Mike Doughty - "Holiday (What Do You Want?)" featuring Rosanne Cash

Ahead of the release of his fourth solo album 'Yes and Also Yes' - and first biographical offering The Book of Drugs, both released on 23rd January 2012 - the revered former Soul Coughing frontman Mike Doughty gives us a musical taster in the form of seasonal single "Holiday (What Do You Want?)."

"Holiday…" is noteworthy for many reasons. First, Doughty is an inspiration to many a muso. Tom Vek recently said in an NME interview on 'Ultimate Cult Heroes': "mention (Mike Doughty's) name in certain circles and domes will fizz. He encapsulated the sound of post-everything beat music. His drawls of proto-noir stories shredded with post-modern pop references soundtracked my formative years, and his is still the voice I listen to most. He's thoroughly deserving of cult status."

Secondly, on "Holiday…." Doughty duets with the living legend: Rosanne Cash. In Doughty's own words: "Holiday… had a note that I couldn't sing. And so I was like, I'll do it as a harmony. I'll get a female singer. And I thought why not go for the gold? So I was just like, 'Hey, Rosanne, you want to sing this song?' And she said yes."

Also noteworthy is Dan Wilson's involvement in writing the song, fresh from co-writing Adele's "Someone Like You."

Thirdly, and most obviously: This is the contender for alternative Xmas no. 1. Listen to those delicately jolly sleigh bells, the soft heart-warming melodies and harmonies, the sentimental talk of snowfall, Christmas lights and gifts. All wrapped in Doughty's warm winter coat of country and Americana.

Mike Doughty's single "Holiday (What Do You Want?)" ft Rosanne Cash is released on Monday 12th December. Mike Doughty's fourth solo album 'Yes and Also Yes' and his biographical book The Book of Drugs follow on Monday 23rd January (via Hornblow Recordings/Snackbar and Da Capo Press respectively).

"I wanted to write a Christmas song. The idea was to not write this Christmas-is-shitty-and-this-is-our-Christmas song. But to sort of be genuinely emotional but not corny. To write something that's resonant and real, and which also has sleigh bells on it, because that's the indication of the genre. And so we wrote this thing. I thought it was great" - Mike Doughty

Mike Doughty
Single: "Holiday (What Do You Want?)" ft. Rosanne Cash
(Hornblow Recordings/Snackbar)
Released: Monday 12th December

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