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CDs
Now hear this: musical gift ideas across the genres
Alternative/Indie
Few things are as indicative of the holiday season as fancy
packaging. In fact, at this time of year, you can find any
number of releases all gussied up for the gift giving, even
some old favorites. Take, for instance, the Legacy Edition
reissue of the Clash’s London Calling (Sony). In addition
to a newly remastered version of the album, the package includes
the long-lost Vanilla Tapes (demos, early versions and outtakes
from the recording sessions), plus a special DVD, featuring
a 40-minute documentary, in-studio footage, and all three
music videos made for the album. It’s a doozy for diehard
fans and collectors, although casual listeners might not have
the attention span for all the ephemera. For those on your
shopping list who are just fine with their old, scruffy Clash
vinyl, try dropping a copy of Ted Leo + Pharmacists’ Shake
the Sheets (Lookout!) in their stocking instead. Leo’s latest
and greatest is the first to capture his band’s boundless
live energy, while sounding halfway decent at the same time.
 One
of the nicer-looking collections to hit the shelves this quarter
is Abattoir Blues/The Lyre of Orpheus (Anti), the new release
from that ol’ bastion of holiday cheer, Nick Cave and the
Bad Seeds. Packaged in a gorgeous clothbound hardcover slipcase,
this double-disc set finds Cave exploring all of his usual
angels and demons with spirit to spare. Speaking of spirits
and angels and demons and all that jazz, Rufus Wainwright
is back with Want Two (Geffen). Not so much a companion piece
to last year’s Want One as a wholly different, but somewhat
parallel, line of thinking, Want Two finds Rufus getting fully
in touch with his feminine side to produce what the Riverfront
Times calls “the gayest album this side of Turbonegro’s Ass
Cobra.” I’m guessing he wouldn’t mind so much if you wrapped
it in lacy pink paper and tied it with several big, frilly
bows. Initial pressings of the album include a 20-track live
DVD, recorded at the Fillmore Auditorium in San Francisco
earlier this year.
To get in touch with your feminist side, try Le Tigre’s new
This Island (Universal). While some purists are crying “sellout”
over the trio’s leap to a major label, they should take solace
in the fact that neither their sound nor their agenda have
been altered in the slightest—the album is both rump-shaking
and thought-provoking. I’ll award them extra special bonus
points for including a supremely enjoyable cover of the Pointer
Sisters’ “I’m So Excited.” Equally as danceable, although
not remotely as cerebral, is the Killers’ Hot Fuss (Island).
You’ve likely heard the singles “Somebody Told Me” and “Mr.
Brightside”; rest assured, the remainder of the album is just
as worthy, in an ’80s-throwback, Duran Duran-via-Blur way.
It’s entirely possible that you have a prog-rock fan or two
on your shopping list; we all know at least one. Try dropping
them one of the recently reissued releases from legendary
Brit band Nektar. A Tab in the Ocean, Recycled, and Remember
the Future (Dream Nebula) are all classics to their genre,
but the best of the bunch by far is the band’s 1971 debut,
Journey to the Center of the Eye. The space-rock template
established on that album is still adhered to today by bands
like Monster Magnet and Queens of the Stone Age, and this
remastered version—in 5.1 Surround sound, no less—sounds more
cosmic than ever. Also on the progressive side, A Perfect
Circle raise their voices for change on the unironically titled
Emotive (Virgin), which intersperses a handful of politically
charged originals with, er, unique reinventions of socially
conscious standards like “(What’s so Funny ’bout) Peace, Love
and Understanding,” “What’s Going On” and “Imagine.”
Lest we forget, the holiday season is ultimately about commerce,
so the majors are rolling out the best-of packages to cash
in on those buyers otherwise perplexed as to which catalog
selections would best suit their intended. Neil Young’s Greatest
Hits (Warner Bros.)—his first such collection, believe it
or not—features most of his time-tested radio staples, but
the tracklist would have you believe that Young went on sabbatical
between 1977 and 1989, and quit altogether after “Harvest
Moon.” Perhaps a second volume is in order? Two of England’s
finest exports have like-minded packages out for the season:
The 20-track Supergrass Is 10: Best of 94-04 (Capitol) aptly
summarizes the woefully underrated trio’s development from
ragged mod-poppers to assured rock & rollers, while the
Verve’s This Is Music: The Singles ’92-’98 (Virgin) compiles
the shoegazing hits from their three albums, adding two previously
unreleased tracks from the Urban Hymns sessions as sales points.
And finally, Pearl Jam fulfill their contractual obligations
with rearviewmirror (Greatest Hits 1991-2003) (Sony), which
recaps the band’s significant impact on rock radio over the
course of two CDs. Those who gave up on the band after Vs.
should be pleasantly surprised by how consistent the band’s
output has been, and although there’s nothing new here to
draw in longtime fans, the set does include “Man of the Hour”
(from the film Big Fish) and a number of their more popular
b-sides.
—John
Brodeur
Way Alternative/Indie
No matter how difficult it may be to describe a particular
friend or relative, you can find them a CD that’s equally
hard to pin down. Whether this will be a winning combination
or not is for others to say, but at the very least this won’t
be a duplicated gift and they may have a hard time re-gifting
or returning it, always a nice set-in-stone condition to consider.
First up are a few offerings that are downright friendly,
stepping across a number of genres with ease and grace. Michael
Hurley’s latest is Down In Dublin, brought forth on the Irish
Blue Navigator label, an imprint that’s pretty much dedicated
to America’s most undercelebrated troubadour. His songs have
the casual familiarity of a sweater with frayed elbows and,
as I’ve said before, many a combo or solo act would do well
to pepper their sets to the hilt with Hurley songs. I Take
On Your Days (Hush Records) by Corrina Repp has the comfortable
bearing of a winter novel read under quilts by a crackling
fireplace. Minimal guitar figures are embellished with judiciously
employed electronic beats and washes, over which her unadorned
vocals roll forth like whispered secrets.
The Sonic Arts Network from our parent country, England, is
a 7-inch-square (although over there they’d describe it by
its more logical metric dimensions) periodical and CD combo.
The beautifully designed November issue, titled Interesting
Results, was assembled by Irwin Chusid, a man whose expertise
is tied to the world of Outsider Music, and such players as
B.J. Snowden, Lucia Pamela, and Shooby Taylor (also known
by the perfectly endearing moniker “The Human Horn”)—all of
whom are heard and annotated in this handsome package. The
dozen tracks also include Petra Haden, one of bassist Charlie’s
triplet daughters, doing an a capella version of the Who’s
“Armenia (City in the Sky),” a tantalizing glimpse of her
forthcoming album, which is an entirely vocalized rendering
of The Who Sell Out.
Wonderfully selected and sequenced, the compilation My Favorite
Song Writers is chock full of performers I’ve never heard
of, some American, some Japanese, some of indeterminate locales.
It’s a perfect 40 minutes, embracing everything from the swirling
rhythms and snaky guitar melodies of Jim Ward’s “These Years”
to the homemade exuberance of “Birthday #2” by Moonpedro and
the New Farm Street Orchestra.
 For
a better-known oddity, there’s the new CD reissue of William
Shatner’s The Transformed Man. At the height of his 1968 Captain
Kirk powers he recorded dramatic readings of a half-dozen
songs over fittingly grandiose musical settings. More recently
he’s similarly teamed up with Ben Folds, but those are done
far too knowingly. This original set is a delirious mix of
naiveté and pomposity never again equaled. “Lucy. In the sky.
With diamonds!”
—David
Greenberger
Box Sets
I don’t have an iPod yet and I still like collecting stuff
I can read, not just hear. So the box sets that have helped
define the CD era continue to enthrall, nurture, even comfort
me.
Like the vinyl LPs that preceded the CD, these box sets are
big enough to house comprehensive booklets—make that books,
in some cases—about their subjects, so they become part of
the audio library. Audiophile Mosaic box sets, like ones issued
this year on the underrated guitarist Tal Farlow and the higher-profile
Dinah Washington, collect great, not necessarily commercial,
music, and at best explain as well as justify.
Here are my choices of boxes that would make dandy Christmas
presents. Information on price can be obtained at Amazon or,
in Mosaic’s case, through its Web site, www.mosaicrecords.com.
Albert Ayler, Holy Ghost (Revenant). A troubled genius who
spun “outside” saxophone out of his native Cleveland in the
’50s and ’60s, Ayler is memorialized in this staggering, nine-CD
box from an Austin, Texas, company that specializes in the
exceptional and the underheard. I haven’t listened to all
of this but I’ve read the 200-page book and marveled at a
gang of tracks spanning yawpy rhythm & blues, unbelievably
free blowing, Albert’s troubled kid brother Donald on trumpet,
and, occasionally, the gnarly, percussive pianist Cecil Taylor.
Mind-blowing material that doesn’t date, Ayler’s music often
approached genius. The box itself is beautiful, too—and a
steal at $100 list.
 Nirvana,
With the Lights Out (Geffen), is three CDs and one DVD of
demos, b-sides and live takes from the Washington State band
that legitimized alternative rock in the ’90s. Nirvana’s studio
albums are powerful but are more overtly pop than the material
here, which underlines the band’s affinity for heavy metal.
Startlingly honest, largely compelling, this explains why
Nirvana fans are particularly ardent.
Miles Davis, Seven Steps: The Complete Columbia Recordings
1963-1964 is the latest in Columbia/Legacy’s Davis revisions
and brand extensions. The package of sessions including and
surrounding Davis’ 1963 “Seven Steps to Heaven” date features
then-teen drummer Tony Williams, Williams’ near-contemporary
Herbie Hancock on piano and bassist Ron Carter. The anomaly
was George Coleman, a tenor saxophonist in the unfortunate
position of predating Wayne Shorter, one of Davis’ most formidable
colleagues. More fiery tracks feature interim saxman Sam Rivers
and the more permanent Shorter. This box, which also features
great live dates from Tokyo, Berlin and New York Philharmonic
Hall, is an intellectually fascinating documentary of musical
growth.
The Complete Norman Granz Jam Sessions on Verve is a glorious,
five-CD set featuring blowing sessions recorded between 1952
and 1954. Dropping the names will give you an idea of the
quality: Charlie Parker, Flip Phillips, Stan Getz, Wardell
Gray—and those are just the saxophonists. Granz was a pioneer
in many ways; not only did he help integrate jazz by insisting
that hotels accommodate mixed bands and stages showcase them,
he paid his musicians well. He also was as much of an impresario
for jazz as Bill Graham was for rock.
Michael Jackson, The Ultimate Collection, is four CDs and
one DVD of the Gloved One, and you gotta give the guy his
props. Unlike his kiddie Motown material with the Jackson
Five, Jackson’s Epic era was remarkably innovative and infectious.
The DVD features a Bucharest, Romania, concert from the 1992-3
Dangerous tour. Not only does it showcase the tunes that changed
the media world, like “Beat It” and “Thriller,” it captures
the self-styled King of Pop at his edgiest. Besides, the crowd
shots are amazing, even frightening. This box is a perfect
soundtrack for Jackson’s tabloid life. Besides, buying it
will allow you to offload the individual albums.
Talking Heads, Once in a Lifetime, is a fabulous Rhino set
featuring the band who made it safe for intellectuals to dance.
Pick this baby up along with the widescreen DVD version of
Stop Making Sense and you’ll have all you need to grasp the
notion that rock can be smart. People can quarrel about the
song selection on this four-CD presentation. What’s inarguable,
however, is the packaging itself: long-form to the nth, wildly
unorthodox, really bright—like the Heads themselves. Rhino
pushed the envelope on this one.
Stompin’ at the Savoy, a four-CD box from Savoy, is a crossover
at its most organic. Swing, rhythm & blues, doo wop and
rock & roll coexist effortlessly in these hot platters
from a groundbreaking New Jersey label that was home to everyone
from Hot Lips Page to the Ravens to Billy Eckstine. The names
of some of these groups are musical in themselves. Cool box,
cooler history, it’s a great companion to Rhino’s Central
Avenue Sounds: Jazz in Los Angeles box from a few years back.
—Carlo
Wolff
Classical
More hunkering down in the classical-music recording world
as more big labels merge (Sony and BMG) and small labels search
for that elusive hit—and everybody still tries to figure out
what to do with (or about) the Internet. Nevertheless, there
was plenty of good stuff to consider over the past year, some
of it from unexpected places. Here’s a baker’s dozen discs
I found most worthy of repeated play.
One of those unexpected places was a pianist’s right hand.
Leon Fleischer: Two Hands (Artemis Classics) salutes the return
of this towering artist’s full capacity after a 40-year struggle
with focal dystonia. The centerpiece of this recording is
Schubert’s last piano sonata, and it’s no cliché to note that
Fleischer now brings a lifetime of experience and analysis
to this worthy work, turning in a mesmerizing performance.
Short pieces by Bach, Scarlatti, Chopin and Debussy round
out the disc.
A 1996 recording by the temperamental pianist Piotr Anderszewski
(Virgin Classics) finally saw general release this year, a
stellar collection of seemingly contrasting works that gain
an impressive through-line in his hands. Bach’s English Suite
No. 6, Beethoven’s Piano Sonata No. 30 and Webern’s Variations,
Op. 7 comprise the program.
Is there anything new to say about Bach? It’s a question we’ll
ask about few composers in the course of this piece, but you
already know the affirmative answer. Bach’s Complete Orchestral
Suites, with Martin Pearlman conducting Boston Baroque (Telarc),
packs the four suites onto one disc, arranged in what’s now
believed to be chronological order, which puts the big one,
No. 2, at the end. Taut, joyful performances here.
A warhorse wannabe gets its spirited due when pianist Martha
Argerich, violinist Renaud Capuçon and cellist Mischa Maisky
tackle Beethoven’s Triple Concerto (EMI Classics). Recordings
of this piece have been appearing like mad lately, but this
is the best—and it’s coupled with a Schumann Piano Concerto
that finds Argerich in top form.
 Although
Nikolaus Harnoncourt was one of the period instrument instigators,
you’re more often likely to find him in front of large modern
orchestras. But he and his Concentus Musicus Wien join forces
for a dazzling Mozart Requiem (BMG Classics) that is a study
in contrasts, including an awe-inspiring “Dies Irae.” At 50
minutes, it has some brisk tempos, but the overall effect
is magnificent.
Mozart gets the period-instrument treatment in René Jacobs’
version of The Marriage of Figaro (Harmonia Mundi), and it’s
dazzling, bringing out details in the orchestration I never
before noticed. A great cast helps, too, with Lorenzo Regazzo
in the title role, Patrizia Ciofi as Susanna, Simon Keenlyside
as the Count and Véronique Gens as the Countess. Angelika
Kirchschlager’s Cherubino is brilliantly realized, as her
“Voi che sapete” will attest.
Moving to a big, Romantic masterpiece, we have the ongoing
project by the San Francisco Symphony under Michael Tilson
Thomas, who just came out with Mahler’s Symphony No. 2 (San
Francisco Symphony). It’s big, sweeping, kind of loose at
the edges but nevertheless very convincing, with an edge-of-the-seat
finale that makes you believe that “Resurrection Symphony”
subtitle.
Another ongoing symphony project features conductor Valery
Gergiev, with Shostakovich’s Symphonies Nos. 5 & 9 (Philips)
a recent installment. He proves that it doesn’t take a period-instruments
orchestra to bring out inner voice detail, and these symphonies
not only sparkle but also make more sense than ever before—especially
the much-played fifth.
Shostakovich’s Piano Concertos (Hyperion) have a sympathetic
champion in Marc-Andre Hamelin, who joins the BBC Scottish
Symphony Orchestra under Andrew Litton for powerhouse performances.
A bonus is the disc filler, Rodion Shchedrin’s Piano Concerto
No. 2, which well deserves this kind of exposure.
Mezzo-soprano Anne Sofie von Otter seems to have a touch (and
voice) of gold lately, but she’s heard too briefly in Ravel’s
Shéhérazade (DG). But that takes nothing away from this excellent
CD, with Pierre Boulez conducting the Cleveland Orchestra
in a Ravel-Debussy program that also includes soprano Alison
Hagley in the latter’s Le jet d’eau and Three Songs by François
Villon.
Robert Kurka wrote the opera The Good Soldier Schweik just
before dying in 1957 at the age of 36. His music deserves
more attention, and a collection on the Cedille label featuring
his Symphony No. 2, Serenade for Small Orchestra and other
works should help bring some of that attention to a distinctive,
jazz-inflected voice.
Jazz is also an influence on William Bolcom, whose Songs of
Innocence and Experience (Naxos) is an epic setting of Blake’s
poems, written by Bolcom between 1956 and 1982. The three-disc
set is a study of contrasts, exploring the words of the poet
with every device the composer can muster. It may seem a little
scattershot at first, but the cumulative effect is profound
and convincing.
Finally, Zappa. He resists categorization but probably would
be pleased to inhabit a classical list—and Greggery Peccary
& Other Persuasions (BMG Classics) is another outing by
Ensemble Modern into Zappa’s wild musical world (they did
it before with the CD The Yellow Shark)—culminating in the
22-minute title piece. A memorable stocking stuffer for anyone
who loves music.
—B.A.
Nilsson
Folk, Blues, Bluegrass, Celtic
The roots music of the British Isles and North America remains
a perennial wellspring of soul-soothing melody. If you need
holiday gift ideas for folk, blues, bluegrass or Celtic music
CDs, rest assured that this fabulous font has poured out music
this year as good as any in recent times. Here are my suggestions
for 2004 releases in these genres.
Guitarist extraordinaire Jerry Garcia had played folk, bluegrass
and jug-band music before beginning his 30-year tenure with
the Grateful Dead in 1965. During the last five years of Garcia’s
life, mandolin maestro David Grisman recorded more than 40
acoustic sessions with him encompassing folk, blues, county
music, bluegrass and other styles. Almost a decade after Garcia’s
passing in 1995, Grisman has issued what he says may be the
final set of these collaborations. Folkies will love Been
All Around This World (Acoustic Disc), 12 tasty tracks compiled
from these sessions. Backed by members of the David Grisman
Quintet, the two cover traditional folk material along with
songs by country crooners Merle Travis, Jimmy Rodgers, and
George Jones. Garcia’s vocals occasionally sound frayed, but
his singing is still rich with emotion and his guitar playing
stunning. Grisman is in his usual fine form as well.
Another worthy folk release is The Unbroken Circle (Dualtone),
a tribute to the Carter Family by contemporary rock, folk
and country stars. From 1927 to 1943, A.P. Carter, his wife
Sarah, and her cousin Maybelle Carter collected and recorded
more than 300 folk, gospel and 19th-century parlor songs,
many of which became classics. On these 15 tracks, artists
as diverse as Cheryl Crow, George Jones, Willie Nelson, John
Prine, and Johnny Cash pay homage to the groundbreaking Virginia
trio.
A great pick for blues fans is harmonica legend Charlie Musselwhite’s
new offering, Sanctuary (Real World). The four-time Grammy
nominee has hewed close to Chicago blues for most of his 37-year
career, but his recent releases have crossed over into other
styles, including country, jazz and Tejano. Although the CD
has plenty of blues, guest artists the Blind Boys of Alabama
lighten the mood with gospel-tinged harmonies on two of the
12 tracks. Slide guitarist Ben Harper also joins Musselwhite’s
backing lineup of Charlie Sexton on guitar, Jared Michael
Nickerson on bass, and Michael Jerome on drums for a pair
of songs, one of which he wrote. But the laurels here go to
Musselwhite’s harmonica, which proves the virtuoso is still
at the top of his game.
For a nonpareil introduction to the blues, try the 2-CD anthology
The Best Of Southern Blues (Fuel 2000). This 24-track collection
features both prewar solo acoustic and postwar electric band
cuts, including classics by Son House, Mississippi John Hurt,
Memphis Minnie, Arthur Crudup, Big Walter Horton, James Cotton,
and Ike Turner.
Harley “Red” Allen (1930-1993) was one the greatest yet most
overlooked bluegrass singers. Rebel Records has issued two
discs of Allen’s 60’s recordings, Keep On Going: The Rebel
and Melodeon Recordings, and Lonesome and Blue: The Complete
County Recordings, which hopefully will go some ways toward
establishing the Kentuckian’s rightful place in the “high
and lonesome” pantheon. The combined 48 tracks capture bluegrass
at its best and include several previously unreleased cuts.
Among the featured sidemen are mandolinists Frank Wakefield
and a young David Grisman, fiddlers Richard Green and Scotty
Stoneman, banjoist Bill Emerson, and double bassist Jerry
McCoury.
Another superb bluegrass offering, You Were There for Me (Rounder),
brings singer-songwriter Peter Rowan and guitar champ Tony
Rice together for the first time. Rowan is a Bill Monroe alumnus
who penned “Panama Red” for the New Riders of the Purple Sage,
and Tony Rice is of those amazing pickers who makes guitarists
want to burn their axes in despair. Rowan, who wrote or cowrote
all 10 tracks on the CD, and Rice are joined by Bryn Bright
and Tony Garnier on double bass, Billy Bright on mandolin,
Larry Atamanuik on drums (one track only) and Robert Emery
on harmony vocals.
Mastering the swift dance tunes and plaintive slow airs of
Celtic music requires years of solitary practice. Up in the
Air (Schanachie) is a unique concept album in which the individual
members of the Irish band Danu demonstrate their hard-earned
skill by playing dazzling solos on their respective instruments.
Of the 18 tracks, only two are songs—one unaccompanied and
one backed only by the Irish drum—and the rest are instrumental
pieces. The musicians are accordionist Benny McCarthy, Muireann
NicAmhlaoibh on vocals and whistle, Tom Doorley on flute,
guitarist Donal Clancy, Donnchadh Gough on bodhran and uilleann
pipes, fiddler Oisin McAuley, and Eamonn Doorley on bouzouki.
Also recommended for Celtic music lovers is traditional Irish
singer Sean Doyle’s debut album, The Light and the Half-Light
(Compass). Doyle is the father of John Doyle, who played guitar
for the traditional bands Solas and Chanting House. The younger
Doyle appears on this straight-ahead traditional CD on bouzouki
and mandolin as well as guitar along with fiddler Liz Carroll,
Appalachian old-timey banjoist and double bassist Dirk Powell,
and others.
—Glenn
Weiser
Holiday Music
There is, without doubt, one new holiday album that you must
buy this year; if not for a loved one, then for yourself.
It’s A John Waters Christmas (New Line). The legendary shockmeister-filmmaker
has put together a compilation that not only reflects his
bizarre mix of good and bad taste—it also is fun to listen
to. Side-by-side, we are presented with ’60s neo-vaudeville
camp in the form of Tiny Tim’s “Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer,”
and Big Dee Irwin & Little Eva’s “I Wish You a Merry Christmas,”
a rocking soul number of the sort that seems closest to Waters’
own heart. For the religious-minded, there’s Little Cindy’s
“Happy Birthday Jesus,” a ’50s-era track so sincere it’s almost
creepy; for the hipsters, there’s the Coctails’ avant-oddball
“First Snowfall.” Seriously, this disc should come with its
own premixed bottle of rum nog. It’s that cheerful.
For pure jazz singing of the classic kind, Dianne Reeves offers
Christmas Time Is Here (Blue Note). Reeves, the critics agree,
has really come into her own in the last few years. Not fearing
the comparisons, she showcases her silky vocal dexterity on
standards owned by Nat “King” Cole (“The Christmas Song”)
and Frank Sinatra (“The Christmas Waltz”).
Vanessa Williams showcases her smooth, pop-meets-R&B style
on Silver & Gold (Lava). The song selection is varied,
ranging from standards (“The Little Drummer Boy”) to spirituals
(“Rise Up, Shepherd and Follow”) to swing (“Winter Weather”).
Much-loved Canadian geeks Barenaked Ladies deliver their usual
mix of high jinks and slightly sanctimonious seriousness on
Barenaked for the Holidays (Desperation/Warner Bros.). They
balance Christmas and Hanukkah selections—and how many people
try to do that? Plus, they cover “Do They Know It’s Christmas,”
the current all-star Brit version of which is not commercially
available stateside. (Or even in Canada.) And speaking of
quirky, there’s the Chris Isaak Christmas (Warner Bros.).
Can anyone tell when he’s being serious? Ah well, it’s the
holidays. We’ll be generous.
Last and least, there’s Jessica Simpson’s Rejoyce: The Christmas
Album (Columbia). You must have seen the relentless ads for
this on TV. Every time it seems like Ashlee’s older sister
couldn’t be that dumb, she proves that she really is—not the
least in the way she sings this set of holiday tunes. (Dear
Jessica: Marilyn Monroe was not a great singer. Do not emulate
her.)
Finally, there are always reissues. Most aggressive, as usual,
are Sony’s Essential Holiday Classics series. This year, they’re
showcasing the jazzy vocal gymnastics of the Manhattan Transfer
on the early-’90s The Christmas Album (Columbia). Tony Bennett
joins them on “The Christmas Song.” Both of Andy Williams’
1960s classics are back on the racks. The Andy Williams Christmas
Album (1963) is the better of the two, and features the radio
perennial “Happy Holiday/The Holiday Season.” Merry Christmas
(1965) isn’t any slouch, either, and both albums have the
same format: secular songs first (formerly known as “Side
1”) and religious favorites second (formerly known as “Side
2”).
Also look for the laid-back swing of 1965’s Ray Conniff’s
Christmas Album (Columbia), and the oldest reissue in the
bunch, Frank Sinatra’s Christmas Songs by Sinatra (Columbia).
These mid-to-late ’40s tracks find Sinatra in the purest voice
of his career—even if these songs don’t swing the way his
classic 1950s Capitol Xmas album did.
—Shawn
Stone
Holiday Folk Music
If interesting arrangements and newfangled interpretations
aren’t doing enough to cover up the fact that you’re listening
to the same two-dozen songs that are also piped into the drugstore
for months, you don’t have to forsake holiday music altogether.
There’s a whole separate world out there of folk musicians
who mine both the irreverent English Music Hall tradition
and the surviving remnants of pre-Christian (or early, tenuous
Christian) celebrations. This includes musical variations
on a number of myths from those other gospels that didn’t
make it into the current canon. For example, in “The Bitter
Withy,” from Nowell Sing We Clear’s Hail Smiling Morn (Golden
Hind Music), a young Jesus is rebuffed by some rich kids when
he wants to play with them, so he conjures up a magic bridge,
and when they’re all at the top he makes it disappear and
drowns the little snots. Then sweet virgin Mary gives him
a good ass-whupping with some withy rods. Remember, he’s the
reason for the season.
Seriously though, all of Nowell Sing We Clear’s four in-print
albums (www.goldenhindmusic.com) mix dollops of such fun with
truly reverent, but also wicked-old and probably unfamiliar
carols; wassailing songs; pagan standards about the hunting
of the wren and the death and resurrection of John Barleycorn;
and even some newer tunes in the spirit of the old music-hall
style. If you like rousing choruses and glorious tongue-twisters
of verses, “Chariots,” (informally known as the “Carol of
the Alliteration”) from their most recent album Just Say Nowell,
will become an instant favorite.
The larger and more commercial version of Nowell Sing We Clear
(who have been giving theatrical holiday concerts in this
area through Old Songs, Inc. for a few decades) is The Revels,
a holiday show started in Boston in 1971. Though the Revels
also started in the English tradition (and that’s still their
forte), they have branched out to include holiday and winter
music from all over the world. Their plethora of CDs includes
ones focused on African-American music, Russia and Scandinavian
traditions, and early Americana to name a few.
For more secular seasonal music that’s still in the spirit,
check out Voices of Winter (Gadfly) by Herdman, Hills, and
Mangsen and When I See Winter Return by William Pint and Felicia
Dale (www.pintndale.com). Both albums are filled with masterful
harmonies and evoke the spirit of winter—its dark sides, cozy
sides, and celebratory sides alike—with everything from ancient
mnemonic songs that recount the different burning properties
of different types of woods (holly burns like wax, in case
you needed to know) to a tall-tale lament about a frozen lumberjack
lover.
—Miriam
Axel-Lute
2004
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