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.

X-Mental: Crazy.1

An overused, multipurpose word ranging from derogatory to celebratory judgment, crazy begins here with manic connotations.

“Crazy Christmas!” from a musical by Sally K. Albrecht is child friendly, in fact it’s a school assembly showtune for 10 year olds. It may push you over the edge.

Nathan Carter also opts for perfect as a substitute meaning for “Crazy Christmas“. He’s got the girl and the world by a ribbon. Country jazz bombast.

Unbelievable is perhaps what Mitchell Scott meant for his hard country [AI] pop “A Crazy Christmas Night“. He helped Santa with bad deer and evil elves.

Sound of the Suburb indicates the speciality of this unbelievable holiday in the rockabilly “Crazy Christmas“. Crazy as in hep, cats. [Like the cover of “Dig That Crazy Santa Claus” by Ralph Marterie & his Orchestra, vocal by Lola Dee and chorus… or The Debonairs’ “Crazy Santa Claus“. It’s a whole thing.]

The Bellamy Brothers also dilute the diagnostic with “We All Get Crazy at Christmas“. Twangy country with no fruitcakes to give.

The “Crazy for Christmas Lady” as country popped by Genevieve Goings is about an obsessive decorator. OCD is not exactly crazy, but people will label.

X-Mental: The Psychology of Christmas

Feelings run hot for the holidays: euphoria, depression, hysteria, fugue states… suicide ideation increases and Black Friday aggro is hardly a thing of the past. So, is it time for a Prince of Peace render unto us blessings or shock treatment?! We’ve certainly entertained maladjustments before on the blog, but now let’s sublimate our ids and get clinically analytical for Xmas.

As introduction to the whole central nervous system roadmap, Sarah Kopp brings forth a badly recorded, poorly rehearsed “AP Psychology Christmas Song“. If you can make out the terminology, take notes!

Carlos’ posts ‘s “Psychology Christmas Jingle” succeeds ever so slightly better.

JMaq’s Shark Uppercut delivers the entertainment when he pits “Santa Vs. Freud“. Electronic rap with consequences.

Christmas… And That Matters Because–?

You know what’s fun? Dirty Nice claims that’s when “It’s All Gunna Go Wrong This Christmas“. Always happens, so–you gotta larf about it, donyuh? Bilious pop. [The animated video features a comet-riding dinosaur destroying your house and Santa, so… fun.]

The “Pointless Christmas Song” brought to you by Johnny Setlist would like art to reflect life. He wishes well with practice piano pop, but what’s the point?

Losing his shirt, Walt Hoagland countries “I Hope I Make It Through Another Christmas“. Shopping, am i right? It ruins everything!

Paul and Storm would prefer Xmas to be boring. After the 2020 shitshow, they toast with easy listening to an “Uneventful Christmas“. If wishes were horses….

Kincaid folk pops “Summer Is Half A Year Away” with off kilter brass and filtered harmonies that signal hope. They even maintain I like Christmas. But this mess undermines the spirit and spits on the joy. Just saying.

The Sixth Great Lake pleasantly retro-pops our closing wherein we realize it’s not the holidays that tire us out so much as “Always After Christmas, Boring“. Even in the 1960s (or at least with that style of sound) we could hardly care. I’m clapping along! Look!

Christmas… Or Not

Jeff Grant is not fully on board with the season. In his “Snow City” he tries to enjoy the whiteness, but falls out with the brisk enjoyment. Sorta pop, but in a depressed way. Later he hopes for a “Light Christmas” with no drama. Sorta folk, but with cross to bear. And next, his “Christmas Sunset” itemizes all the chores he’s not looking forward to. Sorta indie, but bourgeoisie. Finally his “Yuletide to Tide You Over” rushes to get it over with it. Again part-indie, but lackadaisical. Iconic stuff.

“Teenage Christmas” should be right up our indifferent alley. Covered by Eux Autres, this is danceable disaffection, celebrating the fact rather than dwelling on the fracture.

On the polar opposite end of that, “12 Days Of Snowbird Christmas” depicts the distracted elderly as pointless and random. Brent Burns has been holding this in for a while, you can tell, but 12 Days?! Thanks, no thanks.

Make Like Monkeys return, contrarily celebrating an “Ordinary Christmas“. Nice retro pop that eschews frippery, and elects to stay in and not share. Like it, lump it, whatever.

The Regrettes (feat. Dylan Minnette) set up big band pop for their “Holiday-ish“. Slowly, but surely, the hopes and plans fall apart. It’s all not so good.

Christmas, Eff It

“It`s Not Christmas Everyday” is usually a lesson reminding you to be as good as you can be all the time. But in the chords of Bright Paper Werewolves, this trope takes on a sinister and random slant. Reminders to behave come with a raised hand warning. Rock into metal.

The Colors Turned Red rock “Back By Christmas” about returning to the city, provided it’s not too shitty. Provisions don’t suit the celebrations, but you do you.

“Lying in the Snow” with nowhere to go, Isaac Stancill also takes exception to your cliches. Rocking country oddness.

Johnny Setlist’s “Christmas Time is Here Again” does not bode well for any of us. It’s all crap, garbage, and stuff we hate. Lounge pop with an axe to grind.

The Original Cast of Naughty… but Nice! is sick of Xmas songs, so in “Naughty and Nice” they sing about their discontent. Wait– what? Showtune, sho’ nuff.

Arne Hansen & The Guitarspellers toast “Seasons Greetings to You All” out of both sides of their mouths. It’s hard to say (they say), but it is rocked.

Christmas… Who Even Cares

The Felice Brothers make an operetta out of the drunk who forgot to buy the kids gifts, then realizes “The Dollar Store” is closed on the twenty-fifth. Sentimental folk indie. Sniff.

Don’t act like you don’t wanna be here countries Tony Winkler in “That Time of Year“. No pep talk follows, just appropriate bitchin’.

Wishing all this garbage would just go away, Ryan Hill ADHD’s “WWMRD?” Is frenetic folk a thing? It should be.

When Jiggi Public School Kids sing about the holidays as “The Silly Season” it do believe they are not taking The Story of Christmas seriously. Kidsong with electric guitar.

Sean Jean & The Johnsons seem to have an agenda in “The Only Serious Christmas Song“, but this country rock pop mishmash can’t take its own self seriously. Well… i had a good time.

Bob 4 Apples set the record straight when they indie how “Nobody Cares That You Don’t Care About Christmas“. To each his own, and to all good night. (Then the channel changes and the song gets an R+B remake. And you’re asked to be cool.) Wow.

Christmas? I Don’t Give a Rat’s Hat

New Found Glory wants you NOT to have a “Somber Christmas” just because you’re heartbroken. Plenty of reasons to cheer up; plenty of reasons not to. Call it a pop rocking draw.

Amanda Shires would prefer a “Silent Night” due to So much loss and so much grief. Ponderous hymnal with a goth bent.

Irreconcilable differences make The Wish You Weres not wanna celebrate their “Holiday in Splitsville“. BLUE ALERT punk. Their “After-Math” recommends eating and drinking yourself into a coma for Xmas once you finally made a conclusion/you’re not getting laid over for new years. Well, alrighty then.

Learning to be alone, Any Other garages their “Cold House“, a place as discomfiting as outdoors in Winter.

Jascha calls it quits with the minimalist folk of “What the Hell; It’s Christmastime“. Had a good run.

Marshal Keep is afraid of Santa “Ruining the Holidays” by spreading ailment. Not COVID-19 this time: menopause, STDs, and diabetes. Cute pop, but you know what you did, you jolly bastard.

Christmas… Couldn’t Give a Fig

A deranged family is enough to make Matthew McLaughlin feel disconnected from the “Holiday“. Plenty more beef in this peppy alt-pop, but it’s all unbalanced.

Radar & Satellite singa bout hope and joy in “Christmastime“, but their creepy vocals and thrashing metal backup make me uneasy. The parts about Santa knowing all your lies, or losing your spouse are not traditions in my domicile.

The loss of faith and friends is also not on my list of Xmas affirmations, but Lori McKenna makes a seven course out of her “Grateful“–an idea she aspires to rather than embraces. Folk.

Make Like Monkeys is my goto for fun holiday retro pop, but they have a dark side. “Christmas Doesn’t Last” is about drunken failing; “Isn’t It Christmas?” is existential angst; and “Hollow Holiday” is just mopey. Bummed now.

Valerie Warntz wants to “Shake Up Christmas” and she spins a tremulous tale of a boy and girl on opposites ends of the world wishing for love… but the folk pop song ends with no resolution. Well, crap.

The loss of Father Christmas sets off a “Cynical Christmas” for Wild Earp & The Free For Alls. Honky tonk blues that also gives up on Jesus. Look out.

“A Not so Merry Christmas” occurs when love is lost, so say The Boxmasters. Sashaying indie pop, bordering on 1956 RnR.

Christmas? That and a Dime’ll Get You a Cup of Coffee

Truman Proudfoot & David Kandal get screechy looking for the blame that “It’s Christmas Eve“–the toilet swirl of holidays. Dark pop, with throat clearing.

A moving hymnal round, “Christmas Was Not Made For Us This Year” apologizes while complaining–as sung (approaching scat) by Extra Virgin. A conversation starter.

Party the Hut and Friends take Xmas into their own hands when they don’t get any good presents. With “Pots and Pans” and some snappy folk indie, they make their own middling fete out of doors.

Sarah Connor also has proposals to fight the inks around now. “Don’t You Know That It’s Christmas?” she pop divas. So, what if i don’t? Some aggressive frown turning, so watch out.

Eraserheads are far away from you, so not in the mood. How far away? “Lightyears“. Sloshy indie that wants to be pop when it grows up.

The Snowman mounts the lounge stage to air his grievances in the showstopper “Christmas is a Drag“. That trombone says it all.