Indie Yule Music
December 20, 2009 8:34 AM Subscribe
I need some Yule music. With kind of an indie rock feel if possible. Stuff that is a cross between Belle and Sebastian and the sountrack for the Wicker Man with a winter yule theme. This is anon because its for a surprise evening dinner/birthday party. Please suggest any songs/whole albums. Thank you!
The Deer Tracks - Christmas Fire (mp3)
And maybe the less overtly Christian songs from Sufjan's Chrismas album?
- Sister Winter
- Star of Wonder
- Put the Lights on the Tree
- The Winter Solstice
posted by hellomina at 8:48 AM on December 20, 2009 [1 favorite]
And maybe the less overtly Christian songs from Sufjan's Chrismas album?
- Sister Winter
- Star of Wonder
- Put the Lights on the Tree
- The Winter Solstice
posted by hellomina at 8:48 AM on December 20, 2009 [1 favorite]
The ultimate indie-xmas album: It's a Cool, Cool Christmas
posted by afx237vi at 8:53 AM on December 20, 2009 [2 favorites]
posted by afx237vi at 8:53 AM on December 20, 2009 [2 favorites]
Belle and Sebastian Peel Session Christmas Special
Merry Christmas From Yo La Tengo
posted by balls at 8:59 AM on December 20, 2009
Merry Christmas From Yo La Tengo
posted by balls at 8:59 AM on December 20, 2009
Here in Vancouver, a bunch of local bands just released a collaborative christmas album. It's a free download with a requested donation to the Vancouver food bank. Mental Beast: the Eggnog Experience. A lot of the Christmas songs are originals. The style of music is pretty wide ranging but there's probably a few that are what you're after.
(There was also a comedy video series that went along with it which is worth checking out.)
posted by PercussivePaul at 9:07 AM on December 20, 2009 [1 favorite]
(There was also a comedy video series that went along with it which is worth checking out.)
posted by PercussivePaul at 9:07 AM on December 20, 2009 [1 favorite]
Some suggestions that make me sound like I eat pitchfork for breakfast:
- Fleet Foxes, particularly the song White Winter Hymnal. If you put Belle & Sebastian's folkier tuneful stuff and the Wicker Man soundtrack and some secular carols into a blender this is what would come out.
- You know it already but Fairytale Of New York.
- Shearwater's The Snow Leopard EP. Particularly 'So Bad'. Lovely delicate indie-folk with a wintry feel.
- Sufjan Stevens. I like That Was The Worst Christmas Ever and O Holy Night.
- Clem Snide's cover of Joy To The World is brilliant if you like your Yule music lo-fi and miserable, miserable, miserable.
- Mumford & Sons' Winter Winds has been getting a lot of airplay over here. English folkish indie.
- The Imagined Village is a British folk supergroup and did an awesome, awesome version of Cold Haily Rainy Night. Their version is a mix of Indian music and English folk. Not specifically massively Yule-ish, but really good. Very Wicker Man. (Their live version of John Barleycorn is worth checking out merely for the spectacle of Billy Bragg turning up mid-song to sing an impromptu couple of verses about modern multicultural British identity to the tune of John Barleycorn.)
- I don't know if it's what you're looking for but the Mountain Goats version of Christmas In Prison brings a lump to my throat.
posted by somergames at 9:10 AM on December 20, 2009 [3 favorites]
- Fleet Foxes, particularly the song White Winter Hymnal. If you put Belle & Sebastian's folkier tuneful stuff and the Wicker Man soundtrack and some secular carols into a blender this is what would come out.
- You know it already but Fairytale Of New York.
- Shearwater's The Snow Leopard EP. Particularly 'So Bad'. Lovely delicate indie-folk with a wintry feel.
- Sufjan Stevens. I like That Was The Worst Christmas Ever and O Holy Night.
- Clem Snide's cover of Joy To The World is brilliant if you like your Yule music lo-fi and miserable, miserable, miserable.
- Mumford & Sons' Winter Winds has been getting a lot of airplay over here. English folkish indie.
- The Imagined Village is a British folk supergroup and did an awesome, awesome version of Cold Haily Rainy Night. Their version is a mix of Indian music and English folk. Not specifically massively Yule-ish, but really good. Very Wicker Man. (Their live version of John Barleycorn is worth checking out merely for the spectacle of Billy Bragg turning up mid-song to sing an impromptu couple of verses about modern multicultural British identity to the tune of John Barleycorn.)
- I don't know if it's what you're looking for but the Mountain Goats version of Christmas In Prison brings a lump to my throat.
posted by somergames at 9:10 AM on December 20, 2009 [3 favorites]
Mumford and Sons
posted by fire&wings at 9:14 AM on December 20, 2009
posted by fire&wings at 9:14 AM on December 20, 2009
Butterflies and Birds & Arrows: Songs to Trim your Tree by - $5
A New Old Fashioned Christmas, byThe Trekky (local record label) Yuletide Orchestra
I found these as a result of this local public radio show.
posted by amtho at 9:16 AM on December 20, 2009
A New Old Fashioned Christmas, byThe Trekky (local record label) Yuletide Orchestra
I found these as a result of this local public radio show.
posted by amtho at 9:16 AM on December 20, 2009
If you MeMail me your e-mail address, I'll send some songs your way. I love finding indie Christmas songs and covers.
Personal favorites:
Christmas is Coming Soon - Blitzen Trapper
Blue Christmas - Bright Eyes
Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas - Coldplay
Happy Xmas (War is Over) - Damien Rice
Christmas (Baby Please Come Home) - Death Cab for Cutie
Everything's Gonna Be Cool this Christmas - Eels
Lo, How a Rose E're Blooming - Feist
Frosty the Snowman - Fiona Apple
A Great Big Sled - The Killers
Come on Santa - The Raveonettes
and most anything from Sufjan Stevens' christmas albums.
posted by JannaK at 9:17 AM on December 20, 2009 [1 favorite]
Personal favorites:
Christmas is Coming Soon - Blitzen Trapper
Blue Christmas - Bright Eyes
Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas - Coldplay
Happy Xmas (War is Over) - Damien Rice
Christmas (Baby Please Come Home) - Death Cab for Cutie
Everything's Gonna Be Cool this Christmas - Eels
Lo, How a Rose E're Blooming - Feist
Frosty the Snowman - Fiona Apple
A Great Big Sled - The Killers
Come on Santa - The Raveonettes
and most anything from Sufjan Stevens' christmas albums.
posted by JannaK at 9:17 AM on December 20, 2009 [1 favorite]
Wild Billy Childish and the Musicians of the British Empire: Christmas 1979
posted by zemblamatic at 9:30 AM on December 20, 2009 [1 favorite]
posted by zemblamatic at 9:30 AM on December 20, 2009 [1 favorite]
Mary Margaret O'Hara with the Razorbacks - Blue Christmas. Get the transcendindie canuck's "Christmas" EP on Amazon
posted by Rumple at 9:43 AM on December 20, 2009 [1 favorite]
posted by Rumple at 9:43 AM on December 20, 2009 [1 favorite]
Radiohead did a pretty charming drunken cover of Winter Wonderland for a 2002 live webcast. Probably too lo-fi to work on a mi, but just saying.
Also, if you want an industrial-strength dose of random in your mix, Cocteau Twins recorded the same song, as well as Frosty the Snowman (I swear).
posted by abcde at 9:46 AM on December 20, 2009
Also, if you want an industrial-strength dose of random in your mix, Cocteau Twins recorded the same song, as well as Frosty the Snowman (I swear).
posted by abcde at 9:46 AM on December 20, 2009
Not quite indie, but some k-pop examples:
Bobby Kim with Buga Kingz, "Buga Jingle" (sort of jazzy hip-hop?)
Lucid Fall, "Santa Claus is Coming to Town" (indie-folk acoustic)
Crying Nut, Christmas carol medley (punk rock)
posted by needled at 10:00 AM on December 20, 2009
Bobby Kim with Buga Kingz, "Buga Jingle" (sort of jazzy hip-hop?)
Lucid Fall, "Santa Claus is Coming to Town" (indie-folk acoustic)
Crying Nut, Christmas carol medley (punk rock)
posted by needled at 10:00 AM on December 20, 2009
I run a big indie holiday show around Christmas each year and my boyfriend's playlists are infamously awesome -- people comment on them every single year and plead for The List. So -- here's this year's. It's not ALL holiday, but there's a goodly amount of indie Christmas stuff on there.
(Google Docs link, available without sign-in)
posted by bitter-girl.com at 10:02 AM on December 20, 2009 [4 favorites]
(Google Docs link, available without sign-in)
posted by bitter-girl.com at 10:02 AM on December 20, 2009 [4 favorites]
Christmas Time for Girls and Boys by me.
posted by ludwig_van at 10:22 AM on December 20, 2009 [1 favorite]
posted by ludwig_van at 10:22 AM on December 20, 2009 [1 favorite]
Fiona Apple's "Frosty the Snowman"
Sufjan Stevens' Christmas Album
Raveonette's Christmas EP (just lovely, Cocteau Twin-sounding tracks)
Yo La Tengo "Christmastime"
Ron Sexsmith "Maybe this Year"
Copeland's holiday songs
Bright Eyes' holiday songs
Pogues' "Fairytale of New York"
Deathcab's holiday songs
posted by cachondeo45 at 10:22 AM on December 20, 2009 [1 favorite]
Sufjan Stevens' Christmas Album
Raveonette's Christmas EP (just lovely, Cocteau Twin-sounding tracks)
Yo La Tengo "Christmastime"
Ron Sexsmith "Maybe this Year"
Copeland's holiday songs
Bright Eyes' holiday songs
Pogues' "Fairytale of New York"
Deathcab's holiday songs
posted by cachondeo45 at 10:22 AM on December 20, 2009 [1 favorite]
How on earth has Low's Christmas album not been mentioned yet?
posted by anagrama at 10:35 AM on December 20, 2009
posted by anagrama at 10:35 AM on December 20, 2009
"Christmas Party" by The Walkmen is by far my favorite xmas song.
posted by swellingitchingbrain at 10:40 AM on December 20, 2009 [2 favorites]
posted by swellingitchingbrain at 10:40 AM on December 20, 2009 [2 favorites]
Aimee Mann's "One More Drifter In The Snow"
posted by backwards guitar at 10:44 AM on December 20, 2009
posted by backwards guitar at 10:44 AM on December 20, 2009
Check out DJ Riko's Merry Mixmas albums. He's got a huge selection of obscure christmas music on them.
posted by benzenedream at 11:35 AM on December 20, 2009
posted by benzenedream at 11:35 AM on December 20, 2009
Err, good music, but not so much Wicker Man on a lot of these answers... I think Steeleye Span did a few Christmas songs. I know they did Gaudete.
posted by Bigfoot Mandala at 11:58 AM on December 20, 2009
posted by Bigfoot Mandala at 11:58 AM on December 20, 2009
Sixeyes is an indie music sort of blog that has been posting Christmas mixes all month:
One
Two
Three
Four
Five
Six
Seven
posted by adiabat at 12:47 PM on December 20, 2009 [1 favorite]
One
Two
Three
Four
Five
Six
Seven
posted by adiabat at 12:47 PM on December 20, 2009 [1 favorite]
For the Wicker Man angle, try Maddy Pryor and the Carnival Band's _Ringing in the Changes_: it contains the only Sol Invictus carol I know.
posted by LucretiusJones at 3:06 PM on December 20, 2009
posted by LucretiusJones at 3:06 PM on December 20, 2009
Along with Gaudete, Steeleye Span does a wonderful Gower Wassail. In a similar vein, Pentangle's Cherry Tree Carol.
posted by quatsch at 3:25 PM on December 20, 2009
posted by quatsch at 3:25 PM on December 20, 2009
Almost a Full Moon, Hawksley Workman's surprisingly endearing holiday album
posted by avocet at 5:15 PM on December 20, 2009
posted by avocet at 5:15 PM on December 20, 2009
I make a holiday mix every year. This year's is heavy on the depressing indie. Here's the playlist:
Casiotone for the Painfully Alone -- Cold White Christmas
The Keys -- Queueing Up for Christmas
Emmy the Great & Lightspeed Champion -- Christmas in Prison
Sufjan Stevens -- That Was the Worst Christmas Ever!
Neko Case -- Christmas Card from a Hooker in Minneapolis (Tom Waits cover)
Mary Gauthier -- Christmas in Paradise
The Handsome Family -- So Much Wine
Starfucker -- Happy Fucking Holidays
Over the Rhine -- All I Ever Get for Christmas Is Blue
Sofia Talvik -- A Carol for the Lonely
Mike Nicolai -- Christmas Is for Losers
TIAC -- It's Christmas But Not for You
Ed's Redeeming Qualities -- Christmas in Vermont
Laura Marling -- Goodbye England (Covered in Snow)
Daniel Johnston -- Christmas in the Loony Bin
Leroy Carr -- Christmas in Jail - Ain't That a Pain
posted by Kattullus at 8:52 PM on December 20, 2009
Casiotone for the Painfully Alone -- Cold White Christmas
The Keys -- Queueing Up for Christmas
Emmy the Great & Lightspeed Champion -- Christmas in Prison
Sufjan Stevens -- That Was the Worst Christmas Ever!
Neko Case -- Christmas Card from a Hooker in Minneapolis (Tom Waits cover)
Mary Gauthier -- Christmas in Paradise
The Handsome Family -- So Much Wine
Starfucker -- Happy Fucking Holidays
Over the Rhine -- All I Ever Get for Christmas Is Blue
Sofia Talvik -- A Carol for the Lonely
Mike Nicolai -- Christmas Is for Losers
TIAC -- It's Christmas But Not for You
Ed's Redeeming Qualities -- Christmas in Vermont
Laura Marling -- Goodbye England (Covered in Snow)
Daniel Johnston -- Christmas in the Loony Bin
Leroy Carr -- Christmas in Jail - Ain't That a Pain
posted by Kattullus at 8:52 PM on December 20, 2009
This thread is closed to new comments.
posted by jessamyn at 8:47 AM on December 20, 2009