Month: December 2016

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Winterval – At Christmas Time (2016)

Winterval - At Christmas Time

Self Released
Buy: Bandcamp (NYOP)

So… lots of folks tweet at me with Christmas tunes. I do appreciate it – please keep doing it! The nature of the beast is that I’m never going to be able to listen to them all, nor give them all the proper time that they may deserve. Why? Because all the music comes out in a span of only 3 weeks… it’s nuts. But damn… I found myself with a little time and listened to one today while walking to my car, picked a random track, and found myself transfixed. Winterval, a home recording project from Moseley, UK, has written a whole album of Christmas originals over the past 7 years… and it is pretty damn fantastic. The production perfectly captures his voice, which has a touching sincerity during the more contemplative songs. The song that I randomly chose was “Hang the Lights on the Tree,” and the way his voice floats amongst the ringing guitars is just perfection. “Hang the lights on the tree / one for every memory.” The simplicity of these captured moments aren’t anything grand, but that is where their power comes from. I honestly haven’t had the time to give this record the deep listen it deserves, though rarely does an entire release reveal itself so quickly to be worthy of attention. I mean… I didn’t even have to dig. Shoot at another song – “Christmas Every Day” – just fantastic. “At Christmas Time” – beautiful. “Puffy’s Song” – even that elf song is great! Truly, this record has been an absolute indiepop pleasure.

Bottom Line: This is a modest, home recording project that is fighting well above its weight class.

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The Heathen and The Holy “Best Christmas Yet” (2016)

The Heathen and the Holy - Best Christmas Yet

Self Released
Buy: iTunes | Amazon.uk MP3 | Amazon.de MP3 | Amazon.fr MP3

The Heathen and The Holy are a seasonal project from Noah and the Whale’s Fred Abbott and Tom Hobden. So far, this is their third year, and with their pedigree you might expect a bit of new folk-infusion into the music. Surprisingly enough, Fred and Tom embrace the classical large production values of Christmas tracks of yore. Choirs, pianos, backup singers and big, swinging melodies. This year’s soulful jam isn’t normally what I’d get into musically, but damn if I’m not feeling these lyrics and their overall attitude.. “We’ve lost our way / (break down the walls) / Gave into hate / (open the doors) / It’s been a year / a year to forget / so let’s have ourselves / the best Christmas yet.” This song kind of sums up the year, the folks we’ve lost, the faith in our brothers and sisters that has been shaken, the year that awaits you on the other side… it’s all so heavy this year. Perhaps this song can do a bit to release the tension.

It’s been too hellish a year.

Bottom line: The Heathen and The Holy have provided the first real political song that rises above gimmicks or snapchat. Certainly worth your time, and perhaps worth a spot on your mix…

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Night Flowers – Christmas (2016)

Night Flowers - Christmas

Self Released
Buy: Bandcamp (NYOP)

London’s Night Flowers have just released a fantastic 2-track indiepop Christmas digital single (of originals!) that continues this year’s trend of beautifully written indiepop Christmas songs. I’m going to jump straight into the lyrics of track 2, “Christmas Eve,” the uptempo stomper that I just adore:

I broke the silence with a beating heart
hoping I wouldn’t break the spell
you whispered softy in my ear
a song I’ve never heard again and disappeared
the seasons pass
slowly my dear
I wonder where you’re gonna be on Christmas eve?

That is some seriously beautiful writing. It leaves enough space for you to put yourself into the song, and thus you feel it more. Just beautiful.

The leadoff track “To Rest” is much more in the classic, slow, chiming sound of treble-heavy indiepop. Certainly beautiful as well, but perhaps without the crossover (from indiepop) appeal that “Christmas Eve” may have. That said, this could be a highlight for your indiepop Christmas mix – which is a mix I’d like you to send me. Because I dig that shit, obviously 🙂

I really have to stop qualifying with “only for those who love indiepop” when dealing with fantastic indiepop singles. I mean… duh. If you like it you’ll like it. Indiepop is the flipside to punk, and punk means to reject mass appeal. Indiepop sort of is too… it’s almost recorded as if it’s meant to be a secret between you and the band. And here I am… spillin’ secrets.

Bottom Line: 2 great indiepop tracks, a name-your-own price on Bandcamp, and all proceeds going to Mind and the Teenage Cancer Trust. Take my money, please.

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The Golden Dregs “White Christmas” (2016)

The Golden Dregs "White Christmas"

Art is Hard Records
Buy: Free on Soundcloud!

“White Christmas” is one of those songs that is always just so… cute. It tends to lend itself to ukuleles and pretty voices… you know the type. Every so often, someone can perform a song in a way that will refresh you, make you less cynical about this whole Christmas-music game. The Golden Dregs have performed “White Christmas” admirably, but more importantly, they have delivered a ramshackle version that takes the sheen off, making for a much more interesting listening experience. There is going to be more too… Art is Hard suggests that this is just the tip of an E.P., which the artwork suggests is called “A Very Golden Christmas.” This E.P. can’t come quickly enough, because I’m close to the end of my mix, and I need some gold(en) hits.

Bottom Line: “White Christmas” is the tip of a shabby iceburg that I would like to hear more from.

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A City Without Snow (2016)

A City Without Snow

Middle Class Cigars
Buy: Bandcamp

Singapore’s Middle Class Cigars has released, from front to back, one of the most enjoyable compilations I’ve heard this year. A mixture of Books-esque spoken word folktronica, indiepop, lo-fi folk and downtempo chill-out music, the production value is uniformly excellent, and the taste level is on-point. If I had to pick out a track or two to highlight, for me it would be the lovely “A Song to Sleep to” by Ferry, and the dreamy “0212” by Cosmic Child.  You could put this album on, and not have to skip any horrible tracks… which in the Christmas-music world is a RARITY. Most certainly worth a listen – and for those in the US, it’s only a dash above $10 to have the limited edition cassette (ed. of 50) shipped from Singapore!

I found their description both useful, and endearing.

Music plays an important part in the season of Christmas, as we sing along to the carols written years ago, it still remains as powerful as ever.

With contributions from 9 Singapore-based musicians, A City Without Snow is a Christmas compilation album consisting of seven original songs and two renditions of classics. Born from different emotional perspectives of the season, each composition is a musical vignette of a uniquely Singaporean Christmas.

A City Without Snow is Middle Class Cigars’ proudest release thus far, encapsulating a collective dynamic of warm and intimate sounds of which the label thrives in.

Bottom Line: Just a pleasure. A pleasure. A pleasure.

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Nim Chimpsky “Avocado For Christmas” (2016)

Nim Chimpsky "Avocado for Christmas"

Self Released
Buy: Free!

I just learned something about Nim Chimpsky. I thought that their band name was a clever, chimp-themed play of Noam Chomsky, but alas, Nim Chimpsky is a famous chimpanzee (and yes, also clever play on Noam Chomsky) who took part in language acquisition studies at Columbia for decades, and passed away in 2000. I learned something new because I had to work to find this band’s website, and someday I may need that nugget of information in a conversation. It’s gonna be amazing. Now, back to the music. Our present-day Nim Chimpsky are a wonderful female duo from Coventry, UK, and they have gifted us a fantastic, somewhat cheeky new Christmas song, “Avocado for Christmas.” The song is about calling your grandma at Christmastime. “Grandma didn’t live through the war / but is prepared to tell you nonsense.” Hehehe. As with a good number of songs, I honestly can’t decipher all the lyrics, but I dig the music, dig the attitude, and just plain found it lots of fun. Clocking in at not even a minute, Nim Chimpsky are adhering to the essential Christmas music tenant of “don’t wear out your welcome, and keep them wanting more,” that I am always espousing to whoever will listen. There are way too many songs that would be good if you chopped off a minute or two… and Nim Chimpsky nip that in the bud right away. It’s like a tasty, tasty snack.

Bottom Line: Nim Chimpsky have snuck onto my Soundcloud feed and into my heart with their short burst of Christmas fun, and their free WAV download!

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Les Bicyclettes De Belsize “Christmas Card 1983” (2016)

lesbicyclettesdebelsize

Self Released
Buy: Bandcamp | Stream

Charlie Darling of Les Bicyclettes De Belsize is what one might call a purveyor of fine indiepop Christmas tunes. He is so adept at it, that I imagine him running a small shop, selling Christmas songs a la carte to his walk-in traffic. His current seasonal project is an Advent calendar, to which he is releasing a song a day on Soundcloud. Did he write 24 new songs?? No, not exactly, but he has 10 and he did re-record his excellent older Christmas releases! So new versions! You may recognize #2, which was featured on Christmas Underground last year. Charlie tipped me off to today’s release, as it was going to be a new one. “Christmas Card 1983” is a wonderful piece of Christmas indiepop, and I love it simply for its dreamy atmosphere groove, and the brass colors are fantastic. However, what left me sitting here listing to this song a few times in a row was personal realization I stumbled into. I often have to fight the urge to throw a bunch of downers on my mix, as I tend to find darker music more complicated and fulfilling. I especially worried about this year, as I am not in the best state when thinking about the future of my country, nor the world. But I don’t think I have to worry about my mix… I am sitting here medicating with glimmering nostalgia, rather than drowning melancholy or anger. “Christmas Card 1983” most certainly scratches that itch, with mixtape Christmas presents, buying records at HMV, and old movies. I can’t wait to hear the rest of Charlie’s project, even if there is a downer in the bunch. I think I can take it, thanks to “Christmas Card 1983.”

Bottom Line: Pure indiepop Christmas wonderfulness. As always with indiepop, it may not be your taste… but those who like it, will very likely love “Christmas Card 1983.”

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Erik Koskinen “On Christmas Day” (2016)

Erik Koskinen "On Christmas Day"

Real Phonic Records
Buy: 7Digital | iTunes | Amazon.uk MP3 | Amazon.fr MP3

Minnesota’s Erik Koskinen will be on tour supporting Low, and damn… that is a good pairing. Start the night off with some fantastic alt.country as you enjoy a few beers, then setting in the the majesty of a Low set. It is quite appropriate that Erik bust out a Christmas song when accompanying the godfathers of indie Christmas, and equally appropriate of him to make this song downright fantastic. “On Christmas Day” begins with a simple guitar, Erik’s voice, and a whisper of a drum. “It seemed like old times again, / like when the snow fell heavy and the maple burned. / Everyone was happy / and everyone was gay. / They came to me / on Christmas day.” Then the music turns up a notch, with new colors fluttering in like flames from a fire. “You came like an ocean / you came like a wave / you came like a dream / on Christmas day.” There are some truly beautiful turns of phrase here. The atmosphere is warm, the lyrics are beautiful, but it’s those touches he adds to the music that really make “On Christmas Day” something special. Do yourself a favor and listen early and often.

Bottom Line: A folk/country/alt.country highlight of the season, no doubt about it.

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Low “Some Hearts (at Christmas Time)” (2016)

Low - Some Hearts (At Christmas Time)

Sub Pop
Buy: Bandcamp | iTunes | Amazon.uk MP3 | Amazon.de MP3 | Amazon.fr MP3

Low… what can you say. If you are reading this blog, you know all about Low’s underground Christmas legacy. What I have not (personally) been into, are their Christmas tunes post-Christmas EP. Well, that changed today, as I heard their new track “Some Hearts (at Christmas Time).” It is somber and lovely, heartbreaking and wistful. The production and experimentation within  harkens me back to a slightly less out-there Bon Iver (latest record), and I think it suits them well. In fact, Justin, why don’t you produce their next record? I’d love to hear that.

Bottom Line: Low is regarded one of the titans of underground Christmas music, and this year, they reminded us all why.

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UPCOMING: Indie for the Holidays, An Amazon Original Playlist (2016)

Amazon Music
Buy: Amazon MP3 | Amazon.uk MP3

So… today is nuts. So much. So much. Amazon not only has an Acoustic Christmas playlist, but they’ve also resurrected Indie for the Holidays! Last year’s playlist had some gems – Oscar, Ivan and Alyosha and Sondre Lerche & Jherek Bischoff. It was generally pretty solid. Now this year we are being treated to…

01 “Sister Winter” – Joseph
02 “Baby, It’s Cold Outside” – Savoir Adore
03 “When Christmas Comes” – Los Campesinos (This is a new, more stripped down version)
04 “Carol Of The Bells” – Melvins
05 “Hard Candy Christmas” – Inger Loree & the Nymphs
06 “Christmas (The Way It Was Back Then)” – Chris Staples
07 “Azusa” – The Album Leaf
08 “Plastic Mistletoe” – Glint
09 Santa, Baby” – Red Rosamond
10 “Holiday Road” – Tennis
11 “Headphones For The Holidays” – Blake Hazard
12 “Silver Bells” – Dandy Warhols
13 “Ritmo De Vida” – Nortec Collective Presents Bostich + Fussible
14 “Snow” – Sam Evian
15 “Come On Home (It’s Christmas)” – PINS

Looks damn solid to me. Can’t wait to hear more tomorrow. I’ll likely update this post to a review as well.

Bottom Line: Looking good so far – can’t wait to hear the Album Leaf, Tennis, and PINS tracks specifically.

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