The Singing Saw at Christmastime explained

The Singing Saw at Christmastime
Type:Album
Artist:Julian Koster
Cover:koster_singing_saw_christmas.jpg
Alt:a vintage-style cartoon drawing of an anthropomorphic saw singing in front of abstracted Christmas trees
Released:October 7, 2008
Genre:Christmas, Lo-Fi, Experimental
Label:Merge Records
Prev Title:Music Tapes for Clouds and Tornadoes
Prev Year:2008
Next Title:Mary's Voice
Next Year:2012

The Singing Saw at Christmastime is an album released by Julian Koster on October 7, 2008 by Merge. It features covers of popular Christmas songs played by Julian Koster on the singing saw.[1]

Track listing

  1. "The First Noel" - 2:26
  2. "Frosty the Snowman" - 1:36
  3. "Silent Night" - 2:18
  4. "Santa Claus is Coming to Town" - 1:48
  5. "Jingle Bells" - 2:41
  6. "White Christmas" - 2:44
  7. "Silver Bells" - 3:17
  8. "Hark! The Herald Angels Sing" - 2:51
  9. "O Come All Ye Faithful" - 1:25
  10. "O Holy Night" - 4:16
  11. "O Little Town of Bethlehem" - 1:44
  12. "We Wish You a Merry Christmas" - 2:07

Reception

The album received mixed-to-positive reviews. Pitchfork gave it a 7 out of 10, describing it as “unsettling, bizarre, and, on occasion, exquisite.”[2] Spin’s 2-star (out of five) review compared the album to “your grandmother’s ghost visiting on Christmas Eve to serenade the family with wordless, impressionistic vapors that teeter between hauntingly gorgeous and slightly nauseating.”[3]

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Julian Koster Presents The Singing Saw At Christmastime - MP3 - Stereogum . stereogum.com . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20080806020103/http://stereogum.com/archives/mp3/juian-koster-presents-the-singing-saw-at-christmastime_011551.html . 2008-08-06.
  2. http://pitchfork.com/reviews/albums/12463-the-singing-saw-at-christmastime/ Pitchfork Media review
  3. http://www.spin.com/reviews/julian-koster-singing-saw-christmastime-merge