Jason Lytle: Merry X-Mas 2009

December 11, 2009

One of the arguments the ladyfriend and I get in every year is over Christmas music. She prefers a mix of traditional (Sinatra) and modern (Mariah Carey) music, while I like non-traditional tunes (Where Will You Be On Christmas Day?) and new takes on the music of the season (Sufjan Stevens). We usually settle on A Charlie Brown Christmas, because Vince Guaraldi is just a boss dude.*

And now former Grandaddy frontman and current solo wizard Jason Lytle has given us a whole new batch of music to fight over. Earlier this week, Lytle released Merry X-Mas 2009, a collection of solo piano improvisations he recorded at home in his living room. While they aren’t necessarily Christmas songs, or even based on Christmas songs, they get the mood just right and make a good soundtrack for the season. It’s not hard to imagine “Bird Feeder Soap Opera Plot” playing in the background of a family gathering or “Wild Animals Slowly Approaching the Lovely Country Funeral” accompanying a drive through the lights of nearby neighborhoods. However, nothing about the album captures the spirit of Christmas as much as the fact that Lytle is giving it away for free right over here. I encourage all of you to zip over and download it now, if only so you can still enjoy the season without having to hear “O Holy Night” for the thousandth time.

MP3 Jason Lytle – Wild Animals Slowly Approaching the Lovely Country Funeral

*Side note: This year I’m trying to get her into A Christmas Gift for You from Phil Spector. Murder aside, that guy can make a record.

Posted by Matt in Other