Songs For Christmas
Artist(s):
Sufjan Stevens
Label: Sonic Unyon Records
Publisher(s):
Sonic Unyon Records
Studio: Sonic Unyon Records
Manufacturer: Sonic Unyon Records
Binding: Audio CD
MPN: 28
Format(s): Best of, Box set, Enhanced
List Price: CDN$ 24.99
Our Price: CDN$ 19.99
Availability: Usually ships in 24 hours
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Track Listing
Number of discs: 5
1.
Silent Night
2.
O Come O Come Emmanuel
3.
We're Goin' To the Country!
4.
Lo How A Rose E'er Blooming
5.
It's Christmas! Let's Be Glad!
6.
Holy Holy, etc.
7.
Amazing Grace
8.
Angels We Have Heard on High
9.
Put the Lights on the Tree
10.
Come Thou Fount of Every Blessing
11.
I Saw Three Ships
12.
Only at Christmas Time
13.
Once in Royal David's City
14.
Hark! The Herald Angels Sing!
15.
What Child Is This Anyway?
16.
Bring A Torch, Jeanette, Isabella
17.
O Come, O Come Emmanuel
18.
Come on! Let's Boogey to the Elf Dance!
19.
We Three Kings
20.
O Holy Night
21.
That Was the Worst Christmas Ever!
22.
Ding! Dong!
23.
All the King's Horns
24.
The Friendly Beasts
25.
The Little Drummer Boy
26.
Away In A Manger
27.
Hey Guys! It's Christmas Time!
28.
The First Noel
29.
Did I Make You Cry On Christmas Day? (Well, You Deserved It!)
30.
The Incarnation
31.
Joy To The World
32.
Once in Royal David's City
33.
Get Behind Me, Santa!
34.
Jingle Bells
35.
Christmas in July
36.
Lo! How A Rose E'er Blooming
37.
Jupiter Winter
38.
Sister Winter
39.
O Come O Come Emmanuel
40.
Star of Wonder
41.
Holy, Holy, Holy
42.
The Winter Solstice
Editorial Reviews
From Amazon.com
Every year it's an issue: how does one stomach the onset of holiday music? With an endless stream of overplayed pop stars stirring what Sufjan Stevens calls "That Creepy Christmas Feeling," how does one navigate the sound of the season? Back in 2001, Stevens began making annual EPs of traditional carols and songs mixed with his own holiday-themed tunes. With 2006 and Volume 5, he's compiled a perfect gift for the Christmas-inclined indie rockster: all five EPs in one box, separately slipcased, plus a booklet filled with lyric sheets, chord charts, a Rick Moody essay, and more. Yes, Stevens knows that "Jingle Bells" features him playing (as he notes) "insipid piano," but he also writes gorgeous arrangements. Check out the three versions of "O Come O Come Emmanuel"; each aches. And "O Holy Night" from Volume 3 is lo-fi genius, never mind anyone's resistance to theology; it's a time-stopper. Stevens's own tunes are unmistakably his, hushed vocals highlighting a unique mix of whimsy and yearning--much like the justly-lauded Illinois and Michigan. In the end of the liner essay, Stevens writes that the Christmas story is about love, and on that note, he proclaims that these songs and the "Creepy Christmas Feeling" prompt "a transformation of the heart" for him and bring out affection and reflection. Isn't that a great holiday vibe? --Andrew Bartlett
Customer Reviews
Simply fabulous!
The music on these discs is simply wonderful and fabulous. If you are not touched by Sufjan's rendition of O Come O Come Emmanuel, I don't know what will move you. But then, not everyone likes what I like, so I invite you to give Sufjan a try and see if you like him too.
Amazing
Great Christmas album or greatest Christmas album? His version of O Holy Night is the best Christmas song ever.
Boogie to the elf dance
For some years now, Sufjan Stevens has been recording little EPs of Christmas songs for people he knew, to "make himself appreciate Christmas more."
Now thankfully he's sharing these songs with his eager listeners, in a five-disc collection that includes his folky reinterpretations of classic carols -- and then the festive ones he made himself. This is not the treacly garbage they put on the radio or in malls -- this is enchanting, festive, fresh music for the holidays.
The first EP -- recorded in 2001 -- is very much old-school Sufjan. Much folkier and banjoey, especially in the lo-fi "O Come O Come Emmanuel," folksy little songs about going to the country, and "Amazing Grace." But there are exceptions -- a shimmering reinterpration of an old hymn, and some bouncy sleigh bell pop.
But the collection blossoms with the sparkling "Angels We Have Heard on High," which is the lead-in to his more polished style. In the four EPs that follow, Sufjan flourishes out into synthy pop, xylophone tunes, dancey holiday music, mellow folk, and exquisite piano balladry. There's the occasional banjo tune, but they grow rarer as time goes on.
And as the collection moves forward, Stevens' music becomes more accomplished with each passing year. His music becomes more complex and more enchanting, right up to the rather pensive and downbeat fifth disc -- which is album-length -- with the shimmering piano of "Winter Solstice" and the offbeat synthpop of "Jupiter Winter."
Sufjan does repeat himself occasionally -- there are multiple versions of "O Come O Come Emmanual," "Lo! A Rose E'er Blooming," and "Once in Royal David's City." Fortunately each time he records the same song, it's radically reimagined. And even songs that most people are heartily sick of -- like "Jingle Bells" -- lose that appalling shopping-mall feeling when Sufjan plays them.
As well as the traditionals and classics, Sufjan injects a lot of his own songs. He makes a festive mishmash of instrumentals -- Hammond, guitar, a little flute, banjo, and lots and lots of bells! Lyrically this is right up his street. He can switch effortlessly from "K-Mart is closed/So is the bakery" to singing about the little Lord Jesus laying down his head in a manger.
And Stevens isn't afraid to look at the side of Christmas that isn't filled with love, joy and goodwill ("Our father yells/Throwing gifts in the wood stove... Silent night/Nothing feels right"). But then, he also has whimsical pop tunes like "Come On! Let's Boogey to the Elf Dance!" which is suitably jolly for the holidays. Not to mention the sweetly romantic side as well ("I might kiss you on the back of your neck/Because it's Christmas time."
Sufjan Stevens is in excellent form with his collection of Christmas tunes. Old songs get a new spin, and new songs are absolutely enchanting in his psychfolky way. Now that it's Christmas time...
christmas plus suffie equals good fun
These cds will be a dream come true if you love christmas songs and sufjan. I just bought this 5 CD set and i love it to death. These CDs are wonderful because they sound like sufjan songs, but they're all christmasy, it's pure magnificence
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