Free Music Friday has snapped out of its Everton-related fugue - Jaysus, lads, can you not even put Hull City to the sword? - to bring you another banging collection of tunes, vids and trailers. Lest you think we're Grinches, we've included a light dusting of Christmas songs with more forecast for next week.
Those mourning the loss of The Civil Wars can seek solace in Even The Snow Turns Blue, a seasonal collection from acoustic Ohioan duo Over The Rhine. Also new from the Noise Trade stable areYou Make The Cold Disappear, an equally festive five-tracker from Nashville's answer to Ingrid Michaelson, Amy Stroup and Meet Miggs, a Christmas-free primer from the titular Tampa four-piece who are equal parts Train and Dave Matthews Band.



Mixtape of the Week honours go to Tunji Ige, a 19-year-old rapper operating out of his dorm room at Philadelphia's West Chester University. Love Project calls to mind Drake and Kanye minus the out of control ego.

If the Sainsbury Christmas ad has left you feeling a bit queasy, you might like to check out the video for the Peace Collective's re-working of The Farm's 'All Together Now', which benefits the British Red Cross and the Shorncliffe Foundation. Those contributing include The Proclaimers, Jah Wobble, Suggs, Alexandra Burke, Jane McDonald, I Am Kloot, John Power, Holly Johnson, Gabrielle, Engelbert Humperdinck, and Clash legend Mick Jones.

Another Christmas must-have is We Cut Corners' gorgeous re-working of Jona Lewie's 'Stop The Cavalry', which benefits January's First Fortnight mental health initiative.

Two maverick geniuses for the price of one is the deal as Sam Amidon and Bill Frisell join forces for an ace NPR acoustic download session.

The good folk from Converse are giving away the Deer Track tune, 'White Havoc', which graces their festive Noise To The World 2 sampler.

To the streams now and [link]3voor12.vpro.nl/luisterpaal/albums.html[/link] has upfront listens to Sau Poler, Matt Watts, Cloudkicker, Beans On Toast, Man From The South, Trip To Dover, Silk Rhodes, Nordic Giants and those loveable Sleaford Mods; Toshes, Screaming Females, Birds Of Bellwoods, Ben Frost, Smashing Pumpkins, Ivory Deville, Shoffy, Welcome Back Sailors, and a Christmasy Los Campesinos! are all awaiting your http://albumstreams.com consideration, although it does depend on where you and your device happen to be, and [link]www.npr.org/series/98679384/first-listen[/link] chips in with Ghostface Killah and PRhyme.
Free Music Friday continues to be puzzled as to why Sasha Go Hard still hasn't broken out of Chicago. She's a bit bamboozled herself with new tune 'Bricks' bemoaning her lack of a record deal and radio airplay, although the latter is probably down to her fondness for the word 'bitch'. Hopefully there'll be less cause for complaint in 2015.

It's been thumbs-ups all around this week for the new R.S.A.G. single, 'Don't Move So Fast', which is a funky delight.

Johnny Marr has come up with a nifty live performance vid to accompany 'Dynamo', the second single to be lifted from his Playground album. Forget fancy-schmancy CGI, we could happily watch the great man throwing Rickenbacker shapes all day.

Olaf Tyaransen's shameless media tartery continues with this striking black & white promo for 'Keep On Smiling', the new single from The Shruggs, which supports the Turn The Tide On Suicide initiative. By this time next year we're fulling expecting Mr. T to be in the Oscar running.

Free Music Friday is mightily impressed with the debut single from Hail The Ghost, 'Headstoned', which has a mean 'n' moody thing going on not dissimilar to The National. Their ranks include three former members of White McKenzie including Kieran O'Reilly, AKA Love/Hate's Detective Ciaran Madden. Its parent album, Forsaken, drops on March 6.

Judging by this beast of a single, we suspect that Kodaline's second album hasn't been very difficult. Due in late January, 'Honesty' is a nailed-on number one.

It's been another pretty damn amazing week for Hozier with his 'Take Me To Church' single reaching the dizzying heights of number three in America.
Here's a round up of some of his recent promo activities...











Having helped you fill your Hozier boots, Free Music Friday must once more sling its hook. Keep those links coming to @stuartclark66 and here's to the mother of all upsets at the Etihad.