Vince Guaraldi - "Christmas Time Is Here (alternate vocal take)". Loo loo loo loo-loo. Loo loo loo, loo-loo. Loo loo loo, loo loo loo-loo, loo loo loo-loo loo loo. Loo loo-loo loo looooo. Loo loo-loo loo loooo. Loo loo-loo loo-loo loo-loo loo-loo loo-loo loo loo. Loo loo loo, loo-loo. Loo loo loo, loo-loo. Loo loo-loo loo loo loo loo loo loo loo-loo loo loooo.

The funny thing, of course, is that when Vince and his trio are playing, this is a language that I understand utterly.

[buy]

Da Bears - "Cage of Ribs". Da Bears take one riff, one hook, and use it to tremendous effect: first it's guitars-bass-drums, then it's backwards-singing, later it's piano and finally rattle-tat horns. It's not quite Broken Social Scene but it's something simple and juicy and a great deal of fun; it's an ice-breaker; it's a get-up-and-sing. Sometimes the alarm clock goes off and you leap clear out of bed, swizzle-twisting in the air, like a corkscrew of streamer that lands in socked feet on the floor. Sometimes you do it with headphones on, just walking down the street, listening to some San Diego indie rock band.

[buy]

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You have until 11:59 pm tonight to enter my Best Song of 2006 contest. Some great entries so far.

And as I said before, if you're a reader in Krakow, Iceland, Istanbul or Paris, please consider getting in touch - I'm coming to visit in January/February. (I'll be answering soon the ones who have already written!)

(deer photograph by Christine Zilka)