What's New In 2014?

the best and brightest new Christmas releases

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You might not think so from looking at my website, but I've had a busy few years. I haven't been writing or reviewing much, but I've been neck-deep in the tortured process if finishing my collection - buying, selling, and doing all that stuff obsessive/compulsive collectors do. Hence, these annual round-ups have become my way of staying semi-caught-up with the seasonal scene. To paraphrase Paul McCartney, I hope you enjoy reading them as much as I've enjoyed melting them.

Before I dive in, let's make note of the big releases I don't care about - but that you might. These include albums by vocal acrobats Pentatonix, sax maniac Dave Koz, Frozen singer Idina Menzel, easy-going pianist Jim Brickman, classical soprano Renée Fleming, Italian heartthrobs Il Divo, cartoon tycoon Seth McFarlane, pomo crooner Michael Feinstein, Christian star Michael W. Smith, and Australian boy band Human Nature, plus a well-mannered collection called Christmas at Downton Abbey. Hip? No. Popular? You betcha.

New albums

It was bound to happen. The year's biggest Christmas album isn't an album at all. Rather, it's Amazon's exclusive playlist, All Is Bright, which consists of all new recordings by exclusively female vocalists (a fact Amazon curiously fails to note...). The artists include big names like Lucinda Williams, Liz Phair, Kelly Hogan, Beth Orton, and Yoko Ono & The Flaming Lips, plus a bevy of youngsters including Selena Garcia, Jesse Baylin, and Austinites Ruthie Foster and Heartless Bastards. You can buy the tracks individually, but the whole thing streams free for Amazon Prime subscribers. Oh, the times they are a-changin'...

Beyond that, it's been a curiously quiet year. Maybe the pace of new Christmas releases is slowing. Maybe I simply care less. More likely, the real action is shifting to the interwebs where artists are writing, recording, and releasing Christmas music in a more expeditious, less conspicuous manner - usually just singles, often distributed through websites like Noisetrade, Bandcamp, and Soundcloud, and more than likely for free. I've found some gems this year - most notably a collection from The Dollyrots - but it's clear that the way musicians create music and people consume it has been almost completely transformed by the digital revolution. Trendy vinyl notwithstanding, the virtual world is virtually here.

Of the albums that actually appeared in the physical realm - and that we actually have to pay for - I was most excited about the first-time Christmas releases from Canadian alt-country elder statesmen Blue Rodeo and 70's rhythm & blues superstars Earth, Wind & Fire. The former's Merrie Christmas To You is solid but unremarkable - exactly what you'd expect from a band that perfected it's craft many years ago; my favorite cut is their unexpected cover of Paul Simon's "Getting Ready for Christmas Day." The latter's Holiday is solid, as well - but less impressive. The hyperkinetic funk that characterized hits like "Shining Star" and "Boogie Wonderland" is rarely heard, replaced by smooth professionalism and muted reverence. It comes as no surprise, then, that two of the standout tracks are "December," based on their 1978 hit "September," and "Happy Season," based on "Happy Feelin'" from their landmark 1975 album, That's The Way Of The World.

The year's best rock releases are two very, very different albums. The first is A Christmas Gift For.... by power pop band The Connection, which collects a couple of past singles with seven jangly new tracks. The second is Happy Skalidays, an EP from ska/punk veterans Reel Big Fish. More upbeat than the band's usual stuff, Happy Skalidays includes a heartening ode to tolerance, "Whatever U Celebrate." I can't think of sentiment more apropos at the closing of this violent, divisive, unsettling year.

Other recommended albums include Talkin' Christmas! from Blind Boys of Alabama & Taj Mahal; Harmony Is Real from the Living Sisters featuring Inara George, member of The Bird & The Bee and daughter of Little Feat singer Lowell George; It's Merry Christmas Time, a lovely EP from Austin singer/songwriter Miranda Dodson; When Christmas Comes, a bracing EP from Wales-based indie band Los Campesinos; Like A Gift From God Or Whatever, a quirky, catchy album from Fake Problems leader Chris Farren; and Santa Is Real from the Xmas-Men, a pseudonymous release by Robert Earl Keen's backing band (check out the cover art inspired by the Louvin Brothers' Satan Is Real).

I was also very impressed by An Americana Christmas, in part because I couldn't believe that nobody had thought of the concept until now. It collects tracks both new and old from alternative country and roots rock artists as notable as John Prine, Emmylou Harris, Johnny Cash, Dwight Yoakam, Bob Dylan, Neil Young, and The Band. And, for the first time ever on CD, An Americana Christmas compiles "Here It Is Christmas Time" by the Old 97's - a melancholy, modern classic. And, last but loudest, I have to mention the sixth volume of Cashing In On Christmas, a series of hardcore punk that, while increasingly predictable, is always amusing. This year it comes on "yellow snow" and "black coal" vinyl (with download upon purchase).

Reissues & Compilations

It's been threatening to happen for the past few years, but this is the first Christmas when, inarguably, better stuff was reissued in the MP3 format than on compact disc. Sony/BMG, in particular, opened the floodgates, reissuing dozens of classic albums for download, many of which had never been reissued on CD. We can assume, I fear, that they never will be.

Foremost among these is A Ding Dong Dandy Christmas (1959) by The Three Suns. This is a a marvel of an album, catching the instrumental trio at the height of their goofy, inventive powers. The Three Suns recorded several other Christmas albums, but Ding Dong Dandy Christmas is easily their best. It is also a glittering example of RCA Records' storied "Living Stereo" series - sheer delight to the ears, even at 256 kbps.

Another forgotten treasure to finally go digital is Homer & Jethro's A Cool Crazy Christmas (1968), another RCA LP never previously released as CD or download. Cool Crazy Christmas includes mainly new versions of songs Homer & Jethro recorded as singles in the 1950's, but these cornpone comedians were long past their prime by the late 60's. Hence, the new versions sound rather tired compared to the earlier, more manic sides, but it's nice to finally hear the album sans pops and clicks.

Other MP3 reissues include Johnny Cash's Christmas Spirit (1963) and Family Christmas (1972), both with restored original artwork; My Christmas Favorites (1969) from latter-day crooner John Davidson; Have A Happy Holiday (1965) from Bonanza patriarch Lorne Greene; Christmas Card (1965) by future sausage king Jimmy Dean; a pair of Motown classics by The Jackson 5 and Smokey Robinson & The Miracles; sax maniac Boots Randolph's Boots and Stockings (1969); Merry Christmas (1966) by faux folk group The Brothers Four; Christmas (1966) by country gentleman Hank Snow; Christmas Greetings (1964) by honey-voiced Jerry Vale; a couple of soundtracks, Rudolph The Red-Nosed Reindeer (1964) and The Waltons' Christmas Album (1974); and the Edwin Hawkins Singers' Christmas album, finally released under its original title, Peace Is Blowin' in the Wind (1972).

Whew - and that's just the highlights! Even further, a number of impressive compilations emerged from the digital-only world this year. Most notably, there's Classic Motown Christmas, an eleven "disc" digital album that compiles just about every seasonal track every released by the storied Detroit-based label (too bad I already own them all). Then, there's a three "disc" set from George Strait (A Holiday Collection) and a two "disc" set from Andy Williams (40 Christmas Classics). And, Sony/BMG compiled several good-but-generic starter sets: 21 Christmas Hits, 21 Classic Christmas Favorites, 21 Country Christmas Favorites, and 21 Jazz Christmas Favorites. If all digital albums were packed with this much value, old farts like me would have a lot less to complain about! Though, complain we would....

Still, of the many digital-only albums released this year, the one that I think most begs for a physical edition is Capitol's Lost Christmas: Holiday Rarities. Frankly put, guys like me live for albums like this. Culled from the vaults of Capitol, Decca, MCA, Mercury, Chess, and other labels controlled by Universal Music, nearly all of these tracks (as advertised) are quite rare - for instance, Leon Russell's "Slipping Into Christmas" and "Bobby Helms' "Captain Santa Claus." Some have never been reissued in any digital format - such as Bobby Goldsboro's "A Christmas Wish" or two Chet Baker tracks rescued from obscure 60's albums. The rest, including Billy Squier's "Christmas Is The Time To Say I Love You" or Canned Heat's "Christmas Blues," are merely classic. For collector's, Lost Christmas: Holiday Rarities is a lost opportunity. For most modern consumers, it's a rare and valuable chance to hear some great music.

But, lest we forget, record companies actually are releasing some actual records. Sony/BMG continued their "Classic Christmas Album" series with releases from Perry Como, Johnny Mathis, and Frank Sinatra - most with a few rare tracks - and a remastered version of last year's Barbra Streisand installment. Plus, they compiled some various artists collections called Classic Christmas Country Album (annoyingly, a Wal-Mart exclusive), Classic Christmas Hard Rock Album (drawn mostly from their Merry Axemas series) and Classic Christmas Pop Album.

More significantly, indie labels Friday and Real Gone continued catering to Christmas collectors this year. Friday Music gave us new editions of the soul classic In The Christmas Spirit (1966) by Booker T. & The MG's and the snooze-worthy Christmas Album (1969) by country crooner Ray Price. They also reissued the Salsoul Orchestra's campy disco classic Christmas Jollies (1976) in a deluxe edition. If you'll recall, a similarly-titled digital album appeared last year compiling all the tracks from both Christmas Jollies and Christmas Jollies II (1981). The Friday Music version, however, contains just the first album plus bonus tracks. Hopefully, they'll follow up with the sequel next year.

Real Gone Music unleashed a slew of holiday releases this year - though none are terribly hip. These include The Old Sweet Songs of Christmas (1960) by legendary arranger and conductor Frank DeVol; Irving Berlin's White Christmas (1954) by Rosemary Clooney, with several rare radio performances added; The Complete Columbia Christmas Recordings by golden-throated Robert Goulet; new editions of folkie classics Last Month Of The Year (1960) by the Kingston Trio and Merry Christmas (1966) by the Brothers Four; and Christmas Album (1970) by the Williams Brothers featuring Andy Williams, available for the first-time-ever on compact disc. To my chagrin, I was most thrilled to see The Complete Mercury Christmas Recordings by the Statler Brothers - a very square country quartet for which I maintain an inexplicable fondness. Do you remember these? I do.

Another country album I picked up is Charley Pride's Christmas In My Hometown (1970), reissued with some rare bonus tracks by heretofore obscure Music City Records. It's a B-minus album, at best, but this is the best-ever version to grace the market. Also worth noting is On This Holy Night (1959) by the Anita Kerr Singers, reissued by El Records under the permissive European public domain laws. The Kerr Singers appeared on hundreds of records as background singers, but this album was recorded for internal use by music publishing house SESAC. It's available here to the general public for the first time ever, but the compact disc is most notable for its bonus tracks: the entire album Christmas With Chet Atkins (1961), which featured the Kerr Singers prominently, and several more holiday singles on which they appeared.

If you've knocked about this website very much, you know that I love a good "various artist" collection. This year, in addition to the aforementioned An Americana Christmas, I picked up two albums from Demon-distributed Crimson Records, An Alternative Christmas and The Gift That Keeps Giving, both of which lean far to the left of the dial. I also recommend Hoodoo Records' Gonna Have A Really Soulful Christmas, which is just the latest in a never-ending stream of rhythm 'n' blues collections from the European public domain - but it's a really good one.

I wish I could say the same for Document Records' Blues, Blues Christmas Vol. 4, which has a stellar line-up of obscure blues, gospel, doo wop, and rockabilly, plus very impressive annotation. But, Document is way too fond of their noise reduction software, and none of these tracks sound better than other versions on the market. Some, in fact, sound far worse. But, enthusiasts will note that a few of these songs have never been reissued anywhere by anybody (check out "Guitar Jingle Bells" by Arthur 'Guitar Boogie' Smith), and that fact makes Blues, Blues Christmas a necessary purchase.

If - and only if - you are an English person of a certain age, you'll also enjoy Songs For A London Winter, a compilation of oh-so-very-British pop artists curated by Saint Etienne member Bob Stanley. Despite the appearance of a few semi-widely known songs like Adam Faith's "Lonely Pup (In A Christmas Shop)," Alma Cogan's "Must Be Santa," and Billy Fury's "Christmas Prayer," this is an album that will be appreciated only by people who employ phrases like "Boxing Day" and "Christmas crackers."

Finally, a classic Johnny Mathis album, The Sound Of Christmas (1963), made it's formal CD debut this year after fully half a century - but only as part of a 13-disc boxed set, The Complete Global Albums Collection. Mathis made the album for Mercury after leaving his longstanding label, Columbia, and forming his own production company, Global Records. Later, after Mathis returned to Columbia, the label reissued the album as Christmas With Johnny Mathis (1972) minus two tracks, "The Little Drummer Boy" and "Have Reindeer, Will Travel." Luckily, since the box is also available for download, you can opt to download those two tracks without springing for the (nicely packaged, beautifully remastered) whole enchilada.

Singles

As mentioned above, most new, hip Christmas singles are being released through websites like Noisetrade, Bandcamp, and Soundcloud - often for free. Young musicians wisely take advantage of the available technology to release tracks directly to their fans. Good for them, but I just can't keep up - and I thank my lucky stars for websites like Mistletunes, Christmas Underground, and Stubby's House of Christmas that seem to take an almost perverse thrill in doing just that.

My favorites, on the other hand, tend to be things you can buy on Amazon or iTunes - which reinforces my belief that the cream tends to rise to the top. I found a lot this year, so let's get started.

James Apollo, Trim Another Tree
This track by a Tom Waits/Nick Cave disciple based in Seattle, Washington is a masterpiece of holiday ennui. The b-side, "Ho Ho, Ho Hum," is almost as good.

Bad Religion, Father Christmas
The veteran punk rockers follow up last year's Christmas Songs with this Kinks cover. Much like that album, no surprises - just fast and loud.

Bay City Rollers, Rock 'n' Roll It's Christmas Time!
Quite amazingly, they're back (well, one member is), and they don't suck. Fans of the period should also check out the new, less-than-sucky single by Paper Lace, the band that brought us "The Night Chicago Died."

Tony Bennett and Lady Gaga, Winter Wonderland
Put a gun to my head, and I'll admit she can sing. And, this addendum to their album Cheek To Cheek swings like a (little) monster.

Brook Benton, You're All I Want For Christmas
Not sure why Mercury Records decided to reissue this 1963 single (backed with the even better "This Time Of The Year" from 1959), but more power to 'em.

The Both, Nothing Left to Do (Let's Make This Christmas Blue)
Improbable duo Aimee Mann and Ted Leo make the Christmas single they were born to make: depressing in all the right ways.

The Crookes, You're Just Like Christmas
I've just learned about this pop-savvy British band, and I'm impressed as hell. Wonder what they're like the other 11 months of the year?

Disappointment Choir, A Pretty Good Christmas
The lyrics are so happy, but the music is so sad. Come to daddy. Actually, this song was originally released in 2011, then recorded anew for their 2013 album Polar Ships, and has been reissued in a new "radio" edit. Do people still listen to the radio?

Selena Garcia, Hold Up Holidays
Not to be confused with Selena Gomez. This is my favorite song from Amazon's All Is Bright playlist. I also downloaded tracks from Lucinda Williams, Liz Phair, Kelly Hogan, Beth Orton, Yoko Ono & The Flaming Lips, Jesse Baylin, and Austinites Ruthie Foster and Heartless Bastards.

Grandaddy & Band of Horses, Hang An Ornament
Two prickly, artful indie faves team up, and the results are predictably prickly and artful. Grandaddy's Jason Lytle is producing the next Band Of Horses album, due in 2015.

Happy Fangs, Holidaze
Actually, this is little two-song EP combining last year's Top 10 "All I Want for Christmas Is Halloween" with the new "Fangsgiving" - both of which will peel your face off.

Jackknife Stiletto, Dear Santa
There are two great songs this year called "Dear Santa" (the other is by Mr Little Jeans). This is the loud, noisy, and rude one. Guess which one I like the best?

Carly Jamison, It Feels Like Christmas Every Single Day
This hyperactive singer/songwriter released four singles this Christmas (the others being "Oh No Santa Claus," "The Happiest Christmas Tree," and "I'm Getting A Ukulele For Christmas"). This one, however, is the biggest ear worm of the season. Interestingly, she issued a demo version of it last year.

Joyce Manor, Christmas Card
Punk/emo heroes (a band, like Jethro Tull, except not) sell out to a "big" company (Epitaph) and, improbably, lead off their first album for the label with a great Christmas song (sort of).

John Lindberg Trio, Merry Christmas (I've Been Waiting so Long)
A rockabilly with a big sound, the Lindberg Trio has released a lot of Christmas music over the years. This isn't their best, but it makes joyful noise.

Lisa Loeb with Renee Stahl, Light
Quietly, Ms. Loeb has maintained a career long after the fuss subsided about her #1 1994 hit "Stay." She's recorded several Christmas singles but this is her first Hanukkah song.

Martini Brothers, Christmas Won't Be the Same
Pennsylvania roots rockers team up with local girl Donna Jean Foster (I don't think that's her on the cover...) to churn out a sweet-and-sour, hard-chuggin' holiday love song.

Meiko, Wonderful Christmastime
Several years back, this sultry singer (Lana Del Ray stole her act) recorded the beguiling "Maybe Next Year (X-Mas Song)." This cover of the McCartney song is less naughty, but more fun.

Moonlight Breakfast, Gingerbread
This Romanian band claims to mix soul, electro, beat, and jazz. Their debut, Shout, bears that out, but this charming little track is more down-to-earth than that. Refreshing, simple, cheerful - and it swings (gently).

Mr Little Jeans, Dear Santa
As mentioned above, there are two great songs this year called "Dear Santa" (the other is a rocker by Jackknife Stiletto). This one is vaguely Spector-esque track beautifully sung by Monica Birkenes, a Norwegian living in London, whose odd stage name is taken from a character in the film Rushmore.

Nick D' & the Believers, Christmas In The City
I've listened to this track about a dozen times, and I'm still not sure what I think about it. It's simple, soulful, and funky - quite irresistible, but lighter than air. Maybe if I listen one more time....

Osaka Popstar, O Holy Night
This band originally included members of the Misfits, Black Flag, Voidoids, and Ramones, but this version of Osaka Popstar consists of founder John Cafiero and people you haven't heard of. The song is straight-ahead pop-punk - fast, loud, and fun, but hardly earth-shattering. (The cover art, you'll notice, is based on the band's earlier single, Super Hero.)

Roses & Revolutions, It's Christmas Time
As you might intuit, Roses & Revolutions is a folk duo - Alyssa Coco and Matt Merritt - that showcases the former's intimate vocals and the latter's jazz-tinged guitar. "It's Christmas Time" is a lighter than their usual fare, a romantic ode to the holiday season.

Roxy Roca, It Ain't Christmas Without You
High-powered Austin show band Roxy Roca lives up to the hype on this barnburner. Singer Taye Cannon loves the season (bowl games, wassail, Nat King Cole), but it just ain't complete without some squeezin'.

Jimmy D. Scott, I'll Be Your Santa Baby
I'd never heard of Scott till this year, but hes apparently been a fixture on the Detroit scene for quite a while. His cover of Rufus Thomas' 1973 classic is just about as funky as the original - and that's quite an accomplishment.

Christian Serpas & Ghost Town, Rockin' Ol' Christmas
Originally a cut from their 2010 album Open Road, this roadhouse anthem has been reissued as a benefit for the Humane Society in the band's "North Shore" home, just outside of New Orleans.

Smoking Trees, Round Christmas Time
I'm not terribly into modern psychedelic music, since it sounds like it was made by people on, well, psychedelics. In this case, the Los Angeles-based band manages to cut through the haze to create an oddball ode to the day we "give gifts we can't afford." The b-side, "The Psychedelic Lights of Christmas" (originally released online last year) doesn't fare as well.

Dallon Weekes, Sickly Sweet Holidays
Leader of Salt Lake City indie pop band the Brobecks and - since 2012 - a member of Panic! At The Disco, Weekes steps out on his own for the first time ever with this melodious rant against the season. (Also see the Brobecks' 2012 single, Christmas Drag.)

The Woggles, Back Door Santa
This high octane cover of Clarence Carter's ribald 1968 classic is the newly recorded b-side of the band's original song "Santa's Coming (Ho, Ho, Ho)," which they recorded in 2007 and first released in 2010. Also available on vinyl.

Wreckless Eric, Christmas On The M62
Back in the late 70's, Wreckless Eric was the most amiable artist signed to legendary punk label Stiff Records. He isn't feeling amiable this year. "Peace and goodwill to all mankind except you, you fuckin' waste of space," warbles Eric, who recorded this jaundiced carol with his partner-in-crime, Amy Rigby. It's a split single with Sterling Roswell, whose "It's A Rockin' Good Christmas" lives up to its title.

Other noteworthy - though not necessarily sponge worthy - singles include:

• Gregory Abbott, Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas
• Band Aid 30, Do They Know It's Christmas
• Becky Barksdale, New Year's Resolution Blues
• Becky Barksdale, Under My Tree
• Bloodshot Bill, Stuffin' Her Stockin'
• Marc Cohn, The Coldest Corner In The World
• Jessie James Decker, Baby, It's Christmas
• Ariana Grande, Santa Tell Me
• Lucy Hale, Mistletoe
• Mary Hopkin, Iesu Faban: A Christmas Chorale
• Tiffany Houghton, Blame It On The Snow
• Ice Choir, Pure Holiday
• Jillette Johnson, River
• Jillette Johnson, I'll Be Home for Christmas
• The Killers featuring Jimmy Kimmel, Joel The Lump Of Coal
• Little Anthony, I'll Be Home for Christmas
• Marillion, Carol of the Bells
• New Found Glory, Snow
• Hannah Peel, Find Peace (part of the Snowflakes Christmas Singles Club)
• Kevin Ross, This Is My Wish
• Catey Shaw, Cuddle Up
• Sam Smith, Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas
• Sweet Honey In The Rock, Silent Night
• Swon Brothers, Run Rudolph Run
• Nancy Wallace, January/2000 Miles (part of the Snowflakes Christmas Singles Club)

My Christmas List

Anyway, the list below is a look at all 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

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