As I furiously try to listen to all that I can, grabbing large compilations for further listening, wishlisting all the singles that I need to come back to… every so often I hit play and gotta pop over here for a quick, dirty, and low-quality review of a great song. You know… feed those content gods.
Stereogum hipped me to this new track from London’s World News, “Xmas 101,” which if you reallllly want to get technical, was released in 2021. It is quite a fun, upbeat song that I’ve found benefits from multiple listens. World News has a flavor of jangle/college radio sound that I would RIYL if you’ve been a fan of Voxtrot, REM, or as The Line of Best Fit aptly tagged, Big Country. So if that is your jam, jam away! I’ll be jamming with you!
How do you end an era? With a big party, of course! Kristian Noel Pedersen (KNP for brevity’s sake) has delivered his 16th original Christmas album, Saul McCartney’s ‘Sauliday Party!’, and boy what a journey this has been. For the uninitiated, Saul McCartney is KNP’s imaginary 60’s pop icon, whose ego has been wreaking havoc through two previous records. I have enjoyed this run immensely, penning rave reviews of every installment… and here we are yet again, with the culmination of the Saul McCartney trilogy. RAVE ON!
How the heck does KNP find the time to put these records together?? The production is so fantastic, so much grander than the bedroom pop that a yearly indiepop project like this would suggest. A perfect example would be the beautiful, brass-infused “What Are You Doing (on Christmas Eve?).” This song has all the pop sensibility and production of a vintage Christmas classic, and is one of those songs that I could see being picked up by some big singer to make KNP a pile of money.
The album’s transition from the vintage-inspired sounds of Saul to KNP’s indiepop begins with the Randy Newman-penned, “Snow.” The bouncing synth lines definitely pinch those “Wonderful Christmastime” receptors, as they invade the 60’s pop production. A perfect lead-in for what may be my highlight of the record, the indiepop perfection of the synthy “Christmas Isn’t Christmas Without You.” The songwriting is absolutely spot-on here. KNP takes a classic Christmas trope, the whole “missing someone at Christmas” scene, and somehow writes this incredibly fresh-sounding, upbeat song, and doesn’t reuse familiar “lonely at Christmas” lyrics. So many songs serve us near-lyrical plagiarism, dressed in different musical stylings… but KNP has found a wonderful new POV here.
Finally, the wonderful album closer, “Silver, Never Gold,” where Smiths guitar lines marry beautifully with those classic, Saul-era brass touches. This album is a stylistic journey, wonderfully narrated by the truly delightful Saul McCartney (Harlan Guthrie) throughout, and this final song closes out the Saul McCartney trilogy perfectly.
This record is a wonderful finale to one of my absolute favorite Christmas music projects I’ve had the pleasure of experiencing and I can’t wait to see what Kristian and his crew of merry collaborators have for us next.
Bottom Line: I don’t want to wear you all down with more effusive language… you read the review above if you got here. KNP is on fire.
Philadelphia’s Wake Up and Smell the Sun (aka John Murray) was trying to empty the holiday tank last year. With his stellar 2-track single The Pedestrian Chronicles, Part 2 leading the way, quickly followed by his EPIC 25-track Advent Calendar, it sure seemed like John had reached his holiday destination. It does make me think of my old Honda Passport though… I could drive that baby on E for 50 miles – I never once ran out of gas, despite trying preetttty hard. Looks like John had a few more miles to drive this year, as he just dropped a 2-song single, The Pedestrian Chronicles, Part 6! This single begins with “Philadelphia Flurries,” a song with a classic WUaStS feel, having a driving beat propel John’s filtered vocals through some of the most interesting lyrics you’ll hear this season – you really have to check the Bandcamp page and hit that “lyrics” link and read along like you were a kid again. Case #1, the first stanza in the first verse hit me immediately and made me shake my head and smile as only John can:
Plain Jane’s Main Line luscious lips, they only sing the Christmas hits, Lure you on the naughty list, and kiss you like a hypnotist. The City Line swingers wine and dine her. Happiness is hit or miss The lightweights end up tipsy, nibbling jingles from her fingertips
This whole song is like that, full of great lyrical twists and turns (and great Philadelphia references!), with a killer chorus to boot. The kind of song you might just take for granted when coming from WUaStS, but fight that urge and take it all in.
The second track, “Whence I Christmas” is the kind of song that makes you think… this Christmas song feels different. This Christmas song feels like a struggle, someone looking inwards and not quite knowing how to feel about themselves or the world around them. I think that this may be the track John was thinking of when he wrote me this passage about his approach to Christmas music: “I write in the thoughts of Christmas people thinking Christmas things or thinking thoughts that might be thought about in the season of Christmas. You know, Ebenezer Scrooge ends up a pretty delightful chap, despite spending most of his adult life as a soul crushing, money grubbing, prick. But, the story is boring without the whole story.” I kept more of that quote than I needed, because I just loved John calling Ebenezer a prick, but you see there how John mines the interior life of his characters for Christmas songs – and we all know that our insides aren’t always pretty. This song isn’t a story of someone who’s figured it all out… you’re in the middle of the journey here… and aren’t we all?
Finally, this isn’t all that John/Wake Up and Smell the Sun has planned for us this year… Friday, December 20th will bring us his first-ever Christmas special, live from Miner Street Recordings with Brian McTear and Amy Morrissey, who have recorded John for the past few seasons. This is the same studio that has hosted many folks we all know and love, like Sharon Van Etten, Kurt Vile, the War on Drugs, Rachel Angel, Big Thief, Dead Milkmen, Strand of Oaks, and Waxahatchee to name a few. John wanted to capture the space at Miner Street, which he says has a “certain magic that cannot be duplicated.” I’m ready for the magic. Here’s a teaser with a live version of “Holly Jolly Tearjerker” from the upcoming Christmas at Miner Street, available Friday on Wake Up and Smell the Sun’s Youtube channel.
Bottom Line: Wake Up and Smell the Sun can’t shake the spirit, and we benefit once more.
Today is shaping up to be quite a day for excellent Christmas releases. Couldn’t have been last week eh???? Some of us have Christmas mixes, and we have the absurd idea that we might send some to folks in the mail (if I can get off my butt to do so). Well, first up is this excellent 2-track single from French indiepop band En Attendant Ana, En Attendant Ana Sings Christmas. These two tracks are covers done right. First up is “Close Your Mouth Because Christmas is the Day”, which takes both of the Free Design’s classic underground Christmas singles “Close Your Mouth (It’s Christmas) / Christmas Is The Day” and sews them together beautifully. They are mixed up with bits of “Carol of the Bells” as well… and it is… rather amazing. An unexpected song(s) choice, beautifully done.
The second single is a cover of the Pogues’ “Fairytale of New York.” I’ve mentioned before that this year is turning out to be a good year for “Last Christmas” covers… well… perhaps we’ve got to start talking about 2024 and these excellent “Fairytale” covers as well. The orchestration and the phrasing of this cover are like no other version I’ve heard before – they really have made this song feel new. (Of note, they do use the word in this song – so depending on where you stand on it’s use, take note). The ending is absolutely SPECTACULAR… so interesting and delightful, that I don’t want to ruin it for anyone here. So get going and listen to these songs.
Bottom Line: En Attendant Ana does exactly what one should with a cover… made them feel new. A top release of the season.
Who is ready for some more “Last Christmas?” My son would say no. Oddly… I would give a hesitant “sure,” as this year has been especially good. That said – I put this out into the world – BANDS! Pick a new song! Speaking of new songs to cover… The new Christmas comp from Los Angeles’ Hit the North Records has everything you want. Songs not often covered? We got em! More “Last Christmas?” YES! It has three versions! That said, I’d say three solid, distinctly different versions starting off with a fuzzed-out stroll by Steel Wool, followed by the warm pop approach of Jacob and the Moon, and finally the amped up chiptune-meets-punk of Kurupi. These versions live in separate worlds… but having 3 versions of the same song does make this a record to be mined for singles, rather than to be listened to as a Christmas record IMHO.
Another often covered standout for me is Tiberius’ loose and lovely “Christmastime is Here.” The song has a feeling of ramshackle comfort. I really enjoy the back half of the song when the orchestration expands and you get harmonica, melodica, and maybe French horn? Quite nice.
So now let’s talk about two songs not often covered, which I thoroughly enjoy by both reminding me that these great originals exist (sometimes you forget!), as well as enjoying what these bands bring to the song. Little Bit kicks into “Snow Day” at the end of the record, and I immediately jumped in recognition – this was a Matt Pond PA cover! There have been years of my life devoted to loving Matt Pond PA, and thatWinter Songs EP definitely sits on my shelf here at home. Little Bit serves the song well, giving it a light, airy feel. Super solid.
Finally, Small Shake & Fur Trader team up on the Harvey Danger indie classic, “Sometimes You Have to Work on Christmas,” which they execute perfectly. Dare I say… is this a dream-pop version?? Those effects pedals! The beautiful, floating vocals! Give me that shoegaze/dream-pop Christmas record!
I only scratched the surface on this record, as I only really have time these days to scratch, but there aren’t any duds on here, and you’ll have much here to add to your Christmas mix/playlist.
EDIT: Just an FYI, this compilation is ONLY available on Bandcamp, and will not be available on streaming.
Bottom Line: As of this moment, you are only able to sample one of the songs… but know that this record is quite solid – and for charity. Well worth the purchase price to support children and mine for fantastic singles.
You all are catching me in the final stage of my Christmas mixin… doing my best folks!
Aux Caroling (aka Scott Deaver) returns for the third year in a row with a handful of new, original Christmas tunes… and once again, I’m smitten. These songs have a warmth and humor that I enjoyed so much that I then went and bought them, despite being sent the MP3s earlier. I loved every song, but clever readers will know that I set the bar a long time ago to never talk about every single song on a record, either out of laziness or arrogance – you decide! (They are all great btw.)
You will never hear another Christmas song quite like “Bob Dylan and the Band Box Set,” which runs through the Bob Dylan box set the protagonist hopes to get for Christmas. How does one do this? Well, disc by disc of a 27-disc box set of course. I listened to this on the way to drop my son off this morning, and he found it amusing enough to comment on even while reading comics. High praise.
“Michael Clayton Blu-ray” continues the saga that began with “Is Michael Clayton a Christmas Movie?” on Aux Caroling’s 2022 record, Holly, Jolly, Melancholy. The song is quick and clever, and according to Scott, the song is “the running joke that will not die. Though the original was less a joke and just a song. But definitely in joke territory now.” I do enjoy the joke 🙂
My favorite moment of this record is actually the ending. The final song, “Keep it Together,” is a slow meditation, what I imagine to be an affirmation to get through the season with those complicated people and relationships in your life. “Keep it together / Say Merry Christmas and go away.” I connect with that… but I was most moved by the orchestration itself – how the outro builds in with these gentle, abrasive, beautiful tones. La da da dadada…
Bottom Line: Yet again, short, funny, beautiful, poignant and sad all mashed up in a way that only Aux Caroling can.
Today is the day. The fourth and final (…you never know for suuuuurrre) volume of this magnum opus of alternative Christmas music has dropped with a whopping 65 songs. Amongst these 65 songs, you’ll find many names that I’ve championed on an occasion or two (Whyte Horses, Dark Horses – ha! – The Photocopies, Skiing, Aux Caroling, and many more) – but unless you’ve been reading this silly blog since 2012, you likely haven’t come across many of these songs. If you have been close-reading this blog, you might even take special notice that Applennium’s “Is this Christmas” is on the tracklist. Not only is this a great track for that imaginary shoegaze/dreampop Christmas mix someone out there is making, but this is the first time one could get an actual FLAC of this song. I honestly had forgotten how great that song was.
This record is a fantastic afternoon listen, one that may very well get you in the spirit enough to finally put up your tree, finish your mix, or dig a bit deeper into that band whose song has just made you hit the back button to listen again. For a quick £7/$8.50, you’re that much closer to indie-Christmas nirvana. That, and ALL proceeds go to Crisis at Christmas, a UK charity supporting people experiencing homelessness. Sounds like an easy call folks.
Bottom Line: If this is the first you’ve heard of this series – there are 4 of them, totaling 208 songs. They are required listening if you are at all interested in this alternative Christmas music. Now go! Listen!
So everything came out today. I’m writing this in the 15 minutes I have in the morning… after having worked until about 9:45 last night… Wait. Did I say I wasn’t going to complain in a post a day or two ago? I LIED!
With a title like “Dirtbag Christmas,” I knew I had to press play, and I was happy to see I wasn’t being seduced by yet another cheeky title – it was indeed great. This song by Thanks Light has a great “Ballad of John and Yoko” bassline, and a Dougie Poole feel that makes total sense, as Dougie and Thanks Light’s Zane Ruttenberg recorded and produced this track together. The song is about Zane’s entire family coming down with Covid, and him having to drive back home to spend Christmas in his bathrobe, drinking whiskey and playing scratch-off lottery tickets. I dunno… that kind of “nothing to do” sounds pretty damn appealing right now.
Bottom Line: Love the groove, love the sentiment, love the cover art = Love.
ROE is an alt-pop weirdo from Northern Ireland and her wonderful first step into the world of alt-xmas has me feeling some great 90s vibes. I’m struggling to find the touchpoint I want – it nearly comes to me, then I lose it. Perhaps one of my five readers (I love you all!) will be able to pin it down… anyway, let’s focus. I love the vocal melody – it moves all over, with these changes of pace that are just damn pleasing. It is explicitly a Christmas song but doesn’t fall into any of those trite, predictable Christmas buckets that I hear so, so very often. Give it a listen, won’t you?
Bottom Line: From one weirdo (me) to another (you, the reader), you should listen to this weirdo.
Sometimes I get concerned that this site just ends up writing about the same folks over and over again. I suppose there are two ways to look at this – 1. I am lazy and 2. These folks know their shit and do it well. Bleu Reine are #2, and definitely know their shit as they have compiled yet another superb Christmas compilation. (I hereby grant permission for folks to clean up my language if they wish to use a quote as a “blurb.”) The fourth edition is yet again a mix of French bands covering both holiday and non-holiday songs… but you know which category I am most interested in. So… let’s dive into these absolutely killer Christmas songs.
The first, and perhaps the most surprising highlight of a truly stellar record is Summer Camp Girlfriend covering the Pogues “Fairytale of New York.” Who needs another cover of this song… apparently me! This dream pop treatment may just have enough sustain on the guitar pedals to fit on my imaginary shoegaze Christmas mix. Their musical choices feel fresh and exciting… and they don’t use the F word! This thing sounds like no other version I have heard to date – give them a follow wherever you hang (hopefully not Twitter – F* ELON).
Skip down to the middle of the record, and you find yourself with an excellent cover of “You’re a Mean One, Mr Grinch,” by Norma. There isn’t much to the simple orchestration, but Norma does a LOT with a little. She doesn’t throw a bunch of musical color to fill up the space but chooses to add a color or two along the way to the strolling guitar lines that propel the song. Norma does four verses of the original six – and hey – I do appreciate a radio edit! Quicker the better when it comes to Christmas songs… this one was a pleasant surprise.
The fuzzy wall of sound that is Rennes, France’s Eeyora’s “Snowman (The Sleepwalk)” may or may not be a cover – I truly have no idea. However, what I encountered will terrify many folks on first listen… a sonic approach that would have been like seeing space aliens to the early rock n’ roll pioneers. But dammit if it hasn’t grown on me. The seesaw between abrasion and sweetness works wonderfully. I’m way out of my comfort zone, but I’m here for it.
Finally, let’s take a look at the Bleu Reine and their inspired cover of the Love, Actually classic, “Christmas is All Around.” The song is meant to be silly in the movie, and yes, the song is silly in reality. However, Bleu Reine has managed to make it feel damn sexy dressed up in some electro/dream-pop clothes. This thing is fucking cool! How did they do that?!
Hey! I missed some of the Christmas songs! THAT is because they were in French! Sometimes I have the balls to talk about songs in another language, and sometimes I don’t. Today is a don’t! Why do I use exclamation marks with reckless abandon when I review THIS specific compilation? I DON’T KNOW!!!!
Bottom Line: Some stone-cold mixworthy songs on this comp – and it raises money for La Croix Rouge Française / French Red Cross!
Christmas Underground 