What's New In 2010?

the best and brightest new Christmas releases

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Like many record collectors, I am spending a lot of time these days preparing for the end of the world. That is, I am endeavoring to "finish" my collection before they stop making compact discs. Even while vinyl records experience a minor comeback - they are cool again, you see - our march towards a fully digital world proceeds inexorably. As pertains to this website, it means that once again this year I have spent more time buying, selling, and cataloging records than listening to and writing about them.

New Albums

As pertains to the wonderful world of Christmas music, it means that there are fewer formal album releases than ever - compact disc, MP3, or otherwise. But that doesn't mean there's nothing to get excited about! Among this year's most notable releases are first-ever Christmas albums by the Indigo Girls, Lady Antebellum (a Target exclusive), Annie Lennox, Katharine McPhee, The Puppini Sisters, Jessica Simpson, and Partridge Family mom Shirley Jones. It's been a good year for women, apparently.

Plus, we get new albums from holiday hounds Brian Setzer, Mariah Carey, Dan Hicks, and Straight No Chaser. Most intriguing, however, are new releases by the legendary Ronnie Spector, eclectic country chanteuse Shelby Lynne, and kitsch pop band The Superions, featuring Fred Schneider of the B-52's. And, of course, the third volume of Double Crown Records' totally stoked surf 'n' garage series Seasonal Favorites.

Rocker Donnie Iris - who is best known of his 1980 hit "Ah! Leah!" - has waxed an oddly ambitious Christmas album called (and I am not making this up) Ah! Leluiah! Since Iris is also well known for the 1970 song "The Rapper"(by his band the Jaggerz) and his 1981 album King Cool, I would have accepted "The Wrapper" or King Yule.... Anyway, as of press time the MP3 can be found at Amazon, but the CD can only be ordered through his website.

(BTW, Stone Temple Pilot/Velvet Revolver vocalist Scott Weiland's much ballyhooed album, The Most Wonderful Time Of The Year, has been cancelled. Big shock there....)

But, based on the last few years, October, November, and December will bring many, many more MP3 downloads - especially single tracks. The joy of digital music, after all, is its immediacy. A band can record and mix their holiday opus in their living room on a laptop computer and upload it to iTunes, Amazon, or some other website where you can download it - all, theoretically, in a matter of days or even hours. When I ran a record store back in the 1990's, I ordered my Christmas stock in June! This year, bands who hadn't met in June will release Christmas songs this December. This, they tell me, is progress.
 
The upside of this just-add-water approach is that Christmas music enthusiasts are treated every year to an unprecedented flurry of new music. The downside - at least for obsessive/compulsives such as I myself - is that's there's no freakin' way to keep up with it all. Most commercial music will be released (in one format or another) by December, but that's when the blogs go crazy. By mid-December new Christmas music (much of it free) will be flying around the interweb like an angry swarm of bees. People like me know that in the midst of the swarm a few masterpieces doth buzz - but good luck finding 'em!
 
That said, I'll do my best, and I'll update this page constantly as the season progresses.

Reissues

Perversely, another downside is that the immediacy of digital music seems lost on most record labels when it comes to reissuing their back catalogs, particularly albums that are no longer in print (or were never reissued) on compact disc. Making these records available for download seems like a no-brainer, but only a few labels - notably Rhino and Capitol - have reissued a handful of these lost classics. This year I continue to be disheartened at the painfully slow and seemingly random nature of the process. The two most notable MP3 reissues are Glen Campbell's That Christmas Feeling (1968), which Capitol Records had never properly reissued in the United States, and Peggy Lee's Christmas Carousel (1960), which has been out-of-print for many years. Even better, a lot of material from the legendary Ace Records of Mississippi has been reissued for download by the English Westside label, including the classic 1962 Christmas LP by Huey "Piano" Smith and His Clowns (read more).
 
But more alarmingly, far fewer actual CD reissues are hitting the shelves. Like I said, the end is near.... By a long shot, the one I'm most excited about is The Complete James Brown Christmas (Hip-O). My affection for the Godfather's ceaselessly funky Christmas music is well documented (read more), and this 2-CD just puts a fine point on it by collecting every seasonal track he recorded for King Records from 1966 through 1970 - including several never before issued on CD. Previous CD reissues like Santa's Got A Brand New Bag (Rhino, 1988) and Funky Christmas (Polygram, 1995) were great, but they were not, in a word, complete. This one is.

Though both are decidedly unhip, a couple of other reissues stand out for similar reasons. One is Perry Como's The Complete Christmas Collection, and the other is Bing Crosby's The Crosby Christmas Sessions - both on the Collector's Choice label. The former contains just about every holiday track Como ever recorded for RCA, while the latter collects a variety of rare Crosby tracks including "How Lovely Is Christmas" (1957) and "White World Of Winter" (1965).

Also of note are CD reissues of albums formerly widely distributed only as MP3 downloads - A Blackheart Christmas (2008), spotlighting garage and punk from Joan Jett's vanity imprint, and Cameo Parkway Holiday Hits (2008), collecting vintage tracks from the legendary Philly label that gave us Chubby Checker. (Late in the season it became obvious that the Cameo Parkway set was not going to make it to the streets. However, the MP3 download - with one added track - was released as planned.)

Even in the realm of "various artist" albums - something Christmas music is generally blessed (or plagued) with - I find little to celebrate thus far. One of the more historically interesting (if not exactly hip) discs is The Year Without Santa Claus, a CD/MP3 reissue of 1968 musical adaptation of the Phyllis McGinley children's story that eventually became a popular Rankin/Bass animated TV special in 1974. This 1968 album is narrated by Boris Karloff (who previously narrated How The Grinch Stole Christmas) and is not, I should emphasize, the soundtrack to the TV special (most notable for its "Heatmiser" song). Unfortunately, this is a rather bowdlerized edition with a new cover and an almost completely different (and less interesting) set of songs than the ones that originally occupied side two of the LP.
 
Other various artist albums of note this year include two installments of the "Happy Christmas" series of Christian alternative rock albums - Happy Christmas Vol. 5 and Happy Christmas Redux, which bundles the first three volumes. Also, nascent reissue label Chrome Dreams brings us It's Beginning To Sound A Lot Like Christmas, a wildly eclectic set of rockin' rarities ranging from "Ding Dong Dandy Christmas" (The Three Suns) to "Santa Claus Meets The Purple People Eater" (Sheb Wooley). It was the first Christmas album I put in my shopping cart this year along with the same label's Halloween companion, The Zombie Horror CD Collection.

Singles

Thanks to the profusion of MP3 releases, keeping up with the Christmas singles scene has become virtually impossible. Frankly, it's become too easy to put out music - any dweeb with a computer can do it (and most do). Bravely, I'll post all the good ones I find.

What Is Christmas? by Nadia Ackerman
A lovely, somber tune from a young singer/songwriter best known for (believe it or not) the UPS commercial jingle "That's Logistics."

Pour Another Ounce of Rum in the Eggnog by Heather Blush And The Uppercuts
Sexy, sloshed side from a young trio bent on reviving haute jazz.

Christmas Is Here by Buckcherry
I've always avoided these guys, if only 'cuz they seemed awfully sexist - what with their sexy album covers and hits like "Crazy Bitch." Well, this cover is no exception (hubba! hubba!) , but the song is surprisingly sweet.

Time Of The Season by Isobel Campbell & Mark Lanegan
This indie super-duo (former members of Belle & Sebastian and Screaming Trees, respectively) released this gentle, romantic track earlier this year on their Vanguard album, Hawk. It's not the old Zombies song, by the way.

Christmas Lights by Coldplay
Our earnest young English friends have waxed two holiday tracks in the past - "Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas" (2002) and "2000 Miles" (2003). But, this is their first original Christmas song.

Little Drummer Boy/Peace On Earth by Bing Crosby & David Bowie
This chestnut is being reissued as a 7-inch red vinyl single by Collector's Choice. Neat! On the flipside you'll get a rare duet version of "White Christmas" by Der Bingle and Ella Fitzgerald.

Postcard From London by Ray Davies
The first Christmas song of the new season came out just after the last one - in January! And, it's barely a Christmas song - it's mostly about London, not the holiday. But, it's pretty cool (annoying children's choir notwithstanding), and the Pretenders' Chrissie Hynde - Davies' one-time paramour - lends a vocal cameo. The song will soon appear as a bonus track on a new edition of The Kinks Choral Collection.

All Year Long by Amber deLaurentis
In a world where grown women strive to sing like little girls (cf. Jules Larson), it's refreshing to find one who looks like a girl and sings with the full-throated passion of a woman. Lovely ballad, too.

Another Christmas At Home by Eux Autres
This is a charming, resolutely lo-fi song originally released back in 2006 but now widely available for the first time. The 3-track EP includes two covers - one obvious, the other obscure, both cool.

Santa Stole My Lady by Fitz & The Tantrums
These guys are throw backs for sure, but to my ears they recall the soul-fired white bands of the 70's (Wet Willie, Southside Johnny) more than the Stax and Motown artists they name-check at every opportunity. But that's not a bad thing - this track really brings the heat (and the heartbreak).

Christmas Was Better In The 80's by the Futureheads
For several years, I've bemoaned how more and more singles are flooding the market later and later in the season. Well, what I think is the best new track this year hit the streets on December 21. So, far, it's an iTunes exclusive in America, though Amazon has it in the UK.

We Three Kings and Rudolph The Red-Nosed Reindeer by the Harlem Parlour Music Club
I just discovered this eclectic collective's charming 2009 Christmas album. This year, they've released two new singles featuring sexy vocalists Amanda Homi and Elaine Caswell, respectively.

Merry Christmas And A Happy New Year by Jimi Hendrix
Sony took over the Hendrix catalog recently, and this is their reissue of an impromptu 1969 Christmas medley of "Little Drummer Boy," "Silent Night," and "Auld Lang Syne" that received its first legitimate release through Universal in 1999. It's just a jam session, really, but it's a hoot.

(Let's Have a) Surfin' Christmas Holiday! by the Hollyberries
The people who brought us one of last year's best singles - "(I Wanna Go) Surfin' with Santa!" - have followed up with another totally radical tune that even gremmies and hodads can dig. This one features famous groupie (and author) Pamela Des Barres (I'm With The Band), Jonathan Paley (of the Paley Brothers), and Nelson Bragg (drummer for Brian Wilson). The single is Des Barres' first recording since Permanent Damage, the infamous 1969 Frank Zappa-produced album by the all-girl GTO's.

Christmas In Prison by Joshua James
As of this writing, this delicate cover of the John Prine chestnut is an iTunes exclusive. James, if you haven't heard him, is a precocious folkie whose age-old voice belies his tender years. His 2009 album Build Me Up drew raves.

Ain't No Chimneys in the Projects by Sharon Jones & The Dap-Kings
This tasty slice of funk was available on a limited basis last year as a 7-inch single and given away sporadically for free as an MP3 download. In case you missed it, it's now widely available for purchase.

Christmas Soon by JP, Chrissie & The Fairground Boys
That's Chrissie Hynde of the Pretenders and JP Jones, an up-and-coming singer/songwriter in the Van Morrison tradition. There's apparently quite the romantic backstory here, but it's the music that matters, and this is B-plus pub rock - better than average, but not by much. Needs more hook and less bravado. Also a bonus track on some editions of their full-length album, Fidelity.

Boots by The Killers
This is just the latest in a long line of annual Christmas singles from the Las Vegas rockers. Previous efforts include "Great Big Sled" (2006), "Don't Shoot Me Santa" (2007), "Joseph Better You Than Me" (2008), and "Happy Birthday Guadalupe" (2009) - each more thrilling (and bewildering) than the last. As in the last couple of years, downloads are widely available but the CD is sold exclusively by Massachusetts indie Newbury Comics, and proceeds benefit The Global Fund and (RED).

It's Christmas Time by Jules Larson
In a perfect world, this comely singer (who, like Nadia Ackerman, is best known for a song in a commercial) would be at the top of charts instead of gigging in L.A. dives. Her holiday jingle isn't as edgy as I expected, but it's pleasant to listen to, and she's pleasant to look at - whatta combo!

LA X-Mas by Nathen Maxwell & The Original Bunny Gang
Vinyl-only release from Flogging Molly bass player and his lapine side project. I'm hoping for an MP3 edition, 'cuz my turntable broke...

All I Want Is Truth (for Christmas) by The Mynabirds
Singer/songwriter Laura Burhenn, the formidable talent behind this year's acclaimed What We Lose In The Fire We Gain In The Flood, takes aim at the holidays with this self-described "anti-Xmas" song backed with a cover of the Zombies' "This Will Be Our Year." Available on MP3 and 7-inch vinyl.

Nappy Holidays (Stay A While) by Nappy Roots featuring Rachael Wilson
Between crunk, gangsta, and the fact that there was already a good left-leaning rap band called the Roots, these guys have have never gotten the respect they deserve (check out Watermelon, Chicken & Gritz). This surprising single typifies what they do best - speak the truth with humanity, humor, and friendly southern funk. Furthermore, I have to say I enjoy it much more than the year's highest profile hip hop release - "Christmas In Harlem" by Kanye West (an iTunes exclusive).

Getting Ready for Christmas Day by Paul Simon
Another Jew For Jesus! Actually, Mr. Simon cut several Christmas songs with his better half, Art Garfunkel, back in the 60's (read more). This one is a preview from his forthcoming album, "So Beautiful or So What," and it samples a sermon by the Reverend J.M. Gates, best remembered for his fire-and-brimstone diatribe "Death May Be Your Santa Claus."

New Year's Eve by Snoop Dogg
Part of me wants to dismiss this track as run-of-the-mill R&B. And it is - complete with the "autotune" vocal effects that will become to the 2000's what the Fairlight synthesizer is to the 1980's. But, well, it's Snoop Dogg, and he's just so damn cool.

12 Days Of Memphis by Star & Micey
Believe it or not, this track is brought to you by Ardent Studios, the people who gave the world Big Star lo these many years ago. I suspect it would be a lot funnier if I lived in Memphis. Or dating one of the guys in the band.

Christmas Morning Comin' Down by The Tall Pines
Hot alt/roots/folk duo deliver the goods with this homespun tale. Bonus points for working their band name into the lyrics!

Father Christmas by Two More Weeks
Who are these guys? Maybe a Wind-Up Records artist incognito.... Which one? Not sure, but they do a killer cover of this Kinks Klassic.

Christmas Just Does This To Me by Matt Wertz
This is so unabashedly sentimental I want to take a shower after listening to it. But sweet, unpretentious, and simple - in a good way. If I were 30 years younger and had a vagina, I'd be all over it.

I Wish It Could Be Christmas Everyday by Roy Wood & Wizzard
The strange Mr. Wood is best known to Americans as a founding member of the Electric Light Orchestra. This is just a reissue of an easily-found 1976 glam rock track (that's hugely popular in England, by the way) but it comes with a scan of the original Harvest 45-rpm label - neat! Later in the season, we got Cheech & Chong's "Santa Claus And His Old Lady" (1971) with it's original picture sleeve. Dude!

Other singles of note include "Oh Santa!" remixes by Mariah Carey and "Fruitcake" by The Superions, which are available on their respective album releases but have also been released as singles with unique artwork. Also check out "That Time of Year Again" by The Sick Puppies (vinyl-only release of a song that first appeared last year on NCIS: The Official TV Soundtrack, Vol. 2); "Shake Up Christmas" by popular jam band Train; "It's Christmas Time" by nuvo country act Steel Magnolia; an oh-so-sensitive reading of "Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer" by Five For Fighting; a rootsier-than-thou paean called "Grateful For Christmas" by Hayes Carll; a heavy duty interpretation of "Happy X-Mas (War Is Over)" by Shinedown; "Snowflakes" by heartthrob Jeremy Fisher; an iTunes exclusive called "Wish List" from art poppers Neon Trees; some lite electronica called "Peppermint Winter" from Owl City; and a delicate, overly ponderous run-through of "Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas" by the most beautiful woman in the known universe, Julia Forham.

In what I hope will be my last posting for 2010, let me also mention a couple of soulful tracks by some pretty white girls named Julie C ("It Won't Be Christmas Till You're Here") and Kelly King ("Dear Mr. Kringle"); a piss-take called "A Love Letter Christmas" by R. Kelly; fairly pointless covers of "Santa Baby" by country prodigy LeAnn Rimes and "Father Christmas" by hard-working alt-rockers Valencia; a twangy reading of Stevie Wonder's "Someday At Christmas" by up-and-comer Marlee Scott; a song called "Merry Christmas Baby" (not the Charles Brown classic) by Tasha Taylor (Johnnie's daughter); a sleepy original track called "Wake Me Up (It's Christmas)" by former buzz band Rookie Of The Year; a previously unreleased 1992 recording of "Silent Night" by Judas Priest vocalist Rob Halford (sold only through his website); and no less than two singles by gutsy singer/songwriter Ashley Matte - one original ("Christmas Time Love") and one classic ("Please Come Home For Christmas").

Lest we take all this too seriously, we've got actors Jack Black & Jason Segel reprising Bing & Bowie's "Little Drummer Boy/Peace On Earth" as a heavy metal power balled (an iTunes exclusive, but watch the video on YouTube); comedian Jimmy Fallon with country singer John Rich getting "Drunk for Christmas" - apparently recorded on TV's Saturday Night Live; Deer Tick's self-explanatory "Holy Shit, It's Christmas!"; and Slipknot's Corey Taylor expressing an exuberant and profane "Bah! humbug" with his roots/punk anthem "X-M@$."

Finally, in the "bet you never thought you'd see this" category, Young MC (of "Bust A Move" fame) has a new single called "I Saw Santa In The Club Last Nite" (featuring the worst cover art in the history of, well, cover art).

My Christmas List

Anyway, the list below is a look at the new albums that I think will be of interest to people who love holiday music that rocks, rolls, swings, or twangs - meaning that it is neither a list of my recommendations nor a comprehensive list of new releases. Hope you find it useful. What have I missed? Drop me a line...

Randy Anthony

Previous Years. We've been compiling this "what's new?" list for a while, going back to 2003 (Gary Hoey, Jackson 5), 2004 (Chris Isaak, Dwight Twilley), 2005 (Diana Krall, Brian Setzer), 2006 (Aimee Mann, Bootsy Collins), 2007 (Smithereens, Darlene Love), 2008 (Weezer, Pretenders), and 2009 (Bob Dylan, Los Straitjackets).

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