Los Straitjackets - Linus And Lucy

Young War

Our friend at Christmas Underground just premiered this wonderful seasonal song:

The Killers

Renewed proof that the Killers Christmas single is worth the wait, every year:

Xmystery

'Xmystery, Chicago, Illinois', that's all we get on Xmystery's Bandcamp page. That, plus three absolutely beautiful ambient drones. Imagine walking in the north of Canada, in a winter wonderland, when all of a sudden you hear a choir. You can't tell from which direction, you can't make out words, but the sound is overwhelming. You get down on your knees, because the song, or sound, is too powerful. You're not cold, the music warms you from the inside out. That's what Xmystery is about, to me.

Sofia Talvik

Glory glory alleluia, a new seasonal Sofia Talvik single, folksy storytelling to warm your heart about cold feet, hard labour and making ends meet.

Juniore

As Stubby predicted correctly, for me the Juniore Christmas single is one of the highlights this season. French, soft-sighing sexiness. Every single of the great Snowflakes Singles Club is now up on Soundcloud and Bandcamp. Check 'm out!

Allo Darlin's Elizabeth Morris

And all the streets have Christmas lights again
And all the coffee shops are playing Dean Martin
And although I know it's bullshit and just to make us buy
I feel glad in a part of my soul

Great lyrics, great song by Elizabeth Morris from Allo Darlin'. Brother-blog Christmas Underground was on this earlier.

Reindeer Tribe

DAMN this is good. An Everly Brothers/Roy Orbison-styled, 50's teen drama Christmas song by Reinder Tribe, an Alt Rock/Alt-Folk Indie collective from Southern California who, as the name would imply, are a seasonal band of fluid membership. Every year, they collaborate and manage to come up with a full album of Christmas music. This is their 7th album. Mind = blown
(thanks Stubby)

Vulfpeck

Last year we posted the instrumental version, now there's a version with vocals, even better. Christmas yacht rock! Woo!

Rogier Pelgrim

Proper christmas choon by Dutch singer-songwriter Rogier Pelgrim, a song about what's going on today with refugees, wars, people living in the streets and what Christmas can do to help. Proper video on the way, for now:

Thee Knight of Trashe

Read a nice review of alt.christmas compilation over at Mistletunes, from a series that we hadn't heard of either. This Bo Diddley-esque tune I really like. Check:

The Darkness Christmas single

First, there was this, now there's this:

Spotify playlist

THIS is the link to a Spotify playlist with all the best, new(ish) Christmas songs of this year. For your convenience.

Poeina Suddarth

Two years old, but unseen on most Christmas music blogs, this 50s style Christmas pop-tearjerker by Poeina Suddarth. Be warned: their will be blood in the video.

KYLIE GOES CHRISTMAS

Kylie Minogue made her first Christmas album, simply called 'Kylie Christmas'. We all know her seductive version of  'Santa Baby' ! On the album she does more covers, like the grand openingstune 'It's The Most Wonderfull Time Of The Year'  or a fine version of '2000 Miles'. She also does a duet with Franks Sinatra on 'Santa Claus Is Coming To Town', yes nowaddays everything is possible! She turns  'Christmas Wrapping' (The Waitresses) in a great Blondie like tune. The album also comes in a deluxe CD/DVD version.

The Sons of Old Town Collective and their X?-?mas Extravaganza

Punk rock troubadours Cory Taylor Cox, John Davey and Wilderness Alive joined forces on this first edition of the X-mas Extravaganza. Four bitter-sweet acoustic songs for those who like their Christmas a bit melancholic.

New Sparks Christmas video

Remember that other Sparks Christmas track?

Found Wandering

Found Wandering is an folksy, jazzy combo from Philadelphia PA, led by husband and wife Colin and Sarah. They will release a highly charming Christmas album with some very entertaining cover versions. Among them, Sweet Little Baby Boy by Jaaaaaames Brown. Listen:



Original version HERE

How To Throw a Christmas Party

It's out there, Beaches of Bethlehem, the new Christmas album by How to throw a Christmas Party, a collective of Dutch musicians making beautiful seasonal songs for years now. This is the catchiest, sunniest track:

And listen to this gorgeous, partly a-capella sung track:

Sparks

Teaser video!

Maryse Letarte

Seven years ago, Canadian songstress Maryse Letarte released an album of original Christmas songs, most of them in French. Which is nice. Now, she made another one. This is the title track.


Hat tip to Christmas Underground

Cassie Ramone "Christmas In Reno"

Pre-order Cassie Ramone's new holiday record "Christmas In Reno" featuring all kindsa classic Christmas tunes done by Cassie of Vivian Girls and The Barbies. Get the color vinyl or cassette (yes cassette) here.

Yoko Ono and The Flaming Lips Release Christmas 7"

Available on December 11 via Chimera Music. Both songs were previously available but never on vinyl. I was really hoping for a version of Happy Xmas (War Is Over) sans Yoko, but I guess I'm out of luck there.

 

The Drabs

San Diego-based powerpop The Drabs released a Christmas EP. Santa's Got Toys is the best track, with it's papap-ooh-choir and it's Lou Reed-ian Sprechengesang. There's one track featuring A.J. Croce on guitar too.

Sondre Lerche & Jherek Bischoff

From Amazon's Indie for the Holidays playlist, this great track by Norwegian singer/songwriter Sondre Lerche, together with Jherek Bischoff. Indie for the Holidays features Robert Pollard (Guided by Voices), Rogue Wave, Yacht, Anna von Hausswolff, SOAK and more. (Via Stereogum)

ASTROCOLOR MAKE INTRIGUING XMAS ALBUM

'Lit Up- music for christmas' is an album filled with covers from known Christmas songs, like 'Do You Hear What I Hear', The First Noel', 'Sleigh Ride' or theirs strange version from 'Beau Sapin'. But because of the strange jazzy, dubby and krautrock arrangements you hardly recognize them. Astrocolor are from Canada and they made an amazing album, only out on green vinyl (on Last Gang Records) and digital!

Ghost Of Christmas Past (remake)

The first edition of Chantons No�l - Ghost Of Christmas Past was released in 1981 on Les Disques Du Cr�puscule. After several editons there'll be another remake on 2 cd's (a few artists missing, but a lot of new additions). Releasedate 11/27

CLICK ON THE TITLE OF THIS ARTICLE TO SEE THE COMPLETE PLAYLIST!
Disc: 1
1. Jesus Sweetly Sleeps - Section 25
2. Happy Xmas (War Is Over) - Miranda Dali
3. Jesus from the Block - The Wake
4. We Met Bernard Sumner at a Christmas Party Last Night - Marsheaux
5. Winter Circle - Ultramarine
6. Lamina Christus - Isolation Ward
7. Jingle Bell Rock - Thick Pigeon
8. Hot Club of Christ - Aztec Camera
9. Scottish Christmas - Paul Haig
10. Rocking Carol - B Music
11. Weihnachtsrap - Tuxedomoon
12. Festivo - Virna Lindt
13. Jingle Hell - Blaine L. Reininger
14. Silent Blight - Blaine L. Reininger
15. Xmas Blooz - Blaine L. Reininger
16. Snowflakes - The Durutti Column
17. A Theme from This Special Evening - Monks in the Snow

Disc: 2
1. Breakfast at Christmas - Hillcrest Club
2. Christiana - Paul Haig
3. Tokyo Twilight - The Names
4. One Christmas for Your Thoughts - The Durutti Column
5. Possessed By the Stars - White Birds
6. Praying for a Cheaper Christmas - The Swinging Buildings
7. Ode to Joy - B Music
8. Noelle a Hawai - Antena
9. Benoit's Christmas - The Pale Fountains
10. Santa Baby - The French Impressionists
11. Peep Show International - Simon Topping
12. Silhouettes - Thick Pigeon
13. The Snow Falls and the Village Is Overflowing With Children - Deux Filles
14. Message De Noel - Mikado
15. The Twelve Days of Christmas - Winston Tong
16. Write Your Letter - The Arcadians
17. Cream Or Christians - Michael Nyman
18. Honolulu 25 Dicembre 1990 - Magazzini Criminalli

Elizabeth Chan

You've probably seen this one, but if not, it's a great mix of Jingle Bells and Taylor Swift's Shake it off:

Snowflakes Singles

By now, you should know that the Snowflakes Singles Club is THE best thing happening to alt.christmas songs since Christmas itself. The new batch of singles (glorious vinyl) contain bands like Tele Novella, IKON, Terminal Gods and, ohlala, Juniore. Read Stubby's extensive preview HERE. Go HERE if you want to order any of the singles.

How To Throw a Christmas Party

Our Dutch friends of How To Throw A Christmas Party (HTTACParty) done it again: they just released the first song from their upcoming, fifth, Christmas album. It's a Dutch song, a duet with legendary Dutch folk singer Elly Zuiderveld. If you're unfamiliar with Dutch folk, Elly is like Sandy Denny. Try, if you like, these tracks (1, 2).
More on HTTACParty HERE

HAPPY HOLIDAYS FROM THE BANDANA SPLITS

Nice singing girls and Christmas is an ideal combination. From New York the three Bandana Splits girls give us an album with lots of classic songs like 'Winter Wonderland',  'Blue Christmas' or 'Mele Kalikimaka (Hawaiian Christmas Song)' and three new Xmas songs. Available on bandcamp only.

Armenian Christmas

I know, I know, there's no such thing as a Navy in Armenia...but still there's an Armenian Navy Band and they do celebrate Christmas

Crime Scene Christmas

Ah, this is nice. Kerry Pastine and her 'souped-up hot rod with bulletproof glass' of band, shake up Christmas in a rock'n roll spirit. Cool beans!

Whatever happened to Christmas?

We're about to find out what happened to Christmas, when Ricky Koole and Leo Blokhuis (a very talented singer and actress, plus her music-mad husband of a dj/tv-maker) present their first of hopefully many christmas shows, on December 22nd in Theater Amsterdam, Amsterdam (Holland, that is).
CaGG-favorite Janne Schra, Ruben Hein and Paul de Munnik, plus houseband Ocobar, will be present as well.

Christmas make me horny

Ain't it the truth:

Back in business, Santa baby!

Yep, it's November 1st, and CaGG-team is excited to go x-mas blogging again. Remember, only the funkiest, weirdest, wonderfullest and downright HEAVY christmas/seasonal tracks of the year end up here.

Funky and Heavy, that's what the new Santa's Funk & Soul Christmas Party (vol 3) will be all about. Get a taster down below: