Christmas A Go Go!

Somehow we missed this one. Gaspard wrote the ultrabrilliant Christmas is back in town . The French retrorocker's back with a new Christmas-EP, featuring one original and 3 raucous versions of known and little known seasonal songs. Like this Eels-cover: But the biscuit's taken by a cool version of Reuben Anderson's bluebeat-christmas track Christmas Time Again.

Couldn't find more background info on Tracy, but this bluesy, country-style Christmas song sure is nice. It's from TM's debut album, available on cdbaby and Spotify.

The Statuettes from Salt Lake City recorded a gentle indie-rockin' Christmas tune, reminiscent of early Lemonheads and Red House Painters.

The powerful Sharon Jones has passed away. So sad. Rest in peace, thanks for the memories, thanks for this brilliant Christmas tune:

Like snow on the South Pole, a Christmas album by Reindeer Tribe is something you can count on. ( EDIT, well, that comparison didn't age well, did it? ) The 'community, a weekend, an ecology' are a bunch of great musicians who write great xmas tracks, and cover the classics in a soothing way. For new release 'Bells' they unplugged their instruments and came to the core of the songs. I LOVE this version: Bells by Reindeer Tribe

Stubby wrote a cool piece on the Sloan-xmas single. Canadian indierockers Sloan are probably best known for their 'Underwhelmed' single, which is still a big hit in my house.

Austrian singer Zoë is very much into French music (thanks to her parents), she was a participant of the Eurovision Songcontest this year, and now she released a sweet Noël song:

Beach Boys on a budget, that's how I'd describe this Xmas track by Brooklyn-based Youth Yamada . Though this one man band was a finalist in a John Lennon Songwriting Contest, and yes, the Beatles as an influence are quite near too. YOUTH YAMADA LP by Youth Yamada

Remember The Disappointment Choir? They released a BRILLIANT Christmassong a few years back. And now they return with a winter hymn. Which is nice: Winter Hill (single) by The Disappointment Choir

Friends Friends Friends Records from Canada is going to release their second Xmas compilation. Everybody is free to send in a contribution. The title/theme will be 'Revenge of the Christmas / Son of the Christmas / The Christmas Walks Among Us' . It's a sort of B-movie sequel to last years compilation ' Play It Again Santa '. Deadline for this project is december 2nd. More info here . The 2015 compilation had 21 contribitions. Here's a nice example: Play It Again, Santa! by Up n Adam

Don't worry, we'll bring you up to speed on the new Snowflakes Singles Club releases , but in the meantime, here's one of the new tracks, by Ropestore:

BEST NEW CHRISTMAS SONG OF THE SEASON ALERT! Scandi-duo My Bubba released an angelic beauty of a song, a waltz to warm icey hearts (and feet, if needed). Thanks to Christmas Underground for the discovery.

Read about this on this blog . Quote: Staring with a minimalist synth riff and slightly distorted bass riff and digital drum pattern, sonically reminds me of early Suicide. When the vocals kick in, it takes on a completely different vibe. Vocally reminiscent of The B-52s, the lyrics tell a story of a white trash Santa Claus ruining the most wonderful time of the year by going on a drinking bender instead of handling his holiday responsibilities. Santa Claus D.W.I. by Yellow Snow

For the 7th time, A Rock by the Sea releases a must-have of new seasonal songs and classics-covers. Haven't had the time yet to listen to all tracks (I'm sure our friend Stubby will write an extended review), but a track called Casserole Season, I just have to post that one right away. Rock By The Sea :: Volume Seven by Steve Everett

'Big City Christmas' is a delicious compilation, carefully compiled by the German quality label Bear Family. If you like 50ties music with that old christmassy feeling, this is the place to be. Most of the tracks are not obvious choices from artist we know too well, like Pat Boone, Brenda Lee, Chuck Berry, Eartha Kitt, Doris Day. There are even a few novelties like 'North Pole Rock' from Cathy Sharpe or 'I Want A Beatle For Christmas' from Patty Surey.

Swampbluesman Leon Russell (y'all know his 'A Song for You') passed away. He wrote some pretty darn good Christmastunes, like this one:

Sunny anti-christmas songs, now there's a genre. Dutch combo The Beach Balls added a great track to that genre: Bloody Mistletoe (I Wish It Could Be Summer!) by The Beach Balls

Countrysinger Kacey Musgraves does surprise us with a very nice album full of own songs and fine versions of songs like 'Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas', 'Let It Snow' or a very rare cover of 'I Want A Hippopotamus For Christmas'. And... any holiday song with Willie Nelson is OK, like 'A Willy Nice Christmas'.

split 7" w/ Poison Idea by Angry Snowmans YES!

In 2014 The Connection from New England (USA) delivered their holiday album 'A Christmas Gift For You'. This year it seems to be re-released, for the Dutch market anyway. So finally Holland gets to know their rocking and raunchy songs like 'West Coast', 'Rock 'n Roll Christmas' or 'Money, Honey, Baby'. Plus their great cover of the Ramones classic 'Merry Christmas (I Don't Wanna Fight Tonight)'. Some songs have been written with Andy Shernoff, once in the notorious punk outfit The Dictators.

THE PRISSTEENS - THE HOUND (+BONUS TRACKS) by The Prissteens No, The Prissteens isn't a girlgroup, but the wall-of-sound-vibe you expect with a cover like this is very real on this track.

AAAAaaannnd we're back! Come back regularly to find the newest, the odd, the cool, the weird and the wonderful seasonal songs out there. Kicking off with a really cool song we missed last year. We've got that jingle tingle again!

Thanks for your comments, your visits, your tips and for celebrating the wonderful world of alt christmas songs. Back in November. Until then, from all of us here at CaGG, have a super sweet 16.

And then it is: It's Not Christmas Anymore by Bill Botting & The Two Drink Minimums

For the 11th year in a row  The Blues Are Still Blue Presents: The 2015 Christmas Compilation (download here) 01 Elizabeth Morris - The Season 02 Deep Sea Diver - It's Christmas Time (and I am still alive) 03 Sweet Baboo - Don't Be Alone (This Christmas) 04 Luke Sweeney - Loveless Christmas 05 Dressy Bessy – Kringles 06 Phoenix (with Bill Murray) - Alone on Christmas Day 07 Tele Novella - Christmas Spirit 08 Sunturns - Christmas Bells/Wedding Bells 09 Juniore - De Saison 10 Pentacon Six -Christmas Is Better With You 11 Shy Nature - Christmas Lullaby 12 The Grubby Mits - Come On Home For Christmas 13 The Hard Ground - Keep Me For Christmas Time 14 The Washboard Abs - Christmas in Dearborn 15 The Both (Aimee Mann and Ted Leo) - You're a Gift 16 Adrian Teacher - It Always Rains On Christmas 17 Corey Kilgannon and Jacob Hudson - All Through The Night 18 The Gasoline Brothers - Every Time It's Christmas 19 Sharon Jones & the ...

Interesting lyrics:

When Miley teams up with Flaming Lips, she needs to be on this blog:

Five Dutch artists teamed up for a Christmas EP on the leftfield (or should I say, 'out there') label Geertruida. This track by Douwe Doorduin stands out, but do try the other ones as well Christmas EP 2015 by Douwe Doorduin

Yes, a new song. Yes, it's great. And sad.

Sitting outside on a park bench in Amsterdam, taking a break from jumping over tram rail on roller skates in the dark during the annual Santa Skate, I cued up the Christmas YouTube video ‘Flocons Blancs’ by Blé on my phone to entertain some Dutch skaters. Blé is a young and fresh Québec duo whose Christmas song has become a sleeper favourite there if we believe the Internet. And while I was showing it to people who don’t speak French, they said that the video had nice retro colours, another reason to enjoy it. If you’re fed up with the usual Noël fare, then ‘Flocons Blancs’ is a great song, even if the only words you can sing out loud are “Ferme tes yeux” (‘Close your eyes’). ‘Close your eyes and remember a time when the lights seemed much brighter’ sounds like nice retro colours to me as well. Joyeux Noël et Bonne Année !