Tag: France

Posted on

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.

LISTEN

Posted on

Superfuck Numero 2: Spécial Noël (2014)

Superfuxxxmas Songs

Superfuck Magazine
Buy: Superfuck Zine | Bandcamp

Hi Everyone. Missed me?

All hail Christmas Chaos for hipping me to this release. Superfuck magazine is a self-published zine from Paris, and their second issue is extra-special (in this guy’s eyes) Christmas edition. There is a CD-R attached, and it contains 16 seasonal tracks from French artists (I haven’t verified EVERY artist is French… but from my spot checks… highly likely). So many of these bands are so under-the-radar that I couldn’t even find a link for their site…
EDIT – Yes, they are all French artists – thanks Superfuck Magazine for the clarification!

There are some gems on here though – I’m a huge fan of “The Tree is Made” by Milk and Fruit Juice. It is a very solemn acoustic number, but when the electric guitar flourishes enter, the song shimmers.  Certainly a downer if you judge the lyrical content (death), but if you like that sort of thing, you will love this.

There are some upbeat songs on here too… for sure. “Silence in Your Mind” by Wonderflu is a great indie rock tune, and while I can’t quite make out the lyrics enough to hear the Christmas connection – I’ll take their word for it.

“The Gift” by Edam Edam has punk rock spirit, a speed, and a crassness that I appreciate. “Can I kiss your ass / Like its for Christmas?” Fuck yes.

(BTW, Sugar & Tiger‘s excellent “X-Mas Babe” is on this comp too)

There are also a bunch of great instrumental tracks, ranging from the criminally short chimes and claps of “Bruschetta” by Orouni, to the wonderfully glitchy “Some Girls Under to the Snow” by MUDD.

The final track, “Christmas Boogie” by Jaromil Sabor and Prêcheur Loup, is a ramshackle jam that perfectly rounds out a night of Christmas tunes – loose, pretty, with slightly jagged edges. This one could certainly make its way on to a mix.

Bottom Line: If you are looking for an obscure French Christmas comp to impress your friends with, look no further. 1 euro (or more!) gets you 16 tracks, and there are some solid tunes here. 4.3/5

LISTEN

Posted on

Wolves & Moons “In the Bleak Midwinter” (2012)

Wolves & Moons

Self-Released
Buy: Stream

Wolves & Moons are a french band with an English singer, who offered up a lovely cover of “In the Bleak Midwinter” on their Facebook page on Christmas Eve last year. (Turns out it was on Soundcloud in Dec. 2012.) They chose Bert Jansch’s arrangement, which is simple, beautiful and short – and what a perfect choice it was. The arrangement, coupled with Richard Allen’s vocals, give this song a feeling of authenticity that the extremely sugary-sweet versions that I tend to find just don’t have. It may have been a free download on Soundcloud, as their profile page suggests, but there is a server error. So alas, you will have to get creative to fit this onto your mix, but I’ve got faith in you.

Bottom Line: Beautiful, short, with a feel of authenticity that is not found very often. 4.8/5

LISTEN

Posted on

Sugar & Tiger “Noël Christmas” (2011/2014)

Sugar & Tiger - Noel Christmas

Atmosphériques
Buy: Amazon UK | Band’s Webstore | Amazon FR MP3 | Bandcamp

Sugar & Tiger‘s “Noël Christmas” has been around since 2011, but the song was not properly released until this year on their debut, Télévisage. An extremely fun tune, sung largely in French with some English in the chorus, these Parisians expertly straddle the pond. They list their influences as the Ramones, the Raveonettes and Phil Spector… so it makes perfect sense that they recorded a rockin’ Christmas song.

Bottom Line: Upbeat with that certain, I don’t know what (hehe) that makes me want to listen to it multiple times. If only it were easier to purchase as a single song! 4.1/5

LISTEN

Posted on

The Limiñanas “Christmas (Baby Please Come Home)” (2014)

the liminanas rarities

Trouble in Mind
Buy: 7Digital FLAC/MP3 | Amazon UK | Amazon UK MP3 | iTunes

Get ready for a lovely slice of French garage rock from the duo known as the Limiñanas. This unreleased cover of Phil Spector’s “Christmas (Baby Please Come Home)” can be found on their new rarities compilation on Chicago’s Trouble in Mind Records, (I’ve Got) Trouble In Mind: Singles & Rare Stuff 2009/2014. They don’t stray too far from the spirit of the original (not a dirge to be found), yet their rough-around-the-edges delivery makes it feel like something new. Check it out, buy a copy and impress your friends.

If you find that you like their sound, and want to make a bit more of a commitment, you can even pick this up on vinyl. So, finger to the wind… how does it blow for you?

Bottom Line: I already like the song, and the Limiñanas give me that little bit extra to make this tune mix-worthy. 4.8/5

LISTEN

Posted on

Peaks “Xmas Song” (2012)

Peaks "Love"

Sober & Gentle
Buy: RoW (as in… not available in the US, barely available to the world)

Did you enjoy Cocoon? Because if you did, you may like Peaks. Why? Because its one half of Cocoon (Morgane Imbeaud) singing a song that has nearly the same name! Officially released on their debut mini-album, Love, this song was also promoted as a Christmas gift from Peaks last year. I do not believe it was ever available for free download though…

As you can imagine, the music is quite lovely. It is unavoidable for a band associated with Morgane Imeaud. Now lets take a stab at the lyrics… if you guessed dark, you guessed right! The song finds the lead character lamenting how wonderful it would be if they were still in love and stuck inside together, while crying that her love is not there and not coming back again. So bring that mix back down to earth with this fuzzy little Christmas dirge.

Bottom Line: You guessed it. I’m a fan. Loses points because of the extreme lengths you may have to go through to actually purchase this song. Sober & Gentle will not ship to the US, and I can’t find it on Amazon/iTunes. 4.2/5

LISTEN:

Posted on

Cocoon “Christmas Song” (2007)

Cocoon All My Friends

Sober & Gentle
Buy:  iTunes | 7Digital MP3 | RoW

Santa Clause won’t come tonight.
He is never late.
The reindeer may have been shot in the skies of the USA.

For a long time I have been told lies.
Am I dumb?
Am I blind?
I am feeling so fine.
Oh so fine.

Now. If that is the kind of Christmas song you can get behind, then venture forth good sir, because I love this gloomy little song. The French duo Cocoon released this acoustic number on their suggestively dark All My Friends Died in a Plane Crash in 2007. The music is cheery, like you might find in an adorable TV commercial about a new eco-friendly car… then you listen to the lyrics and BOOM! Love it.

Bottom Line: A great song for those who don’t want Christmas to be all candy-canes and gumdrops. 5/5

LISTEN

[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UytNeEa9G7s] [youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4oQCoFy3LQA]