Torture Season: Xmas Muzik

I was in Starbucks a few weeks ago (Early November) and couldn't believe that they were already pumping in christmas music! Jumping the gun a bit are they not? I wondered if anyone could tell me who actually enjoys hearing the same old christmas tunes year upon year in EVERY bar, restaurant, shop that they go to for a whole month!! TORTURE!! Are all businesses following their neighbours without thinking about the consequences?

I suppose the people who suffer the most is the staff. Music Psychologist Prof Adrian North was quoted in an article in the Scotsman as saying

"Shops would be better steering away from the Christmas pop tunes and opting for something a little calmer, like sleigh bells," he adds.

"It's festive and it's gentle. And who wants to listen to Merry Christmas by Slade over and over again?"

I agree, but i also think there needs to be a balance where places can use music to create a festive atmosphere but not play the same played out christmas pop tunes we've all heard a millions times before. So, i took a browse through Open Ear's music library and came up with a few 'wintery' suggestions -

1. Max Richter - From 553 W Elm Street. Logan Illinois (Snow)
2. Vashti Bunyan - Coldest Night of the Year
3. Blockhead - The First Snowfall
4. Fleet Foxes - White Winter Hymnal
5. Frightened Rabbit - It's Xmas so we'll stop
6. Roots Manuva - Too Cold
7. Peter Broderick - A Snowflake
8. Casiotone for the painfully alone - Cold White Christmas
9. Mogwai - Christmas Song
10. Readymade FC feat Feist - Snow Lion

come on, be inventive! Anyone else got some selections? please post some up!

Ten Tracks for a pound

In the sea of new business models that attempt to find the best way in which music can be sold to consumers so that the everyone involves benefits, Ten Tracks is making a mark. Already featured in the Guardian in only it's second month, Ten tracks allows users to download ten tracks for only a pound. You have to buy the bundle, meaning you get exposed to new music and all the artists benefit by receiving 50% of the sales.. We think it's great and were flattered when Ten Tracks asked us to curate November's selection.
We went down the electronic mutant-disco route, with tracks from Neil Landstrumm (Planet Mu), Ali Renault (Heartbreak) and Alex Smoke (with a Various Production remix).

Check it and the other selections out at Ten Tracks and please download at least one selection - at 10p a track, what have you got to lose?!