Roasted chestnuts and stuff...

Nothing says, "peace and joy," like a roaring fire on local cable and holiday tunes that haven't been overplayed in the shops. So, breathe deeply, turn on the Yule log sit back and listen. It works every time.

Otis Redding - "White Christmas"
Beach Boys - Merry Christmas, Baby
Joni Mitchell - "River"
Chris Cornell - "Ave Maria"
Guaraldi's Charlie Brown Christmas - "Christmas Time Is Here"
Leon Redbone and Zooey Deschanel - "Baby, It's Cold Outside"
The Decemberists - “Please Daddy, Don’t Get Drunk This Christmas”
Manic Street Preachers - "Ghost of Christmas"
Low - "Blue Christmas"
The Civil Wars - "Oh Come Oh Come Emmanuel"
Willie Nelson - "Pretty Papers"
The Magnetic Fields - "Everything Is One Big Christmas Tree"
Ella Fitzgerald - "Christmas Island"

and... The Polyphonic Spree - "Silver Bells" (feat. School of Seven Bells)

Pass The Eggnog on the Lefthand Side...

Louis Armstrong: "Zat You Santa Claus"
Tom Petty: "Christmas All Over Again"
Otis Redding: "White Christmas"
Camera Obscura: "The Blizzard"
B.B. King: "Merry Christmas, Baby"
The Pouges featuring Kristy MacColl: "Fairytale of New York"
The Decemberists “Please Daddy, Don’t Get Drunk This Christmas”
Beach Boys: "Little St. Nick"
John Prine: "Christmas In Prison"
Johnny Cash: "The Little Drummer Boy"
James Brown: "Santa Claus Go Straight To The Ghetto"
Chris Cornell: "Ave Maria"
Guaraldi's Charlie Brown Christmas: "Christmas Time Is Here"
Leon Redbone & Zooey Deschanel: "Baby, It's Cold Outside"
Fiona Apple: "Frosty The Snowman"
Pomplamoose: "Always In The Season"
Manic Street Preachers: "Ghost of Christmas"
Ray Stevens: "Santa Claus Is Watching You"
Ella Fitzgerald: "Santa Claus Got Stuck In My Chimney"

New Video: Miike Snow "The Rabbit"

Miike Snow has released a video for new single, "The Rabbit," mixed by Stuart Price. I have no idea what is going on in this video, but I believe that's what makes it so great. It's a little bit freaky, random and includes a 2 Live Crew reference, which is sort of great.

Swedes do it right

There are plenty of bands out there taking their cues from 80s pop music. Only a select few are doing it well, driving it to new and original levels. From one new wave fan to any other, The Mary Onettes are one of those bands - M83 would be another.

Onettes released their debut album "Islands" last November, with two singles - "Dare" and "Puzzles." Bringing their tour to the states in April, this band continues to churn out gorgeous majestic Swedish indie pop. I would love to know whether they can transform that musical charisma into a nice live show, but alas they have no tour dates scheduled for the Sunshine State.

Here are a few tracks to become familiar with:

"Dare"
"Puzzles"
"Pleasure Songs"
"Explosions"

Parking lot acoustics are great, so why not? A live performance of "Once I Was Pretty":

Dear works his magic on 'VCR'

Music producer, DJ and electronic avant-pop artist Matthew Dear has released a remix of "VCR" by The xx, which first started making its way around early last week. I suggest you get ready to stand and shuffle your feet.

Out of everything I've listened to in the past year, The xx have probably been one of the most played groups. They're four 20-year-olds from South London who produce a masterful distillation of R&B and indie synth-pop music that just begs for good sampling or remixing.

In fact, they do quite a bit remixing of their own - fantastically done for musicians their age. I've included Dear's version of "VCR" and a remix of Florence and The Machine's "You've Got the Love (Jamie xx Remix)" for your listening pleasure.

"VCR (Matthew Dear Remix)"
"You've Got the Love (Jamie xx Remix)"

Shear-goodness

Shearwater have gone out of their way to assert themselves as more than just an Okkervil River side project, but a living, breathing full band. By the way, they sound nothing like O.R. The Austin band release their third album, "The Golden Archipelago," February 15th on Matador.

If you like Joy Division, Joni Mitchell, Talk Talk and ... that's right Radiohead - then you may like Shearwater. Here are the first two singles. I have to admit, Jonathan Meiburg's breathtaking falsetto on "Castaways" really gets my heart pounding.

"Castaways"
"Black Eyes"

It's Piss and Vinegar, but I like it

Brooklyn-based band The Shondes has signed to Fanatic Records for the May 4th release of its second album, "My Dear One," an album for survivors of broken hearts. The album’s title track is now available for free streaming and download.

For those lucky folks heading to South by Southwest, the band will perform tacks from the new record live during the Fanatic Records showcase at Beauty Bar on March 16th, 2010.

"My Dear One"

A Holiday Playlist 2009

Joy to the world, I finally got around to completing my holiday playlist. Seriously, after reviewing a handful of Christmas albums for work - many of which were painfully bad - I nearly gave up on the idea. But you see, there is plenty of Christmas music out there that doesn't suck. Here are some of my "must have" classics as well as a few new gems. Grab your spiked eggnog ... have a listen. Happy Holidays!


Louis Armstrong & The Commanders: "Zat You, Santa Claus?"
Eels: "Christmas Is Going To The Dogs"
Tom Petty: "Christmas All Over Again"
Otis Redding: "White Christmas"
Camera Obscura: "The Blizzard"
B.B. King: "Merry Christmas, Baby"
The Pouges featuring Kristy MacColl: "Fairytale of New York"
The Ramones: "Merry Christmas (I Don't Want To Fight Tonight)"
First Aid Kit: "Blue Christmas"
The Decemberists “Please Daddy, Don’t Get Drunk This Christmas”
Beach Boys: "Little St. Nick"
Julian Casablancas: "Christmas Treat"
John Prine: "Christmas In Prison"
The Polyphonic Spree: "Happy Christmas (War Is Over)"
The Pretenders: "2000 Miles"
Johnny Cash: "The Little Drummer Boy"
Feist: "Lo, How A Rose Ere Blooming"
There Will Be Fireworks: "In Excelsis Deo"
Wham: "Last Christmas"



After posting this, some friends offered a few more suggestions:

James Brown: "Santa Claus Go Straight To The Ghetto"
Chris Cornell: "Ave Maria"
Guaraldi's Charlie Brown Christmas: "Christmas Time Is Here"
Leon Redbone & Zooey Deschanel: "Baby, It's Cold Outside"
Kate Bush: "December Will Be Magic Again"
Glasvegas: "A Snowflake Fell (And It Felt Like A Kiss)"
Fiona Apple: "Frosty The Snowman"

Massive Attack to my heart. It's about time.

I'm happy to admit that "Mezzanine" by Massive Attack continues to be one of THE most played albums in my collection of music. It's been about seven years - six years too long - since legendary trip-hop duo Massive Attack released their last album.
The band is set to release their fifth studio album "Heligoland" in February 2010. Last month, we did get a taste of what's to come as the duo released a 4-song EP "Splitting the Atom."

I like the direction they've taken; it's mature and definitely displays progression. It does exclude, however, the seductive body that "Mezzanine" seems to engulf me with. It's not bad, just different. And I do love it when bands change, experiment and grow. I just need to remind myself that what I'm about to hear isn't going to be what I originally fell in love with - and that's okay.

The current standing tracklist is below. Check out the all-star cast of guest vocals - Damon Albarn, Hope Sandoval, Martina Topley-Bird, Guy Garvey and Tunde Adebimpe. I'm pleased.

"Heligoland" Tracklist
01. Pray for Rain [ft.Tunde Adebimpe]
02. Babel [ft. Martina Topley-Bird]
03. Splitting The Atom [ft. Robert del Naja, Grant Marshall, and Horace Andy]
04. 16 Seater [ft. Horace Andy]
05. Psyche [ft. Martina Topley-Bird]
06. Bulletproof Love [ft. Guy Garvey]
07. Paradise Circus [ft. Hope Sandoval]
08. Rush Minute [ft. Robert del Naja]
09. Saturday Come Slow [ft. Damon Albarn]
10. Marrakesh [ft. Robert del Naja]

Something old: "Black Milk"
Something new: "Psyche (ft. Martina Topley-Bird)"

Getting knowledgeable on Belfast punk

When I think of early Punk music, Belfast, Ireland isn't the first city that comes to mind; however, several influential punk bands sprouted from Northern Ireland, including classic bands such as The Outcasts, Rudi and one of my favorites - Ruefrex.

A friend of mine from Galway, named Cormac Stanton, recently produced a radio documentary called "Beyond the Wire, The Story of Belfast Punk 1975-1985." It's a fantastic account of how the Belfast punk scene thrived and helped give way to anti-sectarian attitude in Northern Ireland.

Have a listen: "Beyond the Wire"

mr. Gnome

Cleveland duo mr. Gnome's releases the first video from its sophomore album, "Heave Yer Skeleton." It's a live performance of the disc's opening track "Spain" and I'm sort of addicted to it.

The new album comes out Nov. 10 and is the follow-up to their debut full-length, "Deliver This Creature." The two have matured musically and continue to use the same minimalist ingredients - a soulful, feminine power combined with dynamic drumming.



"Vampires"
"Slow Side"

New Nouvelle

French band Nouvelle Vague is one of my favorite cover bands. They take some of the best post punk and new wave songs, remaster them and bring them to life all over again.

The group recently teamed up with the creators of these musical gems for a series of duets including “Master & Servant” (feat. Martin Gore), “Road to Nowhere,” “All My Colours (feat. Ian McCulloch), “Blister In The Sun,” “Our Lips Are Sealed” (feat. Terry Hall), “God Save The Queen” and “Parade” (feat. Barry Admanson).

"Master & Servant"
"All My Colours"

Mary Mary, Why You Buggin'

I don't care if they did have a couple songs featured on Grey's Anatomy, The Mary Onettes are okay in my book. The Swedish band releases their album "Islands" on November 3. I like to think they're the perfect mix between a-ha and The Jesus and Mary Chain. But then again, I'm really into music that's moody, dark and ethereal ... yet upbeat.

Here's their latest single:

Wicked Good Mean Creak

Boston faves Mean Creak have released their second album "The Sky (or the Underground)" on Old Flame Records. If they're sharing bills with bands like Buffalo Tom, The Whigs and The Features, then they're probably worth checking out live as well.

Here's their premiere video “Light into Dark”

Alexander McQueen's Union Jack Boots

If these boots were made for walkin' ... I'd like see them try because it damn sure isn't what I'll do. Those are four inch stilettos. I'll probably just stand for a couple of minutes in a highly populated area so that people will notice my kick-ass Union Jack footwear made of patent leather and suede. And I will loudly proclaim my love for all things British.

See that steal toe? That's in case anyone gives you any guff about your Anglophilia. Fashion is pain ladies. So what if they run $1,264; it's least we're not talking in pounds.