You either know David Bazan or you don't, but the Indie Rock artist from Seattle has been the very personification of "Indie" and "Alt" since the 90s. In 2002, back when David was recording as Pedro The Lion, his record label Suicide Squeeze approached him about doing a 7" vinyl Christmas single. In those days, had Stubbys been around, you wouldn't have seen so much blue on our List...might just have been David and a couple of other off-the-beaten-path artists.
David agreed to the idea because he found it challenging. As we've so often said, here, Christmas is complicated. Sure, you've got that surface level of holiday frivolity, but then there's the commercialism gone mad, the religious aspects (about which many have mixed emotions), and then there's the unhappy underbelly so many try so hard not to see (even when they, themselves, are part of it). Finding a way to bring all of that together to present an honest musical representation intrigued Mr. Bazan. Personally, I don't find his holiday recordings as bleak as some others do, but he's definitely on the other end of the spectrum from Phil Spector. So, anyway, from time to time over the years, David Bazan has done just that--release a limited edition vinyl Christmas single. And they always sold through in a hurry. Sleep on it for a day or two and you'd miss out.
A few years back, Suicide Squeeze posted an announcement that David's singles were being gathered together to produce an entire David Bazan Christmas album. Great news! And, of course, I wrote it up at Stubby's. Just a blurb in the middle of a longer piece. It wasn't long before David started getting questions about the album. But his responses were a bit of a surprise to me and, I'm guessing, his record label, too. Basically, it was like (not an actual quote), "What, are you kidding? With my schedule? We'd never get that done--certainly not this year." And that was pretty much that.
Well, the time has finally come. David and Suicide Squeeze have put together a full album featuring 10 of the 14 Christmas tunes he's recorded over the years. This time, it's for real. We've got a title, "Dark Scared Night", cover art, track list, release date (November 11) and everything. It's a virtual Bazan Bonanza!
There will be a vinyl LP. Strictly limited first pressing of 2000 blue with white snow vinyl copies. The record company is a little vague on whether there will be additional later pressings on regular black vinyl, which is why I added "first pressing". But its big news that there will also be a CD and digital downloads. Most of these songs have never been (legally) available other than on the limited vinyl singles. And, btw, the vinyl LP of "Dark Sacred Night" does come with a download code.
David agreed to the idea because he found it challenging. As we've so often said, here, Christmas is complicated. Sure, you've got that surface level of holiday frivolity, but then there's the commercialism gone mad, the religious aspects (about which many have mixed emotions), and then there's the unhappy underbelly so many try so hard not to see (even when they, themselves, are part of it). Finding a way to bring all of that together to present an honest musical representation intrigued Mr. Bazan. Personally, I don't find his holiday recordings as bleak as some others do, but he's definitely on the other end of the spectrum from Phil Spector. So, anyway, from time to time over the years, David Bazan has done just that--release a limited edition vinyl Christmas single. And they always sold through in a hurry. Sleep on it for a day or two and you'd miss out.
A few years back, Suicide Squeeze posted an announcement that David's singles were being gathered together to produce an entire David Bazan Christmas album. Great news! And, of course, I wrote it up at Stubby's. Just a blurb in the middle of a longer piece. It wasn't long before David started getting questions about the album. But his responses were a bit of a surprise to me and, I'm guessing, his record label, too. Basically, it was like (not an actual quote), "What, are you kidding? With my schedule? We'd never get that done--certainly not this year." And that was pretty much that.
Well, the time has finally come. David and Suicide Squeeze have put together a full album featuring 10 of the 14 Christmas tunes he's recorded over the years. This time, it's for real. We've got a title, "Dark Scared Night", cover art, track list, release date (November 11) and everything. It's a virtual Bazan Bonanza!
There will be a vinyl LP. Strictly limited first pressing of 2000 blue with white snow vinyl copies. The record company is a little vague on whether there will be additional later pressings on regular black vinyl, which is why I added "first pressing". But its big news that there will also be a CD and digital downloads. Most of these songs have never been (legally) available other than on the limited vinyl singles. And, btw, the vinyl LP of "Dark Sacred Night" does come with a download code.
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1. All I Want for Christmas
2. Happy Xmas (War Is Over) 3. Away in a Manger 4. God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen 5. I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day 6. Jingle Bells 7. Silent Night 8. Long Way Around the Sea 9. O Little Town of Bethlehem 10. Wish My Kids Were Here DAVID BAZAN WEB SITE SUICIDE SQUEEZE WEB SITE PRE-ORDER VINYL FROM AMAZON PRE-ORDER CD FROM AMAZON |
But wait, there's more! If you were paying attention, you noticed that we said that David has recorded 14 Christmas tracks and the album will include 10. Well, that hardly seems fair, does it? What about those other 4 songs? They never hurt nobody or nothin'. Say hello to your "Christmas Bonus". The "Christmas Bonus", which also releases November 11, is a one-sided 12" white vinyl record featuring the other four Bazan Christmas songs (he's recorded "I Heard The Bells" twice. Well, 3 times, actually, the third being for a "Maybe This Christmas" comp, so I guess that means he's recorded 15 Christmas tracks). The B-side of "Christmas Bonus" features an etching of a wreath (don't try to play it, for goodness sake). And this one is limited to just 1000, with no corresponding CD--although this record, too, comes with a download code. One regret? I wish they'd included "Just Like Christmas" (a Low cover), which David has sung often but never released in physical form.
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1. The First Noel 2. Say It Isn't Greensleeves (A Change At Christmas) 3. Oh Come, Oh Come, Emmanuel 4. I Heard the Bells On Christmas Day PRE-ORDER FROM AMAZON |
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Gaelynn Lea is a singer and fiddle player most known for her work with Murder of Crows, but she's also played and recorded with Low, The Getarounds, and Gossamer Road, to name but a few. It's only been very recently that she's released any solo recordings.
Gaelynn suffers from a rare disability, known in layman's terms as Brittle Bone Disease. She's done a number of speaking engagements on the topics of living with disabilities and the restorative power of music. And, more recently, she's become an advocate for the disabled. Because of her disability, Gaelynn developed her own style of playing the fiddle. She also incorporates a Memory Man looping pedal, which adds multiple layers to her music. In brief, she's one of a kind.
Gaelynn Lea expects to release a Christmas album on November 11. Pre-orders (through her web site) of signed copies of "Deepest Darkness, Brightest Dawn" are helping to fund its completion. The tracks above are just rough mixes, but should give you an idea of the general direction she's taking. I think its a sound that should appeal to fans of both Alt Folk and Alt Rock, as well as Classical, New Age, Ambient, and Celtic. Sounds like good stuff to me. This December, she'll be opening for Low for a number of shows in Ireland and the UK. Stay on top of the release and her show schedule via Facebook and Gaelynn's web site.
Gaelynn suffers from a rare disability, known in layman's terms as Brittle Bone Disease. She's done a number of speaking engagements on the topics of living with disabilities and the restorative power of music. And, more recently, she's become an advocate for the disabled. Because of her disability, Gaelynn developed her own style of playing the fiddle. She also incorporates a Memory Man looping pedal, which adds multiple layers to her music. In brief, she's one of a kind.
Gaelynn Lea expects to release a Christmas album on November 11. Pre-orders (through her web site) of signed copies of "Deepest Darkness, Brightest Dawn" are helping to fund its completion. The tracks above are just rough mixes, but should give you an idea of the general direction she's taking. I think its a sound that should appeal to fans of both Alt Folk and Alt Rock, as well as Classical, New Age, Ambient, and Celtic. Sounds like good stuff to me. This December, she'll be opening for Low for a number of shows in Ireland and the UK. Stay on top of the release and her show schedule via Facebook and Gaelynn's web site.
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