Mistletunes: December 2018 Archives

The Kringle Tingle, Shinyribs (Mustard Lid)

By Rudolph on December 30, 2018 11:23 PM | No Comments | No TrackBacks

If there was a dictionary reference for Texas bands, there'd be a picture of these guys next to it. You can call them Americana, Austin, New Orleans or just a good old-fashioned bar band, whatever, just be sure you call them. This 2018 release appears to be their fourth album and first Christmas collection, and it's a fine amalgam of American styles; rock, soul, blues, a touch of Cajun, and more. They offer the originals "Christmas Time in Bossier City," "Don't Go Chasing Santa Claus," and "Santa Comes to Atlanta," they tinselize James Brown with "Santa's Got a Brand New Bag," and cover the Guy Clark/Terry Allen song "X-mas on the Isthmus." Also on hand are covers of "Linus and Lucy," "Please Come Home For Christmas," "Back Door Santa," "Blue Christmas," and "Last Month of the Year." Forget streaming services and downloads, this needs to be on every barroom jukebox.

No Sleep Till Bethlehem, The Twang-O-Matics (Hack Shack)

By Rudolph on December 30, 2018 11:20 PM | No Comments | No TrackBacks

Here's an instrumental psychobilly band from Norway giving us a four-song EP for 2018 of intensely upbeat versions of three familiar favorites, "We Wish You a Merry Christmas," "We Three Kings," "Stampede Ye Merry Gentlemen" (God giving no rest to these particular gents), and "Staffan Var En Stalledräng," a carol of Swedish provenance. It'll take you less than eight minutes to listen to the whole thing, and it'll be time well spent.

"Christmas (I Can Hardly Wait)," The Courettes (Salco Phonograph)

By Rudolph on December 30, 2018 11:18 PM | No Comments | No TrackBacks

I haven't encountered this group before, but their approach on this 2018 song is not dissimilar to The Raveonettes if they went on a Phil Spector jag. As a bass player, I quibble with the lack of low-end frequencies on this song; it sounds like it's being played off a corporate voicemail system. Nevertheless, it's a neat song you should find a space for on your playlists.

A Taste of Christmas Pudding 2017, various artists (Casa)

By Rudolph on December 29, 2018 11:12 PM | No Comments | No TrackBacks

I had the Amazon listing for this bookmarked but let it slip through my fingers until now because I had no idea what this was about. This is Alice Cooper's deal -- he runs a foundation that helps at-risk youth by providing organized music instruction for them, and the foundation organizes an annual Christmas concert. In the year from the album title, they also got to record an album. And it's pretty darn good. There's not a lot of originality in approach, as the performers derive their approaches from mainstream hard rock, and a lot of these tunes are familiar carols, like Britahn's "O Holy Night," Callie Young's "God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen," Thomas Muglia's "The Christmas Song (Chestnuts)," Ciara Cisneros' "Mary Did You Know," Lexy Lexy's thrash through "Poison of the Bells," Don't Tell Mom's pastiche of carols "Christmas Parfait," and Lauren Case's "O Come O Come Emanuel." But there are some pretty good originals, like Vintage Wednesday's "Santa's Watching," Innocent Elaine's "I Saw Santa," Jam Now's "A Gift in Every Moment," Evan Berg's "Christmas Miracle," The Sink or Swim's "Christmas Tree," and Ironkill's "We Stole Christmas." If you're not burdened by genre snobbery, you might just enjoy this.

"Santa Baby," Me First and the Gimme Gimmes (Fat Wreck Chords)

By Rudolph on December 29, 2018 11:07 PM | No Comments | No TrackBacks

This irreverent punkish bar band has been on the holiday beat before, and for 2018 they put out their own fast-thrash version of the Eartha Kitt classic. (I've noted previously some people aren't thrilled with guys singing this tune, so if that's you, be advised.)

'You're a Mean One, Mr. Trump!," Jingle Punx (self-issued)

By Rudolph on December 29, 2018 10:58 PM | No Comments | No TrackBacks

While tracking down the 2018 Jingle Punx release, I discovered that I had missed this 2016 parody track, which they helpfully labeled with a Parental Advisory due to numerous NSFW references and epithets. Don't let your kids or your Fox News Uncles listen to this one, folks. After two years you've probably been exposed frequently to the ideas in this tune on numerous occasions in your social media feeds, but it's sad to say that the sentiments on offer here have, if anything, been reinforced by subsequent news coverage.

Christmas In July! (Rescheduled), Chris Daily and Friends (Teflon Beast)

By Rudolph on December 28, 2018 8:57 PM | No Comments | No TrackBacks

We've had Chris on the site before, along with his various incarnations with Mr. Mom and Teflon Beast, including a holiday release earlier this year. Well, Chris and his pals booked a gig at an Austin, Texas nightclub just a few weeks ago, played some holiday originals and covers, and a week later put the best stuff up on Bandcamp. Oddly, they didn't play the title song from this collection, one of their originals, but from their repertoire they did perform "Please No Mistletoe," "High Time For a Holiday," "The Lights," "I'm Coming Home For the Holidays," "Too Busy For Christmas," and "The Holiday Records." There's also a medley of the covers "Last Christmas/This Christmas/Next Christmas," their own arrangement of "Gee Whiz, It's Christmas," "Everyday Will Be Like a Holiday," and a jokey medley of "All I Want For Christmas Is You" with "Christmas (Baby Please Come Home)." If you like your holiday music to be rootsy and spontaneous, you should head over to Bandcamp and check this out.

"All I Really Want For Christmas [feat. Kool-Aid Man]," Lil Jon (Geffen)

By Rudolph on December 27, 2018 8:20 PM | No Comments | No TrackBacks

Well, anything I might say about this item would be superfluous. It's damn entertaining, and as one of my Facebook friends would say, it's the "featuring Kool-Aid Man" part of the credits that makes it art. Enjoy it as it is, or track it down to Amazon to put it in your playlists.

Christmas With the Supraphonics, the Supraphonics (Max Recordings)

By Rudolph on December 26, 2018 9:52 PM | No Comments | No TrackBacks

Instrumental surf bands may not be easily found in the music charts, but since the 80s they've hung on as a cult attraction, and every once in a while you'll go see an act you like and a surf band you never heard of will be the opening act. It's great stuff and though it's simple, it has to be played well or it just doesn't work. These guys are right in the tradition, but they're not afraid to step outside the genre and throw in modern guitar effects that didn't exist in the early 60s when this style started. If you have a taste for this style, you probably already know about this; if you don't, you might want to consider blending into your mix their versions of "Silver Bells," "Little Saint Nick," "Blue Christmas," "It Came Upon the Midnight Clear," "Holly Jolly Christmas," "O Come All Ye Faithful," "I'll Be Home For Christmas," "Christmas Time Is Here," "Jingle Jingle Jingle," "Little Drummer Boy" and "Winter Wonderland." They also throw in a nod to the movie "Elf" with "Santa! I Know Him!"

Christmas Covered, various artists (Rhino)

By Rudolph on December 26, 2018 9:42 PM | No Comments | No TrackBacks

Man, I'm so old I remember when Rhino was a unique independent record label featuring really cool stuff, either well-curated compilations or truly off-the-wall novelties. Over time it became just another imprint in the Warner Music catalogue for doing reissues and cheap compilations, but every once in a while they put out something that doesn't fit that mold, like this 2018 compilation of essentially unknown artists doing familiar Christmas songs. In this case, nearly every one is rendered in soft acoustic pop arrangements, some with synth pad drone backing and most without noticeable drumming, even "Little Drummer Boy" by Emily James. The effect is more adult contemporary than anything, but all these folks are good singers and their tunes are played well. Highlights include Sophie Simmons' "All I Want For Christmas Is You" in a slower tempo, Starling's "Winter Wonderland" featuring synth bass and electric piano, Dave Thomas Junior's "Christmas (Baby Please Come Home)" in a slower, almost spacey style, "Little Saint Nick" by November Lights rendered in a 70s singer-songwriter arrangement, and the one outlier, a jumping band arrangement of "Merry Christmas Baby" by Alex Francis with actual drums. A good source of tunes offering your mixes a change of pace for the most part.

"Claustrophobic Christmas," Elm Tree Circle (self-issued)

By Rudolph on December 26, 2018 9:38 PM | No Comments | No TrackBacks

Their Facebook page says they're a German emo skate-punk band, so who am I to argue? This actually came out in 2017, and I stumbled into it while I was looking for the Merkelettes album I posted earlier. They're getting drunk and stoned for Christmas, and this kinda pop, kinda punk number is what you want to hear when you're home alone Christmas eve without family. Check it out.

"Acid Christmas Rain," The Districts (self-issued)

By Rudolph on December 25, 2018 9:37 PM | No Comments | No TrackBacks

Philly-based rockers The Districts meld religion with social commentary in this 2018 original song. No independent audio at this time, this was posted to Facebook on Christmas day.

A Very Claustrophobic Christmas, Merkel & the Merkelettes (self-issued)

By Rudolph on December 25, 2018 3:19 PM | No Comments | No TrackBacks

Just encountered these guys for the first time, a bunch of Philadelphia folks who apparently do this every year. "This," in this case, is a batch of holiday parody songs interspersed with comedy dialogues. If you're missing the Bob Rivers series of rock Christmas parodies, this isn't quite like those, as it's a little less polished and on the nose, but they'll more than do to spice up your playlists. Best selection by far is their superimposing the Rudolph story over "Leader of the Pack." There's also a short takeoff on Eric Burdon and War, "Spill the Nog," Sam the Sham and the Pharaohs get a hat tip on "Wooly Cookie," John Prine's classic "Angel From Montgomery" becomes "Reindeer From the North Pole," "Banana Boat Song" is made to be about latkes for a Hanukkah Alert, "Avalanche" plays off Fleetwood Mac's "Landslide," and you don't have to be an Animals fan to recognize "We Gotta Get Out of This Place." The rest of the album is self-referential spoken word stuff. This is their 2018 effort and it just dropped a few days ago. When you get over to Bandcamp, you can check out the rest of their oeuvre and grab what works for you.

"Little Drummer Boy," The Tracys (self-issued)

By Rudolph on December 25, 2018 3:16 PM | No Comments | No TrackBacks

Well, this literally dropped yesterday on Bandcamp. The Tracys are a New York CIty punk band and this is a faster louder punk rendition of the classic Christmas song. Proceeds benefit the Jimmy Fund, which supports the fight against cancer.

Rudolph's holiday benediction

By Rudolph on December 24, 2018 2:44 PM | No Comments | No TrackBacks

Hey there everybody! Today's the day we wind up all our holiday preparations and start the celebrations rolling. For those of you still looking for some ideas to perk up your playlists, you've come to the right place. If it's unfinished shopping, well, once the stores close I'm not sure even Amazon can help you. Every year I do a Christmas Eve post as a summing up point, since we're arriving at the point where people's holiday music needs start tapering off. (Unless they celebrate Orthodox Christmas, in which case they're in for another 11 days.) This is the 21st year I've come to you via whatever version of the Internet was available in any given year, and while I'm happy to keep doing it, I do worry that being "the ho-ho-home of a rock 'n roll Christmas" is going out of style, what with the hippety-hoppers and the bro-country guys taking over the music world. Those folks are entitled to their space in the culture, but hey, so is Mistletunes and all its fellow travelers. So onward we press. Merry Christmas. And because I like to leave folks with something to make their holidays go "hmmm," check this out.

"Christmas Carol," V.D. King (self-issued)

By Rudolph on December 23, 2018 9:53 PM | 1 Comment | No TrackBacks

New Jersey rocker King, a member of Better Off Dead, has sent us original performances on video in the past. For 2018, he's got a new original tune that's all about a girl named Carol and the things she does for the holidays. It's a nice uptempo classic rocker with horns that will fill the dance floor. Stop by his page and grab it.

"Santa Baby," Miley Cyrus (YouTube)

By Rudolph on December 23, 2018 9:29 PM | No Comments | No TrackBacks

And could we bring the holiday season in for a landing without a nod to Miley Cyrus turning "Santa Baby" into a feminist anthem?

"No Excuse Not To Have a Merry Christmas," Dead End Streets (self-issued)

By Rudolph on December 23, 2018 9:20 PM | No Comments | No TrackBacks

This Pittsburgh band put together a nice original about not being able to maintain your Scrooge cred in the face of oncoming Christmas spirit. A good number with a bit of that E Street sound. Flip it for "Climate Change Christmas," in which a significant other cools off the singer's global warming for the holiday. More of the same sound but a little more uptempo. It's on Bandcamp, and you should be too. Shell out for this as it's a fundraiser for Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh.

"Gritty Xmas (And a Hockey New Year)," The Zambonis (self-issued)

By Rudolph on December 23, 2018 9:10 PM | No Comments | No TrackBacks

The Zambonis are a Philly band that apparently exists to write hockey songs, and their latest is a tribute to the often-maligned new Flyers mascot Gritty. I'm mostly intrigued with Gritty because he seems to have become a Resistance mascot, but let's not lose sight of the fact that, although this is basically a hometown novelty record, it's actually pretty good. Whether it will wear well over the years is up to the listener, of course. On Bandcamp.

So This is Gritmas, Jawn Darnielle/Mountain Grits (self-issued)

By Rudolph on December 23, 2018 9:08 PM | No Comments | No TrackBacks

And just as I mentioned Gritty and his secondary position as a Resistance mascot, here comes this four-song EP with "I Saw Gritty Kissing Santa Claus," an explicit use of Gritty as a symbol of diversity. This was apparently done in response to a tweet by John Darnielle of the Mountain Goats that said "Do a Gritty carol." So they did. Other songs include "Snow Day," which covers the same ground, and a cover of Low's "Just Like Christmas." More enthusiasm than skill was involved in the making of this, so I doubt it'll travel much beyond Philly, but it's out there on Bandcamp for your edification.

"Icy Colors Change," Azelia Banks (Entertainment One)

By Rudolph on December 23, 2018 8:50 PM | No Comments | No TrackBacks

The modern hip-hop singer dropped this EP fairly late in the season, and the title song is really interesting, if a bit long at 5:29. It starts as a medium-tempo ballad and swings into a rap, but picks up with the singing again at a more upbeat tempo. This is definitely good for the more eclectic playlists out there. She fills out the EP with versions of "Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas" and "What Are You Doing New Year's Eve?" that are both straight contemporary jazz readings of these standard tunes, although 'Christmas' has a lengthy overblown improvised intro. I'd stick with the A-side for sure.

Catch-up checklist

By Rudolph on December 23, 2018 8:38 PM | No Comments | No TrackBacks

Tyler the Creator led the new "Grinch" movie soundtrack with two Grinch-related songs, and he went further, releasing an EP, Music Inspired by Illumination & Dr. Seuss' "The Grinch." It's six tunes with a bit of Christmas to them, but not a lot; check them out for yourself.
Sleeping at Last has a Christmas album that came out six years ago, but the artist kept adding to it with a new song each year. For 2018, he dropped a cover of the "Frozen" tune "When We're Together," which is actually from "Olaf's Frozen Adventure." The artist bills this as the start of Volume 2, if you're interested. Free from Noisetrade.
If you'd like to keep up with what you've been reading on Mistletunes this season, the Paste Holiday Sampler is freely downloadable and includes a bunch of songs already reviewed here.
I was recently made aware of the Brantley Family Band, which has been dropping full Christmas albums every year since 2004, and they've released a new one for 2018 on Bandcamp. The current one is a greatest-hits compilation and the new song for 2018 is "This Christmas." I opted against a full review because there's a lot of "letting the kids sing" to the more recent numbers, but I noticed there were some fairly crunchy-sounding numbers in the earliest years of this endeavor, so you might want to go spelunking in their discography.
And for those of you hungry for a classic rock holiday reference, this post at Dangerous Minds regarding a little-known Rolling Stones Christmas number might just liven up your holiday conversations, especially if the topic turns to whether anybody got tickets to the 2019 tour.

"Christmas Time Is Here," Lucius (Mom & Pop)

By Rudolph on December 23, 2018 8:31 PM | No Comments | No TrackBacks

The indie-pop band with the dual singer-songwriter leads did a 7-inch vinyl single of the popular Peanuts ballad for 2018 in their distinctive style. Proceeds benefit the estate of the late Richard Swift, who worked with Lucius, the Shins, Black Keys and the Arcs, and also MusiCares. The flip is a cover of the Supremes' "You Keep Me Hanging On." It's also downloadable.

"Christmas at Swae's"/"Nothing For Christmas," Rae Sremmurd (Interscope)

By Rudolph on December 23, 2018 5:08 PM | No Comments | No TrackBacks

The hip-hop band known for "Black Beatles" dropped a couple of Christmas singles for 2018, also credited to Swae Lee and Ear Drummers. They include the slow jam "Christmas at Swae's," which is a sad take on the missing lover holiday tune, and "Nothing," which is a jumping shout telling his girl not to "share your wishlist." This is good stuff. There are clean and explicit versions for those who need to know.

"Peace on Earth/Little Drummer Boy," Flaming Lips (YouTube)

By Rudolph on December 23, 2018 4:41 PM | No Comments | No TrackBacks

And while we're posting videos, here's Oklahoma's finest performing a faithful rendition of the much-loved Bing and Bowie duet in the current year.

"I Wish It Was Christmas Today," The Voidz (YouTube)

By Rudolph on December 23, 2018 4:33 PM | No Comments | No TrackBacks

Julian Casablancas must really love this throwaway sketch number from "Saturday Night Live." Not only did he record a full-blown version of it on his first solo album some years ago, he demoed another, almost goth version of it with his current band a couple of years ago and just recently posted it to YouTube. Check it here.

A Barrel of Christmas, Make Like Monkeys (self-issued)

By Rudolph on December 23, 2018 4:14 PM | No Comments | No TrackBacks

Apparently I'm way behind the curve with these guys (possibly just one guy), as they've been pushing their mostly Christmas-oriented material onto Soundcloud for a few years now. When you're on Soundcloud, you'll note that the creator(s) also run a podcast called "Weird Christmas." For 2018, they've made a massive dump of all their Christmas-oriented material to the usual download and streaming suspects. The most I've been able to pry loose in the way of biographical information is the tag on Bandcamp that places them in New York City. Adding to the confusion is that, while they've put up about four albums' worth of original songs and a bunch of loose singles, they've also placed a number of the songs from the albums as singles. There's also a bunch of cover tunes and parodies as well. So if, like me, you haven't encountered them before, you're getting a firehose-worth of Christmas goodies this year from just this one act. Musically they're easy to categorize: they sound like a standard suburban white guys rock 'n roll guitar band that was cryogenically preserved in approximately October 1965 and thawed out in the modern age. So whatever Merseyside/London/New Jersey/Southern California rock influences from the period you care to spot are here for the taking. I'm going to limit myself to reviewing just one collection, since pointing you in the right direction will give you the opportunity to discover as much of the music as you care to. A Barrel of Christmas kicks off nicely with "New Christmas," with an intro reminiscent of "Eight Days a Week," "Found Love For Christmas" sounds alternately like the Hollies, the Beatles and the Byrds, "Don't Let Christmas Come Without You Girl" is a hand-clapper that would have fit nicely on the new Monkees Christmas album, "A Winter's Carol" is a folk ballad that will remind you of Chad & Jeremy, "Happy Holiday, I Just Wanna Play" has just a touch of New Vaudeville Band to it, "Santa Claus Is Dead" is an almost garage-y bit of snark about a bad Christmas, "4-3-2-1 Christmas" has hints of "Drive My Car" in it, "Another Holiday" is a straight guitar ballad, "I Love You Jingle Bells" might be a Gerry and the Pacemakers outtake, and "Some Sort of Merry Christmas" is the one tune from this collection that doesn't feel like it has some sort of obvious antecedent, although it's definitely more of the same pre-power-pop as the other songs. The other three albums are Christmas With Make Like Monkeys, Joyeux Noel!, and Let the Season Begin, and there's an EP, 5 Christmas', along with more singles than I can count. I'm quite impressed with all these tunes, although I will note that in a number of cases some familiar tunes have been, shall we say, sampled to create new songs, but that's nothing new in the modern era. It's definitely worth clearing a spot in your calendar to check out Make Like Monkeys.

"No Gift," Sad13 (Soundcloud)

By Rudolph on December 22, 2018 2:07 PM | No Comments | No TrackBacks

The woman behind Speedy Ortiz has been pushing out Christmas songs under her solo name the past few seasons on Soundcloud (I missed last year's "Feast of Stephen," sorry). This year's tune is midtempo with downbeat lyrics about preferring to stay in. Embedded for your convenience, click through to find all her Sad13 tunes.

"Happy Holiday," Jingle Punx (self-issued)

By Rudolph on December 22, 2018 1:53 PM | No Comments | No TrackBacks

It's been a while since we've heard from these guys, who punked out all your favorite Christmas carols for years now and even sold a download-only "box set" of all their stuff a couple years ago, which made me think they were planning their swansong. But no, they're back for 2018 with a thrashed-out version of this classic carol, for which they even explain the history of the arrangement on their Bandcamp site. While you're there, check out the live version of "Up On the Housetop" that's also new this year.

The Christmas Swing, Erin Harpe and the Delta Swingers (Juicy Juju)

By Rudolph on December 22, 2018 1:49 PM | No Comments | No TrackBacks

We're not really all that comprehensive a source for blues here, but whenever I stumble over some fresh blues Christmas music I make sure to post something about it. Erin Harpe is a blues singer and guitar player from Boston and this 2018 album is her entry into the Christmas music scene. It's a nice mix of originals and covers, and the sound is blues from the rockabilly era. The title song is a repurposing of the band's previous song "The Delta Swing," they do blues-based reimagining of "Jingle Bell Blues" and "The Night Before Christmas," "and they cover Leadbelly's "Christmas Is A-Comin'," Bessie Smith's "At the Christmas Ball," Lightinin' Hopkins' "Merry Christmas," the country-blues "Drink and Get Drunk," and they do a "Run Rudolph Run" that's not too far off the original arrangement. An a capella "Auld Lang Syne" wraps things up. This is nicely upbeat and Erin sings and plays with loads of personality, so feel free to change up those hit-based playlists with some really rootsy stuff.

KRBY's Christmas Special, KRBY (self-issued)

By Rudolph on December 22, 2018 1:45 PM | No Comments | No TrackBacks

This collection is actually from 2017, but Chicago singer KRBY added three songs and reissued this collection for 2018. It's modern R'nB done with synths and computers, and it's actually fairly mellow, although KRBY's distinctive voice does grab your attention. It's all familiar carols as well, which makes for a fairly laid-back listening experience, although you can crank the volume and dance to many of these songs. Added for 2018 is an instrumental of "Silver Bells," a unique take on "Merry Christmas Baby," and a reggae version of "What Christmas Means To Me." Also on hand is an upbeat "Do You Hear What I Hear," a lilting "White Christmas," slow-jam arrangements of "Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas" and "The Christmas Song (Chestnuts)," a spacey "Silent Night," a soulful "Carol of the Bells," a conventional take on "Please Come Home For Christmas," and an instrumental of "Auld Lang Syne." Most of these songs include guest artists, but for brevity's sake I'll let you guys prowl the credits for their names. A little samey taken all at once, but there are plenty of candidates for your mixes here.

Winter Wilderness, August Burns Red (Fearless)

By Rudolph on December 22, 2018 1:37 PM | No Comments | No TrackBacks

This hard-rocking band loves its holiday music, as their discography will testify. For 2018 they've cut loose with an EP, four covers and two originals, the title song and "Avalanche," all of which are instrumentals of crunching guitars and hyped-up tempos. Indeed, you may have a bit of trouble recognizing the melodies in some cases, but they'll definitely wake everybody up come Christmas morning. Also performed are "It's the Most Wonderful Time of the Year," "What Child Is This," "Last Christmas," and, if you're looking for a mix disc/playlist eye-opener, "Home Alone Theme."

A Very Spidey Christmas, Spider-Man (YouTube)

By Rudolph on December 22, 2018 9:08 AM | No Comments | No TrackBacks

OK, this isn't real, but it apparently is part of the 2018 animated movie "Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse." As part of yet another accounting of the Spidey origin story, they go on to talk about how he made TV shows and a Christmas album. And they actually made the album, more like an EP, with Spidey references woven through a few classic carols, performed by several of the voice actors from the movie. This YouTube video contains excerpts, but you can hear the entire songs if you're on Spotify. UPDATE: This is available for download.

"Carol of the Merry Gentlemen (What Child?)," SPiN (self-issued)

By Rudolph on December 21, 2018 11:21 PM | No Comments | No TrackBacks

We had these Philly punk-poppers last year with "All I Want For Christmas is My Two Front Teeth," and for 2018 they've recorded this medley of two antique carols, "God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen" and "What Child Is This?" It's a bit more sophisticated than last year's tune, but it'll sit nicely in your playlists. Grab it at Bandcamp.

"Mardi Gras For Christmas," Squirrel Nut Zippers (Southern Broadcasting)

By Rudolph on December 21, 2018 11:11 PM | No Comments | No TrackBacks

The late 90s-early oughts were a period when big swingy bands like Cherry Poppin' Daddies, Brian Setzer Orchestra, Big Bad Voodoo Daddies, Royal Crown Revue and others came into style, a sort of post-echo of the late 60s vogue for "horn bands" like Chicago and Blood Sweat & Tears, only the later versions took more from Louis Jordan than the Tonight Show Orchestra. These guys were among the more eclectic of those groups, and they made a Christmas album back at the peak of their fame. They recently reformed and started touring again, and for 2018 they've made this two-sided single, the A-side of which is pretty much as advertised; nice swingy-marchy New Orleans music. Flip it over for "Alone at Christmas," a gentle ballad with a jazzy backing and a male-female vocal duet. Nice work, guys.

"Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas," Greg Dulli (self-issued)

By Rudolph on December 21, 2018 11:05 PM | No Comments | No TrackBacks

The Afghan Whigs mainman dropped this solo version of the popular carol for 2018, and it's a rather raw and intense version. I like it, but this might not be for everyone, though Whigs fans will probably want it in their holiday mixes.

"Pretty Paper," The Lumineers (Dualtone)

By Rudolph on December 20, 2018 10:49 PM | No Comments | No TrackBacks

These guys previously did a cover of "Blue Christmas," and for 2018 they're back on the Christmas tip with the Willie Nelson classic. This is a really bare-bones and downcast version of the song, just voice and acoustic guitar doing a rather mournful take of the song.

"Christmas Holiday," Gurr featuring Eddie Argos (Duchess Box)

By Rudolph on December 20, 2018 10:43 PM | No Comments | No TrackBacks

Gurr is a female punk duo and they get help from Eddie on this 2018 single in which they take a poke at the routines of holiday celebrations. Nicely upbeat and crunchy. The B-side is "Christmas One and Only," a poppier number about significant others. A fine rocking single for your holiday listening.

"White Christmas," Jerad Finck (self-issued)

By Rudolph on December 20, 2018 10:41 PM | No Comments | No TrackBacks

Another new artist (to my elderly ears, anyway) swings into 2018 with a take on a well-loved holiday classic, this one with a nicely hyped-up rhythm and plenty of synths to bring you back to the 80s. Break out the Aqua Net and the spray-on snow, folks.

"Bells Ring," Dead Gwynne (self-issued)

By Rudolph on December 20, 2018 10:37 PM | No Comments | No TrackBacks

It's just not the Christmas season at Mistletunes until we've heard from this DIY duo, who now have 26 free-of-charge Christmas tunes for our readers to dig into. The 2018 entry is a minor-key talk-sing with an insistent rhythm and just a touch of, well, bells. It's an easy download, so check it out.

"Carol of the Bells," Smalltown Poets (Friendly City)

By Rudolph on December 19, 2018 10:34 PM | No Comments | No TrackBacks

These Christian rockers are already on record with two separate Christmas albums, and for 2018 they're back with a single of this classic carol. Soundwise, it's a strongly contemporary hard rock performance, sort of in the Trans-Siberian Railroad wheelhouse but with more current hit radio touches to it. Also, it's a vocal performance unlike the instrumental version by TSR. Feel free to swap it in as accompaniment to your outdoor holiday lighting display.

"Silent Night," Young Readers (self-issued)

By Rudolph on December 19, 2018 10:30 PM | No Comments | No TrackBacks

This is an intense vocal solo reading of the popular carol, but with a twist: this artist has swapped in some original lyrics that are rather less sentimental. You'll have to decide for yourself how you feel about the different, more downbeat mood they've created on this 2018 single.

"Winter Breath Warms the Heart," Stephen Winston (self-issued)

By Rudolph on December 19, 2018 10:27 PM | No Comments | No TrackBacks

This is a simple pop piano rendition of an original song about enjoying the rural winter snowscapes, ranches with big old barns teeming with horses and cattle and maybe even a cowboy riding into the horizon at dusk, something you'd imagine a Coloradan would come up with. More for nostalgia, not so much for rocking out, but then every playlist needs a change of pace.

"Your Cousin Dave and his 13 Kids," Petravita (self-issued)

By Rudolph on December 19, 2018 10:07 PM | No Comments | No TrackBacks

Here's a home-brewed novelty number about the need to keep up appearances during the holiday, liberally seasoned with Urban Dictionary entries, so be careful about including this in any widely distributed mixes or playlists. The jokes are all pretty obvious, but it has its moments. I embedded the Soundcloud post because it looks like that's the only way to hear it as of now.

'Christmas Isn't Real," Bill Wurtz (YouTube)

By Rudolph on December 19, 2018 8:55 PM | No Comments | No TrackBacks

I know less than nothing about this guy and his websites are not much help, but I will say this little number is one of the more deranged things I've seen this year. I'm sure you haven't run across a Christmas song in which the lead character is the Easter Bunny, for example. The fact that this is a lyric video may or may not help you digest this. But it's as seductively melodic as it is determinedly non-sequitur in nature. I like it, myself. You can also listen on his website, or on Spotify.

Short list

By Rudolph on December 18, 2018 10:54 PM | No Comments | No TrackBacks

I just encountered The Priests for the first time because they played a cover of "Christmas Wrapping" for 2018's third annual Stereogum Christmas Show. I'll have to link you to it because I can't embed the Facebook video. No plans to release this as far as I know.

Elton John is rereleasing "Step Into Christmas" as an EP this year. The other two songs are the original B-side, "Ho! Ho! Ho! (Who'd Be a Turkey at Christmas)," and a live version of the A-side performed with Elton's original backup band on "The Gilbert O'Sullivan Show," which I didn't recall was once a thing.

And we raise BBQ Becky to her well-deserved infamy on the cover of this year's Mistletunes mix disc, Hello 911? First, Merry Christmas....

Something Shocking From the Stocking, various artists (JoZee Records)

By Rudolph on December 18, 2018 10:33 PM | No Comments | No TrackBacks

Two guys named Bob Lee and John Collinson have a band called Santa Sabbath who do Christmas-themed covers of Black Sabbath songs, and they're the producers of this 2018 compilation of mainly Southern California rock bands trying their hands at holiday tunes. The producers are represented twice with their Sabbath takeoffs "Dasher Forever" and "Santanaut," power pop is represented with The Magnet Hearts' "California Christmas," garage rock gets its due with The Real Oh My's "Claus," the Schitzophonics with "Casbah Christmas Party," Kurt Stifle & the Swing Shift's takeoff on "Bread and Butter" called "Ain't No Father Christmas," and Rufus Ringwald & the Reindeers' "Misfit Christmas." Herbert puts Tom Waits in front of a garage band on "God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen," I See Hawks in L.A. also goes to the Sabbath well to cover the same carol, only titled "God Rest Ye Merry War Pigs," and Insect Surfers also cover "God Rest Ye," only as a surf instrumental. Double Naught Spy Car make Sabbath sound like the Ramones on the sludgiest version ever of "Carol of the Bells," The Freeks offer a poppy instrumental called "Here Comes the Sleigh," and The Black Widows also go wordless on "Three Lost Shepherds." The Darts go straight-up punk on "Mistletoe," John San Juan are more Jesus & Mary Chain on "I Still Believe in Santa," Jon Wahl & the Amadans lay the vibrato on the guitars for "Christmas Time Is Here," and Biblical Proof of UFOs offer a Velvets-meet-Haight Ashbury tune called "Christmas Carols." The Rotters do a kind of front-porch stomp with the profane "X-mas on the Isthmus," which may be the first Christmas carol set in Panama, and deadbeats offer the perverse sex fantasy "Sally Green's Christmas Party." This is an enjoyable hard rock compilation with plenty of ace cuts for your mixes and playlist despite the title. Grab it from Bandcamp.

"Christmas Song," St. Lenox (self-issued)

By Rudolph on December 18, 2018 10:26 PM | No Comments | No TrackBacks

This New York indie rock band is helmed by Andrew Choi and they've been noticed previously for the 2016 album Ten Hymns From My American Gothic. For 2018, they give us this melodic mid-tempo stream-of-consciousness meditation on the holiday, although they clearly haven't experienced much snow as they keep singing about the color of the leaves during the season. Nice rhythm and a solid hook make this a good candidate for your playlists.

"Silent Night," Joshua Homme (Rekords Rekords)

By Rudolph on December 18, 2018 10:22 PM | No Comments | No TrackBacks

The Queens of the Stone Age principal gets help from C.W. Stoneking on this initially folky and eventually upbeat take on the classic carol, although they do a lot of stagey talking at the start and again in the middle. It's a fairly slapdash take but it has a certain charm to it. The flip side is "Twas the Night Before Christmas," a straight spoken word reading assisted by Homme's wife Brody Dalle while their "three little elves" pipe up. More for the artists' fans than most folks' playlists, but proceeds go to the non-profit Sweet Stuff Foundation that supports musicians in need.

"Christmas Time Is Here," Khruangbin (Dead Oceans)

By Rudolph on December 17, 2018 10:37 PM | No Comments | No TrackBacks

Here's a cover of the "Peanuts" classic ballad by this indie-rock band for 2018. It's about what you'd expect, except the vocals are distantly in the background compared to the instruments. I'll leave it up to you as to whether that's a good thing, but it's the most noticeable feature of the song. The flip side is a sort of dub version called "Version Mary," get it?

Christmas Funk, Aloe Blacc (self-issued)

By Rudolph on December 17, 2018 10:33 PM | No Comments | No TrackBacks

John Legend's new Christmas album got all the buzz in the entertainment press, but we must give it up for Aloe Blacc, who also joined the Christmas party in 2018 with a full album of holiday tunes, all but two written by him. And this album is excellent, solid modern R'nB with a light sprinkling of hip-hop touches. In terms of accurate advertising, you can take this album's title to the bank. Album opener "Tell Your Mama" gets the funk rolling, "I Got Your Christmas Right Here" takes the gospel approach, "I Can't Wait For Christmas" is a holiday "beef" song in which the singer calls out a lover, "The Mrs Saved Christmas" is a rap tribute to Santa's wife, "All I Have is Love" is a ballad about lack of money for Christmas gifts, "At Christmas" has a light Caribbean rhythm, "Love Comes Home" is a holiday love ballad, and I'm sure you can figure out what "Funky Ass Christmas" is all about. Blacc also gives Wham's "Last Christmas" a soulful reading and puts a bit of slow jam into Mariah Carey's "All I Want For Christmas." If you opt for this over Legend's album, I'll definitely understand, it's that good.

"2000 Miles," The Night Flowers (self-issued)

By Rudolph on December 17, 2018 10:26 PM | No Comments | No TrackBacks

London band Night Flowers issued this faithful cover of the Pretenders classic in 2018 in honor of Sonny Heer, a fan of the band who passed away this year. They've put the song up only on Bandcamp for now as a name-your-price purchase, with proceeds to be contributed to the non-profit Campaign Against Living Miserably. You might want to pay it forward for this one.

Christmas Kisses, Serena Ryder (Serenader Source)

By Rudolph on December 17, 2018 10:19 PM | No Comments | No TrackBacks

Canadian singer-songwriter Serena Ryder has dropped a Christmas album for 2018, produced by classic rock svengali Bob Ezrin, who's previously given us iconic albums by Lou Reed and Alice Cooper among many. Serena's more of a pop-rock-country artist, though, so this is relentlessly commercial and cheerful all the way through. She's using the upbeat original title song as a way to raise funds from the Ontario SPCA, so check out the video and support the little beasties while you're enjoying a fine new Christmas song. The rest of the album is classic carols done in classic pop-rock arrangements, so you probably already know what "Santa Baby," "Jingle Bell Rock" and "Let It Snow" sound like, as well as ballads like "I'll Be Home For Christmas" and "Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas," though she gets points for doing "White Christmas" as an upbeat boogie shuffle and "The Christmas Song (Chestnuts)" as a warm ukelele strum. Given the strong title song, I'd advise Serena to add a few more originals to her holiday repertoire.

"You and Me and Mistletoe," Frankie and the Lake County Collective (self-issued)

By Rudolph on December 17, 2018 10:14 PM | No Comments | No TrackBacks

Here's a group from the northern Chicago suburbs with a sweet female harmony pop-rocker (without drums) and warm lyrics about love on the holiday. They originally recorded this to raise money for a family member, and if you want to help out, head to Bandcamp.

"Christmas Lullaby," CJ Ramone (Fat Wreck Chords)

By Rudolph on December 16, 2018 9:31 PM | No Comments | No TrackBacks

This 2018 single actually was available last year on the second Rodney on the Roq collection, but if you missed that you not only get another shot, but you get a B-side, a cover of the Kinks' "Father Christmas." The A-side is a nicely upbeat number that sneaks a bit of the Band Aid song into the guitar solo. Soundwise, it's very Ramones-like with a touch (but only a touch) of the Phil Spector approach to the arrangement. Good stuff.

"Little Drummer Girl," Lola Kirke (Downtown)

By Rudolph on December 16, 2018 9:27 PM | No Comments | No TrackBacks

Lola's a singer-songwriter and actress from Amazon's "Mozart in the Jungle," not to mention the daughter of Bad Company drummer Simon Kirke, and she works that Americana/country side of the street. This 2018 version of the classic carol is a fairly interesting non-martial-rhythm take, more of a rocking chair lilt with a light dusting of steel guitar. Flip this one over for the snarky "Cross You Off My List," a get-bent holiday lost-love song for those December girls-night-out parties. This one's a must-have.

Jingle Bell Rock, Ayron Michael (So Bold)

By Rudolph on December 16, 2018 9:23 PM | No Comments | No TrackBacks

I'm just discovering Michael for the first time here in 2018. He's a south Florida-based performer whose music is equal parts pop and reggae, and he's bringing us holiday music of this genre on this short album-long EP, you choose. Six of seven tunes are familiar, and there's a smoothly lilting original called "Mistletoe." He acquits himself well on the title song, "Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree," "Mary's Boy Child," "Silent Night," and Donny Hathaway's "This Christmas." The only tune that foregoes the reggae treatment is "Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas," but the ballad treatment is nicely modern-sounding. Put a sprig of holly on your umbrella drinks while you're listening to this.

"Happy Xmas (War Is Over)," Miley Cyrus and Mark Ronson (Sony UK)

By Rudolph on December 16, 2018 9:19 PM | No Comments | No TrackBacks

I'm always happy to highlight another good cover of an iconic rock Christmas tune. Say what you want about former teen idol Miley, she has good pipes and Ronson's a fine producer, and they brought along Sean Ono Lennon for a little background assistance. They don't tinker too much with the original arrangment except to lay a modern rhythm under it. Of course, you'll have to be the final judge on this, but I like it fine.

Christmas, It's Not a Biggie, Say Sue Me (Damnably)

By Rudolph on December 15, 2018 11:15 PM | No Comments | No TrackBacks

Curious about a South Korean surf-rock quartet? This 2018 EP features four original tunes by the group, and they are just great. The title song is a nice upbeat number that's about how the singer's not impressed by Christmas and she feels sad because nothing's happened this year. "Out of Bed" and "After This Winter" likewise mix depression and holiday wishes at a ballad tempo, and "Too Expensive Christmas Tree" is a surfing instrumental. Great fun.

The Goldfinger Christmas, Goldfinger (Big Noise)

By Rudolph on December 15, 2018 11:11 PM | No Comments | No TrackBacks

This latter-day ska-rock band of two decades' standing dropped this four-song EP for 2018, fast-tempo takes on the classics "Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer," "Santa Claus Is Coming to Town," "12 Days of Christmas," and as an outlier, a lilting reggae "White Christmas." If the white-guy ska revival of the 90s figures heavily in your memories, you'll want this; if not, check it out anyway, as the energy put forth here is infectious.

Christmas in Valhalla, Thor (Cleopatra)

By Rudolph on December 15, 2018 11:01 PM | No Comments | No TrackBacks

With the music charts of today being overrun with hip-hop-flavored tunes when they're not hip-deep in bro-country, it's become popular in the music press to write the obituary of rock 'n roll. Well, it's still out there, as this website continues to confirm, even the particular rock genres that have fallen out of style, like heavy metal. Which brings us to Thor, a band from Vancouver, B.C., that's been around since 1973 (quite a story, by the way) and still records and tours to this day. Given the current ubiquity of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, you'd have to assume they managed to grandfather their use of a major Marvel comic book character's name for their band. This 2018 Christmas album is straight-up original 70s metal and hard rock, with all the screaming guitar, stomping drums and rock heroics intact. That said, ever since "This Is Spinal Tap" it's tempting to rate metal bands against those fictional icons, and I'll say these guys aren't actually ludicrous in the manner of Chris Guest's creations. Nevertheless, there is a lot of cliché-slinging going on here. I mean, "The Slay Rider," pun intended? "Gonna Have a Rockin' Christmas?" But I'll give them credit for a full album of original tunes performed with conviction (leaving aside "Not So Little Drummer Boy," sung by a child before breaking into a full metal drum solo). They demonstrate their mastery of the power ballad with "It's Christmas Time" and "Our Last Christmas," rock out hard on "Lend Me Your Ears," "Donner & Blitzen," "If Tomorrow Never Comes," and mix a pastiche of holiday readymades with horror movie cliches on "Cold Saint Nick," read in the style of "Night Before Christmas." Metal was never my thing, but if it's yours, well, Merry Christmas.

"Merry Christmas," The Tossers (Victory)

By Rudolph on December 14, 2018 9:21 PM | No Comments | No TrackBacks

Known as "the world's loudest drinking band," these guys go Celtic rock (more Celtic, actually) for 2018 with this stately little original number that will remind you of the Pogues and the Dropkick Murphys, particularly in regard to their own Christmas efforts. B-side is a traditional readout of "Auld Lang Syne."

"Merry Christmas, Mueller," Robert Grashaw with Tracy McDowell (self-issued)

By Rudolph on December 14, 2018 9:16 PM | No Comments | No TrackBacks

Following on from the mean tweeter in Rhio's song, it's only natural that we would have another novelty song about the guy who gets mean-tweeted about, and oddly enough it's another soft-jazz novelty song for 2018. This is actually an EP, adding "Christmas Eve at the Laundromat" and "Smoke in the Carpet," both moderate tempo ballads. You can get it from iTunes or stream it on Spotify, or listen at the artist's website.

"Christmas Time Is Here," Steady Holiday (Barsuk)

By Rudolph on December 12, 2018 10:50 PM | No Comments | No TrackBacks

LA's Dre Babinski is known for dreamy pop with just a hint of ghostly menace, per Stereogum, and for 2018, she picked the perfect song for that particular style. Although the approach really isn't far off so many other versions, it manages to sound indie-pop and chart-ready at the same time. If you're pulling together the ultimate alternative Charlie Brown playlist, you'll want this.

Yuletide Bangers, Jonwayne (self-issued)

By Rudolph on December 12, 2018 10:38 PM | No Comments | No TrackBacks

This 17-cut collection of hip-hop cut-and-pastes comes to us from LA rapper and producer Jonwayne, and while it's more like the Santastic series of mashups than rap, it's not quite in the same classification as those collections in terms of yielding individual cuts that stand up in the same way as regular songs in your holiday mixes. Still, the songs, most less than two minutes long, have their moments, as they throw all sorts of obvious holiday totems, from whole songs like "This Christmas," "Christmas Time Is Here," and "Wonderful Christmastime," to snippets of TV and movies from "A Christmas Story" to "National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation," into the digital kitchen blender. I envision these tunes being used as bumpers in podcasts or inside playlists and mixtapes, or as soundtrack incidental music for holiday videos. From 2018.

"Home Alone, Too," The Staves (Atlantic UK)

By Rudolph on December 11, 2018 10:37 PM | No Comments | No TrackBacks

I've never encountered UK sister singers The Staves before, and I might have glossed over this for being a little too mellow and poppy, but this 2018 addition to the holiday canon is a lovely lost-love ballad with an irresistible hook: "And I wonder, are you watching 'Home Alone' too?" Yes ladies, your former significant other probably is doing exactly that.

"Holiday," Taken By Trees (self-issued)

By Rudolph on December 11, 2018 10:34 PM | No Comments | No TrackBacks

Swedish indie-pop-rockers Taken By Trees offer this smooth mid-tempo tune in the 2018 Christmas tune sweepstakes, finding a way out of sadness and despair by taking a holiday trip together (presumably not by airplane to the in-laws' place). It's a warm poppy number that will sit well in your playlists and mixes.

"It's a Tom Waits Christmas," Pony Death Ride (self-issued)

By Rudolph on December 10, 2018 10:15 PM | No Comments | No TrackBacks

This is a husband and wife comedy duo, and for 2018 they tee up this very entertaining version of a holiday season as it might be featured in a Tom Waits song (he did write "Christmas Card to a Hooker in Minneapolis," after all), delivered in a perfect impression of the man himself. This might not play all that well among listeners who aren't familiar with Waits, but you might also seek out their 2017 holiday song, "Have a Hobby Lobby Christmas," to the tune of the Burl Ives classic, which will definitely get your Fox News Uncle's dander up.

"Baby, Just GO Outside," the Holderness Family (YouTube)

By Rudolph on December 10, 2018 9:51 PM | No Comments | No TrackBacks

OK, let's take a few steps back. Over the past several years, I've occasionally referred to "Baby, It's Cold Outside" as "the Christmas date rape song," or followed a mention of the song with #metoo. These, ladies and gentlemen, were jokes. Jokes, I tells ya. Here in late fall 2018, what started off as a bit of snark (I didn't originate it, but I ran with it) has suddenly turned into a "thing," because in the great societal game of "telephone" to which we've willingly subjected ourselves via social media, what once was social commentary has become an issue among the self-consciously "woke." I'm not going to reproduce the original lyrics here, but they don't actually say what people are now attributing to them in high dudgeon. Can you construe the worst impulses of men around women from those lyrics? Yes, if you really insist upon it. But that says more about the listener than the singer or the songwriter, doesn't it? </soapbox> Now that we've got all that out of the way, enjoy a little satire these fine folks have pointed at this latest tempest in a teacup.

"The Curse of Santa Claus," The Limiñanas with Pascal Comelade (Snowflakes)

By Rudolph on December 9, 2018 1:58 PM | No Comments | No TrackBacks

And here's yet another 2017 Snowflakes Christmas Singles Club release that wasn't part of that year's original rollout, and is also sold out of its vinyl pressing. This aggregation of folks is from Southern France, so they mash up their natural tendency toward ye-ye and French psychedelia with a little Velvet Underground, which describes the A-side perfectly. The B-side is a nicely rocking instrumental version of "Silent Night" with just a taste of Tijuana Brass to it. The two songs can be downloaded from Amazon.

"You Wrecked My Christmas," Bis (Snowflakes)

By Rudolph on December 9, 2018 1:49 PM | No Comments | No TrackBacks

This is another 2017 Snowflakes Christmas Singles Club release that wasn't part of that year's grouping. The A-side is a thoroughly wacky crunchy synth-pop outing, while the B-side is a cover of the Saint Etienne song "I Was Born on Christmas Day" that is less like the club-dance sound of the original act and more 70s krautrock. The 320 copies of the vinyl are sold out, but you can download the A-side from Amazon.

"Happy When It Snows," Seafang (Snowflakes)

By Rudolph on December 9, 2018 1:36 PM | No Comments | No TrackBacks

While we're on the Snowflakes Christmas Singles Club, I stumbled across three more of their singles that were released in 2017 but weirdly were not included as part of the 2017 grouping of four other singles they were promoting back then. This St. Petersburg, FL, band manages to mash up Jesus & Mary Chain, the Shangri-Las and the Beach Boys on the A-side of this white vinyl 7-inch with download attached. Flip side is a cover of the Primitives' "You Trashed My Christmas," sounding much like that band. Download it at Amazon.

"No Mean Tweet Xmas," Rhio (self-issued)

By Rudolph on December 8, 2018 7:43 PM | No Comments | No TrackBacks

There doesn't seem to be any independent audio of this, but I thought people would like to be appraised of this ripped-from-the-headlines holiday sentiment for 2018, so here's the Soundcloud player. If you stay with it after the song ends, you'll also hear Rhio take on "Santa Baby." Both songs count as soft jazz, but the A-side counts as a novelty, so here it is.

"The Holiday Song," The Brothers Landau (self-issued)

By Rudolph on December 8, 2018 7:19 PM | No Comments | No TrackBacks

I frequently note whether some release or other that has come to our attention is, in fact, a Christmas song (like "My Favorite Things" or "Put a Little Love In Your Heart," which have been on a number of Christmas albums over time). Well, that's actually the point of this song -- it's a generic holiday good wishes song that can be sung for Christmas, Thanksgiving, Arbor Day or Toyotathon if you like. You might miss the point of this 2018 number if you just listen to it, so the brothers have provided a lyric video made entirely out of stock footage to support it. Independent audio available on Bandcamp.

"Last Christmas," Robyn (live version)

By Rudolph on December 8, 2018 11:46 AM | No Comments | No TrackBacks

Exclusively for BBC Radio 1, the Scandinavian pop songstress pays tribute to George Michael for 2018.

Holiday Jeer From Oh! Gunquit, Oh! Gunquit (Snowflakes)

By Rudolph on December 7, 2018 9:02 PM | No Comments | No TrackBacks

More psychedelia from the Snowflakes Christmas Singles Club, this London band with an international membership is "High on Xmas," as the same-named song will let you know in no uncertain terms. This is a high-energy thrash with female vocal designed to set the tone for your holiday parties. Flip it for "Don't Believe in Christmas," the Sonics' classic in a version that stands up to the original. This is another one that is only available in a limited white vinyl issue with download attached. But it's worth having.

"First Snow of Winter," Green Seagull (Snowflakes)

By Rudolph on December 7, 2018 9:00 PM | No Comments | No TrackBacks

Another Snowflakes Christmas Singles Club release for 2018, this London band is straight-up late 60s psychedelic, and bless them for that; for those of us who were around for the original era, this is just wonderful, lots of cheesy vibrato guitars and combo organ drenched in echo. The B-side is "God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen," more uptempo but just as psychedelic. Head over to Bandcamp and download this ASAP.

"Spark Illuminate," Rachael Dadd (Snowflakes)

By Rudolph on December 7, 2018 8:56 PM | No Comments | No TrackBacks

Christmas music obsessives are probably aware of the Netherlands' Snowflakes Christmas Singles Club, which puts out a batch of 7-inch vinyl holiday recordings each year. Among 2018's offerings is this quite interesting original song, a folky mid-tempo tune with a prepared piano backing (a regular piano with random objects stuck between the strings). The A-side manages to be warm and somewhat tense at the same time. Flip side is "The Holly and the Ivy" performed the same way. Only available as a limited white vinyl single with download provided on delivery, and as it just started shipping you might not get it for Christmas. Check it out on Bandcamp.

A Green Monkey Christmas For Martians Up On Mars!, various artists (Green Monkey)

By Rudolph on December 6, 2018 10:46 PM | No Comments | No TrackBacks

This is Number Nine of this Seattle record label's annual Christmas compilations, which have been responsible for some fine rocking holiday songs over the years, and as usual they bring the goods for 2018. The album is bracketed by competing versions of "T'was the Night Before Christmas," opening with Tom Dyer's driving garage-rock rendition and ending with The Free Wheelin' Joe Ross' Dylanesque acoustic strum-and-preach version. Dyer and the True Olympians' single of "(I'm a) Lonely Little Christmas Tree" and "Christmas Train" is here as well, as is Kat Dyer's "O Come O Come Emmanuel." Super Z Attack Team bring the jazz to an obliquely rendered version of "We 3 Super Kings," The Holiday Bloch-Busters hammer out a distorted "War On Christmas" that calls out the perpetrators of this tired annual meme, Emily Bishton offers a solo guitar and voice version of "Toyland," and Donovan's Brain go 60s folk-psych on "Gray Whiskers (Winter Cats)." To mark the end of the year, Kline's 57 gives us a piss-and-vinegar rocker, "Happy New Year," and the Elf-tones offer a song of the same title that's more moderate in tone and strangely reminiscent of Gordon Lightfoot. Toiling Midgets give us a post-punk instrumental, "Snowshoe and Weasel," Richard Stuverud offers "Empty Branches, a holiday breakup ballad, Kaz Murphey drags the kids into the despair with "Christmas Was Yesterday," The Swaggerlies get your heads nodding with the shuffle "All I Want For Christmas (Is To Be Left Alone)," Duane Hibbard invokes that all-purpose holiday excuse "Blame It On the Nog," and Jeff Kelly offers the pensive "Wintertime Is Christmas Time." As usual, Green Monkey brings the variety to your Christmas playlists, and you won't go wrong making this album its own playlist.

X-Mas Extravaganza Volume 2, various artists (Sons of Old Town)

By Rudolph on December 6, 2018 10:40 PM | No Comments | No TrackBacks

Sons of Old Town Collective is a Nashville-based collective that since 2012 has been hosting indie-rock shows, and they've also done a few limited releases of their member acts over time, including the Volume 1 EP from 2014. For 2018, they've got a full-blown album available for download or on cassette (you know, I get the vinyl revival, but cassettes? Seriously?) The acts on this collection are more from the grungy side of indie-rock than the power-pop side or the lo-fi side, so I think it's got appeal across a pretty wide swath of rock fans. Pickup Sticks bemoans all their unpaid bills on the ballad "I Wish It Was Christmas," Rock Eupora wishes "Baby Jesus" a happy birthday and comes back to back Cory Taylor Cox on "Put Your Coat On,' Glamper takes a harder rock approach to "Drunk and Scrooge," Waterfall Wash breaks out the synths for "Do You Know When It's Christmas?" and Empty Atlas offers the pensive "Holiday Parties." Sean Knisely notes that Nashville weather isn't always that severe in "Feel It While We Can (Cold Cold Christmas)," Spoken Nerd goes hip-hop with "Christmas in the Club," Ben Ricketts breaks out the rude chimes on the spacey "Nothing More," The Embrace gives us the 70s version of the power ballad on "Right Beside You," and Parker Hodges' "Christmas Jr." is what you would get if Angelo Badalamenti made country music. Googolplexia breaks out the ukeleles and bells for the "Blue Christmas"-adjacent "Beige Holiday," The Great Palumbo knocks out the folky strum "Two Feet," Charlie Murphy and his acoustic guitar give us "It's Christmas," and Jake Wood wraps things up with a stately vibrato strum through the classic hymn "Come Thou Fount." Check it out at Amazon and Bandcamp.

Tom & Kat's Excellent Christmas Adventure, Tom & Kat Dyer (Green Monkey)

By Rudolph on December 5, 2018 9:26 PM | No Comments | No TrackBacks

Seattle's Green Monkey Records, helmed by Tom Dyer, has been a regular fountain of independent rock Christmas records over a fairly lengthy period of time. For 2018, the major domo and his daughter put out this holiday album, stealing from Bill & Ted for their title. Warning up front for Green Monkey followers: many of these songs were on past years of the annual Green Monkey various artists collections, credited to either Tom or Kat, or to some other artist name altogether, and the remainders are on this year's collection, about which more later. You'll find that Tom's stuff is mostly band-oriented rock-outs and Kat is more indie-folk-pop, but it all hangs together pretty well. Highlights from this collection are "(I'm a) Lonely Little Christmas Tree" and "Christmas Train," which just to put the maraschino on the sundae are both sides of a 2018 single by Tom and the True Olympians. "Tree" is a nice organ-led strut and "Train" is a bluesy stomp. "Christmas Is Love" makes a solid album opener, "I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day" is mellow, a nicely strummed and sung version, and "O Come O Come Emmanuel" is suitably portentous. And the lengthy garage-band stomp through "T'was the Night Before Christmas" is good fun too. If you haven't been a rabid follower of the Green Monkey compilations, you should check this out.

"Christmas Song," Phoebe Bridgers (Dead Oceans)

By Rudolph on December 5, 2018 9:19 PM | No Comments | No TrackBacks

LA's Phoebe Bridgers has been making a name for herself as an indie rocker, and last year we had her version of "Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas." For 2018, she found this song that was originally written and recorded by the Omaha band McCarthy Trenching in 2008, a melancholy little number that talks about how the joy of the season can show up at the wrong time if you're having difficulty in your personal life. For classic rock points, Phoebe's backup singer is Jackson Browne, who heard Bridgers perform this song live and later purchased the original version from Bandcamp, paying $50 for it and leaving a note. You should probably check to see if this song has the same effect on you.

"Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas," The Beths (Carpark)

By Rudolph on December 4, 2018 10:24 PM | No Comments | No TrackBacks

This New Zealand band is led by Elizabeth Stokes, a singer-songwriter with an indie-rock sound, and for 2018 the band is offering this cover of the popular Christmas classic on a 7-inch and also via download. I started out thinking, eh, indie-rock cover, OK, but this version slowly grows on you, building its intensity as a string arrangement slowly makes itself apparent, and just as you think it's over there's a nicely jagged guitar solo and a repeat of the third verse. And for maximum Insufferable Music Snob points, the first time through the third verse it's "raise a shining star above the highest bough," and the second time it's "until then we'll have to muddle through somehow." The single is backed with "Happy Unhappy," a non-holiday number off their most recent album. Proceeds from the single support Girls Rock Camp Foundation, which brings rock music instruction to young girls. You want this.

"Emo Christmas," Wavves (Ghost Ramp)

By Rudolph on December 4, 2018 10:20 PM | No Comments | No TrackBacks

Bet you forgot there was ever such a genre as emo music. Well, indie rockers Wavves are here to remind us of it with this double-sided 2018 Christmas single, both sides of which are less than two minutes long. The A-side asserts "Something about Christmas makes me cry," and it goes on from there. B-side "So Glad It's Christmas" is a slower tempo with a more hopeful lyric, and both songs fit my recollection of what emo was supposed to sound like. Available for download or as a cassette single.

"Santa Buy Me a Beer," Stop Calling Me Frank (Rum Bar)

By Rudolph on December 3, 2018 10:36 PM | No Comments | No TrackBacks

Don't know anything about these guys other than they're on Boston's Rum Bar Records label, which releases music from modern young guitar-based garage/punk bands, and this sax-led stomper fits that bill nicely quite nicely, while the singer demands Santa open his bar tab for everybody. What's more, you don't have to pay anything when you download it from Bandcamp. The single is backed by "Rockin and Rollin," which is non-Christmas but more of the same.

MERRYXMAS, Dad Brains and The Ramoms (Pirates Press)

By Rudolph on December 3, 2018 10:29 PM | No Comments | No TrackBacks

This is a split four-song punk-rock EP with two songs each from Southern California's Dad Brains and Philadelphia's Ramoms, the latter being a female Ramones cover band. The Dad Brains are loud, fast and thrashy, and their "It's Christmas Time" is a litany of the ways in which the magic of Christmas is a letdown, and "Grinch" is an even faster and thrashier repudiation of the famed Dr. Seuss character, that drags Rudolph "behind the merch table." The Ramoms repurpose "Chinese Rocks," the Dee Dee Ramone co-write for the Johnny Thunders version of The Heartbreakers, as "Lego Blocks," and they cover "Merry Christmas (I Don't Want to Fight Tonight)." Nice way for these folks to keep the spirit of 1977 alive in 2018.

Stars, various artists (WIAIWYA)

By Rudolph on December 3, 2018 10:16 PM | No Comments | No TrackBacks

This London-based label previously compiled a disc called Christmas, Approximately about 2010, and for 2018 they're back with a compilation of artists, some from the label and others not, performing original indie-rock Christmas songs. It's out as a download, CD and vinyl via Bandcamp, although stateside listeners will have to endure the vagaries of international mail to get physical media. Or click the cover to download from Amazon. Whoa Melodic kick things off with the jangle-pop "Christmas Stars," Scrabbel channels Wings on the multi-movement "Hiding In the Snow," White Town seasons their pop-rock with a few background hip-hop moves as they plead "Say You'll Be Home For Christmas," Darren Hayman flags the kids into the studio to help with the singsongy strum "Blue Tinsel, Red Tinsel," and Bill Botting offers the low-fi "Ginger Wine (Just Like Christmas Day)." The Caternary Wires' "Christmas Tree (Burn Burn Burn)," is a solid jangle-pop number, and Jeff Mellin tops things off with the melancholy "January's Bluff." Good stuff, much like the Cherryade compilations.

The Hannah Barberas' Christmas Bandwagon, The Hannah Barberas (self-issued)

By Rudolph on December 2, 2018 6:51 PM | No Comments | No TrackBacks

Haven't encountered this British band before, but for 2018 they're pushing this EP that they're dedicating proceeds from to homeless charity Shelter UK. This is your basic unpolished indie-pop-rock performance, featuring a nicely upbeat "Christmastime Is Here," the Peanuts anthem, and three originals, "Oh Santa," "A Dream For Christmas," and "Winter/Christmas," all rendered at sprightly tempos with sunny moods. Get it from Bandcamp. A little sleuthing reveals this EP is an extract from a 2017 album, Let's Stay Up All Night Playing Christmas Songs, credited to the Christmas Cards, who are actually the Hannah Barberas, so feel free to graze both on Bandcamp and grab what you want.

"A Winter Song," Remington Super 60 (Cafe Superstar)

By Rudolph on December 2, 2018 5:42 PM | No Comments | No TrackBacks

Just mentioned this Norwegian band in an earlier post, and they're back for 2018 with this sweet lo-fi chamber pop ballad about how the rain competes with the snow and makes winter dreary instead of stately. Didn't think the wintry mix was much of an issue in the more northerly climes, but apparently it is. Will post Amazon link when it's available. UPDATE: Click the cover.

"Beneath the Mistletoe," Lisa Danaë (self-issued)

By Rudolph on December 2, 2018 5:35 PM | No Comments | No TrackBacks

This 2018 single from this LA pop-rock singer is aces, a nice original midtempo song with a contemporary sheen and prominent rhythm that also pays tribute to the girl-group era of the 60s. This could almost be an outtake from Sia's Christmas album from last year, if that helps you decide whether to give this a spin.

Festival of Lights, The Temple Rockers (Fresh Roots)

By Rudolph on December 1, 2018 11:13 PM | No Comments | No TrackBacks

Haven't had many Hanukkah Alerts recently, but this certainly counts. The Temple Rockers, based in Ithaca, N.Y., are an old-school reggae band who have put together an album of traditional Jewish songs for Hanukkah in 2018, with the help of Jamaican vocalists Linval Thompson, Wayne Jarrett and Ansel Meditation. Not sure how Jewish folks feel about the cultural appropriation by the Rastafarians, but Matisyahu has been working this beat for a long time without too much controversy. You hear Thompson's vocals on "Days Long Ago," often known as "Hanukkah O Hanukkah," plus he sings "Spin Dem." Jarrett is heard on "Rock of Ages" and "Almighty Light," and Meditation is the vocalist on "Who Can Retell" and "Do You Know Why?" Instrumentals include "Festival Song," "Pour Some Oil," "A Lickle Jug," and "The Blessing," and the regular members of the band sing "I Have a Candle" and "About the Miracles." I miss the original reggae sounds, and this album provides them in spades, while tipping its hat to Hanukkah. Just noticed while finishing this post that they've already remixed the album and made a dub version titled, wait for it, Festival of Dub.

Christmas In California, Jack Mosbacher (self-issued)

By Rudolph on December 1, 2018 11:08 PM | No Comments | No TrackBacks

Jack's been hanging with Train, Michael Franti, Robert Randolph and others on Train's Sail Across the Sun Cruise this year, and his music has been compared to Alabama Shakes and Leon Bridges. However, this 2018 EP featuring four classic carols is mostly pop piano jazz, except for a fairly sprightly "White Christmas" that is worth your attention, in that it's the only one of the four songs that approaches the musical description above with its nice syncopated rhythm decorated with bluesy guitar fills. Definitely check it out and add it to your playlists.

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