Christmas singles are as prevalent as turkey dinners and twinkling lights this time of year, but The Coral are back with a twisted Christmas song.

The psych-infused indie heroes have released the macabre-esque cursed Christmas carol ‘She Died on Christmas Day’ ahead of the festive season.

Despite not spreading festive cheer or showcasing joyous themes, this new single focuses on highlighting the dark cloud that can dampen your Christmas spirit.

The ghoulish track is layered with spooky organ sounds that wouldn’t feel out of place in a musky, cobwebbed church.

It also comprises heavily of 50s/60s rock’n’roll nostalgia, adding a a layer of psychedelic crooning to the mix.

The Merseyside band like build on character-based imagery, and this is no different as the fuzzy vocals delivery takes you on a tale of a lost love haunting your Christmas.

“We love fifties and early sixties rock n’roll, especially the British stuff,” says the band’s Nick Power. “To us, it’s the sound of where we grew up: New Brighton and the fair, the lost piers, the thrill and danger of towns at the end of existence. If there’s an opening where we get to explore that side of us, we’re always up for it.”

This new track is available to stream and also purchase as a limited edition 7” release titled ‘Christmas on Coral Island’, the title track is the last to feature the narration of Ian Murray (The Great Muriarty). He previously brought a dramatic poise
as narrator on both their last two albums.

Whilst this song isn’t going to soundtrack your Christmas day dining, it serves as the perfect filler between Halloween and Christmas. With each listen it leaves you with a reminder to reflect among the festivities.

Review by Brad Halcrow (@brad_halcrow_writing) for THE SONGBIRD HQ