Category: Folk Rock

SHINY PINES - THE CHRISTMAS EP

12/23/2015

Here's a nice three-song Christmas EP from South Carolina's Shiny Pines. You could call their sound Americana or Alt Rock, but they call themselves a Southern Rock band and that works. "I'm Dying or This Must Be Christmas" finds our protagonist waiting for a terrible shoe to drop because "Life ain't never this good." That's a double negative, dude. Just roll with it. "It's Supposed to Be Christmas" might be the same dude on a regular Christmas--"It's supposed to be Christmas, but it feels more like hell."

But the star of the Shiny Pines "Christmas EP" has to be the rockin' "Go Tell It On The Mountain", which you can hear in the video above. You can grab this set on Noisetrade.

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BULLETTE - CHRISTMAS LIGHTS (I ONLY LIGHT UP WHEN YOU'RE AROUND)

12/19/2015

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So I got an email from Monika Bullette a few days back, alerting me to her new Christmas song, "Christmas Lights (I Only Light Up When You're Around)". And I'm thinking, "I know that name."

Way, way, waaaayyy back....when the Internets were young.....in the dark ages.......you know, like around 2004, Monika had a free Christmas song on her site that she'd done with Hangnail Phillips. The song was "The Finest Gifts" and I thought it was just about the most beautiful and perfect Christmas song I'd ever heard. I didn't really start trolling the Internet for free downloads until 2005, so Monika was one of, if not my very first. You always remember your first.

Thereafter, Monika Bullette's site was one of my first destinations in the annual Christmas music hunt. And she usually had something new to offer for the season. After that, she hooked up with the Sky Drops. And the Sky Drops dropped "Christmas Feels Like Halloween" in 2010 or 2011 and "Christmas Time Is Here" in 2012 (both still free on the Sky Drops web site, btw). And then my Mom got sick and I didn't hear anything about or from Monika until that email the other day.

Monika Bullette's new Christmas song for 2015 is a demo, so it's got a bit of a raw feel to it. Nothing wrong with that; I dig raw. But Monika was also kind enough to post several other Christmas songs--all available to download free on Soundcloud--filling in those missing years for me. AND she posted "The Finest Gifts" again. Ah, Monika, you remembered. That was our song (sorry, was that too stalkerish?). And, if you never have before, cats and kittens, you have to hear this one.

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RICKIE LEE JONES - CHRISTMAS IN NEW ORLEANS

12/18/2015

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I'm pretty sure we gave you the heads up earlier this year that Rickie Lee Jones' new album, "Other Side Of Desire", contained the song "Christmas In New Orleans". Well, Rickie Lee is including that song with two other of her Christmas recordings as free downloads from her web site. The other two--"Oh Holy Night" and "God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen"--have been around a while longer, so we gave the title above to the new one (and, yes, "Oh Holy Night" is the one recorded with the Chieftans). Rickie has been offering her Christmas songs off and on for years ("Christmas In New Orleans" bumped "Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas"). At one time, you could even buy a physical disc (a CD-R, IIRC) of the Christmas tunes from her web site. Now the thing to remember with Rickie's free Christmas downloads is there is no set schedule for their availability. They might be gone by the time I post this or they could last through Christmas. Some years Rickie has offered them for just a couple of days (like, honestly, two days) and then they're gone. So, if you don't already have them, head to Rickie's web site without delay. The version in the video was recorded at/for WFUV. The free download is from the album.

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VARIOUS - A POLAROID FOR CHRISTMAS 2015

12/15/2015

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01) Alice Bisi (Oh, Alice) - Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas
02) Hund - I'll Be Stoned For Christmas (Dent May cover)
03) Naughty Betsy - All I Want For Christmas (Yeah Yeah Yeahs cover)
04) Barbados - Just For A Place In Your Heart
05) Elizabeth Morris (Allo Darlin) - The Season (Padda remix)
06) OAK - Holiday (The Get Up Kids cover)
07) Husky Loops - Shy Guy
08) Baseball Gregg - Cyber Monday
09) Steven Lipsticks And His Magic Band - Christmas Thieves
10) Boys Age - Hey Oooh
11) X-Ray Picnic - Northern Exposure
12) Flood Regions - Leprechaun On The Moon
13) Yellow Yonder - The Runner
14) mesic - A Long December (Counting Crows cover)
15) RACE - Jesus Was A Communist (Reagan Youth cover)
16) Iron Only - Airplanes
17) SMASH - Switching Light
18) Qlowski - I Do not Wanna Be Capitalized
19) Wolther Rabbitt - Then there are secrets between us (demo)
20) Homelette - Song For U
21) Le Man Avec Les Lunettes - 15 Dollars For A Sandwich
22) Dj Bitterness - I Get Drunk Like Pizzul Because It's Xmas Without You

Isn't that one of the best things you've ever heard? I don't even know if its a Christmas song. And I don't even care. And they're from Japan, believe it or not. Just wow. Mind blown.

A lot of our annual gifties have gone away. No Santastic this year. No Suburban Sprawl. No Alternate Root. No Cigar Box Nation. And this will be the last year for our annual present from Beta Radio.

On the bright side, we still have Sofia Talvik's annual Christmas song, our stocking stuffer from Joe Algeri (the JAC), and the always superb collection from XO Publicity.

My all-time favorite, though has to be "A Polaroid For Christmas". And they're back again this year with one of their biggest and best. Polaroid is an Italian music blog and, every year, the host of the blog asks bands and artists from all over the world if they might like to do a Christmas song--cover or original (or at least a song to keep one company whilst trimming the tree). And from that simple request comes some of the absolutely, hands down, no question BEST Indie Christmas music you will ever hear anywhere. Every year! It's unbelievable how good this stuff is. Some will make it into the circuit via Bandcamp or Soundcloud, but many/most will not. And it's free to download. Every year! We are truly living in blessed times (well, as far as free Indie Christmas music goes). There's always a little something for everyone--nice little Indie Pop tunes, Shoegaze, Electronica, LoFi Indie Rock, Alt Folk, Dream Pop, Punk Country...seriously, they'll run the gamut.

Now...it's getting a bit late and, normally, I'd just go later and break it down for you. But Mrs. Katz (not her real name) has another doctor's appointment tomorrow (Shhh. I didn't tell her this time), so I need to get to bed. And, to tell you the truth, I listened to this whole thing and, if I were to list my favorites, I'd be listing about 20 of the 22 tracks. So I'm going to let you find your own favorites (it's all free, after all). I will mention my very, very favorites real quick--tracks 1, 5, 10, 11, 20 and 21. Go get the whole shootin' match from Polaroid. And should you find yourself wanting to dig deeper into the artists and their music (like Boys Age up there), Polaroid has everything all linked up for you.

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NOAH GUTHRIE - RUDOLPH THE RED NOSED REINDEER

12/15/2015

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One of the tunes we posted last year that got a lot of positive feedback was Noah Guthrie's version of "(Christmas) Baby Please Come Home". Guthrie de-Spectorized the tune and made it a lament. Guthrie has a new Christmas tune out for 2015 and, like its predecessor, it's available as a free download from Noisetrade. On "Rudolph The Red Nosed Reindeer", Guthrie's recipe includes a bit of Funk and a dash of Jazz (and maybe even a smidgen of Reggae). Those are the seasonings added to Guthrie's Indie Alt Folk Rock sound. It's interesting. Cool, even. But I'm not sure it's the equal of "(Christmas) Baby Please Come Home". Then again, it's kind of hard to get deep and meaningful singing about reindeer games. Both songs are still free at Noisetrade.

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CELKILT - LET IT SNOW! LET IT SNOW! LET IT SNOW!

12/14/2015

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Even with the Internets, finding out about EVERY new release is impossible. Some real good stuff flies completely under the Radar O'Reilly. I just tripped over this new album from Celkilt, which was released on CD overseas on November 22. Oddly, the shorter version of "Kiltmas Songs"--the EP version--was released digitally on Amazon the week before. But they still don't have a listing for the full album, even as an Import.

I can't swear to their genealogy, but Celkilt are a French band who wear kilts and sing Irish flavored Rock tunes. It's great stuff, if a little head-scatching. And, at least on "Kiltmas Songs", it sounds like they're having a party on every track. Sorry I missed this one until after I was broke. There's always next year.

Anyway, Celkilt, in the spirit of the season, has an Advent Calendar at their website with each day bringing a new picture or video or future concert dates. Nestled in there on Day 9 is the only free download, so far. "Let It Snow" isn't included on either the digital EP or the digital single--only on the full "Kiltmas Songs" CD. So here's your chance to get it free from Celkilt. Simple enough. And they don't even want your email address. Merry Kiltmas! Kilts for everyone!

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ANTHONY & IRENE CHAPMAN - THE NEWBORN KING

12/12/2015

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This is interesting. We've been celebrating the Festival of Lights on the front page. This isn't Hanukkah music, but....

Anthony & Irene Chapman are from New England, but emigrated to Israel several years ago. Their holiday EP, "The Newborn King", features two versions each of two classic Christmas carols. The second version of each starts out the same but then goes on to feature lyrics sung in Hebrew. No doubt some traditionalists in each camp will find this difficult to accept, but I say, if we can bring music together, why not whole nations? Alright, alright, a little naive, even for me. But I do think its a great concept and it works great here.

Even when the Christmas music of Anthony & Irene Chapman isn't featuring lyrics in Hebrew, the music, itself, is a fusion of influences. The Middle Eastern feel of "Hark The Herald Angels Sing" is undeniable and, while "Silent Night" has its share of Middle Eastern influence as well, what struck me on that one was the Progressive Jazz Fusion feel. The cumulative effect is both bracing and very appealing. Take away the Hebrew lyrics and you still have original arrangements and music that excites and stimulates. Dare I say "inspires"? Very cool.

"The Newborn King" is available free from Bandcamp and Noisetrade.

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ANDY RUCK - MARY CUNNINGHAM (THE CHRISTMAS GHOST)

12/11/2015

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I have to tell you. I'm really missing 2 U I Bestow this year. The proprietor(s) of that fine music blog are taking a break. But that's where I always went to get the best in Irish Indie. Now I've got to fend for myself.

Andy Ruck is a singer/songwriter from Northern Ireland. He doesn't nail himself down to any one genre, but you're not likely to see him writing for AC/DC, I don't think.

We've had a lot of songs about ghosts this year, but Andy may be the first one to name his. "Mary Cunningham (The Christmas Ghost)" is a story song (as Harry Chapin liked to call them), so you have to pay attention to the lyrics. And the song has that kind of Soul only Irish Folk has. Download free at Soundcloud.

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VARIOUS - NOISETRADE HOLIDAY MIXTAPE 2015

12/8/2015

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Like the rest of us, Noisetrade enjoys a good holiday mixtape. And it looks like they have a new dance partner. In the past, they've teamed up with Paste Magazine and HGTV to bring you some seasonal sounds. This year's collection is presented by Noisetrade and FanBridge, the outfit that helps bands keep track of how many folks are clicking through on emails (and assorted other services).

Some of these tunes, we've presented to you before--like Jetty Rae and Miranda Dodson. Some we hadn't gotten to yet and some are old friends, like Sleeping At Last and Drew Holcomb. Among my new favorites on the set...Dressy Bessy's "Kringles" (so long as nobody turns it into a potato chip commercial) and "My Favorite Time Of Year" by Jackopierce. Mostly CCM, Indie Pop, Folk Pop and Americana, every track is a winner and there are 20. So pour a glass of eggnog, turn on the tree, and enjoy the "Noisetrade Holiday Mixtape 2015". It's free at Noisetrade (thanks, Captain Obvious).

1. Dave Barnes- Better Than Christmas Day
2. Sleeping At Last- Snow
3. Angel Snow- O Holy Night
4. Drew Holcomb & The Neighbors- Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas
5. Jars of Clay- Christmas for Cowboys
6. The Mastersons- This Holiday's No Holiday (Without You)
7. Corey Kilgannon- All Through the Night
8. Jackopierce- My Favorite Time of Year
9. Matt Wertz- Christmas Just Ain't Christmas (Without You)
10. Ellie Holcomb- Christmas For You And Me
11. Shannon LaBrie- My Snow Angel
12. Wade Bowen- O Holy Night
13. JJ Heller- Star Of Wonder
14. Jetty Rae- Christmas Kiss
15. Kyle Andrews- Next to You
16. Luke Dowler - All I Want For Christmas Is A New Guitar
17. Dressy Bessy- Kringles
18. Miranda Dodson- It's Merry Christmas Time
19. Danny Leggett- Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree
20. The Digital Age- Silent Night

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THE WINTER FAILURE - ANOTHER CHRISTMAS FAILURE

12/8/2015

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That's the one. Right there. "This Is Christmas". Gorgeous. Beautiful. Wonderful. An original. I forgive everything for a song like that.

The Winter Failure is (currently) an Indie Christian Alt Folk trio (yeah, I'm sticking with that). And it looks like each member is in a different city. I could be wrong, but that's what it looks like. So you can imagine that they'll do whatever it takes to record their music. Cassette recorder? Sure. You can get pretty good sound on a phone these days. Yep. Dixie cup and a thread? Why not? There's a wide range of "sound", here. They'll bounce around from some pretty decent sound to Lo-Fi to the hall closet. But, God help me, I love 'em. Their sincerity and passion for Christmas music is palpable. That can't be taught or bought. And they clearly love the Christmas music gig. And you gotta love that.

We first reviewed them back in 2010. It was very rough and raw, tough to sit through at times, but there was a sliver of promise. Last year (on December 8, no less....must be a thing), we listened to "Christmas Eve/Christmas Morning". One or two mis-steps but, overall, a really solid album, I thought, with some serious highlights. I thought they were on the verge of something grand. Listening to "Another Christmas Failure", I'd have to say its still a work in progress.

"Another Christmas Failure" opens with a rock arrangement of "Away In A Manger" and I thought that was a mistake. Your first song needs to set the tone for the rest of the record. It didn't. Even though I liked the arrangement, it sounded unfinished and I think you needed better ears on the sound/mixing board. "Christmas Waltz" has some genuine charm but, following "Away In A Manger", all that is lost. The original "Fever Wreath", "In The Bleak Midwinter", and "Snow" were more what I was hoping to hear from Winter Failure; those were on a par with last year's record.

"Fairytale Of New York"? What were you thinking? Nope. Nope. Not having it.

And then..."This Is Christmas". From the ridiculous to the sublime. Aw, man, you see that? You guys are capable of absolute beauty and brilliance like that--the rival of any of the Alt Folk/Indie Folk Rock bands out there. And then you throw "Fairytale of New York" at me? And I did enjoy the closing medley (well done and a nice closer).

All sins are forgiven, thanks to "This Is Christmas". I would tell people to download it for that magical moment. Heck, I'd pay for that one (which folks can do now that The Winter Failure is on iTunes and Amazon). More like that, please. And, honestly, I can even understand "Fairytale of New York" (if I squint real hard). But set yourself up for success. If it were me, I'd have opened with "Fever Wreath" followed by "In The Bleak Midwinter" and then "This Is Christmas". A stage gig would be totally different but, for the record, that's how I'd have gone.

"Another Christmas Failure" is available as a free download from Noisetrade. If you didn't last year, grab "Christmas Eve/Christmas Morning" while you're over there.

1. Away In A Manger
2. Christmas Waltz
3. Fever Wreath
4. In The Bleak Midwinter
5. Fairytale Of New York
6. Snow
7. This Is Christmas
8. Jesu, Joy Of Man's Desiring
9. I Heard The Bells On Christmas Day
10. White Christmas Medley (Live)

THE WINTER FAILURE ON FACEBOOK

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SHINY PINES - THE CHRISTMAS EP

BULLETTE - CHRISTMAS LIGHTS (I ONLY LIGHT UP WHEN YOU'RE AROUND)

RICKIE LEE JONES - CHRISTMAS IN NEW ORLEANS

VARIOUS - A POLAROID FOR CHRISTMAS 2015

NOAH GUTHRIE - RUDOLPH THE RED NOSED REINDEER

CELKILT - LET IT SNOW! LET IT SNOW! LET IT SNOW!

ANTHONY & IRENE CHAPMAN - THE NEWBORN KING

ANDY RUCK - MARY CUNNINGHAM (THE CHRISTMAS GHOST)

VARIOUS - NOISETRADE HOLIDAY MIXTAPE 2015

THE WINTER FAILURE - ANOTHER CHRISTMAS FAILURE

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