Are you tired of the same old Christmas songs year after year after year?
Do you want to mix up the Christmas playlist a little bit?
Do you like Indie music?
Do you want me to come over and make a turkey sandwich?
If you answered “yes” to at least 3 of those questions, then you need to read on.

Because I pay attention to what is happening over at the Yellow Bird Project, I was made aware of this musical effort.  The album, For Folk’s Sake it’s Christmas, is a melodious endeavour to raise money for the Integrated Cancer Centre at King’s College London.  All profits from album sales will help fund cancer research and help provide quality cancer services to patients.
The amazing thing about this whole effort is the following — you pay what you want for the album.
That’s right.
You can pay the minimal amount which is ₤1 — which equals about $1.56 (but, come on).
Or, you can pay $1,000 or more.
Either way, whatever you choose to spend, you get this amazing and unique album.
The artists on the album donated their time and skills to make it possible.  You may have heard of some of them or none of them, but I can guarantee that this music will make you stop, listen and enjoy the holidays in a whole new way.
There are so many great tunes, both old and new, but few bits if ear candy that I truly savoured are the following: “I Saw Three Ships” by Wise Children, “I Am Christmas” by Laura Hocking, “In the Bleak Midwinter/Lonely This Christmas” by Sam Airey, and the very Leonard Cohen-esque “Another Messy Christmas” by Dan Michaelson.
So — listen and give.
Merry Christmas from me — enjoy For Folk’s Sake it’s Christmas and support a great cause and maybe change a life or two in the process.

There must be something in the water in Seattle, Washington.  Maybe there is something in the coffee.  Either way, the city has produced yet another band that never intended to fall into a resurgence of a Folk Movement.  The Cave Singers released their album Invitation Songs in 2007.This is a place where I needed to add space so I used white text.

This album is most certainly an invitation into a world of music that is earthy with lingering tones that are born out of those deep places we long to know.
Places where our fondest memories are stored.
Places where the scars of our past adorn the walls of our being.
My go-to song by The Cave Singers is Cold Eye. It is simple and profound.  It is also a great song to have play in the quiet morning as you are getting your head together, as you are making your coffee and as you are slowly waking up to new thoughts of the day.
Some other great tracks are Seeds of Night, Royal Lawns and Elephant Clouds.
I could not think of a better album to kick off No Shave November.  You better believe there will be some beard entries this month.