Christmas music is my favorite!

Christmas music never gets old to me. I know, crazy. For someone who says every other song is "way too overplayed," I sure do have a high tolerance for holiday tunes played 24/7 over the course of two months (Light 102.9 starts on Nov. 1!). I think it's because I appreciate the variety. So many different interpretations of the same songs. How many times can one song be recycled? Every year there's something new.

I have an old favorite this year and a new favorite. My old favorite Christmas album (well, old as in 2006) is Wintersong from Sarah McLachlan. When it came out, I listened to it every night as I was going to sleep for like three weeks. That's pretty huge for me because I'm not a listen-to-the-tv-or-radio-when-trying-to-fall-asleep kind of person. One of my favorite songs is "River" (originally by Joni Mitchell), but I love the whole thing. Sarah McLachlan has a heavenly voice, and this is the perfect quiet/peaceful/soft Christmas album if you are looking for one.

My new favorite is the recent release from Kate Bush: 50 Words for Snow. LOVE Kate Bush. I guess it doesn't really qualify as Christmas music...more like winter music. This album is completely slow-moving (in a good way), but the story each song tells keeps you waiting for the next note and lyric. Definitely the most haunting winter album I have ever heard. "Snowed in at Wheeler Street" (w/ Elton John), "Snowflake," and "Among Angels" are the three I'm loving right now. A snippet that sums the whole thing up for me:

they (the songs) contain wondrous multitudes thanks to the singer's still-expressive voice and knack for uncanny arrangements. And mood. There's an appealing creepiness that runs through this album...
-Pitchfork

I'm willing to admit the record is a little bizarre, but that's Kate Bush.

You can see a little pattern here, I guess. All creepiness and bizarreness aside, I prefer the Christmas (or winter) music I'm listening to to be as relaxing and/or quiet as I hope the holidays will be. Hah! What are you listening to this holiday season?

visit to NYC & randomness

Finally getting settled after my first week back to work (always so much fun). Spent the week before that visiting NYC for the first time! LOVED it. Not somewhere I'd want to live, but I definitely want to go back - specifically closer to Christmas. Likes about the city: so much culture, so many different people, so many options. Dislikes: dirtiness, too many people, no sweet tea. And I take back my earlier statement. I think I could live there, but not for more than three years ish.

I have been watching a Grease 1 & 2 marathon for the better half of the day (while doing other things, so it wasn't completely unproductive). Of all movies that would get old fast, you'd think it would be those two.

New favorite: Florence + The Machine. I feel like they are old news (well, not old but not new), but I downloaded their album, Lungs, because it was $3.99 on amazon. Hellz yeah! "Cosmic Love" is my new favorite song, with "Unison" by Björk coming in at a close second. Florence Welch has one heck of a voice...saw her not too long ago on tv, and she was amazing. Considering that it's not unusual for singers to suck on tv/live, it says a lot to not be in that category of performers.

Really really excited that the Christmas season is here. Trying to find some good new xmas music to invest in, although I think I would be happy with just having Sarah McLachlan's Wintersong. And to all you I-want-to-celebrate-Thanksgiving-first haters out there, I have nothing to say to you. I bought a new small Christmas tree for my room today. :)