Effusion 35’s Rockin' Coal In My Stocking arrives as the rare holiday single that actually remembers to have no frills fun. Instead of leaning on the well-worn tropes of cinematic string sections and angelic choirs, the band goes full electric, plugging in, turning up, and throwing out the idea of a “proper” Christmas song. With its influences on its sleeves like The Kinks or even Spinal Tap ,it still manages to carve out its own cheeky spot in the holiday canon.

Written by Pat Manley and performed with the full Effusion 35 ensemble, the single takes the perspective of someone who genuinely loves Christmas but is just self-aware enough to know they’ll never make the Nice List. That playful sense of holiday charm powers the entire track. It’s festive, it’s rebellious, and it’s delightfully human, like an anthem for anyone who has ever looked at their stocking and thought, “Yeah, I probably deserve the coal.”

Musically speaking, it’s a classic rock workout with just the right amount of seasonal sparkle. The guitars, handled by Pat Manley, Joe Napoleon, and Tom DiGregorio, move with so much energy. Kevin Manley’s bass work keeps the groove bouncing, while Jim Napoleon’s drums steer the whole sleigh with a sturdy, head-bobbing beat. And just as the song starts feeling like a rowdy barroom rocker, in come the perfectly timed sleigh bells courtesy of Zoe DiGregorio, nudging the vibe back into twinkling holiday territory without ever slipping into cliché.

Across its 4 minutes and 41 seconds, the track unfolds like a scavenger hunt too. Effusion 35 packs in nearly three dozen references to holiday movies, TV shows, and classic songs, so many that a single listen can’t possibly catch them all. That’s a tip to listen to it at least twice! It’s part of the song’s charm without a doubt. Whether you're a casual listener or an obsessive trivia lover, there’s always another Easter egg (or, well, Christmas egg) waiting for you.

Recorded across Defiant Sound in Clifton Heights and Closet Monster Studios in New Jersey, the track boasts a crisp, lively mix that gives each instrument room to shine. The production balances grit with polish, letting the humor and heart of the song land without sacrificing the rock ’n’ roll bite.

For us, the song wasn’t ever trying to be sentimental. It isn’t trying to be grand. What it is trying to be is fun, and on that front, it delivers in sleigh-loads. Effusion 35 may have just slipped an unexpected new classic into the season’s playlist, one grin-inducing riff at a time.

We know for a fact we’ll be playing this for our families now until the end of the year. We hope you’ll do the same! Go ahead and click those links below to listen in, follow along, and of course to stay tuned for more.

Listen to "Rockin' Coal In My Stocking"

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Effusion 35 turn Christmas on its head with single, "Rockin' Coal In My Stocking"