Category: Traditional

Stubbys House of Christmas

SHIRLEY CASON - NEW YEAR'S EVE SONG

12/28/2012

Time for a New Year's freebie, this one from 2001. Shirley Cason is a New York based New Age keyboard player with several albums to her credit. And this "New Year's Eve Song" is Shirley's rendition of "Auld Lang Syne". It's a sweetly done piece and well worth grabbing for free at Bandcamp, if you like New Age or Ambient or Beautiful Music.

Among Shirley's full-length albums is "Simply Christmas", released in 2000. And, for a limited time, at least, you can also pick up "Carol Of The Bells" as a free download from Bandcamp.

CHRISTINE BERGER & BEN DE VRIES - LEISE RIESELT DER SCHNEE

12/26/2012

So, right before Christmas, I got the most amazing gift from Lie In The Sound, a German blog run by Brigitte and Christoph that seems to have an overabundance of holiday spirit each year (made manifest by the many free holiday downloads they manage to find).

First of all, there was this really sweet write-up. Not the kind of thing we all write about fellow bloggers from time to time when we're trying to point you to a worthy site, but a very personalized...."Christmas card" I'd call it. But the gift beneath their endearing words was the gift of turning me on to a traditional German folk song that seems to have escaped my attention all these years. And that's no small feat.

“Leise rieselt der Schnee” roughly translates as "Snow Is Falling Gently" (Brigitte even took the time to try and translate the lyrics into English...because we all know I don't speak anything else) and you should definitely check them out. It's a song about the growing excitement as Christkind draws near (rather than Santa, Christkind is an angel-like girl, Brigitte explains, who wanders the woods bringing presents to the children). Not stopping there, our friends at Lie In The Sound found a few videos and this lovely free download of “Leise rieselt der Schnee” performed by Christine Berger and Ben DeVries. It's a lo-fi folk recording, but no less beautiful for that.

What's more, the song was part of an entire FREE compilation of Christmas music from Canadian DIY label Badgerland released last year, "A Very Badgerland Christmas". AND what's even more, the Badgerland label has been releasing holiday comps of homemade music since 2009. Needless to say, that's a lot of music I haven't had tome to sift through just yet, but they're all free, so you might as well get them, right? (This Christmas music obsession is a sickness, I tellz ya.)

So, first, go read the Lie In The Sound "Christmas card" to Stubby's. Then check out “Leise rieselt der Schnee” by Christine Berger and Ben DeVries. And then grab all the Badgerland Christmas comps via Bandcamp. You've got some work ahead of you, so go get started. (And thank you, Brigitte and Christoph for a most wonderful gift.)

SONGS FOR CHRISTMAS (2009)
THEE CHRISTMAS MIXTAPE (2010)
A VERY BADGERLAND CHRISTMAS (2011)
YULETIDE ENTERTAINMENTS (2012)

CAPTIVES ON THE CAROUSEL - COVENTRY CAROL/SWEET BELLS

12/23/2012

I found this Sheffield (UK) folk group earlier this year and simply fell in love. The delicate interplay between Sarah Morrey and Ben Eckersley is all the instrumentation they need and that leaves plenty of room for Sarah's dulcet tones to flow like a stream through the air. And, like that stream, it's sweet and peaceful surface belies the power and determination underneath. Not sure I gave that metaphor properly, but listen and you'll understand. I grew up at a point in the mighty Susquehanna River that was, from the perspective there, just a peaceful stream; and yet that river is one of the oldest rivers in the world, older even than the mountains through which it travels, and 464 miles long, the longest river on the eastern coast of America, carrying huge amounts of water long distances unceasingly and inexorably to the Atlantic Ocean.

But enough about my poor analogies. The point is that Captives On The Carousel play and sing beautiful music and I am now a captive to their beauty.

For 2012, the pair have recorded two Christmas songs as perfectly as they've ever been done. "Coventry Carol" should be familiar to anyone that listens to a Christmas song or two while "Sweet Bells" is a traditional folk song of the Sheffield area (you might best remember that one as the title track from Kate Rusby's Christmas album). The songs are offered as a free download on Bandcamp, but the group asks that you consider donating something to Sheffield Mind, a leading provider of Mental Health and Wellbeing services in Sheffield. Should you wish to, you can do so through Captives On The Carousel's fundraising page at MyDonate.

JILLAINE - I WONDER AS I WANDER

12/21/2012

I have been soooo remiss in not reviewing Jillaine's new album, "Jazzy Christmas To You II". Back when I had time, I did review "Jazzy Christmas To You". It was one of my favorite albums of 2011. Well, as good as that one was, "Jazzy Christmas To You II" is unbelievably better. It's simply amazing! A true jazz tour-de-force. You should buy it. Seriously. Go now (I'll wait)!

But if you need a tad more convincing, Jillaine has been offering a free track from the album. And I can't believe I haven't gotten around to telling you before now. And, just as Jillaine has become one of my favorite singers and still managed to blow me away this time out, "I Wonder As I Wander" has long been one of my favorite traditional Christmas songs, but, in the hands of Jillaine, it absolutely *sparkles*.

Just go to Jillaine's Facebook page, head to the downloads section and "like" her (Like? Where's the "love" button?), and "I Wonder As I Wander" is yours. But, really, you should buy "Jazzy Christmas To You II". Go now (I'll wait)!

VARIOUS - CIGAR BOX CHRISTMAS 2012

12/20/2012

It's become one of our favorite holiday traditions, right up there with the Santastic series, and the 2012 Christmas album from Cigar Box Nation has finally arrived. This one's a huge mother--41 tracks in all, I think. Cigar Box Nation is an online community of musicians--professional and amateur--who prefer their music homemade and their instruments the same way. There's a long history of Cigar Box Guitar music in this country and these people keep that legacy alive. You don't need a Gibson or a Les Paul to make great music, so long as you've got an old cigar box and a couple of strings, you're golden. Of course, a lot of these cigar box instruments are a bit more elaborate than that--many electrified and what not. And the annual Christmas album features so many styles and sounds, that it's like opening the mystery present on Christmas morning, with plenty of oohs and aahs all round.

In the best of years, it takes me a long time to get through an entire Cigar Box Christmas album. But a quick hop, skip and jump through "Cigar Box Christmas 2012" reveals plenty of great music, starting with the killer opening Blues number, "Cigar Box Santa" from Mark "Fat Max" Hill. Ledfoot T provides a beautiful folk song about the famous "Christmas Truce 1914" (not quite John McCutcheon, but very fine in it's own right). And there's a rather affecting story-song about the same event, "Le Miracle De Noel" from c# merle. "Snowflakes In The Misty Village" is a sweet and lovely, nearly ambient, old world folk instrumental from SUGIMUGI. "Meansleeves" from The Anonymous Pick is an all too brief Heavy Metal riff that sounds like it came from a lost Black Sabbath session. I very much enjoyed Captain Nemoff's "Welcome To My Kitchen" (some old time country blues, that) and, though this year's set is a bit light on straight up pop, there's one wonderful pop track from Neanderpaul, "Christmas Only Comes One Day Of The Year" that, having grown up a Bubblegum Child, would make this set worthwhile to me all by its lonesome. There's some classic Lo-Fi old timey, some simple heartfelt homemade seasonal tributes, some classic blues rock that sounds like Jimi Hendrix jamming with Eric Clapton, some stuff just for fun, and no doubt some you may regard as clunkers. In short, "Cigar Box Christmas 2012" is a surprise Christmas party in a zip, and everybody's coming. Download it free at Cigar Box Nation.

Mark "Fatt Max" Hill..............CIGAR BOX SANTA
Jim Junksville Sharkey.......JOLLY OLD ST. NICHOLAS
Captain Nemoff......................GREAT CHANGE
Bailey and Katfish.................AWAY IN A MANGER
Jamie MacBlues...................SILENT NIGHT
Leadfoot T...............................CHRISTMAS TRUCE 1914
SUGIMUGI................................SNOWFLAKES IN THE MISTY VILLAGE
Uncle John..............................LOOKING OUT AT THE WEATHER
c# merle..................................THE BALLAD OF BIG STEVE
407bug.....................................CHRISTMAS IS COMING !
RTZ GUITARS.........................JINGLE BELLS
SLOWPAW STEVE T with the Middlesex County Itinerate Hobo Gospel Choir....I SAW THREE SHIPS
FatBoy CooKen......................HOLIDAY CHEER
Linda Lou................................WHAT CHILD IS THIS?
Henry Strat-o-varius Lowman.............EADEM MUTATA RESURGO / SPIRITUS SANCTUS
The Anonymous Pick............MEANSLEEVES
Phillip Robert...........................HAPPY BIRTHDAY SANTA CLAUS
Dribbling Sidney.....................GRACE
Henry Strat-o-varius Lowman.............THE LITTLE DRUMMER BOY
Habanera Hal..........................ODE TO JOY
c# merle.................................. LA MIRACLE DE NOEL
Captain Nemoff......................LET IT SHINE ON ME
Uncle John..............................LITTLE TOY TRAINS
Captain Nemoff......................WELCOME TO MY KITCHEN
Blind Pomegranate Harrison-Smythe...... The Hogfather Brings Great A'Tuin A Present
Mike "Katfish" Karash.........SILENT KNIGHT
Clock and His Wily Wolf.......SANTA DRIVES AN OLDSMOBILE
FatBoy CooKen.......................SANTA JAMS
Calim.........................................PETIT PAPA NOEL
Phillip Robert..........................(HE'S) COMING BACK AGAIN FOR CHRISTMAS
W.M. Peterson.......................SANTA CLAUS
Pinetree Joe...........................Deck the Halls (own lyrics)
Calim.........................................L'ABOMINABLE HOMME DE NEIGHES
Brickdust & Pyno...................CHRISTMAS CRACKER
NEANDERPAUL.......................CHRISTMAS ONLY COMES ONE DAY OF THE YEAR
JIM WOODS............................WATCHIN' OUT FOR SANTA
Ben Kepler .............................CHRISTMAS COAL
Cris Portillo Jr........................CHRISTMAS GHOST
Brian Hunt...............................O HOLY NIGHT
Mike Bingham.........................AULD LANG SYNE
RTZGUITARS...........................THE SILENT CHRISTMAS

CYNTHIA LIN - MELE KALIKIMAKA

12/19/2012

Did someone put in a call for ukelele/kazoo Christmas music? I know you did. Cynthia Lin is a San Francisco Folk and Jazz singer (and uke player) with three independent albums under her belt. For 2012, she cut a 5-song Christmas EP, "A Very Merry Christmas", which is available at Amazon, Bandcamp and the usual spots. To whet your appetite, she's posted the song "Mele Kalikimaka" as a "Name-Your-Price" download at Bandcamp. The combo of uke and kazoo always works for me, so I'm in. And you might also want to grab her "Name-Your-Price" Halloween download, "Zombie Heart". Wish I'd had that one when I was putting together this year's "Night Of The Living Mixtape". Anyway, go introduce yourself to Cynthia Lin. It's worth the trip.

ANNA GILBERT - CHRISTMAS

12/19/2012

1. Angels We Have Heard On High
2. God Rest Ye Merry, Gentlemen
3. I'll Be Home For Christmas
4. I Don't Want A Lot
5. O Come All Ye Faithful
6. Away In A Manger
7. Rest In The Light
8. Silent Night
9. Some Children
10. Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas
11. Go Tell It On The Mountain

Good things do, sometimes, come to those who wait. And, if you waited on buying Anna Gilbert's brilliant 2010 release "Christmas", your reward has come. Now through Christmas, Anna is offering the entire album as a free download from Noisetrade. How cool is that? I won't waste a lot of words, here, since we reviewed the album back in 2010. So, if you're looking for more info on the set, read our review. Then head to Noisetrade and grab your reward.

THE EISLEYS (AND FRIENDS) - 2012 CHRISTMAS BUNDLE

12/13/2012

1. Merriment - I'll Be Home For Christmas
2. Perma - Silver Bells
3. Reed & Christie - In The Bleak Midwinter
4. Eisley - Hark The Herald Angels

Traditions are good. I like traditions. And it's become a tradition for Indie Pop/Rock legends, the Eisley/Dupree Family, to offer up a homemade gift each holiday season. This year's special treat is a 4 song Christmas bundle. The Eisley's contribution, here, is "Hark, The Herald Angels Sing", but we also get songs from their "Extended Family"--Perma, Merriment, and Reed & Christie. Very cool.

The Eisleys express that they'd love to sit down and put together a real holiday record some day but, just at the moment, they are finishing up their fourth fill-length. Look for that in 2013.

In the meantime, you can not only get the 2012 Extended Family EP, but their 2011 Christmas Bundle as well, featuring very nearly every Christmas song the Eisleys have put out through the years. As Indie Pop/Rock Christmas music goes, it don't get much better than the Eisleys/Duprees. So run on over and grab all the great holiday music the Eisleys & Duprees are offering. Just punch the download buttons and their yours, no email address required

SARAH McLACHLAN - FIND YOUR VOICE

12/9/2012

No need to explain who Sarah McLachlan is, I would think. For the second year in a row, Sarah's given us a holiday gift of song with proceeds once again going to help fund her free School of Music. The school provides group and individual music lessons to kids as, around the world, fewer and fewer schools offer music as part of the curriculum. In Sarah's time (and mine), music classes were a given in schools. Not so any more. And music education, when it was offered, enriched the lives of children and saved many from making bad choices with the rest of their lives. Some kids, who don't fit in anywhere else, find theirvoice through music. The School of Music relies on donations from the general population and Sarah's annual Christmas songs offer an opportunity to spread the word and raise funding. As with last year's "Space On The Couch For Two", this year's song is free, but she asks that you give what you can, if you can, to help continue the school's work. Once again, Sarah is joined by School Of Music students on this year's "Find Your Voice". You can grab the track and/or donate via Sarah's web

SOUNDTREE LONDON - LA CHANSON D'EVE

12/8/2012

For the last few years, the folks at the Belgian beer company, Stella Artois, have celebrated the music of the season as a means of promoting their product. Last year, they went all out with an entire free album download, "Under The Holiday Star". This year's holiday truffle is "La Chanson D'Eve" from Soundtree London. Soundtree London is a company of musicians and singers that create original music for advertising and special events. I believe they even created some music for this year's Summer Olympics.

For Stella Artois' seasonal campaign this year, Soundtree London has provided a sweet, if far too short, Jazz number featuring a statuesque blonde, known only as Holiday Carole. Anybody can join the fun in a personal way via Stella Artois' Facebook page (you may have to "like" them, but...what's not to like?). Insert your name (or the name of a friend) along with an address and message, as prompted, and Holiday Carole will appear at your virtual home (or your friend's) to serenade you (and offer you a beer, of course). To download the track, free, you'll have to go the the main Stella Artois web site, enter your birthday (it is alcohol, after all) and join La Societe Stella Artois.

By the way, if you missed out on "Under The Holiday Star" last year, it's been (mostly) re-issued this year by the group that provided the music, Human. "Le Jazz Holiday with Human" isn't free, but it is there for you to be had if you have a thirst for some stellar Christmas Jazz. Human did drop one track--which wasn't a Christmas song anyway--replacing it with the 2010 Stella Artois track, "The Twelve Days Of Christmas".