Return To The Acoustic Tent

This time last year in the post-Glastonbury comedown, I posted a 45-minute acoustic selection. Never one to claim any original thought whatsoever, here I am again with another 13-song selection for 2023.

None of the artists here featured in last year's selection and whilst some of the artists' acoustic turns may not be a surprise - I'm thinking particularly of Turin Brakes and The Pictish Trail - there are some playing against type, namely Dua Lipa*, Seal, Moby and A Man Called Adam.

Terry Hall sounds great in any musical setting, of course, but I think the version of Ballad Of A Landlord is an especially fine showcase for his wonderful voice and songwriting. His absence is still keenly felt.

 

Compared to 2022, I've been very slack in my Glastonbury viewing: so far, only Billy Nomates, Fever Ray, Los Bitchos and Working Men's Club; all excellent, but lots to catch up with before the BBC iPlayer axe falls. Then again, if the sun's shining... 

 

* You might guess from the song title acronym, but a potty mouth advisory for Ms. Lipa if you're playing this within range of sensitive ears.

1) Pure (Acoustic Version): Lightning Seeds (1995)

2) Pain Killer (RTL2 Acoustic Version): Turin Brakes (2003)

3) Lovely Daughter (Acoustic): Merz (2007)

4) IDGAF (Acoustic): Dua Lipa (2018)

5) Crazy (Acoustic Version): Seal (1991)

6) Acoustic Guitar: The Magnetic Fields ft. Claudia Gonson (1999)

7) Tell Me (Toronto Acoustic Version): Moby ft. Cold Specks (2013)

8) Jewel (Acoustic): Cranes (1996)

9) Barefoot In The Head (Acoustic Edit): A Man Called Adam (2004)

10) Nuclear Sunflower Swamp (Acoustic): The Pictish Trail (2022)

11) Ballad Of A Landlord (Acoustic Version): Terry Hall (1997)

12) Just Drive (Acoustic Version): It's Immaterial (2002)

13) Another Sinful Day (Acoustic): Little Axe (1995)

 

1994: Prayer For The Dying EP: 5 

1995: Another Sinful Day EP: 12

1996: WRAS 88.5 Presents: Radio Oddyssey: 8 

1997: Ballad Of A Landlord EP: 11

1999: 69 Love Songs: 6

2002: The Great Liverpool Acoustic Experiment: 12

2003: Ether Song (ltd 2x CD):: 2 

2004: Barefoot In The Head EP: 9

2006: The Very Best Of The Lightning Seeds: 1

2007: Merz (Expanded Edition) (2x CD): 3

2013: Amazon Artist Lounge EP: 7

2018: IDGAF EP: 4

2022: EarthPercent x Earth Day Compilation Album: 10

 

Return To The Acoustic Tent (46:16) (KF) (Mega) 

You can find last year's Acoustic Tent selection here

Bad Santa V

In what seems to be becoming an annual tradition, here's another festive Dubhed selection. 

 

Again, a mix of old and new, merry and maudlin, sincere and just flat out cheesy. Previous selections have tended not to outstay their welcome, coming in at under an hour. I've thrown caution (and common sense) to the wind this year, gifting inflicting an extra 50% on you lovely people, so you get nearly an hour and a half of Christmas drivel.

Lots of covers pf Christmas classics by the likes of Phoebe Bridgers, Ash, Emmy The Great & Lightspeed Champion, Lenox Avenue and Cranes. I nearly went for Al Jourgensen's version of What A Wonderful World but BMX Bandits won out in the end. Sinkane also delivers an all-star cover of The Waitresses' Christmas Wrapping, featuring various members of LCD Soundsystem, Holy Ghost! and Beastie Boys.

One of my all-time favourite Christmas albums is by Low, who are represented here twice, with If You Were Born Today and a fresh cover of Just Like Christmas by Silversun Pickups, released a couple of days ago. Remembering Mimi Parker.

 

The selection closes with a prime example of the cheese/charm spectrum, Air Supply delivering a gleaming-white-teeth-and-hairsprayed-mullet version of Sleigh Ride. Following this, The Trash Can Sinatras perform Snow, a beautiful rendition of the Randy Newman song. 

 

Hopefully something for everyone here (well, maybe not everyone; I steered clear of Kanye West's Christmas song) for the week ahead. Enjoy!

 

1) Lonely Star (Christmas Song) (Single Version): Dream Nails (2020)

2) Everybody's Having Fun (It's Christmas Time): Natalie Prass (2016)

3) Swing Down Sweet Chariot: Elvis Presley ft. The Jordanaires (1960)

4) Be Good At Christmas: Katie Malco (2016)

5) Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas (Cover of Judy Garland): Phoebe Bridgers (2017)

6) Never Do A Tango With An Eskimo: Alma Cogan (1955)

7) Holiday Tylenol: Anni Rossi (2017)

8) Christmas Wrapping (Cover of The Waitresses): Sinkane ft. Nancy Whang, Pat Mahoney, Money Mark, Nick Millhiser, Roxane Danset, Jordan McLean & Jas Walton (2020)

9) Merry Christmas Baby (Album Version) (Cover of Johnny Moore's Three Blazers): Chuck Berry (1964)

10) I Wish It Could Be Christmas Everyday (2004 Version) (Cover of Wizzard): Ash (2004)

11) I Was Thinking I Could Clean Up For Christmas: Aimee Mann (2005)

12) What A Wonderful World (Cover of Louis Armstrong): BMX Bandits (1986)

13) Shitty Christmas: Babaganouj (2013)

14) Happy Xmas (War Is Over) (Cover of John Lennon, Yoko Ono & Plastic Ono Band): Cranes (1996)

15) If You Were Born Today: Low (1999)

16) Commodore Xmas: The Saturnettes (2013)

17) Just Like Christmas (Cover of Low): Silversun Pickups (2022)

18) A Tiny Christmas: Lawrence King (2017)

19) Christmas In Prison (Cover of John Prine): Emmy The Great & Lightspeed Champion (2006)

20) The Dollyrots Do Christmas: The Dollyrots (2018)

21) Xmas To Forget: Nathaniel Rateliff ft. Elle King (2020)

22) No Cure For The Common Christmas: Saint Etienne (2010)

23) The Little Drummer Boy (Cover of Katherine K. Davis, Henry Onorati & Harry Simeone): Lenox Avenue (1970)

24) Sleigh Ride (Cover of Arthur Fiedler & The Boston Pops Orchestra): Air Supply (1987)

25) Snow (Single Version) (Cover of Randy Newman): Trashcan Sinatras (1999)

Bad Santa V (1:27:30) (GD) (M)

Bad Santa IV

Bad Santa III

Bad Santa II

Bad Santa

An Alternative Christmas Message

Here are 10 random festive songs that haven't as yet made it onto a Bad Santa selection. Merry Christmas, everyone!

 

Holly Jolly Christmas: Anni Rossi (Yultide X Rossi, 2017)

 

God Bless The Child (Remix By James Hardway aka David Harrow): Billie Holiday (Ladies Of Jazz Remixed, 2004)

 

God Rest Ye, Merry Gentlemen: Bright Eyes (Christmas Album, 2002) 

 

The Christmas Angel: Cranes (Santa's Got A GTO! Rodney On The ROQ's Fav X-Mas Songs, 1996)

 

Christmas All Summer Long: Deer Tick (Holy Shit, It's Christmas! single, 2010)

 

Home For Christmas: Kate Bush (Moments Of Pleasure single, 1993)

 

Christmas (Baby Please Come Home) (Cover of Darlene Love): The Raveonettes (Wishing You A Rave Christmas EP, 2008)

 

It's Christmas And You're Boring Me (Live): Slow Club (2008)

 

Stuck In The Chimney: The Surf Boys (I Told Santa Claus I Want You single, 1966)

 

Silhouettes (Cover of The Rays): Thick Pigeon (Chansons De Noël: Ghosts Of Christmas Past, 1981)