Free Atmosphere Album!!!

While I haven't listened to the record yet, even a bad Atmoshphere album is still a god hip hop album, so download "Strictly Leakage" for free and thank me later!

P.S. The Tunnel has been very busy with his "real" job lately and apologizes for the skimpy posts, but hopes to be back into the swing of things come the new year... even if his "staff" doesn't write a damn thing!

A Christmas Gift For You: A Very Hipster Christmas, Too!

Our first "A Very Hipster Christmas" was so popular we thought we'd add some of our other favorite hipster holiday tunes in a little something we call "The Ultimate Hipster Christmas B-Sides!"

Bird and the Bee – “Carol of the Bells”
Flaming Lips – “A Change at Christmas”
Mogwai – “Christmas Song””
Belle and Sebastian - “O Come O Come Emmanuel”
Clem Snide – “Joy To The World”
Yo La Tengo – “It’s Christmas Time”
Feist – “Lo, Ho a Rose E’re Blooming”
Galaxie 500 – “Listen, the Snow is Falling”

A Christmas Gift For You: A Very Hipster Christmas

We here at Chinese Ending have worked long and hard to create The Ultimate Hipster Christmas Album. Below is a list of The Chimp’s favorite indie Christmas rock/pop/folk/whatever songs in a carefully selected playlist order. Play these tunes and try in vain to impress your “too-cool-for-Christmas” friends!



Vashti Bunyan – “Winter is Blue”
Sufjan Stevens – “I Saw Three Ships”
Eisley – “The Winter Song”
Kate Bush – “December Will Be Magic Again”
The Raveonettes – “The Christmas Song”
The Smashing Pumpkins – “Christmastime”
Jimmy Eat World – “12.23.95”
The Cocteau Twins – “Winter Wonderland”
Rufus Wainwright – “Spotlight on Christmas”
Tom Waits – “Christmas Card From a Hooker in Minneapolis”
Badly Drawn Boy – “Donna and Blitzen”
Jack White – “Christmas Time Will Soon Be Over”
My Morning Jacket – “Christmastime is Here Again”
Death Cab For Cutie – “Christmas (Baby Please Come Home)”

A Christmas Gift For You: Classic Rock

Well, basically these are just the usual suspects, but they have their charms.

The Band – “Christmas Must Be Tonight”
Few rockers want to actually sing about Jesus. The Band did and made it sound honest and beautiful… never cheesy.

The Pretenders – “2000 Miles”
Another Christmas rock song rarity… it's actually pretty good.

Bruce Springsteen – “Santa Claus is Comin’ To Town”
I affectionately dub this “The ‘Freebird’ of Christmas Rock.” It’s ALWAYS on the radio, but the thing is, I always enjoy it.

Queen – “Thank God It’s Christmas”
The zenith of cheesy Christmastime rock.

John Lennon – “Happy Xmas (War is Over)” Little known fact: Lennon was actually singing about The War of 1812. He was a very confused man.

Tomorrow: "A Very Hipster Christmas!"

A Christmas Gift For You: Jazz

In the spirit of the holidays, we here at Chinese Ending will be bringing you lists of our favorite Christmas tunes beginning with The Tunnel’s favorite jazzy Christmas tracks. Enjoy!


Vince Guaraldi - Charlie Brown Christmas (1965)

Let’s all just address the elephant in the room: Guaraldi’s album rightly deserves every bit of the attention it gets. So very few artists could or can fulfill the task of creating new memorable Christmas music. Guaraldi made an entire album of new Christmas songs (and retooled old ones) that weren’t just memorable, they are unforgettable.

Case in Point: “Skating”



Duke Ellington – 3 Suites, Nutcracker Suite (1960)

Sir Duke makes Tchaikovsky’s Nutcracker swing! This is a brilliant work by a brilliant arranger.

My personal favorite track: “Sugar Rum Cherry (Dance of the Sugar-Plum Fairy)”

Listen: “Toot Toot Tootie Toot (Dance of the Reed-Pipes)”



Chet Baker – Chet Baker Quartet & Russ Freeman “Winter Wonderland (78 Take)” (1953)

How could a man who sang so slow play trumpet so fast? This amazing rendition of Winter Wonderland takes off from the get-go and never even thinks about landing. Delightful. Buy it!





Sarah Vaughan – “Favorite Things” (1962)

Allmusic.com foolishly calls this song “lightweight.” They are dead wrong. It is bare bones… in the best way. It is simple, but achingly beautiful. No one could sing like Sarah. No one. Buy it!







Jimmy Smith – “Jingle Bells” (1964)

The album “Christmas Cookin’” that this track comes from is ok, but in this case, too much of Jimmy’s organ is too much of a good thing. However, pop this track into a Christmas mix and it’ll add just the right dash of holiday cool. Buy it!

Levon Helm: Grammy Nominee

Congratulations to my hero Levon on his Grammy nomination for Best Traditional Folk Album. Here's to him winning!

"Poor Old Dirt Farmer"

BUY HIS ALBUM!

My Favorite B-Side/Demo of the Year

The National - "Santa Clara"



As good as anything on Boxer. Just beautiful.

My Favorite Unreleased Track of the Year

Buck 65/Bike For Three - "All There Is To Say About Love"



Hopefully to be released on Bike For Three's first album due (likely) in 2008.

It's also one of the most odd and delightful performances I've seen in a while.