I’m busy sitting here, waiting to eat. I mean, real busy, just sitting here. I don’t know how I am going to get through all this sitting. So, I’m taking a quick moment, because that is all I can spare from this sitting here, to make mention of this new single by Melbourne’s Grace Cummings, “Times Like These.” The song sure sounds sad, yet if Grace is meant to be believed, it is one meant to bring comfort… but boy, this song sounds sad. Grace told Rolling Stone Australia:
Times Like These’ is for somebody that needs some comfort and some love. The holidays boast joy and happiness and celebration and togetherness but it’s one of the most lonely times I can think of. My friendship with Jim James has helped me to see some beautiful things in the world, and to be grateful for what I have.
Grace’s voice sounds pretty damn incredible, and the harmony that My Morning Jacket’s Jim James brings to the song feels like a damn perfect match. As for the comfort this song is meant to bring… it will probably be a bit of a Rorschach test for how you’re really doing at the time you listen to it.
Bottom Line: Is this a dirge or a comfy blanket? We’ll see…
I like to think of the Christmas season as having one big side conversation with my friends over at Christmas A Gogo. Whether it is via e-mail, Bluesky, or most often directly via our websites, I know that I’m always curious what they are thinking, and I’d like to think they might be of me. I’ve been planning to post this song for a little while, but as Christmas A Gogo just posted a massive post all about “Walking in the Air,” it felt appropriate to raise my hand and go “Me tooooooooo.”
Everyone Says Hi is a British indie (in the general sense of the term, some of these bands are pretty big) supergroup created by frontman and ex-Kaiser Chiefs drummer Nick Hodgson, Pete Denton (The Kooks), Ben Gordon (The Dead 60s), Glenn Moule (Howling Bells) and Tom Dawson. Last year, they dropped an excellent, funky version that truly adds something to the conversation. I’m used to so many airy, ethereal versions of this song, having a version of “Walking in the Air” that makes you bob your head? That is pretty crazy, and it is equally crazy how well this works.
Bottom Line: This is a mixworthy change-of-pace to a modern classic.
Mark your calendars for December 10. This date commemorates Otis Redding’s passing — an artist who holds a special place in the Christmas canon thanks to his iconic 1968 performance of “Merry Christmas Baby,” as well as his influence on Will Sheff and Okkervil River’s indie classic “Listening to Otis Redding at Home During Christmas Day.” December 10 is also the release date for Nantes, France’s Fairy Tales in Yoghourt’s upcoming Wish You a E.P. Christmas, which I am very, very intrigued to hear.
The first single from the EP has already been released, currently titled “High on Christmas.” I say currently because the song was originally called “Christmas, Inc.” when it appeared with different orchestration back in 2022. I loved the song/E.P. announcement on Facebook, which provided some of that background:
“The track was discreetly released in a different production a few years ago, the real ones know, and had received a buzz that I would call minimal. This time we hired an orchestra, so it’s going to be profitable.”
That orchestra is worth every penny! It gives the song a classic sheen that contrasts beautifully with the alt-pop, even psych-pop tendencies of the band. I can’t wait to hear the rest.
Of note: since beginning this post last night, Fairy Tales in Yoghourt have put the EP up for preorder, along with another preview track — the short and psychedelic “How Does Jesus Christ Do It? (Angels Reply).”
Bottom Line: This is sounding like a winner so far! Now… do I delay finalizing my Christmas mix simply to hear the rest of the E.P….
Would you like some lo-fi indie rock Christmas tunes? Well, have I got a record for you! My buddy Ned hipped me to the impending release of LA-based lo-fi stoner-pop outfit The Memories’ new Christmas record, Of Christmas, and it does not disappoint. From the Velvets-esque “What Do You Want for Christmas” and “Winter’s Joy” to the cheekily sexy “Egg Nog,” I’m finding a lot to like here.
There’s some goofy stuff too, such as the list-of-toys ramble in “Santa Bring Me Some Toys,” performed over some cool, muddy lo-fi beats, as well as some sped-up (and sometimes profane) covers of classics like “Silent Night,” “Joy to the World,” and “Deck the Halls.” This isn’t a record that’s going to make you feel all warm and fuzzy about the upcoming holiday season, but I think Of Christmas might be the record that exudes the most holiday fun — which is quite welcome in this grumpy blogger’s Christmas season.
Bottom Line: A great mix of solid originals and fun takes on classics, all wrapped in some lo-fi silliness. There’s a levity to this record that’s going to make you smile.
Ok. How deep do I go in the bio of Sunturns, a classic indie Christmas band? Do I explain how this Voltron of Christmas combines forces nearly every year to bless us with a new track, a vinyl record, or a live show (which, unless I win the lottery and quit my job, I’ll never attend – Dec 12 this year for folks near Oslo)? Well, if you are new here, click this link and read up.
Now that everyone else is reading the old posts, we can finally talk. Sunturns have a new Live EP, Live at Parkteatret, coming out on December 1! You’ve got four tracks off last year’s Christmas III and one from the classic debut, Christmas. Short, but solid. I always love hearing from Sunturns, and this little live postcard from them is a welcome addition to my holiday. It sounds pretty great, too.
Bottom Line: It’s Sunturns! If you know and love them, add this one to the collection – you won’t regret it. If not – dive in!
Wakefield, England’s Skinny Living are doing something here that many bands have done before: taking one of their own songs, “Smoke,” tweaking it, and turning it into a Christmas track — much like Wheatus did with “Christmas Dirtbag” back in 2023. However, Skinny Living has the benefit of not having absolutely everyone know the original song by heart before hearing the new version… so this one hits differently.
Everything shifts beautifully into feeling like “Smoke” is a Christmas song — the gratefulness, the love, the fighting, the dancing — all packed into “tonight,” which can easily be assumed to be Christmas Eve. And, if you want to get real technical, they haven’t even released the original “Smoke” as a studio single; it only exists as a live cut.
So I hereby plant the Christmas flag in this song. “Smoke” is now a Christmas song, Skinny Living. No backsies.
Bottom Line: Is this a reworked song? Or was it allllways a Christmas song? Always!
There are some assumptions that one can simply assume. One of these assumptions is that I’m going to write about Elliot Maginot when he releases his yearly Christmas song. There is no mistaking a Maginot Christmas tune – it’s going to be lush, it’s going to be emotional, it’s going to feel both extremely present but of another time. Elliot’s 2025 release, “Holy,” is yet another wonderful addition to this top-tier Christmas talent. Elliot absolutely loves Christmas, as he notes in his introduction on Facebook: “This might not be THE Holy night, but HOLY, my new Christmas ditty is out at midnight. I keep writing these Christmas songs year after year, cause this shit really matters to me. Christmas doesn’t solve anything and it doesn’t miraculously make us better humans but it seems to be the only time of the year when are collectively giving a shot at kindness and togetherness so let’s take this shit seriously yah? Love you guys merry christmas”
That mix of hopefulness and reality Elliot expresses above, well, that is the essence of the song. This is best displayed as the song enters its last verse:
And I know you did not come here for a lesson But sometimes I wonder if you’re even here at all But come on don’t you know tis the season The most wonderful season of all
I’m not waiting on no miracle The bells will ring/the snow will fall But It’s gotten talking about it If you want a life you gotta live it now
I don’t believe no angels would ever come this way But I don’t have an answer Especially not today No sacred book gonna sway me I may be lost but I’m not crazy Now I’m not quite sure what else to do Well very merry christmas to you
Really great stuff, once again. Oddly, this is the first time I’ve ever listened to Elliot and felt a connection to Conor Oberst. Though “Holy’s” orchestration feels quite outside of Conor Oberst’s wheelhouse, there is a quality to their voices, an emotion that comes through, that I can’t believe I haven’t heard before…
Bottom Line: Another fantastic, unmistakably Elliot Maginot Christmas song.
I remember listening to Todd Snider back in high school, hearing “My Generation (Part 2)” and loving his thoughtful, clever, funny songwriting. I believe my art teacher Kate hipped me to him. That was probably most folks’ introduction to Todd — the song, not my teacher Kate, of course! It is an incredibly clever, catchy song. I dipped in and out of his career over the years, owned a few records, and always truly enjoyed his work.
Over the weekend, I saw that Todd had passed. Lord, he was only 59. An undiagnosed case of walking pneumonia was what took him. I hadn’t realized how deadly pneumonia can be — a 30-day mortality rate of 15%, which is wild. Of course… it got me thinking: with Todd’s huge catalog, there has to be a Christmas song. Turns out the only real Christmas track (beyond the odd live cover) that Todd had a hand in was Billy Joe Shaver’s “Merry Christmas to You,” which he performed on (and perhaps helped write?). It was a bonus track on Shaver’s 2002 album Freedom’s Child, and isn’t easily available to buy as a download.
However, Todd does have a spectacular talking-blues tune called “Happy New Year.” Classic Todd Snider — a perfect piece of storytelling with clever lyrics, social commentary, and a big old dose of humanity. There are two versions: the initial release from 2006’s The Devil You Know and the “Purple Version,” a re-recorded version Todd generously offered as a free download on his website. It’s a spooky listen, folks — the song has a good dose of mortality, and now it hits perhaps a bit too close to home.
Now Christians don’t walk out on me just yet You know whose name I’m yelling as I’m clutching my chest The one my dad told me to and his told him to And I probably pray as much or more than you do Believe? shit, every word I sing
That bit is something for sure, but there’s also a moment in the spoken introduction to the Purple Version where he says, “and then there was that late day in November when it all ended.” Spooky.
The song also ends differently:
Father forgive us for what we might do You forgive us and we’ll forgive you. And we’ll forgive each other ’til we both turn blue. And we’ll whistle and go fishing… in heaven.
I’m a bit speechless.
Bottom line: Todd Snider was a treasure. The world is a bit less bright.
EDIT: I received a note from a reader (hi Stu!), and he has provided me with an MP3 of Todd Snider performing an alternate version of “Go Tell it On the Mountain” than I am accustomed to. So there is an official release of a Todd Snider performing a Christmas song.
OK. So we know where it is from now. The song is on a 1995 release called The Sounds Of Starry Nights, a CD/cassette, “presented by MIFA and Union Planters as a musical reflection of the season at the holiday light show Starry Nights.” Starry Nights is a Christmas light show held at Shelby Farms Park in Memphis and is the largest annual fundraiser for Shelby Farms Park and Shelby Farms Greenline. Shelby Farms is one of the largest urban parks in the country – one might call it Memphis’ Central Park or Golden Gate Park, I’d imagine. Pretty damn cool….
Now, if you head out there looking for this release, pay special attention to the track list on the back. There are multiple issues of this Starry Nights release, each from a different year, and with no noticeable change of title. However, the cover art varies slightly, which helps. I have yet to see a cassette edition with Todd’s track on it, though I assume it does exist.
I’m apparently back in 2022, when I was in my “somehow writing exclusively about French-language Christmas songs” phase. To be stereotypically American, I don’t speak other languages, and French just sounds so damn nice to the ear. I suppose that’s why the one language I do have some experience with—German—doesn’t often appear here on Christmas Underground… it just doesn’t have the same musical quality. I know, I know… how obvious. Well, buckle up while I do my best to share a song and not embarrass myself once again.
I’ll check out pretty much anything on Secret City Records. When something new drops, I explore. Thus, I’ve found myself over the past year picking up all of Klô Pelgag’s (aka Chloé Pelletier-Gagnon’s) records, and I’m only about one away from having them allllll. Again, I largely have no clue what the heck she’s singing… but I absolutely love the music. And to make it even better—she has Christmas songs.
Looking at Klô Pelgag’s holiday catalogue, they all share one quality: a more spare, classic production, rather than the upbeat alt-pop found on many of her records. So while the vibe is more straightforward, the result is no less spectacular.
Klô Pelgag began her holiday releases with 2019’s “Toute seule pour Noël,” which I believe to be the only original she’s released so far (unless she has another hidden on a proper record). Should you wish to translate it, you’ll find it’s quite a sad song—as the title “All Alone for Christmas” suggests. Her voice begins accompanied only by piano, but then the cello slips in and the emotion builds. It’s beautiful if you can get over the sadness, and sad Christmas songs are largely what I peddle here at CU.
She added to her holiday catalogue again with a cover of “Le sentier de neige,” or “The Snowy Path,” once again using a sparse piano arrangement. Originally released in 1964 by Les Classels, this Christmas waltz is about a couple in love who shared a kiss on a snowy path in the woods. Getting mushy in the mush!
Her most recent holiday track is a beautiful cover of “Marie-Noël,” first released by Robert Charlebois in 1967. You may recognize this song from Elliot Maginot’s 2023′ cover, which I obviously also recommend. Judging by the sheer number of covers, it seems to be a true Québécois Christmas classic. Klô Pelgag continues her sparse, piano-driven approach here, once again singing with an emotion that transcends language barriers.
Bottom Line: I think we all can agree that Klô Pelgag should release an entire solo piano Christmas record… right?
In the past 24 hours, I’ve heard about three notable French-language releases. All are worth considering and may very well end up in front of your eyes here on Christmas Underground. However, they all gave me that urge to find out what the heck they were saying. That’s both a good and a bad thing—because when I know what a song is about, it can make me feel more secure in my opinion of it. However… what I love most is when I connect with the music in such a way that I don’t even need a translation.
Montreal’s Stoylov & Chloé Jara-Buto managed to slide into that latter category with their gorgeous 2024 EP, biscuit. I immediately knew I had to share this record with you all—no matter what they’re actually singing about—because this record is about a feeling. It’s loose, warm, and short. They left me wanting more, and honestly, they should always leave you wanting more.
Now, I did do a little translating—not of the lyrics, but of the write-up Stoylov posted on the Bandcamp album page. I found myself oddly emotional reading these two paragraphs, because Stoylov, like many of us here in the alternative Christmassphere, was transformed by the beauty that is Low’s Christmas. However, unlike me, Stoylov wasn’t compelled to start making underground Christmas mixes… he has genuine musical talent, so he found himself with the urge to make some Christmas music of his own. I’ve taken the liberty of posting the translation below:
Recently, while browsing Bandcamp, I stumbled upon Low’s Christmas album. The urge to release some holiday music was simply… irresistible. I decided to work on it, and being quite openly a huge fan of Chloé Jara-Buteau’s music, the idea of joining forces came to me, an idea she enthusiastically shared. So, it was in the hustle and bustle of the famous Rouen studios in Hochelaga-Maisonneuve that we got to work.
I had a couple of demos lying dormant on my hard drive, demos saturated with glockenspiel and sleigh bells. They were useful for getting started. I’m not really used to having company in the embryonic stages of composition: I’m a bit chaotic, sloppy, and capricious. A real little prince. Besides, I’m constantly taking breaks to smoke outside, a really bad habit I’m having a hard time breaking. We still managed pretty well though: three songs and a cover of… Aphex Twin.
Bottom Line: The magic of Low, folks. As if we couldn’t owe them even more—they gave birth to my mix, this blog, and now this beautiful EP. Go forth, listen to biscuit, then pop on Low’s Christmas.
Christmas Underground 