Christmas music: It sucks. But also: is good? It’s…controversial. Rare is it that you can find a single Christmas song — Mariah Carey’s “All I Want For Christmas is You” being the exception — that everyone can agree one. For every Christmas song that you enjoy, there’s someone else eagerly dismissing it as too cheesy, rolling their eyes and lamenting that a different rendition is better, or yelling at you to stop listening to Mitch Miller and put the “Christ” back in “Christmas” already.
Hoping to buck that trend and deliver some choice jams for all to enjoy this holiday season, the elves at Joyful Noise Recordings have put out a new compilation, Holiday Party, Vol. 2. A collection of covers, traditionals, and originals, each song on the record was tracked in one hour at the label’s recent holiday party. It features contributions from Kishi Bashi, Oneida, Greg Saunier of Deerhoof, a whole lot of Thor Harris, and many more.
If you’re feeling especially festive and a simple digital download of this record won’t do, you’re in luck. You can buy a hand-made snowflake-shaped lathe-cut 7-inch record of your song of choice — except Kishi Bashi’s rendition of the aforementioned “All I Want For Christmas Is You,” it’s naturally already sold out — and receive a digital download of all 10 tracks as an added bonus.
Joyful Noise Recordings’ Holiday Party, Vol. 2 is out now. Check out Thor Harris & Dumb Numbers’ hot take on “Carol of the Tubular Bells” — followed by the album’s artwork and tracklisting — down below. You can buy the album digitally here, or pick out a “Snowflathe” of your choice here. 100% of net proceeds are being donated to Second Helpings, an Indiana non-profit that rescues perishable food from restaurants and businesses to feed people and need, and provides culinary job training for disadvantaged adults.
Holiday Party, Vol. 2
01. Eerie Wanda - Listen the Snow is Falling
02. Kishi Bashi - All I Want For Christmas Is You
03. Thor Harris & Dumb Numbers - Carol of the Tubular Bells
04. Oneida with the Joyful Noise All Stars - It’s Chill
05. Psychic Temple & Mike Adams - Hey Santa
06. Ohmme - Jing-a-Ling, Jing-a-Ling
07. Danielson & Greg Saunier - Peppermint Pattycake
08. The Low Anthem - Fairy On The Christmas Tree
09. No Joy - Snow
10. C.J. Boyd - Ode To Joy
More about: C.J. Boyd, Danielson, Dumb Numbers, Eerie Wanda, Greg Saunier, Kishi Bashi, No Joy, Ohmme, Oneida, Psychic Temple, The Low Anthem, Thor Harris