Winter Music

Over at Houseboat Days, Andy posts about snow in Brooklyn and his favorite winter music. My own winter record (and I really only have one) is The Cure's Kiss Me, Kiss Me, Kiss Me, and in particular, the song "Catch." Why? The answer is simple, really. My Grandma Davie bought me the cassette for Christmas in the winter of 1988. I was 16 years old and I associate that tape with wrestling practice, or in particular, the long runs I'd do before practice. When I listen to it now, nearly 20 years later, I can almost smell the smoke in the air, feel the prickly cold.


Stylistically, it's a different album for the Cure--it's all over the map. It has none of the consistent feel of records like Pornography or Disintegration, but it somehow works beautifully, with the possible exception of the songs "Fight" and "The Snakepit." I mean, it's a messy record, but it somehow comes together--especially remarkable is the one-two punch of the opening tracks. "The Kiss" is a loud, ugly, psychedelic, venomous,unhealthy sort of cacophony shoe-horned into pop-song format (albeit a long pop song). Then, "Catch" is the beautiful antidote, the very essence of winter, and sex, and winter sex.

As for other winter music--I find myself playing Matt Pond PA's "Grave's Disease" (in fact the only MPPA song I like) fairly constantly during January and February.

How about a list (in comment box please) of recommended winter listening?