Category: Indie

BALLARD C. BOYD - WAIT, IT'S CHRISTMAS ALREADY?

1/27/2011

1. Please Christmas Don't Be Late
2. Egg Nog Surprise
3. Frosty The Snowman
4. The Firewood Song
5. Merry Christmas Polka

Every year, there's at least one "annual" treat that, in the rush of the season, I completely forget to check in on. For 2010, that honor falls to Ballard C. Boyd. Now I really don't know anything about Mr. Boyd (he's apparently a writer and director of some kind; feel free to explore his full web site). But one of his many talents, er, skills, er, um--one of the many things he does is play ukulele. Every year, Mr. Boyd gifts his family and friends with a holiday EP "in lieu of actually spending any money on people". And he makes these available as free downloads for anyone who happens to stumble by, as I did last year. His cover selection is very good, he tends to toss in an original or two every year, and the cover art from Peter Holm is excellent. We even get kazoos from time to time (and, as everyone knows, if there's anything better than a ukulele Christmas song, it's a Christmas song with ukulele and kazoos). For 2010's "Wait, It's Christmas Already?", Ballard solicited the assistance of Kristin Andreassen (Indie Country and Folk singer/songwriter, her most delightful musical treat likely being 2007's "Crayola Doesn't Make A Color For Your Eyes"--the video for which was directed by Mr. Boyd). Kristin shares vocals on "The Chipmunk Song" ("Please Christmas Don't Be Late") and "Frosty The Snowman". "Egg Nog Surprise" is the featured original. And, this year, we get a non-ukulele track--an accordion and kazoo outing on "Merry Christmas Polka". Joyously, all of Ballard C. Boyd's Christmas efforts back to 2005 are perpetually available as free downloads. While you might not want to listen to them all in one sitting, you never know when you're going to need a good ukulele Christmas song, right? So stop by Ballard C. Boyd's web site and download the whole set, free of charge.

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VARIOUS - AN OLD UGLY CHRISTMAS

1/21/2011

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1. Theme For An Old Ugly Christmas - Cathy Fisher
2. Oh Come Oh Come Emmanuel - Racoon Suit & Franny
3. Not This Year - Mitchmatic, The Joe & Xlacks
4. Miracle On 106th Street - Liam Trimble
5. Il Est Ne Le Divin Enfant - Jessica Jalbert
6. How I Learned To Hate The Snow - Doug Hoyer
7. Santa Clause Forgot Me - Rene Wilson
8. Spoiled Brat - Mitchmatic, The Joe, Mikey Maybe
9. Christmas In Tibet (Part II) - Kumon Plaza
10. What Did You Get? - Diehatzu Hijets
11. What Child Is This - Tyler Butler
12. Il Neige - Flora

Here's an excellent collection for folks who make annual comps for family and friends. I found it on NoiseTrade, but it's also available on Bandcamp. Old Ugly is a Canadian DIY label and this compilation is full of diverse delights, from the rustic banjo of the opening number to the wistful bedroom pop of Liam Trimble to a couple of real Hip Hop gems from Mitchmatic and friends. As we approach baseball season, I can't help but say that you might not find any home runs hereon, but it's loaded with singles and doubles. The release date on this one is January 3, 2011, so it wasn't anything you or I missed, just a nice head start for this coming December. And you might want that extra time to make this year's Christmas the best one ever since the folks at Old Ugly warn that the world is going to end on 12/12/12. And they would know, right? Anyway, check the label site to learn a bit more about the artists and head to either NoiseTrade or Bandcamp for the free download of "An Old Ugly Christmas".

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LINDLEY RUTH & HER TIPSY STRING BAND (feat. JORDAN HULL)

1/13/2011

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Never too late to come across a freebie as tasty as this one. Lindley Ruth and Her Tipsy String Band specialize in Alt Country Americana and likely no song fits that bill any better than Robert Earl Keen's "Merry Christmas From The Family". The band calls on Indie Folk and Soul-ster Jordan Hull to lend a hand (or a voice). Lindley and Jordan blend together well, as do this song and "Blue Christmas". You'll understand when you listen. Weighing in at 6 minutes, you definitely get your money's worth on this one. And did I mention it's free? Pick it up at Bandcamp or on Lindley Ruth's facebook site. Trust me, you want this one.

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NOMEN NOVUM - GHOST OF CHRISTMAS FUTURE

1/13/2011

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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.

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

1/11/2011

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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.

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THE AISLERS SET - COLD CHRISTMAS

1/11/2011

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The blog Largehearted Boy leads us to this tasty selection from The Aislers Set, made free courtesy of Suicide Squeeze Records just days before Christmas. The Brooklyn band's been around long enough to build a bit of a following and to establish their sound. I think you're going to like "Cold Christmas"--a nice upbeat Indie Pop track reminiscent of all those mid-60s post-Spector pop 45s. Head to Suicide Squeeze to get it free.

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WOODEN SHJIPS - O TANNENBAUM

1/8/2011

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This tip comes from a longtime friend, Dr. Jim. Wooden Shjips is a minimalist psychedelic rock band from the San Francisco scene. Earlier, they were selling two holiday tracks on a limited edition cassette. But, once the cassette sold out, the group put "O Tannenbaum" and "Auld Lang Syne" up as free downloads on their web site. All proceeds from the sales went to San Francisco food banks and the group says, if you're feeling charitable, please make your donations to such organizations in your local community.

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ANDY ZIPF - NEW YEAR'S DAY

1/6/2011

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Personally, I think U2's "New Year's Day" is way overplayed as a New Year's song. It's not, ya know. It's about the Polish Solidarity Movement of the 70s and 80s, led by Lech Walesa. Solidarity was Poland's first trade union not under the control of the ruling Communist party. Officially formed in 1980, Solidarity rose up following the protests of June 1976. Obviously, the party wanted them crushed. Risking everything, even their lives, Solidarity prevailed against the Communist party.

Contrary to what some political figures and groups would have you believe, unions have always been the soldiers on the front lines in the struggle, the fight--the war--for social and economic freedom and justice. Americans certainly owe much to the soldiers of our military, fighting in wars to keep America free from attack or invasion by outside powers. But, whether or not anyone is aware and whether or not anyone is willing to acknowledge, Americans owe just as much to unionized labor for fighting the wars against inside powers--the tyrants who seek to enslave our citizenry for their own economic purposes. The social aspects of this struggle are more a means to an end; it is always helpful in preserving an oligarchy to pit natural allies against each other--to divide and conquer by playing up ethnic or other differences. As Jay Gould noted many decades ago, "I can hire one half of the working class to kill the other half."

As times become increasingly difficult for poor and middle-class Americans, Gould's contemptuous statements become more and more true. At a time when Americans most need to be standing together, it becomes easier to pit us against each other. At a time when we most need the soldiers of our union armies to defend our freedoms against would-be tyrants here at home, they are at their most vulnerable. I would ask you to think about that the next time some television or radio host attacks organized labor (be it private or public sector) or tries to turn "Social Justice" into a dirty word or a Communist plot. I would ask you to think about the fact that these same people will tell you that, on the one hand, a million dollars a year is not a lot of income but, on the other hand, 40 thousand dollars a year is too much. Some pigs in our Animal Farm, it would seem, are more equal than others. I would ask you to think about this the next time you finish your 8 hour workday (or get overtime for working longer), enjoy your weekend (or get overtime for working longer), or your paid sick or vacation time, or your unpaid FMLA. I would ask you to think about this the next time you don't lose an arm or a lung because your employer is required to meet very minimum safety standards. People fought--and died--for these protections, for living wages, for dignity and respect, just as surely as any soldier in our military who gave his or her life that we might be free. And any objective history reading would well demonstrate that the things unions fight for always (when unions prevail) result in more jobs and higher wages, regardless of the bill of goods you're being sold by so-called populists who, in reality, represent the interests of the rich and powerful. Any objective reading of history would well demonstrate that attacking the unions is one of the first steps toward fascism (which is defined as the merging of the state and corporate interests), as best summed up in Martin Niemoller's famous quote.

To preserve our freedoms in these difficult times, we need unions now more than we have in nearly a century. That is precisely why they are under attack. The jobs and protections you do not have are not the fault of the unions, but of those who demonize them and seek to end them. We've already heard calls to make unionizing illegal, to make striking illegal, to strip public sector unions of their pensions. This isn't so that you can get a job or so that your tax dollars will be protected; it is to ensure the absolute power and control over your life by the ones who already benefit more from your labor than you do. This is all about control, the entrenchment of power and wealth, and removing from labor--from you--any leverage to bargain and any tools to protect yourself and your family from wage slavery. 80% of Americans say they'd like to join a union if they could. But only about 12% are unionized. That right there should tell you that the American people are losing our war against the tyrants. That right there should tell you that Card Check is a righteous idea worth at least trying. Every argument to the contrary is crap, plain and simple--poll tested distortions designed to get you and half the workers in the country to kill unions and the other half.

Poor Andy. All he did was sing a song. Andy Zipf is a Washington, DC singer who believes in music as communication, not just entertainment. I can at least hope, therefore, that he understands my attempting to use his performance of "New Year's Day" as a platform for communicating something I feel very strongly about. Andy's take on the song, presenting it in a beautiful dreamlike ballad form, allows the song's true meaning--something lost in the original due to over exposure, I feel--to surface again. At least that's my take on his take. You can pick up the song free for a Tweet or a post on Facebook. Head to Andy's site for full details. Andy also released a fine seasonal EP last December; you can check out "Traveler's Psalms And Carols" at Amazon MP3.

This is far more political than I ever hope for this web site to be. This is not a political blog. However, it is also, for the most part, written "stream of consciousness" and this sort of post was bound to happen sooner or later. I swear I set out to write a short paragraph about Andy Zipf and "New Year's Day". But one mention of the song's true genesis and.... It's not, though, red vs. blue or conservative vs. liberal. It's not that at all. It's about people and freedom vs. tyranny. I hope you'll think about that the next time you hear the song "New Year's Day".

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VARIOUS - A VERY STANDARD CHRISTMAS, VOLUME 3

1/5/2011

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1. Tall Trees - Maria Hansen
2. Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas - Caleb McCoach
3. Wake Up (To The Christmas Spirit) - Amo Joy
4. You're One Of Us - Davy Long
5. I Believe - Steve Smith
6. Coming For Christmas - Dead Beats
7. Santa's Last Stop - Innocent Boys
8. The Loneliest Christmas House - Gray Home Music
9. Sleigh Ride - Eat Your Heart Out, Birdbrain
10. The Treetops Are Alive - Red Queen Hypothesis
11. A Personal Voyage - Sleeping Bag
12. Candy Canes - Jethro Easyfields
13. One Trick Snowman - Thunderhawk
14. January Postcard - Cootie Crabtree
15. A Gentleman's Christmas - Jascha

STANDARD RECORDINGS WEB SITE DOWNLOAD HERE

Look. Cats! A cover full! That's, I'm guessing, in recognition of the fact that proceeds from this, the third Standard Recordings Christmas collection, go to benefit the FACE Spay/Neuter Clinic of Indianapolis. Standard's first holiday offering was a physical CD, possibly still available through Amazon, and it was a fairly exceptional Indie effort. Volume 2 was, like this one, digital only and I must confess I missed it entirely last year (nor does it appear to be available any longer). So what about "A Very Standard Christmas, Volume 3"? My answer to that is that, clearly, I need a break. My head is so full of so much Christmas music right now that I can't even hear, or fairly evaluate, anything more for a bit. A single song, perhaps. Not an album. Heard a lot of Indie sounds, here--some Alt Folk, some garage. I think Maria Hansen's "Tall Trees" is a certain highlight, with Steve Smith, The Dead Beats and Red Queen Hypothesis providing further standouts. I think a lot of people are going to like The Innocent Boys' track a lot more than I did first time through (sort of reminded me of early Dr. Hook, before they went Adult Contemporary). But I think, to be fair, you should just check it out yourself. You can stream all the tracks on Bandcamp and it's a "name your price" deal (no minimum). Take a moment before entering "zero", though, and think of the poor kitty cats. Look at those faces on the cover. Don't you want to help? A little bit? If you decide to contribute $8 or more, you might as well get yourself the limited edition cassette version of "A Very Standard Christmas" as well as the immediate download.

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EXOHXO -EXOHXMAS II

1/1/2011

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1. It Never Snows (featuring Michele Khazak)
2. Christmas Wrapping (featuring Shenandoah Davis)
3. Thanks For Christmas
4. Merry Christmas

In 2009, this Seattle based nine-piece Indie pop/rock group released a pleasant little holiday EP--"Exohxmas"--and, for 2010, they continued the tradition. Unlike many movie franchises, the sequel was imminently more satisfying. Both efforts have a decided charm about them, but "Exohxmas II" sounds better produced and less thrown together (it was recorded in under a week, so you know its good). And the song selection, here, is brilliant. Exohxo covers The Waitresses, XTC and INXS (a little known fan club single from 1984), topping it all off with an original selection that, somewhere down the road, ought to be covered by multitudes of artists--from jazz vocalists and American Idol wannabes to pop and rock bands seeking a pretty, mid-tempo ballad that hasn't been driven into the ground. "It Never Snows" has the kind of haunting quality of some of the better rock-era Christmas songs ("I Believe In Father Christmas" comes to mind). Certainly lesser songs have fared as well. "When does hope become distraction? When does joy become the rule? So the year didn't turn out how you wanted. Give it a week and you can start anew." I even dig the cover art. Pick up both Exohxo Christmas EPs free at Bandcamp. And prepare for the 2011 edition: "Exohxmas III: The Wreath Of Khan". Damn, that's going to be tough not to steal.

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<<Previous

BALLARD C. BOYD - WAIT, IT'S CHRISTMAS ALREADY?

VARIOUS - AN OLD UGLY CHRISTMAS

LINDLEY RUTH & HER TIPSY STRING BAND (feat. JORDAN HULL)

NOMEN NOVUM - GHOST OF CHRISTMAS FUTURE

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

THE AISLERS SET - COLD CHRISTMAS

WOODEN SHJIPS - O TANNENBAUM

ANDY ZIPF - NEW YEAR'S DAY

VARIOUS - A VERY STANDARD CHRISTMAS, VOLUME 3

EXOHXO -EXOHXMAS II

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