I’ll admit to watching the first season of Stranger Things, but was so racked by how glacial and derivative it was that i pretended i never did.
But, gotta tell ya, Ingrid Michaelson’s ‘borrowing’ of the “Christmas Lights” bit from that show to tell a tale of romantic hardship goes a whole ‘nother dimension of weird. It’s a fun alt-lite number, and i completely dig the animated video made for it, but please don’t have hype-culture inspire anything but humorous songs! Please!
The Xmas lights were shining when you were in love, the Xmas lights were still shining when you broke up. Turn off the damn lights.
Pushing our boy to the limit, Trevor Fett wants out with the melodic rap “Christmas Lights Magenta.” I coulda told you, those girls who want a rocket ship are to be avoided at all high costs.
Singing while you were walking away, The Kingdom of McChicken wears their garage folk on their sleeves in the shadows of “Christmas Lights.” Sounds like a Wes Anderson movie scene.
Coldplay goes even softer alt with their poisonous breakup “Christmas Lights.” That’ll show her, boys.
When she’s gone, put up the “Blue Light Christmas Tree.” It reminds Steven John Tillotson of her, so–painful, but pop blues.
Missing her, Salvador Buttersworth wishes she could help him decide what was real when “I Thought I Saw the Christmas Lights from Adel.” It’s a whole alt thing.
Wishing for the makeup after the breakup Keegan DeWhitt & The Sparrows toss up some “Christmas Lights” of Hope. Gentle alt-pop, ‘cuz that’s woo-thy.
The true course of Xmas lights ne’er did run smooth. Sometimes they tangle up, just like love ’round the holidays.
Tangled up, is the theme for the stand-offish love ballad “Christmas Lights in June.” Patrick McGlynn is not all in for this romance, despite his somewhat passionate alt-pop
Garage music love is not like regular love, perhaps more intense, perhaps more cazh. Samurai Tiger’s “Christmas Lights” paces between the two with awkward lyrics.
Doomed love from Levi Altar with the pretty pop guitar pickings and modulated commercial announcement-voice in “The Lights.” Unrequited hollerin’.
Calmer, Slowly Slowly metaphorizes the lover as the lights you take for granted. Alt-declamatory, “Christmas Lights” takes us for an advanced poetry course of angst. Some anger, too.
I swear i’ll find the time someday to feature songs that just repeat one line over and over, like some brain-damaged mantra that means everything but sounds foreign eight reps in.
Tyrone & Lesley strum that uke and strut their stuff with the phrase “Like a Light Bulb.” Does it mean Christmas?! Man, it means whatever you’d like it to mean. Listen to it again.
Kingdom 2 follows up with the stomping, orchestrated alt “Big Red Light.” (Some ah ah ahs here, but they just emphasize the main theme.) Party time!
The warm insouciance of bloodlines for Christmas calls us back to that smelly old rickety ranch style (why don’t they fix the porch, that’d be so easy?).
Donna Lewis describes such striking milestones on her way home to “Christmas Lights” i’m dreaming of an allegorical journey to the land beyond death. Woof, that’s strange pop.
Shorty Garrett gets down home with his call to “Keep Those Candles Burnin’.” Just like in those old Motel 6 commercials this bouncy blues pop recommends a beacon for the delayed to get home.
“Leave the Lights on for Me” croons Joseph Hollister on his way with a promise and an alt-pop prayer. Aww, he’s such a good boy.
Sometimes lights around the holiday evokes big goofy grins. It’s one of the grandest secondary features of the season.
Patrick Connell just loves the “Christmas Lights.” He can’t stop banging that sentiment out on his folk guitar, so ya gotta believe!
Slowing down the sentiment, Candace and Michael believe all they need are the “Christmas Lights.” It’s like a reflective walk down a beautifully decorated street at Christmas. Lovely alt-pop.
Jewel’s got a strange alt-pop with “Blue Crystal Glow.” Her poetry tends to just list image fragments. Still, ethereal.
More aggressively alt-rock, Dreams So Real find their understated joy in “Red Lights (Merry Christmas).” No irony was harmed in the making of this song.
We like to aim our prayers upward, but God’s everywhere right? Must be that glowing gaseous center of the solar system that acts as a relay station or sumpin.
“Every Light that Shines at Christmas” is the shouty gospel rafter raiser we’ve been expecting. Ernie Haase & Signature Sound add country rock rhythms to keep us salivatin’. Praise wattage!
Truth wants you to “Light a Christmas Candle” with their sax-driven country pop in order to honor, you know, everything.
The Robert Shaw Chorale ups the church factor with “Break Forth, O Beauteous Heavenly Light.” This is probably just that star we discussed last month, but I dig the part about putting Satan in his place with the light. Bazinga!
Kathleen Mikkelson alt-sermonizes with “Light Broke Through,” a strangely cynical take on doubters when the lights came on Christmas morning. Just look, everyone!
That Year Zero Star that begat our calendar of forgiveness, it shines. Boy Howdy, does it. And other stuff, too.
Canadian grocery chain Sobeys spins a “Star of Christmas” jingle every year. This star doesn’t merely shine up there, but within us! Sing-along propaganda.
“Fix Your Eyes Upon That Star” proselytizes Lisa Bevill. ‘Cause it shines. Everywhere. Gentle country gospel.
In Home Alone, some kid choir reminds us of the reason for the emotions with “Star of Bethlehem.” Ethereal churchiness.
Empire of Sleep’s “Star” does its fair share of shining and hiding. It also JUDGES. Don’t leave us alone! Emo alt.
No Christmas. I mean, none. You going to cry? Or, perhaps, will you join hands Whoville-style and sing about how you still got it. That calendar number don’t matter!
A brief bon voyage then from Jebb & The Riots who warble about “The Day Christmas was Cancelled” without a commercial jingle care in the world. Here’s the thing about Xmas: IT! WILL! BE!
Christmas isn’t happening because I died, okay?! No Xmas for the ex-person.
Aged big band aficionado Jerry Drake brazens his way through the MIA tragedy “The Boy Who Missed Christmas.” No, it’s not a Christmas song at all. It’s barely a song.
Alto soaring, Nick Dache doesn’t have much to say after a near-death experience, except for apologizing for the “Empty Christmas.” Too much acceptance, not enough denial, dude. Light alt fun, tho.