Category: Folk

SOFIA TALVIK - POEM AT YEAR'S END

12/2/2018

Is there someone you love that you only see at Christmas? You know that feeling when you first see them again. There's that moment when you doubt yourself, when you worry that the time that has passed will have changed everything, that the connection won't be there anymore. Then you embrace and it's as if no time at all has passed. And you realize how silly that doubt was because the connection is so strong, time and space are no match for it. Then you know how I felt when Sofia Talvik's annual Christmas single arrived in my mailbox this morning.

Isn't that just about the most beautiful thing you've ever heard?

I've been exhausted, lately. I worry about how much that's affected my writing, here. I only managed a couple hours of sleep, last night. And the only reason I didn't just surrender to a few more hours in bed is the number of "questionable" players on my Fantasy Football roster (it's nearly playoff season, you understand; priorities). So my ass was truly dragging. Sofia brought me back to life.

I approached "Poem At Year's End" with a measure of skepticism. I wasn't planning to front page it, certainly. She won me over with the opening line: "The last of autumns leaves are falling from the tousles of your hair." The music floated like a late autumn/early winter breeze, the harmony vocals were whatever lies beyond lovely, and I'm a sucker for cello (provided here by David Floer). The poem (for it is most definitely a poem) conveys perfectly the passage of time and the music conveys a sense of weariness of past trials and hope for renewal. "Let Christmas light the darkness and guide us through the night/Till we step out in the new year, new as the morning light." My only disappointment was that "Poem At Year's End" didn't go on for much longer. I just wanted to wrap myself in that sound and feeling and hibernate until January.

Sofia's Christmas music and I go way back. I may have mentioned that here once or twice. It's been amazing to watch her continually get better as an artist (even as I seem to be falling apart), to watch her experiment with different sounds and styles and then incorporate them into the whole, like seasons passing. As "Poem At Year's End" at least implies, we are, basically, like the trees. There are seasons where it's pretty good to be a tree, and there are seasons which are harsh. Through it all, we continue growing and adding layers. And there will be more seasons to come, both good and bad, and that's strangely comforting (in a "we'll get through this in spite of ourselves" kinda way).

Certainly, last year was a harder one for me than this one. And, certainly, others are right now going through trials and tribulations greater than any I've yet faced. But no life and no year is without struggle. Whatever it is, know that spring and summer will come again.

"Poem At Year's End" by Sofia Talvik is available as a free download from Bandcamp. And you should know that no Christmas music collection is complete without Sofia's album from last year, "When Winter Comes".

Sofia's been touring a lot, lately--even over here in America (oh, did I forget to mention she's Swedish?). And someone uploaded to YouTube a recent performance of "A Berlin Christmas Tale", which has always been one of my favorites. So, if you'll indulge me...because, "Baby, It's Christmas..."

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CHRISTMAS 1914

11/11/2018

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Happy Veterans Day. Much earlier this year, we reported that Canadian singer John McDermott was planning to record a new Christmas album, the centerpiece of which was to be a song called "Christmas In 1914"--a song about the Christmas Truce which McDermott said was even better than "Christmas In The Trenches" (which he also recorded). Well, there's been no sign of a McDermott Christmas album...yet. And the piece from which we got our information has magically disappeared from the web.

But a new single is listed at Amazon and Bandcamp by Jimmy Lee Morris called "Christmas 1914" and it would appear to fit the description McDermott gave in that it's a new song written from the perspective of a soldier. Morris wrote most of the song years ago, but finished it up earlier this year so that it's release could coincide with the 100th anniversary of the end of World War I. World War I formally ended at the eleventh hour of the eleventh day on the eleventh month of 1918--which is why Veterans Day is always celebrated on November 11.

While checking on the net for McDermott's possible recording, I also came across another song called "Christmas 1914". This "Christmas 1914" was written and performed by British singer/songwriter and author Mike Harding. Originally released in 1977, it was remastered and rereleased in 2014--the 100th anniversary of the Christmas Truce. Mr. Harding's "Christmas 1914" is currently available as a free download via Soundcloud.

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IN CASE YOU MISSED IT - OTIS GIBBS

10/30/2018

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Otis Gibbs isn't a big fan of Christmas...not as we know it. Like many, he's been turned off by the commercialism and by the lack of appreciation of those who have been blessed with so much. After explaining that, he'll smile slyly and admit that he threw his own crap on the pile when he recorded "Once I Dreamed of Christmas" back in 2003.

Otis Gibbs is a genuine and gentle soul. He has his music, he has a podcast called "Thanks For Giving A Damn" (just Otis and others sharing memories, stories, and history--nothing on the political issues of the moment), and he has planted over 7000 trees. He's doing his bit to make this a better world. Oh, and he once wrestled a bear (and lost).

Hailing from Indiana, the Alt Country/Folk artist is rarely heard getting into the political machinations of the day. You get the feeling that he feels that the outrage of the moment doesn't accomplish anything, that it's all a huge distraction from the real work that needs to be done. Not that Otis doesn't have a point of view. He clearly believes in a larger picture of social justice and the struggle of the working man. Much of his music pays tribute to ordinary everyday people trying to make it through another day or to the labor leaders of the past--the Joe Hills and Lucy Parsons of the world. Otis tells the tale of the larger picture through smaller stories.

Perhaps the best example of this is his song "Sputnik Monroe" from his most recent record "Mount Renraw". Sputnik Monroe was an actual person--a wrestling "heel" who was paid to be the guy wrestling fans would hate and root against. Monroe was a huge draw, more people paying to root against him than coming to root for his "good guy" opponents. Monroe was especially popular in Memphis and he had friends in the segregated black communities there. He was arrested repeatedly for the crime of having a beer with his black friends and he would further infuriate southern whites by being defended in court by a black lawyer. This only served to make him a bigger draw--whites coming to hate him and blacks coming to cheer him on. But the black fans were forced to sit, segregated, in the proverbial "cheap seats". One night, Sputnik refused to fight unless the promoters allowed blacks to sit wherever they wanted. And the promoters, recognizing that Sputnik was the biggest draw they had, relented. It was the first time any sporting event in the south was desegregated. This was in 1959. "Standing on the ground where King stood," Otis sings, making the point that, in his corner of the world, Sputnik had struck a true blow in the advancement of Civil Rights...and in Memphis, no less. You don't have to be larger than life to be a hero. You don't have to change the world to change the world.

"Once I Dreamed of Christmas", returning November 2 in a trimmed and digital fashion, has been described as an anti-Christmas album, but I never felt that way about it. Anti-commercialism? Certainly. Hard to say otherwise with a track like "Crap For Christmas" in there. But anti-Christmas? I don't think so. In "Color Wheel", for example, lies the heart of someone trying to get past all the crap to rediscover the simple good that is at the core of the holiday.

Otis paints a unique but needed picture of Christmas through a series of vignettes. "Lonely Mistletoe Night" tells the story of a child being raised by a single mother who has to work double shifts to pay the bills, leaving the child contemplating the contrast of the bright colorful lights and the darkness of being alone through most of the season. There's "Carl and Mavis", about a couple so "cheap" they'd split up every year at Thanksgiving just to avoid having to buy Christmas presents for each other. Then there's "A Man Named Jesus", wherein the Savior does his best Marshall McLuhan, showing up at your door to say "You know nothing of my work".

On the other end of the spectrum, Otis offers the story of "Lloyd The Reindeer", who dropped out of reindeer school, joined the Merchant Marines, and, ultimately, gets into a knife fight with Santa. "Lookin' Like A Hippy"--comparing Santa to a hippy--is a theme that has been done before, but Otis delivers it with such genuine skepticism that his take on the theme "wins". And there's the utterly charming, no dark or deep corners at all, "Mr. Santa Claus". The version of "Once I Dreamed Of Christmas" coming November 2 closes with a cover of Woody Guthrie's "1913 Massacre" (the true story of 73 men, women and children--mostly striking miners--dying in an incident on Christmas Eve, precipitated, according to most accounts, by the mining company owners).

1. Lloyd the Reindeer
2. Lonely Mistletoe Night
3. Carl and Mavis
4. Crap for Christmas
5. Color Wheel
6. A Man Named Jesus
7. Lookin' Like a Hippie
8. Little Red Nose
9. Mr. Santa Claus
10. 1913 Massacre

OTIS GIBBS WEB SITE
THANKS FOR GIVING A DAMN PODCAST
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The digital version of "Once I Dreamed of Christmas" omits the last two tracks, which is a shame as they were two of its best. "Cowboy's Christmas" is the story of a farmer or rancher trying to hold on to the joy of Christmas after "the Lord took his wife and the bank took his land". And "Jesus On The Couch" sees our protagonist having a sit down chat with the man, himself, on Christmas Eve. And what advice does Jesus have to offer? "Let bygones be bygones/Have fun every day of your life, son/Have love for your fellow man/And don't ever lose your self-respect" and, finally, "Don't work jobs that you hate to buy things you don't need".

CDs of "Once I Dreamed of Christmas" sold out pretty quick back in the day. For some time, Otis had the album available for digital download purchase on Bandcamp, but it's been unavailable in any form for a while, now. Even in this shortened form, "Once I Dreamed of Christmas" is a unique and essential window on a part (or parts) of Christmas we don't often think about. It's a Christmas that's more real than the idealized fantasy most Christmas music tries to project. If you can find a copy of Otis Gibbs' "Once I Dreamed of Christmas" at a reasonable price, I'd recommend picking it up. If not, this shortened digital version could do ya. Merry Christmas. And have a crap crap crappy New Year.

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SNOWFLAKES SINGLES 2018

10/22/2018

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Did you know that Michael Buble has decided to retire? There are some things we connect with Christmas that are completely within our control... What kind of tree will we get or will we even get a tree at all? Will we have turkey or ham for Christmas dinner, or maybe that old standby the Holiday Stromboli? Will we go over the river and through the woods to Grandma's house for Christmas or is everybody gathering at our own humble manger? Nativity scene or reindeer and Claus? We all have our own traditions of the season that we decide whether to continue or to change. But there are other aspects of the season over which we have no control. And, when those change, we always feel a bit of a loss. I'm still crying over the fact that there are no more Santastic mixes. How many years has it been, now? Bing Crosby dies, Michael Buble retires. Dear God, don't give me any bad news about the Macy's parade or "A Charlie Brown Christmas". We need our traditions and we especially need the traditions we can't control.

As Elizabeth Chan has become our new Bing Crosby, bringing annual cheer in the form of new Yuletide music every year, our friend Robert Voogt is helping to keep another tradition alive...that of the Christmas 7" single. While we still get a handful of Christmas vinyl singles every year, it's worth remembering that that ghost had about been given up for dead when Robert started the Snowflakes Singles Club, and that the only reason there's any Christmas vinyl out there at all, these days, has more to do with the shrinking into non-existence CD market than with the growth of the vinyl market. For now, at least, we can count on Robert to keep this holiday tradition alive as Snowflakes Singles enter their sixth year. And thank goodness he isn't in it for the money; otherwise Snowflakes probably would have melted away after the first or second year.

So we just got word of the 2018 crop of Snowflakes Singles (always an exciting reveal). These are Christmas records recorded by some of the finest Indie groups and artists from around the world, all pressed to white vinyl, enclosed in a sturdy record sleeve with fantastic artwork, and limited to (this year) no more than 320 each. The "A" side features an original Christmas song and the flip features a cover. They are NOW available for pre-order and will ship the third week of November. Let's see who is coming to Christmas dinner this year. Click on the artwork to get to the purchase site (or wait til the end and buy all 3). As the audio for these is not yet available, it is our tradition here at Stubby's to give you some non-holiday audio from each of the artists.

Oh! Gunquit is a Rumble-Pop band hailing from London. A little bit Punk, a little bit Surf, a little bit Psych, and a spoonful of Exotica, and just far enough out there to remind you that you didn't know what to make of Esquivel the first time you heard him either...but you knew that you liked it. They pride themselves on being inappropriate and their interests include hissing cockroaches. I $#!% you not. They've been releasing strange yet oddly irresistible music since 2011, including a 2015 album with one of the best titles ever, "Eat Yuppies And Dance". For my head, the horns (musical, not on their heads) make all the difference and I find there's a bit of a kinship, musically, to the B-52's (only more so). And, as you explore Oh! Gunquit's musical reservoir, you'll find several tunes that would be awesome for a Halloween mix (just sayin').

For their Snowflakes Singles release, Oh! Gunquit has created the original "High On Xmas" which, given the rest of their work, promises to be on another plane of reality from any Christmas music you've ever known. If Spinal Tap is going to 11, Oh! Gunquit's gonna take it up to a 15 real quick. For their cover tune, Oh! Gunquit is doing up the Sonics' classic "Don't Believe In Christmas". That should be real fun.

I've chosen an early song from Oh! Gunquit to share with you (might even be their debut single), because the production values of this video are exceptional. Musically, I don't think they're quite as reserved as they were back then. Here's Oh! Gunquit with "Lights Out".

Green Seagull, also from London, is a relatively young band having formed in 2016 when Paul Milne and Paul Nelson, formerly of other bands, decided to write together. They found that they shared a love for late 60s Baroque Psych and a band was born. And, man, do they have it down. It's like they travelled from 1967 to the present in Doctor Who's Tardis (thank you, Doctor, for once again saving the planet; Star Trek only brought whales to the future, but you brought us Green Seagull). Somewhere on the tip of my ever failing brain are a list of groups I could compare Green Seagull to. But the best I can do right now is The Byrds of "Eight Miles High" vintage. Yes, I get the Association and Left Banke references, even the bit of the Stones (the band takes its name from the misheard lyrics of "Paint It Black"). Timothy Clover maybe? Still not quite right. But I know I'm going to place them better once it's too late for this piece. So forget comparisons and just go listen to Green Seagull's body of incredible work on Soundcloud. It'll have you drooling in anticipation of their Snowflakes Single.

Green Seagull's original, "First Snow of Winter", is a Baroque Pop number, set to wrap you in a blanket of winter white and take you back to your childhood...especially if your childhood was in the 60s. As for Green Seagull's cover song, get ready for a treat...an organ drenched Psych Rock version of "God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen". I love the sound of organ-driven Psych in the morning; it sounds like...victory. It's sadly the case that, back when Psych was at the height of its popularity, Christmas music was at its nadir. So there just aren't nearly enough Christmas songs featuring those head tripping sounds, magical organs and jangly guitars. Thank you, Green Seagull (and Doctor Who) for doing your part to set right what once went wrong.

For our sample of the sounds of Green Seagull, I chose "Remember The Time", but, really, I could have picked anything; their musical output thus far is a virtual buffet of delectable goodies.

The third Snowflakes Single is from Art Folk artist Rachael Dadd. Rachael, who debuted in 2004, lives what is described as a semi-nomadic lifestyle, splitting her time between Bristol in the UK and Japan. Her music is no less untethered. She plays multiple instruments, is constantly trying on new sounds, working with new percussive techniques, wandering in and out of Jazz, and collaborating with a wide range of other artists including Laura Marling, Alessi's Ark, The Atlas Mountains, and ICHI (who also happens to be her husband). As reviewer Lauren Laverne says, "you never know what she's going to do next."

Ah, but, Lauren, we do. Because next up from Rachael Dadd is her Snowflakes Single. In true non-conformist fashion, Rachael forces us to mention her "B" side first, "The Holly And The Ivy". And that is because Rachel's original is the poetic, sparse, atmospheric "Spark Illuminate" which is inspired by "The Holly And The Ivy". For "Spark Illuminate", we hear just Rachael and a piano that's been specially prepared by placing objects on or between strings to alter the sound. The effect mimics the stillness of the mid-winter in a manner that's every bit as unique as is Rachael Dadd.

I'd again recommend exploring Rachael's music for yourself. But I decided I would have to find a track that featured the piano (prepared or not) and so I chose "Happiness", a song from the 2008 Japanese EP "Little Things".

And there you have it, Snowflakes Singles, the class of 2018. I am being 100% sincere when I say that this promises to be the finest collection of Snowflakes Christmas Singles ever. Yes, even better than year one (which you'll recall featured Smoke Fairies and The Garlands). Curse you Robert Voogt, I'm going to have to buy them again (as I have every year). And bless you Robert Voogt for keeping this holiday tradition alive.

As noted before, pre-orders are now being taken for these singles, each limited to 320. Click on the artwork for the single you're interested in. Or buy the whole collection here and save a few shekels (and save on postage, too). And, if you missed any of the earlier Snowflakes Singles, some are still available in limited numbers. You'll find the remaining selections here. A little later on, the 2018 singles will also be available through Bandcamp and there will be audio available as well.

I know not what others may feel but, as for me, Snowflakes Christmas Singles are as important a part of my Christmas as "A Charlie Brown Christmas", Elizabeth Chan, and Santa Claus. There, I said it. And I mean it. Don't miss out.

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SINGLES! (NOW WITH MORE INTERNATIONAL FLAVOUR)

10/19/2018

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"Navidad" by Frank Johnson is one of my favorite Christmas singles of the, as yet, young season. The sound is as fresh as any modern Indie Rock, yet a throwback to the Psych sounds of the late 60s. I wish I could tell you more about Frank Johnson. I spent a good deal of time looking and a good deal of time typing into google translate and, still, I know next to nothing. We do know that Frank Johnson is from Spain. We are told that Frank Johnson has played in other bands and that this is Frank Johnson's solo debut...the lead track from the album "Garman" (and that either the single or the album or both will eventually be available on vinyl, or so Frank Johnson says). And we know that Frank Johnson was influenced by the group Love and by the guitars of Eddy Hazel. And I keep repeating the name in full because I don't even know if Frank Johnson is a man or a woman. Several of the pronouns in a less than helpful PR piece translate as "she" and "her" (and, in at least one picture on Facebook, the beard being worn by Frank Johnson appears to be fake). But the vocals sound masculine, so let's go with that.

I did translate the lyrics, though. So here's what the song is about. Basically, "Navidad" is about how the year is long and December is dark and cold. But, if you find that you're getting down, Christmas is the reward at the end of it all. And it isn't because of expensive presents...spending money and getting presents is not going to make you happy. Don't look down, look up. That's where you'll find the peace and happiness that will sustain you through the next year. What the video of two people in reindeer suits running towards each other has to do with that, I have no idea. But I love the song, whoever Frank Johnson turns out to be. You can find "Navidad" at Amazon or Bandcamp or CD Baby or wherever you get your downloads.

One of the people on my personal holiday disc-swapping list has confessed to me, in the past, that he is fascinated by sea shanties and will seek, high and low, for any song that connects the sea shanty with Christmas. As he lives in Canada, and as the group Celtic Rant is also from Canada, he likely spotted this one before I did and already added it to his collection. But, just in case... and, of course, for the rest of us...

As noted, Celtic Rant is from Nova Scotia in Canada. And, as the band name would suggest, they play a folksy blend of Irish and Scottish tunes, sea shanties, and original tunes, and have done since 2006. This year, Celtic Rant recorded a Christmas album, "Ornaments". "Ornaments" has been nominated for Best Traditional/Roots Recording of the Year by Music Nova Scotia (the winners to be announced in a couple of weeks). As yet, I haven't been able to find a purchase link for "Ornaments". It's possible it hasn't been officially released yet (maybe the CDs are still pressing or whatever), but you can stream it on Soundcloud.

"Christmas Day Back Home" is the latest of three holiday singles from "Ornaments", joining "Christmas In The Trenches" and "Auld Lang Syne". Rob Wigle, the vocalist for Celtic Rant, was curious about a tradition he'd read about where sailors reportedly would collect their Christmas gifts, port to port, throughout the year. He looked for a sea shanty that told the tale but, finding none, he wrote his own. You can get your copy of Celtic Rant's "Christmas Day Back Home" from CD Baby.

How many times have you heard someone say, "They just don't make 'em like that anymore." Well, truth be told, some do. You just have to know where to look.

"I'm Gettin' Into The Swing of Christmas" may sound like a song from the classic crooner age of Frank and Bing and Mel Torme, but it's brand new (just releasing today, in fact) written and sung by Todd Murray. Say all you want about the modern artists who try to recreate the old magic, Todd Murray is the real deal and the authenticity shows. First of all, there's that amazing voice; you really can't do crooner right without a voice like that. And Todd's done the work, singing a wide variety of music in a wide variety of settings since he was a child--Gospel, Pop, Country, Jazz, Folk, and Cabaret in churches, at fairs, at VA hospitals, in concerts, on cruise lines, and in musical theater. Even before he was in college, he was doing 300 shows a year. And of course you need a full, live orchestra to back you up. Let's face it, Todd's an expert baker with the perfect recipe for a show-stopping Christmas cookie. "I'm Gettin' Into The Swing of Christmas" is complimented by Todd's other new Christmas song, "Let's Hear It For Santa Claus". The latter enchanted me as it comes from the child mind we're always trying to recapture as we grow older. And "Let's Hear It For Santa Claus" sounds to me like a tune that will invite covers in other genres down the line as it so readily appeals to children of all ages. Todd has three full albums under his belt, worth checking out if you're into the old standards. It only seems a shame he waited so long to try his hand at Christmas music. You'll find "I'm Gettin' Into The Swing of Christmas" at Amazon and iTunes and the other usual digital platforms, "Let's Hear It For Santa Claus" here and here and likewise. You'll also find both songs and his albums at Todd Murray's web site.

They love Christmas and Christmas music in the Philippines. Every year, when I go searching for new and forthcoming Christmas music, I always come across a bunch from the Philippines. I don't often go chasing those down, but sometimes I do. I loved discovering The Bloomfields, for example, whose regular sound is more Beatles-like but whose Christmas album is pure Beach Boys.

TJ Monterde is relatively new on the Filipino music scene, but he's dominated their charts in the last few years. TJ left his job as a radio announcer back around the turn of the decade looking for a label to sign him, but, after knocking on a lot of doors, found no takers. So he began uploading his music to YouTube in 2011 and generated the kind of following we associate with Justin Bieber and Shawn Mendes. He currently has over a million and a half followers on social media and over 56,000 subscribers to his YouTube channel. Needless to say, a record label did eventually sign him and, at one point in 2017, he had four songs in the Philippine Top 20.

A balladeer with a soulful voice, TJ Monterde's Christmas single is "Litrato Ngayong Pasko" ("This Christmas Photograph"). I don't have lyrics to plug into google translate, but I believe it's a song about missing someone who is far away. Maybe it's because I've always loved the holiday songs from faraway lands, but it sounds like Christmas to me and I wouldn't hesitate to include it in my Yuletide playlist, not even a little bit. If you're game for the foreign language stuff, you'll find "Litrato Ngayong Pasko" at Amazon.

There's something undeniably fun about Cajun Christmas music...whether it comes from the Blues side of the gumbo or the Country side. "Louisiana Christmas" from Trevor Bohannon is one of the latter. I can still remember the first time I saw Doug Kershaw on the TV and, while this isn't Doug, neither did Doug give us a true Doug Kershaw Christmas song either (the best we got was a non-fiddling "Dominic The Donkey" from late in his career).

Trevor Bohannon is a Louisiana Country artist who, already a musician, started writing songs in 1997. He was hoping to have others sing his songs (and still hopes for that, I'm sure). But, at some point, it became one of those, "If you want something done, best do it yourself" kinda situations. Aside from the festive feel and fiddle, I thought the description of Santa doing his work as "in and out like a hurricane" was both original and evocative (neither he nor I intending any disrespect to victims of Florence and Michael). "Louisiana Christmas" by Trevor Bohannon is available at Amazon and CD Baby.

Born Roland Yearwood, RemBunction is no music newcomer. He was winning talent contests in Trinidad and Tobago at the age of 11. In high school, he toured the world as part of Trinity College's Steel Drum ensemble. As an adult, Roland has found success as an actor, director, playwright, videographer, cartoonist, animator, singer and songwriter.

Among RemBunction's musical work, he seems to have a particular affinity for Christmas songs, including the ever popular "Mr. Santa Claus (Socks And Drawz)". That and many other classics appear on his 2013 album , "A Merry Remy Christmas".

RemBunction's 2018 Christmas single is a Groovy Soca original, "The Christmas Spirit", something Remy brings every year. Pick it up from Amazon.

I suppose you've been looking for this one..."We All Need Christmas" by Def Leppard. It's fine, nice even. Gonna sound great on the radio. I just don't have anything to say about it, really. I'm sure others do. Plus, I'm really, really tired right now. That's the problem with these singles posts. By the time I get through 5 or 6 singles, these days, I run out of gas. Bad luck that Def Leppard was number 7. Written by Rick Savage. You can grab it at Amazon.

We get a ton of goofy records every Christmas and, you know me, I'm not a big fan of the goof. But there are a few reasons why I'm including "Fly Possum Fly" on our singles rundown. For one thing, there's a Bluegrass version (though the Country version appears to be more popular). But another is that, no matter what Christmas search terms you might employ, you likely would never find it on your own. Nothing about "Fly Possum Fly" is going to trigger a result if you're searching for "Christmas" or "Holiday" or anything else (anything but "possum" anyway).

The tale isn't all that different from a hundred other novelty records. Rudolph gets a cold or the flu (get your shots, everybody) and can't complete his holiday duties. The song doesn't really explain why the other 8 reindeer can't manage without him, but whatever. Being as Santa is in Appalachia when Rudolph collapses, the good mountain folk tell the fat man that the local possum passel can git-r-done. I do think they could have come up with better names for the possums than Jack, Jill and Joey, but, again, whatever.

The other interesting thing about "Fly Possum Fly" is the female vocalist. Grant Maloy Smith gets top billing as he appears to be the writer of the song (it's also a children's book, yo), but the star is clearly EmiSunshine. This is the first time I've encountered EmiSunshine, but she's quite the sensation in the Country music world. A bit of an Old School (Mountain Music) Country artist, Emi released her first full-length album in 2014...at the age of 9. Do I have to talk about my macaroni art again? She has four full albums to her name, now, at the advanced age of 14. Yeesh. "Fly Possum Fly" is a goofy Christmas novelty record. But listen to some of EmiSunshine's other records and you'll be mighty impressed (and not just because she's as young as she is). And she doesn't just sing, she writes songs and plays the uke and the guitar. Of course, we're about the Christmas stuff here. You can get "Fly Possum Fly" at Amazon.

Maybe it's much too early in the game, but we have a New Year's single already. "Happy New Year" is the lead single from O.S.L.U.'s forthcoming sophomore effort "Chasing The Kings" (tentatively expected in January). O.S.L.U. is shorthand for Our Secret Little Underground, a project led by Andy Lewis from the North West of England. The group and it's label, Best Side Records, offer the mission statement that they exist to keep the Blues alive...even if that be through modern interpretation. O.S.L.U.'s debut effort, "Stone Broke: Five New Sessions For Robert Johnson", certainly fit the bill. And the other songs previewed from "Chasing The Kings" (including a really cool Blues cover of Paul McCartney's "That Would Be Something") do as well. But the original "Happy New Year" seems a bit of an anomaly. They describe it as an "offshoot" of the Blues and, to my ears at least, it sounds like a 50s Rock record hop tune. "Albert", the virtual flip, by the way, is a nice instrumental piano Boogie Woogie number. We'll leave it you you to decide if "Happy New Year" by O.S.L.U. fits your personal holiday playlist. You can pick it up at Amazon. And, what the heck, even though there's nothing holiday about it, we'll leave you today with "Albert".

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COMING ATTRACTION - MEMPHIS UKULELE BAND

10/15/2018

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1. Gee Whiz It's Christmas
2. Blue Christmas
3. Merry Christmas Baby
4. Merry Christmas Broken Hearts
5. Holidays Ain't The Same (Without You)
6. Mele Kalikimaka
7. When The River Meets The Sea

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MEMPHIS UKULELE BAND ON YOUTUBE
PURCHASE FROM AMAZON

I think a lot of us probably had that moment in high school or college where you're kicking back with a small group of friends and somebody says, "Hey, we should start a band". Then, the next day, you realize what a stupid idea it was...especially since none of you play an instrument. Best I can say is that I did do the lead vocals on an a capella version of "Sh-Boom" at our college Gong Show (and we were gonged in record time). Of course, the story goes a little differently when the friends in question are actually in the music industry.

So Jon Hornyak, sound engineer Matt Ross-Sprang, and Jason Freeman are kicking back at Sun Studios one day (yes, that Sun Studios) and Jason suggests they ought to put together a ukulele band. Except, being in the music business already, they didn't dismiss the idea the next day. Instead, they recruited singer-songwriter Mark Edward Stuart, Logan Hanna, and the young but extremely talented Kyndle McMahan. The group all had their regular things going on, but their little ukulele band was a nice escape, something fun to do on the side. They played some house concerts and coffee houses and, the next thing you know, they're opening for Jake Shimabukuro (who is pretty much the hottest thing going in uke). After that, the record companies came calling. And, in 2016, the Memphis Ukulele Band released their eponymous debut album. On November 16, they'll release their follow-up, a Christmas EP entitled "Holidays Ain't The Same".

I know you've heard a ton of Indie artists playing Indie Uke tunes. But this is Memphis, y'all. If you're going to make it as a ukulele band in Memphis, you'd better be bringing a little bit of Blues and some hot buttered Soul. And MUB do exactly that. "Holidays Ain't The Same" includes covers of Carla Thomas and Charles Brown, as well as a pair of originals--"Merry Christmas Broken Hearts" and "Holidays Ain't The Same (Without You)". Their sound is known as "Ukulele Soul". While you can't really get the feel of that from "Mele Kalikimaka" (which, c'mon, you're a uke band doing a Christmas album; that's sort of required), you can from the video below--The Memphis Ukulele Band's take on Ann People's "(You Keep Me) Hangin' On".

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COMING ATTRACTION - RODNEY CROWELL

9/7/2018

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Rodney Crowell is one of those legendary musical figures. An Americana artist before there was such a thing, Rodney started his career as a songwriter. Jerry Reed was the first to recognize his talent, but it was Emmylou Harris who gave him the chance to play, asking him to join her band in 1975. Rodney put out his first solo record in 1978. Always a strong songwriter, Rodney's best known composition might be "Shame On The Moon", recorded by Bob Seger in 1982. 40 years after his debut album, Rodney Crowell is releasing his first ever Christmas album, "Christmas Everywhere", on November 2.

1. Clement’s Lament (We’ll See You In The Mall)
2. Christmas Everywhere (feat. Lera Lynn)
3. When The Fat Guy Tries The Chimney On For Size
4. Christmas Makes Me Sad
5. Merry Christmas From An Empty Bed (feat. Brennen Leigh)
6. Very Merry Christmas
7. Christmas in Vidor (feat. Mary Karr)
8. Christmas for the Blues
9. Come Christmas
10. Let's Skip Christmas This Year
11. Christmas In New York
12. All For Little Girls & Boys (feat. Daddy Cool & The Yule)

Crowell says the Christmases of his childhood weren't all that warm and fuzzy. Nothing tragic or dreadful, mind you. Just not a celebration you could count on, year in, year out. In more recent years, he'd soured on most things Christmas entirely.

“One rather warm December day in 2011", Crowell says, "I heard on satellite radio, Hayes Carll’s soulfully written ‘Grateful for Christmas’ and was so moved by the song – its wry humor and bare-bones honesty –that I ditched whichever errand or appointment I’d set out on in favor of an honest-to-God Christmas shopping spree. Not only did ‘Grateful for Christmas’ jolt me out of a self-indulgent funk it also tweaked my creative curiosity.” There was still no thought of a Christmas album, though.

Around Christmas 2016, Rodney came home to find his daughters playing a tune on the family's old upright piano. It sounded vaguely 19th century and he asked them what they were playing. "Something we just made up," they replied in unison. He grabbed his iPhone, hit record and asked them to play it again. Using their melody, virtually note for note, Rodney spent the next several months writing the words to "Come Christmas". "Come Christmas" may have taken some time and effort but, after that, the ideas and songs kept coming.

Crowell says the tone of the album is "mostly irreverent". The title track, for instance, was inspired by Spike Jones. About the only thing Rodney needed to complete the album was an opener to bring it all together. A reading of Clement Moore's "Twas The Night Before Christmas" being an annual staple of the Crowell family Christmas, he put together the short piece "Clement's Lament (We'll See You In The Mall)". The closing track, "All For Little Girls and Boys" was recorded in the eighties and features his oldest daughters, Hannah and Caitlin.

No "Santa Baby", "Silent Night" or even "Grateful For Christmas", here. "Christmas Everywhere" is all original. Guests on the record include Vince Gill, Lera Lynn, Mary Karr, and John Jorgenson. "Christmas Everywhere" officially releases November 2 and is available for pre-order now from New West Records. The album is available in CD and vinyl formats and there are 3 vinyl variations. The black & gray "coal" vinyl would seem to be the standard issue. A green and red marbled vinyl version is the New West exclusive. A red and white split vinyl version will be available exclusively at independent retailers.

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MORE COMING ATTRACTIONS

9/5/2018

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I have the distinct impression we totally missed Gareth Davies-Jones 2012 Christmas album, "Nine Lessons" at Stubby's. It's no excuse but, in trying to find as much as we can, we tend to use the most inclusive search terms possible. Notably: "Christmas". And Gareth managed to put out a Christmas album that not only doesn't have "Christmas" in the album title, it doesn't have "Christmas" in any of the song titles, either. Not a one. But "Nine Lessons" is a stunning album and these are all Christmas songs, most of which you know by heart. "Winter Wonderland", "God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen", "Silent Night", and so on.

Gareth Davies-Jones is a nugget of gold in an ocean of music, an Acoustic/Roots/Folk artist from the UK still disappointingly absent from too many holiday playlists. Soft, warm and wondrous, Gareth captures the magic and beauty of Christmas like the snow blankets the ground mid-winter. Indeed, "Nine Lessons" is the very aural representation of the image on its cover (or vice versa). If the chaos and crowds of the winter holiday have driven a wedge between you and the simple joy of the season, the music of Gareth Davies-Jones will help you find it again.

Gareth is on his way into the studio to lay down his second Christmas album right about now and we have no intention of missing this one. Call it Nine Lessons II (would that be 18 lessons?) until we get the title and more details. For now, here's "In The Bleak Midwinter", a single from 2009.

Born in Cuba, Arturo Sandoval is a trumpet player, a disciple of Dizzy Gillespie. He defected in 1989 and became an American citizen in 1998. Arturo has won ten Grammys, an Emmy, had a movie made about his life (with Andy Garcia playing Sandoval), and has been awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom. So what challenges remain? Why, a Christmas album, of course.

Sandoval has recorded his share of Christmas music in the past. In 1991, his recording of "O Come All Ye Faithful" was included on "The GRP Christmas Collection II". "Jingle Bells" and "Santa Claus Is Coming To Town" appear on the 2001 collection "Playboy's Latin Jazz Christmas" (Later re-issued as just "Latin Jazz Christmas"). And, in 2013, Arturo released an EP of Christmas music, "I Want To Wish You A Merry Christmas". But still no full Christmas album.

On October 5, Universal Latino will release Arturo Sandoval's "Christmas at Notre Dame", a live holiday performance recorded last year which also features the Notre Dame Children's Choir. Don't know the playlist as yet, but Arturo's rendition of "Jingle Bells" is always an amazing listen.

For whatever reason, there's always been a pattern to Christmas album news. The news comes in waves. First come the Classical releases, then the CCM releases, then the Country releases, Soul Releases, and finally the Rock and Pop releases (Blues and Bluegrass are always hunt and peck and Jazz is all over the map). We're in the middle of the Country wave, right now.

The Redhead Express are a quartet of sisters--Kendra, LaRae, Alisa, and Meghan. They were living with their family in Alaska when, Christmas 2006, the girls each got a musical instrument and a band was born. After they'd practiced and played the Alaska coffee houses, fairs and festivals, they wanted more. So the family sold everything, packed up the little that was left, and moved to Appalachia in the fall of 2007 to drink in as much Americana music as they could. The Redhead Express sing Country or Country Pop or Alt Country (take your pick of labels). Suffice it to say that, if you like the sound of the Dixie Chicks, you'll like Redhead Express.

Redhead Express have been releasing occasional Christmas singles for a few years, now. They're currently hinting that they might have a Christmas EP this year. Chances are it would be mostly their previous singles collected with one or two new tracks. But that's a beautiful thing because I'd bet most folks missed many, if not all, of their previous Christmas songs. And gorgeous Christmas songs they are. Last year's single was a cover of Sara Bareilles' "Love Is Christmas". But this is my favorite. Their version of "Mary Did You Know" is so beautiful, it makes me cry (and, oddly, I seem to like that in a song).

Currently based in Kansas City, Casi Joy is a Country singer/songwriter who you might remember for her impressive yodeling on The Voice in 2017 when she managed to turn all four chairs with an affecting performance of Patsy Cline's "Blue". (Dang, that's a long sentence). Casi has a couple of albums in circulation, including "Covered In Joy" from earlier this year. She's been singing since she was 5 (I think I was still doing macaroni art at that age) and released a Christmas single in 2015 (I think I was still doing macaroni art in 2015). And, as someone who recently lost a pet, I confess that the 2016 single "Howl At The Moon" makes me cry. If you're seeking out a preview of Casi Joy's upcoming Christmas CD (expected in November), here's 2015's "Where Are You Christmas".

One more? Yeah, I can do that. The Purple Hulls hail from Kilgore, Texas and they specialize in Bluegrass Gospel and Acoustic Country. And, yeah, they've got the whole "sibling harmonies" thing down. But they'll see your "sibling harmonies" and raise you. Because Katy Lou Clark and Penny Lea Clark are identical twins. The pair are currently recording a Christmas album, their first, and the plan is to release it this year. But there are no guarantees in life, so there's a chance you may have to wait until next year. Tell you what, though. Judging from the two Christmas songs The Purple Hulls have up on YouTube, their Yuletide confection will be worth the wait. The newer of the two is last year's "That's Christmas To Me", but I dig the banjo (and the lyrics, too) on the earlier "Can't Stop Christmas From Comin'". Although the Clark sisters say the album will be mostly familiar tunes, those two are originals. I hope you'll check them out, but I gotta close with this one. Because The Purple Hulls do a kick-ass instrumental version of "Come Thou Fount of Every Blessing" on their 2015 album "Why We Sing". And, let me tell you, "kick-ass" is not a descriptor I ever thought I'd use for this particular hymn.

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CHANUKAH IN AUGUST

8/19/2018

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I don't know if he still does it, but Ernie (Not Bert) used to follow his Christmas In July posts with Chanukah In August (currently, Ernie's on Day 39 of Christmas In July; yeah, don't try to figure it out, just be happy he does it). Being as I missed most of 2017, I thought I'd borrow Ernie's Chanukah In August and mention a few of the better releases I/we missed out on. Maybe we can make it a thing.

Besides, it gives me the opportunity to introduce you to Missy Katz (not her real name). My relationship with Missy Katz is a bit complicated. She was my mother's girl and she and my mother were so completely bonded, while I was completely bonded with Mrs. Katz (not her real name). With both my Mom and Mrs. Katz gone. Missy and I are stuck with each other and trying to make the best of it. Missy Katz (not her real name) is 11 years old. We found her on a roadside when she was just a few weeks old (no mama or brothers or sisters anywhere in sight). Mom had her declawed, so she's indoor only. She's very active and playful (even at 11), a natural hunter. But she's also like Sour Patch Kids in reverse: first she's sweet, and then she's sour. Bedtime, she will lie on my stomach and purr so loud the house shakes. Then, still purring and for no reason at all, she bites (and her bites are deep, yo). Some nights, I'll be sleeping quite soundly and wake up in the morning with a trail of dried blood down my arm. I don't think she knows it's a bad thing, though I tell her all the time. She's got some other quirks. She likes to hold her tail between her paws and she'll frequently stand on her hind legs for extended periods (looking like a meerkat).

Missy Katz (not her real name) was a pain to get a picture of. I'd have her all set up and, just as I'd snap the picture, she'd turn her butt to me. So this is the best I could do. Anyway, Missy Katz (not her real name) will be our blog cat mascot going forward. Now on to the music. And, just so you know, Hanukkah 2018 begins at sundown on Sunday, December 2 (or so my calendar says).

2017 wasn't exactly a great year for new Hanukkah music. One of my favorites, though, was "Hanukkah Rocks" by Brady Rymer & The Little Band That Could. Rymer's band is ostensibly a Kids band and the track was one of two Hanukkah tracks (the other being "Rainbow Candles") off his seasonal album "Revvin' Up The Reindeer". I like it because, musically, it sounds like something the Archies would have done. The world needs the occasional Bubblegum Hanukkah tune. But, truth be told, I'm not sure Brady knows the holiday. Apparently, he's having his latkes with "sugar and spice". I thought it was sour cream and apple sauce (yeah, the video tries to save it, but I'm not buying it). There's a cat in the video, so all is forgiven. If anybody wants to know, I take my latkes plain, thank you very much.

And speaking of Bubblegum Hanukkah.... Yeah, we got the usual batch of a capella Hanukkah videos that weren't available for sale or download (we'll save those vids for our Eight Nights of Hanukkah festivities). But can it just be coincidence that the one you could buy was Six13's "Nice Jewish Boy Band Chanukah"? You mean to tell me we had a whole Bubblegum Hanukkah thing going on last year and I missed it? Oy!

When making a Hanukkah mix, should you ever wish to, you approach it just as you would a Christmas mix. You want balance, flow and some originality. Obviously, you don't want 80 minutes of "Dreidel, Dreidel, Dreidel". You might want to have some fun with it, but you want to be respectful. Authenticity is good, too. Basically, if you're a goy like me making a mix for Jewish friends, you want your Hanukkah mix to say "I know this holiday means as much to you as Christmas does to me." True enough, Hanukkah is not the most important holiday on the Jewish calendar (which allows you some wiggle room for missteps). But remember, if you're goy making a Hanukkah mix, you're essentially a guest in someone else's home.

You also, probably, want to mix up the genres. And that makes this Hanukkah tune probably the best of 2017. "Al Hanissim" is a traditional Jewish prayer that translates to "on the miracles". It's a prayer of thanksgiving (though not a prayer of Thanksgiving). Following the opening prayer, the lyrics tell the story of either Hanukkah or Purim (depending upon the holiday). For a long time, I searched for a version that sounded joyful and, over time, I did find a few. But Moshe Storch released a version in 2017 that's not only joyful and fun, and sung entirely in Hebrew, it's Country! Yee Haw! "Al Hanissim (Country Style)"! Put that in your Hanukkah mix and smoke it.

While you might not want 80 minutes of "Dreidel, Dreidel, Dreidel" for a Hanukkah mix, you probably don't want to avoid it altogether. It's essentially the "Jingle Bells" of Hanukkah music. So pick a good one. 2017 gave us just such a selection. The Michael Treni Big Band recorded "Dreidel" as a Latin Jazz number, "Loco Latin Top", included on their Christmas album "You Better Watch Out". If you're trying to mix up your sounds and genres, "Loco Latin Top" fits like a Hanukkah glove.

What would Chanukah in August be without some freebies, right? Gonna give you two because, technically, one isn't from 2017 and the other is barely Hanukkah.

First up is Aaron Holder's "Chanukah Lights". This is a nice Folk Pop number from Holder, who has also recorded a lot of more traditional Israeli music. "Chanukah Lights" (aka "Hanukkah Lights"), as you might have guessed, is the track that isn't from 2017. I believe it dates back to 2015, but it was re-released last year and I originally found it with the 2017 date.

A note about free downloads from Soundcloud. Tag or label them properly immediately after downloading. Some artists understand the value of proper tagging and others don't. And, if you don't make sure they're labeled or tagged appropriately as soon as you download them, you're going to wake up one day with a folder of tunes you have no idea what they are, who sings them, or anything else. No, I have no such a folder. I'm not that organized. I have tunes I can't identify all over the place on my computer. Learn from my mistakes; Lord knows, I never do.

Now this one I recommend highly...but only if you're a bit adventurous. The artist is Damion Shade & The Savage Young and this comes from the album "The Swallower of X-Mas". You might think, from the title, that this is a Christmas album. Well, it is and it isn't. None of the songs mention Christmas or anything wintery at all. There are only a very few times where there's any reference at all that, if you really stretch your mind, might be some oblique reference to something a step or two removed from the season (most memorably "Jesus figurines scattered all over your house" in "Punctuation"). But, the more I listened, the more I concluded (perhaps wrongly) that this was indeed a very specific holiday piece...centered very tightly upon the fallout and subsequent darkness of a very very VERY bad breakup. Not some puppy love breakup, but a serious adult break. Since there's nothing in the songs that says so, I'm largely taking my cue that it's a holiday split based upon the album title.

"The Swallower of X-Mas" is so dark and bleak, overall, I'd only recommend it's use in any holiday mixtape to those with extensive experience at using such material (kids, don't try this at home). If you really know what you're doing, though, man, this album packs a wallop. And damn if I don't want to hear more from Damion Shade.

For our current purposes, we're fortunate that "Hooray For Hanukkah" is, to my ears, the most listenable and accessible track on the album. I just love the Indie sound of this track. Unlike the other songs on the album, there's even a passing reference to the holiday ("Whose house is this with candles lit"), but that's about as Hanukkah as it gets. At the core is someone who may or may not be nearing the final stages of grief..."I need you. I don't need anything. Ambitions piled up in the sink. I really want to leave and I really want to be nothing." Brilliant powerful stuff.

As with Christmas music, so much Hanukkah music can be a checklist. Let's see, we've mentioned the Menorah, the Dreidel, Latkes...I think we're all set. It's a little less annoying for Hanukkah music because the radio isn't playing it to death. But "Hooray For Hanukkah" is no checklist holiday song. It's an honest human moment (albeit a dark one). I love it, personally. Your mileage, as always, may vary.

Well, I can't close on that note. I need a palette cleanser. And I have just the thing. Born in Australia, Alexis Fishman is a bit of a renaissance woman. She's an actress, having starred in numerous cabaret and Off Broadway productions, she's a playwright, a singer and songwriter, and a Jewish educator in New York. In October, Alexis will return to Australia to star in her new show "Amy Reimagined", about the life of the late Amy Winehouse. Her Hanukkah single is from late 2016. It's a swinging Big Band Jazz number, "My Baby Eats All The Hanukkah Gelt".

I suppose I should really do 8 tunes, you know, but I think 7 will do for August. So that's all for now. Hopefully, we'll have more Hanukkah goodness for you in the coming months. Until then, Happy Hanukkah from Stubby and Missy Katz!

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TEN "PERFECT" CHRISTMAS ALBUMS

8/15/2018

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NOTE: There's a new entry on the PREVIEWS page! Just sayin'.

Every once in a while, there's an intriguing topic that makes its way across the Internets. Of late, this "10 Perfect Albums" topic has been showing up in my Facebook feed. The game goes something like this: "Post 10 perfect albums over 10 days. These are the ones where you regularly listen to the entire thing in order all the way through. Post the cover, name of the artist and album if not shown, no need to explain why." At least one of my friends did include a Christmas album among their ten, which got me to thinking it might be fun to try and identify 10 "perfect" Christmas albums. What the heck, could be fun, right? Keep in mind that such lists are completely subjective (kinda the point, actually) and that it's hard to call anything truly "perfect". And it's especially challenging for me because I get bored easy; there are only a handful of albums (Christmas or otherwise) that I regularly listen to all the way through. Your purchase links (where available) are the album covers. Apologies if you've already read about some of these at 200 Days of Christmas or as part of Merry & Bright's "Der Bingle's Essentials" series. And feel free to offer your own choices in the comments.

So, without further ado, and in no particular order, here are my choices for ten "perfect" Christmas albums (in one day, not 10).

This one has been turning up a lot this year and, well, it's about time. Possibly the most under appreciated Christmas album of all time. On "The Bells of Dublin", The Chieftans deliver a timeless collection of Christmas music both new and old, a festive feast that leaves you as completely satisfied as the best Christmas dinner you ever had. No straying into over cooked standards like "White Christmas" or "Santa Baby"--those just wouldn't be a fit for this Irish Folk group--The Chieftans stick to their signature sound and do it so well that even people who hate the genre can't help but be charmed and won over completely. The album is bursting with stellar performances from a plethora of top shelf guests--including Elvis Costello, Jackson Browne, Nanci Griffith, Rickie Lee Jones, and, OMG, Burgess Meredith. Indeed, there is so much star power on this record that The Chieftans, themselves, are sometimes all but overlooked. That's why, as much as I enjoy such standards in the making as Browne's "The Rebel Jesus" and Costello's "St. Stephen's Day Murders", my favorite track is the opener...Paddy Moloney's "The Bells of Dublin/Christmas Eve" which sets the table perfectly for everything that follows.

I'm gonna get lazy on this one and just quote what I wrote in 2011:
Mindy Gledhill's "Winter Moon" is one of the best contemporary pop Christmas albums I've heard in years. Mindy paced the album perfectly, the recording is impeccable. And Mindy's voice is just dreamy. Whether she's delivering a peppy pop tune like "Little Saint Nick", a religious standard like "Silent Night", or turning "The Christmas Song" into a uke driven song from the roaring 20s, Mindy Gledhill brings everything to her performance and leaves you wanting more of the same. The original, "Little Soldier", packs as much seasonal wallop as most any holiday song ever has. And she gets extra points from me for recording the first version of"Patapan" I have ever liked--and I not only liked her version, I loved it.
Others have come and gone, but "Winter Moon" remains in heavy Christmas rotation at the Stubby household.

I've mentioned this 2000 album to fellow Christmas music collectors before as one of my all time favorites and I usually get that scrunched up "seriously?" face in response. Still, even if I'm the only person on earth who thinks so, I believe "Brand New Year" by SheDAISY is a perfect Christmas album. Top to bottom, front to back, I listen to it straight through every Christmas and it continues to sound fresh and never fails to bring a smile to my face. SheDAISY had a whole career as the Osborn Sisters, prior to becoming SheDAISY in 1999. I've never heard anything by the Osborn Sisters and, to the best of my recollection, I've never heard anything from SheDAISY other than their Christmas album. So its not like I'm some hopeless fanboy.

I get some of the issues, here. SheDAISY were, ostensibly, a Country group. But they were a Country group that wasn't really Country enough for lots of Country fans. And they were a little too Country to appeal to people who hate Country music completely. They were among the first Country groups to work with loops and samples, techniques that are quite prevalent in Country music today. They are definitely a mix of Country, Pop, and Rock (at least on "Brand New Year" they are), with even a touch of Radio Disney styled Bubblegum flavor included--especially on the title track (and maybe that's why I find them so fetching). And, yo, a bit of Hip-Hop, too; I kid you not. Listening to this album, I never wasted a second trying to figure out what their genre is; their sound is unique. And, of course, they have those beautiful harmonies that only natural sisters ever seem to have.

"Brand New Year" features the kind of balance and pacing other Christmas albums only ever dream of. There's a flow to the album that compels you to keep listening. They explore different sounds without ever sounding like they're trying to be something they're not. And the arrangements are superb. You know how I've said that the best Christmas songs are the ones that combine Joy with Longing? SheDAISY succeeds in putting the "longing" into "Jingle Bells", of all things. For that, alone, this should be on your Christmas playlist. But there's so much more...the rocking "Santa's Got A Brand New Bag", the spritely sparkling "Tinsel Town" (with it's wonderfully unexpected "Intro"), their original and funny perversion of the O'Henry tale "Twist of the Magi" (with Rascal Flatts), the reverence of "What Child Is This", wonderful covers of the seldom covered "Secret of Christmas" and "That's What I Want For Christmas", an amazing mashup of "Hark The Herald Angels Sing" and "Carol of the Bells", the sheer joy in lessons learned in the title track, and the pure a cappella beauty of the album closer.

SheDAISY hasn't released any new recordings since 2011 and, even though I never followed the group, that seems a shame. But, if they're out there somewhere, I just want them to know that I got it. I understood and appreciated exactly what you were trying to do on "Brand New Year". And you did it perfectly.

My earliest introduction to Jazz and the first CD I ever bought or owned (purchased in the middle of summer, I might add). I actually went out of my way to try to find reasons to keep Vince Guaraldi's soundtrack for "A Charlie Brown Christmas" off of this list. Is it perfect, really, Stubby? I mean, you know, sure, the instrumental tracks are perfect, but I hate singing kids almost as much as I hate singing dogs. Well, that's not true; I actually prefer the singing dogs. But, on this album, it works. Perfectly. Nuff said.

When I decided to try my hand at this exercise, I made the deliberate choice not to consider compilations or multi-artist collections. There are just too many that could be considered "perfect" (or, at least, essential) to travel down that road. So no Phil Spector "A Christmas Gift For You" or 1987 "A Very Special Christmas" from me. For me, the best of those I refused to consider is 1968's "Soul Christmas" from Atco Records (so good that it's unofficial title among Christmas music collectors is "The Original Soul Christmas"). And, really, if the three "Santa's Funk & Soul Christmas Party" albums from Tramp Records aren't "perfect", maybe nothing is.

But, from the outset, I knew there'd be one exception to my own arbitrary rule. The UA "Rhythm & Blues Christmas" album from 1976. Unlike other "perfect" albums, "Rhythm & Blues Christmas" has never been re-issued in any format. One reason for that is it's just too short for modern consumers, clocking in at less than a half hour, all told. Even when a company can obtain the rights to all ten of these tracks, they feel the need to pad it out...add more. Sure, Geico's gonna tell you that more is always better. But imagine, for a moment, the perfect cake recipe. Then imagine that you think you can make a better batter by using 10 eggs instead of 2. Never mess with perfection. While "Rhythm & Blues Christmas" has never been re-issued, copies of the original vinyl should be cheap if you look. Better yet, none of the songs are difficult to find, so just reconstruct it for your own head. You can read a bit more about this great record in our long neglected Essentials section.

Manhattan Transfer were at the top of their game when they recorded "The Christmas Album" in 1992. It wasn't a huge hit, falling short of Billboard's Top 100 albums. And it's another record that, when I mention it to fellow Christmas music collectors, I get the scrunchy "seriously?" face (seriously, you've got seriously face). But, from the day I first put it on, from the first notes of "Snowfall", I knew this was going to be the beginning of a beautiful life-long love affair. I dig Jazz, I dig harmonies, and this album probably makes me feel more like Christmas than anything in my much too large collection. Alternately swinging and sentimental, The Manhattan Transfer do not hit a single wrong note (and I mean that metaphorically because, of course, their singing is perfect). Tony Bennett puts in an appearance, but they didn't really need him. I don't know why some others don't love "The Christmas Album" as much as I do; I just know I reach for it every year without even thinking and I play it straight through (usually more than once). 2005's "Acapella Christmas" missed the mark for me, but I don't know how I'd get through Christmas without "The Christmas Album".

Emmylou Harris was Americana before there was such a thing. She effortlessly blends Folk, Country, Pop, Bluegrass, and even Celtic without ever alienating anyone (I know some hardcore Bluegrass fans who won't listen to anything recorded after the sixties...but they make an exception for Emmylou). The thing about Emmylou is that voice, that irresistible voice. It's ethereal and transcendent without the reedy and breathy qualities that haunt some modern artists. Ethereal and transcendent, but with power; her voice rings as true as a bell. By the time the closing track, "Light of the Stable", ends, you're practically weeping from the sheer beauty of this album. It was true the first time you heard it and it's still true hundreds or thousands of plays later. The backing musicians and vocalists, here, are of the All-Star variety and the material is perfect. "Light of the Stable" was first released in 1979 and it was a revelation for it's time. Hell, it was a revelation for ALL time. You couldn't put together a more perfect album if you tried. And we know that because the label has expanded it and released it with different cover art over the years. But, for my money, they should just leave it alone because the original is perfect.

I shared this story over at The Fa (the forums at FaLaLaLaLa.com) in 2006. And I couldn't possibly tell it any better. So I hope you don't mind a copy and paste job. It's a long tale, but it's a good one.

Sometime in the late 80s, I was at a used record store in Red Bank, New Jersey looking for Christmas music. Wasn't finding much (a few imports that I already had) when I looked to my right and saw this gem displayed on the wall. It called to me. It glowed brightly and the camera zoomed. Angels began singing heavenly music. My eyes got about ten feet wide (it was really a cartoon moment). I asked the store owner if it was for sale. Very busy, running here and there, he grumbled "everything's for sale." Didn't have a chance to ask him how much before he jetted off in another direction.

I took the record from its display and turned it over to see "1954/$80" scribbled on the back in pencil. Could this really be $80? The newer used records all had those little red price stickers I know we've all seen, but not this one. Could I afford $80? For a record?

I swallowed hard, decided I HAD to have it, put back a few other things I had been planning to get, and humbly walked up to the cash register (which, itself, looked antique). In my mind, the lady at the register looked as I'd imagined Mrs. Claus would look, with white hair and glasses and a smile that was just right (and, I'll add, my vision of Mrs. Claus is a slender woman).

Trembling, I shyly held out the record and said "I'm not sure how much this is. It only has this $80 written in pencil on the back. See?" She took it from me, turned it this way and that and said, "Well, that's his handwritting" (meaning her husband, the store owner). "Did you want it?"

I tried not to show my desperation to acquire this treasure. I'm sure I failed. "Yes! Er, I mean, $80 is an awful lot of money. But I think I have that much and (weak smile--close to a grimace actually)...yes." I was dripping sweat like Albert Brooks in Broadcast News.

"How bout $8," she said. I about fell over. "But...(almost whispering, looking at the store owner) can you do that, I mean, if it's worth $80...I mean, I'll pay...I mean, I'm willing..." She waved me off. "Oh, him. He thinks everything is priceless. I swear, if it were up to him, we'd never sell a single record. And then what would we do? Do you want it?" She was already ringing it up. "Oh, yes!" She'd already bagged my purchase and was handing it to me. "Merry Christmas," she said, with her Mrs. Claus smile.

As it turned out, they closed up shop within a year (planned) and I'm not sure how much that influenced Mrs. Claus. I don't care. I look forward to listening to this one every year, and there are few recordings I would say that about. I cannot imagine ever parting with it (even for $80...or $800). And it's not just a Christmas record, see, its a Christmas moment.

"Winter Sequence: A Seasonal Suite for Rhythmic Reindeer" was released as a 10" in 1954 and re-released as two 7" records in 1955. Mine's the 10". The pieces (one for each reindeer, sans Rudolph) were written by Leonard Feather and arranged by Ralph Burns. Feather wrote each piece to reflect the character of the specific reindeer ("Cupid" is a love song, "Vixen" is sultry and sexy, darkly mysterious, "Dancer" is...well...a dancer; you get the idea) and Burns arranged each piece to showcase the talents of the featured player. And what players they were. Kai Winding, Billy Bauer, Joe Wilder, Osie Johnson, a young Herbie Mann...... It's truly one of the most unique records in my collection. Aside from that opening bit of "Dasher", it's not really all that Christmassy, but that's part of what makes it unique. And I really do (still) look forward to listening to "Winter Sequence" every Christmas.

Now, it would be almost cruel to show this to you if you couldn't get it anywhere. But, a few years back, "Winter Sequence: A Seasonal Suite for Rhythmic Reindeer" was issued on CD as part of a twofer of Ralph Burns albums (both cover arts are linked to the Amazon listing for the twofer). To tell you the truth, I bought the CD but I missed the pops and clicks, so I listen to my CD-R of my vinyl copy when I listen. It may not be everybody's cup of Christmas tea but, to me, its perfect.

And there you have it.... Eight "Perfect" Christmas albums. Eight of the finest-- What? What's that you say? Ten? TEN? We promised 10? But those 8 are the only ones I listen to straight through every year. That's all I got. I'm not kidding. This isn't a bit. 8 "perfect" Christmas albums is all I could come up with. If I listed two more as perfect, that'd be lying. And then Santa wouldn't bring me anything for Christmas. Would you feel better if I said "Dark Side of the Moon"? No? Yeah, I could throw the Spector album on, I guess. I do listen to that "regularly". But that's no fun (and, honestly, I don't think its perfect)..

How 'bout this? Let me think about what the list above is missing and point you to some really, really awesome very good but not quite perfect Christmas records. K? The ultimate selection in each category (the ones that get the video) will be the ones I find myself reaching for the most for pure listening pleasure.

Hmm. Not any kind of Rock footprint above at all, is there?

Maybe I just have really high standards in Rock and Pop, but I can't think of any single artist Rock and Pop Christmas albums I listen to straight through every year. Not a one. I've got a Springsteen Christmas bootleg I listen to a lot, but that's about it.

For Classic Rock, I'm very fond of the latter day efforts of Jethro Tull and The Moody Blues. They ain't perfect, but they're damn good. For more modern stuff, regular readers know I'm crazy fond of Lorna and Kissing Party, but their Christmas albums were really collections of annual singles and not conceived as an album. Same goes for The Killers, obviously. We've reviewed a bunch of awesome Rock Christmas albums over the years, from Donnie Iris to Jigsaw Seen to Rough Shop to Carbon Leaf--all very highly recommended and darn close to perfect.

But I'd have to say my most favorite single artist Christmas Rock albums are "Under The Influence of Christmas" by The Grip Weeds from 2011 (see the above video) and Universal Honey's 2003 release "Can't Stop Thinking About Christmas" (currently OOP; see the video below). Now there's a couple of under the radar classics that, while a hair shy of perfect, deserve to be on this list and in your collection.

World Music is a big category that covers a lot of ground (literally and figuratively). I love my Christmas music from far away lands. I truly do. But would I count any of them as "perfect"? Probably not. The closest would likely be Lisa Ono's "Boas Festas", but I can only listen to so much Bossa Nova before losing my mind.

A lot of "Best of" Christmas lists include Jacob Miller's "Natty Christmas" and that certainly is the most brilliant single artist Reggae Christmas album ever made. Essential? Absolutely. Perfect? Not to me.

There's a lot of good Cajun Christmas music. I'm not as big a fan of Justin Wilson as a lot of people are. But I'd count Michael Doucet's "Christmas Bayou" as one of my all time faves. And, if you dig the Zydeco thing, it's hard to argue with the excellence of Rockin' Sidney's "Holiday Celebration" (just don't mess with his "Toot Toot").

Unfair as it is to the rest, Hawaiian music is included in the World Music category. And, when it comes to Hawaiian Christmas music, I count three albums as essential--just not quite perfect. Much as I love "Christmas Favorites" by the Brothers Cazimero, I place them third (mostly because I can't escape this feeling that they're really the Oak Ridge Boys on vacation). Second is Na Leo Pilimehana's "Christmas Gift". Again, harmonies. And, of the three, Na Leo most gives me those laid-back breezy Island feels. But tops on my Hawaiian Christmas album list is Willie K's "Willie Kalikimaka". Willie can do the breezy Island thing, too. But he can Rock out, as he does "perfectly" on "Little Drummer Boy/Ring Your Christmas Bells". He can Rock Steady, as he does on "Reggae Christmas". And, get this, his beautiful version of "O Holy Night" (sung in both English and Hawaiian) runs well over 6 minutes. 6 minutes of "O Holy Night"? I'm in heaven. The thing about "Willie Kalikimaka" is that the whole is greater than the sum of its parts. The individual tracks are plenty good, but the album as a whole is about as close to perfect as you can get without actually being perfect. Yeah, if I was numbering my list and a little less picky about what I label "perfect", Willie K would be in at #9.

As far as the old timers go, the popular favorites in the Stubby household are Tennessee Ernie Ford's "Sing We Now of Christmas", Jim Nabors' "Christmas Album", and Nat King Cole's "The Christmas Song". But that's about nostalgia, not perfection. I mean, honestly, it's not Christmas for me until I've heard Ernie sing (and talk) "Little Gray Donkey". But that's my problem, not yours. As for Bing Crosby, I like lots of his stuff but none of the albums. Now that I think of it, I should probably create my own Bing mix. Anyway. Just thought you'd like to know.

And, finally, you know how I love the Blues. I wish I could point you to a "perfect" single artist Blues Christmas record, I truly do. But, to begin with, not a lot of Blues artists cut an entire Christmas album. B.B. King's was a bit of a disappointment to me. Wish he'd done it earlier in his career. Etta James was very good, but not perfect. Johnny Adams' "Christmas In New Orleans" is mighty fine, but I'd have preferred more of it be like "Lonesome Christmas" (less like "Silver Bells").

Sharon Jones gets short shrift from me, here. First, because "It's A Holiday Soul Party" is more R&B than Blues. And, second, because it's too new. I don't want to apply the word "perfect" in this context to any album less than 5 years old. But I do thank God for all of the music Sharon gave us before she passed.

There's one single artist Blues Christmas album out there I've never been able to get my hands on. I have high hopes, if it's ever available again. And, if I ever get it, I'll let you know whether or not it makes the "perfect" grade. I promise. (But no spoilers).

As I did with World Music, let me give you 3 real good Blues Christmas albums that, if you haven't heard them, are well worth your time and your dime. In third place, Cass Eager & The Mo' Debley's 2009 release "Santa's Got Soul". Cass is an Australian artist and "Santa's Got Soul" was one of those "this is my annual Import purchase" buys I mentioned a while back. Full disclosure, Amazon's only got it on CD-R and there's nothing on YouTube, really; want to check it out, you'll have to do Spotify. If you like your Blues female and funky, Cass is your woman. She absolutely KILLS "Santa Claus Is Back In Town" (the good kind of "kills"), covers Koko Taylor, Shemekia Copeland, Clarence Carter and the Staple Singers, and tops it all off with her own fabulous original Blues tune, "365 Days". Why third place? "Santa Baby". True, it's a bluesier "Santa Baby" than you're used to hearing. But still. "Santa Baby".

Coming in at number two on our special Christmas countdown....Canadian Matt Andersen. I feel like I've let Matt down. "Spirit of Christmas" is a powerful and powerfully good album. It strikes just the right balance on almost everything and covers the musical waterfront with styles ranging from Bluegrass to Blues to Rock to Gospel. There are uncommon covers of "Little Toy Trains" (Roger Miller) and "The Lonely Shepherd" (Curtis Whiteley), an "O Holy Night" so wonderful that I'd wager even Jesus has it on his iPhone, and four self-penned originals. And yet...I never got around to doing a proper review, "The Spirit of Christmas" finished second on my 2010 list of favorites to an EP (an EP? Oh, the indignity), and now he's in the runner-up spot on my "closest to perfect" Blues selection. Why second? "Blue Christmas". Yeah, he does it good. I'm still not having it.

So Kenny Neal takes the top spot with "I'll Be Home For Christmas" from 2006 (the cover art, here, is from the 2015 Cleopatra reissue). The album has that down home Louisiana flavor. There are no real surprises (unless you count the vocals of Kenny's daughter, Syreeta Neal; pretty much the whole Neal family pitched in on this one). And there's a nice balance of traditional tunes and modern Blues covers (two versions of "Merry Christmas Baby"). Beaucoup bonus points for having neither "Santa Baby" nor "Blue Christmas". But the thing is Kenny Neal can flat out play. Is "I'll Be Home For Christmas" perfect? No. I'll tell you what it is, though. It's American, dammit! Who are all these Australians and Canadians thinking they can be top Blues dog? The Blues is ours and don't you forget it! I'm just kidding. Mostly.

Don't forget to add your perfect Christmas albums in the comments, if you feel so inclined. Let's close this mother out with Kenny Neal's cover of "Christmas Comes Once A Year".

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