The Adventures of the O.C. Supertones was just released on vinyl, limited to 500 copies: The O.C. Supertones - The Adventures of the OC Supertones Here's a video with Matt Morginsky opening the record and talking about it:
Also, leftover copies of Slick Shoes 2002 self-titled and Dogwood's Building a Better Me are available, limited to 500 each: Slick Shoes Slick Shoes - “Slick Shoes” Dogwood Dogwood - “Building A Better Me”
Off to see Switchfoot’s The Beautiful Letdown World Tour in Manchester, UK tomorrow night. Never seen them live and never really been gripped by any of their albums apart from this one, so felt like a good show to go to! Looking forward to seeing what they sound like live.
Hope you have a blast seeing them! I went last year and it was so much fun, I have so many memories from high school around that album
Best Advent/Christmas music from Christian/adjacent artists? My go to selection includes John Mark McMillan, Timbre, Josh Garrels, Relient K, The Oh Hellos, Future of Forestry, Sleeping at Last and Salt of the Sound. Of course you cannot neglect Sufjan Stevens when it comes to Christmas. Dustin Kensrue’s Christmas album is great too. Haven’t put much time into Christmas music in recent years - are there any good albums or one off singles I’ve missed recently? I am looking forward to listening to the new album from Cageless Birds titled Sing Winter this morning. I am definitely in the camp that you wait until 1st December but then go hard with the Christmas music, haha.
I really enjoy Citizens' Repeat the Sounding Joy EP, and Lauren Daigle's Behold has some great jazzy Christmas tunes. Honorable mention, I'm not sure if John Mark McMillan has done a full Christmas album but his single Baby Son is one of my favorites.
John Mark McMillan does have a full Christmas album called Smile In The Mystery and his version of Silent Night is my absolute favourite Christmas song. Also, the album version of Baby Son has an incredible almost operatic guest vocalist and it gives me shivers. Lovely record. Would highly recommend it.
I love Christmas music and have built a playlist over time slowly adding/removing stuff as my taste changes. Some of my favorites other than the Relient K you mentioned: - MXPX: the full length Christmas album makes for a great ep, gotta weed out the filler I think - Ronnie Martin (of Joy Electric) has several Christmas EP/albums and they are all great. - There Will be Fireworks has several tracks, all great! - Sovereign Grace Music released a Christmas album a year or two ago that I absolutely adore and listen to a ton every season now. - Jack's Mannequin "The Lights and Buzz" is a very good track to add to playlist for sure - Los Campesinos! ep/album is very fun different indie rock take on Christmas - Gang of Youths has a lovely version of "Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas" - Modern Post album is awesome - Fitz and the Tantrums has a great EP, but it's very taste based. My wife is not a fan. - Several Tooth and Nail bands have one off's: The Fold, Hangnail, Bleach, Cadet - Switchfoot released a Christmas album not too long ago. I am very hit or miss with them as a band lately and find the album hit or miss too. Some good stuff on it.
Lauren Daigle’s Behold: The Complete Set is very good 2 me, but I also just generally love Daigle’s music these days. When I get around to making a holiday playlist, that’ll be the backbone for sure.
Brian Fallon's Night Divine was a surprise discovery for me last year. It's very understated, but reverent in a way that a lot of artists struggle to capture.