Category:

CLOSED FOREVER

1/9/2021

This is the end. Beautiful friend, the end. We are finished, done, kaput. And we really, really mean it this time. No, really. The domain will be disappearing even (in October, I think), though you should still be able to access some back content via The Internet Archive Wayback Machine. We are not pining for the fjords; this parrot is deceased.

If I do any Christmas mixes in the future, you may find them at Christmas A Go Go (thanks Guuz). It's been a blast.

Go in peace.

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ELIZABETH CHAN - O HOLY NIGHT (EXCLUSIVE PREMIERE)

10/11/2018

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Tomorrow, Elizabeth Chan's 7th annual Christmas record will arrive. "Best Gift Ever" officially drops October 12. Liz has shared her journey with us and we have shared that journey with her. And because we here at Stubby's are such huge fans, and because she likes us a little bit, too, she has granted us the Exclusive Premiere of one of the songs from "Best Gift Ever". She gave me the choice of any song on the record and I chose "O Holy Night". I felt a little bad about it, too. I mean, here's a woman attempting to write a timeless standard...and I choose a cover of an ancient carol. But let me ask you this. If your favorite food in the whole wide world were macaroni and cheese (hey, it could happen) and you go to a five star restaurant, and they have an exquisite macaroni and cheese on the menu, are you gonna pass on the M&C and order duck? No. You're diving right into that mac and cheese. Don't put a musical buffet before me that includes "O Holy Night" and expect me to pick something else. P.S.--Liz knew I'd pick that one.

Well, my slight feeling of guilt at choosing "O Holy Night" disappeared as soon as I heard it. Elizabeth Chan has made the song entirely her own. The song is 171 years old--almost as old as I am (I keed, I keed; I'm only 160); you'd think that there is nothing you could do that hasn't already been done. Liz says she doesn't want to do covers unless she can make them her own and, on "O Holy Night", she has succeeded. The concept is entirely her's and reflects her feelings about the season. There's the anticipation (Christmas is coming, Christmas is coming, Christmas is coming), an explosion of glorious splendor, and then...it's over. And, when it's over, you aren't disappointed--you're utterly satisfied--yet you still would like some more. (She also said something about an avocado, but that zipped right over my head.) The arrangement is her's (with a little help from a friend named Dave; cheers, Dave). And it's awesome! Contemporary, reverent, fresh, and awesome! I knew Liz had the voice for this, but I was not expecting such a wonderful arrangement.

Enough, already, Stubby. Where's the song? OK, OK. I understand your impatience. Think of my rambling as being like Christmas; you have to listen to your grandfather talk about walking 5 miles in the snow to get to school (for the hundredth time) before you get to open your presents (it's the cost of admission, so to speak).

Below, you'll find the track list for Elizabeth Chan's "Best Gift Ever". Click on the gift box cover art and you'll be quickly transported to the Land of Christmas where you'll find a private spot reserved for readers of Stubby's House of Christmas, and you'll feast on an exclusive and exquisite serving of macaroni and--I mean "O Holy Night". I'm under the impression this is a limited time only Premiere, so don't dawdle. This is one Christmas gift you should open immediately. And don't forget to say "Thank You". No, not to me. To Liz. She does have a Facebook page, you know; they're good for that sort of thing. And look for "Best Gift Ever" tomorrow (10/12), wherever you get your download on.

Update: The Preview link os no longer active, the album having been released. But we wouldn't want your Christmas stocking to be empty. Listen to "O Holy Night" below.

Bad Kids Go
Best Gift Ever
O Holy Night
The First Noelle
Christmas Through Your Eyes
For Unto Us

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BEST GIFT EVER

10/5/2018

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One week from today, October 12, we will get the new album from Elizabeth Chan, the reigning Queen of Christmas. We don't yet have a playlist. We don't yet have a purchase link. But we do have a title--"Best Gift Ever"--and some cover art.

Elizabeth Chan gave up a successful career to pursue her dream of writing a Christmas song that would endure through the ages. But she tells the story better than I could. BTW, I never do this. There's a thing called "Fair Use" where you're not supposed to quote things in their entirety. This is Liz's recent statement on her own web site. I know she's a reader of ours (so you know she loves Christmas music, because who would endure my blather...oh...no.... I didn't mean you, dear reader. No, that's... I meant... I... I'd better shut up before I get in more trouble.) and I hope she will forgive me for quoting her in toto (we're not in kansas anymore). So here is Liz's story, in her own words.

I embarked on a crazy journey 7 years ago.

It started with a simple question: “What is the one thing you always wanted to do, if you knew you couldn’t fail? What would it be?”

For me since I was a little girl it was to write a Christmas song.

A song so great that it would become a Christmas standard. The type of song people wanted to hear every season until the end of time.

The funny thing about life and getting older, is that we don’t necessarily get smarter about the things we want in life, we just get more practiced in making ourselves believe we can’t have the things we truly want. When I would share my dream with others, they would scoff and say it was impossible. There was no future to be had in my dream.

So I tried life outside of my dream. After 3 decades on the planet, I realized that no matter how successful I looked to others on my resume, to my family and friends - I was still a failure in my heart. I always felt like no matter what I accomplished in life, I was always missing something.

By not trying to go after my dream, I would always be a failure.

Trying is the true path of success. You learn more from failure than you do from success. Not giving up is the true path of success.

So I quit my day job, and reported to my dream everyday. Everyday I would walk into my living room, sit at my keyboard and started writing Christmas songs everyday.

What started as one song, multiplied to hundreds. What started as one album, became many. From one song on the radio to several Billboard hits later – my songs went from being listened to by my husband and my dog to millions across the globe.

Every year for the past 7 seasons I have had the distinct privilege and have made it my life’s work to put out Christmas music from nothing more than my heart. I don’t think about whether a song is going to be a “hit.” I really just take where I am in my own life and try to share the best musical glimpse of where life has taken me, all through the lens of Christmas music.

I was lamenting about how I would never be sure if I would ever have that standard. When someone quickly pointed out, “but Elizabeth – you are the Christmas standard.”

I’m humbled for you to have joined me here and I promise as long as there is a Christmas to celebrate – I will be here to write and share these songs. For they are not mine anymore – they belong to everyone who loves Christmas as much as I do.

Elizabeth, I can't top "you are the Christmas standard", but I can assure you that, very possibly, you have exceeded your dream. Every generation needs it's Bing Crosby and you are ours. Every year, you enter the homes and hearts of millions of people across the country and around the world...with a twinkle in your eye and a sack of fresh Christmas cheer on your back. We look forward to your annual presents and your annual presence. Even when everything else has not gone to plan in the year gone by, we know it's all going to be alright because you are there with a smile and a song. You are the star atop millions of Christmas trees. You have become a grand tradition, as much a part of our Christmas celebration as brightly colored lights and ornaments. Your music will endure because you will endure. You are family. It just wouldn't be Christmas without you. YOU are the Best Gift Ever. And we thank you. Still wish I'd said "you are the Christmas standard"; damn, that's good.

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MRS. KATZ [NOT HER REAL NAME] (???? - 2018)

7/30/2018

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My beloved baby girl is gone. She passed away early Saturday afternoon (7/28/18). I adopted her as a stray, so I don't know her full history, but I know enough to place her age at right around 18. As best as I can determine, the cause of death was old age.

Mrs. Katz (not her real name) was an indoor/outdoor. In addition to being beautiful, she was incredibly smart and incredibly loyal (more than one neighbor noted that she followed me around like a puppy dog). She loved sunsets and always took time to stop and smell the roses (well, we don't actually have any roses, but she always enjoyed smelling whatever those flowers are that we do have). In her prime, she was about the fastest thing on four feet I've ever seen and she was the unquestioned Queen of the Neighborhood. It's said that cats have nine lives and Mrs. Katz (not her real name) had more than her share; I had counted her out more times than I can remember (hit by cars, shot by BB guns, poisoned by assholes...she was a regular Rasputin).

Her final descent seemed brief. She stopped eating and drinking Thursday. On Friday, she curled up in a corner, where she stayed (changing positions occasionally) until she passed. She gave no indication of being in any pain. She did not cry. I've had a lot of cats in my life and they tend to die all stretched out, their spines straight. Mrs. Katz (not her real name) was still mostly curled up when she died. Because it comforts me, I'm going to take that to mean that she died in her sleep.

Note: The portrait just above was done by Claire Bowman of The Bowmans. It was a perk of their Kickstarter campaign for "Make Sure The Snow Falls". Mrs. Katz wasn't particularly a fan of my Christmas music obsession, but she insisted I pledge enough to qualify for the portrait. Well, she didn't so much insist.... She hit the mouse and placed the order when I wasn't looking. It's true; that really happened.

While I mourn, it may be a few days before I post again. But I shall return.

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(AT LEAST) ONE MORE THING

11/1/2017

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UPDATE 11/5: Now available for pre-order in digital and (signed) CD formats, as well as a special Christmas package that includes an exclusive lyric booklet and a Christmas greeting from Sofia.

There are certain artists who are, for whatever reason, like family to me and for whom the doors, here, will always be open for whatever good I can do in "spreading the word". One of them is my favorite Swedish songbird--Folk, Pop, and Americana singer/songwriter Sofia Talvik. As we've discussed before, my relationship to Sofia's Christmas music pre-dates Stubby's considerably. Well guess who has a Christmas album coming out? That's right. Sofia Talvik.

"When Winter Comes", Sofia's Christmas album, is tentatively slated for release on November 24. Lest you think she just threw all of her previous Christmas singles together willy nilly, Sofia actually re-imagined, re-recorded, re-mixed and re-mastered those songs so that the result is a cohesive album and vision, not just a collection of disparate pieces. There's also a few that you will not have heard before, including her new 2017 Christmas single, "This Great Old Christmas Night".

As long as there is breath in my body, I intend to do right by Sofia and give you all a proper review of "When Winter Comes". Look for it in the next week to ten days. OK?

That said, you still have a couple of days to grab our Halloween mix (details below).

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ELIZABETH CHAN - SONGS FOR NOELLE

10/11/2017

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The video is from a web series Elizabeth Chan did last year. Fun stuff. Has nothing to do with her forthcoming Christmas record, "Songs For Noelle", but I like videos and I don't have anything I can share with you from that as yet (well, I could...Liz sent me a private link, but public sharing of private links simply isn't done without the express written permission of the Fat Man, himself. It could land me on the naughty list. So....).

1. What Child Is This (Remix)
2. All Through The Night
3. Toyland
4. Oh What Fun
5. Wake Up
6. Ghost of Christmas Past

ELIZABETH CHAN'S WEBSITE
PRE-ORDER FROM AMAZON
PRE-ORDER FROM iTUNES

"Songs For Noelle" is Elizabeth Chan's SIXTH Christmas set in as many years. That's why we call her The Queen of Christmas. Not that the others haven't been, but "Songs For Noelle" is especially special. You see, Liz became a Mom this year and Noelle is her darling daughter (The Princess of Christmas?). Nothing will put you in the true spirit of Christmas quicker than a newborn child. And, as much as Liz has always channeled her own inner child into her Christmas music, there's no substitute for the real thing.

Dedicated to her daughter, "Songs For Noelle" fully embraces the theme that Christmas is for children, featuring a mix of seasonal standards and originals. Among the former, we get the lovely lullaby "All Through The Night" and "Toyland", one of the first Christmas songs I remember from my own childhood and (possibly because of that) one I've always felt was criminally under appreciated. Among the latter, we get "Oh What Fun", a slice of pure Funk Pop joy, and "Wake Up", the lead single. It's merely my opinion, of course, but I feel "Wake Up" is the most perfectly beautiful and amazing thing Liz has ever done. It's remarkably written and arranged and Liz's voice just soars. If "Wake Up" doesn't bring tears to your eyes, you might want to check with your doctor to see if you were born with a heart two sizes too small.

"Songs For Noelle" has a release date of October 20. And you can grab the single "Wake Up" now, to tide you over for the next week, at Amazon and iTunes. And you can keep up with Elizabeth Chan year round through her official website and Facebook.

Now...I did tell a little white lie up top. I said there was no video or audio from "Songs For Noelle" I could share with you right now. But last year's "Ghost of Christmas Past" was so well received, Liz included it on the new record, as well. So I could share that video. I could. But I'm calling an audible which I hope Liz and everyone else will understand and appreciate and I'm closing with a song I think is more in keeping with the theme of "Songs For Noelle" (And not a bad song to consider covering, either, Liz. Just sayin'.). Here's Tommy Edwards from 1951 with "Christmas Is For Children".

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KISSING PARTY - WINTER IN THE PUB (FULL ALBUM)

12/13/2016

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1.   Dale Voorhies
2.   Merry Christmas Darling (Maybe Next Year Things Will Change)
3.   Warren City Christmas
4.   Pretty Lights
5.   Winter In The Pub
6.   You're Going Everywhere Without Me
7.   Reckless Road
8.   The Black Crown
9.   PA Grey
10. My Only One

KISSING PARTY WEB SITE
KISSING PARTY ON FACEBOOK
PURCHASE FROM BANDCAMP
PURCHASE FROM AMAZON
PURCHASE FROM iTUNES

We started this blog/web site/whatever the hell it is in 2010. I had an idea of what I was trying to do (which, of course, never unfolded as I pictured). Mainly, I wanted to make sure that music that needed to be heard got heard. I was still feeling my way around back then. It took me a while to just be me and let the chips fall.

In that first year, I (and perhaps you) were introduced to a few artists who I've come to think of as family. Not like parents or siblings, but, you know, the kinds of cousins for whom the door is always open. C'mon in, sit down. Can I get you anything? Let's catch up.

In 2010, a Denver based Indie band known as Kissing Party released a song entitled "Winter In The Pub". I was instantly attracted to their sound. I don't even know why. But I was drawn to it. Fascinated by it. I had the kind of feeling I usually get about a woman I know is ultimately going to break my heart (they haven't...yet).

The guitars sparkled. The vocals I described as "somber and sinister". It was Lo-Fi without being Lo-Fi. There was a darkness, but there was a light (kinda like that woman who is going to break my heart). The band, I think, had described their sound as "Slop Pop". It took me a while to conclude that (to me, anyway) what that means in that there are so many different styles coming together in their sound, that it's fairly well impossible to say it's this or it's that. It's all of it.

Through the years, Kissing Party kept coming back to the season with one great tune after another. In 2012, I'd loosened up enough to be appropriately effusive in my praise of "Dale Voorhies":
"This year's Christmas gift is "Dale Voorhies" which the band themselves call "morose". But it's "morose" that you can dance to. In fact, I can scarcely think of a more depressing song that makes me feel this good. It's weird. It's genius!"

And, in 2013, they topped themselves again with "Pretty Lights". Look, I could reminisce all day, but we're here to talk about this year. But I would never forgive myself if I didn't at least include a link to the brilliant video for "Pretty Lights". Please. Watch it. Repeatedly.

So, anyway. Kissing Party, this year--with THREE NEW CHRISTMAS TUNES--have finally achieved full album mass. Again utilizing the title of that first Christmas song, "Winter In The Pub", Kissing Party presents their full Christmas experience! The album was released to all of the digital platforms this past Friday. This Saturday, there's a CD release party at Denver's Skylark Lounge. So, wait, is there a "Winter In The Pub" CD? Best I can tell at the moment is that there is a "Limited Edition" CD. How limited? It could be that the only way to get it is at the CD release party. I honestly don't know. But, if you're within a state or two of Denver this Saturday, I'd sure try to be at Skylark Lounge.

The "star" among the new Christmas tunes is "Warren City Christmas" (video up top). "The Black Crown", on first listen, sounds like "Warren City Christmas" painted in different hues. I do love "Warren City Christmas". But I also love "PA Grey", which isn't getting a whole lot of attention right now. This tune gives me the sense of sitting on a bus as it pulls away, in the middle of winter, looking out the window--deep in thoughts of what was, what is, and what will never be--with the fog of your breath on the glass and your heart in your stomach. So I gotta toss it in, here.

That's a thing to me. I like a song that gives me a visceral feeling. It almost doesn't matter what a song is really about. It's more about what it makes me feel. And the thing about Kissing Party that's been true from 2010 to today is that it could be the most depressing song I've ever heard and I come away smiling. Even when a song of their's calls to mind a depressing memory, I come away feeling good. It's cathartic, somehow. I don't understand why, really, but who cares?

The combination of people in the group is part of the reason for the success of their sound. I can't put it any better than Tom Murphy of Westworld Magazine did, so I'm going to borrow his assessment:
"The Kissing Party is a band masterful in the writing of upbeat, melancholy pop songs and wry wit. Although the lyrics reveal the romantic and sentimental outlook of the group's primary songwriters, Gregg Dolan and Deidre Sage, it is the rhythm section of Lee Evans and Shane Reid, coupled with the delicate yet assured guitar leads of Joe Hansen, that take relatively simple songs and give them a drive and color that isn't otherwise obvious."

And we get further insight into their Christmas songs, specifically, from the band, who say the songs come from their experience going home for Christmas over the past 5 or 6 years. See, you can go home again. And it's less that it's not the same than that it is.
"This album is for anyone who has ever gone home to find the same friends sitting on the same barstool you left them on the year before. It's about not feeling home at home but dreading returning to the city. It's about feeling happy, depressed, drunk and in love at the same time. It's about friends you grew up with, girls you still miss, smoking in garages and playing ping pong in basements. It's the feeling you get returning to the bedroom you grew up in and its still decorated with Oasis & The Cure posters you had on the wall when you were 15. In other words Christmas Carols for the crippled inside. Pairs well with hot totty's, hometowns and heartbreak."

So there it is. Kissing Party is a great band who have delivered great Christmas music because the songs are real. They aren't looking to paint a Courier & Ives picture. Nor are they looking to be anti-Christmas (that's a thing, you know). They aren't trying to be anything but real. Real life is never just one thing. It's happy and sad, surprising and disappointing, new and old, dark and light--all at the same time. There's always an over-arching sense that there should be more or better, fully tempered with the constant reminders that it could be so much worse. I love this band. To me, their music is "existential"--proof of existence. And, if that's just a bit too overwrought for you, if you think I'm trying to read more than is actually there, then I come back to this. Their music sounds great and it always--always--makes me feel good. And no music need ever be more than that.

Please check out Kissing Party's "Winter In The Pub" and consider buying it. It's not just a timecapsule of their Christmases past, but of ours. Although you can find it at the usual digital emporiums, you'll get your best price (and FLAC, if you like) at Bandcamp. Just sayin'. If we find out there's a CD for sale anywhere outside of Denver, we'll certainly let you know (though my sense is maybe not). I just hope this isn't the last of Kissing Party's Christmas music. Or maybe this is finally the moment where that girl breaks my heart. Hey, I knew it was coming the moment I laid eyes on her.

It is true that many of these songs were originally offered as free gifties, but they've earned whatever the "Winter In The Pub" collection might cost you. Proving they still love you (or maybe they just forgot, so grab it quick), "Warren City Christmas" is currently free to download from Soundcloud. And, even if that disappears, you can find a free download of "Winter of No Self Control" (not a Christmas song, but just as wonderful) from the band's "Waster's Wall" album at Hot Congress (right click, MAC users).

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CHRISTMAS ROCKS

11/26/2016

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I think I need to unionize. It's Thanksgiving weekend and everybody gets time off except the Christmas music bloggers. So much Christmas music, so little time.

First up, I wanted to tell those who aren't aware that our friends over at Merry & Bright are doing a giveaway (maybe more coming from them as well). The CDs they're giving away right now are "Christmastime In New Orleans" by the NOLA Players. Y'all remember how much I loved that one, right? There is a little "skill" test required, but its real real easy. Evan an idiot like me could do it. So head on over to Merry & Bright for the full skinny and maybe win yourself a free CD. I think you have until December 4 (since the winner will be announced on the 5th). Just take care of it today and you won't have to worry about when it ends. It'll only take you a couple of minutes, I swear.

If you've stopped by the Free List recently, you might have noticed I was lamenting the lack of Rock freebies. Well, no sooner said than... And the two we'll be pointing you to, right now, are so good that I've got to front page them. (This is not to say you shouldn't also visit the Free page. Plenty of activity back there lately). First up is the new collection from InVogue Records, "Happy Holidays, I Miss You".

1. In Her Own Words – Yule Shoot Your Eye Out
2. Chase Huglin – Christmas Eve / Pierceton Queen
3. Hotel Books – Christmas Eve Until I Leave
4. JT Woodruff – Down Patton Hill (Christmas ’85)
5. Woven In Hiatus – Joy
6. Mark Rose – It Won’t Be Long Now
7. Convictions – Memories In The Attic
8. Mirror Eyes – Of All The Charlie Browns In The World, I’m The Charlie Browniest
9. Punchline – I Always See You In December
10. September Stories – Christmas ’12
11. Courage My Love – Last Christmas

DOWNLOAD AT BANDCAMP
PURCHASE CD (of 100) AT INVOGUE RECORDS

COURAGE MY LOVE

InVogue Records specializes in Alt Rock, Hardcore and Pop Punk and they've got 11 tracks from their roster of artists that are both diverse and damn good. A Parental Advisory is in play for some of these songs. Just sayin'. For a number of years in the aughts, Pop Punk has been one of the more dominant of Rock styles. Which makes a certain kind of sense when you think about the kind of music a lot of younger folks would want to play. Pop Punk was this generation's Garage Rock. The thing is when you listen to that many Pop Punk Christmas tunes, you start to notice that a lot of them sound alike and there isn't that much depth to the lyrics. Again, just sayin'. You get the occasional absolutely brilliant, sure to be a staple of the season for decades to come tune (like Fall Out Boy's "Yule Shoot Your Eye Out"), but most of it is like cotton candy--looks pretty, tastes sweet, but there's not much more to it than air and sugar. "Happy Holidays, I Miss You" is not restricted to just Pop Punk, but the Pop Punk that's there, for the most part, has real substance to it...in both the musical structure and lyrics.

"Happy Holidays, I Miss You" is bookended with well known covers (In Her Own Words do Fall Out Boy's classic and Courage My Love has a stab at "Last Christmas". I won't swear that the rest are originals, but they sounded fresh and new to me. They run the gamut between festive joy and somber disillusionment. The two tracks that most stand out are likely Convictions' Hardcore "Memories In The Attic" (a Christian band, they describe their sound as "Aggressive Worship") and "Christmas Eve Until I Leave" from Hotel Books which is Slam Poetry that is entrancing and irresistible. In the latter, we get ruminations on where Christmas all went wrong...and I can't disagree that "we've missed the point." "Maybe every night deserves a little silence, not just the one weekend of the year." Bravo. Well said. The group Punchline is a veteran of the annual Christmas song thing and they bring their "A" game. And how can you not love a tune with the title, "Of All The Charlie Browns In The World, "I'm The Charlie Browniest"?

Best of all, "Happy Holidays, I Miss You" can be yours as a name-your-price download via Bandcamp. The label seems aware that people will take advantage of a free download, but they are also trying to raise money for charity. The brother of the vocalist for In Her Own Words died of a rare form of liver cancer several years back and money raised through Bandcamp until New Years Day will be donated to the scholarship fund that was begun in Jason Wilhelm's honor.

Now...you say you want hard copy? The label is selling precisely 100 CDs of "Happy Holidays, I Miss You". As the album was on pre-sale for awhile (it officially released on Friday), I wouldn't waste any time hustling over to the InVogue web store.

1. Christmas Snowflakes on the Autobahn — Steven Drozd
2. Kissmas — Munch
3. Holiday Party — Chelsey Cope
4. Christmas Spirits — Brinka
5. Back for Christmas — Andrew Belle
6. Ave Maria — Boondice
7. All I Want For Christmas — Prettyboy
8. The Holidays Have Changed — Boondice
9. Behold — Brinka
10. Holiday — Labrys
11. Ice Icicles — Boondice

DOWNLOAD AT BANDCAMP

One of the annual Christmas presents we very much look forward to is the Blackwatch Christmas collection. Blackwatch is a recording studio in Oklahoma and, in cooperation with Fowler VW, they put together the collection which is always free to download and, if you happen to be in Oklahoma, you can even pick up the vinyl (limited to 500 copies) FREE, (yeah, you heard right--at least that's what NewsOK says) at Fowler VW. Nonetheless, they do raise money from the collection and from the live show (December 9 this year, I think) and 100% of the money raised goes to help fund music programs in the Norman, Oklahoma Public Schools.

This is year 6 of the tradition and so, therefore, we are celebrating "A Blackwatch Christmas, Volume VI". Kicking the album off in style is Steven Drozd, the multi-instrumentalist from the Flaming Lips. I was really taken with "Kissmas" by Munch and prematurely labeled it the best track on the album. Then I heard Chelsey Cope's "Holiday Party" and it was "Munch who now?" Always good to see free Christmas music from Andrew Belle and this one, "Back For Christmas", is one of his best. Prettyboy brings the high energy of a six-pack of Red Bull to his version of Mariah's "All I Want For Christmas Is You". And, for my pal Jim of Christmas Underground, Labrys delivers a Dream Pop "Holiday". Additionally, there's some Electronica, a bit of Ambient, and Boondice's Synth Pop "Ice Icicles" sounds like perfect soundtrack music for a "Beverly Hills Cop" movie.

If you can't make it to Oklahoma to grab a free piece of vinyl, you can certainly make it as far as Bandcamp to download the set. And, if you missed any of the earlier volumes in the series, they're still there on Bandcamp and they're still free. So just do it.

1 Martin Cilia - Christmas In July
2 Los Straitjackets - Groovy Old St Nick
3 The Beagles - Snoopy’s Christmas
4 Meshugga Beach Party - Hot Rod Hannukah
5 Black Flamingos - How The Gurch Stole Christmas
6 The Barbary Coasters - Lump Of Coal
7 Twang-O-Matics - Staffan var en stalledräng
8 Urban Surf Kings - I Saw Three Ships (Mr. Rebel Version)
9 Fronkensteen - Nutty Sweet
10 Aqualads - Angels We Have Heard On High
11 The Ogres - Xmas Is A Bust
12 The TakeOffs - Santa Claus Is Coming To Surf
13 The Other Timelines - Public Access Christmas Special
14 The Kanaloas - X-Mas Palm Tree
15 The Falcons - Ye Merry Gentlemen
16 Crazy Aces - Crazy AceMas
17 The TomorrowMen with E-Rock - Friends (At Christmas Time) PURCHASE FROM DOUBLE CROWN
18 Travelers Of Tyme - Dance Of The Sugarplum Fairy
19 Tiki Joe’s Ocean - Jingle Bells
20 Whoa Nellie! Vera & Johnny - Little Johnny Got a Japanese Guitar for Christmas

Our friends at Double Crown Records are back with their fourth platter of Christmas delights, "Seasonal Favorites, Vol. 4". Double Crown specialize in Surf but they've been known to dabble in other retro styles. Take Tiki Joe's Ocean. They're one of the best Lounge/Exotica bands currently in circulation. As with the other "Seasonal Favorites" albums, some of these tracks are old favorites and some are newly recorded specifically for this release. In the former category, we've got some blasts from the past from The Barbary Coasters, Los Straitjackets, The Falcons and Meshugga Beach Party (Hanukkah alert!). Some of the bands providing fresh waves are The Beagles, The Other Timelines, The Ogres, Twang-O-Matics and the Black Flamingos (if you didn't catch their "How The Gurch Stole Christmas" when we featured it earlier, go have a listen).

You should purchase "Seasonal Favorites, Vol. 4" direct from Double Crown and, while you're over there, be aware that their Black Friday sale runs through Monday. We're talking 35% off orders of $20 or more. (I'd make a Crazy Eddie joke in here, but who even remembers him?) And many of their releases are already on sale, so toss 35% more on top of that and, hello, Merry Christmas. So big big savings can be yours and you won't even have to trample your fellow man or woman to death in the mosh pit of holiday shopping at the brick and mortar stores. Details are right there on Double Crowns' home page (pst-the secret woid is BLACKFRI).

One last brief bit of business before we call it a night. The Christmas single from The Empty Hearts is not only out and brilliant, it's available on hard copy CD from the band, though it won't ship until mid-December. I do like my hard copy. You can get it regular or you can get it signed. Different prices. Your choice.

I really like the "B" side.

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THE FEELIN' COMING BACK 'ROUND

7/17/2016

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It's still kinda quiet on the Christmas music front. But just when I was about to say there's nothing new I've learned of recently that has me counting down the days, I stumbled upon Circa Blue. Ostensibly a Bluegrass band (though you could call it Folk, or you could call it Country, or you could call it Americana....but you doesn't has to call it Johnson. OK, obscure Bill Saluga reference that nobody under the age of 60 will get. Sorry.), I did what I always do and went in search of earlier music from the band. My guess would be that we don't have much of a Bluegrass following at Stubbys. But just start that video overhead while I talk on it a bit. BTW, "Rain & Snow" is from Circa Blue's most recent release, "Once Upon A Time".

The thing is Bluegrass was one of the most difficult genres for me to acclimate to. I was lucky, though. I had a friend at a radio station I worked at who not only had encyclopedic knowledge of the subject, he was also in a Bluegrass group, Late Nite Garage. Just one album that I know of, locally released in New Jersey, but one I have always thoroughly enjoyed. There's one track on YouTube, but its instrumental, so you don't get to hear the beautiful harmonies which are what I loved about the record, and you can usually find a copy or two on eBay. Anyway, Tom helped open my mind and my ears, gave me a teeny tiny bit of his knowledge but, sadly, none of his taste. So I've pretty much been reduced to, "I don't know Bluegrass, but I know what I like." And I like Circa Blue. In fact Circa Blue is very much in the sweet spot of the Bluegrass sound I like. Can't explain it, but I know it when I hear it. And I also like groups that will lay the very traditional Bluegrass standards right next to a cover of a Pop hit or Rock song, which Circa Blue go do, too.

Their as yet untitled Christmas album is part of an ongoing project/promotional exercise from National Media Services, a full-service studio in northern Virginia. Every year, NMS picks a band that has previously used their studio or other services and gives them the studio time to record a Christmas album. If you've even danced around the fringes of the music world, you know how precious and wonderful free studio time can be. The group still has to pay to have the CDs made up (which NMS does in-house), but pricing is competitive and the band can order relatively small quantities to sell at their shows or whatever (some CD manufacturers make bands buy more than they could possibly sell, but not NMS).

Circa Blue chose some traditional favorites, wrote some new tunes, and picked a handful of tunes from contemporary songwriters. Dawn Kenney is one of those folks in the latter category and she'll be a guest vocalist on the record and is set to accompany the band on a brief holiday tour later this year. The CD should be coming out October 1, but might not be immediately available online. We'll let you know when and where it is.

Did we mention Country artist Chris Young? He's been pretty much on fire since 2009's "Gettin' You Home (The Black Dress Song)" and I thought he did a nice job on "Rainy Night In Georgia", but there is an awful lot of Country Christmas music coming this year, so I can't say I'm overly up for still more country. Well, he's pretty excited about putting out a Christmas album this year, and that's a good sign.

Among the bucket listers, the band Exile has a new Christmas album. I've always gotta check these notices because things are never clearly laid out. But, anyway, although the band has been promoting "Wrapped Up In Your Arms For Christmas" in recent interviews as though they just finished recording it, it looks as though it was actually released through their web site last December. So lets just say it'll be getting the wide release treatment this year. If you're as old as I am, you remember Exile as a Rock band who had the huge hit "Kiss You All Over" in the 70s. After the lead vocalist left, they transitioned into Country and Southern Rock. I'd swear I have a holiday 45 from them somewhere, but I could be imagining that. Nope, I was right ("Happy Birthday, Jesus" from 1991). Anyway..."Wrapped Up In Your Arms This Christmas" by Exile. It's out there.

Canadian Country singer Jimmy Rankin is in the planning stages of a Christmas album with his sisters, Cookie and Heather. That one won't be dropping until 2017.

And, just to break out of this Country scene a tiny bit, Metalcore band August Burns Red confirms that they'll be continuing their annual Christmas single tradition, with this year's already written and ready for the studio. At the same time, another full-length Christmas album seems unlikely for the foreseeable future.

Now THIS excites me!

At the risk of ticking some of y'all off, I deliberately did not put a couple of long-awaited long out-of-print loved-by-those-who-own-them-and-sought-by-those-who-don't re-issues on our List last year. But I had my reasons. Last year, they were available as digital downloads only. But I knew (and I think I even mentioned in one of our Coming Attractions pieces) that there were going to be hard copy vinyl re-issues of these masterpieces. And, quite frankly, it irks me sometimes to drop a tenner on a digital and then have to come back and buy again what I already bought because now it's in hard copy. So I kept my big mouth shut. No double billing on my account. But the time has come. Feel free to grab the digital from the usual suspects if that's your pref, but the rest of us are gonna settle in for the full vinyl experience.

Oh, man, what treasures!

Now, that's from an old vinyl rip. I'm told the sound on the digital was exceptional.

Ordinarily, Christmas releases are recorded well in advance (for obvious reasons), but that was not the case with the two "Holiday Soul" albums, one from Don Patterson and the other by Bobby Timmons. Both were recorded at the end of November 1964 and released that December on the Prestige label. That gives the records a fresh crispness that you might not get if they'd spent months working up the charts. The basic melodies remain intact, but they left themselves plenty of room to move, to stretch, to improvise, to have fun. A few tracks from the two sets have made their way onto a compilation or two, but the full albums have not been reissued in any format since the original 1964 release (not counting last year's digital release).

Both Timmons and Patterson were pioneers of the Soul Jazz sound that they helped create but which would be popularized by others. They were both under 30 at the time, though Timmons had been working for more than a decade by then, For Patterson, it was one of his first album releases. The records took a while to catch on. Patterson's "Holiday Soul", for example, peaked at #85 on the album charts...in 1967. It was the most successful album of his career. Both Bobby Timmons and Don Patterson struggled with drug and alcohol addiction. Timmons was just 38 when he died of cirrhosis in 1974. Patterson, I believe, did get clean, but that kind of damage just doesn't go away and he died in 1988 at the age of 51. Both men were brilliant and under appreciated and the "Holiday Soul" records are wonderful works recorded before the alcohol and drugs took hold.

The "Holiday Soul" albums are perfect seasonal discs for almost any occasion. They have enough warmth to serve as background and the musicianship to stand up to (and amaze in) any more critical, more attentive, foreground listen.

Originally announced last year by Universal (who will handle distribution), the vinyl re-issues stand ready to arrive on September 2. You can pre-order Don Patterson's through Amazon or Elusive Disc or wherever you go for your vinyl. Bobby Timmons' set can be pre-ordered here or here. We fully expect the albums to be released with their original cover art, labels, etc. There are no announced plans for a CD release, but you never know.

Diana Krall released "Christmas Songs" in 2005 and it topped both the Jazz and Holiday charts that year, peaking at #17 on the Top 200 album charts. It was her first album recorded with a full orchestra and it was every bit as stunningly beautiful as you would expect. If I recall correctly (and who knows; these days my brain looks like something from "Hoarders"), even the CDs were hard to find that year. But the vinyl was limited and almost impossible to find. At some point, there was an audiophile version (released in red vinyl and white vinyl) which was, likewise, very limited and impossible to find. Back in 2013, another reissue of the vinyl (standard black, as I recall, but 200gm weight). And the thing is it's STILL tough to score the record on any sort of vinyl unless you're willing to pony up some big bucks (and my pockets just ain't all that deep these days).

Since "Christmas Songs" remains a perennial favorite of the season, I can't imagine this will be the last re-issue but, then again, it's hard to say how long this "back to vinyl" movement will last. The vinyl re-issue of Diana Krall's gem shows a release date of October 14. It looks to be your basic LP re-issue from Verve--standard weight black vinyl--but there have been folks looking for just that for over a decade. Here's your shot. Make it count. Pre-order through Amazon, Elusive Disc, or wherever fine records are sold.

Also on the sorta kinda "re-issue" front is a new collection from Essential Media. Essential Media, based in Florida, is an interesting company. Their business model, it always seemed to me, was like just buy up the rights of anything that's cheap. Yeah, there's probably a lot more to it than that, and they make a lot of their money leasing music to movies and TV, but that's just how it always seemed to me. The thing is there is a ton of music out there, the rights of which can be had for cheap, that is really really good--especially in the off-genres like Jazz and Blues and Reggae, etc. They likely wouldn't sell well enough for a major label to bother with, but there is a solid core of collectors who would seek out and buy such obscurities from unknown artists and tiny labels. Heck, that's some of the best Christmas music out there...stuff your family and friends have never heard. So E.M. buys the stuff outright for cheap, does a lot of mixing and matching, and some of the resulting collections might not draw fans of the current hits. But folks like us? Yeah, it can be the coolest thing ever. When they offer up digital collections, there's not a whole lot of overhead (obviously) and those that sell comparatively well they'll make available on CD or CD-R (with today's technology, those are better quality and cheaper to make than even 10 years ago).

The new collection from Essential Media making its digital debut September 2 is "A Strange But Merry Christmas". As I've been collecting since the late 60s and early 70s, I've got a lot of these songs already (mostly on vinyl 45s), but there are a few that are even new to me. And it's a pretty interesting group of festive tuneage. You've got the awesome Blues of King Coleman's "Blue Grey Christmas" and Johnny Winter's "Please Come Home For Christmas", a country tear-jerker from Slim Pickens ("Christmas In November"), teen Pop and Soul from Jimmy Charles and Milt Patrick, a disco "White Christmas" from Back to Back, and a novelty (and not the one everybody knows) from 2 Live Jews. Is there any Christmas collector who hasn't been delighted by their first listen to "Hawaiian Santa" by the Surfers? And, while everyone knows "Be Bop Santa" by Babs Gonzalez, you could spend a lifetime tracking down all of his variations on that theme, like this collection's "Teenage Santa Claus". Ordinarily, I'd check Essential Media to see if there's a CD available, but their site is undergoing a makeover or something. And Essential has offered a lot of these cuts as digital singles before. But the digital release of "A Strange But Merry Christmas" will run you $8.99 for 20 deliciously obscure holiday tracks. Not too shabby.

And, finally, James Taylor. No, that's it. I just always wanted to say "And, finally, James Taylor."

Oh, alright. I'd like to be able to say that I've never seen an artist get so much mileage out of a Christmas album, but I can't because no one could hope to get the mileage Phil Spector and "A Charlie Brown Christmas" have gotten. I do think its had more lives than Mrs. Katz (not her real name) and, considering how many times I've called for last rites, that's saying something. "James Taylor At Christmas" started life as a 2004 Hallmark CD titled "A Christmas Album". In 2006, Columbia released "James Taylor At Christmas", which included most of the songs from the Hallmark CD, though not "Deck The Halls", and a couple of extra tracks. Barnes & Noble released the album with "Deck The Halls" as an exclusive bonus track. In 2012, "James Taylor At Christmas" was released again, this time with 2 more tracks (but still no "Deck The Halls"). But in all this time, the album has never been released on vinyl. Well that changes this year as a vinyl "James Taylor At Christmas" will be exclusively available from Barnes & Noble. We don't have the details yet, but the price point and all the earlier versions leave me curious as to the eventual track list and whether the vinyl will be collector's grade. I mean, it would be really cool if they got all of the Christmas tracks in one place at last (doncha think). Truthfully, I expect it will mirror the 2006 Columbia release, but I'm still curious. In any case, the JT vinyl arrives September 23.

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KERRY PASTINE & THE CRIME SCENE - CRIME SCENE CHRISTMAS

11/3/2015

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The curtain comes down on another season for Mr. Met

We're into November, now, and that means a lot of things. It means that, in arguments with the Grinch in your life over how soon is too soon for Christmas music, the Grinch is now--officially--wrong. Although some of us find any time of year the right time for some egg nog, ginger snaps (snickerdoodles work also), and Christmas tunes, officially, the Grinch has the edge in the argument until we get past Halloween. Sure, some will still argue that there should be a ban on Christmas music until at least December first (and some would impose draconian bans until Christmas Eve), but November 1 is the tipping point where WE outnumber them. So take that, Christmas music Grinch.

November means I have more work to do on this here web site and, specifically, more tunes will be showing up on the Free List page and, yes, there are a couple of newbies up there right now. So you're going to have to click through fairly regularly, now, to stay caught up.

And November means that our good friends at Christmas A Go-Go are back in business! All hail Christmas A Go-Go! Gotta love them cats; they always have great stuff...most of which I miss. Stubby's may be the Mets of Christmas music, but Christmas A Go-Go are the Royals (damn it). They're just better than we are. They "keep the line moving" (and that is the last freaking time I ever want to hear that expression). I'm not ashamed to admit it (a little depressed, but not ashamed). Bitter about the World Series much? Just call me Mr. Coffee.

Anyway, proving they still got it, Christmas A Go-Go had this one up Monday morning. Kerry Pastine & The Crime Scene are a Colorado band that knows how to take a vintage sound and make it absolutely purr in modern times. Did I say purr? I should've said growl. These retro rockers absolutely got legs and they know how to use 'em. And Kerry Pastine is absolutely the right driver for this mean machine. Kerry and company leave the bigger names in the dust.

The set opens with a fairly awesome mix of Doo Wop and early Rock and Soul. We get a Blues favored Noir Rock outing with "Have I Been Naughty or Nice". And I don't care how stuck in the mud you may be, "Ride Santa Ride" is gonna make you move--don't try and fight it. That Sock Hop Blues Jumper reminds us that we were shakin' it off long before Taylor Swift was a gleam in her mother's eyes. More Noir Rock with a driving beat on "New Year's Day My Way". The gang's got Rockabilly covered and "Santa's Movin" has got a Bill Haley/Elvis Presley vibe. To close it out, "Happy New Year", a ballad that belongs among such iconic performances as Patsy Cline's "Crazy", Brenda Lee's "I'm Sorry" and Sam Cooke's recording of "A Change Is Gonna Come". Kerry Pastine & The Crime Scene really hit a home run with that one (crap, another baseball reference).

Every song on "It's A Crime Scene Christmas" is an original and every one is a winner. The sounds are, at once, familiar and fresh, vintage and cutting edge. That's not that easy to pull off. The guitar playing of Pauly "Six" Shellooe is perfect. The stand-up drumming of Mike "Mad Dog" Minnick couldn't be better. Lance "Romance" Bakemeyer slaps that stand-up bass like a doctor bringing a new life into the world--with precision and passion. (Somebody in the mix is adding a little organ). And Kerry Pastine is Wanda Jackson, Patsy Cline, Grace Slick and Ann Wilson all rolled into one.

What a great Christmas surprise "It's A Crime Scene Christmas" is. No hard copy on this, but the digital download should be available everywhere by the end of the week (official release date November 4). I think you'll get the best deal by ordering from the band via Bandcamp. Thanks again to Christmas A Go-Go for finding this one (and welcome back; we missed you).

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THE FEELIN' COMING BACK 'ROUND

KERRY PASTINE & THE CRIME SCENE - CRIME SCENE CHRISTMAS

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