Self Released Buy: Bandcamp A quick search for “Guinness book of world records most Christmas songs” comes up with the usual results – mainly that Bing Crosby’s performance of “White Christmas” is the biggest selling single of all time. There is not a record for MOST Christmas songs yet… though if there is (and there should be), Kristian Noel Pederson will have a shot at it. In what is his 14th record of original Christmas songs (not including the Hanson’s Snowed In cover record), Saul McCartney’s Magical Holiday Season is a triumph. A concept record that follows an alternate-universe pop star ..read more

Self Released Buy: Bandcamp This song by Australia/Prague’s The Walking Who is equal parts epic and cryptic. Also… who the fuck cares what this song is about because “Halloween on Christmas” is fucking awesome. The song began its life in Australia back in 2019, but was only recently finished in November at a studio in Prague, with a strict palette of eastern European guitars, mics, and synths born between 1960-1985. Eastern bloc or bust! Pair this with those Toad Venom tracks and you’ve got yourself a pretty badass mix in the works… Bottom Line: Let’s listen to psychedelic Christmas from the c ..read more

Self Released Buy: Bandcamp Fun indiepop from Athens, Georgia. Well, that feels about as right as deep-dish Pizza from Chicago, or Nazis on Twitter; They just make sense together. Casper & the Cookies also holds a special place for me because I have a friend who used to be in the band! (I doubt she reads my blog, but hi Suzanne!) They also have lots of connections to the Athens, Georgia scene – being part of peak Of Montreal (IMHO Satanic Panic/Sunlandic Twins), opening for the Apples in Stereo, releasing singles on Happy Birthday to Me Records, etc, etc. Their new Christmas song, “Kiss Me ..read more

Bella Union Buy: Bandcamp (NYOP) The Natural Lines are an indie rock band helmed by Matt Pond and Chris Hansen whose debut EP, First Five, came out in October. While we wait for the full-length LP due in 2023, the band has given us the gift of “Quiet Magic.” First… let’s quickly take note of that name we might be familiar with here at Christmas Underground – Matt Pond. This new band rose out of his recent collaborations, and he felt it best to ditch the somewhat-eponymous band name to reflect the collaborative nature of this new setup. Now back to The Natural Lines, and this beautiful track ..read more

Folkmonger Records Buy: Bandcamp A seasonal staple here on Christmas Underground, this year The Ornaments (Mike Behrends and Lance Owens) cut a hole in the wall and let us hear this exchange in what might be their most devastating Christmas song yet… and they’ve sung about a holiday plane crash before. We get to observe these people, then imagine the aftermath… the emotional shrapnel… you are desperate to delete that message for him. Oh lord, that was so well done and so heartbreaking. Bottom Line: The Ornaments paint these tiny canvases that always leave you wondering what lies outside the fr ..read more

OK Pal Buy: Bandcamp I’ve been waiting on this one with bated breath ever since Christmas Underground favorite Virgin of the Birds hipped me to its existence. Scotland’s OK Pal Records is taking a stab at their first holiday compilation with Now Prancer!, compiling their roster of Scottish artists alongside far-flung friends, with 50% of the proceeds going to charity. The quality of this compilation is quite impressive, as I thoroughly enjoyed it twice now. However, I am not one to go track-for-track on any record, largely because of time constraints and partially out of the sheer terror of th ..read more

Upton Park Buy: Upton Records CD/Vinyl | 7Digital FLAC/MP3 | Apple Music | Amazon | Amazon.uk | Amazon.de | Amazon.fr Let’s get weird. This record is going to be one of the more interesting Christmas records you’re going to listen to this year, or any other year. There are moments here that will leave you scratching your head, and others that will leave you in wonder. Aussie ex-pat Maxwell Farrington teamed up with Yann Oliver on 2020’s Maxou & Yannou Sing X-Mas, which I regretfully did not sample back then (but Christmas A Gogo highlighted earlier this year, which I also missed!). That co ..read more

Lolipop Records Buy: 7Digital (FLAC/MP3) | Apple Music | Amazon MP3 | Amazon.uk MP3 | Amazon.fr MP3 Jacklen Ro has an absolutely stellar pop sensibility. Their previous season effort was 2020’s “C U Christmas Day,” is an indiepop classic and one of my favorite songs to come out of that Covid-plagued season. Their latest, “Wishlist,” is slower and sweeter, but that indiepop goodness remains as potent as ever. For some reason, I loved the line “cause you make all my bulky sweatshirts look nice.” It made me think about how my wife is often stealing my sweatshirts as she lets the dog out… and made ..read more

This final bit of the year has been a challenge. My mix is more than a week later than usual, and I’m not going to get a single one in the mail in time for Christmas. But, that’s life. This year is the 18th year producing a mix… it can now vote, fight in a war, and buy lottery tickets. Oh, it can buy those CDs with the parental advisory stickers too… and R movies! Wow. My baby is all grown up. This year’s selection nearly became one of swears and synths, but I ended up toning down the swears and left the synths. I’d like to think I’m hardcore, but I’m still a dad who wants to play this in my h ..read more

Self Released/Matador Buy: Bandcamp (NYOP) I love discovering the cool stuff I have missed… NYC’s Run On recorded “Xmas Trip” for their 1996 Matador record Start Packing, and only 5 years later I was a summer intern for Matador… So, theoretically, I could/should have come across this song, but alas, the world is a big, big place. 2022 sees a re-release of this absolutely wonderful 90’s era indie rock Christmas tune paired with a live version (hence the plural title above). Not only might you be introduced to a fantastic older indie rock Christmas jam, but all proceeds from this re-release will ..read more