 | 1. For Christmas - OLD BREED 2. Christmas Time Again - BONECRUSHER 3. Peace On Earth - AUTOMATICS 4. War On Christmas - HE WHO CANNOT BE NAMED 5. This One's For Us - HARDKNOCKS 6. Winter Solstice - 7er JUNGS 7. Not The Season To Be Jolly - SEASIDE REBELS 8. Decorate The Christmas Tree - MISSILE TOADS 9. Xmas Twist - JJ SPEEDBALL 10. Sick Of It All - LAZY CLASS 11. Christmas Of Doom - BASTARD MONSTER 12. Do They Care It's Christmas - PISSTONS 13. Beer For Christmas - RIOTGUN PRE-ORDER FROM REBEL SOUND |
Do I need to say it? We love traditions! Last year, there was no "Cashing In On Christmas" album and there was much disappointment throughout the land. Well, boo hoo, ya little punks! That's what life is -- one disappointment after another -- so get used to it. You'll get Christmas music when we say so and, some years, you'll get nothing and like it. Now crank it. We've got skulls to crush. Or would you prefer a boot party? Yeah, didn't think so.
"Cashing In On Christmas" is, of course, the on-going series of Christmas Punk and Hardcore from Black Hole Records and Rebel Sound Music. And, this year, we get Volume 7. Think of it. I remember a time when you couldn't find one decent Punk collection (OK, I'm ancient; you already knew that). Now everybody wants to get into the act (even those posers at Fearless. "This Christmas" by the Summer Set? Are you kidding me?). "Cashing In On Christmas" continues to rank head and shoulders above the shoulders and heads of others. As usual, much of the collection is NSFW, Parental Advisory suggested. Then again, we've got a President-elect who very deliberately used the F-bomb in a live speech on national TV, so maybe we don't need no stinking rules, now.
I usually like to give "Cashing In On Christmas" a good couple of listens before posting, but I've only had time for a brief play through so far. I thought there was a lot of variety, this year. And there's definitely plenty of energy for your holiday slam dancing pleasure. Leaving aside the track from the Automatics, which is awesome but previously released, I think my favorite is "This One's For Us" from Hardknocks; if you're looking for a renewable energy source, I'd say just play "This One's For Us" on a loop and you're golden. But, as usual, there are no bad tracks on the record. Bonecrusher's "Christmas Time Again" opens with a bit of "Little Drummer Boy" (I've decided that, from now on, it should only ever be played that way) before going Oi and is likely the song that brings the most Christmas without compromise. And the Pisstons deserve extra credit for taking on that whole "We Are The World"/"Do They Know It's Christmas" thing which...hey, look, just listen to it; you'll get it. It's sort of the same message, in its way, as the SNL sketch on the election returns. Regardless, the Pisstons tune is probably the most unique on the record, but when they turn it on for the home stretch, they are damned impressive (possibly even Damned impressive). And would it be wrong of me to say "Christmas Of Doom" by Bastard Monster was fun? Yeah, probably would. Bollocks. All in all, another solid set from Black Hole Music and Rebel Sound Music.
"Cashing In On Christmas, Volume 7" is set for release on December 17. It'll be pressed on Snow White vinyl (Hmm. I was thinking White Wedding vinyl). And, if I'm reading this correctly, will be limited to 500 copies. There is likely a retailer who will have this in your neck of the woods--Bandworm in Germany, Noise of Sweden, and they always show at Interpunk. But you can just pre-order direct from Rebel Sound. Wasn't that simple? OK, you Punks. Piss off. Avoid the noid and, remember, smoking kills dead fish.
"Cashing In On Christmas" is, of course, the on-going series of Christmas Punk and Hardcore from Black Hole Records and Rebel Sound Music. And, this year, we get Volume 7. Think of it. I remember a time when you couldn't find one decent Punk collection (OK, I'm ancient; you already knew that). Now everybody wants to get into the act (even those posers at Fearless. "This Christmas" by the Summer Set? Are you kidding me?). "Cashing In On Christmas" continues to rank head and shoulders above the shoulders and heads of others. As usual, much of the collection is NSFW, Parental Advisory suggested. Then again, we've got a President-elect who very deliberately used the F-bomb in a live speech on national TV, so maybe we don't need no stinking rules, now.
I usually like to give "Cashing In On Christmas" a good couple of listens before posting, but I've only had time for a brief play through so far. I thought there was a lot of variety, this year. And there's definitely plenty of energy for your holiday slam dancing pleasure. Leaving aside the track from the Automatics, which is awesome but previously released, I think my favorite is "This One's For Us" from Hardknocks; if you're looking for a renewable energy source, I'd say just play "This One's For Us" on a loop and you're golden. But, as usual, there are no bad tracks on the record. Bonecrusher's "Christmas Time Again" opens with a bit of "Little Drummer Boy" (I've decided that, from now on, it should only ever be played that way) before going Oi and is likely the song that brings the most Christmas without compromise. And the Pisstons deserve extra credit for taking on that whole "We Are The World"/"Do They Know It's Christmas" thing which...hey, look, just listen to it; you'll get it. It's sort of the same message, in its way, as the SNL sketch on the election returns. Regardless, the Pisstons tune is probably the most unique on the record, but when they turn it on for the home stretch, they are damned impressive (possibly even Damned impressive). And would it be wrong of me to say "Christmas Of Doom" by Bastard Monster was fun? Yeah, probably would. Bollocks. All in all, another solid set from Black Hole Music and Rebel Sound Music.
"Cashing In On Christmas, Volume 7" is set for release on December 17. It'll be pressed on Snow White vinyl (Hmm. I was thinking White Wedding vinyl). And, if I'm reading this correctly, will be limited to 500 copies. There is likely a retailer who will have this in your neck of the woods--Bandworm in Germany, Noise of Sweden, and they always show at Interpunk. But you can just pre-order direct from Rebel Sound. Wasn't that simple? OK, you Punks. Piss off. Avoid the noid and, remember, smoking kills dead fish.
Speaking of Punks, do you remember the Jingle Punx? The Jingle Punx (not to be confused with the Jingle Punks) dig the Punk sound but weren't so much of the Punk culture. They delivered their (nearly) annual treats with their tongues set firmly in cheek. And, though I kinda lost track when I was taking care of my Mom, I believe they were still dropping a pretty much annual track as recently as last Christmas. No doubt, you've heard that this year's Killers Christmas song will be their last. That's, what, 11 for them? Pfft! The Jingle Punx laugh at 11. They also laugh at 4, 17, 33 and 69. In fact, they find most numbers funny. But the point is the Jingle Punx--when you put them all together--have recorded and released at least 60 Christmas treasures. And putting them all together is what they've now done, producing a pair of digital Christmas sets which, between them, feature just about their entire holiday catalog. Re-mastered, no less. There's even some Hanukkah in there for you. (I'll tell you right now, I am NOT typing out the entire damn track list. Nope, not doin' it.) "Re-Gifted, Volumes 1 & 2" were released on October 18. I missed it because they are not (not yet anyway) in the places I usually frequent. They are, thus far, taking the road less travelled. Spotify, of course (and I can't do Spotify--stupid ancient computer), Google Play, Loudr, and The Music Today are the platforms I'm finding it on so far. They may make their way to iTunes, as well. Go get 'em. Get 'em all and get 'em now because you never know how long they'll be available.
| .... |  | 1. The First Noel 2. Away In A Manger 3. Up On The Housetop ZACHARY RUSSELL ON TUMBLR PRE-ORDER FROM BANDCAMP |
Zachary Russell, a mid-west Rock instrumentalist, has a new holiday EP due Friday (November 18). As the title would suggest, "Hello, Xmas II" is the follow up to Zachary's well received "Hello, Xmas" a few years ago. His current style, to my ears, falls somewhere between classic Hard Rock and Pop Punk. But he has some other tasty holiday treats available on Bandcamp, as well (I'm still a fan of "Reindeer March", myself). Zachary Russell downloads tend to be inexpensive and the hard copy CDs (when he does them) don't usually last long. The CD of "Hello, Xmas II" includes the download (including an immediate download of "The First Noel"), bonus tracks, Christmas themed buttons and 25 Awesome cards (no, literally--the cards say "Have An Awesome Christmas") which will probably come in handy at some point this Christmas. The cover artwork is also a Zachary Russell original, I believe.
I'm not exactly sure what to do with this one. Do I put it on the List? Do I not? I know that, if I don't at least mention it, some of you will be very upset. The group is Bloodsucking Zombies From Outer Space and the album is "Bloody Unholy Christmas". Thing is there are only two Christmas tracks, near as I can tell, while the rest of the albums runs the gamut from Michel Jackson's "Thriller" to that stripping classic "Let Me Entertain You" (well, OK, it wasn't originally, but its what I always think of when I hear the title). The covers, as done by this Horror Punk outfit from Austria, are kinda cool. I love their take on "Der Kommissar", for example. And how many Punk bands cover "Science Fiction/Double Feature" from Rocky Horror? The fact remains those aren't Christmas songs. Not remotely.
The album opens with the title cut (an original, I'm guessing). You know what? British Christmas songs always sound like other British Christmas songs (you know the ones). It probably isn't a conscious thing. But even at their break-neck pace, "Bloody Unholy Christmas" sounds a little bit more like "I Wish It Could Be Christmas Everyday" than it probably should. The album closes with "Merry Xmas Everybody", which sounds an awful lot like "Merry Xmas Everybody". Coincidence? I think not.
In any case, the Bloodsucking Zombies are Austrian, so you already know its gonna be an Import. No listings yet, but Rough Trade will be carrying "Bloody Unholy Christmas" and it will be available in both CD and color vinyl formats. If you want the download or just the two Christmas songs, you can pick those up at Amazon.
The album opens with the title cut (an original, I'm guessing). You know what? British Christmas songs always sound like other British Christmas songs (you know the ones). It probably isn't a conscious thing. But even at their break-neck pace, "Bloody Unholy Christmas" sounds a little bit more like "I Wish It Could Be Christmas Everyday" than it probably should. The album closes with "Merry Xmas Everybody", which sounds an awful lot like "Merry Xmas Everybody". Coincidence? I think not.
In any case, the Bloodsucking Zombies are Austrian, so you already know its gonna be an Import. No listings yet, but Rough Trade will be carrying "Bloody Unholy Christmas" and it will be available in both CD and color vinyl formats. If you want the download or just the two Christmas songs, you can pick those up at Amazon.
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