"I've always wanted to make a Christmas record," explains Everything But The Girl singer Tracey Thorn, announcing the release of Tinsel and Lights (out October 30 via Merge Records), her loosely holiday themed new solo record. "Every year, when the Christmas albums start appearing in November, I get jealous and wish I had one coming out. Last year, I made a resolution to get recording in January to be ready for the following Christmas. And so that's just what I did. They're not all strictly Christmas songs, but if they mentioned winter or snow or even just being cold, that was good enough for me."
Um, yes. Thank you. If I hear one more alternative music icon cooing disinterestedly through "Silent Night" or "The Christmas Song" this year, I'm going to seriously hurl. Tinsel and Lights, meanwhile, will feature two Thorn originals (plus a bonus track version of EBTG's "25th December") and a wintry collection of covers from the likes of The White Stripes, Sufjan Stevens, Low, Joni Mitchell, Ron Sexsmith and more. Check out the tracklist below.
01. "Joy"
02. "Hard Candy Christmas" (Dolly Parton cover)
03. "Like A Snowman" (Stephin Merritt cover)
04. "Maybe This Christmas" (Ron Sexsmith cover)
05. "In The Cold, Cold Night (White Stipes cover)
06. "Snow" (Randy Newman cover)
07. "Snow In Sun" (Green Gartside cover)
08. "Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas"
09. "Tinsel And Lights"
10. "River" (Joni Mitchell cover)
11. "Taking Down The Tree" (Low cover)
12. "Sister Winter" (Sufjan Stevens cover)
13. "25th December" (Everything But The Girl)
Just thinking of Tracey's version of "In The Cold, Cold Night" has got me in the festive spirit. Yeah, screw you, August! Anyone else excited about Tinsel and Lights? Get the conversation started in our comments section below.
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[Pitchfork]
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