Never let it be said that this indie label doesn't earn its name when it comes to Christmas samplers; once again, there's two CDs worth of stuff here, 48 tunes, and it would take me until Christmas to run down all of them for you. Since it's a free download (as are all the other previous samplers, which are easily accessed at the same link), you are risking only bandwidth to exercise your own independent judgment. In the interest of completeness, I'll note a handful of tracks on this 2010 collection should get the Parental Advisory sticker. I'll rattle off a few highlights to make this worth your reading time. "December Rain" by ChrisMas is what they used to call a "power ballad," and it seems to simulate the live concert experience with excessive echo on the drums and nearly continuous arena-sized audience cheering. "There's Always Tomorrow" by the Kickstand Band is a cute pop-rocker that could be played at times other than Christmas. Some synth-pop funk is applied to "This Christmas I'm Going To Florida" by Panic & Sharon, a clever kiss-off song. I think I like "Christmas at the Airport Bar" as much for its title and band name -- Cuban Mistletoe Crisis -- as for its power pop crunch. MC Ralz says "All I Want For Christmas Is a Rap Career," a good parody of that scene. A more straightforward hip-hop outing comes from PreciseHero with "I Can See My Breath." "Christmas Bummer" by Old Empire rhymes with "laid off since summer," and is a clever upbeat number about a downbeat subject. The Next Door Neighbors apparently got out pen and guitar during last year's TBS marathon to write the Sixties-ish "A Christmas Story," based entirely on the movie, and do I have to tell you what the chorus is? Hint: It's Red Ryder-related. "Christmas Creep" by From the Future sounds like a takeoff on "Walk on the Wild Side," with lyrics like "where mistletoe and camel toe meet." These aren't the only high points of the collection, but like I said, decide for yourself.
Holiday Sampler 2010, various artists (Suburban Sprawl)
Never let it be said that this indie label doesn't earn its name when it comes to Christmas samplers; once again, there's two CDs worth of stuff here, 48 tunes, and it would take me until Christmas to run down all of them for you. Since it's a free download (as are all the other previous samplers, which are easily accessed at the same link), you are risking only bandwidth to exercise your own independent judgment. In the interest of completeness, I'll note a handful of tracks on this 2010 collection should get the Parental Advisory sticker. I'll rattle off a few highlights to make this worth your reading time. "December Rain" by ChrisMas is what they used to call a "power ballad," and it seems to simulate the live concert experience with excessive echo on the drums and nearly continuous arena-sized audience cheering. "There's Always Tomorrow" by the Kickstand Band is a cute pop-rocker that could be played at times other than Christmas. Some synth-pop funk is applied to "This Christmas I'm Going To Florida" by Panic & Sharon, a clever kiss-off song. I think I like "Christmas at the Airport Bar" as much for its title and band name -- Cuban Mistletoe Crisis -- as for its power pop crunch. MC Ralz says "All I Want For Christmas Is a Rap Career," a good parody of that scene. A more straightforward hip-hop outing comes from PreciseHero with "I Can See My Breath." "Christmas Bummer" by Old Empire rhymes with "laid off since summer," and is a clever upbeat number about a downbeat subject. The Next Door Neighbors apparently got out pen and guitar during last year's TBS marathon to write the Sixties-ish "A Christmas Story," based entirely on the movie, and do I have to tell you what the chorus is? Hint: It's Red Ryder-related. "Christmas Creep" by From the Future sounds like a takeoff on "Walk on the Wild Side," with lyrics like "where mistletoe and camel toe meet." These aren't the only high points of the collection, but like I said, decide for yourself.
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