Category: world music

Roll On: Cynthia

Named for a mountain, CYNTHIA is for those from Mount Cindy–summat like dat. [Ack-shooly, Cindy can derive from Lucinda, too. Isn’t etymology fun?!]

At the end of the punk “Christmas Is Killing Me” The Pretty Reckless claim No, my name is not Cindy. Why did i bother? (‘Cuz it Rox! is why.)

Well, that name might’ve come up as the foil for The Grinch, as rapped in “The Grinch” by The Frooty Four (feat. Lil Kimchief). Could be preteens here. Gonna need some ID….

Lil’Z Beats makes it weird mackin’ on Cindy Lou Who in “Whoville Christmas Eve“. Smoove rap with some R+B. [Damn but hip hop loves the Grinch story.]

Or mastering in euphemism like The Pretty Reckless in their return with “I Wanna Be Your Christmas Tree“. Country swing on the naughty list.

Charlie Russell uses Cindy Lou as shorthand, an allusion for a soul’s salvation in “I Found Christmas (When She Found Me)“. Showtune bombast for a quite thought.

Cake in Space uses her as code for personal friend of Santa, sort of. “Merry Christmas, Santa” is novelty rap with overly orchestrated shenanigans.

But then Ronson Kwan cynically refers to that lil girl as an annoying conscience in the freethinker “Mind Your Christmas“. Mind your business. Catchy folk indie.

I draw the line at Nick Nittoli’s BLUE ALERT politicizing of “Grinch” wherein the Green one is MAGA and Cindy Lou is the libtard. What a load of rap.

Room for a parody, though. Eclipse 6 a cappellas “Mean – The Grinch’s Wicked Story” as a tribute to both works. Cindy Lou makes a second act cameo.

TyMe WArp rap to another in “Merry Christmas Ebenezer“. Yeah, Scrooge gets a shout out. So does Batman. But, to the point, so does Cindy Brady. More youth busting’ rhymes.

Cindy isn’t always an innocent. In Jeremy Reed’s AI boogie woogie she’s an elf stripper at a joint called “The North Pole“. Mercy.

Jahnoi (Dale Virgo) carrib pidgins “Christmas Celebration” about the true meaning of Christmas, yet cautions against pickpockets and Cindy who has some kind of accent, according to a man who makes ‘boy’ three syllables.

Sadly, “Cindy Wants to Cry” on Christmas. Gary Wilson brings a fusion of experimental barbershop, reductionist indie, and industrial ragtime. Huh?

Andy Madi takes stalking to a new level with the melodica disco-esque Eurovision “Cindy“. You’ll be his by Christmas. Time for Witsec.

Roll On: Carol

Few Latinates are based on a Germanic forbear. CAROL is one. But whether it means citizen or song, the debate rages.

Ed Hill’s “Christmas Carole” is an object of affection. Wordplay here in this rockabilly lite makes it difficult to tell it she’s real.

One naughty “Carol” is Diastro’s heinous bitch. Maybe you‘ll like her in this indie ditty.

House Madame offers shelter from the storm with “Christmas With Carol“, a rambling story from Hoyt Van Tanner. Other exotic dancers are named. but i lost track. Pop country.

Elliott Yamin’s “Christmas Without Carol” toys with a Motown beat, but it’s the lonely kind of blues.

Also bereft, 4 Star View (feat. Rintryp) folk pop “Christmas Worlds Apart” about a Caroline who won’t be home for the holidays.

Curtis Erdek’s “Caroline” is also past tense. This big showtune soars into holiday hopelessness, using memory as a weapon.

In “Uncle Hickory’s General Store” South Sixty-Five set up Billy and Caroline for a happy ever after, moved far from this podunkery and sending cards every Xmas. Road country.

The Existentialists murmur “Caroline’s Christmas” into their pop electric organ sleeves. Possibly bad things happen.

“Christmas Caroline” by Copper Coins also gets carried away with overlapping rhythms. Maybe good feelings now.

“Christmas Caroline” from Umberto S (feat. NIK) swings into experimental pop with a more discernible upbeat triviality. Is the rap part a separate song?

A clumsy joke, “Let Caroline In (It’s Cold Outside)” is easy listening AI from Andrew J. Mair. Doesn’t pass the Turing test.

“Christmas Carol” is both a singer and her song. Dr. BLT confides her case history in an oompah half-country melody that either will put you off or galvanize you into figuring out who he’s really talking about.

Lindi Ortega’s “Christmas Carol” also sings for us, but this country victim has less going for her. Bluegrass misery.

The Oak Ridge Boys’ “Christmas Carol” is a better singer, it seems, but she’s begging with song. She’s poor. I mean, really poor. Barbershop down home country.

Then there’s the orphan. Skip Ewing’s “Christmas Carol” is a little girl turning to a mall Santa for help and heartbreaking. Country easy listening.

Black Camaro applies an island beat to their “Christmas, Carol“. She doesn’t seem as bad, but the world has gotten on her one last nerve. Honestly, i love it.

Roll On: Brandy

A distilled liquor, that is alcohol with lots of water evaporated off it (which made it cheaper to ship across the ocean), so–naturally–BRANDY is a fine name… for a stripper. It’s currently the 3000th most popular girls name hereabouts.

Richard Hertzberg & Ben DeVries serve up a fine corrido adventure “Brandy Saves Christmas” with much shaggy dogging and derogation (psst–she’s a hooker). Some fine south of the border guitaring and tumpeteering.

Roll On: Arthur

ARTHUR means bear, or stone, or brave. Depends on its etymology. Or the guy you’re talking about.

In “Arthur’s Christmas“, he tries to best Trevor for the affections of Molly. But he’s too nice for her. So, country. ‘Cuz it’s from Gary Country.

Brett Campbell introduces “Arthur the Christmas Cat” like he’s the star of some overhyped sitcom. Pounding pop, yet cuddly.

“Art Song” involves Art, a naked Santa, accused of stealing a Christmas tree by the runners of Bob’s Burgers. For watchers of the show, this is NOT strange.

A filthy BLUE ALERT tirade from Art the Fart, “The Art B4 Christmas Terrifier Style” comes from Prioritize.Ltd records, but haunts us all forever.

One fine Irish holiday morning, the singer and the cousin “Arthur McBride” are propositioned by the British army for conscription. A fight ensues. The spirit of Christmas may not pervade this folk ballad, but that’s the world for you. Cassie and Maggie go the distance on this Old World warning. [Paul Brady sets the vocal sex aright–sounds like a pubescent lad he does.]

‘so blue just thinking about YOU….’

Judi Silvano jazzes up “I’d Like You for Christmas” with octave changes, scat, and trailing syllables to light up the lounge. Hanukkah and New Years, too.

Cassie McMullin false starts “My Heart with You” to get your attention, then harmonizes her amateur pop with herself. She’s ganging up on YOU.

Meghan Trainor syncopates her pop nearly to rap itself with “My Kind of Present“. Again, you are the present. Objectified?

Pajamaramas strums and moans about how “My Shortlist for Christmas (Is You)“. This is pop laced with blues and lounge vibe. Moodily merry.

Ages presents their “New Fashioned Christmas” as a way of realizing your (and my) potentials. Indie bop.

Cousin Oliver sneaks the ska on ya for “Naked Christmas“. He only wants one thing from you this year: you (unwrapped). It’s in the title.

“I’d Rather Stay in Tonight with Ben & Jerry [& Buddy the Elf]”

Parry Music makes gospel out of “Missing You At Christmas“, elevating a cruel breakup with soaring harmonies. Hard to listen to analytically.

Theory of a Deadman instills metal in their “Missing You This Christmas“. Might make a good TV show intro, but the driving drum rhythms knock all the pathos outta this sob story.

Richard Melvin Brown may be mourning in “My First Christmas Without Her “. The Carib beat doesn’t help the reading on this pulsating pop. I’m sorry for your loss of melody.

MMMC girlies up the AI with “A Star to Wish Upon“. Whispery snow laden missing you, in the key of limp pop.

One of the great star-crossed holiday cinematic stories is “Sally’s Song” from The Nightmare Before Christmas. Doors in the Labyrinth overplay the drama in this sad tale metamorphosing showtune into rock ballad. Noice.

Most authentic is the trilling, cackling grief of Shawn ‘Da Ma$tamind’ Noel paranging “What is Christmas Without ah Rum?” Truly a heartbreak.

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.