Alternative Christmas Music: 2014's Playlist

It's finally here. My playlist for 2014. It's the tenth playlist I've made.


1.    Wonderful Christmastime - Ex Cops
2.    Last Christmas (Live) - The XX
3.    Sleigh Ride - She & Him
4.    Time of the Season - Isobel Campbell &Mark Lanegan
5.    River (Live)- Elbow
6.    I’ll Be Home for Christmas - Sufjan Stevens
7.    Christmas Day (I Wish I was Surfing) - Emmy the Great & Tim Wheeler
8.    I Believe in Father Christmas - Mark Kozelek
9.    Only Dust Behind - Allo Darlin’
10.  Happy Xmas (War is Over) -Yoko Ono & Flaming Lips
11.  Merry Christmas Everyone - Aberfeldy
12.  Please Come Home for Christmas - My Morning Jacket
13.  Away in a Manger - Fyfe Dangerfield
14.  Last Christmas - Florence and the Machine
15.  Post Apocalypse Christmas - Gruff Rhys
16.  Silent Night - Spiritualized
17.  O Come, O Come, Emmanuel - Punch Brothers
18.  Merry Christmas, Baby (Please Don’t Die) – Crocodiles & Dum Dum Girls
19.  Auld Lang Syne – MXPX
20.  Jingle Bells, Batman Smells (in the style of Bob Dylan) – Jimmy Fallon

Before you point it out no there was no playlist 2013 and yes alot of these songs are one or two years old or even older, I tend to save the newest tracks for the following years playlist now. I'll add the link party below. Let me know what you think either here or @xmassongblog on twitter.

1.    Wonderful Christmastime - Ex Cops
Lovely scuzzy guitar version of the Paul McCartney hit that's been so overplayed it's unlistenable now. Somehow though Ex cops have made this a song I've been singing at the top of my voice in the car ever since I first heard it. 

2.    Last Christmas (Live) - The XX
Live in the BBC radio One live lounge. The XX build this version slowly into my favourite version of Wham's big xmas hit and trust me I've heard alot of them. See the Wiki for just a taster of how many there are.

 3.    Sleigh Ride - She & Him
From the fine 'A Very She and Him Christmas'. Everybody's favourite indiepop starletbelts out a classic version of a classic song.
Amazon 
 

4.    Time of the Season - Isobel Campbell & Mark Lanegan
wiki 
Amazon 


5.    River (Live)- Elbow
Live version of the Joni Mitchell Classic 

6.    I’ll Be Home for Christmas - Sufjan Stevens
Another year, yet another track from the epic Sufjan Christmas Album
Amazon 


7.    Christmas Day (I Wish I was Surfing) - Emmy the Great & Tim Wheeler
Let's change things up a gear. 
Amazon



8.    I Believe in Father Christmas - Mark Kozelek
From this years best Christmas album. Sorry no previews about for this one.
Amazon

9.    Only Dust Behind - Allo Darlin’
Twee pop, I'm told it's called. Bloody gorgeous is what we call it round here.
Bandcamp 
10.  Happy Xmas (War is Over) -Yoko Ono & Flaming Lips
Amazon 
11.  Merry Christmas Everyone - Aberfeldy
great bouncy live version.

12.  Please Come Home for Christmas - My Morning Jacket




13.  Away in a Manger - Fyfe Dangerfield
with Lisa Hannigan and Nerina Pallot on backing vocals

14.  Last Christmas - Florence and the Machine
Another Live version, this time from the BBC radio 1 Christmas party. Free Download on the soundcloud below. (Not sure how legal it is mind, download at your own risk we own no copyrights etc etc)

15.  Post Apocalypse Christmas - Gruff Rhys
Well it's cherrier than last years 'Slashed Wrists This Christmas' but not much.
Amazon 



16.  Silent Night - Spiritualized
Classic version of a Christmas standard
iTunes only has a video version
17.  O Come, O Come, Emmanuel - Punch Brothers
Amazon 



18.  Merry Christmas, Baby (Please Don’t Die) – Crocodiles & Dum Dum Girls
Amazon 



19.  Auld Lang Syne – MXPX
One for the new year.
Wiki 
Amazon


20.  Jingle Bells, Batman Smells (in the style of Bob Dylan) – Jimmy Fallon
Always finish on a sorta joke song. Having said that I'd buy this if it was being sold.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Alternative Christmas Music: 2018's Playlist

Image
It's the start of December and as usual I post my playlist. It's my 14th playlist which is ridiculous to think about. I make a CD of these songs to send to my best of friends instead of Christmas cards. It's a mix of old and new as usual. Saving some of this years better stuff for next year. Please enjoy and send any feedback to @xmassongblog  on the twitter.  Little Saint Nick - Best Coast Christmas Wrapping - Belle and Sebastian Wonderful Christmas Time - Mac Demarco    Silent Night - The Polyphonic Spree    Thanksgiving Song (Kill the Turkey) - The National All I Want for Christmas Is You - Charly Bliss Lonely Man of Winter - Sufjan Stevens  2,000 Miles - Mark Kozelek    White Christmas - London Grammar                                             Feliz Navidad - Shame  Driving Under Stars - Marika Hackman              I Am the Grinch (feat. Fletcher Jones) - Tyler, The Creator God Red Ye Merry Gentlemen - Bright Eyes          Hey Mr. Santa - KT Tunstall   
Read more

Best Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas covers

Image
Ok done a few of these now, where I compile the finest alternative versions of a particular Christmas song. This time its Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas. The original from Meet Me in St Louis comes at a rather sad moment in the film. This seems to give acts a decision, either to take it on with the original sombre tone or to follow the lyrics and inject some Merry into the proceedings. I've chosen ten so i'll count them down finishing with my favourite. 10. Maricka Hackman goes the sad route injecting the longing from the film, but don't let that put you off, it's beautiful take with distorted vocals to keep it interesting 9. My Morning Jacket are no happier but their version is no less lovely. An acoustic guitar and a voice for most of this. 8 . Do you remember when Coldplay were a genuinely interesting alternative act? I am afraid I'm old enough. This is almost a crooners version, straight of a Jo Whiley live session for BBC Radio One. 7. Cat
Read more

Best Little Drummer Boy covers

Image
Have to admit Little Drummer Boy is one of my favourite traditional Christmas songs. I even like the much maligned Bing Crosby and David Bowie version weird as that combination is. Here's my top ten of the best Indie Alternative versions. As ever let me know what you think below or on twitter @xmassongblog. Firstly some honourable mentions for versions that didn't quite make the list. Lindstrom's epic journey is great but maybe grates a little by the 5th minute of incessant drum machine on the edited version. I'll admit I never saw through the 42 minute original! . Sufjan Steven's gave us a version (of course he did) and it's lovely (well of course it is) and Cerys Matthews of Catatonia did a version and I'm a sucker for it but none of them made the list so who did? 10 Iggy Pop is on crooner duty here. I've said it before full Christmas album by Mr Pop would be fantastic. Very few people have the spoken word expression he does. 9 Iain Archer
Read more