My first listen to Australia’s Vancouver Sleep Clinic was this cover of Drake’s “Hold On We’re Going Home,” (a collaboration with GXNXVS). 17-year-old Tim Bettison has got a vibey Bon Iver thing going on, and I’m very much in love with it. His debut EP will be released in a few weeks.
Of the two tracks released so far, this one is my favorite. In the words of The Gaurdian, “it is quietly devastating soulwave.”
Stream: “Collapse”
Collapse
…covering Sting. Aaron Krause, this is perfect in so many ways.
Stream: “Every Breath You Take” (featuring Liza Anne)
Every Breath You Take (feat. Liza Anne)
I first heard the song by watching the recording of it below and think you need to check it out, too. It’s beautiful.
“This is Christmas, the season of perpetual hope.” – Kate McCallister, Home Alone
1. Ellen and the Escapades – “By the Fireside”
By the Fireside
…a single (iTunes | Spotify).
2. The Tennessee Whalers – “Just Another Christmas Time (Wishing She Was Mine)”
Just Another Christmas Time (Wishing She Was Mine)
…one of two original Christmas songs (free on NoiseTrade).
3. Emergence Church – “He is Here”
He Is Here
…on Rejoice for a King Has Been Born (free on NoiseTrade).
4. The Hard Ground – “Keep Me For Christmas Time”
Keep me for christmas Time
…a single (download for free on Soundcloud). I just think this song is so beautiful.
5. The XX – “Last Christmas”
I can’t find a legitimate place to download this Wham cover so for now, listen to it repetitively on YouTube like I’ve been doing.
“Maybe Christmas,” he thought, “doesn’t come from a store. Maybe Christmas, perhaps, means a little bit more!” – Dr. Suess, How the Grinch Stole Christmas
1. The Rocket Summer – “Christmas Madness”
…on Christmas Madness – EP (iTunes). I’ve been jamming The Rocket Summer at full volume for years and years, so I was super excited to see a Christmas release by Bryce Avary. This track, and his version of “O Holy Night,” are my favorites from the EP.
2. The Oh Hello’s – “Silent Night, Holy Night”
Mvmt III, “Silent Night, Holy Night”
…on The Oh Hellos’ Family Christmas Album (Bandcamp). For me, this is the easily one of the best Christmas EPs released so far this year. It’s just incredible from start to finish and start to finish again and again…
3. Citizens – “Come and Stand Amazed”
Come and Stand Amazed
…on Repeat the Sounding Joy (iTunes | Spotify). This is an original Christmas song by Citizens, the worship band for Mars Hill Church’s U-District campus.
4. Tracy Chapman – “O Holy Night”
O Holy Night
…on A Very Special Christmas, Vol 3 (iTunes | Spotify). I’m closing in on 20 versions of “O Holy Night” on my Christmas playlist, but I keep coming back to this one. For some reason I can’t explain, I think it may be my favorite. I, of course, love the ones with a loud, powerful, Faaaaall on yoooour kneeeees, but this one has a simple beauty to it that I just can’t get enough of.
5. Jimmy Buffett – “Ho Ho Ho and a Bottle of Rhum”
Ho Ho Ho And A Bottle Of Rhum
…on Christmas Island (iTunes | Spotify). Fun fact: I (Caroline) have attended more Jimmy Buffett concerts than any other musician. I grew up with a handful of Parrotheads for family, and his music puts me right in my Aunt’s kitchen. I’ve been listening to his Christmas album since the late 90’s and just neeeded to make sure y’all know it exists, and it’s wonderful.
Subscribe to Go Christmas on Spotify for over 300 songs of Merry Music Madness.
“Christmas waves a magic wand over this world, and behold, everything is softer and more beautiful.”
– Norman Vincent Peale
1. Folk Angel – “O Little Town of Bethlehem”
O Little Town of Bethlehem
…on Glad Tidings – Christmas Songs Vol. 4 (iTunes | Spotify). Folk Angel makes some of my favorite arrangements of classic songs. This one is so refreshing and unique and just makes me really, really happy.
2. The Rosebuds – “Xmas in New York”
Xmas In New York
…on Christmas Tree Island (iTunes | Spotify | NoiseTrade). I love the entire vibe of this album, but this song in particular stands out as a favorite. Seeing New York at Christmastime is on my bucket list, and the pictures this song paints are haunting to me. Plus, that moody saxaphone almost 80’s-esque solo that doesn’t belong in a Christmas song but somehow works…gosh…just an all around great job, Rosebuds.
3. Peter Bradley Adams – “Snow Will Fall Tonight”
Snow Will Fall Tonight
…on Bands Under the Rader, Vol. 3: A Very Indie Xmas (iTunes | Spotify).
4. The Green Apple Sea – “December”
December
…an early release from their upcoming album (iTunes | Spotify). This German folk band made me cry the other night at 12:42 AM. I just didn’t know what to expect. I liked their band name, the song was called “December,” so of course I was going to listen to it. And you guys, I just love this song so much.
5. Aaron Ivey – “Hallelujah, What a Savior (Christmas Version)”
Hallelujah What A Savior (Christmas)
I listen to the traditional hymn year round, but this rewritten Christmas version is just the best. This is the original version that Aaron Ivey, worship pastor at The Austin Stone, released a few years ago. There is a live version on their A Day of Glory live album (Spotify), sung by Todd Agnew, but this simple studio one is still my favorite. Could this be our faith now sight? Hallelujuh, what a Savior!
Subscribe to Go Christmas on Spotify for over 300 songs of Merry Music Madness.
“It’s the Grinch! Scatter!” – Tony the Elf
HO HO HO, MERRY MUSIC MONDAY IS BACK!
I’ll be carrying on the tradition that we established two years ago: five Christmas songs every Monday for the next month. It’ll be the best ever, just as it was during the last two rounds (catch up here). Lezgo!
1. Stream: King’s Kaleidoscope “Come Thou Long Expected Jesus”
Come Thou Long Expected Jesus
…from Joy Has Dawned EP (iTunes | Spotify). King’s Kaleidoscope is the worship band for Mars Hill Church and has made some of my favorite versions of classic hymns. It’s no surprise they’ve now done the same with classic Christmas songs as well.
2. Stream: Nick Lowe – “Children Go Where I Send Thee”
Children Go Where I Send Thee
…from Quality Street: A Seasonal Selection for All The Family (iTunes | Spotify).
3. Stream: The Last Bison – “Carol of the Bells”
Carol of the Bells
…from Sleigh Ride – EP (iTunes | Spotify). We shared some songs and an interview with this Virginia based band when they were just known as Bison. I was so excited when they released a Christmas EP. This track is the highlight for me – banjo, mallets, violin – perfect.
4. Stream: Justin Bieber – “All I Want is You”
All I Want Is You
…from Under the Mistetoe (iTunes | Spotify). I just needed to make sure everyone remembered that Biebz has a Christmas album. Looking back the days we threw them snow balls…
5. Stream: The Raveonettes – “The Christmas Song”
The Christmas Song
…just a great single (iTunes | Spotify). This has been one of the first songs I listen to every season and has been one of my favorite Christmas songs since high school.
Subscribe to Go Christmas on Spotify for over 300 songs of Merry Music Madness.
Photographed by Cody Bess
Three summers ago, when Mark’s brother Michael married an amazing girl named Taylor, they gave out CD’s as wedding favors. I grabbed one, with a bit of arrogance thinking “I’m sure I already know all the songs on here.”
But I was wrong. There was a song on it called “The Ladder” by someone named Andrew Belle. From the minute the song started, I was a fan. The rest of that summer became marked by that song. The CD in my car, “The Ladder” on repeat. I couldn’t get enough of that voice, those lyrics. I dug into The Ladder as an album, and was enamored. But I never loved any of his songs more than “The Ladder.”
Until now.
His new single from his upcoming release Black Bear is perfect. It makes my heart beat really fast, my feet tap, my head bob around, my eyes well with tears. Every. Single. Time. I can’t stop listening to it.
I love you, I love you, and all of your pieces.
So, of course, I lost it when I heard it for the first time, just like I did when I heard his version of “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas” (which I discuss here).
Andrew Belle is one of those musicians whose sound is both gentle and powerful, and that’s a gift.
Stream: “Pieces”
No, but seriously, I cannot stop listening to it.
Read this little story about the song and you’ll love it even more.
Black Bear will be released on August 20th (pre order on iTunes). If the remainder is a fraction as good as this song, it’ll be one of the best albums of 2013. Gaurenteed.
______
Subscribe to Go Back Down South, a Spotify playlist for all the songs featured here.
When you describe someone to me as “the next Prince,” I’m going to listen to him immediately.
This is exactly what happened when Cause a Scene‘s Larry told me about Harts.
And then I freaked out.
And I turned it up.
And then some more.
I keep dancing through the night on my own in my home in the candlelight…
In his own words: “The music is indie rock. But it is also electro dance. And funk. It’s an indie creation. With shredding guitar solos, over synth pads and pounding electro drums, topped with surreal melodies and edgy vocals, the blend of musicianship, style and experimentation has really transcended anything that I could hope to map out on a piece of paper of musical influences. The music is its own thing.”
Yup. It’s all of that, and it’s so good.
Stream: “Back to the Shore”
His 5-track EP, Offtime, was released in March and mixed by Lars Stalfors of The Mars Volta, an insanely energetic progressive rock band that I jammed a lot in college. Worlds collide.
Now, listen to the full EP. Happy dancing, y’all.
iTunes | Spotify
Also, check out the Tram Sessions performance of “Back to the Shore.”
Photographed by Alex Shahmiri
On Wednesday, I got this text from my friend Larry: You need to check out James Bay, esp his song “Move Together.” James Vincent McMorrow meets John Mayer.
So Thursday morning, I sat down with my cup of coffee, and routinely started some searches for new sounds to get my day going. James Bay was first, and I didn’t get any further than that for about an hour.
“Move Together” on repeat, with breaks to scour YouTube in search of performances of other songs (like this one).
Larry never leads me astray, and he has a way of describing musicians sounds perfectly. James Vincent meets John Mayer? Nailed it. But also so much more, with his own uniqueness and way of making you want more. He’s from the UK, of course, Hitchin to be exact. Oh, and he’s 22.
Stream: “Move Together”
This single precedes his debut EP release, The Dark and the Morning, coming July 22nd.
Download “Move Together” for free on his website or Soundcloud.
______
Subscribe to Go Back Down South, a Spotify playlist for all the songs featured here.
Photographed by Jamie Clayton
I didn’t know who Elim Bolt was until Jamie showed me this photo he took of their frontman, Johnnie Matthews. When I asked about them, he directed me to their song “Field” first.
“Grew up in South Carolinaaaa…”
Well, that’s a good start.
Twangy guitars, a voice somewhere between Elvis and Roy Orbison (but still very much his own), songs about the South by a band that sounds new, yet familiar…Why yes, I like it all very much.
Stream: “Field”
______
Raised in:
Elim, South Carolina
Lives in:
Charleston, South Carolina
How Charleston influences your bands sound:
Charleston is a wild, beautiful, and dirty city. Living here has put me around some great musicians. There’s lots of parties, lots of medication, and lots of pretty people. It’s a city where being a slacker like me is socially acceptable, which is cool.
Now would ya look at that:
Johnnie, Elim Bolt‘s lead singer.
______
Get familiar with Elim Bolt’s album Nude South.
iTunes | Spotify | Bandcamp