It’s Christmas time so this month’s playlist has a festive twist. As per usual most of these are not going to be songs you won’t have heard of but are simply tunes that I’m listening to at the minute.
There are some local artists in here so make sure you check them out as well. The list is bizarre this month but Christmas does that to you.
Last Christmas – Pale Waves
This cover of the Wham! classic Christmas hit is actually really good. Pale Waves aren’t necessarily my favourite band in the world however this cover really works for me.
The song takes the sadder elements of the song and ramps them up to ten bringing a completely new vibe to the song.
The song is only available on Spotify but is definitely worth checking out for a different twist a Christmas classic.
I Dream Guillotine – IDLES
IDLES are one of the best bands out there at the minute the mixing of aggressive punk rock with loving lyrics is a perfect marriage of two juxtaposing forces.
With the disastrous election result earlier this month this song has all the more importance. It doesn’t fit with the rest of the playlist but I really don’t care.
Camel Crew – Sports Team
Last month Sports Team treated me to the best gig of the year at the Riverside which has made me go into overdrive about this Cambridgeshire band.
Camel Crew is a perfect indie rock song with a soaring chorus and a bittersweet quality to it.
I could have picked any Sports Team song they haven’t released a bad song and with an album on the way in the new year the group could be the next big thing in guitar music.
The Motorist – Nation of Language
Probably the strangest song on the list with a real eighties electronic vibe to it.
The song sounds a bit like New Order with a dreamy twist to it which I really like.
The band who come from Brooklyn are just the latest in a long line of great artists to come out of the Big Apple.
All I Want for Christmas Is You – My Chemical Romance
I’ve put this in simply for the bizzareness of it. Who doesn’t want Mariah Cairy infused emo?
It’s everything you could hope for as cheesy and over dramatic as the original with extra additional angst.
With the band’s return recently, there was no way this wasn’t going on.
Nice Guys – Easy Life
Similarly to Sports Team, Easy Life are building a really good collection of songs.
This song is a particular highlight with the pop elements coming to the forefront of their dream pop sound.
It’s very good and ramps up the excitement ahead of their debut album next year.
Trip Advisor – Primary Colours
The new single from the Newcastle based band is definitely a change in direction for the group.
The song is powered by a wall of sound and is another great addition to the bands backcatalogue.
The Keeper – Blossoms
As it stand the first two singles to come from Blossoms’ upcoming third album really paint the record in a good light.
Both this song and ‘Your Girlfriend’ display a change in direction for the band as well as both piercing into the band best five songs.
The album sounds like it has the potential to be their seminal record with both previous album being good and solid but nothing in particular to write home about.
Everything – Dream Wife
Dream Wife are amazing, their 2018 debut album was one of the most underrated album of the year and deserved more recognition that it gained.
This song however comes from their debut EP and I’m completely infatuated with it.
It captures everything (pun intended) which is great about the band and comes together really well. I really love it.
2000 Miles – Pretenders
A classic Christmas song which has such an amazing guitar riff which is immediately recognizable and is extremely catchy.
The song does everything that a Christmas song should do in being memorable as well as having a touch of sadness to it.
Some people will disagree with me but the best Christmas songs all have a hint of sadness to them or are flat out sad songs.
However, unlike other Christmas songs this doesn’t get melodramatic which is a hard line to balance upon which is proven by my final song…
Stay Another Day – East 17
It has it all it’s melodramatic, it has more cheese than a Dairylea factory and it’s got those damn bells.
However, it is a bit of marketing genius that this song is even a Christmas song because let’s be honest it isn’t.
It is so shit that it completes the circle goes all the way around to becoming amazing. A weirdly endearing song for being a commercial product from a boy band but it worked and is now a Christmas staple.
Humbug North East 