[2012-10-30] Tracey Thorn - "Tinsel And Lights" (CD and Vinyl LP)

David Baker · 31 Oct 2006

(Thanks to Patrick for getting us the information quickly)

CD: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B008UFUOH6/?tag=imwan-20

LP: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B008UFUOSK/?tag=imwan-20

01 Joy [written by Tracey Thorn]
02 Hard Candy Christmas [Dolly Parton cover]
03 Like a Snowman [written by Stephin Merritt]
04 Maybe This Christmas [Ron Sexsmith cover]
05 In the Cold, Cold Night [White Stipes cover]
06 Snow [written by Randy Newman]
07 Snow in Sun [written by Green Gartside of Scritti Politti]
08 Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas
09 Tinsel and Lights [written by Tracey Thorn]
10 River [Joni Mitchell cover]
11 Taking Down the Tree [ft. Green Gartside] [Low cover]
12 Sister Winter [Sufjan Stevens cover]
13 25th December [Everything But the Girl] (U.S. LP bonus track)

[Original post]:

According to her latest postings, Tracey Thorn goes back into the studio this month to begin work on a collection of holiday covers and originals with a 'winter' theme set for release towards the end of this year.

pghmusiclover · **Joined:** 15 Jul 2007 **Posts:** 3060

Thanks for the information David! I don't want to wish the year away, but I will most definitely be looking forward to this!

David Baker · 31 Oct 2006

The latest email mention of this:
"Tracey is in the middle of recording a brand new 'alternative Christmas album' featuring cover versions and two new original tracks. Songwriters covered include Ron Sexsmith, Randy Newman, Jack White, Low and Joni Mitchell. The album will be out on Strange Feeling (Merge Records in North America) in late October."

pghmusiclover · **Joined:** 15 Jul 2007 **Posts:** 3060

I'm glad to hear they are making progress -- sounds like an intriguing song selection!

pghmusiclover · **Joined:** 15 Jul 2007 **Posts:** 3060

Updated information from Pitchfork, including title ("Tinsel And Lights"), release date [2012-10-30], and track listing below:

http://www.pitchfork.com/news/47355-eve ... mas-album/

Quote:

Everything But the Girl's Tracey Thorn Covers White Stripes, Sufjan, Low, More on Christmas Album
By Evan Minsker on August 2, 2012 at 08:06 a.m.

Former Everything But the Girl singer Tracey Thorn is following up 2010's Love and Its Opposite with her very own Christmas album. Tinsel and Lights is out October 30 via Merge in the U.S. and Strange Feeling in the UK. In addition to two original songs, it features covers of songs by the White Stripes, Sufjan Stevens, Randy Newman, Stephin Merritt, Dolly Parton, Joni Mitchell, Low, and others. (Not every song is a "Christmas" song in the strictest sense of the term.)

The album features contributions from Thorn's Everything But the Girl bandmate Ben Watt and Green Gartside of Scritti Politti. Here's Thorn's statement about the record:

“I've always wanted to make a Christmas record. Every year, when the Christmas albums start appearing in November, I get jealous and wish I had one coming out. Last year, I made a resolution to get recording in January to be ready for the following Christmas. And so that's just what I did. They're not all strictly Christmas songs, but if they mentioned winter or snow or even just being cold, that was good enough for me.”

Below, watch Thorn perform "Late in the Afternoon" from Love and Its Opposite.

Tinsel and Lights:
01 Joy [written by Tracey Thorn]
02 Hard Candy Christmas [Dolly Parton cover]
03 Like a Snowman [written by Stephin Merritt]
04 Maybe This Christmas [Ron Sexsmith cover]
05 In the Cold, Cold Night [White Stipes cover]
06 Snow [written by Randy Newman]
07 Snow in Sun [written by Green Gartside of Scritti Politti]
08 Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas
09 Tinsel and Lights [written by Tracey Thorn]
10 River [Joni Mitchell cover]
11 Taking Down the Tree [ft. Green Gartside] [Low cover]
12 Sister Winter [Sufjan Stevens cover]
13 25th December [Everything But the Girl] (U.S. LP bonus track)

Stackolee · 17 Oct 2007

Beat me by an hour, Patrick. Dang.

Hope you don't mind if I transfer the info to the lead post.

Stackolee · 17 Oct 2007

Purchase links added to lead post for CD and for vinyl LP.

RackleNut · **Joined:** 07 Nov 2006 **Posts:** 139

i will endeavor to be polite and refrain from profanity here.
the very idea that there will be a vinyl-only bonus track of a unique song is incredibly offensive.
it's offensive to me as a long-time fan, collector, and serious music appreciator.
i can only hope that this track is made available on a japanese or other issued version.
i bought the original LP's.
i bought the 12" singles.
i bought the import CD's.
i bought the compilations for the one-off rare tracks.
i bought the re-masters (which are NOT well done, i might add).
and of late, this is how i'm rewarded?
and i have NO issue with vinyl hounds - i still own plenty myself.
i want fairness and equity.
outside of fellow music enthusiasts here, i doubt this type of concern will echo any further.
thanks to anyone and everyone on imwan for sharing with me this great beauty and passion!

Stackolee · 17 Oct 2007

RackleNut wrote:

i will endeavor to be polite and refrain from profanity here.
the very idea that there will be a vinyl-only bonus track of a unique song is incredibly offensive.
it's offensive to me as a long-time fan, collector, and serious music appreciator.
i can only hope that this track is made available on a japanese or other issued version.
i bought the original LP's.
i bought the 12" singles.
i bought the import CD's.
i bought the compilations for the one-off rare tracks.
i bought the re-masters (which are NOT well done, i might add).
and of late, this is how i'm rewarded?
and i have NO issue with vinyl hounds - i still own plenty myself.
i want fairness and equity.
outside of fellow music enthusiasts here, i doubt this type of concern will echo any further.
thanks to anyone and everyone on imwan for sharing with me this great beauty and passion!

Easy there. The so-called "bonus track" is hardly "unique". It is the previously released "25th December" from Tracey's past duo Everything But The Girl. It has previously been included on the EBTG album "Amplified Heart" and at least 2 Christmas compilations that I can think of--"You Sleigh Me" and "25th December"--the second of which can be had new from private Amazon vendors for fifty cents (plus postage).

I'm far more offended, personally, when a band releases a Christmas album and then comes back the following year with the same album but now with 3 extra tracks. You know what I do then? I don't buy the friggin' second release with the 3 extra tracks. They got my money already and, yeah, because I was a true fan, I was essentially ripped off. But that's the game everybody's playing. And it's my choice (or yours) how willing you are to play along.

RackleNut · **Joined:** 07 Nov 2006 **Posts:** 139

hmmm...
i was under the distinct impression that this was to be a new rendition of: The 25th of Last December.
correct me if i'm wrong.
otherwise, i'm not so offended... in THIS particular case.
however, it's worth noting that previous Tracey Thorn solo releases have been exclusively vinyl in some cases.

Stackolee · 17 Oct 2007

After some additional digging, it appears you may be right (though, how stupid are the marketing people that it required any additional digging--it was never stated in the promotional materials). Sounds like the vinyl "bonus track" is a Tracey vocal as opposed to the original Ben vocal.

But I think the point is still the same. It's up to you whether you want to encourage that sort of behavior or not. I don't have to go too far back to find albums that had a different exclusive track for each location that carried them. I decided long ago I wasn't going to play that game, no matter how much I may like an artist. Magazines do the same thing with their "multiple cover" promotions. If you're a "gotta have it" completist, I honestly think that's on you. If people would stop falling for such promotional crap, the artists and labels would stop doing it. Frankly, I'm happy that, for once, it isn't the Japanese market getting the bonus track. They pretty much demand bonus material if you want access to their market and, were I an artist, I wouldn't play their reindeer games, either. You can scarcely find a bigger collector of Christmas music than myself and I can promise you my collection is not populated with Japanese editions with bonus tracks. The only Japanese albums I do own are the ones issued by Japanese artists in Japan and not released elsewhere.

RackleNut · **Joined:** 07 Nov 2006 **Posts:** 139

would somebody please let me know (post it here of email me) if they see or hear of this being released on CD with that bonus track anywhere in the world. thanks! i'll be sure to put you on my christmas card list.

pghmusiclover · **Joined:** 15 Jul 2007 **Posts:** 3060

Here's a picture of the lovely looking limited edition!

TSmithPage · **Joined:** 20 Sep 2006 **Posts:** 3013

RackleNut wrote:

would somebody please let me know (post it here of email me) if they see or hear of this being released on CD with that bonus track anywhere in the world. thanks! i'll be sure to put you on my christmas card list.

+1.

masg1313 · **Joined:** 27 Sep 2010 **Posts:** 15

TSmithPage wrote:

RackleNut wrote:

would somebody please let me know (post it here of email me) if they see or hear of this being released on CD with that bonus track anywhere in the world. thanks! i'll be sure to put you on my christmas card list.

+1.

Her version of 25th December will also be available through iTunes in the UK but not the US.

https://itunes.apple.com/gb/album/tinse ... d563386182

pghmusiclover · **Joined:** 15 Jul 2007 **Posts:** 3060

This is streaming on wync.org:

http://soundcheck.wnyc.org/blogs/soundc ... nd-lights/

[2012-10-30] Tracey Thorn - "Tinsel And Lights" (CD and Vinyl LP)

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