narratives

i hate christmas music. hate it. it's the worst thing you could possibly do to someone i think. but there are exceptions. there are a few holiday albums i can handle and even enjoy. of course anything bing crosby recorded (mele kalikimaka is hawaii's way...) and i think most people would agree that sufjan steven's 4-disc work of holiday music is quality and an interesting take on many holiday stalwarts.

josh rosenthal's new ep, narratives is also an exception and represents an original christmas album. the album begins with a standard you'd expect (o come, o come emmanual) that would fit in any holiday mix, but then leaves the familiar, over-trod path of traditional "holiday" music and heads in its' own direction. narratives is marked by original tracks that establish josh's personal view on christmas. in his own words, he's not the biggest fan of christmas or christmas music either. tracks like "this changes everything" and "before i go" could be a part of any album really. they deal honestly with christmas themes, but i honestly don't catagorize them as "christmas songs."

my biggest reservation about the ep is the glaring absence of mele kalikmaka. i even checked on itunes for bonus tracks and it wasn't there. i did discover that narratives is selling on itunes for $4.95 though which was worth discovering. i've heard josh play a few of these in person and they play well live. we may not feel like it today, but very soon we'll all feel like cozying up to someone we love and playing some holiday music. when you do, this is an ep you'll be glad you have. of course bing won't be far behind. i'll keep looking for bonus tracks.

painstakingly beautiful

relevant magazine reviewed denison witmer's new cd, carry the weight in their new issue that came in the mail this week.

here's their review:

"with is meandering and myopic style, denison witmer is folksier, less orchestrated than sujan stevens - a one-time touring partner who played on his last release in 2005. a more bouyant witmer offers up confessional songs like "chesapeake watershed" - which references home life and insomnia - and the title track, where he admits he's "not ashamed to say i don't know anymore." "song of songs" breaks into full-on simon and garfunkel mode and gets a little humdrum, but this philadelphia songwriter can't help adding subtle grunge undertones (see "if you are the writer") that loosen and liven up his acoustic pattern-matching style.

on some songs, there's a painstakingly beautiful femaile vocal part - thanks to michigan singer/songwriter rosie thomas - that accomplishes the same goal as the grungy bits, but you never really get the impression that witmer wants to wake you from a nap. hed rather just keep you right on the edge of dreaming and being fully alive."

snag denison's new cd next wednesday at newsong underground (859 s 800 e) or in stores the following wednesday on the militia group.