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    Hey everyone: trying something completely different; setting music to the classic Christmas poem, 'Twas The Night Before Christmas.' The songs that accompany each stanza are not meant to be literal, and not necessarily related to Christmas or the holidays.

    This is merely an experimentation in free form tape mixing. The end goal is - as always - to share great music with the tens of thousands of people from all around the world who visit IRC each week. Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays.

    We have a lot of great music, profiles, special playlists, new bands and more to come for the last week of 2009 and all throughout 2010 - which is already looking promising for alternative and indie rock music.

    Twas the night before Christmas
    "Christmas Eve" - The Sugarcubes

    And all through the house
    "Our House" - Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young

    Not a creature was stirring
    "Creature of the Night" - Arthur Dodge & The Horsefeathers

    Not even a Mouse
    "Quiet as a Mouse" - Margot & The Nuclear So Sos

    The stockings were hung by the chimney with care
    "Hanging Up My Stockings" - Squirrel Nut Zippers

    In hopes that St. Nicholas soon would be there;
    "Little Saint Nick" - The Beach Boys

    The children were nestled all snug in their beds,
    "Children" - The Delta Spirit

    While visions of sugar-plums danced in their heads;
    "Put Some Sugar On It" - Half Japanese

    And mamma in her 'kerchief, and I in my cap,
    "Feather in Your Cap" - Beck

    Had just settled down for a long winter's nap,
    "I Go To Sleep" - The Kinks

    When out on the lawn there arose such a clatter,
    "Come On Let's Boogie to the Elf Dance" - Sufjan Stevens

    I sprang from the bed to see what was the matter.
    "We Awoke" - Between The Pine

    Away to the window I flew like a flash,
    "At My Window" - Lessons in Time

    Tore open the shutters and threw up the sash.
    "Shutter" - City & The Horse

    The moon on the breast of the new-fallen snow
    "Fallen Snow" - Au Revoir Simone

    Gave the lustre of mid-day to objects below,

    "Shine A Light" - Wolf Parade

    When, what to my wondering eyes should appear,

    "Eyes" - Rouge Wave

    But a miniature sleigh, and eight tiny reindeer,

    "Reindeer Ride" - Roger Lavern & The Microns

    With a little old driver, so lively and quick,

    "Drive On, Driver" - The Magnetic Fields

    I knew in a moment it must be St. Nick.

    "Donde Esta Santa Claus" - Guster

    More rapid than eagles his coursers they came,

    "The Reindeer" - The Headcoats

    And he whistled, and shouted, and called them by name;

    "Look at the Reindeer Rock" - Jimmy Boyd

    "Now, Dasher! now, Dancer! now, Prancer and Vixen!

    "The Happy Reindeer" - Dancer, Prancer and Nervous

    On, Comet! on Cupid! on, Donder and Blitzen!

    "Donna and Blitzen" - Badly Drawn Boy

    To the top of the porch! to the top of the wall!

    "Wonderwall" - Oasis

    Now dash away! dash away! dash away all!"

    "Dash After Dash" - Matt and Kim

    As dry leaves that before the wild hurricane fly,

    "Maple Leaves" - Jens Lekman

    When they meet with an obstacle, mount to the sky,

    "Fly" - Nick Drake

    So up to the house-top the coursers they flew,

    "The Roof" - New Bomb Turks

    With the sleigh full of toys, and St. Nicholas too.

    "Santa Claus is Coming To Town" - Bruce Springsteen

    And then, in a twinkling, I heard on the roof
    ,
    "On The Roof" - The Feelies

    The prancing and pawing of each little hoof.

    "The Hoofs" - Why?

    As I drew in my hand, and was turning around,

    "Cold Hands" - The Sun

    Down the chimney St. Nicholas came with a bound.

    "Father Christmas" - The Kinks

    He was dressed all in fur, from his head to his foot,

    "Fur Soft As Fur" - The Boy Least Likely To

    And his clothes were all tarnished with ashes and soot;

    "Ashes to Ashes" - David Bowie

    A bundle of toys he had flung on his back,
    "All The Best Wooden Toys Come From Germany" - BSS

    And he looked like a peddler just opening his pack.
    "Jump Into This Sack" - Daniel Paquette

    His eyes -- how they twinkled! his dimples how merry!
    "In the Twinkle of an Eye" - Eerie

    His cheeks were like roses, his nose like a cherry!
    "Rosy Cheeks" - Her Majesty's Orchestra

    His droll little mouth was drawn up like a bow,
    "Close Your Mouth It's Christmas" - The Free Design

    And the beard of his chin was as white as the snow;
    "Santa Claus" - Belle and Sebastian

    The stump of a pipe he held tight in his teeth,
    "The Pipe" - Vulture Whale

    And the smoke it encircled his head like a wreath;
    "Cinder and Smoke" - Iron and Wine

    He had a broad face and a little round belly,
    "Belly" - Swanton Bombs

    That shook, when he laughed like a bowlful of jelly.
    "Jelly Belly" - The Smashing Pumpkins

    He was chubby and plump, a right jolly old elf,
    "Jolly Jolly Ego" - Dirty Projectors

    And I laughed when I saw him, in spite of myself;
    "If I Laugh" - Cat Stevens

    A wink of his eye and a twist of his head,
    "One Wink at a Time" - The Replacements

    Soon gave me to know I had nothing to dread;
    "Darlin Do Not Fear" - Brett Dennen

    He spoke not a word, but went straight to his work,
    "Did You See The Words" - Animal Collective

    And filled all the stockings; then turned with a jerk,
    "Santa Left a Booger in My Stocking" - Aqua Teen Hunger Force (w/Neko Case)

    And laying his finger aside of his nose,
    "Nose" - Mailbox

    And giving a nod, up the chimney he rose;
    "Jingle Hell (Stuck in the Chimney" - Soundtrack of Our Lives

    He sprang to his sleigh, to his team gave a whistle,
    "Sleigh Ride" - Reliant K

    And away they all flew like the down of a thistle.
    "Milk Thistle" - Conor Oberst

    But I heard him exclaim, ere he drove out of sight,
    Look at the Sky" - Ulrich Schnauss

    "Happy Christmas to all, and to all a good-night."
    "Happy Christmas (War is Over)" - John Lennon
    "Good Night" - The Beatles

    (Still waiting for Peace on Earth)



      5:53 PM December 22, 2009   

    4 Comments:

    At 10:07 PM , Anonymous Anonymous said...

    this is the best playlist EVER

     
    At 7:48 AM , Blogger EvHartstein said...

    That's quite a list! Thanks IRC!!

     
    At 1:14 PM , Anonymous Anonymous said...

    wow - this is so freaking cool - thanks! a lots of great music. i agree with other comments

     
    At 8:08 PM , Anonymous Fairfax said...

    This is such a unique playlist and definitely experimental, but full of an eclectic mix of really good and interesting songs. I can't imagine how long it took to assemble this but your blog is consistently enjoyable and always full of exposing impressive music that isn't quite so well represented on any other music blog I know of. That's why it keeps me coming back all of the time, can't wait to follow u guys/gals in 2010 - even though Im still going thru many of the playlists from 2009 - and filling up my ipod :)

     

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    Current and upcoming releases (US dates)

    12/7/09 Ólafur Arnalds - Dyad 1909
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    This listing will be expanded in weeks to follow - 2/27/10

    Best 2009 Indie Releases

    2009 best indie albums
    Favorite 2009 indie albums in no particular order; strongly recommend these for your music collection.

    Roman Candle - Oh Tall Tree In The Ear
    Built to Spill - There Is No Enemy
    Fanfarlo - Reservior
    Family of the Year - Songbook
    The Middle East - The Recordings of the Middle East
    Freelance Whales - Weathervanes
    Echo & The Bunnymen - The Fountain
    The Sun - Don't Let Your Baby Have All The Fun
    Kings of Convenience - Declaration of Dependence
    Foreign Born - Person To Person
    Real Estate - Real Estate
    Elephantom - Swim. Towards The Sun
    Wiretree - Luck
    Them Crooked Vultures - s/t debut
    Volcano Choir - Unmap
    Au Revoir Simone - Still Night,Still Light
    Phoenix - Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix
    The Raveonettes - In and Out of Control
    Ramona Falls - Intuit
    Holiday Shores - Columbus'd The Whim
    Why? - Eskimo Snow
    Neon Indian - Psychic Chasms
    Cage The Elephant - Cage The Elephant
    The Dead Weather - Horehound
    Portugal The Man - The Satantic Satanist
    Port O'Brien - Threadbare
    Broken Records - Until The Earth Begins To Part
    Headlights - Wildlife
    Bango or Freakout - Upside Down EP
    The Clean - Mister Pop
    Sin Fang Bous - Clangour
    Passion Pit - Manners
    The Flaming Lips - Embryonic
    Brazos - Phosphorescent Blues
    Spring Tigers - Spring Tigers EP
    Sea Wolf - White Water, White Bloom
    The Big Pink - A Brief History of Love
    Bodies Of Work - Flyers
    The XX - XX
    The Black Hollies - Softly Towards The Light
    Sonic Youth - The Eternal Youth
    Dinosaur Jr. - Farm
    Modest Mouse - No One's First and You're Next
    Generationals - Con Law
    BLK JKS - After Robots
    White Denim - Fits/Exposion
    Rodrigo y Gabriella - 11:11
    Monsters of Folk - Monsters of Folk
    Atlas Sound - Logos
    The Avett Brothers - I And Love And You
    Califone - All of My Friends Are Funeral Singers
    Taken By Trees - East of Eden
    Chet - Chelsea Silver, Please Come
    Julian Casablancas - Phrazes for the Young
    Washed Out - Life of Leisure
    Camera Obscura - My Maudlin Career
    Deer Tick - Born On Flag Day
    The Clientele - Bonfires of Heath
    Iron & Wine - Around The Well
    Pete Doherty - Grace/Wastelands
    It Hugs Back - Inside Your Guitar
    Peter Bjorn and John - Living Thing
    Conor Oberst & The Mustic Valley Band - Outer South
    Paper Route - Absence
    Grizzly Bear - Veckatimest
    Throw Me The Statue - Creaturesque
    The Dodos - Time To Die
    Animal Collective - Merriweather Post Pavilion
    M. Ward - Hold Time
    Deastro - Moondagger
    The Decemberists - Hazards of Love
    Matt & Kim - Grand
    The Antlers - Hospice
    Arctic Monkeys - Humbug
    The Brakes - Touchdown
    Andrew Bird - Noble Beast
    Wilco - Wilco (The Album)
    Yo La Tengo - Popular Songs
    Franz Ferdinand - Tonight
    Frightened Rabbit - Quietly Now
    We Were Promised Jetpacks - These Four Walls
    The Times New Viking - Born Again Revisited
    A Sunny Day in Glasgow - Ashes Grammar
    Pet Lions - Soft Right
    Paramore - Brand New Eyes
    Bonnie "Prince" Billy - Beware
    Bishop Allen - Grrr
    Cage The Elephant - Cage The Elephant
    Birds of Avalon - Uncanny Valley
    Sunset Rubdown - Dragonslayer
    Ben Kweller - Changing Horses
    The Acorn - Heron Act
    The Twilight Sad - Forget The Night Ahead
    AC Newman - Get Guilty
    Dan Auerbach - Keep It Hid
    Cursive - Mama, I'm Swollen
    Beirut - March of the Zapotec & Realpeople: Holland
    The Most Serene Republic - And The Ever Expanding Universe
    Patrick Watson - Wooden Arms
    Woodpigeon - Treasury Library Canada
    Wye Oak - The Knot
    Vica Voce - Rose City
    Pomegranates - Everyone, Come Outside!
    Dananananaykroyd - Hey Everyone
    Dirty Projectors - Bitte Orca
    Akron/Family - Set Em Wild, Set Em Free
    Lemon Sun - Run With the Faithless
    Eels - Hombre Lobo
    Fruit Bats - The Ruminant Band
    Mellow Down Easy - Cosmisutra
    The Mary Onettes - Dare EP
    Odawas - The Blue Depths
    The Veils - Sun Gangs
    Yeah Yeah Yeahs - It's Blitz
    White Rabbits - It's Frightening
    Loney Dear - Dear John
    The Lonely Forest - We Sing The Body Electric
    The Uglysuit - self-titled debut
    Handsome Furs - Face Control
    Vampire Hands - Me & You Cherry Red/Cuz It's a Beach Funeral


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