A lot of the singles have videos today. Hope that's not a problem for anybody.
Hey, good news, Chipmunks and Chipettes! The Killers will again offer their unique musical perspective on the holiday previously known as Christmas (see, I thought I'd do a little Prince thing there and......no?). This year's Killers Christmas single is "The Cowboy's Christmas Ball", but nobody's quite sure yet whether the song is an original or a cover of the Michael Martin Murphy track. "The Cowboys Christmas Ball" (and accompanying video with cowboys and robots) will be released December 1 and is slated to be an iTunes exclusive. That last bit may be subject to change.
Also on December 1, The Killers will be releasing an EP collecting up all of their Christmas singles (I think we're at 6 at the moment). All profits from any of the Killers' Christmas music, past and present, is donated to (RED) and releases come on December 1 to coincide with World Aids Day.
Also on December 1, The Killers will be releasing an EP collecting up all of their Christmas singles (I think we're at 6 at the moment). All profits from any of the Killers' Christmas music, past and present, is donated to (RED) and releases come on December 1 to coincide with World Aids Day.
If I'd have known about the hair, I'd have gotten to this one much sooner. 8^)
James Follette is a London based singer with a taste for the retro--old soul in particular, it seems. "Santa Baby" has long been the exclusive province of female vocalists. But put the two together and you get an old standard with a modern twist. True enough, Michael Buble employed a similar tactic on his version of "Santa Baby", but Follette beat him to it by a year--"Santa Brother" having been released in the UK in 2010. This year, we Yanks can have a go at "Santa Brother" as its finally been released in the states. And, truthfully, its less the gender twist and more the modern gift list and the Adam Ant-meets-Brook Benton vocal style that reach me. Aren't we a little past a "duplex and checks"? C'mon, Santa, let's have us a Lamborghini, shall we? Get this one on iTunes. And, while you're at it, check out some more music from James Follette on Soundcloud. Please note the free download arrow on "Tears", which has a nice Phil Spector-meets-Barry White vibe to it. I'm also diggin' these Victoria Wilson James & Waterson jams, but that's another deal for another day.
James Follette is a London based singer with a taste for the retro--old soul in particular, it seems. "Santa Baby" has long been the exclusive province of female vocalists. But put the two together and you get an old standard with a modern twist. True enough, Michael Buble employed a similar tactic on his version of "Santa Baby", but Follette beat him to it by a year--"Santa Brother" having been released in the UK in 2010. This year, we Yanks can have a go at "Santa Brother" as its finally been released in the states. And, truthfully, its less the gender twist and more the modern gift list and the Adam Ant-meets-Brook Benton vocal style that reach me. Aren't we a little past a "duplex and checks"? C'mon, Santa, let's have us a Lamborghini, shall we? Get this one on iTunes. And, while you're at it, check out some more music from James Follette on Soundcloud. Please note the free download arrow on "Tears", which has a nice Phil Spector-meets-Barry White vibe to it. I'm also diggin' these Victoria Wilson James & Waterson jams, but that's another deal for another day.
Christmas A Go Go has been kicking my butt all up and down the Interwebs this year. You should visit them. Often. Here's a great one that they posted Saturday.
You know, it's hard enough to find anyone releasing a CD single of anything these days. Nous Non Plus, which Christmas A Go Go describes as a "faux French" band, are releasing this one ONLY on CD single. That's right. No digital download copout for you, Mr. Christmas Music iPod man.
Of course the clincher is that it's a great song for a great cause. $1 from each single sold goes to Operation Homefront, an organization that provides emergency assistance and other support to the families of our service members. There are two songs for which the group has posted videos. The first, which appears to be the "A" side, is "Holiday", an upbeat and instantly irresistible track that, without being too overt about it, is about a soldier's homecoming. The other track, "(General, Please) Keep My Baby Safe This Christmas", is lyrically more direct and--though still an infectious pop number--burrows deeper into your heart. Like Guuzbourg at Christmas A Go Go, that's the one I'd pick to share with you here. But, since he already has, I'll send you there for that one and I'll give you the video for "Holiday".
To buy this wonderful CD single, you'll have to contact Nous Non Plus directly through their web site (by email; what a concept). Even if you don't want the single, please consider Operation Homefront when you're making your charitable giving decisions this year.
You know, it's hard enough to find anyone releasing a CD single of anything these days. Nous Non Plus, which Christmas A Go Go describes as a "faux French" band, are releasing this one ONLY on CD single. That's right. No digital download copout for you, Mr. Christmas Music iPod man.
Of course the clincher is that it's a great song for a great cause. $1 from each single sold goes to Operation Homefront, an organization that provides emergency assistance and other support to the families of our service members. There are two songs for which the group has posted videos. The first, which appears to be the "A" side, is "Holiday", an upbeat and instantly irresistible track that, without being too overt about it, is about a soldier's homecoming. The other track, "(General, Please) Keep My Baby Safe This Christmas", is lyrically more direct and--though still an infectious pop number--burrows deeper into your heart. Like Guuzbourg at Christmas A Go Go, that's the one I'd pick to share with you here. But, since he already has, I'll send you there for that one and I'll give you the video for "Holiday".
To buy this wonderful CD single, you'll have to contact Nous Non Plus directly through their web site (by email; what a concept). Even if you don't want the single, please consider Operation Homefront when you're making your charitable giving decisions this year.
A little K-Pop for your weekend? The Boy Band MBLAQ have announced a Christmas single, "Carol", is upcoming in lieu of the full-length that was pushed to 2012 due to time constraints and performing commitments. MBLAQ stands for "Music Boys Live In Absolute Quality". I kid you not. It's right there on their web site..... Well, maybe it loses something in translation. So far, I haven't located a release date (early December's the best I got) or a purchasing link (try Yesasia), but now you know.
In the old days, businesses would put "AA" or "AAA" in front of their names for primo placement in the phone book. The Beau Brummels adopted their moniker specifically so their records would immediately follow the Beatles' records in the bins at record stores. Finally, we have a band that understands the modern equivalent.
They are The New Free. Think about that for a second. You go to Google looking for almost anything, what are the words you're most likely to use? New and Free, of course. The New Free are a fairly new Dublin based Celtic Rock band--their debut album won't arrive until Spring 2012. But their Christmas single, "Noelle's Burden", is out now. And, while Christmas isn't in the title, the band anticipated a google-holic like me typing the words "New Free Christmas single" in the search engine. Et voila! Good band. Good song. If you like Carbon Leaf or Mumford & Sons, you'll like this one. Pick it up (or load it down) at Amazon or iTunes.
They are The New Free. Think about that for a second. You go to Google looking for almost anything, what are the words you're most likely to use? New and Free, of course. The New Free are a fairly new Dublin based Celtic Rock band--their debut album won't arrive until Spring 2012. But their Christmas single, "Noelle's Burden", is out now. And, while Christmas isn't in the title, the band anticipated a google-holic like me typing the words "New Free Christmas single" in the search engine. Et voila! Good band. Good song. If you like Carbon Leaf or Mumford & Sons, you'll like this one. Pick it up (or load it down) at Amazon or iTunes.
"JB" over at The Fa has been pretty well on top of the Christmas singles, too. And, from him, we get tipped to a new one from Simply Red frontman Mick Hucknall. "Happy This Christmas" will be available both as a digital download (December 9) and on CD-Single (on December 12). So far, Amazon US only has a listing for the hard copy, with an arrival date of December 20. Amazon UK has the hard copy and the mp3 versions. And you can also pre-order through Britain's Townsend Records. Presumably, the digital download will turn up domestically before too long. You can check the samples at Amazon UK, since the Soundcloud clip at Mick's site doesn't seem to be working.
Iceland has got a lot to make up to the world since they are at least partly responsible for inflicting Bjork upon us all, but they are well on their way with this sweet pop holiday duet "Jólin Koma Með Þér" ("Christmas Comes With You"). Sigga Beinteins and Paul Oscar have individually represented Iceland in past Eurovision contests, but they sound very nice together. The Christmas single was released on Thanksgiving Day (not a holiday in Iceland) and it's available through Tonlist, so far. It might be a while before it turns up at Amazon or iTunes US. Like....maybe.........never?
The Toy Dolls were always a bit of an odd duck. Formed in 1979, they were one of the few Punk Rock outfits that seemed to realize it's all one big joke anyway. Rather than angry songs about anarchy, The Toy Dolls donned funny sunglasses and sang songs like "Yul Brenner Was A Skinhead" and "My Girlfriend's Dad's A Vicar". They'd do covers and parodies and made liberal use of kazoos. Although the band has undergone frequent lineup changes and only one original member of the band remains, they've still managed to turn in a Christmas single that is as odd as it is undeniable. True to Toy Dolls style, you're never quite certain if you're listening to a real Punk Rock track or an incredible simulation. You're never quite sure if they're laughing with or at you...or, for that matter, with or at Punk Rock. There's even a campaign in the UK to make "Credit Crunch Christmas" Christmas #1. Definitely worth a listen. I'll leave the purchasing decision to you. At the moment, in the US, you'll have to turn to iTunes as Amazon doesn't have "Credit Crunch Christmas" yet.
Looking for something a little off-beat and perhaps a little less reverent? Yet still Christmasy? Might I recommend the Christmas single split from The Prisoners Of Mars and C. John Freeborn. Prisoners Of Mars are led by uber talented Bryan Shore and "I Don't Care If Santa Comes Around" has a Lo Fi Phil Spector feel to it with just a dash of psych. C. John Freeborn I know absolutely nothing about and the clip of "Not On Christmas Day" sounds a bit like Fuzzy Alt Folk with overtones of the Beatles. This single's got some nice pop melody without being all gussied up in overproduction. It's the girl next door of Indie Alt Rock Christmas singles and it grows on me every time I listen to the clips at Amazon. I dig the cover art, too. It feels as though there ought to be vinyl of this one, but I can barely find a mention of these two UK acts on line, let alone this single. This one arrives November 28.
Here's the new Christmas single from Esterlyn, the Christian Indie Rock band from Idaho. "Light That Was Born" will be released December 6 and you'll find it at Amazon MP3 and other digital retailers. This is an Esterlyn original, in case you hadn't figured that out already.
For the second year in a row, C.J. Snare is releasing a Christmas single. Last year, the FireHouse frontman released "God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen" as his "Christmas gift". This year, Snare returns with "Oh Come Emmanuel". There's no question that Snare has one of the top voices in Metal, but these Christmas power ballads from CJ tend to be a matter of individual taste. Some love 'em. Some hate 'em. You'll find "Oh Come Emmanuel" on iTunes and at Amazon.
If you'd asked me even a few months ago, I'd have told you that there was no such thing as Power Pop Electronica, but a band called Jellyrox has proven me wrong. Jellyrox is the side project of Eleventyseven frontman Matt Langston. And, apparently, unbeknownst to me, Eleventyseven is also a Power Pop Electronica band--one that had a Christmas single in 2007 that totally got by me, "Christmas Magic Is Here". The new Jellyrox single is "This Christmas" and Amazon's got it.
Let's wrap up this Singles Sundae (see what I did there? I swapped in the.........no?) with a bit of an update from SandAid and the Blackpool musicians who are trying to beat back the forces of the possibly evil Simon Cowell in the quest for Britain's Christmas #1. (OK, to be fair, I don't know the man and he seems nice enough, although obnoxious; it's just that this death grip on Christmas #1 has got to stop. I think we're all agreed on that). "We've Still Got Christmas" is officially produced and ready for launch December 5th. No purchase links yet, but the Facebook campaign will keep you apprised. Nothing says "Go away Simon Cowell" better than an actual Christmas song from unsigned musicians taking Christmas #1. It's just a shame US sales don't count in the tabulations. Anyway, here's the full video for "We've Still Got Christmas".
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