Martha – The Winter Fuel Allowance Ineligibility Blues
Durham beauts Martha have put out a cracking Christmas song with a message. Vibrant rhythms and darkly romantic vocals collide with a prescient message about austerity. As they put it: “Having been battered by the cruelty of this Tory government, ‘The Winter Fuel Allowance Ineligibility Blues’ is a reminder that in spite of it all, we have love on our side. It’s bittersweet; it’s about the horrors of austerity and desperation but finding power in the tiny acts of resistance – whether it’s being in love, or simply putting the heating on.” (BC)
Girl Ray – (I Wish I Were Giving You A Gift) This Christmas
Girl Ray delivery a gorgeous winter warmer with ‘(I Wish I Were Giving You A Gift) This Christmas’ – sewn with a swaying 1950s backdrop decorated with wistfully romantic vocal harmonies. It’s a heartwarming delight. Sophie Moss: “Filmed exclusively in the taboo non-festive months of late September, four fools with the combined intelligence and fragility of a candy cane travel around Europe pointing and smiling at anything vaguely Christmassy.” (BC)
Catholic Action – New Year
Glasgow band Catholic Action recently unleashed their debut album In Memory Of, and for Christmas, have given us the gift of a song once again. Serving as a b-side to ‘No Angels’, ‘New Year’ blasts out like your mad uncle (everyone has at least one) who just can’t stay off the dancefloor. Give him – and yourselves – an excuse to keep dancing until the bell tolls 12am New Years Day, and see in 2018 in the right way. (TS)
Living Body – All I Want For Christmas Is You
Get right into the Yuletide spirit of giving with the Leeds’ collective Living Body as they remake and remodel Mariah Carey’s 1994 festive heart-warmer ‘All I Want For Christmas Is You’. Not only will 100% of all the 7″ vinyl sales profits from the single be donated to 1-800-SUICIDE, the Crisis Intervention & Suicide Prevention Centre of British Columbia (a non-profit, volunteer organisation in Canada committed to helping people help themselves and others deal with crisis), you will also be buying yourself a damn fine tune into the bargain. With it being Christmas pretty soon, that should be enough to make you want to buy this. And you can buy it right HERE. (SG and AV)
Tom Chaplin – Walking In The Air
Featured on his recent album, Twelve Tales Of Christmas, Walking In The Air is a refreshing retelling of the song featured in The Snowman and sung by choirboy Aled Jones, but with none of the earsplitting falsetto. Dig out your lighter, sing and sway along with this woozy, sweet rendition of a Christmas classic. Try not to accidentally set anything on fire. (TS)
Chaouche – Winter Wonderland
Chaouche’s cover of ‘Winter Wonderland’ is haunting and spellbinding her voice lingering like your breath in the frozen air. Originally from Swansea but now based in Bristol this subtle slow-motion version of a well worn festive classic has the ability to stop you dead in your tracks.(BC)
