speed of dark

There is barely a month to go before Christmas. Are you already sick to death of that holiday-themed drivel all the stores started playing right after Halloween? Personally, I love the holiday season and the joy of giving presents, but Bing Crosby sends me screaming. That's why I am tickled to bits to find great alternatives to the stodgy standards.

Caleb at Hard To Find a Friend blog is once again sponsoring a holiday fund-raiser that rewards your donation with an exclusive digital-only compilation of brand-new and completely exclusive material from 22 (!) wonderful artists. It is composed of originals, original covers, and a few non-holiday unreleased songs, all provided by the artists specifically for this compilation. 100 percent of the profits raised from this album will go directly to a wonderful organization called the Children of Uganda which assists in AIDS relief in Uganda and neighboring countries.

Here is a teaser from this year's comp:
Jason Collett: A Beguiled Christmas Sales
MySpace

And one of my favorites from last year's charity album that benefits Toys For Tots:
Johnny Bertram: Merry Christmas (You Won't Get What You Want)
Website
If you missed out on last year's comp, you can still get the original Peace On Earth (Christmas 2007). I highly recommend it.

The Tracklist from Vol II includes some names that I know and appreciate, like the A-Sides and Laura Gibson, who we saw live during 2008. Others are not familiar, but that's great--I discovered new bands to love on last year's mix, like Johnny Bertram, whose band Synthar is featured this year. So get out your debit card or log into PayPal and do some Christmas shopping--This compilation makes a great gift. I bought a bunch!

1. American Analog Set - Winter Birds (Original)
2. Telekinesis! - Father Christmas (The Kinks)
3. Jennifer O'Connor - Deck The Halls
4. Nathan Phillips - Cross-country Ski's (Original)
5. The A-Sides & Sun Airway - Santa, Please (Original)
6. Jason Collett - A Beguiled Christmas in Sales (Original)
7. Laarks - Hark, the Herald Angels Sing
8. Oxford Collapse - Hester Xmas (Original)
9. The Jealous Girlfriends - Haircut (Original)
10. Via Audio - Home Before Dark (Original)
11. Karl Blau - Christmas Is Different This Year Now That the Aliens Are Here (Original)
12. Synthar - Pawn Shop Christmas (Original)
13. Pattern is Movement - O, Holy Night
14. Marla Hansen - Waltz (Original)
15. Someone Still Loves You Boris Yeltsin - Don't Wrap the Puppy (Original)
16. Elizabeth & The Catapult - Christmas With The Jews (Original)
17. Laura Gibson - It Came Upon a Midnight Clear
18. The Prayers & Tears of Arthur Digby Sellers - Christmas Card to a Hooker in Minneapolis (Original)
19. Chris Garneau - It's Almost Christmas
20. Vincent Koops - Silent Night
21. Anathallo - Red Plastic Globe (Original)
22. Bodies of Water - O Come, O Come, Emmanuel

Notice that Track #18 is an original and not a cover of the Tom Waits' song, "Christmas Card from a Hooker in Minneapolis."

Support Children of Uganda! Buy: Peace On Earth Vol. II (Christmas 2008)

Support Toys for Tots! Buy: Peace On Earth Vol. I (Christmas 2007)