This was the year that Stockton exploded onto our radars in a rad way, and helping close out 2013 is a tape curated by 209 indie representative and Satan Wriders' frontman Eli Wengrin, with the gift of The 209 & Friends Xmas Compilation 2013. As nearly everyone, every year sets out to perfect their own A Christmas Gift For You, the 209 area code underground encourages friends both local, and from Seattle, and Bologna, Italy respectively to contribute their own individual snowflake sounds to the craft table.
Like the eclectic array of sound and styles presented in our Stockton Report profile feature; 209 & Friends Xmas Compilation is a cornucopia of attitudes, altitudes, and compositional methodology. Eli's slows down the pitch to channel his Jolly Ol'St. Nick best with the book-ending “Ho Whassup” (Parts 1 & 2), and appearance on the “Da Da Da” knock-off, “Ho Ho Ho” with Monter Treasure's Rachel Orimo as part of the Eli Ho Ho Band. The Wriders of John Steiner and Wengrin rock it royally from “Rock 'N' Roll Santa”, “Oh, Noel” to the 50s lo-fi of “Blue Holiday”.
Sam Regan brings tropical holiday breezes and cookies with “Santa On Da Bleach”, later spilling DIY expressions on, “Tears of St. Nick”. Meanwhile Seattle's The Beach Boy takes a scuzzy dump on tradition with the “fuck me Santa, fuck me Santa” bravado of, “These Presents Suck”, that is sure to satisfy every non-materialist/counter-commercialist. Soft Touch's “Cold Turkey” brings soft synth atmospheres to the banquet, as Monster Treasure rips things up with “Rudolph's Revenge”, noughties folk throwbacks on Absolut Red's “XMAS '97”, MLTD's minimalist confessional “Heartbroken For the Holidays”, Vann Masvidal's shambling rendition of “Auld Lang Syne”, and the astounding Nat King Cole tripper-flipper from Andres Avalos' “A Christmas Flip”. But now we leave you with an exclusive introduction to the tape, from none other than Satan Wriders' own, John Steiner:
“This is a compilation album that features local Stockton artists, such as Monster Treasure and MLTD, tracks the three of us Satan Wriders boys have made individually, a track from Seattle's The Beach Boy, Italy's Absolut Red, and a few others. Happy Holidays from the 209!”
The 209 & Friends Xmas Compilation 2013 is available now via Bandcamp, with more information on their blog.
