With festive frolics upon us once again, it's time for another round of those Christmas tunes to warm the heart and melt the snow. Here for 2014 are some of this year's new batch of alternative songs for the season.
DUM DUM GIRLS - ON CHRISTMAS
As part of Converse's 'Noise To The World 2' holiday compilation, the dreampop girls contribute their solemn offering of wintry nostalgia.
YOKO ONO & THE FLAMING LIPS - HAPPY XMAS (WAR IS OVER)
The psych-rock band team up with John Lennon's widow Yoko Ono to produce a new trippy version of the song written by the late Beatle and Ono in 1971.
LANDLADY - PLEASE COME HOME FOR CHRISTMAS
Brooklyn chamber-pop maximalists Landlady - who released their debut album 'Upright Behavior' this year - take on the festive season, which also features the vocals of Sylvan Esso and Mountain Man singer Amelia Meath.
DENT MAY - I'LL BE STONED FOR CHRISTMAS
Mississippi psych-popper Dent May's Christmas original, where he recalls seeing high school pals, going to a party and then raiding the weed on Christmas morning... “’tis the season to be high.”
THE LONELY WILD - HOLIDAYS
LA’s The Lonely Wild get you in the Christmas spirit with this anti-festive track (but with some killer harmonies and guitar), featuring lyrics like “Holidays are coming / to rip your heart open / Just don’t freak out / Just don’t let me down” and “Miracles are waiting / to be found in the gutter”.
REBEL COAST - LONELY CHRISTMAS
Toronto-based five-piece 'youth' (think that's the equivalent of the UK's 'boy') band with their own composition from an upcoming EP that's full of, er, more 'holiday' (we say 'Christmas') songs. Happy holidays (Christmas).
THE LIMIÑANAS - CHRISTMAS (BABY PLEASE COME HOME)
A slice of French garage rock from The Limiñanas duo. This unreleased cover of Phil Spector’s 'Christmas (Baby Please Come Home)' don’t stray too far from the spirit of the original (not a dirge to be found), yet their rough-around-the-edges delivery makes it feel like something new.
THE CROOKES - YOU'RE JUST LIKE CHRISTMAS
The Steel City boys start their Christmas carousing with a brand new Yuletide anthem. Starting with a howl and a yowl and a great big blockbusting riff before skidding across the indie-glam ice with a sleigh bell rhythm and Slade-slapping sensibility.
THE HEATHEN AND THE HOLY - HEY MERRY CHRISTMAS
The seasonal side project of Noah And The Whale's Tom Hobden and Fred Abbott. Conceived in a mince-pie-fuelled fit of festive ecstasy, Hey Merry Christmas, starts out as a traditional folk but then turns into an all-out Christmas cracker complete with ringing bells and guest choirboy!
LOS CAMPESINOS! - A LOS CAMPESINOS! CHRISTMAS
Los Campesinos! issue a Christmas 12″, which will no doubt become an indie classic. It compiles their three previous efforts with three more holiday delights.
MAD DECENT’s A VERY VERY DECENT MIXTAPE
Diplo’s record label Mad Decent's Christmas-themed mixtape features versions of holiday songs remixed and reworked by their roster of artists. Diplo teams up with Alvaro and Kstylis for an aggressive 'Bethlehem Edition' of their track '6th Gear' that samples 'O Little Town Of Bethlehem'. There are also reworked versions of 'Little Drummer Boy', 'Deck The Halls' and the Nutcracker theme.
BAND AID 30 - DO THEY KNOW IT'S CHRISTMAS
Sir Bob and his merry band of helpers bring out the old chestnut once again.
PULLED APART BY HORSES - MERRY CHRISTMAS EVERYONE
The Slade original gets a reworking as part of a split 7" with DZ Deathrays, who cover Mud's 'Lonely This Christmas' - which you can also hear below.
DZ DEATHRAYS - LONELY THIS CHRISTMAS
See above.
A SUNNY DAY IN GLASGOW - SHUT YOUR MOUTH IT'S CHRISTMAS
The Philadelphia six-piece's contribution to the limited edition cassette series 'Sketch For Winter' with fierce hooks and big sentiment.
MAINI SORRI - SILENT NIGHT
A take on the traditional from one of the stalwarts of the Swedish/Finnish music scene.
HOT SHORTS - XMAS SINGLE
The Manchester band has put out this two-track release with the heavy guitar'd 'Sex Christmas' (“I wanna Sex Christmas / and I don’t even know what that means”) and 'I Don’t Even Want to Talk About It (This Christmas)'.
THE WEARY BAND - CHRISTMAS MOURNING
The Bristol-based band have re-recorded their original version for 2014, with all sales going to the Bristol charity Survive. A melancholy song, with lyrics like “We’re older now / Old and blue / How many wishes of yours came true?”
BISCUITHEAD & THE BISCUIT BADGERS - SNOW!
Take the subversive surrealism of Vic Reeves, the splendid chappery of the Bonzo Dog Doo Dah Band and the wistful, poetic eclecticism of The Divine Comedy to and you're heading close to the space occupied by Leeds foursome's Christmas single, taken their new album 'Dinosaurs Ate My Caravan'.
MEGHAN TRAINOR - I'LL BE HOME
The 'All About That Bass' singer delivers a heartfelt winter ballad.
SMOKE FAIRIES - GIVE AND RECEIVE
In the spirit of the season, indie folk outfit Smoke Fairies have just released their alternative Christmas-themed album 'Wild Winter', with this Yuletide track being one of the ten seasonal offerings.
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