Category: Experimental

Stubbys House of Christmas

NOMEN NOVUM - GHOST OF CHRISTMAS FUTURE

1/13/2011

Yeah, I can't make out the image, either, but that's the way Nomen Novum made it. Presumably, the ghostly image is a reflection of the song title, "Ghost Of Christmas Future". The experimental rock duo from Atlanta don't disappoint here, if experimental rock, heavy on the synth (not in an 80s sense) is your thing. Me, not so much. On the other hand, the group's latest album, "Go Primal", is also available as a free download from the NN site and free is free, yo, so worth trying it out. "Ghosts Of Christmas Past" can be downloaded free here.

JON EVANS - THE GHOSTS OF CHRISTMAS PAST, PRESENT, AND PARTY!!!

1/11/2011

1. It's Beginning To Look A Lot Like Christmas
2. Christmas Don't Be Late
3. Winter Wonderland
4. I Wish It Was Christmas Today
5. Auld Lang Syne

You may or may not recall that, way back at the beginning of December, we steered you to some downloads from Denver artists Kissing Party and Jon Evans. Checking back to see if the links were still live, we discovered that Mr. Evans had slipped another entirely new Christmas EP past us when we weren't looking. Evans, half of the rhythm section for Indie Rock band Achille Lauro, continues his quirky, deconstructive, experimental Hip Hop Pop re-imaginings of holiday classics. Personally, I think Evans went the wrong way on the now obligatory "I Wish It Was Christmas Today", but he scores well with the rest of the EP--especially "Auld Lang Syne" refitted with new lyrics and a well acted bit of bedroom dialogue between lovers sharing secrets. "The Ghosts Of Christmas Past, Present, And Party!!!" is available free (as is Evans' previous holiday EP) through Hot Congress.

FFGREEN - AULD LANG SYNE

12/29/2010

The little I can learn about FFGreen says he is (they are?) an experimental electronic indie hip hop artist from Athens, Georgia. This little minute-and-a-half version of "Auld Lang Syne" is decent enough, if not earth-shatteringly new and different. The zip comes with two remixes, the first of which is kind of fun. And the whole package is free through Bandcamp. While you're there, you might as well pick up "Jingle Bells" free as well. FYI, these are instant downloads--no email address required--though they may take a bit to load.

SENTIENT MACHINE - JAMES BROWN NEW YEAR'S EVE BASH

12/28/2010

James Brown New Year's Eve Bash by SentientMachine

Had to find a free New Year's Eve song or two. This one's a 2009 track from the self-titled Sentient Machine download album. Sentient Machine are an Industrial Rock band out of New York, but here they toss in a bit of funk and the result is an oddly enjoyable jam that reminds me of some of those late 80s 12" dance-mixed Rock records. So if you already picked up the single "James Brown Died On Christmas Day" from Hands & Knees, might as well complete the theme with "James Brown New Year's Eve Bash", right? This is free at Bandcamp and the entire album is a "name your price" download.

FLASH ATKINS - ALL I WANT FOR CHRISTMAS IS YOU

12/28/2010

Flash Atkins - All I Want For Christmas Is You by Paper Recordings

A couple of free tracks from Paper Recordings. These two both feature mellow, soulful beats and ethereal vocals. And I like both recordings a lot, but neither strikes me as particularly Christmasy. Though, to be fair, that could be because the big day has passed (kind of like trying to remember the big bird over your bowl of turkey soup). I guess Lounge or Chill Out is what they're going for here. In any case, you can download these tracks free or just listen. You don't even have to go to Paper Recordings, if you don't want to, cuz we got widgets!

Ralph Myerz feat. Rebekka Karijord - My Private Night by Paper Recordings

MADE IN HEIGHTS - SHOOGAR PLUMZ [OMG! A HIP-HOPPITY CHRISTMAS!!]

12/28/2010

I've never been a big fan of "Dance Of The Sugar Plum Fairies" as a Christmas song. Just doesn't do anything for me. But what if you took the song and gave it a hip-hop rhythm track? You'd likely get something fairly like "Shoogar Plumz [OMG! A Hip-Hoppity Christmas!!]". This was released just the day before Christmas as part of the Made In Heights "Winter Pigeons" EP and you can get the whole EP free from Bandcamp in exchange for your e-mail address. As it happens, even as "Shoogar Plumz", "Dance Of The Sugar Plum Fairies" doesn't do much for me as a Christmas song. But Made In Heights is much more interesting when they're laying down vocals as well as beats. Even though better than half the EP is instrumental, the entire EP is free at Bandcamp (as noted earlier) and full preview is available. Worth checking out, IMO.

VARIOUS - ROAM FOR THE HOLIDAZE 2

12/26/2010

1. Hollow Stars – The Other Side
2. Lotus Plaza – Monolith Rock
3. Icky Blossoms – Perfect Vision
4. Atlas Sound – Artificial Snow
5. Battlemoon II – Fuck Yeah! I Wanna Go To A Clam Bake.
6. Jack Hines – HAPPY HOLIDAYS
7. Coyote Bones – Sip It Slow
8. Old King Cole Younger – Am I fit to own your puppets for Christmas?
9. Brian Connell – Dad’s Back On Anti-Depressants
10. The Kiwis Of the South Pacific – When I Think Finished
11. Moonbaby – O Soulstice
12. Brainworlds – Dance Of The Spirits
13. Indreama – Reprogram
14. Rewards – Don’t Give A Damn DOWNLOAD FROM COCO ART
15. K-Holy Knights – oh holy night
16. Oh, Dorian – Sometimes I’m Happy (Holidays)
17. Council – One Eye On The Open Grave
18. Dereck Higgins – High Spirits
19. The Highlight Factory – SADD047
20. Lazy Monsters – JingleBells

Not long ago, we posted a package of remixes from Atlas Sound (Bradford Cox of Deerhunter). He had said the remixes were of a song he'd recorded for a seasonal compilation his roommate was working on. And here is that compilation, "Roam For The Holidaze 2". A quick sampling reveals a lot of lo-fi indie rock, shoegaze, experimental. For my tastes, the Atlas Sound track is easily the highlight, though I can certainly think of possibilities for Jack Hines' "Happy Holidays" and I know people who will like "Am I Fit To Own Your Puppets For Christmas" and "Jingle Bells". Not enough for you? Well, you'll note the title is "Roam For The Holidaze 2" which implies a "1", does it not? Yes it do, and you can download Volume 1 here--17 more tracks of Indie weirdness or goodness, depending on your point of view. Download the 2010 collection at Coco Art.

NORTHERN COLOURS - SILENT NIGHT

12/25/2010

This progressive rock band out of Florida starts "Silent Night" predictably enough, but, the next thing you know, they're rocking it out. Hard. If you like your Silent Nights hard and heavy, Northern Colours might be just the band for you. Pick up the digital single free at Bandcamp.

ATLAS SOUND - ARTIFICIAL SNOW

12/23/2010

Bradford Cox of the Psychedelic band Deerhunter decided he'd like to try some different things, maybe a little electronica or some ambient rock. And thus was born Atlas Sound. "Artificial Snow" was recorded for Bradford's roommate who, apparently, is putting together something called "David's Annual Christmas Compilation". Whether this is going to be a public release or just a friends and family deal is kind of unclear from the Atlas Sound blog. But we do have five mixes of the song Bradford Cox recorded for the comp. They range from the highly rhythmic to a more sedate "Campfire Metalophone" version. It's a pretty good song, too, upbeat and harmonic ambient rock, though it's going to take me awhile to determine my preferred version. You can download "Artificial Snow" at the Atlas Sound web site.

THE REND COLLECTIVE EXPERIMENT - O COME ALL YE FAITHFUL

12/23/2010

The Rend Collective Experiment is a loose conglomeration of Irish Contemporary Christian musicians--15, more or less--whose music is described as "organic". They describe the group as more of a movement than a band. And their goal is to bring modern culture and music together with their faith. Of late, the Collective seems fascinated with the idea of recording music using iPhones. It's crazy. So crazy it just might work. Check out "O Come All Ye Faithful", RCE's latest. Hard to tell it was an iPhone recording. The band can rock, too, as the song that plays when you hit the web site ("Faithful") more than demonstrates. And they've sold more than a few records since embarking on their quest in 2004. To get a free download of "O Come All Ye Faithful", simply drop your name and email addy at the Collective's web site.