5 Christmas Songs That Don't Make My Brain Want to Explode

It's that time of the year again, where it gets colder, snow starts falling, and your favorite radio stations start playing the same 30 Christmas songs in endless rotation. Now, I love holiday music. I love what it represents as much as I love the music. But, hearing the same songs everyday from Thanksgiving to Christmas Day will drive any normal person insane. So, I've compiled a list of some covers and songs that you may not have heard in the past, and will hopefully put off your impending mental breakdown.

1. Kiss Kiss - The First Ever Global Warming Awareness Christmas EP

Exactly what the title says, this was an EP that was released quite a few Christmases ago. It pretty much disappeared since then, with no mentions of it anywhere. It's ridiculous, but with songs like "Corporate Wonderland" and "Frosty The Puddleman," what's not to love?

2. [title of show] - Holiday Story

Not technically a song, this was a track on Carols for a Cure 2006, and it's just such a silly, sweet story.

3. OK Go - Cover of Father Christmas

Originally by the Kinks, this is just a really great song covered by a really great band. They're similar, for sure, but I adore this version so much.

4. fun. - Believe in Me

If you've ever wanted to hear a song that sounds like the Beach Boys and Panic! at the Disco having a holiday party, this is that song. A little tongue-in-cheek and very sweet, it's actually an original song by the bamd.

5. Death Cab For Cutie - Cover of Christmas (Baby Please Come Home)

This song is covered by almost everyone. Anberlin, Death Cab, Mariah Carey, Leighton Meester, U2, and tons more. This cover just suits the mood of the song so perfectly.

So, there you have it, a few Christmas songs that don't cause me to wish for harm to fall on people near me. Happy holidays!

The 5 Music-Related Items I Will Save in a Fire

After my house almost burned down last summer, I was left with a car filled with various animals, clothes, and belongings, that apparently made up my most valued material posessions. I found it odd how many of these items related, in some way, to music. So, here for you today, are some of the first things I grab when I fear that my house is going to burn down.

1. My clarinet.

I have a music corner in my room, with guitars, a keyboard, a trumpet, a flute, ukuleles, recorders--basically a giant collection of instruments. But, when push came to shove, the only thing I grabbed from that corner was my antique silver clarinet. I have been playing the clarinet for a little over 9 years. I learned to play in the 5th grade on my silver clarinet, leading me to constantly be mistaken for a flautist. Woodwind drama aside, I treasure my clarinet more than any other instrument in my collection.

2.

I think this goes without mentioning. Of course I'm going to take my entire music collection with me.

3.

When told I had a minute to gather up important things, I ripped my autographed the Hush Sound tote bag off the wall and stuffed it with everything I could get my hands on. I never knew it was that important to me, but since the band broke up, it's become pretty special.



4.

Kiss Kiss is not my favorite band. They're maybe in my top 10, on a good day. Yet, for some reason, this was the only CD that I grabbed from my collection. I don't understand my thought processes, sometimes, but I do know that this is an amazing album.

5.

Ah, and finally - my Sony Discman, the first CD player I ever got, way back in elementary school. I have no idea what I intended to do with it, since I only grabbed one CD, but maybe it was more for nostalgia than anything else.

So, now you know what I save in fires. I'd like to think there's some deep, psychological meanings behind my selections, but I have a feeling it was more a case of, "Quick! Grab everything you can carry and run!" What a fun day.