Last year we had the
very cool Zooey Deschanel and M. Ward grace us with their pretty Christmas album
A Very She & Him Christmas and we’re again angling for the pick of
the indie Christmas crop with Michigan born Sufjan Stevens’ Silver and Gold.
An unusual fellow,
Stevens dedicates time to making Christmas music like no other. Since producing
Songs for Christmas in 2006 - a lengthy two-hour album – Stevens hasn’t produced anything for his
beloved season for six years until the release of Silver and Gold last month.
Pangs of banjo, pings
of drunken guitars and angelic peeps from the Oboe plus the multitude of
instruments Stevens also plays, there is hope that your Christmas can be
enjoyed without an overload of trashy Christmas cheer – of which we cannot
escape from the radio, TV and shops playing (sometimes you just need a break!).
On this 58-track
extravaganza, Stevens compiles songs of religious fantasy, life history and
Christmas fantasy. Prepare to be introduced to a fairytale land of snow,
psychedelic lights, Unicorns, Santa, the characters of the Bible narrative and Mr
Frosty Man.
To hear Steven’s magical
Christmas album and experience what it’s like to listen to music feeling as
though you’re on a carousel at the fairground after having one too many mulled
wines click here – apt for Christmas day!
We love this
vintage-esque video for Sufjan Stevens’ Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas. (Which includes a few snippets from some of our fave festive films!)
You can buy the Silver and Gold via Asthmatic Kitty Records, Amazon or iTunes.
By Melodie Walter