Merry X-mas Dammit From the Double Down Saloon, various artists (Wood Shampoo)

The saloon is a real place, or should I say places, with locations in Las Vegas and Manhattan, and this is a collection of bands that play either or both saloons. The bands featured here are a mix of hard rockers and bar bands (in the best sense of the term), and the disc obviously is meant as a branding exercise for the saloon. Murphy's Law kicks things off with a horn-laden cover of Bob Seger's "Sock It To Me Santa," the Lonesome Spurs get a bit country on "Jingle Bells, the Dirty Panties thrash out "Santa Baby," the Las Vegas All-Stars do an "X-Mess Medley" of familiar carols, The Peccadilloes hammer out "Nuttin' For Christmas" and The Real Shames cover The Sonics' "Santa Claus." Some items released elsewhere appear here too, like Richard Cheese's "Christmas In Las Vegas" and Evil Beaver's "Blue Christmas." And for those looking for something a bit more transgressive, the Double Down obliges with The Vermin and the Ramones-ish thrash of "Santa Was a Cross Dressing Nazi," The Clydesdale redneck things up with "Imo Shoot Me a Reindeer," Suite 666 says "Santa Blow Me," and 1/2 Ast sings of a "Gay Christmas."