jachin.rupe.name » Cool Stuff

Jachin’s Christmas Playlist for 2010

Jachin — Sat, 27 Nov 2010 19:43:33 +0000

I’ve never been a huge fan of Christmas music, some it’s ok, and there are a few songs I really like, but I usually have to be careful to avoid it until the few weeks right around Christmas or I risk getting burned out.

I’m borrowing (was inspired by) something from a blog I read pretty regularly called Planet Dan. In fact he just came out with his 2010 christmas playlist.

Me and Dan don’t exactly have the same musical tastes but there were some really good songs he found. So, between the stuff Dan has picked and a few Christmas albums/LPs I’ve collected that I like I figure I’ve got enough material to make my own Christmas music playlist this year.

So here you go:

The Killers – A Great Big Sled. A fun song about remembering Christmas when one was young.
Elvis Costello – (What’s so Funny ‘Bout) Peace Love and Understanding. Maybe not really a traditional Christmas song, but it was the big number in A Colbert Christmas: The Greatest Gift of All!, so I figure it is on its way to becoming a classic. It feels Christmasy too because the song is asking the questions that get to the heart of what I think Christmas is all about.
Haley Bonar – Rabbit in the Skate. I will take almost any opportunity to listen to Haley Bonar.
Sufjan Stevens – Holy, Holy, Holy. Maybe my favorite version of this old classic. Also, I’m studying the book of Isaiah this year so the words have new significance for me.
Haley Bonar – Only Xmas. Again, any excuse to listen to Haley Bonar.
Sarah McLachlan – River. This is a sad sounding song, and it feels like it is more about winter then Christmas, but it sounds so good, and that kinda the point of this list. Also, even though it is sad, it makes me feel grateful for the good relationships in my life.
Sara Barielles and Ingrid Michaelson – Winter Song. Two good singers, singing together and they sound great.
Sufjan Stevens – Joy To The World. One of my favorite Christmas Carols and this is probably my favorite version of it. Sure, it’s fun to hear it really belted out in church but I prefer the slower quieter take on it.
Rogue Wave – Christmas. One of the many songs about “what christmas is all about”. I kinda get tired of that theme, but this song is cool enough so I don’t mind.
Krista Detor – Christmas in London. Not sure what the meaning of this song is, I’ve only listened to in a few times, but it seems to fit well with everything else on the list.
The Be Good Tanyas – Rudy. A sad and beautiful song about a homeless guy on Christmas. A good reminder not to ignore people who may need help.
Sufjan Stevens – Come Thou Fount of Every Blessing. One of my all time favorite hymns. I did not really know it was a Christmas song, but it was on a Christmas album and that’s good enough for me.
Haley Bonar – Orphan Song. More Haley Bonar, and it still does not feel like enough. I’m not really sure how this qualifies as a Christmas song, but ever time I hear it I think of The Little Match Girl by Hans Christian Andersen which I remember my parent’s reading to us kids around Christmas time. Plus it’s on Haley’s Christmas LP, so I’ll just take her word for it.
Regina Spektor – My Dear Acquaintance. Just finishing things up with a new years song.

Fiona Apple – “Across The Universe”

Jachin — Fri, 02 Oct 2009 22:07:21 +0000

Here’s the music video for Fiona Apple’s cover of The Beatles “Across The Universe”. The song is part of the sound track for for the movie Pleasantville, and there is an interesting tie-in with the movie, the music video is a scene that was from the story, but not in the movie (the soda shop gets trashed, but you never see it happen in the movie). The movie it self was ok, but not great.

I have not really listened to much of Fiona Apple’s music, she falls in to the same category as Tori Amos and Alanis Morissette obviously talented, but most of their stuff is not for me. Having said that, this video is really well done, nice juxtaposition of the music and the images.

Jonathan Coulton – “Baby Got Back”

Jachin — Thu, 03 Sep 2009 20:01:08 +0000

Jonathan Coulton has a very interesting rise to “fame” (popular enough to make a living being a musician). He has done it with out the help of a record company. Probably his best promotional tool is making it as easy as possible to listen to his music (including giving it away). He has lots of really good songs. You should check out his website where you can listen and download lots of his music for free. I saw him in concert last winter, it was a lot of fun. Here is his cover of Sir Mix-a-Lot’s “Baby got back”.

Warning: This songs contains some suggestive lyrics (but you have probably heard them before).

Mat Weddle – “Hey Ya”

Jachin — Sat, 22 Aug 2009 06:04:53 +0000

“Hey Ya” by Outcast is one of the few hip hop songs I have actually enjoyed. It always reminds me of college. It got over played though. Anyway, there’s a great cover of “Hey Ya” by some guy called Mat Weddle, who’s in some band called “Obadiah Parker”, no idea of he’s cool, or if his band is good, I found this surfing YouTube. However it does look like they are worth following up on.

Note: He messes up the song, then starts over, so if you want to here the song uninterrupted skip ahead to about 1:00 minute into the video.

Jenny Owen Youngs – “Hot In Herre”

Jachin — Tue, 18 Aug 2009 04:23:34 +0000

Jenny Owes Youngs is still in my music inbox, however I have managed to listen to her cover of Nelly’s Hot in Herre, several dozen times. Hopefully I’ll get to more of her music soon.

Warning, this song is probably PG-13.

Acoustic Covers of Rap/Hip Hop Songs

Jachin — Tue, 18 Aug 2009 04:21:10 +0000

I’m going to start up a new series of posts. “Acoustic covers of rap/hip hop songs” that I like. I’ll start by admitting I don’t really like rap/hip hop music. Some songs are ‘ok’, if I’m in the right mood, a few I have even enjoyed from time to time, but I’ve never bought a rap/hip hop album, and I doubt I ever will. We’ll see though, I’d like to think my music tastes are not beyond “evolving”.

Despite what I just said, I do have to admit that there are a lot of really great lyrics written for rap/hip hop. I used to think the only way to get to listen to them, was to suffer through the actual song, or possibly some sort of techno remix.

Fortunately some thoughtful folk/rock and roll artists have been thoughtful enough to start covering these songs with some pretty good results. So over the next few weeks I’m going to post some of my favorites.

The Smashing Pumpkins – “Thirty-Three”

Jachin — Mon, 01 Jun 2009 04:18:58 +0000

I’ve never been a huge fan of The Smashing Pumpkins, there one of those bands that I cherry pick a songs from. Thirty-Three is one of their good ones though. They did a really nice job with the video.

Sigur Ros – “Glósóli”

Jachin — Sun, 10 May 2009 20:02:40 +0000

I do not really know the band Sigur Ros really well. I have heard a lot of good things about them but I haven’t really taken the time to listen to them yet. However I did happen to see this video a couple years ago. An excellent example of “texture”, or at least what I think “texture” in film is.

The Postal Service – “Such Great Heights”

Jachin — Sun, 10 May 2009 07:21:54 +0000

This a great looking video. The album the song is on is “Give Up” and is a great album. Plus there’s is an acoustic version of the song on the sound track for Garden State which is a pretty good movie that has an amazing sound track.

Beck – “Lost Cause”

Jachin — Sun, 03 May 2009 03:50:56 +0000

This Beck video has been one of my favorite music videos since the first time I saw it ~~back when I was in high school~~ when I was in college. It represents why I watched way too much MTV and VH1 late at night (when they actually played music videos) looking for little gems among so much tripe.

Every time I see it I wonder about the symbolism, but it’s probably just something the director thought would be cool.