Category: altrock

Family Friend has nothing better to do, so they follow important historical Christmasses from 1968 (first humans orbited earth) to 1642 (Isaac Newton born). Yet the indie pop of “Boring Christmas (blaze away)” recommends you burn the tree… oh, hang on–drug reference! Are you so bored you smoke, or so smoked you’re bored?

Puritanical Powers compel thee to have a “Christmas 1670“! Not sure if 10 Killing Hands is pulling our breeches, but kinda doubt those austere pioneers woulda celebrated ANYTHING. (See: “The World is Turned Upside Down” about the Puritans doing away with this holy day in 1649.) Still, this soft indie rock is compelling me to enjoy.

Bible verses are read as chapter and verse, so we’ll allow a bit o’ stretch here to include the ominous tale of 10,000 Maniacs’ “Jubilee” in which Tyler (as afflicted perhaps as the son for whom mercy is asked in Matthew 17:15) takes time off from fixing up the Nativity scene for the church to burn down the licentious tavern nearby.

The 800 toll free phone number was meant to fire people so that busy businesses could do without long-distance connections. Hotels and car rental companies began this streamlining in the ’60s. Today we could care less. Who gets charged for Long D anymore?!

Humbugz revisits the ’80s with a “1-800-Christmas” number about the worst presents ever. Then the poor country-song victim has an idea… (it’s the phone line to buy this album)!

A surprising message comes from an 800 number wishing “Merry Christmas Mr. Peng.” This indie goes places you dmight not expect. I mean, IS it a happy ending?

Prohibition’s over! Drunkenness is okay again! Tom Dyer beats the stringed-box recounting that moonshiner ‘Doober’ he met way back when “It’s a White Mule Christmas.” Returns to him again in the ’40s… and there may be a resurrection acomin’ later on. Stay for it, or just for the back woods country glee of the whole parcel.

Virginiana Miller’s “Xmas 1933” is a gentle alt-pop about the re-decline of the civilization of the American worker. Christmas cheers!

“The Beatles 1968 Christmas Record” was a real trip, including talented fooling around. Here’s Side A.

Mary Chapin Carpenter has one memory of Christmases past and in her gentle folk “Christmas Carol” she mentions the Beatles’ White Album from that recall.

Chuck Brodsky spins a bluesy yarn “The Great Santa Snowball Debacle of 1968.” Halftime of an Eagles game the fans turned ugly on Kringle. Bad show, ya naughty-niks.

“Family Coach” from Lilac Time anticipates the moon landing of next summer, while traveling for the holidays. The similarities of the outer space capsule and the teamwork required melds nicely in this indie listenable.

It had to come to this. That inconceivably produced ‘Star Wars Christmas Special‘ has engendered its own music as reaction. “Holiday Special ’78” by Tristan Kovacs (feat. Lauryn Kovacs) is about the mind melting notion that Chewie’s got kids and shit (so mild BLUE ALERT). Lovely indie crooning. I am floored.

miniMatthew gets raw in “50. Christmas, 1982.” This elegiac tender pop about sexual abuse sets the past in a harsh, but accurate, light.

At Swim Two Birds has more pleasant mem-files of Christmas ’82 in “Down By the Stream.” The dreamy alt carpal tunnel chords reveal a sucky present day, however, in ’03 when a revisit with a lost love means a road not taken–dammit.

Next Door has a haunting back beat with off mic narration called “Christmas Day, 1988.” Bit of an eavesdrop on some memories….

In 1988 it was a “Wrestlemania Christmas” for The Yule Logs. A big chair-smashing, rope-rebounding deal. Rock, yeah.

“Christmas Card 1988” by Cory Fay is a Sufjan-Stevens-ish exploration into time and space, which is good. The world needs more wiggy guitar walks.

Well, technically, “Home Alone” (the movie) is about Christmas. And Heatmaps has a Rockin tribute that mentions how the Sticky Bandits were locked up til February 1993. But as fans will recall, they bust out in time for the 1992 sequel. Still, poppin’ fresh!

Even more epic, “Sandy Fishnets” is the tale of foster abuse with an haunting nautical motif. Evelyn Evelyn ends the tragedy on the Christmas of 1993 with her silent disappearance. Horrifying French bistro music.

Lily Montfré bums out on a memory fragment in “Christmas in July.” This late-night jazz bar piano dreamscape wants to remember, but fears the past. Oo-ee-oo.

Up Up Down Down Left Right Left Right A B Start asks if you remember “Christmas Eve 1993.” Something weird happened, but i guess if you don’t remember… forget it. Altrock and noisy about it.

The Murrays don’t candy coat “Merry Christmas 1993.” Pop altrock that starts with old macaroni on the tree, but ends with hanging around as a supreme act of love. Wotta Romeo.