Dig in! For rock, folk, acid techno and festive rap.
1 BLONDIE/FAB 5 FREDDY YULETIDE THROWDOWN
An early blueprint of Rapture, recorded Christmas-style for the Flexipop ’zine in 1981? The raps have a lot of ding-dong attitude. It’s now remixed by Cut Chemist for a vinyl EP. Find it: streaming services
2 JACK WHITE TAKING ME BACK (GENTLY)
JW’s solo comeback arrives in two versions: stuttering technoflash heaviosity and this rinkydink Hot Club De Nashville rethink.
Find it: streaming services
TODD RUNDGREN & THE ROOTS 3 GODIVA GIRL
Immaculate ’70s soul with Rundgren high-singing goofy lyrics likening his true love to a big ol’ box of chocolates.
Find it: YouTube
4 JAKE XERXES FUSSELL LOVE FAREWELL
The artful folklorist’s new find: a 19th century soldier’s goodbye, gently updated. Will Oldham provides backing vox.
Find it: streaming services
EVE ADAMS METAL BIRD 5
A creeping unease lurks behind the reverberant beauty of the title track to Californian Adams’s Dante-inspired album.
Find it: streaming services
6 IMARHAN ACHINKAD
Tuareg rockers build a studio in southern Algeria, and locate their Led Zeppelin III moment: serene, ornate, utterly lovely.
Find it: streaming services
7 HURRAY FOR THE RIFF RAFF RHODODENDRON
Alynda Segarra’s latest concept – a kind of hydroponic Secret Life Of Plants – is prefaced by this nagging Lou Reed chugger. The promo video (Segarra in goth drag on a swan pedalo) is definitely a keeper, too.
Find it: YouTube
YARD ACT 8 LAND OF THE BLIND
Powerfully groovy second single taken off Leeds fourpiece’s debut: for Fall scholars, fluorescent adolescents, and post-punk two-step shufflers alike. Find it: YouTube
9 HUMANOID ST8818R (A664 MIX)
The 1988 UK acid techno classic gets twisted into minimal new forms by Autechre.
Find it: Bandcamp
10 EDDIE VEDDER THE HAVES
Vedder in reflective-guy-at-the-piano mode. Finishes on a crescendo forceful enough to make Elton John reconsider his resignation.
Find it: streaming services