Last winter I started a project in which I explored a season through music. I made playlists for each season filled with the music that really put me a mood matching each time of year. I’ve now come full circle in my series and will once again offer to you the songs that help me get through the cold and dreary winter season.

My musical taste begins to reflect two drastic extremes as the days shorten and the temperature drops. On one hand I’m drawn to dark, foreboding, gigantic, often dissonant rock. On the other hand I find tremendous peace in softer, simpler sounds found in folk, ballads and anything involving a single instrument accompanying a bare human voice. With this compilation I tried to branch out from the bands I had on last year’s list but found that in a few cases it would be incomplete without a few familiar names. As with last winter, these assembled songs will help me trudge through frigid winter weather and help me relax in a (relatively) warm apartment as the elements rage outside.

1. Jaga Jazzist - Oslo Skyline

When I saw this Norwegian jazz/rock juggernaut live in 2004 they described this song as “What it feels like at the top of the world.” It’s grand, deep, epic and instantly calls to mind vast expanses of snow-covered tundra. Whether Oslo actually looks like that I have no idea, but until I find out otherwise this instrumental will be the perfect piece to kick off this winter list.

2. Menomena - Wet and Rusting

This Portland three-piece’s record is one of my favorites of the year. It’s expansive and elaborate with terrific texture and layering. This song is as sparse and cold as they get on their record; subdued, hushed and quietly powerful.

3. Q and Not U - So Many Animal Calls

Angular, jagged, sharp, dissonant, with an aggressive beat and a harsh vocal. It’s gritty and raw, a perfect match for bitter winds and absent sun.

4. At the Drive-In - One Armed Scissors

Take everything I said about the previous song and multiply it several times and the result might come close to describing that is the four and a half minutes of controlled chaos that is One Armed Scissors. It’s not pretty music. It brute force and raw emotion. And I love it.

5. Metric - Empty

Metric is known for dancy beats and a hot lead singer. Actually paying attention to the music will reveal very smart, occasionally very dark lyrics. Featuring riffs that beg to be danced to, the band instead provides feedback and a long, extended outro that builds, creates tension, promises relief, and abruptly, yet consciously, ends.

6. Minus the Bear - Memphis and 53rd

Delivering on the danceable beats promised by Metric, Minus the Bear weaves an oddly timed drumbeat and a somewhat ominous guitar in between more pleasing measures. It’s a song that intentionally leaves listeners off-balance, precariously teetering on the edge of comfort but never quite settling.

7. Sunny Day Real Estate - Seven

From instability to a steady ebb and flow of fuzz and discord. Seven plays no tricks like earlier songs on this list. The opening riffs reveal everything the song has to give, and yet over its nearly five minutes the frustration and release remain unmistakably immediate and undeniably compelling.

8. Sonic Youth - Silver Rocket

This band surely influenced most of the others on this list. Before dirty, clangy rock was cool Sonic Youth doing it, and doing it better than many that followed in their footsteps.

9. Les Savy Fav - Crawling Can Be Beautiful

Another song with a bass line and beat that begs for dancing… if only the guitars and vocal didn’t sound so menacing. If you ever hear this at a dance party I’d be very impressed; it’s hard to dance in Doc Marten boots with long, black bangs covering your eyes.

10. Jawbreaker - Condition Oakland

One of my favorite songs off of one of my favorite records by one of my favorite bands. Jawbreaker is the ultimate band for all seasons, but there’s something in this song that brings to mind the dreary, desolate streets of winter.

11. Pavement - Summer Babe (Winter Version)

With this track from the Kings of 90s Indie Rock the list shifts to slower pacing and easier melodies. It retains the despondent tones of earlier songs but replaces the bitterness and brash energy with an air of calm acceptance.

12. The Narrator - Chocolate Windchimes

The final song on one of my favorite albums of the year. It begins with stripped down guitars joining quiet, plaintive vocals and slowly grows more complex and energized ending with a note of restrained, almost hesitant, triumph.

13. The National - Green Gloves

One of the most outstanding tracks from the National’s excellent full length The Boxer. The deep vocal channeling Mark Lanegan is accompanied by a subtle, barely present guitar and sparingly dramatic percussion. The effect is breathtaking.

14. Bon Iver - Skinny Love

A single acoustic guitar is the backdrop to singing that is alternately a haunting falsetto and a mournful, yearning howl.

15. Mates of State - Nature and the Wreck

This husband and wife team is known for making some of the funnest, irrepressible music in the indie scene. This song, however, features a piano spinning a simple melody and Kori Gardner singing a bittersweet dedication almost as gorgeous as she is.

I know we haven’t said enough
but I know I’ve never loved this much.

16. The Pogues - Fairytale of New York

(Be sure to play the Pogues version.)
I think just once in my life I would love to have a Christmas like this.

What does your winter comfort music sound like?

For a Listen In response to this check out stolte-sawa’s re:Mix.

© Eric Atienza 2007 for Listen In. Some rights reserved.

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