Christmas Music That's Not Christmas Music

'Tis the season for the same ole crappy holiday music that bombards us each year. Tripe like Paul McCartney's "Wonderful Christmastime" invades our ear-brains over and over again.

But just because the typical Christmas jams are clunkier than a fruitcake, it doesn't mean I don't like to get my merry jolly on.

The solution? Re-purposing non-Chritmas tunes. I'm a sucker for seasonalizing my music listening anyway, and you always hear people talking about summer music. Well, the same can be said of winter music and more specifically Christmas music.

Here are some artists and albums that get me into the Holiday spirit even if the content is decidedly non-Christmas.

The Concretes - The Concretes
Although they're better known as a "summery pop" band, this album is perfect for the cold, snowy months. Same can be said for other bands of the Belle & Sebastian/Phil Spector variety.

"Warm Night"

1st Team Allstars: Albums of '08

After much wringing of hands and gnashing of teeth, here it is... the 10 best albums ever (released in 2008)!

Fucked-Up, The Chemistry of Common Life – Hardcore gets caught in swirling shoegaze; as beautiful and brutal as a house getting torn apart in a tornado.

Video / Myspace


Born Ruffians, Red, Yellow, & Blue - At first listen, this kind of unabashed pop might seem a bit disposable, but it eventually reveals itself as a gem of a debut.

Video / Myspace


Bonnie "Prince" Billy, Lie Down in the Light – It's tough to make a low-key folk album this interesting, but Will Oldham does it with tunes that come together as much more than just background music.

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Wild Beasts, Limbo, Panto – Keeping it real dramatic, Wild Beasts debut a solid and polychromatic sound in the tradition of fey British rock.

Video / Myspace



Vampire Weekend, Vampire Weekend – Another of this year's great debut albums, it promises great things to come from a band who does simple real well.

Video / Myspace


Sigur Rós, Med Sud I Eyrum Vid Spilum Endalaust – The Icelandic quartet spring back to relevance with a sneakily joyful album. The best since their Ágætis Byrjun.

Video / Myspace


Ladyhawk, Shots – Dark and paranoid without being melodramatic or self-indulgent. A no-bullshit rock album for the young and the restless.

Video / Myspace



Destroyer, Trouble in Dreams – Dan Bejar follows up his indomitable Rubies with an album that's as sweet as it is drunk.

Video / Myspace



TV on the Radio, Dear Science – Probably their most consistently beautiful album since their debut EP Young Liars. Immediate and rousing.

Video / Myspace



Why?, Alopecia – A tangle of hip hop and rock where every lyric is worth rewinding for and catchy hooks are everywhere. Essential for 2008 and beyond.

Video / Myspace

Song of the Week: Sigur Ros

Although it wasn't released to much fanfare, I want to make it known that the new Sigur Rós album, Með suð í eyrum við spilum endalaust ("With a Buzz in Our Ears We Play Endlessly"), is wonderful.

Their last album Takk was a bit underwhelming, and () was a bit exhausting, but this new record brings them back to the brilliance of Ágætis byrjun.

Listen to Track 2 off the album and I'm sure you'll be convinced: "Inní mér syngur vitleysingur" (mp3)