indiepop – Page 6 – Christmas Underground

November 28, 2023November 28, 2023

Bleu Reine presente La Compile de Noel 3 (2023)

Bleu Reine
Buy: Bandcamp

The French band Bleu Reine has released some of the best holiday comps of the past few years, while not necessarily always releasing strictly holiday compilations. The first year (2021) is choc-full of Christmas and seasonal tunes. Last year’s release has one(?) song that might be considered seasonal song, a cover of “Holidays” by Poinareff. This year reflects last year’s more than the debut, with two songs (I believe…) lining up as Christmas-mix contenders. Now, you might be wondering, why did I just say they put out some of the best holiday comps? These really aren’t holiday records… true, but the other music is good. They are enjoyable, whether they are holiday songs or not – you’ll find some great covers of Radiohead, Mark Lanegan, Phoebe Bridgers, Wings, Haddaway (ha!), Waaves, The Beatles, etc. So… they are still worth your time!

NOW to the Christmasish songs. The Marinas contribute a very pretty, lo-fi cover of Low’s all-time classic “Just Like Christmas.” (I wish I could find out more about this band – Google is not being very helpful.) There is a warble to this song that begins with the vocals, only to be accentuated by the theremin (?) that I hear in the background. Somehow, The Marinas have managed to construct a version unlike any I’ve heard before, and as this song is the alternative-Christmas gateway drug… I’m always here for a new fix.

The other song that I *believe* to be Christmas-adjacent is the track by Cecilia, “Décembre,” which is an Alex Montembault cover. I did my best (well, a solid try) to find the lyrics to get an idea of what the song is about… but alas… I failed. If can’t speak French, but I can most certainly enjoy the music! Fuzzy guitars! Catchy chorus! So I do! And so might you! Exclamation mark!

Bottom Line: Just a few holiday songs amongst some other great covers… I’ll take it!

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November 27, 2023November 27, 2023

Plati-Holy!-Ruma!!! A Christmas Hit EP (2023)

Platiruma!!!
Buy: Bandcamp (NYOP)

There are a few places that I look to every year, reliable sources of interesting Christmas music that you can count on to make this humble Christmas blogger’s life just a bit easier. Germany’s Platiruma!!! Records are most certainly one of those sources. After a few singles, largely by the label’s founder and spiritual leader, Sebastian Voss (aka The Fisherman and His Soul), the label released a wonderful 4-song E.P. by Herr Wade last year. The label appears to be slowly creeping toward a full-length Christmas record, as this year they dropped Plati-Holy!-Ruma!!! A Christmas Hit EP, a 6-track Christmas EP. From top to bottom, this E.P. is top-notch German indiepop Christmas. I’m going to pull out a few tracks, as I have made it a practice not to cover every song, as that is a precedent I am fleeing in terror from.

The leadoff track by Hamburg’s theCatherines shines with jangly guitars and a great message, reflected in the title “This Year My Wishlist Only Says ‘Peace.'” For the curious listener, you can find an additional, 7-track Christmas EP, TEENY•TINY•XMAS (EP), over at theCatherines Bandcamp – well worth checking out too.

A collaboration between Jørn Åleskjær (The Loch Ness Mouse, Monobird, Sapphire & Steel) and Sebastian Voss (Nah…, The Fisherman and his Soul, Cinema Engines), the Herr Wade track, “Bis Ich Leb´ (Til I Live)” channels the Christmas crooners of the past with its warm, emotional vocals and ornate instrumentation, full of chimes and swelling synthesized strings.

This is a lot more to love here, with two strong instrumentals by Guelpe and Berlin’s Martin Tetzlaff, a sweet folky tune by Nero Bates, as well as a 2023 remix of The Fisherman and His Soul’s stellar “A Christmas Tree Bright as a Lighthouse.” Revisiting this song was interesting, as the chorus seems to hit harder today than it had originally: “… and there’s a Christmas tree bright as a lighthouse / despite the fucked up world situation / we’ll see a quiver in anticipation / now it’s Christmas time.” This is my favorite kind of indiepop – serious shit disguised amongst some incredibly fun music – sneaking in the door as you bob your head.

Bottom Line: Platiruma!!! expands their holiday offerings with an extremely solid Christmas EP. Looking forward to the full-length… hehe.

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November 23, 2023November 27, 2023

Karakou “Tyst faller snön” (2013/2023)

Ninetone
Buy: Apple Music | Amazon MP3 | Amazon.uk MP3 | Amazon.de MP3 | Amazon.fr MP3

Sweden’s Karakou came into my life last night, and I’ve been doing my best to get to know them better in the past few hours. A hefty bit of Google translate and this particularly good interview from 2019 have given me a glimpse into this excellent band’s world. This world happens to include a Christmas-adjacet song, “Tyst faller snön (Silently the Snow Falls)” which was originally released, unmixed and from their archive in 2013, then again in 2018, finally being lovingly re-mixed with four new versions here in 2023. The song is quite melancholy, as you could likley discern just from the vibe with no knowledge of the lyrics. However, for convenience’s sake, here are the lyrics, run through Google Translate:

We follow things we know nothing about
And you act like those who see no way out
Oh quietly, the snow falls outside our rooms

Silently the snow falls, so we fall
Like a dream

We talk about how everything actually goes
And say sorry before we hang up
Oh quietly the snow falls
Outside our rooms

Silently the snow falls, so we fall, like a dream
We follow things we know nothing about
And how would we have known how everything would turn out?

The snow falls quietly
The snow falls quietly
Silently the snow falls, tearing up everything we hid
Oh quietly the snow falls, so we fall

Karakou’s initial intention was to release this song when Sweden was bathed in the orange glow of streetlights reflecting off the snow… and wow… just close your eyes and visualize that scene. Cinematic, beautiful, and somehow warm.

When I see the term “remix,” I’m never excited. Growing up, that meant that someone made a dance version of a song that shouldn’t be a club song. However, these four remixes aren’t trying to strongarm the song into something it is not. These versions essentially let you choose your own favorite flavor, which each having their own unique, delcious notes. I may be partial to the Frengen remix currently… or maybe the Einestad remix… Shoot… Please help me decide.

Bottom Line: I’d imagine some folks are going to be walking around singing Swedish this year while their friends and family curiously look on.

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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 16, 2023

Everett Darling “Pictures 1-3” (2021)

Self Released
Buy: Bandcamp

There will be those days that I throw big ol’ softballs – songs that I’ve already, in one way or another, expressed my love for previously. In this case, Everett Darling’s “Pictures 1-3” was featured on last year’s mix, but never featured on this site. Today, we remedy that. Everett Darling was the primary songwriter and singer of the excellent German indiepop band Skiing, who have featured prominently on this blog in the past. There are two tracks on his first solo record, Winter, that could be considered Christmas-adjacent. “Pictures 1-3” is obviously one, as well as the instrumental, “Tinsel,” but I’ll leave that to you to hunt down. “Pictures 1-3” is a beautiful song about Everett’s father and the Christmas tree he bought in his last year of life. He cycles through 3 photos of him, describing each one, with the Christmas tree remaining in the background… stuck on demo mode and cycling through its programmed display settings. The song’s stripped-down, 2 guitars and vocals approach, conveys a warmth that I am struggling to describe… Truly touching, absolutely gorgeous, and highly recommended.

Bottom Line: I learned my lesson in 2021 when I originally missed this release… check in with Everett every year just in case… he is just so damn talented.

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November 14, 2023

Heyrocco “Christmas Shopping in Santa Monica” (2022)

Cobraside
Buy: Apple Music | Amazon MP3 | Amazon.uk MP3 | Amazon.de MP3 | Amazon.fr MP3

Is a band from the town they started in, or the town they have resided in for a while? Like, are the National a Cincinnati band, or a Brooklyn band? I find myself mulling this over as I think about Heyrocco… who are either from Charleston, South Carolina or Los Angeles. So, pick your flavor, and now that I’ve placed them in the general United States, we can move on. Heyrocco’s most recent release also happens to be their excellent 2022 Christmas song, “Christmas Shopping in Santa Monica.” This song has a late 90s – early 2000’s powerpop feel that I love. The jangling rhythm guitars, the layered vocal harmonies, all the “oh yeahs,” I’m transported back in time. It’s a fun one, you’ll like it.

Of note, this is not the only Heyrocco Christmas song… there are a few Bandcamp accounts that all appear to be associated with the band, and they covered (as did everyone) Wham’s “Last Christmas” back in 2014. Low-fi demo quality, but interesting to hear in comparison. Around 2:20 it gets weird, which is worth a listen if you’re curious.

Bottom Line: This is the kind powerpop that I love.

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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 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.

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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.