Dec. 1: Ozzy Osbourne and Jessica Simpson, "Winter Wonderland"
It's the most wonderful time of the year! The Musical Internet Advent Calendar is back for 24 more days of toe-tappers, singalongs and head-scratchers. Let's start off the festivities with a duet that no one in the world ever requested: Ozzy Osbourne and Jessica Simpson singing "Winter Wonderland." As Truman Capote would have said, it's exquisitely turgid.
Dec. 2: Pointed Sticks, "Power Pop Santa"
Vancouver's long-running punk/new wave/power pop combo Pointed Sticks does a lot of rock'n'roll name-dropping in this fun song.
Dec. 3: The La's, "My Girl Sits Like a Reindeer"
This is from 1985, five years before the Liverpool put out its self-titled album, which is a classic. They were a very different band at this point, with Mike Badger on vocals instead of Lee Mavers. If this song is any indication, they sounded kind of like the Fall. Still, there are hints of the melodic genius they'd show later on. This song sounds like an early version of what we'd come to know as the album track "Failure." What does it mean to sit like a reindeer? I have no idea. But thinking about it puts is one way to ease yourself into a holiday mood.
Dec. 4: Tristen, "It Came Upon a Midnight Clear"
I had never heard of Tristen before I saw her opening for Robyn Hitchcock a few years ago, but she just utterly charmed me and everyone else in the theater that night. Here, she takes on the old classic "It Came Upon a Midnight Clear," doing what sounds like a pretty straight, even maudlin version of it until toward the end, when it suddenly takes a turn toward Michael Jackson's "Thriller." I will never be able to hear this song again without thinking of it as the title of a horror movie.
Here's the late, great "yé-yé" singer France Gall, with a song that's about snuggling up to someone on ... well, it makes more sense in English if you say on a "one-horse open sleigh," but the literal translation is "snowplow." That just makes me picture snuggling up to someone on one of those big trucks we're accustomed to here in Minnesota, and that does not strike me as super-romantic. Anyway, France Gall was adorable. Yé-yé> Ye.
Dec. 6: The Roughhousers, "Krampus"
Eddie Clendenning and Grey DeLisle do a fun "Ghost Riders in the Sky"-type country song about everybody's favorite Christmas demon who eats bad children. They don't make "children's music" the way they used to. BTW, Grey DeLisle is better known for her voice acting. She's the voice of the evil Princess Azula in the brillian cartoon "Avatar: The Last Airbender" and has been the voice of Daphne Blake in the Scooby-Doo franchise for years. She has a great singing voice, but here she's just doing a goofy dance while wearing Krampus horns.
Dec. 7: Los Bitchos, "Los Chrismos"
Today, we are invited to a glamorous '80s ski party with Los Bitchos, an all-woman band from London who play instrumental music inspired by Colombian cumbia. They sound great, and they always look like they're having a fantastic time. You will want to party with these ladies.
But watch out: The one vocal part in this song reveals that their holiday ski party could get frisky.
Dec. 8: Man or Astroman? "Frosty the Snowman"
Here's a surfy instrumental version of “Frosty the Snowman” by the mighty Man or Astroman?
Dec. 9: Jose Van Haliano, "Ain't Talkin' 'bout Feliz Navidad"
I was going to share something else today, but then my buddy Phil sent me a link to this mashup and I knew I had to put this on the Internet Musical Advent Calendar right away.
Dec. 10: The Linda Lindas, "Groovy Xmas"
Today, let’s check in with the Linda Lindas, a group of teenagers who went viral a couple years back with a video of them playing a song called “Racist, Sexist Boy.” Here, they’re doing a song called “Groovy Christmas.” I am out of touch with today’s teenage slang, but I kind of doubt any of the Linda Lindas really go around saying “groovy.” But it is nice to see them having a good time in this video.
Dec. 11: Charlie Parker, "White Christmas"
I usually stick to rock and soul on this calendar, but today we’re listening to jazz. Here’s Charlie “Bird” Parker playing ”White Christmas” on some radio show.
Dec. 12: Palace Family Steak House, "It's a Palace Family Steak House, Charlie Brown"
My old friend Rich Trott has revived his band, Palace Family Steak House. He put out a really good album earlier this year and, just a few weeks ago, released a lovely holiday EP with three original songs, including "It's a Palace Steak House Christmas, Charlie Brown."
Dec. 13: The Surfrajettes, "All I Want for Christmas is You"
Some people play a game called Whamageddon, in which they see how long they can go without hearing the Wham! song "Last Christmas." Others try to go without hearing any version of "Little Drummer Boy." Maybe the most difficult to avoid of all is Mariah Carey's "All I Want for Christmas is You." On our way back from Thanksgiving dinner -- a drive of no more than 15 minutes -- my wife flipped the radio to KOOL 108 and there it was: Mariah. Sooner or later, you're going to hear this song. May as well make it this fun surf-rock instrumental version from Toronto's Surfrajettes.
Dec. 14: Palace Family Steak House, "Everybody! Everybody!"
Just a couple days ago, the Internet Musical Advent Calendar shared a song from the Christmas EP by my friend Rich Trott and his band Palace Family Steak House. This morning, I see he has released another holiday-ish album. To explain it, I think I'd better quote his announcement:
If you like Homestar Runner...and Vince Guaraldi...and maybe Palace Family Steak House...read on.
I've been recording each song in the style of the soundtrack for A Charlie Brown Christmas and replying to Strong Bad with it on a social media hellsite that shall not be named.
So now you can enjoy my mostly-recorded-in-a-single-day takes on these often-obscure cartoon melodies. It is the perfect soundtrack for your own weird Christmas...er, Decemberween!
If nothing else, enjoy the amazing artwork by Humu Trott.
David Byrne has just released song about Santa Claus. Seems like an unlikely pairing.
Dec. 16: The Starjets, "Christmas on the Cheap"
This year I got interested in Northern Irish power pop bands of the punk era. One of my favorites is Belfast’s the Starjets.
The Starjets reunited a few years ago and are making new music. They did a concept EP about remarkable women who met tragic ends. But they also do fun little songs like “Christmas on the Cheap,” performed by guitarist/vocalist Paul Bowen and his dog Murphy.
Dec. 17: Reigning Sound, "If Christmas Can't Bring You Home"
Sadly, Greg Oblivian's Reigning Sound called it quits recently. For me, they sort of answered the question "What if a 90s garage punk band grew up and started writing really good songs?" Is that the same thing as Americana?
Dec. 18: "Switched on Santa"
Dec. 19: Bad News, "Cashing in on Christmas"
Let's spend a little time with Bad News, a parody rock band created for a BBC TV show in the early 80s -- coincidentally, at the same time that the movie "This is Spinal Tap" was in production. Their "Cashing in on Christmas" is a rather sharp satire of that peculiarly UK musical institution known as the Christmas single.
I haven't seen anything of Bad News other than this video, but was happy to recognize a couple Young Ones.
Dec. 20: The Specials, "Holiday Fortnight"
all I can think about today is the death of Terry Hall, and how much I loved the Specials. They changed the way I thought about music, race and class. Let's listen to the instrumental "Holiday Fortnight."
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