4+ – Page 9 – Christmas Underground

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 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.

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November 3, 2023November 3, 2023

Mallee Songs “Christmas ’93” (2015)

Beko
Buy: Bandcamp

I saw a Thread yesterday (YES, I am on Threads… ugh… damn you Elmo) that had me pondering that eternal question… name 10 records to know me better. One of those records was the Silver Jews’ American Water. That record blew me away and helped mold my taste in everything from music to modern art, movies, and literature. Elvis Costello may have cracked the window, but the Silver Jews’ David Berman blew up the house. Thus, when I hear a band that makes me think of David… I’m probably going to start feeling all warm and fuzzy toward them. Melbourne’s Mallee Songs‘ track, “Christmas ’93” off of 2015’s Natural Times most certainly feels inspired by the Silver Jews, thus I’m on board. I know that the song will certainly be filed on the sad side of the Christmas shelf, as the main joy of the narrator’s holiday is trying out every bed in the house. If you read this blog, you know that rarely scares me off. There is no beating around the bush, as the tone is set immediately: “Oh it’s Christmas time / I just want to recoil into myself.” In addition to the obvious alt.country via Pavement guitar lines, it was the lyrics that ultimately led me to the David Berman comparison – “I only get up / to pick at the meat / when nobody is there / My family walks on the beach / yet I don’t care.” This is one of those mundane moments that nobody would put in a song… but here it is. I love those moments, no matter how melancholy they might be. Not all sad songs have to make you sad, you know?

Bottom Line: There is somehow a warmth within this sad song and a beauty in its mundanity. You may feel the same?

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November 2, 2023November 2, 2023

Ella Ion “Christmas” (2021)

Terrazzo Recordings
Buy: Bandcamp

Adelaide, Australia’s Ella Ion delighted us last year with her contributions to the wonderful Bjéar Christmas records, and I very much meant to make a big scene regarding her excellent 2021 single, “Christmas.” However, I got distracted, as I often do. The song deserved to be discovered back in 2021, as it taps expertly into the isolation of Covid lockdown. Ella provides an excellent, descriptive paragraph on her Bandcamp explaining “Christmas”:

“Christmas” renders a common release that overrides the sense of nothingness brought on by isolation over the past two years. The track explores the emotional tension surrounding the time of year when we are forced to spend time with those who raised us while looking back on our growth (or lack thereof) from the year behind us. The song taps into realisations about our childish tendencies and how we might put expectations on those we love before we fulfil the expectations of ourselves.

The subject matter can feel a weeeee bit brutal (as I ponder the line, “If your friend hadn’t died, I would’ve probably made you feel like you did”), but I’ve been known to groove on a dirge or two. Ella’s voice and LOS LEO & Bjéar’s production are so good that you might just find yourself swaying and singing along… which might garner you a hug or two from your more empathetic friends for sure. Here’s hoping that Ella and Bjéar cook up something new for us again, as our warm-weather friends are just killing it down there.

Bottom Line: This is a gorgeous, brutally honest song for a season that often rewards the superficial. So… how do you take your holiday music? Real, or with lots of sugar?

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November 1, 2023November 1, 2023

Evgenya Redko – Odė Kalėdoms (2022)

Self Released
Buy: Bandcamp

Let’s get this party started right.

This blog is now devoted to Lithuanian disco-influenced pop. Evgenya Redko‘s Odė Kalėdoms kicks off with the undeniable “Pakylėtas Gruodis,” (Google translation – “Exalted December”) delighting us with its Nile Rodgers-inspired guitar rhythms, daring you not to love it. Using some rather inelegant Google translation, I believe the song to be about wanting to pause time at Christmas and spending those moments with the one you love. I can get behind the sentiment, but I am mainly here for that groove. So, so infectious – give me more! The two songs that follow are both excellent, more conventional pop songs: “Beprotiškai Ilgiuosi” (translation: I Miss You So Much) and “Tavo Rankose Per Kalėdas” (translation: In Your Hands at Christmas). I can’t find lyrics for those at the moment… but man… you don’t really need anything else than that first song. It is so damn fun.

Bottom Line: Who knew I’d love Lithuanian disco so much? Maybe you all saw this coming, but I sure did not.

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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 23, 2023

Eastern Conference Champions “Christmas Time” (2014)

RockHampton Records
Buy: Apple Music

October chugs on, which means that November is nearly here and I can already feel the stress of finding new Christmas songs creeping in. So, as I did back in 2020, I find myself falling back on that backlog of draft entries for great songs… posts begun, but soon neglected, as a new shiny thing distracts me away. Don’t let that lack of concentration lead you to believe that this song will be less-than-stellar, as Philadelphia’s Eastern Conference Champions were not capable of writing a bad Christmas song and 2014’s “Christmas Time” would be a stellar B-side to a perfect indie rock Christmas single, with 2013’s “Saving Christmas” only edging it off the lead track by the tiniest of margins. The song has a less aggressive pace, but just wait for that epic bridge… damn this band was great. Really wish they were still around. Hope you enjoy this overlooked gem and have your Halloween costume ready. I, for one, will be the Karate Kid from the second movie (the red gi), as I always am. I plan to be a fun anecdote in our local paper one day…

Bottom Line: If indie rock Christmas is what you want, Eastern Conference Champions certainly knew how to provide it.

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October 17, 2023

Collars “Christmas In The 90s” (2022)

Laundry Rooms Records
Buy: Bandcamp

I have this feeling that someone sent me this song last year… and I just can’t remember who. It was on my Soundcloud list last year, and somehow I didn’t write about it, and I have no clue why. My best guess is that I added it without really listening to it, which in the heat of the season… well… it happens. A well-meaning, “save something to listen to later,” kind of gesture. Well, if you tipped me off on this, and I have plum forgot, I apologize.

NOW, how about this very British bop about “Christmas in the 90s!” (Look at me using bop…) Hidden towards the end of a proper, non-Christmas record, 2022’s Clyde, Collars are really channeling the Britpop wars (well, the war between the Gallagher brothers), the Hacienda, raves, and gentrification. Wrap that up with a catchy-as-hell beat and that wonderful layered ending… this one is bound to be a popular mix-addition.

Bottom Line: This song is a ton of fun. Pair it with The Futureheads’ “Christmas in the 80’s” to begin a tracklist of decade-specific holiday fare!

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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!