Record store day/black friday

November 27 is Black Friday and a special Record Store Day. Among the many releases there are a few nice Christmas ones. Like a holiday 7 inch from Juliana Hatfield 'Christmas Cactus' and the first ever 7" single for the Vince Guaraldi classic 'Christmas Time Is Here' from the classic movie A Charlie Brown Christmas. There is a  Dave Brubeck 12 inch, with  an elegant festive holiday etching on the B-side. It contains two tracks 'Sleep Holy Infant' and 'Away In A Manger'. 

Another 7 inch, on Martian Green vinyl, is this one: 'Hooray For Santa Claus - Milton DeLugg & The Little Eskimos b/w 'Hooray For Santa Claus' - The Fleshtones.  Included is a DVD from 'Santa Claus Conquers The Martians' . (Wonder how this package looks like). 

Finally there's a new release of the soundtrack from the horror movie 'Silent Night, Deadly Night' 'Silent Night, Deadly Night'. This was released in 1984 and was notoriously controversial for its Santa-clad killer. The LP  is pressed on ''Chimney Hellfire''-colored vinyl (red and orange opaque swirl).

Mo's Lonely Christmas

We've been on and on about the importance of Christmas bells in a proper Christmas song. So Mo (Ryan, really) really dug that, and made this bell overload xmas track. No need for lyrics, MORE XMASBELLS!

Spotify playlist

Also, I'm updating a Spotify playlist with all the new Christmas songs of this year. Not only songs that appear here, and not everything's that up our alley. But it might be up yours (sorry, had to make that joke). Find it HERE

New Calexico !

First track off of a full holiday album!

Heard the full album already; in short, it's great. LOVE the Spanish tracks, even the 'Happy Xmas War Is Over' version is bearable (thanks to the mariachi-infusion).

Ghost in the Willow

Released this summer, a song about winter flings (and Tinder, apparently) by fierce Phoenix-rockband Ghost in the Willow. Sounds a bit Irish to me, folkpunk-y, think Dropkick Murphys and the like. Something else, for sure.

Kelly Finnigan

OH YEAH. Kelly Finnigan is releasing a holiday album (see HERE) and this is the first single:

A Rock By The Sea Christmas

If you're a Christmas music blogs regular, you've heard of A Rock by the Sea. They raise money to help out those hurt by cancer, by releasing compilations and (help) organising music festivals. The Christmas compilation is up to volume 11 this year. Lots of covers, and a few originals. Christmas Wrapping by Ultrababyfat and the REM-y version of In the Bleak Midwinter are very notable, but so is this original track by Melissa Ferrick (17 albums in 24 years!):

christmas in july

 My Christmas 2020 started in the middle of summer, with this fine clip from a corona proof  exchange of Xmas presents. Alex The Astronaut is an Australian girl who released her (non christmas) album The Theory Of Absolutely Nothing  last summer. 

Hello 2020

Jenn Grant, Canadian songstress, cover goddess, could be the saviour of Christmas this year. Listen to the first song of her upcoming Xmas album. BOY this could be a great year.