Me and a lot of other people enjoyed Elizabeth Chan's "rope" video for A Christmas Song, which reflected her genuine love of Christmas, Christmas music, and her sister (but not in that order).
Now she's raising money on Kickstarter for her next project, an EP called "Everyday Holidays." If you give enough, you'll get the EP and a t-shirt like the one she's wearing below (Elizabeth not included). [give now]
Welcome To Hip Christmas! I think you'll enjoy my
dysfunctionally vast web archive dedicated to holiday music that rocks, rolls, swings, and twangs. If you do, please support
me by shopping at Amazon, iTunes,
and Sheet Music Plus! Regardless, the best of
the season to you - no matter what month it is! [about me]
What's New In 2012? I've catalogued dozens of brand
spankin' new Christmas CD's for your convenience and pleasure - including albums by Tracey Thorn, Gary U.S. Bonds, Polyphonic Spree, and The Jigsaw Seen, plus singles by Cornershop, Helen Love, NOFX, and The Primitives. The Christmas crush is upon us!
[read more]
A Christmas Gift For You. This year, I am offering something very different and more ambitious than in the past – a (nearly) complete archive of the eight Flagpole Christmas albums (1990-1996), including the never-before-digitized "Chilly" album. [download now]
the Christmas Jukebox. My online Christmas music player is bulging with over 350 songs - and counting!
Now you can listen to the music I write about - the coolest, weirdest, and loudest holiday tunes ever. All while enjoying my inimitable prose.... [press play]
Christmas Dreams Are Made of This. Dave Stewart, formerly one-half of the Eurythmics, recorded Cocktail Christmas "for family and friends a year or two ago." So far it's not for sale, but you can listen for free at Soundcloud. Dave describes it simply as a "fun album," a description borne out by its casual, cocktail lounge tone. On the other hand, it contains several original songs. [listen & share]
Ring the Bells, Bang the Drums. Visit 88.1 KDHX, community radio in St. Louis, to listen to "KDHXmas 2012," the station's second annual collection of holiday tunes recorded live in their studios. "It's pretty festive!" says web editor Roy Kasten. Stream it for free (with some songs downloadable) via SoundCloud. These 17 performances are previously unreleased and not available elsewhere, and there's a little something for everyone - pop, rock, soul, folk, and blues. [listen now]
Jingle Bells Rock, Dammit. Our long-suffering friend Stubby Fears makes a well-spoken, impassioned case for Christmas music that rocks, rolls, swings, twangs, or whatever. But, what he's really hyping is a movie about people like us - Jingle Bell Rocks, directed by Mitchell Kezin, featuring John Waters, El Vez, Clarence Carter, and more. Mitchell needs a few dollars to finish it up, and he's set up an IndieGoGo account to make it happen. [jingle this]
Power Chords, Harmonies, and Mistletoe. I just learned about this 2011 compilation from Twist Records - mostly recent power pop recordings, with a few rare, vintage gems sprinkled on top. It is, frankly, exactly what is says it is, with a pretty high batting average. It may not be easy to find, but you can definitely download a copy from CD Baby. [jangle this]
Love for Christmas. The Damaged Goods label from England has released a long and tawdry series of Christmas singles, and a couple of years ago they compiled many of them on A Damaged Christmas Gift for You. Now, one of their frequent flyers, Helen Love, has joined forces with Ricardo Autobahn (one half of the Cuban Boys) for a new single, "And The Salvation Army Band Plays." A very limited run of the 45 will be available through the label, and the rest of us can download the track from all the usual places. [oompah oompah]
Tarheel Tinsel. North Carolina rockers Stratocruiser are offering yet another Christmas freebie - "Santa, We're Through" - through Bandcamp, following up on last year's compilation of their annual Christmas singles, Holiday Music. This one tells the tales of a philandering St. Nick who steals the singers girlfriend - bro's before ho's, dude! [get yours now]
I Hate CD's! Our friends at Norton Records - who have given us many wonderful Christmas records over the years - were hit hard by Super Storm Sandy. Their office and warehouse in Prospect Heights were flooded, ruining much of their inventory. If you feel like buying some great garage rock and R&B, I know that Norton will appreciate the support, and they are also accepting donations at their website. [where loud sound abounds]
Top 20 Christmas Albums. Actually, 40 - I
started unwrapping presents and just couldn't stop! Anyway, who said Christmas music has to be
boring? Not me! These sterling platters will put you in the Christmas spirit faster than you can
say, "Go Cat Go!" [read more]
Top 100 Christmas Songs. Countdown to Christmas
Day with these always wonderful, frequently crazy songs - from Phil Spector's celebrated Wall Of
Sound to obscure punk, country, and rhythm & blues. [read
more]
Jews For Jesus. A surprising number of popular
Jewish entertainers have recorded Christmas albums and songs. From Irving Berlin to Beck, we've
got the shmutz on this strange phenomena. Plus, Jews we wish would record a Christmas
record - and Jews we hope do not! [read more]
Horny Holidays. Some people love to bask in
the warm glow of friends and family during the holiday season. Others feel like starting a
family (or something to that effect) at Christmas time. Read about the 20 naughtiest songs in the
history of the holiday. You'll never look at a candy cane quite the same. [read
more]
'Tis The Season For Stalkers. In the 50's
and 60's, a number of Christmas songs were recorded about the two most popular artists in rock
history - Elvis Presley and the Beatles. Read about this strange and obscure - and obsessive -
phenomenon. [read more]
Christmas In Vietnam. Most holiday music
is escapist. Who, after all, wants to think about death and mayhem during the season of hope? Nevertheless,
the Vietnam war intruded into this idyllic genre during the turbulent 60's, and we examine six
songs that looked at Christmas through the eyes of soldiers and their families. [read
more]
My Wish List. It
wouldn't be a record collector's website unless I published my wish list - Christmas songs
I'm still hunting down, and songs for which I'd happily barter from my relatively
vast treasure chest. If you have a copy of any of these rare goodies, let's talk! [read more]
Humbug Hit Parade. If the annual deluge of holiday music hokum is driving you to suicide-by-fruitcake, Spin Magazine has 25 of the weirdest, darkest, most awesome ought-a-be classics you'll never hear in a mall this season. [read more]
Top 40 Christmas Oldies Songs. The web is crammed with blogs and tweets, obscuring the fact that experts might know more than know-it-alls armed with a quick wit and a laptop. To me, that's sad, and this rock solid list from About.com shows why. [read more]
The 12 Plays Of Christmas. The Indie Rock Cafe has published an amazing set of holiday playlists ranging from a handful of classics to an endless supply of genuinely obscure bands sure to thrill the kiddies and stump obsessive collectors. [listen & download]
Now, you can hear the Christmas music I write about! My Christmas Jukebox is bulging with over 350 tracks, and I'll be adding more rockin' Yule tunes throughout the year. [listen now]
