Today's Christmas cd/Tracey Thorn - Tinsel and Lights

I had been thinking of posting something for the solstice which happens tonight just before midnight my time. But instead I wanted to share this album I've been listening to. Tracey Thorn is probably best known for being half of Everything But the Girl. You can read more about her here. This Christmas offering from 2012 is sublime. Serious, thoughtful, unique. I love her voice. She does many original songs, as well as Joni Mitchell's River, and Ron Sexsmith's Maybe This Christmas which I featured two years ago, when my beloved Hazel Nina was 12 days old and weighing around two pounds.

Here is a video of the song Joy.

Today's Christmas cd/Lady Antebellum - On This Winter's Night

 This is a perfect Christmas album. Cheery, heartfelt, traditional. I know I rave a lot about music (and books) that I love, but honestly this is something special. The listener is transported to a comfortable, cozy living room with a fire blazing, while outside a gentle snow is falling. I love Lady Antebellum, and I adore On This Winter's Night.

 

Today's Christmas cd/Holidays Rule

This is just wonderful! It features seventeen artists, and every single song is unique and interesting. Rufus Wainright and Sharon Von Etten could be singing sixty years ago in Baby, It's Cold Outside. It is a rare treat to hear O Come, O Come, Emmanuel sung by Punch Brothers. Y La Bamba performs a delightful Senor Santa. The Shins do a version of McCartney's own Wonderful Christmastime, while Paul sings The Christmas Song, with Diana Krall on piano.

Today's Christmas cd/Christmas with the Puppini Sisters

I bought this a couple years ago, but haven't written about it till now, though I did write about their 2007 album here. You may read more about them on their website. They are excellent singers with a real verve for their material. And they aren't really sisters, though their harmonies are as good as those usually associated with biological siblings. Two members have been there since the beginning while there have been a few incarnations of the third 'sister.' They sing beautifully and bring such fun to music. I guarantee you a smile on your face when listening. The album has the old standards and a couple newer ones like Step Into Christmas by Elton John/Bernie Taupin, and George Michael's Last Christmas (with a wonderful accordion). The Puppini Sisters are retro and oh, so current at the same time. Just great!

Today's Christmas cd/Rod Stewart - Merry Christmas, Baby

Guess what we did today?

And while we put the lights on, we listened to:



A great, great Christmas album! So nice to hear We Three Kings. And Auld Lang Syne with the L in Lang pronounced. And Silent Night with all the verses. And two wonderful rocking songs - Merry Christmas, Baby and Red-Suited Superman. Every song is a winner, and there are some terrific duets. Well worth buying. He even brings Ella Fitzgerald back from the dead to sing What Are You Doing New Year's Eve.

with flash

 Wish my camera could capture those lights. They are the old-fashioned, big, ones, only red, green, blue, orange, and white - the lights of my childhood, and my adult life.

 without flash

Returning with a Today's Christmas cd

This is my favorite new album of the 2011 Christmas season. I had never heard of Joey and Rory, and just happened to see the cd listed at iTunes and bought it. Well, I bet we've played it ten times already. I'm going to offer two videos to show the range of the recording, from gentle and nostalgic to humorous. The website for this most engaging, delightful couple is here.

Today's Christmas cd/Tony Bennett - A Swingin' Christmas

This album really does swing! Tony is wonderful, as always, and The Count Basie Big Band is terrific. And isn't that a great cover?! It is a perfect choice to put on if you are having a Christmas get-together or if you are home alone baking or decorating.

Today's Christmas cd/Kate Rusby - Sweet Bells

When I listen to Kate Rusby, I sometimes think her work is all the music I need. Her voice is so pure, so clear. I love how the words sound when she sings them. I envy my British friends who may live close enough to see her in concert this holiday season. Here is a review from a recent show in Preston.

A couple of my letters have noted this wonderful singer, here and here.

This 2008 Christmas offering is unlike any I have ever heard. Some of the songs are familiar, but she approaches them in a way which feels older than the hills - the way they may have been sung by a family sitting around the hearth on the dark days of December.

Though this video doesn't show Kate, you may hear one of the songs and decide for yourself if this album is one you must have in your life. I am so grateful it is in mine.

Today's Christmas cd/Christmas with Weezer-

Christmas with Weezer
Weezer
2008

I have loved Weezer since my twelve-year-old daughter came home with their first album all those years ago. And now, they have a Christmas album! With the exception of We Wish You a Merry Christmas, each song is gasp! a religious one. In my childhood, all the popular singers did Christmas albums, and they included the songs we sang in church. That happens quite rarely now, unless it is a cd by Amy Grant or Celine Dion. I don't know why. After all, Christmas is Christmas. It has a meaning. I bought the cd at iTunes for five dollars; maybe the best money I spent this Christmastime! I couldn't be happier.

Today's Christmas cd/A Cape Breton Christmas

A Cape Breton Christmas
Ashley MacIsaac and friends
1993

Oh, what a beautiful album this is! It was re-mastered and re-released last year and I bought it immediately from iTunes. I'm a big Ashley fan. This cd features many traditional Christmas carols, along with Christmas jigs and reels. Utter bliss on a dark December day.

Today's Christmas cd/Christmas Present

Boney James
Christmas Present
2007

This sweet and jazzy cd is just the ticket for a busy December day. It is quiet and soothing, offering the lovely songs of the season from Vince Guaraldi's Skating to Joseph Mohr-Franz Gruber's, Silent Night. You may learn more about the artist on his website.

Today's Christmas cd/These Are Special Times

Celine Dion
These Are Special Times
1998

I am a huge fan of Celine Dion, and I'll bet you'd never guess that in the car, all alone, I sing just like her!

This is a wonderful, wonderful Christmas album. It is an eclectic mix of religious and secular, solemn and fun; each one full of the special joy of this season. Just the other day, David Foster was on Canadian radio talking about the song he co-wrote with Carol Bayer Sager called The Prayer. He said it has the very interesting distinction of being sung at both funerals and weddings. On this cd, Celine sings it with the great Andrea Bocelli and it makes me cry every time.

I pray you'll be our eyes, and watch us where we go
And help us to be wise in times when we don't know
Let this be our prayer, when we lose our way
Lead us to the place, guide us with your grace
To a place where we'll be safe

Here's one of my favorites called Another Year Has Gone By.

Today's Christmas cd/Christmas Song

You probably wonder, is she one of the von Trapps, the family immortalized in The Sound Of Music? Yes, she is. Elisabeth is Maria's granddaughter. This cd just arrived in the mail yesterday, and it may be the most "essential" of all my Christmas albums, because the Holy Birth is really the center of the music; not sleigh rides or snowfalls or romantic love. We hear her angelic voice singing a wide range of songs, from a 7th Century Gregorian Chant to a 16th Century French Folk song. She also includes the famous, Edelweiss, and makes it sound like a hymn. It is all beautiful, as it is unique. Her instrument is the guitar which in itself adds a quality not often heard in holiday music. Happily, there are samples of the songs to help you decide if you'd like to own this exquisite music. I thought you might enjoy seeing the photograph on the album insert. The girl holding the doll is Elisabeth in 1958.

Today's Christmas cd/Marshmallow World & Other Holiday Favorites

Lucky Laura got to see Raul Malo this fall! Oh, what a voice he has. This cd is hot off the presses for the 2007 Christmas season, and it is wonderful. At times, you might swear he was channeling Dean Martin as he sings Marshmallow World, or Elvis when he belts out Santa Claus is Back in Town, and he sounds a bit like Bing when he sings White Christmas, but then you realize he has made these songs his own and you may forget all about those other fellows. I just love this album, and I'm smiling at eight o'clock in the morning as he is singing in the kitchen. You've still got a lot of December left, so I'd say go buy it! And there is a video to tempt you even more. This may be the best ten dollars you'll spend this Christmas!

Today's Christmas cd/Laura's Gift

This young man, Bill Tobin, was a student of my husband's years ago, and he performs around the area. He plays the Celtic harp so beautifully. He has several albums, and Laura's Gift is his Christmas offering. This cd has sixteen Christmas songs, including The Sussex Mummer's Carol, Bring A Torch Jeannette Isabella, and The Holly and The Ivy, to name three of my favorites. It is lovely music for a snowy December day.

I feel badly about today's cd choice because there isn't any place you can buy it unless you live nearby. But I'll tell you what. If you would like me to send you a copy, leave a comment here before Saturday, and I'll draw a name out of a winter hat.

Today's Christmas cd/A Holiday Celebration

I am stunned to realize that it was nineteen years ago when PBS presented A Peter, Paul, and Mary Holiday Concert. It was so wonderful that I bought the cd. It is today's choice because at sunset this evening, Hanukkah begins, and this album includes songs for Hanukkah, and for Christmas.

The adjective for this music is "stirring." It stirs the soul, as well as warming the heart. Those voices are like no others. The harmonies are perfect. The choice of songs are not the typical holiday fare, such as A Soalin', The Friendly Beasts, and The Cherry Tree Carol. And it ends with their signature song, perfect for this season of compassion and peace, Dylan's Blowin' In The Wind. I cry every time I hear it.


How many years can some people exist before they're allowed to be free?
How many times can a man turn his head and pretend he just doesn't see?
How many ears must one man have before he can hear people cry?

Today's Christmas cd/Carols from Clare

Carols from Clare
Clare College Singers and Orchestra
conducted by John Rutter
original recordings, 1967 and 1970
this compilation, 1988

I looked up the word carol and found: "A Christmas song, hymn, canticle" and the verb carol means, "to sing or say something happily." Isn't that lovely? Singing happily. And the songs on this cd are very happy, very cheerful and cheering. I've featured cds by Mr Rutter before and I just love the work he does, the songs he chooses, and the songs he himself writes.


There are twenty-four carols on the album, and every one is lovely. I can't think of nicer music to play on this first Sunday in Advent. You may hear snippets of songs here, buy mp3s, or the whole album if you love it. It is also available at iTunes.

When asked about his feelings on the holiday, Rutter replies, "For me, first and foremost, Christmas is happy memories of the way it was celebrated when I was a kid. As everyone would probably say, it revolves around the family and gatherings. But it also revolves around my school chapel. I was at a school in north London that happened to have a chapel with a fine choir. And our Christmas carol service was the high point of our singing year. So I actually developed a love of the whole music of Christmas, along with the message of Christmas, from when I was a kid. With music, your Christmas can always be perfect. With real-life Christmas, there's always something that's going to go a bit wrong. You're hoping it's going to snow on Christmas day, but it doesn't. Or your turkey smells absolutely gorgeous, but it turns out that it's a bit burned when you come to eat it. But the music of Christmas is always perfect, and so I love to remember and celebrate Christmas in music and song."

Today's Christmas cd/An Oscar Peterson Christmas

An Oscar Peterson Christmas/1995



Tom's Christmas Eve choice is just perfect; exactly the right sound for the last day of Advent, the day before Christmas. All the cards are written, the presents are wrapped and under the tree, the stockings are hung awaiting Santa's visit. And the beautiful piano of Oscar Peterson is the mellow, relaxing music to go along with this feeling of calm which comes upon the heart and home.

Today's Christmas cd/Midwinter Night's Dream

Boys of the Lough/Midwinter Night's Dream/1996

Tom's choice today, and what a wonderful one it is! We saw this group a few years ago, and they were just terrific. Two of the members on this cd are still with the band today. There's a very good website. If you would like to hear some of this cd, you may get a flavor of the music here:

Sometimes I put A Midwinter Waltz on repeat and listen over and over to one of the most beautiful songs I've ever heard.

A unique feature of the Boys of the Lough is that they are from England, Ireland, and Scotland, and each member brings his own country's traditions and music to the group.

The cover photo is of the Ring of Brodgar, Orkney Islands, Scotland.

Today's Christmas cd/Making Spirits Bright

Dean Martin/Making Spirits Bright/1998 (this compilation)

The liner notes say, "this is the ultimate Dino Christmas compilation with the best of his Capitol and Reprise recordings, more than half of which have never been available on CD until now."

And what a cd it is! Perfection. I love every song, especially A Winter Romance and A Marshmallow World. I love the way he sings. And I love it that he lived so long even though you always saw him with a drink in one hand and a cigarette in the other. :<)