Happy New Year from First Aid Kit!

Back in 1788, poet Robert Burns wrote an anthem that's still more ubiquitous than Montell Jordan's "This is How We Do It" at New Year's. The lines to the kazoo-friendly "Auld Lang Syne" have summed up the "drinking to forget" philosophy ever since.

What came in ensuing years is more complex. Now, we not only have to forget the shitty year that we just experienced, but also an even shittier collection of wall-to-wall saccharine Christmas music. So, the end of one year and the beginning of another has its perks. It's a brief window of time when countless serious songwriters put down their sidecars, nog, and newborn babies, and pick up a pen.

New Year's is loaded with the stuff songwriters ache for -- reflection, redemption, introspection, apologies, resolutions, and, naturally, mournful chord progressions. Sapped of the wild commercial potential of a season just finished, these are songs mostly tucked into albums released throughout the year that are about things bigger than just a gift-giving season. (Although Prince and U2 turned these sentiments into massive hits.) They hint at the concentrated power of a 48-hour period -- concentrated even further into a couple of minutes.

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Alan Sparkhawk, Lazerbeak, Kevin Bowe, Chris Koza, Sophia Eris, Justin Pierre

Regina Spektor put it best when she said, "Love what you have, and you'll have more love." Thanksgiving is a day reserved for finding what you are thankful for and immersing yourself in friends and family.

Dozens and dozens of local musicians took the time to speak to Gimme Noise about what they are appreciative of this holiday season, including the songs that they are most grateful for.

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Actual Wolf is thankful for the Minnesota music scene and that he's not in jail
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Twiztid

The midwest is home to Devil's Night, the evening before Halloween where, let's say, "mischief" happens to be particularly prevalent. With the unofficial October 30 holiday most closely identified with Detroit, it's only fitting that tonight sees two Michigan-born rap artists known for "the wicked shit" take the stage at the Cabooze. That's right, Jamie Madrox and Monoxide Child of Twiztid, the group perhaps most known for being the longtime proteges of the Insane Clown Posse, are coming to town for a night of pre-Trick-or-Treat mayhem. While ICP have been far more viral and meme-friendly in recent years, Twiztid have an interesting history as well.

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As a holiday, Labor Day is rife with contradictions: one works all year to receive a single lousy holiday -- just one fucking day -- celebrating the worker, but that day falls at a spot on the calendar when venturing out anywhere to do anything out of the usual is sado-masochistic at best and foolhardy at worst due to crushing heat and swarming crowds. By the time Labor Day rolls around, who could blame anybody who opted to ride the long weekend out sprawled in a backyard kiddie pool, downing one Molson after another?
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​Now, Therefore, I, George Bush, President of the United States of America, by virtue of the authority vested in me by the Constitution and laws of the United States of America, by virtue of the authority vested in me by the Constitution and laws of the United States, do hereby proclaim Monday, January 20, 1992, as the Martin Luther King, Jr., Federal Holiday.

Twenty-four years after his assassination on April 4, 1968, in Memphis, Tennessee, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. was honored with a national holiday (except for a few reluctant states including New Hampshire, which took another seven years to officially jump on board), the only federal holiday to honor an African-American. More »

Photo by B FRESH

​Tis the season for free mp3s! Our digital stockings have been overflowing this week with free holiday tracks, and today Maria Isa sent over a new track to help us flesh out our playlist with some swank and sass. Isa is offering up a track called "Santa Papi," her take on the classic "Santa Baby" that swaps out the traditional lyrics for lines like "Santa Papi, slip a spliff under the tree for me" and "Santa Baby, an '84 Cadillac too, light blue."

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​It's been a spell since we've heard any new material from Little Man -- he's been hard at work recording a new album in Ike Reilly's studio down in Chicago with producer Ed Tinley -- so we were excited when he sent over this new holiday-themed song, "Plan to Be Together."

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​For lack of a better word, sure--this mix is pretty hipsterish. But if you're sick of all that traditional crap that's been jammed down your throat since you were five, check out this mix of seasonal cheer--equal parts tongue-in-cheek and sentimental. Pair these songs with some homemade fudge and you can totally impress all your friends with your crafty (and thrifty, and clever) gift.

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​It's always fun digging through the onslaught of mail around the holiday season, especially when we get creative Christmas cards from local bands. Our favorite card to arrive so far this season came courtesy of satanic surf-rock band Lusurfer (who we profiled in City Pages last year), who donned hideous sweaters and even dressed up their creepy little doll for a holiday portrait.

The best part is the caption: "Lusurfer brings you a holiday reminder to say 'Thank you Satan.'"

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