NAUGHTY, NICE & NOISE
SPILL MAGAZINE TEARS INTO THE BEST & WORST OF THE 2025 CHRISTMAS RELEASES (THE SINGLES)
Well, it is that time of year again, to gather friends and family and get together for Christmas, the most wonderful time of the year. This year, new Christmas records and some interesting re-releases have reached these ears, and this is a rough guide. It can also serve as some good suggestions for your holiday party playlist. Or maybe, just some new music you want to discover. It is all good, because, as John Prine once said, “Hell man, it’s Christmas!”
DAN MANGAN
“A CHRISTMAS SONG”
ARTS & CRAFTS
DECEMBER 11, 2025
As Dan Mangan sings in “A Christmas Song,” it is not a love song, or a wedding song, or a happy song. No, for Mangan, Christmas means bills, sadness, and something he must live through. It is a really sad song. Like Jethro Tull’s “A Christmas Song,” which questions whether or not we have missed the point, Mangan does not have that question. He KNOWS we got it wrong. This is not a cover of Jethro Tull’s song, but it is similar in sentiment; the big difference is that Jethro Tull ended the song with a bit of a joke. There is no joke or joy with this one. It is a perfect song for those 3 AM Christmas depression and sad thoughts. Not everyone enjoys this season, and this song provides a voice (and music) for those people. Please don’t get me wrong, this is a beautiful song, and Mangan’s vocals are his usual emotive self. It is just a sad Christmas song.
SILK DAISYS
“IT’S JUST LIKE XMAS”
INDEPENDENT
DECEMBER 1, 2025
This song is near-impossible to dislike. It is simply lovely and very nostalgic. It brings to mind The Cocteau Twins’ Christmas-themed single released in 1993. This is just very dreamy music with lovely lyrics about cocoa, family, and fond memories. It is a nice way to celebrate the season and a new alternative Christmas classic. The production and arrangement are quite brilliant, and the slow build-up of the song makes it interesting and engaging.
THE SHA LA DAS
“SHA LA DA LA LA (CHRISTMAS TIME)”
DAPTONE Records
NOVEMBER 28, 2025
Originally released in 2013, this reissue is timely and very welcome. This is pure R&B with a slow-moving groove, fantastic vocals, perfect backing vocals, and a sense of wonder and awe. It is a great Christmas song. It is hard to believe it was not recorded in 1966, but here it is again, and we are all the better for it. As someone who grew up with The Temptations’ Christmas albums, this takes me back to that place and time. I can almost smell the fake snow on the window. Seriously, this is a brilliant song.
THE TANO JONES REVELRY
“LITTLE DRUMMER BOY”
INDEPENDENT
NOVEMBER 25, 2025
When I was a child, we had a Christmas album which featured Lou Rawls doing a pretty cool version of “Little Drummer Boy.” He brought some R&B and a killer horn section to that version. Tano Janos doesn’t have the same horn arrangement, but he does have a great horn section. He has arranged this classic Christmas song in a really cool way. The guitar solo is worth the price of admission alone. Jones tackles the song with passion and love, and the end result is truly a great version.
AIRBOURNE
“CHRISTMAS BONUS”
SPINEFARM RECORDS
NOVEMBER 24, 2025
This explosion of heavy metal will certainly bring you to attention. It is an opportunity to celebrate Christmas the Airbourne way. I will wager you have never heard “Ho Ho Ho,” sung (or shouted) with such force. But it works. “Christmas Bonus” is a great Christmas song, complete with guitar hooks that generate genuine nostalgia. And a nice tip of the hat to Die Hard at the end. It may not be for your grandmother, but for those who like to rock, the song will definitely put a smile on your face and help you cope with the season.
PHIL COOK & THE FALL DOGS
“GIVE ME A BREAK”
INDEPENDENT
NOVEMBER 14, 2025
Phil Cook is not hard to buy for this Christmas. He could use a break. Not a bad gift. Phil Cook seems to enjoy the season, but he enjoys peace and quiet, too. In Cook’s world, there is no need to stress and rush about for Christmas. Cook sings the song with such energy and goodwill, it is impossible not to love “Give Me A Break.” Although it has been said before, it bears repeating: Christmas is not about the gifts. It is about being with the people you love and spending time together. This is a short, power-pop slice of Christmas that is wonderful, both in melody and lyrics. This is Phil Cook & The Fall Dogs’ second Christmas sing, and it is becoming a brilliant tradition. “Give Me A Break” is a great single and a brilliant Christmas song.
THE JAMES CLARK INSTITUTE
“IT’S STILL SNOWING OUTSIDE”
INDEPENDENT
NOVEMBER 28, 2025
Last year, The James Clark Institute released the wonderful “Orange Christmas,” which was a fun, rocking, wry look at Christmas. This year, Clark is in a more sentimental mood. “It’s Still Snowing Outside” is still a rocking power pop song from the combo, but with this one, Clark is in a more reflective mood. “It’s Still Snowing Outside” deals with loss and Christmas without some very important people in your life. For Clark, two people who feature in this song are his father and brother. It is not a maudlin song, but rather a beautiful and emotional tribute. “It’s Still Snowing Outside” captures a very important part of Christmas, and The James Clark Institute does it extremely well.
DEBORAH FIALKIEWICZ
“TALES OF XMAS RADIO” B/W “XMAS MIX”
INDEPENDENT
OCTOBER 25, 2025
A few years ago, Deborah Fialkiewicz released a Christmas song on a compilation album under the name Feasibility Study. The song, “Merry Christmas”, made use of a cute Christmas decoration, a mouse to be exact. Well, Fialkiewicz and the mouse are back for a new single. “tales of xmas radio” makes use of found sound, old radio shows, synthesizers, and the mouse. It is a brilliant, and at times scary, sound collage. The flipside, “xmas Mix,” provides little relief from the creepy factor, but it is extremely well done and brilliant. Fialkiewicz has a way of layering sound to create original works of art that leave a lasting impact. She is a talented artist, and these two Christmas songs provide more evidence to my claim of her genius.
LAUFEY
“SANTA CLAUS IS COMING TO TOWN”
AWAL
DECEMBER 5, 2025
Laufey is an old soul. For Laufey, this style of lush production and big band is not nostalgic; it is her idea of current pop music. And she does it very well. “Santa Claus Is Coming To Town” is a basic and traditional arrangement of the age-old Christmas song. One can hear that Laufey is having fun, and the joy in her voice is so evident. “Santa Claus Is Coming To Town” is an addition to her ever-growing collection, A Very Laufey Holiday, which gathers previous festive releases. With “Santa Claus Is Coming To Town,” she is able to make the past current, and she delivers this song with the happiness and love in which it was always intended.
LOREENA McKENNITT
“SILENT NIGHT” B/W “THE KING”
QUININ ROAD
NOVEMBER 21, 2025
Loreena McKennitt has been performing very special Christmas concerts since 2022. From those concerts, a fantastic live album was released, Under A Winter’s Moon, two years ago. A new, expanded version has been released for streaming, which includes two previously unreleased songs, “Silent Night” and “The King.” Loreena McKennitt is incapable of making anything that is not simply spectacular. These two songs, which make a perfect single, showcase her stunning voice and playing (the harp). She has the perfect support from her band, and the arrangement is sublime. This is a wonderful addition to her live album and is one of the best Christmas records released this year. It is hard to believe this was ever cut from the original album.
PARLOR GREENS
“EVERYDAY WILL BE LIKE A HOLIDAY” B/W “AULD LANG SYNE”
COLEMINE RECORDS
NOVEMBER 5, 2025
This is a brilliant single. An instrumental version of William Bell’s “Everyday Is Like A Holiday” backed with an instrumental, “Auld Lang Syne.” These are fantastic versions, made brilliant due to the use of the organ. The trio builds its sound around the timeless and retro sound of an organ. Guy Lombardo may not lose any sleep with their cover of “Auld Lang Syne,” Parlor Greens’ cover will attract a whole new following to the classic song. “Everyday Will Be Like A Holiday” is equally brilliant and seasonal.
ROLAND GIFT
“EVERYBODY KNOWS IT’S CHRISTMAS”
LONDON RECORDS
NOVEMBER 5, 2025
This is a great single from an artist who has not released any new music in far too long. The song starts, and then there is that voice. It is pure Roland Gift, and the song is fantastic. Very warm and embracing lyrics and a tune to match. It has a “Wonderful Christmastime” vibe, with the song highlighting all that is great about the season. The song has a rock-Motown groove that will have your foot tapping, with Christmas bells mixed in for good measure. Gift sounds fantastic, and it should be a new Christmas classic. The karaoke version on the flipside is really just an instrumental version.
RED PETERS & FAMILY
“THE FART THAT RUINED CHRISTMAS”
OGLIO RECORDS
DECEMBER 5, 2025
This is an odd one. Novelty records are really good the first time you hear them, but after that, they get old rather quickly. Red Peters tells the story of a grandfather who puts a damper on Christmas by, well, farting. Peters takes his time with the story, which works, and the record has a happy ending, but the main issue is repeated listenings of the song. It is well put together and clever in parts, but in the end, it really is fart humour, albeit seasonal.
SLEAFORD MODS
“BAD SANTA”
ROUGH TRADE RECORDS
NOVEMBER 20, 2025
What would it sound like if John Cooper Clark borrowed from Yoko Ono for a Christmas song? Well, Sleaford Mods answers the question. To be honest, Sleaford Mods do not seem to like Christmas, and this is reflected in this seemingly angry song. Given the amount of F-bombs, this isn’t really a feel-good Christmas song. This is a song that is really not one to be played at typical Christmas parties or Christmas dinner. Unless you and your friends really don’t like the festivity. It is humorous, and I am pretty sure that this is Sleaford Mods’ intention from the get-go. One had to assume that if Sleaford Mods produced a Christmas song, it would have a big beat and be a synth-based song.
DEER TICK
“LIGHT UP REINDEER”
ATO RECORDS
NOVEMBER 19, 2025
The Indie scene is represented this Christmas by Deer Tick. “Light Up Reindeer.” Much like Joni Mitchell’s “River,” this is not really a Christmas song. Yes, lit-up reindeer are mentioned, and the overarching theme is a not-so Merry Christmas season, but the song is really about survival. In many respects, although the song is quite sad in parts, the ultimate theme is that you will get through whatever you are dealing with. So, in that sense, it is positive. Musically, it is very much indie-pop, and a pretty damn good song.
THE BOUNCING SOULS
“HOME FOR THE HOLIDAYS”
CHUNKSAAH RECORDS
NOVEMBER 21, 2025
Lovely acoustic guitars and excellent vocal arrangements make this a great Christmas song. There are no sleigh bells or happy thoughts, but this is a song about hope and about love. It is indie folk/pop, and it is done well. Although it really is a song of hope, it is still a bit on the depressing side, for the most part. “Some are living those dark days now/others have survived them somehow,” sings Greg Attonito. But by the end, “Some of us end up in a place where everything is alright/Showing up for each other in the darkness/our love will carry us through the night.” Merry Christmas.
LIMAHL
“ONE WISH FOR CHRISTMAS”
CHRISTOPHER MUSIC LTD.
NOVEMBER 12, 2025
Limahl is turning into a crooner, and he does it very well. “One Wish For Christmas” is a very lush, beautiful love song. It is beautifully arranged and produced, and of course, Limahl sounds great. It is a lovely, emotional, and romantic song. It is the kind of song that fits on most playlists and would be welcome by all of your relatives, no matter the age. It really is a great song and a welcome addition to the Christmas catalogue.
KAREN KING
“CHRISTMAS TIME IN NEW YORK CITY”
INDEPENDENT
NOVEMBER 6, 2025
Having been in New York City during Christmas, this song certainly captures the atmosphere and excitement. Karen King sings with such happiness and joy, you can hear the smile on her face. Macy’s, Times Square, Radio City, it is all here. It is a wonderful throwback to the big band sound, while still being current and modern. She has an exciting voice, and the production is quite perfect. This is an old-fashioned Christmas song that sounds great today.
GREG ANTISTA AND THE LONELY STREETS
“CHRISTMAS, BABY PLEASE COME HOME”
RUM BAR
NOVEMBER 28, 2025
I can bet that Phil Spector never envisioned this “Christmas, Baby Please Come Home” to sound like this when he had Darlene Love sing it on the classic A Christmas Gift for You from Phil Spector. However, Greg Antista and The Lonely Streets rev the song up with energy and speed that might warrant a speeding ticket. In all seriousness, it is a great interpretation of the song, and it is sung with such power that the listener cannot help but buy into the overall meaning of the song. It is a great version.
PIQSIQ
“JINGLE BELLS”
INDEPENDENT
NOVEMBER 17, 2025
Have you ever wanted to hear a very melancholic and somewhat depressing version of “Jingle Bells?” Well, your wait is over. The Inuit throat singing duo PIQSIQ has released their annual Christmas song, and this year it is “Jingle Bells.” Truthfully, you have never heard anything like this before. It is truly unique and brilliantly arranged. Although this version of “Jingle Bells” is extremely different from what one expects, it is well worth your time and appreciation of the talent that went into this recording.
