Tag: Bandcamp

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Charles Cave “This Fucking Time of Year” (2015)

Charles Cave "This Fucking Time of Year"

Self Released
Buy: Bandcamp | iTunes

Charles Cave, the bassist and lyricist for the British post-punk band White Lies, released a great, 80’s synth Christmas jam last December that is making the rounds again thanks to a new video. This song is dramatic in all the ways you want an 80’s synth Christmas song to be.

If you’re gonna leave,
Go on and leave;
Leave my heart in the cold snow
When you go.
But if I wanna drink,
Well then I’ll drink.
I’ll drink to forget I drink alone.
So alone.

‘Cos I don’t want to lose you
I don’t want to lose you, not again,
At this fucking time of year.
I don’t want to lose you
I don’t want to lose you, not again,
At this fucking time of year.

This is a hot track. It’s just what I needed when I woke up this morning… the montage was epic. There was singing into a hairbrush. There may have even been dramatic turns to a mirror. I put on a great, ill-fitting suit slicked back my hair and got into my Ferrari. My best friend Alf and I took off and headed for our Club Med vacation. We’ll see you all in the new year, 1987.

Bottom Line: Yeah yeah yeah, technically from last year, but I actually HEARD about it THIS year. And I love it. So there.

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Winterval – At Christmas Time (2016)

Winterval - At Christmas Time

Self Released
Buy: Bandcamp (NYOP)

So… lots of folks tweet at me with Christmas tunes. I do appreciate it – please keep doing it! The nature of the beast is that I’m never going to be able to listen to them all, nor give them all the proper time that they may deserve. Why? Because all the music comes out in a span of only 3 weeks… it’s nuts. But damn… I found myself with a little time and listened to one today while walking to my car, picked a random track, and found myself transfixed. Winterval, a home recording project from Moseley, UK, has written a whole album of Christmas originals over the past 7 years… and it is pretty damn fantastic. The production perfectly captures his voice, which has a touching sincerity during the more contemplative songs. The song that I randomly chose was “Hang the Lights on the Tree,” and the way his voice floats amongst the ringing guitars is just perfection. “Hang the lights on the tree / one for every memory.” The simplicity of these captured moments aren’t anything grand, but that is where their power comes from. I honestly haven’t had the time to give this record the deep listen it deserves, though rarely does an entire release reveal itself so quickly to be worthy of attention. I mean… I didn’t even have to dig. Shoot at another song – “Christmas Every Day” – just fantastic. “At Christmas Time” – beautiful. “Puffy’s Song” – even that elf song is great! Truly, this record has been an absolute indiepop pleasure.

Bottom Line: This is a modest, home recording project that is fighting well above its weight class.

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Night Flowers – Christmas (2016)

Night Flowers - Christmas

Self Released
Buy: Bandcamp (NYOP)

London’s Night Flowers have just released a fantastic 2-track indiepop Christmas digital single (of originals!) that continues this year’s trend of beautifully written indiepop Christmas songs. I’m going to jump straight into the lyrics of track 2, “Christmas Eve,” the uptempo stomper that I just adore:

I broke the silence with a beating heart
hoping I wouldn’t break the spell
you whispered softy in my ear
a song I’ve never heard again and disappeared
the seasons pass
slowly my dear
I wonder where you’re gonna be on Christmas eve?

That is some seriously beautiful writing. It leaves enough space for you to put yourself into the song, and thus you feel it more. Just beautiful.

The leadoff track “To Rest” is much more in the classic, slow, chiming sound of treble-heavy indiepop. Certainly beautiful as well, but perhaps without the crossover (from indiepop) appeal that “Christmas Eve” may have. That said, this could be a highlight for your indiepop Christmas mix – which is a mix I’d like you to send me. Because I dig that shit, obviously 🙂

I really have to stop qualifying with “only for those who love indiepop” when dealing with fantastic indiepop singles. I mean… duh. If you like it you’ll like it. Indiepop is the flipside to punk, and punk means to reject mass appeal. Indiepop sort of is too… it’s almost recorded as if it’s meant to be a secret between you and the band. And here I am… spillin’ secrets.

Bottom Line: 2 great indiepop tracks, a name-your-own price on Bandcamp, and all proceeds going to Mind and the Teenage Cancer Trust. Take my money, please.

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A City Without Snow (2016)

A City Without Snow

Middle Class Cigars
Buy: Bandcamp

Singapore’s Middle Class Cigars has released, from front to back, one of the most enjoyable compilations I’ve heard this year. A mixture of Books-esque spoken word folktronica, indiepop, lo-fi folk and downtempo chill-out music, the production value is uniformly excellent, and the taste level is on-point. If I had to pick out a track or two to highlight, for me it would be the lovely “A Song to Sleep to” by Ferry, and the dreamy “0212” by Cosmic Child.  You could put this album on, and not have to skip any horrible tracks… which in the Christmas-music world is a RARITY. Most certainly worth a listen – and for those in the US, it’s only a dash above $10 to have the limited edition cassette (ed. of 50) shipped from Singapore!

I found their description both useful, and endearing.

Music plays an important part in the season of Christmas, as we sing along to the carols written years ago, it still remains as powerful as ever.

With contributions from 9 Singapore-based musicians, A City Without Snow is a Christmas compilation album consisting of seven original songs and two renditions of classics. Born from different emotional perspectives of the season, each composition is a musical vignette of a uniquely Singaporean Christmas.

A City Without Snow is Middle Class Cigars’ proudest release thus far, encapsulating a collective dynamic of warm and intimate sounds of which the label thrives in.

Bottom Line: Just a pleasure. A pleasure. A pleasure.

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Les Bicyclettes De Belsize “Christmas Card 1983” (2016)

lesbicyclettesdebelsize

Self Released
Buy: Bandcamp | Stream

Charlie Darling of Les Bicyclettes De Belsize is what one might call a purveyor of fine indiepop Christmas tunes. He is so adept at it, that I imagine him running a small shop, selling Christmas songs a la carte to his walk-in traffic. His current seasonal project is an Advent calendar, to which he is releasing a song a day on Soundcloud. Did he write 24 new songs?? No, not exactly, but he has 10 and he did re-record his excellent older Christmas releases! So new versions! You may recognize #2, which was featured on Christmas Underground last year. Charlie tipped me off to today’s release, as it was going to be a new one. “Christmas Card 1983” is a wonderful piece of Christmas indiepop, and I love it simply for its dreamy atmosphere groove, and the brass colors are fantastic. However, what left me sitting here listing to this song a few times in a row was personal realization I stumbled into. I often have to fight the urge to throw a bunch of downers on my mix, as I tend to find darker music more complicated and fulfilling. I especially worried about this year, as I am not in the best state when thinking about the future of my country, nor the world. But I don’t think I have to worry about my mix… I am sitting here medicating with glimmering nostalgia, rather than drowning melancholy or anger. “Christmas Card 1983” most certainly scratches that itch, with mixtape Christmas presents, buying records at HMV, and old movies. I can’t wait to hear the rest of Charlie’s project, even if there is a downer in the bunch. I think I can take it, thanks to “Christmas Card 1983.”

Bottom Line: Pure indiepop Christmas wonderfulness. As always with indiepop, it may not be your taste… but those who like it, will very likely love “Christmas Card 1983.”

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The Crookes “You Bring the Snow” (2016)

The Crookes - You Bring the Snow

Anywhere Records
Buy: Bandcamp | 7Digital (FLAC) | Amazon.uk MP3 | Amazon.de MP3 | Amazon.fr MP3

Christmas is time of year (for me) where nostalgia becomes the currency, and this year, the Crookes have a million bucks. Their new song, which debuted on The Line of Best Fit today, is a wonderful, emotional crystal ball to the Christmases when you were young. “I wanna know where did the magic go? / This year, I swear I’m coming home. / So let the sleighbells ring, / people dancing and they’re having fun. / All I wanna have / One more Christmas like when we were young.” The lyrics, the synthesizer atmospherics, all the way down George Waite’s vocals paint a heartfelt yearning for when Christmas was truly Christmas. You know… that time in your life that planted that seed, and why you are reading this blog now.

Bottom Line: The Crookes can always be counted on for Christmas (silver and) gold.

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Twaague Records’ Christmas Tape (2015)

Christmas Tape

Twaague Records
Buy: Bandcamp

I know everyone is all about the NEW NEW NEW songs… throw a “2015” after a song and nobody wants to retweet it. BUT, when nearly all the seasonal releases come out in a month’s time, you are bound to miss some great stuff. Berlin-based Twaague Records‘ Christmas Tape was one of those misses… released on December 12 of last year, this release certainly suffered from missing the “christmas” tag on Bandcamp, which made it nearly invisible to my search. (Bandcamp really needs to up their game on search – they limit results and don’t let you combine tags…) This was the tape that led me to Skiing! This was the tape that led me to Hanemoon! And this is the tape that will make you love Milwalkie. Get comfortable, I’m going to cover my personal highlights of this excellent release.

The tape leads off with “26th December,” originally appearing on Skiing’s excellent Generous Fire EP. Its anti-consumerism rhetoric is comfortable terrain for me, and the punk rock aesthetic is invigorating. A very strong start.

Colorado’s Kissing Party is no stranger to Christmas songs – they have 2 featured on their Bandcamp as I type this review. “Merry Christmas Darling (Maybe Next Year Things will Change)” was originally released as their 2014 single, and it remains a great indiepop downer.

Berlin’s Milwalkie contributes one of my favorite tracks on this release with “This Year (All I Want is You).” From what I understand, this begins a string of tracks exclusive to this release. What they might call cheesy (and they do), I call simple and nearly perfect. Playful and nostalgic, this song hits all the marks without getting too sweet; A wonderful, perfectly seasoned (pun!) Christmas tune.

Who would have expected Berlin to be a hotbed of amazing indie Christmas songs? My head has been stuck searching in London for years… should have been looking here! Berlin’s Man Behind Tree channel 90’s-era Merge Records indie rock and blends their jangly guitars, dark lyrics and understated vocals into a fantastic Christmas song, “I Was Santa Claus.”

Hanemoon, who we featured a week or so ago with his 2013 gem, has blessed us with the equally wonderful “My Bell Ride.” This is a driving indie rock Christmas song that I could imagine Yo La Tengo (or my much beloved Mendoza Line) just ripping shit up with; It has the kind of frayed edges that I am such a sucker for.

Strand Child (also from… Berlin!) contribute their dark electro-pop “Yer Feet.” Is this a Christmas song? No idea! But I like it. “I was drunk when I met you / I was drunk when you walked out the door.” It may take place during Christmas… as might the equally non-Christmas specific “F&f” by Berlin’s Mother of the Unicorn. They are a bit less confusing on their Facebook than Strand Child, as they address their song as “not so Christmassy really, but it is a bit sentimental, so that’s the same thing right?” They are tapping into the same deep emotional well as The National… which I consider a high compliment and comparison.

Finally, Farfara’s instrumental “Flying Pan” is also damn good. Again, it suffers by not having an explicit nod to Christmas, but overall a great track that, depending on your own personal mix rules, might still qualify for consideration. At the very least, this track proves them to be an excellent band, worthy of further listening.

Overall this release is extremely strong, and with few exceptions, immensely listenable and wholly enjoyable. I would consider 3-4 of these songs for my own personal mix, which is like scoring a hat trick… very, very hard to do on a Christmas compilation. Tapes are still available via their Bandcamp, as well a digital downloads for a very respectable €5!

Bottom Line: Berlin is just killing it right now. One of the strongest compilations of 2015, easy.

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This is the Kit – Christmas Time Is Here b​/​w La Peregrinación (2016)

This is the Kit - Christmas Time Is Here b​/​w La Peregrinación

Brassland
Buy: Bandcamp | Amazon.uk MP3 | Amazon.fr MP3 | Amazon.de MP3

I’ve had my eye on this release ever since Brassland prompted me with a new release on Bandcamp. That was many, many moons ago… like a week or so. Weeks are LONG these days. So… are you familiar with This is the Kit? No? Well, let me introduce you. This is the Kit is Kate Stables, a originally from England, now primarily based in Paris. I credit the gateway drug of The National to my introduction to Kate; Bryce Dessner (of the National) produced her last record, and Brassland also happens to by Bryce & Co’s own label. Thus, when I hear of a National connection, I’m compelled to find out more.

This is the Kit’s earlier work would fall along the lines of some of the earlier “freak folk” bands such as early Sufjan Stevens, Grizzly Bear, and the like, and her sound has expanded beyond that initial entrance point, as with many of her early contemporaries. This last record, Bashed Out finds a fuller sound that fills in the gaps that freak folk often left open.

This new, 2-track digital Christmas finds its home somewhere in the middle of these two approaches. The first track, “Christmas Time is Here” has been previously available on Amazon’s All is Bright playlist, and it is a very lovely version of this Christmas classic. The atmospherics sprinkled throughout create a lovely bed for the simple acoustic guitar and vocals to lay upon. I normally like my covers to dramatically reinterpret the source material, but This is the Kit claim their own unique and beautiful space, without having to reinvent it.

The second track, “La Peregrinación,” is the most intriguing one to me, as it is the only “new” track, and I’m wholly unfamiliar with the original. The original was performed in Spanish by Ariel Ramirez, and Kate found a loose translation to base her version upon. It is quite lovely, almost a Dirty Projectors-do-xmas-bossanova-lite approach. If that isn’t a questionable and crazy description, I don’t know what is. I mean come on, this is a lovely Christmas tune and I just made up that crazy sentence. But does it make you want to find out more? I sure hope so!

Bottom Line: Are you looking for a beautifully crafted Christmas single? This 2-song set will scratch that itch. Oh, you have to wait until Friday 🙂

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Aviva Skye – Walipini (2015)

Aviva Skye - Walipini

Self-Released
Buy: Bandcamp (NYOP)

NYC’s Aviva Skye snuck this “Christmahannukah” release out last year, but you know what… it’s never too late to be featured on Christmas Underground! This lovely 3-track EP of seasonal-ish songs reminds me of the wonderful Glasser + Lia Ices, and at times, a stripped-down Feist. For my money (and it is name-your-own-price), the highlight of this release is the atmospheric leadoff track, “Snow.” The shimmering guitar recalls the swirling path of a falling snowflake, as Aviva’s vocals layer upon each other, as if accumulating on a windowsill. Close your eyes and watch it fall. Truly lovely.

The rest of the EP is quite good too – I could see some readers finding the uptempo “Jerusalem” right up their alley. The wonderful use of brass accents really takes this song to the next level. The final song, “Wait for Yourself,” may be the biggest stretch for those looking to round out their Christmas mix. I can’t find any thematic connection to the season… but as with most of Aviva’s stuff, still worth a listen.

Bottom Line: Atmospheric slow jamz for chilly nights – a sure-fire soundtrack to your more introspective moments. Definitely recommended.

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Los “Christmas In D” (2016)

Los "Big Surf"

Grande Vague Musique
Buy: Bandcamp | Amazon MP3 | Vinyl (shipping from Canada)

How about some surf/power-pop from Québec for your hump day enjoyment? Los‘ released Big Surf on October 7th, their LP follow-up to the EP Small Surf, and snuck a Christmas song on the end! “Christmas in D” has me recalling the feel and sound of Mojave 3 at their most poppy, which isn’t necessarily very poppy, but more a mid-tempo, atmospheric, country-twinged dream pop scenario. I’m thinking this through as I write it, so bear with me. I’m really feeling a healthy dash of Pernice Brothers too, especially with the dark lyrics and the vocal layering. “All is well, you never can tell / If heaven is a place to sell / if loving is a wishing well / pulling you under” Los has some nice turns of phrase here, highlighted nicely with multiple listens (so listen!). Los has delivered a complex and interesting Christmas song, perfect for a place like Christmas Underground, and poison for a Christmas party. Hey… that would be a good tagline for this site!

Botton Line: A complex song stylistically, lyrically, and emotionally. Los has my vote! #twomoreweeksofhell

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