December 2010 Archives

Here's a little bit of trivia for you readers out there: did you know that the first List Addicts was posted way back in 2008 as a New Year's songs list? Bet you didn't know that - and rightly so, since this is practically useless trivia. Putting the year into perspective though, I can't believe that this site has been chugging away that long and is still alive today (considering that it's basically held together by duct tape and craft glue). With probably one of the roughest years I've ever had, I consider it an internet miracle :)

Since I'm not really good at compiling the best of the year albums - which might probably be the reason why this site isn't high on the popularity rankings, our List Addicts End of the Year edition gives you five of my of favorite artists that I've featured or mentioned on the site within the past year:

1. Scary Mansion

The feature for Scary Mansion came at the time I was struggling to keep up with artist interviews that I actually stopped it altogether. I would say, that one was especially significant as it might have been the last full artist interview that I'll ever have on the site. Scary Mansion was also a band that anyone's ever contacted me about to have their song featured on a primetime TV show. Blame it on an outdated PR contact at their site - the musical supervisor of Hellcats shot me an email asking how to reach the band. Long story short, their song made an appearance in one of the TV show's episodes which had everybody asking - 'Who sang that song?'. My mission in life is now complete.

Here's their cover of Girls Just Wanna Have Fun - the other Cyndi Lauper song that hasn't been remade to death, and this link to the video of it being used in Hellcats.

Since it's Christmas Day, we wrap up the Christmas countdown - this year with the Magnetic Fields song Everything Is One Big Christmas Tree. As a band who's been in the business for more than 20 years and has only ever gotten due credit in the last five years, I feel a great affinity for them. Like Stephin Merritt, I'm still waiting for people to 'get' what it is that I do - though I guess it'll probably help that I find out first what I'm actually trying to do. So here's to next Christmas - may it be a better and more fruitful one next year.

Everything Is One Big Christmas Tree

If you were a kid growing up in Britain, you would probably remember that little old animated film called "The Snowman" -- a touching holiday story that's basically an existentialist version of 'Frosty the Snowman'. Obviously, The Maccabees grew up with it and loved it so much which is why they made their own version of the moving and haunting song in the film called Walking In The Air. Originally sung, choir-boy style with a orchestral accompaniment, The Maccabees bring their own indie music touch to it, with Orlando Week's unique vocal styling and the group's amazing rock instrumentation (particularly the drums - it's absolutely perfect!). You may want to get in the mood for watching the film again (sans the David Bowie intro) and bawl your eyes out at the ending.

No Better Time by Natalie Prass

Nashville artist Natalie Prass is the newest addtion to your holiday soundtrack this year. The song's got that old-timey vibe, which is perfect background music for my gift-wrapping session tonight with some hot chocolate waiting by my side. It also works well if you want to feel a bit Christmas-sy while shooting cazadores and raiders in Fallout New Vegas. Whatever you're doing,  hopefully it's not last-minute Christmas shopping. In any case, have a relaxing night-before-Christmas Eve with this song :)

No Better Time

Here is a lovely video from the fine young gentlemen of earcandynewyork.com, taking the art of autotune to its finest, to wish you all a very Merry Christmas. If you haven't checked their site out yet, take a moment to download a couple of their podcasts here which has the occasional IndiemusicDB Pick of the Week. 

Adam and Vance, I know I don't say this enough, but I love you guys - thanks for the wonderful year :)

A Favorite Christmas Gag Gift by Half-Handed Cloud

This song comes from Sounds Familyre's yearly Christmas tradition - A Familyre Christmas, which is now on its third volume. It's available as a free download here, where you can also check out previous albums from the past years

Among the roster of artists in the Familyre Christmas album is one of my favorites - Half-Handed Cloud. Half of the time I don't know what he means in his song,  but since his songs are especially catchy, you can't help but love them. In true eccentric Sounds Familyre fashion, Half-Handed Cloud brings out the Christmas cheer with A Favorite Christmas Gag.

A Favorite Christmas Gag

Feels Like Christmas by The Jooles

To counter any effects that the last post may have in contributing to winter depression... and since I have a reason to celebrate as I turn a year older today - December 21st's Christmas Song of the Day is a sunshiney tune from Berlin retro-band The Jooles. Nothing feels more like Christmas than a song that reminds you of all those wholesome family shows you watched growing up (if you were a child of the 70's). Makes you think though, with all the dysfunctional families that you see on TV nowadays, does the normal family exist on TV anymore considering that the only thing that comes close is Gene Simmons' Family Jewels?

In any case, let's celebrate Christmas with summer in our hearts ;)

Feels Like Christmas

To keep with the holiday theme (as well as get the Christmas countdown going), it's time for List Addicts - The Christmas Edition. This week, we not only have a list of holiday tunes from your favorite up-and-coming indie bands - but we also have some mellowed out tunes to bring variety to your Christmas playlist and get some introspective thinking going on. So bring out the scotch and sit in your comfy thinking chair (clear out any sleeping pills or sharp objects though, you don't want to be thinking too hard at this time of the year). Here are five tunes you can listen to, if you want to celebrate in a more sombre fashion this holiday season - 

1. Santa Fucking Claus by Johnny Foreigner

Johnny Foreigner released this nice little Christmas tune as a suprise gift to their fans. As a backgrounder, the band writes:  We had a bum end of to the year with a few shows being snowed off, and instead of (as well as) sitting round listlessly catching up on misfits and walking dead, we made a christmas hit single. I can certainly relate - but instead of making a Christmas hit single, I sat around listlessly and caught up on Misfits. All I can say is: Damn, that show is getting really good! They totally set the bar up with shagging gorillas and homicidal dairy charmers. But you know what, although watching Misfits was entertaining, it  wasn't the one that made me feel a little bit better with my holiday blues - it was this song. So thank you Johnny Foreigner, I hope you guys have a great Christmas ahead ;)

The Snow Angel and the Icicle Sword by Ian McGlynn

I'm retro-posting since I wasn't able to get this out yesterday. Nonetheless, this late post is still special since marks the 15th song in the Christmas countdown as well as my little boy Paolo's birthday :) 

Another thing that's special about this is that it comes from one of my favorite artists who makes such beautiful songs - especially during Christmas. Last year, Ian McGlynn shared with us his magically nostalgic song  'Listen to the Choir Sing' . This year, he comes with an equally moving offering called The Snow Angel and the Icicle Sword. 

The song is one that he describes as - a prayer of sorts, a plea for protection over the ones you love. It is dedicated to Ian's songwriting partner's baby niece, Jacquelynn who's been facing relentless health issues. As Christmas is a season for giving - the song is available for purchase online with 100% of the profits going to Baby Jacq's healthcare costs. 

The Snow Angel and the Icicle Sword

As anyone who grew up in the eighties can attest - Christmas was better in the 80's. In fact, everything was better in the eighties - especially if you were kid. Back then, your day was complete just getting the latest Game and Watch and finding that Ziggy pencil top in your Tang orange juice...well, maybe just for me. In any case, the eighties was indeed, totally rad.

When they said Christmas was a busy season, they weren't kidding...and now I keep wondering how the heck did I keep up posting a song a day the last time. Oh well...

But fear not, because of the eight day backlog, I come bearing gifts. Not just one, but eight songs that'll bring the Christmas cheer to fill up the eight day absence of our song a day / Christmas countdown. It also comes with a promise (that I plan to keep!) that we're going to have a new song a day.

Since I've got a ton of new artists sending me amazing stuff to post, this is going to our Fresh from the Post Christmas edition -- which also makes up for the my eight-day gap for the Christmas Song countdown.

1. French Kissmas by Chelsea Jade and James Duncan

To start off, I've got a song from the land of hobbits and flying conchords - which interestingly, sounds like it came off a post-modern, european spy movie set in France. It's a duet from Auckland singers Chelsea Jade and James Duncan entitled French Kissmas.

It's Christmas by Coconut Records

Because I'm a firm believer of the power of the Schwartz(man) - here's Jason Schwartzman's holiday music offering via his indie music alter-ego Coconut Records. Of course, when I found out that Target was giving away free holiday music tunes from bands of the indie music persuasion, I knew I had to nab that Coconut Records song. And yes, for those who don't know -- i.e. people who live in countries that don't have Target like me (we do have Zeller's though, but I highly doubt that they would be cool enough to do something like this) -- the US retail store has a Christmas song compilation up on their site that can be downloaded for free. The compilation has my personal fave Coconut Records, Bishop Allen and Crystal Antlers contributing tracks to their holiday album.

So, thank you Target. I wish you were paying me to plug  this, but the free songs are remuneration enough...and also, thanks for Career Opportunities, I simply adore that film :)

It's Christmas

I have a soft spot for cure for cancer causes and simply anything about kids -- so when this song ended up in our mailbox, I couldn't pass up posting it. Of course, I had to hear the tune myself first, and seeing how the artist introduced herself as a 13-year old girl from the suburbs of Chicago, who composed and performed the song to raise funds for kids with cancer, I found it all the more intruiging. And boy, it did not disappoint.

Kate Diaz is an absolute pro, and Christmas Smiles sounds like a song made by a singer/songwriter who's been at it for years. Seeing how she's using her God-given talent to make a difference in people's lives, makes me ashamed on how I spent many hours of my youth in front of the computer playing Digger. Rather than lament on my wasted potential (I should have done Digger tourneys to raise awareness for socks with sandals victims), I'm here to back up Kate and spread the word.

Here's an audio sample from a live acoustic performance Ms. Diaz put up on YouTube. You can download and donate for a full band version of the song at iTunes or Amazon to benefit CureSearch for Cancer.

Kate is also participating in a holiday concert at December 18 from 6 to 8pm at Potbellys, Lake Cook & Weiland in Buffalo Grove, IL.  where they'll be donating 25% of all dinnertime sales. 

Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas by An Introduction to Sunshine. 

Despite what Florida band, An Introduction to Sunshine's name implies, this one's a mellow (and almost trippy) version of the Christmas classic. It comes from the wonderful compilation album of Christmas classics covered by various indie bands called Hey, It's Christmas! Vol. 1 .  What's great about the album is it's fresh take on your standard classic Christmas tunes such as Silent Night and First Noel. And, being true to the spirit of Christmas -- it's available for free at the album's Bandcamp page :)

Christmas Wrapping by Summer Camp

Continuing with our Christmas countdown, we've got tune from Jeremy Warmsley and Elizabeth Sankey also known as the indie pop duo, Summer Camp. This little helping comes off Moshi Moshi Records' 2010 Christmas EP called A Christmas Gift For You, which include tracks from other Moshi Moshi artists such as Slow Club and Hot Club de Paris.

Christmas Wrapping is Summer Camp's rendition of the original early eigthies song by The Waitresses.

To spread the cheer this season, the song, along with other tracks in the Moshi Moshi Christmas EP, is included free with every album purchase at the record label's store.

Christmas Wrapping

Just when you thought it was never going to happen, here we are a again (albeit one day late) -- it's the Christmas countdown! Since I had loads of fun last year doing the 25 Indie Songs of Christmas, here we are with my favorite Christmas  tradition, where we feature one indie Christmas tune a day to count down the days until Christmas.

To make up yesterday's absence of Christmas posts, we've got two tunes off WIAIWYA's album download of the month - Christmastime, Approximately. The first song is from Eux Autres with  "Teenage Christmas", which fills me with all sorts of nostalgia as I remember my own teenage Christmas to the tune of 90's inspired grungy guitars.

Teenage Christmas

The second song to wrap up today's Christmas song countdown is from Help Stamp Out Loneliness with their winter wonderland-lovely, sleigh bell-happy song "Just Like Xmas (In Cottonopolis)".

Just Like Xmas (In Cottonopolis)

Be sure to check out the album at WIAIWYA's site, that has tons more songs that could actually fill up a hug chunk of our Christmas countdown :)

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To give me an excuse to check my emails (which I haven't done for a few months now  -- oops!) -- if you have Christmas songs to share for our countdown, you know where to send them ;)

 *photo courtesy of my friend Boots and the folks at Carousel Theatre in Granville Island who made such a lovely snow elephant during last Thursday's snow day