Maybe This Christmas - 192kb

Every holiday season produces at least one hip alternative rock Christmas CD. For 2002, it's Maybe This Christmas. Most of the 13 tracks here lean more toward the mellower portion of the alternative spectrum. The title track--a tender and poignant plea for peace and understanding by the wonderful Ron Sexsmith--basically sets the pace for things. Coldplay's Chris Martin proves he's no Sinatra on the band's fairly faithful, piano-driven "Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas," but there's still something endearing about his occasionally off-key but totally sincere delivery. Jack Johnson puts an apt--and quite amusing--spin on "Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer" (in which Rudolph takes the other reindeers to task for ridiculing him), and Phantom Planet do their best Everly Brothers crossed with Weezer thing and come off entirely likable on the ancient "Winter Wonderland." Most surprising, however, is Sense Field's cover of John Lennon's "Happy Christmas (War Is Over)." It's one of those songs that pretty much belongs to its creator, but the band's take on this classic is, in its own way, as enjoyable as John and Yoko's original.

01 - Winter Wonderland - Phantom Planet - Maybe This Christmas.mp3
02 - Maybe This Christmas - Ron Sexsmith - Maybe This Christmas.mp3
03 - Have Yourself a Merry Little C - Coldplay - Maybe This Christmas.mp3
04 - Greensleeves - Vanessa Carlton - Maybe This Christmas.mp3
05 - Blue Christmas - Bright Eyes - Maybe This Christmas.mp3
06 - Happy Christmas (War Is Over) - Sense Field - Maybe This Christmas.mp3
07 - 12.23.95 - Jimmy Eat World - Maybe This Christmas.mp3
08 - Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer - Jack Johnson - Maybe This Christmas.mp3
09 - God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen - Barenaked Ladies Feat. Sarah McLachlan - Maybe This Christmas.mp3
10 - Bizarre Christmas Incident - Ben Folds - Maybe This Christmas.mp3
11 - What a Year for a New Year - Dan Wilson - Maybe This Christmas.mp3
12 - Sweet Secret Place - Neil Finn - Maybe This Christmas.mp3
13 - Snow - Loreena McKennitt - Maybe This Christmas.mp3