christmas music Archives - Vinyl From The Vault

Alice Bag Band “No Gifts for Nazis”

sfilzen — Thu, 26 Dec 2024 20:01:37 +0000

Alice Bag Band “No Gifts for Nazis” 2019. Get Better Records, 7″ red flexidisc. A two-minute, catchy-as-hell punk holiday single. This was a gift from Santa stuck in my stocking this year (and by Santa, I mean me) and no way could I wait an entire year to listen to/write about it. It’s simple, snotty, hooky and straight to the point: “You were warned, there is a list / You have made St. Nick truly pissed / All you white supremacists / Kris Kringle has no time for fascists.” I love Alice Bag!

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Various (mostly Milwaukee) Artists “Season for a Smile (Vol. 1)”

sfilzen — Wed, 18 Dec 2024 18:52:10 +0000

Various (mostly Milwaukee) Artists “Season for a Smile (Vol. 1)” 2022. A collection of mostly Milwaukee (and at least one Nashville) bands playing Christmas songs, Season for a Smile was “curated on behalf of the Team Bryce Foundation…featuring a broad range of musical genres and collaborations, from folk, power pop, rock ‘n roll, alternative dance, blues and R&B.” Like Volume 2, I’m familiar with the majority of the artists on this comp and have seen several of them perform. My top picks based on genre – Synth-pop/80’s styled dance: Ggoolldd’s “A Change at Christmas” is dreamy electro-pop (though they are not technically from Milwaukee anymore); The Quilz (also on Vol. 2 – Sage Schwarm helped produce both records) with “Christmas Wrapping” and their Nashville buddies Palm Ghosts’ “It’s Always Christmas Time” (we’ve seen Palm Ghosts play out a couple of times – they’re great!). Rock: The Grovelers’ “Sleigh Bell Rock” is punkabilly fun and Lack of Reason’s “Everything’s Gonna Be Cool This Christmas” is straight-up rock n’ roll Christmas swagger. Folk: Testa Rosa plays “The Peace Carol” and it’s a sweet little folky number and The Carolinas’ Americana-jangly “Jesus Christ” is lovely. Two bands I am not familiar with but stand out: Keedy’s “Little Drummer Boy” is great dream pop similar to Ggoolldd and Squirrel’s “Final Ocho Kandelikas” about Hanukkah, sung in Ladino performed in an Argentine tango rhythm. This LP is another great local comp for our holiday music collection.

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Various (Milwaukee) Artists “Season For a Smile Vol. 2”

sfilzen — Mon, 16 Dec 2024 19:18:39 +0000

Various (Milwaukee) Artists “Season For a Smile Vol. 2” 2024. A limited edition collection of holiday songs by local Milwaukee musicians to benefit the Team Bryce Foundation which is dedicated to “facilitate improving the lives of children with special needs and their families by helping them achieve their full potential through participation in sports and other activities.” The first track, “Here It is Christmastime” by Driveway Thriftdwellers even features Bryce Tock, the foundation founder’s son who is the inspiration for the organization. I’m familiar with most of the bands on this comp (and know a few personally): there’s the big name BoDeans (though I’m assuming they appear here without founding member Sam Llanas; there’s some really bad blood between him and the other founder Kurt Neumann) on “Christmas Everyday,” local fave Trapper Schoepp joins forces with bluegrass band Chicken Wire Empire on the sad “Christmas in Prison” and Tigera performs “Every Other Day.” A special nod to my friends The Quilz, a fantastic new-wave dream pop duo, who play “Wonderful Christmastime.” (Quilz member Sage Scwarm is one of the LP’s producers.)

But I really want to highlight “O Holy Night” by Heart of Black. I’m so thrilled to finally have something tangible by this band (who I’ve never seen perform but that’s on me – they play out all the time in the greater Milwaukee area). Heart of Black play heavy rock/alternative dance, a mix of covers (influences include Depeche Mode, Duran Duran, The Cure, Nine Inch Nails) and originals (their song “Down” won the WAMI award for Best Video of 2024 – it is alt-metal and NOT Christmasy). We met Heart of Blacks’ singer Marcus in 2022 in Ibiza, Spain in one of the most random, kismet experiences ever. We had just arrived at our hotel, located right on the Mediterranean, and were hanging out on the patio waiting for our room to be ready for check-in. The couple next to our table leaned over and asked “Are you from Milwaukee?” We thought it was our accent! But no, they noticed Joe’s WMSE shoulder bag. Turns out they were from ‘Tosa and Marcus is huge Duran Duran fan and they were in Ibiza for the Duran three-day festival, same as us. We ended up seeing him and his wife (whose name now escapes me) on and off for the remainder of our time there, including the nail-biting final festival evening where we essentially had to dodge the law to secure a last-second shared ride to the Duran concert from our hotel. The topping was the next morning when our connecting flight to Madrid was running very late and we had to sprint at top speed through the Madrid airport to catch our international flight home. We just made it, gasping, sweating, onto the plane and there, towards the front, were Marcus and wife applauding our dramatic arrival onto the plane. I haven’t seen them since but am enjoying the heck out of their over-the-top last track on Seasons for the Smile – which feels almost as epic as that Ibiza weekend.

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“Punk Rock Christmas”

sfilzen — Thu, 23 Dec 2021 22:30:14 +0000

“Punk Rock Christmas” 2017. Cleopatra Records. 2021 reissue on limited edition clear green vinyl. A comp of some newer and traditional Christmas songs by some newer and traditional punk bands. I’m partial to traditional (punk bands that is, I’m not a big fan of most Christmas tunes, old or new) so my favorites on Punk Rock Christmas are the OG groups. The Godfather Iggy Pop saunters, slinks and winks his way through “White Christmas” in the most over-the-top schmalzy way imaginable and goth-punks 45 Grave dark up “The Snow Miser Song” to make Christmas feel downright evil. Four first wave British punk bands play some really good renditions of old and new: Slaughter and the Dogs take on “Run Rudolph Run,” The Vibrators play “Merry Xmas Everybody,” UK Subs absolutely kill on “Hey Santa Claus!” (“Santa Claus you cunt/Where’s my fucking bike/I’ve unwrapped all this other junk/There’s nothing what I like”) and The Members shred “Silent Night/Hallelujah Chorus” in the very best way (“Hallelujah, hallelujah, oi! oi! oi!”). 80’s California hardcore punks Battalion of Saints add Motörhead speed to “Jingle Bells,” which is awesome and makes that tired carol palatable. I’m not crazy about the nu-punk/ska bands Christmas covers (ie Reel Big Fish’s ska’d up “Little Drummer Boy” — though I really hate that Christmas carol so the lack of lyrics, the inclusion of horns and a poppin’ beat are an improvement – and Smash Mouth’s “Snoopy’s Christmas” – why are Smash Mouth even on this comp?!). As much as I’d like to like Anti-Nowhere League’s (UK street punks from the early 80’s) rendition of “Let It Snow,” it’s pretty bad.

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JD McPherson “Holly, Carol, Candy & Joy”

sfilzen — Thu, 24 Dec 2020 14:26:05 +0000

JD McPherson “Holly, Carol, Candy & Joy” 2019. New West Records on “Snow Globe” limited edition 7″ vinyl. A delightful modern rockabilly Christmas tune that bounces with vintage Beatlesque pop rhythm and melody that takes traditional Christmas imagery and translates it to name a list of lovely ladies. “Holly, Carol, Candy & Joy” appears on McPherson’s full-length Christmas album Socks. The b-side is another neo-rockabilly original Christmas tune, “Red Bows (For a Blue Girl),” which is more rockin’ rhythm-and-blues, complete with horns and a Bo Diddley beat. Both tracks are boppingly upbeat and catchy, perfect for the joy and anticipation of Christmas.

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“A Midnight Christmess”

sfilzen — Wed, 23 Dec 2020 20:00:36 +0000

“A Midnight Christmess” 1984. Midnight Records. It’s too bad the sleeve is in such terrible shape because this is the most eclectic and excellent Christmas album I’ve heard in a long time. A collection of mostly original tracks from garage-rock label Midnight Records, the genres showcased go beyond garage to jangle-pop, rockabilly, psychedelic rock and Screamin’ Jay Hawkins who is a genre unto himself. Screamin’ Jay performs “It’s X’mas (A Time For Giving)” live, possibly with the Fuzztones. My other top tracks include “Here’s What I Want on a Christmas Day” by Justin Love (psychedelic garage), Johnny Rabb’s “Gotta Get Lucky for X’Mas” (classic rockabilly sound), the psychobilly surf instrumental “Last Minute Rush” by Cheepskates, “Merry Christmas” by Plan 9 (which mashes up psych-garage, grungy, bluesy heavy metal riffs and a 60′s/70′s NYC seedy vibe à la Velvet Underground and New York Dolls), “Christmas Tyme (Baby)” by Yard Trauma, “Forget It” by Nadroj and the Wolrats (both psychedelic garage perfection), “Schizophrenic X’Mas” by Suburban Nightmares which reminds me of Murder City Devils: more psychedelic garage rock but on the dirgy end, and the totally unhinged psychedelic rendition of “Gloria (In Excelsis DEO)” by Tryfles.

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Willie Nelson “Pretty Paper”

sfilzen — Tue, 22 Dec 2020 22:48:58 +0000

Willie Nelson “Pretty Paper” 1979. Nelson’s first Christmas album and his 24th studio LP. Relaxed, country-tinged standards like “White Christmas,” “Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer” and “Silent Night, Holy Night” as well as the rockabilly classic “Blue Christmas” made famous by Elvis. Nelson has two originals, the title track “Pretty Paper” and the instrumental “Christmas Blues.” Nelson wrote “Pretty Paper” in 1963 and it was first recorded by Roy Orbison. Orbison’s version went to #15 on the US Hot 100 chart in ‘63 and went to #6 in the UK in ‘64. Nelson first recorded it in ‘64 and then re-recorded it for Pretty Paper and again in ‘97 for Hill Country Christmas. A whole slew of other artists have covered the song over the years including Chris Isaak (2004), Reverend Horton Heat (2005) and most recently Dolly Parton (2020).

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Abby Jeanne “Isle of Misfit Toys”

sfilzen — Thu, 20 Dec 2018 20:59:04 +0000

Abby Jeanne “Isle of Misfit Toys” 2018. Hi-Fi Records, limited release on tricolor Christmas color vinyl. Backed with the French-language version of the song (“L’ile des Jouets Cassos”), Abby Jeanne notes this original Christmas tune is “a nice song for the naughty kids.” Jeanne is from Milwaukee and frequents Hi-Fi Cafe in our Bay View neighborhood (pretty sure the record label has been created just for her). Her voice is at once powerful and gentle, sweet and bluesy, clear and dusky, channeling a timeless chanteuse sound that belies her age (young!) and stature (tiny!). What a great Christmas treat to have a (very) local addition to our holiday playlist

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Moon Duo “Silver Bells”

sfilzen — Wed, 19 Dec 2018 15:33:34 +0000

Moon Duo “Silver Bells” b/w “Winter” 2010. Holy Mountain Records, red vinyl. It’s less than a week ‘til Christmas so I guess I’ll spin some holiday tunes, starting off with this dense, heavily fuzzed psychedelic version of the Christmas classic “Silver Bells” by space rockers Moon Duo. Moon Duo are Ripley Johnson (guitar) and Sanae Yamada (keyboards); they describe themselves as “repeat-o rock,” others dub them “moto-drone” and one reviewer writes about their single: “it kind of sounds like a grungy zombie indie rock band with some serious authentic country influence playing through blown out speakers on the moon, while the beat is provided by that old home organ your family owned in the 70s. Not that that’s a bad thing.” It’s almost refreshing to hear a thick version of the tired classic that’s usually either bright and tinkly or crooning and waltzy. Side B’s “Winter” is just as dense and fuzzy, with heavy echo effects for a super-trippy ride through the hallucination-inducing moonlight dancing on the snow.

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Jon Spencer “Big Yule Log Boogie”

sfilzen — Wed, 20 Dec 2017 20:03:46 +0000

Jon Spencer “Big Yule Log Boogie” b/w “My Christmas Wish” 1992. Sub Pop Records, Sub Pop Singles Club limited edition on green vinyl. Probably the coolest – and weirdest – Christmas music in the Vault. Recorded just at the beginnings of Jon Spencer Blues Explosion, Judah Bauer plays raw and unrestrained guitar while Spencer whoops and wails a gleeful “CHRISTMAS!!!” and signature “C’mon honey” at the start of “Big Yule Log Boogie.” It’s a Hasil-Adkins level lo-fi devolution of rockabilly blues and simply amazing. Side B’s “My Christmas Wish” is a woeful holiday lament, swampy country-blues with gritty sliding electric guitar. Both tracks were eventually included on the 2010 reissue on Shout! Factory’s pressing of Extra Width + Mo’ Width. The run-out grooves have writings and scratchings (due to a pressing error between Spencer’s 7″ and Wolverton Brothers’ single of “My Assassin”), Side A: Special Merry Xmas to XNA and Side B: Love Always, Jon. (Thanks to the excellent Pop-Catastrophe website for the details and lyrics)

“Big Yule Log Boogie”

Come on honey and fly with me

We’re gonna get some lovin’ on Christmas eve

Christmas time rock ‘n’ roll

Holiday season with a little soul

You got to try
Holiday’s-a lovin’, baby
You and I

I’m gonna love you this Christmas love you
Crazy

Calling all elves all around the world
I got a yule tide date with my kind of girl

Seen ’em alive
I’ll be your Santa Claus
I’m gonna love you this Christmas
Rock ‘n’ Roll

Happy New Year dad
I’m the dude that’ll kick your ass
I’m gonna get drunk this Christmas
I’m gonna tie one up

Christmas
Remember me

I’m gonna get a little lovin’
Going more on Christmas eve
Honey, this do mean honest
I got the spirit of giving

I’m gonna love you this Christmas

Christmas

Oh lord

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