James of “Today’s Hits” fame has been writing an releasing a song every day for just about a year now, so it’s not that surprising that he’s able to whip up an album of Christmas originals. Head over to his Christmas bandcamp to download the album in full. If you still need more convincing, check out the track “Naughty Year Long” below.

MP3: James Swanberg – Naughty Year Long

Download The Ten Days of Christmas by James Swanberg

If it’s December, then you know it’s Mixmas time at You Ain’t No Picasso! Each year I get a bunch of my favorite bands to contribute themed mixes and share their thoughts about each of the tracks.

MP3: Idiot Glee – Trouble at the Dancehall

Lexington is full of incredibly nice people. Even among such chipper folks, James Friley stands out as an incredibly nice dude who also happens to be an incredible musician. He’s such a nice guy, in fact, that he’s using this opportunity to highlight another talented and nice Lexingtonian.

“Five Songs By Trevor Tremaine” by Idiot Glee

For those who don’t know, Trevor has been a major influence on and within the Lexington music scene for a decade. First with Hair Police, then Eyes and Arms of Smoke, ARA, and finally ATTEMPT and the Resonant Hole Collective. That’s just to name a few…Coleman Guyon started Trailblazer with ATTEMPT as a major influence. I’ve written songs about him. You have to watch with excitement and pleasure while he shreds away on the guitar in ATTEMPT. He’s just insanely talented and widely viewed as one of the most creative people in the area.

YT Link: Jeanne Vomit-Terror – “Mirror School”
On JVT’s side of the first Resonant Hole split cassingle. I’m bad at describing this. Maybe it’s like that chick Peaches. Look at this…

MP3: ATTEMPT – All I See Is A Woman
Trevor’s taken his solo project to new heights. It’s now a 5 piece band complete w backing vocals. Throwback pop rock 60s 70s blah blah you’ll like it it’s catchy. This is the ATTEMPT song I heard that really caught my attention. I remember driving out of New Orleans after SXSW this year and just playing this on repeat. Same w Ariel Pink’s ‘Round & Round’, which I’d say shares similar influences…
‘ATTACHED’

Link: Betweensday – “If It’s Not Too Much”
I’ve seen Trevor perform this before. I can’t remember where or as what band, but it was beautiful. On the humongous Resonant Hole Volume 1 Compilation it stands out. Tranquil, the chord progressions just right. Gentle. Toy piano, flute piano. I think I hear Robert Beatty doing something, too…

Cerbinals – “Saints”

http://resonanthole.bandcamp.com/track/saints

What a catchy pop song. For real, check it out. TT comes in again with some weird progressions midway through, too. Cerbinals is actually Trevor and Robert Beatty, just fyi. It’s another compilation track, but again, one of the best ones. The melody is catchy, the beat…yay. If I remember correctly, they started this band in high school.

YT Link: Eyes And Arms Of Smoke – “Black Hoists Of Dawn”
On the folkier (maybe?) side of things. EAS consisted at this point of Trevor, his wife Sara, Robert, and Ellen Molle. Really pretty woodwinds. It’s really interesting stuff. I wish I had some ARA, as well. I wish I had video of Trevor opening for Mahjongg at Al’s Bar two years ago doing his insane keyboard spectacular for the masses as ATTEMPT solo. I wish I had recordings of every TT show I’ve ever seen in Lex.

Read the rest of the 2011 Mixmas contributions

New video for Arcade Fire’s “Sprawl II.”Check out the interactive version at Sprawl II

Of Montreal just shared this sampler from their upcoming record Paralytic Stalks. Seems like a complex and interesting record. I can’t wait to get my hands on it and see where it ranks in their discography.

At first I was somewhat surprised we’re getting a look at Sleigh Bells’ new album this early; then I realized that February is only two months away. Reign of Terror is out Valentine’s Day 2012. Here’s “Born to Lose,” which I feel suffers from a devastating lack of riffs and overall tameness compared to their awesome debut LP.

If it’s December, then you know it’s Mixmas time at You Ain’t No Picasso! Each year I get a bunch of my favorite bands to contribute themed mixes and share their thoughts about each of the tracks.

MP3: Vandaveer – Concerning Past and Future Conquests

Vandaveer is quietly raising the bar of classiness on folk music. He’s got very honest, rootsy songs but they sound more at home in a French street than a country farm.

“Traveling Songs” by Vandaveer

Touring means spending a lot of time moving from point A to point B. The highway is part of the gig. Some days we feel more like couriers, like traveling salesmen… And that affords us many an hour with the car stereo, where we bounce back and forth from too much Patton Oswalt stand up to various iPods and iPhones and even good, old-fashioned CDs… so much about life is movement. Sitting still doesn’t really suit some folks. And you can hear that in so many songs… I figured with the holiday season and all its traveling ways I’d pull together a quick list of tunes about places, about going places, about leaving places… folks on the go… bands on the run… that sort of thing.

MP3: Sean Rowe – Wet
Sean was a wonderful 2011 surprise for us. We had the pleasure of touring together this past fall and while damn near every track on his latest record, “Magic” is, well, magic, this one is particularly arresting – which is interesting, because it’s about moving. Moving in a hurry… Hard to not reach for the liner notes and press repeat over and over when you hear this song the first time. And by the time he gets to the line “I hear Pittsburgh is better than this town anyway” I feel like high-fiving him through the stereo.

YT Link: Peter, Bjorn & John – Paris 2004
Paris has a special place in my heart. We’ve played there many times, all of them memorable and life affirming. This track is deceptively simple and tricky at the same time. Kind of a weird time signature twist, but so damn catchy and hooky. And very French. They even talk about croissants! The video in my head for this track is shot by Wes Anderson. Did he use this song in a movie already? “I’m all about you, you’re all about me, we’re all about each other.” Absolutely.

YT Link: Bruce Springsteen – Highway Patrolman
I love that the town (Perrineville), the county (Michigan), and the song the band played (The Night Of The Johnstown Food) in this song don’t actually exist, at least not officially. The Boss does what he wants. This is still my favorite Bruce record, hands down. And this is probably the highlight of the album for me… Frankie couldn’t sit still for a second. You can hear his restless legs and untamed heart every time you play this track. Timeless.

MP3: Ferraby Lionheart – Arkansas
Another pleasant 2011 discovery for me, we toured with Mr. Lionheart this past spring. His voice sounds like warm whole milk, and the melodies are just as comforting, even when the subject matter isn’t. I really appreciate the successful juxtaposition of pretty and perverse. A lovely, lilting melody paired with a sad, gritty story. Ferraby does this sort of thing very, very well.

“I went to Arkansas to find me some kin… they say my daddy’s getting out of the pen…”

YT Link: Loretta Lynn – Fist City
You won’t find Fist City on any map, but I’m absolutely positive it exists. You cross Loretta at your own peril. We listen to this tune on every single tour. Riveting and cautionary, funny and fierce all at once: “I’ll grab you by the hair of the head and I’ll lift you off of the ground.” Ouch. She definitely means it.

MP3: Art Brut – Modern Art
Another song with Paris in the mix. London, too, but that’s not the part that gets me… This track has, perhaps, my favorite lyric in rock & roll from the last ten years: “So I’m at the Pompidou… (that’s in Paris)… and the French, they’re far more laid back about their art galleries… there’s little children running around… I see a piece by Matisse… that’s my window of opportunity… I take five steps back… I point my head down… And… I… run at it!”

Art Brut makes me want to rock out.

YT Link: Bob Dylan – Just Like Tom Thumb’s Blues
Much to Rose’s chagrin, it’s a Vandaveer tradition to put this track on every time we approach the Holland Tunnel on our way into New York. You just must. My dad used to do this silly horn honk thing when we’d cross a state border on my childhood family trips. Three short staccato honks, followed by one longer, humiliating bleeeeep. We’d all shriek and shrivel into our seats, that sort of thing having an embarrassing affect on a 12-year old. For me, it’s just like “Just Like Tom Thumb’s Blues” at the front door of New York City. I just must. And I do. Every time.

Read all the 2011 Mixmas contributions

Those Christmas-loving dudes in My Morning Jacket finished their Madison Square Garden show last night by bringing the opener Band of Horses out to help sing “I’ll Be Home for Christmas.” It’s no “Christmas Wrapping” but I’ll take it.

[is there anything more to say that that graphic didn't already cover? Lake are giving away an awesome Christmas song for free!]

Not only is there a new Shins album due in in March, but they’re leaving Sub Pop to release it. Port of Morrow is due March 2012 (no official date yet) on Columbia Records. The Shins lineup at this point is James Mercer (guitar/vocals, Yuuki Matthews (bass), Jessica Dobson (guitar), Richard Swift (keyboards) and Joe Plummer (drums)

MP3: The Shins – Taken For a Fool (new; live)

Port of Morrow tracklist
1. The Rifle’s Spiral
2. Simple Song
3. It’s Only Life
4. No Way Down
5. September
6. Bait and Switch
7. Fall of ’82
8. For A Fool
9. 40 Mark Strasse
10. Port of Morrow