#42 - Christmas, Holidays and Music

In this special Christmas episode of the Casey Stratton Podcast I perform many holiday songs. The first is O Holy Night, followed by What Is This Lovely Fragrance?, Un Flambeau, Jeanette, Isabelle, Joy to the World and It Came Upon The Midnight Clear. To close out I play a recording of me singing Jolly Old St. Nicholas in 1981 at the age of 5. Music recommendation is Tori Amos' Midwinter Graces.


Tori gets her own chance to reimagine classics like "What Child, Nowell" and "Star of Wonder." Tori will also add her own bittersweet bliss to the season with original tracks like "Pink and Glitter" and "Our New Year."

• Buy my holiday music in the DIGITAL MUSIC STORE
• Buy Tori Amos' Midwinter Graces on iTunes
• Buy Tori Amos' Midwinter Graces on Amazon
• email me a question at podcasts@caseystratton.com

Listen to Podcast #42

#41 - Shows, Snows and The Holy Ghost

In this episode of the Casey Stratton Podcast I discuss current events, take some of your questions and then talk about why I'm OK singing Christian songs on my holiday albums even though I am an agnostic. I go on to perform two requested songs: What If? from Memories and Photographs and a cover of Wild Horses by The Rolling Stones. Music recommendation this time is Kate Havnevik's Melankton.


Kate's debut album is title "Melankton". Melankton means "Black Rose" which describes Kate's idea of the album's sound-scape and production perfectly: dark, yet beautiful.

The 12 songs on the album range from symphonic pop extravaganza to the most intimate of melodies. A truly beautiful body of work, Melankton is heady, intoxicating and evocative with its mix of wistful lyrics, mellifluous orchestration and cinematic electronica.

• Buy Memories and Photographs in the DIGITAL STORE at caseystratton.com
• Buy Memories and Photographs on iTunes
• Buy Kate Havnevik's Melankton at amazon.com
• Buy Kate Havnevik's Melankton on iTunes
• email me a question at podcasts@caseystratton.com

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#40 - Snow, Rain and Cracked Out Ceilings

In this episode of the Casey Stratton Podcast I discuss current events, including President Barack Obama's recent announcement about the war in Afghanistan. I then take a question about social networking in the modern era before discussing the reason why the podcast is 2 days late. Wendy makes TONS of appearances, some amusing and some obnoxious. I talk briefly about the new holiday album, A Winter Moon before performing I Won't Let Go Just Yet, and original I wrote for it. I then close out the podcast with a 2001 recording I did of Loreena McKennitt's Snow. Music recommendation is Poison and Wine by The Civil Wars.

"The Civil Wars craft ethereal, tenderly exquisite songs that are the aural equivalent of finely spun gossamer."

• Buy A Winter Moon in the new CS Digital Store
• Buy A Winter Moon in the OLD CS Digital Store
• Get a FREE DOWNLOAD of "God Rest Ye Merry, Gentlemen" from A Winter Moon
  
• Buy the Complete Holiday Collection 1996-2007
• Buy Poison and Wine by The Civil Wars on iTunes
• Visit The Civil Wars' MySpace page for a free live album download
• email me a question at podcasts@caseystratton.com

Listen to Podcast #40

#39 - Rituals, Waltons and New York City

In this episode of the Casey Stratton Podcast I discuss some current events before taking a question about how I prepare for a show and how I choose my set lists. I then talk about my recent trip to New York to perform at The Bitter End. I perform two songs you requested as well: the Whirlwind Medusa B-side Epitaph and DIVIDE's second disc B-Side Pray for Rain. Music recommendation is Karl Jenkins' The Armed Man (A Mass For Peace).


Jenkins has said that The Armed Man was inspired by the "L'Homme armé" masses that were popular in the 16th century, and he makes this debt clear with passages written in a neat pastiche of Palestrina-style renaissance polyphony. There are also echoes of earlier and later styles, including plainchant, medieval ballads, John Barry-style horn writing (think Goldfinger), and even a direct quote from Rigoletto (the choir imitates wind sounds at one point as in Act 3 of the Verdi opera). The smorgasbord manages to hold together, probably because Jenkins's obvious sincerity shines through every note. - Warwick Thompson

• Buy Rescue Andromeda in the Digital Store
• Buy the Limited Edition CD of Rescue Andromeda
• Buy Karl Jenkins' The Armed Man on Amazon
• Buy Karl Jenkins' The Armed Man on iTunes
• email me a question at podcasts@caseystratton.com

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#38 - Marriage, New York and Shaking My Keys

In this episode of the Casey Stratton Podcast I discuss yesterday's election results from Maine and Kalamazoo, MI and give some opinions on the marriage debate. I then discuss my upcoming show and my thoughts on playing the older songs versus the newer ones, hopefully without offending anyone (Really!). I then play the 2003 recording of the Kate Bush song This Woman's Work that I recorded on the Bosendorfer piano during the Standing at the Edge sessions. After that, I discuss and perform You're still Waving, the Standing at the Edge B-side written in New York in 2002. Music recommendation is Bat For Lashes: Two Suns.

One of the most dynamic and intriguing performers out of the UK, Bat For Lashes (aka Natasha Khan) returns with her dazzling second album, produced by David Kosten (Faultline), featuring guest spots by Yeasayer and Scott Walker. Bat For Lashes' previous album Fur & Gold was nominated for Mercury & Brit Prizes in the UK and a Plug Award in the US, and has received accolades from Thom Yorke, Bjork, Spin Magazine, Entertainment Weekly, The NY Times, GQ, Nylon and Blender. - Amazon.com

• Buy Nearing the Edge: B-sides in the DIGITAL STORE
• Buy Bat For Lashes' Two Suns on iTunes
• Buy Bat For Lashes' Two Suns on Amazon
• email me a question at podcasts@caseystratton.com

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#37 - Tattoos, Tracks and Touring

In this episode of the Casey Stratton Podcast I take many of your questions, including discussing my 5 tattoos, the remastering process and more about what it takes to do my live performances. I then play There Lies the Answer from The Crossing and Whirlwind Medusa from the album of the same name (on the harpsichord!), both by request. Music recommendation is Greg Laswell's Covers EP.


Los Angeles based producer and songwriter Greg Laswell covers Echo & The Bunnymen, Morphine, Mazzy Star, Kate Bush and Kristin Hersh on his upcoming Covers EP, out October 6 on Vanguard Records. Listen to Greg Laswell’s cover of Kristin Hersh’s “Your Ghost.”

• Buy The Crossing in the CS Digital Store
• Buy The Crossing on iTunes
• Buy Whirlwind Medusa on iTunes
• Buy Greg Laswell's Covers EP on iTunes
• email me a question at podcasts@caseystratton.com

Listen to Podcast #37

#36 - Reunions, A Lake and Sky

In this episode of the Casey Stratton Podcast I answer a question from a listener before discussing my 15 year Interlochen Arts Academy Reunion that I attended this past weekend. I then go on to perform The Lake from Whirlwind Medusa and You Never Touched the Sky, a B-side from Lily Sleeps. Music recommendation this time is the B-side collection to Memories and Photographs, releasing today!


More Memories and Photographs: The B-sides

1. Nevermind
2. Damaged
3. Hindsight
4. Notebook
5. A Difficult World
6. Evidence
7. For Just Tonight
8. Starry Night
9. Only My Darkness
10. Coastline
11. Crie Pour Toi (French Version of Done For)

• Buy More Memories and Photographs in our new DIGITAL STORE
• Buy Whirlwind Medusa on iTunes
• Buy Lily Sleeps B-Sides in the old DIGITAL STORE
• email me a question at podcasts@caseystratton.com

Listen to Podcast #36