Christmas, various artists (Loud Mouth)

This 1995 collection of alternative artists in a Christmas mood appears to be centered around the Washington, DC area. No big stars, but rock fans from Bethesda to Fairfax probably recognize the names. Two renditions of "Angels We Have Heard On High" share unorthodox introductions; Quintessence kicks off with a Beach Boys impression and swings, literally, into several flavors of jazz while the Pest Strips quote Harry Belafonte before kicking into an alternative arrangement. Other covers that pretty much hew to the alternative party line include "Winter Wonderland," "Do You Hear What I Hear" and "What Child Is This." "Nutcracker" by The Shit (no misprint) rocks out on "Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy," Kevin Rucker's "The Night Before Christmas" floats the familiar poem on top of the old surf instrumental "Pipeline," and Ed Lawson goes a capella on "O Come O Come Emmanuel." Babyfat raps "The Man's Birthday," an original, as are Hoopla's "It's Christmas Time," Boomslang's "Christmastime" and the Drowners' "Merry Christmas Debbie Gibson," the best title on the album, with one scary line -- the one where the vocalist claims to own her box set. As is often the case with regional releases, this is long gone from print and I can't even find a mention of it online, except here.