Now.... I have been dying to do a Singles post for awhile. Sadly, I've found this year's new singles (so far) even lamer than usual. Oh, sure, there are dozens of Trump parody Christmas singles, but they all suck. I'd rather sniff the Mr. Hankey record than subject my ears to any of those. So, rather than wait around for 6 or 7 more Christmas singles worthy of the Stubby's House Seal of Approval, let's just point you to the one Xmas single that's turned up so far that is worth both your time and your dime.
Markey Blue glide with ease from smooth and soulful to gritty and bluesy and then back again. Overall, I'd say they're more Stax than Motown (that's intended as a compliment, by the way). I notice that their tour dates are heavily weighted to the south and that makes perfect sense to me because their music is a perfect fit for the Beach Music crowd. I know I've talked about Beach Music ad nauseam. But that's because I live in North Carolina (and because I love it). Quickly, for any newbies, Beach Music is usually R&B music, preferably with horns, featuring a tempo which allows for dancing in the sand (the popular dance being the Shag). Beach Music is primarily coastal and runs roughly from Virginia Beach and Norfolk down through Georgia.
Markey Blue released a 4 song Christmas EP in 2014, "Markey Blue Christmas" and you can still get the hard copy CD from the band. (Psst--before they catch it, there are two of the tracks available as free downloads on Soundcloud--"It's The Only Place I Wanna Be" and "Merry Christmas Santa"). "Up On The Housetop" is a new one for them and, unlike the tunes on the EP, is a cover of the old kids song but completely re-imagined (think about what the Staple Singers might do with that song...there ya go).
Grab "Up On The Housetop" at Amazon or iTunes.
There is this one. "Nuclear Winter Wonderland" by The Nuclears was originally released back in 2011. Last year, they paired it up with "Run Rudolph Run" to make for a nice little Bandcamp freebie (we included it in our Boxing Day post). "Nuclear Winter Wonderland" isn't exactly an original concept, so its all in the execution, and The Nuclears absolutely kill it (see what I did there?). Well, the Rock band from Brooklyn has released it again. And they're probably going to keep releasing it until you hear it. 'K? Resistance is futile. You can find it on Amazon, sure. But I recommend you check Bandcamp first (wink wink, nudge nudge, say no more, say no more).