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"Mele Kalikimaka" by Zachary Hoff
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There are many ways to say Merry Christmas. If you’re from Hawaii, you use the phrase Mele Kalikimaka. If you’re Zachary Hoff, you recorded this song using a microphone that was built from a shotgun shell.
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"Silver Bells" by Paul Brandt
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Fun fact: Silver Bells was originally written as Tinkle Bells. Paul Brandt has played in a bunch of EC bands (Frenettes, Meridene, Gentle Guest, etc.) and rocks Christmas joy yearly. Davy Sumner, the Good, played drums on this Silver Bells remake.
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"Coventry Carol" by Alyssa and Aaron Hedenstrom
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While Alyssa and Aaron now reside in Denton, TX, their Wisconsin roots are very strong. This year, they recorded this 16th century carol, which woman originally sang to their newborns in a mystery play called Pageant of the Shearmen and Tailors.
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"Jolly Old St Nick" by Andy Hofer
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Jolly Old Andy Hofer is perhaps best known for his brass mastery in The Gentle Guest and Meridene. Here he used his brasstery in a tribute to the Christmas hero every boy and girl eagerly awaits.
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"River" by Yohuna
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Yohuna delightfully turns the hit Joni Mitchell song River on its head. Yohuna is the dreamy, casio-based project of locals Johanna Swanson, Caleb Johannes, and Addie Strei.
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"Please Christmas Don’t Be Late" by The Heart Pills
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With Josh Ingersoll as David, and the rest of The Heart Pills as Alvin, Simon and Theodore, EC folk-punkers The Heart Pills one-up the Chipmunks on their version of Please Christmas Don’t Be Late.
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"Carol of the Bells" by Andy Immerman
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Eau Claire-native artist and solo electronic musician Andy Immerman has contributed to a long list of local bands, including assistant engineering for Bon Iver. He created an expansive remix edition (hot and fresh) of Carol of the Bells for the compilation.
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"I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day" by Wisconsin Built
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On Christmas Day in 1863, Henry Wadsworth Longfellow wrote the poem “Christmas Bells.” In 1872, an English organist made a song from it. In 2012, EC’s Wisconsin Built finally perfected the piece.
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"Joseph and Mary" by Shane Leonard
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He does folk music in Kalispell, he does funny stuff in the Barebones and Shambles improv teams, and for his latest act, Shane Leonard did Joseph and Mary, aka The Cherry Tree Carol.
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"Lo, How a Rose E’er Blooming" by Andy Plank
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Ex-Meridene banjoist and current casual bedroom-recording dabbler Andy Plank got low for a loud version of a hymn usually sweetly sung. “Es ist ein Ros entsprungen,” say people in Germany, where the song was written. Plank passed German 101 at UWEC.
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"What Child Is This" by Addie and Leo Strei
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People used to get them confused with one another, wondering, “what child is this?” OK, that’s probably not true, but the brother and sister duo from EC’s Adelyn Rose recorded this traditional holiday song, which is set to the tune of Greensleeves.
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"Last Christmas" by Sarah Bodeau
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One-fourth of The Heart Pills, Sarah Bodeau went solo for a smokey-cool, swingin’ jazz version of the 1984 Wham! song, Last Christmas. For a good time full of hunky mullets, flirty tinsel tossing and 80s nostalgia, YouTube the original music video!
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"Go Tell it on the Mountain" by Matt Vold and Dane Stewart-Disch
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There aren’t any mountains ‘round here, but don’t tell that to Osseo’s Matt Vold and Green Bay-native-turned-EC-resident Dane Stewart-Disch. They teamed up for this folk rendition of an old African-American spiritual song.
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"Silent Night" by Brian Bethke with Merry Weathers
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Osseo’s Brian Bethke recorded a soulful Silent Night, and employed the many talents of Merry Weathers. They’re a group of local musicians including Stacy Hanson, Jym Farley, Laura Ann Obenauf and Rick Kreuziger. That’s a lot of merry men and women!
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"Baby, It’s Cold Outside" by John and Stasia Nietz
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Members of the Ukulele Klub of Eau Claire (U.K.E), area husband and wife duo John and Stasia Nietz go back and forth on the always heartwarming call and response tune, Baby, It’s Cold Outside.
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"River" by Hannah Hebl
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With just a piano and her voice, Hannah Hebl hits the highest notes of this year’s Christmas album in her cover of River by Joni Mitchell. It’s hard not to wish for a river to skate on after hearing this lovely recording.
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"This Eau Clairian Life" by Scott Morfitt and Eric Christensen
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EC independent radio personality Scott Morfitt and Wisconsin Built guitarist/vocalist Eric Christensen contribute equal parts to a special holiday edition of This EauClairian Life. It seems a bit like This American Life, but a lot better.
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"Little Drummer Boy" by Cobra Winfrey
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Little Drummer Boy Matt Haapala, guitar man Ben Hinz, and Kyle Flater of Laarks fame are the three carolers behind Cobra Winfrey. They like to create songs that stretch out over a long period of time. Why not? If something’s sweet, make more of it!
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"Hark Christmastime" by Kyle Flater and Natalie Mastin
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Kyle Flater of Laarks used to do these Christmas songs all by himself. Then he found Natalie Mastin. Now they do them together and are going to get married. The end.
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