This edition of LITM Singer-Songwriter Picks brings to youdark alternative rock tracks to both bubbly and achingly beautiful Christmas tracks. The list features artists JDDAYS, Kazu Osumi, Michellar, and more.
JDDAYS - Evergreen Christmas
Bringing together the evergreen feelings of love and the shimmering, warm Christmas feels, ‘Evergreen Christmas’ by JDDAYS is sure to win your heart over. The instrumentation has significant retro sensibilities of the 60s and 70s, making you think of the Beatles and the Beach Boys a little. The layered vocals add lovely textures to the song, which is overall smooth and flows seamlessly. The lyrics are heartfelt and warm, acting like a hot cup of cocoa after a stroll in the cold December evenings. This is the perfect song to dance to with your beloved in your decked up home this holiday season.
Kazu Osumi -Times of Love
Layered acoustic guitar and finger snaps adding a nice rhythm starting off the track, ‘Times of Love’ by Kazu Osumi is the kind of song that fits perfectly within a 2000s romcom. The instrumentation is simple and finds its beauty in that, with steady percussion, guitars and the occasional violin notes that add a sombre touch to the song. Osumi’s vocals are simply transcendental as they carry and drive the song along. The song lyrically captures the idea that no matter what turn love takes in our life, the fact that it was beautiful once, still and always will matter.
Michellar - The Star
With gentle guitars laying a start to the beautifully immersive soundscape, ‘The Star’ by Michellar is an achingly lovely Christmas song. Contrary to a majority of bright and euphoric Christmas songs, this one captures the emptiness, the longing that some people feel in anticipation of someone. The instrumentation brilliantly captures that void that plagues many during festive seasons, with its emotive muffled guitars. Michellar’s deeply vulnerable vocals, filled with yearning and melancholy, give the song its character. If you find yourself in a similar space this holiday season, this song will feel like a shoulder that you can cry upon.
Stephanie Braganza - Until We Meet Again
A deeply raw song capturing the grief on the passing of a pet, ‘Until We Meet Again’ by Stephanie Braganza will have silent tears rolling down your cheeks. The song leans towards the soft rock and pop rock sound, which allows the emotionality of the song to be the focus while it complements it without overwhelming the same. The song will actually make you remember all the people that you’ve lost to the inevitability of time and its forces. Braganza’s vocals will pierce through your heart, unfurling all the emotions you might have kept buried in there. Deeply honest and vulnerable, this song deserves all the love.
Guild Theory - The Statesman
Capturing a distinct alternative rock sound, ‘The Statesman’ by Guild Theory will draw you into its emotionally layered soundscape. The layered guitars and their strumming patterns are truly unique and bring in a dark, sombre vibe to the song. The vocals sound distorted and muffled, acting as a mirror to the distorted nature of the emotional spectrum the song captures. The vocals along with the instrumentation create a dense texture that feels heavy, almost making you think of dark,heavy, grey clouds. The song’s musicality might make you think of Radiohead’s discography. If dark, emotive alternative rock is your vibe then you should absolutely add this song to your alt-rock playlist right now.
Follow the playlist for all new artist updates!
If you would like to submit your music for playlist or review consideration, please submit here