Month: October 2021

Christmas Countdown: 2000 ago

How long they don’t forget… since the Jay-by.

“It’s Christmas Eve” claims two thousand years–so long ago… Easy listening piano bar from Angela Mahon. Never did so little message sound so well sung.

Two thousand years ago three wise men left their home, begins Reba McIntire with her iconic sass in “This Christmas.” More loungey than country.

Upper beat prog rock from Joy Williams, “2000 Decembers Ago” dreamscapes the query: did anyone notice back then what was happening to the whole (not quite yet Christian fragment) of the world?

Giovanni McGlone raps the way to find salvation: Yo! 2000 Years ago, He came and paid my tolls, from “To Be Jolly.” It counts!

Even though it’s been 2000 years, “It’s Christmas” country-splains Jimmy Wooten. Here comes the holy holy holy chorus! No fear!

The hope that has slumbered for 2000 years, sing the Muppets with John Denver about “The Peace Carol.” Gentle country, but was the world waiting for that long until JC was birthed?? Who’s been doing this slumbering recently? Confusion.

Avidly mystical, Over the Rhine wants a “White Horse” for Christmas–to ride over the town, in the sky, to Bethlehem 2000 years ago. A lullaby of new age/pop descent.

Santa, on the other hand, spent 2000 years on the North Pole… according to Jeremy Lister. (Always thought those two were the same guy.) It’s been so long, however, that “Santa’s Lost His Mojo.” Happens when you’re old. Jiggedy blues pop.

Christmas Countdown: 2001

Incubus smack-raps Hanukkah with “Get Your Dreidel on.” A shout to the year brings the festivities to a close.

Now, hang on a sec. Alan Koch and Jay Hallett have basement taped a mystical classic: “Christmas 2001,” a skating rink organ waltz (with reggae overtures) looking to the distant future. Lightspeed to travel, gifts are all programs, the robot’s making eggnog… wasn’t the future wonderful? Noveltychristmasmusic endorses this masterpiece.

Christmas Countdown: 2003

Forebodingburger starts out garage at “December 21, 2003” and is gonna make to Christmas Eve if it kills me. Fingers and toes crossed for ya, buddy.

Giving in to the rage, that’s um… sees “Christmas 2003” as a roadblock to self actualization. And BLUE ALERT‘s the mopey pop to boot.

More uplifting, Todd Bruhnsen’s missing you and drinking in “Christmas 2003.” The pain seems to have scarred over now with his guitar gently weeping.

That whole war thing was going on, so when Richard Melvin Brown sort of sings the ersatz clavichord country of “Santa Bring Daddy Home” his attempts to weeping go over as well as you’d expect.

On the other loss of limb, 2003 was so long ago it was the last time Sam Sky had “Xmas Feels,” when he was a kid. Now the R+B complaint is the lack of any sensation. Just want to feel something for Xmas… You know, the uzh.

The Sunflower Spectacle is looking further up with “The Christmas of 2003” and some childish antics. Alt-rock with loads of clanking.

An alt-rock song of friendship, “Anywhere You Go” is okay with AunA–despite those good old days of 12/03 when you decorated trees badly.

Aw, hell. This was a dumpster fire year. So here’s a phone call from dad in prison in the vaguely bluegrass “December 2003” by Do You Hear What I Hear? (feat. Those Guys). Regret. Shame. Sniffle.

Christmas Countdown: 2004

The Frickin’ A guys retooled their ‘Merry Frickin’ Christmas’ novelty carol for Boston MLB fans for “Merry Merry Merry Frickin’ Christmas (World Champion Red Sox Anthem).” Happy 2004, youse guise. (There’s a 2013 update that i somehow passed over….)

“The Final Christmas Song” (bite thy tongue!) by Thorsø All-Stars (feat. Michael Andersen, Allan Laursen) is a jolly men’s choir serious address on all those other songs–and beer. (2004 gets some songwriter shoutout i can’t follow.)

“Christmas in Crawford, 2004” comes across as gentle American pastoralism. But, knowing Roy Zimmerman, this satirical basing takes down the culturally blind G.W. Bush who hailed from this nowheresville. Country cuts.

Christmas Countdown: 2005

Mike and Brian (feat. Marlee) have some lite rock fun playing around with “Christmas Time is Here (2005).” Get pen and paper ready for what they want.

Trmulous trilling from Music Production paints a portrait of “Christmas Day (2005).” It could be any year, but the thousands of candy canes add up to XXV for me.

MxPx goes Punk That’s-the-Year-That-Was with “2005.” Politics, TV, and the big questions of life in review.

TM298 may be praising his childhood obsesh “Gameboy” while wishing for games for that Christmas, but the appropriately electronic backbeat and rushed rap opens him up for a severe diagnosis. Put it down, boy.

Christmas Countdown: 2006

And now, a word from your Censors: BLUE ALERT. “BO$$ HOG Malt Liquor” from the Boss Hog Barbarians gets nasty rapping from the get go. Be on the look out for misogyny, violence, inebriation, and home boy profanity. Whew.

Two to the oh to the oh to the six white raps Xmas Wrap in their diary entry “Xmas Wrap 2006 (We Love Christmastime).” Quite the journey.

Bourgeois pain looks more like “Picture Frames” from Ian Lah, a memory lane stroll through snaps on the wall, including a holiday frozen moment. Piano bar folk.

Dallon Weekes pops out a tidy heartbreak-hopeful tune with “Christmas Drag (2006).” With all its last year – next year references, i’m gonna lock it into this one year. Not too exciting, and for a lovelorn song that’s something.

Christmas Countdown: 2007

Squeaking in parenthetically, “Christmas Red (2007)” covers many years, but this uplifting story chanted by the sisters ShiSho tells of a traditional tale told of a tragic figure who seeks only joy delivering to kids from his John Deere.

Also pleased to include the charming guitar noodling of Music Production with their “Christmas Morning (2007)” as another tribute to optimism. Take that Seasonal Affective Disorder!

Most meta, Ryan Burke of The Christmas Friends introduces his album and the year with “The 2007 Christmas Friends Intro.” Peppy electronica.

Christmas Countdown: 2008

“Nothing Like Home (The Color Book Collection)” begins the happy couple with that first date Christmas of 2008. Country from Amber Nicole Sutton with scrapbooking mushiness that seems overly personal.

“Everyone Cries at Christmas (2008)” is some bizarro fantasy dystopian menagerie from Patrick Canning. Off key pop/psychedila. Who hurt you, man?

Tambourining over the croony pop music, Vocal Few poeticize that horrible winter where you couldn’t drive–but they did take the bus to that show–whoa, remember? “Ice Storm 2008 (Merry Christmas)” is that personal story of few details that raises an eyebrow is recognition, maybe a tear of nostalgia too. Bravo.

Christmas Countdown: 2009

Simple lip service to when songs were written, produced, performed–whatever–doesn’t rate my countdown. Unless i’m desperate.

Pop-O-Pies takes “Christmas Time in Frisco – 2009” to task for filth, lawlessness, and rampant violence. Sparkly garage-lite.

The hipster poetry of “On Christmas Day the World Ended (2009)” got my attention. This Bosch painting of Xmas hell is a bad acid trip, or a great screenplay–or both! Celtic folk rock.