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SANTA'S FUNK & SOUL CHRISTMAS PARTY 3

10/31/2015

I really had wanted to get some Halloween videos up this week. But life is what happens when you're making other plans. Mrs. Katz (not her real name) has been sick again. She looks pretty frail and weak, though she is eating and drinking and her other bodily functions are functioning. She has a perch she likes up in my loft on top of the record shelves. It's about 22 feet above the floor of the house proper. Earlier this week, she fell off her spot, for no discernible reason. 22 feet to the ground. One of those things that you always worry about when you see them up there but that never actually happens. Yeah, she landed on her feet and got up running, but still...not helpful for a cat who is already looking frail.

So no Halloween vids. I guess that's your "trick". This is your "treat". The folks at Tramp Records sent over this trailer for the upcoming third volume of "Santa's Funk & Soul Christmas Party"--the award winning...wait, do we know if the series has won any awards? Well, it certainly should have. Anyway, the third in a series of rare Soul and R&B Christmas 45s that haven't been anthologized to death (indeed, most haven't been rescued in the digital age at all, but for Tramp). We mentioned the set not long ago, but this trailer contains audio clips of most of the tracks on volume 3--giving you a chance to hear some of what you're surely going to want in your Christmas arsenal. The limited edition album arrives in the states on November 20...on CD....on Vinyl...and in mp3 formats. (When released, or at least closer to release, you should also be able to order through Tramp's Bandcamp site).

What makes Tramp Records--now one of the world's leaders in quality Funk, Soul and R&B, both old and new--so special is that they aren't run by some corporation looking to put in minimal effort for maximum profit. Tramp Records was founded by Tobias Kirmayer--a fan and collector of the genre and a funk/soul DJ--in 2003. In addition to presenting new artists of the genre to a world desperately in need of some quality "Soul food", Tobias works alongside other fans and collectors of rare funk and soul to uncover those classic recordings that slipped through the cracks of time and have been criminally unheard and thus unappreciated since their initial release. The recordings are remastered and presented in exactly the way any fan and collector would want them to be--with great attention to the sound quality and a presentation that says "this is the special sauce of life" and "we love this music every bit as much as you do...or will" (for example, gatefold album covers for the vinyl and extensive liner notes which include label scans). The kind of people who frequent Stubby's may be familiar with a few of these records, but my guess is that few will know them all (and its highly unlikely that more than a couple will actually own all of these records).

The driving force behind this series of classic, if forgotten, Christmas Soul has been Jan Kohlmeyer--another fan and collector. For Volume 3, Tobias and Jan joined forces with yet another fan and collector (with a particular love of the lost Soul of Christmas music)--friend of the blog, Sean Delany. I'm particularly proud of my tiny role in this collection, having introduced Jan and Sean to each other (digitally speaking) some 18 months ago. At the time, Jan didn't think there would be a third volume of "Santa's Funk & Soul Christmas Party" but, once Jan and Sean got together, they realized that there had to be a third volume. Sean got to write the liner notes for this one and, I have to tell you, if you've never read Sean's liner notes, you're in for a treat. Sean knows how to give you the information you want without drowning you in needless verbiage. No wasted words or filler, yet filled with facts and love.

I had heard that the CD would contain additional tracks from the playlist we offered up earlier, but it currently appears that "Just A Sad Xmas" by the Soul Duo is the CD bonus track. And that kind of means you're going to want the CD, even if you get the vinyl version, because that is one of the greatest Christmas records that most people have never heard, one of the greatest Bluesy Soul Christmas tracks ever recorded. And you're going to want the vinyl, even if you get the CD. Because, let's face it, classic Soul & Funk just sounds best on vinyl (hey, it just does--you know it and I know it). Fortunately for everyone, you're not dealing with a corporation motivated by profit. Check the prices on Amazon and you'll see you're getting import goods at domestic prices. And these are good goods. Check that, these are fantastic goods. It would be a Sad Xmas indeed, and a much sadder world, without "Santa's Funk & Soul Christmas Party Volume 3". Now let's see what we can do about getting a Volume Four going. ; ^ )

01. Joe Shinall - Sock It To 'em Santa
02. Sam Sweetsinger Bell - Happy Birthday Jesus'
03. Cleveland Robinson - Xmas Time Is Here Again
04. Carole Ford - Christmas Letters
05. Velle Scott - Merry Christmas
06. Syng McGowan & The Fanettes - Dear Santa
07. Rocki Lane And The Gross Group - Santa soul
08. Excaliburs - Peace on Earth
09. The Individuals - Holiday for Drums
10. Funk Machine - Soul Santa Pt.1&2
11. Timi Terrific & Redheads - Black (Soul) Christmas
12. The Bionic I - Disco Claus
13. White Chimney - Funky Santa Claus
14. Rudi and the Rain Dearz - Santa's New Bag
*15. The Soul Duo - Just a Sad Xmas (CD Bonus track)

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ZOMBIE GRRRL

10/28/2015

Velcomb, children of the night. Come in, come in. Have a slice. No garlic, though. That would be rude.

Before I can even get started with this year's edition of "Stubby's Haunted House of Halloween", I have to tell you about a couple of other seasonal freebies. Bastards! They knew I was posting mine today.

"Call In Dead" from We Are The Union is from a Paper + Plastick sampler, "Road To Fest 14". It's a free download from the Paper + Plastick web store. I haven't listened to the whole thing, yet (which you can do at SoundCloud), so I can't say the rest of the tracks are Halloween compatible. But it's free and it does have "Call In Dead", so there's no reason not to give it a spin.

The other horror tinged collection is Solid State's "Screamfest" sampler. Solid State is noted for Christian Metal and they teamed up with New Release Today (formerly New Release Tuesday) to put this one together for you. Again, haven't listened, myself, yet, but that one is also free (via Noisetrade). And, with bands like Forevermore and Demon Hunter, it figures to be pretty good.

Keep in mind that these free downloads are likely to disappear after Halloween (Solid State's collection explicity so).

I honestly have no idea why people like these Halloween mixes of mine. My personal stash of haunting tunes was pretty well exhausted after the first one. But (sigh) people do like them and so, like a monster chained in a dungeon, here I go again. Fire bad. Music good.

Clearly, Zombies remain on the top of the pop culture food chain. You can't swing a dead cat (which I would never do) without hitting a Zombie tune or two. (Its a shame about Glenn, right?) And, in particular, the title "Zombie Girl" has been used on seemingly hundreds of tunes. We have three songs entitled "Zombie Girl" on this mix and there are several others I considered that didn't make the cut. At least we managed a "ghost" set and one Vampire tune (Vampires are so passe).

You know the drill, the tracks are pre-mixed (some mixed better than others) and you have until Midnight November 5 (pacific time) to download [link removed] before the collection slips into a vortex to hell, never to be heard from again. Song titles below link to purchase sites (pretty much just Amazon this year) and, where available, artist names are linked to their web sites. The two tracks with asterisks are free downloads. Sound effects were gathered free from the web (many from Sound Bible--attribution required). Didn't use as many this year anyway. To get the kind of "footsteps" I wanted for the open, I did purchase one track--"The Walking Dead"--from this collection. Artwork is included in the zip. I mix them up as though they were LP sides from the old days (which generally ran about 17 minutes, back then--yes, I'm very, very old). Regardless, all four "tracks"/"sets" will fit comfortably on a single CD.

I swear I did not know "Bad Things" was the theme from "True Blood" until after the mix was done. Never seen the show and, had I known, I might have passed. I did know that "Stop, I'm Already Dead" is the theme to "I Zombie" (best theme music on any television show presently airing) and it was one of the first tracks I "recruited" for this year's mix. Click this link [removed] or any of the artwork to get the zip; unzip it, and then...............listen to them...what music they make.

Kill SLICE
BAD THINGS (CLUB MIX) - JACE EVERETT (2005)
CHASING GHOSTS - BAKED A LA SKA (2015)
GHOST OF LOVE - IMELDA MAY (2014)
GHOSTS - MARTAY (2015)

thrilL SLICE
ZOMBIE LOVE SONG - YOUR FAVORITE MARTIAN (2011)
ZOMBIE GIRL - SURF SLUTS (2007)
*THRILLER (Remix) - ZACH THE LAD (2015)
*LONDON AFTER MIDNIGHT - DOCTOR CALIGARI (2014)
ZOMBIE GIRL - NOEL PICARA (2012)

Monster SLICE
HALLOWEEN - SOLEY (2015)
FOOTSTEPS - POP EVIL (2015)
VAMPIRE BITIN' BLUES - JOHN VOSEL & THE VINTAGE BUZZ BAND (2009)
TOTAL ZOMBIE - DAY WAVE (2015)
ZOMBIE DANCE - SCARLET & THE SPOOKY SPIDERS (2014)

midNight SLICE
ZOMBIE GIRLS ARE CRAY CRAY - DIGITAL LIZARDS OF DOOM (2014)
HALLOWEEN BLUES - CLARENCE BREWER (2014)
SPOOKY - CHRISTOPHER J (2015)
THE ZOMBIE SONG - STEPHANIE MABEY (2012)
STOP, I'M ALREADY DEAD - DEADBOY & THE ELEPHANTMEN (2006)
ZOMBIE GIRL - DUTCH SKA EXPRESS (2015)

Zombie Girl Cosplay make-up by Toxic Girl Cosplay (Marie Kovacs--Deviantart); photography by Kenny Lee.

COME ON DECEMBER - PATTY SMYTH

10/26/2015

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Wow, am I slipping.

Big thanks, huge thanks, humungous thanks to the reader who told me about this. Dang, I am so slipping.

Yes, the long awaited Patty Smyth Christmas album is here--sort of. "Come On December" arrives as a digital download at the usual hot spots--Amazon, iTunes, etc.--on November 20. So far as I know, the only CDs available are through Patty's PledgeMusic campaign. Those will be autographed and personalized. And the money raised will go towards The Headstrong Project. All of it. 100%. Headstrong, if you didn't know, helps our returning veterans--providing no cost, no stigma, red tape free mental healthcare.

AND THERE ARE ONLY ABOUT 40 LEFT!!! So go, now, and get yours while you can!!! Why are you still reading? GO!!! NOW!!! I'll wait. PS--pre-orders for the CD and other items are only available through November 19.

The CD will run you $35--postage included (which, if you followed my advice and ran over there, you know already). Remember, its for charity. Oh, the heck with that; remember....IT'S PATTY SMYTH!

So often, Christmas albums from artists we associate with earlier eras can disappoint, but Patty has lost none of her vocal chops over the years. She has crafted an album fully worthy of the best of her recordings. There are three all new songs, here. The title track is an uptempo number that will simultaneously remind you of Patty's very best and boost your excitement and anticipation for the coming season (as if any of us needed more excitement or anticipation about Christmas). Goosebumps, I tell ya. Goosebumps. "Walk With Me" is more a contemplative post-Christmas mid-tempo ballad which I can't help but associate with my mother's passing last year. Remember those who are gone and, for God's sake, really appreciate and spend time with those you care about who are still here. Now my goosebumps have goosebumps. I suspect "Broken" was written with Headstrong in mind, though it plays on a wider level as well.

The rest of the album is made up of seasonal favorites and hearing Patty sing them will make you love them all the more. Asking which one is best is like asking a parent to name their favorite child. But, if pressed, I'd have to say "Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas" which has been streaming on Patty's web site for the past few years. I have to add that she was clearly thinking about the meaning behind "Auld Lang Syne" when she recorded it as Patty gives the song uncommon emotion and depth.

Interestingly, "Come On December" does not include "Silent Night", which was heard on an episode of NCIS and can still be had for a dollar from the Patty Smyth web site. As well, when we first reported that Patty was recording a Christmas album, someone had noted that she and Scandal had recorded a psych-infused "Little Drummer Boy". That's not here, either. One has to wonder if Patty decided to do this record as a solo effort with traditional arrangements that connect on a more personal and intimate level. So, who knows, there may be a Patty Smyth & Scandal Christmas album in the vaults that may appear at some later date. Or not. But, boy, am I glad we have this one.

If you didn't run straight over to order before... What the heck are you waiting for? They're probably all gone, now. But, if Patty does run out of physical CDs, you can still get the download nearly a full month before its official release date. Because, yes, the album is done and downloads are LIVE for those who pledge $10 or more. You're still sitting there? What am I, talking to myself, here? Get over there and get Patty Smyth's "Come On December".

1. Come On December
2. Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas
3. Walk With Me
4. Winter Wonderland
5. The Christmas Song
6. Do You Hear What I Hear
7. Broken
8. Auld Lang Syne

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SLAY BELLES - RU PAUL

10/25/2015

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Just in time for Halloween....

Somebody's been waiting for this one. Not me, but somebody. Campy and soulful with "interludes" to keep you entertained. "Slay Belles", released October 23, features Michelle Visage, Big Freedia, and Todrick Hall, in addition to RuPaul and the Hi Pit Crew. Haven't seen any hard copy CDs anywhere (as yet) but the digital album is available from Amazon and iTunes.

1. Hi Pit Crew (Interlude)
2. Merry Christmas, Mary
3. Everybody Else’s Money (Interlude)
4. Christmas Is About Love
5. Redefined Christmas (Interlude)
6. From Your Heart (feat. Michelle Visage)
7. Stripping in the Living Room (Interlude)
8. You’re the Star (On My Christmas Tree)
9. BLT (Interlude)
10. My Favorite Holiday (feat. Markaholic)
11. Do It Forever, Daddy (Interlude)
12. Christmas Cookies
13. Jingle Bells (Interlude)
14. Jingle Dem Bells (feat. Big Freedia & Ellis Miah)
15. BB Gun (Interlude)
16. Nothing for Christmas
17. Celebrity Shopper (Interlude)
18. Deck the Halls (feat. Todrick Hall)
19. Joy to the World (Interlude)
20. Brand New Year (feat. Siedah Garrett)
21. Merry Christmas, Mary (Reprise)

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IN THE STAIRS - HALLOWEEN MASHUP

10/24/2015

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I'm going to toss up some Halloween music vids this week. Because I do that sort of thing.

A quick reminder, first, of a couple of my favorite Internet haunts this time of year. Our friends at Distinctly Jamaican Sounds are, once again, piecing together the best Halloween mix on the web, track by track--accompanied by some of the best artwork you'll ever see. That is not an exaggeration. And I've always dug the Wonderful Wonderblog--which is a fun and nostalgic place to spend a few minutes or hours.

Can't find too much information on In The Stairs. They're young, have a YouTube channel and a Facebook page, appear to be French and specialize in some really well-done MashUps. There are at least 5 songs in their Halloween MashUp from last year and, given the makeup, its highly entertaining if not especially spooky. There doesn't seem to be anywhere you can buy their music, which is a shame.

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ARE THESE THE DROIDS YOU WERE LOOKING FOR?

10/22/2015

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A couple of quickie updates.

There is now a place to go to pre-order Astrocolor's "Lit Up", which we first told you about a while ago. The album, which officially releases November 13, is available in digital and GREEN vinyl formats. The vinyl is a limited edition, so don't sleep on that if its vinyl you're after. If you're the type of person who likes to leave vinyl purchases sealed, I think you're nuts, personally (let my vinyl go, people; vinyl needs to be free), but the vinyl purchase does include a complimentary digital download on the day of release, so no worries. All pre-orders come with an immediate download of "We Three Kings" (the first single from the set) and "Rudolph". I'm an instant gratification kinda guy, myself, so that's definitely a plus in my mind. Click the album cover or the "pre-order" link up top to get where you need to go. Let's see that track list, shall we?.

1. Do You Hear What I Hear? (feat. Antonia Freybe-Smith)
2. We Three Kings (feat. Abi Rose)
3. Rudolph The Red-Nosed Reindeer
4. Sleigh Ride (feat. Abi Rose)
5. Silent Night (feat. Rykka)
6. O Christmas Tree (feat. Abi Rose)
7. Let It Snow! Let It Snow! Let It Snow!
8. Sugar Plums
9. The First Noel
10. The Little Drummer Boy (feat. Kandle)

Speaking of pre-orders, with just over a week until the highly anticipate release of "It's A Holiday Soul Party" from Sharon Jones and the Dap Kings, Dap-Tone records finally has a pre-order link of their own (yes, you've been able to pre-order from the Internet retailers, but I often prefer to order direct from the label or artist). Not only can you pre-order the Christmas CD or vinyl from Dap-Tone, There are bundles which include winter clothing (got to have an ugly sweater, right?) and/or ornaments and/or Christmas cards and/or other fine music from the Dap-Tone label (specifically, "Dap-Tone Gold II" which features 21 tracks that have previously only been issued by Dap-Tone on 45s).

The title of today's post is in reference to a CD re-issue of "Christmas In The Stars: Star Wars Christmas Album". It's a limited edition red "vinyl replica" with a paper sleeve, just like you used to get with LPs. This company is doing several of these this year. I haven't mentioned them because 1) they are albums anyone reading here would already have several of and 2) I have heard some complaints about their remastering work. To be fair, the company about whom I've heard complaints was, I believe, bought out by this company, so its possible they hired better people to remaster (not necessarily likely, but possible).

I'm mentioning this one now because not a year goes by that somebody doesn't ask me about the Star Wars Christmas Album. With the new movie coming out this December, somebody must have thought they could ride that wave. Released in 1980 on RSO (then home of the Bee Gees), the album has nothing to do with the ill-fated Christmas special, but George Lucas was opposed to the release, thinking it would harm the Star Wars brand. It may even have done so, but I think the brand recovered just fine if it did. Point is it's a really bad album. But it is so bad that it's almost good, if you're into the kitsch. I bought it when it first came out and I think I only listened to it once (and maybe not the whole thing). I'm not a fan of the kitsch. But the album, which is generally credited to Meco, does feature, if I recall correctly, the two droids, a very young Jon Bon Jovi (credited as Jon Bongiovi) in one of earliest paid recording gigs, and the "hit" single "What Do You Get A Wookie For Christmas (When He Already Has A Comb)". It has been released on CD a couple of times before and here it is again. Don't say I didn't warn you. And may the force be with you.

Finally, today... I realize I haven't been very active on the other pages of the site. The way things have gone with the site is certainly not what I had in mind when I began. I really did want a place for everything and everything in its place. I wasn't bad the first year but it soon became clear that people stuck mainly to the List and the front page. And therefore so did I. The way things tend to go, now, is that The List is where the action is in the summer and early fall, the front page is where everything happens in September and October. And then the Free List kicks in after Halloween (and gets completely nutty in December). I usually try to post some free stuff earlier (because you stumble over free stuff all the time, whether you're looking for it or not). But, this year, I've very much neglected the page.

Point is that we do have a new entry on the FREE LIST, today, and it's a good one. So head on over there and read all about it.

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WITH SINCERE APOLOGIES

10/20/2015

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If you've read the comments of our most recent post, you know basically how I screwed up the post on The Galleons. And, yes, its on me.

Two key elements of the screw-up I actually figured out before hearing from the group, once my brain fog had lifted. That's shipping and the currency conversion rate. The American dollar is weak against the British Pound. It varies, but I think it's currently about a buck and a half to the Pound. When I occasionally purchase albums from the UK, they're listed in Pounds and the conversion takes place at checkout. I think I got a bit confused since the pledge packages were already listed in dollars; the conversion was built in. And shipping, well, that should be obvious. Shipping to the states is obviously more expensive than shipping within the UK. If you think about it, the pledge tiers are in line with import prices. And the Christmas CD tier does include a download of the other album, so its still a 2 for one (unless I'm still foggy).

A third factor had not occurred to me--that it actually costs more per unit when you make fewer of them. I mean, you know, I've certainly bought things in bulk before and I know how that works, but I wasn't thinking about that at the time. Which brings me to the factor The Galleons didn't mention because it's all me.

See, about the only block of time I have to write for the web site is long after I should've been in bed (and I need a block; stealing minutes here and there doesn't work for me). I am a night person but, if I'm on schedule, I should be in bed no later than 4:00 AM. But that's about when I get to start on a piece for the site. Right now, its about quarter after 5 in the morning and I just now have the time to get back to this. At least this one is just an apology; a regular piece requires a lot of web surfing and searching, research, lots of typing (track lists are a royal pain to have to type out but sometimes you gotta), formatting (with the web host's "upgrades" making that more difficult than it should be)...it's a whole thing, even if it doesn't seem like it. Sometimes it takes me until 9 to finish up. Then I have to get up by 12:30, 1 at the latest. Which is one reason you haven't seen many consecutive day posts. As it is, the brain is foggy and the eyelids are desperate to call it a day. I actually had less time in a few of the years passed, but those time blocks were mid-day (well, mid-my-day). As with pretty much any crowd funding project that I post, here, I had already made my pledge/purchase and, I dunno...I did read the receipt and all, but it just wasn't penetrating the fog I guess.

It's not that anyone should feel sorry for me. Its a labor of love and its something I could stop doing entirely any time I want to. But I feel bad about this one because, who knows, I may have cost the group a sale or two and I did cost at least Kevin more than a few dollars if he, indeed, pledged for both CDs (or, at the absolute very least, gave him some serious sticker shock). And I know that the regulars, here, trust me as I frequently hear from artists that they get referrals from us and that those referrals purchase their CDs as often as not (or it could be they're just being polite and saying so). Yesterday, I was not worthy of that trust and I do sincerely apologize...both to you and to The Galleons. The worst part of it is that I know that I'll still be sleep typing going forward. Because this is where the time is, right now.

I do still think "Merry Bloomin Christmas" is a good deal and I do still believe The Galleons have an awesome sound. And, btw, if you didn't read the comment from The Galleons, the Christmas CDs will be coming this Christmas (I know I was unsure of that before).

I will continue to try to give you the information you need to evaluate a potential purchase. Just, you know, check my math before you press the purchase button. Because the guy who was trying to give you the information you need was, more than likely, asleep when he did so.

The Galleon's PledgeMusic campaign is here.

Peace.
Stubby

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A CRAPLOAD OF CHRISTMAS

10/19/2015

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Well, maybe not a full crapload (although I believe "crapload" is the scientific term), but we've got some interesting news and almost any of these items could lead the piece.

I guess the thing I was most excited to hear about was the Sharon Jones & The Dap-Kings vinyl single. Yes, yes, we all know about the forthcoming Christmas album and you figured there'd be a vinyl 45. But what excites me about the single is that the B-side is NOT on the album. And, even more exciting, the single is the album's Hanukkah track and the B-side is another Hanukkah track NOT on the album. Its rare enough to get a wonderful new off-genre Hanukkah track, even rarer to get one from an artist of the talent and stature of Sharon Jones & The Dap-Kings, but TWO Hanukkah tracks from an artist of the talent and stature of Sharon Jones & The Dap-Kings, with one being a non-album track--well, that would be just too much to hope for. And yet here it comes and I've gone into an uncontrollable loop of doing the Snoopy dance all over Stubby's House (the real one, not the web site).

Now to temper some of that enthusiasm, the record label does say "Special Sing Along Version" on that B-side, so it could just be an instrumental version of the A-side. Won't know until its out. Don't care. Want it. Need it. Gotta have it. And the single is VINYL ONLY. No stinkin' downloads of that flip side (no legal ones anyway).

As of yet, no audio or purchase link. But look for "8 Days of Hanukkah" backed with "What Does Hanukkah Mean To You?" on November 13. I'll put it on the list and add a purchase link when we get one.

WARNING: portions of the following video may make you dizzy. If rapid shaky camera work is a problem for you, just listen and don't watch. Seriously.

This is pretty interesting, too. The Galleons are a UK based Indie Folk group. And, in their case, Indie Folk means one part Indie one part Folk (somewhat different than what I usually think of as Indie Folk). The Galleons have embarked on a Pledge Music campaign to produce their next album, currently expected in March 2016. That's not a Christmas album. BUT....a newly recorded Galleons Christmas album is one of the incentives you can pledge for and it will be distributed EXCLUSIVELY to people who take part in this Pledge Music campaign. You will not be able to get it any other way.

Alright, hang on folks. I apparently got the pricing all wrong. My fault entirely. Though it does seem that only one person has fallen into the trap I inadvertently set. Thank God. Possibly. I don't know. The way its written isn't very clear, frankly and I am going to contact the band and find out for sure. But it certainly can be read that for $27, you only get the Christmas CD and a download of the other album (see Kevin's comment in the comment section). But that seems insane to me. And why would you have to mention that you get a download when you already mentioned that you get a download. So...NOBODY MOVE!

The Galleons say of the Christmas set that it will be a "homemade CD" and will include Christmas songs ranging from the classy to the "somewhat cheesy" and will also include a Galleons original. The pledge amount for the regular CD (with download) is *** (shipping included), while the new CD PLUS the "Merry Bloomin' Christmas" CD (and download) is *** (shipping included). For some, that's going to sound steep, but I do know that I'd rather pay *** for two CDs than *** for one. If it helps you at all, think of it as pre-ordering the Christmas CD and getting the other CD as the bonus. They aren't real clear on the timing, but, since there's also a Christmas card involved, I'm thinking the Christmas disc should be yours this Christmas (at the very least, the download version?). I dunno. Maybe we should ask them. But you know me. I never do. Since the Christmas album (which, by the way, you can send to someone else directly without it ever passing through your own hands) is strictly available to those who pledge in the current campaign (and since they are at around half of their goal with only 35 pledgers), you've got to figure it will be an extremely limited item (what, 100? 200 tops?).

The Galleons have a sweet sound and, hoping to attract some folks to their Pledge campaign, they've uploaded several cover songs on their YouTube channel, including Etta James' "At Last" and Lana Del Rey's "Shades of Cool". Definitely worth checking out. But I know you want to hear the Christmas songs and we're here to oblige. Here's an early demo of "Gabriel's Message" that The Galleons posted to SoundCloud recently. And I'm pretty sure you haven't heard it yet since the counter stands at 9 and I think I was at least 2 of those.

A while back, we speculated that the Nick Lowe & Los Straitjackets live set would likely be available on vinyl before this season was over. And we were right. Or we're pretty sure we were right. Word is that "The Quality Holiday Revue"--on vinyl--will be a Black Friday Record Store Day exclusive, meaning that the vinyl won't be turning up on-line (except as a resale from someone who bought it and hopes to flip it for profit). There are all kinds of Record Store Day categories, with "exclusive" meaning just that--you can only get it from a real record store. The official Black Friday Record Store list isn't out yet but, when it is, you'll find it here.

Hey, the Osmonds are back. Seriously. The famous family group introduced to an unsuspecting world by Andy Williams, the behemoth that begat Donny & Marie...and Donny...and Marie. They're back with a brand new holiday album, "Merry Christmas" scheduled for release November 13. They'll be touring England this holiday as part of the Andy Williams Christmas Spectacular in loving memory of that staple of Christmas past, present and future. Because of that, the Import version of the CD includes 5 songs not on the domestic release. As of yet, no listing for the domestic CD, but the Import will reach the on-line giants November 20. Also worth mentioning that the 5 bonus tracks are included in the digital version (for which we do have a listing). The family still knows how to harmonize perfectly (though its not quite the same without some precocious pre-teen in the mix). If the Osmonds singing "Last Christmas" and "Merry Christmas Everybody" is what's been missing from your life, your long national nightmare is finally over. Track list below is for the Import and digital versions. The bonus tracks are tracks 12-17.

1. It Came Upon a Midnight Clear/It's the Most Wonderful Time of the Year/ Jingle Bell Rock
2. Happy Holiday
3. You Meet the Nicest People
4. Last Christmas
5. Christmas Medley: White Christmas/Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree/Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas/Feliz Navidad/We Need a Little Christmas
6. Lonely This Christmas
7. Hallelujah
8. Little Drummer Boy
9. Kay Thompson's Jingle Bells
10. Merry Xmas Everybody
11. O Holy Night/Silent Night/Sing Out the Glories of Christmas
12. Caroling Medley: Caroling, Caroling/Here We Come a Caroling/Christmas is Coming/We Wish You A Merry Christmas
13. Winter Wonderland
14. The Gift
15. Santa Claus is Coming to Town
16. Silver Bells
17. Mary Did You Know

Because I love Jazz, let's get some Jazz in this here post. The latest from Scott DuBois is due November 6. A guitarist, Scott is noted for his deliberative improvisations and his last album was voted one of the ten best of 2012. Might be an acquired taste for some. Most of the Jazz we feature in these pages is mainstream, melodic and basically Christmas songs that explore to the outer edges but rarely beyond (Christmas songs have a structure that's hard to deconstruct without completely losing the thread). Scott, OTOH, is coloring way outside the lines. But fans of Post-Bop, Jazz Fusion and Ambient will fall into this easily...like resting your head on a soft pillow. And here I go again, talking about a 3 a.m. snowfall over a hushed countryside and the kind of soundtrack I'd want for such occasions. As you can tell from the title, "Winter Light" is a winter album, not a Christmas album. But most of us are happy to mashup the holiday and the season. As mentioned, it will be out November 6 in vinyl (a 2-LP set), CD, and digital formats (no listing for the CD just yet).

First Light Tundra
Early Morning Forest
Late Morning Snow
Noon White Mountain
Afternoon Ice Fog
Evening Blizzard
Night Tundra

And, finally, I stopped by the local Target over the weekend because this was around the time their holiday exclusives used to get released. Not a Christmas CD anywhere in sight. Nuttin'. And I'm sure they think it is, but their web site is far from the easiest for finding what you're looking for in music. Now Target has been releasing their exclusives later and later but they still tend to end up with a bunch. Digging around the web site, I was only able to find one new exclusive (so Far). And that is a Target exclusive version of LeAnn Rimes' "Today Is Christmas" featuring three bonus tracks. October 30 is the release date for the Target version.

...

1. Today Is Christmas
2. We Need A Little Christmas
3. That Spirit Of Christmas (Duet with Aloe Blacc)
4. I Still Believe in Santa Claus
5. Holly Jolly Christmas/Frosty The Snowman
6. Celebrate Me Home (Duet with Gavin DeGraw)
7. Must Be Santa
8. Christmas Time Is Here
9. The Heartache Can Wait
10. Little Drummer Boy
11. Joy (God Rest Ye Merry Gentleman/Angels We Have Heard On High/Hark The Herald Angels Sing)
12. Auld Lang Syne
13. Ring Them Bells (Target Exclusive)
14. Pretty Paper (Target Exclusive)
15. Happy Xmas (War Is Over) (Target Exclusive)

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CHRISTMAS WITHOUT COMPLEXES

10/15/2015

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Don't ask me what the that title means. I don't have a clue. I think it means I'm tired.

A little warning for all y'all. Been having some computer issues the last day or so. My usual browser is completely unusable and the one I'm using ain't too hot, neither. My brother--who knows these things better than I--thinks it might be the vid card which, as it happens, is part of the mother board on this model. Yep. I might be up the Swanee River without a paddle before you know it. I'm probably due for a new one anyway, but I can be slow taking care of these things. So if I suddenly disappear for more than a few days, well...it's probably that. The site itself won't go anywhere--just might not get updated until the new machine is in place.

Now on with the show.

Pre-orders are now LIVE for Marc Broussard's forthcoming Christmas album, "Magnolias & Mistletoe". We told you about Marc some time ago. But, if I'm reading his description correctly, it sounds like Marc's kept things fairly traditional, other than on the two originals on the album. As Marc's biggest selling point with me is his ability to fuse many different styles (R&B, Blues, Rock, Cajun, etc.), I personally think that's a mistake. I was looking forward to a full on Cajun Gumbo. But Marc maintains that the songs stand on their own and just require the appropriate amount of respect. And he does have a great voice. Not how I would've gone, but what do I know? I guess we won't know the full story until we hear the full album. Looking forward to the two originals and, for me, "O Holy Night" will tell much of the tale.

Man, I'm just going to end up sounding like a Gloomy Gus, today. KC & The Sunshine Band's "Sunshine Christmas" comes out tomorrow. So far, only two songs are available for preview--"The Little Drummer Boy" and "Santa Claus Is Coming To Town". And the big question I had while listening to 30 seconds of each (cause that's all we have, so far) is what happened to Disco? I get excited when I hear an artist with a unique style or sound is doing a Christmas record because I want to hear them do what they do--whatever style or sound they made their name on. I am thrilled, personally, that KC is back on the scene and I'll just bet he puts on a helluva live show, but....

KC's last project was an album of nostalgic covers of old Top 40 tunes. I didn't get a hint of Disco on that one. But, I figured, he's covering old Pop/Rock tunes and, while it'd have been a hoot to hear them Disco-fied, I can understand not doing so. But there's no excuse--to me--for not doing Christmas songs in the style that made you a star to begin with. Like Marc Broussard, he seems to have gone another way. Unlike Marc Broussard, KC's voice is not exceptional. In fairness--in both cases--we haven't been given much to sample to draw any real conclusions. Could be those two songs are the only non-Disco tracks or it could be that some of the originals are more reflective of KC's old sound. But, right now, I'm not encouraged. Is it too much to ask to Shake, Shake, Shake a little Christmas Booty? I wouldn't have thought so. I mean, I know that's the way, uh-huh uh-huh, I like it. There seem to be three originals on "Sunshine Christmas"--and one even has "dancing" in the title--so fingers crossed y'all.

1. The After Christmas Song
2. Jingle Bell Boogie
3. The Little Drummer Boy
4. Let's Go Dancing With Santa
5. Santa Claus Is Coming To Town
6. Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas
7. A Sunshine Christmas
8. Last Christmas
9. Do You Hear What I Hear?
10. Carol Of The Bells
11. Go Tell It On The Mountain
12. Santa Claus Is Coming To Town (Reprise)

The band Train hasn't even given us a 30 second sample of "Christmas In Tahoe", yet. But, then again, the release is still a month away. And the track list is somewhat encouraging. Train went largely contemporary in their choice of covers, though the album does include "O Holy Night" and "Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas". Beyond that, we get covers of "2000 Miles", "Happy Xmas", "This Christmas" and The Band's "Christmas Must Be Tonight". Add in an Elvis tune, a Motown classic, and Slade's "Merry Christmas Everybody" and you've got an itinerary that hits most of the high notes. There is one title that figures to be an original--"Wait For Mary, Christmas" (ouch)--plus Train's soft drink soundtrack, "Shake Up Christmas" (which, for my money. they could have left off the disc). Assuming it's the Tracey Thorn song, kudos for covering "Tinsel & Lights"--the one cover of a song that hasn't seen hundreds of covers already. Look for "Christmas In Tahoe" on November 13.

1. This Christmas
2. Christmas Must Be Tonight
3. The River
4. Christmas Island
5. Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas
6. Merry Christmas Everybody
7. What Christmas Means To Me
8. Wait For Mary, Christmas
9. O Holy Night
10. Shake Up Christmas
11. 2000 Miles
12. Tinsel and Lights

One of Seattle's premier singer-songwriters, Kristin Chambers can seem a musical chameleon at times, bouncing from one style or genre to the next. The Indie Alt artist sounds equally at home on a soft and tender folk ballad as she does on a rocker or Blues number. "Snow Globe" is her first full length Christmas record and her fourth album overall. Drop your virtual needle on any of the samples at Amazon and you'll be amazed at her versatility. I know lots of people are tired of "Little Drummer Boy", but Kristin's take is infused with just enough Psych to make it one of the best modern versions of the song that I've heard. "Its Not Christmas (Without You Here)" sounds like Gospel Blues. And "Silent Night" is positively Country-fied. Toss in a total of five originals and an appearance from Neo-Swing master Casey MacGill (of "Eggnog" fame), and you have one of the more pleasant surprises of the season so far. You can get the digital version of "Snow Globe" now, if you like. Hard copy CDs will be available sometime in late November and you can pre-order those direct from Kristin. And you might as well get the physical CD because, if you order before December 1, your price for the hard copy is the same as the digital price (plus one penny). There's also an accompanying piano song book (illustrated) that you can order with the CD or a la carte, if you're interested.

1. Christmas Eve
2. The Little Drummer Boy
3. Last Christmas
4. Home
5. It's Not Christmas (Without You Here)"
6. A Magical Guy (with Casey McGill)
7. Silent Night
8. Frozen Heart
9. Auld Lang Syne
10. The Christmas Song

There's a new Contemporary Christian collection on the way October 23. "Bethlehem Skies" includes two brand new recordings, Bianca's "Winter Wonderland" and "God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen" from Family Force 5.

1. Winter Wonderland - Bianca
2. Jesus Savior (Radio Version) - Chris August
3. Hope Was Born This Night - Sidewalk Prophets
4. Behold The Savior - Meredith Andrews
5. Christ Is Come - Big Daddy Weave
6. Into The Silent Night - King & Country
7. God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen - Family Force 5
8. O Come O Come Emmanuel - Everfound
9. Gloria - Jason Castro
10. Bethlehem Skies - Dara Maclean and Dave Barnes
11. What Child Is This - Francesca Battistelli

The Little Rockers Band hail from my old stomping ground on the Jersey Shore. They're a kids music band who also offer music lessons. And they draw a mention here because their forthcoming holiday album, "Yule Be Cool" includes 3 Hanukkah tracks. The Festival of Lights continues to be mostly ignored by artists of all stripes (though having a new Hanukkah song from Sharon Jones & The Dap Kings helps fill the void considerably), so I'm inclined to point them out whenever I see them. In keeping with the trend of kids music getting more contemporary, "It's Christmas Time Again" is a delightful Pop romp, worth checking out whether you like kids music or not. And "Snow Falls" is a sweet waltz that some crooner is going to cover (and cover well) one of these days. No listing for a hard copy CD just yet, but I imagine one will turn up on CD Baby when we reach the November 6 release date.

1. This Is How It Feels At Christmas
2. Rudolph The Red Nosed Reindeer
3. Feliz Navidad
4. Jingle Bell Rock
5. Hanukkah Is Here
6. Snow Falls
7. Frosty The Snowman
8. Dreidle Song
9. Holiday
10. 8 Little Candles
11. Let It Snow
12. It's Christmas Time Again
13. Christmas Message

I'm going to step out of my comfort zone as we Christmas wrap this one up. I doubt its a secret that Classical music ain't my strong smoot. But, this really isn't about that, though the samples on Amazon were fetching. Released in September, "Christmas Carols: From Village Green to Church Choir"--performed by Vox Turturis, conducted by Andrew Gant--has that quiet contemplative 3 a.m. snowfall feeling I often talk about (though my personal preference for such moments tends more towards Jazz). And, as Classical albums go, you're going to find almost every song familiar. But, again, that's not why I bring it up.

Andrew Gant, you see, has also written an accompanying book, The Carols of Christmas. In it, Gant traces the history of some of our favorite ancient carols. It's not something we give a lot of thought to, really. If it wasn't written by one of the classical masters, we tend to think they were just Folk songs that burst upon the scene fully formed (and I'm sure you have a friend or two who thinks, "Gosh, that P.D. guy sure wrote a lot of Christmas songs"). Fact is, those songs went through lots of changes over the centuries. Did you know that "Hark The Herald Angels Sing" used to be "Hark How All The Welkin Ring"? I didn't. And I have no idea what a "welkin" is in the first place (though context suggests a bell.....just sayin'). Or maybe you've just assumed that the people who wrote these songs were all very religious folks. But, no, there were plenty of Christmas carols written by pagans and drunks, just as some truly were written by saints and monks. It might be more of a scholarly book than a casual read, but this sort of thing fascinates me.

And one last thing, even though it isn't a Christmas record. A couple of albums from the cult 80s band Revolutionary Army of the Infant Jesus are being re-issued on vinyl for the first time. I believe "Beauty Will Save The World" is already out while "The Gift of Tears" is coming soon. "The Gift of Tears" re-issue is limited to 1000 copies of which 300 will be on clear vinyl (those only available from Feral Sounds). Described as performance art set to music, Revolutionary Army Of The Infant Jesus grew out of England's mid-eighties experimental music scene. They rarely gave interviews and were always a bit of an enigma.

I'd love to be able to tell you that I not only knew who RAIJ were, but have copies of their records within reach of my fingers, but I'd never heard of them before. The band's name alone intrigues me. As I said, "The Gift of Tears", originally released in 1987, isn't a Christmas album, but this one track works for me. "Come Holy Spirit" is a little long for a mixtape, but, if I were still on the radio, yeah, I would absolutely play it on a Christmas show (assuming an FM format, of course). Cool stuff!

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FUNK & SOUL CHRISTMAS PARTY THE THIRD

10/13/2015

3 Comments

Just got the track list for the latest in Tramp Records' ongoing series, rescuing classic Soul/R&B tracks long thought lost in time. I have to admit, there's plenty on "Santa's Funk & Soul Christmas Party 3" that I'm not familiar with, at first glance. And the ones I'm well acquainted with are, indeed, tunes that everyone should have in their holiday library--even the non-obsessive, casual Christmas music fan. Looks like Tramp has another winner on their hands--possibly topping the two that went before.

And--I don't know if I'm allowed to mention this or not--friend of the blog Sean Delany wrote the liner notes and was a major force in pulling this one together (if you've ever read any of Sean's liner notes, you know that's outstanding news).

"Santa's Funk & Soul Christmas Party 3" should be available in CD, Vinyl and digital formats on November 20.

Here's one of my all time favorites, from the golden age of Norfolk (Va) soul--"Just A Sad Xmas" from the Soul Duo (Ida Sands and Joe Webster). Full track list below. [Please note: The track list below is for the VINYL edition. The CD version is expected to contain additional tracks.]