Author: douglove1225

X-Mental: Guilt

A psychological state somewhere between fear and anger, guilt is how a boy deals with a stocking full of coal.

Bluffing the Ghosts narrow our focus with “Christmas, Whiskey, & Survivor’s Guilt“. This spilling of the guts in fine folk form alleviates nothing for no one no how. There will be crying.

Ray Stevens cries anti-woke “Christmas Guilt” in some odd, orchestrated showtune (thought he was country). Still, a rednecked rude-off.

Well, it IS a religious tenet. “Catholicity Hokum” confesses John Tabacco is why he feels empty inside. Bluesy indie with a comedic endcap.

And the guilt you feel when you miss a deal/Is the modern Yuletide shame is only one symptom of “The Curse of Christmas Cheer (Fast Christmas)” according to Keltic & Irish. Jiggy Celtic, yes.

They wrapped it up/In guilt and fear is the complaint of BLUE ALERT Hollow Place’s “Fuck Christmas“. Overcompensating!

Sammy J belts out “Christmas Family Guilt (Live)” like it’s the showstopper from Gilbert & Sullivan. Which is why i love it.


X-Mental: Grief

Battling the Elisabeth Kübler-Ross stages around the holidays finds little solace, and almost NO empathy. Stay in the spare bedroom with the guests’ coats, fer gudness sake.

“GRIEF IS THE ONE THING CHRISTMAS CAN’T FIX” insists David Bannon with persistent country rock. I suspect an invitation to join his congregation next.

“Christmas is a Grief Bomb” by Hetty White is a lively frolic through losing… well you pick. Your cat counts. Even Mother Mary saw cross beams in the manger. Christ’ll pick up the tab. (I’m babbling due to shock from listening to this.)

“Christmas Mourning” by Michael Allen Howard shouts out to loved ones in particular. But the chipmunking and kidsong melodies give one pause.

Salem Ilese takes a more morose method with her “Christmas Mourning“. New Age indie ethereality.

“Christmas Mourning” by Loser Company also draws out the notes in order to make this shabby indie into a dirge. Mission accomplished.

“Christmas Mourning” by Gavin Prophet advances to further stages as the garage pop goes rap then back. It’s a bit pissed.

Men and Mountains bestow “The Gift of Grief” with enough garage banging and caterwauling as to make a grown man cry.

The Crocodile Shop really rocks “December Mourning“, but not in a fully cathartic way. More of a party way.

X-Mental: Melancholy

Most often, the holiday ideal of TV advertisements reminds folks without friends and family to regret their independence for the holidays. It’s not a good mood. Solitude is, in fact, a solid subgenre for Xmas music. As is ‘missing you’ songs around the happiest time of the year. Those will get their due. For now, let’s focus on despondency for its own sake.

Chris Daily’s “Melancholy Holiday” strums the indie hard, justifying the Weltschmerz for its own sake.

Bob Malone’s “Sad on Christmas” doesn’t much of how no one else will see, but breathily stumbles over the piano about how sad this sadness is. Sing it, brother.

Busy McCarroll’s “Sad Young Man” also dwells on the bathos. This time, however, the concertina rag time calls in old-timey microphone fuzz as if this were 1922. Fun stuff.

Rod McKuen makes fun of you for crying in the very ’70s “Who Knows Where We’re Going?” It would’ve been about existential angst if he’d studied psychology.

If you’re feeling melancholy/Don’t let Christmas get to you advises uncredited singers on the Daily Reckless album. “Merry Christmas” says suck it up and R+B.

It’s all so mystifying, sings Jamie Cullum about why “Christmas Caught Me Crying“. Apart from the awkward anthropomorphization of the event, this lounge blues resonates.

“Christmas Tears” from Dr. BLT (he’s a real doctor) puddle jumps brokenheartedness without worrying about missing YOU. Straight up folk.


Fighting it, Dusty Strays country folks “Don’t Cry, It’s Christmas Time“. He wants you not to cry for him, Advent even. (Maybe don’t pout, either.)

Also taking the other side The Christmas Cards croon “Why does Christmas make Daddy Cry?” Isn’t that funny? asks this tearjerking folk.

“Everyone Cries at Christmas” by Patrick Canning returns to really bum us the heck out. Psychedlically edged indie pop that shovels on the infelicity.

So, it must be time to revisit “Santa on a Crying Jag” from the most missed Piedmont Songbag group. Jazzy blues, yet What’s So Sad?

X-Mental: Depression, Chronic

There’s no way out for Now Its Art when they hard rock “Depressed for Christmas“. Crying doesn’t help.

Nate Funk goes all in on “All I Get for Christmas Is Depression“. Jazz band ska, so it’s a party. Sigh.

“The Most Depressing Time of the Year” is high octane pop from Crash Test Anthem. Millennial bitching, basically. Aspirin over valium here.

“Winter in My Heart” is that poetic diagnosis that raises red flags. Atomic Neon slurs their indie to make you worry.

You may have been looking for the overserved lounge act, “Most Depressing Time of the Year” where Toiley T. Paper (feat. John B. Dehaas) debate the ups and downs of the partying. Comedy over parody. Ben Coleman also sends up ‘Wonderful’ with far less humor.

“Seasonal Depression (A Christmas Song)” poses John Trent as a Dylanesque troubadour sniping on mental illness. Folk pop condescension.

WE’s “This Blizzard’s Got Me Down” has got them nearly comatose with unhappiness. Snow Day has never been worse than in this indie.

Also with Seasonal Affected Disorder The Night Hobs haul out the violins for “Winter is Here“, the trigger for barely holding on. Indie moodiness.

This life is killing my Christmas soul, sings Little Bear in “Little Bear & The Christmas Soul“. We suffer a hard alt rock pounding as well when atonal chaos ensues.

From Contents Under Pressure’s Christmas musical the floor drops out under “Holiday Despair“. As it is a musical, emotional progress is made. So, not really despair. Just a reversal of plot.

X-Mental: Depression

Not only country songs deal with overwhelming sadness for December. It’s quite popular.

Almost Vinyl shows us what ‘good’ AI can do. For one, this is a Christmas novelty no one else woulda bothered with. For another BLUE ALERT and suicidal ideation beset “Harvey The Chronically Depressed Snowman.” Childrens’ jazziness, attributed to Merle Chives.

Bedbound by Summer return with the loud pop tribute “Depressed This Christmas.” They hate everybody. Sit next to me.

H.P. Lovecraft Historical Society also returns with “A Cyclopean Tomb (down in deep R’lyeh)“. Horror takes its toll in this parody.

Akira the Don gets the DJ treatment while lecturing how “Christmas Could Be a Dark Time“. It’s all in the family. And it’s all downhill. Will this be on the final?

The Aux declares “Christmas Day” as depressing–as an adult… without a girlfriend. Slightly garaged rock. (But i think these brokenhearted depressions are a whole ‘nother category. So let’s move on.)

“Grey Skies” by The Jersey Barrier slows the indie roll dwelling on the lackluster wintry scenery contrasted against the holiday spirit. It will make you feel worse.

Screechy bluegrass allows Yulenog to peel away family Christmas joy revealing “Depresso” underneath. Yeah, family….

Aaron Grant hears about Santa and experiences “My First Depression“. Concertina punk is a comical contrast to the Life’s Unfair lesson. So, hee hee ohhh.

X-Mental: Delirium

What? Huh? I don’t get it….

Confusion is a symptom of brain damage as well as a common factor among those surviving the 21st Century. Rohey Sallah admits Muslim panic trying to understand the whole holiday. In “Christmas Confusion” AI retools pop music for our lack of understanding.

Gerry O’Connell has similar difficulty with the Nativity in his electronic pop “Christmas Confusion“. Hint: Cliff Notes are in the New Testament.

TIMŌRĀTUS returns with varying raps over “Christmas Present Chaos (Bandmate’s Confusion)“. Not knowing what to get each other brings about mental breakdown. It’s maddening.

Country disco AI from GhostPilot takes all the obligations of that time of the year as some big “Christmas Confusion“. I don’t follow–

Brad Bromling with Many/One has more fun scrambling carol lyrics or taking them literally in “A Little Christmas Confusion“. Be bop pop.

Misheard lyrics troubles Andrew J. Mair into “Christmas Misunderstandings“. Comedic pop that demands a vaudeville setting. Rimshot!

“Jack’s Obsession” from A Nightmare Before Christmas encapsulates delusive comprehension. Ruby Isle’s metal verzh conveys the mood better than the original Elfman.

Actual dementia is just one more thing for Denham to face in his funny family ode “All I Want for Xmas“. (All he wants is drugs.) Jazzy pop.

In Koivunen’s “Santa’s Memory” that ‘Cats’ hit is tortured into a jeremiad over Santa’s Alzheimers. Three hanky parody.

X-Mental: Delusion

A bit more unreality for all.

Is Santa a lie? “Santa Delusion” is AI rap from @hdammotowa. Testimony from the pulpit, i guess.

Suffering from the same malady, Alberto Baston sings “The Sleigh Ride of Delusion” living normally while seeing only Hallmark. AI showtune.

“Christmas Delusional” by The Unfiltered Era of Uncringed Hoggets is a real Sing Along with Mitch moment, only AI. And barely sensible. Ha.

“Santa’s Got a Dragon” might be prog fantasy, or it might be madness. Fugli isn’t actually judging, only saying. Ride on.

Jefferson Starship parody time! “Delusions” are diagnosed by Merkel and the Merkelettes. Fine fooling around pop rock pointing fingers.

“Momentary Flashes” seems to be Aspiga deconstructing mental health over getting gifts. Not sure. Raucous indie.

In “The Morley Christmas Rapper” Mozart Rottweiler with Sinister Undertones channel guilty E.A. Poe characters hearing what isn’t there. The rapper here is rapping, tapping on the walls. Spooky. Sardonic pop.

X-Mental: Dissociative Disorders

Out of touch with reality? Welcome!

Jesus & The Robot BLUE ALERT plonk out the gospel-ish carol “The Gift That Keeps Giving (PTSD)” about meltdowns triggered by the tree.

“PTSD Christmas” by Michael Colburn dips into some country easy listening rut to lighten the mood. I’m not easy of mind yet.

Davey Dips recounts some weird grind house movie in “Post-Traumatic Santa Claus Disorder“, stuttering rap of some wit.

In ‘The Great American Trailer Park Christmas Musical’ someone gets cooked on the head, giving us the rocker “The 12 Days of Amnesia”. It’s all very Telemundo.

Identity disorders plague a soul who wants to celebrate with friends (one facet), family (another), co-workers (who am I?), or even church fellows (what?!). The Heebee-jeebees make this case in “It’s So Hard to be an Elf“. Excellent kidsong.

Josie Long is plaintive and hopeful while singing “I Wish That I Was Someone Else This Christmas“. Disappearing into nonexistence, this is quiet folk.

K Bibbles utters the mantra I be me, you be you in the hypnotic “Be Cool“. It’s rap like you’d find in an after school special.

Bill Botting wonders how to behave in “Acting Without Acting“. An indie search for meaning.

The Rockabilly Reckless Christmas E.P serves up a “Confusing Christmas Time“. The more i listen the less i get it. Yeah.

“This Christmas” BW Johnson runs the gamut of seasons until he has an out of body experience. New age folk kinda Sufjan Stevens stuff.

Breakdowns are not just for bluegrass. Thought you lost it on Christmas Eve, begins “Naughty Pine” by The Classic Brown. Then proceeds to split infinity with indie folk frivolity.

The polar bear in the ads becomes hopped up, strung out (and diabetic) in “Cherry Red Coca Cola” by Glial Cell. It’s party indie pop, and it’s a groove. But, i feel bad for the bear losing it.

X-Mental: OCD

The source of much television mirth, this crippling inability to function imprisons personality. Let’s have fun with that.

“OCD Christmas Elves” by Backbite is frothy pop AI that revels in delusion and insanity. Just some DSM catchphrasing.

“The OCD Of Christmas” by Malcolm Tent is ’12 Days’ about having to redo a gift endlessly, so inappropriate and annoying.

Pandemic blues elicited a “Socially Distanced Christmas” a condition when sung about by Matthew Jordan includes OCD. (‘Cuz bored…..) Showtune pop.

Just plain obsession evokes more perfumery than red flags, vis. “Obsessed with Christmas” AI folk pop by Bill Barlow.

More concerning:”A Christmas Obsession“, sinister AI orchestration from The Blake Robinson Synthetic Orchestra (ft. Gloom Darkheart) follows a creeper.

“(OCD) Obsessive Christmas Disorder” grew out of this. Brandon ‘B. Liggy’ Ligon raps about it for us. Well, thanks.

Joe Roggi identifies as “The Christmas Lunatic” due to his obsessive behavior at the end of the year. Call it method celebration. Bluesy easy listening with rocking guitar riffs.

Bah & The Humbugs included a lovely solo number for Santa in that pirate musical I’ve mentioned before. “I’m Not Obsessed” is a real symphonic soul searcher for the elf.

AI with personality, “Obsessive Compulsive Christmas” by Shagrats Ltd plays hob with the condition AND light rock. Suffering for our entertainment.

X-Mental: Bipolar Disorder

Taking a step back, bipolarism (manic depression) may be a seasonal disorder in one form or another. Well, i can relate.

Grinch by day, Santa Claus by night, ProJudah plays bluesy pop “Bipolar Christmas” with a laff track. Seems willing to embrace it all.

Blaming schizophrenia, Katie R Dale stares you down with “The (Bipolar) Christmas Song“, a parody of that chestnuts number. Resignation here.

Atombuzz celebrates “Bipolar Christmas” with grunge and a reluctance to fully enjoy it. Bleak? Just use it for a career in the arts!

Roger John sails through his “Bipolar Christmas” with kickin’ parang. I keep waiting for the down parts. But dancing while i’m waiting.

Liquid Fluid Water comes to the rescue with the depressing “Bipolar Xmas“, a showtime of the bluesy jazz variety.

4 Aspirin Morning is floundering through their brass heavy blues “Bipolar Christmas“. It’s a hard climb back up.

Delta-9 dissolves into syhthed madness for “The Part Time Bi-Polar Elf…“. It’s carrib and EDM and rock and indecipherable. (Ask me tomorrow what i think of it. It’ll change.)