Music roundup MEGA EDITION, part 2

I haven’t done a music roundup since, ahem, October.  This does not mean I haven’t been listening to new music each month.  I just haven’t been writing about it.  Today I present the second half of a list of the music on those playlists and brief notes on the albums.

December

In December I always load up my playlist with holiday music, because nobody tinsels a tree like me.  Emusic:

• Jonathan Coulton & John Roderick, One Christmas at a Time – A whole album of Christmas novelty songs, all originals.  I really like “2600,” all about the desire for a video game system (An experience I remember having three different times.)  I also love the title track, which suggests optimism even in the face of a terrible life. (“I couldn’t find Teddy Ruxpin anywhere this year, but I know they’ll still be popular next year, so when I find a stash, I’m going to buy ten.”)  Last, “Christmas in Jail” is heartbreaking and funny at the same time.
• MXPX, Punk Rawk Christmas – A rockin’ Christmas album of mostly new songs.  “You’re the One I Miss This Christmas” and “Christmas Night of the Living Dead” are both amusing, while “Christmas Only Comes Once a Year” works really well too.
• Paul and Storm – “Grandma’s Christmas Dinner,” “Christmas Eve Eve,” “The Way-Too-Early Christmas Song” are all great.  “Grandma’s Christmas Dinner”  should, by all rights, become a classic.  But it’s probably a bit too far over that line.  You know the one.
• Misc songs – I grabbed a few random songs from a variety of Christmas albums as well.  The highlights were “Santa Has a Mullet” by Nerf Herder and a cover of “Sleigh Ride” by fun.

I also got a few new christmas tunes via stores or downloads or whatever.

• She and Him, A Very She & Him Christmas – A solid showing of their kind of music.  I like “Blue Christmas” best, with a close second awarded to “Baby, It’s Cold Outside” in which Zoe Deschanel sings the traditionally male part and M. Ward sings the traditionally female part.
• Santastic & Santastic 2 – two original collections of Christmas mash-ups.  All are enjoyable, but I most recommend “Santa Benz.”  But really, all of these are great.

January

Back to conventional music. My emusic subscription yielded solid stuff:

• The Lumineers, eponymous – Another of the popular folky albums, but really very enjoyable.  “Flowers in Your Hair” is great, and I really like their single “Ho Hey.” I also really like “Stubborn Love” and “Submarines.”  Worth your time, if you like this kind of music.
• Squirrel Nut Zippers, selections from Hot, Perennial Favorites, and The Inevitable Squirrel Nut Zippers.  I filled in gaps in my SNZ collection with songs from different albums.  My favorite of the songs from this month was “Got My Own Thing Now.”
• Paul & Storm, “Better off Dead” is a pretty good song in the key/style/voice of Randy Newman. “Lame Monster Party” emulates the Bobby “Boris” Pickett songs like “Monster Mash.”  Good, but not as funny as “Werewolf Bah-Mitzvah.

I’m also working my way through a bunch of music from soundsupply releases and other places:

• All Get Out, The Season – Straightforward current alt-rock.  Decent, but not amazing for me.  “My Friends” is a pretty good song.
• Cut Teeth, Televandalism EP – Not really to my taste.  A bit more heavy than I usually like.
• Cover Lay Down, Mumford and Sons – A few covers by the band, and a few covers OF them.  I particularly like their cover of “Not In Nottingham.”
• Daytrotter best 100 tracks of 2013, selections – I particularly liked “Too Many Moons” by Owen, “Tonight’s the Kind of Night” by Noah and The Whale, and “Say Anything” by Say Anything.