Happy Christmas - Here's New Music!

Hey everyone,

I wanted to share some new songs that all came out last weekend, just in time for the Christmas season!

First up is "Seeds," the newest Yonder Breaks single. This one started as a request from Betsi Freeman Booking to donate a song to Seed Capital Network, an organization that provides loans to small businesses in developing countries. Instead of just offering one of my old songs for the compilation album, I thought I'd write something new! It's a simple tune, but so is giving, if you let it be. I like the way it turned out and asked if I could release it before the compilation is ready, which Betsi happily complied. 

It's got a nice and easy beachy beat, with layered guitars and a simple melody. I like the dynamics of this one and the way the harmonies landed, as well as the climax after the bridge into the instrumental at the end. I hope you enjoy it, and also encourage you to look into Seed Capital Network for yourself!

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The second is "Do You Love Me? (On Christmas Eve)," the newest track from Triumph of the Skies. I don't always write beachy folk music that fits the Yonder Breaks project, and so I sometimes write tunes and release them under other monikers. Triumph of the Skies debuted this year with the ska/punk song, "It's Less About." This particular Christmas song, however, was started last year based on a brief from my agent at Jackson Agency. 

I remember sitting in a tug (those little tractors they drive around the airport) working my "day job" (actually, a "night job"), recording voice notes really close to the phone because airplanes are loud. I wrote and recorded it shortly after, but sat on the song for a year, not sure how to release it. After Triumph of the Skies was started, I knew where it belonged, and so I re-recorded vocals, re-mixed it and here you go, "Do You Love Me? (On Christmas Eve)" is born! (Though I'm still not sure if I put that question mark in the right place or not...)

This one is a lot of fun and about as punky as I can get. I love the crunch of the guitars and the simple harmonies on the chorus. I especially like the ending with its subtle decrescendo amidst the gang vocals. Check it out!

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And finally, another project that is produced by me, but is far from Yonder Breaks, is peanutsplendor. I sometimes get briefs for songs way outside of my wheelhouse; but since I am always seeking to grow as a songwriter/music producer, I never say no. Most of those end up as peanutsplendor songs, and tend towards funk and pop. So last year, when I received a pop Christmas request, I channeled my inner Colbie Caillat and wrote "It's That Feeling (Christmastime is Here)." 

(Can you tell that I like parenthesis in song titles? [And everywhere else!])

This one is sickeningly poppy, with beach-inspired ukelele to start that upbeat vibe, followed by a fun sleigh bell and drum to keep it going. Though this is not the type of song I'd normally produce, I actually think this one came out pretty nicely, and maybe a track that someone else may someday make into a hit! I especially like that I was able to work egg nog into a song, which isn't always easy to do, but does always make me happy.

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So there's my Christmas gift to you -- three new songs for those who like Christmas music and those who do not. And don't forget that last year I released Christmas Rain, an album of originals and Christmas classics that I'm very proud of. For the rest of the year, I've made a discount code on Bandcamp to download Christmas Rain for 20% off. Just enter "makeitrain" in checkout.

I hope it makes your season a little bit brighter!

Click the image (or right here) to stream/download Christmas Rain.

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