Julie McLaughlin
A Christmas music junkie checks his stocking for the latest batch of carols
It’s that time of year again. The malls are packed our wallets are empty our bellies are full and the record companies trot out a whole new batch of holiday releases for those in the holiday spirit. This brings up mixed feelings for me.
As a cynical music critic I know these Christmas records and retread holiday comps are really nothing more than a last-ditch effort to boost fourth-quarter sales in an industry that has seen revenue drastically wane yet another year. On the other hand music is such an important part of the holidays for me that I would gladly wade through a stack of Christmas CDs in the hopes of finding something new to soundtrack my yuletide. As usual there are some great holiday treasures and a few lumps of coal.
• It’s about time : So many of the greatest holiday tracks have a jazzy swing to them so it’s always seemed odd to me that Colin James and his Little Big Band never tackled a Christmas record. Now that they have my suspicions are confirmed. Their album Christmas (Maple) is a lot of fun. Full of classics given a jump blues treatment it’s reverent without being boring and is a perfect accompaniment to wrapping presents sipping eggnog or having a Christmas soiree of your own.
• The obligatory genre comp : Hey Santa you know what I want for Christmas? For people to stop using the term “alternative” to describe music. Didn’t that get played out a decade ago? Don’t get me wrong Alternative Rock X-mas (Capitol) is a fine compilation but there’s really nothing about it that’s alternative. The most underground thing on here is The Decemberists which let’s face it aren’t that underground anymore. Highlights include Luscious Jackson Jimmy Eat World and The Dandy Warhols’ raved-up version of “Little Drummer Boy” but the topper on this tree is Sinead O’Connor’s passionate take on “Silent Night.” It’s almost enough to warrant buying the album by itself.
• A country Christmas : There’s never a shortage of new Christmas comps but Oh Santa! New and Used Holiday Classics (Yep Roc) is unique simply because of its label affiliation. One of the best U.S. indie labels going Yep Roc’s commitment to bang-and-twang makes for a fun little sleigh ride. Sure some of these tracks are old and “Lovely Christmas” by Jason Ringenberg is downright bad but The Reverend Horton Heat The Moaners The Minus Five and The Apples in Stereo make for a solid holiday lineup.
• The surprise present: The prospect of having emo-lite whiners Reliant K strip what little edge they had to deliver Let it Snow Baby… Let it Reindeer (Capitol) makes even a pop-punk lover like myself turn into a grinch. However they manage to have fun with the record and their mild Christian-rock bent actually suits the material. Best of all by using stuttered chugging half-time breaks and every other trick in the emo-rock playbook they have found a way to beat the monotony inherent in singing “The Twelve Days of Christmas.” No small feat. Until Death Cab for Cutie break down and record a Chrismas record this will have to do.
• Have yourself a funky little Christmas : When Shawn Lee’s Ping Pong Orchestra serves up A Very Ping Pong Christmas (Ubiquity) they do it with tight drum breaks and undeniable grooves. Sure their take on “Do You Hear What I Hear” may be too disco for my liking and some of the carols verge on adult contemporary but their laid-back version of “Jingle Bells” is smooth as eggnog and goes down just as easy.
• Worst… idea… ever: Yo It’s Christmas (Razor & Tie) by the Yo Yo Yo Kids offers up a deadly saccharine mixture of novelty rap precocious kids and unflinching commercialism and to twist a phrase from another holiday favourite those are a few of my least favourite things. It’s one thing to change the lyrics to “Jingle Bells” so that they are dashing through the snow in a “blinged out Chevrolet” but when these brats start busting rhymes about how Christmas is all about the presents it makes me think that the OG-boss-money-hustla lifestyle may be going a bit too far.
