The Old Year Is Gone

Special New Year's Post today!

Hey folks, sorry we missed yesterday with Part 4 of our Top 50 Favorite Records of 2011.  Had some computer problems (not sure if it's fixed or not, but we're live at the moment).  The final 20 will post next Monday and Tuesday (the good lord or lady of home computing willing).   Today, though, we wanna spread some New Year's cheer!

Hope everyone has a good New Year's Eve and Day.  Not big on resolutions and whatnot, but maybe we'll try to be better posting this coming year.  And maybe we'll strive to be a little nicer to our fellow folks.  Never hurts to try, anyhow.  

Here's some rockin' and rollin' tunes to help get yr New Year's Eve party swingin', baby!

The mighty Quintron kicks off the night, with his own insane organ-drenched, rollerskating party version of a "New Year's Night"!    Keep the night going with a beatnik bop New Year's groove of "Bear Rug" courtesy of Tony Rodelle Larson!  Roy Milton and his Solid Serenaders keep us boppin' and boozin' along with their own "New Year's Resolutions"!  Roy Tan and Combo get downright "bubbly" with a not so subtle suggestion on how to get, ahem, "bubbly" on the big night..."let's fill our glasses with "sunshine..." indeed!  And New Year's Eve wouldn't be complete without at least one bit of sobriety, courtesy of Johnny Paycheck and his end of the night coat check. 

Once again, our Best Of 2011List concludes next week. 

For now, enjoy the big night of the year.  We'll raise a glass to you all!

Quintron: New Year's Night (mp3)

Tony Rodelle Larson: Bear Rug (mp3)

Roy Milton Solid Serenaders:  New Year's Resolution (mp3)

Roy Tan and Combo: Happy New Year (mp3)

Johnny Paycheck: The Old Year Is Gone (mp3)

Be safe!

But it Makes Me Feel Better Each Time it Begins

Keeping the groove rollin' with Day Three of Big Rock Candy Mountain's Favorite Records of 2011!  Ruling the world one record at a time!

When possible, tunes are taken from vinyl (or, the download card from the vinyl...yay download cards!).  Most of these records are from small, independent labels that Rolling "corporate" Stone wouldn't touch if their ad dollars depended on it.  Have you seen the latest "best of" lists???  Egad...we don't pretend to have the greatest, most outre taste, but good gravy!  Alas...hopefully we're providing you with a modicum of "alternative" (whatever that is).  Hell, maybe this list sucks, but we stand by every damn record on it.  Do you really care about the latest Beyonce record?

Ok, then, here's a couple of "Best Ofs" before we kick out #'s 30-21!

Book of the Year:  The Devil All The Time by Donald Ray Pollock (Takes Breece Pankake's exploration of Appalachian life and transforms it into a noirish, muddirty drenched exploration of the evil men are capable of, and the transformative good they can do.)

Radio Station of the Year:  WMSE (One of the last true independent radio stations, and more diverse than...gasp...WFMU.  Yeah, I said it (though we love, love, love WMFU...no hard feelings, guys).  True "public" radio run by folks who actually like music, and aren't afraid to step outside of whatever boundaries one could set.)

Coming up, then, Re-Issue of the Year and Band of the Year!

Without further postulating...

The Big Rock Candy Favorite Records of 2011 (Part 3)

















30. King Louie's Missing Monuments: Painted White

Fizzed out helium balloon garage pop, bizarre and fingered round the rosy!


King Louie's Missing Monuments: The Girl of the Nite (mp3)

29. The Through and Through Gospel Review: Self Titled

Great god almighty in lo-fi survey of the history of gospel, fragile and stompin', jesus approves! The new find of the year!



The Through and Through Gospel Review: I'm Not Dead, I'm Alive (mp3)

28. Mighty Fine: Get Up to Get Down 

Greasy soul in fat bottom punkass boogie, party'n'purge, lay yr leather down and shake the groove like the armageddon!


Mighty Fine: Something For Your Ass (mp3)

27. The Hussy: Cement Tomb Mind Control 

Noise-nik  male/female shout speed guitar freak-out spazz joy!


The Hussy: Sexi Ladi (mp3)

26. Hayes Carll: KMAG YOYO (And Other American Stories)

Last great troubadour, down Texas way, the hoedown and turn of phrase like Hank and Townes did, wry-smiling and bottle sad!


Hayes Carll: Hard Out Here (mp3)

25. Willem Maker: Agapao 

Eternal Mountain fave, burning the desert down, slide the geetar and gruff blues moan, the sound of open canyon never and echoed always, believe and fall again!


Willem Maker: Yeah (mp3)

Willem Maker: Gulf of Mexico (mp3)

24. The Paperhead: The Paperhead 

Pastoral Psych, like old motorways in the rain, wipers half functional, pulling over and smelling fresh Spring, the dripping like home you want to be.


The Paperhead: Back to Those Days (mp3)

23. The Happy Thoughts: The Happy Thoughts 

 Punk-ass muthafuckas playing record revolution sex and desperation,  teenage rebellion and wanna just get some!


The Happy Thoughts: Sweet Dirty Love (mp3)

22. David Kilgour and the Heavy Eights: Left By Soft 

The lord god of all New Zealand, leader of the greatest band ever, The Clean, Kilgour  furthers the autumnal falling leaf strum, eyes upturned in revelation and swirl the air, the slightest grasp, the drone of all life.

David Kilgour and the Heavy Eights: A Break in the Weather (mp3)
















21. Delaney Davidson: Bad Luck Man

Devil may care, and surely he does,  sleaze rawk the purgatory, and round the sound, the temptation of voodoo rhythm and beat noir boozey backroads shotgun shacks, with faith healers and snake charmers galore!



Delaney Davidson: I've Got the Devil Inside (mp3)

Delaney Davidson: River of Misery (mp3)




Support Independence.  Fuck the corporate stranglehold on yr dollar!

All the Riches and Pleasures, What Else Can Life Bring?

Hey Ho, here we go!  We've got Part 2 (of 5) of The Big Rock Candy Mountain Favorite Records of 2011!   Aren't y'all a'quiver with excitement!  Of course you are!

Quick caveat:  We have a huge stack of records from the past year that we haven't gotten to yet.  And we're not including 7"'s in this list.  What that means, of course, is that we're missing out on a whole bunch of great shit!  Such, of course, is the nature of lists.  Are we missing a killer record?  Yep!  Hopefully we'll make up for it over the next few months.  Got a favorite record that we're missing?  For fuck's sake, let us know!  

Before we dig in to the list, let's give a holler to some other categories...


Record Label of the Year:  Norton Records!  (so many great labels that we love...Hozac, Trouble In Mind, Big Legal Mess, Voodoo Rhythm, etc. But Norton wins, for so many reasons, but ultimately based on the next category...)

 Live Show of the Year:  Norton Records 25th Anniversary 4-Day Blowout in New York City! (we can't even begin to give proper props to how great this weekend was...oldsters The Sonics!  ? and the Mysterians! The Robby Fuller 4!  Mick Collins leading a Soul Review featuring Andre Williams, Melvin Davis, Dave "Baby' Cortez,  The Mighty Hannibal!  Bloodshot Bill returning to the U.S.!  The Great Gaylord!  Yo La Tengo as the Condo Fucks!  The mighty A-Bones!  Tandoori Nights! And so much more, including future Mountain favorites Daddy Long Legs!  Good gravy, we left out another great 30 bands from the weekend!)


More special best-of lists over the next few days.


But let's get to what y'all are actually interested in.


Part 2 of Big Rock Candy Mountain's  Favorite Records of 2011!

40. Shannon and the Clams: Sleep Talk 

The Ronettes meet Jay Reatard  in a garage outside a rusty shack on Sunset Strip.

Shannon and the Clams: You Will Always Bring Be Flowers (mp3) 






























39. Hipbone Slim and the Knee Tremblers: Square Guitar
     Mama Rosin and Hipbone Slim: Louisiana Sun  

Swamp hoedown, rockabilly'n' Cajun mess around,  Diddlified and corn-liquored!



Mama Rosin and Hipbone Slim: Swamp Water (mp3)

Hipbone Slim and the Knee Tremblers: King of the Rocket Men (mp3)

38. Strange Boys: Live Music 

Snot-nosed Dylan-woozy half lidded half lit lysergic mumbles and melody!


Strange Boys: Over the River and Through the Woulds (mp3)
Strange Boys: Walking Two By Two (mp3)

37. Dum Dum Girls: Only In Dreams

Ghost of Chrissie Hynde on swirling hymns and blissed sleep, a sound between days.


Dum Dum Girls: Bedroom Eyes (mp3)

36. John Wesley Coleman III: Little Miss Keith Richards

Space clatter liquor cabinet sprawl and fall dirt ramblin' godhead!

John Wesley Coleman III : Little Miss Keith Richards (mp3)

35. The Pussywarmers: The Chronicle of the Pussywarmers 

Devil-defying voodoo party rumble, horny horns swing down gator way, the water's risin' and the jukejoint is quaking!

Pussywarmers: Me and Me Girl (mp3)

34. Holly Golightly and the Brokeoffs: No Help Coming 

More Golightly exploration of creaky Americana, back porch noir and sugar cane on fire. 


Holly Golightly and the Brokeoffs:  Leave It Alone (mp3)

















33. The Bats: Free All Monsters 

Autumnal painted New Zealand jangle'n'hum, melting and lovely.


The Bats: Long Halls (mp3)

32. Bad Sports: Kings of the Weekend 

Rawk'n'booze, soaked sweat t-shirt kicks, the kids are alright!


Bad Sports: Teenage Girls (mp3)

31. DM Bob and the Deficits: They Called Us Country

Fried cow patty, shotgun shack sleaze, hillbilly snarl junk.


DM Bob and the Deficits: I'm Not Drinking More (mp3)



Independent Record Labels and Independent Record Stores!

I Started Out Younger, Had Most Everything

Well!  Here we go!  Our Top 50 Most Favorite Records of the Year (2011) (in 5 parts)!

Normally we'd take this time to wax ridiculous about the state of music, and all it's perceived problems.  But...well, we'd rather stay positive, and recognize all the great records released this year.  Sure, there was a lot of crap released this year, and a quick perusal of Rolling Stone, Spin, Magnet, Entertainment Weekly, Pitchfork, etc. would be enough to depress any fan of fine Rawk'n'Roll.  But why do we depend on corporate magazines and websites, led by ad dollars, to tell us what we like, anyway????  That's right, we don't!  There's only one record in our Top 50 that actually achieves a consensus amongst the...ahem..1%  That it's our best record of the year (astute readers will already correctly guess what this record is) is not a reflection on the artist, but more a reflection of how the popular media is slow on catching up on things.

For every Taylor Swift, there is a Quintron.  For every (yawn) Adele, there is a Neko Case.  For every Black Keys, there is a Speaking Tongues or Left Lane Cruiser.  Our goal is not to tell you what you like, but rather to tell  you..."you might like this".  To make an overriding qualification on what is "good" is facile, and doesn't recognize the power of music to transform, to have staying power, to capture one in repose or in various stages of experience. 

Over the next 5 days, we're gonna let you glimpse what records we enjoyed the most this year.  We think you will probably like all or most of them.  Maybe you won't.  That's part of the fun.  Nobody has ever made the "definitive" best of list", nor will they ever.  At the end of the day, it's the hum in our own heads that gets us through.  That said, we believe strongly in the following records.  We'd like you to check 'em out. 

On a quick political note:  Please research the deceptively titled SOPA Act.  While we certainly have no truck with internet piracy in it's malicious forms, this bill affects every site's ability to bring you even mere "samples" of music, and affects your ability to peruse music before you buy it.  Most of what we post here is "small label" stuff, with permission.  But if this Act passes, with the approval of the so-called "Major Labels", your ability to listen to music, and make your own decisions, will be severely limited.  The Major Labels want to to give you "product", and want you to buy it without a critical filter.  We think you should have the right to a variety of music, and what choices you make should be your own, and not guided by corporate approval.

Ok, enough pontificating. 

We'd like to send a special thank you to Andy, the country's greatest DJ from Zero Hour Radio and WMSE, for his help in shaping this list, thanks to his many contributions over the last year.   He was also a fellow traveler to the Norton Records blow-out in New York, which we will discuss later. 

Without further ado, then, Part 1 (of 5) of our Favorite Records Of 2011!  We're counting down, so hang on to your hats!


The Big Rock Candy Mountain Favorite Records of 2011 (Part 1)

50.  The Dirtbombs: Party Store

Soul punk god Mick Collins digs into the Detroit techno crates,  makes greasy trash spangled party music!


The Dirtbombs: Alleys Of Your Mind (mp3)

















49. Scott H. Biram: Bad Ingredients

Drunken hill-holler sleaze, twanged and truckin', yelped and slide geetar one man band kudzu glory!


Scott H. Biram: Killed A Chicken Last Night (mp3)

48. Useless Eaters: Daily Commute 

Twitchy punk noise deconstruction, down low and lowdown, kickin' the kicks and rippin' psych-age space age!


Useless Eaters: Neon Lights (mp3)














47. The Booze: At Maximum Volume 

Stones meets Replacements meets the (Small) Faces in bar scunge organ and groove rawk, baby, snotty and beer soaked brilliance!

The Booze: Hit Me Where It Hurts (mp3)

















46. Light Bulb Alley: The Sound of Things 

Diddley meets garbage can lid flappers, Pussy Galore bucket trash and rawk, baby, surged and shabby, sore-throated garage door catastrophe!


Light Bulb Alley: Pepper Spray (mp3)















45. Dan Melchior: Catbirds and Cardinals

Lo-fi sleaze lord, and fried friend of Billy Childish and Holly Golightly, makes chicken skizzled skillet concoction, surged with no protection.



Dan Melchior: Deep Fried Circuits (mp3)















44. The Singing Loins: Stuff

Fuck Mummy-ford and whatnot, the original busking geezers, stomping on tradition, and full of piss, shout and holler!


The Singing Loins: Ascending Chatham Hill (mp3)















43. Hollywood Sinners: Disastro Garantito

Loud!  Loud!  Fast and out of control, snotty, turkey leg smeared guitar, chanty desperate   mememe vocal sneer, big velocity rawk, baby!



Hollywood Sinners: I'm Alone (mp3) 



















42. Obnox: I'm Bleeding Now

Over-distorted noise and genius from the mighty drummer of The Bassholes and the Puffy Aereolas,  making his own scuzz portal, buried and murmured melody surrounded and surrendered by volume at 11, double wide insanity!


Obnox: Totalled (mp3) 






























41. Mark Sultan: Whenever I Want/ Whatever I Want

Two records from the king of sock-hop trash can glory, one man kicking the kicks and slathered hot-buttered basement barrel boogaloo!


Mark Sultan: Livin' My Life (mp3)

Please support yr independent record label! 

On A Cold Christmas Eve

Once again, we made it through another Holiday season.  Hope y'all enjoyed our offerings this year.  Many thanks and much appreciation for all the kind words and emails (and even the grumpy fella who didn't much care for "Psycho (Santa)" )!

Don't forget that we start our Best Records of 2011 countdown on Monday!

Now then, regular readers will already know what song(s) we're gonna post today.  We do it every year, and why not?  Both tunes represent what can be great about Christmas music, without being tired, overly cliched,  or inane.  You won't hear them played in department stores (though you might hear them in your local, independent record stores).  But each song, in their own way, reach the very beating heart of what a secularist like ourselves can take from the Holiday season, and hell, even throughout the year.  Yes, Virginia, there are great Christmas songs.

The Pogues' "Fairytale of New York"...what can we say that we haven't said before?  A bittersweet, yet ultimately hopeful, tale of two people, chasing a dream, and down on their luck, overwhelmed by situation, and clinging to promise.  The song takes place on Christmas Eve in New York City, the shining beacon of opportunity, the beckoning world of bright lights and "rivers of gold".  It's an immigrant's song, the "other" chasing a promise of a better life, and instead, finding hardship and loss...the promise distilled into reality.  But within that loss, within the dream, a very human existence, a willingness to believe despite obstacle.  The song is about love, and all it's conflicting dimensions, and that's what we take from Christmas.  We are defined, not by how we live alone, as some would have us believe, but how we live in context to others, even if it's how we relate on a one-to-one basis.  Eschewing the currently popular philosophy of every person for themselves, we still cling to John Donne's "no man is an island", we cling to an inclusive ideal, where "...inasmuch as you have done it to one of the least of these my brothers, you have done it to me".  That Shane Macgowan's  drunken lullaby of a voice is met by Kirsty MacColl's angelic riposte, only makes the song more poignant.  "I built my dreams around you", indeed.



Robert Earl Keene's "Merry Christmas From The Family" is an entirely different tune, of course...a hilarious and very, very true tale of Christmas with those we love, despite the wacky nature of family.  Hilariously wry, and full of the foibles that make up each and every one of us, it's a tune about who we are, and how we are.  And, it's laugh-out-loud funny.  Seems we've all had a Holiday experience with these folks, and we're the better for it.  Drunkenly sung, and full of humorous minutiae, it strips away the sacred trappings, and lays out the true nature of Christmas, the gathering of those we hold dear and the character that makes us all both insufferable and beloved.

These songs are dedicated to the memory of Jackie Berg and Katzenjammers.  Two beautiful souls who can never be replaced.

Merry Christmas! Be good to each other...we're all we have. 

The Pogues: Fairytale of New York (mp3)

Robert Earl Keene: Merry Christmas From the Family (mp3)

Thank you.

Hurray For Santa Claus

One more day 'til December 25th, when we celebrate the glorious birth of our savior, Shane MacGowan!  Oh, and something else about that day causes folks to get all a'tremble with Seasonal joy, as well.  

Tomorrow, Xmas eve, we've got a special post.

After that, of course, begins our equally insane Best Records of 2011 list!  So stop on by for that, as well. So far, we've got about 60 records in out Top 50, so that should be entertaining for y'all.

Bur you're not here to hear us blather on...On with the Holiday tunes, and our Fox-approved War On Christmas!

Let's make this brief...Massive funk workout, and one of our favorite songs from this Season, from the Harvey Averne Band!  Garage punk joy from The Fleshtones!  Hillbilly Holidays, and a version of one of our favorite Xmas songs ever, from The Ranch Girls and the Hillbilly Boogiemen!  A short and woozy warm Yuletide blanket from Betty and the Cavaleros! Joyous pure pop egg nog from the very mighty Saint Etienne!  Deep rooted honky tonk makes peace with the hippies, in the spirit of Christmas, thanks to Don Sneed!  Grouchy Fall-followers, The Wedding Present, find some Holiday spirit, courtesy of a nifty cover!  Groovin' soul Santa from The Voices!  And, finally, organ-drenched doo wop culmination of what we've been working toward, thanks to The Rhythm Kings! 

Santa's Got A Mixed Bag of Gifts!

The Harvey Averne Band: Let's Get It Together This Christmas (mp3)

Fleshtones: Hurray For Santa Claus (mp3)

 Ranch Girls and the Hillbilly Boogiemen: Christmas Time's a Comin'  (mp3)

Betty and the Cavaleros: Hey! I'm Your Gift Today (mp3)

Saint Etienne: 21st Century Christmas (mp3)

Don Sneed And Co.: Santa's a Hippie (mp3)

The Wedding Present: Step Into Christmas (mp3)

 Voices: Santa Claus Boogie (mp3)

The Rhythm Kings: Christmas Is Coming At Last (mp3)

Thanks as ever.  Be good to each other. 

Santa's Midnight Run

Just about made it.  Only a few more days until the big gimme gimme gimme hoo ha.  Hopefully we've managed to entertain y'all a bit this Yuletide.  As the days grow shorter, we're finding new tunes amongst our thousands to share, and so we start loading things up (holding a few killer tracks for next year, of course).

Gettin' greasier than a turkey today!

Boca Chica gift us with a lazy-eyed honky tonk fuck off.  Then we've got a trashy barrel house piano and strip club sax shout out from Ebony Moods (who'd make Andre Williams proud). Santa Surfabilly rawk follows courtesy of the Lucky Cupids. Things get a little scary with Bobby "Boris" Pickett and the Crypt Kickers' "Monster's Holiday".  Mountain favorite and Mexican Presley, El Vez brings us a trailer park Holiday extravaganza. The Raveonettes cool things down a bit with their Jesus and Mary Chain meets Julie London brand of Holiday "cheer".  And the gifts wrap up in fine form with the insane rumble that is the mighty Untamed Youth. 


Primo Santa Sauce!


Boca Chica: Not On Christmas Eve (mp3)

Ebony Moods: Rockin' Santa (mp3)

Lucky Cupids: Merry Christmas and Happy Rockin' 'n' Rollin' New Year (mp3)

Bobby "Boris" Pickett and the Crypt Kickers: Monster's Holiday (mp3)

El Vez: Oranges For Christmas (mp3)

The Raveonettes: Come On Santa (mp3)

The Untamed Youth: Santa's Midnight Run (mp3)

Time's running out. Please support whatever or whoever you can.

Xmas By The Tail

Hee Haw Holidays, folks!  Just lit up the barn with sparkly lights, and decorated the boots with tinsel.  We're goin' a little Country on ya, with some exceptions, so pull out yr Solstice line dancin' moves!

And remember, if you don't like today's posts, well, hell, who knows what we're gonna do tomorrow!  A little somethin' for everyone, we'd like to think.

The boot scootin' Santa love starts off with Dale Watson and a tale of booze, jail, and Santa Claus.  Rick Fines brings us a little Country Blues yuletide in the big, big city. Dwight Yoakam delivers a bizarre tale of dysfunction on the Holidays.  We couldn't go this year without a little Dan Hicks and His Hot Licks kicking up a bit of dusty snow on the proceedings. Moving out of the genre, Johnny Moore and his Blazers deliver a sweet tale of Xmas eve.  And finally, Mountain faves The Dyes rock us out into the night with a punk'n'billy take on a Sonics classic.  So merry Xmas to all, and to all a rockin' good night.  Indeed.

Hillbilly Holiday!

Dale Watson: You Can Call Me Nick (mp3)

Rick Fines: Country Christmas Blues (mp3) 

Dwight Yoakam: Santa Can't Stay (mp3)

Dan Hicks and His Hot Licks: I've Got Christmas By the Tail (mp3)

Johnny Moore's Blazers: Xmas Eve Baby (mp3)

The Dyes: Don't Believe In Christmas (mp3)

The big day is almost here.  Lots of cheer and gettin' stuff.  Hell, we like gettin' stuff as much as anybody.  Please keep in mind those that "gettin' stuff" means a warm coat or a hot meal.  We're all tryin' to make it in this world, and money's tight for all of us.   A dollar here or a quarter there can help folks more than we can imagine. 

Santa's Got A Shiny Nose

Six days to go, and then we start our Best Of 2011 record countdown. 

Another special Yuletide treat for y'all today!  Should be rather obvious, so we won't belabor the point.  Some of the following are re-posts, and some are new to this here site.  

We're just here to make the season bright, and maybe a little bit wobbly.  Do not attempt to drive or operate heavy machinery after listening to these lovely Holiday tunes.

Santa's got a big red nose!

John Denver: Please Daddy (Don't Get Drunk This Christmas) (mp3)


The Poor Bastards: Buy Me A Beer For Christmas (mp3)

 Smiley Bates: Daddy's Drinking Up Our Christmas (mp3) 

Paul Sanchez: Drunk This Christmas (mp3)

Clyde Lasley: Santa Came Home Drunk (mp3)

The Rimshots: Santa Stole My Whiskey (mp3)

Better Off Dead: All I Got For Christmas Was Drunk (mp3)

Guinea Worms: Christmas Booze (mp3)

Driveway Drinkers: Christmas on Boone's Farm (mp3) 

Sherwin Linton: Santa Got A DWI (mp3) 

Alcoholics Unanimous: Santa Claus DWI (mp3)

Alcoholics Unanimous: Santa Forgot the Booze (mp3)

The Hot Rods: Santa's Too Drunk to Drive (mp3)

Minus 5: Your Christmas Whiskey (mp3)

Dwarves: Drinking Up Christmas (mp3)

The Iguanas: Reindeer 'n' Whiskey (mp3)

Tiger City Jukes: Watch Out, Santa's Been Drinking (mp3)

Commander Cody and His Lost Planet Airmen: Daddy's Drinking Up Our Christmas (mp3)

Fleshtones: Champagne of Christmas (mp3)

Mike Ireland: Merry Christmas From a Bar (mp3)

Please support your local, independent pub of choice.  Xmas lights spin!

Teenage Xmas

One week to go until Shane MacGowan's brithday (December 25th, dontcha know)!  In tribute,we're gonna get a little Xmas trashy today!

 No Holiday blowout would be complete without a Billy Childish Xmas tune...so today we've got the wonderfully snotty "Dear Santa Claus".  Deliriously catchy "Teenage Christmas" by Eux Autres follows.  Then we've got a howlin' greasy harmonica garage blues raving, courtesy of The Brood, "One Winter's Night".  And finally lo-fi nihilist geniuses The Guinea Worms gift us with "Oh Fuck, It's Christmas Again". 

Man, does it get any better than this?  Well, just wait 'til tomorrow!

Santa is a fuck up!

Billy Childish and the Musicians of the British Empire: Dear Santa Claus (mp3)

Eux Autres: Teenage Christmas (mp3)

The Brood: One Winter's Night (mp3)

Guinea Worms: Oh Fuck, It's Christmas Again (mp3)


Thanks for all your support. Please support whatever local charities you can.  Cheers!

One Big Xmas Tree

It's finally snowing here in Chicago!  So let's break out the egg nog, put on our ironic Xmas sweaters, and get to work!

So...what do we have for y'all today?  Some killer little packages, that's what!

Garage punk Xmas takes center stage with the staggeringly great tale of bad behavior, "Santa Aint Coming For Christmas" from Rocket 455!   A jumpin' and swingin' "Santa Claus Blues" from Eva Taylor ("No money, no honey, to buy a present for me")!  Contemporary music's best lyricist brings the Yuletide grouch in Magnetic Field's "Everything is One Big Christmas Tree"!  And L.E. White and Lola Jean Dillon bring us a honky tonk tale both hilarious and heartbreaking in the essential "The Big One"!


Santa's a Cynical Sinner!


Rocket 455: Santa Aint Coming For Christmas (mp3)

Eva Taylor: Santa Claus Blues (mp3)

Magnetic Fields: Everything is One Big Christmas Tree (mp3)

L.E. White and Lola Jean Dillon: The Big One (mp3)

Running out of time...all you last minute shoppers!  Forget the Big Boxes, check out yr local, independent stores for nifty gifts you can't find elsewhere!

Santa On The Moon

Hoo boy!  We've got a special,  themed Yuletide treat for y'all today.  A bit of a cheat, since we're including some tunes we've posted in years past, but there's plenty of new tunes as well (and it works out well for newer visitors!).  Not much to say about this post, figgerin' it's pretty self-explanatory. 

Some of these tunes kick some serious ass, some are a little more "special".  Collect 'em all!

Santa's Blasting Off!


Bobby Helms: Captain Santa Claus (And His Reindeer Space Patrol) (mp3)


The Bellrays: Rocket Ship Santa (mp3)

Folklore: Xmas Ape Goes to the Moon (mp3)


Groovie Ghoulies: Christmas on Mars (mp3)

Hal Bradley Orchestra w/Pattie Marie Jay: Space Age Santa Claus (mp3)

Shonen Knife: Space Christmas (mp3)


Sonny Cole: Santa to the Moon (mp3)

Lawrence Welk's Little Band: Outer Space Santa (mp3)

Please support your local, independent astronaut.  

Santa On The Interstate

Sanity clause is checked off, reindeer are fed, nasty little elves are working day and night.  It's time for another Xmas post!

We'd like to send a special shout out to Mark W. ("dat ol' varmint") for all his help these past couple of years, with killer Holiday mixes galore.  Some of what you get in these posts are courtesy of Mark, so thanks, man!

No iPad under the tree today, but we got some other brightly packaged treats.  First, greasy hep cat rhythm'n'booze stomper, "Rockin' Santa Claus" from The Martels.  The mighty Loudon Wainwright III weighs in next, with a deceptive little number, "Christmas Morning".  Just when you think he's dropped his notorious wry sarcasm, he sneaks right back up on ya.  5 Chinese Brothers follows, with "Christmas on Interstate 80", an accordion-led Country Xmas road trip, featuring waitresses, greyhounds, hope and despair.  Perfect.

And winding us up is Mountain fave, Hank Thompson.  We've posted numerous Xmas tunes by ol Hank, but we don't think we've done "Little Christmas Angel" yet.  It's a little slight and drippy, but it's Hank Thompson, so that's all right.

 Santa rides the Greyhound!

The Martels: Rockin' Santa Claus (mp3)

Loudon Wainright III: Christmas Morning (mp3)

5 Chinese Brothers: Christmas on Interstate 80 (mp3)

Hank Thompson: Little Christmas Angel (mp3)

Thanks for visiting!

DJ Santa

Another Xmas Mix re-post today.  One of the most requested, so here ya go!  Back on track tomorrow with more tasty new Xmas treats!

As ever, the mp3 link follows the track listing.

A Big Rock Candy Cane Xmas

1. Christmas Spirit (The Wailers)
2. Don't Believe In Christmas (The Sonics)
3. Reindeer Boogie (Hank Snow)
4. Rootin' Tootin' Santa Claus (Pee Wee King)
5. I'll Be Your Santa Baby (Rufus Thomas)
6. Who Took The Merry Out Of Christmas (The Staple Singers)
7. Santa Came Home Drunk (Clyde Lasley)
8. Beatnik's Wish (Patsy Raye)
9. Deck 5 (Saturday's Children)
10. We Free Kings (Roland Kirk)
11. Merry Christmas (Lightnin' Hopkins)
12. Christmas Day (Detroit Junior)
13. Feliz Navi Dada (El Vez)
14. Old Man Spivey's Egg Nog (The Dalheart Imperials)
15. Christmas Carols By The Old Corral (Tex Ritter)
16. Santa Santa Santa (Gene Autry)
17. Santa Got A DWI (Sherwin Linton)
18. Santa Stole My Whiskey (The Rimshots)
19. The Mistletoe and Me (Isaac Hayes)
20. Xmas In Nevada (The Willard Grant Conspiracy)
21. Christmas Card From A Hooker In Minneapolis (Neko Case does Tom Waits)
22. I Wish I Was Santa Claus (Merle Haggard)
23. Please Come Home For Christmas (Little Junior)
24. Christmas Past (Mike Ireland)
25. Christmas Eve Can Kill You (The Everley Brothers)
26. What Do The Lonely Do At Christmas (The Emotions)
27. Go Tell It On The Mountain (The Blind Boys Of Alabama w/Tom Waits)

Big Rock Candy Cane Xmas (mp3)

Too bad our photo today is all too true.  Please consider supporting whatever charities you are able to this Holiday season.  

Santa Won't Be Blue

We're still keeping at it, sharin' all the toys for bad little girls and boys!

Just a reminder, our World Famous Best of the Year list follows all this whoo-ha, starting December 26th!  Odds are currently being taken on what's gonna be #1!  (though I bet astute and regular readers might already have a good guess). 

Keeping tidings joyful today, with some rollin' R'n'B from Jimmy Charles,  followed by a little Bakersfield-style Country Xmas courtesy of Buck Owens and Susan Raye.  And finally, one of our favorite Garage-Soul bands, The Bellrays, keep us jumpin' up and down the chimney.

Santa's on Shuffle!

Jimmy Charles: Santa Won't Be Blue This Christmas (mp3)

Buck Owens and Susan Raye: Tomorrow is Christmas Day (mp3)

The Bellrays: Gimme Some Funk For Christmas (mp3)

Don't forget the damn Xmas cookies!

Reindeer Hoofers

Shopping is done!  How's yours going?

Get on yr dancin' elf shoes today, cuz we got a Yuletide party goin' on!

Mosh along to Yo La Tengo's raved up version of Jan Terri's "Rock'n'Roll Santa"!  Git down 'n' groovy with J. Hines and the Boys' insanely catchy and deep thumpin' "A Funky Christmas to You"! And swing, swing, swing the festive night away with Paul Whiteman and His Orchestra's "Christmas Night in Harlem"  (which features Johnny Mercer and Jack Teagarden)! 

Santa's got a party goin' on!


Yo La Tengo: Rock'n'Roll Santa (mp3)

J. Hines and the Boys: A Funky Christmas to You (mp3)

Paul Whiteman and his Orchestra: Christmas Night in Harlem (mp3)

As ever, please give what you can this Holiday season, and year round.  Times are tough, and money's tight for all of us, but sometimes even a dollar can help get someone a hot meal.  Thanks for stoppin' by.

Daddy Rockin' Santa

How's yr tree comin' along?  Stuffed yr stocking yet? 

We had a correction on our last post, and we'd like to thank the person who pointed out our mis-credit.  We'd also like to thank all the kind folks who have sent Xmas tunes and/or suggestions our way.  Y'all have been generous to us, and we'd like to return the favor.

Mixed (Santa's) bag today.  A little more soulful doo-wop inspired Xmas R'n'B from the Sherwoods.  The Cotton Top Mountain Sanctified Singers bring us some some ragtime, jug-bandy, holly roller gospel blues for the season.  And the Queen of All Country, Loretta Lynn, does sad Christmas exactly the way it should be done,  sad but not schmaltzy (there's a reason we worship her).

Santa's got a crazy bag!

Sherwoods: Happy Holiday (mp3)

Cotton Top Mountain Sanctified Singers: Christ Was Born on Christmas Morn (mp3)

Loretta Lynn: Christmas Without Daddy (mp3)

Thanks for stoppin' by.  Have a great Holiday season.  Be good to yourselves, and others as well!

Snow Girl

Awright!  Keepin' the blades on our sled sharp!  Remember, we're the cure for all that's oh so very  bad about Xmas music.  Joy! Joy!

It's all about the love today.

Ron Winter start things off this fine wintry morning with "Snow Girl", a stomping Bo Diddley meets Surf City ditty.  Nifty!  Old-timey rockabilly takes the stage next with Harry Lee's "Rockin' on a Reindeer".  Hoedown!  And we'll wrap these swell gifts up with The Uniques and a soulful little doowop-y number, "Merry Christmas Darling".  A surprisingly sweet tune (at least coming from us), but what can we say?  We can't always be cynical little bastards, can we?

Santa Claus loves the ladies!


Ron Winter: Snow Girl (mp3)

Harry Lee: Rockin' on a Reindeer (mp3)

Uniques: Merry Christmas Darling (mp3)

Thanks, as ever, for visitin'.  Support yr local, independent stores this Holiday season.  Please.