Tag: UK

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Porridge Radio “O. Christmas” (2017)

Porridge Radio "O. Christmas"

Art is Hard Records
Buy: 7″ Flexi | Bandcamp | iTunes

DIY just premiered Porridge Radio‘s sloppy (in a good way) new Christmas single, “O. Christmas,” and it is a ramshackle delight. The frayed edges of nearly every instrument, vocals included, compliment the the sentiment perfectly, as “the song is the soundtrack to that Christmas Eve where you remember how much you hate your hometown and walk home alone in the rain.” Sure makes me wonder exactly how bleak Brighton can be! Readers of this blog, as well as my wife, know I love a good Christmas downer, which you’ll no doubt appreciate too as the song appropriately ends with: “The sun goes around again / It always starts again / I’ll break your heart again / I’ll break your heart again / I’ll break your heart again / Merry Christmas.” So just slap this track on if your over-enthusiastic aunt comes over. That’ll teach her. (If you want the flexi, go now, because there are only 300 of em!)

Bottom Line: This song is a ramshackle delight of a Christmas dirge. First time I’ve ever written that sentence!

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The Spook School “Someone To Spend Christmas With” (2017)

The Spook School CHRISTMAS

Slumberland / Alcopop! Records
Buy: Bandcamp

Glasgow’s The Spook School have a new record coming out, Could it Be Different, which is news in itself… but to add a fantastic Christmas single to the mix too??? That is when ol’ Jim here starts getting a bit loopy. “Someone to Spend Christmas With” is yet another great, new Christmas song that takes a wholly new approach to the season. The Spook School describes it as “A song about figuring out how you want to conduct your own relationships when it feels like the world is full of conflicting advice about the “best” way to do it. Whether that be monogamy, polyamory or something else. The refrain relates to the ideal of having one important person in your life with whom you’ll always spend your special occasions.” We don’t have all the answers – We have to figure it out for ourselves, lean on those who care about us, and rock out to some sweet, sweet indiepop. (They’ve got another one on their Bandcamp too, “Bah Humbug” from 2011, for those who want to delve deeper.)

Bottom Line: The Spook School have released a stone-cold Christmas mix lock with this wonderful indiepop jam.

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Big Cloud “Christmas Presence” (2017)

Big Cloud "Christmas Presence"

Self Released
Buy: Bandcamp

Scotland’s Big Cloud describes themselves as “fearlessly boring groove-drone & ambient pop.” Descriptions are meant to give you a good general idea of what to expect, and that description left me baffled… and curious. On “Christmas Presence,” Big Cloud has a slow groove that I might best describe as RIYL Low/Spain. In fact, this song sounds like something either of those bands would likely cover beautifully. The ringing guitar notes and strolling beat frame some clever, and at times, rather militantly-secular lyrics (which I would obviously be into): “I don’t care about cards or treeses / I refuse to think of Jesus / Your presence is the greatest gift that there is.” There are many instances of clever turns of phrase, most obviously those inspiring the title of the song: “I don’t need your Christmas present / I just need your Christmas presence / Your presence is the greatest gift that there is.” There is some downright sweetness in this song, which when not handled right can drive a song into a ditch of crass sentimentality. Big Cloud easily navigates the sweetness and keeps “Christmas Presence” on a heartfelt, genuine, and despite their best efforts, interesting path.

Bottom Line: Big Cloud has written a truly sweet Christmas song that is just a few degrees off-center to make it that much more interesting.

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The Christmas Cards “Christmastime is Here” (2017)

the Christmas Cards

Self Released
Buy: Bandcamp

To what do my indiepop ears hear shuffling through my Soundcloud feed? Could that be a band formed by the members of “indie-pop darlings The Postcards and lo-fi teenage sensations Father?” Why by golly, it is! The Christmas Cards combined these two bands for a South London, basement recording session this past November and ran through 14 indiepop Christmas tunes! For those who love raw indiepop, this will be right up your alley. Being that it is a Saturday, and I have 3 different birthday/Hanukkah/Christmas parties to go to, I’m only going to single out one, “Christmastime is Here.” The Christmas Cards do it well – speeding up this classic in a jovial indiepop fashion.  It really was the handclaps that got me over the hump on this one being the track to highlight, as I then noticed that I was sincerely grooving and tapping my foot to their lovely cover. Of note, there are some solid, real deep cut covers in there too – but I think they’ll require multiple listens to really get into… so perhaps in a future post or two!

Bottom Line: A truly enjoyable cover for you indiepoppers out there! Check out the other tracks too if you like – some are great, others are good, and only one or two I wouldn’t press play on again (but Little Drummer Boy is pretty much my least favorite song ever). I threw all of them in a playlist below, for your perusing pleasure.

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LA Wise Man (featuring LA Priest) “All I Want for Xmas Is Rock & Roll” (2017)

LA Wise Man "All I Want for Xmas Is Rock & Roll"

Domino Recording Co.
Buy: iTunes | Amazon.uk MP3

LA Priest (aka Sam Dust/Samuel Eastgate) has become LA Wise Man for this seasonal song, and WHAT A FUCKING TREAT. This delicious slice of indie rock is yet another track up for “song of the season,” as the muddy bass line pairs perfectly with wailing guitars and some great lines like: “They say this buzz will be the death of us, / but we’re young and free, so we gotta be / We hear that tone when we’re all alone / and we set on fire instinctively.” That lyric is even more appropriate, as this song will burn down the Christmas tree and light your gifts on fire. So, don’t say I didn’t warn you.

Bottom Line: LA Wise Man has released a scorcher of a Christmas song, and if you read this blog, you’re probably going to love it.

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Thyla “Christmas Wrapping” (2017)

Thyla "Christmas Wrapping" (2017)

Self Released
Buy: 7Digital (FLAC/MP3) (Gone?)

HOT TAKE: Brighton’s Thyla just dropped (IMHO) a better version of the modern classic “Christmas Wrapping” than the… dare I say, the Waitresses? The song, while still quite faithful to the original, has subtle changes to the groove that pay off beautifully. Walking by a shop playing this version, you might not bat an eye, simply assuming that it is the Waitresses’ original. However, sit down with a pair of headphones, and the variations on phrasing, emphasis and orchestration are just damn refreshing. I’ve even had the pleasure of revisiting this song over the past few days, and it wears even better on multiple listens. Well, well done Thyla.

Bottom Line: Thyla delivers a faithful, yet superior version of the Waitresses’ classic post-punk Christmas single.

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Banfi “Caroline” (2017)

Banfi "Caroline"

Communion
Buy: 7Digital (FLAC/MP3) | iTunes | Amazon.uk MP3 | Amazon.de MP3 | Amazon.fr MP3

London’s Banfi have written the ultimate song of loss and regret for this holiday season. This song bleeds sorrow, illuminated by the glow of Christmas lights. “Lying here in bed, with things we never said. / You are always the first to sleep. / I whisper my goodbye, / To all the happy lights. / Wrapped around our ugly tree.” The song is about the loss of a loved one, and the more you delve into the lyrics, the harder it hits. “Come sundown, this old town /  Looks a bit like the place we fall in love. / Come new year, you’ll know dear, / I lead you down a short line.” It is brutal and beautiful.

Bottom Line: Not your traditional holiday fare, Banfi tap the other side of the holiday and pour a full glass of sorrow.

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Catholic Action – No Angels (2017)

Catholic Action "No Angels"

Modern Sky
Buy: 7Digital (FLAC/MP3) | iTunes | Amazon.uk MP3 | Amazon.de MP3 | Amazon.fr MP3

Glasgow’s Catholic Action had a nice track “New Year” on their recent debut, In Memory of, this past year. Checked it out, dug it, but for some reason didn’t find myself compelled to write that very moment. Then, they whip out this holiday single with a brand new track, “No Angels,” along with a new mix of “New Year,” and I just gotta. “No Angels” throws the bar down immediately – “You can’t have sex at Christmas / you can’t make love or screw / celebrate as he intended / with television and food.” Who doesn’t like a Christmas song with attitude? This song has attitude to spare, but hidden amongst that swagger are some damn clever turns of phrase: “I’m old enough to know better / but young enough to want more.” So, the A-side is fantastic, what about the B-side, “New Years – Christmas Miracle Mix?” This song rocks more than “No Angel’s” dirty walk, with dirty guitars raising up the shout-worthy chorus. “Casiotone I’m painfully alone, I’m pining over you.” Even a namecheck for one of the legends of indie rock Christmas! This band obviously know the indie-Christmas canon they are joining, and what an entrance.

Bottom Line: Perhaps the strongest 1-2 punch of the season. I don’t know what held me back before, but this pairing is just what I needed to see the light.

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Cold Fins “It’s Christmas Time” (2017)

Cold Fins "It's Christmas Time"

Self Released
Buy: Bandcamp (NYOP)

London’s Cold Fins specialize in reverb/organ pop, and while they are short on social media presence, they are long on musical taste. The classic, yet contemporary feel of “It’s Christmas Time” takes some basic “it won’t be Christmas without you” tropes and dresses them up in some interesting, fashionably worn new clothes. Cold Fins feel like a kind of band that could play Christmas hits at your favorite bar, and you would suddenly look up from your drink and realize you are at the fucking hippest Christmas party ever. Their organ, the guitar licks, and the steady beat will keep your head bobbing and feet tapping for many seasons to come.

Bottom Line: Soundcloud feeds you a winner every so often, and thankfully tonight, they were serving Cold Fins.

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Jean-Pierre Masseria “Bonne année 1969” (1968/2017)

Bonne Annee by Jean-Pierre Masseria

Finders Keepers Records
Buy: Bandcamp

I can’t even begin to explain who Argentinian-born, France-recorded, UK-reissued Jean-Pierre Bernard Massiera is, but I can say that this track from 1968, recently digitally reissued by London’s Finders Keepers Records, is pretty badass. The release, Bonne Année, technically contains two tracks, “Bonne année” and “Bonne année 1969,” but the first is so much slower and less interesting, and I really just wanted to yell about how much damn fun “Bonne année 1969” is. It is funky, it is trippy, it has off-mic screaming, a driving beat, one hell of a brass section, cackling and ho ho hos – so pretty much everything. It is, simply said, FUN.

Bottom Line: Would you drink water from the kitchen sink? Well no, but this kitchen sink, why yes I would.

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