If It's Too Loud...

As a special present to us all, DJ Z-TRIP has released a free holiday mix this year. It's a ninety-five minute collection of classic Christmas hip hop songs mixed together with some other holiday favorites mixed in. It's wonderfully old school, and a great reminder that classic hip hop has deeper Christmas roots than just "Christmas in Hollis." Do you have a long drive today or tomorrow? Looking for something to add a little extra fun to your Christmas Eve? DJ Z-TRIP has you covered with Holiday Mix (Rock the Bells).  You can listen to Holiday Mix (Rock the Bells) below. The mix is available as a free download through Bandcamp . For more on DJ Z-TRIP, check out the artist on Instagram and Facebook . Z-TRIP - Holiday Mix (Rock The Bells) by DJ Z-Trip

Photo by Justin Gellerson Jeanines have a new single out as part of the Snowflakes Christmas Singles Club, which sees artists release an original holiday song as well as a reinterpretation of a classic song. Their contribution is "Till I See Your Star Tonight," a song that could easily sneak onto a playlist at any time of the year. It's a fun and lovely song that has the band's wonderful retro 60's sound through a modern indie pop and twee lens. It has the joy you want for the holidays, and is filled with some of the most jangly guitars around. This is two minutes and twenty seconds of pure holiday joy. You can listen to "Till I See Your Star Tonight" below. The song is out now on Bandcamp with a cover of John Lennon and Yoko Ono's "Listen, the Snow is Falling" as a B-side. For more on Jeanines, check out the band on Instagram and Facebook . Till I See Your Star Tonight (Snowflakes Singles) by jeanines

Rapper, singer, producer, musician, OG Lowell music scene supporter, and holder of probably a dozen other titles D-Tension has a new Christmas single out. "Broke for Christmas" is a honky tonk style country song about being broke for Christmas. It's a fun song that takes on a pretty serious struggle many are going through this year. It sucks you in with humor, and while the song is truly funny all the way through, the listener is going to be left thinking of how rough this particular Christmas is for many of our fellow people. I believe this might be D-Tension's first foray into country, and he totally nails it.  You can listen to "Broke for Christmas" below. The song is available via Bandcamp . For more on D-Tension, check out the artist on Instagram and Facebook . Broke For Christmas by D-Tension

Photo by Nico Lareau .idk. is the moniker of London born and Maryland raised rapper, singer, and producer Jason Mills. His latest single, "SCARY MERRi," might be the least Christmas-y Christmas song we've covered this year. It's a hip hop banger that could be played all twelve months of the year, with only the word "holiday," the occasional reference to Christmas Eve, and the "Jingle Bells Batman smells" intro giving it away. This is underground hip hop perfection, and if you love the type of rap we usually cover, you're going to love this one. It also doesn't hurt that .idk. has one of the smoothest flows around in 2025. .idk. says of his latest single: "This project goes more in-depth into my incarceration, the mentality during the events that led to it, and the mindset I had while inside. It confronts that reality head-on, blending sharp lyricism with raw storytelling about incarceration, betrayal, spiritual conflict, and the moment...

I certainly wasn't expecting to get a Christmas single from The Dead Milkmen, but then I saw the title and it all made sense. The Philadelphia punk legends have released "Santa is Coming for Your Eyes," and you can guess the subject matter from the title alone. The song is a dark and synth heavy song that would probably be better for Halloween... except for the fact that it's about Santa. This one might not be the best for the kiddies, unless yours are super cool with great senses of humor. But, if you prefer your holiday songs to be about Santa Claus stealing eyes while high on PCP, I have some great news for you! You can listen to "Santa is Coming for Your Eyes" below. The song is available on Bandcamp with a B-side of "Here for Now." For more on The Dead Milkmen, check out the band's website . Santa Claus is Coming for Your Eyes / Here for Now by The Dead Milkmen

It's December, so that means it's time for Sara Noelle's annual holiday single. As always, the 2025 edition is stellar with an original song, "I Am Falling Snow," and a cover of "Winter Wonderland." The original sees Noelle drifting off in a somewhat new direction. The song is more of an ambient track with vocals. The softness of the song seems to mimic the feeling of a snowstorm. It feels like how everything seems to slow down and grow more quiet as the snow is falling, particularly at night. It's a gorgeous and lush track that's more winter than holiday. Noelle's version of "Winter Wonderland" is an ambient meets jazz version of the Christmas classic. It's very restrained and lovely, with some jazz style horn joining Noelle's vocals. Not many artists can take a traditional holiday song and experiment this much with it while still keeping the soul of the classic versions intact. You can listen to "I Am Falling Snow...

The duo of Hilken & Melissa (aka Hilken Mancini and Melissa Gibbs) have teamed up with Kay Hanley (Letters to Cleo) for a brand new Christmas song. "What's So Bad About Christmas" is a joy-filled holiday song that has enough of that retro 50's and 60's vibe to keep the song as fun as a Christmas song should be. It's always fun to see some of our all time Boston favorites teaming up for a song, especially one as enjoyable as "What's So Bad About Christmas." It's a jingle bell filled track that's sure to even get the grumpiest of music fans smiling. You can watch the video for "What's So Bad About Christmas" below. The song is available via Bandcamp with a B-side of The Other Girls performing "I'm Not Getting Anything for Christmas." For more on Hilken & Melissa, check out the band on Instagram .

Eight Foot Manchild, the world's first and therefore best doombrass band, released a Christmas EP last week, something I certainly was not expecting. Who Hash is a collection of four songs that are mostly mash-ups and parodies of previous songs, as well as a cover of "Beautiful Star of Bethlehem," originally a bluegrass Christmas song. The title track is a parody/mash-up of two Sleep songs as well as two songs from How the Grinch Stole Christmas. "I Ran Over Some Lady with My Snowplow" is a parody of "Grandma Got Run Over By a Reindeer," and "Santa Claus Conquers the Martians" is a parody/mash-up of staples like "Santa Claus is Coming to Town," "Here Comes Santa Claus," and "Up on the Housetop." When I first heard about Who Hash , I expected it to be a fun listen that would be good for a listen or two, and maybe to get friends and family to listen to for giggles. It turns out the songs on Who Hash  are ridiculous...

It may be the B-side to "Christmas on Coral Island," but we're obviously going to focus on a song called "She Died on Christmas Day." The Coral's latest single, and first Christmas release, has a much darker tone than the vast majority of holiday songs. There's something very 60's psychedelic about this latest song. It has that dark and groovy feel that a lot of story songs did back then, both haunting and oddly upbeat. I wouldn't say "She Died on Christmas Day" fully sounds like a forgotten 60's psychedelic garage rock song. It's a little to dirty sounding for that distinction. But, if you love your holiday songs on the dark and dreary side, or have a love for 60's psychedelic bands, the latest from The Coral is for you. Nick Power says of his band's latest single: “We love fifties and early sixties rock n’roll, especially the British stuff.  To us, it’s the sound of where we grew up: New Brighton and the fair, the lost...

Back in October, we discovered Silk Daisys through their Halloween themed song "Haunted House." Now the Atlanta duo are back with a Christmas song, "It's Just Like Xmas." This new song shows off their more dream pop based sound. The song is wonderfully hazy with a winter chill embedded inside. Plus, the bells (which aren't quite jingle bells but close) fit in with the musical style perfectly. "It's Just Like Xmas" is the perfect style of song for those that hate Christmas music but still want to celebrate. The song is more about the coziness associated with winter than gifts or Santa. Silk Daisys have crafted a song perfect for the entire season, not just the holiday. James Abercrombie says of his band's new holiday single: “I wrote this one on Christmas Day last year. There’s always a moment of calm in our house after the initial excitement of Christmas morning, and I find myself playing guitar or piano during those moments and thinking ab...

This upcoming Friday sees the release of It's a Wicked Cool Christmas , a holiday compilation from Wicked Cool Records. The first single from the album is "Christmas with Me," a new single from Jessie Wagner featuring Rocco of the Snow. This is a great holiday single in the vein of "Christmas (Baby Please Come Home)." It's a more updated sound than Darlene Love's classic, leaning into the genres of soul and R&B. Wagner takes a classic R&B sound and updates it just enough to avoid being a complete throwback. "Christmas with Me" is the kind of bright and upbeat song we need during the holiday season, especially this year.  Jessie Wagner says of her holiday single: “‘Christmas With Me’ is a fun, retro bop full of holiday cheer. Grab your favorite hairbrush turned microphone, throw on your reindeer pj's, and get ready to dance around the Christmas tree, singing this soon to be holiday classic.”  You can watch the lyric video for "C...

It's December 1, so we can start in with Christmas songs in earnest. The Sha La Das (the modern doo wop band featuring Bill Schalda and his sons Paul, Will, and Carmine) have reissued their 2013 45 "Sha La Da La La (Christmas Time)." I'm always going to have a soft spot for vintage soul and doo wop Christmas songs, even if it's a modern version of that. This holiday song from The Sha La Das sounds like it could have been released any time in the past sixty years. It has such a timeless and vintage sound that hits a sweet spot for us, and is has that laid back vibe we all strive for during the holiday season... and rarely achieve. "Sha La Da La La (Christmas Time)" is sure to end up on plenty of holiday playlists this year, and for many to come. You can listen to "Sha La Da La La (Christmas Time)" below. Your Picture is due out January 16 on Diamond West Records. For more on The Sha La Das, check out the band on Instagram .

Photo by Richard McCaffrey The latest from Deer Tick is perfect for the upcoming/current holiday season, but it could also work out for any time of the year. "Light Up Reindeer" is exactly what we love about the Providence band. It merges the worlds of country, folk, and rock into one sound. This one is more of a laid back rock song with flecks of country, and reminds me a lot of Tom Petty's sound. "Light Up Reindeer" is more of a holiday song by title, but I'm still going to sneak it onto a Christmas playlist or two. This is a welcome return from Deer Tick, and shows why they've been a favorite of ours long before we started If It's Too Loud... Ian O'Neil (guitar/vocals) says of his band's latest single: "Light Up Reindeer is about the interior conversation you have with yourself when you're trying to talk yourself away from your darkest thoughts. Useless, intrusive thinking puts a distance between the best part of ourselves and the...

Photo by Chris Bryce I first discovered Parlor Greens earlier this year when they were touring with Thee Sinseers and The Altons. I quickly became a fan, and promised myself I'd share their music with you all next time they released anything new. The instrumental soul/funk trio have a new single out, a take on William Bells' "Every Day Will Be Like a Holiday." Sure, it's a Christmas song, but it's a sly Christmas song that could slip by you if you're unfamiliar with the original. Parlor Greens' version is led by the organ of Adam Scone, and it's a killer mellow take on a holiday classic. Even if it's not yet Thanksgiving, go ahead and give this one a few spins. You can listen to Parlor Greens' version of "Every Day Will Be Like a Holiday" below. The 7" single will be out December 12 on Colemine Records with a B-side of "Auld Lang Syne," and is available for pre-order here . For more on Parlor Greens, check out the b...

Photo by Liza Orozco I know that November 4 is far too early to be sharing Christmas music, but Melissa Carper has a Christmas album coming out later this month, and the first single off of the album isn't completely obviously a holiday song. "Made with Love" is straight out of Carper's vintage country sound, with just the slightest hints of it being a holiday song audible. It's not jingle bells, but there is something fairly Christmas-y in how "Made with Love" sounds, and it's more about how grandma's apple strudel and handmade sweaters are better than storebought.  You can watch the very Christmas-y video for "Made with Love" below. A Very Carper Christmas is due out November 28 on Soundly Music, and is available for pre-order here . For more on Melissa Carper, check out the artist's website .

Dutch indie pop/alt-country outfit Grapes of Grain released a Christmas EP earlier this month, which includes the single "Christmas TV (I Want the BBC)." It's an upbeat but nostalgic song about watching the BBC during your Christmas break. It's more indie pop, but with an alt-country thread running through it. It's a song about just sitting down and watching whatever Christmas movie pops on your TV, which is making me quite nostalgic for a pre-streaming time when you just watched whatever was on. Not too many nostalgic holiday songs are about watching Christmas movies, but, considering how many of our memories are tied up in movies and specials, maybe they should be. You can watch the video for "Christmas TV (I Want the BBC)" below. Christmas Grapes is available now on Bandcamp and other streaming services. For more on Grapes of Grain, check out the band on Instagram .

If Christmas songs are supposed to be happy, The Cords have nailed it. The Scottish sister duo released "Favourite Time" earlier this month, and it's a joyous, upbeat indie pop song. Plus, it's the style of holiday song that isn't completely obvious. In fact, it reminds me more of The Vaselines' "Son of a Gun" more than "Frosty the Snowman" or "Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree." You could easily play this in the middle of June without anyone realizing it was a holiday song as long as they don't pay close attention to the lyrics. It's not very often that you can discover a new favorite band through a Christmas song, but that could be the case with The Cords! You can listen to "Favourite Time" below. The single is out on Slumberland Records and Heavenly Creature Records, and is available now via Bandcamp . For more on The Cords, check out the band on Instagram .

Along with their massive fifty-two song DECK project, Hallelujah the Hills have been releasing cover songs on their Patreon. This month they've release a cover of Darlene Love's iconic Christmas classic "Christmas (Baby Please Come Home)," and the Boston band have made this one available on their Bandcamp. It's my personal favorite holiday song, and Hallelujah the Hills do a fantastic job of it. I don't think anyone would be offended by my saying that HtH singer Ryan Walsh isn't Darlene Love, but this version is a fun, ramshackle cover that is quite faithful to the original while still being in a different musical style. You can tell Hallelujah the Hills had a ridiculously good time on this one, and the joy is just spilling out of your speakers. You can listen to Hallelujah the Hills' version of "Christmas (Baby Please Come Home)" below. The song is currently available on Bandcamp with all proceeds going to Rosie's Place . For more on Ha...

Paris, France's En Attendant Ana are one of our favorite indie pop bands out there today. They have a gorgeous updated version of Stereolab's light and retro cool indie rock sound, and seriously... who doesn't want that. For Christmas this year, they've released a two song holiday single. First up is a medley of The Free Design's 1968 release "Close Your Mouth (It's Christmas)" and "Christmas is the Day." En Attendant Ana's version is called "Close Your Mouth Because Christmas is the Day!" I was completely unfamiliar with the original, and this cover is going to have you scrambling to hear The Free Design's version. The cover is surprisingly faithful to the original, which seems to have been ahead of it's time. The second song is a take on The Pogues' immortal "Fairytale of New York." This one is less faithful, and it's a more mellow version of the original, and much more En Attendant Ana-like than Celt...

Christmas songs are typically jolly and filled with Christmas cheer. Boston's J Hams did not receive that memo when he released "Searching for Santa." The song is the equivalent of a horror movie score... just Christmas themed. It's about a time when Santa has gone missing, and it's performed in a way that's going to remind you of John Carpenter's classic scores. It's disturbing, and certainly not festive at all, but for those that want a little tension and horror mixed in with the merry season, "Searching for Santa" could certainly work for you. You can listen to "Searching for Santa" below. The song is currently available via Bandcamp .  SEARCHING FOR SANTA by J Hams