This nerdy bunch of guys from California can make They Might Be Giants look like Otis Day and the Knights in the dormitory-rock genre, and we've had them on the site with Christmas songs before. For 2020, they offer one of the more annoying fur-bearing mammals as a gift (I had a friend who owned one, and every time I visited he would let it out and it would bite everyone's ankles). As you'll see in the lyrics, the reason for this gift was on the passive-aggressive spectrum. It's a fun change of pace. Get it from Bandcamp or Amazon.
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These wacky folks have given us holiday novelties before, and for 2011 they're pushing this EP with four cool novelties, although the first song, "Uncle Pat," is more about the elderly relative telling war stories than anything to do with Christmas (except they drink eggnog while listening to him). Hanukkah Alert to "Eight Nights of Bowling," which may be the most original approach to the Festival of Lights I've yet heard. The title song depicts a fight between the Yule Log and the Eggnog, and "Omaha" considers the holiday in that Midwestern city as the singers really stress those long O's. High whimsy content here, which I strongly recommend. It's at Bandcamp and iTunes.
Maybe I haven't been sniffing down the right alleyways, but there's been a dearth of strong novelties this season, to my ears anyway. This is a well-made novelty for 2010, basically a 5-minute musical theater production about "real Americans" shutting down a hippie "solstice festival." It's a nice piece of work, but I gotta admit, I'm on the hippies' side, especially since the protagonists are armed with fiddle and banjo. As these guys are firmly on the good guys' side in regard to things like science and the treachery of the high finance sector, I'm willing to keep an open mind if they decide to revisit the holidays in the future. Flip side is "Christmas Ferret"; both sides are free from Bandcamp.
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Since I wouldn't want anybody to injure themselves or set themselves on fire, I will limit my own personal challenge to everyone to immerse themselves in the happy holiday jams I've gathered together for this year's annual Mistletunes tradition. (I'm currently trying to do the same with the ones sent by the folks who do the same for me.) Without any further ado (as though there had been any ado to start with), here's this year's playlist.
"A Very Merry Christmas," The Hipwaders -- They're a kids' band, but as you'll hear, this song is rocked-out holiday goodness suitable for all ages.
"Money, Honey, Baby," The Connection -- These guys were up for "Cool Song of the Year" at Little Steven's Underground Garage on SiriusXM, and while this song about the root of all Christmas evil wasn't the network's actual selection, I think you'll understand from hearing it why the Garage likes, really likes, them.
"Ho Ho Ho," Liz Phair -- The alt-rock queen of "Exile In Guyville" fame knocks out a snarky pop-rocker about the down side of the holiday.
"Purple Snowflakes," Jessie Baylin -- Retro 60s pop-rock with a touch of hipster irony remind us that there might be something worse than the normal white-colored snow we put up with in winter.
"Skip the Sugar (Good Girl)," The Living Sisters -- Speaking of snow, there's not much of it in the forecast in the land where reggae rules, although I can't say the same for the places where this ad hoc group of girl singers hail from. But I can say I'm always up for rocking steady at Christmas time.
"Without You," Roxy Roca -- This regional soul band brings the funk to the holiday festivities, even if they couldn't manage to bring a girlfriend.
"Worst Time of the Year," Shaprece -- This might be the girlfriend who wouldn't celebrate Christmas with Roxy Roca.
"This Christmas," Sinclair -- Donny Hathaway has the classic song of this title, but this is a completely different song, a nice mellow love ballad set in the holiday season.
"It Ain't Christmas Yet," Ben Kweller -- Time to crank up the guitars again for this song about not celebrating (or bumming out) too early.
"No Lou This Christmas," Tom Dyer -- This should have been on last year's disc, but I was a dope and didn't manage to ferret it out until too late. With Lou tapped for a solo spot in the Rock Hall of Fame this winter, it's still a good time for this Lou/Velvet Underground pastiche.
"Got Gratitude," The Love Dimension -- A little garage-psychedelic music to expand your mind over the holidays.
"Robotic Christmas Tree," The Amoeba People -- A little rap, a little synth-pop, and a few laughs. What more could you ask for?
"Text Me Merry Christmas," Straight No Chaser with Kristen Bell -- Because there's always someone in the room who can't put the damn smartphone down.
"Do You Hear What I Hear," The Blind Boys of Alabama & Taj Mahal -- Can't overlook roots music on the compilation, especially when these guys so radically remake a familiar carol.
"Let It Snow," Diplomats of Solid Sound -- Old-school soul for the playlist, and I love the way they mashed the popular song together with "Tighten Up" by Archie Bell and the Drells. Since this isn't a video, however, we'll never know whether, in addition to singing, they can dance just as good as they walk....
"Hush Lil' Baby (Merry Christmas)," Annie Marie Lewis -- Jerry Lee's niece knocks out a nice holiday remake of "Hey Bo Diddley."
"Bad Good," Smoke Fairies -- These alt-rock chanteuses sing about following, or not following, the rules of Santa Club in regard to naughtiness and niceness.
"Nicholas," Work Drugs -- A dance-floor workout that cranks up the synths as somebody named Nicholas sings the Christmas blues. Wonder who that is...
"Snow," New Found Glory -- Here's a nice ballad that plays with the idea of a cold season and warm memories.
"Christmas Is Coming," Rhett Butler and Sydney Wayser -- A nice acoustic boy-girl duet that won't remind you of "Baby It's Cold Outside," or what some folks have taken to calling "the Christmas date rape song."
"It's Christmas Time," Roses & Revolutions -- More of the same sentiment, a little more uptempo.
"It's Hard To Be a Cat at Christmas," Cats Across America -- I guess this is the love theme from "Grumpy Cat's Worst Christmas Ever" (yes, that was a Lifetime movie this year). As a cat owner, I can assure you that it's not hard to be a cat anytime, at least at my house.
"When Christmas Comes," Los Campesinos! -- These guys give the modern rock anthem treatment to a good new Christmas song.
"Walking in an LA Winter Wonderland," Mojochronic -- Couldn't get through this year's mix without at least one holiday mashup, so merry Christmas to Missing Persons and Jean Dixon (not the old psychic lady).
"December," Earth Wind and Fire -- You first heard this song when it was named after a different month of the year, but it's a great song anytime.
We've had this whimsical bunch on the blog before, and for 2014 they go all hip-hop and science fiction on this tale of a dangerous dance craze imposed on an unsuspecting public. How? They don't say. Who? Wouldn't you like to know. Maybe you should just get with the program and DANCE! Grab it from Bandcamp.
As is the holiday tradition around these parts, it's time for the compilation that treats the 1 percent to Christmas music the 99 percent will never hear, as long as all those "Christmas radio stations" only have about 20 or so records, at least five of which are Mariah Carey. Gather round the fireplace kiddies, whilst I regale ye with tales of a rockin' Christmas.
"Welcome Christmas," The Grip Weeds -- Mainstays of Little Steven's Underground Garage, these folks put together a nice all-Christmas album for 2011. This is their take on a great song from the classic TV special "How the Grinch Stole Christmas."
"Nuttin' For Christmas," Plain White T's -- A nice punked-out version of this venerable old holiday novelty -- and one we hope isn't playing out for real in this year of diminished expectations.
"It's Christmas," The Polyphonic Spree -- Originally recorded back in this orchestra and glee club's salad days, they've fished it out, remixed it and put it into play for this and future holidays.
"California Christmas," Oh, Hush! -- A nice pop radio shout-out to my peeps on the left coast who have to endure sun, sand and surfing on Christmas day. The poor bastards....
"Christmas Was Better In the 80s," The Futureheads -- A nice excuse to indulge in a few new-wavey sounds by folks who were just toddlers in that era. This is what Sha Na Na would sound like if they got together today....
"Christmas Alone," The Black Swans featuring Eve Searls -- This indie band recruited a girl singer to put across this counter-intuititive ode to privacy on the holiday.
"Wonderful Christmas," The Click Beetles -- A bunch of really nice guys from Wisconsin mine that old-school Mersey sound while celebrating Christmas.
"Frosty the Snowman," Zee Avi -- This minor key version of the popular classic appeals to my sense of humor. The singer's from Southeast Asia but this sounds more like Eastern Europe to my ears.
"Christmas in the City," Birds Fly South -- British guys take a stab at writing a new holiday classic, name-checking everybody's holiday favorites like Santa, Frosty, Rudolph and so on.
"Christmas All Over This Town," The Plimptons -- George and Martha knock out a nice rocking take on the holiday for 2011. Oh, all right, it's not actually them....
"Candy Cane," The Jigsaw Seen -- Another power pop-garage band came out this year with a full Christmas album, and this is just one of many great wintertime tunes from these guys.
"Christmas Cookies," G. Love -- Because the holiday season is all about the desserts, in case you haven't noticed.
"Christmas Eve For Two," Summer Fiction -- This Philly band with the ironic (for the season) name throw themselves back to the late 50s with the arrangement to this romantic ballad. Bow doh doh doh indeed.
"Santa Stole My Lady," Fitz and the Tantrums -- Rock and old-school soul merge in this reproach to old St. Nick for pulling a Tiger Woods on the singer's girlfriend.
"Naughty Naughty Children (Better Start Actin' Nice)," Grace Potter -- Tell Chuck Berry the news, Grace appropriates "Run Rudolph Run" for this rocker that was on the soundtrack of a Disney Christmas special.
"The Cowboys' Christmas Ball," The Killers -- These guys are on their sixth year in a row with a special new song for Christmas, all done to help the fight against AIDS. This year's number is a kind of holiday take on "Rocky Raccoon" in its Hollywood-movie version of the Wild West at Christmas.
"Stranded in Snowville," The Winter Sounds -- A nice bit of low-fi indie-pop to carry you through the snow.
"Eight Nights of Bowling," The Amoeba People -- Which is as good a way to celebrate Hanukkah as any, I suppose, since all my Jewish friends keep telling me that Hanukkah is really a minor holiday on the Hebrew calendar.
"The Coldest Night of the Year," The Very Most -- This Idaho band duets on this song, turning it into a doppelganger of "Baby It's Cold Outside."
"Christmas Time," Piney Gir -- A nice retro sound from this group best known for its view of Americana music through a UK born-and-bred perspective.
"(Don't Call Me) Mrs. Christmas," Emmy the Great and Tim Wheeler -- The girl with the immodest name and her boyfrend serve up a great holiday breakup song, one of several great originals on their own new Christmas album.
"Bad Boy Christmas," The Yule Logs -- This full-time Christmas music band admits to bad behavior while evoking Smokey and the Miracles.
"Lagavulin For Christmas," Vegas With Randolph -- Because you just can't party down properly for Christmas without top-shelf whiskey.
"All I Want Is Christmas," The Summats -- Taking us out on a 70s rock and roll vibe reminiscent of Roy Wood's Wizzard or Slade, these folks take their message down to the basics.
These wacky folks have given us holiday novelties before, and for 2011 they're pushing this EP with four cool novelties, although the first song, "Uncle Pat," is more about the elderly relative telling war stories than anything to do with Christmas (except they drink eggnog while listening to him). Hanukkah Alert to "Eight Nights of Bowling," which may be the most original approach to the Festival of Lights I've yet heard. The title song depicts a fight between the Yule Log and the Eggnog, and "Omaha" considers the holiday in that Midwestern city as the singers really stress those long O's. High whimsy content here, which I strongly recommend. It's at Bandcamp and iTunes.
Maybe I haven't been sniffing down the right alleyways, but there's been a dearth of strong novelties this season, to my ears anyway. This is a well-made novelty for 2010, basically a 5-minute musical theater production about "real Americans" shutting down a hippie "solstice festival." It's a nice piece of work, but I gotta admit, I'm on the hippies' side, especially since the protagonists are armed with fiddle and banjo. As these guys are firmly on the good guys' side in regard to things like science and the treachery of the high finance sector, I'm willing to keep an open mind if they decide to revisit the holidays in the future. Flip side is "Christmas Ferret"; both sides are free from Bandcamp.
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