun but by year three I was really enjoying this and taking it seriously. By this point though I'd used most of the obvious songs. I was now scrabling around looking for blogs like this that might point me to some cool Christmas tunes to add to the playlists.That's the point in doing this really. If you are making your own lists I want there to be a good place to look to find some tunes new to you.
2 Oh God It’s Christmas-Mother & The Addicts
Mother & the Addicts were a band that didn't last long but were signed to The Delgados Chemikal Underground label. This was possibly their highlight a fun romp through the capitalism of Christmas. Shame there isn't a free video anywhere to show you how good it is. Still you could always buy it here. Capitalism at it's best.
4 Happy Christmas (War is Over)-The Polyphonic Spree
With 25 members at their peak the Polyphonic Spree give us lush Orchestral rock. They'd later release this cover of the Lennon and Yoko Ono classic on their Holiday album Holidaydream.
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5 Sister Winter-Sufjan Stevens
What is a Christmas Playlist without a Sufjan Song eh? It's not as if there isn't enough of them. This was an original song amongst the mostly traditional Christmas songs that made up the rest his Christmas Eps.
7 Wonder If The Snow Will Settle - Clearlake.
This is one of those tracks I owned and loved before making these playlists. It's a great tune from a great band that never had any of the success they deserved.
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8 Jingle Bells-Sub Santa
This is a little chill out instrumental version of the Christmas classic. No idea who the artist really is (if you do let me know) but it's a corking little tune from a Christmas dance collection I once bought.
Amazon
9 Buy Yourself an Omnichord for Christmas-The High Fidelity
About as obscure a record as it is possible to get. The high fidelity were a rather unsuccessful offshoot of the not exactly platinum selling Soup Dragons. They got heavy rotation on the John Peel program which is close to sainthood in my eyes. So check out their Christmas song seemingly trying to sell you a long forgotten synthesiser.It's obscure enough that I couldn't find any download links so make do with a youtube video.
10 Christmas Song-Mogwai
Glaswegian post-rockers Mogwai were the best gig I ever went to. This instrumental has a rather Christmassy feeling whilst still remaining true to the feeling of the band, which if you are familiar with their music you'll know is quite the achievement.
Amazon
11 Christmas In Waikiki-Morgan
And now for something completely different. Morgan Nicholls was a one album wonder making what is probably best described as a sort of soulful big beat. This does exactly what it says in the title and is a caricature Hawaiian sound over a funky beat and merry Christmas messages enjoy.
No purchase links because the internet is being rubbish tonight but here's a youtube video.
12 The Girl Who Fell Through The Ice-AiM
Again not exactly a Christmas song but a lovely tune from a band I loved at the time. They make music with slowed down hip hop beats. They were lumped in with a lot of boring chill out bands but AiM had something more. Anyway the mention of ice was good enough for us. As I am writing this many years after making the list, I'm wondering what AiM are up to now? I'm off to find out. You meanwhile have a listen.
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17 Christmas Song-Joy Zipper
1 Feliz Navi-Nada - El
Vez
Too clever to be a satirical act, El Vez are basically the coolest must fun Elvis impersonator in the world. Concentrating on all the feeling excitement and sass that made Elvis so compelling in the first place. Throwing in a whole load of Mexican influence and not sweating the usual Elvis details. Anyway Feliz Navidad is a Spanish/English one hit wonder song that isn't very well known over here in the UK but is a big classic in the states.
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Too clever to be a satirical act, El Vez are basically the coolest must fun Elvis impersonator in the world. Concentrating on all the feeling excitement and sass that made Elvis so compelling in the first place. Throwing in a whole load of Mexican influence and not sweating the usual Elvis details. Anyway Feliz Navidad is a Spanish/English one hit wonder song that isn't very well known over here in the UK but is a big classic in the states.
Amazon
2 Oh God It’s Christmas-Mother & The Addicts
Mother & the Addicts were a band that didn't last long but were signed to The Delgados Chemikal Underground label. This was possibly their highlight a fun romp through the capitalism of Christmas. Shame there isn't a free video anywhere to show you how good it is. Still you could always buy it here. Capitalism at it's best.
3 I’ll Be Fucking You This Christmas-Shawn
Lee
Not one of my greatest selections this. I'm sure I liked it at the time but now it just seems like the slow song on a stupid jock rock soundtrack to a Christmas gross out movie sorry but it's below if really want to hear it. Rather creepily someone has put an animated video of some sweetshop based child's dream under the lyrics about Christmas sex....
Not one of my greatest selections this. I'm sure I liked it at the time but now it just seems like the slow song on a stupid jock rock soundtrack to a Christmas gross out movie sorry but it's below if really want to hear it. Rather creepily someone has put an animated video of some sweetshop based child's dream under the lyrics about Christmas sex....
4 Happy Christmas (War is Over)-The Polyphonic Spree
With 25 members at their peak the Polyphonic Spree give us lush Orchestral rock. They'd later release this cover of the Lennon and Yoko Ono classic on their Holiday album Holidaydream.
Amazon
5 Sister Winter-Sufjan Stevens
What is a Christmas Playlist without a Sufjan Song eh? It's not as if there isn't enough of them. This was an original song amongst the mostly traditional Christmas songs that made up the rest his Christmas Eps.
6 Silent Night-The
Dickies
The night isn't silent in the hands of the Dickies. It's a punk pop thrash through the classic that'll have you singing along at the top of your voice, ironically enough.
Amazon
The night isn't silent in the hands of the Dickies. It's a punk pop thrash through the classic that'll have you singing along at the top of your voice, ironically enough.
Amazon
7 Wonder If The Snow Will Settle - Clearlake.
This is one of those tracks I owned and loved before making these playlists. It's a great tune from a great band that never had any of the success they deserved.
Amazon
8 Jingle Bells-Sub Santa
This is a little chill out instrumental version of the Christmas classic. No idea who the artist really is (if you do let me know) but it's a corking little tune from a Christmas dance collection I once bought.
Amazon
9 Buy Yourself an Omnichord for Christmas-The High Fidelity
About as obscure a record as it is possible to get. The high fidelity were a rather unsuccessful offshoot of the not exactly platinum selling Soup Dragons. They got heavy rotation on the John Peel program which is close to sainthood in my eyes. So check out their Christmas song seemingly trying to sell you a long forgotten synthesiser.It's obscure enough that I couldn't find any download links so make do with a youtube video.
10 Christmas Song-Mogwai
Glaswegian post-rockers Mogwai were the best gig I ever went to. This instrumental has a rather Christmassy feeling whilst still remaining true to the feeling of the band, which if you are familiar with their music you'll know is quite the achievement.
Amazon
11 Christmas In Waikiki-Morgan
And now for something completely different. Morgan Nicholls was a one album wonder making what is probably best described as a sort of soulful big beat. This does exactly what it says in the title and is a caricature Hawaiian sound over a funky beat and merry Christmas messages enjoy.
No purchase links because the internet is being rubbish tonight but here's a youtube video.
12 The Girl Who Fell Through The Ice-AiM
Again not exactly a Christmas song but a lovely tune from a band I loved at the time. They make music with slowed down hip hop beats. They were lumped in with a lot of boring chill out bands but AiM had something more. Anyway the mention of ice was good enough for us. As I am writing this many years after making the list, I'm wondering what AiM are up to now? I'm off to find out. You meanwhile have a listen.
Amazon
13 Long Way Around The Sea-Low
A more sedate turn from Low's almost legendary Christmas album. The dark story of Magi warning to Jesus' parent to avoid the massacre of the innocents. Low treat it with the reverence it deserves. They are just so good at putting every part of a song in exactly the right place, like a hand carved puzzle block. Ok it's late that makes sense now but probably won't for long so here have your links.
Amazon
A more sedate turn from Low's almost legendary Christmas album. The dark story of Magi warning to Jesus' parent to avoid the massacre of the innocents. Low treat it with the reverence it deserves. They are just so good at putting every part of a song in exactly the right place, like a hand carved puzzle block. Ok it's late that makes sense now but probably won't for long so here have your links.
Amazon
14 All I Want For Christmas-Dibidim
On the rather hit or miss We Love Yule compilation alongside Royksopp and I am Kloot is this rather perky bounce along tune. I'll admit what I know about Dibidim is limited to this song and this song only. It's not so bad but it's rather typical of my compilations around this period... it's filler I'm afraid. There's no video that's how successful this song was.
Amazon
On the rather hit or miss We Love Yule compilation alongside Royksopp and I am Kloot is this rather perky bounce along tune. I'll admit what I know about Dibidim is limited to this song and this song only. It's not so bad but it's rather typical of my compilations around this period... it's filler I'm afraid. There's no video that's how successful this song was.
Amazon
15 My First Christmas As A Woman-The Vandals
The Vandals' are punk survivors. A few members may have left and started families but they have been going close to 40 years now and they are still a proper punk band. That's some physical and mental achievement. This is the standard sort of song for them. Stupid dumb and lots of fun. Check out the full Christmas album.
Amazon
16 Shining Light-Ash
Never released as a Christmas song but by referencing Royal David's City and Epiphany it clearly counts for me. What a storming song it is too. A loud and proud declaration of love. It's probably one of my favourite songs on all these playlists.
Amazon
The Vandals' are punk survivors. A few members may have left and started families but they have been going close to 40 years now and they are still a proper punk band. That's some physical and mental achievement. This is the standard sort of song for them. Stupid dumb and lots of fun. Check out the full Christmas album.
Amazon
16 Shining Light-Ash
Never released as a Christmas song but by referencing Royal David's City and Epiphany it clearly counts for me. What a storming song it is too. A loud and proud declaration of love. It's probably one of my favourite songs on all these playlists.
Amazon
17 Christmas Song-Joy Zipper
For a brief 5 minutes Joy Zipper were my favourite band. Alas this wasn't therm at there best, but do some research and check them out. It is worth it.
Amazon
18 Silent Night-Christmas Carol Cats
Part of my horrible old habit of putting novelty songs at the end of my playlists this is as bad as it sounds it's cat sounds made on some god awful synthesizer playing silent night. Just listen.....actually don't.Oh you lucky things I couldn't find a link. No purchase links either because I like you.
Amazon
18 Silent Night-Christmas Carol Cats
Part of my horrible old habit of putting novelty songs at the end of my playlists this is as bad as it sounds it's cat sounds made on some god awful synthesizer playing silent night. Just listen.....actually don't.Oh you lucky things I couldn't find a link. No purchase links either because I like you.
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