ROUTES-cast CHRiSTMAS 2022

ROUTES & BRANCHES

featuring the very best of jingle, holly, and pine needles

December 18, 2022

Scott Foley, purveyor of tinsel

Now we've put our Favorites lists to bed. Labels and artists have silenced the machines of promotion for a couple weeks. We've roused the fire with some kindling and old issues of Paste and No Depression, and poured ourselves another ill-advised glass of iced coffee. All that's really left to do for 2022 is to yield to the holidays. 

The Holiday ROUTES-cast has been a R&B tradition as long as there's been a radio broadcast, a podcast or a blog. We're unapologetic proponents of jangle bells and tinsel twang, fully aware that our own holiday spirits won't be fully stoked without the stuff. Some years have brought generous amounts of holiday music to our tree, while others focus on the quality over the quantity. 2022 is one of those latter years, with nary an EP, LP, CD or MP3 upon which to focus our review attention. 

But the boughs of our holiday tree are heavy with some quality singles, each born since this time last year. Much like the tinsel that festooned the family tree during Skot: the Wonder Years, too much of this stuff might choke the dog. But wait for the right moment. When the air whispers a promise of flurries and every breeze stirs the dry leaves. Wait til then, and press PLAY. 

May your holiday season be all you hope it to be. 

- Michaela Anne, "Happy Xmas (War is Over)" Happy Xmas EP  (Yep Roc, 22)

- Paul Kelly, "Maybe This Christmas" Paul Kelly's Christmas Train  (Cooking Vinyl, 22)

- Molly Burch, "Cozy Christmas" single  (Captured Tracks, 22)

- Jesse Malin, "Xmas, Etc" Fine Art of Self-Destruction (Anniversary Reissue)  (Melody Catalog, Feb 17)

- Gabe Lee, "Run Run Rudolph (ft King Margo, Zoe Cummins)" single  (Torrez, 22)

- Hailey Whitters, "Meet Me Under the Mistletoe" single  (Pigasus, 22)

- Chris Canterbury, "Christmas in Prison" single  (Rancho Deluxe, 22)

- Lunar Vacation, "Skating" A Living Room Christmas EP  (Keeled Scales, 22)

- Hackles, "Damn the Word" single  (Jealous Butcher, 22)

- Angela Easterling, "Party 'Round My Favorite Tree" single  (Easterling, 22)

- Jamestown Revival, "Merry Christmas" Songs That Sleigh EP  (Jamestown, 22)

- Rachel & Vilray, "Just Me This Year" I Love a Love Song  (Nonesuch, Jan 13)

- Jerry Leger, "Father Christmas" single  (Latent, 22)

- Erin Enderlin, "Ain't as Cold in Colorado" single  (Black Crow, 22)

- Old Crow Medicine Show, "Trim This Tree" single  (ATO, 22)

- Titus Andronicus, "Drummer Boy" single  (Merge, 22)

- Silversun Pickups, "Just Like Christmas" single  (New Machine, 22)

- Amanda Shires, "Blame It On the Mistletoe Chrismassy 2022 (ft Lawrence Rothman)" single  (Silver Knife, 22)

- Micah P Hinson, "Please Daddy Don't Get Drunk This Christmas" I Lie To You  (Ponderosa, 22)

- Brit Taylor, "Lonely On Christmas (ft Mike & the Moonpies)" single  (Cut a Shine, 22)

- Sheepdogs, "Ready For Christmas" single  (Sheepdogs, 22)

- Teskey Brothers, "This Will Be Our Year" single  (Glassnote, 22)

- Rosie Thomas, "We Should Be Together (ft Sufjan Stevens)" single  (Singalong, 22)

- Phoebe Bridgers, "So Much Wine" single (Dead Oceans, 22)

- Backseat Lovers, "Snowbank Blues" Waiting to Spill  (Capitol, 22)

- Ever More Nest, "Happy New Year" single  (EMN, 22)

- Old 97s, "I Don't Know What Christmas Is" Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special  (Marvel, 22)

- Laura Cortese, "New Years Day" single  (Compass, 22)

- Ryan Sinclair, "I Believe (Trip With Santa)" single  (Sinclair, 22)

- Dougie Poole, "Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas" single  (Wharf Cat, 22)

--------------------------

To enjoy our weekly Spotify ROUTES-cast, just open Spotify and search for "routesandbranches" to access this most recent playlist, as well as many others from past months.  Or click here for a preview: