Category: Holiday Music

Spooky Singles and a bagful of treats: Descartes a Kant, Willie Dowling, Wesley Fuller, Cold Expectation, Linda Lindas, and many more!

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(Spoken in your best Crypt Keeper voice) It is that time of year again when little boys and ghouls are knocking on doors for a trick or treat. Good thing all we have is treats! Let’s start with Mexico’s Descartes a Kant which is like an old video game mixed with your favorite indie post-punk band. A creative disturbing retro-futuristic concept album that really sticks with you! Willie Dowling (Dowling Poole) reheats an oldie in the production oven and it will make you “Happy?” cause it’s a freebie! In another vintage-inspired gem, we get “Alamein Line” from Wesley Fuller, dig that retro-drum-beat, new album coming soon. A little more in the spirit of things is Cold Expectation‘s “(I Live With) Ghosts” with some nice guitar work in that break between the chorus. Girl punk pop band Linda Lindas takes an old chestnut “Little Bit ‘O Soul” and makes it their own. Finally, we get to the big bag of candy, The Big Stir Records Halloween Collection! For a mere $5 you get a 20-track assortment of treats from Plasticsoul, The Armoires, Steve Stoeckel, and more. Hope these satisfy your sweet tooth (and ear)! Hee hee hee (thundercrack sound effect!)




Ho-ho-holiday music: More presents under the tree for y’all

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More brand new Christmas music. Love the collaboration by Coke Belda & El Inquieto Roque here, more traditional goodies from Dropkick, and Riverboat Gamblers, We have the youth vote with The Linda Lindas, and the sexy “Hey Santa” by Cindy Lawson. The Light Music Company is Mr. Martin Newell (The Cleaners From Venus) of Essex and Ms. Rachel Love of Sussex, whose combined talents have concocted this small oeuvre of their compositions to help facilitate your enjoyment of the festive season. Before we get too dignified, The Stompers gives us what we really want for Christmas, and punk princesses The Dollyrots do the “Chipmunk Song” — OK? A last-minute addition is Kai Danzberg‘s “Last Christmas” with a different melody.

 









While not a Christmas tune, this is a rare one by Jamie Hoover (Spongetones) hosted by fellow blogger Richard Rossi. Lots of fun!

Ho-Ho-Holiday Music: It’s beginning to look a lot like…

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Well… here we go again. Enjoy the sounds while we countdown the days until the new year and my year-end top 10 list. I have several more reviews to post and of course, brand-new Christmas music. I made an exception with The Minus 5, but everything else here is new. Both Vista Blue and The Happy Somethings are a “name-your-price” download. Enjoy!






Power Pop Christmas Party continues: The Poppermost, Dan Markell, The Easy Button, Jack Rugan

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There is nothing better than relaxing by the fireplace with some Christmas tunes… and it looks like The Poppermost left us a big FREEBIE gift under the tree! Dan Markell keeps the spirit festive, reminds me of Andrew Gold a bit. The Easy Button is a new discovery (full LP review next week) but here is the Christmas EP. Finally, as the holiday fades, I love to listen to original instrumentals by Jack Rugan. Merry Christmas everyone.





Christmas Eve Power Pop Party: Willie Wisely, Futureman Records, Kai Danzberg, Beebe Gallini, The Slingsby Hornets, The Fabulous Playground Family

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Willie Wisely sings about those yummy cookies found in those circular holiday tins. But packed under the tree is an assortment of goodies from Futureman Records, Kai Danzberg, Beebe Gallini, and The Fabulous Playground Family (Lisa Mychols, Tom Richards & family). In what’s become a holiday tradition, a rare annual appearance by The Slingsby Hornets feels more like a leftover from Halloween. I’ve got so many new holiday songs that the party will continue into Christmas Day! Stay tuned.