Category: Electronic

THE WINTER FAILURE - CHRISTMAS EVE / CHRISTMAS MORNING

12/8/2014

We first wrote about The Winter Failure in 2010. They're a Florida Indie Christian Alt Folk band that formed, originally, to make Christmas music. Back then, they were almost as new as we were. Their holiday debut "Advent? Sure!" was raw and uneven, but it had its moments, I thought.

The Winter Failure has released a Christmas record every year since and its kind of amazing to witness their musical growth since that first record. Back then, it wasn't easy to stick with them through the bad bits to get to the good. "Christmas Eve/Christmas Morning", on the other hand, is mostly a very enjoyable listen with just the occasional misstep (maybe it's me, but I was tired of the Christopher Walken Winter Wonderland jokes before they started).

Best thing about The Winter Failure is that they clearly enjoy making this music and, as Joe Biden would say, that's a pretty BFD. Still a little on the Lo-Fi side; haven't yet decided if that's a bug or a feature. But, overall, I enjoyed it quite a bit. Best tracks, for me, were "Breath Of Heaven" (that's bloody gorgeous, that is) and the originals "You Came To Save" and "Christmas Kinkade". Kudos for covering Five Iron Frenzy's "You Gotta Get Up". Me, I'd toss the superfluous opening and the last two tracks but, otherwise, I think The Winter Failure has hit their stride. Looking forward to next year's set. You'll find this at Noisetrade.

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IAN McGLYNN - NORTH POLE VAULT

12/6/2014

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1. Christmas Morning
2. Our Favorite Christmas Movie
3. Christmas Sleep
4. Meet Me Where The Lights Shine Bright
5. North Pole Vault
6. Meet Me Where The Lights Shine Bright (Reprise)

Since I wasn't hardly around, last year, I missed the release of this supremely superb Christmas EP from Ian McGlynn, cleverly titled "North Pole Vault" (I'm guessing he was watching Vana spin the letters one day when that came to him). It paid off for me, in the end, because now its free on Noisetrade. If you haven't heard this yet, Ian McGlynn sounds a bit in the Sufjan Stevens vein, but dreamier. Every track on the set could stand tall on its own, but "Our Favorite Christmas Movie" is the cut you'll want it for.

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VARIOUS - NOISE TO THE WORLD 2

12/5/2014

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Earlier this year, we caught up with the 2013 collection from Converse, "Noise To The World", which was lingering from last Christmas. Well, if you missed that one, its gone now. Had to make way for the newer model, "Noise To The World 2". As with last year's set, Converse made all the right moves. The artists are exceptional and so is the music.

I bumped into "Noise To The World 2" on Tuesday. Converse had unveiled two tracks on Monday. They then released another two tracks on Wednesday. And the last two were unveiled today. I figured I'd wait until the collection was complete before I posted. Didn't listen even. And, now, here I am with the opportunity to hear the whole thing......and I can't get past "On Christmas" from the Dum Dum Girls. It's playing for something like the sixth straight time, right now, and I want to hear it again. This one's got legs. It's going to turn up on Christmas playlists to the end of time.

By the end of the day, I'm sure Converse will have racked up the full album download. Or not. As it is, now, the button sends you to Soundcloud where you have to download each track individually. But it's worth it.

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WORK DRUGS - NICHOLAS

12/5/2014

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Philadelphia's Indie Pop / Electro Pop / Dream Pop / Chillwave / Smoth-fi outfit, Work Drugs may not be sure what to call their sound, but they sure as heck know how to sound good. "Nicholas" is wickedly upbeat without being hyper. It's a smooth high, yo! They should pipe this music into hospital waiting rooms. I'm thinking spontaneous healing. Sometimes I'm both amused and horrified by the analogies my brain comes up with. First thing I thought listening to "Nicholas" by Work Drugs? Like the Clash on ludes (and I mean that in a good way). To defend my sick mind a bit, "Nicholas" has some of that "Rock The Casbah" rhythm, but much smoother--sort of like you sanded down all the sharp corners. I'll shut up, now. "Nicholas" is great, though. Go get it at Bandcamp.

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VARIOUS - HAM FOR DAYS

12/4/2014

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You gotta love it when a small Indie label puts together a Christmas album. Especially their first. Its chaos out front and chaos in the back. But, in the end, you get amazingly original music. Air Punch is a Melbourne based collective and they're preparing to "release" their first holiday set featuring most of the artists in the collective and then some. Official release of the digital set "Ham For Days" is December 11 (if they finish by then; if not, hey, whatever). In the meantime, they've been posting some of the songs on Soundcloud. When it's complete, it should still be free, but you're forgiven if you want to wait until they've got it organized as a playlist.

Of what's been posted so far, there were four songs I was especially fond of. "Stood Up On Christmas" by Lucas Heenan was probably the one I listened to the most. His offering is Indie Rock a bit reminiscent of some seventies Pop ("Crackerbox Palace" is what is now stuck in my head, but that may be because of last week's vintage SNL airing). Helena Plazzer is both retro chic and thoroughly modern Indie on "Christmas Truce". Either of those songs would delight and sparkle on a holiday mix.

But the two I'm featuring here were the best and brightest (in my opinion and no pun intended). Peter Joseph Head offers a super fun Indie Alt Pop visit to "The Streets Where The Lights Are On" ("The stuff should all be up by now but it won't be there for long"). Peter believes pop music can be both accessible and adventurous and he proves it here.

And, just below, you'll find "Secret Santa" from Lehmann B. Smith. Lehmann is said to be a virtual encyclopedia of musical sounds and influences from which he creates his unique brand of "oddball pop". "Secret Santa" has got quite a bit rolled into it. Altogether, it sounds like a funkified spaghetti western. It's super cool; I just wish it were longer. All this and more on "Ham For Days: An Airpunch Christmas Album". Hit the Air Punch Soundcloud feed to check it out (with, again, the proviso that it probably isn't finished yet).

UPDATE: Don't know why Air Punch took the "free" off this download of "Secret Santa". I just wish artists would wait more than a couple of hours after I post them to do so. You're making us all look bad.

UPDATE UPDATE: Oh, hey, look! The download arrow's back! I guess somebody reads this stuff, afterall. And they've got it up in playlist form, now, too. Also available on Bandcamp.

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SPECTATORS - A SPECTATORS CHRISTMAS EP

12/3/2014

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Spectators are an Experimental Electro Alt Rock group from Chicago. Their originals are very well conceived and written and the vocalist has a bit of Bono in him. And the group's takes on classic carols "God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen" and "The Holy And The Ivy" are nice (and a little more acoustic). "Washed White As Snow (Start It Over)" is likely the most interesting song, here, and my personal favorite is "Melt Me Down Slowly" which is a sweet winter love song. Check out Spectators at Bandcamp and get to know the group via their website and Facebook.

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REED - HOLIDAY BY MY SIDE

11/28/2014

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I'm not fond of all the Twitters and Tumblrs, etc. and so forth. Whatever happened to just having a plain old website? It's a pain in the neck trying to figure out who somebody is when they don't have a regular website (or at least a Facebook page, geez).

So it turns out that reed is Reed Murray of Carollhood. To be fair, Carrollhood does have a Facebook page. But you'd be surprised how many Reed Murrays there are and how many of them are Indie musicians. And, yes, someone who is familiar with the Twitters and Tumblrs could have figured out who reed was in a snap. But I'm not and didn't. Enough of the rant.

Anyway, reed says he wrote and recorded "Holiday By My Side" in his bedroom, but you'd never know it. Everything about this song is awesome. It's an Indie track, sure, but also a bit Ambient. Very pretty and contemplative in any case. It sounds a little bit as I imagine (God, I'm old) Simon & Garfunkles "Sounds of Silence" might have sounded, were they coming up today (of course, lyrically, its apples and oranges). "Holiday By My Side" will be popping up on Indie Christmas playlists for years to come. At least it should. Check it out on Bandcamp.

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The FREE List

Here we hope to direct you to some of the Christmas music on the web that can be yours absolutely free. We will not direct you to mp3 or sharity sites, here, but only to artist sites, label sites, and other authorized and unquestionably legal locations.

THE WINTER FAILURE - CHRISTMAS EVE / CHRISTMAS MORNING

IAN McGLYNN - NORTH POLE VAULT

VARIOUS - NOISE TO THE WORLD 2

WORK DRUGS - NICHOLAS

VARIOUS - HAM FOR DAYS

SPECTATORS - A SPECTATORS CHRISTMAS EP

REED - HOLIDAY BY MY SIDE

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