WHAT ELSE? Not Buying It

We have some space here for the non-observances.

Although we have already included way too many songs for Black Friday (see 11/27/2015 post), i do recognize that riotous parade of stomp-yer-gramma as an actual holiday, separate but equal to Xmas. Let us then betake the shadowy rebellion ‘gainst that movement: Buy Nothing Day. From a goody-twoshoes blip out of Canada many years ago, this protest has grown to many (1st world, northernmost) nations. My favourite factoid was how no commercial television enterprise (save CNN) would allow advertisements for this lack-of-movement back in ’00.

Providing the global clout, French club music from Arseniq33 barks out your basic “Buy Nothing Song” for all your rage needs.

Nine Black Alps ups the garage quotient with value-added metal in their “Buy Nothing.” Caution: brands are named.

Chumbawamba merrily pokes at affluenza with their folky “Buy Nothing Day.” Four out of five anthems wish they had this much wit.

“Buy Nothing Day” from The Go! Team (feat. Bethany from Best Coast and The Girls At Dawn) is the usual upbeat yet scratchy Brit pop what sounds like it wuz done onna cheap. But it’s all for a good cause: anti-capitalism. (Which’s not an actual thing.)

WHAT ELSE: Yule B Laffin

Is there enough latitude in Paganism for wee nip of humor? Even for Midwinter celebration?

Secularitarians show a glimpse of levity in Dar Williams’s rollicking folk gathering “The Christians and the Pagans.” We CAN all just get along.

Laughing at (not with) Karina Skye misses the mark with her continual pagan updating of Xmas carols with “Jingle Spells.” She’s got faboo delivery, but the parcel’s empty.

The H.P. Lovecraft Historical Society also get up in your carolophobia with “We Wish You A Scary Solstice.” Cute kid choir/creepy Cthulhu tidings.

The Motern Media Holiday Singers (aka Matt Farley) hopes we celebrate this dark dark dark dark dark dark day with his “Winter Solstice Celebration Song.” An odd number.

The jolly old world folk boys of Emerald Rose keep tongue lightly in cheek for “Santa is Pagan Too.” Irish Hee Haw.

WHAT ELSE? Yule B Kissin

Seems like the world will end with all that darkness around Christmastime. Let’s party and romance and break some social mores. It’s our last chance before the sun sees us!

More a song about the magic of astronomy, Finley and Pagdon’s “Solstice Song” folks out a woman’s yearning. I sure like it, but i’m a sloppy romantic.

Flipping trad celebrations over, Private Eye Music wants no longer to wait for you with his “Winter Solstice Song.” Love song!

Just one kiss is all Steve Albers Southpaw asks in the drawling “Winter Solstice” song. Creepy.

I Love the sneaky way Pennyless interrupts a boring pagan chant with a lithe folk song about a stolen kiss at the “Winter Solstice Party.” Missed connection!

Pauline LeBel has some Hallelujah for her churchy hymnal “Song for the Winter Solstice.” Bipartisan!

Gary Storm offers a kidsong folk insistence for the party with “[Winter] Solstice Song.” Do your job, and learn, and stuff.

Skyforger seems to have recruited Popeye to growl out the metal hale “Night of the Winter Solstice.” Big party, but evil spirits by invitation only.

Once the fiddle catches fire, the solemn “Solstice Evergreen” raises the roof on our modern celebration of medieval past. Spiral Dance jigs up some fine alt-Celtic.

Jethro Tull’s “Ring out Solstice Bells” is such an all out party tune, imma dance ’til the New Year. It’s a heller.

WHAT ELSE? Yule B Light(dark)

Well, it is dark around this time of the year. Perhaps prayer will turn that cycle around and ritual will return the sun’s mighty light.

Appropriation is the sincerest form of plagiarism: Karina Skye sings “Silent Night, Solstice Night” with great galloping gospel gasping. Fit for a piano bar.

t heilsen bring the celebration to a screeching downer with the death dirge “Solstice Carol.” It takes folk to remind you how much life sucks.

Caving to the War on Christmas, Rich Mertes has the elementary school kids sing his “Winter Solstice Song.” It’s like science set to a medieval mass.

Homegrown offerings from F13at Cat: a lite hymn of tinkling choir for one comes in this “Winter Solstice Carol.” All hail the clock.

‘We’ll make our own light’ carols Ann Fearon (tracking upon track) with the tremulous glee tune “Song for the Winter Solstice.” I see you between the lines!

‘Come rising sun!’ invokes Kiva with didgeridoo and pan flute in “Winter Solstice Sunrise.” Hit that groundhog snooze alarm!

Calling out the sun may result in cheeriness. Jennifer Cutting’s “Song of Solstice” is an accordion sea chanty of light steps. Friends all!

One other subject about Solstice Yule is that tricky fire without which you would surely perish. Rich DeVore has a dreamy folk trip about you, baby, and that time of year–“Solstice Carol.” Just close your eyes.

Groovy gospel spiritual from Charlie Murphy and Jami Sieber conjurs the end of dark and brings the Sun to her feet with “Light is Returning.” Amen! (Kalimba solo!)

Lisa Thiel’s “Winter Solstice Song” is the USArmy anthem ‘be all you can be,’ by way of the supreme power, the light. Fem drum circle new age chanting.

WHAT ELSE: Yule B Long

Not that we’re counting, but Midwinter marks the longest night of the year. Some songs can’t shut up about it. Be safe, be loved, be mine. These are the romantic pagan pleas.

Also lengthy, Threefold’s prog-folk “Celtic Solstice” is mostly electronic twaddle, but the ethereal vocals just out of range make it a holiday must listen.

S J Tucker has a quiet folk bit o’ worry with “Solstice Night.” Peace to you, you know who you are.

The hammered dulcimer marches us to hell with Phil Passen’s gloomy “Winter Solstice.” No way (dance dance) out.

Jason Webley lightens the room with “Longest Night” a pub singalong wrought from ‘Silent Night.’ He leans into it.

Swaying and gesticulating, the Harp Twins bang out their snow dance “Nordic Solstice,” a piercing folk meditation. Not really sure what it’s about….

Mary Chapin Carpenter rolls out the familiar pop folk of her career. Not saying she’s strumming out “The Longest Night of the Year” with her eyes closed, but she could (would sound the same). Still soothingly powerful.

WHAT ELSE? Yule B Son

Some Midwinter carols honor the thing that makes a woman a mother.

Triune goes to the trouble of rewriting “Joy to the World” in order to welcome the Sun Child. Who’s the intended audience here?

The lord of all green (Pan? Herne? Cernunnos?) gets a jolly strum from Damh the Bard with “A Pagan Yule.” Dance, or no springtime! (Jethro Tull-ic to mine ear.)

Ravens run a round of familiar melody with their “Solstice Carol.” Honor the sun, the son, and the sound. Medievalism for kids.

Joseph LoDuca conducts the nearly on-key kids with “Solstice Night,” a paean to the switch of seasons that’s at once haunting and also annoying. (It’s also featured in season 2 of Xena Warrior Princess.)

WHAT ELSE? Yule B Mother

There’s something about Midwinter that leads to cavorting. Is it the home stretch to planting and food? Is it the astronomical alignment of Earth’s pole tipped furthest? Is it just another excuse to waggle the bum?

Not having received The Word, pagans did fine at concocting their own festivals and fun. Alban Arthan, Dongzhi, Korochun, Shalako, Ziemassvētki, and more conjured up cuddly traditions and endearing salutations for the ages. Disappointingly i’m gonna use my English lit major to stay Western Civ and not stray too far from the Europeans. But they did Paganism pretty well, you betcha.

One difference between Yule observance and Xmas is Mōdraniht, the honoring of da mama, without whose blessings (bearing our borning), we wouldn’t be here.

Pissed off Russian metal from Gartraada, “A Night of Winter Solstice” salutes the Queen of Seasons. I presume as a fellow killer.

The Goddess of Pleasure and Delight is the old timey subject of James Mosher’s “Winter Solstice Song.” I’ll drink to that.

Sacred Mother gets a more middle of the road Celtic tribute from Jan Garrett and JD Martin with the dulling “Winter Solstice Lullaby.” Yawn.

Yala Lati, a women’s global music choir, rounds up the “Winter Solstice Round” with much gravity for the grandmother.

More tribally, Leah Salomaa chants up the womb metaphor in “Solstice Song.” Primal stuff.

Wyrd Sisters blend their voices speaking tune to power with “Solstice Carole.” Lullaby and happy new year. Pretty stuff.

WHAT ELSE? Io Saturn Aura

Perhaps the roots of Christmastime extend to centuries beforehand with the Roman empire’s Saturnalia. This celebration seems to have undergone generations of changes with opposite-world day for masters and slaves, carnivale, and rituals to honor the Golden Age (when old Saturn was king of the gods). After Christ’s time, it resembled a full week of partying-feasting ending on 12/24 (Julian calendar).

A (sad) comedy bit WITH SONG comes from Space Barbarian Productions. “Saturnalia” is a bitchy biz pitch gone trippy with Saturn promo-bombing the meeting. The song is a couple minutes in and charmingly glee-showtune barmy. It’s only a minute and a half, but should serve as introduction.

David Warren Solomons has a catchy electronic chant-song in Latin. “Io! Saturnalia” includes English translation, but the attempt to recapture what might have been an antique tune is sideswiped by the US political references of 12 years ago sprinkled about. Is it to laugh?

Saturnalia has been appropriated by Goths and Deathheads as anti-Christmas. Sure it’s pagan, but they were nicer than the usual barbarism and exchanged (gag) gifts. Cauda Pavonis (Latin for peacock) has the only offering i’m willing to take time with. “Saturnalia” is prog rock rowdyism that hints at upbeat anarchy.

What we were hoping to stumble across is that “Saturnalia” carol that respects with disrespect. Moka Only has an experimental garage rap that qualifies.

WHAT ELSE? Festivus Din

Laugh tracks help people with questionable senses of humor to figure out what’s funny. Sadly, they try to replicate what they saw others delight in to ride that lightning. Here are the near misses.

Tina Jennings Shelton croaks out “Festivus” as some kind of funeral oration. The easy listening symphony is phony.

Tomasz Golka gets above the range of human hearing with “Festivus, Festivus.” Like every other entry hear, she claims this is the only carol about her fave-o holiday. Waltz music. That’s the funniest part.

Old time radio comedy from David DeBoy with “One More Festivus.” This is sketch singing with local references. Had to be there.

More funny would be the great Joel Kopischke doing Canada’s national anthem with “O Festivus.” Stand! Or smirk, or something.

Medieval syncopation works here. Tea with Warriors pronounce “Let Us Have a Festivus” with all the proper pomp.

I had fun with Eddie Latiolais’s “Festivus” song with its gnashing guitar and tongue twisting. Yeah, it’s pop, just in just the right ways.

WHAT ELSE? Strength of Frets

When rage enters the mainstream and all the kids bop to the beat of the racing heart, we have lost. But yet we do party on.

Channeling irked Dylan Don Owens bangs out his folk “Festivus Carol” like he just don’t care. That’s the Festivus spirit!

Alt play from Tom Goss and Amber Ojeda beats on “Festivus.” Melodic wrath. Get that mic farther from the drums. (If you don’t get this, there’s a dramatic reading from the original Seinfeld ep.)

Albert & The Sleigh Riders (feat. Andy Shernoff) ’80s chant rock out “Festivus” with heart. Pop plus (incl. killer reverb guitar solo).