Category: blues

We’ll deep dive into believing later, but the question of Is He Real? is a hot topic in Santa crit. Worth repeating is Lenny & Squiggy’s holiday pageant “The Jolliest Fat Man.” This folk take is comedy gold whether or no you’re a Laverne and Shirley fan.

Nick Thune talks straight to your kids about the Santa Lie. The folk slow-build-rock’s silver lining: “You’re Still Getting Toys.” Parental advisory.

Truman Proudfoot & David Kandal bring us down with the folksy bummer about a down and out mall Santa from a broken home. He’s “Someone Else’s Santa” this year. It’s an empty existence.

Red Crinkles, as a store Santa, exposes the actual “Fake Santa” as a SoCal fatcat Ponzi schemer in this amateur folk plunker.

“Santa Is a Fake” blares Arne Hansen & The Guitarspellers in proper dad rock. The disillusion is a childish tantrum, albeit wonderful.

Also ticked off is David Moorhead when he realizes “Fake Santa’s a Dick.” Funked up blues as a public service.

The Kids recognize “The Santa at the Mall.” (It’s my uncle Paul!) Southern rock+da blues tell us what they do with that info.

The Brighter Day Gang unspools a psychedelic kidsong about Santa’s origins while worrying how weird it all is in “His Paradise Mountain.” It’s pretty weird.

Dr. BLT heralds “Back Alley Santa” with grunge and echoic chaos. Pretty funky.

J. Maunders slips in some amateurism with “Some Crap About Santa.” It’s hollering and piano abuse, but keep the spirit of it, ‘kay?

Proper Brit-rock (late ’70s style, so punk on the edges) represents a strange turn: “Father Christmas is Dressed in Green.” Nice for a change from Wild Billy Childish & The Musicians Of The British Empire.

Scrutiny can overenlarge something into grotesquerie, so when Bob Blake (The Music Doctor) wonders about Santa’s time off the query “Where’s Santa?” gets weird. Grampa pop.

Everything about Christmas is off “Out at the Mall.” For example, Santa smells like pepperoni. Make Like Monkeys retro rocks the odyssey.

Functional funk from Stevie Nations & the United States complains how “Santa’s Getting Grumpy” working overtime. Chill, brah.

Worth repeating: “Santa’s Got a Zoot Suit” by Dave Rudolph is jazzy blues that beats big band time. Straight from the fridge, daddio.

Eddie Florano is perhaps not as impressed that “Santa Has a New Outfit.” It’s nice, but not superlatively so. Electronic, yet jazz.

The Poptarts don’t quite add elan to The Man when they jazz diva “Santa’s the Man.” I believe them, but my eyes are rolling.

Boss blues from The Christmas Jug Band ladles out how particular our red hero is when it comes to political affiliations. “Santa Don’t Go There.” ‘Nuff said.

From the Mark and Brian Show, however, comes a more convincing “Santa’s the Man.” Not sure who does this, but–woof. Rock. Just rock.

Over the Rhine softens the blues for their “North Pole Man.” Brrr, he’s chill. But they’re diggin’ him.

Nothing turns holiday favor on a dime faster than fisticuffs.

Wild Billy Childish & The Musicians Of The British Empire infuse enough punk into their “Christmas Lights” that i truly believe fighting is taking place. Prolly more likely just posturing.

Life lessons from Mark Cummings: setting the mood with light (John Denver-like) country the narrator runs and advises “Don’t Get Your Wife an Iron for Christmas.” Bodily injury looms.

The Yule Logs only want their two front teeth–that were punched out! On Christmas! “Bad Boy Christmas” is a retro blues/rock (parody) confessional from a nearly unrepentant delinquent. Danceable.

Sometimes trains don’t make any sense.

New Kids on the Block try rapping “Funky, Funky Christmas” to little success. But they identify who is what throughout, with a call out to my elf, Little Train at the end. Who dat?

The Go-Go Boys introduce drag sensation “Peaches Le Train” to the toon of ‘Silent Night.’ The train here is the long long dress, and the carting in of Xmas music. Huh.

Might be a plane, might be a train, no its old saint nick and he’s back in the game, worries Madame Love in the funky blues of “Love Affair of Mrs. Claus.” What’s it all mean? BLUE ALERT, but who cares when it’s this crunchy?

Santa’s the engineer!

Snowboys2K14 begin their “Christmas Train” with a little Santa sled pop music breakdown. Then the electronics go SONAR. Finally Santa’s on his way with alternate means. Hooray.

Elfie, from the Christmas Workshop Band, narrates the amateur “Rolling Christmas Train.” This drum-centric pop seems to go ’round and ’round rather than straight to your door from the workshop as is suggested.

Hank Snow tap-dances through “The Christmas Cannonball” without breaking a sweat. In fact, in this square-dancing country doodler, he barely pronounces each word. Ting-a-ling-ling toot toot.

Gargling gravel, Whit Hill and John Latini hit the blues of “Christmas Train” without regard for the children getting their presents from it. Hoo-oo-wee! I mean, look out!

Sometimes the journey is what matters, especially when you’re holiday celebrating the whole way.

BLUE ALERT for the rapping romance “Christmas Train” by Punky Brewskies.

Brett Dennen gets on the “Christmas Train,” but whether it’s for the PARTYing as a metaphor or forthe juggernaut that ’tis the season– the slo-mo alt-country does not reveal. Opaque poetic lo-fi.

Gighive lounge swanks the grooviest “Christmas Train” you might ever take. It might be all in their head, but it’s a perfect way to enjoy the holy day. I’m running to catch it.

I can’t celebrate until I’m on this train! insists The Snow Angels with their party pop “CTA Xmas Train.” It’s insistent.

Tom Dyer and The True Olympians shovel on the funk for his “Christmas Train.” Santa’s doin’ the mashed potato! That is one Martian mushroom party.

Catch the last train home, it’s nearly Christmas! Matthew Oleson seems to improvise a folky ditty about travel and getting far away in his “Lonesome Freight Train.” Safe travels, man.

Not sure about getting home–after all it’s a train trip–Popdorian employs a thick accent and Eurovision pop beat to reveal he’s “Coming Out for Christmas.” Not just home, but honest too. Take your time.

Bet Smith and the Currie Brothers make “That Christmas Train” the centerpiece of their seasonal celebration. Bluesy guitar pops open the tree-getting, popcorn-stringing, and baking. Most importantly, they listen for that whistle to blow. Woo-woo along with ’em.

Carey Bell gets so funky with his bluesy “Christmas Train.” It seems a special ride, but it’s all about getting home on time. I feel it.

What do you do with “A Snowy Christmas Day“? Harry Garcia (feat. Joe Freer) discovers smiles and laughter. Slipping down ski slopes is another thing that is possible.

Helter skelter down the slopes may not be what the ski instructor told you, but Vim Cortez does his cheesy pop best with “Christmas is for Lovers.” Stepping out in the snow is the wrong way to love, but there’s a plan here.

Sorry it’s come to this, but Bob Sellon is all rigged up with no where to ski. “The No Snow Blues” is, indeed, blues. But no downhill glory. So, guess it’s a life of crime, then.

John Prine visits with you a spell in his chatty “A John Prine Christmas.” It includes time when he was three what got him almost taken to the hospital. Story time! (Watch for polka coda!)

Only a little less sentimental, Sandra Cross’s soft pop “Snowflakes” heaps on the sweetness, including when we’d Decorate the Christmas tree With things we made when we were three. Aww now.

Boarding school croons from Jeff and Deb Conrad. “Can I Come Back Home for Christmas” itemizes the troubles: I don’t remember daddy much, ′cause I was only three When he went to be with Jesus, leaving you and Clint and me. Bluegrass country big woes.

Nico Reservoir raps out some “Naughty Boy” plans. It involves the lonely Mrs. Claus. Heavens, but: I haven′t been a nice boy since I was three. Not blue.

The Boxmasters sling the blues when they promise of their own families that they’ll never spend “Christmas on the Road.” See, growing up Dad didn’t hold such a promise: The first time we were thrown out, I was maybe three years old. Shows us more than tells us. Powerful stuff. Tell ’em, Billy Bob.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-v6nJwN2hfY