Tag: Bandcamp

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Skiing – Holly (2013)

Skiiing "Holly"

Self-Released/Späti Palace
Buy: Bandcamp

On day two of my Skiing trip, we visit 2013’s Holly. Upon initial discovery, I nearly flipped out and thought the entire record was Christmas… but alas, I’m only going to point to two… two stellar tracks on this overall fantastic release. Let’s begin with “Skiing,” the eponymous second track on the album. Here, skiing is used as a metaphor for life, blazing paths and picking up (and staying with) friends. While this is not explicitly a Christmas or winter song, the imagery and the nostalgia evoked by looking to the past and relying on your friends certainly brings out the spirit. Similarly, the title track “Holly” is another metaphor song, this time for a false friend. However, the dressing of this song in this Ilex opens the door to a seasonal attachment – to use this particular metaphor (to me) grounds the time period the song takes place in as the holiday season. I know, I know… maybe a bit of a stretch on these two… but I’m flexible. I just like this band too damn much to talk myself out of this post.

If you are interested in picking up any of these Skiing releases, they are often only print runs of 100 or so… so if you are like me and like a physical copy of a disc/cassette, you’ll grab them sooner than later. Of note… Holly appears to be gone, gone, gone.

Bottom Line: Did you enjoy my attempts at Christmas-mix gymnastics? If you did or didn’t, I hope you join me in just enjoying the hell out of this band.

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Skiing – Generous Fire E.P. (2013)

Skiing Generous Fire E.P.

Self-Released
Buy: Free!

Skiing have just popped onto my radar… in an absolutely massive way. This will be the first, of a few, posts about this superb band from Berlin. Frankly, I’ve only held out posting about this band until I could pick up a few releases that I knew would be hard to get after the massive interest generated by this powerful, taste-making blog. Comprised of “Everett Darling and his current, future, and ex-friends, family, and lovers,” Skiing have been releasing superb “post-adult contemporary” indiepop/rock since 2012, and how I do love those descriptors. They exude this wonderful, sophisticated sense of humor, which is one of many reasons why Skiing is such a pleasure. The Generous Fire E.P., released in 2013 as a Christmas present to the fans, is a hot 3-track E.P. with a loose connection to the Christmas holiday. While only one specifically name checks-Christmas, I see all the songs as taking place during the season.  From the aggressive DIY decorating of “Interior Design,” to a clever play on words and the disposability of Christmas presents in “26th December,” and finally the dark side of generosity in “On Me,” Skiing has created a wickedly short and concise piece of consumerism criticism that belongs at any slightly grumpy (me!) Christmas table.

Bottom Line: With each song coming in under 2:00, this fun-sized E.P. will start your anti-holiday season off with a bang! And what do you know… it’s free (obviously!).

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Thumper “Christmas (Baby Please Come Home)” (2015)

Thumper "Christmas (Baby Please Come Home)"

Self-Released
Buy: Soundcloud (Free!) | Bandcamp (NYOP)

Somehow, this Dublin noise-pop band Thumper snuck by me last year… I have no clue how, but they did. Despite my best efforts scouring Bandcamp and Soundcloud, this solid, scuzzy cover of “Christmas (Baby Please Come Home)” remained hidden in a corner of the net that I just couldn’t see. Thankfully, here we are, and Thumper have cooked up this nice slice of Phil Spector Christmas pie, using their own dirty pan. They add a sense of urgency to the song that you very, very rarely hear. Check out their other stuff… they have this huge, dirty sound that is f*ing great.

Edit: Also part of the A Co-Present Christmas compilation of Irish bands and featuring CU favorites Blades Club and Sleep Thieves. Gotta check that one out soon!

Bottom Line: An urgent, noisy treatment of a Christmas classic that just might make its way on to your mix this year. Hopefully they’ll decide to put another song in our stocking this year…

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Jean Luc Tobine’s Official Fan Club – Christmas 7″ (2012)

Jean Luc Tobine's Official Fan Club

Jean Luc Tobine’s Official Fan Club
Buy: Bandcamp

My french is nonexistent, and Google Translate is only so good… so please bear with me as I try to relay information about this wonderful Jean Luc Tobine’s Official Fan Club (JLTOFC) Christmas 7″. JLTOFC began in 2011 to support and develop artists. If I understand correctly, JLTOFC is a nonprofit arts organization, with a radio program, music label, and theater and film production services. Of particular note, JLTOFC’s radio program is run on school holidays, and they ask participants to create a playlist of 5 tracks on a theme. The program would focus on songs of spring, summer hits, fishing songs, Halloween songs… and yes… Christmas songs. Perhaps this radio show was just the spark that began the warm fire that is JLTOFC’s wonderful musical offering, 2012’s Christmas 7″.

Christmas is truly one of the strongest 7″ Christmas compilations I have ever come across. Four tracks, each original and with an interesting point-of-view… I want more… I need more. It begins with the now-defunct All Cannibals‘ “Christmas Night.” I love every second of this song, from the rollicking music, to the earnest lyrics (“Christmas night / true and beautiful”), this song is undeniable. You can also find this track on my 2015 mix!

Trotski Nautique‘s “Noël Sapin” is a lovely slice of French indiepop, and while I have no idea what they are saying… the music is all I need to love this song. Is that a recorder I hear? If it is, that’s the best damn recorder I’ve ever heard in a song. Don’t let me scare you off… listen.

You Call It a Name veers into Weezer territory with the cheeky “I’ll play my next album with the London Philharmonic Orchestra.” As with most of the songs on this release, I can’t quite make out all the lyrics well enough to quote them… but I don’t think I’m crazy to think that they might be writing to Santa Clause to be able to play their next album with the London Philharmonic Orchestra. There’s some “kicking ass,” lots of rocking out… it’s good fun.

If you’re a reader of this blog from 2015, you may already be familiar with the wonderful a Drift. “It’s Christmas” is their first seasonal offering, and it’s quite a lovely piece of indiepop. “All these colored red white and green / it’s Christmas  / it’s Christmas / the whole house smells like tangerine / it’s Christmas / it’s Christmas.” A warm, fuzzy, indiepop blanket of a song to round out this incredible 7″.

With only 300 of these records in existence, there is no explanation as to why these are not already sold out. They sent me a lovely note with my order, and as it turns out… I’m the first person from the states to order it. While this does prove how stone-cold cool I am, this needs to be remedied. Buy the crap out of this. Throw a few bucks in and download it. Whatever you do… this needs to be heard and loved.

Bottom Line: I am most certainly a fan of Jean Luc Tobine’s Official Fan Club. Please, dear flying spaghetti monster Santa, deliver me a new Christmas release this year, or next year, or the year after that. I’m patient. I’ll wait.

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The Fools “Dear Santa” (2016)

The Fools / The Fools

Self Released
Buy: Bandcamp

How about some lo-fi indiepop for your earholes? Perhaps some barking and a dash of saxophone? Does that sound nice? Well, have I got the Christmas song for you. Seattle’s The Fools released their self-titled debut earlier this year, and it has a lovely, goofy little Christmas song nestled within its tracks. “Dear Santa” is whimsical and precious, but look out… there’s a dark side. Keep listening.

Bottom Line: The Fools have been petting a little bunny… and you know what happens when you pet the bunny too much. Fun! Hot tip: it’s a name-your-price for the entire record.

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Cerise “St. Nick” (2016)

Cerise

Self-Released
Buy: Stream | Bandcamp?

Well hi there. Nice to see you all. Stubby’s been telling me about this other awesome dream pop tune, so I thought I’d send another one back.

Chicago-based Cerise is the tip of what promises to be a healthy schedule of Christmas in July June tunes. I’ve had this on my radar for a good while, and could have posted about it a month ago, but then you might have expected too much from me, such as additional posts (shame on you!). Cerise dabbles in what I would equate as the dark edges of Beach House-meets-Cure-meets-Mazzy Star. That’s just a quick, off-the-cuff comparison, one which I may tweak as the heat leaves my brain and I can think once more. Did I mention it is hot out? I don’t have the same access that Consequence of Sound has, and while the lyrics aren’t completely disguised, they can be tough to make out at times. Obviously, she name-checks St. Nick, as well as snowflakes, and jingle bells feature prominently. However, it will likely come as no surprise that this is not a Christmas song.

From the Consequence of Sound article:

“I was thinking about a relationship once that turns into a deal, so that each will get what they want but only to sell the relationship off with it,” Cerise tells Consequence of Sound of the song. She captures this by playing with lyrical opposites of joy (“Awaiting St. Nick/ And family glory”) and despair (“Run away to abandon/ Snowflakes and soirees”).

 

I’m in. I love this kind of ambiguous stuff. The record will released real soon – June 24th! It’s just a matter of time until there are tracks on her Bandcamp page… but I’ll be buying the vinyl!

Bottom Line: Dark, beautiful dream pop that will cool down your hot summer nights.

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Gloss “Gifts Received” (2015)

Gloss - Gifts Received

Self Released
Buy: Bandcamp

Minneapolis’ Gloss have made the best Joy Division/New Order Christmas song of the year all time! From the baseline, to the vocals, to the lyrics, Gloss have hit the nail on the head when it comes to writing a dark, pulsing, disturbing Christmas song. Sonically, this song is most certainly a departure from the Captured Tracks-esque indie rock of their Front Porch debut, which I loved. Team this track up with the MONEY track, and you are looking at a very gloomy, awesome, Christmas mix.

Bottom Line: Jingle bells, deep synth lines and clashing guitars… Merry Christmas!

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a Drift “Merry Xmas (War Isn’t Over) (2015)

a Drift - Merry Christmas

Jean Luc Tobine’s Offical Fan Club
Buy: Bandcamp

French indiepop band a Drift have just released what one might call a “response song” to John Lennon’s classic, “Happy Xmas (War Is Over).” While the original has a hopeful choir of children, this wonderfully acerbic new Christmas song resigns itself to reality, while wishing you to embrace your loved ones at Christmas, cause they’re all gonna die. This is a commentary on our current state, biting sarcasm dressed up in a beautiful indiepop robe.

War is not over but we’re not gonna fight,
so merry, merry Christmas.
Corporations won’t save us from the climate disaster,
so merry, merry Christmas.
Share your love with your friends,
cause sooner or later they’re all gonna die.
La lala la la lala la,
so merry, merry Christmas.

I think this song goes along quite well with the beautiful and poignant Sondre Lerche song from earlier in the season – for those who wish to add a bit of politics to their mix, as I often enjoy to do.

Bottom Line: Beneath the handclaps, a Drift highlights the reality, and one might argue, the futility of our current world situation. Love it.

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Shy Nature “Christmas Lullaby” (2015)

Self Released
Buy: Bandcamp

North London’s Shy Nature have ALSO returned! This is an amazing week for underground Christmas music – damn! Now, Shy Nature loves a slow burner, such as last year’s “Sweet Winter Rain,” and I would put their 2015 track “Christmas Lullaby” in that same camp. The music is quite atmospheric, as each instrument rings into the cool air of this snowy song. But there is a tension, very much between the slow beat and the vibraphone (right?)… only in the chorus does it release, and that is quite lovely.

Where somewhere it’s snowing
And the rest of us sing

Christmas lullaby songs
The melody sings me to sleep
And the holiday’s on
But no rest for the wicked and me

EDIT: It appears that this track is going to be officially released either today (17th, which it states on their Soundcloud) or tomorrow (18th, which it states on their Bandcamp).

Bottom Line: This lullaby leaves me with complicated feelings about how truly sweet it is… and I like that.

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Charlie’s Hand Movements – Secret Santa and Other Songs (2015)

Charlie's Hand Movements - Secret Santa EP

Self Released
Buy: Bandcamp

What a day! First Christmas Aguilera! Now Charlie’s Hand Movements!! Two of the best Christmas writers out there! I was, at the very least, hoping for another Christmas song from the authors of one of my highlights from last year, “Baubles,” and what did they do??? A whole Christmas EP! The EP was apparently born out of the idea that they just weren’t going to be able to get it together like they did last year. “Last year we made a song and a video but couldn’t see ourselves pulling everything together this time around… so, instead we made four songs. Or three at least… one of them is an Elton John song. A proper Christmas banger.” Of course, these songs are pretty damn fantastic, like everything that Charlie’s Hand Movements does. Their songwriting, their production, their ability to create interesting melodies – this band can do it all. I’m gonna blow through some simple, succinct thoughts on the tracks, simply because I’m a bit too excited and want you all to listen as soon as possible. “Secret Santa” slinks down the hallway with a funky beat; it really makes secret Santa feel quite naughty. “It’s Christmas Time (And I Don’t Want to Wait)” is smooth melancholy indiepop with all the right musical flourishes to make it a damn brilliant song. “Step Into Christmas,” the only cover on the EP is an Elton John cover, done in a fantastic indiepop style reminiscent of the brilliant Pas/Cal. Finally, “Flambe,” it is a great spoken word piece with CHM playing underneath, which could make anything wonderful. It’s funny, thoughtful, pissed, odd, and fantastic. So happy to have Charlie’s Hand Movements back… pick up all their tunes, because they are phenomenal.

Of note, “Baubles,” their 2014 Christmas single and “Don’t You Love Christmas Time,” their 2013 Christmas single, are both back on their Bandcamp for free download! But hey! How about throw them a few bucks and buy their latest (non-Christmas) release??? They are kind enough to give you ALL this Christmas music for free, it’s the least you could do!

Bottom Line: Charlie’s Hand Movements are back with a whole damn EP of wonderfulness. You need to listen to this record, then go to bed happy that there are people like Charlie’s Hand Movements making wonderful music.

EDIT: It appears that Charlie’s Hand Movements like to take down their Christmas tunes as one takes down a Christmas tree. I would follow them on Bandcamp to get alerted immediately when they have new stuff.

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