"Tracks in the Snow," The Civil Wars (Sensibility)

Critics' faves The Civil Wars are a folky duo whose simul-bellum name suggests they might just fit in as guest musicians in such films as "Cold Mountain" and "O Brother Where Art Thou." And they would, judging by the foreboding sound of the two holiday songs on this 2011 single, the A-side an original about reaching out to a lover in the snow and the B-side a traditional version of "O Come O Come Emanuel." (Yes, these are the same songs I mentioned in the Record Store Day post.) Definitely downtempo, but muy simpatico with the playlists of alt-rockers and Americana fans.