I will say that I tear up a little listening to Sufjan Stevens' 5-EP Christmas release, and not for the same reason I cry listening to Manheim Steamroller.
Our family Xmas album tradition centered around singing AND miming along with The Living Voices - The Little Drummer Boy.
http://hif-fi-holiday.blogspot.com/2006/12/little-drummer-boy-living-voices.html
You just haven't seen funny 'til you've seen two of my five sisters dance like a toy soldier and mime the high notes on Silver Bells!
@friend_of_a_friend:
Neil Diamond is the best though -- he's always so completely devoid of irony, you can't listen without wanting to give him a hug and a dreidel.
@friend_of_a_friend:
Neil Diamond is the best though -- he's always so completely devoid of irony, you can't listen without wanting to give him a hug and a dreidel.
This seems more like shameless profiteering than regrettable career move. Now, his Victoria's Secret ad, that's another matter. (Although, really, if you were 60+ and some guys said they were going to give you a shit-ton of money for standing around leering at nearly naked supermodels for a couple hours, who on earth could say no to that?)
Ah, the "regrettable stage" -- the #1 records, the sold-out world tours, and a critical consensus you've released 2 or 3 masterpieces in the last decade. But like the book says: "As great as you are, man, you'll never be greater than yourself."
As for Christmas thing, if it turns out to be for real, I'm hopeful. I'm a sucker for Christmas music, and there are precedents for top-drawer work in the genre from folks like Johnny Cash, Elvis, Belle & Sebastian, Low, John Denver & the Muppets -- I'm sure there are more I'm not thinking of...
"His career trajectory does seem about at that regrettable stage."
What stage might that be? A string of critically-lauded and well-selling albums? Sold out tours? General acclaim as one of the giants of post-war music in the Western world?
What's regrettable is that musicians feel able to record Noel ditties at any point in their career.
08/26/09
08/15/09
08/07/09
http://hif-fi-holiday.blogspot.com/2006/12/little-drummer-boy-living-voices.html
You just haven't seen funny 'til you've seen two of my five sisters dance like a toy soldier and mime the high notes on Silver Bells!
08/07/09
It's not Christmas without that playing on a loop in my house.
08/06/09
08/06/09
08/06/09
08/06/09
08/06/09
08/06/09
08/07/09
Neil Diamond is the best though -- he's always so completely devoid of irony, you can't listen without wanting to give him a hug and a dreidel.
08/07/09
Neil Diamond is the best though -- he's always so completely devoid of irony, you can't listen without wanting to give him a hug and a dreidel.
08/06/09
08/06/09
As for Christmas thing, if it turns out to be for real, I'm hopeful. I'm a sucker for Christmas music, and there are precedents for top-drawer work in the genre from folks like Johnny Cash, Elvis, Belle & Sebastian, Low, John Denver & the Muppets -- I'm sure there are more I'm not thinking of...
08/06/09
What stage might that be? A string of critically-lauded and well-selling albums? Sold out tours? General acclaim as one of the giants of post-war music in the Western world?
What's regrettable is that musicians feel able to record Noel ditties at any point in their career.
08/06/09
08/06/09
08/06/09
08/06/09
(or of Wizzard - [www.youtube.com])
08/06/09
08/06/09