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Stubbys House of Christmas

KIM LENZ - THE CHRISTMAS SONG

12/20/2014

Kim Lenz (with her group The Jaguars) is a real Rockabilly rebel and recording artist. Some have said that, had Elvis been born a woman, he'd have sounded like Kim Lenz. She fell in love with the Roots movement back when it was just getting started and has since released several albums (including her most recent, "Follow Me") and has toured the world.

Kim has a Christmas present for you--a sweet and simple recording of "The Christmas Song". It's not a rocker--just Kim and her guitar serenading you. A little sump'n sump'n is all. You can download "The Christmas Song" free here.

Do you have a gift to give Kim? She'll tell you want she'd like. Kim's been nominated for Best Female Rockabilly artist in the 2015 Ameripolitan Music Awards. It's a fan driven award, so your vote counts. Go here to vote for your favorites. It's what Kim wants for Christmas.

(Thanks to Ernie of Ernie (Not Bert) for the tip!)

PONY BOY - (PLEASE DON'T LEAVE ON) CHRISTMAS EVE

12/20/2014

Pony Boy is actually a woman--singer/songwriter Marchelle Bradanini. She calls her music "Junkyard Country", but it's a very raw and rootsy blend of Country, Blues and Rock. There's certainly more to it than that, even, but let's not get bogged down on the labels.

Earlier this year, Marchelle released the EP "The Devil In Me", which met with tremendous critical praise and is showing up on lots of end-of-the-year Best lists.

"(Please Don't Leave On) Christmas Eve" is the tonic for those weary of Holly Jolly Christmas songs. Marchelle says she was somewhat inspired by the Phil Spector album, and there's definitely a Wall-of-Sound aspect to this holiday tearjerker. There are guitars twanging, bells jingling, and soulful background singers. But what makes this one of the supreme Christmas tracks of 2014 is Marchelle--channeling Patsy Cline, Janis Joplin, and The Chantels simultaneously (and, yes, Elvis is in the mix somewhere, too).

I've already said it. "(Please Don't Leave On) Christmas Eve" is one of the best you'll hear this year. I'm sorry I can't embed this one for you. But, if you act fast (as I would advise you to do), you can download the song free from Elmore Magazine (just look for the arrow thingy, upper right on the player). Move too slow and you'll have to get it from Amazon or iTunes. But get it.

THEE FINE LINES - SEASONAL SONGS

12/20/2014

Was a time when I used to be very keen at picking up the annual Christmas songs from Garage Rockers Thee Fine Lines. 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007.... And then I kind of lost track of them. I couldn't find anymore Christmas songs from Thee Fine Lines. So I just kind of figured they'd split up or maybe got tired of doing Christmas songs. Nope. They were still doing a Christmas song a year, apparently. And, last year, they put them all together in one handy dandy Bandcamp download called "Seasonal Songs". So somebody may have covered it last year, but I wasn't here.

Now, if my math is correct, they've got a Christmas song up there for every year from 2004 - 2013. None for this year. Yet. They do say they tend to record their annual Christmas song right before Christmas. So there is still time.

Doesn't much matter to me right now because there are six songs here I haven't yet heard. And it's always a blast to hear "Nothin' But Tears Under My Christmas Tree" again. So go help yourself to some of the finest raw Rock Christmas music you'll ever hear. As Bluto from "Animal House" would say, "don't cost nothin'."

THE HOLLOW SEASON - THE CHRISTMAS SESSIONS

12/20/2014

A lot of the music on Noisetrade, this year, just hasn't connected with me, for some reason. But this one hit me straight in the heart. It just felt and sounded great. The Hollow Season are an Indie Alt Folk trio from New Jersey. And Sarah Woods and Jesse and Joel Dill make some sweet sweet music together. I don't know how long they've been at it but their debut single, "Wild Flowers", was just released in June and it looks like their first longer form--EP or full album--won't arrive until next year. So it was nice of them to drop this free "Christmas Sessions" EP on us.

Of the five songs, one is "Blue Christmas", which you know I hate. And "It's Beginning To Look A Lot Like Christmas", though sweetly done Uke Pop, is too faithful to the original for my tastes. But the other three tracks have me high as a kite. First of all, Sarah's voice is irresistible. And the arrangements on "God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen" and "Wonderful Christmastime" give those songs the slight kick to the left they require. "Winter Song"--a cover of the Sara Bareilles and Ingrid Michaelson ballad--is just 4 minutes of gorgeous.

Grab The Hollow Season's "Christmas Sessions" free from Noisetrade.

THE HOLLOW SEASON ON FACEBOOK

THE HEMISPHERES - SANTA'S WHISKEY

12/19/2014

Fomerly with My Favorite Highway, Dave Cook's new project is The Hemispheres (it's another of those band names for a solo project things). And if his three-song Christmas EP "Santa's Whiskey" is any indication, I'm a huge fan right now. These are brilliantly written pieces which, I'm hoping, aren't entirely autobiographical. Because all three songs are about dealing with the holidays after the one you love has gone. "This Silent Night" contrasts all the happy memories of Christmas together with the emptiness of Christmas alone. "Commercial Holiday" is about how all the bling in the universe is meaningless without the one you love. And "Santa's Whiskey" might be the saddest of all. In "Santa's Whiskey", the implication seems clear (as it doesn't on the other two) that it wasn't a breakup that separated them, but rather a death. Everything has changed and the guy whose "laugh could light up any room" is getting drunk on Santa's whiskey.

"We do our best to move along
Like a note without a song
And I can't believe you're gone
Cause I could swear you're near when the Christmas lights come on"

The lyrics are truly gorgeous. The imagery is vivid. And your heart breaks listening. Really, you can't write music any better than this.

"Santa's Whiskey" is available as a free download at Soundcloud. And do stop by Dave's Facebook page and give him a "Like".

EAT ME - I FORGOT IT WAS CHRISTMAS

12/19/2014

Santa, I've been a good boy all year (mostly) and I want hard rock with fuzz guitars for Christmas. Here ya go. From Britain's Eat Me, "I Forgot It Was Christmas". Incidentally, once again google would have been useful before naming the group since "Eat Me" seems to be a very popular band name.

Like a lot of folks, especially in the UK, Eat Me has about had enough of Simon Cowell's idea of Christmas music. Says Jamie Warnes, “We want to show that whilst rock music might be unfashionable right now, there’s nothing more fun than getting together with your best buddies and rocking out – especially at Christmas time, with The X Factor and its bland warblers all over everyone’s telly sets."

The song is free on Bandcamp and comes with a virtual flip..."Stay Another Day". "Stay Another Day" is one of those songs folks in the UK insist on calling a Christmas song, even though it has nothing to do with the season, simply because it charted around Christmas time decades ago.

THE RED PILLS - WALKING IN THE AIR

12/19/2014

I love the unexpected. For some reason, the Brits love "Walking In The Air". I suppose it's not unlike our love of the songs from Charlie Brown's Christmas, since "Walking In The Air" made its debut in an animated holiday special. I'd like to say that the difference is that the Vince Guarldi songs were better. But the problem I have with "Walking In The Air" is how its done. It's always presented with that high boys choir tenor voice that sounds like someone's been sucking down too much helium or something. When I have enjoyed the song is when its done differently. The Red Pills (after poking fun at the original) Rock the crap out of "Walking In The Air", making the song genuinely enjoyable for me. You can download this one and The Red Pills' 2010 Pink cover of "White Christmas" free at Bandcamp.

ILLIJAM & MAGOH - COUNT IT LOSS CHRISTMAS

12/19/2014

What else we got in that sack, Santa? How bout some Christian Hip Hop from Illijam & Magoh of the Count It Loss collective? The thought behind "Count It Loss Christmas" is that a fundamentally religious holiday has been hijacked by commercialism and greed and the real meaning of the holiday is lost, leaving some Christians down and defensive. Now, without being cantankerous and going into how the Christians, centuries ago, hijacked the dates and trappings of Pagan Solstice celebrations (do not judge lest ye be judged; do not hijack lest ye be hijacked), Count it loss says their message is to keep the true meaning of Christmas close to your heart and share it with anyone who will listen. And on that, I think we can agree. Dig the beats, yo. Free on Soundcloud.

SISTERS - HOLD ME CLOSER TINY CHRISTMAS

12/19/2014

For the title alone, I was going to like this one. Sisters is a three piece Indie Rock band from across the pond. Ireland to be precise. "Hold Me Closer Tiny Christmas" isn't really indicative of their usual sound, but it has an hypnotic Indie Pop flavor. More often, Sisters Rock it. NME spoke glowingly of their "bratty riffs and snarky vocals" and they're definitely gaining a following. So check out "Hold Me Closer Tiny Christmas"--it's free to download--and then check out more from the band on Soundcloud. There's always room for one more on the bandwagon.

SAMANTHA SINCLAIR - CHILL

12/19/2014

Feeling a bit overwhelmed by the holidays? Here's your anthem. Boston based vocalist Samantha Sinclair says "Chill". She want to skip past all of the holiday drama and hibernate til it passes. My favorite line from the song, and an unfortunate reminder to us all: "Winter's barely started yet". In point of fact, winter hasn't yet started at all and won't until this Sunday. That's a scary thought. "Chill" is mostly about dealing with the holidays post-breakup and its in the mode of the Indie Folk Pop style of, say, A Fine Frenzy. You can get with it if you want to. It's free at Bandcamp.