On the Joyzine Advent Calendar we’re giving away free downloads of tracks by artists that we love (including plenty of exclusives and a fair few festive favourites) every day until Christmas Eve on what, as far as we’re aware (and we’re always happy to be corrected), is the longest running such calendar on the web.
As always, the tracks are completely free to download and there’s no need to sign up to any mailing lists to access the songs (though if you’d like to you can join ours here), but if you’re enjoying the tunes we’d love you to make a donation to the wonderful charity Child Poverty Action Group, who work on behalf of the more than one in four children currently growing up in poverty in the UK by providing support to families navigating the social security system, taking legal action to challenge unjust decisions and campaigning for change. You can make a donation on this link.
For day four, we’re catching up with a label who celebrated their 25th birthday this year. Scratchy Records has been home to a host of Joyzine favourites (and possibly our favourite record label website design) throughout that time and today they’ve provided us with not one, nor two or even three but FOUR fantastic tracks from the Scratchy back catalogue. But before you get to downloading free tunes from Coach Hop, Bromide, Jonny Cola & The A-Grades and The Rocks, here are a few words about them from Scratchy head honcho Simon Bromide.
What have you been up to in 2022?
Been a busy year!! Mainly plugging new releases on scratchy – my new solo album Following the Moon came out last December then the debut album by The Volunteered We Fall Apart followed in Feb + gigging wherev whenev… mainly down The Easycome at the Old Dispensary in Camberwell. Also done a couple of indie label markets – Leeds for the first time and Kings Cross in the summer.
What do you have planned for next year?
Got the ‘lost’ 3rd album from Hank Dogs called ‘Nod to Nut’ coming out in Feb… their first two albums from about 20 years ago were overseen by none other than Joe Boyd so it’s a privilege for me to be involved with this one finally seeing the light of day. Think English folkers straddling the pond and touching down in Nashville… like Suzanne Vega fronting Pentangle. My second solo LP will hopefully be ready as well. And other stuff… as much as possible is the short answer!
What can you tell us about today’s tracks?
Coach Hop – By Christmas
I love this song! It’s so anthemic and Xmas on the surface but underneath there’s Charlie Coach Hop’s fantastic revenge dish served icy cold! (the story is… he sent another Xmas song by his old band Hamptons to an ex-girlfriend ‘cos it was in some way relevant to them and she then posted his message on Instagram with the title ‘loser-ex gets back in touch’!!! So he replies with this Xmas murder ballad… touching!)
Download here
The Rocks – Celeste
Like the closing ceremony of the Olympics in a pop song! These chaotic South London stage-botherers lit up my life back in the noughties. What a band…
Download here
Jonny Cola & the A-Grades – Postcode Wars
My fave Jonny Cola track. great lyrics, fab band peformance and a completely infectious Chris Whitty-bating chorus.
Download here
Bromide – Mr Ciccone’s Daughters
I can’t comment on this as it’s me. It was fun dressing up as a squirrel for the vid!
Download here
What makes the perfect Christmas song?
It’s got to somehow take you back to ALL your previous Christmasses… a musical time machine that will spit you out at the bottom of a Xmas tree full of un-opened presents and you’ll be right back there aged 4 or 5, completely immersed in the spell. For me it’s Slade’s ‘Merry Christmas Everybody’.
Find out more about Scratchy Records on their website
If you enjoy the track, we’d love you to consider making a donation to Child Poverty Action Group
Check back every day until Christmas Eve for more free music – if you’ve missed a day, you’ll find all of this year’s tracks so far on the links below. Merry Christmas everyone!
Day One: Piney Gir – Do Good For Goodness Sake
Day Two: Lost Map Records present Firestations – Swim Under The Winter
Day Three: LOUD WOMEN present Killdren – Expect a Crimewave
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