4Play

Dec. 21, 2008

Various Artists - This Warm December: A Brushfire Holiday Vol. 1 - Brushfire
In our effort to find another year’s worth of out-of-the-ordinary holiday music, this new collection from Jack Johnson’s Brushfire Records surfaces as a standout. Inspired by a holiday record Johnson made for his family and friends (much like Sufjan Stevens’ holiday records), the Brushfire artist roster put together a fun and exclusive set of both traditional songs and a few totally new tracks. Rogue Wave’s “Christmas” and Neil Halstead’s “The Man in the Santa Suit” are a couple of standouts, alongside the reinterpretations of “All I Want for Christmas” (Matt Costa) and “Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer” (Johnson himself) while Money Mark is “Stuck at the Airport” and Zach Gill reinvents “Silent Night.”


David Arkenstone - Christmas Lounge - Green Hill
Arkenstone’s Christmas set would be just as appropriate, as per its description, in a small café or upscale hotel lobby as it’ll sound in your living room or during your holiday dinner party. Taking a chill/electronica approach, these are standard Christmas songs, yes, but most of them are arranged with a unique, chill vibe that adds a freshness to the welcome familiarity. “We Three Kings” sounds like Morcheeba’s about to take the lead vocal (she doesn’t), “Jingle Bells” turns into a devolved, echo mix, and “The First Noel” gets all synth-y with holiday spirit. It’s not only a nice change from the typical instrumental versions of carols, it’s also got an interesting hipster vibe all its own.


Amjad Ali Khan - Hope: Eastern Interpretations of Christmas - W Records
For a truly different take on Christmas carols, Amjad Ali Khan, one of the most renowned musicians in the Far East, brings his East Indian sensibilities to a Western holiday. Amjad’s approach was to arrange the melodies of Christmas as if each song was originally written by Indian musicians, and it makes for a beautifully unexpected take on the songs. You’ll still recognize the melodies (everything from “We Three Kings” to “Jingle Bells” and “We Wish You a Merry Christmas”), but they’re wrapped in a musical holiday paper of sitars and unusual Eastern percussion, all done with respect for both cultures and a creative way to showcase that the holidays can be celebrated in many ways and in many places.


Texas Gypsies - Every Kind of Christmas - Twig Records
Another genre that might not seem immediately conducive to holiday music is that of the Texas Gypsies, who - well, have kind of crafted their own genre, really, blending Western Swing, Gypsy jazz, and Flamenco music into their own unique mix. Maybe that’s why this works - it’s so unexpected that you’re not lulled into listening for what you might otherwise tune out. Alongside their jazzy, sassy takes on such holiday faves as “Oh Christmas Tree” and “Santa Claus is Coming to Town” are a few real Texas Gypsies surprises, including “Italian Christmas Song,” “First Christmas with You,” and “Christmastime in Texas” - it’s fun, unusual, and well played.