Author: douglove1225

Xmas Instruments: Xylophone

From the Greek for ‘wood sound’ this percussive plaything is many a new parents’ nightmare.

Speaking of ‘The Nightmare Before Christmas,’ Danny Elfman’s “Closing” has Santa revisiting Jack and Jack’s children playing strange little tunes in their xylophone band. Spoken.

Speaking of wee one’s toys… Jorden Milnes sets the backbeat to heavy to describe what’s coming out of “Santa’s Workshop.” Xylophones! (and tiaras and trains and on and on). Kidsong.

The Pizza Carolers invite all the other kids with holiday instruments to band together, especially since they got a “Xylophone for Xmas.” Childlike indie fun.

Recently let go, Levi Dobson also puts together his own band, including the xylophone he got as a Christmas gift. Pseudo rap to the electronica erects a billboard “You are Welcome to My World.” Every album should come with that warning.

Xmas Instruments: Windchimes

Tintinnabula make music out of chaos, just like real artists do.

Darlingside tries the beat poetry approach with “Can’t Help Falling Apart,” an existential cry for help sometime after Christmas (calendrically, not according to their heart. New age indie.

In a metal world, “Aurora Borealis” takes us to task for our shallowly material ways. Lemon Demon pauses over the wind chimes chiming with the screams. Electronic metal for the rest of us.

Xmas Instruments: Whistle

We’re limiting ourselves to the fipple flute here, the tin or plastic or wooden toy head-splitter from in the stocking. So, no boats, trains, taxis, or killer winds at this time.

Let’s get all those metaphoric bells and whistles out of way at the outset. Pseudo-country from Shelley Lynch asks us to “Rock it Out This Christmas.” With all the trimmings. No holds barred. To the max. Like that. Sorta.

Tori V.’s “Pink Christmas” notes how bells and whistles are chimed. Cheesy pop with little grasp on reality. All the makings of the best Christmas ever!

Johnny Cash’s sermon “Christmas as I Knew It” portrays himself as whittling a whistle for her brother in the poverty of the holidays. Pretty damn sad. Spoken.

A whistle is just one more li’l toy children might get, as mentioned in “Up on the Rooftop.” But, for novelty’s sake, lets spin Sufjan Stevens’s version–quite a electronic/tribal beat experience.

There are whistles to be blown in SteSy’s “Metalcore Christmas.” Minds, too in this headbanging meltdown.

Tom Hench plucks the untuned strings and lays into the Celtic poverty where the “Whistle Made of Tin” is the best Xmas gift a Da’ could give his young’un.

Xmas Instruments: Vocoder

The voice encoder doesn’t get much play, except for that guy who never talks to anyone. but it does exist.

I’m going out on a limb and suggesting that Nã©nuphar’s “Vocoder Christmas” is not simply Merry Xmas encoded. I’m hoping it’s all about the joys of sounding like you’re asking for ransom for the holidays.

Xmas Instruments: Violin

Gitch’er fiddle and screech out a carol or two!

Niboyeang, Atsadakorn Kapookkham bring the mood way down with their bummer of a “Christmas Violin Elegy.” This AI crankyfest isn’t just somber and reverent, it’s a pop crying jag.

Nancy Williams is sick for “Home,” especially when her alt pop wends her past a street busker on violin for the holidays. Better music. More seasonal depression.

More AI from Harmonix Synthesis applies a klezmer-like aura over the folk pop of “Shine This Christmas.” Nearly a waltz, who can resist?

Melanie Anne Padernal & Sheena Santamaria play with rap at their “Filipino Christmas Party.” One of the standout traditions is… Talent Show for the whole ding dong group (someone’s gonna play a violin! you just know it!)! That was fun.

“Processional: ‘A Christmas Roundelay’” is a hoe down in chorale coating. Alternating verses honor the angels and tune the violin–for dancin’! Baptist College of Ministry Concert Chorale makes a mountain out of this morsel.

Rock returns with “Winter of Our Discontent,” Sanford’s poison penned plaintive to the pain and pestilence of Papa Noel’s perturbations. (…carols are screeched out on that old violin.)

“I Want A Violin For Christmas” is Steven John Tillotson (feat. Isabelle Glenn) mashing country and pop into disharmony and headache inducing high notes. Enjoy!

Xmas Instruments: Ukulele (pt. 2)

The toy stringed thing madness continues!

“I Want a Ukulele for Christmas” whistles out Steven Curtis Chapman, spawning a dozen tutorials on line with his showtune folk.

Jumping on the bandwagon John Meola Lindhorst strums out easy listening Island “I Want a Ukulele for Christmas.” He wants it the whole alphabet!

Carly Jamison ladles Island over blues when she declares “I’m Getting a Ukulele for Christmas.” Dixieland bridge!

Flying Tadpole recounts being saved from a life of ‘geetar’ playing woes when his wife bestows upon him “My Christmas Ukulele.” Island folk of the vaudeville kind.

Johnny Setlist (feat. Mcmilk) wrestles with his Xmas list… peace or power? Then his fast-talking jazz lounge patter reveals He Really WANTS A “Christmas Ukulele.” On repeat. It’s like a car alarm on Santa’s lap.

Tyrone and Lesely definitely want a “Ukulele Christmas.” You can tell because they say it over and over in their music hall folk beggary. Hah!

AZ McInnis posts his hit song “All I Want for Christmas is Another Ukulele” from outdoors. But his folk jazz is damn upbeat. I feel the power.

Creamed Corn mash up Elvis and bluegrass washboard with jazz and a wisp of pirate pop for the stunning “Hoping to Find a Ukulele Underneath the Christmas Tree.” Help me, i’ve caught the tiny bubbles!

Xmas Instruments: Ukulele (pt. 1)

Uses are so handy and portable they’ll infect your holiday party before you can furrow your brow. Look out, he’s got one over there!

Jeremy Lister combines poinsettias, wassail, cookie dough, and ukuleles for the ultimate strummer “Holiday Party.” A bit of the ol’ ragtime in that jug band, you ask me.

Owl City has the shopping stress of the holidays and kicks pop down the street of choices (a bike, or like a ukulele?). This indecisiveness sends him over the edge and into a “Humbug” frame of mind. Cute.

Is it racist to cast the Hawaiian Islands’ holidays in the key of uke? “Christmas in Texas, Aloha in my Heart” from Nova Sly (feat. The Flores Sisters, Sky Flores & Waipuilani) is slow country two step with only a tiny dab of S.Pacific. Different.

The Radish Friends revive “Ukulele (Christmas) Anthem” as a folk manifesto, poorly written but serious as fruitcake.

No, we still soundly disapprove of 12s around the blog, but Hawaiianfreak’s “12 Days Of Christmas” not only includes ukes (8), it gets metal on your asses. Wha–?

Well, that opened the door, di’ntit? “A Ukulele in a Pear Tree” by Emma and Charlie’s Radio Podcast combines all our instruments (‘Tubular Bells’ style!), but landing back on that first stringed box each round.

“All I Want for Chanukah Is a Ukulele” pits Alison Faith (feat. Karla Kane)’s light folk against the juggernaut of Chanukah music. And, the uke wins.

Parody break: “Ukulele Xmas” from Joel Kopischke is gentle and merry. Ahhh.

Ukulele Lee raises the bar with the namedropping little girl who–through folk pop–asks Santa for “A Ukulele for Christmas.” Awesome sauce.

Xmast Instruments: Trumpet (pt. 2)

Toot your own horn. For the holidays.

Winter Sage takes a break from referencing saxophones to remember that plastic trumpet you got in ’82. “Midnight’s Apology” puts a somber spin onto this alt-folk nostalgia. [In their “Whiskey & Mistletoe” the trumpet from old records sounds like memories of Dad’s absence. Damn. Syncopated jazz.]

Brandon Diaz likes to point out “This Year Sucks (At Least We Got Christmas)” with some chiming indie pop. Let the trumpets sing he invokes when he’s really into it.

The Wiggles’ “Wiggly Wiggly Christmas” is a kidsong swing from Santa and his reindeer band (Rudolph on trumpet–cool, daddio). Not Safe for Work.

In the party of The Snowfall Swing, Chris Waits highlights “Frosty Jive” bringing the whole town to its feet for his thumping pop. The trumpets glow, dear.

Frosty learned the trumpet in “Once a Snowflake” from the musical ‘Searching for the Spirit of Christmas’ and sung by Noah Flores & Alisha Nordquist. Showtune merriment.

The Wailers (w/Bob Marley) want you up and at ’em as they “Sound the Trumpet” for Christmas. Reggae with a side of jazz.

The Action! swing with more jazzy reggae wanting “A Trumpet for Christmas.” Apparently it will bring them cheer. Boss.

Xmas Instruments: Trumpet (pt.1)

Make like Al Hirt (or The Angels) and play the ol’ brasshole. Wakey wakey ears are achy.

Heaven so decrees: “Sound the Trumpet (Christmas Is Here)“–so you’ll know and not ignore. Here the Vancouver Children’s Choir use more harmony and blatting to make their point.

On the other lamb, Eagleman Band point out that no trumpet sounded “That First Christmas Day.” Plodding folk makes it seriously so.

Lauren Anderson doesn’t even care when that old trumpet starts to blow, because it “Feels Like Christmas” when you are by her side. Torch song with all the jazzy accoutrements.

“Christmas in Hollywood” is so noisy it’s rolled out with bells and trumpets, so say Starring Vanya. It’s pop. It’s noisy. It’s Christmas.

Bayou bound, AI swings out “A Holiday Journey” supposedly created by Nicola Maurantonio. As least the trumpets blast.

Cheesy pop from LimaVii “The Sound Of X-Mas” includes thundering trumpets. Not much else to recommend it.

Gramps Morgan confuses bells and choirs and trumpets and laughter as all making the sound “Fa La La La La.” Gospel inspired pop.

You might want a translator who speaks plaid when you unravel the pop march “Grandad And His Christmas Trumpet” by way of The Brothers Fife. Sadly, Grandad is a bit flatulent on the brass kicker.

Xmas Instruments: Trombone

Whether you think of your Tbone as a large trumpet or a paper clip, you must be one sliding cat to handle that sackbut.

AI calls out to us how Trombones swing and trumpets shout in the pretend jazz band of “Swingin’ Christmas Bells” by Hadrian Virtual Ensemble. There’s also glocks, but not the shooting kind.

In Corey Lynn Fayma’s “Gumbo Ya Ya Christmas” features jazz, funk, and blues–including Trombone Shorty! Clear the decks!

Channeling Elvis Josh Dower breathally intones “I’ll Trombone For Christmas.” This is not the parody you are looking for.

Splodgenessabounds calls it an ultraphone in his takedown of UK politics “you’ve got to have a dream”You’ve Got to Have a Dream.” Wacky music hall bit–Have a Banana!

Saving our musical acuities Poppa John Gordy and his Dixielanders jazz out “Santa Plays The Trombone (In the North Pole Band)” from 1954. Dixieland, i never thought i’d be so happy to see you back.