Sufjan Stevens - O Come O Come Emmanuel

Thank you C-Money for the heads up on this little gem...


Sufjan Stevens seems like the kind of guy that wears a lot of wool.  He's a Winter Man.  A man of many ice storms.  And here he has presented us with a Fuzzy-Sweater rendition of "O Come O Come Emmanuel."  What do I mean?  It's well worn, it's an old item, but it's familiar and warm.  The song is about the anticipation of Jesus, which is why it should be sung with hope as opposed to joy.  'Rejoice' is sung without enthusiasm, it's sung wistfully.  The recorder brings the song back to its 15th century roots without making it too stuffy for the listener.  Sufjan nails it better than most.

Bella Ruse

Bella Ruse, a self-described minimalist folk duo, did work (as in "do work, son") putting together this 4 song EP to send out as a Christmas card/gift.  It was such a hit that they offered it up to us, the plebeians.  Recorded in their living room, this album hits all the right places with me.  It's soulful, elegant, and unobtrusive.  They didn't fudge with the original songs too much either.  Great versions of Christmas classics.  I might even buy their Stocking Stuffer Download cards for friends and family.