rock and roll it

christmas mix: swim out past the breakers

Posted by brandnewkindof on

I’ve been making what I call a Christmas mix — that is, not holiday songs but a mix made at the holidays — since 1997; first they were tapes, then for a few years CDs, and finally, in the digital age, many years of downloadable zip files and since 2015 years have been Spotify playlists; this year is no exception. These are songs — frequently but not necessarily released in 2023 — that meant something to me this year, for various reasons, and they are for you. I haven’t made one of these in a while. It felt good to do this.

It’s here if you want to listen.

  1. American Aquarium – Chicamacomico: it’s been the kind of year that damn near broke us clean in two
  2. Wilswood Buoys feat. Frank Turner – A Place To Call My Own: take my hand / let’s walk away / let’s find another place to stay
  3. Carsie Blanton – My Good Friends: never gonna show the haters who i am or who i ain’t
  4. Great Lake Swimmers – Moonlight, Stay Above: moonlight, stay above / that I might find a way / don’t strand me / and leave me / alone
  5. Ha Ha Tonka – Tired and Stuck:
  6. Josh Ritter – For Your Soul: will you be righteous and strong / by saying when you are wrong / and put aside your own fear?
  7. HC McEntire – New View: bend me and break me / split me right in two / mend me and make me / i’ll take more of you
  8. Daya – Sit Still, Look Pretty: no, i don’t wanna sit still, look pretty
  9. Natalie Price & David Ramirez – What We Daydream Now: staying up too late / smiling as the fire dies down / and i can see your face / funny what we daydream now
  10. Dave Hause – Hazard Lights: i can’t turn you down, can’t be alone / so i’m sweating it out with the hazard lights on
  11. Superchunk – Everything Hurts: ah sometimes everything hurts / from your bones to your fur / but you kick and you jerk and smile through it
  12. Best Coast – Everything Has Changed: i used to drink / nothing but water and whiskey / now i think / those were the reasons why / i used to fall / deep down in a hole / i used to crawl / all the way back home
  13. The Gaslight Anthem – A Lifetime of Preludes: they don’t know where i was / they don’t know and they can’t say whether i should’ve given up
  14. Carsie Blanton – Down In The Streets: ain’t no peace to be found / in this company town / cause the house’ll keep winnin / ’til we burn the house down

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