Category: Folk

THE GIVING TREE BAND (featuring NELLIE McKAY) - THE CHRISTMAS WALTZ

12/23/2010

I'm telling you, this has been the best year for Americana Christmas music of any I can remember. Here we have the extraordinary Giving Tree Band teaming up with the lovely Nellie McKay, who has successfully tried her hand and just about every musical genre in existence, not to mention the acting (I told you not to mention the acting). The result is a pair of eclectic, relaxed, down home, beautiful Christmas tunes. It's as if they're just hangin' with y'all on the front porch. Oh, good, you brought your accordion. It's especially nice to hear someone cover "The Christmas Waltz", which you rarely see covered either by indie artists or by folk artists. Just use the widget above to claim your free music.

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VARIOUS - WXPN & THE KEY'S 12 DAYS OF CHRISTMAS 2010

12/23/2010

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1. Mrs. Mistletoe - Adam Taylor
2. Wake Up December - Talain Rayne (featuring Tirzah Lemmens)
3. Born Of A Season - Birdie Busch
4. Bright Lights Of Christmas - The Tell Alls
5. Reindeer Game - Ben Arnold
6. Christmas Cheer - The Roddies
7. Home - Joshua Park
8. Silent Tonight - Madi Diaz
9. Song For Solstice - Hoots And Hellmouth
10. Christmas Through My Window - Hiding From Andy
11. Xmas Buddha - Andrew Lipke
12. I Got You For Christmas - Joe D'Amico
Bonus: Bells - Atomic Square

THE 12 DAYS OF CHRISTMAS

Told you we'd revisit this one when they wrapped it up. And that's because, in the avalanche of free Christmas downloads, I tend to forget to go back to finish the collections and I thought you might have that same issue. By my count, XPN and The Key have got their full 12 days in, and then some. Download them all and make yourself a nice little "XPN 12 Days of Christmas 2010" CD-R. There's a bit of everything here from some of Philly's finest--country, folk, rock, indie, pop, alt everything. I'd tell you all about it, but they do a much better job of it. Head over to the summary page and work your way down. The download buttons are right below the play buttons. And, as I recall, there's one more tune in the mix that's stream only, so we didn't include it in our playlist above.

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JOSHUA JAMES - CHRISTMAS IN PRISON

12/23/2010

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Neo-Folk artist Joshua James has dropped a big ol' Christmas present under your tree, allowing, for a limited time, free download of his holiday single "Christmas In Prison". Says Joshua, "Hark! The season is upon us. I am overwhelmed by the sights and the cold of this year's winter. I want you to TAKE this! It is a song written by John Prine. One of the greatest songwriters our world has known. I hope that this season will treat you with love and kindness." Click here for instant download. If you'd like more free Christmas music from Joshua, pay a visit to Northplatte Records, where a few holiday treats are available for free download, including Joshua's rendition of "God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen". And while it isn't free and it isn't his latest, I personally recommend "Fields And Floods", Joshua's seasonal recording from 2007.

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VARIOUS - VELOUR FAMILY HOLIDAY COMPILATION 2010

12/23/2010

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1. Mason Porter - Silver and Gold
2. Eyes Lips Eyes - Slept in Through Christmas
3. Toy Bombs - Halloween for Christmas
4. Ryan Innes - God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen
5. Matt Ben Jackson - Run Rudolph Run
6. Jordan Mantzke - Do You Hear What I Hear?
7. Chance Lewis and Apt - Christmas on 100 Block
8. Timothy George - We Three Kings / City Light
9. Fictionist - This Christmas
10. The Neighbors - White Christmas
11. Kathleen Frewin - I Wish it Was Christmas Today
12. Dustin Christensen - SilentNight

It seems like only yesterday we were telling you about the great new holiday single from Eyes Lips Eyes. Hmm. Might that be because it was only yesterday? Yeah, well, anyway, the band that originated in Utah routinely returns to their birthplace, especially for the big "EVE" celebration in Salt Lake City. Additionally, Eyes Lips Eyes lent their Christmas song to this Velour Family Holiday Compilation, a free download of some of Utah's best bands and the Christmas songs they love. There's a full range on this one, from the Hip Hop Rock of Chance Lewis and Apt to Alt Folk, Indie Pop, a soulful "God Rest Ye", a plaintive "We Three Kings" done at a funereal tempo. "This Christmas", by the way, isn't the Donny Hathaway track. And I guess that SNL song is going to stick, huh? Always wanted a local artist compilation from Utah. Seriously. Now I've got one. Go get yours at Velour's Facebook page.

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CAST BEFORE THE BREAK/LIVING CHIVALRY - REGIFTED, VOLUME 1

12/20/2010

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1. Jingle, Jingle, Jingle - Living Chivalry
2. How The Grinch Folked Christmas - Cast Before The Break
3. Yule Shoot Your Eye Out - Living Chivalry
4. Christmas Tree - Cast Before The Break
5. Baby, It's Cold Outside - Living Chivalry
6. Silent Night (Reprise) - Cast Before The Break

DOWNLOAD THROUGH MEDIAFIRE

TJ Foster, of The Cast Before The Break, and Ben Hemingway, of Living Chivalry, pooled their Christmas efforts this year into one free 6 song holiday download. Ben's music tends toward Indie Rock and Pop Punk, bordering on Power Pop, while TJ is more of an Alt Folk performer, if this set is any indication. By alternating tracks, the set actually works incredibly well (and gives me an excuse for colorizing the track list). I'd love to point you to highlights, but this was a great EP from start to finish. For Living Chivalry, I guess I'd have to say "Baby It's Cold Outside" was especially tasty. And, for Cast Before The Break, it's hard not to cite the Folk Rock re-construction of Lady Gaga's "Christmas Tree" as a cut above. But, really, this EP's an excellent listen straight through. And it's free. Download "Regifted, Volume 1" through the generously provided Mediafire link. And, before I go, a big shout out to my peeps in Oneonta, New York, which Ben lists as his home town and it was mine, too.

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TRACEY THORN - SISTER WINTER

12/20/2010

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This tip from The King of Jingaling over at The Fa. If you don't know the name Tracey Thorn, you probably at least know her voice. Tracey was half of the duo that was Everything But The Girl, who had quite the run through the 80s and 90s though they managed only one major hit. Tracey's solo stuff strikes me pretty much the way her EBTG songs did, which is a good thing. I see her as sort of a modern day Billie Holliday, in that Tracey manages to wrench emotion out of each and every syllable she sings. Her most recent album, "Love & It's Opposite", was very well received. And, as a bit of a Christmas present, Tracey and Strange Feeling Records have whipped up a little Christmas stocking. The free download includes a picture, a video, and Tracey's cover of Sufjan Steven's "Sister Winter". Even if you never cared for Sufjan's work, you're going to love this rendition. Head to the label web site to get this one.

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HILARY GRIST - IT'S OFFICIALLY WINTER NOW

12/19/2010

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1. Jolly Old St. Nicholas
2. What Child Is This
3. Branch's Arms
4. Holy Winter
5. Auld Lang Syne
6. Silent Night

From the video, you might conclude that Hilary Grist is in the same Indie Pop bag as Pomplamoose. But the pretty Canadian has a lot more depth and diversity. Sure, she can do Indie Pop, but she can also do Jazz and Folk and Folk Jazz and Indie Folk Jazz Pop. She can give you all that and more and, here, she seems to be doing it with just her voice and her keyboards. I'm a fan. I liked "Jolly Old St. Nicholas" well enough. But then came "What Child Is This" and I thought, "Hey, wait a second, there's something here." The original "Branch's Arms" could easily translate to most any genre, though it takes the Folk Jazz spin here. "Holy Winter" was enrapturing--absolutely spellbinding. And then, the coup de grace--Hilary makes "Auld Lang Syne" into something completely fresh and new--part hymnal, part torch song. I wouldn't have thought it was possibly to make that one sound fresh. The set closes with "Silent Night" but, to be honest, I was still focused on "Holy Winter" and "Auld Lang Syne". Truly an excellent little EP, which you can currently get free by going to Hilary's web site and clicking where it says "free download" (naturally enough). But, once you've got the EP, why don't you step inside and look around awhile. "It's Officially Winter Now" and you look like you could use some hot cocoa (OK, just trying to work in the album title. But it is a nice web site).

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CALEB AND THE CAROLING CARAVAN - A CHRISTMAS ALBUM

12/18/2010

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1. Christmas Is The Best
2. Toyland
3. Don't You Know Where Christmas Comes From?
4. Angels We Have Heard On High
5. Malady
6. I Heard The Bells On Christmas Day
7. Tinsel Vision
8. Auld Lang Syne
9. What Are You Doing New Year's Eve?

DOWNLOAD AT BANDCAMP

1. Christmas Don't Be Late
2. Hearthsong
3. O Holy Night
4. O! Mistletoe
5. Little Drummer Boy
6. Joy To The World
7. Scarves Of Wool
8. As The Deer
9. Feliz Navidad

DOWNLOAD AT BANDCAMP

I can't even tell you how long I've had the bottom album--the one from 2009--on my bookmark list. Probably since early November. In the meantime, the group released a new set for 2010--the top album. The group has a certain undeniable charm, I won't deny it. How could I? It's undeniable. But I definitely preferred the first of these, the 2009 collection. In any case, here's 18 free Indie Folk Christmas tunes for you from Caleb And The Caroling Caravan. I'm sure you'll find your own favorites. (My cat hates it, though, for whatever that's worth.)

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THE KOPECKY FAMILY BAND - OUR REMEDY

12/16/2010

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This Philadelphia band is pretty good about delivering on the holidays. We spoke earlier about the Kopecky Family Band on our free pages, here. This year's track is "Our Remedy". Download at the Kopecky website or just use the widget above. Stop by the group's Facebook page to see their Christmas card. I got a laugh out of it.

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THE FOREST & THE TREES - SANTA CLAUS IS COMING

12/16/2010

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Owe this tip to Santas Working Overtime. This Swedish Indie Folk/Pop duo began their career in music quite by accident. Poor and trying to find an inexpensive way to give gifts to friends and family for Christmas, they decided to record a Christmas CD-R. In doing so, they discovered their own musical gifts for writing and performing. That was back in 2007. Now, a few years removed, the married couple decided to listen to that Christmas CD-R and thought this song had enough charm to make it worthy of a wider audience. And I quite agree. For fans of the group, know that "Santa Claus Is Coming" is the first song the two ever wrote together. For those of us just learning of The Forest & The Trees, know that it's a pretty cool Indie tune and it's free at Bandcamp.

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THE GIVING TREE BAND (featuring NELLIE McKAY) - THE CHRISTMAS WALTZ

VARIOUS - WXPN & THE KEY'S 12 DAYS OF CHRISTMAS 2010

JOSHUA JAMES - CHRISTMAS IN PRISON

VARIOUS - VELOUR FAMILY HOLIDAY COMPILATION 2010

CAST BEFORE THE BREAK/LIVING CHIVALRY - REGIFTED, VOLUME 1

TRACEY THORN - SISTER WINTER

HILARY GRIST - IT'S OFFICIALLY WINTER NOW

CALEB AND THE CAROLING CARAVAN - A CHRISTMAS ALBUM

THE KOPECKY FAMILY BAND - OUR REMEDY

THE FOREST & THE TREES - SANTA CLAUS IS COMING

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