Love it or hate it, Christmas music is big business – especially in the US, where it seems that almost every great artist has recorded something festive for posterity. Apparently, if you’re a country artist, recording a Christmas album is the law. The amount of time and money invested in festive tunes is huge, and that becomes rather bewildering when you consider that the music basically has a shelf life of four or five weeks a year.
Blending elements of groove metal and melodic hardcore, with influences from Machine Head and Sevendust, Irish band Asylum Road delivered some absolutely massive riffs on their brilliant EP ‘The Fear’ in 2024. A couple of the vocals might have split opinion with their genuinely abrasive approach, but from a musical standpoint – and looking at the material in terms of tightly played, classic metal, without sounding at all dated – the material was first rate.
2025 was a busy year for Tooth Gore. The one man band from the south west of England released the long awaited ‘For Losers, By Losers’ long player, which made good on a string of digital singles, gained a wealth of positive press from online sources, eventually leading to Kobi Joe embarking on a tour of the Phillipines.
At the beginning of 2024, singer songwriter Ger Eaton shared a bold single, ‘Season Changes’, a lengthy recording that shared a pastoral sound, and blended influences from folk, prog and psychedelia to create something that sounded like the missing link between Nick Drake, Linda Perhacs and a mellow Scott Walker. He had the talent to meld those influences into something more of his own. Although the number probably couldn’t be called an “instant hit”, it had plenty of charm, with its sprawling nature aiming to appeal to the more adventurous ear. It had a grandness without self indulgence, so it was no wonder that he chose it as the lead and title cut from his full length release, which wouldn’t appear until over eighteen months later.
For this visit to the Singles Bar, everything has taken on a distinctly festive theme. We bring you eight Xmas recordings from different artists and genres – ranging from the well known to the genuinely cult – which hopefully will enrich your holiday time playlists for years to come. A much loved rock band offer a new cover tune; there’s a brilliantly ugly electronica themed Elvis tribute, and ‘Santa Baby’ as you’ve probably never heard it before. There’s also a touch of Americana, some great pop, and a nod to the mighty Slade along the way. We hope there’s something here for everyone who loves Christmas music… Pour yourself another eggnog and dive in!
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