Tag: UK

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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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Collars “Christmas In The 90s” (2022)

Laundry Rooms Records
Buy: Bandcamp

I have this feeling that someone sent me this song last year… and I just can’t remember who. It was on my Soundcloud list last year, and somehow I didn’t write about it, and I have no clue why. My best guess is that I added it without really listening to it, which in the heat of the season… well… it happens. A well-meaning, “save something to listen to later,” kind of gesture. Well, if you tipped me off on this, and I have plum forgot, I apologize.

NOW, how about this very British bop about “Christmas in the 90s!” (Look at me using bop…) Hidden towards the end of a proper, non-Christmas record, 2022’s Clyde, Collars are really channeling the Britpop wars (well, the war between the Gallagher brothers), the Hacienda, raves, and gentrification. Wrap that up with a catchy-as-hell beat and that wonderful layered ending… this one is bound to be a popular mix-addition.

Bottom Line: This song is a ton of fun. Pair it with The Futureheads’ “Christmas in the 80’s” to begin a tracklist of decade-specific holiday fare!

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Hotel Lux “The Carvery” (2022)

Self Released
Buy: Bandcamp

Portsmouth, England’s Hotel Lux dropped a nice jangly sing-along Christmas cracker last year, and like many things in life… I missed it. The song is very English, with some references to Nigella (which I assume to be English chef and writer Nigella Lawson) that may be lost on us stateside, and a sing-along chorus purpose-built for shouting out down at the pub. Hotel Lux’s lead singer, Lewis Duffin, excels in the milieu of talk-singing post-punk (e.g. Art Brut), and this song does perhaps highlight that he’s not going on The Voice anytime soon. But fuck, neither am I. The character of his voice is what matters, and the creaks in those boards aren’t a bug, but a feature, as I detest perfection. The song came together quickly with what I have gleaned was some gratis studio time for a charitable purpose (Shelter, a UK homelessness charity), and you can actually see the process in one of the videos posted below. It is rather fun to watch the song come together. Hopefully, they’ll grab some more time to record another this year, as this is actually their second Christmas single, following 2019’s “Stop the Calvary.” Lean into this guys, I’m here for it.

Bottom Line: A solid pub singalong that gets better with subsequent listens.

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Bag of Cans “Sorry Mum that I Was Hungover This Christmas” (2023)

Fierce Panda Records
Buy: Bandcamp | Apple Music | Amazon MP3 | Amazon.uk MP3 | Amazon.de MP3 | Amazon.fr MP3

Just so we are clear, everyone knows that the best Christmas songs come out in March. Right?

Norwich-based Bag of Cans blend of humor and Wave Pictures-esque laid-back instrumentation scratch a rather significant itch that is always so damn itchy. I believe there is a cream for this, but then I wouldn’t be enjoying this song so damn much. Christmas A Gogo has been jamming on it for a bit as well, deeming the song good enough to emerge for a mid-summer post (a rare feat for my seasonally-inclined friend). You really have to sample this track yourself… as it is certainly a contender for mixes this year…

Bottom Line: If a Christmas song makes me RIYL Wave Pictures, be rest assured you are on the right side of history. God Save Bag of Cans!

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Health & Wellbeing – Christmas Demos (2022)

Self Released
Buy: Bandcamp (NYOP)

Who is this mysterious Health & Wellbeing? I can’t find anything on them! Too bad, because I’m jamming to these Christmas Demos and they are quite good. Power/dream/brit pop original Christmas songs. I’m absolutely positive that they are going to be somebody’s favorite from this holiday season. There’s even a little nod to The Rolling Stones in “Take it Easy this Christmas,” and it totally works. These were all recorded in the past 3 weeks, and if these are the demos… look the fuck out for the full versions, because these sound great already.

Bottom Line: Well that was a short, rather shitty review for what are 4 pretty great songs? Well… yeah. But now you know about them at least, even if we know nothing about the band!

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OK Pal presents Now Prancer! (2022)

OK Pal
Buy: Bandcamp

I’ve been waiting on this one with bated breath ever since Christmas Underground favorite Virgin of the Birds hipped me to its existence. Scotland’s OK Pal Records is taking a stab at their first holiday compilation with Now Prancer!, compiling their roster of Scottish artists alongside far-flung friends, with 50% of the proceeds going to charity. The quality of this compilation is quite impressive, as I thoroughly enjoyed it twice now. However, I am not one to go track-for-track on any record, largely because of time constraints and partially out of the sheer terror of the blank page. Thus, I’ll pull out a few here to chat about. You listen to the rest!

Brightonian singer/songwriter music​+​magic gives us the funny, clever and poignant “Christmas Number One,” who travels through time and space to ponder Jesus through LSD, an agnostic substitute teacher, a retail park nativity scene, and ancient pagans. I think about that kind of stuff a lot too – how unnecessary actual Jesus might be to our living a good life, as all these things are going on within us that help us live a good live and have a deeper connection with the universe. Love that this song made me ponder this again…

Hailey Beavis‘ “Snow” has me returning to another thought I often have – how great it would be for these huge artists to not cover the same old same old, and cover some of the incredible songs I try to write about here. Not every song is a good fit, and I get that, but there are so many that would work incredibly well on a contemporary Christmas record, and this beauty by Hailey Beavis is most certainly one. Put this on a Dolly Parton Christmas record and let Hailey pay rent for a year. Sound good, universe?

I remember my fellow record store clerks listening to Baltimore’s Viking Moses‘ Crosses allllll the time back when I worked at a shop in Roanoke, VA. I’ve been a fan for years, and Brendon does a wonderful job covering Roger Miller’s “Old Toy Trains.” This is one of those old songs I haven’t gotten sick of yet… perhaps because it is so short & sweet!

San Francisco’s Virgin of the Birds is always going to deliver you some wordy goodness, and “Christmas for the Confessor” most certainly satisfies. However, it is those MIDI flourishes that have captured my attention. Somehow these electronic tones play against type and create this warm musical cocoon. Just beautiful.

Of course, there are seven more tracks on here, but as promised earlier, I aim to disappoint! So I’m giving you work – go listen to this comp and you may find yourself captivated by the beautiful traditional folk of Hildegard Von Cubase’s “Coventry Carol,” the beautiful spoken word of Arum Sood & Hank Tree’s “Song for Baby T,” or the snowy drones of Hardsparrow’s “Voice of an Angle,” which is “about geometry and spiders and hearing voices in the snow.” So get in there and see what’s up!

Bottom Line: The Scots (and friends) have finally shown up in force this season, delivering a great lineup and a very solid compilation!

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Silver Biplanes “Silver Bells” (2022)

wiaiwya
Buy: Bandcamp (NYOP)

In my previous post, I was amazed that you could make a foot-stomper out of “Silent Night.” I find it only appropriate to mention that the UK’s Silver Biplanes have managed to pep up the (often) slow burn of “Silver Bells.” Most bands find themselves drawn to slow down this classic, yet Silver Biplanes have discovered the path to making this song a good bit of fun. Jangly indiepop is all one really needs sometimes…

Bottom Line: Kick out the jams and speed up those ol’ chestnuts.

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Randolph’s Leap “Silent Night” (2022)

Self Released
Buy: Bandcamp

As with last year’s revelatory treatments of “Jingle Bells” and “Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer,” Scotland’s Randolph’s Leap has taken “Silent Night” and made it a foot-stomper. Initially released on their excellent, song-a-month Patreon, the track has taken its rightful place on their ever-expanding Christmas Album. While the song has some rough edges, those who love this band’s enthusiasm for Christmas will find them endearing. I don’t like those polished, perfect ornaments – I’d rather have them homemade.

Bottom Line: A Randloph’s Leap Christmas song is a present I hope for every year, and with “Silent Night,” I give thanks.

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Neil Brogan “Christmas (with a small c)” (2022)

Brogan Records
Buy: Bandcamp (NYOP)

I have to tell you… I feel like my mix is the most boring mix for you all when it finally comes out, as I’ve been tipping my hand for a month, and now a whole bunch of you already have these songs on your own mixes. I just have to take comfort in the fact that 99% of those folks who I hand/send one to have not heard a single one… when I do release it, let’s just pretend you’re hearing them for the first time…

THAT SAID, here is another stone-cold mix-worthy song. Sea Pinks (on hiatus?) frontman Neil Brogan has been releasing holiday songs (sometimes hidden on full records) for a few years now and this year gathered them up onto one release, Christmas EP. Three previously-released tracks and one, brand-new-fucking-fantabulous song, “Christmas (with a small c).” Jangly and clever, this track has relaxed vocals and indie rock guitars that, in tandem, make my eyes widen and burst with excitement. This is the vibe I need right now…

Bottom Line: Indie rock Christmas to the rescue.

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Wicketkeeper “Ho Ho It’s Christmas Again” (2022)

Umpire Records
Buy: Bandcamp | Apple Music | Amazon MP3 | Amazon.uk MP3

Let me give you a quick peek behind the curtain here at Christmas Underground. There is often a healthy discussion in the Twitter DMs between myself and other Christmas music-obsessed folks, and there may have been a comment about my site that went something (exactly) like this: “I say it’s pretty darn easy to make a mix entitled ‘Christmas music to slash your wrists by.'” To which, I replied, “You gotta have your niche.” Well… I’m not all tearjerkers and Christmas humbug (I’m only 51% of those), the other 49% is searching for a song that will make my ass move. So I introduce London’s Wicketkeeper, who has written a song that is 34% wonderful, and 66% fucking amazing, “Ho Ho It’s Christmas Again.” But you really have to look behind the lyrics – they are saying something really profound here. Like in the last verse, where they mix it up and add the “WOOOO.”

Ho Ho It’s Christmas Again,
Ho Ho It’s Christmas Again,
WOOOOO,
lalalalalalalalalalala lalalalalalalalalalala,
lalalalalalalalalalala lalalalalalalalalalala

Kinda brings a tear to your eye.

Bottom Line: The most fun 1.5 minutes of Christmas music you will experience this holiday season.

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