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Whew---what a wonderful twelve days Squid Christmas has been. Now, however, Squid Christmas comes to a close. While you've been hearing oldies all month---in the department store, on the radio, in offices and schools---here's a final tune for some Christmas reflection. Then, to top off Squid Christmas, enjoy a few seasonal clips. Five more videos after the jump.

Download "O Come All Ye Faithful" by Eddie Fisher

I tried to find a larger portion of this special (from the X-Men animated series), but I think the thing was just so irredeemably bad that no one has uploaded it in its entirety.

Once again, this is just a small sampling of the X-Mas fun these specials contain. This clip is from The Grim Adventures of Billy and Mandy Christmas special.  read more »

For the penultimate day of Squid Christmas, I've decided to just dump a bunch of weird stuff on y'all. Enjoy.

Download an Mp3 of the infamous "Fire Ant" scene from Space Ghost
Download an Mp3 of the YouTube hit, "McRoll'd" (video at left)
Download sixteen seconds of "green treefrog" noises
Download a "remix" I made of Bjork's "Five Years," entitled "Five Geese"
Download another hilariously crappy Bjork remix I made. This one is of "Immature" and it's called "Impatient"

NOTE: This is a "make-up" post from yesterday. (lol, minutia)

For today's installment of Squid Christmas, I've scoured Archive.org for some free oldies. Not only are these songs easy on the ears, but think of how pretentiously vintage you'll appear when you say your favorite musician is "Moonshine Kate." Eh. Enjoy; Squid Christmas ends on Christmas Eve.

Download tracks by Bing Crosby and the Andrews Sisters
Download "My Man's a Jolly Railroad Man" by Moonshine Kate
Download "I Am Dressed Up With a Broken Heart" by the Boswell Sisters
Download "All She Gets From the Iceman is Ice" by Ada Jones
Download "Trouble Trouble" by Betty Roche
Download "Christmas Bells"
Download "Gasoline Gus"
Download tracks by Sophie Tucker (pictured)

Remember Pee-wee? Sure, post-diddlegate there lingers anxiety about Reubens' character, but there's little question that Pee-wee's Playhouse was Mecca for social misfits, classical hipsters, Gen-X'ers, and hippie-raised children. So, you may ask, how could one possibly improve on the bizarre elements, the outlandish fun, of Playhouse? That question was answered---decisively---with Pee-wee's Christmas special. As if the idea of the slick-haired man-child presenting a forty-five minute extravaganza of yuletide antics was not enough, Grace Jones performs. That's right. For those who have never seen this special, effing Grace Jone makes an appearance. But that's not all: kd lang also sings, garbed in some hideous relic of eighties excess, and the Del Rubio Triplets, Cher, Charo, and others stop by the Playhouse. Am I over-praising this special? No. Enjoy the videos and Jones mp3 below, all of which will leave you in a splendid state of WTF-ery.

Download "Little Drummer Boy" by Grace Jones
Buy the DVD

By this point in the holiday season, your pocket has likely been emptied by gifts, bills, office party pastries, and secret Santa exchanges. You may also be yearning for some new music, but you either (a) have no money, or (b) can't wait till Christmas. Fret not, though, Squid Can is here to help you once more, plucking the finest selections from sonic apple tree. First, head over to eMusic and download the BBC Music Magazine Sampler, which contains thirteen tracks for the classical novice; or Fiscal Apocalypse 2008: Fifteen Free Tracks For the Financially Fried, a sampler with artists of recent hype, including Passion Pit, Au Revoir Simone, and Dr. Dog.

Next, grab a nifty Hanukkah song from Erran Baron Cohen, some cockney attitude from the super-sassing Lady Sovereign, scrumptious alt-country from Jenny Lewis and the Watson Twins, endearing indie rock from the Born Ruffian's Daytrotter session, enlightened baroque pop from St. Vincent, and a live performance from Kimya Dawson.

Whew. Now after you've digested that slew of free music, head over to [adult swim] and watch the final episode of Moral Orel. While I was originally apathetic towards the grim and sick "shock" humor of the show, season 3 showed real promise and development, and it's a shame Orel has to disappear during its prime. Be sure the catch the episode (with commentary!) on [as] before it's removed. And, if you're wondering who sings the episode "theme:" that would be io perry.

Buy Moral Orel on DVD from Amazon
Visit io perry's MySpace

Edit (Dec. 21, 1:30am): Wow. Would have been nice for a post called "Moral-Approved Downloads" to have actual music from the show. Get the Mp3s at [adult swim]. And, apparently, the eMusic downloads are now members-only. Ah well.

Amen, amen, the interwebs have provided free Christmas songs once again. Like yesterday, today provides you with some holiday selections you can play in place of the seasonal standards. First off is a fresh track from The Raveonettes' new EP, Wishing You A Rave Christmas. You don't have to be a mega-Christian to enjoy the slightly-above-average soft rock of Jars of Clay, and laugh slightly at the implied Obama-Messiah message on Joan Jett's "Silent Night" (which sadly has more politically-supercharged samples than actual singing).

It's not Kate Bush, but Katie Eagleson's smoothly jazzy "It's Love, It's Christmas" is a sonic glass of X-Mas wine. Finally, proudly display your indie cred by blasting Sufjan Stevens from the car and blabbing about how "godlike" his falsetto is. Does Sufjan Stevens still have "indie cred?" Well, he certainly has cred amongst his rabid online fans, who scrobble him to the death. But I digress. I suppose Christmastime is the time for reconciliation, even if that means quietly tucking away your hate of Last.fm-sycophancy. Regardless, enjoy the Christmas tunes, and the cute video from Sufjan Stevens below.

eMusic is usually generous in giving away shit music for free, but this Christmas season they seem to be especially liberal in their giveaways. Like most eMusic samplers, the Redeye 2008 Holiday Sampler has a smattering of painfully produced indie rock against a smaller portion of delightful indie pop and sentimental male crooners. Recommended tracks include "Jingle Bells" by Lisa Loeb, "Deer Crossing" by Elk City, "Darlin'" by Over The Rhine and "Something to Hold On To" by Ron Sexsmith. Also available from eMusic: a free Rosie Thomas track brimming with Yuletide joy and quirky-girl sensibility, some big band cheer from Brian Setzer and his orchestra, and a "twisted" selection from Twisted Sister. Video for Twisted Sister's "Oh Come All Ye Faithful" below.

Squid Christmas has suffered these past few days due in part to some minor illness and my own laziness. To make up for it, here are five deliciously youthful musings from Kate Bush. All of these songs are demos and have not been released commercially. Of special interest are the demo versions of "Babooshka" and "Hammer Horror." While Bush does not reach the level of musicianship on these as she did on the finalized versions, these demos are still interesting listens. Check out "Stranded On the Moonbase" below and then pick up the rest of the songs at Mediafire.

Download "Pick the Rare Flower"
Download "On Fire Inside a Snowball"
Download "Stranded On the Moonbase"
Download "Babooshka" (Early Demo)
Download "Hammer Horror" (Early Demo)

As much I would have liked to avoid it, I was unable to post to Squid Can these past few days; hence the lack of Track of the Day and Friday Mp3, as well as the ongoing Squid Christmas. I was stuck in a house with no wireless, and I've been busy attending Christmas functions and birthday parties. But I digress. For those of us who woke up to snow this morning, here's a fitting song: "Cold Song," performed by Klaus Nomi in his eclectic-operatic fashion. In a show of guilt for not posting these past few days, here are a few extra Mp3s.

Download "Cold Song" from FileFactory
Download "New York Song" by Dark Dark Dark from Spinner
Download "It's All Good" by El Perro del Mar from Last.fm
Download "Le Fini" by Ursula 1000 from Megaupload

Sad news for this post. Well, it's sad news that only a few people probably care about, but it's sad news nonetheless. The superb online organizer Sandy is going offline December 19th. Developer Rael Dornfest has decided to shut down the service as he snatched a job at Twitter. I've been a Sandy user for nearly a year now, and I didn't get the email announcement until today. But it's obvious that Dornfest cares about his customers, since he posted a self-congratulatory announcement two weeks ago but neglected to tell his users about it, despite the fact it contained the only official announcement of Sandy's demise. Okay. Enough technology news. Here's a funeral tune for Sandy. This Nobuo Uematsu track is called, "Sandy Badlands." Enjoy that horrible pun and the music. Then again the music is pretty bad too, unless you like 90s video game synth. Ramble much?

Download "Sandy Badlands" from Mediafire (WMA Format)

Normally you'd have to watch out for a "Fox in the Snow," but when that "fox" comes from mellow indie-pop legends Belle and Sebastian, it's certainly not a threat. Continuing the trend of unrelated news from yesterday: nine-year old Alec Greven has published a book, How to Talk to Girls. As if the publishing industry wasn't already a crapshoot of unneeded text, we now apparently need some nine-year-old Heathcliff to provide romantic advice. I think it's pretty obvious that most of the people purchasing this will be WASPy, childless adults looking for a cutesy laugh with their Christmas wine. Enjoy the hugely precocious video below and read more about the book at MSNBC.

Download "Fox in the Snow" from drop.io

Having a Yuletide ball? Celebrate it by dancing to a "Hyper-ballad." On a side note, the new Fox show The Secret Millionaire is so well-done that even a postmodern bastard such as myself can enjoy it. Millionaires go incognito in an impoverished community and find people deserving of a hefty donation---just the heartfelt sort of program perfect for inspiring some Christmas spirit. Watch the trailer below, and catch the show Wednesday nights at eight on Fox.

Download "Hyper-ballad (Post Live Version)" from Mediafire

Image from Webweaver

Well, the Christmas season is finally here. Children making lists, soup kitchens filled, and plenty of parents fibbing to their children. Now, Christmas is quite the cultural issue; and I should have an essay up by the weekend, as I think it's an interesting subject that could always use some commentary. You can also expect a few gift guides throughout the month, as well as other seasonal posts. Whether you're celebrating Christmas or not, here's a free Mp3. Check back for more free crap all month!

Download "My Book" by Neon Hitch from Spinner

Image via Retro Housewife

Don't be a hausfrau. Sit back, listen to some lucid, liquid lounge, and tell the family to clean their own damn pie plates. Unless of course you enjoy doing dishes---in which case you should go clean some pie plates. Either way, enjoy the following freebies, and be thankful for the Squid in your life.

Download "Nude On the Moon" by Tipsy
Download "My Funny Valentine" by Anita O'Day
Buy Trip Tease by Tipsy on eMusic
Buy Skylark by Anita O'Day on Amie Street

I've had an extremely tiring three days before Thanksgiving break, which explains the lack of recent posts. I was going to do a Thanksgiving mixtape, but lack of time put an end to that. A Black Friday mixtape may be up tomorrow, and Track of the Day will return on Saturday. Friday Mp3 will be made up on Saturday also.

Anyhow, enjoy a little Peggy Lee with your Thanksgiving meal today, and happy Thanksgiving. There may be another post or two during the day.

Download "Oh What a Beautiful Morning" from Mediafire
Buy the album from Amie Street

Wow. On yesterday's post concerning [adult swim] and Björk week, I completely forgot to mention Björk's appearance on Space Ghost Coast to Coast. Björk sang the theme for the episode "Knifin' Around," in which she and Thom Yorke were guests. Watch part of the episode below and get the Mp3 also. Buy Space Ghost on DVD at Amazon.

Download "The Space Ghost Song" from Mediafire

Oops. I've been neglecting my Björkly duties. Here's a few Mp3's to keep y'all happy. In unrelated news, don't forget to catch FLCL this Saturday on [adult swim] if you haven't already. Also, The Drinky Crow Show airs this Sunday on [as]. Check it out, and get another delicious [as] Mp3 below.

Download "Sweet Sweet Intuition" from Sendspace

Download "Undone" from bjork.com

Download "Massage Situation" by Flying Lotus from Sendspace

Get "Nattura," Björk's latest single, from Amazon

Get Flying Lotus' Reset EP at Amazon

As part of Björk week here at Squid Can, here's a quick overview of Björk's music videos. The videos featured here come from songs on Debut, Post, and Homogenic. Part 2 will come round tomorrow and contain videos from Björk's latter three albums. Enjoy!

MP3 after the jump.

Human Behaviour (1993)

Directed by Michael Gondry. A very Norshteynian video in which Björk is chased by a bear, gets eaten by the bear, plants a Soviet flag upon the moon, and waves at a giant moth with spoons. A Goldilocks redux in a frighteningly adorable light.

 read more »

Being an over-the-top, mega Björk fan, I've decided to dedicate the following week to Björk, as on Friday, November 21st, it's her birthday. So, enjoy some free Björk MP3s this week along with some extra goodies and special posts. Be sure to visit the site on Friday for the conclusion of Björk Week. Download an unused cut from Vespertine below.

Download "Verandi" from Bjork.com

Here's an absolutely superb video of Beth Orton performing "Galaxy of Emptiness" in November 1998 on Sessions at West 54th. While the original "Galaxy of Emptiness" was a ten-minute galactic swirl of folktronica, this live version just bursts with an ethereal tenderness. MP3 at the bottom.

Download from 4shared

T-Pain isn't the only one with a new album. Frida Hyvönen's latest full-length work, The Enemy Within was released last Tuesday. I think it's safe to say that in the excitement of the election season a few of us may have neglected it. So pick up Silence is Wild at Amazon. Take a free sample from Hyvönen's record label below.

Download "The Enemy Within" from Secretly Canadian.

As it's Veterans Day here in the States, it's not much to ask for us all to take a few minutes out of our day to participate in the event. It's a matter that certainly has nothing to do with politics; and if patriotism makes you cringe---well, it's a matter of respect for women and men who have willingly sacrificed their lives for defense of their nation. If you're not the most contemplative type, then a few moments of silence will certainly do. Commemorate the day with an uplifting piano piece from St. Vincent.

More on Veterans Day.

Download "We Put a Pearl In the Ground" from Mediafire

The Gainax anime FLCL---known alternatively as Fooly Cooly or Furi Kuri---has returned to [adult swim] after a lengthy hiatus. There are relatively few anime that I'd evangelize, but this ridiculously postmodern, six-episode series has been a hallmark of my [adult swim] viewing over the years. Upon viewing it Saturday night for the first time in maybe four or five years---well, I was thoroughly impressed. Solid animation, surreal humor, occasional introspection, and overdramatic flair make for a superb little collection of episodes. Catch the show on Saturday night (well, Sunday morning) at 3:00 AM. If you don't feel like waking up with the roosters then buy the DVD on Amazon. Classic [as] mp3 beneath the video.

Download "D-Code" by Dust Devil from Fileden

IAMX (aka Sneaker Pimps frontman Chris Corner) has released a new single, "Think of England." Corner's ever-distressed vocals are present, as is an electro-infused hook that sweeps into full force following a hushed refrain.

Download "Think of England" from 61seconds

Enjoy this fanvid to the simply phenomenal "Air War" by hipster messiahs Crystal Castles. Considering the lyrics to the song are from Jame Joyce's Ulysses, the dated dress and dance in this video are certainly fitting for the content. MP3 link below the video.

Download "Air War" from Download.com

Photo credit: Getty

Barack Obama is now the President(-elect) of the United States.
Here's a victory MP3 for all those Obama supporters from the start:

Nina Simone- Here Comes the Sun

John McCain ran a good race, and for all those mourning his defeat---here's his playlist as given by Imeem.com.

The election season is over. I think we can all breathe a sigh of relief. Why not do so over the placid beats and vocals of Lamb?

Lamb- I Cry

A big round of applause to not just the candidates, but to we citizens also, for the great political enthusiasm we've shown as of late.