I almost wrote up another album (don't worry you'll read that one eventually I'm sure), but I had this interesting idea to do a piece on Sufjan Steven's Christmas album,
Songs for Christmas, and I started listening to some of the tracks and it just made sense. If you do not know much about Sufjan yet, check out my previous posts, about his last two releases,
Age of Adz (Oct. 2010) and
All Delighted People (Aug. 2010), by clicking the 'Sufjan Stevens' tag down below. Sporting a resume of fantastic albums as an indie artist is something not many can boast of, and just being super creative and musical is a side bonus that few can bring to the table as well. In this case, that creativity led to a desire to create an annual Christmas album. So, starting in 2001 and continuing to its release in 2006 (but skipping/missing 2004 because of recording
Illinoise), by popular demand, Sufjan gathered his friends together and recorded roughly 7-10 songs a year.
The result was five separate EPs in Volumes I-V, titled:
Noel,
Hark!,
Ding Dong!,
Joy,
and
Peace,
respectively--the actual breakdown of the EPs is
here on Wikipedia. This unique twists on un-original Christmas songs and a dozen or more original compositions was compiled into the album that is
Songs for Christmas. Strictly speaking they would be considered arrangements, but the mood is rightly enhanced and the employment of counter-melody and word painting is inescapably fitting. Lots of banjo, some baroque styled oboes and flutes, and twinkling bell like synths on some of the more traditional carols. It is a fun ride and would be a great addition to any true Christmas music lover's collection. It is available through Asthmattic Kitty Records, Sufjan's own of course,
here, and comes complete with stickers, stories, an essay on Christmas, animated music video and comic strip, songbook and Santa Sufjan portrait.
I implore you to read further, straight from Sufjan's Bandcamp website
here, and while you do so just hit play and sit back for a couple hours of listening to bring in the Christmas holiday. I have also linked one of my favorite songs, "Saw Three Ships" under the 'Monthly Sample Tracks' on the right. Enjoy, Merry Christmas!
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