Surveying the underrated gems that fall between the Slades and Mariahs, as well as some new cuts vying for cult status.

Christmas time, that time of the year where we look at end of the year lists and wonder how {insert album} didn’t make the cut, how {insert album} did make the cut, LADBABY filling up the news cycle, whether they’re infiltrating the charts, or not, WHAMMAGEDDON being in full effect, being able to play whatever guilty pleasure on Spotify, without having to worry about it being in our Wrapped and, of course, Mariah Carey soundtracking the entire thing.

In the midst of all it, remain the alternative Christmas tunes, all hiding away. For every Slade, there’s a CAN, a Jefferson Airplane, a Jimi Hendrix, The Kinks, and so forth, all delivering sonic Christmas gems. We thought we’d share some more contemporary alternative Christmas favourites, should you be getting a little fatigued.

Elephant Stone – Christmas Time (Is Here Again)

There’s a wealth of interesting and conflicting theories regarding the origins of Santa Claus, with some suggesting that shamans and reindeer alike in Siberia ate the Amanita muscaria, helping spawn the story and creating the connection between psychedelics and Christmas.

If we were to give credence to these connections, and indulge in a secondary take on the mythical tale then psychedelia and Christmas in a way are one and the same. Thus Elephant Stone’s trippy sitar-laden psychedelic sorcery is a holiday gift of conscious expanding goodness that is fitting for this time of the year.

Los Bitchos – Los Chrismos 

The international quartet, and possibly the most fun-band in the world, Los Bitchos bring the sun-drenched cumbia meets psychedelia and surf-rock for ‘Los Chrismos’ It’s a magical, Margarita-fuelled sleigh joy-ride that’s likely the soundtrack to Santa Claus after he’s clocked off on Christmas morning and headed on holiday somewhere in the tropics.

Also, ‘Christmas Time, Sexy Time’ is the ultimate empowering sing along for the 6pm post-Christmas roast dinner slump, when you’re engulfed in Quality Street wrappers with chocolate covering the mouth and on double digits of prosecco and beer. Your dear Nan will love it. 

Khruangbin – Christmas Time Is Here

If Los Bitchos’ is the festive party pick-up, then Khruangbin’s luscious psychedelic-funk lullabye-esque ‘Christmas Time Is Here’ is for the serene; watching the shimmering dancing snowflakes gently fall to the snow filled ground, whilst sipping on a mug full of frothy hot chocolate around a toasty fire.

PINS – Merry Christmas (I Don’t Want To Fight Tonight)

Manchester outfit PINS take on The Ramones for a fuzzy festive outing in ‘Merry Christmas (I Don’t Want To Fight Tonight).’ A garage-rock meets dreamy piece of scuzzed-out pop, with a Jesus and Mary Chain (fitting, in a way) cadence on the reverb drenched drums, PINS, one of the most underrated bands in the country, make this Christmas classic their own.

Ellie Bleach – Merry Christmas, Do You Ever Think of Me?

South London Ellie Bleach’s 2023 single ‘Merry Christmas, Do Your Ever Think Of Me?’ Is the melancholic Chrismtas ballad that we sometimes all need, with some splendid baroque pop backing – fittingly released by the great Sad Club Records. Some Christmas sombreness to counteract with what could be an overwhelming amount of disingenuous and nausea inducing merry that goes around at this time of year.

Hotel Lux – The Carvery

Hotel Lux return to their Portsmouth pub roots with the Christmas pint spiller that is ‘The Carvery.’ A merry scuzz-filled indie anthem for the Christmas eve midnight kick out in the local boozer that precedes the next morning’s inevitable Christmas morning hangover, cured only by Twiglets and a warm tinnie. If there’s any justice, this will be a Christmas classic.

Dead Ghosts – Christmas Time

Ghost tales are synonymous with Christmas time, so it’s fitting for Dead Ghosts to be a big part of the festive season. These Dead Ghosts only inhabit it in the most glorious of ways with beer chugging, psychedelic garage rocking around the Christmas Tree good times.

POND- All I Want For Christmas (Is A Tascam 388)

“All I Want For Christmas (Is a Tascam 388),” croons the band’s guitarist, Shiny Joe Ryan. His old band mate and one man psychedelic and pop maestro Kevin Parker though can likely spare the change these days, so let’s hope that he gets his Christmas wish fulfilled. 

The seminal Perth cosmonauts take a Christmas odyssey far into the cosmos, with ‘All I Want For Xmas (Is A Tascam 388)’ with some heavenly psychedelic-space-pop for the late night Christmas Eve evening on the porch, trying to spot Santa deep in the night sky.

Deerhoof – Xmas Tree

San Francisco modern day cult legends, Deerhoof channel their ever grand brand of art-rock on X Mas Tree with some unsettling festive fuzz that feels like an impending Chrstmas nightmare is to come, but in the best of ways.

Sharon Van Etten – Silent Night

An ethereal take on the Christmas classic, Sharon Van Etten’s hauntingly spectral dreamlike rendition of Silent Night is fittingly glacial, for this wintertime period. Stunning stuff from one of the finest of a generation.

Alex Maas – X MAAS (Take Me Away)

Singer for the sprawling Texan psychedelic modern day legends, The Black Angels’ and one of the most underrated songwriters going, Alex Maas recently returned with another solo outing in ‘X MAAS (Take Me Away).’ Touching on the darker aspect to the festive season, Maas’ single is for those who are burdened with sorrow across the season with some minimalist, almost brumal, psychedelic folk.