Sufjan Stevens : Songs for Christmas and Silver & Gold
Repeat readers of my music appreciation ramblings may remember that I am a massive Sufjan Stevens
fan. I rate him as one of the most talented songwriters and artists of this generation. He has been
putting out consistently great music across many genres for two decades and shows no sign of slowing
down.
A truly underappreciated part of his impressive discography is his contribution to the holiday music
songbook. Sufjan has released not just one, but two massive box sets collecting numerous EPs of holiday
music. His 2006 collection Songs for Christmas is 42 tracks and his follow-up 2012 box set Silver and
Good adds another 58 tracks. Both collections are available on vinyl for the right price, although the
much more rare Silver and Gold box commands $300-400 on the secondary market. Luckily, all 100
tracks between the two collections are available on streaming services, although I would argue that
procuring the physical sets is a worthwhile investment and a prized addition to any record collection
(Yes, I own both sets as part of my personal library).
There are so many recommendable tracks among two collections that it is silly to even start listing them.
Both Songs for Christmas and Silver and Gold contain both unique Sufjan arrangements of traditional
holiday songs, as well as a solid number of worthy original compositions. I cannot recommend this highly
enough for your Christmas break background music.
Standout Tracks: Come Thou Fount of Every Blessing; Only At Christmas Time; Joy To The World; That
Was The Worst Christmas Ever!; O Come O Come Emmanuel; Silent Night; Let It Snow Let It Snow Let
It Snow; Christmas In The Room
Chilly Gonzales : A very chilly Christmas
Canadian pianist Chilly Gonzales has been a part of his country’s exciting indie music scene all the way
back to being a member of a supporting band to the Barenaked Ladies in the 90s. Gonzales has built up
a truly fascinating music career—producing and performing dance and rap music in Germany in the 00s
(of mixed quality, in my opinion), recording four acclaimed albums of solo piano music over the past two
decades, and collaborating with many high profile artists on their albums, including Feist and Daft Punk.
Perhaps his most fruitful partnership has been with Pulp frontman Jarvis Cocker. In 2017, the duo
released Room 29, one of my very favorite albums of that year. Just last year, Gonzales released an
awesome new addition to the Christmas music catalog called A very chilly Christmas. The album includes
several worthwhile solo piano renditions of both traditional and contemporary Christmas classics, but
the highlights are the original composition The Banister Bough featuring Feist and the heartbreaking
cover of David Berman’s Snow Falling in Manhattan featuring Jarvis Cocker and Feist.
Standout Tracks: Snow Is Falling In Manhattan; The Banister Bough; Silent Night; O Tannenbaum; In
the Bleak Midwinter; Good King Wenceslas
Harry Connick Jr : When My Heart Finds Christmas
This contemporary classic Christmas album has been a major part of the soundtrack of just about every
Christmas of mine since its release in 1993. The fun versions of Sleigh Ride and Let It Snow, Let It Snow,
Let It Snow are highlights, but most impressive are the four original compositions It Must Have Been Ol’
Santa Claus, I Pray On Christmas, The Blessed Dawn of Christmas Day, and the fantastic title track—all
excellent additions to the modern Christmas songbook.
Standout Tracks: Sleigh Ride; When My Heart Finds Christmas; It Must Have Been Ol’ Santa Claus; The
Blessed Dawn of Christmas Day;
The Muppet Christmas Carol : OST
My family’s favorite adaptation of Dicken’s The Christmas Carol also features a nearly perfect
soundtrack with an inspiring score and several first-class original compositions by longtime Muppets
songwriter Paul Williams. Only a pre-conversion Scrooge would be impervious to the charms of Kermit
singing One More Sleep ‘til Christmas.
Standout Tracks: One More Sleep ‘til Christmas; Finale-When Love Is Found/It Feels Like Christmas; It
Feels Like Christmas; Thankful Heart; Bless Us All
More Related Music You Should Also Check Out: David Bazan: Dark Sacred Night; She & Him: A Very
She & Him Christmas; Bright Eyes: A Christmas Album; John Denver and The Muppets: A Christmas
Together
To listen to the standout tracks from this week’s recommended albums, please check out the most
recently added songs in the spotify playlist found below:
