2023 – Page 4 – Christmas Underground

November 17, 2023November 17, 2023

A Very Cherry Christmas 17 (2023)

Cherryade Records
Buy: Bandcamp

Weirdo, underground Christmas music is a labor of love. Believe me, our community is quite small… small, but dedicated. It would make sense that one of the biggest flagbearers for this scene is a small compilation, released by Cherryade Records and lovingly assembled by Gareth Jones of Dandelion Radio, for 200 lucky collectors each year. This is the 17th year of the A Very Cherry Christmas series, a CD-only compilation that collects underground bands from France, America, England, Ireland, Scotland, Spain, Canada, and Japan this year. There are 16 brand-new tracks recorded for this release, as well as 9 more that have never had a physical release. Highlights for me include the punk-infused “Keep Your Christmas Tree for Burning” from perennial Christmas superstars Goddammit Jeremiah, the indie-rock fuzzy fun of “Christmas Number One” from Problem Patterns, and the percussive “I’m Not Coming Home for Christmastime” by The Photocopies. There is a lot more to dig into on this record, from surf Christmas by The Surfisticats (“Santa Bring Me a Surfboard Please”), the glitchy, electro-infused indiepop of ToyDisco (“A Gameboy for Christmas ’96”), to the oddly-touching emotional comedy of Canadians in Space (“Peace & Gravy”), there is something here for everyone. I wish I could do it justice and highlight every single band, but I don’t want to set any unattainable precedents here. All that said – keep that flag flying Cherryade, I’m here for you.

Bottom Line: It comes out today, so best of luck being one of the lucky 200. Especially if you live in the States (as I do), you best jump on this, as Europe has had the jump on you.

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November 15, 2023November 15, 2023

Brittany Ann Tranbaugh “Put a Bow on It (Holidays are Hard)” (2023)

Self Released
Buy: Bandcamp

If you aren’t writing a new Christmas song, at the very least record something unexpected. I believe I fall asleep every night muttering something along those lines… thankfully we are all psychically connected, and Philly’s Brittany Ann Tranbaugh took it to heart. Today, Brittany Ann releases a cover of a Jackson Emmer & Clint Alphin song, “Put a Bow on It (Holidays are Hard),” which is a great little song whose clever lyrics will put a smile on your face: “we’ve got us / we don’t need to fit in / I know we’re both a little crazy / but we ain’t half as bad as them.” I doubt it’s much of a stretch to say that readers of this blog (you interesting people who take time to read about Christmas music) might be a little bit crazy yourselves… so… relatable! Brittany Ann’s voice is, as always, full of character and beauty, but this time she brings in her friend Emily Drinker to add harmony – a perfect seasoning to the dish. Brittany Ann is now 2-for-2, with a pair of songs (check out “The Christmas Flannel Song” from last year) destined for a discerning mixtape. Keep it up!

Bottom Line: From song selection to performance and production, Brittany Ann has earned a spot on the good list for sure.

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November 13, 2023November 13, 2023

The Happy Somethings – Don’t Mention It (2023)

Self Released
Buy: Bandcamp (NYOP)

Amongst indiepop Christmas music aficionados, The Happy Somethings are quite well known for their underground classic “It’s Christmas Time (we’re as miserable as hell).” They’ve reworked the song into various treatments and versions over the past few years, but something unexpected and dramatic has happened, and they’ve stumbled into an entire holiday record! I love the description they’ve posted on their Bandcamp:

DISCLAIMER!

We should perhaps apologise for releasing a Christmas album – it seems a pretty ‘uncool’ thing to do. But then we pride ourselves on being a pretty uncool band!

And in our tinseled defence, we didn’t really mean to write another festive song but ‘Nothing’s Just For Christmas’ thrust itself upon us in an unignorable fashion.

So we thought, why not put it with eleven other songs that could reasonably be heard as ‘seasonably appropriate’ and make an album?

So we did!

Some of these tracks weren’t originally written as Christmas songs at all but have been repurposed for this release as they seemed apt – and a couple have been ‘re-formed’ into instrumentals.

Hopefully we offer you and yours an alternative festive musical backdrop – if only for around 30 minutes!

And of course, it’s free – or for just 50p you could even gift it…

I totally get the whole “uncool” thing. I mean… I write a blog about Christmas music. It isn’t the first thing I tell folks when I meet them for the first time. You have to wait at least 15 minutes before dropping that bomb!

The whole record is quite nice – very much reminiscent of the wonderful Boy Least Likely to Christmas record. As you see in their description, not all these songs are explicitly Christmas but when viewed within the context of a holiday record, they totally work. There are some great lyrics here too. I certainly had a chuckle with this line from “Nothings Just for Christmas:” “Don’t want to hear the dang dong ding. / Don’t need a message from the King. / Not really into worshipping / except for Frank and Bing.” Another wonderful line I just adore is the first bit of “The Present,” which was originally released on their excellent 2023 full-length, A Gathering of Sorts: “the present is an excellent way / for someone to say /for someone to show / how little they know about you.” Ha! So clever… again, has me feeling some really great Boy Least Likely To vibes… so highly recommended.

Bottom Line: This record might be a bit cobbled together, but I enjoy a well-made cobbler. This would be a nice opportunity to throw them a buck or two to help them celebrate the holidays too, especially if you are a member of the indiepop Christmas music-loving community.

November 10, 2023November 13, 2023

Elliot Maginot “Marie-Noël” (2023)

Montréal’s Elliot Maginot was one of my favorite finds of 2022, despite the fact he had been recording wonderful Christmas songs since those halcyon, pre-COVID days of 2019. Sometimes it takes a little bit for me to find these folks… but I’ve found Elliot, and now he is stuck with me. 2023 brings Elliot’s first French-language Christmas release, the beautiful “Marie-Noël,” originally released by Bobby Charlebois. I’m sure it is no surprise that I don’t speak French, as I am an American, and we traditionally expect the world to speak English with us. But boy do I wish I did – I’d be going to the Tour de France in a heartbeat. (Fun fact, that is my sport of choice.) Wow, it is really taking me a long time to get to talking about this song. Lots of detours and pointless banter. Did you know it is raining today?

I ran “Marie-Noël” through Google translate, and I do think that some of the beauty & flow is lost in translation. The things that don’t need translation are pretty damn wonderful. Those woodwinds – so warm and inviting. Elliot’s delivery – so present and emotional. Elliot Maginot has an incredible ability to perform these ornate pop Christmas songs that feel so clean and polished… and somehow breathes real life into them. In other hands, these songs might feel too clean, perhaps surgically sweet. Thankfully, this is not the case, and Elliot’s added yet another beauty to his Christmas catalog.

Bottom Line: I’m here for the woodwinds. Change my mind.

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November 9, 2023November 9, 2023

Middle Kids “Driving Home for Christmas” (2023)

When Sydney’s Middle Kids dropped Lost Friends back in 2018, that was one of my top-5 records of the year. The goodwill generated within me based on that record alone… well… it is pretty substantial. Thus, when I saw they had dropped a Christmas single, I was pretty excited. Would I like it to be an original song? Yes. However, as this song is less ubiquitous in the States, this version may be the first time you hear “Driving Home for Christmas.” If so, then you’re in for a treat. Middle Kids add nice touches to the song, such as the textures that (if I’m not mistaken) the slide guitar adds throughout. It is a lovely production, from the vocal to the warm bass lines, and perhaps most especially… the shortened run time. I aaaaallllways appreciate a brief Christmas song that doesn’t drag, and they chop off more than a minute from Chris Rea’s original. Middle Kids have surely scored a solid cover, now let’s see what they can do with their own material!

Bottom Line: An extremely solid cover of a UK-Christmas classic. Might be an Australian classic too… because you know… colonialism. Did you know that the Chris Rea song came out the same year as Australia gained full independence? 1986!

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November 8, 2023November 8, 2023

Lunar Vacation – Christmas (Baby Please Come Home) EP (2023-ish)

I don’t make my Christmas mixes with Christmas parties in mind. When I picture folks listening, they are walking around with headphones on, or perhaps driving in the car. Those driving, I also imagine them explaining to their children that “It is ok to have swear words in songs if you understand that they are indeed swear words, and that you don’t use them at school.” This is not meant for a work Christmas party, despite the fact that I’m known to hand these things out at work… it’s complicated. All that said… Lunar Vacation may have found that sweet spot where they make interesting versions of familiar songs, ones that you won’t have to explain to your kids about but are cool enough that they don’t bore you. Their new EP (destined to be a feature on Stereogum in 3… 2… 1…), is actually their old EP, A Living Room Christmas, with one new track – “Christmas (Baby Please Come Home),” so if you picked up last year’s, just grab the one track and you’re all caught up. I did not cover last year’s release, so let’s dive in and see what is here.

This EP is stacked with four covers done in their “pool rock” vibe, each with that laid-back groove that works so well at your holiday eggnog fiesta. There are the obvious covers, the title track which we all know, as well as Vince Guaraldi’s “Skating” and the Wham! classic “Last Christmas” (ever heard of it?), which Lunar Vacation first released back in those dark times of 2020. There is one track that is a bit less obvious, the Norah Jones cover of “Christmas Calling (Jolly Jones),” which I appreciated more than the others if only for the fact that it is less familiar to my ears. They add these wonderful synth and chorus guitar flourishes to many of these tracks, as well as the warm bass lines that particularly stand out in “Christmas (Baby Please Come Home),” but can be felt throughout. Quite a nice collection, which could easily be expanded to be a very good indie Christmas LP sometime in the near future… just sayin’.

I don’t want you all to think I’m dismissing this EP because I said it is great background music, as that still means that I think it is indeed cool enough to listen to and genuinely enjoy – which I often cannot say about a collection of covers. So… invite some folks over, relax and enjoy.

Bottom Line: Chill by the pool, in the kitchen by the punch bowl, or near the office conference table and impress your friends with some nice, slightly askew classics.

LISTEN

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 24, 2023

Photo Ops “Odd Christmas” (2023)

This song came in via a tip from a friend… AND I CANNOT HUNT DOWN WHO SENT IT. So… here I am, not giving credit where credit is due… feeling like a jerk. Gotta soldier on, but if you did send this to me, let me know so I can properly thank you. I think it was in Twitter notifications… but of course, those don’t work as well as they used to and I can’t go back to summer/spring, because I don’t pay for it most likely.

Photo Ops, the recording project of Los Angeles’ Terry Price, brings electro-indie-folk goodness with “Odd Christmas,” a wonderful new track off Burns Bright, his latest full-length which came out earlier this year. “Odd Christmas” is going to appeal to folks who love the Sufjan Stevens’ Christmas records, as it shares the complex emotional content of the best songs from those records. It also doesn’t hurt that Terry and Sufjan share similar vocal qualities. The bits of synthesizer really fills out the sound, taking what would have been a lovely folk song and adding just enough color to separate it from the crowd. Multiple listens have brought me closer to this song… perhaps they will for you as well.

Bottom Line: An early highlight of the season.

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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!