Christmas A Go Go!

Found this on Loud Women , this is the one original track (as in: self-written) on Monte's Christmas EP, with LOUD versions of seasonal classics like O Come Emanauel and Fairytale of New York (nope, not singing the 'faggot' line here). It's all about hooks, hooks, hooks with this power trio. If you like your yule up to eleven (like we do), this is your band: A Merry MONTE Christmas by MONTE

Ever since The Ventures released their wonderful Christmas album , there's been a stream of yule infused guitar instrumentals. Latest sprout on the tree: Yuletide Ride, by California's very own Blackball Bandits. They release this original track on a 7-inch, together with a starts-slow-but-picks-up-pace-version of I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus. All the details HERE . A Very Blackball Christmas by Blackball Bandits

Title says it all. To quote the mission statement of the band, and the label: "For the queers, by the queers. no sexist, no racist, no transphobic, no homophobic, no apologist bullshit tolerated." Loudest, punkiest Christmas message of the year. No Gifts For Nazis by Alice Bag Band (h/t to CU )

OH YES WE DID! Here's the THIRD world premiere of the season folks, another Dutch track, and another good'un. It's Santajan (Yes! He of Sleigh Shakers fame!) and his great choir of Shanties, singing about the fate of a men's choir on Christmas Eve. And who's that as the snow angel, her voice bright 'n clear? It's none other than FAY LOVSKY , the legend! Whatta season, people, whattaseason. Oh, and if yer in Holland on December 22nd, go HERE . All proceeds (it's on Spotify, it's everywhere) go to Soundsofchange.org

. This sounds like a long lost country Christmas classic, but it ain't. It's an original, and written and recorded recently by producer/singer/songwriter Tom Bruskey , and he 'painstakingly engineered and mixed to reflect the distinct sonic characteristics' of country music in the early 1960s. He did that too for four other songs on his Christmas EP, representing the 40s, 70s, 90s and nowadays. Tom got help from several guest vocalists - his duet with Dawn Jones could've been recorded by George Jones & Tammy Wynette. If only. About 'Santa, don't sneeze', Tom writes: "Inspired by the AM radio-optimized Bakersfield sound of the 1960s with a little Western swing (and accordion!) mixed in, this whimsical song is about a boy who is so determined to get a new bike for Christmas, he implores Santa Claus to stay healthy so that he doesn't risk missing his ever-important, annual sleigh ride." Listen to all the tracks HERE Also on S...

This is something special. Leftfield (mmmm...outfield is probably more on point) rock band Big Stick made a Christmas album: Big Stick's John Gill says, "I honestly never thought I'd write a Christmas song, but I felt compelled to share the story of what happened to me at the age of five. There was even a photograph taken (featured on the record cover) to prove the slightly humorous, though somewhat heart warming childhood story, of the day when my folks took me to the local shopping mall and I wound up sitting on what was a visibly 'Sauced Up Santa's' lap." Hence, the title track "SAUCED UP SANTA" that's featured in both regular and extended versions on this, Big Stick's first ever Christmas themed EP release. Gill adds, "When the photo of me sitting on an extremely inebriated shopping mall Santa's lap surfaced in my family photo album many years later in my life, I simply had to write a song about it. I activated my memory ...

Sixties-style rock'n roll, by Rochester-based Alex Northrup. Ol'fashioned, so this must be good: Oh No It's Xmas / (A New Kind of) Holiday by Alex Northrup

Our spirit animal over at Christmas Underground wrote a great review of Beau Jennings' Christmas album . I heard it this morning, biking to work. And 'The Christmas Light' really struck a nerve. 'You can only summon up the ghost/You can only sing the song', he concludes his beautiful ode to his mother, who passed away. One of the greatest seasonal songs this year:

HELL YEAH! Fuzz, whoop-dee-doo girl vocals and wall of sound production: this is right up our alley! Brazilian-Danish raaawk duo The Courettes (finally) released their Christmas song. I remember seeing this last year (on Spotify) but was unable to listen to it. It was danglin' there, just out of reach. But whoah, all worth the wait! Think Ronettes, think Raveonettes. Think celebrating Christmas in a damp cellar, with beernuts and beehives. Glædelig jul allesammen b/w Christmas (I Can Hardly Wait) by The Courettes Do try the flip on this vinyl 7-inch too!

Sleeping At Last is the moniker of Chicago-based singer-songwriter, producer and composer, Ryan O’Neal. Every year he comes up with at least one Xmas song. In 2016 he put them all together on the LP/CD Christmas Collection . This year he surprises us with a very original choice: 'Count Your Blessings Instead of Sheep' a beautiful song written by Irving Berlin. It's sung by Bing Crosby in the film '.White Christmas'.

Kevin Andrew Prchal is an American singer-songwriter who was featured earlier on this blog, with his great, twisted Christmas songs. Twisted in a sense that he, or better, he and his songwriting partner Nate Erickson, tilt the usual subjects or themes in a Christmas song. 'Where My Naughty Boys?' is a song about Mrs Claus, and what she does when Santa's is away. 'December 26th' is about the "special, empty, hollow, kinda feeling", after all the laughter, caroling and wrapping paper is gone. Prchal & Erickson now operate under the Uncle Billy moniker; 'Uncle Billy' is a nod to the movie It's a Wonderful Life . Their new song is yet another really great seasonal tune. Immaculate, very well crafted. This time from the standpoint of a dog, with no clue about the festive season but LOVING the trees. Very very good. It's Christmas (I'm a Dog) by Uncle Billy Where My Naughty Boys? by Uncle Billy December 26th by Uncle Billy

An original take on Last Christmas. Not an easy feat, but recently Lucy Dacus and LCG & the X pulled it off. And now there's The Hot Breath, and band featuring singer Mariya May , whom we featured a short while ago. They say this version is 'dream soul', which means a lotta reverb and a undeniable groove. It's not on Spotify (yet), so not in this playlist of more than a 100 Last Christmas covers. RIP George Michael, your legacy is preserved. Last Christmas (Single) by The Hot Breath

Hat tip to Zach Malm, who flashed us back to the Christmas track by US synth pop duo Work Drugs . There's two seasonal songs in their catalogue, by the way, and they both sound cool enough to remind y'all to take a listen:

More on Thomas HERE

So, Dolly Parton's version of Hard Candy Christmas shuffled by, and I felt like making a Spotify playlist with covers ( HERE , Tracey Thorn's verion is the bestest). And then I thought, what's on Bandcamp? Turns out, A LOTTA versions of this xmas classic. Most are neat renditions, acoustic, nothing special. But here are a few versions that differ from the usual: How'bout a discofied version: Have Yourself A Quote Your Pulse Christmas by Moon Trent Wouldn't necessarily say this is a good version, but different it sure is. Sounds like it was recorded inside of a bouncing ball: Thirty-Six Boxes of Really Old Candy Canes by The Brown Christmas Boom! Clap! Boom! Clap! Spice by Reigen Turn up the synth! No, turn it up louder! LOUDER! Le Xmas Bleu by Verdandi Dreampop version, kinda nice: Pavement Christmas Mixtape by Elizabeth Colour Wheel Marilyn Manson called, he wants this demo back: .GIFt by SKELETONKIDS Slip into something more comforta...

"Kayley Inuksuk Mackay and Tiffany Kuliktana Ayalik are Inuit style throat singers performing ancient traditional songs and eerie new compositions." The girls released an album earlier this year, and now there's a Christmas EP. Their style sounds very tough on the vocal chords, somehow it reminded me of the grunts and moans in Kraftwerk's ' Tour de France ', combined with Björk-like chirps. It sounds probably odd for ears used to western pop music, but once you get into this, it's really beautiful. And eerie. And, you have to agree, you never heard this carol sung like this: Quviasugvik: In Search of Harmony by PIQSIQ

Found this song on Soundcloud, written and recorded by Dvon. He's a producer from Atlanta, GA, and on his SC-profile you can find seventies-fied (it that's a word, think Toto, think yacht rock) covers of Prince and Force MD's, plus a couple of Christmas songs. I really really like that suggestion of slick production. Plus, Dvon has a knack for a good hook. Check it out:

Our friend from Snowflakes Christmas Singles discoverd this crazy 7 inch by George Faulkner. He wrote a long story about it (read it  here .) Faulkner once was the singer from a couple of indie rock bands in the New York area. He's a big Beach Boys fan. But not only of the Wilson brothers, who were in the band, but also from their father Murry Wilson (1917-1973). For a short while, until 1964, he was the Beach Boys manager. But he was more known as a songwriter. He wrote more than 50 songs for other artists, but wich never became big hits. He recorded only one album himself. For this 'Murray Christmas' single George Faulkner recorded 'Happy, Happy Holiday' (from 1952), with help from the famous Tony Maimone (Pere Ubu, Bob Mould) and Joe McGinty (Psychedelic Furs). On my version of the single is a sticker that says: Absurdly inspired sunshine pop. So it is! Sings Murry Wilson - Murry Christmas! by George Faulkner

The ninth Blackwatch Christmas compilation is on Spotify , and features really good tracks. Twiggs! GoldenFace! Go try it yourselves. Samantha Crain does a cover of John Denver's Christmas for Cowboys. She did a cover of that track seven years back, too, and that sounded a little less spooky. Go HERE And I think this track on the new Blackwatch-comp is the greatest: Christmas in Color (A Blackwatch Christmas Vol IX) by Twiggs

Found this song whilst scanning Soundcloud. I know nothing about the singer (of Korean descend, as it turns out, see comments), who posted a few (I guess) self-written songs and a bunch of covers (that Corinne Bailey-Rae cover is solid). This Christmas song sounds like a home recording, has the right melancholy vibe and and reminds me of Allo Darlin'. Try it:

One of the highlights of the Xmas music season are the original and brandnew releases of the Amsterdam based label Snowflakes Chrsitmas Singles . Since 2013 they did release 3-4 singles every year. This winter they come up with their seventh edition of snow white 7 inches. Us And Them is a Swedish folk duo. They do a song of their own and a sweet cover of ‘Winter’ from Tori Amos. Rockband Livingmore come from Los Angeles. They do an acoustic version of the old (1934) seasonal song ‘Winter Wonderland’. Last 2019 single is from Parisian trio Superbravo with singer Armelle Pioline (formerly in the band Holden). How I adore those sometimes dreamy French vocals. Listen to their own song ‘La Nuit’ and their version of the Jacques Prévert poem ‘Chanson Pour Les Enfants l’Hiver’, once also recorded around 1950 by Les Frères Jacques. For vinyl and Christmas lovers an absolute must these snow white gems, released in an edition of 320 copies!

I just bumped into this great Christmas song from 2015, sounding a bit like a bratty Pavement. Cool lyrics, great energy. Didn't find it on Christmas Underground or Mistletunes (but Stubby might've posted about it, can't find it tho). Hear! Full Nog by Dad Legs

Can't go wrong with a song title like this, can you? Listen to the lyrics! Love to hear the other songs that Jonathan wrote for this EP. Jewish Family Christmas Tree! by Jonathan Mann

Hat tip to Christmas Underground for spotting this grandiose cover of 'I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day', a poem from the 1800s set to music. Probably best known in the version of Bing Crosby , or this gorgeous cover by The Civil Wars . Doveman, who once covered the whole Footloose soundtrack (100 points in my book) asked playwright/singer Anais Mitchell to join him on this Sufjan Stevens-like, rich version. Love it. I Heard The Bells by Anaïs Mitchell & Thomas "Doveman" Bartlett

Japanese singer Soleil, aged 16, made a Xmas 7 inch: 'Twinkle Heart', written by Ijichi Hiromasa (who writes songs for J-pop band Speed). On the B-side is a (non-Xmas) track by Yellow Magic Orchestra. Big news in Japan is that Soleil will stop performing because she want to focus on het study. Her last live-show will be a Christmas event on december 22 in Veats Sibuya.

Practice your Turtles-like 'pa-pa-pa-pa'-singalong qualities, you're gonna need 'm when listening to this track by Chicago-based El Gato Roboto. This track also reminds me of good ole' Kirsty MacColl, singer Jennifer kind of has the same timbre. Do try the other track too! Merry, Merry Christmas by El Gato Roboto

Ok, you're right, this one's not meant to be a Christmas track at all really. After all the three HAIM sisters are Jewish and celebrate Hanukkah in stead of Christmas. But hey, it's a song about angels in a metaphorical way and, Hallelujah it's such an awful beautiful track! And don't forget to check the video too. Imagine those sleigh bells yourself. Speaking of Hanukkah and HAIM, next friday November 22nd Hanukkah+ will be released . This album contains Hanukkah classics and originals performed by artists such as HAIM, Jack Black, Loudon Wainwright III, The Flaming Lips and more. HAIM's contribution is a cover of Leonard Cohen's "If It Be Your Will".

Dualtone is a label in Nashville, probably best known for housing The Lumineers (hey-ho!), Amos Lee, June Carter Cash and Guy Clark. Artists on Dualtone play Americana, that amalgam of country, folk and rock. Since it seems that Americana is the style to go this year, A Dualtone Christmas brings together labelmates Lumineers, Amos Lee, and Mt Joy, to name a few, to play covers and originals. This track by Mt Joy, a band from Los Angeles, is one of the best tunes on that album. A downer, but a good downer: A Dualtone Christmas by Mt. Joy

When it comes to punkified Christmas-tunes, there ain't no better than Angry Snowmans. They yulify obscure and well known punk songs, this time by Dead Kennedys and Adolescents. Love this Holidays in Cambodia-rearrangement: Snow Means Snow EP by Angry Snowmans More Angry Snowmans HERE Oh, and by the way, if you, like me, ask yourself where you saw that cows head on the album cover before...it's THIS ONE

Probably one of the most covered Christmas tracks ever, 'Last Christmas' from Wham, is popping up at least one time this year too. But hold your Oh Noes! because the good thing is, it's quite a cool one. Indie rock darling Lucy Dacus from Richmond, Virginia is responsible for this somewhat disturbing and annoying speedy version. Love it 'till Christmas, especially the spoken word parts and the hysterical ending.