Sufjan Stevens - Songs For Christmas

Noel: Songs for Christmas, Vol. I
Recorded December 2001

1. "Silent Night" – 0:47 (instrumental)
2. "O come, O come, Emmanuel" – 3:59
3. "We're Goin' to the Country!" – 2:19 *
4. "Lo How a Rose E'er Blooming" – 3:25
5. "It's Christmas! Let's Be Glad!" – 1:58 *
6. "Holy Holy, etc." – 0:39 (instrumental)
7. "Amazing Grace" – 4:00

Hark!: Songs for Christmas, Vol. II
Recorded December 2002

1. "Angels We Have Heard on High" – 0:47 (instrumental)
2. "Put the Lights on the Tree" – 1:50 *
3. "Come Thou Fount of Every Blessing" – 4:45
4. "I Saw Three Ships" – 2:36
5. "Only at Christmas Time" – 2:18 *
6. "Once in David's Royal City" – 3:45
7. "Hark! The Herald Angels Sing!" – 0:49 (instrumental)
8. "What Child Is This Anyway?" – 6:51
9. "Bring a Torch, Jeanette, Isabella" – 1:32

Ding! Dong!: Songs for Christmas, Vol. III
Recorded December 2003

1. "O Come, O Come, Emmanuel" – 1:03 (instrumental)
2. "Come On! Let's Boogey to the Elf Dance!" – 3:50 *
3. "We Three Kings" – 3:05
4. "O Holy Night" – 3:34
5. "That Was the Worst Christmas Ever!" – 2:52 *
6. "All the King's Horns" – 2:59 *
7. "Ding! Dong!" – 0:56 (instrumental) *
8. "The Friendly Beasts" – 3:41

Joy: Songs for Christmas - Vol. IV
Recorded December 2005

1. "The Little Drummer Boy" – 3:44
2. "Away in a Manger" – 2:54
3. "Hey Guys! It's Christmas Time!" – 4:41 *
4. "The First Noel" – 0:53 (instrumental)
5. "Did I Make You Cry on Christmas Day? (Well, You Deserved It!)" – 3:22 *
6. "The Incarnation" – 2:23 *
7. "Joy to the World" – 4:21

Peace: Songs for Christmas, Vol. V
Recorded June 2006

1. "Once in Royal David's City" – 2:01
2. "Get Behind Me, Santa!" – 3:49 *
3. "Jingle Bells – 0:36" (instrumental)
4. "Christmas in July" – 3:17 *
5. "Lo! How a Rose E'er Blooming" – 1:46 (instrumental)
6. "Jupiter Winter" – 3:51 *
7. "Sister Winter" – 5:05 *
8. "O come, O come, Emmanuel" – 1:06 (instrumental)
9. "Star of Wonder" – 7:08 *
10. "Holy, Holy, Holy" – 3:50
11. "The Winter Solstice" – 3:23 *

* denotes original songs by Sufjan Stevens © 2006 New Jerusalem Music/ASCAP

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Around Christmas time, you only need one (or 5) Christmas album. This is the one. Everything on here is beautiful. Merry Christmas!

Minus the Bear - 2002 - Highly Refined Pirates

1. Thanks for the Killer Game of Crisco® Twister
2. Monkey!!! Knife!!! Fight!!!
3. Absinthe Party at the Fly Honey Warehouse
4. Hey, Wanna Throw Up? Get Me Naked
5. Get Me Naked 2: Electric Boogaloo
6. We Are Not a Football Team
7. You Kill Bugs Good, Man
8. Spritz!!! Spritz!!!
9. Women We Haven't Met Yet
10. Damn Bugs Whacked Him, Johnny
11. I Lost All My Money at the Cock Fights
12. Andy Wolff
13. Let's Play Guitar in a Five Guitar Band
14. Booyah Achieved

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I first heard of Minus the Bear sometime around the summer of 05. It was the song Pachuca Sunrise, which has become one of their signature songs. Now this band has crazy time signatures, synths/beyboards and awesome lyrics. Their fist album "Highly Refined Pirates" stars out with the lyrics "Then We All Bought Yatchs". Perfect way to start the album. There are a lot of good time/fun/party songs on this album. And most of all, don't let the song titles keep you away. ;)

Built To Spill - 1994 - There Is Nothing Wrong With Love

1. In the Morning"
2. Reasons"
3. Big Dipper
4. Car
5. Fling
6. Cleo
7. The Source
8. Twin Falls
9. Some
10. Distopian Dream Girl
11. Israel's Song
12. Stab
13. Midnight Star (hidden track)

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I found Built To Spill through a Modest Mouse message board. They were giving band recommendations if you liked Modest Mouse. So maybe at this point in time you like Modest Mouse and now I'm recommending Built To Spill.

Modest Mouse - 2004 - The Moon And Antarctica

1. 3rd Planet
2. Gravity Rides Everything
3. Dark Center of the Universe
4. Perfect Disguise
5. Tiny Cities Made of Ashes
6. A Different City
7. The Cold Part
8. Alone Down There
9. The Stars Are Projectors
10. Wild Packs of Family Dogs
11. Paper Thin Walls
12. I Came As a Rat
13. Lives
14. Life Like Weeds
15. What People Are Made Of

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This is praised, by some, to be Modest Mouse's great work today. I'll let you decide again.

Modest Mouse - 1997 - The Lonesome Crowded West

1. Teeth Like God's Shoeshine
2. Heart Cooks Brain
3. Convenient Parking
4. Lounge (Closing Time)
5. Jesus Christ Was an Only Child
6. Doin' the Cockroach
7. Cowboy Dan
8. Trailer Trash
9. Out of Gas
10. Long Distance Drunk
11. Shit Luck
12. Truckers Atlas
13. Polar Opposites
14. Bankrupt on Selling
15. Styrofoam Boots/It's All Nice on Ice, Alright

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I'll cut the BS on this one and just let you listen. You tell me what you think.

Modest Mouse - 1996 - This Is A Long Drive For Someone With Nothing To Think About

1. Dramamine
2. Breakthrough
3. Custom Concern
4. Might
5. Lounge
6. Beach Side Property
7. She Ionizes & Atomizes
8. Head South
9. Dog Paddle
10. Novacain Stain
11. Tundra/Desert
12. Ohio
13. Exit Does Not Exist
14. Talking Shit About a Pretty Sunset
15. Make Everyone Happy/Mechanical Birds
16. Space Travel is Boring

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I'm going to start off this little "Indie" update with my favorite band. We all know we listen to Texas Country on this blog, but I'm sure everyone here listens to different genres. May that be country, rap, hip-hop or jazz. With that in mind, I'm going to upload some albums which I recommend you checking out.

Modest Mouse. I first heard of them back in 2004. The song was "Float On" off their 4th studio album "Good News For People Who Love Bad News" The music video was playing on MTV and I was hooked instantly. "Float On" is a very catchy song. Reviews came out stating that "Good News" Was to pop and wasn't the style of MM, but I came to realize that every bands style and sound can't stay the same. I finally was able to pick up a couple of "Good News" and the 2004 re-issue of The Moon And Antarctica on Black Friday 2004.

I'll start off with "This Is A Long Drive For Someone With Nothing To Think About" This is Modest Mouse's first studio release. It took me a little while to get the full couple of this album. I was still stuck on their new releases but I heard this album I was amazed. The songs on this album are on both ends of the spectrum with some in between. It will take a while to get used to Isaac Brocks vocals and quite possibly his lyrics. I'm not the best at writing reviews, but give this album a listen and let me know how you feel about it. The songs that stick out the most to be on the album are "Dramamine" "Breakthrough" "Custom Concern" 'Head South" "Tundra/Desert" "Talking Shit About A Pretty Sunset" "Make Everyone Happy/Mechanical Birds"

Now after you listen to this album, I would like some of you to review and write about in the comments, because I really like to hear what others have to say about this band.