Category Archives: altrock

TreeMendous Holiday Fun: Can’t Meet the Trees for the Forest

Some of these Christmas trees got names. Does that make you regret stuffing them in the trash?

“Chris the Dancing Christmas Tree” actually tells about the redeemed artificial arboreal offering. Charles ‘Kingman’ Hardman sells this old world kidsong as AI robotic fun, with no threat to humanity at all.

“Pee Wee the Christmas Tree” from Karen Newsum makes that small tree less pathetic with a name. Maybe a little. He sure wants to get cut. Country.

Preston Penn, oddly, also knows a “Little Pee Wee (Christmas Tree)” who similarly suffers survivor’s remorse year after year while the rest of the forest goes away. Old-timers’ pop.

“Greenie the Christmas Tree” is also too small to make the cut. Barbara E Leigh is singing to that left behind kid in you. Hey, this IS the same pee wee song.

Jeffrey Lefevre wittily rhymes out “Wilby the Christmas Tree.” In a dirge of a holiday polka we learn what this tree will be. (Yours, silly.)

Here’s a tree you may not know. “Freddie the Little Fir Tree” is–all right, it’s the same little guy that wants to be hacked, sold, and eventually discarded. He’s so happy to have a short life! Sigh. But. it’s Gene Autry!

“Mr. Dancing Christmas Tree” might be some excuse for a party, but i believe GT’s kidsong that implies some magic made it come to life one day.

Finally, the change of pace we’ve been scouring for. The Yobs punk up the children’s tune “Tommy the Christmas Tree.” This tree still gives its life for us, but we’re sneering now.

To fully deliver us from jollity, Steven Courtney emos a piano (w/rainfall) ballad of one tree’s over-earnest promise to deliver your best Christmas ever. “Oscar the Christmas Tree” is a bit unsettling, but i sense a sincere artistic effort here to charm. So i am. Wow.

Treemendous Holiday Fun: Don’t Know Much about His Tree

He wants to be your Christmas tree. Dig?

Dispensing with the expiration date John Kolbeck wants to be your “Wild Christmas Tree,” baby. Pop by way of country, but sentimentally sweet. He’s worth the trip to the woods, girl.

Desperate for attention Brent Hardesty goes show stopper with “Her Christmas Tree.” Dude, if she cuts you down, she’s not really into you….

If You need the Cary Brothers they will be your “Christmas Tree.” That will take care of just about everything then, i guess. Tender country rock.

Laetoli Steps gently rocks the garage for their true love, “Christmas Tree.” An emo journey.

Jefferson Pepper juggles metaphors for his lovesong “Christmas Tree.” He feels like one because of your love for him. I guess. Doesn’t end well. Alt fun.

Tree-Mendous Holiday Fun: I Grove You Baby

If i’m a Christmas tree, what are you? Like my true love?

Coming on to you hard, Mr. Banzai and The Satin Cowboy ask “O, Let Me be Your Christmas Tree.” Pop with a rock guitar solo.

Fun and flirty, alt pop from Future Kid Sisters mumbles “If I were Born a Christmas Tree,” then i guess all would be cocoa-flavored kisses for me and you, or something like that.

“(I Wanna be) Your Christmas Tree” hints at the temporary relationship Levi Fuller wants to commit to. Kick him to the curb after a month or two! Alt island music.

Black and Blond Music also announce (with jazzy blues) “I Want to be Your Christmas Tree,” but they point out that they’re the best of the nondescript lot of piney nobodies and need your special notice. Yeah, you.

EASHA seems to sublimate her love of the holidays into a simple “Christmas Tree.” Her diva-lite pop also seems to enmasculate that prop into a lover… i think. Ew.

’80s inspired jazz rock set up Irving Jack to back and forth him/her for a fallin’ in love duel/duet in the incomparable “Bam! Slam! Christmas Tree!” You may believe it after you hear it. Maybe.

TreeMendous Holiday Fun: Botany Trees Lately?

Where’s the tree of your dreams? Down the street, hanging out on the corner, waving in the breeze, trying to catch your attention like a common streetwalker.

Hilary Marckx has a lot of fun with grassy blues in “Christmas Tree Boogie.” Well, it might be the forest or the lot–just get some!

Gary Wilson is clearly set on buying “A Christmas Tree for Two.” No cutting, just romancing. Although, the disco-asian pop isn’t helping.

Wait, what is that growing in your yard. “I Do Believe That’s a Christmas Tree,” claim The Hot Buttered Elves. With that brand of experimental garage i’d stand back, i would.

Mels Motel’s “Little Christmas Tree Shop” reminds us that the symbolism of anticipation that is the going-for-the-tree could be used for –nearly anything. Indecipherable folk.

And some of these rackets are cut and carry. “Arnie’s Christmas Tree Farm” is alt country hoo hawery from Three Day Threshold & Summer Villains. I call shotgun!

The children’s version (with raised voices arguing!) arrives care of Brent & Woofy via “Christmas Trees at Gogo’s Farm.” Boogie woogie at half speed. Is this a commercial?

Money Casholini and The Other Guy make us a parody we can’t refuse: ‘Tannenbaum’ with a wise guy twist. “Oh! Christmas Tree” gives 110% to this money laundering, erm–legitimate biz.

Not enough parody? Reliable Bob Rivers pokes at ‘Rockin” with “Shopping Around for a Christmas Tree.” Makes it seem ridiculous.

Alt rock millennial whining from Vincent Gargiulo nails it down. “Christmas Tree Lot” is the soliloquy of the weary seasonal worker and it just might tug at your heartstrings.

Tremendous Holiday Fun: Plant a Suggestion

People ask about trees. You better have answers ready.

‘On Her Majesty’s Secret Service’ may be the most heavily footnoted James Bond entry, and it also gives us “Do You Know How Christmas Trees are Grown?” (Hint: with love.) The original comes from Nina van Pallandt, although ’60s UK charter, Jackie DeShannon, has a more lugubrious try also from 1969.

Harold Rippy asks “Baby, What Kind of Christmas Tree You Want?” with pop alt folk trippiness. It’s all in the name of love.

Snow Way: even more fun

Rhymecast goes childish with “Do You Want to Play in the Snow?” Frankly i’m scared of these children and these lyrics. No thank you.

Just as unfortunate, English teaching through songs from Turn On Your English results in “In the Snow.” Fluent Englishers may have trouble with the understanding of it here now.

Robotic easy listening from Dina Martina with “Fun in the Snow (Phoebe).” I guess this is for kids, but the over enunciation is so oddly pronounced i bet the kids could have ironic fun w/it.

Kpop, where the girls look like girls and so do the boys–barely legal. Starship Planet teases out some snowtime love with “Snow Candy.” (Fret not, subtitles will walk you through the playful romanticisms.)

Detours, the alt-Brit pop experience, make us wish for more white with “Fun in the Snow.” I guess they can get silly when they want.

Snow Way: fallen

Take a long look outside at the blanket o’ white and marvel. Is there any other view that stymies our senses so?

Manhatten Transfer smoo-oo-ooth their way across the pale piles with the classic 1941 Claude Thornhill “Snowfall.” The band is so big, it’s orchestral. Doris Day adds sex to this one. Tony Bennett adds class. The Four Freshman add cool. Let’s stop there.

Gospel tinges Ingrid Michaelson’s “Snowfall.” But it’s a prayer for love of man, more than of God.

Reckless Kelly turns his “Snowfall” into a cowboy survival struggle. Just another night out West.

Scott Chapman stumbles through his poetic “Snowfall (Christmas Dreaming)” mixing love, Christmas joy, sadness and beauty in no particular order. Languid pop ballideering.

Pretty puffery from the makers of Angry Birds. “The Snowfall Full Song” might appear fragmentarily in the background of some video game, but here it’s a maestro-piece of vocal wonder and piano drama. Sung by Osmo Ikonen.

Illinois State University’s a cappella group The Clef Hangers pace out a serious (Enya inspired) and solemn “Snowfall.” Try not to watch how they channel their emotions bodily.

Rock that fall! Tim Rosenau burns up the flurry with “It Snowed.” Ooo, mama.

Well, here’s what turns my snow machine on: HANSA with their “Snowfall.” Fun frothy frivolity!

Snow Way: still falling (for you)

The unceasing natural phenomenon is just like love. So says Jay Davies in “Snow is Falling.” Retro rock with heavy timpani.

Ruthie + the Giants also allude to romance with “Snow is Falling.” Their apathetic sensuality makes them sound garage, but I sense some lazy rockabilly here.

Heating up the forecast No Harvest gives us “Snow is Falling” as a come on to come over. Like to be snowbound with you….

Saying love with snowfall means– polka! John Stevens’s Doubleshot play “The Snow is Falling Polka” until you admit your love! He can outlast you!

Israeli Daniel Mesrati worries that since “The Snow is Falling” she may not be coming. His BB King tribute band serves him well, but he’s been left out in the sun too long.

Lewsh has the same trouble with his baby not coming back to him in “Snow is Falling.” Rockabilly regret.

Here comes the breakup! “Snow is Falling Down” from Andrea Gleason takes us down down down with guitar folk rock. He wasn’t worth it!

“Snow is Lightly Falling” is sorrow and Celtic blues from Nightnoise. Warbling winter woe.

A young Ray Charles ups the blues with “The Snow is Falling.” Dying, crying, why-o-whying… it’s that time of year. Fantasia sasses the blues with her sexy version of the same number.

“Snow is Falling” from the Loungers (feat. Travo) expresses that big hope that with the whitewashing of the seasons, perhaps there’s hope of getting back together. An altrock charmer with a danceable rhythm.

Snow Way: first, the sequel

Some first snow songs appeal to the more mature.

I shall skip all the completely off-base weirdness that snow represents to artists. But it have a soft spot for Jethro Tull. “The First Snow in Brooklyn” has little to do with Christmas, Winter, or us. This word soup takes you where your medication dictates. Enjoy.

A fecund enough subject, thus here come the homegrown with his own compositions. Barry Beattie beats on that guitar for his own country rocking “First Snowfall.” I wanna do the backup!

Bah & The Humbugs sound coarse, but their “The First Snowflake” is Invasion folk rock about the big picture, world. Hold hands, find inner peace, be.

Yeah, The Carpenters made this one a hit. But Bing released it first (as he did with most Christmas songs). “The First Snowfall” is schmaltzy and dawdling, but so was life back then. Like only looking at a corner of a Norman Rockwell.

But i’m really here to discover the undiscovered bands humping and hurting and wailing their irony until some one some where appreciates them. Over the Rhine clads their existential misery in the metaphor of a mangy neglected manger scene improved by the “First Snowfall.” It’s like an angel’s first singing. Bravo, guys.

Snow Way: just

Just the word snow is enough to jimmie loose those songwriting instincts.

“Snow” by Rosemary Clooney appears in the cinematic chestnut ‘White Christmas.’ It’s a torch song for the white stuff. (She sang it with Bing Crosby and Danny Kaye in the film, but her voice was subbed out to Peggy Lee in the soundtrack.)

Plank Road’s Teresa Jennings has a Gulf Coast beat with some pretty arpeggios for her “Snow.”

Claudine Longet gives us a taste of the ’60s (before she was a boyfriend shooter) with the French pop “Snow.”

Brand new release from Angus and Julia Stone sells “Snow” as a family country folk fusion.

Loreena McKennitt brings the ethereal with her Celtic faerie tinkling in “Snow.” Shivers!!

Illinois alt rockers Sleeping at Last made a fan collage of submitted footage into a video for their own soft paean to “Snow.” Ooh, look!