Month: November 2024

Posted on

Cheetah Cheetah Bison “A Little More Christmas” & “December” (2020)

Self Released
Buy: Bandcamp | Amazon MP3 | 7Digital MP3 | Apple Music

A random song in my email. A casual click on a link. VIRUS! EXPLOSION! Wait… that didn’t happen – just wanted to add to the drama. My head bobs, my feet tap… I love this song. Who the fuck is this guy/band/mystery? Well, it only took me a year to properly follow up and figure this shit out. Cheetah Cheetah Bison happens to be Andrew Kerr, who can also be found in the NYC post-punk band Grassfight, as well as his country project Rabbit Montgomery. Grassfight released a couple EPs in the 2010’s and their full-length LP, Vampires, in 2023 (though it was recorded 10 years prior). As for the Cheetah Cheetah Bison moniker, this is pandemic Andrew. In a fantastic, stream-of-consciousness response to my random questions, Andrew explains, “Early into the pandemic in 2020, I realized I was going to have some real time off at home, so I dusted everything off and decided I was going to get into the world of solo stuff and see what happened. I’m very blessed to be able to play most of the key instruments, so I said hey why not.” Why not indeed. “A Little More Christmas” is an affirmation, singing out from the depths of the pandemic. Along with the season synths of “December,” Andrew was feeling the spirit in 2020: “It just felt right releasing some sort of positive project, given everyone’s mood about the possible end of the world.” I feel it, man. I wish I had heard these then… those were dark times.

For some reason “A Litte More Christmas,” gives me My Morning Jacket vibes – hell, they should cover this! Make Andrew some money! I like to imagine these big bands (or more likely, their managers or interns) mining this blog for Christmas album material. Hell, I’m happy to take on a consulting fee! Ha!

Bottom Line: You never know where you’ll find wonderful Christmas songs. The world is a wonderful place. Look… I’m even feeling optimistic now. Crazy shit.

LISTEN

Posted on

You, Me & The Curries – Once Upon a Christmas (2024)

Self Released
Buy: Bandcamp

Kristian Noel Pederson is so full of Christmas spirit, he just might burst. Year after year, he releases his jolly spirit in the form of Christmas records, and some years are jollier than most. This year we’re getting two records from Kristian and friends. The first one is a front-to-back reimagining of the classic Dolly Parton & Kenny Rogers’ 1984 Christmas record, Once Upon a Christmas. This is Kristian’s wife’s favorite record… so it appears Kristian is putting all of us to shame in the gift-giving department. Teaming up with Rob Currie, Andrew Currie, and Michael McDonald (not that one!), the collaborative project gets a “You, Me & The Curries” billing, with Kristian’s upcoming record continuing his solo series. The guests on this are quite excellent as well, most notably Bet Smith in the pivotal Dolly role!

Christmas a GoGo! did a great job giving more context to the production of the record, quoting Kristian, “I’ve always been a bit turned off by the 80s production, and wanted to reimagine the album as a fast paced, country album. Admittedly, it gets a little wild at times, but all in all, I’m so happy with how it turned out.” They have created an absolutely charming, heartfelt cover record that I’m sure you’ll find a few favorites on. Of particular note, this is the first time (if I am not mistaken) that Kristian is releasing a record on a physical format – the beloved cassette tape! Only 15 available online (2 gone already – ordered one for me and one for @noloveforned), so go now if you want one!

FYI: This is not the first time Kristian has covered an entire record. Check out his cover of Hanson’s Snowed Inn from back in 2019 if you are curious!

Bottom Line: The first of two records from camp Kristian is yet another triumph in a string of steller indie Christmas records.

LISTEN

Posted on

Better Watch Out!

One of the rarest things in our little scene of alternative Christmas music… is the birth of a new music blog. Hell, it was only a few years ago that Hip Christmas changed the description of this little site from being the “new kid in town.” Round these parts I think you’re a new kid for about 10 years… well, better start the clocks on this one. Better Watch Out! is the project of my buddy Jim (yes, we are both Jim’s), who I’ve chatted back and forth with about Christmas music for years now. Whether he truly wanted to or not, Jim has become as much a part of Christmas Underground as I am. I’m nothing without folks reading this thing, and those who care enough to say hi… well, dammit, that’s what keeps me going. Comments! Replies! DMs! Find like-minded folks in such a niche interest… well, you learn those folk’s names and check in with them when you haven’t heard from them in a while.

Thus, I’m extremely happy to introduce you all to Better Watch Out!, a new and wonderful resource for alternative Christmas music. Jim shot me a few sentences about how the site came to be.

For a long time, I used to send out yearly Christmas music mixes. I stopped for various reasons, but I’ve continued to build my collection of offbeat and vintage sounds of the season. Last year I came across an old Tumblr account I’d neglected. Being a cranky old Boomer, I decided Tumblr is the perfect venue to tell the story of my collection. It has turned out to be a fun project, and I’ll be sharing it between November 1 and Christmas.

I’ve framed it as a highly subjective history of alternative pop Christmas music, which I’ve traced back about a hundred years. The posts will appear in reverse chronological order to ease readers back into the more obscure eras of this super-niche phenomenon.

So the journey is just beginning, and you can follow Better Watch Out! this holiday season, alongside myself and hopefully many other adventurous listeners. I know I’ve already been surprised by some releases I missed a few years back, especially these stellar Oldfolks Home tracks Jim introduced me to. Can’t wait to see what else Jim has in store for us.

Nice to have a distraction. Even better to have that distraction provided by such a good guy.

Posted on

Herr Wade – We Still Remember Funky Christmas (2024)

Platiruma!!!
Buy: Bandcamp

Gotta look for stable things to grab onto these days. I already see myself leaning harder into Christmas traditions, both as a source of familiar comfort and frankly, to have some sense of control in a world of uncertainty. Just ordered a new fake Christmas tree… yes, we are a fake tree family. This one is supposed to feel real… I bet I could find something there to write about. Feeling real…

Some bands have begun to establish themselves within my Christmas traditions – bands I look to every year with anticipation of something new and wonderful. Herr Wade and the whole crew at Platiruma!!! are most certainly in that exclusive club. This year’s offering is Herr Wade’s excellent 4-song EP, We Still Remember Funky Christmas. Herr Wade is a collaboration between Jørn Åleskjær (The Loch Ness Mouse, Monobird, Sapphire & Steel) and Sebastian Voss (Nah…, The Fisherman and his Soul, Cinema Engines), and this duo have now dropped mixworthy tracks for three years in a row. The standout of this EP is (IMHO) the German disco track “Schulbus auf dem Eis” (Schoolbus on the Ice). I speak a liiittttllle German, but I’m certainly not quick, so I was most appreciative when Sebastian gave me a bit more context for the song: “The story is about the slippery situation on the street after snow was heavily falling, the last day before x-mas season and being at least able to hold hands with your crush who‘s sitting next to you….”

Well, isn’t that just great? Christmas! Young love! Danger! An earworm of a chorus and a Nile Rodgers groove that satisfies German and non-German speakers alike!

Stone-cold mixworthy.

Bottom Line: In a world spinning out of control, Herr Wade are here for you and will make you move dein Hintern.

LISTEN

Here is a Google translation of the paragraph at the beginning of the video:
With my most heartfelt thanks to my bus driver at the time, Herbert, in whose accordion bus I boarded twice a day between 1985 and 1994 as a “Reckenfeld bus child”, and who knew how to stoically maneuver the white Büssing vehicle with his equally white clogs through wind and weather. To this day, he has made many friends on his travels throughout Europe and Asia, but also on the scheduled services between Greven and Reckenfeld, and has covered thousands and thousands of “completely accident-free kilometers”. I take my hat off to this committed man, who has been so versatile right up to the ripe old age of almost 87, i.e. right up to the present day, and who has hardly changed in appearance in the past 30 years.

Posted on

UPCOMING: The Cords “Favorite Time” (12/06/2024)

Slumberland/Heavenly Creatures
Buy: Bandcamp (Digital/Flexi)

I’ve previously written about how much I look to Scotland (this was just a few posts ago!) for excellent Christmas tunes. The Cords are an excellent indiepop duo from Greenock, Scotland, and this upcoming track has a high probability of being excellent. Normally I might wait to review the track before sharing it here – but as there are flexis available now – and likely not for much longer – and I felt I should let you all know ASAP. So, check out The Cords, decide if they are your jam, and buy it.

Hat tip to @noloveforned for the heads up on this one.

LISTEN

Here’s a non-holiday release to check out the band.

Posted on

The Reed Conservation Society “Funny Christmas” (2020)

Self Released
Buy: Bandcamp | Discogs (Vinyl)

As we enter the darkest timeline, I’m going to do my best to keep moving. I’m going to provide support to those around me (you all included), and do my part to make this world just a little bit better. I’m going to try to redirect my anger and sadness and be constructive… and boy is that going to be hard because nothing seems to matter. That is going to be me on a good day. Lets hope the good days outnumber the bad.

So, on that note, let’s talk about a lovely song about depression at Christmas! The Reed Conservation Society is a French duo who for some reason has me thinking about Village Green Preservation Society-era Kinks. It could just be the “…servation society” similarity, but the orchestration is the same ballpark for sure. Throw in the Clientele as a touchpoint as well and now you’ve got an idea of where I’m going. The protagonist begins by eating oysters, cheese & crackers alone, and buying themselves “new pillows for my old dream into the sea.” The song might sound sweet, with lines like “Feeling so good to be alone now. Cheers to me, cheers to me, cheers to me.” Though follow that line with “I’ve got a special gift for free. / Médicine pills / angels talk slowly,” and everything takes on a much darker tone. It sure sounds like someone is finding a way out…

I must say, this is a lovely song. Without getting a little insight from the band, I might have thought this song was the happiest “I’m alone at Christmas” song I’d ever heard. I couldn’t quiiiite make out all the lyrics, which also kept me from knowing the true intention of the song. So… perhaps I will stick with that interpretation. Once an artist releases a song out into the world, we are all given a chance to interpret the song our own way. Perhaps “Funny Christmas” is a good barometer as to how I’m doing from day to day – is today going to be lovely and full of “David Crosby singing just for me,” or dark as fuck? Pretty much a toss-up – does today end in Y?

OF NOTE – I’m waiting on an email back from TRCS

Bottom Line: A very pretty or very dark Christmas song… a choose-your-own adventure of sorts.

LISTEN

Posted on

BumbleWasps “Don’t Fuck with Christmas” (2024)

Self Released
Buy: Bandcamp

I’m attempting to take my mind off the election by listening to Christmas music this evening. So when I popped over to Bandcamp… seeing a familiar face was fucking great. Shrewsbury, England’s BumbleWasps is back with his wonderful brand of cheeky bedroom pop, serving up perhaps his sweetest Christmas song yet. “Don’t Fuck with Christmas” is indeed a rather aggressive title, but in practice, it hopes to make the most of Christmas… you only get one day each year, so don’t let the pressure of the holiday fuck you up. The song itself is damn catchy – an earworm that you can’t sing in polite company. Earworm… mantra… two sides of the same coin, both useful distractions from reality.

Don’t fuck with Christmas.
Don’t fuck with Christmas.
Don’t fuck with Christmas.

I feel a bit better.

Bottom Line: BumbleWasps has what many don’t – a consistently original POV on Christmas music, and this may be the best one yet.

LISTEN