Holiday Music
HAIM Rework “Christmas Wrapping” Into a 2020 Hanukkah Song: Watch
Tonight is the eighth and final night of Hanukkah, so HAIM are stepping up to the plate to serenade its end with “Christmas Wrapping 2020”, a new song they released this afternoon. It’s a rework of The Waitresses’s 1981 holiday classic to be about Hanukkah, COVID-19, and all the chaos that ensued this year. The Grammy-nominated sisters unveiled the track on social media alongside a message for their fans. “HAPPY HANUKKAH!!” they tweeted. “Presenting our FIRST EVER holiday song: Christmas Wrapping 2020 (All I Want for Christmas is a Vaccine) 🔯🎄We hope this song helps you get through the holiday season.” As expected, “Christmas Wrapping 2020” is a clever spin on the holiday radio staple. Over a slinky bass line by Thundercat and production courtesy of Ariel Rechtshaid, HAIM g...
Florence Welch Shares Gorgeous Cover of “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas”: Stream
The holiday season is well underway, and Florence Welch is celebrating by lending her voice to a Christmas classic. As part of The Stars Come Out to Sing for Christmas, an annual charity event by Nordoff-Robbins, the Florence and the Machine singer shared a gorgeous cover of “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas”, which you can hear below. For her rendition, Welch stayed true to the original, singing gently over a bare piano melody that’s slightly faster than Judy Garland’s 1944 version. Of course, the power in her cover comes from her extraordinary vocal range. Instead of flaunting her skills, Welch takes a subtle approach, singing the iconic falsettos with graceful dexterity and charming casualness. Thankfully, Welch’s performance was captured live in a beautiful video that sets the sc...
Once-Relevant Actor Kirk Cameron Holds Large Caroling Event in the Middle of the Pandemic
You might remember Kirk Cameron from his role in the TV series Growing Pains, the movie Like Father Like Son, or any of the cringey Christian dramas he made throughout the 2000s. But in 2020, the 50-year-old Evangelical Christian has pivoted from acting to anti-masking. On December 7th and December 13th, Cameron hosted gatherings of hundreds of people at The Oaks mall in Thousand Oaks, California to sing Christmas carols and commiserate in close quarters. In a video of the second event that Cameron posted to his Instagram with the caption “Joy over Fear” — a pointed rebuke of social distancing restrictions — very few attendees are seen wearing masks and almost everyone is singing in unison, mouth germs abound. That same day, Ventura County (the location of the gathering) reported...
Dave Grohl and Greg Kurstin Cover Bob Dylan’s “Rainy Day Women #12 & 35”: Watch
As is Hanukkah tradition, Foo Fighters frontman Dave Grohl and Grammy-winning producer Greg Kurstin have been gifting fans something new each night of the Festival of Lights. But instead of offering jewelry or candy, the dynamic duo’s Hanukkah Sessions song series sees the pair covering eight different prominent Jewish musicians. Thus far, they’ve tackled Beastie Boys (“Sabotage”), Drake (“Hotline Bling”), Mountain (“Mississippi Queen”), and Peaches (“Fuck the Pain Away”). Now, for night five of Hanukkah, Grohl and Kurstin have put their own spin on “Rainy Day Women #12 & 35”, the opening track to Bob Dylan’s Blonde on Blonde. “So now everybody must get stoned (not in the Law of Moses sense) as we put some blood on this track: Rainy Day Women 12&35 by ...
Dave Grohl Kicks Off Hanukkah Sessions with Cover of Beastie Boys’ “Sabotage”: Watch
Hanukkah officially begins today, and with it brings the launch of The Hanukkah Sessions, a new song series from Foo Fighters frontman Dave Grohl and Grammy-winning producer Greg Kurstin. The project sees the pair covering one Jewish musician every night of the eight-day holiday. For the first installment, Grohl and Kurstin take on Beastie Boys’ “Sabotage”. While the two don’t celebrate Hanukkah the same way — Kurstin is Jewish, Grohl is not — you wouldn’t know it from the intensity of their performance. The duo’s chemistry is also readily apparent, no doubt a result of the time they spent together recording Foos’ 2017 album, Concrete and Gold. Watch their collaborative cover below. As the Festival of Lights doesn’t conclude until Friday, December 18th, there’s plenty more Hanukk...
Dave Grohl and Greg Kurstin Announce Hanukkah-Themed Song Series
Dave Grohl may have recently lost an epic drum battle to 10-year-old rock prodigy Nandi Bushell, but the Foo Fighters frontman’s cheery holiday spirit is still going strong. So much so, in fact, that he is planning to release a new song each night of Hanukkah in collaboration with Grammy-winning producer Greg Kurstin. The pair’s new music series is simply titled The Hanukkah Sessions and will see Grohl and Kurstin covering various renowned Jewish musicians. Running throughout the entirety of the Jewish holiday, the project officially begins tomorrow, December 10th and extends until next Friday, December 18th. “With all the mishegas of 2020, @GregKurstin & I were kibbitzing about how we could make Hannukah extra-special this year. Festival of Lights?! How about a festival of tasty LICKS...
Beabadoobee and Arlo Parks Release Christmas Covers: Stream
Beabadoobee and Arlo Parks are getting into the holiday spirit. The UK bedroom pop musicians have each contributed festive covers to Apple Music’s Christmas singles series. For her contribution, our former Artist of the Month Bea Kristi (aka Beabadoobee) performed a rendition of the yuletide classic “Winter Wonderland”. Although you might expect either ukulele strums or gnarled jazzmaster riffs from the Fake It Flowers star, the 20-year-old actually tries her hand at singing wistfully over ornate strings, resulting in a surprisingly classy take on the snowy staple. Arlo Parks, on the other hand, puts a completely new spin on the incredibly ’80s Wham! hit “Last Christmas”. Rather than leaning into the track’s kinetic energy and creating something you can jump around to next to the...
James Blake Gets in the Holiday Spirit with “In the Bleak Midwinter” Cover: Stream
James Blake has shared a cover of “In the Bleak Midwinter”, the iconic Christmas carol first set to music in 1906 by Gustav Holst and popularized by Harold Darke in 1911. Stream it below exclusively through Apple Music. The Assume Form singer was approached by Apple Music to record a holiday song for their streaming platform earlier this year. At first, Blake wasn’t sure which song to pick, namely because he wanted to choose something pop-leaning that would do well on a playlist. That’s when he began a mental tug-of-war about playing into algorithms versus staying true to his interests. Eventually, Blake realized he should just pick an old British gem he loves instead. “Look man, all the pop Christmas songs have been covered a million times. I’m not going to out-sing Mariah,” Bla...
Tori Amos Gifts New Holiday Song “Better Angels”: Stream
Everyone could use an extra bit of hope this strange holiday season, and that includes Tori Amos. The chamber pop artist is gearing up to release a new EP, Christmastide, that’s meant to be a joyful “safe space” from these turbulent times. As a first preview, Amos is sharing closing track “Better Angels” today. According to the eight-time Grammy-nominated songwriter, this offering envisions a brighter future while simultaneously recognizing the harshness of our present circumstances. “With ‘Better Angels’ I wanted to acknowledge the year we have all been through and know that there is hope,” remarked Amos. “We can find that hope within ourselves if we continue to focus our collective minds and souls. We are slowly starting to find a clearer path to transform together for the better of all,...
Sharon Van Etten Covers “Silent Night” and “Blue Christmas”: Stream
Sharon Van Etten has a timely new release just as we’re about to enter the thick of the holiday season. The acclaimed singer-songwriter is sharing her covers of “Silent Night” and “Blue Christmas” on streaming services for the very first time. Listen in below. As one might expect from the Remind… Please click the link below to read the full article. Sharon Van Etten Covers “Silent Night” and “Blue Christmas”: Stream Lake Schatz You Deserve to Make Money Even When you are looking for Dates Online. So we reimagined what a dating should be. It begins with giving you back power. Get to meet Beautiful people, chat and make money in the process. Earn rewards by chatting, sharing photos, blogging and help give users back their fair shar...
Feist, Jarvis Cocker, and Chilly Gonzales Cover Purple Mountains’ “Snow is Falling in Manhattan”: Stream
Producer, songwriter, and composer Chilly Gonzales has gifted us a new holiday album called a very chilly christmas. The 15-track collection boasts seasonal standards and timeless classics. However, the standout piece is a cover of the Purple Mountains song “Snow is Falling in Manhattan”, recorded with Feist and Pulp frontman Jarvis… Please click the link below to read the full article. Feist, Jarvis Cocker, and Chilly Gonzales Cover Purple Mountains’ “Snow is Falling in Manhattan”: Stream Lake Schatz You Deserve to Make Money Even When you are looking for Dates Online. So we reimagined what a dating should be. It begins with giving you back power. Get to meet Beautiful people, chat and make money in the process. Earn rewards by chatting, sharing photos...
Tegan and Sara Share New Holiday Song “Make You Mine This Season”: Stream
Tegan and Sara have released their first song of 2020. Titled “Make You Mine This Season”, it’s a holiday tune that’s set to appear on the soundtrack for Clea DuVall’s new Hulu film Happiest Season. An upbeat but aching synthpop number, it hears the two Quin sisters pining after “the only girl I’ve got on my list.” “I chase the feeling, ’cause you’ve got me dreaming,” they sing. “I could make you mine, make you mine this season.” The track’s heartache falls in line with the premise of DuVall’s upcoming queer Christmas movie. Per the film’s synopsis, “a young woman plans to propose marriage to her girlfriend while attending her family’s annual holiday party. At the party, she realizes her girlfriend hasn’t come out to her conservative parents yet.” Editors’ Picks Stream “Make You Mine...
