FREE MUSIC FRIDAY

Yuletide is nearly upon us and to celebrate we’ve a special festive Free Music Friday. First up for your aural delectation is the bonkers – in a good way! – collaboration between Yoko Ono and The Flaming Lips, ‘Atlas Eets Christmas’. Check out the craziness in all its glory below!

We are also seriously liking ‘Cheer Up, It’s Christmas’ by Wiley, which is residing @ [link]soundcloud.com/bigdadasound/wiley-cheer-up-its-christmas[/link]

Belfast-bound in March, Dog Is Dead have had the supreme good taste to update The Waitresses’ ‘Christmas Wrapping’. Check it out @ [link]soundcloud.com/dogisdead/dog-is-dead-christmas-wrapping/s-1VYkX[/link]

Meanwhile, [link]soundcloud.com/search?q[fulltext]=Summer+Camp%2C+All+I+Wonderful+Christmas+Is+You[/link] finds Summer Camp mashing up Macca in spectacular style.

Keeping the home Christmas fires burning at [link]thedirty9s.bandcamp.com[/link] are The Dirty 9s whose ‘Into The Winter’s Night’ is a thing of delicate, acoustic beauty.

Next to Limerick where The Brad Pitt Light Orchestra and Nick Carswell & The Elective Orchestra are giving away their respective Crimbo tunes @ [link]soundcloud.com/sillygooserecords/all-i-want-a-christmas-gift-from-the-bplo[/link] and [link]soundcloud.com/sillygooserecords/hallelujah[/link]
Both are ace.

There’s more guaranteed Irish fare from Jägermeister Freezer Session-ers Squarehead who cover Darlene Love’s classic ‘Christmas (Baby Please Come Home)’ @ [link]squarehead.bandcamp.com/track/christmas-baby-please-come-home[/link]

[link]soundcloud.com/yourfriendbam/viv-albertine-christmas-single[/link] is home to the annual alternative Xmas 45 from Viv Albertine who used to be one-quarter of punk-era legends The Slits. There’s also a solo album to look forward to in March, which is being released by Thurston Moore’s Ecstatic Peace label.

It’s by no means an easy listen, but contemporary composer John Zorn has come up trumps with A Dreamer’s Christmas, which is streamed in its entirety @ [link]www.npr.org/series/98679384/first-listen[/link]

Not festive but still jingling our bells is the new Cast Of Cheers single, ‘Family’, which Zane Lowe liked so much he played it Undertones ‘Teenage Kicks’-stylee twice in a row the other day on his BBC Radio One show. Cop an earful below.

Patti Smith, Sting, Steve Earle and, er, Miley Cyrus are just four of the acts gracing the upcoming Amnesty International Bob Dylan covers album. Visit for [link]www.covermesongs.com/2011/12/stream-amnesty-international%E2%80%99s-four-disc-bob-dylan-tribute.html[/link] for a preview. Ke$ha's on there too. Grim.

Dimitri Vegas and Like Mike are the latest people to get their grubby paws on Lady Gaga – the version of ‘Marry The Night’ @ [link]soundcloud.com/dimitrivegasandlikemike/lady-gaga-mtn-dvlmrmx[/link] is, we’re pleased to report, seriously kicking.

Richter Collective members Marvins Revolt gift us the splendid ‘Capital Wasteland’ at [link]marvinsrevolt.bandcamp.com/track/capital-wasteland-bonus-track[/link]
We’re expecting big things from these gentlemen in 2012.

Another name to watch out for in the new year is Mark Black & The Trips who previews his debut album @ [link]soundcloud.com/markblack/shining-star[/link]. Production duties are taken care of by Villagers’ Tommy McLaughlin.

And that is your Free Music Friday lot. Have a fab weekend and make sure to send all your lovely links to @stuartclark66.