Category: Singles/Tracks

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Liza Anne “I’ll Be Home for Christmas” (2020)

Tone Tree Music
Buy: Bandcamp

I hear the same songs all the time. Give yourself a win if you are not knee-deep in Christmas music for 4-5 months every year. Thus, when I hear something markedly different from the norm, I grab on for dear life. Nashville’s Liza Anne has provided this rescue buoy with her refreshing rendition of “I’ll Be Home for Christmas.” The orchestration makes this sad song sound downright happy, as instruments bounce around, popping in and out of the familiar melody. The damn thing just made me smile. This song is a vibe, one that I’m happy to surf on.

Bottom Line: Liza Anne has beautifully reimagined a classic.

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Les Hay Babies “Mam pis Pap” (2020)

Simone Records
Buy: Bandcamp

I’ve been thinking about this song for a while. Of course, you all might expect that as an American, I do not speak any other languages. You would assume correctly. Do I wish I could? Damn right I do. I was born on Bastille Day… boy I would love to go to France for my birthday, watch the Tour de France, drink great wine and pass out in a tiny camper on the side of a very windy road. Perhaps not quite the Quebecois French experience lived by the indie folk trio Les Hay Babies, but hey… in the neighborhood! Of note, I had my car stolen in their neighborhood… Montreal… on July 4th! Kind of a reverse Bastille! Fun times…

Les Hay Babies happens to feature a performer that I’ve had on this site before, Julie Aubé, who has not only been featured on CU, but also on a yearly mix! But I did say trio and this is very much a group affair, including the equal efforts of Katrine Noël and Vivianne Roy, each a wonderful solo performer as well. The group took a break after their 2020 LP, Boîte aux lettres, but have since reunited, have a new record (Tintamarre), and are touring once again… thus a perfect opening to talk about this song! “Mam pis Pap” is sung by a daughter who is watching her parents stop celebrating Christmas, as they are older and there is nobody to celebrate with in their house anymore. So, she’ll save her pennies and go home next year, try to recapture the holiday and celebrate with her parents. It is a simple sentiment, one that I can put myself in, both as a son… and as a parent. The holidays are a lot of work – I could see myself phoning it in someday as well. But hey, sing it in French with 3 wonderful voices? Sounds far lovelier a song than this realistic rumination on aging could ever be.

Bottom Line: A lovely trio with a gorgeous, unique, and realistic approach to Christmas.

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Young Jesus “Christmas Day” (2024)

Self Released
Buy: Bandcamp

This is a very small community – I see my stats. I feel like I know most of my readers’ full names and have even met a few in real life (Hi!). So I was delighted to get a ping to my Twitter this morning, as Bennett sends me notes from time to time (sometimes hidden in a package of REAL MAIL), and today he tipped me off to this wonderful song by Young Jesus (aka John Rossiter). “Christmas Day” can be found on John Case, a 5-song benefit EP that dropped today, with all proceeds to be split between the hurricane relief efforts of BeLoved Asheville, and a Gofundme that is created to help a 93-year old woman find a new place after being evicted. So the motivation behind releasing the record is great… how about we take a look at the song itself? Bennett highlighted the first line in his note to me, which is no doubt fantastic, but get a few lines in and you get lines like, “Love’s the only prayer that lasts.” I mean… fucccck.

I met your ass on Christmas Eve
broken nose and your torn-up sleeve
You said God won’t love you
unless you bleed.

I met you and your fancy shoes
gold necklace and a crooked tooth
Love just waltzed into the room

They say the holy ghost gone mad
so walk with me and take my hand.
Love’s the only prayer that lasts.

Those lyrics may be the highlight (for me), but I must also mention John’s intriguing voice. John’s voice has a patina far more interesting than those who can belt it out like you hear on the TV. I love this kind of voice… like a gap-toothed supermodel; The flaws are part of the package, part of the beauty – what makes someone uniquely interesting. Thanks again Bennett – this one’s pretty damn fantastic.

Bottom Line: “Christmas Eve” benefits from multiple listens, so why not throw some money down (on this #bandcampfriday) and get cracking. I need the universe to send me more of these.

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Amason “Santa’s Coming to Free Them” (2020)

Amasonason AB
Buy: Apple Music | Amazon MP3 | Amazon.de MP3

Sometimes I dig up wonderful songs, but they only fit within one specific year. Maybe they namecheck a year, a certain former (lord help us, keep him former please) guy, or a global pandemic. These songs are often quite visceral, filled with vibrating emotions… written with a sense of immediacy, and propelled by a world beyond our control. “Santa’s Coming to Free Them” feels a lot like those kinds of songs… but because the song dwells on the experience of children living through war, it avoids the confines of one year and one conflict. One might bestow on this song an evergreen status that also condemns humanity. I normally try to be a bit fun on this site… whoops!

Amason is a Swedish indiepop/rock supergroup of sorts, whose lineage I will defer to Wikipedia‘s expertise: Amanda Bergman (also known as Hajen, Jaw Lesson, and Idiot Wind); guitarist, keyboardist, and vocalist Gustav Ejstes (from Dungen); keyboardist Pontus Winnberg (from Miike Snow and Bloodshy & Avant); drummer Nils Törnqvist (from Little Majorette); and bassist Petter Winnberg (from Little Majorette). They’ve been releasing music since 2015, and in 2020 dropped this punch-in-the-stomach Christmas single. I feel quite uncomfortable talking about how impressed I am with the vocal delivery on a song you wish never needed to be written, but I will take a brief stab at it. I was terribly impressed with Amanda Bergman’s control and her ability to convey emotion. Her delivery is incredibly intimate–more like a desperate prayer than a pop song. That’s about all I can do – the song is very well done, and it breaks my heart that it exists.

How about we just stop bombing the shit out of each other so we don’t get any more songs like this.

EDIT: Amason also recorded a version of Ave Maria in 2019. Check it out if you feel so inclined!

Bottom Line: If you are the type who likes to craft a challenging Christmas mix… grab this one and Stars’ “Christmas Song” and leave them in tears.

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Pascal Babare “Santa’s Seasonal Showdowns” (2013)

Self Released
Buy: Bandcamp

I must assume that everyone who visits this blog listens to my mix every year, notebook in hand, downloading their thoughts and feelings about every single track so you can forever remember that moment of listening to such a wonderful Christmas mix. That is my basic expectation of you all… I trust you haven’t let me down. That being said, I’m sure this song is old news to you all, as Pascal Babare’s “Santa’s Seasonal Showdowns” was a highlight from last year’s Christmas mix, I’m an Igloo (track 11, probably on page 2 of your notes). One of the many Aussie’s whose amazing Christmas songs I’ve been digging up, this one most certainly stands out. “Santa’s Seasonal Showdowns” tells the tale of a sadistic Santa orchestrating a Running Man-style life-or-death competition – kidnapping, assault, weaponry, the works. Color this story with delicate vocals and beautiful guitar melodies, and you’ve got a delightful, unexpected macabre holiday treat.

Bottom Line: Bloody fantastic holiday fare from down under.

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Socialites “Winter” (2024)

Flower Shop Records
Buy: Bandcamp

I have to remind myself every so often that I have this blog so that my imaginary self will discover it, make an incredible Christmas mix for my imaginary friends, and spread the love (in the form of hot tips to the gracious blog proprietor) so that he too can find crafting this labor of love (and pain) just that little bit easier. It is something I have to continually tell myself when every instinct is to hide away these little songs so that I might spring them on you all with my mix. But… you know… I need to get over that shit. So pull up a chair…

San Antonio’s Socialites have this fantastic jangly Christmas-ish song with a seesaw rhythm that is a likely lock for my upcoming mix (Side note – I did the photoshoot for it today.) “Winter” is found on their May 2024 release, Where To, and damn I like this vibe. Rather chill, yet upbeat music with melancholy lyrics… that’s pretty much the formula this blog was founded on. So go, add this to your playlist and just do me one favor… pretend you’re surprised and amazed my Christmas mix despite having heard everything already.

Bottom Line: I suspect “Winter” was scientifically engineered for me to love it. Damn you Socialites… I will subscribe to your newsletter.

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Shirese “Christmas in East Haven” (2024)

Grapefruit Records and C/Site Records
Buy: Bandcamp

I have a recipe for you that you might like… let’s create a musical smoothie of a Christmas(?) song where you take the Velvet Underground, throw it in a blender with 90’s slacker stream-of-consciousness indie rock, and add a dash of…. melodica? Sounds like a high-dollar treat you could find in the trendier New York neighborhoods… or it could be “Christmas in East Haven” by the East Haven, Connecticut rock band Shirese. While I’m struggling to find the Christmas connection in this song (beyond the title), I’m totally grooving on this stepchild of “I’m Waiting for the Man,” as each listen has me bobbing my head a bit more. The chorus is an unexpected surge of energy, which really hooked me. I especially enjoyed the chorus when followed by the bridge… and all those weird little bleeps and bloops… just kinda refreshing, I suppose.

Bottom Line: It’s both 70s cool and 90s weird. Dig it.

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Arny Margret & Asgeir “Part of Me” (2023)

One Little Independent Records
Buy: Bandcamp

I’m going to Wisconsin this weekend. I rather thought that I’d be heading up north for a quick jolt of brisk weather, something to get me more in the mood to write about this stuff. I looked up the 10-day forecast and it was 87 in Madison today, a solid 10 degrees warmer than it is in Virginia. Just wild. I’ll just have to plug along without my anticipated mood enhancer and get down to what we’re all here for… writing and reading about Christmas music in September.

Hailing from Iceland, Arny Margret and Asgeir have a lot of sweater weather to get themselves in the mood to write Christmas songs. 30 seconds into my first listen to their 2023 collaboration, “Part of Me,” I was already equating the song to staring at a low fire, even before I read the description on Arny’s Bandcamp page:

A winter warmer with rich, acoustic tones and stirring melodies, the track showcases the kind of intimacy and nostalgia that Iceland’s homegrown singer-songwriters have become known for. ‘Part Of Me’ is a fireside duet with a timeless quality and comforting ambiance.

I mean… ditto? What else can I say? Fireside. Nostalgia. Pull me up a log – I’m there. Arny & Asgeir’s voices nestle perfectly together, with an ease that feels like a casual conversation. Their control and restraint are perfection – I love when a singer doesn’t need to sing, if you follow. The minimal orchestration is equally gorgeous, suggesting a steady heartbeat, occasionally swelling with emotion. Well look at me with all those pretty words – I feel like I’m getting a bit too flowery here for what is such a simple, beautiful song that you should already be listening to. I mean… this thing is fucking gorgeous, what are you still doing reading this?

Bottom Line: This song practically makes a big mug of hot cocoa for you.

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Skegss “December” (2022)

Loma Vista
Buy: Bandcamp | Apple Music | Amazon.uk MP3

Sneaky. Releasing this song as a b-side in February of 2022, Australian punks Skegss are many things to me at the moment. Their song, “December,” is an extremely recent find; the first post of the 2024 holiday season; perhaps the first song I can say will be on my 20th annual Christmas mix. The song is so good, and with 7K+ streams on Soundcloud, I just assumed that it had been picked up by Christmas A Gogo or Von Pip, but alas… it looks to have snuck by them as well. The whole plan with this site was to have more stuff like this handed to me on a silver platter… but 12 years now and I’m beginning to think I was mistaken.

How about we talk a little about the song? Are you a fan of the Sleepwalkers Christmas EP? (Well, you should be). Have you been dreaming of a chill Christmas song that might have been sung by Julian Casablancas of the Strokes? Put that idea in your head and press play. Then stroll around thinking about how great it will sound on your Christmas mix. Maybe get yourself a treat and sit on a bench. Yeah. Deep breaths. Christmas comes for us all.

Bottom Line: A killer debut track for the 2024 season dug up from the early months of 2022. Welcome to the new year, you’re going to like this one.

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The Ornaments “Would It Kill You To Kiss Me Under The Mistletoe?” (2023)

Folkmonger Records
Buy: Bandcamp

It wouldn’t be Christmas without The Ornaments. I rather think they would agree… though, time does march on, and all good things do end. Thus, each year when the email comes in, I take a moment to appreciate that this dark tradition continues. The Ornaments‘ tunes are not your normal Christmas songs… they are dark, weird, and interesting. This year’s song, which my wife LOVED the title of, is “Would It Kill You To Kiss Me Under The Mistletoe?.” The song centers on a Mrs. Claus whose marriage is mistletoe-dependent… on a good day. Pair this one with Elliot Manigot’s “The Ballad of Mrs. Claus,” and the strained, yet devoted wife of Santa, and you’ve got two sides of the Claus coin. Needless to say, since it is an Ornaments song, Mrs. Claus is in a bad place. Hell, the song ends with this: “i’m not sure i can be mrs. claus anymore.” Santa, get your shit together!

Bottom Line: The Ornaments are as old as my son. Thankfully, I am not paying for their college… but I’m happy to listen as long as they deem fit.

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