The Love Language is one of the excellent bands here in North Carolina, with a sound that, at times, seems to incorporate the entire history of American pop and rock music. Listen to the group's latest album, "Libraries", and you'll catch everything from Wall-of-Sound to Classic Rock to New Wave to Post-Grunge--all blended together into nice little Pop Rock packages. Two of the band's members, holed up in a room as they put it, wrote and recorded an original Christmas song, "Gsus". Since the rest of the band wasn't available, they incorporated them using voicemails they'd left. The Love Language dropped the song on December 23. Even as a demo, this song's got a lot going for it, musically. Pick it up free from The Love Language blog.
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Another concluded set, this one an Advent Calendar--so 24 days of goodies to explore. Day 1 - Sleep Party People - Silent Night Day 2 - Fru - White Christmas Day 2 - Death By Unga Bunga - Something For Christmas Day 3 - The Action Five - Runs Deep Day 3 - Cocktail Slippers - It's Christmas Day 4 - I See Horses - Last Christmas (I Shot You Down) Day 5 - Your Headlights Are On - Leave The Light On Day 5 - Bendik - Mitt Hjerte Alltid Vanker Day 6 - DU - Deilig Er Jorden Day 7 - You Wish - Run Away Day 7 - HighasaKite - Snow Don't Fall Day 8 - Cold Mailman - Ghost Of Christmas Past KALENDAR HOME Day 8 - Bladed - Ode To Roy Day 9 - Synkoke - Jolesong #1 Day 10 - The Beards - Den forste snoen pa Bakklandet Day 10 - We Were Lightening - The Deserters Day 11 - Mindflow - December Day 11 - Diskotek - Let's Fall In Love On Christmas Eve Day 12 - Philco Fiction - Charlie Likes To Dance Day 13 - Haust - No Christmas Day 14 - Iamsyencefiction & Leonberg - Ten Days Till Christmas Day 14 - Nils Bech & Bendik Giske - Folkefrelsar Day 15 - Ingvild Ostgard - Noel Day 16 - Lucy Swann - Desemberbarn Day 16 - Fontan - December Day 17 - Miksha - Scavengers Fall (a Christmas Carol) Day 18 - The Switch - The Thought That Counts Day 18 - Shooting Tsar - Calendar Day 19 - Efterklang - 19 Alike (Glitterbug Remix) Day 20 - DRM - Kan Du Se Mar Na Day 20 - Gode Ord Dor Sist - Ut av Ulvetimen Day 21 - Siri Nilsen - Walking In The Air Day 21 - Einar Stray & Kakaogjengen - Nattasang for Nissunger Day 22 - Husky Rescue - Far From The Storm Day 23 - Park & Nernes - Do You Hear What I Hear? Day 23 - Amiina - Thoka Day 24 - Arne, Jonny & Stian feat. Xmas Superstars - Julesang/Xmas Song/Chanson de Noel And here's a link to the 2009 archived Kalendar links. I don't speak Norwegian, so download first and figure it all out later. 1. God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen 2. Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas 3. Oh Holy Night Every year for a while now, Rickie Lee Jones has posted these three songs as a free download on her web site, her little holiday gift for fans. Since the first couple of years, though, she's limited the download window to just a few days. Last year, the songs were gone by December 27. Just FYI. This year, the songs are still free downloads. But if, like me, you have a preference for hard copy, they've now been pressed to CD as "Three Christmas Gems". Head to Rickie's web site and download your free Christmas cheer and/or buy the CD. 7. Blue Christmas 8. Christmas All Over Again 9. The Christmas Song (non-holiday tracks) 1. Pink Champagne 2. Head Down 3. We Were Owls 4. Premunition 5. She's Disaster 6. Ladders DOWNLOAD THROUGH NOISETRADE You may recall in our earlier post about Lovedrug's free download of "Blue Christmas", I was a bit of a Grinch because I really don't much like that song. And, meanwhile, I noted, the band had recorded two awesome Christmas tracks that were only available to people who had pledged money for Lovedrug's current album project. Well, the gods of Christmas must be on our side. Now through Christmas Day ONLY, you can download a "Holiday Deluxe" edition of "EP-Part 1" which includes all 3 Lovedrug Christmas songs. Yay! In addition to "Blue Christmas", you'll get Lovedrug's cover of Tom Petty's "Christmas All Over Again" and their tremendous version of "The Christmas Song". It's at Noisetrade, now through Christmas Day only. And here we have it. The first Stubby's House exclusive free download! Natalie Prass is an Indie Folk Pop artist working out of Nashville, not to lock her into a genre box. The first time I heard one of her songs, earlier this year, I knew this was someone special, someone I wanted to hear more from. I actually thought, in a toss away, "I'd love to hear her sing a Christmas song." So I was thrilled to read in November that she'd be included on the 2010 Indiecater Christmas album. And the song's a winner, too--a perfect holiday treat. "No Better Time" is bouncy and bright. It's got a bit of a retro feel to it, yet it sounds completely contemporary. It's got humor to it, yet it's completely cuddle-worthy. The lyrics are incredibly well written, with such marvelous details as a "candy cane tie" that a lesser songwriter couldn't even conceive; nothing trite or cliched here. Natalie's a gifted songwriter and a sparkling singer and the names of other artists may pop into your head by way of comparison....briefly. In the end, I think you'll agree she's one of a kind. If you want to hear more from Natalie Prass, and I believe you will, head to Bandcamp for her debut EP "Small & Sweet" as well as a recent collection of "Demos". If you're paying attention, you'll notice that the song "Deer" is available as a free instant download. Cool. And the cover art for "Small & Sweet"? She made that. A true renaissance woman, that Natalie. Oh, yes, our free download? Our Stubby's House exclusive of "No Better Time"? Here's yer link. And, if that one doesn't work for you, download it from megaupload [links killed 1/2/11]. We'll be killing the link(s) after New Year's, so get it now. I think you're going to like it. I think you're going to want to hear more from Natalie Prass. Just FYI. I love this picture.
Looking to see what Pete Green is up to these days, I came across a link to this song in his Twitter feed. Don't know anything about Oxo Foxo, except that she's a British lass, but this is a beautiful song. And, if you liked "Everything's Dead Pretty When It Snows", I think you're going to like "It Never Snows At Christmas" (and vice versa). Not recommended for people spending Christmas alone this year...because it'll absolutely break your heart. Use the widget above to download and visit Oxo Foxo at her blog. It's so close to Christmas, I'm not sure how much I'll be posting tomorrow. Especially on the free page, which I'm guessing has become quite the draw (I mean, you're here aren't you?). So I'm leaving you tonight with some absolutely gorgeous stuff. This was one of the first Internet downloads I ever encountered. It was 2005 and, after listening to this one, I began to think there might be value to this Internet thing afterall, beyond just a good place for Fantasy Baseball. Pete Green is a young singer and guitar player from Sheffield, England. He started performing solo about 2002, put out his first solo record in 2007, put together a band soon thereafter and is currently singing with the Sweet Nothings (new name, same band)--record coming soon. Oh, and he's got a cat. So you know he's cool. "Everything's Dead Pretty When It Snows" was recorded in 2005 and it remains a popular Internet favorite in December. It's only a matter of time before the song works its way into full-on standard category. In my opinion, and for my Christmases, it's already there. You can still download the song freely from Pete's mostly abandoned Sparklemotion web site--he left it up so that you could. And there are other non-holiday downloads there as well, if you like what you hear. 1. Snow Day - Jackpot, Tiger 2. Carol Of The Bells - I Am Alaska 3. Christmas Is Here - Number One Fan 4. Exactly Where I Was - Bear Cub 5. All Hopped Up On Jingle Bells - Punchline 6. Wonderful Christmas Time - Give Me Motion 7. All I Want For Christmas Is A Million Bucks - Spontaneo 8. Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas - Pinsky 9. Winter's Coming - The Narrative 10. The Record We Made For Christmas - Lion Club 11. Delotte Xmas Party - Big Ups 12. Multi-Colored Christmas Lights -Railroadiana DOWNLOAD AT SINKING SHIP RECORDS Another of those 12 Days of Christmas collections we thought you might want to be reminded of, now that Day 12 is officially in the books. Haven't had a chance to listen to all of these just yet. But what I've heard so far has been killer. Especially that Jackpot Tiger song "Snow Day". So just head over to Sinking Ship Records and start working backward until you've got them all. Don't worry, they'll fill you in on the bands and the songs. 1. Mrs. Mistletoe - Adam Taylor 2. Wake Up December - Talain Rayne (featuring Tirzah Lemmens) 3. Born Of A Season - Birdie Busch 4. Bright Lights Of Christmas - The Tell Alls 5. Reindeer Game - Ben Arnold 6. Christmas Cheer - The Roddies 7. Home - Joshua Park 8. Silent Tonight - Madi Diaz 9. Song For Solstice - Hoots And Hellmouth 10. Christmas Through My Window - Hiding From Andy 11. Xmas Buddha - Andrew Lipke 12. I Got You For Christmas - Joe D'Amico Bonus: Bells - Atomic Square THE 12 DAYS OF CHRISTMAS Told you we'd revisit this one when they wrapped it up. And that's because, in the avalanche of free Christmas downloads, I tend to forget to go back to finish the collections and I thought you might have that same issue. By my count, XPN and The Key have got their full 12 days in, and then some. Download them all and make yourself a nice little "XPN 12 Days of Christmas 2010" CD-R. There's a bit of everything here from some of Philly's finest--country, folk, rock, indie, pop, alt everything. I'd tell you all about it, but they do a much better job of it. Head over to the summary page and work your way down. The download buttons are right below the play buttons. And, as I recall, there's one more tune in the mix that's stream only, so we didn't include it in our playlist above. 1. Mason Porter - Silver and Gold 2. Eyes Lips Eyes - Slept in Through Christmas 3. Toy Bombs - Halloween for Christmas 4. Ryan Innes - God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen 5. Matt Ben Jackson - Run Rudolph Run 6. Jordan Mantzke - Do You Hear What I Hear? 7. Chance Lewis and Apt - Christmas on 100 Block 8. Timothy George - We Three Kings / City Light 9. Fictionist - This Christmas 10. The Neighbors - White Christmas 11. Kathleen Frewin - I Wish it Was Christmas Today 12. Dustin Christensen - SilentNight It seems like only yesterday we were telling you about the great new holiday single from Eyes Lips Eyes. Hmm. Might that be because it was only yesterday? Yeah, well, anyway, the band that originated in Utah routinely returns to their birthplace, especially for the big "EVE" celebration in Salt Lake City. Additionally, Eyes Lips Eyes lent their Christmas song to this Velour Family Holiday Compilation, a free download of some of Utah's best bands and the Christmas songs they love. There's a full range on this one, from the Hip Hop Rock of Chance Lewis and Apt to Alt Folk, Indie Pop, a soulful "God Rest Ye", a plaintive "We Three Kings" done at a funereal tempo. "This Christmas", by the way, isn't the Donny Hathaway track. And I guess that SNL song is going to stick, huh? Always wanted a local artist compilation from Utah. Seriously. Now I've got one. Go get yours at Velour's Facebook page. |
The FREE ListHere we hope to direct you to some of the Christmas music on the web that can be yours absolutely free. We will not direct you to mp3 or sharity sites, here, but only to artist sites, label sites, and other authorized and unquestionably legal locations. ArchivesDecember 22-31, 2010 Categories
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