Christmas music off the beaten path…
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rooftop59
Posts: 7,998
I’m always looking for new holiday tunes, so perhaps we can share our more esoteric finds that we enjoy. I have a bunch, but here are two with great musicians, excellent SQ, and mostly original tunes:
1. Josh Rouse - folky, rootsy, with some nice upright bass and a light jazzy feel at times. A very relaxing album!
2. Over the Rhine: blood oranges in the snow. Their third Christmas album, I think it’s my favorite. Has that haunting, beautifully melancholic sound of OTR, perfect for the holidays!
1. Josh Rouse - folky, rootsy, with some nice upright bass and a light jazzy feel at times. A very relaxing album!
2. Over the Rhine: blood oranges in the snow. Their third Christmas album, I think it’s my favorite. Has that haunting, beautifully melancholic sound of OTR, perfect for the holidays!
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Comments
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Great idea for a thread. I’m sure many of us are tired of the SOS.
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Two more of my favs, more mixes of traditional and original tunes:
Mindy smith - folk/country artist that never really broke through:
Lauren Daigle - a Christian singer that sounds a lot like old school Adele
Living Room 2.2: Usher BE-718 "tiny dancers"; Dual DIY Dayton audio RSS210HF-4 Subs with Dayton SPA-250 amps; Arcam SA30; Musical Fidelity A308; Sony UBP-x1000es; Squeezebox Touch with Bolder Power Supply
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Most people just listen to music and watch movies. I EXPERIENCE them.
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I always enjoy Gary Hoey - ho ho Hoey is one of his Christmas albums- Not Tom ::::::: Any system can play Diana Krall. Only the best can play Limp Bizkit.
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People voluntarily listen to Christmas music?
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Yea, we still do.
My generation still has ties to a better time for dreams and hopes and family values reigned Supreme.
https://youtu.be/sPkLv8qspXg
280 million have listened to just this one Little Drummer Boy video so far. I'm hearing some distortion now. Maybe it's my sound card or PC system somewhere.
I like the original more though. It's one of my top 10.
https://youtu.be/qJ_MGWio-vc
I always loved the sound of this EL&P song explaining Keith Emerson's moment of the bursting of the dream of Santa Claus being the bringer of gifts and toys or whatever a child might wish for.
https://youtu.be/yfY4b1NszpY
Years ago...Getting a message from my wife that my Dad was seriously ill, I started heading home up from Georgia to get my wife here in Wilm. NC. and then head to Virginia to hopefully talk to him.
It was late and dark as I started the long trip home and as I drove knowing what was to be, I started to cry as it started to snow in Georgia and this song came on the radio. What a moment in my life I'll never forget. I'm tearing up now... It was right at Chrismas time since this song was played on that station that evening.
https://youtu.be/vjGbi5nz-8A
Most people just listen to music and watch movies. I EXPERIENCE them. -
Not new, but if one wants a break from freakin' Santy Claws is Comin' to Town, try something like this:
https://youtu.be/B93dS-uy2v4
or this:
https://youtu.be/LdKC_FTLMP0
or this:
https://youtu.be/lhm6kAfOVbc
or this:
https://youtu.be/_e0_0nhfBQo
or even... the Monkees.
Yes, those Monkees.
https://youtu.be/riG85oA6Wy4
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One of my favorites, Ammie Mann, 'One More Drifter In The Snow"
Her music is often a bit dark but this album gives a sense that she really has a thing for Christmas
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tG-BjRSwz-w Stan
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One of my favorites, Ammie Mann, 'One More Drifter In The Snow"
Her music is often a bit dark but this album gives a sense that she really has a thing for Christmashttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tG-BjRSwz-w
I like that one but most of my fam thinks it’s a little too depressing lol…Living Room 2.2: Usher BE-718 "tiny dancers"; Dual DIY Dayton audio RSS210HF-4 Subs with Dayton SPA-250 amps; Arcam SA30; Musical Fidelity A308; Sony UBP-x1000es; Squeezebox Touch with Bolder Power Supply
Game Room 5.1.4: Denon AVR-X4200w; Sony UBP-x700; Definitive Technology Power Monitor 900 mains, CLR-3000 center, StudioMonitor 350 surrounds, ProMonitor 800 atmos x4; Sub - Monoprice Monolith 15in THX Ultra
Bedroom 2.1Cambridge Azur 551r; Polk RT25i; ACI Titan Subwoofer -
I gotta a theory that when a performer does a Christmas LP
they have stopped growing artistically.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TeWGk32qX7s
Speakers: Polk Lsim, ATC SCM19 v2, NHT SuperzeroSpeaker Cables: DH Labs, Transparent, Wireworld, Canare, Monster: Beer budget, Bose ears -
I gotta a theory that when a performer does a Christmas LP
they have stopped growing artistically.
Haha maybe true with many folks, but Over the Rhine has 3, first one dating back to 97, and they have definitely grown artistically since then...and Lauren Daigle's came out before her breakthrough album...the theory appears to be breaking down!Living Room 2.2: Usher BE-718 "tiny dancers"; Dual DIY Dayton audio RSS210HF-4 Subs with Dayton SPA-250 amps; Arcam SA30; Musical Fidelity A308; Sony UBP-x1000es; Squeezebox Touch with Bolder Power Supply
Game Room 5.1.4: Denon AVR-X4200w; Sony UBP-x700; Definitive Technology Power Monitor 900 mains, CLR-3000 center, StudioMonitor 350 surrounds, ProMonitor 800 atmos x4; Sub - Monoprice Monolith 15in THX Ultra
Bedroom 2.1Cambridge Azur 551r; Polk RT25i; ACI Titan Subwoofer -
So.
How the fug did I live 'til 2022 without knowing of this album?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nqlmZbyl9Zw&list=OLAK5uy_mmhHKZQFH-brbv39CTNGkAJ3xFCM-yaAQ
Whoa.
Credit where credit's due:
https://hifihaven.org/index.php?threads/haven-2022-christmas-music-thread.9563/#post-212713
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@mhardy6647 I get why people like the Bruce Cockburn album, the musicianship and SQ are both excellent, but I just can't get past his voice and I don't love most of the songs...fwiw...Living Room 2.2: Usher BE-718 "tiny dancers"; Dual DIY Dayton audio RSS210HF-4 Subs with Dayton SPA-250 amps; Arcam SA30; Musical Fidelity A308; Sony UBP-x1000es; Squeezebox Touch with Bolder Power Supply
Game Room 5.1.4: Denon AVR-X4200w; Sony UBP-x700; Definitive Technology Power Monitor 900 mains, CLR-3000 center, StudioMonitor 350 surrounds, ProMonitor 800 atmos x4; Sub - Monoprice Monolith 15in THX Ultra
Bedroom 2.1Cambridge Azur 551r; Polk RT25i; ACI Titan Subwoofer -
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Good timing for this thread. Put up the tree last weekend and wife insisted on playing the SOS which drove me nuts. I'll be using some of these suggestions next time she wants to listen to Christmas/Holiday songs.Yep, my name really is Bob.
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Living Room 2.2: Usher BE-718 "tiny dancers"; Dual DIY Dayton audio RSS210HF-4 Subs with Dayton SPA-250 amps; Arcam SA30; Musical Fidelity A308; Sony UBP-x1000es; Squeezebox Touch with Bolder Power Supply
Game Room 5.1.4: Denon AVR-X4200w; Sony UBP-x700; Definitive Technology Power Monitor 900 mains, CLR-3000 center, StudioMonitor 350 surrounds, ProMonitor 800 atmos x4; Sub - Monoprice Monolith 15in THX Ultra
Bedroom 2.1Cambridge Azur 551r; Polk RT25i; ACI Titan Subwoofer -
Merry Axemass 1 and 2
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@mhardy6647 I get why people like the Bruce Cockburn album, the musicianship and SQ are both excellent, but I just can't get past his voice and I don't love most of the songs...fwiw...
No problem. Thass cool. He has a not-great voice, but he's a mortar-forker of a guitarist -- and I like the arrangements. -
A Midwinter Night's Dream, Loreena McKennitt
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@mhardy6647 I get why people like the Bruce Cockburn album, the musicianship and SQ are both excellent, but I just can't get past his voice and I don't love most of the songs...fwiw...
Sarah Jarosz rendition of the Bruce Cockburn's Go Tell it on the Mountain
https://youtu.be/arMdA25L9-Y
And for a little family funny for Christmas--I Want a Hippopotamus for Christmas
https://youtu.be/fziK7dCVAdk 2-channel: Modwright KWI-200 Integrated, Dynaudio C1-II Signatures
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erat interfectorem cesar et **** dictatorem dicere a -
@txcoastal1 now I am ALL about Sarah Jarosz. One of the best concerts I’ve ever been to…
This one is for @Clipdat
https://youtu.be/XyK7iXVhLEs Living Room 2.2: Usher BE-718 "tiny dancers"; Dual DIY Dayton audio RSS210HF-4 Subs with Dayton SPA-250 amps; Arcam SA30; Musical Fidelity A308; Sony UBP-x1000es; Squeezebox Touch with Bolder Power Supply
Game Room 5.1.4: Denon AVR-X4200w; Sony UBP-x700; Definitive Technology Power Monitor 900 mains, CLR-3000 center, StudioMonitor 350 surrounds, ProMonitor 800 atmos x4; Sub - Monoprice Monolith 15in THX Ultra
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She's great. She did a 3-woman 'supergroup' thing with the similarly great Sara Watkins and Aoife O'Donovan called I'm With Her.
https://www.imwithherband.com/
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https://youtu.be/-cUz-zAATNI
I don't know how to embed on this site. Small Town Titans, Mr Grinch, rock/blues -
2-channel: Modwright KWI-200 Integrated, Dynaudio C1-II Signatures
Desktop rig: LSi7, Polk 110sub, Dayens Ampino amp, W4S DAC/pre, Sonos, JRiver
Gear on standby: Melody 101 tube pre, Unison Research Simply Italy Integrated
Gone to new homes: (Matt Polk's)Threshold Stasis SA12e monoblocks, Pass XA30.5 amp, Usher MD2 speakers, Dynaudio C4 platinum speakers, Modwright LS100 (voltz), Simaudio 780D DAC
erat interfectorem cesar et **** dictatorem dicere a -
Merry Christmas. Similar themes, slightly different executions...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j9jbdgZidu8
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E8gmARGvPlI -
https://youtu.be/-cUz-zAATNI
I don't know how to embed on this site. Small Town Titans, Mr Grinch, rock/blues
Same way one does most everywhere else (except audioasylum, which uses embedded html).
Click 'share' under the video and copy the link.
paste the copied link...
The Vanilla forum s/w will take care of the rest.
Like this.
https://youtu.be/mZp5rkPpqlQ
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"if it's not fun, it's not worth it & remember folks, "It's All About The Music"!!
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all you need to know about this gem may be gleaned from its cover.
https://youtu.be/bEkS5CDxMaU
https://youtu.be/Rl0aHXrE-3s
https://youtu.be/FyHJh9aX0iQ
https://youtu.be/-cUz-zAATNI
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eLAJMsDjI40