In no particular order, these are the CDs I've been listening to wiling away time in the car while the weather outside has been delightful.
This does not include iPod and self-made music mix activity.
- The Who "Wire & Glass"
- Rhonda Vincent "Beautiful Star: A Christmas Collection"
- Meat Loaf "Bat out of Hell III: The Monster is Loose"
- Sarah McLachlan "Wintersong"
- James Taylor "James Taylor at Christmas"
- Pink Floyd "The Wall"
- Aimee Mann "One More Drifter in the Snow"
- Beethoven's Wig 3 "Many More Sing Along Symphonies"
- Jefferson Airplane "Takes Off"
- Led Zeppelin "The Song Remains the Same"
Bring on the shoppers.
You should listen to the Mariah Carey Christmas album. It's not as lame as you might think.
Posted by: EvanK | December 16, 2006 at 05:48 AM
Intriguing list.
I'm listening to Sarah M. and James T. right now. They both do River--which I'd not heard before (save possibly a couple of times) and it's growing on me. Is Joni Mitchell the lyricist?
In my old-fogey-ness I haven't sought out new recordings for a long time so it's very nice to have a gentleman who hasn't succumbed to musical malaise do the work for me.
Thanks Dan, for helping to keep my spirits bright. :)
Posted by: Cyn | December 17, 2006 at 02:14 PM
Cyn - Joni Mitchell did write "River." The Indigo Girls do another nice cover of this on their double-live CD. Kind of a depressing Christmas song, but it's emotional and heartfelt.
Posted by: Dan | December 17, 2006 at 07:59 PM
River is kind of a depressing Christmas song but it's a good counterbalance to all the cheery ones. :D
And "heartfelt" gets me every time.
Again, thanks!
Posted by: Cyn | December 17, 2006 at 09:18 PM
Excellent list, Dan. I love the Aimee Mann record. JT gets a lot of play too. Emmylou Harris has a great Christmas album (“Light of the Stable”). For the vintage vibe, Ella's Swingin' Christmas is a must. Of course, the season isn’t festive without Vince Guaraldi's “Charlie Brown Christmas”. (By the way, if you like piano jazz, the recently re-released Ramsey Lewis Trio’s “Sound of Christmas” is well worth the price of admission.) And for pure, wonderful, corny Holiday sweetness it's tough to beat Andy Williams (I’m partial to the red album).
Posted by: Scott | December 17, 2006 at 10:06 PM
Thanks for the tips, Scott. I agree with Andy Williams. He's as close to what I'd consider "Christmas standards" as anyone.
Aimee Mann just played Berklee last night. In the old days, I would have gone. But in the new days, with a 19-month-old, it's kind of difficult.:)
Posted by: Dan | December 18, 2006 at 04:48 AM
Someone wise recently characterized Aimee Mann's latest disc as "Christmas on Heroin". While I do like the disc, I also also appreciate that assessment. One can imgaine that purchasing this disc during the holidays along Pink Floyd's "The Wall" might be cause for an Intervention.
I used to be a h-u-g-e Sarah fan, but lately her music sounds invertibrate to me; lacking spine. Beautifully winsome though it is.
Posted by: Richard | December 18, 2006 at 12:29 PM
Not sure why "The Wall" is back in vogue these days, Richard. Just one of those retro things...
"Goodbye blue sky, goodbye blue sky, goodbye..."
Posted by: Dan | December 18, 2006 at 10:07 PM
I was surprised that Clay Aiken didn't make your Christmas music list.
Posted by: Scott | December 19, 2006 at 01:30 PM
I like what Clay does, but he's just not in my most recent mix of CDs. Perhaps he'll get some play next week.
Posted by: Dan | December 20, 2006 at 10:47 AM