Despite all the ‘best of’ lists, the top tens/twenties/fifties/one hundreds etc. and all the Christmas songs too, there has still been a cracking amount of new releases in December as well. So lest you missed out, here is our monthly round-up of the best tunes we’ve posted in December and, as always, a couple of new ones too.
That’s the New Year’s Eve mixtape sorted at least.
Download The Sweaters – Can’t Stop Winnin’ mp3
A syrupy, garage gem. It’s upbeat and has as much soul as it does jangle and is driven along by solid percussion every bit as muscular as you would hope.
Download Harlan Pepper – Great Lakes mp3
Slyly mischievous lyrics over a vintage country refrain – a song you could imagine still being sung on back porches in fifty years time.
Download Eulogies – You Hide mp3
Belying the tragic inspiration behind the new Eulogies album, this is a surprisingly positive track.
Download Wye Oak – Civilian mp3
Taster from folk duo’s forthcoming album is a gem.
Download Howling Owls – My Kinda Luck mp3
Picks away at the edges of domestic strife and family troubles, gleefully revealing a queasy, black-hearted underbelly.
Download The Babies – Run Me Over mp3
Rather charming, fuzzed up, doo-wop drenched opener that comes from their forthcoming debut album.
Download Yo Soybean – Anticipation mp3
Alternative folk that bounces with slide banjo and djembe delivering an impassioned stream of consciousness concerning the mundane intricacies of twenty-something year old existence in the twenty-first century.
Download Two Wounded Birds – Night Patrol mp3
Twangy menace behind a velveteen croon.
Download The Handsome Family – Drinking Beer On The Roof mp3
Classic black-humoured Americana from new album of covers, demos and outtakes.
Download The Range Rats – Colt 44 mp3
All Johnny Cash rumble and gun toting lyrics.
Download White Fence – Lillian (Won’t You Play Drums) mp3
More top notch lo-fi, retro indie pop.
Download The Mountain Goats – Tyler Lambert’s Grave mp3
Latest from the respected and influential lo-fi, indie do-it-yourselfers. A suitably prophetic tale.
Download Beach House – I Do Not Care For The Winter Sun mp3
Our most popular download of the month. More dreamy, reverb laden pop.
Download Julianna Barwick – The Magic Place mp3
Experimental and ethereal in equal measure.
Download Western States Motel – Country & Western Song mp3
A deceptively simple and straight forward tune that bounces along on a great rhythm and has quickly grown to be a firm favourite here at the Mackerel abode.
Download Jeremy Joyce – 18 Wheels mp3
A dark and groovy rocker with a great Hammond Organ solo.
Download Lisa Will Insult You, Darling – Give A Fuck mp3
A beautifully simple construction of the desolate and the downtrodden.
Download The Skeleton Dead – Gather Up Your Clothes mp3
It’s a lament, a regret. It’s both memorable and hypnotic.
Download Duke Garwood – Jesus Got A Gun mp3
An air of quiet menace, Garwood’s vocals whispering and murmuring over hollow knocks, piano and drones.
We also have a quite wonderful track from Sonny + The Sandwitches, it is from a recently released new four-song self-titled 7″ EP and features appearances by Heidi Alexander and Grace Cooper of the Sandwitches. The songs were inspired by a near-drowning, hence this track Throw My Ashes From This Pier When I Die. Superb.
We also have Religious To Damn who describe themselves as gypsy-psych and have an album Glass Prayer due for release in early 2011. This track Drifter has echoes of some of the classic 80s 4AD bands right through to Zola Jesus and Esben & The Witch.
Download Sonny + The Sandwitches – Throw My Ashes From This Pier When I Die mp3 (from Sonny + The Sandwitches EP)
Download Religious To Damn – Drifter mp3 (from Glass Prayer)
