Category: world music

X-Mental: Crazy.2

Slightly more disturbed songs include Happy Tom’s “Crazy Christmas“. As an aging American, i have to cop to not understanding what the hell this garage rocker is about. It’s crazy, though. (Please post lyrics or i’ll have to enjoy only its rhythmifications!)

In the extra funky “Dysfunktional” Holidelic debates nature vs. nurture, concluding it’s everybody everywhere this time of year. Yeah!

Also nearly indecipherable, “Another Crazy Christmas” by Air Mack metals the hell out of reason while enumerating all the irrational aspects of that special time of the year.

“Christmas Madness” clocks in at frustrated rock’n’roll times three, according to The Rocket Summer. They’re a band on a mission. Of love. That’s mad.

The Strawberry Traffic Jam recounts that time everyone got the wrong gifts in an awesome ragtime “Crazy Mixed-Up Christmas“. Everyone blames Santa, but it think the gift takes were made out by some off-the-clock barista.

The “Crazy Christmas Tango” by Don Eves is out of control. Excellent boogie woogie about residing on one’s last nerve. He’s gonna blow–!

Skinny stringster Lindsey Stirling (feat. Bonnie McKee) goes Advent-wild in the pop “Crazy for Christmas“. Over the top, and i like that.

In “Crazy for Christmas” Tom Mason’s baby just overdoes it in attire, decoration, and consumption. She’s off her rocker in this zippy zydeco.

And So… Caroling.1

The traditional attributes of a carol may be celebrating a seasonal topic, alternating verses and chorus, and danceable music. But, in novelty, anything goes.

The Coats kick us off with a frightening a cappella march for “The Caroler.” It’s okay to thank them through the deadbolt, yeh?

Just Kids remind us you don’t need to be fluent in English to go “Christmas Caroling.” Energy and not freezing are all that really matter. Kidsong.

The Irish Rovers combine all their Celtic noises to, as they do, create a festive merry mood. “Christmas Caroling” is unavoidably joyful, especially if you like drinking.

Xmas Instrumenting: Yodeling

Repeated and rapid changes of pitch between ‘chest voice’ and falsetto may mark you as mad, or an artist. Or both.

Some classics have been previously covered on the blog for a cowboy section.

But that lacked Chris Sand’s “Yodelin’ Night Before Christmas Hitchhike Blues.” This country polka swings in the cold with a thumb out.

The Vipers celebrate “The Yodeler’s Christmas” with lots of vocal play (and a trombone)!

The Hainings know there’s no yodel like “The Christmas Yodel.” It’s for Christ. And tonsils. Traces of folk.

Bucko & Champs rise up from Down Under to ululate “Father Christmas Showed Me How to Yodel.” Knock knock! Who’s there? Yodel-A-hee….

“A Yodel for Christmas” is a wish from Joe Newberry & April Verch to have a greater range to sing. Dandy country. Suddenly he’s gifted.

AI associates “Yodel Christmas Cream” (??) with reverence, as presented by His Little Helpers. Perhaps this jazz band romp would suit a cartoon special.

More AI wants you to “Yodel Your Way to the Christmas Tree,” pop music from Good Christmas Songs.

David Higginbotham booms out kidsong in the twisty form of “Chris the Yodeling Cat.” It’s synthed polka, but i’d recommend getting the feline out of that room full of rocking chairs.

Paul Yanchar finally gives us the real McCoy, a Swiss-Austrian accented “Christmas Yodeler” with oompah polka throughout. He gets around, but he the girls. From far away.

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.

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: Maracas

Caribbean beats are all the more danceable with these chac-chacs.

It’s about time we discovered The Annual Christmas Album Band, even if it’s only with the distant parody “Little Maraca Boy.”

Finally parang arrive care of Afeisha Brown (ft. Kiegs). With d’ box bass, d’ toc toc and d’ maracas in dey hands they jump around for “Jam D’ Parang.” It’s family friendly, though, so no over drinking.

The Ragged Flags would care to lure you down south where the dolphins play. You may enjoy “Crackers and Caracas” but this is New Age Island, so it’s a head trip of enlightenment.

Xmas Instruments: Cymbals

CRASH! BANG!

Young Kernel request you “(Shake)” like a cymbal for Christmas time. Repetitive, hypnotic, partytime. Not strictly an instrument, but certainly a boisterous music.

Rap relies on some rhymes more than others, cymbal bell may not ring true for our purposes, but Ranna Royce’s rap out “Silent Night (Carol Flow)” is BLUE ALERT violent and threatening enough to earn a spot on the laissez-faire blog.


Pipes’ll get their due, but for scarcity’s sake let Celtic Woman pair the cymbals with the “Christmas Pipes.” It’s all about the party.

Xmas Instruments: Accordion

It’s time to peek behind the musical curtain and see WHAT makes the novelty. Musical instruments are joyous, annoying, celebratory, and obstruction props for the holidays. Keep in mind: these are songs ABOUT the instruments, not simply instrumentals. (Bells will return to the blog.)

That is never more difficult to winnow down than with the ol’ stomach Steinway. So, sit up straight and attend.

You’re a “Christmas Accordion” according to me, belt out Mount Righteous, in perfectly awkward oompah. So cool.

Dennis Polisky & the Maestro’s Men elevate jug band to the Scandihoovian with “Richie’s Christmas Accordion,” a polka-palooza.

“Accordion for Christmas” is more of a novelty threat from Tom Torriglia. Still polka.

Let’s not neglect “Please Buy Me an Accordion for Hanukkah” by Valerie Sassyfras, a bit more klezmer than polka. And it’s a sweet family memory. Isn’t that better? (Until you listen to it.)

Sea shanty does it for me, so let’s twist an ankle to “Pop’s New Accordion” from Rum Ragged. This is a wish list from the family. It’s serious. So should your listening be.

I Want to BELIEVE:VI

Still asking the tough questions, Drekka und Vollmar muddy up “Why Do You Still Celebrate Christmas When You Only Believe in Santa Claus?” with filters and features so you’ll zone out rather than figure out the whole blues mishegas.

Michael Scott Dublin (feat. Sinead Murphy) flips the script when asks “The Sad Fairy (Do You Believe In Me?)” with grating showtune vocals. Well, still magic… so the question of faith remains the same. You gonna?

Speaking o’ magic, Cory Goodrich beseeches in pop folk (tiny tots’ gospel) “Please Believe.” She did use the magic word.

The Oakwood Waits raise the rafters with the gospel chorale “I Believe This is Jesus.” Who are you pointing at?

“Go You Believe Inna Christmas” is the funny-voice Q+A parang from Goddy Goddy & Ryan Mark. It goes in circles but hits the ground dancing.