There’s some bloody awful music swishing around this time of the year and, inevitably, some of it’s played on the ukulele. But here are four that are well worth your time and money.
Christmas with the Ukulele Orchestra Great Britain
Everything you’d expect from a UOGB record: excellent musicianship, humour, a traditional English murder ballad rubbing shoulders with 70s glam rock.
Interesting fact: Acilius informs us that the Fiducula inter Angelos on the cover means, “Miniature lyres among the angels.”
I wrote a summary of it here. Grab it here.
Merry Christmas from Allo Darlin’
Most Christmas records aim to capture the bonhomie of a huge Christmas party by slathering their songs with sleigh bells, string swells, parping brass and growling Bonos. But Elizabeth Darling recreates an intimate and romantic little Christmas and does it beautifully.
You can listen to it here and buy it on MySpace.
Mad Tea Party – Oh Sh*t It’s Christmastime
Ukuleles, rockabilly guitar licks, copious swearing. Yep, my Christmases are like that too. Download it free on BandCamp
Ballard C Boyd – Christmas With U
Ballard C Boyd is the director behind the videos for Uke Hunt faves Date an Asian by Jen Kwok and Mal Blum’s Ode to Kulele. But once a year he records an EP of ukulele Christmas tunes for the whole internet to enjoy.
They’re all well worth listening to but my personal favourite is 2007’s Christmas with you. You can download it here free and read my interview with him last Christmas
Thanks again for introducing us(or me, anyway) to Mad Tea Party. Their two Christmas songs are great.
So is this post 1001? You are officially the Scheherazade of the ukulele world.