Christmas 2015: A Very Indie Christmas

Like previous years, I will be compiling some 2015 Christmas songs and Xmas-related news for you to enjoy! Today's theme is "Indie".

Read more Christmas.

Fruit Bats If you are looking for a laid back collection of summer tracks then I suggest you look no further than The Ruminant Band by the Fruit Bats. … Lisa Loeb Yes, i called Lisa Loeb to sing on my version of the Damned tune because i wanted her to sing the word "NASTY", with which she's not often associated. … Reverend Horton Heat The so-called "godfather of modern rockabilly and psychobilly" Jim "Reverend Horton" Heath's latest album Rev (their 11th album!) came out last year on Victory Records. … Rogue Wave You know, I have often mistaken this California band for Minneapolis' own Rogue Valley. Rogue Wave is basically Zach Rogue (vocals, guitar) with Patrick Spurgeon (drummer) … Family of the Year The W♥M family like Family of the Year, having covered their appearance in New Orleans and in Minneapolis, where John noted that the band offers "feel good vibes and melodies". .…

AMAZON
amazon.com/indiefortheholidays

Amazon semi-recently announced their new Christmas/holiday music collection called Indie for the Holidays, available for purchase and free streaming using their Prime Music service. Prime is their 2-day shipping service, but with some streaming of some selective films, television and music.

Unlike previous compilations we've seen in the past, many of these songs are newly-written for this compilation... including some new holiday songs from YACHT, Rogue Wave, Lisa Loeb, Langhorne Slim, Tuxedo, Ivan & Alyosha, The LeeVees & Matisyahu, A Silent Film, Sondre Lerche & Jherek Bischoff and many more.

Steve Boom, VP of Digital Music for Amazon, had this to say, "We always want to deliver something special to our customers and Indie for the Holidays is the next great way we’re connecting customers with not only new, original holiday music but with amazing artists and bands that they may not have discovered yet. We’re excited to follow last year’s popular All Is Bright holiday collection with songs from some of today’s best indie artists for customers to enjoy throughout the season."

With 27 tracks, there's a lot of holiday cheers to go around... below is a listing of the newly-written songs:

A Silent Film—“Christmas at Our House”

ARCHIS—“Winter Time”

Bhi Bhiman—“Who’s Up There?”

Esmé Patterson—“If I”

Family of the Year—“NYE”

Fruit Bats—“Christmas with You”

Ivan & Alyosha—“Being Home For Christmas”

James Apollo—“Go Trim Another Tree”

Kill Hannah—“This Is Our December”

Lisa Loeb—“Champagne (I’m Ready)”

Moon Taxi—“It’s Only Christmas”

Oscar—“It’s Christmas Again”

Reverend Horton Heat—“Donuts in the Snow”

Robert Pollard (of Guided by Voices) —“What Begins on New Year’s Day”

Rogue Wave—“Christmastime”

Sondre Lerche & Jherek Bischoff—“Surviving Christmas”

The LeeVees & Matisyahu—“Outside of December”

Turin Brakes—“New Year’s Day”

Tuxedo—“Holiday Love”

YACHT—“Christmas Alone”

Read More Radiation City Radiation City is currently on tour in support of Animals In The Median, out now on Tender Loving Empire. The dreampop band stopped by the 7th Street Entry in Minneapolis last night as part of their tour. …

DEEP SEA DIVER
thedeepseadiver.com

Seattle band Deep Sea Diver recently announced their brand new Holiday EP called It's Christmas Time... featuring featuring three traditional Christmas carols and one original song "It's Christmas Time (and I am still alive)".

The band also recently announced its new album, Secrets, available in February 2016, along with a full US tour with Radiation City.

Tour dates:

12/08 Seattle, WA @ Deck The Hall Ball - Key Arena #
02/16 San Francisco, CA @ Rickshaw Stop *
02/17 LA, CA @ Echo *
02/19 San Diego, CA @ Casbah *
02/21 El Paso, TX @ Lowbrow *
02/23 San Antonio, TX @ Limelight *
02/24 Dallas, TX @ Three Links *
02/25 Austin, TX @ Sidewinder *
02/27 Atlanta, GA @ The Earl *
02/29 Washington, DC @ DC9 *
03/01 Philadelphia, PA @ Boot & Saddle *
03/03 Brooklyn, NY @ Rough Trade *
03/04 Boston, MA @ Great Scott *
03/05 Montreal, QC @ Casa Del Popolo *
03/06 Toronto, ON @ The Drake Hotel *
03/08 Cleveland, OH @ Beachland *
03/09 Chicago, IL @ Subterranean *
03/11 Minneapolis, MN @ 7th St Entry *
03/12 Fargo, ND @ Aquarium *
03/14 Missoula, MT @ Stage 112 *
03/16 Seattle, WA @ Neumos *
03/17 Vancouver, BC @ Biltmore *

# = w/ Death Cab For Cutie, Alabama Shakes
* = w/ Radiation City

Read More Kidding Around I know, I thought they broke up (they did in 2005!), but the kids are back. I guess you can't keep them down. The Get Up Kids' new album is called There Are Rules and they have recently toured with …

KIDS
thebandkids.com

Fort Lauderdale's Kids (not to be confused with Belgium's The Kids or Japan's The Kiddie or that mid-90s film Kids) is an eclectic folk-influenced indie-rock band. The band is pleased to announced that they've teamed up with Relevant Magazine for a Christmas Compilation album titled A Very RELEVANT Christmas. Part One is available now for streaming on relevantmagazine.com.

Regarding their song, "In The Bleak Midwinter," Kids singer Joshua Diaz noted that he wanted to bring the feeling of old Claymation films (Rudolf, and Davey and Goliath) in his song.

A Very RELEVANT Christmas (Volume 5) track listing:

1. Sugar and the Hi-Lows, "Jingle Bells" (3:44)
2. Ellie Holcomb, "Christmas For You And Me" (3:4)
3. Citizen Shade, "Go Tell It On The Mountain" (3:12)
4. Evan Wickham, "End Of Exile" (3:7)
5. Hoyle, "Long Winters" (4:3)
6. Ben & Nolle, "Angels We Have Heard On High" (2:29)
7. Citizens & Saints, "Come And Stand Amazed" (3:7)
8. Kings Kaleidoscope, "O Come All Ye Faithful" (3:4)
9. Fleurie, "Wake Up (O Night Divine)" (3:42)
10. Kids, "The Bleak Midwinter" (3:19)
11. The Modern Post, "What Child Is This (feat. Dustin Kensrue)" (3:19)
12. The Brilliance, "Christ The Lord Is Born" (3:7)

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