Indie Rock Cafe - Indie alternative rock music

Best Indie and Alternative Songs of 2007, Playlist I

Sunday, December 30, 2007

To kick-off the playlist series for 'best', or favorite, songs of 2007, I have posted the first list below.

While there are some mainstream artists included in this series, the focus is mainly on independent, or indie, and alternative songs by some of rock, pop and electronica music's most talent, and in some cases, vastly under-rated artists and music groups.

You can subscribe to get these songs and playlists through any medium you prefer whether it be via your iTunes, email or favorite feed reader.

Here's the first playlist of songs from 2007:

Brainstorm - Arctic Monkeys from Favourite Worst Nightmare

The Night Starts Here - Stars from In Our Bedroom After The War

Sleeping Lessons (RAC Mix) - The Shins from Wincing The Night Away

Your English is Good - Tokyo Police Club from Your English is Good

My Sword Hand's Anger - Apostle of Hustle from National Anthem of Nowhere

Hollywood Bass Player - Jose Rouse from Country Mouse City House

For Agent 13 - The Besnard Lakes from The Besnard Lakes Are The Dark Horse

Keep The Car Running - Arcade Fire from Neon Bible

Imaginary Man - Ray Davies from Working Man's Cafe

Fucked Up Kid -Broken Social Scene from Spirit If...

Bank Holiday Monday - Stereophonics from Pull The Pin

Heretics - Andrew Bird from Armchair Apocrypha

Lake Michigan - Rouge Wave from Asleep at Heaven's Gate

If I Could Cry - Jens Lekman from Night Falls Over Kortedala

If I Saw The Bright Shines - The Octopus Project from Hello Avalanche

Go to Part II

Various installment of this series will include "lists of lists" for the best music of 2007, including songs, albums, music videos, concerts, artists, festivals, album artwork, MySpace pages and more gathered from dozens of mainstream music websites and established music bloggers.

If you need indie songs year round, subscribe to Feed Me Indie

Labels: 2007 List of Lists, Best Alternative 2007, Best Indie 2007, Best of 2007, Best Songs of 2007, Top Songs 2007, Top Ten Lists

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The 12 Plays of Alt-Indie Christmas Songs - Mix Twelve

Wednesday, December 26, 2007

Another Christmas has come and gone, but just in case you can't let go just yet, here's the final playlist of the alternative-indie Christmas songs series. Expectedly, there is somewhat of a departure from the Christmas theme in the interest of some getting more holiday and seasonal music in the list.

Stay tuned, the best songs, albums, artwork, concerts and festivals of 2007 will be published next week, including playlists and a playlist of New Year's songs. If you don't want to miss out, especially on the dozens of theme-based playlists to be released in 2008, sign for the Feed Me Indie feed.

Anorak Christmas(Club Mix) - Sally Shapiro

A New Hope - The New Royal Family

A Marshmallow World - Los Straightjackets

Buying Pine Cone Scents - His Clancyness

Christmas With Derek - Mertle

Christmas on the Beach - Irene

Goodbye Charles - Over The Rhine

Holiday - The Hopefuls

In This Home on Ice - Clap Your Hands Say Yeah

Last Christmas (George Michael cover) - The Fire Apes

Let Me Sleep (Christmas Time) - Pearl Jam

Listen the Snow is Falling - Galaxie 500

Mookie's Last Christmas - Saosin

Plant a Little Fir Tree - Half-Handed Cloud

Santa Stole My Baby - Mistreaters

Sleigh Ride - The Late Greats

The Friendly Beasts - Sufjan Stevens

Do you want the zip file of the 12 Plays of Alternative-Indie Christmas Songs - please email contact( at)indierocksongs (dotcom)

Labels: Alternative Christmas Songs, Alternative Holiday Music, Best of 2007, Holiday Playlists, Indie Christmas Music, Indie Holiday Songs, New Years Songs, Theme Playlists

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The 12 Plays of Alt-Indie Christmas Songs - Mix Eleven

Tuesday, December 25, 2007

This installment of the alt-indie Xmas songs series includes tunes by Coldplay, Galaxie 500, From Mars, Big Star, Liz Phair, The Long Blondes and Saosin. One more mix to go!

Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas - Freddy Johnston

You Gotta Get Up - Five Iron Frenzy

Jesus Christ - Big Star

Listen, The Snow is Falling - Galaxie 500

Shout for Trout At Christmas - The Fountain

Amazing Grace - Sufjan Stevens

You're A Mean One, Mr. Grinch - Deanna Kirk

Mookie's Last Christmas - Saosin

Winter Wonderland - Liz Phair

2000 Miles - Coldplay

Christmas is Canceled - The Long Blondes

Last Christmas - From Mars

Let It Snow - Her Space Holiday

White Christmas - Zakk Wylde

Labels: Alternative Christmas Songs, Alternative Xmas Songs, Christmas MP3s, Indie Christmas Music, New Year Celebrations

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The 12 Plays of Alt-Indie Christmas Songs - Mix Ten

Monday, December 24, 2007

This mix, the tenth installment of the Christmas playlists series, offers Xmas songs from punk legends Sex Pistols and The Ramones and modern-day popular artists like Arcade Fire, Yo La Tengo, The Killers, Something Corporate and Stars. My personal favorite track on this playlist is Guster's "Donde Esta Santa Claus." It's different, upbeat and infectious.

All I Want For Christmas is You – Countdown
Anorak Christmas (Club Mix) – Sally Shapiro
Another Rock and Roll Christmas – Gary Glitter
Blue Christmas – Banjo or Freakout
Christmas Piglet – The Presidents of the United States
Christmas Time Is Here – Gatsby's American Dream
December Cliché – Beneath Her Parachute
December Slow – Aerospace
Don't Shoot Me Santa – The Killers
Donde Esta Santa Claus – Guster
Festive Friends (Forever) – Parenthetical Girls
Forget December – Something Corporate
Hallelujah – Jeff Buckley
Have a Punky Christmas Everyone – The Mangkuks
I Took Some Time For Christmas (Live) – Belle and Sebastian
It's Christmas So We'll Stop – Frightened Rabbit
It's Christmas Time – Yo La Tengo
Jinglebell Rock – Arcade Fire
Last Christmas (Part Two) – Parenthetical Girls
Merry Christmas (I Don't Want to Fight Tonight) – Joey Ramone
Merry Christmas (I Don't Want To Fight Tonight) – The Ramones
Punk Rock Christmas – Sex Pistols
Santa Claus – Wild Billy Childish and The Musicians
Santa Claus (Live) – Belle and Sebastian
Santa Claus is Coming to Town – Bobby Baby
Santa Claus is Coming...To Get You – Das Wanderlust
Silent Night – Nullsleep
Silent Night (Live) – Belle and Sebastian
The Woods – Stars
Who Put The Dick on the Snowman – Bob and Tom Show
You Are My Joy – The Reindeer Section

Labels: 12 Days of Christmas, 12 Playlists of Christmas, Alternative Christmas Songs, Indie Holiday Songs, Indie Xmas Songs, Stars, The Reindeer Section

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The 12 Plays of Alt-Indie Christmas Songs - Mix Nine

Sunday, December 23, 2007

Almost there! The 12 playlists of alternative-indie Christmas songs are riding through the snow on the way to gramma's house. (She better have lots of egg nog!)

Here is Mix Nine. Mix Ten will be delivered soon, and later tonight - when I actually have a few minutes away from festivities - Mix Eleven will be posted.

9 Flowers in December - Mazzy Star

All I Want For Christmas is You – The Trekky Yuletide Orchestra

Alone This Holiday – The Used

Black Christmas – The International Karate Plus

Carol of the Bells – The Bird and The Bee

Carol of the Season – Parenthetical Girls

Christmas At Home – Crawling With Kings

Christmas Party – The Walkmen

De Ushuaia Ala Quiaca – Gustavo Santaolalla

Ghost of Christmas – Manic Street Preachers

I Won't Be Home For Christmas – Blink 182

Amazing Grace – Jeff Buckley

Joy to the World – Sufjan Stevens

Here Without You Baby – Nickelback

Silver Bells – The Pines

Sleigh Ride to Christmas – Flowman

Song About Christmas – The Snowballs

Space Christmas – Shonen Knife

The Mods of Christmastown – Zumpano

Xmas Song – Fireflies

Labels: Alternative Christmas Songs, Alternative Holiday Music, Alternative Xmas Songs, Best Christmas Songs

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The 12 Plays of Alt-Indie Christmas Songs - Mix Eight

Today I'll be publishing Mix Eight and Nine and tomorrow, Mix Ten and Eleven, and finally Mix Twelve on Christmas Day.

This collection of 'more modern day' Christmas and holiday songs classics has easily surpassed 120 MP3s.

Many of the songs from the playlists are just as much of a discovery for me as I hope they are for you, as are the artists who performed them. You're not going to find any of the old AM radio Christmas songs from decades ago (not that there's anything wrong with that) on these 12 playlists.

There are many cover versions of traditional Christmas songs. The vast majority of these covers are from artists that most people have never heard of, including many music enthusiasts.

All I Ever Get For Christmas is Blue – Over The Rhine

Breaking The Ice – Mojave 3 (one of my favorite not-necessarily-Xmas songs)

Carol of the Bells – The Bird and the Bee

Christmas – Nieznany Wykonawca

Drinking Up Christmas – Dwarves

Fallen Snow – Au Revoir Simone

God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen – Bright Eyes

Happy Christmas – The Maytals

Here Comes Christmas - Unknown (help?)

Here Without You Baby – Nickleback

Holiday – Glo-Worm

I Hate December – Ivy

I'll Be Showgazing For Christmas – Postcode

In All The Christmas Trees – Le Man Avec Les Lunettes

Joy! Joy! Joy! - Sufjan Stevens

Listening to Otis Redding at Home – Okkervil River

Little Drummer Boy – Mink

Mele Kalikimaka – Asylum Street Spankers

Plastic Christmas Trees – Summer Cats

Silver Bells – The Pines

Space Christmas – Shonen Knife

Thanks For Christmas – XTC

The Christmas Song – Weezer

The Mods of Christmastown – Zumpano

This Christmas Mix – Louis XIV

Wake Me Up When Christmas Is Over – Listen Lisse

Winter Paradise (I Miss You This Christmas) – Liam and Me

Labels: Alternative Christmas Songs, Christmas Musik, Indie Christmas Music

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The 12 Plays of Alt-Indie Christmas - Mix Seven

Saturday, December 22, 2007

Hey everyone, the days up to Christmas are flying by. Yet the lists of alternative Christmas songs out there is much, much longer than I ever anticipated.

There are literally hundreds of worthy Xmas and holiday songs performed by an exciting and diverse line-up of musicians, groups and bands. Here is yet another example featuring artists such as Manic Street Preachers, Thick Pigeon, The Weepies, Monster Bobby, Green Day and dozens of others.

The 12 Plays of Alt-Indie Christmas - Mix Seven

- A Very White Christmas - Le Man Avec Les Lunettes

- All That I Want - The Weepies

- Christmas Time is Here - Vice Guaraldi

- Do They Know It's Xmas (Feed The World) - Far w/ Chino Moreno

- Holiday - Green Day

- Ghost of Christmas - Manic Street Preachers

- I Feel Like Going Home - Yo La Tengo

- Jingle Bell Rock - Thick Pigeon

- Last Christmas - Le Sport, Montt Mardie and Mr. Suitcase

- Not Christmas At Home - Crawling With Kings

- Not Giving In - Rediscover

- Silent Night - Monster Bobby

- So This is Christmas - Acceptance

- O Little Town of Bethlehem - Bright Eyes

- Santa Claus is Smoking Reefer - Squirrel Nut Zippers

- The Christmas Sound - 44.1K

- X12 Days of XMas - From First to Last

- Christmas Cake - Rilo Kiley

- The One About The Mistletoe - The Loyal Trooper (courtesy of EarDrumsMusic)

- A Change At Christmas - The Flaming Lips

- Christmas Extravaganza - Ladybug Transistor

Post a review of any song and win an iTunes Gift Card!

Yup, anyone, anywhere can post a review (using the Comments section) of any one song on this playlist in 100 words or less.

On Thursday, December 27, 2007, a winner will be chosen and will receive the gift card (can only send to valid email addresses - obviously). This is a great way to perhaps become a regular contributor to this site. We are always looking for writers, photographers and videographers who have original material they would like to see published on a high-profile site.

Good luck and Happy Holidays everyone. Watch for the remaining five Xmas playlists as they will be all published by Christmas day. Then the "best of music" series for 2007 begins, including bloggers' lists for best songs, albums, music videos, concerts, festivals, artists, album cover artwork and more for 2007.

IRC will publish the 'Best of 2007' series during the next week or two. Each installment will feature artist profiles and links, MP3s and playlists, song and album reviews, music videos, artwork and more from the greatest musicians and bands of 2007 that will unlikely surface on any of the mainstream award shows like the Emmy's and the MTV Awards.

Labels: Alternative Christmas Songs, Alternative Xmas, Indie Christmas Music, Indie Christmas Playlists, Indie Christmas Songs, Popular Christmas Songs

by IRC @ 1:30 PM

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The 12 Plays of Alt-Indie Christmas Songs - Mix Six

Thursday, December 20, 2007

Here is Mix Six in the 12 Plays series. This playlist includes a diverse collection of Christmas and wintry songs, just in case you are somewhere in the world where it is not going to be a white Christmas.

Indie giants like Yo La Tengo, Comet Gain, Chris Letcher and Belle and Sebastian, plus relatively new favorites on the non-mainstream music circuit - whether you call them 'indie', 'alt' or whatever - like Band of Horses, Great Lake Swimmers and Phantom Planet contribute to the Christmas songs anthology.

(Above: The note Santa is reading in the cartoon reads: "Dear Santa, If you leave a new bike under the tree, I will give you the antidote to the poison I put in the milk - Tommy.")

A Change of Pace offers up the introspective "Christmas on the Coast" and the Parenthetical Girls present indie cheer with "I Love Christmas", plus holiday season songs by Dave Melilo, The Halo Brothers, The Reindeer Section, Phofo and Jason Gleason.

A Hooves Christmas - The Hooves

I Love Christmas - Parenthetical Girls
All I Want For Christmas - Dave Melilo
Asleep On The Snow - Comet Gain
Christmas on the Coast - A Change of Pace
Deep Frieze - Chris Letcher
Here Come Christmas - Remington Super 60
It's Christmas Time - Yo La Tengo
Light The Menorah - Phofo
My First Christmas as a Woman - The Vandals

Santa Claus - Belle and Sebastian
Sleigh Bells and Wine - Jason Gleason
Snowfall - The Halo Brothers
Song For The Angeles - Great Lake Swimmers
The First Song - Band of Horses
Winter Wonderland - Phantom Planet
You Are My Joy - The Reindeer Section

Labels: 12 Days of Christmas, Alternative Christmas Songs, Alternative Xmas Songs, Best Christmas Songs, Christmas MP3s, Indie Christmas Music, Indie Holiday Songs

by IRC @ 5:30 PM

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The 12 Playlists of Alt-Indie Christmas - Mix Five

Wednesday, December 19, 2007

This Christmas playlist features a great mix of indie and alt Christmas songs from Reliant K, The Fine Lines, The National Splits, Milton DeLugg & The Little Eskimos and The Used.

There are also xmas tunes from Alien Sex Friend, Sandry Mooy, Gatsby's America, Arcade Fire, Kirsty MacColl and The Pogues.

Enjoy the songs, and if you dig something a lot, help support the artists - buy some of their music, get tickets and share with friends.

Alt Xmas Songs - Mix Five

1. Alone This Holiday - The Used
2. Angels We Have Heard on High - Reliant K
3. Stuff The Turkey - Alien Sex Friend
4. O Santa - The Fine Lines
5. Christmas Time - Gatsby's America
6. O Little Town of Bethlehem - Belle & Sebastian
7. Get Behind Me, Santa - Sufjan Stevens
8. Holiday on the Moon - Love and Rockets
9. Hooray for Santy Claus - Milton DeLugg & The Little Eskimos
10. Star of Wonder - Sufjan Stevens
11. Let's Wrap Each Other - The National Splits
12. Holy Night - Sandra Mooy

Bonus Tracks
/ Yeah Toast - Arcade Fire / Silent Night - Belle & Sebastian / Fairytale of New York - Kirsty MacColl and The Pouges

Labels: Alternative Christmas Songs, Alternative Xmas Songs, Best of Indie Rock, Christmas, Indie Christmas Playlists

by IRC @ 10:51 PM

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The 12 Playlists of Alt-Indie Christmas - Mix Four

Tuesday, December 18, 2007

Note: I have fixed all of the links for Mix Two of the alternative Christmas songs series. My apologies and thanks for your patience.

Do you have egg nog-tummy, Christmas-time fatigue, coffee-infused insomnia or instant vertigo every time you hear Bing Crosby singing "White Christmas"?

No? What about a hangover from the Christmas party last night? Who was that passed out under the Christmas tree with the Santa hat on?

In any case, with Dec. 25th only seven days away, I am admittedly a day behind in keeping with the 12 days of Christmas goal - one playlist a day. Doh! (hoh hoh hoh).

Due to the unprecedented number of worthy alternative Christmas and holiday songs discovered during the Big Search, each subsequent playlist will now contain 15 or more tunes each. Eventually, all of these playlists will be wrapped into a special edition.

Sufjan Stevens' famous box set Christmas Songs is a hit once again this year, and two of the songs from the set are included here for sampling.

Glasgow, Scotland's pop geniuses Belle and Sebastian (named after a French children's show) performed a now semi-classic set for the BBC's legendary Peel's Sessions on Dec. 18, 2002, of which two songs are featured below. More tracks from that show will be included with subsequent playlists.

For other songs on this playlist, The Fray jumps in to the mix and serves up their own respectable cover of John Lennon's classic Christmas/anti-war song "Happy Xmas (War is Over)".

Other cover songs include A Band Called Quinn's version of "It's Christmas Time" and a modern and dreamy rendition of "The Most Wonderful Time of the Year" by In Memory, plus The Format's delirious take on the classic "Holly Jolly Christmas".

Mix Four kicks off with the first-ever original and popular true punk rock (now more commonly referred to as alternative) Christmas song by who else but The Kinks.

Simply titled "Father Christmas" (1977), the song lashes out at the commercialism of Christmas and yet ironically encourages disenfranchised youth to beat up Santa Claus if he doesn't give them "some money" and "the toys to the little rich boys." *

On a lighter note, Beulah, Michigan indie pop musician Andrew Dost delivers an original and cynical view of the season in "Yeah, I Know, It's Christmas Time." The Matches serve up their own brand of bitter cynicism about Christmas, "December is For Cynics".

1 - Father Christmas - The Kinks

(contains 'offensive' lyrics)
2 - The Most Wonderful Time of the Year - In Memory
3 - The Chestnut Times - Ex-Otago
4 - Christmas Reindeer - The Knife
5 - Yeah, I Know, It's Christmas Time - Andrew Dost
6 - Happy Xmas (War is Over) - The Fray
7 - Noel Song - Animaniacs
8 - It's Christmas Time - A Band Called Quinn
9 - Saving Up Her Wishes (For Another Christmas) - Celestial
10 - Holly Jolly Christmas - The Format
11 - Santa, Bring My Baby Back To Me - Belle and Sebastian
12 - It's Christmas, Let's Be Glad - Sufjan Stevens
13 - Merry Christmas Everyone - Shakin Stevens
14 - I'll Be Home for Christmas - Matchbook Romance
15 - Come On Let's Boogey to the Elf Dance - Sufjan Stevens

Bonus Tracks
+ Every Day Should Be a Holiday - Dandy Warhols
+ Jonathan David - Belle and Sebastian
+ December Is For Cynics - The Matches

(During the next couple of months, some of the 'surprise unknowns' contributing to this first-ever extensive collection of alternative, indie and rock Christmas songs, will be profiled on IRC. Subscribe to the Feed Me Indie feed. )

* In the UK, Europe and Australia Santa Claus is commonly referred to as "Father Christmas". Ray Davies, The Kinks' lead singer, and now considered by many rock critics to be one of the best rock and pop songwriters of all time, hails from a working class suburb north of London called Muswell Hill.

Andrew Dost has more Christmas songs to stream on this MySpace Page, and his work is impressive, and a great discovery.

Labels: 12 Plays of Xmas, Alternative Christmas Songs, Best Christmas Songs, Indie Christmas Music, Indie Christmas Playlists, Indie Xmas

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The 12 Plays of Alternative-Indie Christmas Songs - Mix Three

Friday, December 14, 2007

The third installment of IRC's special Christmas music series of "The 12 Plays of Alternative-Indie Christmas Songs" includes some more mainstream rock artists such as My Chemical Romance, Slade and Belle and Sebastian, as well as popular indie artists like Low, Sufjan Stevens and Jens Lekman.

More 'underground' indie and alternative artists, like Sciflyer and The Ten Thousand Dollar Tattoo, have also contributed to this mix.

Enjoy Mix Three and support your favorite artists.

1. Have Yourself a Merry Little Xmas - Daphne Loves Derby
2. Maybe This Christmas - Ron Sexsmith

3. Silent Night- Low
4. All I Want For Christmas Is You - My Chemical Romance
5. The Opposite of Hallelujah - Jens Lekman
6. The Same Thing Goes for Christmas - Sciflyer
7. My First Santa - Ten Thousand Dollar Tattoo
8. Merry Xmas Everybody - Slade
9. Star of Wonder - Sufjan Stevens
10. Bittersweet Eve - Balasana

Bonus Tracks - Belle and Sebastian live on the historic Peel Sessions, Dec. 18, 2002:

- The 12 Days of Christmas (Live) - Belle & Sebastian
- Santa Claus Go Straight to the Ghetto (Live) - Belle & Sebastian

In case you missed:
- Xmas Playlist Mix One
- Xmas Playlist Mix Two

Note: Check back to this page for bonus tracks, album art covers, artists and band photos, blog links and comments. Feel free to join in and leave a comment.

Subscribe to the Indie Xmas Feed to get all the playlists delivered to you however you choose, in any format. Once completed, IRC will have featured more than 120 unique indie, alternative, rock, techno and pop Christmas songs and videos on 12 Christmas and holiday playlist mixes.

About the Xmas Songs Playlists Series
Beginning earlier this week, IRC launched "The 12 Plays of Alternative-Indie Christmas Songs" series to create one place in the blogosphere, and the larger web community, where anyone can sample indie, alternative, rock, pop and other genre-oriented Christmas songs.

By Christmas day, IRC will post 12 playlists containing ten or more alternative, indie, rock and pop songs from some of the best known mainstream artists, but many more from alternative and indie artists. Many of these artists are very under-rated, which is why I started this blog.

After a long and arduous search for the best original and cover Xmas and holiday songs, featuring popular and less-known musicians and groups around the world, there are many alternative Xmas tunes out there on the web.

However, it literally take days or weeks, even for an experienced Internet researcher, to track down a good collection of alternative Christmas songs that are easily accessible, correctly titled, featured in full-length and playable on any web page.

The main purpose of all of this is to share the results of this collection of Christmas song playlist mixes with everyone, everywhere. You can help by pushing one of the bookmark icons below, adding this to your favorites and sending the link to your friends and family.

There will also be a collection of Christmas music videos (like this Christmas video from Pedro The Lion), funny Christmas pictures and an index of links to other websites and blogs featuring mostly alternative and indie Christmas MP3s, playlists and mixes.

MP3s, music videos, album cover work, band photos and all other related multimedia is for evaluation only and intended to promote and help support the artists featured here. Please do your part by purchasing music, visiting websites, telling friends and attending concerts and festivals to support your favorite musicians and groups.

Check back to this page for updates, including link lists directly to artist websites and more.

Labels: Alternative Christmas Songs, Alternative Xmas, Indie Christmas Music, Indie Christmas Playlists

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The 12 Plays of Alternative-Indie Christmas Songs - Mix 2

Wednesday, December 12, 2007

Have you heard enough of the old Christmas songs that make you want to pull your hair out yet? ;-)

Well, hopefully the playlist below will help alleviate the stress. Peace on earth and good will to all is not a bad mantra.

In the on-going series of alternative and indie song playlists, we hope to alleviate some of that by offering you the best collection of alternative Christmas tunes available anywhere on the Internet (and we checked! - for weeks!).

1. Blue Christmas - Bright Eyes
2. Christmas is Going to The Dogs - The Eels

3. Christmas (Baby Please Come Home) - Death Cab For Cutie
4. We Three Kings -Fuel
5. Christmas Night of Zombies - MXPX
6. This Time of Year - Mighty Mighty Bosstones
7. When I Get Home For Christmas - Snow Patrol
8. Put the Lights On the Tree - Sufjan Stevens
9. Santa Claus is Coming to Town - Sugarcult
10. The Christmas Song - The Raveonettes

Listen to the first volume of the alternative-indie Christmas songs series or subscribe to get the entire 12 playlists as they are published.

Please remember this are for sampling and to support your favorite artists!

Editor's Note: Arguably, these are not all "indie" or "alternative" songs as some of the artists below are now major label artists. The debate over what is "indie" and what isn't (and same for "alternative) has gone on for years and is easily one of the biggest hot potatoes in the rock and roll culture.

Labels: Alt XMas, Alternative Christmas Songs, Best Christmas Songs, Indie Christmas Music, Indie Rock Christmas

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The 12 Plays of Alternative-Indie Christmas Songs - Mix One

Sunday, December 09, 2007

Indie, alternative, rock and pop music fans have made it as clear as fresh fallen snow; they want a complete collection of alternative Christmas and holiday songs.

Here is the first of 12 Xmas playlists featuring many of the best original and cover-version Christmas and holiday songs available anywhere. I hope you enjoy these playlists as much as I have enjoyed putting them together. (Note: the photo to the left is a staged photo; you know, like a joke.)

"The 12 Plays of Alternative-Indie Christmas Songs" collection playlist series - Mix One

- Happy Christmas (War is Over) - The Polyphonic Spree

- 25th December - Everything But The Girl

- Last Christmas - Jimmy Eat World

- First Noel - My American Heart (pictured on the right)

- Hey Parker, It's Christmas - Ryan Adams

- Miracle Of Christmas - Funeral For A Friend

- Just Like Christmas - Low

- Born on Christmas Day/Annunciation Day - Ted Leo and Pharmacists

- Christmas Wrapping - The Waitresses

- Did I Make You Cry on Christmas Day? - Sufjan Stevens

Buy Sufjan Stevens' amazing Christmas Songs box-set - it is really a must have for any music lover, or Christmas enthusiastic, and a must-have for Sufjan Stevens' fans. The box set is packaged box, including lyrics, notes from Sufjan and other exclusive goodies.

________________________________________________________________________________________

One down, 11 to go!

Listen to all of the published Christmas and holiday songs playlist below.

The Other Xmas Playlists:

Mix Two - Featuring Sugarcult, MXPX, DCFC, Fuel, Bright Eyes, Snow Patrol, The Raveonettes and Sufjan Stevens.

Mix Three - Ron Sexsmith, Daphne Loves Derby, Low, My Chemical Romance, Jens Lekman, Sciflyer, Slade, Balasana and Ten Thousand Dollar Tattoo.

Mix Four - The Kinks, The Fray, In Memory, Belle and Sebastian, Celestial, Ex-Otago, The Knife, A Band Called Quinn, The Format and Matchbook Romance.

Mix Five - Reliant K, The Fine Lines, The National Splits, Milton DeLugg & The Little Eskimos and The Used, Alien Sex Friend, Sandry Mooy, Gatsby's America, Arcade Fire, Kirsty MacColl and The Pogues.

Mix Six - Band of Horses, Great Lake Swimmers, Phantom Planet, Yo La Tengo, Comet Gain, The Reindeer Section, Phofo, Jason Gleason, Chris Letcher and Belle and Sebastian.

Mix Seven - The Weepies, Yo La Tengo, Manic Street Preachers, Green Day, Le Man Avec Les Lunettes, Monster Bobby, Bright Eyes, Ladybug Transistor, The Flaming Lips, From First To Last, Acceptance, Crawling with Kings, Thick Pigeon and Rilo Kiley.

Disclaimer: If you enjoy the artists on these playlists, please respect their work and help support your favorites by purchasing music, going to shows and sharing the artists' websites with friends. The Christmas MP3s displayed on this blog are for evaluation and your listening pleasure only.

You can subscribe for free (using any feed reader, email or link you prefer) to get the latest and greatest playlists throughout the year.

Please add or save this post to your bookmarks or social networking sites and feeds you participate in. Thanks!

Like weird stuff? See the MonkeyFeed

Labels: Alt XMas, Alternative Christmas Songs, Alternative Holiday Music, Indie Christmas Music, Indie Christmas Playlists, Indie Christmas Songs, Indie Christmas Videos, Polyphonic Spree

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Modest Mouse, Spoon and Jimmy Eat World Headline "Not So Silent Night" Concert in San Francisco Friday Night

Thursday, December 06, 2007

SAN FRANCISCO - Indie rockers in the Christmas and holiday spirit will get a special treat tomorrow night (Fri. Dec 7/07) as the Bill Graham Civic Auditorium presents the "Not So Silent Night" music festival.

The all-night festive concert is exclusively designed for fans of indie and alternative rock with headliners Modest Mouse and Spoon, followed by Jimmy Eat World and stocking stuffers Angels & Airwaves and Paramore, a popular SF Bay Area indie band.

The festival is almost guaranteed to be a great time. Tickets are still available and you can also check out Craigslist, eBay or whatever ticketing service you may use to see if you can grab some stubs for this once-in-a-lifetime special Christmas festival.

But don't worry, if miss it, stayed tuned to IRC for full post-festival coverage with MP3s, official websites, YouTube videos from the fest, fan photos, blog reviews and more.

The event was coordinated by San Francisco radio station Live 105.
See you there.

Bloggers: Send IRC your vids, show reviews, blog posts and photos of the NSSN Festival and see them published here on IRC!

Readers: Check back on this page regularly for posted MP3s, updated news and videos throughout the next few days and weeks.

Starting Saturday December 8: A Very Indie Christmas playlist series all this month on IRC. Subscribe now to get the playlists as they are published throughout the month.

Many hours of work have gone in to putting together this special indie and alternative Christmas music series, so it's definitely something you don't want to miss.

Labels: Alternative Christmas Songs, Indie Christmas Music, Indie Rock Festivals, Jimmy Eat World, Modest Mouse, San Francisco Concert, Spoon, Venues: Bill Graham Civic Auditorium

by IRC @ 1:43 PM