Listen to a playlist of alternative Christmas songs curated by Duke Garwood

Welcome back to Selections, a series of artist-curated playlists from those in the know.

Duke Garwood is a London-based songwriter and multi-instrumentalist. Since 2005, he’s released a plethora of albums including 2015’s acclaimed Heavy Love and 2017’s Garden of Ashes. With each new record, Garwood has sharpened his creative focus, adding new layers and depth to his stirring, blues-rooted sound. He’s embarked on a slew of collaborative ventures over the years as well, with vocalist Mark Lanegan among his most notable affiliates.

Last week, Music Beyond Mainstream released a new short film, Another Christmas, that featured music from Garwood. The project offered an alternative interpretation of Christmas time in the UK. The aim was to showcase some of the emotions and real-life experiences people may face during the festive season. A number of UK and Irish artists were also spotlighted, with Garwood among them. He and fellow London-based artist ESKA contributed a captivating rework of Silent Night to the project. Towards the end of the film, the pair can be seen performing the rendition in an empty Brighton Dome.

Here, Garwood manifests the themes of the film into an exclusive Selections playlist. His 28-track offering spans numerous generations and genres, with a focus on alternative or untraditional Christmas songs. Tune in below to hear music from the likes of James Brown, Can, Tom Waits, The Kinks, Mary J Blige, Jimi Hendrix and more.