Christmas is over, now. Did you take down the tree yet? Recycle the wrapping? Pick up the pieces of your shattered love life?
“After December Slips Away” was first recorded by its originators First Call. They lean into the God aspect more. Donny Osmond, for me, makes his cover about heartbreak. So we’ll sneak it in here.
Shouting out the pain Shanghai Liliy Dublin includes trees and babies in the abandonment of lost love. “The Day After Christmas” is best accompanied with fist pounding on any nearby handy furnishing.
Stina Nordenstam doesn’t borrow any Xmas imagery to feel left out in the snow (that’s not there), but her piercing “Soon After Christmas” dawdling pop is about the desperation of wanting to turn the calendar page but being frozen. C’mon! Binge Queen’s Gambit! You’ll make it!
The operatic power of D.C. Anderson doesn’t quite get in the way of the sorrow of “Soon After Christmas,” a recessional walk down regret lane.