It's not my favorite post-season find, but I've got to lead with....
And let that be a lesson to you kids out there. Make sure I know about your singles before Christmas, because I'm much less forgiving after. Sort of the Bizarro World Scrooge.
A Roots Blues Rocker, Popa Chubby is generally a lot more aggressive than this song portends. "There On Christmas" does have a nostalgic rock flavor, but its rather a sweet track by Chubby standards. It works a lot better for me than the Vanilla Fudge outing. Though it also makes me want to go back and listen to Popa's "Blue Christmas" from "King Family Christmas" (about the only version I can truly tolerate of that godawful "Blue Christmas" thing). As with the other Cleopatra release, you can find this on iTunes or Amazon. The Fudge wins the cover art battle; what's with Chubbs looking like Larry the Cable Guy?
Labels and producers don't like her much, because she is such a unique talent, and that may be why we don't hear more records from her. But that's no excuse. Mary Margaret O'Hara still performs live frequently. So just record her live, if you can't figure out how to package her into those little boxes you like so much.
Mary Margaret manages to sing a lot of Christmas music, even if little makes it to record. This clip of "This Is What I Want" was uploaded to YouTube in 2009. It's from a 2008 Bravo TV program "Christmas At The Concert Hall" (and featured other Canadian musical luminaries such as Holly Cole and Hawksley Workman) We do know that "This Is What I Want" was officially released in 2011....sort of. It was contained on an eBook of Christmas stories, And To All A Good Night (can't say whether the version still offered on Amazon contains the song or not; it was included on the "enhanced" version, though).
All irrelevant now as this mp3 version snuck out on December 20. Go get it now, while you can, or you'll regret it. Now if we could only get "Santa, Old Man, You're Mine" released.
Of all the Christmas singles I checked out after Christmas, this was the one that most held my attention over repeated listens. We've talked before about sad lyrics being put to happy music (e.g. "Last Christmas"). And I kept thinking, listening to "Merry Christmas", that the opposite could also be true--put some happy happy joy joy lyrics to a Shoegaze beat and you might have something. I don't think that's the case, here. I didn't find the lyrics particularly happy or sad--just a pleading expression of emotional addiction--but still...
Anyway, one of my tests of Christmas music is repeated listens. If you're still drawn in after listening to the same song over and over and over again, then it's one worth hanging on to (or putting on a mix or whatever). Tears' "Merry Christmas" passed that test. Still digging it. This one shows a release date of December 25 (I'll never understand why an unknown band would release a Christmas song on Christmas day, but whatever) and you can buy it from Amazon or CD Baby.
Tom Fay is a collector of vintage fruit crate labels (which, in and of itself, is pretty cool) and he also fronted a California band known as the Rhythm Kings for many years in the nineties and aughts (possibly the eighties as well and, for all I know, they're still doing their thing though, if they are, they're not making use of the social media). The Rhythm Kings were a ten piece Swing/Nostalgia outfit loosely inspired by the music and style of Louis Prima (and, as it would have been the dawn of the Neo Swing movement, the pieces fit).
Back in 1994, Tom got the notion to do a Local Artist Christmas CD for charity featuring bands in and around Sacramento. "Believe...A Holiday Wish" featured 16 tracks (allegedly). Dang, now I've got to add that to my list of Christmas music to track down (and you just know its never going to turn up). Among them was "Santa Rhumba (Santa's In The Bag)" by Tom Fay & The Rhythm Kings.
Thanks to the magic of the Internets, we can all now partake of Tom's heady brewski; it's twenty years later but, like a fine wine, age has only enhanced the flavor. We can always hope for at least a digital release of the entire 1994 CD. But "Santa Rhumba" is a pretty good start. You'll find Tom Fay & The Rhythm Kings lost Christmas classic at Amazon.
Another December 25 single release, this one comes from the Netherlands and Indie Alt Rock band Peregrin, an experimental project from Simon van Genderen. Seems as though its something he's looking to continue, at least until he gets a negative review. And that won't be coming from me.
"Christmas Song (25th of December)" sounds to me like twinkle lights reflecting on tinsel. Wha? Available at Bandcamp and Amazon. And lots of free non-holiday mp3s at Facebook.
This big and bluesy good time anthem was recorded December 8 and released a few days later by The Gold Coast All-Stars and the Chicago Players. Gold Coast is an "entertainment" group--some very talented musicians and vocalists for hire (in Chicago and surrounding areas) to play weddings, bar mitzvahs, birthdays, company parties, etc. Usually, such groups (even the best of them, like Gold Coast) primarily trade in covers. But they wrote and recorded this holiday original, "Santa Rolled Thru Chicago", as a Christmas present for themselves (and, let's be honest, it'll be a show-stopper at any future holiday gigs they have).
There are hundreds of Christmas-in-New-York songs, so it's good to see the Second City get its due. If you know Chicago, you'll likely recognize the highlighted hot spots from this city tour. If you've never been to the Windy City, well, now you know the places you have to hit when you go there. "Santa Rolled Thru Chicago" is available from Amazon, if you're up for it...or down with it...or...you know, whatever.
One of the guest vocalists on "Christmas Hallelujah", Mario Percudani, can also be seen on YouTube jamming with his band on a six and a half minute funky "Jingle Bells". Wouldn't mind seeing that as a single either. In fact, I wouldn't mind seeing a whole Christmas comp from this Italian label. Just sayin'. For now, though, you can buy "Christmas Hallelujah" from Amazon.
Its possible you missed this gorgeous Scottish tune (I think its Scottish) when Alison Krauss recorded it with Natalie MacMaster back around 1999.
The Outside Track is a Celtic Folk group on the come and "Get Me Through December" was their holiday single closing out the year. They've already pulled it down from Bandcamp, so get it from Amazon or iTunes while you can.
I don't know if we ever got around to mentioning the Christmas single from Tony Bennett and Lady Gaga, though we did say we were hoping for one. "Winter Wonderland" might not have been my first choice, but lovers of that Big Band Jazz style should not have been disappointed. Lady Gaga definitely has the chops to do Jazz, though its hard not to be overshadowed by a legend like Bennett.
Haven't been able to settle on how to classify "Here Comes Santa" by These And The Other Guy. I guess I'd call it Loungey Pop Jazz. Basically, it's a twist on the "I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus" theme, the twist being Santa's a she. I like it better musically than lyrically. Kay Martin's twists were much more clever. Just sayin'.
John Lodge of the Moody Blues recorded and released an acoustic version of "The Spirit Of Christmas" for the Wounded Warrior Project. The song, which I believe John wrote, appears on the Moody Blues "December" album. This was kind of an impromptu moment from Lodge and some are going to like it better than others. But the charity is certainly worth dropping a dollar, so pick it up from iTunes or Amazon.
For straight Power Pop Christmas fans, there was a late single release from 4lgernon (I think it's just a cute way of writing out "Algernon"--broken "A" kind of thing). The song's pretty cool, but doesn't quite live up to the coolness of its title--"Dude, It's Christmas!" But cool nonetheless and Power Pop Christmas songs wear well on repeated listens, so it's got that going for it. Which is nice.
We didn't mention it here, but you must have seen it elsewhere. Best Christmas single of the year is "Dear Santa" from Norway's Mr Little Jeans. You can stream it on Soundcloud. But just trust me on this one and buy it immediately at Amazon or wherever you get your digital singles.
And, as far as late season novelty records go, this one's hilarious. It's the kind of song that, finding it this time of year, I'd usually keep to myself...and then never use it anyway because I'm not big on novelty records. So why should I cheat you? "How Not To Make Gravy" starts out Folk Rock earnest enough--a man in prison on December 21st writing a letter home, asking that his kids be kissed on Christmas Day, "please.... don't let 'em cry". With good behavior, he figures he'll be home by July. Then he gives his recipe for Christmas gravy...which just happens to include "a dollop of poison for that sweetness and extra tang". Then he remembers that's how he ended up in prison in the first place. This guy is obsessed with poison and, by the end of the song, he realizes he ain't never going home (Good behavior? The prison just made him the head chef!). Kudos to Benny Davis and Mark Sutton on this one. Surprised me and made me laugh. A lot. "How Not To Make Gravy" is destined to be somebody's holiday mixtape hero next year. Count on it.