speed of dark

Continuing with a kind of mellow Thanksgiving theme, today we have some gorgeous and introspective instrumentals. Take some time to consider all the good things, the friends and family, in your life.

Robyn Hitchcock: Heart Full of Leaves from I Often Dream of Trains (1984)
Website | Store
Buy at Amazon.com, iTunes, and eMusic

RL/VL: Kweens from Chagrin (2008)
MySpace | Label: Hidden Shoal Recordings
Buy at Amazon.com, iTunes, and eMusic

Pacific UV: If So from LongPlay 2 (2008)
MySpace | Website | Label: Warm Electronic Recordings
Buy at Pacific UV Store, iTunes, and eMusic

Gregor Samsa: Young and Old from 55:12 (2006)
MySpace | Website | Label: The Kora Records
Buy at Amazon.com, iTunes, and eMusic

Photo by alt-gramma: leaves and sky

I am actually out of state this week, but I left a couple of mixes today and tomorrow to keep you occupied. These electronic-based lovelies are extraordinary jewels that came to me by e-mail.

High Places: From Stardust to Sentience from Electronic Surgical Words (2008)
Used by permission of The Line of Best Fit
MySpace | Website | Label: Thrill Jockey
Buy at Amazon.com, iTunes, and eMusic

Woven: She Blows My Amplifier Designer Codes (2008)
MySpace | Website | Label: Cat Toy Factory Records
Buy at Woven Store, Amazon.com, iTunes, and eMusic

Jenny Omnichord: Buildings from Cities of Gifts and Ghosts and weework is 6 label compilation release
MySpace | Label: Weework Records
Buy at Amazon.com, iTunes, and eMusic

City of Satellites: Moon In the Sea from The Spook EP (2008)
Used by permission of Hidden Shoal
MySpace | Website | Label: Hidden Shoal Recordings
Buy at Amazon.com, iTunes, and eMusic

Photo by alt-gramma: rocks and ripples, Santa Marguerita River

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)

Fighting the Marek Fire, which burned 3700 acres this month

The third week of October is often the worst of fire season in southern California. The largest fires that have produced the most damage and taken the most lives have occurred during this week. The saddest part is that many of them are set on purpose.

Last year by this time there had been two fires within two miles of our house. It is really frightening to see flames licking the sky just behind the next hill over and know that the most flamable object on your property is your house. We knew people who had had to evacuate from the much larger fires south of us. Miraculously, no one we knew lost their homes, although many others did. Even the family cabin in the San Bernardinos was finally determined to have survived against all odds.

Beginning with the late, great Grant McLennan, here are some offerings to the fire gods: please let us get through the rest of the season with no more fires.

Grant McLennan: Lighting Fires from Horsebreaker Star (1995)
Wikipedia | Buy

Pizza!: Griffith Park Fire from Pizza!
MySpace | Website | Free Download

Someone Still Loves You Boris Yeltsin: House Fire from Broom (2006)
MySpace | Website | Buy

For the time-travel touch, a long-ago fire in Topanga Canyon was documented by Spirit:
Spirit: The Great Canyon Fire from Spirit (LP-1968)
Wikipedia | Buy

I hope Steve Dawson is wrong about this, but I had to include the song because it is such a great blues number.
Steve Dawson: Fire Somewhere Waiting For the Lights To Come Up (2008)
MySpace | Black Hen Music | Buy

Wonderful remix here from the Epochs' debut album:
The Epochs: Head In the Fire (Hayes Remix)The Remixes (2008)
MySpace | Website | Label: Justice Records Records
Buy at Amazon.com and eMusic

Birthday! It's our birthday month! Indie Mom and I traditionally take the entire month as our own (hey, nothing else is going on anyway) and plan some way to celebrate our nearly-same birthdays together. For the past several years, our fave band Radiohead has cooperated by scheduling a concert in our area around the time. That's where we'll be this coming Sunday!

COPYRIGHTED CONTENT HAS BEEN REMOVED
Groovie Ghoulies: Happy Birthday from Travels With My Amp (2000)

The Bird and the Bee: Birthday from One Too Many Hearts (2008)

Oxford Collapse: The Birthday Wars from Bits (2008)

Cracker: Happy Birthday to Me from Cracker (1992)

The Shapes : Birthday Song from The Shapes (2005)

Cloud Cult: Your 8th Birthday from The Meaning of 8 (2007)

I have to get out of the habit of looking out the window. The little house is empty now. The family moved out yesterday. I watched them, and I was happy for them. But I have gotten so used in the past two months to watching them come and go and spying on their little birdie business.

It's a long story, way too long for this blog, but I'm talking about a pair of Bewick's wrens that built a nest and raised their chicks in the birdhouse we mounted outside our bedroom window. In May we had to remove the nest they had made in our main electrical box, and they were pretty ticked off about that. We weren't sure they would accept the birdhouse as a substitute, but they did.

I watched them bring nest materials, then I watched the male bird bring food for the female incubating the eggs, then I watched both parents bring food when the eggs hatched. I heard the chicks peeping whenever they sensed that the parents were near.



Early yesterday morning, the peeping was loud. The parents were near, but they weren't bringing food. They perched a few feet away from the birdhouse and sang. Occasionally they would fly up to the hole and look in and then return to a near perch and sing some more. The chicks protested indignantly. For the first time, I could see their little heads through the hole.

The first chick ventured from the hole and fluttered to the ground. It was a small, round, fluffy version of the parents. The second chick came out, then went back in! Then popped back out and fluttered down to the ground. The parents flitted about and called encouragement, leading the two chicks away toward our biggest tree, with its branches that reach down to the ground. There they could find food and safety while they gained strength and learned about the big, new world.

I could see a third chick just inside the hole, alone and abandoned. Perhaps it was the youngest, and it didn't feel ready, but it couldn't stay there by itself. After much hesitation it finally pulled itself up and sat in the hole. It lowered one little foot down to the perch like a swimmer testing the water with a toe. Then it slipped, tried to fly back into the hole, but fell to the ground. One of the adults returned immediately to guide it to the rest of the family.

I saw them again in the afternoon in some leaves next to a brushpile. The babies still couldn't fly on their weak little wings, but they were hopping and fluttering around. They opened their little yellow mouths and the parents fed them. A little while later they had moved on.

I miss them. But they aren't really gone. I hear them out in the chaparral on the slopes near our house. I hear the familiar little chirps they make when they're looking for bugs and their longer, trilling songs. Hopefully a pair will come back to the little house next spring.

Neil Young: Birds from After the Gold Rush (1970)

Lover there will be another one
who'll hover over you beneath the sun
tomorrow see the things that never come today
when you see me fly away with out you
shadow on the things you know
feathers fall around you and show you the way to go
its over, its over
nestled in your wings my little one
is special morning brings another sun
tomorrow see the things that never come
today
when you see me fly away with you
shadow on the things you know
feathers fall around you and show
you the way to go
its over, its over

Shearwater: Sing Little Birdie from Palo Santo (2007)

Goldfrapp: Little Bird from Seventh Tree (2007)

The Weepies: Little Bird from Hideaway (2008)

Grand Drive: Birdsong from Everyone (2007)

Nina Nastasia: Bird of Cuzco from On Leaving (2006)

The heatwave has blessedly relented, but that is no reason for the music to cool down. Here are more hot-weather tunes for your weekend.

Jon Spencer (Yes, that Jon Spencer, of Jon Spencer Blues Explosion) goes retro on this smokin' rockabilly number.
Heavy Trash: Kissy Baby from Going Way Out With Heavy Trash (2007)
MySpace | Website | Label: Yep Roc Records
Buy at Yep Roc, Amazon, and eMusic


If you liked the Lilofee song I posted in Monday's Hot Summer Nights mix, then here is another one with lots of attitude! So Katy Perry kissed a girl? Big deal!

Hey mister, hey mister
I kissed your kid sister
Watcha gonna do?
Watcha gonna do?

Lilofee are currently mixing their first full-length album, to be titled The Only Years, due for release at the end of this summer.
Lilofee: Lock and Key
MySpace | Buy: direct from Lilofee
Photo: Kimi Recor of Lilofee


When I first heard this song by State Bird, I scribbled a note to myself: "Get more." The ukelele and accordion at the beginning make you think of Beirut. And then something totally unexpected starts happening: a hot horn section starts twining around a sinuous Far Eastern melody. Folk, country, and totally tribal.
State Bird: The Golden Glowing Mask from Mostly Ghostly (2008)
MySpace | Website | Label: The Record Machine
Buy Direct from State Bird, The Record Store Merch, Amazon, and eMusic


Oliver and Chris Wood, the Wood Brothers, may be considered country, but in truth they can't be pinned down to one style. Folk-blues "Walkaway" is like a nice stroll in the shade. Try also acoustic-flavored "Postcard From Hell," while "Pray Enough" is electric blues-soul that will remind you of Dr. John. This album also includes a duet with Amos Lee on Lee's "Angel."
The Wood Brothers: Walkaway from Loaded (2008)
MySpace | Website | Label: Blue Note Records
Buy: iTunes and Amazon


Lucy Michelle sounds a little like Billy Holiday and a little like Maria Muldaur in "Osbick Bird," a song from a poem by Edward Gorey. She and her Twin Cities band the Velvet Lapelles have just celebrated a CD release party for their first album Orange Peels and Rattlesnakes. It will be available in stores around Minneapolis, and hopefully the rest of us will find it on iTunes soon.
Lucy Michelle and the Velvet Lapelles: Osbick Bird from Orange Peels and Rattlesnakes (2008)
MySpace | Label: Unsigned--snap her up!


Bronwen Exeter's vocals give a little Bebel Gilberto flavor to Science For Girls' "14 Days." Although the lyrics mention rainy September, I can also imagine a gentle samba on the beach under palm trees and stars. A perfect ending to a hot summer night.

Never a dull moment
Life is a game of chance,
Wrinkly and inconvenient...
And even the stars are alive
Even the stars at night
Even a star like you can be looking for something

Science For Girls: 14 Days from Science For Girls (2007)
MySpace | Buy: eMusic

The southwest U.S. has been experiencing a gawd-awful heatwave for the past week, and on top of that, Indie Mom and I had to go to the desert where it was officially 116 degrees but unofficially probably hotter than that. Time to crank up a mix of hot music. I love making song mixes, which you might not know because I don't do nearly enough of it here.

I wish I had discovered Two Hours' Traffic's album Little Jabs last year when it came out. There are lots of good songs on it, and I especially like this one. They remind me a lot of early Nada Surf.

I will let you sing my song, if you can relate
Let you get the lyrics wrong; they're not that great

Two Hours Traffic: Stuck For the Summer from Little Jabs (2007)
MySpace | Buy: eMusic

Singer Juliette Commagere as singer and Joachim Cooder (yes, son of Ry) on guitar make Hello Stranger a band to watch, and this track is raging hot. Check the photo of Commagere performing at the Roxy--she's got her big boots on too. Better have the fire extinguisher handy because this is scorchin'! Watch for album release soon.

I keep my boots on
I keep 'em on all night long
I keep my big boots on
Ain't nobody gonna tell me it's wrong

Hello Stranger: Big Boots
MySpace


Baltimore's Beach House bring things down with their glowing "Gila." I have kind of resisted this band, but I think the new album is gonna finally pull me in.
Beach House: Gila from Devotion (2008)
MySpace | Buy: Amazon.com


San Francisco's Lilofee, featuring Rob Easson and Kimi Recor, are an up-and-coming independent band who make some absolutely smoldering sounds. Watch for more here soon.

This fire with no control
I'll make sure you burn

Lilofee: Get Your Fill
MySpace | Buy: direct from Lilofee


I usually don't think much of shouted vocals, but you can feel the heat rise off exuberant Port O'Brien from Oakland, CA. Their current album, just released in April, is a winner. They are sharing some shows in July with the Builders and the Butchers, another hot band you need to know.
Port O'Brien: I Woke Up Today from All We Could Do Was Sing (2008)
MySpace | Buy: eMusic


Now slather on sunscreen so you can enjoy the sizzling rays of Pacific UV, sounding a little bit like Black Rebel Motorcycle Club here with this track from their current album, released in April.
Pacific UV: Need from Longplay 2 (2008)
MySpace | Buy: eMusic


Photo by alt-gramma, Speed of Dark

Today's Time Travel takes us to some older love songs to woo your valentine.

One of the finestI know is Bryan Ferry's pulse-beat "Slave To Love" for its bittersweet portrayal of both the joys of love and the resigned surrender to falling. "Valentine" from the same album is darker and crisper, but both are sexy as hell. This is the dark chocolate of love music.

"The spring is turning
Your face to mine
I can hear your laughter
I can see you smile
Slave to love
I can't escape
I'm a slave to love."

Bryan Ferry from Boys and Girls (1985) [iTunes]
Slave To Love
Valentine

From the impeccable alternative gem Girlfriend we have Matthew Sweet's worshipful ode to love from afar.
Matthew Sweet: Winona from Girlfriend (1991) [Buy]

Wonderful shimmery shoegaze...
Chapterhouse:Love Forever from Blood Music (1993) [Buy]

Darren Robbins, now with Destroy the Heart, made one solo album in the late 80's, of which this little song is a standout. Kind of Marshall Crenshaw on helium, but nice.
Darren Robbins: Love of Another Wave from Darren Robbins Steals Your Girlfriend (1988)

Chan Marshall's unfortunately brief rendition of the old Honeydripper's favorite, also covered by Robert Plant, is outstanding for its simplicity.
Cat Power: Sea of Love from The Covers Record (2000) [Buy]

Related post: Love Songs For Valentines

Calling all boys and girls, and boys and boys, and girls and girls...Valentine's Day is this Thursday, and you'd better start planning something special for the one you love if you haven't already. Your sweetie deserves some kind of recognition for putting up with your shit.

In case you want to include a mix of love songs in the goodies, here are a few to start with, including one of Ryan Adams' most touching and beautiful since "When The Stars Go Blue." I'll have some older love songs on this Tuesday's Time Travel post.

Iron and Wine and Calexico: A History of Lovers from In The Reins (2005) [Buy]

The Moths!: Valentine from Games/Wild Birds/Valentine (2007) [Buy]

The Terrordactyls: Devices from The Terrordactyls(2007) [Buy]

Ryan Adams and the Cardinals: Two Hearts from Easy Tiger
(2007) [Buy]

The Airfields: Prisoners of Our Love from Up All Night (2008) [Buy]

Meg Hentges: This Kind of Love from Brompton's Cocktail (1999) [Buy]

Rufus Wainwright: Harvester of Hearts from Want One (2003) [Buy]

Art: "In Love Again" from the Love Portfolio of Donna Estabrooks

Out with the old, in with the new!

I had two blog-related resolutions for 2007. One was to listen to and review more albums. I did that about as well as I could, but I'm going to try to improve on that further in 2008. Another was to go to more concerts and take better photos. I'm doing pretty well with that one too, considering that I live outside the metropolitan area. Indie Mom and I already have two concerts lined up for January. I got a new camera last year, and I think my photos have improved greatly.

On writing, I've tried to tighten up and say more in fewer words. I don't think I'm such a great and entertaining writer that anyone wants to read long paragraphs of my blathering. Our number of readers kept increasing throughout 2007, so we must be doing something right.

And I'm going to try to remind myself to do more research before I post. My memory is not as accurate as it once was, and I've made mistakes. My sincere thanks to readers for pointing them out, but I just hate it when I'm wrong! The only solution is to do more checking.

Here's to a great new day in a great new year! Eight is a lucky number, a fluid number--a good thought to keep in mind for making changes.

Happy New Year!
COPYRIGHTED CONTENT HAS BEEN REMOVED
Hotel Lights: Another Year from goodnightgoodmorning (2006)
Mobius Band: I Had a Very Good Year from City Vs Country (2005)
Crime and Judy: New Model, Year End from Cogs, Gears, Wires (2007)
Hudson Bell: The Midnight Year When The Sun Is The Moon (2005)

PS: I am greatly looking forward to a new release from Hudson Bell this year.

I'm stepping out from my usual alternative rock rut to share a mix I'm making as a Christmas gift. These songs lean into R&B, soul, and pop--which I am not usually very fond of--with a touch of electronica thrown in. As always, I have my own little alternative twist on the theme and a definite California flavor.

This is meant to be kind of a party mix. I mean the kind of party where people stand around in small groups, sipping smoky merlot and nibbling brie on crostini, while discussing movies and politics. This music would not go with a keg of beer and guys yelling at the football game on the television, with corn chips getting mashed into the carpet and the dog licking the bean dip. Just so we're on the same page.

All of these songs are gems. I'm totally smitten with that new Sia number. This list will fit on a CD with only three seconds of empty space leftover--I'm really good at that. Let my links lead you to find more songs you like by these artists.

COPYRIGHTED CONTENT HAS BEEN REMOVED
1. Saint Bernadette: I Own the City [Buy]
2. Moving Units: The Kids From Orange County [Buy]
3. Cannonball Jane - Take It To Fantastic [Buy]
4. Niobe - Give All To Love [Buy]
5. Jane Vain and the Dark Matter: C'mon Baby Say Bang Bang [Preorder from Rectangle Records]
6. Aaron English - Message In a Bottle (Police cover) [Buy]
7. Sharon Jones and the Dap Kings: 100 Days, 100 Nights [Buy]
8. Jesca Hoop - Out the Back Door [Buy]
9. Rickie Lee Jones - Elvis Cadillac [Buy]
10. Soulsavers - Revival [Buy]
11. Sia - A Day Too Soon [Buy]
12. Amy Winehouse - You Know I'm No Good [Buy]
13. Lily Allen - Friday Night (clean) Buy]
14. The Space Lady - Major Tom (Peter Schilling cover)
15. LoneLady: Marble [More at iTunes, eMusic]
16. The Chromatics: Night Drive [Buy]
17. Gliss - Velvet Stars [Buy]
18. Hearts of Palm UK - I Flow [Buy directly from Hearts of Palm]
19. Zap Mama - Affection [Buy]
20. Joan As Policewoman - The Ride [Buy]

If you'd like to take advantage of my hard work, you can download the whole thing as a ZIP file until this Saturday, Dec. 22. After that, you're on your own, but I have provided the links for purchasing or downloading the songs. This is a really huge file, so it will take some time to save, and that's one of the reasons it will be available for only a short time. No requests to repost after the expiration date, please.
Speed of Dark Party Mix [ZIP]

So where are my end of year lists? I'm working on them--REALLY, I AM--but even today I found something new to consider. I'll post them next week, I swear.

Meanwhile, check out the first installment of Contrast Podcast's Festive 50 of 2007.

Are you so behind on Christmas that you're still making a list and haven't gotten around to checking it twice? That's me too. I'm a natural procrastinator, and I'm married to a man who often claims to be able to expand time. This is not a good combination for getting things done.

Let's have something hot to drink and a little Christmas music, whaddaya say? These are some of the best I've found, including what I think is the best version of "Silent Night" that I know of.

The Joseph and Mary Chain: The Twelve Days of Christmas from It's Not Like Christmas (2006)
MySpace

Aimee Mann and Michael Penn: Christmastime from Just Say Noel (1996)
Aimee Mann's MySpace

Leigh Nash: Maybe This Christmas from Wishing For This (2006)
Leigh Nash's MySpace

The Weepies: All That I Want from Happiness (2004)
The Weepies' MySpace

Over the Rhine: Silent Night from The Darkest Night of the Year (1996)
Over the Rhine's MySpace

For those suffering through the holiday season with a broken heart:

Gregg Yeti and the Best Lights: Christmas Quarantine from The Liver Is the Eater EP
Gregg Yeti's MySpace

d.b.s.: Christmas Is the Only Time from Christmas Time Again (2006)
d.b.s. website

Don't forget to get your Peace On Earth. It makes a nice, quick gift.

It's time to bring back one of my favorite and most eccentric songs of the season, by the Swedish/French group Envelopes--"Pink Christmas"--although I've never quite figured out the Christmas part. Check out these other hot pink treats I've gathered to go with it.

Envelopes: Pink Christmas - from It's Not Like Christmas (2006)

HiFi Princess: Pink Elephants from Pure Lounge Feeling, Vol 1 (2006)
(more electronica!)

The Apartments: Pink Soda from The Apartments (2005)

Moving Units: Pink Thoughts from Hexes For Exes (2007)

Laura Veirs: Pink Light from Saltbreakers (2007)

See these sites to create your own pink Christmas:
Make Mine Pink archives | Hot Pink Christmas Ornaments | Pink Christmas tree | A Pink Christmas DVD

Time Travel Tuesday is staying at home today because...well, it's my blog, and I can do that if I want to. Actually, I was at a concert last night--David Bazan and J. Tillman at the Glass House (yesss!)--and I still have that kind of spoiled feeling that results from a very satisfying show. I will write about it soon.

Tuesday is also Contrast Podcast day. The latest installment continues the Seven Deadly Sins theme with "Gluttony." My grandson helped me to unveil my shameful secret, which involves monkey brain.

As a Christmas gift to our readers, for the entire month of December, our live MP3 recordings of the Decemberists at the Hollywood Bowl (July 7, 2007) will be available for download as a zip file. Our policy is to remove all files where we do not have specific permission from the artist after a short time, but we have had many requests to repost this concert.

The Decemberists at the Hollywood Bowl, July 7, 2007, [ZIP]

What can you give us for Christmas? How about a vote on the Hey, Nielsen and Billboard Best Music Blog Contest?

Someone nominated us, for which we feel very honored. However, the voting link for Speed of Dark was not correct and we have received no votes. It has now been fixed--Yeah, I tried it out!

To give us a vote, click on VOTE, then click "Add a New Opinion" on the right to write a comment. You can also click on "Change my status" and indicate that you visit us regularly if that's the case. Be sure to vote for your other favorites too. We bloggers love feedback!

There has been no news on the Decemberists' MySpace page since the announcement that tour dates were cancelled due to a band member's illness. Here's a Christmas get-well wish.
Colin Meloy: Cherry Tree Carol

Jars of Clay's new Christmas Songs album is actually quite good. Check their MySpace for availability.
Jars of Clay: Wonderful Christmastime

Thank goodness, someone finally remade "Jingle Bell Rock"! Sadly, it came with the announcement that sharpetiquette members will be moving on to other projects. I wish them all the best of luck. | MySpace
sharpetiquette: Jingle Bell Rock

I found this song on a Kindercore compilation, but that's all I know about this band. Cute song, though.
Triangle Park: Christmas Lights

These songs remind us that this dark, cold month and the ending of the year sometimes makes people sad. Don't let the season make you too busy to give out lots of hugs.

COPYRIGHTED CONTENT HAS BEEN REMOVED

Pickin' On Series: A Long December from Pickin' On The Counting Crows (2005)
Li'l Cap'n Travis: The Magic of December from Twilight On Sometimes Island (2007)
Dave Clarke: The Snows of December from Reunion (2007)
Ivy: I Hate December from Lately (1994)
Tabitha's Secret: Forever December from Don't Play With Matches (2006) feat. Rob Thomas, vocals
Teenage Fanclub: December from Bandwagonesque (1991)
Boy In Static: December from Violet (2007)

As usual, Christmas songs hit the sound systems of retail establishments before Thanksgiving. If you're like me you've been sick and tired of the same old carols for years. I'm always looking for new gems and different twists on the old standards.

The good news is that there is a whole album's worth of goodies available this season, and the proceeds contribute to an excellent cause. Caleb at Hard To Find a Friend blog conceived the truly brilliant idea of asking indie artists to contribute an original, never-released track for a Christmas compilation album to benefit Toys For Tots.

Have a look at the resulting tracklist below. It contains some names very familiar to indie music lovers and others not so familiar. After you listen, you'll want to look up the ones you don't know. This could be a bunch of throwaway tunes, but they are NOT. There could be stinkers, but there AREN'T. Trust your Gramma: everything on this compilation is good quality.

1. Prayers & Tears of Arthur Digby Sellers - Shepherd's Song
2. Quiet Company - Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas
3. Great Lake Swimmers - Gonna Make it Through This Year
4. Someone Still Loves You Boris Yeltsin / Sweetwater Abilene - The Wheels Are Off
5. Chris Walla - Coventry Carol
6. David Karsten Daniels - In The Bleak Midwinter
7. Casiotone for the Painfully Alone - Hark! The Herald Angels Sing
8. The Winston Jazz Routine - Through the Snow
9. Via Audio - My Boo
10. The Long Winters - Sometimes You Have to Work on Christmas (Sometimes)
11. TW Walsh - Drop the Bomb
12. Ohtis - American Christians
13. Aaron Robinson - End of the Year
14. The Cotton Jones Basket Ride (Michael Nau of Page France) - White Christmas
15. American Music Club - Please Please
16. Johnny Bertram - Merry Christmas (You Won't Get What You Want)
17. Rosie Thomas - Christmas Time is Here
18. Sleeptalker - This is Christmas

The bands' styles aren't exactly the same, but they are analogous, and the differences serve to add to the interest, not subtract from it. The covers blend well with the original songs. There is a nice ebb and flow to the order. This an album you'll play from beginning to end, not pick out one or two favorites.

Quiet Company, Casiotone for the Painfully Alone, and The Cotton Jones Basket Ride make their hoary old numbers feel fresh, while the new compositions by The Prayers and Tears of Arthur Digby Sellers, Great Lake Swimmers, and Johnny Bertram feel like new favorites. Quiet Company have done an especially good job of stripping the sappy sentimentality that usually leaves me trembling with loathing from "Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas." I especially like the treatment of "White Christmas" with its gentle guitar, soft brush on the cymbals, and snaredrum snap. "Merry Christmas (You Won't Get What You Want)" is an unexpected new beauty, and "Gonna Make It Through the Year" is as good as anything Great Lake Swimmers have ever done.

Via Audio's "My Boo" is perfect for winter lovebirds. Someone Still Loves You Boris Yeltsin add a little humor to the mix without becoming stupid. "Coventry Carol" is probably my very favorite of the traditional carols, and while I've heard more beautiful versions, Chris Walla's is very interesting and perhaps closest to the original. The final track, "This Is Christmas" by Sleeptalker begs to become a new classic. I can't imagine anyone of any age not being charmed by it.

Here's another track from Sleeptalker to prove my point:
Sleeptalker: South For the Winter from simplifysimplify (2007)

And you can have all this goodness for only $7. Seven bucks! Think what great Christmas gifts this would be for your indie-loving friends. I bought five of them myself, and if that isn't a recommendation for you, I don't know what is.

Since we're providing only one promo track from this charity benefit CD, I have added links above to each band's MySpace page so you can sample their sound. Don't be afraid--check them out. See? I told you this music is good! Kudos to Caleb for the concept and realization of an excellent holiday collection.

Buy EXCLUSIVELY at Hard To Find a Friend blog

I wish you all a Happy Thanksgiving. I'll be gone for the rest of the week.

Tristeza: Stumble_On_Air
Tristeza: Wearing The Blues both from En Nuestro Desafio (2006)
MySpace | Label: Better Looking Records

Sleeping States: Rivers from The London Fields Single (2007)
MySpace

Let's Go Sailing: Come Home Safely from The Chaos in Order (2007)
MySpace

Boy In Static: Bellyful
from Helping Bands: Gute Musik für einen guten Zweck (2005)
MySpace

Voice of the Seven Woods: Silver Morning Branches from Voice of the Seven Woods (2007)
MySpace

The Informati: Rex Tremendae from Requiem to be released in 2008
MySpace

I just returned from several days of camping in the lovely Sequoia National Park with my family. We had a very nice time hiking, playing in the river, taking in the beautiful scenery, and just relaxing in the cool, fresh mountain air. Despite a case of really bad sunburn and a slight knee injury on my part, I would definitely recommend a camping adventure in the Sequoia or King's Canyon area to anyone (just make sure to reapply sunscreen and be careful where you step).

When I was a kid, we camped quite a bit, and not always in the pleasant coolness of a forest. I remember being carefree and loving the ability to be outside and without worry. As an adult and parent, I spent a good part of the time cooking and preparing food, cleaning dishes, picking up the campsite (lest the bears come), and watching my son and his friend splash about in the river (close enough to come to the rescue if needed, far enough away to let him have some freedom). Hats off to you, Mom...I never realized how much hard work went into camping.

Enjoy this assortment of "camping" songs and a great big thank you to alt-gramma for keeping this music blog going during my extended absence!

badly drawn boy: camping next to water [buy]
antony & the johnsons: the lake [buy]
iron & wine: upward over the mountain [buy]
belle and sebastian: waiting for the moon to rise [buy]
idlewild: i don't have the map [buy]
starflyer 59: wake up early [buy]

And finally...

depeche mode: clean [buy]

Oh, people, I feel so hot and lazy, so you get a lazy post today.

These are some mellow songs for a lazy summer mood. I took the picture above of the matilija poppies that are blooming spectacularly near our driveway. These are big flowers--nearly four inches across. I wish I could upload their sweet smell for you too.

Relax and enjoy...and wish me some energy.

THIS POST CONTAINS NO COPYRIGHTED CONTENT
Pulco: Paddle People

Impossible Shapes: Florida Silver Springs

The Coral Sea: In Between the Days

Halloween, Alaska: Call It Clear

Maritime: People, the Vehicles

Early Day Miners: Comfort/Guilt

Related: Sea and Sand