Category: altrock

2020 was THE Pandemic year. As such it was a HELL of a year. So the song record shows. Kari Loya employs sitar sounds to punch up the electronica of “There’s Still Christmas” (and Hanukkah, it’s sad).

1993 was another helluva year. I guess. Well, the lines are: It’s been a hell of a year And we need you here. “Put On Another Christmas Song” by Brittlestar (feat. Emma Rudy) is dandy Celtic pop. It makes hell better, dunnit?

It’s been one hell of a year was a 2021 sendoff from King Carol (feat. gig Wigmore) in “Christmas Party“–a party retro rocker of grrl power.

Young Mister hits the indie mood drum thoughtfully with “Helluva Year (But Christmas is Here).” Patrience, young padawan. This one takes its time.

Dancing with devils and making angels in the snow are The Night Hobs with the heavily orchestrated “Waltz of the Gingerbread Goblins.” More music than lyrics, more dance than sing.

Santa’s Angry Elves metal out when they warn you that “Frosty’s the Devil.” It’s the nose, innit?

The devil’s in the details when Slow Smile alt-rocks “A Pink Badger for Christmas.” That’s a lot of party music for details.

Demons may be minions to The Devil, but we allow for devils as upper management given how taken we are with all things underworld.

The Cupheads Show offers a pretty cool devil. Luke Millington-Drake showtunes prettily in “A Very Devil Christmas Song” from the special holiday episode. See, the goodness of the season motivates a do-badder to lower lows.

Spinal Tap might be well known for their gothic hair metal irony “Christmas with the Devil.” Yes, that’s Michael McKean, Harry Shearer, and Christopher Guest. Clap if you believe.

Cellus Hamilton (ft. Isaiah Jenkins) reminds us Devil hated Christmas, showed up, Devil’s like Grinch: Try to steal the Christmas on us in his dropped bars and busted rhymes “Up All Night.”

Sufjan Steven’s muddles up reality once again for the mightily metaphoric “Lonely Man of Winter.” Among other things, this enigma is riding in the devil’s abyss. Cool indie.

Is Marie Shelley’s famed monstrous creation merely a Talmudic throwback? The golem is life (human shaped) created by and animated most often by other humans. An Old Testament entry suggest this could be the progenitor of the human, or a blank slate for good or evil purposes. Like us!

Element Animation (feat. Dan Bull) offers up “The Ballad of Bob the Snow Golem.” The peripatetic night watchman is bad then good then bad again. Least it stopped that zombie horde. Cute rap against Minecraft.

Der Golemz offers bilingual “Der Golem Has Stolen The Stollen.” ‘Tis a simple story: Golem takes Christmas bread, eats and sickens. Celtic-like for a fairy tale feeling, but still alt-pop. And fun.

Dickens may have cornered the market on Advent apparitions, but there are other corners. (Only metaphysical–no metaphors may apply.)

“Christmas Ghost Waltz” by RW Hedges & Luca Nieri summons laughter and dancing in the night. Spooky waltz music like a maddened music box.

All Cannelle wants for the holidays is “The Christmas Ghost” of you. She trundles off to bed whispering with a tympanic lullaby for your essence. What could go wrong?

Drew James dreams of his “Christmas Ghost” and is revisited by all his past memories of family and happier times. Indie wistfulness.

Riffing on Dickens, “The Ghost of Christmas Present Gave Me The Wedding Present for Christmas” by Trevor Sensitive and the Locals imagines the true meaning of Xmas: cool music. Hypnotic indie.

Most upbeat is the dance music from The Ohio City Players in the form of “The Ghosts.” Sing, ghosts, sing!

Alt rocking, MU 330 compares the “Ghosts of Christmas” to those of Halloween. The wintry ones are too real, the autumnal ones too fake. Cue the depression.

“Christmas Ghost” by Le chat au café tinkles a cute stringy invitation to whatever’s on the other side. Cool? Gross? Doesn’t matter!

Alice vs. Everything may have cuckolded Mr. Gifts in the jaunty garage rock of “A Pirate’s Wife for Me.” I think there’s just pirating (of wives) here, no sea bandits. Pirate can mean so many things.

Lost in space, The Sailing’s protagonist is Singing to the sky A feeble pirate’s cry, ‘Bring me love on Christmas.’ “Stranded Here (On Christmas)” is a soaring prayer to the galaxy/heavens in fine indie fashion. Pirate adjacent indie.

Some boats are pretty famous. They can have Xmas, or the holiday which might allude to that christened craft.

The Animaniacs will never stop in the pursuit of a shaggy dog punchline. Stay with them in their “Noel Song” as Pequod’s Ahab looks for the white whale. No whale, no whale, we ain’t seen no whale….

The Olson Bros Band wonder how you can be “So Cold on Christmas.” Like Jack in ‘The Titanic’ bombing into that iceberg, these guys were blindsided by your harsh holiday breakup. Dorm rock.

Street cred from the slang of “Ain’t Christmas Without You,” but Leroy Sanchez’s cheesy pop about missing you sinks this mess. Even though, when he DOES finally see you: I’d run all about and kiss you Titanic style. Like an iceberg?

“Christmas in a College Town” by George González makes hay with this (apparent?) oxymoron. Can’t do it! Like trying to turn The Titanic around…. More indie, but thoughtful and smart.

Dude, look out for that tree–are basically the lyrics for the fun run of “I’m Skiing.” Helpful folk from Jan Bresters.

“Skiing the Great Divide” by Abquexa is sadder electronic tones that might be called music, or could be the supermarket subliminal soundtrack what makes you buy more ice cream.

Mediterranean mandolin in “Samy ROSENSTOCK Goes Skiing” by Oblivian Substanshall carries the moaning improvisational language of… call it: desire? Whew.

“Skiing at Midnight” by An Dhá is the Celtic instrumental we didn’t see coming. Morose at first, then livelier, then more thoughtful… this runs the gamut. Evocative.

Hyper rock from Hannah Pauly gives us all the advice we need on the slopes when she belts out “Let’s Go Ski.” I’d listen, i were you. Good stuff.

.Icky got a boothang who loves my music and figure skates to me rappin’. That’s “Winter Love” y’all. I mean he’s enunciating and like that.

“Ice Skates or…” is a thought game about breaking with the world. Skating will lead you away i guess. Sorry Snowman gets all indie and alt about it. Stay away.

Jazzy Ash envisions a lazy day on her “Ice Skates.” How lazy? Saxophone lazy! Alt fun. (& scat!)