Category: Downloads

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Caleb Nichols – So This Is Crimble (2023)

Kill Rock Stars
Buy: Bandcamp

You may recognize poet and singer/songwriter Caleb Nichols from his previous feature on this blog, or perhaps my 2023 Christmas mix, I’m an Igloo, which features his gorgeous 2021 song, “I Fell in Love on Christmas Day.” Well, this year Caleb has packaged up his previous Christmas tunes, including the wonderful, nearly brand new “Christmas, California,” from his 2023 album Let’s Look Back, and added a spectacular new track that is sure to delight many fans of this thing called pop music we all love.

This brand new, exclusive to this release song, as opposed to that old song from way back in October (Christmas, California), is “Crimble Medley.” The title may be a giveaway for hardcore Beatles fans (my son may know about this – he is in bed though!), but this term is apparently Beatle-ese for Christmas, coined on one of their fan club 45’s many a moon ago. I’m going to defer to Caleb’s description, as this song is packed full of Beatley goodies:

“…a late entry into the crowded Christmas music field with “Crimble Medley” — a 4-minute John Fahey-esque folk tune that seamlessly blends holiday offerings from the Beatles solo catalogs, all set to the musical base of the bands’ unreleased, fans-only track “Christmas Time Is Here Again.” Songs from all four Beatles are included in the Americana-twinged medley, including “Happy Christmas (War Is Over)” by John Lennon and Yoko Ono, “Ding Dong Ding Dong” by George Harrision, “Wonderful Christmastime” by Paul McCartney, and the Ringo Starr/George Harrision penned “Photograph”.”

Wrapped in a tight 4:13, Caleb packs a whole ton of seamless Beatle fun into this song. I’m sure it is going to be a favorite for the next few days… then again starting next September for you crazy folks (like me), and perhaps July for our southern hemisphere friends. Ah hell, if Caleb can put incredible Christmas songs on his “normal releases,” we all should work incredible Christmas songs into our “normal listening.” Justification found!

Bottom Line: What a lovely Crimble gift for us all.

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Kristian Noel Pedersen – Christmas Around Town! (AKKCXV)(2023)

Self Released
Buy: Bandcamp

T Swift has us all talking in eras lately, and I am not immune to the culture – so here we go. Kristian Noel Pedersen began his Saul McCartney era last year, with the stellar Saul McCartney’s Magical Holiday Season (AKKCXIV). The Evermore to that Folklore, KNP has gifted us with an unexpected and glorious follow-up, Christmas Around Town!. For those unfamiliar with the concept of these records, they are an imagined collaboration between KNP and imaginary 60’s pop icon Saul McCartney. This year’s record features an increasingly strained relationship between the two, as the voicemail messages from an annoyed Saul McCartney provide the delightful framework for some of KNP’s best work. From the wonderfully amusing “Waiting for Christmas” with its gorgeous guitar work, to the clever Polar Express-inspired “Dear Santa,” and the beautiful horns on the inspired “Hallmark Holiday,” there is so much to love here. Just press play and attempt to pick your favorite, I dare you.

Challenge accepted! The highlight for me has to be the two sides of “City Streets, Holiday Road.” I loved the amusing lead-in by Saul McCartney, threatening KNP not to make his song sound like “Morrissey-ass 80’s British beeeeep,” nearly as much as that absolutely perfect, Morrissey-ass 80’s British version of the song that of course, KNP makes. This song is some of KNP’s best writing to date – the nostalgia, the memories, while not becoming terribly sad… walking that razor’s edge of happiness and sadness that leaves me wholly impressed. “The city streets / echo the places that we go. / The memories / of playing outside in the snow / And you’re still there / Still see you underneath the lights / Your auburn hair / even if you’re not there anymore.” That’s just a small selection – the whole song has plenty of gorgeous lines. However, what I did not expect is to find myself wondering whether I would put KNP’s “City Streets, Holiday Road,” or the flip side to this track, the version of the song that ends the record, sung by Saul McCartney (aka the incredible Harlan Guthrie). This 60’s pop-crooner version is so warm and delightful, as Saul sings in conversation with these perfect trumpet melodies, so damn gorgeous that I became incredibly conflicted. That first section of the song is so impeccably produced, I found myself amazed it was new, and hadn’t existed for decades; It just FEELS like it should have. KNP has cracked the code for creating a lovable, believable fictional singer/band within another piece of art, a feat hard to explain other than by pointing to other successes like The Oneders in “That Thing You Do,” or Stillwater in “Almost Famous.” There is a quality to this character that makes you want to know more. Truly incredible.

Bottom Line: I feel some magic here… I hear the bells once again. Thanks Kristian.

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Aux Caroling – New Carols for the New Canon (2023)

Self Released
Buy: Bandcamp

How is it that folks put out these weird, fun little Christmas projects… and don’t find my fun, weird little Christmas website? Who knows… maybe Aux Caroling (aka Scott Deaver) has been caught in the spam filter, both literally and the malfunctioning one that is my attention span. Harking (the seasonal form of hailing, obvs) from North Carolina, Aux Caroling has released a whole mess of Christmas tunes in the past two years, a full album last year (Holly, Jolly, Melancholy), and an odd, wonderful EP this year. The EP starts off with “Bulls vs. Lakers, Christmas 2011,” a song largely about a basketball game. It puts you in his living room… talking about Derrick Rose, eating leftover pizza, calling his brother. But there are lines that hint at something deeper than just watching a game, “The future it holds, what nobody knows, then a floater from Rose.” That is some kind of beautiful in a way I wasn’t expecting.

The second track, the hilariously-titled, “Michael Clayton is a Christmas Movie, 2021-Present,” appears to be a response track to his 2022 song, “Is Michael Clayton a Christmas Move?” – which I’m just smiling about as a whole concept for a song. Perhaps Christmas a Go Go will need a Michael Clayton theme post sometime soon!

The final song, “Playstation 2, Christmas Early 2000s,” is using the gift of a Playstation 2 as a way to talk about a relationship with these incredibly clever lines like, “Memories on our memory card ranged not great to barely good.” Once more, I find myself feeling like I’m listening to an Elliott Smith alternate-timeline Christmas record… and I pop on to Aux Caroling’s Instagram and see a post of a hand clutching 3 copies of Elliott’s self titled record. So, while I may have suggested in an earlier post about being crazy… It appears I might have some sense left.

Bottom Line: These short, clever songs are deceptively impressive.

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Big Society “December, forever” (2023)

Self Released
Buy: Bandcamp

Manchester’s Big Society is becoming one of those bands you must watch when December rolls around. With three Christmas releases since 2020, they haven’t put out a dud yet. I somehow missed “On a Winter’s Night” last year, but with the last few days of Christmas deluge, I have to cut myself a break. Thankfully, this year’s glorious new track, “December, forever,” dropped early enough to be featured on my 2023 mix, I’m an Igloo. What do I like about it? It sounds warm and lovely, despite the complicated feelings that run through the song. To think they achieved this as a live take (in their custom-built shipping container studio) is pretty crazy. Yes, some drums and backing vocals were added later, but truly impressive. Is that a banjo? Am I crazy? I think I am. I am. That is a guitar right? Ah hell, I just love it. This is why I don’t get paid to do this – I’m not a reliable source of useful information.

Bottom Line: Big Society with another stone-cold mixworthy tune. Sales benefit The Boothe Center in Manchester, a charity that provides services for the homeless. Open up those wallets folks.

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Litany “Die Hard (Is a Christmas Film)” (2022)

Self Released
Buy: Apple Music | Amazon MP3 | Amazon.uk MP3 | Amazon.de MP3 | Amazon.fr MP3

Back in 2020, Christmas a Go Go highlighted the vast amount of Christmas songs that tackle the subject of whether Die Hard is a Christmas movie or not. CAGG even updated the post last year to reflect new additions to the canon (still dated 2020 though!). I thought one of the songs on that massive list deserved a little bit more attention – and here we are. Litany is an alternative pop artist from England (and just signed to Nettwerk as of this week) whose 2022′ “Die Hard (Is a Christmas Film)” with an earworm chorus that will torment you for the rest of the holiday season. It is a fun torment though… strolling down the street singing “yippee, ki yay motherfucker.”

Bottom Line: A new addition to the top tier of Die Hard/Christmas classics.

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Ned’s Holiday Dustbin /// Busted Head Racket & Billiam – Genetic Southern Hemisphere Christmas (2023)

Self Released
Buy: Bandcamp

hey, this is ned. i’ve hosted a weekly radio show called no love for ned for twenty-some years and also made annual christmas mixes that i sent out between 2000-2010.

holiday music remains my jam and somehow (jim/sixtywatt/christmas underground) and i ended up building adult lives in the same rural town twelve years ago. since then we’ve been goading each other into ordering obscure indie music (both christmas and otherwise) from all over the world to split the shipping costs. i’m envious of his ability to still churn out a yearly christmas mix despite family obligations and i’m hoping my columns will help get me back to a yearly christmas mix. (i assume jim is hoping my columns buy him a little more free time).

i’m gearing up for a holiday radio show in a couple weeks, in the meantime here’s my 2022 holiday show on mixcloud to get into the no love for ned holiday vibes.

TW: suicide in the song and video.

Billiam & Busted Head Racket are both part of a thriving garage punk scene in Australia that reminds me of the Jay Reatard/Goner/Douchemaster scene from the mid aughts. They’ve collaborated on three “blink and you’ll miss them” holiday songs posted up on bandcamp as a PWYW download. No jingle bells on this holiday release, just throbbing melodies topped by blown-out (and often indecipherable) lyrics.

“I’m Existential” races by in seventy-five seconds that depicts a spiraling Santa Claus. Busted Head Racket’s lyrics show us that Santa’s pretty fed up with the job, confessing both “he’s sick / of carting all your shit” and “I’m sick of cookies and milk / I really need some help”. In true holiday fashion, they’ve crafted a video featuring Claymation versions of Santa, Billiam and Busted Head Racket.

It’s certainly not one for the family holiday party but definitely one for my holiday radio show this year- after I edit out that ‘shit’!

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The Oh Hellos “December ’04” (2023)

No Coincidence Records
Buy: Bandcamp (full holiday record) | Bandcamp (song) | Apple Music | Amazon MP3 | Amazon.uk MP3 | Amazon.de MP3 | Amazon.fr MP3

The Oh Hellos are no stranger to Christmas music, as I recall their E.P., The Oh Hellos’ Family Christmas Album, was released 10 years ago! I had also completely forgotten that they pressed it on vinyl in 2016… try to get ahold of that one, I dare you. This year they return to the seasonal fray with “December ’04,” which begins with the memory of an inch of snow in Texas – an inch that didn’t melt away immediately and became a childhood moment encased in amber. The song moves to the present day, and grown-ups dealing with cold weather, frozen pipes, and slippery asphalt… while clinging to that beautiful moment and the love of their family. There are great, touching lines throughout this song, but I particularly enjoyed this stanza.

sure, the days are colder and the nights are long
but don’t you worry, I don’t think the magic’s gone
we could light a fire
we could lift our voices higher
we can believe in you

Just a lovely song that deserves your ears, and maybe a spot on your mix.

EDIT: They have released this song as part of a 6-song holiday record, The Oh Hellos’ Family Christmas Album: Volume II.

Bottom Line: Some folky goodness from some old Christmas friends.

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Duz Mancini “Christmas Special” (2023)

Lolipop Records
Buy: 7Digital (FLAC) | Apple Music | Amazon MP3 | Amazon.uk MP3 | Amazon.de MP3 | Amazon.fr MP3

Los Angeles’ Lolipop Records are ALWAYS a good source for excellent indiepop/rock Christmas singles, having dropped excellent tracks by Jacklen Ro (I can’t believe I missed the cover of “Happy Christmas (The War is Over)” from 2021 – though it is streaming only) and Lost Cat in previous years. This year they are releasing an excellent new track from New Orleans/Los Angeles/Nashville’s (lots of places appear to claim him) Duz Mancini. “Christmas Special” is that kind of laid-back alt.country that pairs well with a cold drink. The lyrics are simple and clever, and the attitude and vibe has me RIYL Dougie Poole… This one is mixworthy, and you may hear it soon enough on mine.

Bottom Line: Wait for the music to really kick in. You’re going to love it. “When the lights turn bluuuueeee……”

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PHONY (featuring Ratboys) “Christmas Eve Day”, “Wedding and Funeral Family” (2022)

PHONY Industries
Buy: Bandcamp

Have you ever wondered what an Elliott Smith Christmas song might sound like? I say this, and realize that you could make a case for adding “Junk Bond Trader,” “King’s Crossing” or “Angel in the Snow,” should you be so inclined, I suppose… Well. Where do I go with this review other than saying, “Christmas Eve Day” by PHONY (the solo project of Neil Berthier, guitarist for Joyce Manor, ex-Donovan Wolfington) sure sounds like a great Elliott Smith Christmas-adjacent song. This song shares the same beautiful, haunting qualities I’ve always loved from Elliott, though best compared to his earlier, less-ornate work. The finger picking, the harmony provided by the excellent Julia Steiner from Ratboys, even the quality of Neil’s voice – I can’t shake that feeling I’m listening to a ghost when I close my eyes. That second verse is particularly vivid, especially with that repeated line at the end.

parliaments torched to the filter
on an empty stomach
christmas eve day
it had poured rain 
for the first time in ages
took my demons outside of their cages
i thought about you
and how there was
just no way to solve it
success and failure 
sound the same
a sweet evil silence
a sweet evil silence

I don’t mean to only talk about comparisons with this review. I just can’t shake them. I do believe that PHONY made something quite beautiful here, and just like an Elliott Smith record, the unflinching introspection does put you in a particular kind of space. Do you like that space? I own every Elliott Smith record, so I sure do, but I know many (my wife included) who do not. But not every song here is for everyone, but every song is surely for someone.

For folks who are on board for PHONY from that first track, “Wedding & Funeral Family,” also has some pretty explicit Christmas imagery, and Neil shakes the Elliott Smith vibe of “Christmas Eve Day” for more of an emo vibe. And yes, there are many flavors of emo, and that is a term that some folks avoid, but the song is worth it.

always on a weekday
come up with something more
than christmas cards i couldn’t save
wish you had
your cardboard box of ornaments 
i could help you hang them at 4 pm
just get out the white wine
put on some elvis to remind me of some better time
when all the lights would flash more than red and yellow
we get together but don’t seem to say hello

Did you think the first song was heavy? “Wedding & Funeral Family” takes the emotion to a new level. The record was written after Neil’s father passed from dementia, and I find this song so personal that it feels like an invasion of privacy, like I’m peering through a crack in the door. Again, I find these things interesting and beautiful – and I grant it may not be quite what your mix is looking for, but it might be what you need someday.

Bottom Line: I’ve been creeping on your Bandcamp purchases, and am quite pleased to discover this song, this band, and the Ratboys connection makes it even sweeter. These are deeply lovely and emotional songs for the kind of person that needs a hit of this on occasion.

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Arlie “Come as You Arlie (The Christmas Song)” (2018)

Self Released
Buy: Bandcamp (NYOP)

Sometimes you find one of those songs that you get so excited about that you both want to tell everyone, and nobody, about it. This is one of those situations… hold it until it is revealed on your mix (which is not set in stone yet, so anything can happen still!), or help the wider community impress their friends with a fantastic song. Well, I’m going with the latter as I’m sure a bunch of you are going to enjoy this one…

As for the review, I’m not going to get too specific, because I really just want you all to press play and smile. However, I will give a little background to this fantastic song. Nashville psychedelic indiepop band Arlie put this song together back in 2018 and tried to get it fully-cleared to be on Spotify/Tidal/etc, but alas, the music publishing gods had other ideas. Thus, it existed under the radar for several years, with not much on the net about it beyond a few Tiktoks that use the song, as well as one where Arlie addresses the song’s unfortunate fate. Somehow, with zero press, the song still amassed over 10K streams on Soundcloud – the only place (until VERY recently) where one could find this full song. I reached out the Nathaniel Banks, the frontman of the band, a few weeks ago just to make sure that he’d be cool with me writing about the song, as I didn’t want to stir up any trouble for him. He was happy to give me the green light – and even put the track up on Bandcamp for you all. So… warm up whatever finger you prefer to smash play with, and proceed.

Be sure to check out Arlie’s excellent full-length record, Break the Curse, as it is not on the Arlie Bandcamp. You can find it on your favorite streaming service… or perhaps from your favorite record store. Bands get WAY more money from a purchase than a stream, and everyone’s got to eat, folks.

Bottom Line: This one is going to bring a smile to many faces. And remember, name your own price means you can drop a dollar in the pot, so please do so.

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