Short Bursts :: Gather Around The Christmas Tree For A Song

As we prepare to wind down the year, celebrate the holiday's, and get to work on our annual year end list we figured we'd churn out one more edition of Short Bursts. Today we turn to some recently issued holiday releases that we think sound smashing along side the seasons standards.

Midriff Records will close out what's been an exceptional year for the Boston/NY based indie, that featured five heralded releases, with Christmas On The Allston-Brighton Line from Eldridge Rodriguez. The digital EP features three original holiday tinged compositions, that the label has describes as "Christmas nostalgia for a neurotic future". This marks E.R.'s second release of 2011 following the superlative You Are Released EP and the first of three Christmas EP's that he has planned over the next few years.

In the spirit of the season, when you order Christmas On The Allston-Brighton Line from the Midriff Store you'll receive alternate downloadable album covers and a song book for your caroling needs.

Eldridge Rodriguez will perform an acoustic set at Porter Belly's Tavern in Brighton as part of the Cradles To Crayons Benefit on Friday December 16th

Eldridge Rodriguez - Baby, I'm Alone Tonight (Christmas Time) by ashgrayproclamation

Canada's venerable power pop institution, Sloan have recently recorded and released their take on the 12 Days Of Christmas. 100% of the proceeds from the digital only release will go to The Daily Bread Food Bank. The track will also be featured on their upcoming split 7" with Fucked Up.

You can order the single for .99 (Canadian) via Sloan's Bandcamp.

California's power poppers, Army Navy have enlisted the talents of Charlotte Froom (The Like) for their new holiday single. It's a lovely mid-temp duet between Froom and Army Navy fronter Justin Kennedy that features plenty of wit like the line,"Look at all the presents that we have to unwrap, I hope there is a gift receipt in case they're crap", not mention the ski resort from hell cover art.


Former Hefner linchpin, Darren Hayman has assembled some friends for The Christmas Advent Calendar Project where he has been posting two free songs a day leading up to Christmas. So far it's included contributions from The Wave Pictures, Paul Hawkins, Hayman's spot on cover of Elvis', Blue Christmas and more. Those can be found at Fika Records. He's also recently issued Christmas In Hayworth a 6 track 10"/digital EP that he recorded last Christmas. In typical Hayman fashion the EP comes with a vegetarian cake recipe and a bag of tea.



[Video] Darren Hayman - Photos Like Postcaards

On December 19th Super Fury Animals front man and recent recipient of The Welsh Music Prize, Gruff Rhys will offer the Atheist X-Mas EP. I recently performed a search for this EP and it turns up a host of christian conservative sites, that are none to pleased with the subject matter of the these songs. Free thinking can be scary folks. The EP features three tracks that deal with the dark side of Christmas, all of which are wholly wonderful, albeit a little bit twisted and unmistakably Gruff.

Gruff Rhys - Slashed Wrists This Christmas by PIASGermany

Boston guitar pop stalwarts, The Hush Now a preparing to wrap up a busy year. 2010 saw the band releasing their superbly crafted 3rd full length, Memos, completing a 17 date U.S. tour which culminated with an AGP/Clicky Clicky sponsored Homecoming show at Precinct in October, and their Halloween single, The Legend of Dudley Town. As if that wasn't enough the band have offered a somber, yet ultimately uplifting New Years Eve drinking anthem with the appropriately titled Happy New Year, Dear. Get to the free download over at The Hush Now's Bandcamp. They did the hard part, all that's left for you is to pop the cork and pour.