Damaged Goods has announced their 2012 holiday single, "And The Salvation Army Band Plays". The record features label favorite Helen Love teaming up with John Peel favorite Ricardo Autobahn, formerly of The Cuban Boys. We're talking 7" red vinyl limited to only 300 copies. Fret not, little ones; the digital download will be available to all. Official release date is December 3. Could anything make this even better? Yes! The "B" side features a "Disco Mix" of the song. Head out to Damaged Goods for all the gory details and get yer greed bag on.
1. Xmas Has Been X'ed
2. New Year's Revolution
3. Wore Out The Soles Of My Party Boots
And, while it's not technically a single (well, it kinda is), Jesu will be releasing the digital 2010 release, "Christmas", on 12" ice-blue vinyl and as a CD on December 25. Both are offered as one-print-only limited editions of 500 copies each. Jesu is Justin K. Broadrick, formerly of the groups Napalm Death and Godflesh. I remember when "Christmas" originally came out, I rather liked it, though I can't recall whether or not it got much of a mention here. "Christmas" (in assorted mixes) is a fine piece of ambient shoegaze with metal overtones (or undertones). You can listen to the original on Bandcamp, but the CD and vinyl EP contain an additional "Pale Sketcher Remix".
Oklahoma rocker JD McPherson was named an artist to watch in 2012 by Rolling Stone. I'd definitely have him on my list of artists to hear. Coming to iTunes December 11, JD has created a soulful rockin' tune that sounds like a great Christmas tune from the early 60s. In fact "Twinkle (Little Christmas Lights)" sounds a little like something Gary "U.S." Bonds would have recorded. JD definitely digs Christmas and it comes through loud and clear on this retro bopper. This one's built to last. Available through Amazon MP3.
Soul singer Stephanie Mills done gone a little retro herself this year. Stephanie's 1991 album, "Christmas", was a pretty smooth and polished uptown soul effort, but she's breaking out the funk in 2012 for her new holiday track "So In Love This Christmas". Sure, I could've lived without the phone call intro, and while Stephanie hasn't gone full-blown gutbucket, this one's got an intense hard-driving beat that's as irresistible as it is sexy. Yum. Released in late November, you can pick it up from Amazon or just about anywhere fine downloads are sold.
Jazz crooner Christian Josi and Smithereens frontman Pat DiNizio have teamed up for what Pat calls "a Christmas card". The two old friends laid down a pair of stripped down Bossa beat holiday favorites, "Winter Wonderland" and "White Christmas", just because. You can find those tracks on CD Baby. Sit down by the fire and have yourself a cocktail, why don't you?
Thankfully, I was able to find a Blues (ish) single for this post. Don't know how long ago this was actually released up in Alaska, but "Mrs. Clause Has The Blues" is just now making it to the lower 48. At some point, the song was nominated for Alaska Song of the Year. Credited to Short Term Memory, it looks like only one of the singers (Sandy Shoulders) is from that band. The others are Andrea Larson, Larry Zarella, and Lora Nelson with Robin Dale Ford on bass. Described as a "sassy strut", this one's got plenty about it to recommend. You'll find this one at Amazon and CD Baby.
Brighten's Christmas single might not show up in your usual Internet searches because the title is "Poor Mama". But the Chico, California band injected the track with their trademark Alt Pop sound. It's irresistibly sing songy and melodic, just the way they like to do it. Even more winning than their "Merry Christmas Baby" from several years back. I've only seen this one at iTunes so far.
Here's something you don't see everyday. New Found Glory is releasing a five song holiday EP...on cassette. Only on cassette, apparently. Does anybody even have a cassette player anymore? Does anybody even remember cassettes? "A Very New Found Glory Christmas" features 5 tracks--3 standards, an acoustic version of "Ex-Miss", and the brand new NFG track, "Nothing For Christmas". The cassette is just $5 from the NFG web store, but they'll throw it in for free if you order $20 of other stuff. There are a total of 1000 available on red cassette. The band will also make 1000 white cassette copies which will only be available at their concerts.