Wildlife: Anti-hibernation

by Susie Wild on Mon, 2008/12/01 - 3:46pm Post to Twitter

Welcome to Wildlife. My sporadic little space of the interweb dedicated to observations and investigations into the behaviours, diets and habitats of musicians. Expect comment on new breeds, intelligence, mating calls and rituals along with the odd warning of extinction all written by me, Susie Wild. I know, it is brilliant, what I’ve done there, isn’t it?
First up:  Move over anti-folk, it’s time for anti-hibernation

It may be winter wonderland time, but are bands heading to their burrows and warrens well stocked with acorns? Are they heck. Instead the battle for Christmas Number One has begun, and everyone’s getting in on the act. Who will win the battle of the species? No doubt who ever it is that wins X Factor and gets to murder Leonard Cohen’s Hallelujah, or perhaps Strictly's John Sergeant but the Tortoise may still out-fox Simon Cowell’s hair. Here are the main contenders…

Sheffield Duo Slow Club have the loveliest offering by far in their single Christmas TV with lines like: “I like the way that our arguments stop when we fall asleep and the way that your body feels when it’s wrapped around me & I’d like it if you could make it to me for Christmas eve so you can hold me and we’ll watch Christmas TV.” It is released via Moshi Moshi on December 15.

Elsewhere Sunday Best mascots Kitty Daisy & Lewis wrap some tinsel around their trio of teenage hormones for their first self-penned double A-side featuring xylophone-cheery non-album track (Baby) Hold Me Tight written by Kitty and Buggin’ Blues scribed by Lewis. Meanwhile The Hives' frontman Pelle Almqvist and Cyndi Lauper are attempting to do for Xmas 2008 what snarly Shane McGowan (The Pogues) and Kirsty MacColl did for Xmas 1987 with Fairytale of New York. (Festive pop fact: Shane McGowan was born on Christmas Day 1957.)
Fairytale of New York had the absolutely delightful lines: “You’re a bum/ You’re a punk/ You’re an old slut on junk/ Lying there almost dead on a drip in that bed." The 2008 duet, though, is less a pissed off Irish jig of a festive love song and more a big band, you slept with my sister, well ha! “I slept with your brother, I wrecked your Daddy's car and went down on your Mother” sound though, all fairylit pop with a sting in its tail. As Almqvist told Rolling Stone: "I think Christmas is just our excuse to go full-out Phil Spector and use two drum kits and the bells and whistles. We wanted to have this juxtaposition of really sweet music and nasty lyrics." Well they definitely improved upon ex-Arab Strap’s Malcolm Middleton with his 2007 PR exercise to get We’re All Going To Die to be Christmas No.1, although he did make it to number 31. For a random top 10 of other Christmas Duets including David Bowie and Bing Crosby doing Little Drummer Boy/ Peace on Earth. see http://listverse.com/competitions/top-10-best-christmas-duets/

Personally, though, I’m hoping to find A Very Cherry Christmas vol. 4 in my stocking. Hint, hint. The compilation is the best thing about Christmas since sprouts – I think I might need to point out that I like sprouts. Described by Radio 1 God, Huw Stephens as "Like a Christmas card from the gods" it boasts all manner of my favourite Indie acts from The Bobby McGees and Little My to newer twee discoveries like The Lovely Eggs. The album is the 21st release on Cherryade Records and will be out on the 1st of December for the credit-crunch-chic price of £6.

This year's tinseltastic package contains 18 Yuletide treats from bands with amusing names like Micropenis, Hotpants Romance and The Seven Inches. Highlights include Fever Fever’s  Hallelujah Carol (Take that X(mas)Factor), Hotpants Romance with All I Want For Christmas Is You, Little My’s Xmas Song, The Lovely Eggs’  shouty tantrum number Tyrannosaurus Rex For Christmas, angry Ste Mccabe’s festive rant Christmas Time For Sanctimonious Swine and Stark Palace’s Saw What Your Momma Did - for those wondering, “She filled her nose with snow snow, under the mistle toe toe.” Your Mum would also love Pocket Gods’ What A Nice Krimbo song which is on their myspace – “All I want for Christmas is a wank.” That’s right, aim high.