SoundSalvationArmy

Spookey Ruben is Canada’s undisputed musical oddball. From his debut more than a decade ago with the song “These Days Are Old” (with it’s nonsensical “oodle-oop-wee-iy-iy-oh-oo-yeah” refrain) and the cracked genius of the video that accompanied it, he’s been the musical visionary that never quite made it into the mainstream. Despite a high-profile label backing his first several releases he never quite broke into the public conscious in a big way, despite some heady critical praise (one reviewer called his debut album the Pet Sounds of the 90’s).

There is an unbelievable amount of stuff happening on his latest album, Mechanical Royalty, so much so that its hard to say where to begin. Taken as a whole, you could argue that the entire album is a tribute to lost keyboard and synth sounds that have fallen out of vogue in the last twenty years. Ruben and his band have, in fact, been known to pull out a dozen keyboards while performing these songs live. They’re sprinkled so liberally throughout the record that you really only notice when they aren’t playing, as Ruben weaves them so thoroughly into the tapestry of the music that they feel at home despite the fact that some of them sound painfully aged.

Taking a closer look at individual tracks, Ruben seems to be focusing on reclaiming various genres as his own on the majority of these songs. The keys, retro production/instrumentation, female backing vocals, and lyrics of “If You Wanna Know” and “U Don’t Know What You’re Missing” come off like lost Prince b-sides from the 80’s. “Rachel” is straight-up classic pop songwriting, drum machine beats and roboticized backing chants bolstering a bouncy soundscape consisting primarily of acoustic guitar and keys and Ruben’s acrobatic vocals. “American Processed Cheese” wanders into ‘heavy metal’ territory with predictably Velveeta results. “Superpoke” riffs on Facebook and its impact on the social fabric of society, the heavily-synthesized instrumentation coming off just a few keys short of elevator music until a saxaphone solo straight out of Huey Lewis and the News knocks the floor out from under you.

The unmistakable centerpiece is the title track, a guitar-heavy paean to prog-rock mainstays like Rush and Yes, a story about war between an advanced race of robots and the humans that created them that spans seven “chapters” and 15 minutes. It doesn’t seem to offer much if any sub-text that might connect it to the industry term that its title refers to (the cut an artist/songwriter/publisher gets from the sale of a physical/digital piece of music), but serves more as a reminder that despite our proclivity for creating and obsessing over technology mankind can often let it take us over instead. It definitely reaches what seems to me to be the ultimate goal of prog music: showing off the talent of the musicians. Let me tell you, the chops on here are so huge you would think Vince Shlomi had something to do with it.

So what are we left with? A true individual following whatever bizarre muse inspires him, a collection of songs that sound fun even when they’re aren’t necessarily meant to be, and a butt-load of keyboards. It might not be everyone’s cup of tea, but Ruben has crafted a deft, well-produced, and thoroughly unique set of songs that speak to his quirky nature and inherent ability. Any fan of pop music should find at least a little something to like here.

Check out the Ruben-ator’s stuff at Hi-Hat Recordings’ merchandiser’s website or on l’iTunes.

Pat entries Canadian content, keyboards, left field, pop, Spookey Ruben

Sound Salvation Army is generally a pretty positive place; that’s why it’s kept a fairly consistent updating schedule in the year and a half or so its been around. We write about what we like, so we like to keep writing. That’s not entirely the case today.

Remember these guys? They weren’t embarrassed by their limited musicianship, the fact that none of their songs had more than four chords, and the closest thing they got to insight was, “Disaffected 20-somethings like to jerk it and are bored.” Or, “Life in the slums is depressing.” Well, apparently they’ve matured. Sort of.

Green Day’s 21st Century Breakdown is virtually the same album as American Idiot, the opus from three years ago that made them the biggest band in the world (again). They sound and are structured virtually the same, broken down into “suites” or sub-sections that tell a story (but not really) of characters living on the fringes of society and railing against the mainstream. Which, of course, is exactly what the band is now.

This time around they’ve done it by convincing themselves that they are the Who. Its all built upon huge, windmilling guitar riffs and more bigger everything. Musically there’s nothing really new here, aside from a bit more piano and acoustic guitar. Its fine, really, but that’s not what’s important.

The real issue is that they seem to have started buying into their own hype, feeling the need to repeat the last trick that vaulted them to the top of the industry. Its something they haven’t resorted to in the past and that could be why it comes out smelling so wrong this time around.

21st Century Breakdown is replete with milquetoast “protest” music that rails against the vaguest sketches of the corrupt and immoral in modern society but doesn’t have the stones to actually construct a real and substantial explanation of why they’re so angry. That’s demonstrated in the early offing with first single, “Know Your Enemy.” The tune is catchy enough, a mid-tempo pop rock number that offers twice as many guitar solos as any other Green Day song ever (two!) and vague platitudes of standing up to “the vast majority” and “the demons of the soul.” There’s a thick sense of irony in the too-often repeated refrain of “Do you know your enemy?” — the band themselves never really seems to establish who their message is aimed at. At least with American Idiot the listener was able to infer Bush/Bush II were the targets. With the latter’s administration now banished to the fringes of the U.S. political system it seems like what little fury Green Day can muster is either a day late or clumsily misdirected at the major structured religions. If your goal is to create a story-based concept album centering around young adults and how the church can corrupt and destroy them, you’re kind of venturing off on a fool’s errand; we’ve already got Separation Sunday and topping that is going to be damn near impossible.

So forget the half-baked conceits of modern days and let’s harken back to better ones when three punk rock geeks from the 90’s punk mecca of Berkley were satisfied with just being Green Day and not with creating the biggest brand in modern music.

I remember in 1992/3 hearing my sister listening to Kerplunk!, their second LP, and being intrigued by it. I snuck into her room to tape the CD onto a cassette and I listened to it constantly. Reading, playing video games, shooting hoops in the driveway; Stephen King’s Richard Bachmann novels and The Legend of Zelda: A Link To The Past still conjure faint whispers of “No One Knows” and “Christie Road.” That was this band’s real accomplishment, as far as I’m concerned.

But I’m an equal opportunity fan of their older material. Their second through fourth albums were more or less flawless (the sixth too). There are gems throughout the band’s history that are worth a second look, especially now that their more bloviating tendencies are so starkly on display.

No disrespect: they’re still one of my all-time favourite bands of all-time, thanks especially to the impact their music had on my formative youth. But seriously you guys, the Foxboro Hot Tubs album? So much better than this.

Pat entries 21st Century Breakdown, American Idiot, Green Day, Kerplunk, pop, pop rock, rock

In taking our cues from Devo, we’ve decided to whip the proverbial cream before it sits out too long.

Avast, poor Lucksmiths; we hardly knew ye. My favourite Australian band of ever is breaking up. Read more about the end of a wonderful era right here and learn more about the finest band that nobody ever cared about over here.

It’s a sad day.

Pat entries Australia, break-ups, guitar pop, pop, the Lucksmiths

Sad and surprising news this week as one of Canada’s best bands is seeing one of its founding members pack it in. Steven Page, one of the singers and guitarists from the Barenaked Ladies, left the band on Wednesday, changing one of the country’s finest bands forever.

I’m no stranger to being mocked for my love of all things Barenaked Ladies. Unlike a lot of my fellow countrymen, I’ve stuck with the band album after album since they hit it big with their first release of youthfully energetic and catchy (some would say kitschy) songs. It’s sort of funny to talk to people who are only familiar with songs like “Grade 9” and that sort-of rap song that was a hit single a lot of years ago because their collected body of work is a lot more varied than some of the goofier songs might suggest.

There’s an underlying tone of malaise or darkness in a lot of their tracks that contradict their bright and playful melodies, and that streak comes courtesy of now-former member Steven Page. He was the one behind one of their biggest hits, “the Old Apartment,” which was something of a tortured lament of lost love. But there are numerous other examples of very serious topics addressed in popular song.

He’s had a roller coaster ride in his personal life in the last year or two, not only divorcing from his long-time wife but also getting busted in his new home in New York for cocaine possession. While the group says that isn’t the sole reason for this week’s break-up, it undoubtedly played a big part. The band will continue on without him, but I’m not sure how that’s going to go; the duality between Page and Ed Robertson is the heart of the group’s writing and I just don’t know if things will be the same. One way or another, they’ll be recording in a couple of months time so we can expect to see the results before the year’s end.

So in memory of better days, here are some of my favourite Barenaked Ladies tracks penned by Steven Page.

This appears to be where you buy BNL music, but this might work too.

Pat entries Barenaked Ladies, Canadian content, pop, Steven Page

7. Drag the River - You Can’t Live This Way
There’s probably no other band I’ve discovered in the last three years that has made as enormous impact on me as Drag the River has. Having already been a big fan of most of the member’s previous bands, it was a short leap to make. The story of this band is astounding; they broke up for the second time before this album came out, but it proved to be such an incredible group of songs that caught on so quickly they came back and started touring again to support it. The division between the group’s two primary songwriters is clearer than its ever been compared to their previous releases. Where they previously evened each other out, now they’re following their own tangents: one focuses almost entirely on quiet, sombre back-porch acoustic strummers while the other’s tendency towards weird rock/country hybrids takes over. Despite it’s more scattered nature, the songs are still incredible and I’d take either of these fellows over most bands any day of the week. Luckily, they’ve got four or five releases and some vinyl reissues planned for this year (many of them in February) so it seems they aren’t going anywhere.

8. the Lucksmiths - First Frost
Casual, acoustic-based pop songs from Down Under. After discovering this album a few months ago, I’ve since delved deep into their back catalogue, all the way to their first tape. It’s a bit astounding to me how one band can be so consistently good and still be completely unknown outside their native country, but I guess it happens. There really wasn’t a better album released this year to listen to while walking through a small town on a bright afternoon or sitting next to the window on a rainy day writing in your feelings journal.

9. Old Man Leudecke - Proof Of Love
Even when I thought this album was good, I didn’t realize how good it really was. I enjoyed a half dozen tracks immensely, but after his early set at the Folk Fest in Regina during the summer, seeing his awkward, hesitant charm in person, and realizing how much people I wouldn’t have expected to like him were enjoying his songs the rest really opened itself up to me. Effortless, friendly roots music that isn’t afraid to show its heart.

You Can’t Live This Way is on iTunes and hard copies are put out by Suburban Home/Vinyl Collective.
First Frost might be a bit harder. I mean, iTunes is easy enough. Physical releases may be available through Matinee Records, but we’ll have to see about that.
Proof of Love dominates iTunes and Black Hen Music has his physical releases.

Pat entries banjo music, Drag The River, First Frost, indie pop, Old Man Luedecke, pop, Proof Of Love, roots, the Lucksmiths, You Can't Live This Way

I’m so overcome by the amount of music coming at me right now I don’t know what to do about it. I’m working hard to make sure that nothing passes me by, even at a time when unsolicited submissions to the site are higher than ever (three this week alone! that’s huge for us!)

Obviously something has to rise to the top of the heap any time a heap accumulates somewhere, and the record that’s doing that for me right now is the newest effort from a band called the Lucksmiths, First Frost.

Part of the reason why I like it so much is because it’s a complete mystery to me, like the first time I heard Gorky’s Zygotic Mynci or Mineral or the Slackers, something that just comes out of the blue. When I first heard all of these bands I picked up their CDs on a whim and was completely blown away. Having literally no information about a group or the label, no idea what they sound like, and being completely won over is just an amazing and funky adventure.

Musically speaking the band treads in well-worn territory, slinging acoustic and electric guitars at some not terribly complicated quiet, bedroomy pop music. It’s an ode to guitar pop bands that are more pop than guitar, to closet musicians that self-record and aren’t ashamed about it (think American Analog Set only less breathy).

Content-wise the band pogos between relatively serious love songs and a curious bird that only wonders why in the heck the songs protagonist got drunk. There is actually more than one song about the singer getting drunk (at a swimming pool, even), not that there’s anything wrong with that.

It’s a terrific set of late fall/early spring songs that are just terribly enjoyable. That might not be the most colourful set of nouns, but but they really are.

iTunes has an incredibly thorough discog and for our Canadian friends, Boompa! released one of their albums. Otherwise you’d best visit U.S.-based labels like Matinee Records, but not the other one that’s pretty much defunct. Actually, why not just go to Australia’s Lost and Lonesome Recording Co.; you might pay more in shipping, but you can get everything in one fell swoop.

Pat entries acoustic, bedroom pop, First Frost, pop, the Lucksmiths

Pop music was made for summer. As a pusher/purveyor of pop music, that means that nary a season goes by without a celebratory mix tape to accompany it. What you’ll find in the .rar files linked below are ready-to-burn mixes meant to be listened to in the midst of a road trip, preferably with the windows rolled down. Pop and rock and pop rock are pushed to the forefront, because there’s nothing summery about pianos, cellos, and theremins. Crank it up.

Disc One
1. the Hold Steady - Constructive Summer // Craig Finn continues to be the master of the subtle shout-out, giving props to his old Minneapolis chums in Dillinger Four in the second verse of this song. Like the rest of their latest album, this song encourages you to rock out all summer long. One of the few overtly summer-named songs on this mix.
2. the Steinways - Main Street, Flushing, USA // Pop punk should be everyone’s summer soundtrack as far as I’m concerned, and few do that genre better than the Steinways right now. This ones about creeping out the ladies on the bus ride home.
3. O Pioneers!!! - the Weather Underground // I’ve said before how much I love this band, but that’s only because I do. Music as inspiration and rallying cry.
4. Nine Inch Nails - Letting You // Trent Reznor making semi-relevant music in 2008 (and reinventing music retail in the process) — who would’ve thought.
5. Black Mountain - Tyrants // My favourite track from their latest; epic guitar rock from what could be the new Zep, Jefferson Airplane, and Byrds all rolled into one.
6. Flight Of The Conchords - Robots // I’m sorry, I just love these guys. I may have been late to the party, but the party is still a lot of fun.
7. Ratatat - Shiller // Some parts could be a sound-alike for the X-Files soundtrack, but in a good way.
8. the Playing Favorites - Indigenous // Joey Cape has been one of my favourite songwriters for nigh on ten years. As the punk rock fades further and further into his rearview his tunes just get prettier and prettier. While this side project is middling at best, his contributions are flawless.
9. Tokyo Police Club - Listen To The Math // A distinct change of pace from their EP releases, there are several songs on their full-length debut that drop the fast-paced freneticism of earlier songs with dazzling results.
10. Wolf Parade - California Dreamer // Radio jams are always a plus in the summertime, even if they heavily reference winter in their lyrics.
11. Shad K - the Old Prince Still Lives At Home // Ontario rapper with often lovely, always clever, and frequently very deep lyrics. Such a great album.
12. Two Hours Traffic - Stuck For The Summer // Some fantastically hooky power pop that reminds me heavily of the last Phoenix album. Another great find from the radio show.
13. Johnny Cash - It Ain’t Me, Babe // See post from a few weeks ago.
14. Ninja Gun - Front Yard Screamers (Kitchen Kissers) // Kind of a Mellancamp-y, front porch tune about family.
15. Mike Hale - Before You Were Gone // Yeah, a bit depressing…but summer isn’t always 100% beaches and bombshell babes. Sometimes it’s just bombshells.
16. Trever Keith - Sick Of Me // Also depressing. One of the standout tracks from the self-released digital-only album from former Face to Face frontman.
17. Alkaline Trio - I Found Away // In last week’s review I talked about how this song should be the one that finally launches this band into the pop rock stratosphere. Even if it doesn’t, it’s a bright spot on the most middling album of their career.
18. the Hold Steady - Stay Positive // As with every hold steady song and album, this one is very referential. While newer fans or folks who only saw then on Letterman might miss the allusion to “Positive Jam,” a cut from their first album Almost Killed Me, long-time fans continue to get their shoutouts contained within another killer rock song. This band knows exactly what they’re doing.

Disc Two
1. the Gaslight Anthem - Great Expectations // The album of the summer so far, possibly of the year. While I don’t quite understand the complete obsession their fan base has for what I consider a mediocre first album, the ‘59 Sound is the real deal.
2. the Loved Ones - 3rd Shift // Nice build up.
3. Lemuria - Bee Spit // See post from a few weeks ago; one of the best, catchiest pop songs I’ve heard in years.
4. the Steinways - Oh My Fucking Gosh // Seriously.
5. Off With Their Heads - Your Child Is Dead // They raise some interesting points. What’s with the gun violence? I know this is old, but it was re-pressed this summer, so there.
6. Torche - Healer // From the brilliantly-titled Meanderthal. Weird but pretty great pop/metal hybrid that doesn’t sound like you think it does.
7. Able Baker Fox - Stuttering // One of the finest rock songs of the year. I think an associate called it an “unholy jam.” Really can’t disagree.
8. A Wilhelm Scream - Die While We’re Young // You know I love them.
9. Alkaline Trio - Do You Wanna Know? // See notes on previous Alkaline Trio song. The finest song Dan Andriano has written since “Maybe I’ll Catch Fire.”
10. Maritime - Be Unhappy // This song follows a tradition that dates back past Motown to the beginning of popular music (ie. “You Are My Sunshine”) — namely depressing, melancholy lyrics set to a catchy melody that belies the darkness of the content. Nothing does the job like a well-placed “doo doot doo doo do.”
11. Why? - These Few Presidents // One of the best misunderstood torch songs of recent years. That is, if you interpret the line, “Yours is a funeral I’d fly to from anywhere” as sweet and not foreboding.
12. Bloc Party - Flux // Propulsive, catchy, and frantically drummed, like a good Bloc Party song should be.
13. Portugal. The Man - Church Mouth // These dudes are in their own field (namely left field). I don’t know what it means, but it sounds good.
14. Kay Kay and His Weathered Underground - Hey Momma // Gatsby’s American Dream is awesome, but this song is wild and just perfect.
15. Malcolm Bauld - Royal Road // Former Frenetics frontman pens one of the most conflicted, sad songs I’ve ever heard, but keeps his optimism intact.
16. O Pioneers!!! - the Adventures of John Locke // Unimpeachable track from one of my favourite bands. The constant, unyielding strumming of the guitar and the hell-raising, guttural vocals are wonderfully cathartic.
17. Witches With Dicks - How To Cook 40 Humans // Pop punk that’s dirty and dangerous.
18. Be Your Own Pet - Zombie Graveyard Party // Pop punk filtered through teenage horror movie dance parties.
19. LaGrecia - According To My Notes // Probably the most well-disguised pure pop song of the year. I will never stop listening to this record.
20. No Use For A Name - Under The Garden // A throwback for me. NUFAN always reminds me of being in high school, going to punk rock shows, and sweating out your problems.

Part One can be downloaded here
Part Two is waiting for you here

We’ll be back in the coming days with more tasty mixes from our other staffers.

Pat entries Canadian content, jams, mix tapes, pop, pop punk, pop rock, summer

Check out that gam! It’s a leg lamp! And in the spirit of A Christmas Story (which TBS is running on a freakin’ 24-hour marathon again), I offer up Fall Out Boy’s Yule Shoot Your Eye Out. Normally, I do not subscribe to the pop-punk-crap asthetics of Fall Out Boy, but I cannot tell a lie: I enjoy their long song titles very much. This one, Yule Shoot Your Eye Out, is obviously an homage to Ralphie’s mother in A Christmas Story and her frequent refrain in response to his desire for a Red Ryder BB Gun. And the tune’s not TERRIBLE. I mean, it could be worse, right? Yeah. It could. I haven’t even gotten to the Knight Rider song yet!

Sam asked for Christmas in Hollis, but as Kurtis Blow points out on Christmas Rappin’, that is plaaaaayed out. Rap has evolved so much in such a short period of time, it’s hard to believe what a young genre it is. Kurtis Blow was a pioneer. With Run DMC’s help, he became one of the first successful hip hop MCs and definitely one of the first to be signed to a major label. Todays MCs got nothin’ on Blow. I mean, he rhymes roly poly with holey moley. BRILLIANT! I shouldn’t front. The dude opened for The Clash, so that makes him OK in my books. And speaking of Christmas rapping, what more gift could you possibly want other than a song with David Hasselhoff and K.I.T.T. saving Santa Claus? Nothing. That’s what. Be grateful, dammit. You know who that is speaking as K.I.T.T.? That’s Mr. Feeny, goddammit. You show some respect for Mr. Feeny!

Scissors For Lefty brings us Christmas Intentions, a song about naughty kids who are going to get nothing for Christmas. Think about this song as you get ready to mark another year. On New Year’s Eve, my mom used to tell me “You have to behave all year now. Santa remembers.” That threat worked better than almost anything else. If I was ever going to do something that might get me in trouble, I’d weigh the possibilities in my mind and then make my choice based on how close to Christmas it was. I mean, Santa watches ALL the time? Come on! He’s gotta sleep sometime! I was more of a Calvin-type. In the battle between being good and bad, goodness hardly put up much of a fight.

But no matter how long I had to wait, it wasn’t as long as most kids. My family celebrates Christmas on Christmas Eve. I don’t know why. Probably because my parents figured out early on we were easy to fool with a “Look! Over there! Oh, wow! While you weren’t looking Santa came!” Consequently, they never had to put up with a night of whining and pleading before getting up at 6 a.m. the next day to open presents.

This is the first year of my life that I won’t be spending Christmas Eve with my mom and dad and brother. I’m kind of sad about that, but I’ll see them in January. So I guess these feelings of regret and nostalgia are more because I don’t get to eat a delicious meal of Chinese food courtesy my hometown Chinese restaurant. I will miss you, ginger beef. When I moved away from home and had to travel to make it back for Christmas, Home on Christmas Day by Cyndi Lauper would play in my head. Being stuck in the city for Christmas when I just wish I could get home to relax is the worst feeling in the world. But like Cyndi says, I am just a thought away.

But enough of that gloominess!

Let’s talk about something else. I know! Drunks!

Fairytale of New York: Great Christmas song or GREATEST Christmas song? The answer is, of course, B. This is the best Christmas song currently in existence. From the drawling (possibly drooling) lament of Shane MacGowan, to the lilting loveliness of Kristy MacColl, this is just bracingly, refreshingly awesome. Long a favourite Christmas song in the UK, it’s been kicking around the airwaves on Christmas for 20-odd years now, consistently being named a favourite by critics and fans alike. So of course, in order not to offend anybody, BBC Radio 1 decided this was the year it should be censored.

Thanks, BBC, but no thanks. Kristy MacColl’s mother, the Pogues themselves, and countless listeners called the station to let them know in no uncertain terms that it was handily more offensive to edit the song than it ever would be to hear the words “cheap lousy faggot” uttered by MacColl.

First of all, I’ve heard it before. You’re not offending me because I already know the tune, dudes. You can take the words out, but their existence is made that much more obvious by their abscence. Second, I find it ironic that I can hear the intimate details of Jamie Lynn Spears’ sex life on the evening news, but I cannot listen to a Christmas classic unmolested. I feel like Senator Bulworth. “Obscenity!? Obscenity!?” Puh-lease. Luckily, the station saw the error of their ways and went back to playing the unedited version. A Christmas miracle.

So I guess that about does it for me for Christmas songs. Stay tuned for the songs and albums we all thought rocked the hizzy this year. Not sure EXACTLY when those are being made public, but be on the lookout!

Until then: Happy-Happy, Merry-Merry from your comrades in the Sound Salvation Army!

 

 Fall Out Boy - Yule Shoot Your Eye Out: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

 

 Kurtis Blow - Christmas Rappin': Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

 

 A Knight Rider Christmas: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

 

 Scissors For Lefty - Christmas Intentions: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

 

 Cyndi Lauper - Home on Christmas Day: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

 

 The Pogues - Fairytale of New York: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

Tanis entries Christmas music, indie rock, mix tapes, pop, pop punk, rap, the Pogues

The thing I most look forward to about Christmas is sleeping in, relaxing and lazing around.

Christmas is for getting worked up when you’re a kid, but as an adult, it’s more about pausing to refresh. And I, for one, cannot wait. I don’t even mind the cold and the snow. I mean, it’s okay if you stay inside where it’s warm and watch it blizzard from behind a charmingly frosted pane of glass. Preferably with a hot rum drink of some sort. So with so many people gearing up to do just that, I wanted to share some of my favourite “relax, have another cookie” chill-out music with you.
But before I do, I should probably qualify all this. I am pretty much a big grinch. I don’t like fussing over Christmas. I don’t care for all the trappings of the season. And that includes holiday music. I’m very sure you’re asking yourself why then, I would subject myself (and you, for that matter) to the song stylings of AC/DC singing a raunchy Christmas song. It’s because for about a week before Christmas, when it’s snowy and cold, my heart grows three sizes and I do stupid shit like bake gingerbread cookies, send out hand-drawn Horatio Caine Christmas cards, buy and decorate a tiny, pink, tinsel tree while listening to Christmas music. These tidings of comfort and joy last for about a week and then I go back to being the sourest bastard Who-ville’s ever seen.

Hearing Leon Redbone woo Zooey Deschanel (or anybody, really) is a one-way ticket to relaxation. I was kind of surprised by Zooey’s voice in now-classic Christmas movie Elf. She’s good! Baby, It’s Cold Outside is about playfulness, suave sensuality and above all, potential date rape. Ahh, I kid. I’m sure it just took a little convincing.

Teen British girl group The Orchids were schoolgirls when they appeared in the movie Just For You singing Mr. Scrooge. I like ‘em. In particular, I like the rhyming lines “You’re so stingy with your kisses/why do I waste my time?/You horde em like a miser hoardes his riches/something something, okay, so I can’t make out these lyrics” but still. They’ve got that full-on Ronettes sound thing going for them. Except they’re like, 15. And British.

And from there, we naturally progress to the king of Psychobilly, Reverend Horton Heat. Who knows why the Reverend decided to release a holiday album? Not me. I just know he did. He and the boys play things pretty straight. No belching, farting, swearing or sexing here. Just A-1 musicianship. I like the organ about two minutes in. Heh. I said organ. Okay. But really, this is a cool song.

But Deanna Kirk’s torch version of Christmas classic You’re a Mean One, Mr. Grinch is hot, hot, hot. I first heard this on an episode of Cupid in 1998. That was a show on ABC with Jeremy Piven as the God of love. Or a delusional psychotic. Depending on who you believed. It took me three years, but I finally hunted it down and I’ve been listening to it ever since. It is a pleasure and a joy to share it with you. I love how slinky it is. That’s because female Grinches are hot, yo.

And finally, we have the Snow Miser. Who is not hot. In any sense of the word. But I think I prefer Snow Miser to Heat Miser. I just like the way he works his shivers into his song.

I have a few more songs I’ll post on the weekend, but I swear my miserly ways will definitely return soon.

 

 Leon Redbone and Zooey Deschanel - Baby It's Cold Outside: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

 

 The Orchids - Mr. Scrooge: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

 

 Reverend Horton Heat - We Three Kings: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

 

 Deanna Kirk - You're a Mean One, Mr. Grinch: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

 

 Dick Shawn - Snow Miser: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

Tanis entries Christmas music, indie rock, mix tapes, pop, pop punk, psychobilly, Reverend Horton Heat, the Orchids

The folks at Rankin Bass have given me so much. Particularly, the opportunity to get the Heat Miser song stuck in my head once a year and a paralyzing fear of dentists and elves.

There are only five sleeps left until Christmas! That means very many of you will likely be partying your brains out this weekend before you have to swallow Aunt Bertha’s fruitcake. So I wanted to send you out some of my favourite seasonal songs via a two (possibly three) part mix tape. This first half is all about the rockin’ tunes. You know. For when you want to get down and boogie to the elf dance. Except I don’t really care to post another Sufjan Stevens Christmas mix. You’ve probably heard those songs and yeah, they’re okay. But I wanted to give you a few you might not have. A few songs that will jingle your bells and stuff your stockings. You may want to include these on any party mix you make for the weekend when you go home and head out to that house party with all your high school friends.

Because if you’re going to do tequila shots while wearing a santa hat, you better do them while listening to the Ramones. On Merry Christmas (I Don’t Want To Fight Tonight) the Ramones appear to have mellowed with too much nog because they’re totally singing about my favourite holiday fantasy: A Christmas evening where I go home and don’t have a fight with my parents! Let us all bask in the warming, glowing glow of Joey Ramone’s voice.

Next, two of my favourite musical oddballs, Jens Lekman and Hawksley Workman compete in a Christmas weird-off. I’m not sure who wins. Canadian minstrel Hawksley wants to kiss you nice and deeply when you have a cold. Swedish troubadour Jens begs you not to spend Christmas Eve with your Mummy. I like both of these songs because they’re both very modern, but they’re not really conceding much artistic sensablity just to sell a Christmas album. In fact, if you don’t already have it, I heartily recommend Hawksley Workman’s Almost a Full Moon. You may doubt me, but once you hear Claire Fontaine, his ode to a pad of paper, you’ll change your mind.

The Staple Singers wonder Who Took the Merry out of Christmas? in this Stax-sanctioned groove that is oh so sweet. If you don’t like this song, you’re going on my naughty list. Which may or may not be a bad thing, depending on how you feel about handcuffs.

Speaking of leering entendres, AC/DC livens things up with their typical bluster on Mistress for Christmas. They, uh, can hear you “coming down their smokestacks” and would like to “ride your reindeer.” Hott. Not as hot, however, as the Heat Miser. Because if I have to sing the Heat Miser song in my head for the rest of the holidays, so do you!

Check in later and I’ll have some cool yule songs that you can chill out to. Oh, God. Somebody stop me from punning! Please?

 

 The Ramones - Merry Christmas (I don't want to fight tonight): Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

 

 Hawksley Workman - Common Cold: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

 

 Jens Lekman - Run Away With Me: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

 

 The Staple Singers - Who Took The Merry Out Of Christmas?: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

 

 AC/DC - Mistress for Christmas: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

 

 George S. Irving - Heat Miser: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

Tanis entries AC/DC, Christmas music, Hawksley Workman, indie pop, indie rock, Jens Lekman, mix tapes, pop, pop punk, Ramones, rock