Category Archives: world music

Carol Told by an Idiot, 23

Can’t stop the Christmas music. Or the holiday from swinging back atcha again.

[A moment please, while Barnes and Barnes disarmingly soft pop “Kwanzaa’s Here Again.” Despite the sweetness and muppet growls, this is an existential cry of pain.]

Time for us to have some fun, purrs Rupaul when it’s the holidays again. Love returns in the electro-pop “You’re the Star (On My Christmas Tree).”

Peter deRoyce brings the music to bear when he compares Xmas to a drug in “Parang in Meh Vein.” Yes, the Caribbean serenade to wake you and make you party all night goes on and on. For 12/25. Again. Just go with it.

Carol Told by an Idiot, 18

Cheer up! ‘Tis the Season to do that! Again!

Steve Gregory & Michel Fenderwoods as International Language attempt the up with “Christmas Will be Magic Again.” The pop crooning loosens stubborn crankiness what builds up in the heartstrings.

Struggling with the English language The Kavanaughs laud the bits and pieces of “Christmas Again” with bouncy rocking pop music.

P’raps too English The Transmitters find the prize in the Christmas cracker in their “Christmas Again.” Britpop tinged with a bit of the ol’ punk. Pain begone!

Giddy garage pop from Fruitcakes rejoices and “Can’t Believe It’s Almost Christmas Again.” I could almost explode!

Island jouncing from Kevon Kurt Carter praises the sharing and caring (and cooking) of “Christmas Once Again.” Yea.

Carol Told by an Idiot, 16

The wheel of time turns and crushes those unable to keep up. Mad yet?

[Sidebar: Stanley Adams and Sid Wayne debate the merits of “Chanukah is Here Again.” This Wenceslaus parody mostly leans pissed, though. Oy vey.]

DDC is BLUE ALERT put off by “Christmas Time Again.” Angry, yet melodic, punk.

Patch is seething in “Christmas Time Again.” But parang is so party perpetrating, we’ll drink to that.

Life After X–inconceivable

Can we begin to fathom the world when Christmas has left us? Poets and troubadours take this challenge.

January Zero can’t find the way back home “After Christmas.” This cacophony of coffeehouse pop waves its metaphors proudly to capture this (lack of) spirit.

Annie Lin is sorry she didn’t pick you up ate the airport in time in “The Day After Christmas,” a bangin’, unplugged rocker of a poetic traipse over mood swings and urban expectations.

Gar Cox goes Celtic folk epic with the drinking and head scratching all over “Too Late for Christmas.” This synesthesia of images and smells and despair needs a Joycean college class to explicate. I like that.

A Near Thing -5

The closer Christmas gets, the further happiness happens. For some, the overshadowing omnipresence is a ruddy reminder of regret. Bummer.

The Twang slow rock a drinking song “On the 24th.” He loves her, he’s trying to forget her, there’s the tavern…. (I need a hug.)

Carla Hartsfield gets metaphorical with skates and wings and dogs but her “Almost Christmas” is despondent impatience waiting for him. Tinkly woman folk. Maybe my y-chromosome excludes my appreciation….

Droesem garage symphonies about the aftermath of domestic conflict. “Almost Christmas Time” sounds bleak as it is. I don’t think he’s going to make it….

Raggs Gustaffe (feat. Panama Scarrett) lays a Carrib dirge of dire proportions with “Christmas Just Around the Corner.” Now it’s scary.

A Near Thing -24

Time travel time! Let’s listen to old times stuff about being close to the day of Christmas.

Reeking of ’60s TV specials, Larry Nestor’s “Christmas Day” claims to be not so far away, but the retro best buy date here was somewhere in the ’90s. Room temp pop.

Old World is the same as old, right? So let’s bask in the sad Irish family chanty “Christmas is Just Around the Corner” jigged by Finbar & Maura Dennehy. God bless you and keep you far away.

While we’re on the international subject, a quieter strummer allows for a more intimate moment. So “Almost Christmas Time” by The Bluegrass Brethren scores higher on the novelty-o-meter here. Still cheesy though.

The Celtic quality of the kidsong “Almost Christmas” here by Elizabeth Hanney brings a haunted, understated happiness to the repetition of joyous well wishing. Simplify thy carols!

Celebrity Star

Now for another entry in the dictionary. Who else is the star at Christmastime?!

Not much higher praise than you are “My Christmas Star.” Cheesy corrido (with flaming Spanish guitar) sets up Claire Knox’s song about her dead dog Holly. You heard me.

Nu Revelation (feat. T. Conway) funks us a reminder that the King of Kings gets top billing tonight. “Christmas Superstar” lays down a righteous beat.

“Santa Claus *Superstar*” follows the generous downfall of our icon to the rock arena. Daniel Chorr appropriately rocks this ballad. Fear not, little ones. Lessons will be learned.

Similarly Dr. BLT recounts how “Santa Claus Wants to be a Rock Star.” Same story, now with American South sauce.

I try to avoid lyrics i can’t translate, but Gabriela Guncikova, Marta Jandova showstopping the rock with “Santa Superstar” needs notice. Woo hoo!

Christ Bells

The clarion call of the church bells summon some of us to the stories of Advent, Nativity, and Epiphany. So gather ’round, true believers–at least when the alarms go off.

W.D. Hay commands “Ring Out the News, Oh Christmas Bells.” That only begins to say it all, in folk cadences. Then the rest of the stories.

Face Vocal Band gets the a cappella ringing with “I Hear the Bells.” These bells call you unto.

Jesus is the King! sings Evie Tornquist to get you home. “Come On Ring those Bells” is for family, for fun, and for God’s sake. Kristen Chenowith puts more sass into it.

The Leonard de Paur Chorus “Ring de Christmas Bells” to quieten you alls down for dis King of Kings info. This is 1956 joyousness, so–authentic calypso? racist patois? i dunno. Swingin’ i’d say.

ël-No, the nineteeth

The hypocrisy of you insufferable, self-involved, unloving bastards celebrating Christ’s day makes us want to question whether we should even bother.

Young Haircut has a Bandcamp posting “Christmas is Cancelled,” an alt blues serving of mumble-grunge which grows to BLUE ALERT social consciousness. Dangerously rebellious ideas may be found herein.

“Christmas Cancelled” is also announced by Macka B with parang blame for you npn-Christians. Do it right or he’s taking his bell and going home.

ël-No, the eighth

Did you say Parody? ‘The Christmas Song’ isn’t exactly roasted by A.G. Simpson with a fine Reggae rendition “No Christmas song” (including a record skip) celebrates what you DON’T want out of the holidays.