Category: Singles/Tracks

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The Color Bars “Merry Christmas It’s Your Birthday” (2017)

Self Released
Buy: Bandcamp

Did you know… that Christmas can also be someone’s birthday? True story. I know this guy, legend has it he was born then. I’m sure that science and well known pagan traditions will not prove that wrong. However, there is a little-known fact that other folks also have their birthday on the 25th… it’s true (hehe). Well, we finally have a song for them! NYC indiepop band (well, one guy who sings and plays everything!) The Color Bars‘ released this great indiepop/doo-wop, supremely-secular Christmas/birthday song back in 2017, and I don’t shy away from digging back a few years to bring out the good stuff. I was initially not too sure about going full doo-wop, but after a couple listens, me and the boys began performing it for dimes on the corner, and it just stuck. Those first few lyrics are pretty great:

I’m not one for Christmas wreaths, eggnog or Christian beliefs
But I still love Christmastime and there’s one primary reason

Merry Christmas it’s your birthday, baby it’s true
I’m not talking bout Jesus, I’m talking bout you
‘Cause Christmas is your birthday and it’s almost here
And I’m giving my heart to you for Christmas this year
Merry Christmas it’s your birthday

Written for a woman who bears the burden of a December 25th birthday, “Merry Christmas It’s Your Birthday” is a pretty fantastic birthday (or Christmas? or both? I’ve just gone cross-eyed) present indeed.

Bottom Line: This song is certainly an excellent new approach to celebrating on the 25th, for whichever reason you happen to do so.

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a Drift “Make Christmas Great Again” (2019)

Le Jean Luc Tobine’s Official Fan Club
Buy: Bandcamp

One of my absolute favorite finds ever was the Christmas EP put out by Jean Luc Tobine’s Official Fan Club, which is SOMEHOW still available. I mean come on. Any self-respecting alternative Christmas fan should own that thing. Well, they have also released two great Christmas singles by the Basse-Normandie band a Drift. The first one was lovingly reviewed on this very blog back in 2015, and the lastest…….. well here it is. I know, what a twist! “Make Christmas Great Again” is an obvious jab at our orange leader, just based on the title alone. However, just to be sure, the song begins with “Once in the biggest tower of the biggest town, / Lived the richest boy who never asked for what he had.” I do believe that fits the biography. However, there may be hope for this young boy. He proceeds to ask for Santa to make a wonderful Christmas for him, his family and friends. While a bit self-centered, not a terrible request from this young boy. However, as Christmas arrives and he is sitting there alone, his true nature is revealed and things take a turn toward the megalomaniacal.

Make Christmas Great Again
Make Christmas Great Again
I want a big big party
I wanna be adored
I want them to scream my name
and ask for more

Make Christmas Great Again
Make Christmas Great Again
Build a wall around the house
so they can’t get out,
and I can play with them
until new year strikes.

One could say that I love a good political Christmas song… and they would be right. A Drift’s deft ability to set the scene, then twist the knife stands in both contrast and compliment to the doo-wop indiepop groove. It is a big smile while flipping the bird, and sometimes those are the best.

Bottom Line: Political indiepop from our sharp-tongued brothers in arms.

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Faux Canada “Fuck It, It’s Christmas” (2019)

Self Released
Buy: Bandcamp

Just when you can’t go on… you find “Fuck It, It’s Christmas,” and you are revived. If you don’t feel that way after listening to this fantastic new song by San Francisco’s Faux Canada, then you are indeed a Grinch. I should know, I was one. I absolutely love their description, because it is so apt:

Here is our latest release; a Christmas song that gives you permission to eat the whole cake, confess your obsession with all things festive, to give in to the lovefest the holidays are meant to create.

I’m gonna stay up another hour. Because fuck it, I’m writing a Christmas music blog.

Bottom Line: I pledge my allegiance to Faux Canada. Let’s forget what hell this year has been and say “Fuck It, It’s Christmas.”

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Oscar Lang “Christmas is Home” (2019)

Dirty Hit
Buy: 7Digital (MP3/FLAC) | Apple Music | Amazon MP3 | Amazon.uk MP3 | Amazon.de MP3 | Spotify

London’s Oscar Lang has been releasing music since before he was born. Being that prolific means that at some point… you take a stab a Christmas song. Thankfully, he was compelled to write an original, not cover Blue Christmas/Last Christmas/White Christmas or some other boring chesnut. “Christmas is Home” is a throwback, synthy, indiepop nugget with a catchy chorus that demands a Wham! worthy video, fully of soft focus and terrible clothes. This song was like a swig of hot chocolate – I’m totally on board.

Bottom Line: Oscar Lang writes and produces so much music, that I’m fully expecting this to be his first (meaning, gimme more!) excellent Christmas song.

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The Ornaments “Married and Joseph” (2019)

Folkmonger Records
Buy: Bandcamp

You never quite know what to expect, yet fully know what to expect, when you are awaiting the new Ornaments Christmas single; The one thing you know is that you will never quite hear a Christmas song like this from anyone else. This seasonal project of Mike Behrends and Lance Owens is entering its sixth year, and after we all contemplated death in 2016, we find ourselves celebrating (new) life in 2019. “Married and Joseph” is a brilliant short story, borne out of Mike’s early upbringing in Minnesota attending a conservative Lutheran Church. The characters take part in the classic Christmas pageant, one where their performance is so successful that it leads to sex, a baby and blackmail. I don’t want to give away the whole story, listen for yourself! An added bonus for 2019, the Ornaments are offering up a wonderfully appropriate tote bag in “Lutheran prayer book green.” The bag is wonderfully emblazoned with “Christmas Music or Die Trying.” I can think of a number of folks who are going to NEED this (or be insanely bummed they missed out). Best of luck grabbing one of the 15 (14 now that I’ve gotten one), you weirdo Christmas music fanatics.

Bottom Line: The Ornaments are truly on their own Christmas music island, every year throwing a party and treating us to a fascinating new entree to devour. Delicious!

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Charlie Marie “Old Fashioned Christmas” / “Underneath the Mistletoe” (2019)

Self Released
Buy: Bandcamp | Spotify

Nashville’s Charlie Marie just released one heck of a combination of classic country Christmas originals. Charlie’s voice is the kind that you’ll immediately recognize, soulful and strong, the kind of voice that you would have heard forty years ago coming out an AM radio. Those folks out there who wish to save country music will no doubt find solace in this voice. “Old Fashioned Christmas” is simple and pure in presentation and purpose; the song is about wanting a simple Christmas with family. The only flourishes in this song reside in her voice, where you fully understand how much it means to her. To convey so much beyond the words on the paper, simply through the emotive quality of her voice… you are going to recognize this as the defining feature of Ms. Charlier Marie. “Under the Mistletoe” is ALL about that chorus. I may have mentioned Charlie’s voice one or two times before, but here is where she takes you for a ride. Sit down and read the lyrics to “Under the Mistletoe,” and you may find it fun to have a “Home Alone” reference, and smile with a story of working for a moment away from the kids to connect. Charlie’s voice takes that basic frame and blows it up into an incredible song, adding a vividness that only a big, soulful voice like hers can provide. Charlie Marie could make the phone book sound important and meaningful – her voice is just that good.

Bottom Line: Charlie Marie, thank you for hipping me to your songs, you just made my night. These are some absolutely stunning classic country Christmas songs deserving of your ears.

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Brittain Ashford & Matt Bauer “Tinsel and Snow” (2018)

Commodore Trotter / Ball of Wax Audio Quarterly
Buy: Bandcamp

I am not the kind of blogger who seeks out a great voice. So many of my favorite singers couldn’t sing (How I miss David Berman), but even I can still fall for a voice. Ball of Wax Audio Quarterly is a fantastic blog and music-compiler based in Seattle, and their most recent release is Ball of Wax 58: The Ball of Wax Winter Spectacular, featuring this truly beautiful song by Brittain Ashford & Matt Bauer. Honestly, I’m having a tough time describing Brittain’s voice in a better manner than Ball of Wax did:

The teller of this tale is Broadway star and thematic alchemist* Brittain Ashford. With a voice that balances diaphragmatic force with childlike vulnerability, Ashford paints the sort of holiday portrait that those of us who suffer from melancholy particularly this time of year can appreciate and empathize with, and what’s more—what we need most during the dark season—she infuses every line with a tattered but palpable hope.

This song was almost too pretty for me… but those distinctive qualities of Brittain’s vocal delivery were undeniable. The music is also quite lovely, but after learning of composer Matt Bauer‘s folk and banjo background, I am SO intrigued to hear a version with banjo. Damn that could be cool.

Edit: Turns out this song was initially released in 2018 on an EP, Tinsel and Snow & Other Mid-Winter Missives. Go check it out!

Bottom Line: Like Messi’s “Charlamagne,” this song is defined by a beautiful and distinctive voice.

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SuperBravo – La Nuit / Chanson Pour Les Enfants L’Hiver (2019)

Snowflakes Christmas Singles Club
Buy: 7″ Vinyl | Bandcamp

Snowflakes Christmas Singles Club.

I should just leave the review with that, in that those who understand, those in the know, would just see that and buy the record. However, I’m not going to be so presumptuous, and think that every single person reading my blog already knows the Snowflakes Christmas Singles Club. This label is devoted wholly to Christmas music, creating a yearly tradition of 3-4 limited 7″ vinyl Christmas singles, featuring a wide array of fantastic bands contributing an A-side original seasonal song, with a B-side cover of their choosing. Paris trio SuperBravo is a particular highlight for me this year. Their original, “La Nuit” is Pinback-esque in rhythm and melody, but with these fascinating noises interjected throughout. Honestly, Snowflakes’ writeup captured it pretty damn well: “The song itself sounds like magic, as a fairytale come to life, with strange little creatures making weird sounds, angels harmonizing ‘Noel Noel’ and dreamy vocals – as dreamy as only French female vocals can sound.” This truly sounds like no other Christmas song I’ve heard, and that is most welcome.

The B-side, “Chanson Pour Les Enfants l’Hiver” (‘Song For The Children Of The Winter’) is a poem published by Jacques Prévert in 1946. Their take collages sounds overtop a chiptune/toytronica base, which wonderfully frames how classicly French-pop Armelle Pioline’s vocals are; They add beauty to every canvas they touch. This is a solid one-two punch of a Christmas single.

Bottom Line: Fascinating French pop that bends the genre to its will.

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Flyte “Won’t Be Home for Christmas” (2019)

Island Records
Buy: 7Digital (FLAC/MP3) | Apple Music | Amazon MP3 | Amazon.uk MP3 | Amazon.de MP3 | Amazon.fr MP3 | Google Play

I’ve been a fan of Flyte for a few years now, and have been following their tour of the US on Twitter – watching them go lots of places that aren’t near me, choosing city-specific covers to play in every town. I’ve gotten over the snub, I mean, not everyone can come to Charlottesville, VA (my closest city) I suppose. It was this Twitter monitoring that did tip me off to their latest Christmas song though, so we are cool now, Flyte. “Won’t Be Home for Christmas” is full of soaring vocals and harmonies that have me thinking a good bit about the Beach Boys, but not happy Beach Boys… DARK Beach Boys. This is Flyte’s “miserable fucking Christmas song,” but as sad as the lyrics truly are, the production dresses it up in shimmering clothes. I kind of liken the approach to what I normally love about Swedish indiepop – beautifully happy music with terribly sad lyrics. Thus, here were are, with a wonderfully sad song by Flyte on Christmas Underground. I’m pretty predictable I suppose.

FYI: Their other Christmas songs can be found through their Facebook page – a number of live videos – as well as on the It’s Coming on Christmas compilation put out by Daisy Digital a few years ago… which looks to have disappeared! Well, I sure learned my lesson… I hadn’t yet bought part 2 of that compilation…

Bottom Line: Gorgeous Beach Boys-inspired sadness, perfect for a holiday nightcap.

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Sean Keller “Holy Fucking Shit It’s Christmas!” (2019)

Self Released
Buy: Bandcamp

Well fucking shit. This fucking Christmas song is a great time. I’ve decided that today is devoted to songs that you can’t play around your fucking kids. Sean Keller was kind enough to tweet his song at me overnight, and I’m fucking glad he did. Sean keeps a day job writing for television shows and writing/composing musicals like SLASHED! The Musical. Recently, his free time has involved getting together with friends to shout along to profane Christmas tunes; This man is living his best life. The song is a boozy romp that would nicely serve as the climax to your office-party playlist, provided everyone is drunk enough. Let’s shout-along together: “Holy fucking shit it’s Christmas / God I’m so glad it’s here again I’m sorry I was such a Scrooge / Holy fucking shit it’s Christmas / Everything is so holly jolly just so long as I have you.” I feel like I’ve joined the drunken choir. I’ll have another round, Sean!

Bottom Line: The song is fucking fun as hell.

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