Christmas Countdown: 2004

The Frickin’ A guys retooled their ‘Merry Frickin’ Christmas’ novelty carol for Boston MLB fans for “Merry Merry Merry Frickin’ Christmas (World Champion Red Sox Anthem).” Happy 2004, youse guise. (There’s a 2013 update that i somehow passed over….)

“The Final Christmas Song” (bite thy tongue!) by Thorsø All-Stars (feat. Michael Andersen, Allan Laursen) is a jolly men’s choir serious address on all those other songs–and beer. (2004 gets some songwriter shoutout i can’t follow.)

“Christmas in Crawford, 2004” comes across as gentle American pastoralism. But, knowing Roy Zimmerman, this satirical basing takes down the culturally blind G.W. Bush who hailed from this nowheresville. Country cuts.

Christmas Countdown: 2005

Mike and Brian (feat. Marlee) have some lite rock fun playing around with “Christmas Time is Here (2005).” Get pen and paper ready for what they want.

Trmulous trilling from Music Production paints a portrait of “Christmas Day (2005).” It could be any year, but the thousands of candy canes add up to XXV for me.

MxPx goes Punk That’s-the-Year-That-Was with “2005.” Politics, TV, and the big questions of life in review.

TM298 may be praising his childhood obsesh “Gameboy” while wishing for games for that Christmas, but the appropriately electronic backbeat and rushed rap opens him up for a severe diagnosis. Put it down, boy.

Christmas Countdown: 2006

And now, a word from your Censors: BLUE ALERT. “BO$$ HOG Malt Liquor” from the Boss Hog Barbarians gets nasty rapping from the get go. Be on the look out for misogyny, violence, inebriation, and home boy profanity. Whew.

Two to the oh to the oh to the six white raps Xmas Wrap in their diary entry “Xmas Wrap 2006 (We Love Christmastime).” Quite the journey.

Bourgeois pain looks more like “Picture Frames” from Ian Lah, a memory lane stroll through snaps on the wall, including a holiday frozen moment. Piano bar folk.

Dallon Weekes pops out a tidy heartbreak-hopeful tune with “Christmas Drag (2006).” With all its last year – next year references, i’m gonna lock it into this one year. Not too exciting, and for a lovelorn song that’s something.

Christmas Countdown: 2007

Squeaking in parenthetically, “Christmas Red (2007)” covers many years, but this uplifting story chanted by the sisters ShiSho tells of a traditional tale told of a tragic figure who seeks only joy delivering to kids from his John Deere.

Also pleased to include the charming guitar noodling of Music Production with their “Christmas Morning (2007)” as another tribute to optimism. Take that Seasonal Affective Disorder!

Most meta, Ryan Burke of The Christmas Friends introduces his album and the year with “The 2007 Christmas Friends Intro.” Peppy electronica.

Christmas Countdown: 2008

“Nothing Like Home (The Color Book Collection)” begins the happy couple with that first date Christmas of 2008. Country from Amber Nicole Sutton with scrapbooking mushiness that seems overly personal.

“Everyone Cries at Christmas (2008)” is some bizarro fantasy dystopian menagerie from Patrick Canning. Off key pop/psychedila. Who hurt you, man?

Tambourining over the croony pop music, Vocal Few poeticize that horrible winter where you couldn’t drive–but they did take the bus to that show–whoa, remember? “Ice Storm 2008 (Merry Christmas)” is that personal story of few details that raises an eyebrow is recognition, maybe a tear of nostalgia too. Bravo.

Christmas Countdown: 2009

Simple lip service to when songs were written, produced, performed–whatever–doesn’t rate my countdown. Unless i’m desperate.

Pop-O-Pies takes “Christmas Time in Frisco – 2009” to task for filth, lawlessness, and rampant violence. Sparkly garage-lite.

The hipster poetry of “On Christmas Day the World Ended (2009)” got my attention. This Bosch painting of Xmas hell is a bad acid trip, or a great screenplay–or both! Celtic folk rock.

Christmas Countdown: 2010 BLUE ALERT

Cry Baby Hank has a nose outta joint in “Christmas 2010.” His metal tinged rock seems to indicate he’s been done wrong by something female. The holidays do not ameliorate his anguish. So… BLUE ALERT

Twice as BLUE ALERT but violently non-apologetic about it Death Squad Kills rants more than raps “Christmas Final Fight 2010.” The chip outweighs the shoulder.

Luckier, DRTYUNCL remembers a BLUE ALERT love connection from “Christmas 2010,” an upbeat rap.

Christmas Countdown: 2011

A nod to that Mayan apocalypse once again, “Christmas 2011” by Molly ‘Danger’ Bracknell lays light folk on the doom. Hey! Live for the moment!

Back to rap. This time a showdown ‘twixt Kuniza, Bizarre, and Swift recorded Christmas 2011–so ‘expect topicality up the wazoo. “Kill Zone Freestyle” gives credit to D12.

True story from Tom Dyer, “Propane Santa” rocks the encounter with a bedraggled red-wearing someone who just vanishes. But, it happened.

Christmas Countdown: 2012 indigenous bonus

2012 was notable for yet another doomsday scenario. The Mayans apparently ran out of calendaring for whatever came after 12/21/2012. So getting to Christmas was not in the cards. Or was it…?

Not mentioning the year, “Mayan Christmas 2012” is a hoot of an excuse for why I got you nothing for Christmas. Cowbell pop from King Everything.

New Justice Team also expect you to know the year with their lounge-tastic “Mayan Doomsday Christmas.” A little premature, but waddya expect from The Something Awful guys?

Bill Burns chants a charming “(Have a) Merry Mayan Doomsday” carol for the attention deprived. Tom tom along!

Jeff Govednik leans on ‘Blue Christmas’ for his “Mayan Christmas.” This club recording has a bit more research/personality than the others. Paints a picture, including regretful dark corners.

Polly Wolf gets in and out with their sweet pop “Apocalypse Not Now.” Were the Mayans lyin’?

Karl Miehl gets amusing with his pop folk “Christmas 2012 (The Mayans were Wrong)” and gets me right in the funny bone. The talent’s in the lyrics, boys and girls.

Christmas Countdown: 2012

September Stories regrets “Christmas 2012” with downbeat pop about how you BLUE ALERTed her when we shoulda all been friends.

The Deadbeats prophecy death, zombies, and needing nothing for “Christmas 2012.” Garage grunge for today.

Weird timpanic rap from Tramaine Hopkins Unhs and rhymes that “Christmas Rocks 2012.” Discouraging.

More bummer from Glove Compartment from whom 2012 is when “Christmas is Ruined.” The old marrieds are miserable and the holidays make it worse with piano-heavy pop/rock. (Reminds me of the theme to Cheers.)

Bugle and Street lay out creole with “Jolly Christmas,” a hollering parang (‘m flashing back to Bobcat Goldthwait) that–i swear–mentions the year somewhere.

Prog rock rulez! “Christmas 2012” is on a plastic sign that appears in the relics of a past age. Spooky mysticism from ifsounds. Guitar solo!