More jangle, less jingle

Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 03/12/2015 (3935 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

We’re only a few days into December and already the Christmas music is on 24-hour rotation.

You can’t enter a mall or turn on the radio without hearing Blue Christmas, All I Want for Christmas Is You or that really sad-sounding song about toy trains.

Let’s be clear: I do not hate Christmas music. What I do hate is having to listen to the same songs over and over again in any context, and that seems to be amplified (pardon the pun) during the holiday season.

While there has been a surge of indie artists doing eclectic covers of traditional holiday tunes (I’m looking at you, Sufjan Stevens), which has provided a nice break from the usual yuletide lineup (now I’m looking at you, Josh Groban and Faith Hill), plenty of contemporary artists create could-be classics that get snubbed every year.

So, put away the Michael Bublé and Boney M and take a chance on some of these less traditional songs and albums — they’ll still make you feel all warm and cosy, but generally don’t contain phrases such as “jingle bells” or “silent night,” and they are certainly not sung by Wham:

 

Christmas Treat – Julian Casablancas

Julian Casablancas of the Strokes released this gem in 2011 and, surprisingly, it has yet to find its place as a Christmas classic (though more than 800,000 plays on streaming service Spotify may suggest otherwise).

The song, in typical Casablancas fashion, juxtaposes a frenetic tempo with his too-cool-for-school vocals, making it the perfect, cheese-free holiday song. The chorus, “I wish it was Christmas today,” repeated four times, will likely be stuck in your head until New Year’s Eve… sorry about that.

 

Mike! Your House Is on Fire! – Quinzy

To fill your Winnipeg quota, now-defunct pop act Quinzy has an excellent holiday album filled with original content. Mike! Your House is on Fire! is a local Christmas staple for many, and nary a Quinzmas (the band’s annual holiday concert) went by without a performance of the upbeat anthem about an overheated Santa suit in a dryer that caused a house fire.

It’s not often you’ll find yourself dancing to a tune about property damage, but it’s impossible to sit still as the bopping bass line, jangly keyboards and “na, na, na”s kick in near the end. Really, how could a song with two exclamation points in the title not be awesome?

 

It’s Christmas So We’ll Stop – Frightened Rabbit

Frightened Rabbit, the Scottish indie-rock quintet, offers up a slightly more reflective holiday tune with It’s Christmas So We’ll Stop. The theme of the song is pretty melancholy, as it touches on the way many people put aside past hurts for the sake of having a nice holiday season and how, consequently, some of the celebratory happiness can be false.

“Oh, it’s Christmas so we’ll stop / ’Cause the wine on our breath puts the love in our tongues / So forget the names I called you on Christmas Eve / In fact, forget the entire year,” pleads singer Scott Hutchison, his Scottish brogue peeking through.

It may not be the most joyful of songs, but it addresses part of the season many people struggle with — and does so in a beautifully crafted and empathetic way.

 

Remember (Christmas) – Harry Nilsson

Harry Nilsson is, undeniably, a legend, but his stunning 1972 classic, Remember (Christmas), does not get the attention it deserves during the holiday season… probably because it never mentions Christmas.

Nilsson’s smooth voice delicately hovers over lush strings and piano for much of the track, yet the arrangement doesn’t feel overwrought or hokey. Again, it’s not the happiest song, but if you’re flying solo and need a good cry this winter, Harry Nilsson is there for you.

 

Full Moon Eleven – Hawksley Workman

Eccentric Ontario singer-songwriter Hawksley Workman may not be the first man you think of when it comes to holiday music, but his album Full Moon Eleven is as sweet, warm and full of holiday cheer as it is clever, which is why the whole thing makes the list; it’s too good to pick just one song.

There’s a satisfying mix of both romantic and heartwarming moments, such as the ballad Merry Christmas (I love you), and funny little ditties, such as an ode to the common cold and the first snow of the year (It’s the first snow of the year / oh glory / and the dogs in the neighbourhood are going crazy / and even all the old ones that are usually lazy). It’s an incredibly endearing album that deserves the designation of “holiday classic.”

 

erin.lebar@freepress.mb.ca

Twitter: @NireRabel