alt-indie holiday tunes

'Tis the holiday season once again, and as per recent tradition, that means a new mix! As usual, I've tried to include a collection of oddities and oldies that you probably won't get to enjoy as you go about your Christmas/Hanukkah/Kwanzaa in-store shopping... If you like what you hear, check out my previous holiday mixes, or plug in the full five-year playlist (of available songs) on Spotify. ∞

Cambridge Holiday mix | Listen on Spotify | YouTube Playlist
Christmas is Coming Soon! - Blitzen Trapper
Christmas Treat (I Wish It Was Christmas Today) - Julian Casablancas
It Must Be Hannukah - Jason Fickel
Christmas Unicorn - Sufjan Stevens
Frosty the Snowman - Cocteau Twins
Gee Whiz, It's Christmas - Carla Thomas
The First Noel - Weezer
Green Grows The Holly - Calexico
All I Ever Get For Christmas Is Blue - Over The Rhine
My First Christmas (As A Woman) - Vandals
Space Christmas - Allo Darlin'
Everything's Gonna Be Cool This Christmas - Eels
It's Christmas Time - Sammy Timberg
Santa's Drunk - Fathead
Christmas For Cowboys - John Denver
Drummer Boy - Matthew Bryan Beck
Christmas Song - Stars
Someday At Christmas - Stevie Wonder
Christmas Card From a Hooker in Minneapolis - Tom Waits
Auld Lang Syne - Andrew Bird

hum for the holidays

Wait, is it December again already?!! My, how 2010 has flown by. Well, I'm not quite prepared for the holidays just yet, but I've been cruising for some fun and unique winter songs, and I think I've come up with a set that you'll fancy, entitled Brooklyn December. (In case you missed my previous two holiday mixes, behold Brooklyn Xmas and Brooklyn Holiday.) As in years past, I've focused on indie/alternative tunes and interspersed various soul, country, and electronic/pop ditties. This year I came up with about twice as many songs as I could hope to fit into one mix, so you'll have to wait til next year for the rest ;) Enjoy! &infin

Brooklyn December mix | Listen on Spotify | YouTube Playlist
Father Christmas - The Kinks
Look Out the Window - Gene Autry feat. Rosemary Clooney
Fallen Snow - Au Revoir Simone
Ain't No Chimneys in the Projects - Sharon Jones and the Dap Kings
Christmas Tree - Lady Gaga feat. Space Cowboy
Carol of the Bells - Straight No Chaser
Christmas - Leona Naess
Santa Claus is Coming to Town - Jackson 5
LeRoy the Redneck Reindeer - Joe Diffie
It Came Upon a Midnight Clear - Sixpence None The Richer
Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas - Francesca Battistelli
Forget December - Something Corporate
Angels We Have Heard on High - Relient K
O Holy Night - Weezer
Christmas Ain't Like Christmas Anymore - Kitty Wells
Jag Vet En Dejlig Rosa - Robyn
Winter Song - Sara Bareilles & Ingrid Michaelson

the sounds of xmas

With just a week to go before Christmas, I figured it was time I started thinking about doing another holiday mix. So, on the heels of my original Brooklyn Xmas mix—which won rave reviews from the people for whom I actually printed the playlist onto CD (remember those?)—I give you the second in the series, aptly titled "Brooklyn Holiday." As before, the flavor is mainly indie pop/rock with shades of blues, old-school country, and 80s hip-hop. This year I've also thrown in a Hanukkah song and a little lullaby for those of you who, like myself, celebrate Christmas in a secular way. Hope you enjoy it!

Brooklyn Holiday mix | Listen on Spotify
Christmas Wrapping - The Waitresses
Come On Santa - The Ravonettes
Christmas - Rogue Wave
Are You Coming Over For Christmas? - Belle & Sebastian
White Wine in the Sun - Tim Minchin
Silent Night - Priscilla Ahn
Christmas Is - Run-DMC
Santa Claus Is Back In Town - Elvis Presley
Little Christmas Tree - Michael Jackson
Don't Shoot Me Santa - The Killers
Back Door Santa - JET
Hanukkah Dance - Woodie Guthrie
Carol of the Bells - The Bird and the Bee
Maybe Next Year (X-mas Song) - Meiko
All I Want For Christmas - Matt Costa
The Heartache Can Wait - Brandi Carlile
Happy Xmas (War Is Over) - John Lennon

it's beginning to sound a lot like xmas...

It's only the day after Thanksgiving, but you'd think it was Christmas eve with the shopping and decorations already at a fevered pitch! So, here's a little xmas mix. The number of songs with sleighbells makes me wonder if the entire music industry uses the same prerecorded sleighbell track or whether groups actually go out and find sleighbells to record with. Hmmm..... Anyway, happy listening!

Brooklyn Xmas mix
Yeah, I Know It's Christmastime - Andrew Dost
Christmas Time is Here - Ivy
And Your Boy Can Drum - The Recital
My Dreams of Christmas - Billy Bob Thornton & The Boxmasters
Here Comes Santa Claus - Gene Autry
White Christmas - Melt Banana
Donde Esta Santa Claus? - Guster
Christmas is Going to the Dogs - Eels
Christmas Reindeer - The Knife
Silent Night - Yo Yo Yo Kids
Winters Wonderland - Scott Allen
Last Christmas - Wham!
Blue Christmas - Elvis Presley
All That I Want - The Weepies
Christmas (Baby Please Come Home) - Death Cab For Cutie
Silent Night - Nullsleep
Christmas Tree's On Fire - Holly Golightly