Sufjan Preps Xmas Box Set
Elf/human pyramid attempt proves fatal for three North Pole-dwellers
Should you awaken this December 25 to find a suspicious bulge at the bottom of your stocking, don't fret just yet (unless you've been particularly naughty)-- it's probably just that Sufjan Stevens Songs for Christmas box set that Asthmatic Kitty is planning to drop on the unsuspecting, candy cane-munching masses come November 21.
First off: yes, these are the festive Sufjan tunes that were all over all those blogs. Most of them, anyhow. The creatively-titled five-disc set compiles newly mixed and mastered versions of four of Stevens' infamous Xmas EPs-- slapped together by Sufjan and his buddies over four of the last five Decembers and sent exclusively to friends-- as well as a new gaggle of seasonal selections recorded just this June.
Each of the five discs features Sufjan and pals' takes on a number of holiday favorites, including "Silent Night", "Jingle Bells", "The First Noel", and no fewer than three versions of "O Come O Come Emmanuel" (one with comma, two without-- but no "Adult Contemporary Easy Listening Version", alas).
Sufjan-philes will also be delighted to find a number of exclamation-ridden tunes penned by Suf-jeezy himself in the spirit of the season, such as (we are not making these up) "Hey Guys! It's Christmas Time!", "Come On! Let's Boogey to the Elf Dance!", "That Was the Worst Christmas Ever!", "Get Behind Me, Santa!" (sorry Sufjan, these kids beat you to it), and my personal favorite, "Did I Make You Cry on Christmas Day? (Well, You Deserved It!)". Cheeky!
Just in case 42 yuletide tunes aren't enough for ya, the fine folks at Asthmatic Kitty have packed this puppy to the brim with bonus bric-a-brac, including stickers, essays, short stories, songbooks, music videos, comic strips, and, according to the AK website, "an original Christmas Family Portrait painting of Santa Sufjan (with wife and kids!)"-- wait a minute! Sufjan's married? And he has kids?! We're not even going to touch that.
Sufjan also has a huge tour going down and he's writing for magazines.
So be good, boys and girls, and scope the tracklist after the jump.
Noel: Songs for Christmas, Vol. I (recorded December 2001)
01 Silent Night
02 O Come O Come Emmanuel
03 We're Goin' to the Country! *
04 Lo How a Rose E'er Blooming
05 It's Christmas! Let's Be Glad! *
06 Holy Holy, etc.
07 Amazing Grace
Hark!: Songs for Christmas, Vol. II (recorded December 2002)
01 Angels We Have Heard on High
02 Put the Lights on the Tree *
03 Come Thou Fount of Every Blessing
04 I Saw Three Ships
05 Only at Christmas Time *
06 Once in Royal David's City
07 Hark! The Herald Angels Sing!
08 What Child Is This Anyway?
09 Bring a Torch, Jeanette, Isabella
Ding! Dong!: Songs for Christmas, Vol. III (recorded December 2003)
01 O Come, O Come Emmanuel
02 Come On! Let's Boogey to the Elf Dance! *
03 We Three Kings
04 O Holy Night
05 That Was the Worst Christmas Ever! *
06 Ding! Dong! *
07 All the King's Horns *
08 The Friendly Beasts
Joy: Songs for Christmas, Vol. IV (recorded December 2005)
01 The Little Drummer Boy
02 Away in a Manger
03 Hey Guys! It's Christmas Time! *
04 The First Noel
05 Did I Make You Cry on Christmas Day? (Well, You Deserved It!) *
06 The Incarnation *
07 Joy to the World
Peace: Songs for Christmas, Vol. V (recorded June 2006)
01 Once in Royal David's City
02 Get Behind Me, Santa! *
03 Jingle Bells
04 Christmas in July *
05 Lo! How a Rose E'er Blooming
06 Jupiter Winter *
07 Sister Winter *
08 O Come O Come Emmanuel
09 Star of Wonder
10 Holy, Holy, Holy
11 The Winter Solstice *
* original Sufjan Stevens composition
First off: yes, these are the festive Sufjan tunes that were all over all those blogs. Most of them, anyhow. The creatively-titled five-disc set compiles newly mixed and mastered versions of four of Stevens' infamous Xmas EPs-- slapped together by Sufjan and his buddies over four of the last five Decembers and sent exclusively to friends-- as well as a new gaggle of seasonal selections recorded just this June.
Each of the five discs features Sufjan and pals' takes on a number of holiday favorites, including "Silent Night", "Jingle Bells", "The First Noel", and no fewer than three versions of "O Come O Come Emmanuel" (one with comma, two without-- but no "Adult Contemporary Easy Listening Version", alas).
Sufjan-philes will also be delighted to find a number of exclamation-ridden tunes penned by Suf-jeezy himself in the spirit of the season, such as (we are not making these up) "Hey Guys! It's Christmas Time!", "Come On! Let's Boogey to the Elf Dance!", "That Was the Worst Christmas Ever!", "Get Behind Me, Santa!" (sorry Sufjan, these kids beat you to it), and my personal favorite, "Did I Make You Cry on Christmas Day? (Well, You Deserved It!)". Cheeky!
Just in case 42 yuletide tunes aren't enough for ya, the fine folks at Asthmatic Kitty have packed this puppy to the brim with bonus bric-a-brac, including stickers, essays, short stories, songbooks, music videos, comic strips, and, according to the AK website, "an original Christmas Family Portrait painting of Santa Sufjan (with wife and kids!)"-- wait a minute! Sufjan's married? And he has kids?! We're not even going to touch that.
Sufjan also has a huge tour going down and he's writing for magazines.
So be good, boys and girls, and scope the tracklist after the jump.
Noel: Songs for Christmas, Vol. I (recorded December 2001)
01 Silent Night
02 O Come O Come Emmanuel
03 We're Goin' to the Country! *
04 Lo How a Rose E'er Blooming
05 It's Christmas! Let's Be Glad! *
06 Holy Holy, etc.
07 Amazing Grace
Hark!: Songs for Christmas, Vol. II (recorded December 2002)
01 Angels We Have Heard on High
02 Put the Lights on the Tree *
03 Come Thou Fount of Every Blessing
04 I Saw Three Ships
05 Only at Christmas Time *
06 Once in Royal David's City
07 Hark! The Herald Angels Sing!
08 What Child Is This Anyway?
09 Bring a Torch, Jeanette, Isabella
Ding! Dong!: Songs for Christmas, Vol. III (recorded December 2003)
01 O Come, O Come Emmanuel
02 Come On! Let's Boogey to the Elf Dance! *
03 We Three Kings
04 O Holy Night
05 That Was the Worst Christmas Ever! *
06 Ding! Dong! *
07 All the King's Horns *
08 The Friendly Beasts
Joy: Songs for Christmas, Vol. IV (recorded December 2005)
01 The Little Drummer Boy
02 Away in a Manger
03 Hey Guys! It's Christmas Time! *
04 The First Noel
05 Did I Make You Cry on Christmas Day? (Well, You Deserved It!) *
06 The Incarnation *
07 Joy to the World
Peace: Songs for Christmas, Vol. V (recorded June 2006)
01 Once in Royal David's City
02 Get Behind Me, Santa! *
03 Jingle Bells
04 Christmas in July *
05 Lo! How a Rose E'er Blooming
06 Jupiter Winter *
07 Sister Winter *
08 O Come O Come Emmanuel
09 Star of Wonder
10 Holy, Holy, Holy
11 The Winter Solstice *
* original Sufjan Stevens composition
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