Jupiter Winter

With midterms, holiday shopping, deciding about trying out for the musical (the Pajama Game) AND tons of LP's dropping, I'm swamped as it is, not to mention kicking my ass into peak erging shape for the winter crew season. But I'm back (if for only for a moment) and I'm ready to unveil my non denominational holiday (okay, mainly christmas) playlist. But first:

random notes of the past two weeks-

a new editors EP - funk/dance-new wave infused remixes with remnants of editor like sound. tons o' cowbell.

+44, what can i say, eh. Getting good reviews (but of course these reviews are from a fanbase of Blink 182ites) It sounds overdone, but a few gems can be found burried underneath the generic (and often immaturely dirty) popunk the world is used to seeing from Blink. Maybe the 182 hiatus has brought the trio to a more mature level? The only song I would reccommend is "Lillian". A bit more insightful, even if a bit darker.

And now, the moment you've all been waiting for:

GET BEHIND ME, SANTA: because your holiday shouldn't suck just 'cause your local radio station does

Winter Wonderland: Phantom Planet (A sweet acoustic start slowly evolving into an electrified classic)

The North Pole: The Walkmen (Wow. While the Walkmen make another in your face tune, this has NOTHNG to do with aANY holiday. sad.)

So This is Christmas: Acceptance (The sensitive Acceptance take on John Lennon's "The War is Over")

Christmas (Baby Please Come Home) : Death Cab for Cutie (A fantastic slowed down Ben Gibbarded version)

Angels We Have Heard on High: Relient K (I've never heard so much vigor injected into a FA-LA-LA-LA-LA)

Blue Christmas: Bright Eyes (Bright Eyes manages to maintain his characteristic melancholy mood with this Christmas classic)

Little Drummer Boy: The Dandy Warhols (The way the whole song explodes with synth after the first line is so rad)

Christmas Medley: Jimi Hendrix (Adding some flavor to your regular holiday repertoire)

When I Get Home For Christmas: Snow Patrol (Again, PRE-Chasing Cars Snow Patrol. The recurring bassline sounds like Lazlo Bane. Somehow. Not quite sure how. Maybe I just wnated to sneak him in somewhere.)

Yule Shoot Your Eye Out: Fall Out Boy (As con-emo poster boy hype as I am, you have to give them points for the lyrics and the irony in playing with the holiday theme)

Merry Christmas (I Don't Want To Fight Tonight): The Ramones (A very punk Christmas song, beginning in a messy kind of fashion and gradually growing cleaner and more put together)

This Time of Year: The Mighty Mighty Bosstones (Wait for it-wait for it- ah, yes, THERE'S the signature sax in the backround. I wonder what the random dancer guy was doing on stage when this song was playing. Wait. I don't want to know.)

Forget December: Something Corporate (Leukemia survivor and Jack's Mannequin's frontman Andrew McMahon, formerly of SoCo, produces a bittersweet, polished, and wintery track)

The Little Drum Machine Boy: Beck (You know how much I am inlove with Beck, I just couldn't leave him out. As odd as this 7 minute anthem is, Beck takes it into his own hands to represent all of the Jews and er Scientologists with an electro beat a robot repeating "Barrach Atah Elohenu Melech Ha Olam" in the backround. Props to Beck for spinning this Christmas classic into an almost unrecognizable composition. As he says in the song, "this funk's so illegal I think I might need a lawyer")

Sister Winter: Sufjan Stevens (It was so difficult to choose a holiday song from Sufjan, as his five cd set is dedicated to "Songs for Christmas". I picked Sister Winter because it represents all and no religions and anyone can enjoy this beautifully spun tune)

Last Christmas: Jimmy Eat World (Ah! Wham and JEW (acronym for jimmy eat world, ironic isn't it) came so close but as a modern kinda gal, I went with Jimmy Eat World's Last Christmas to display their take on the carol that left The OC viewers scrambling with their Yammaclauses to Itunes to pick up the song off of the Chrismakkah mix.)

The New Year: Death Cab For Cutie (Rounding it out with DCFC, when they played this at the Garden, tears practically came to my eyes it was so powerful and huge and brilliant. So this is the New Year.)

I love you, you love me, show me some love. In the spirit of the holidays please get your butt to http://www.relix.com/ , hit GUITAR STRING BRACELETS, and find the bracelet made of Ben Gibbard (of the afore mentioned Death Cab)'s guitar strings. Please! Please! Please! Please! I don't have to beg but I will. If you want to get me the sickest gift on the planet this year, that bracelet is the one.

I must go but I'll leave you with one pre-holiday gift:

A horrifically 80's video of Wham's "Last Christmas". Enjoy and try not to cringe too hard.



Lots of love,

Kit