WellBad’s “Santa Claus is Real,” featuring Jessy Martens, offers a distinctive and gritty spin on the holiday season. The track, a scratchy, jazzy Blues/Swing duet in the vein of Cab Calloway and Tom Waits, pays homage to traditional Christmas classics but takes a darker, bluesy turn.
The vocals in “Santa Claus is Real” are noteworthy, delivered with a wry energy that infuses the song with an authentic blues vibe, complete with a seasonal twist. The scratchy quality of the music and the jazzy elements contribute to an authentic experience, providing listeners with an alternative Christmas sound.
WellBad’s journey in the music scene, marked by albums like “Beautiful Disaster,” “Judgment Days,” and “The Rotten,” reflects their deep roots in the blues genre. Winning the German Blues Challenge in 2015 and earning acclaim with “The Rotten” in 2017, the band has carved a niche for themselves. Their presence on prime-time TV and performances alongside artists like Robert Cray, Oli Brown, and Tito & Tarantula underscores their versatility.
The band’s international ventures at festivals in Memphis, Torrita di Siena, and the Canadian Music Week in Toronto showcase their global impact. Notably, their success at the Montreal Jazz Festival in 2019 highlights their ability to captivate diverse audiences.
With a discography that includes “HEARTBEAST – The soundtrack to a movie that’s never been shot” and the live album “Rock Noir-Live,” released amid the challenges of 2020, WellBad has demonstrated resilience. The recent release of their fifth studio album, “BAD HABITS,” reflects the band’s evolution through emotional ups and downs.