Merry Christmas from me @B3ARSK1LL and all the #bearmusic collaborators throughout the year, with special thanks going out to @I_Blame_Kate, @N_C_R, @YourLastRolo, @LewisKelly and @Ambershade for all our feedback and suggestions over the blogs first year. Here is a little festive treat in honor of you, a 5 day advent countdown featuring the coolest Christmas songs to listen to this holiday season!
The Kills' otherwise known as Alison Mosshart and Jamie Hince performed this beautiful rendition of the classic Christmas carol, telling the tale of the pivotal part from the nativity. This track was recorded especially for the Queen of Indie Radio DJ, Miss Lauren Laverne and her BBC Radio 6 Music Show and it is available as a free download here, relax and enjoy....
The genius front man of the Super Furry Animals,Gruff Rhys has released a special 12 track EP for Christmas cunningly entitled 'the Aetheist Xmas'. Featuring a song about Christmas suicide its a parallel universe to the rest of the overly happy tripe out there, truly brilliant stuff. The stand out track for me however is the first track, and slightly more upbeat than the aforementioned, 'Post Apocolypse Christmas' - need i say more? Wrap your ears around this....
OK, I admit it, I am one of the many that say and have said on this very blog "never touch the Smith's" but on the grounds I'm in a festive mood, I will grant this the same exception I granted Mark Ronson for his efforts. Both my idols Morrisey and Johnny Marr have publicly said they love it, so if its ok by them, its ok by me. The track features on the John Lewis Christmas advert and subsequent compilation album (can you hear the *KERCHING!*?) and to be honest any excuse to shoehorn in the Smiths into my blog its fine by me. This is the gorgeous, 29 year old, Liverpool born singer/songwriter Amelia Warner's, better known as Slow Moving Millie's beautifully haunting cover of 'Please, Please, Please Let me get what I want', which lets be honest is way better than Muse's attempt a decade ago in 2001...
The Black Keys are in my opinion the greatest band around of the moment; to read more of my love for them click here. Even better live than on record I get a chance to see them again in early February and I literally cannot wait! I hope for your sake if you don't already own their latest masterpiece, the bands 7th album 'El Camino' released at the start of December, its either top of your Christmas list or your spending your vouchers on it come Boxing Day. Taken from this, 'Hell of Season' is one of the stand out tracks and also very apt for the holiday season, because "in this hell of a season, gives me more of a reason to be with you..."
No alternative Christmas chart rundown would be complete without the ultimate Christmas duet. When king of cool, the musical demi-god that is David Bowie collaborated with possibly the greatest crooner of all time Bing Crosby an all time classic was born, you all know it, you all love it, "Little Drummer Boy/ Peace on Earth"...Merry Christmas everyone!!!
The Black Keys are otherwise known as US blues rock duo vocalist/guitarist Dan Auerbach and drummer/producer Pat Carney. The band formed in Ohio in 2001 and as of 2011 have sold over 3 million albums. The latest album ‘El Camino’ dropped this Monday so this week’s blog is in honour of the pair...
Big Come Up/ Thickfreakness:
The band released their debut album ‘The Big Come Up’ in early 2002. The album was very successful for a new independent rock band and along with their second album, it was recorded entirely in Pat's basement on an 8-track tape recorder from the early 1980s. The band went on to release their debut album ‘Thickfreakness’ in 2003, again recorded in Carney's basement in 14 hours. The album was favoured by critics and spawning some classics including ‘Midnight in her eyes’, ‘Set You Free’, ‘Hurt Like Mine’ and an absolutely brilliant cover of Richard Berry’s ‘Have Love, Will Travel’, all of which have featured in TV series and movies from I Love you Man to School of Rock.
Rubber Factory:
The band's third album, released in 2004, by now the band gained recognition and popularity, boosting their career. Rubber Factory was recorded in abandoned factory and keep that raw blues sound. The album features singles ‘10AM Automatic’, ‘Til I Get My Way’ and the brilliant ‘Girl is on my mind’...
Magic Potion:
In 2006 their fourth album dropped; the bands first album recorded in a real studio but still keeps that familiar raw energy that won them so much plaudits. Featuring the singles ‘Strange Desire’, ‘Just got to be’ and the truly awesome riffage of ‘Your Touch’ which later featured on to the zom/com classic Zombieland
Attack & Release:
The bands fifth album, produced by the legendry Danger Mouse it was leaked onto the net prior to release but still charted in top 10 upon its 2008 release. The album is still very blues but begins to make the bridge into a more commercial sound and thus a wider audience, but yet still remaining truly brilliant. Stand out tracks from the album ‘Strange Times’, ‘Lies’ and possibly the best song of that year ‘I Got Mine’...
Brothers:
Released in 2010, featured15 track listing was a further push to a wider audience the album got the band nominated for 5 Grammys, including Best Rock Song and Best Alternative Album, winning 2. Featuring the amazing ‘Next Girl’ and ‘Howlin' for You’ which an cool as chuff Rodrigues/ Desperado inspired vid. The track I'm gonna pick though is the truly blissful ‘Tighten Up’ which yet another brilliant video...
El Camino:
The Black Keys began recording for their seventh studio album in March this year, reportedly recorded in Dan's new studio in Nashville, Tennessee. Stand out tracks from the album have got to be the lead single ‘Lonely Boy’ alongside, ‘Little Black Submarines’, 'Run Right Back' and the fantastic ‘Dead and Gone', bringing us full circle. Roll on February next year when me and the mrs get to see them live again and taste that sweet sweet live blues in our ears...
*RANDOM FACT ALERT*
The bands name comes from a schizophrenic artist Alfred McMoore that the pair knew; he would leave incoherent messages on their answering machines referring to their fathers as "black keys" such as "D flat" when he was upset with them.
