Sara Bareilles and Ingrid Michaelson light up the season with their "Winter Song"

In the fall when I saw a lot of these women perform together as part of the Hotel Cafe Tour, I thought it was a shame that their energy couldn't be captured in some way...and, then--voila!--the Hotel Cafe releases this album. 

Overall, I really like the album. I adore Alice Smith's version of "Silver Bells" and Catherine Feeny's take on "Christmas Song."  I'd forgotten how much I loved Brandi Carlile's "The Heartache Can Wait" and how Fiona Apple does a cover better than any singer I've ever heard. 

My misgivings about the album are twofold: first, Katy Perry's inclusion (not just because she's Katy Perry, but because her song is actually bad) and second, that the album, even with the subversive title, Winter Songs, is so overtly a Christmas album.

I love the Ingrid Michaelson and Sara Bareilles track because it really interprets the holidays in a universal way, which, I think, in terms of crafting "new holiday songs" is becoming the way to go. Last year, William Fitzsimmons released a song in a similar vein called "Covered in Snow," which is probably my favorite holiday song.

---

"The problem of power is how to achieve its responsible use rather than its irresponsible and indulgent use — of how to get men of power to live for the public rather than off the public." -- Robert F. Kennedy

Could this video BE any cuter? It makes me all fuzzy. :)

*goes to download album... sans Katy Perry's hangover track.*

l'amour trouvera en chemin.

I love that album, it is most definitely my new favorite "winter holiday" album. I actually found out about the cd because of my uber love for SaraB and I'm in love with her and Ingrid's duet. It's beautiful.

But yea, once I found out who else was on the cd I absolutely needed it. KT Tunstall, one of my lovers and Brandi Carlile and Fiona Apple and my new love Catherine Feeny. Catherine sings "Christmas Song" (Chesnuts Roasting...) and it's amazing.

And yeaaa, Katy Perry's "White Christmas" cover is kind of really horrible. The key she was singing in was too low and it's live, not doctored at all. That was a poor decision.

___//♫♪ let your girlfriend do what your boyfriend can't

I just do with all my musical heart, I`ve heard the song, but not the entire album, I will, and as good as it may be it would have been better if the ditty bops, any di franco, missy higgns and rosie thomas were in it.....I`m just saying, that would be the PERFECT albumn. 

Take a sad song and make it better

Awww, that was such cuteness.

I have been raving about this song and album for well over a month now...I cannot get enough of it!!

Winter Song..hit a little to close to home for me this year...but I can't stop listening to it. 

________________________________________

Voogle A Voogle Plea

sweet!

Love is innate. So is stupidity.

Hotel Café Presents.. is on day and night in my house, in the car, on my laptop and on my mobile! Winter Song is the song most played and second is BRANDI CARLILE's The Heartache Can Wait. I heard Winter Song the first time on Jay Leno and fell in love! Had to get the album when both it and Brandi was on it.

And aww! The video! Totally cute. Don't like the spring in the end though.

Katy Perry is probably included because she was a regular performer at Hotel Cafe, a fabulous music venue in LA.

All of these artists, except for maybe Fiona Apple, played regularly at Hotel Cafe. Actually, I'm not sure about Brandi Carlile. I actually used to take my kids there before it turned into a strictly 21 and over place. A lot of up and comers have played there-- Missy Higgins has typically played at least 4 shows (two over one night) when she has a US show

Okay, we get it.  We really do get it:  you and most of the AfterEllen bloggers despise Katy Perry.  Could you all just give it a rest already?  It's getting old and tired and incredibly annoying.  Some of us are actually more sick to death of the Katy Perry bashing than you are of her songs.

For what it's worth, and yes I know I'm a fan and my opinion will be immediately dismissed, but Katy Perry's version of White Christmas is amazing. 

Firstly, she has a contralto voice.  Contralto.  She sings deep and throaty and sexy hot.  It's a purr.  That's what her voice is.  Read up on it.  I'll say it again really slow, just so you don't miss it:  con-tral-to. 

Secondly, her version of White Christmas is about as old school, smoky, lazy diction female jazz as you can get.  It's a style that some of us really appreciate.

While I wouldn't put Katy Perry in the same class as any of these women (yet), go listen to some Billie Holiday or Nina Simone or Carmen McRae or Ella Fitzgerald or Betty Carter or, hell, even Janis Joplin.  Want something contemporary? Listen to Amy Winehouse or if she's too potentially drug affected for you, listen to Scarlett Johannson do Summertime.  Smoky jazz.  I'll say it again too: smo-ky jazz.  It's a style.  If you don't get it, fine. If you don't like it, fine.  But why single Katy Perry out for criticism on this album?  Is it because you don't like her version of the song or is it just that you don't like her no matter what the hell she does? 

Please also explain to me why she is "unwelcome" on this album??  She's on it because she's performed at Hotel Cafe. Why is she unwelcome?

If you are all so contemptuous of Katy Perry, why even mention her on this website at all?  Why not make this a Katy Perry free zone?  That way you don't give her any more publicity than she already has and you don't offend those of us who do like her - or is it that she is good press for AfterEllen too?

Oh, I give up.  I'm so over it.  I'm going to listen to Katy.  Hopefully while I'm doing that some of you will grow up a bit.   

why cant i find it on hype machine?!??

----------
http://rightmindleftcoast.wordpress.com

Love this song! But, hey, I love sad songs =)

Of course, there are only a few that I would put on my iPod (specifically this one and Fiona Apple, love that woman), and also meiko (maybe just because she sounds like Jem).

Katy Perry's sounds bad because she is live. I'm not defending her and I'm not a fan, but I do think she can compete singing-wise with some of the other ladies on the album. It's not so much the fault of Katy, but the studio who made the CD.

Oh, one last thing. Did I mention I love Fiona Apple?

Aw, this has been my favorite for a while now :) They are the cutest together.

My friend and I recently covered this song for our school's winter-themed Coffe House, and it was super sweet.

I really loved this song.  The animation style reminded me a little  of the Moomins T.V series from the early eighties if anyone can remember that.

I just  found that Sarah has a theme posted for iGoogle which can be found at

http://www.google.co.uk/help/ig/art/artists/bareilles.html

i love both these ladies' music and this song does not disappoint.

 it's luscious and wintry! what a perfect space to run inside of during the holiday mania for a few minutes of bliss.

i'm not sure if anyone above posted this, but here's a little studio sesh footage of them working on the song:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UU-x9fZRQT4

I haven't watched the video but these illustrations caught my eye. They are adorable. I guess I'll be stocking up for next years christmas music :)

"B* I don't know your life!"