Tag: The Photocopies

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The Photocopies – A C26 for Christmas (2025)

Self Released
Buy: Bandcamp

If indiepop is a genre that you are down with, read on. Frankly, if this website serves any purpose, it is for me to establish some indiepop credibility when I can’t play an instrument. Yeah, maybe I’ll share a few other songs too, but I have some twee punks to impress. Of note, I have often thought about how indiepop and punk are two sides of the same coin – DIY outsiders making cheap records for their devoted communities. But I digress, Michigan’s The Photocopies have done us a huge flippin’ favor and gathered up all his Christmas songs onto one easy compilation, A C26 for Christmas. We no longer have to search every single record (because often there was one) to grab that Christmas single for your indiepop radio show or mix. Sometimes being so prolific is a double-edged sword – you are always making great Christmas songs, but you’re also always making great Christmas songs. It becomes expected. Thus, it was a nice reminder to see all these great songs together, and it brought me back to 2021, when I first found the wonderful Photocopies.

I was so young then. We all were.

Bottom Line: Are you finding the Photocopies for the first time? Lucky you!

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Have Yourself a Merry Indie Christmas (Volume IV) (2024)

A Benefit for Crisis
Buy: Bandcamp

Today is the day. The fourth and final (…you never know for suuuuurrre) volume of this magnum opus of alternative Christmas music has dropped with a whopping 65 songs. Amongst these 65 songs, you’ll find many names that I’ve championed on an occasion or two (Whyte Horses, Dark Horses – ha! – The Photocopies, Skiing, Aux Caroling, and many more) – but unless you’ve been reading this silly blog since 2012, you likely haven’t come across many of these songs. If you have been close-reading this blog, you might even take special notice that Applennium’s “Is this Christmas” is on the tracklist. Not only is this a great track for that imaginary shoegaze/dreampop Christmas mix someone out there is making, but this is the first time one could get an actual FLAC of this song. I honestly had forgotten how great that song was.

This record is a fantastic afternoon listen, one that may very well get you in the spirit enough to finally put up your tree, finish your mix, or dig a bit deeper into that band whose song has just made you hit the back button to listen again. For a quick £7/$8.50, you’re that much closer to indie-Christmas nirvana. That, and ALL proceeds go to  Crisis at Christmas, a UK charity supporting people experiencing homelessness. Sounds like an easy call folks.

Bottom Line: If this is the first you’ve heard of this series – there are 4 of them, totaling 208 songs. They are required listening if you are at all interested in this alternative Christmas music. Now go! Listen!

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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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The Photocopies “Under Christmas Lights” (2021)

Self Released
Buy: Bandcamp (NYOP)

There is something quite endearing about this little ramshackle indiepop Christmas song by Michigan’s The Photocopies. The fuzzy guitars, driving beat, and clever lyrics of “Under Christmas Lights” has really got me moving. The narrator is really working on winning over his ex on this song… but things aren’t going very well: “In the season of goodwill / We needn’t go downhill / if you really want to / We’ll go sled. / You can be hostile, / working on your smile / Without it I might as well be dead.” Perhaps the Christmas lights will provide the magic he needs…

Many thanks to my buddy Ned for once again hipping me to new Christmas tunes; Our Venn diagram is solidly indiepop these days.

Bottom Line: Classic indiepop upbeat music and downbeat lyrics… which is a thing I do enjoy.

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