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.
We reach the final day of this year’s calendar with a reminder that Christmas is a time of extremes of emotion, and like all the best festive films (It’s A Wonderful Life, Miracle on 34th Street, The Muppet Christmas Carol) we’re going to bring you down before lifting you right back up.
Bringing the seasonal melancholy are Dan Lyons & The Tenants with a Christmas tale of two tragic lovers – they released their second LP Shuttered Dreams earlier this year as well as producing the score for award winning short film Mirror, Mirror.
Providing the festive cheer are Jane & John, the duo of Joyzine regular MJ Hibbett, who this year released his debut solo LP The Unearthly Beauty of MJ Hibbett (you can read his track by track guide here), and CJ Wadsworth, who we’re informed has never been in a band before unless you count her community choir. They’re rounding off this year’s calendar is suitably cheerful style with their version of ‘Feliz Navidad’.
We caught up with both bands to find out more about their tracks.
What have you been up to in 2022?
We put our album out in September, that’s sort of the biggest thing that’s happened music wise. Also playing with La Femme on their tour was a good trip. It’s been an odd year – I think everybody is trying to get their lives back on track after the shock of 2020 and 2021. This summer was fun though, we went to France and spent some time in the countryside together, keeping things as wholesome as possible…
What do you have planned for next year?
More writing and recording. We’ve grown quite a lot since the recording of the first Tenants album and I’m looking forwards to seeing what comes out when we all start putting songs together as a group. Everybody has other projects they’re involved in and I’d like to see some of those influences coming through into the band…
What can you tell us about today’s track?
It’s a song I wrote a about a trip to Paris. It’s a bit of a tragedy about two lovers who run away from the world. My uncle William Lyons plays flute on it too – he’s a medieval music expert – his part adds something special. You’ll have to listen to it…
What makes the perfect Christmas song?
A nice big dose of misery, and a sprinkling of hope.
Download ‘Remember Last Christmas‘
Follow Dan Lyons on Facebook
What have you been up to in 2022?
Jane: working too hard! Watching Frasier and Will & Grace.
John: recording a solo album and watching Frasier and Will & Grace.
What do you have planned for next year?
Jane: hopefully turning song ideas into actual songs!
John: doing my thousandth gig (need to book my 999th gig first though!)
What can you tell us about today’s track?
Jane: it gives me that Christmas-time-in-Tenerife feeling! It’s out first cover version.
John: I always find it weird how little-known this song is in the UK. More people should hear it (and more people should go to Tenerife at Christmas!)
What makes the perfect Christmas song?
Jane: a voice like Michael Bublé or Shania Twain helps a lot!
John: also, sleighbells from about halfway through and church bells in the final chorus. We couldn’t get Bublé or Twain (or Crosby or Dylan) but we did get bells!
Download ‘Feliz Navidad‘
FInd out more about MJ Hibbett and purchase his new album on his official website
If you enjoy the tracks, 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
Day Four: Scratchy Records present The Rocks, Jonny Cola & The A-Grades, Bromide + Coach Hop
Day Five: Deux Furieuses – Bring Down The Government Home Demo
Day Six: Extradition Order – Bold
Day Seven: Blang Records present Thomas Truax + Faux Fibbers
Day Eight: Alcopop! Records present Dream Nails + Helen Love
Day Nine: MiKey & The SkEletons – On and On
Day Ten: Ben Fox Smith – Human Rights
Day Eleven: Nini Bong + The Fades
Day Twelve: The May + Xqui
Day Thirteen: Hey You Guys! – Onward Christian Soldiers (live)
Day Fourteen: Chemtrails – Gee Whizz Billy Base
Day Fifteen: Hot Sauce Pony – Just Like Christmas
Day Sixteen: Reckless Yes Records present Breakup Haircut, Nervous Twitch, Feral Five, Electric Pets + The Incomprehensible Static
Day Seventeen: Ree-Vo – Protein (Rob Smith Mix)
Day Eighteen: Brace Yourself Records present Italia 90 + Grandmas House
Day Nineteen: Rookery Ensemble + THE FUTURE THAT NEVER COMES
Day Twenty: Tijuana Hercules + The New Royal Family
Day Twenty-One: Holy Popes + The Mining Co.
Day Twenty-Two: Fierce Panda Records present Solar Eyes + Enjoyable Listens
Day Twenty-Three: Rocklands Artbeat presents Lufe Tempo + The Outsiders
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