Features

Maybe you'll like these Christmas Songs too?

GodisintheTV 25/12/2008

Sick of the black slushy sound of Mud, Wizard, Slade and Cliff Richard blaring out from tinny shopping center sound systems over the past few months?Well now GIITTV's Fliss Collier and Bill Cummings cherry pick their alternative Christmas stocking fillers. Including efforts from the Wedding Present, The Fall, The Long Blondes, The Pet Shop Boys, Sufjan Stevens and many more!Think of it as our seasonal gift to you dear reader. Merry Christmas!

First GIITTV's deputy Editor gives us her festive hits:

The Wedding Present: Step into Christmas

Better than the 80s Elton John cheese and tackiness, this version has pure indie energy



The Pogues: Rainy Night in Soho

As an alternative to that Christmas Pogues song, try this Pogues effort with it's rain-against-streetlamp glow of Christmas-ness and heartwarming brass.


St. Etienne featuring Tim Burgess: I Was Born on Christmas Day

Tim Burgess and Sarah Cracknell combined to make a sweet indie disco duet



Hot Silk Pockets: Old Man with Beard

For lo-fi laughs (sample lyrics: There's a man with a beard in my bedroom, He's selling booze to the children)

The Raveonettes: Christmas Song

Groovy indie cool.



The Fall: No Christmas for John Quays

For a dash of harsh post-punk edginess to your Christmas!



Pet Shops Boys: It Doesn't Often Snow at Christmas:

Touchingly sincere Christmas love song for the pop kids at heart.



Spinal Tap: Christmas with the Devil

For a head banging Christmas. Mull it (mullet) over!



Coldplay: Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas Time

Low-key balladry from Coldplay covering this Christmas classic



Mogwai: Christmas Steps

For an evil post-rock noise Christmas!



Lastly GIITTV ed Bill Cummings weighs in with a few of his crimbo crackers:

The Deer Tracks- Christmas fire

Wherein the highly tipped for 09, Swedish duo present an icy cool slice of pop, melding the soaring vocals of Mew, the dynamics of Sigur ros, and the electro sweeps of M83.



The Long Blondes- Christmas Is Cancelled

Sadly Sheffield's finest female led indie types split this year, but this is one of the most pointed 'heartbreak at Christmas' tunes of recent memory.


Download it from the Maps magazine Advent Calender.

James Dean Bradfield- Last Christmas

Bradfield's cover of the Christmas pop classic retains the orginal's heartbroken melody, but pitches it into charp focuss with a keening acoustic version. And there isn't a mullet, ski slope, or an M&S sweater in sight!



Sufjan Stevens- Sister Winter

No alternative Christmas selection would be complete without an effort from Sufjan Stevens.The man loves a song at Christmas!At the last count, he'd produced two festive collections of songs. Sister Winter is gorgeously executed, heartbroken, sighing balladry.



What are your favourite Christmas songs?