Elder Ward And The Gospel Four Archives - KUT & KUTX Studios

After spending twelve straight hours in an international airport, I can authoritatively say that we could use a few more new Christmas originals to give all those timeless classics a much needed rest. Seriously. You can rework “Holly Jolly Christmas” into reggae, Western swing, or house, but it doesn’t change the fact that at some point in the repetition, those melodies cross the threshold from charming familiarity to mentally degrading.

And who better to help tip the scales than Sloppy Scales? Tomorrow the Atlanta-based satirist shares his debut full-length This Machine Mocks Fascists: The Sloppy Scales Songbook, a nine-tune collection that clowns the nation’s far-right. Through infusions of Latin, blues rock, and countrypolitan formulas (on top of the obvious Woody Guthrie folk influence both lyrically and sonically) this society-scathing LP is better suited for Arthur Fleck than for Paggliacci.

So if you need some satire to spike your Yuletide spirit and spruce up your seasonal playlist, brings gifts of gospel, calypso, and soul to the manger with “Sweet Baby Jesus” – a brassy, percussion-driven, and hook-heavy slice of vapid midcentury spirituality.

By design, Song of the Day tends to feature up-and-coming artists and contemporary releases. But in honor of Black History Month, we’re gonna shake things up just a little bit. You’ll still get the usual mix of modern acts over the course of February, but each week we’re also offering a unique piece of Black History.

Sacred Soul: The D-Vine Spirituals Records Story Volumes 1 & 2 showcases a collection of rare 45s – never digitized until now. Each track is a remarkable document from producer Juan D. Shipp and engineer Clyde Leppard’searly ’70s Memphis label, D-Vine Spirituals. At nearly thirty singles, Sacred Soul will captivate you with these historical gems and their context of faith, tribulations, and hope. Elder Ward & The Gospel Four kick off the tribute with their funky, upbeat rendition of “A Change Is Gonna Come”.