Blog: Christmas A Go Go!

Happy new year, bonne année, glückliches Neues Jahr, gelukkig nieuwjaar, from all of us @ CAGG. Thank you for your visits and comments. See you in November 2012 !

Various versions from Bandcamp By the Asylum Street Spankers, from a Holiday album I seem to have missed completely: What Are You Doing New Year's Eve by Asylum Street Spankers From merry carolers Caleb & the Caroling Caravan: What Are You Doing New Year's Eve? by Caleb and the Caroling Caravan Free version fom trio Gold, Frankincense & Myrrh (of course), a version that starts with a telephone conversation (of course) What Are You Doing New Year's Eve? (feat. Danyo Lamb) by She's Electric

Five years ago, we lost the hardest working man in showbusiness. Certainly not forgotten:

Sucks when Saint Nick steals your shit instead of dropping off gifts. Hence the fact that me and my boys went to the North Pole to buss a cap in datazz. Unfortunately, when we arrived at Santa's headquarters, he was strapped with major heat and had plenty of backup. Merry Christmas muthafuckaz! Don't play with guns! Santa's Got a Muthafuckin' Uzi by Mr. Lif

Want to know what that's like? Listen to Buffalo Moon: Christmas in Ecuador by Buffalo Moon

When Stubby makes a Christmas mix, you better go and grab it (for free) HERE

No, not a cover of The Cure, but between Christmas and New Year's Eve, CAGG continues to post winter-, Christmas- and end-of-the-year-songs and -mixes on this blog. NOTE: some of the tracks aren't available anymore! Thanks to CAGG-fan André, here's a gorgeous version of In the Bleak Midwinter by dreampop band Lanterns on the Lake. Download from HERE Unavailable for download, alas, is this version of Rocking Around the Christmas Tree by Swedish duo My Bubba & [...]

• HERE » lanterns.mp3

UK Girl duo Oh My! (Jade and Alex) recorded a great version of The Waitresses ' disco wave-classic Christmas Wrapping. LIsten on Soundcloud. Go HERE . Or go HERE to download. There've been several Christmas Wrapping covers this year. Like this one from Summer Camp. And this one from Dog is Dead. This one from Exohxo.

For the seventh year in a row The Blues Are Still Blue Presents: Christmas Compilation 2011(download here) 001 Camera Obscura - The Blizzard 002 My Bubba & Mi - Pumpkin Pie 003 Summer Fiction - Christmas Eve for Two 004 The Kik - A Christmas Song For You 005 The Very Most - Wombling Merry Christmas 006 The Winston Jazz Routine - Through the snow 007 Caitlin Rose - You Never Come Home For Christmas 008 The Head And The Heart - Winter Song 009 Beta Radio - The Song [...]

I've been working at the distribution center of the Dutch postal service for the last couple of weeks, so I've been up to my neck in Christmas cards. For days on end, I've been listening to Sky Radio aka the Christmas channel, so yes I'm sick and tired of generic Christmas standards such as Feliz Navidad by José Feliciano. As an antidote, I listen to this great Feliciano song. Works every time... I don't care if José thinks I don't know him now.

A message Harvey Averne clearly understands. This song was posted on Funky16Corners as part 5 of a series on Christmas songs. Read more here

Californian dream pop duo The Honey Trees made two seasonal tracks, that are downloadable for free via their Facebook and Reverbnation site. The, indeed honey-voiced Jacky is a real treat for these dark days. Try: The Honey Trees - It Came Upon a Midnight Clear

• The Honey Trees - It Came Upon a Midnight Clear

Fellow Christmas song enthusiasts Festive! had a short talk with Kid Creole & The Coconuts singer August Darnell about the song 'Christmas on Riverside Drive' , they consider to be the best Christmas song of all time. Read the interview here .

'A little late', yes, but the yearly Christmas EP by Parenthetical Girls is still worthy to light up your day. Name your price! Parenthetical Girls Save Christmas by Parenthetical Girls

Laid Back, the best cloudcaster on mixcloud, offers us this jazzy Christmas mix by Croatian DJ TomE. TomE – Santa's Xmas Bag by Laid Back on Mixcloud

Dutch band Pondertone wishes you a Happy Christmas and a healthy and prosperous 2012... honestly. Happy Xmas (So this is crisis?) by Pondertone

Like The Kills, below, this version of Silent Night was recorded for BBC Radio 6. See the full session on the video above. Download the wav. file of Michael Kiwanuka's carol HERE

Silent Night by The Kills, live recorded by the BBC Download directly from HERE

• BBC 6 Music - The Kills - Silent Night

As you've noticed, a lot of Holiday compilations are traditions already, like mistletoe and holly. Italian blog Polaroid posted their annual Christmas comp last week, featuring regulars like the the Ian Fays (another very good entry), Le Man Avec Les Lunettes and a really sparkling, spacey track by Welcome Back Sailors, a highlight if you ask me. Go HERE to download'm all.

Dutch popsoul band The Souldiers made a special Christmas song, and a video. This is how we do in Holland, baby.