Takoma Park Five: Top Five Winter Songs (At Least For Me)

As the snow starts to fall and the winter season is upon us, here are the top five songs I like to listen to when a chill is in the air. Tell us your favorites.

1. Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas - Bright Eyes

This song is just haunting. Period.

2. Skinny Love - Bon Iver

The album this song is on was written in a cabin in Wisconsin in the winter. And you can tell. "I told you to be patient/I told you to be fine/I told you to be balanced/I told you to be kind."

3. One of these Days - Owen

Mike Kinsella, the sole man behind the Owen project, has been in some of my favorite Chicago indie bands from the late 90s. American Football, Cap 'n Jazz, Joan of Arc. His stylings as Owen are much more acoustic and subdued. The lyrics are incredibly biting and literary.

4. She Really Loved You - Reach the Sky

When I was in college my friends and I would go into Philadelphia for punk and hardcore shows at the First Unitarian Church. Some of the best times we had was trudging through the snow, drinking terrible beer and listening to punk rock sing-a-longs. I give you the hardcore punk stylings of Boston's Reach the Sky. Ah the memories. Simpler times.

5. Can We Start Again? - Bane

Another classic hardcore band that I spent many hours singing to with friends. Nothing like punk rock karaoke and a keg of beer when the snow is coming down. Makes me feel like a kid again. Scene unity and all that stuff.