Vinyl – Christmas Underground

November 7, 2023November 21, 2023

The Heathen and the Holy “Hey Merry Christmas (10 Years On)” (2023)

The Heathen and the Holy, the seasonal project of classically-trained violinist Tom Hobden and musician/writer/producer Fred Abbott, who once recorded together in the much-missed folk/rock band Noah and the Whale, have been churning out a new song a year for the past ten years. This year, they took a moment to revisit their first song, “Hey Merry Christmas,” initially released way back in 2014. I did not review that first track, as I didn’t discover these guys until 2016’s “Best Christmas Yet,” which remains my favorite of their releases. “Best Christmas Yet” was the perfect mix of humor & earnestness, with a somewhat scaled-back (in comparison to this song) production and a touch of soul – check it out if you haven’t heard it before. “Best Christmas Yet” feels quaint next to the big, retro pop production of this rework of “Hey Merry Christmas.” The Heath and the Holy turn their production dial to eleven with the addition of the Budapest Film Orchestra, making this the most epic The Heathen and the Holy release yet. While not a brand new song, it highlights the love Tom and Fred have for this project, which is seen through the production quality of both their songs and videos. Their love is the quality that keeps me coming back. I may connect with the songs differently from year-to-year, but I greatly appreciate their love and dedication.

The Heathen and the Holy - Christmas Glory album mockup — 300 copies of these babies.

EDIT: They are pressing 500 (no – now 300) copies of their collected holiday songs on vinyl!! Buy one!

Bottom Line: These guys sink so much time and money into these songs… you have to respect their love and dedication. I raise my glass of mulled wine to The Heathen and the Holy.

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October 31, 2023October 31, 2023

Bunnygrunt – Season’s Freaklings: Thirty Years of Holiday Hits By the Grand Elves of Midwest Twee Core (2023)

The Bert Dax Cavalcade of Stars
Buy: Bandcamp (Digital/Vinyl)

Bunnygrunt, the scrappy indie pop band from St. Louis, Missouri, has been releasing Christmas tracks for nearly 30 years (not yearly – that would be nuts!), and takes this moment in 2023 to compile the majority of them into one, single-sided red vinyl 12-inch. Checking in with 8 songs, six of which I believe to be originals, this is a tight crop of short indie pop goodies that has grown on me a good bit over the past few weeks. The originals work wonderfully, leaning into their clever songwriting, jangly guitars, and lo-fi production – they know their strengths and it shows. They were facing an uphill battle with their choice to cover “Blue Christmas,” one of the most-covered, and one of my least favorite Christmas songs of all time… and we’ll just leave it there. The other (confirmed) cover, recorded under the name Blondiegrunt, is indeed a cover of Blondie’s “11:59.” This song fits their voice and vibe so much better, and is a welcome closer to the record. Not quite sure why their track on the rare Kindercore compilation XMAS-3 The War on Christmas!, “Got the Blues for Xmas,” nor the cover of “Holiday Road” missed the cut, but I suppose their attempt to keep the record single-sided may have played into that. Either way, quite happy to have these songs all in one place, as I did not have many of them before!

EDIT: A couple people sent me messages about this. You all know me well! Thank you to those who did, and keep them coming, as it doesn’t matter if I knew about it or not – the next one I might be completely ignorant to!

Bottom Line: “Seasoned Freaklings” is a wonderful addition to your underground Christmas collection. Grab one of those 200 records before they are gone!

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October 16, 2023December 6, 2023

UPCOMING: Jangle Bells – A Rough Trade Shops Christmas Selection (12/08/2023)

Rough Trade Shops
Buy: Rough Trade (UK only so far)

Rough Trade Shops has a little Christmas gift lined up for their (so far) UK devotees… as they are releasing one of the strongest Christmas complications of the past few years. Compiling a number of top tracks from the recent past with a few exclusives, Rough Trade are flexing their taste muscles with this lineup. I’m most intrigued by the exclusives, obviously, and am paying particular attention to that Marika Hackman song, “Driving Under Stars,” as it sounds like a stripped-back version of one of my favorite holiday songs of the past ten years. The Peaness track, “Kiss Me Sweet Pea,” (edit – added below) could also be pretty amazing, as I really love this incredibly catchy band. There also appears to be a new Ellie Bleach track (edit – posted below!), which is encouraging… as I still may write about her previous song from a few years back (edit – she deleted it!) … Most certainly a worthy addition to your Christmas music collection, should you be the collector-type.

Tracklist (* denotes that I believe them to be exclusive to this release)

Marika Hackman – Driving Under Stars (Piano)*
Pale Waves – Last Christmas
Allo Darlin’ – Will You Please Spend New Years With Me?
Julia Jacklin – Baby Jesus Is Nobody’s Baby Now
The School – Shouldn’t Be Alone For Christmas
The Big Moon – It’s the Most Wonderful Time of the Year
Los Bitchos – Los Chrismos
Linda Lindas – Groovy Xmas
Black Midi – Jingle Bell Rock
Chubby and the Gang – Violent Night (A Christmas Tale)
Peaness – Kiss Me Sweet Pea*
Bubble and Squeak – The Christmas Stick
Ellie Bleach – Merry Christmas, Do You Ever Think Of Me?*
Sinkane – Christmas Wrapping
CD Only
Dream Nails – Lonely Star (Christmas Song)
Willie J Healey – Merry Christmas
Girl Ray – I Wish I Were Giving You a Gift
Stars – Christmas Anyway
Alex Lahey – Merry Christmas (I Don’t Wanna Fight Tonight)

Bottom Line: A good number of these tracks have been celebrated here before, so yeah, this looks good. Check it out, maybe buy the limited vinyl or the expanded CD… or cherrypick some songs below (where applicable) and give your money directly to the bands!

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September 18, 2023September 18, 2023

MJ Lenderman “Rudolph” (2023)

I know I’ve recently made the wild statement that all the best Christmas songs get released in March… but MJ Lenderman‘s leadoff single, “Rudolph,” lands this argument firmly in July. The guitarist for Wednesday, and a notable solo artist in his own right, Lenderman’s 90’s indie rock riffs and penchant for unexpected lyrics have me imagining Pavement, Modest Mouse & Kurt Vile attempting a Christmas-adjacent song. I say adjacent, as the only real connection here is the connection to Rudolph that kicks off the song:

Rudolph waking up in the road
Dew dripping off his red nose
Blue and black tire track torn
Through a beautiful doe

There is a lot to like here, and it all depends on how deep a connection to Christmas your seasonal jams have to be. This song is enough for me to need to buy his other records though… because I just really love this sound.

Bottom Line: What are your Christmas mix rules? Because this rulez! HA!

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September 11, 2023

UPCOMING: Dragon Inn 3 – It’s Christmas (10/10/2023)

American Laundromat
Buy: Bandcamp (Vinyl/Digital)

I am not usually excited by a Christmas release that is only covers, but Kansas City’s Dragon Inn 3 (featuring members of Someone Still Loves You Boris Yeltsin and friends) has shaken this resolve. I’m a fan of their 80’s synth pop vibes, as well as their choice of songs (well… 2 of 3 ain’t bad!). I’m lowering my expectations for the “Last Christmas” cover, but the other two are far more obscure targets. You may remember the Coconut Records track, “It’s Christmas” from the wonderful 2010 Target (yes… that Target) compilation, The Christmas Gig. Solid song for sure… and certainly reason enough for me to preorder the 7″. They must be big Jason Schwartzman (Coconut Records/many Wes Anderson movies) fans because they also sneak on a cover of the tremendously short Mark Mothersbaugh piece from the Rushmore soundtrack, “Snowflake Music.” I relate to the desire to fit as much music on a disc as possible… and they no doubt had a bit more space! Should be a fun one… and since you are not a dummy like me and preordered it months ago, you now have the opportunity to grab a signed 7″ for only $2 more at their Bandcamp.

Bottom Line: I haven’t heard it, but their last record sounds great!

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September 8, 2023October 16, 2023

UPCOMING: Lenny Kaye, Cedar Sparks – Holiday Split 7″ (11/24/2023)

La Societe Expeditio
Buy: Rough Trade

This upcoming release looks quite interesting and has the pedigree to be fantastic. Lenny Kaye, guitarist, founding member of the Patti Smith Group, and curator of the touchstone Nuggets compilation series, contributes a new song, “Santa’s Knee,” as well as scribbles his name on the cover of this Rough Trade-exclusive 7″ release. The B-side is the only known quantity from this slab of wax, as Lenny Shares the flip with Cedar Sparks, comprised of Tim Carbone (Railroad Earth) and Lou Rogai (Lewis and Clarke), as they share their 2018 folk-Christmas track, “Gathering Song.” Inspired by seasonal depression and “It’s a Wonderful Life,” “Gathering Song” is infused with beautiful, melancholy violin melodies and some wonderful sing-along lyrics. I can only vouch for 50% of this release, but so far so good.

EDIT: This is also an RSD Black Friday release. So… there are a few more than the 150 Rough Trade has. Whew!

Bottom Line: This looks like a very solid Christmas 7″ for the fan and the collector – Rough Trade is the exclusive retailer of 150 green vinyl signed copies. Grab them fast!

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EDIT: Well… it appears that I may have hipped Cedar Sparks to the fact that their song was still available (for free) on Bandcamp. (And now it is gone)

December 19, 2022September 8, 2023

Maxwell Farrington – Yuletide And I’ll Tide With Yann (2022)

Let’s get weird. This record is going to be one of the more interesting Christmas records you’re going to listen to this year, or any other year. There are moments here that will leave you scratching your head, and others that will leave you in wonder. Aussie ex-pat Maxwell Farrington teamed up with Yann Oliver on 2020’s Maxou & Yannou Sing X-Mas, which I regretfully did not sample back then (but Christmas A Gogo highlighted earlier this year, which I also missed!). That collaboration has continued into 2022, with a properly-released full-length that adds a few songs and a new title, Yuletide and I’ll Tide with Yann. I say proper full-length LP, as it is released in LP form on both CD and vinyl, but keep in mind, it clocks in at a brief 26 minutes and change. Short and sweet indeed. I’m going to highlight a few of my favorite tracks below, and let you bask in the Scott Walker-esque weirdness and beauty. (Eagle-eyed readers might notice that one of these tracks is the closer on my latest mix, Jolly Chubby Elf.)

Bottom Line: God I need this on vinyl. This is one of the most unexpected, unique, gorgeous Christmas records I’ve stumbled upon.

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December 7, 2022

Julie Byrne “Holiday” (2012)

Julie Byrne "Faster or Greener than Now"

Orindal Records
Buy: Bandcamp | Discogs (vinyl)

My pockets are overflowing with wonderful female vocalists singing soft holiday songs. This is both a wonderful and a terrible position to be in, as I love these songs… but I have to vary the pace of my mix. I mentioned on Twitter that if anybody was looking to slow down and/or sadden up their mix, I’m your man… and here I go, offering advice that was never requested! This gorgeous single from 2012 by New York’s Julie Byrne is a perfect example of this, dare I say, a genre of incredible and incredibly sad folky female holiday-ish music. The quality of her voice and the imagery of her lyrics are strong enough to make you a lifelong fan, but you best be prepared to feel all the feels. The song as described on her Bandcamp: “‘Holiday’ recalls a New Year’s Eve in New York City, future plans made, and the fall-out of a fleeting romance…” So, hold this song close if you love that holiday melancholia, and run away if you ever had a similar experience and have PTSD from it.

Bottom Line: Everything about this song is gorgeous, but you have to be ready to love the beauty in the sadness.

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November 15, 2022November 15, 2022

Mato vs Santa Claus “Jingle Bells Dub” (2022)

Stix Records
Buy: Bandcamp (Digital/Vinyl)

I’m not often one for instrumentals, nor have I ever really featured any dub/reggae/etc on this site. But hey, there are really no rules on Christmas Underground – I just gotta like it. Mato is Thomas Blanchot, a French percussionist who has been making some really fantastic dub records under the moniker of Mato since 2006, my favorite being his reinterpretation of Daft Punk’s Homework. This year, he’s releasing a 7″ on the Paris label Stix Records, fashioning a dub treatment of “Jingle Bells” (which you can preview now) on the A-side, with “Sleigh Ride” on the flip. I could totally see it being a great fit at a Christmas party… so while it might not fit on my largely indie rock/pop-centered mix, this Mato vs Santa Claus record is most certainly worth your time.

Bottom Line: Dipping my toes in the dub shallows… who knows what other cool records are out there to pull me farther in!

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November 4, 2022

The Martial Arts – Christmas With The Martial Arts (2020/2022)

wiaiwya
Buy: Bandcamp (digital/lathe-cut vinyl)

Look at me… now I am REALLY just copying Christmas A Go Go as I essentially update and repost an older post with exciting new information (rather than have to write a whole new post… which is WORK!) The wonderful Where It’s At is Where You Are (wiaiwya) label has just dropped 50 lathe-cut, 10″ copies of The Martial Arts’ excellent Christmas EP, Christmas with the Martial Arts. And hey – it’s Bandcamp Friday, so Bandcamp isn’t even taking their cut! Go buy it now! And now, my original review:

I’m in a mood tonight. I want to just yell and swear (in a good way) about every record I find. You have no idea what I’ve already written and deleted for this review, but let your mind go crazy. Glasgow’s The Martial Arts is a project of Paul Kelly, whose CV is a murderers row of great bands (BMX Bandits / Carla J Easton / The Primary 5 / Ette / Radiophonic / Tuckshop / How to Swim / The Hector Collectors) has put together this just FUCKING FUN AND WONDERFUL Christmas EP, recorded over eight years and finished over lockdown. The first two bouncing, beautiful tracks, “Stockings” and “Snow Flakes,” just take off like a rocket and shoot sparklers out of their ass for four minutes a piece. I devoured every second, with a giant grin on my face. “My Christmas was in June” is a cover of a Ze Malibu (feat. members of Redd Kross and that dog) song, and while the tempo slows to a stroll, the scenery is gorgeous. The final track and the only one actually fully-recorded in 2020, “Blinded by the Night” takes me back to the 80’s, to an emotional moment in a movie with lots of driving in the rain and staring out the window. “Stare into my bright disco eyes,” god I love that line. Go buy this record, but wait a few hours for #Bandcampfriday, why don’t ya?

Bottom Line: This is an indie/power/retro pop mixture that, like the unholy concoction the Long Island iced tea, will fuck you up real good.