Single Sentence Singles: Holiday 2023 edition
We're back, baby. The hits keep coming.
Illustrated by Katelyn Betz
In an effort to keep you all abreast of the latest local music that’s not album or music video related, we present the latest installment of our irregular feature, Single Sentence Singles. We take a listen to the latest local singles to hit Soundcloud, Spotify, Bandcamp, et al, and sum them up in one sentence.
Simple enough? Here we go.
Amy Ward, “Best Time of the Year”
Ward has had a slew of songs placed in TV shows and movies across all genres, and this relentlessly poppy and bouncily upbeat song sounds like it should be in a Hallmark movie by Christmas of 2024, or we’ll eat our Santa hat.
Lee Walter Redding, “Don’t Do Santa This Way”
This isn’t the first time Redding has featured his kids in his music, but this plea to make sure Santa doesn’t get “any dehydrated fruit this year” has both his wife and kids and is both weird and adorable and relatable.
Cheetah Club, “Christmas Treat” feat. an Elf
Belton musician Bryan Lawson teamed up with his daughter Marion to create a short little EP for his wife for Christmas, but ended up having so much fun that we have an entire album under the aegis of Cheetah Club, entitled Merry Christmas, Mom!, which features this wonderful version of the perennial Saturday Night Live classic performed by Horatio Sanz, Jimmy Fallon, Chris Kattan and Tracy Morgan.
Lyric Reddick, “This Christmas” feat. Jay Vera
Topeka’s Lyric Reddick’s Bah Humbug EP of cognac Christmas covers started as a jovial conversation, and became a real project, and the musician hopes you enjoy it as much as he enjoyed making it … and drinking cognac … which is pretty easy to do when it kicks off with this superbly silky version of Donny Hathaway’s “This Christmas” featuring Jay Vera.
The Fur and the Fang, “It’s Christmas Time”
Written by bassist and vocalist Seann McAnally, the opening track to The Fur and the Fang’s A Furry Fangy Holiday 2023 EP is a jangly folk punk gem of a song which is a foot-stompin’ good time, suitable for handclaps and sing-alongs next to an outdoor bonfire.
The Soul of Santa, “Christmas Magic” feat. The Royal Chief
Benefiting the KC organization which does good 365 days of the year and showcasing a veritable who’s who of local jazz, R&B, and hip hop talent, The Soul of Santa Christmas Album is so jammed with tracks, it’s hard to pick which one to listen to, but the Royal Chief’s plaintive promise to be with the one he loves this year is an undisputed winner.
