“Christmas (I Think I’m Gonna Be Sad)” is the new holiday single from NYC-based rock singer-songwriter Dan Miraldi.  Miraldi unleashes his love power pop and melody on this new recording.  The tune features big guitars and infectious layered vocal harmonies. Lyrically, the song is for those people who may be struggling emotionally from a breakup or other type of loss, but still have to put up a front of joy during the holidays.  The blending of its lyrical message with the power of the rock and roll musical arrangement manages to meld fun and catharsis at the same time. 

When I first arrived in New York City back in 2014, I had just finished recording Chaos, Destruction & Dancing which I would release the following year. I expected that moving to a new city would instantly make music pour out of me. It didn’t (at first).  I wouldn’t call it writer’s block. I could still write songs when I needed to prove to myself that I could write songs, but none of them for the most part got me particularly excited. I wondered if I had peaked as a songwriter? In the meantime, I played shows, made new friends and partied like a fiend as I tried to keep the doubtful voice in my head quiet.

Slowly songs came that I liked.  I wrestled them out and then suddenly I wrote “Chelsea Girl.” The process was easy. It was fun. Songs came to me at a speed that had not happened since the days when I was first learning to write songs and play guitar.  I felt like I had “my powers” back.  The first volume of that new material became Alphabet City 2 AM.  I demoed and demoed and eventually got comfortable recording myself in my apartment. When I go into the studio, I am very organized.  Most of my experimentation has already happened during my demo phase, so I can work quickly.  However, having my studio set up in my apartment did get me more confident in recording (mainly acoustic) stuff on my own.  This meant that I started having alternate takes of songs that were studio quality and leads us to this summer’s musical release – Hundred Song Highway: Alternate Takes Volume 1.  

The title comes from a lyric in “Chelsea Girl.”  I have five previously unreleased versions of some songs mainly from the Alphabet City-era sessions.  Leading up the EP’s release, I will be releasing some of the songs as singles. If you are not following me on your favorite musical streaming service, please do so that you won’t miss these. I would not release these alternate versions if I was not proud of them.  The first alternate take rightfully is “Chelsea Girl.”  It’s an acoustic single-mic recording.  Adam Boose mastered this song (and the whole EP). He really brought out the warmth of the recording and the performance.   It will be out this Friday June 23^rd with alternates arriving about every other week.  The full EP arrives August 18^th. 

Lastly, yes the title implies that there are more archival recordings coming.  Let’s just start with these.  I don’t want to wear you out.

- Dan