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NEW RELEASE - LES McCANN - "A TIME LES CHRISTMAS"

10/28/2018

Still working on trying to fill out the Jazz and Blues section of our musical Christmas tree. Here's a release that sort of slipped into circulation this past week without hype or notice.

1. Merry Christmas Baby
2. Let It Snow
3. I'll Be Home for Christmas
4. Baby It's Cold Outside (with Maxayn Lewis)
5. The Christmas Song
6. This Christmas
7. Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas
8. The Gift
9. My Christmas Heart
10. Away in a Manger

LES McCANN WEB SITE
LES McCANN ON FACEBOOK
PURCHASE FROM AMAZON
PURCHASE FROM iTUNES

Les McCann was born in Lexington, Kentucky. A piano player, Les won a Navy talent contest which led to an appearance on The Ed Sullivan Show. He began recording for Pacific Jazz Records as the leader of a trio. His first album, "It's About Time", was released in 1960. His breakthrough record was the 1969 album "Swiss Movement". Recorded live at Montreaux, the album featured what is likely Les' most enduring track, "Compared To What". Les had cut the track, which was certainly political, as a ballad a few years earlier. But both the times in 1969 and the swinging arrangement of the Montreaux performance (which featured Eddie Harris and Benny Bailey), grabbed attention as it had not before and the song was a hit. Listen to it today and there's no mystery why; "Compared To What" is one of the finest Jazz recordings ever made. The rest of the album is pretty great, too.

After "Swiss Movement", Les became a pioneer of Jazz/Soul fusion...a movement that Stevie Wonder would later join and which would provide a career path for artists like Al Jarreau. Les began experimenting with synth and started stepping out more as a vocalist. He suffered a stroke in the 90s that sidelined him for a while, but he was back making music in the aughts.

In 2002, Les recorded his first Christmas song, "My Christmas Heart". The track appears on the compilation "Jazz Yule Love". For some reason, everywhere I go on line, the song is credited to everybody BUT Les, but he wrote it and that's him pounding the keys on what really should be a song more frequently included in holiday Jazz playlists. In 2003, Les turned up as a guest performer on "White Christmas" from The Blind Boys of Alabama Christmas set, "Go Tell It On The Mountain". Prior to this Christmas recording, Les' most recent record was released in 2004. He has nearly 60 albums under his belt.

Les McCann turned 83 in September and "A Time Les Christmas" could be said to be a birthday and Christmas present to himself and to his fans. The album leans closer to Soul and Standard than it does to Jazz and the emphasis is on Les' gruff but affecting vocals.

"A Time Les Christmas" opens with one of the set's best pieces, a Jazz and Blues rendition of "Merry Christmas Baby" featuring some solid vocals from Les, the Hammond Organ of Bobby Sparks, and great guitar work from Josh Sklair. "Let It Snow" gets a Big Band Swing treatment with a Jazzy keyboard solo from Michael Wolff. Les duets with Maxayn Lewis on "Baby It's Cold Outside" which is sort of fun and playful, but I still find the tune creepy, no matter who is singing it. The album's one new original, "The Gift" (which Les co-wrote with the album's producers) is a simple, soulful, and spiritually uplifting number. That is followed by "My Christmas Heart", which appears to be the same 2002 recording that appeared on "Jazz Yule Love", and possibly the only track on the record that actually features Les on the keys (hard to say without specific song credits; Les is still performing live around the globe). And the record closes with a brief rendition of "Away In A Manger".

Personally, I might wish that Les had done a Christmas album at the time of "Swiss Movement", but people weren't doing Christmas albums back then. I might wish that "A Time Les Christmas" were more a pure Jazz record. And I might wish "A Time Les Christmas" were available in hard copy form, instead of just digital (perhaps it will be down the road). But I'm extremely glad we got a Christmas record from Les. His vocals are excellent and convey the essence of a true Jazz giant, the supporting musicians shine, and it's a superb listen which has the added benefit of giving people the chance to re-discover (or discover for the first time) "My Christmas Heart".

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NEW RELEASE - CHRISTMAS REMIXED 3

10/21/2018

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They're baaack......

DJ Remixes go back a lot farther than you might think. And the first album in the Verve Remixed series was issued in 2002. Nonetheless it was Six Degrees Records that created a sensation in 2003 with the original "Christmas Remixed". Six Degrees, a label founded by former Windham Hill employees, grabbed some of the best DJs and Producers of the day and set them loose to do the voodoo that they do to some of the best loved Christmas songs of all time. The result was an album of music that was, in the truest sense of the phrase, at once comfortably familiar and astonishingly fresh. Be it Chill, Electronic Beat, Acid Jazz, or whatever else, you could not deny its appeal, largely because the remixers in question approached the originals with due respect. "Christmas Remixed" reached #5 on the Dance/Electronic charts. Six Degrees followed with a second Christmas set, "Christmas Remixed 2", in 2005. Then Verve did their own Christmas Remix album in 2008.

Fifteen years on from "Christmas Remixed", Six Degrees is back at it with "Christmas Remixed 3". As you might expect, and depending upon your personal taste, some of the tracks work better than others. For my head, the best results come when the DJ or Producer creates an electronic landscape that compliments the sound of the original, rather than trying to take it in an entirely new direction. For example, I dig the way King Kooba gives Mahalia Jackson's "Silent Night" a Bluesy beat and feel. Meanwhile, Stuhr Midnight and Q-Burns Abstract Message enhance the joy and nostalgia of the performances by Patti LaBelle and Bobby Helms, respectively, rather than try to tear them apart and create that feeling from scratch. Ditto for n.In's remix of the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra's "O Come All Ye Faithful". The remix of "The Nutcracker Suite" makes a piece I personally consider boring into something inspired, irresistible and funky, without going wildly astray. The Chill treatments given songs from Patti Page, Joyce, and Mel Torme are fascinating and, well, chill. OTOH, I confess I don't get what what Johnny Hardway did with Johnny Mercer's "Winter Wonderland" at all. I'll be skipping over that track. Your mileage may vary.

Overall, though, the approach on "Christmas Remixed 3" is as cool as it ever was. And it's been a few years since we had a new album like this. "Christmas Remixed 3", released October 4, is digital only at the moment, and you can pick it up from Amazon, Bandcamp, iTunes and pretty much any other digital platform.

1. The First Noel (John Beltran Remix) – Bing Crosby
2. Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas (Pom Remix) – Joyce
3. The Christmas Song (Jay Rodriguez & Rev Scott Remix) – Mel Torme
4. Jingle Bell Rock (Q-Burns Abstract Message Remix) – Bobby Helms
5. Jingle Bells (Rise Ashen’s Reindeer Dub) – Duke Ellington
6. Winter Wonderland (James Hardway Remix) – Johnny Mercer
7. What Are You Doing New Year’s Eve (Stuhr Midnight Remix) – Patti LaBelle
8. Frosty The Snowman (Paul & Price Remix) – Patti Page
9. Baby, It’s Cold Outside (King Kooba Remix) – Louis Armstrong, Velma Middleton
10. The Nutcracker Suite (Operatica’s Nutcrackeratica Remix) – Berlin Symphony Orchestra
11. Jingle Bells (Tino Remix) – Celia Cruz
12. Have Yourself A Merry Little Xmas (Rondo Brothers Remix) – Rosemary Clooney
13. Silent Night (King Kooba Remix) – Mahalia Jackson
14. O Come All Ye Faithful (n.In Remix) – Royal Philharmonic Orchestra

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JUANITA MEETS DR JOHN AND THEY DO THE MASH

10/13/2018

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You got your William Shatner and your Monkees. But "Winter With Juanita" by The Kens might be as fun an album as you're likely to hear this year.

1. Navidad en Columbia
2. Delito Navideno
3. Sexy Santa
4. Winter With Juanita
5. Waltz Para Carolina
6. Kilos y Galletas the Merry Christmas Song
7. Hora de Navidad
8. Jingle Bossa
9. Peruvian Flakes
10. God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen

PURCHASE FROM AMAZON

For what does it profit a man's mixtape to have all the big name artist Christmas releases and lose the whole soul of doing the thing in the first place? A lot of big name artists this year. Clapton's "Happy Xmas" is fantastic. And it's only October. But albums like "Winter With Juanita" are the kinds of records that make a Christmas mixtape sing (pardon the expression, as this is largely an instrumental album).

"Winter With Juanita" is just one of those digital selections buried in a sea of seasonal releases that no one ever finds and no one else is going to tell you about. That's why we're here. The music is clearly created digitally. Much of it sounds as though it were produced using one of those Lowrey home organs like my Dad used to have, some of it sounds like it was created on a vintage moog machine. But those sounds combined with the feel and sound of a Mexicali Spaghetti Western, and both Indie and Hip Hop sensibilities make this the kind of record that will set a mixtape apart. People will sit up and take notice. They'll say, "Now that was cool."

"Winter With Juanita" is credited to The Kens. After extensive searching, and many dead ends, I can't say definitively who The Kens are (or is). The leading candidate is the gentleman to the right. He is from South Africa, creates his music electronically, had a single ("Baphi") earlier this year, and goes by The Kens. But I can't say it's actually him with even moderate certainty. Don't even have a verifiable name for the dude. Heck, it could just be production music with The Kens name slapped on (though that wouldn't really explain "Sexy Santa").

That mystery aside, what I can tell you is this. I listened to "Winter With Juanita" straight through, multiple times, never once feeling the urge to lift the virtual needle. There's not a track on here I don't love. And it's the kind of record I would gleefully listen to in August, just for my own head. Bossa Nova fans will dig "Jingle Bossa". If you need something instantly recognizable, but still super cool, there's the one cover, "God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen". The song with the most speaking is "Sexy Santa".(which includes a shout out postal workers everywhere will enjoy). And, for those requiring some sleigh bells, there's always the very festive "Hora de Navidad". Give "Winter With Juanita" by The Kens a chance and I think you'll dig it as much as I do. Pick it up from Amazon.

Not long ago, we gave you a heads-up about the British label devoted to unsigned bands (mostly, but not exclusively, of the Metal variety) and their hopes of issuing a charity Christmas CD this year featuring such bands. Dr Johns Surgery Records has announced that the record has officially been compiled and is ready to rock and roll...to the manufacturer, anyway. They settled on a single CD (after toying with the idea of a double disc release). "Dr Johns Ultimate Rock Christmas Album" officially drops November 2. All profits will go to Exeter Hospiscare. Pre-orders are currently being accepted via Paypal to [email protected]; make sure your address is included and mark it "Christmas album"). The CDs, themselves, are £8.00 each (that's about $10.50 US), but I'm not clear on the postage outside of the UK, so you might want to email to ask, first. Postage within the UK is £2.00 per CD. They give a £3.50 postage as well, but don't really say where that's good for (that's about $4.60 US, fwiw). As I say, best ask first. Send an email to the same address or leave a comment on their Facebook page. UPDATE: It's been clarified. £3.50 postage per CD should get it to the states.

1. God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen - Conspires To
2. Christmas Blues - Uncle Illmo's Band
3. Rudolph The Red Nosed Reindeer - Paid In Spades
4. Why Don't Christmas Go Away - Dean Farnell
5. Oh Holy Night - Four Skulls
6. Christmas In Dixie - Southern Raiders Band
7. The Silver Wheel - Tyranny of Hours
8. Merry Christmas Collage - Joe Feloni
9. Another Lonely Christmas Song - Stillroom
10. Windy Christmas - Sacred Wind
11. Silent Night - Strawkites
12. Empty Festivities - Blackwater Band UK
13. Sykko Christmas - Sykko Dollz
14. We Three Kings - Conspires To

Some of these tunes are brand new, some are not (though most date to 2017), but all are making their hard copy debut. "Dr Johns Ultimate Rock Christmas" figures to be worth the cost of admission, though--especially for Headbangers--for such brilliant tracks as "The Silver Wheel" by Tyranny of Hours, Conspires To's "We Three Kings", and Joe Feloni's "Merry Christmas Collage". But there's also Country Rock from The Southern Raiders Band, Ambient Rock from Strawkites, and Indie Rock from Stillroom. "Christmas Blues" by Uncle Illmo's Band makes an appearance, today, on our Free page. And we previously played the Dean Farnell track for you. But I know some of you will want the most outrageous track included and that is probably this one. Heavy Metal Flatulence Rock from Sacred Wind, "Windy Christmas".

Since there's some fun to be had in this post, The Dollyrots would seem to be a fitting close. Luvz me some Dollyrots. The LA Pop Punk band is always good for a free Christmas single and often good for a free single for other holidays. And, Friday, they dropped a tune for Halloween. Busy little worker bees that they are, The Dollyrots have also just released an EP, "Resting Happy Face", that's the beginning of their next full length record and exclusively available to their Patreon supporters. And, back to Halloween, they've got an upcoming live streaming StageIt show on October 27, where they'll be performing a bunch of their spookiest fare. Now back to the free Halloween single. You know it rocks, you know it's fun. So hands up, fangs out, and head straight to Bandcamp to download The Dollyrots take on "The Monster Mash". No trick, it's a treat for sure.

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SHAT & THAT

9/22/2018

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First, a quick note, in case you saw The Monkees piece on the Previews page before it was updated. There is going to be a Target Exclusive version of "Christmas Party" (street date 10/19) which will include two bonus tracks--"Riu Chiu" and "Christmas Is My Time of Year". The former of those, of course, is from The Monkees TV show and is the only full Christmas song recorded by The Monkees during their chart-topping days. Hardcore fans of the group had long said that no Christmas album by The Monkees could be considered complete without it. The latter is the single that the group (minus Mike Nesmith) released in 1976 (a remixed version released in 1986). Not sure which version of "Christmas Is My Time of Year" will be released (or if, perhaps, they've remixed it again). But I fully anticipate that the a capella "Riu Chiu" will be the original. Anyway...link included in the updated post. Now...

If you haven't already heard it, here's our first taste of William Shatner's "Shatner Claus". Here's "Jingle Bells" (featuring Henry Rollins).

This, of course, is the regular "Jingle Bells", not the Punk Rock single version. Didn't know what to expect from this album and....still don't, really. But that was fun. And kinda the approach I was hoping for. I didn't at all care for the recent Country album. That was more like a Jeff Cook album with a drunk heckler miked up in the audience. Sorry, just honestly saying what I thought about it. Hey, what does he care; he could already buy and sell me a million times over and he's gonna sell a ton. But, if the rest of "Shatner Claus" is like this, yeah, I could like that.

I feel for the Old 97's...coming in after both The Monkees and William Shatner in this post. But, hey, the Shat had available audio. What was I supposed to do?

1. Love The Holidays
2. I Believe in Santa Claus
3. Gotta Love Being A Kid (Merry Christmas)
4. Snow Angels
5. Christmas Is Coming
6. Wintertime In The City
7. Rudolph Was Blue
8. Here It Is Christmastime
9. Hobo Christmas Song
10. Auld Lang Syne
Bonus tracks:
11. Angels We Have Heard On High
12. God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen
13. Up On The Housetop
14. Blue Christmas

PRE-ORDER FROM ATO RECORDS

Formed in 1993, the Texas Alt Country Old 97's have never done a Christmas album before, though they've released a track, here and there, now and again. And, according to frontman Rhett Miller, the rest of the band was reluctant to do so now. But Miller felt the band needed a "palate cleanser" before they embarked on their next non-holiday album, and he eventually sold the band on the idea by writing "I Believe In Santa Claus" on the fly in the dressing room.

"Love The Holidays" includes 9 original songs and "Auld Lang Syne". The title track was co-written with Kevin Russell (The Gourds, Shinyribs), “Gotta Love Being A Kid (Merry Christmas)” and “Snow Angels" were both co-written with Ben Greenman, and the guy with the nose that glows gets another tale in “Rudolph Was Blue," co-written by Old 97’s and Dan Bern. Though the album is considered complete at 10 tracks, the band also recorded some holiday favorites--4 of them--which appear on the CD and digital formats. Though the "bonus tracks" do not appear on the vinyl LPs, purchase of the LPs through ATO Records (and possibly everywhere, though I don't have confirmation of that, yet) includes a download of the full album and the bonus tracks.

There are a few different options, here. There's the CD of course. But the vinyl comes in two varieties. The standard vinyl is Red & Green Holiday Splatter. There is also a Candy Cane pinwheel color version, limited to 1500 units and, for the moment anyway, exclusively available through ATO Records. And then there's the Blue Christmas bundle, which includes your choice of CD or LP plus a 7" blue vinyl 45rpm single featuring "Blue Christmas" on the A-side and "Up On The Housetop" on the flip. The Blue Christmas bundle is limited to just 400 units. "Love The Holidays" officially drops November 16.

This isn't my personal wheelhouse but, from what I can gather, Central Live is sort of the Worship & Praise version of Mannheim Steamroller (though with vocals). Everything they do is very big, very dramatic, very orchestral, lots of special effects, lights, smoke, the whole shootin' match. You go see a Central Live show, you're likely going to get your money's worth.

Central Live represents from Central Church in Las Vegas and their stated mission is crating a "Wow" experience to introduce people to Jesus Christ. They do have a bunch of albums under their belts, but "Thrill of Hope" is their first Christmas album. They have certainly done Christmas live shows before and "Thrill of Hope" is a very popular number at those shows. And, even though it's a bit over the top (OK, it's a lot over the top), I do like that one. I was a little less impressed with their other "O Holy Night" take off, "This Moment". Most of the album, though is pretty straight forward and very well done. Given a choice between Central Live and Clapton, I'm taking Clapton (or The Monkees, for that matter), but then again I lost my taste for Mannheim Steamroller after their first record (which was brilliant) and certainly after their second. And who says you have to choose? There's absolutely a place for "Thrill of Hope" in your holiday library, especially if you like your holiday music big (like the old orchestral Christmas albums) yet contemporary.

And the good news is that "Thrill of Hope" by Central Live is out now (release date September 21). No waiting on a pre-order necessary. Well, that's my idea of "the good news"; I'm sure Central Live would have a different definition. But be aware that quantities are limited.

1. Joy to the World
2. Go Tell It on the Mountain
3. Hark the Herald Angels Sing
4. God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen
5. O Come All Ye Faithful
6. This Moment (O Holy Night)
7. Thrill of Hope
8. Do You Hear What I Hear
9. Angels We Have Heard on High
10. The First Noel
11. It Came Upon a Midnight Clear
12. Hope for All (O Come Let Us Adore Him)
13. I Lift My Eyes (Noel)
14. Silent Night

CENTRAL LIVE WEB SITE
PURCHASE FROM CENTRAL LIVE
DIGITAL AT AMAZON

1. Hark! The Herald Angels Sing – Carrie Underwood
2. There’s A New Kid In Town – Chris Young (feat. Alan Jackson)
3. Do Not Be Afraid – John Berry
4. Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas – Kelsea Ballerini
5. Little Drummer Boy – Hank Williams Jr.
6. What Child Is This – Phil Vassar
7. Mary, Did You Know? – Dylan Scott
8. Do You Hear What I Hear? – Liddy Clark
9. Let’s Make A Baby King – Wynonna
10. A Soldier’s King – Kenny Rogers
11. Christmas Eve In Bethlehem – Hannah Kerr
12. I’ll Be Home For Christmas – Rodney Atkins
13. What God Wants For Christmas – Darius Rucker
14. Rockin’ Around The Christmas Tree – Brenda Lee
15. Merry Christmas And A Happy New Year – The Bellamy Brothers
16. The Christmas Story From The Book Of Luke (Luke 2:1-11) – Charlie Daniels

I always enjoy finding out what the season's "exclusives" are gonna be. Cuz, you know, they're exclusive. And this year's exclusive from Cracker Barrel is "Country Faith Christmas, Vol. 2". The album collects up 16 songs of the season, most focused on the religious aspects of the holiday. Not exactly sure what Brenda Lee's "Rockin' Around The Christmas Tree" is doing on there, but alright. That is the album's oldest track. The Rodney Atkins video above represents one of the newest. But THE newest is actually Liddy Clark's "Do You Hear What I Hear?" It's new this year and it's exclusive to this exclusive release. Barely 20 years old, Liddy's a rising star in the modern Country landscape. And yet she's a veteran, having written songs and opened for artists like Scotty McCreery and Joe Nichols since her mid-teens. She built a considerable fanbase over the last 3 years or so via Radio Disney and iHeart Radio. And you know I love Radio Disney. Liddy's new EP, "Testing The Waters," was released this past July.

"Country Faith Christmas, Vol. 2" releases September 28. Not sure if it will be offered through their online store, but you look like you could use a good meal anyway (go on, eat, eat, have a cookie). So pick one up at your local Cracker Barrel the next time you're there.

You know, back when I heard Bill Shatner was making a Christmas album, I knew better but I kinda hoped this would be on it. Hmm. Maybe Bill could do a Target exclusive version and this could be the bonus track. It's still Shat at his Christmas best.

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IT'S SINGLES SEASON !!!!!

9/20/2018

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Rabbit season! Duck season! Rabbit season! Duck season! Rabbit season! Duck season! No...it's Singles Season!

We're close enough to Christmas, now, that some Christmas singles worthy of your attention are awakening from a long summer's nap and poking their heads through the colorful autumn leaves. And yet we're far enough away from Christmas that these early season singles might get lost in the later avalanche that's sure to come. And that's where we come in. We've already told you about Loverboard. And just a few days ago we featured singles from LeAnn Rimes and Tracy Lawrence.

Let's see what else Santa's put under our tree, shall we?

If you've been paying attention (and have the memory of an elephant), you'll be experiencing some deja vu right about now. No worries. We didn't remember either. But the producers of SyFy's Wynonna Earp did.

"Let's Stay Inside" was originally released all the way back in 2010 on the Indie collection "Our First Christmas" on Light Organ Records. And, yeah, I think we might have missed it then, too. BUT, the song (then by Adaline and Frederick) also turned up on the FREE "Ho Ho Ho Canada Deux" collection. And I know we told y'all about that one.

The original "Let's Stay Inside" was a bright and bouncy bit of Indie Pop and, sort of like Bubblegum music, it was a sweet confection that lost some flavor after repeated listens. Someone in the crew of Wynonna Earp remembered the song (or, truth be told, there are "music hunters" hired by such production companies who liaise between artists and shows). And, while they liked it well enough, it really wasn't right for the show. So Adaline was asked to remake the song. She slowed it down (from 45 to 33, it seems), stripped away all the busy Pop accompaniment, changed her delivery from Twee Pop to Sexy & Sultry and the result was a song that fit the show. It aired in August and, as frequently happens, TV viewers wanted to own it.

The new version was retitled "Let's Stay Inside (Stripped)"...to reflect that it's a stripped down version of the original (get your minds out of the gutter). On September 11, the single was released as "Let's Stay Inside (Stripped For Christmas)"--the added words intended to make sure Christmas music obsessives who don't watch the show wouldn't miss it. And we didn't. Pick up Adaline's Christmas song from Amazon or wherever fine digital downloads are sold. Heck, surprise your friends and include both versions on your Christmas mix this year. Odds are they don't remember 2010 either.

Reuel (not to be confused with Ruelle of "Monsters" fame) is Reuel Meditz, a classically trained pianist currently based in Las Vegas. Reuel refuses to allow himself to be restrained by genre labels and, though he's generally thrown in the class of Classical Crossover or Modclass, he's also made a name for himself in the world of EDM. And, as "First Snow" demonstrates, he's also got a pretty solid handle on Adult Contemporary, Pop and FM Rock.

"First Snow" is the lead single and title track from Reuel's upcoming Christmas album, which won't be available until November 16. He chose the title "First Snow" because he fully intends to record lots of Christmas albums. It's a slightly odd thing to say, though, given that Reuel (under his full name) did release an album of Solo Piano Christmas music in 2010, "Christmas Ornaments". But this Reuel has left the old meditative Meditz behind and gone exploring deep into new and far more interesting territory.

Sometimes, we get Christmas songs that are basically sad Christmas songs set to very ebullient music (such as "Christmas, Baby Please Come Home"). The music of "First Snow" is haunting--almost melancholy--but the lyrics are ultimately hopeful. Reuel wrote the song with Denisse Borquez and he says it was inspired, in part, by the mass shootings in Las Vegas and Florida. "I felt very compelled to write a song that let these families know that their loved ones were still there with them this next holiday season and forever." Thus the ending of the song gives heavy emphasis to the words "We love you." For enquiring minds who care to know, the vocals are by Lala Vaughn.

We don't now have a purchase site for you, as the single hasn't been released just yet, but look for Reuel's "First Snow" everywhere on September 21 (Google Play for sure, I'm bettin').

You know Leonard Dozier, even if you don't know that you know him. OK, maybe not from his days as a high school basketball star in the Cape-Atlantic League. But certainly you've seen him on stage, in movies, TV shows and commercials. And, if you're a football fan, you must know Leonard Dozier. Or at least you know his voice. One of the top Voice Actor/Voice Over artists in the business, Leonard is one of the voices of NFL Films--the one who got to narrate NFL Films' highlight reel for the Philadelphia Eagles victory in Superbowl LII. Can you imagine a Christmas record from John Facenda?

The difference between John Facenda and Leonard is that Leonard Dozier has also long been a singer and songwriter. He's released a couple of albums and a handful of singles to date (my personal favorite of the latter being "Fly", which came out earlier this year). He's currently working on a new album, "Sunday Word", titled after an inspirational blog Leonard also does (this cat don't ever sleep). And, though it's a decade old, I specifically want to point you to Leonard's other holiday record, "This Thanksgiving", because, Lord knows, there aren't a whole lotta good Thanksgiving songs out there.

Leonard's Christmas single is "Christmas Kind of Way", released September 16, a smooth soulful slice of mistletoe magic. There are a couple of things I really like about this holiday ballad. First, the sax player absolutely kills it. I don't know who that is but, if he cuts a record of his own, I want to be first in line to buy it. But, second, Christmas songs are all about the mood, and Christmas covers a lot of moods. I think, mentally, I jump immediately to either solitary late night snow showers or Christmas morning excitement (complete with kids and chaos). The romantic songs I mostly think of as falling between those two (e.g. candlelit dinners or evenings cuddling by the fire). "Christmas Kind of Way" gives me Christmas morning for two people in love--without the kids and the chaos. I like that. I like that a lot. That's a Christmas experience worth experiencing. And, of course, topping it all off, are you going to complain about vocals from one of the voices of NFL films? I'm not.

You can find "Christmas Kind of Way" by Leonard Dozier on Bandcamp. And keep your eyes peeled for "Sunday Word", coming soon. Leonard's just beginning to hit his stride.

I'd like to think I'd have found this on my own--I'm sure I would have--but I was turned on to "Christmas Down Under" from Phosphorescent by Christmas Underground. And, yeah, this delicious Indie Alternative single is solidly in the Christmas Underground wheelhouse, but it certainly isn't outside of ours.

Phosphorescent is the performance name of singer/songwriter Matthew Houck who started his musical career in Athens, Georgia. Ah, Athens, Georgia. Should have known. There must be something in the water, there, that makes for super brilliant Alt Rock artists. Houck is currently based in Brooklyn.

"Christmas Down Under" is not your typical Christmas song. There's no checklist of trees or Santa or strings of colored lights. No tinsel, no presents, no bells ringing or children singing. To begin with, Phosphorescent establishes the setting as Australia (or some similar locale where Christmas comes in the summer, all beaches and sunshine). But our protagonist's thoughts soon wander to meditations on Jesus. The second verse tells the tale and it's truly deep.

Some say that Jesus had a daughter
Ah but I don't guess he ever met her
And she'd have never met her father
No I guess this world couldn't let her
No, this world needed a martyr
And hey it's hard to understand
But if you need to make a martyr
You've gotta take away the man

Whoa! Mind. Blown. "If you need to make a martyr, you've gotta take away the man". Possibly the most powerful line in any Christmas song I can think of. And powerful because it's true. This ain't no "Jingle Bells".

Musically, "Christmas Down Under" is classic FM Alt Rock. It sounds a bit like Pink Floyd meeting up with the Eagles (love the pedal steel guitar), and if I were still in radio, I'd be playing the hell out of this thing.

"Christmas Down Under" is not your typical Christmas song. I know I said that already, but it bears repeating. Indeed, it may not even be a Christmas song, not in the sense that we tend to think of them. Which is exactly why it is much needed in our holiday canon. And, possibly, on your holiday mixtape. You'll find this Phosphorescent single at Amazon and on Bandcamp. The full album, "C'est La Vie", drops October 5.

Here's something to ponder. Why release a Christmas album when you can just drop a dozen or more Christmas singles all at once? Whether or not that was his intention, that's essentially what pianist and composer Scott Gordon did. The track above "Blues For Rudolph (Down & Dirty)" is my personal favorite (Blues. Duh.) of the baker's dozen. And, c'mon, ya gotta dig the video of the reindeer gettin' his shimmy on. But if you think that's thoroughly representative of Scott Gordon's sound, you'd be quite mistaken. His newly released (and re-released) Christmas songs range from Classical ("Away In A Manger") to Country ("Remember Christ This Christmas") to Boogie Woogie ("Boogie Woogie Sleigh Ride") to vaguely Hip Hop ("Shuggah Plums") to thoroughly bizarre Pop ("I Wish It Was Like Christmas Everyday") to just straight up bizarre ("Attention Shoppers"). OK, that last one is from 2000, and you might peg it as "Traditional", but I'm calling it bizarre; it's still worth checking out. Second to "Blues For Rudolph", I'm gonna go with "thoroughly bizarre Pop" right here.

Hey, you drop 12+ Christmas singles, you should get two videos.

Some of these tracks from Scott Gordon have, like "Attention Shoppers", been kicking around for a number of years. And, you may have to hunt a little bit, but Scott Gordon has recorded a TON of other Christmas songs over the years. Presumably, he felt these were the best of the best (ahem, Scott, "Attention Shoppers" should be on that list). He re-worked, re-recorded, and/or re-mastered them to bring them forward again. And then he came up with some new ones.

I'm not going to list them all. Just go to Amazon or CDBaby and search for "Scott Gordon". Then pick one you like. I recommend "Blues For Rudolph (Down & Dirty)", "I Wish It Was Like Christmas Everyday", "Boogie Woogie Sleigh Ride", and "Attention Shoppers". But you decide. There's plenty there to choose from. Build your own album, if you like. Why not? It's all a la carte.

Hmm. This post needs a little Country. Here ya go.

Rick Krauss is from St. Petersburg, Florida, a singer/songwriter whose influences range from Hank Williams to Elvis to Creedence Clearwater Revival. Nothing too profound going on in "The Fat Man Is Back". It's just a swinging good-time Country song about the guy with the long white beard and the toy filled sack. But there's nothing at all wrong with that. And, honestly, the :30 clip at Amazon doesn't do it justice and it doesn't have "Christmas" in the title, so we wanted to make sure you didn't completely miss it in your holiday hunt.

Let's wrap up this early season singles post with the new one from Ingrid Michaelson. "Looks Like A Cold, Cold Winter" is just out and has the sound of one of the classic Christmas songs from the 40s or 50s (or, as Ingrid says, like "Baby, It's Cold Outside" without the creep factor). Ingrid's full Christmas album, "Songs of the Season", officially arrives on both CD and vinyl October 26.

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OPENING THE VAULT OF TERRORS

8/31/2018

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Gotta be honest....had a hard time trying to come up with a title for this. Oh well, better luck next year. Anyway...

Sure, Christmas is coming. But, well before Christmas comes....Halloween. Bwaaahahaha! And you'd better be ready because Halloween isn't about a fat man in red bringing toys (well, there is Krampus, but let's not go there just now).

There are bound to be some Spooky singles as we get closer to All Hallows Eve, but let's get an early look at a few of the full lengths that might be worthy of your attention.

Every year, there seems to be one collection of forgotten slabs that tops our trick or treat list. This year's is "The Shadow Knows" from Bear Family. The album boasts 34 tracks, though four of those are radio trailers for horror movies (which I dig very much). Some of the tracks are fairly available--like "The Monster Hop" by Bert Convy and Jackie Morningstar's "Rockin' In The Graveyard". But several of the tracks are super rare. If you thought George Romero invented zombies, you'll swing and swoon to the Gene Kardos Orchestra's "Zombie" from 1934. More ghoulish fun can be had on rocking instrumentals by Lord Dent & His Invaders and the frighteningly fast and furious "Ghost Train" by The Swanks. Or how bout this long forgotten slice from The Poets. Aren't you just dying to hear it?

There's more, of course. Kay Starr's "Headless Horseman", Bobby Bare's "Vampira", Sceamin' Jay Hawkins, Screamin' Lord Sutch, The Coasters and The Cadillacs. Check the track list for yourself.

1: Monster Gonzales - Tommy Bruce & The Bruisers
2: Murder In The Graveyard - Screamin' Lord Sutch
3: Graveyard - The Phantom Five
4: Frenzy - Screamin' Jay Hawkins
5: Midnight Monsters Hop - Jack & Jim
6: The Ghost Hop - The Surfmen
7: The Monsters Hop - Bert Convy
8: I Was A Teenage Werewolf - Movie Trailer
9: Wolf Call - Lord Dent & The Invaders
10: Rockin' In The Graveyard - Jackie Morningstar
11: Goofy Dry Bones - The Goofers
12: Black Sunday - Movie Trailer
13: Zombie - Gene Kardos & His Orchestra
14: Strollin' Spooks - Ken Nordine & His Kinsmen
15: Dragonfly - Tommy Dee & The Mellotones
16: Ghost Satellite - Bob & Jerry
17: Plan 9 From Outer Space - Movie Trailer
18: Creature From Outer Space - Sonny Day & The Tony Ray Combo
19: Ghost Train - The Swanks
20: Tennessee Hillbilly Ghost - George Morgan
21: The Headless Horseman - Kay Starr with The Billy Butterfield Quintet
22: Ghost Trains - Hank Snow
23: Ghost Riders In The Sky - The Chantays
24: The Boogie Man - The Cadillacs
25: Horror Of Dracula - Movie Trailer
26: Vampira - Bobby Bare
27: The Cat - Rod Willis
28: The Shadow Knows - The Coasters
29: Dead - The Poets
30: Goo Goo Muck - Ronnie Cook & The Gaylads
31: Demon Lover - Lynn Cornell
32: The Rockin' Ghost - Archie Bleyer
33: Spooky - George Barnes
34: The Shadow Knows - Link Wray & His Raymen

The scary thing about "The Shadow Knows" is that it's an import. And, as such, Amazon and other domestic vendors won't have it until November 9. So, if this is the droid you've been searching for, we'd recommend you purchase direct from Bear Family (European release date is September 21).

Back in 1964, "The Munsters" was a huge television hit. No fools, the executives at Decca Records pounced on the opportunity to turn green (as in Herman) to green (as in money). They rushed an unknown group known as The Go-Go's (no, not them...Belinda Carlisle was just 6 years old at the time) into the studio with some quickly slapped together tunes and unleashed "The Munsters" on an unsuspecting public. Note that the cover doesn't give The Go-Go's any billing (just mentioning that the record was "inspired by" television's oddest family). As you might suspect, the album wasn't a big hit. But, as time went by, it developed a cult following. Who doesn't love campy horror rock and roll, after all? Original copies go for big bucks, so Real Gone has swooped in to rescue us all. Never before re-issued in any format, they've re-mastered this monster, added rare photos and behind-the-scenes liner notes on the recording and, on September 7, they will free "The Munsters" from their laboratory for all to enjoy. What's more, it can be yours on CD or vinyl. Scary, isn't it? (Vinyl has been selling out fast, so don't sleep on that.)

1. Munster Creep
2. Frankenstein Had a Hot-Rod Car
3. $1.98 King Size Voodoo Kit
4. Vampire Vamp
5. Herman's Place
6. (Here Comes the) Munster Coach
7. T.V. Monster Show
8. Eerie Beach
9. Make It Go Away
10. You Created a Monster
11. Ride the Midnight Special
12. Down in the Basement

After "A Charlie Brown Christmas" performed beyond everyone's expectations, the same executives who had predicted disaster now wanted more. The second Peanuts special was "The Charlie Brown All Stars". Gotta be honest, I don't even remember that one. But the third Peanuts special, airing in 1966, is generally considered by all to be the true masterpiece of all the Peanuts specials...from animation to music. Who among us can forget Snoopy's epic battle with the Red Baron? And, aside from "Good Grief", has there ever been a more memorable line than "I got a rock!"

As hard as it is to believe, there has never been an official soundtrack album for "It's The Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown". Why is that? At the time the special was made, Vince Guaraldi was involved in a law suit with his record label. Whether they were purposely or accidentally destroyed, no master tapes of any of the music from the show have ever been found (aside from "The Great Pumpkin Waltz").

A storybook record was issued in 1978, but that was essentially just the entire special on record, complete with dialog. A brief mono minute of the Pumpkin version of "Linus and Lucy" also turned up on the soundtrack for "A Boy Named Charlie Brown", for some reason.

Craft Recordings, a division of the highly respected Concord label, has played this one pretty close to the vest--which isn't encouraging, in and of itself. But, as bits and pieces of info have been gleaned, it would appear that the source material for this release is a production piece from the special itself--the mono cue stems. That means the tracks will be brief and will contain the sound effects (the latter is far from a deal breaker; sound effects on a Halloween record are usually a plus) but, theoretically, no dialog. The whole thing runs about 20 minutes. No extended Vince Guaraldi magic, but still...there has never been an official soundtrack for "It's The Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown" in any format.

So what one feels about this CD, coming October 5, is largely in the ear of the beholder. Pick your Peanuts metaphor. Is this the Great Pumpkin finally come, or did you get a rock? Did Lucy pull the football away one more time, or maybe it's not such a bad little tree (it just needs a little love).

Concord's a solid label, so expect top-notch re-mastering. And "It's The Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown" might be worth buying for the liner notes alone (from Peanuts historian Derrick Bang), as those will likely explain a lot. A vinyl version is planned, as well, though the release date for that is not certain (may not even be this year). I'll list the track lengths with the titles to give you a better idea of what this is and isn't.

ORDER CD FROM CRAFT RECORDINGS
ORDER CD FROM AMAZON
VINYL VERSION AT ACOUSTIC SOUNDS
VINYL VERSION AT AMAZON

1. Linus And Lucy 2:01
2. Graveyard Theme :59
3. Snoopy And The Leaf / Frieda (With The Naturally Curly Hair) :38
4. The Great Pumpkin Waltz 3:30
5. Linus And Lucy :36
6. Charlie Brown Theme / Happy Linus :32
7. The Great Pumpkin Waltz 1:24
8. The Red Baron / Military Drum March :30
9. The Great Pumpkin Waltz 1:58
10. Trick Or Treat 1:17
11. Fanfare / Breathless / Trick Or Treat (Reprise) :46
12. Charlie Brown Theme :42
13. Breathless :49
14. It's A Long Way To Tipperary / There's A Long, Long Trail A-Winding / Pack Up Your Troubles In Your Old Kit Bag / Roses Of Picardy 1:53
15. Trick Or Treat :32
16. Linus And Lucy :52
17. Charlie Brown Theme 1:18

"The Rocky Horror Picture Show" is getting a vinyl re-issue on October 26. If you missed it last year, Cleopatra's "Punk Rock Halloween" is back, including the brilliant "Evil Approaches" by Reel Big Fish. And I think it's also worth mentioning last year's Surf Guitar EP from The Primitive Finks, "Horror Party Stomp", in case you missed that one.

But I wanna close with the new/upcoming release from Hugh Cornwell who, if you didn't know, was the vocalist for The Stranglers until he split from the band in 1990. His forthcoming album is "Monster". The CD and vinyl are slated to drop on October 5 and the album, as a whole, is unlikely to be the stuff Halloween mixtapes are made of. But the lead single, available now, is perfect for the occasion. The "A" side is the album's title track, "Monster", while the "B" side is "Pure Evel". If you want something new in the mix, this one's worth checking out.

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LOVERBOARD - XMAS SONG

8/29/2018

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You know, this gig ain't easy. I sift through a lot of crap and mostly what you get (especially at this time of year) are a lot of people who make William Hung sound like Frank Sinatra. Ah, but when you find a good one...it's like....Christmas.

The first "hot" Christmas single of the 2018 season is here!

LOVERBOARD

I can't tell you much about LoverBoard. They don't have a very big digital footprint--not yet anyway. They're on Instagram, Spotify, and Soundcloud and that's about it. No bio or nuthin'. Google insists on searching for "overboard" and, apparently, "loverboard" is slang for a type of skateboard that gives one the sensation of a hoverboard...or something. Anyway, LoverBoard, the band, is Illinois based and Indie, and their music blends a lot of different sounds...a bit of Alt Rock, a bit of Grunge, a bit of Indie Pop, some Garage Psych, some Blues and R&B, a bit of Punk, a bit of Funk...so what you get is music that's heavy and light at the same time, music you can dance to and rock out on. All I can tell you is that I listened to the 30 second clip at Amazon and found myself, like the band, saying "I still want more, I still want more." So I'm glad the tune is up on Soundcloud.

Lyrically, "Xmas song" isn't breaking any new ground...but it isn't necessarily re-plowing the same tired furrows, either. At least it isn't a checklist of trees, lights, bells and Santa. It's about a relationship--young love, I'd say--where everything is perfect, even when it's not. The little details work--the door that lets in the winter wind, even when closed. Choosing between building a snow fort or just watching from the porch. Drawing hearts in the frost on the window (OK, that one borders on cliche). Mostly, though, the sentiments are authentic and relatable. The hunger is palpable. "Even though we've got all day, I still want more, I still want more. I know we've spent the whole day, I still need more, I still need more. Even though we got the whole night, I still need some more". I mean, I'm an old fart at this point, but I know that fire (shut up).

Personally, I find "Xmas Song" by LoverBoard irresistible. Darn you kids. Who told you that you could be so good? As always, your mileage may vary. But, if you're with me, grab "Xmas Song" at Amazon, or wherever fine digital downloads are sold.

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THE FREE LIST IS BACK

8/21/2018

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Not that it ever went anywhere. It's just been badly neglected. But I figured, what the heck, it looks like I'm back in the game for 2018 and I remembered why I had all of these different pages to begin with...helps keep things straight and maybe a little better organized...or something. I dunno. Whatever.

So I guess we will use the Previews page and the Free page this year, though (as I'm out of my "unlimited" pages on the platform) they'll be continuations of the pages from 2016. How much we'll use them remains to be seen. At the moment, we've got two 2018 entries on the Previews page and, today, our first 2018 entry on the Free page.

Today's Free page entry is "For Christmas", a 5-song set from the Canadian Jazz duo Le Duo Pichenotte (and friends). So head on over and check it out.

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WALK IT OFF -- CHRISTMAS IN JULY

7/29/2018

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Weird that I've posted a lot this month without a single Christmas in July tune. Let's take care of that right now.

WALK IT OFF

Based in Chi-town, Walk It Off started off as a Relient K cover band. Nobody really wants to be a cover band. And, anyway, what's Relient K done recently? So Walk It Off went original and now do what they describe as "self-aware Chicago Pop Punk". They released their debut EP last year, "Inside Joke". "Christmas In July" was intended to be on "Inside Joke", but it didn't make it, for whatever reason. Better late than never, as "Christmas In July" arrived as a single on July 25. "Christmas In July" plays out the fake absurdity of the very concept against every day life, showing the latter to be genuinely absurd.

We were stringing lights while you were only stringing me along
After this faux holiday season I can't stand to hear another Christmas song
I tried making a sandman and all I ever got was crumbling dreams
But if it weren't for you I wouldn't have this valuable lesson it seems

Like who doesn't string lights and build a sandman for Christmas in July?

I’m taking my ugly sweater and my fruitcake and I am going home
I’d be better off this summertime Christmas by my fireplace alone
For the next five months, I’ll have to ask myself, “What would Jesus do?”
Because there's no I in Divine - at least the way I spell it - without you

Not bad for a made up story about a made up holiday. You can pick up "Christmas In July" by Walk It Off as a name-your-price download at Bandcamp.

Oh, and one item historians might want to note. I believe we have our first song reference, here, to July 25th being THE Christmas day for Christmas in July. Walk It Off might not have intended anything larger like that, but you know it's going to become "a thing", sooner or later, just as Christmas in July has.

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NEWLY RELEASED! SOMETHING OLD & SOMETHING NEW

7/10/2018

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We are a third of the way through Christmas in July. Do not forget that, tomorrow night at 9, Rob Martinez hosts The Christmas in July special edition of The Nights Before Christmas on WBOI. Also, I didn't know at the beginning of the month that Merry & Bright would be participating in this month's festivities; head over there to catch up. And, of course, there's still plenty of time to grab our Stubby's House Christmas mix.

The first signs of Christmas aren't the first fallen snow, nor the first appearance of holiday decorations at your nearby Big Box store. No, much to the chagrin of the Christmas music haters out there, the first signs of Christmas are the Yuletide tracks that get released on non-holiday albums. These tiny sparkling snowflakes drop with nary a whisper right about this time every year. Few even notice them. But I do. A lot of times, they don't amount to much. Once in a while, they are spectacular. While far short of spectacular, we have a couple of newly fallen snowflakes that are...just real nice, and as warm and comfy as a winter afghan.

Y'all know my fascination with Christmas music from distant countries. I credit much of that to reading Billboard magazine in my youth, looking at the Top Ten charts from around the world, and seeing, there, Christmas songs that I would never get to hear. The Japanese charts in December always had a bunch.

Christmas in Japan is a bit different that Christmas here. They've totally embraced the secular parts of the holiday and pretty much ignored the religious aspects (or so it seems from a distance). Over time, Christmas in Japan has evolved to more closely resemble our Valentine's Day; it's now all about whether you're single and alone or in a relationship at Christmas.

But what I find really cool about Christmas music from Japan is that, more than any other non-English speaking country, their Christmas music absolutely has the feel of Christmas here...even if you can't understand a word they're singing (aside from the occasional phrase for which there is no Japanese translation). Such a tune is "Heart of Xmas" by Japanese actor and recording artist Masaharu Fukuyama.

You can disagree, of course, but "Heart of Xmas" just feels like a Christmas love song to me--an epic Christmas love song at that. And there's not a sleigh bell or glockenspiel to be heard (although the choir of singing kids at the end doesn't hurt). Masaharu Fukuyama first released "Heart of Xmas" as a fan club single in 1997. The following year, it was commercially released as the "B" side (to the extent CD singles have "B" sides) of the uptempo "Peach!!" (the theme song of a Japanese television drama, I believe). Now, 20 years later, the single has seen digital release as of February 9. What's really intriguing, though, is that the Amazon listing shows a release date of November 9 which suggests that, perhaps, a physical re-issue of the CD single may be in the cards. The CD single never took off as a format in the states, but it seems to be thriving in Asia. Anyway, the download version is available now.

Our "something new" comes from Sweden, but the lyrics for this one are in English. Kjellåke Ring is, ostensibly, a Folk musician and songwriter who has been active in Sweden going all the way back to the 70s, though much of his work has been as part of other groups or backing other artists. "Please Santa Claus" is the title of a three song EP (only the one Christmas song) released under his own name on June 28 (and it is a 2018 release, not a 2017 release that just found its way to the states). It's one of those Christmas tearjerkers that's sorta Pop-accessible Country. Can't find much more about him on the web, but he does have a Facebook page. You can get "Please Santa Claus" from Amazon or wherever fine Christmas downloads are sold.