xmasunderground

July 2, 2014June 1, 2015

Comfort and Joy: A Holiday Comp for the Kids (2013)

Analog Ghost Records
Buy: Vinyl/MP3 from label | Vinyl from Jigsaw | ~~Cassette~~

What a lineup. Quasi. Rob Crow (of Pinback). The Music Tapes. Wooden Wand. Ida. Jason Lytle (of Grandaddy). Mike Watt (of the Minutemen/etc/etc). Certainly some indie heavy-hitters on this compilation, thus I would have expected this record to make more waves last year. I found it rather late in the season, too late for my mix no doubt, but don’t recall really coming across it very many other places either. I don’t know whether it was the rather generic title (Comfort and Joy) that pushed it down in Google results, or what might have happened, but this release deserves your attention! Limited to 500 copies on vinyl (and likely much fewer on cassette), proceeds from this release benefit the Covenant House, a charity that helps homeless youth across the country. Check out Analog Ghost’s Facebook page to see a pic of the nice letter that they got back after their first donation of proceeds.

I don’t normally provide tracklists, but I think you would benefit from this:

Quasi – “Christmas on Credit”
Rob Crow (Pinback) – ”Wasail Among Us”
Joe Jack Talcum (Dead Milkmen) – ”Christmas Waltz”
Human Hearts (Franklin Bruno) – “June is as Cold as December”
David Ivar aka Black Yaya (Herman Dune) – ”I Fought the Lord”
Golden Boots – “Mele Kalikimaka”
Wckr Spgt – “The Ballad of Snowy Brown”
Refrigerator – “Christmas in the Sun”
The Music Tapes – “Let it Snow”
Ida – “Heard it from Heaven Today”
Nima Kazerouni ft Maston – “Dear Santa, This World is Strange”
Wooden Wand – “Silver Bells”
Outravez (Monotonix) – ”Banu Hoshech Legaresh”
Jason Lytle (Grandaddy) – “Piano Fell Asleep In The Bushes”
Mike Watt – ”The First Noel”
Terry Riley – ”God Rest Ye”

I don’t want to get bogged down in a track-by-track rundown, so here are some personal highlights. Quasi‘s “Christmas on Credit” is one of those snarky Christmas tunes that I love. Rob Crow‘s “Wasail Among Us” dips more into the territory his hard-rocking side projects and really shakes up the record. David Ivar (AKA Black YaYa)’s “I Fought the Lord” is a great take on “I Fought the Law” and has some welcome harmonica. Even Golden Boots‘ “Mele Kalikimaka” is 100% enjoyable and their fuzzy baseline really does it for me – It may even be my favorite tune on the record. Nima Kazerouni ft. Maston’s “Dear Santa, This World is Strange,” has the echoey vocals, jangling bells, and general mood that you expect from a Christmas tune. While the pace is slow, it may find a place on your mix if your sequencing fits. I love the title & the general concept of the song.

There are really only a few tunes that I would skip by – the Mike Watt bass-only cover of “First Noel” would be one. Something about the entire song being played ONLY on a bass… just not for me. With minimal clunkers, Comfort and Joy is a very welcome compilation that, certainly for the price, you should feel great exchanging your hard-earned money for.

If I am not mistaken, there is also a download card in the package as well. I ordered from the label last year, and they actually dropboxed me the tunes immediately. But I’m pretttttty sure there’s some sort of card in there too. Let me know if there isn’t…

EDIT: I’ve updated the “Buy” section – the record label has some more copies!

Bottom Line: Certainly enough here to be happy about. 4/5

LISTEN

June 6, 2014March 25, 2016

Nickel Creek “Christmas Eve” (2014)

Nonsuch
Buy: 7Digital FLAC/MP3 | iTunes

So, this may likely be the highest-profile post that I put on this site. Nickel Creek are largely mainstream; They have won a Grammy, been on CMT, etc. etc. However, it is their proclivity for interesting choices, such as covering a Pavement song (“Spit On A Stranger“) on a major-label release, that gives me enough reason to bring them into the Christmas Underground fold.

After a seven-year hiatus, Nickel Creek returns with a record that also marks their 25th anniversary, A Dotted Line. This album has gotten rave reviews, as have their earlier efforts, and to my surprise, includes a Christmas tune. “Christmas Eve” is a breakup track, with lyrics by their guitarist, Sean Watkins. If you have a folk bone in your body, this is certainly going to tickle it. And if you truly love folk music, you are going to LOVE this song. The ending is pretty exquisite – their vocals – “Please darling wait / It’s not all over yet” – layering as the song descends… very much worth your time. No jingle bells whatsoever on this tune.

Bottom Line: Mainstream folk via an excellent band that are likely to be listened to for many years to come. 4.5/5

LISTEN:

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D5MfYLO200Q]

May 27, 2014December 7, 2023

El Perro Del Mar – Oh What a Christmas! (2004)

Hybris
Buy: Bandcamp | Discogs CD-R | 7Digital MP3 | iTunes

In 2004, El Perro Del Mar was pretty much only known to the outside world as that singer who shared a split 7″ with Jens Lekman. Thankfully, things have changed in the past decade, and Sarah Assbring (her real name) has released a handful of wonderful, critically acclaimed and challenging records. One of her very first releases (her second if I am not mistaken) was a Christmas CD-R on the Swedish Hybris label. Limited to 200 copies, this CD-R had a fantastic A-side in “Oh What a Christmas!” and an equally enjoyable B-side with “Shake it Off.” Only one of those tunes was Christmas-related, I’ll leave it to you to guess.

“Oh What a Christmas!” has since become somewhat of an indie-christmas classic, showing up on the wonderful It’s Not Like Christmas… and of course, countless 8tracks mixes. This attention is well deserved, as the song is pretty wonderful – the music harkens back to the drum beat of 60’s pop, while layering on her ever-so-distinctive vocals to create a great 3 minutes of Swedish retro-pop. Of note, in 2009, she dipped her toes back into season fare with Auld Lang Syne – and really puts the El Perro Del Mar stamp on that old chestnut as well.

Bottom Line: If you aren’t turned off by her voice to start with, then this song is likely for you. 4.5/5

LISTEN

May 26, 2014May 27, 2014

Linedance Fever “Last Christmas” (2011)

Self-Released
Buy: Bandcamp

Like my fellow friend-in-Christmas Stubby, I too believe that the Swedish country-punk band, The Linedance Fever, have recorded one of the most wonderful and original versions of the oft-covered Wham! classic, “Last Christmas.” I have included a few covers of this song on my mixes in the past, each one quite distinct from the other… and this version joins the Erlend Oye version as the best that you can find. (They also have another Christmas tune, 365 Days of Christmas, and I may review that at some point… and I do hope they make some more.)

Bottom Line: A gem. If you have any taste, you’ll think so too. 🙂 5/5

LISTEN

May 9, 2014November 19, 2017

Red Sleeping Beauty “Christmas” (1992)

Marsh-Marigold (EP) / Siesta (Compilation)
Buy: Discogs (CD/LP) | Amazon UK

Associated with the wonderful Acid House Kings (in that they share one member), Red Sleeping Beauty ~~were active from 1992-1997~~ are recently back in the swing of things with a new track (a cover) on the bonus disc of Alpaca Sports’ debut release. For those, like me, who have followed that Swedish indie-pop rabbit hole down a good ways, this is good news.

Red Sleeping Beauty, like the Acid House Kings, dabbled in a seasonal tune on their first release. Amazingly enough, both songs were titled “Christmas,” and were released in the same year (1992) on the same record label (Marsh-Marigold). However, one song is significantly better than the other – and my (unfortunate) distaste for the AHK song left me with quite low expectations for the RSB tune. I was, however, quite pleasantly surprised. Red Sleeping Beauty recorded a perfectly fine indie-pop Christmas tune, very much in the style of the genre, but with a nice bed of fuzz to build the male/female vocal interplay upon. Originally released on their 1992 debut EP, Pop Sounds, it is much easier located on 2000’s Siesta singles compilation appropriately titled, Singles.

Bottom Line: Solid indie-pop from Sweden gets my vote. As I live with this tune some more, it might get a few more points… we’ll see. 3.9/5

LISTEN

April 16, 2014

Memoryhouse “Christmas Island” (2013)

Self-Released
Buy: Bandcamp

Memoryhouse released their second Christmas tune this past season, a cover of the Andrews Sisters’ minor classic, “Christmas Island.” As to be expected, it is quite pretty. The synths and drum machine give it an atmosphere that I haven’t heard on this song before – so it certainly checks off that “make it your own” requirement of a good cover. Not quite sure how I feel about the guitar solos, but I’ve never been a guitar solo guy to begin with. The track also benefits the New Moon Rabbit Rescue, so with every seasonal dollar you send, they help care for some adorable rabbits.

Bottom Line: Memoryhouse highlight a less-often-covered tune, and do it well. They might not have knocked my socks off (yet), but I’ll give it some more time to sink in. Generally well chosen, executed, and intentioned. 3.9/5

LISTEN

April 2, 2014November 19, 2017

Chk Chk Chk (!!!) – And Anyway It’s Christmas (2013)

Chk Chk Chk - And Anyway Its Christmas 7"

Warp Records

Buy: Bleep (7″, FLAC, WAV) | 7Digital MP3 | iTunes

!!! can’t put out music that doesn’t make you smile. They always seem to have groove spilling out of their clothes, and their first Christmas effort is no different. While it may have taken a listen or two for me to really get into, they eventually got me to the place where I love this song. With lyrics like, “It was nothing but a crush, / I was long resigned. / Thats all it was, / just something that stayed on my mind. / But I’ve been round the world / seen all kinds of girls but I’ve seen nothing better / than you in that sweater.” It may not seem like much… but the way they say sweater is just fantastic. That funky guitar really tops it off, and my foot can’t stop tapping, and my butt can’t stop moving in my office chair. Brother’s gotta work.

Bottom Line: This is a steal as a digital download (WAV! FLAC!)… and while a bit more pricey as a 7″, it is limited to a jaw-dropping 100 copies. Yes, you read that right. 100. 4.8/5

LISTEN

March 26, 2014March 25, 2016

Kill Rock Stars Winter Holiday Album (2006)

Kill Rock Stars
Buy: Bandcamp | iTunes

Back in 2006, Kill Rock Stars was sending out CD-R copies of their brand-new Winter Holiday Album with a purchase of $50 or more through their webshop. This was the only physical release of the compilation, which is easily found now through most digital retailers. Its certainly not the most obscure independent release to review, but I do find it necessary to throw a bone out there to those who are just getting into this unfortunate obsession, and might not have heard of everything yet.

Kill Rock Stars Winter Holiday Album is the kind of idea that makes you super excited, which inevitably (in most Christmas music cases) leads to disappointment. I certainly don’t want to scare off KRS from another comp, but this record is all over the place. The pace, however, never picks up – it maintains a slow-to-mid tempo nearly the entire time. There are moments of gloom (Gold Chains & Jillian Iva: “Winter Kills”), drone (The Mary Timony Band: “Hapi Holidaze”) and silliness (Phranc: “Hannukah Snowman”) that activate my “skip track finger.” There is really only one track that I truly enjoy. The Everyothers cover of the Pretenders’ “2000 Miles” is done wonderfully – their voices certainly do it justice. They don’t reinvent the wheel, but if you are someone who 1) likes the song and 2) doesn’t want to include the original or the ubiquitous Coldplay version on your mix, this may be the one for you.

Bottom Line: The potential of a great label releasing a Christmas comp is tough to live up to, but I can’t bring myself to give it too much slack. I also haven’t got much sleep this week, sorry KRS, that might play into this too. 2/5

LISTEN

March 18, 2014November 19, 2017

Fletcher C. Johnson “Merry Christmas” (2010)

Burger Records
Buy: Bandcamp

Fletcher C. Johnson has a great pop sensibility, in a garage-rock sense of the word. “Merry Christmas” is the B-Side to his Happy Birthday 7″. It has a truly excellent groove – certainly a groove good enough to be in the running for a mix. Fun, happy lyrics that I genuinely enjoy (believe it!) with the kind of pretty (yet still dirty around the edges) production quality that I am a sucker for. I just have to get over the children’s choir that is low in the mix of the chorus. Certainly worth a listen… I’d imagine you could edit it down to not have such a long intro too…

Bottom Line: Certainly better than most, this tune is solid, though I’d be a much bigger fan if there was a childless version. Oh, and I’d love a download… anybody know if you get an MP3 or FLAC download from the actual 7″? It doesn’t appear to be so on Bandcamp… 3.9/5

LISTEN

[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vkXoPwt2bMY]

February 21, 2014March 25, 2016

Serenades (aka We Are Serenades) “Come Home” (2011)

Cherrytree/Interscope Records
Buy: Amazon (Try to find it elsewhere – eBay is often cheaper)

A side project of both singer-songwriter Marcus Srunegard and Adam Olenius (of the Shout Out Louds), Serenades (now known as “We Are Serenades“) put out a fantastic little EP, Come Home, to indie record stores in late 2011. A friend at our local college radio station proceeded to hip me to the fact that the title track is actually a Christmas song! And what a Christmas song! Melancholy Swedish Christmas songs are pretty much my favorite thing, and add a big chorus and I’m pretty much putty in your hands.

Bottom Line: These swedish songsmiths have created a song worthy of all-year-round listening – not bad for a Christmas tune. And hey, you can get this CD for CHEAP. 5/5

LISTEN

[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CHZ2ev-C4WY]