Let’s face it, Christmas wouldn’t be the same without music. With the honourable exception of BBC 6Music, most radio stations give us the same old same old, every December. For me, Christmas doesn’t start until I’ve played one of these brilliant albums. Any of my fab five are guaranteed to give you that festive feeling.
A Christmas Gift For You - Phil Spector
You may have heard some of these tracks in shops, cafés and on the radio but come on, this is Phil Spector. Whack up the volume! It may have been recorded in 1963 but Spector’s famed ‘wall of sound’ remains a super sonic experience. Every track sounds big, also a testament to the amazing Hal Blaine on drums, who died last year after playing on 150 US top ten singles including 40 number ones. It features all four artists from Phil Spector’s roster at the time: Darlene Love, The Ronettes, The Crystals, and Bob B Soxx and The Blue Jeans. Included are twelve real Christmas classics like White Christmas, I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus and Winter Wonderland. My featured track is the one co-written by Spector himself, Christmas (Baby Please Come Home).
Songs For Christmas (Volumes I-V) - Sufjan Stevens
It’s hard to do justice to this five disc box set, bringing together Sufjan’s Christmas EPs and other tracks released between 2001-2006. Eclectic doesn’t cover it. Beautiful interpretations of Christmas carols sit alongside originals ranging from the weird and wonderful to the most sublime pop and rock. So much genius and pleasure in these 42 tracks, best described by theverge.com as something that “exists in the emotional grey space between euphoria and bottomless depression”. (Then there's Silver and Gold, Volumes 6-10, recorded between 2006-2012, another 58 tracks! But I'd start at the beginning.) The box includes an illustrated songbook with lyrics, chord charts and short stories; a strip cartoon story called ‘It Was The Worst Christmas Ever’; and a sheet of Christmas stickers. After many years, I never tire of listening to these songs. They’re warm and emotional with a sense of community. What a guy! Here’s Put The Lights On The Tree to give you a nice warm glow.
The McGarrigle Christmas Hour - Kate and Anna McGarrigle
Kate and Anna were a Canadian folk duo before Kate’s death from a rare cancer in 2010. Previously married to Loudon Wainwright III, you may know her kids, Rufus and Martha Wainwright, who’ve established their own singing careers. This 1999 album is a real family affair and it makes me think of being with a crowd of people outside, all wrapped up and gathered round a fire for songs and mulled wine. It captures an old fashioned Christmas, probably only experienced watching black and white films, through traditional songs like What Are You Doing New Year’s Eve and God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen, covers like Jackson Browne’s Rebel Jesus and my featured track, Spotlight on Christmas written and sung by Rufus. It’s an album that really does make you feel better about the world.
Christmas - Low
“Despite the commerce involved, we hope you will consider this our gift to you. Best wishes” from Mimi, Alan and Zak of Low, all the way from Duluth, the city on Lake Superior in Minnesota. And it’s a gift that keeps on giving. Low are a minimalist band, specialists in wrenching out joy from the darkest of corners. These five originals and three covers add up to a unique Christmas record. Songs of pathos, melancholy and sentimentality, there are also the little twists and quirks you find on any Low album. It leaves you feeling peaceful and you may even experience some sadness. But that’s alright at Christmas, it’s almost inescapable at some stage, isn’t it? The first time I hear Just Like Christmas it brings a tear to my eye, every December the same. This clip shows a trip round a British town somewhere in the snow. Remember snow?
Go Tell It On The Mountain - The Blind Boys Of Alabama
This is one to warm the heart and gladden the soul. And there’s a lot of soul to listen to here. Most of the twelve tracks are traditional with arrangements by the boys themselves. As if their vocal excellence isn’t enough, we have guest turns from the mighty Solomon Burke, Tom Waits, Chrissie Hynde, Mavis Staples and more. Whilst they each bring something special, they don’t detract from the southern gospel feel of the ensemble. This was released in 2003 and not many people could have imagined the inimitable leader of the Parliament-Funkadelic collective, George Clinton, collaborating on a version of Away In A Manger. He does and the band are smokin’. This taster is Joy To The World captured live with guest vocalist Aaron Neville.
So that’s it, my fab five for the month of December. Any one of them will enhance your holiday season. Honourable mentions should go to James Brown’s Funky Christmas, Tracy Thorne’s Tinsel and Lights, Elvis’s Christmas Album and Soul Christmas, a compilation from the famous Atlantic label. Have you got any alternative favourites? Why not share them with me? Merry Christmas one and all!