Welcome to The Soundtrack, a column where we plumb the depths of our musical knowledge to bring you the best* (subjective) music to listen to for very specific life situations. This week, we tackle a loaded situation: introducing your partner to your family on Christmas.

It is Christmas, my dudes. Well, not quite, but it’s only a couple paychecks away (so if you haven’t shelled out for presents yet you better get cracking). For many of us, Christmas is less of a religious holiday and more of a chance to visit your family and eat ridiculous amounts of fresh fruit and ham on the bone. It’s the only day of the year where it’s socially acceptable to regress deep into the safe memories and rituals of your childhood while simultaneously getting completely sloshed before lunch. Of course, there are pratfalls to watch out for – racist grandparents, the unbearable sticky heat, and most notably, the dreaded litany of “soooooo how’s your love life?” enquiries. Let’s be honest here, that question isn’t really a comfortable one to chat to your Aunt Rachel about even if yours happens to be going well. But maybe you’ve decided to grit your teeth and jump right into the deep end – by introducing your paramour to your clan. On Christmas Day. Sure, love makes you do crazy things but this is downright tumultuous. The mood has to be just right – comforting for all parties, interesting enough to be a point of conversation if all else fails, showcasing your partner’s ultra-cool tastes but still something your ‘rents are going to dig. We gotchu!

Summer Flake – Son Of A Gun

Summer Flake, aka Stephanie Crase, makes wonderful washed-out music that is both 1) very cool and 2) beloved by Double J listeners, so this one is neatly appropriate for all involved. You want to be able to set a tone that’s breezy and unchallenging for your parents, but still something you and your babe would listen to, allowing a comfortable first introduction for everyone. Son Of A Gun is sonically quite timid, so it won’t encroach on your space while you’re making all the rounds upon arrival. Crase’s lofty vocals, a floaty guitar – it’s all extraordinarily lovely despite its quite emotional lyrics. It’s like taking a nap in the sun, which is, as we all know, what you’ll be doing once you’ve all sufficiently stuffed yourselves with mum’s patented potato salad. If you’re feeling a little uncomfortable or have some trepidation about this introduction, you can hold onto the chorus hook like a handy little mantra: Don’t turn on me, members of my family who have been known to say exactly the most inappropriate things at precisely the absolute worst time. Hum it under your breath while praying nobody brings up anything untoward, like your wild younger years or that time you peed your pants way past the age that’s actually ok.

BadBadNotGood – Time Moves Slow

If you’re like me, maybe you shamefully grew up thinking that jazz was weird and boring and liking it made you Lisa Simpson. By now, you should realise that jazz is weird and AMAZING, and that being Lisa Simpson is an actual #lifegoal anyway. If you haven’t arrived at this true conclusion yet then BadBadNotGood will take you there. Subdued and ambling, Time Moves Slow isn’t unlike something the older members of your family would have listened to on the radio way back when. Its unmistakeable modernity reveals itself a little more as the track progresses, but things never get too out-there, making it a great salve – a marriage of two worlds. Plus, Samuel T. Herring’s voice is as entrancingly silky as they come. By this point, it’ll likely be lyrically appropriate as well: time certainly does tend to move slow when you’re anxiously watching everyone’s body language and internally begging with some universal force that this is going well.

The Goon Sax – Anyone Else

This one might skate right on the edge of what your family would be into, but just preface it by saying the frontman is Robert Forster from The Go-Betweens‘ son and they’ll be chill about it. There’s something to be said about the perfect amount of jangle in a song, especially if you’re going to play it in a romantic or romance-adjacent situation. It lends a Wes Anderson-esque touch that’ll help you gloss over any foibles that occur with a deadpan blank stare and a long sip of your drink. Bonus points if you’re wearing bright yellow or heavy eyeliner. See, it’s not so bad that someone just asked a super awkward question. It’s quirky! Your life is full of misadventures and idiosyncracies! In all seriousness though, The Goon Sax are a national treasure and have so much crossover appeal when it comes to different ages that you’re actually being musically irresponsible if you don’t play them for your family.

Crowded House – Weather With You

This is what I call an intergenerational banger. I’d like to say something to the effect of “if you don’t know the words you’re unaustralian”, but as Flight Of The Conchords pointed out at the ARIAs, us Aussies have a very annoying habit of claiming successful NZ musicians as our own, so I won’t. I’ll just say that if you don’t know the words you probably suck as a person. There. Much less inflammatory. Anyway, your parents probably gave Into Temptation and have their buzz on a little by this point and so do you, so now is the time for a nice, bonding sing-along, creating your own little Private Universe. Something So Strong like music really works as a social unifier, and the older people at the table will just adore that “the youths” are still fangin’ Crowded – although, let’s be real, It’s Only Natural. As you sit there on the porch under the sweltering yet Distant Sun, eyes twinkling with the effects of too much bubbly and paper hats lopsided, you’ll relax, knowing this day can only improve because your grandma totally brought her famous Chocolate Cake.

Wham! – Last Christmas

If you try to make a Christmas playlist without either this or Mariah Carey in it, Santa gives you coal in your stocking, and I’d much prefer normal things like sunscreen, socks and a new toothbrush. I guess you could sub in Mariah for this if you wanted to, but I guarantee you that more of your family will appreciate Wham!, unless you have some homophobic relatives. I’ll let you be the judge on this one. Honestly though, for this Very Specific Situation, the whimsical drama of this one works better than the grandiose begging of All I Want For Christmas. But hey, I don’t know your life.

Image: Universal 

Midas.Gold & Tkay Maidza

If you haven’t heard the name Midas.Gold yet, you’re missing out on one of the brightest young talents in Australian hip-hop right now. With just a single EP, For What It’s Worth, under his belt, the young MC is set to take over the country with his infectious rhymes over some stellar and innovative production from studio running-mate Jangus, showcasing his charisma and talents supporting another of Australian hip-hop’s new generation in Tkay Maidza, who continues to win fans over around the world with her fiery and energetic brand of hip-hop that leaves most listeners in an uncontrollable state of dance.

The tour is happening right now, so if you missed catching these two in Brisbane, Melbourne or Perth then that’s unfortunate, but you can still catch them in Sydney, Adelaide and Hobart on these dates.

Thu, Nov 10th: The Metro, Sydney

Fri, Nov 18th: HQ, Adelaide

Sat, Nov 19th: Uni Bar, Hobart

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OzODkysbl3c

I Know Leopard & Holy Holy – The Darwinism Tour

Having just signed to Ivy League Records, Sydney quartet I Know Leopard are a band on the up. They’ve got a new single Rather Be Lonely currently spinning and they’re just a few days shy of heading out on tour supporting the always electric Holy Holy, who are continuing to ride the lightning set off by debut album When The Storms Would Come as well as the anticipation for new material with the release of latest single Darwinism.

This one promises to get all kinds of loud.

Fri, Nov 11th: Corner Hotel, Melbourne

Sat, Nov 12th: The Worker’s Club, Geelong

Sun, Nov 13th: Karova Lounge, Ballarat

Thu, Nov 17th: Cambridge Hotel, Newcastle

Fri, Nov 18th: Metro Theatre, Sydney

Sat, Nov 19th: Uni Bar, Wollongong

Sun, Nov 20th: The Basement, Canberra

Thu, Nov 24th: Miami Marketta, Gold Coast

Fri, Nov 25th: Solbar, Sunshine Coast

Sat, Nov 26th: The Triffid

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p7IdTtcgW-Q

Crowded House – Encore

Could there be anything more iconically Australian than a series of Crowded House shows played on the forecourt of the Sydney Opera House in the waning days of Spring? Well it’s 2016 and that is fortunately still a reality, with the legendary group set to punch everyone in earshot in the feels with live renditions of their classics across four separate dates. Neil Finn and co will be playing four consecutive nights at the Opera House and if you’re looking for a live music experience you’d be hard pressed to find one better than this.

Nov 24-27, Sydney Opera House Forecourt, Sydney

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J9gKyRmic20

Husky – Late Night Store

Melbournians Husky are heading back out on the road again, their latest single Late Night Store the first taste of the band’s upcoming third record to be released next year. Having spent a year overseas, Husky’s Australian homecoming has been a long time coming for fans, who will be eager to see the effect their gap year in Berlin has had on the band’s live set. We can’t wait to have Husky back home at any rate.

Thu, Nov 17th: Art Gallery of Western Australia, Perth

Sat, Nov 19th: Lighthouse Folk Festival, Norah Heads

Sat, Dec 3rd: The Foundry, Brisbane

Wed, Dec 7th: Newtown Social Club, Sydney

Thu, Dec 8th: Fat Controller, Adelaide

Thu, Dec 15th: Howler, Melbourne

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XRw8AlwkAaU

Allan Smithy – I See A Palm Tree

Allan Smithy has just dropped his debut EP I See A Palm Tree last week and it’s an absolute gem. To celebrate this milestone, he’s embarking on a free (as in it will cost you not one of your dollars) tour of the East Coast at the end of November. It’s the perfect tour for that time of year when our wallets are all feeling a little pre-Christmas fragility, so if you miss the chance to catch him live and not spend a cent in doing so then you’ve got rocks in your head.

Fri, Nov 25th: Waywards, Sydney

Thu, Dec 1st: Barbara, Brisbane

Fri, Dec 2nd: The Penny Black, Melbourne

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nJdTlnkhjI8&feature=youtu.be

Abbe May – Doomsday

Perth’s Abbe May is enjoying a comeback year in 2017, releasing two singles in Are We Flirting and Doomsday Clock. It’s the latter she’s taking out on tour from next week as well as celebrating her fresh WAM awards for Best Single and Best Female Vocalist as well. The Doomsday tour are Abbe May’s final dates for 2K16, as she prepares to release her incredibly anticipated new record Bitchcraft early next year. Possessing one of the best voices in the country, this is one you don’t want to miss.

Thu, Nov 17th: Newtown Social Club, Sydney

Fri, Nov 18th: Transit Bar, Canberra

Sat, Nov 19th: Rad Bar, Wollongong

Thu, Nov 24th:: Northcote Social Club, Melbourne

Fri, Nov 25th: The Grand Hotel, Mornington

Sat, Nov 26th: Queenscliff Music Festival, Queenscliff

Fri, Dec 2nd: The Workers Club, Geelong

Sat, Dec 3rd: The Grace Emily, Adelaide

Fri, Dec 9th: The Beach Hotel, Byron Bay

Sat, Dec 10th: The Bearded Lady, Brisbane

Fri, Dec 16th: Jack Rabbit Slims, Perth

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vtQ4TgyP340

Methyl Ethel – World Tour

Sticking with the West Coast for this next one, with this year’s breakout darlings in Methyl Ethel. They’re quickly making a name for themselves here and abroad off the back of massive singles like Idee Fixed and the anthemic Twilight Driving. Latest single No. 28 is no different, a warm and foot-stomping rocker that bends and weaves in a myriad of directions, and the Methyl Ethel boys are keen to show it off back home before embarking on a world tour in 2017 at some of the best summer festivals in the country.

They’ll play Woodford Folk Festival, Lost Paradise and Sugar Mountain before what will be a raucous homecoming in Perth and a pair of headline shows. This is your chance to see one of the best new bands in the country on a skyrocketing upswing.

Tue, Dec 27th: Woodford Folk Festival, Woodford

Thu, Dec 29th: Lost Paradise Festival, Glenworth Valley

Sat, Jan 21st: Sugar Mountain Festival, Melbourne

Sat, Feb 18th: Fremantle Arts Centre Courtyard, Perth

Thu, Feb 23rd: Howler, Melbourne

Fri, Feb 24th: Newtown Social Club, Sydney

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=glxQCwtDm5Y

PVT

After three years dormant, electro rockers PVT are back in 2017. They have a new album coming, their fifth in New Spirit due for February, and they’ll be taking a quick East Coast jaunt to celebrate its release. If the release of first single Morning Mist, Rock Island Bend, a nine minute sprawler of a track, is anything to indicate, PVT are looking to push a whole lot of boundaries in the new year and we can’t wait to see it.

Fri, Feb 24th: National Gallery of Victoria, Melbourne

Sat, Feb 25th: The Foundry, Brisbane

Fri, Mar 3rd: Oxford Art Factory, Sydney

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bnRhMDlxDq8

Boy & Bear – Regional Australian Tour

If you live in regional Australia, chances are you know all too well the sting that comes when your favourite acts cruelly look over your area in favour of the big three of Brisbane, Sydney and Melbourne. To that end, Boy & Bear are making it their business to cover as much of regional Australia as they possibly can in the space of a month, with a mammoth 20 dates around the country planned.

With the warm glow from last year’s stellar LP Limit Of Love still hanging in the air, this will be a special tour.

Wed, Nov 9th: Regent Theatre, Ballarat

Thu, Nov 10th: Ulumbarra Theatre, Bendigo

Fri, Nov 11th: Costa Hall, Geelong

Sat, Nov 12th: The Cube, Wodonga

Wed, Nov 16th: C. Ex Coffs, Coffs Harbour

Thu, Nov 17th: Miami Marketta, Gold Coast

Fri, Nov 18th: Beach Hotel, Byron Bay

Sat, Nov 19th: Lake Kawana Community Centre,Sunshine Coast

Sun, Nov 20th: The Mills Precinct, Toowoomba

Wed, Nov 23rd: Pilbeam Theatre, Rockhampton

Thu, Nov 24th: MECC, Mackay

Fri, Nov 25th: Tanks, Cairns

Sun, Nov 27th: The Venue, Townsville

Fri, Dec 2nd: Albany Entertainment Centre, Albany

Sat, Dec 3rd: 3 Oceans, Margaret River

Sun, Dec 4th: Fremantle Prison, Fremantle

Wed, Dec 7th: Orange Ex-Services Club, Orange

Thu, Dec 8th: ANU, Canberra

Fri, Dec 9th: Waves, Wollongong

Sat, Dec 10th: Wests City, Newcastle

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LEUY7dXsxrk

Remi – Divas And Demons

Another young star flying the flag for Aussie hip-hop’s new generation is Melbourne MC Remi, whose September sophomore album Divas And Demons impressed in spades. He and PIC Sensible J are heading out on a November tour in support of that album and cracker new Jordan Rakei-featuring single Lose Sleep. Shows are already selling out for this one and tickets aren’t going to last long given his surging popularity so get in right quick if you want a good look at the future of hip-hop Down Under.

Fri, Nov 18th: Karova Lounge, Ballarat

Fri, Nov 25th: Railway Club, Darwin

Sat, Nov 26th: Rocket Bar, Adelaide

Wed, Nov 30th: Transit Bar, Canberra

Thu, Dec 1st: Newtown Social Club, Sydney

Fri, Dec 2nd: Newtown Social Club, Sydney

Fri, Dec 9th: Black Bear Lodge, Brisbane

Sat, Dec 10th: Republic Bar, Hobart

Fri, Dec 16th: Howler, Melbourne

Sat, Dec 17th: Howler, Melbourne

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B8TjpHcQ8gI

Image: Pilerats