This British synth-pop duo has several albums out, but this is their first Christmas album, released for 2012. Most of the songs here are originals except for "God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen" and a very short "In the Bleak Midwinter." "Party Susan" kicks things off nicely in a guitar-driven rocker about a girl the singer only ever sees at Christmas time. "Lists for Santa" is what it sounds like, spoken word over a synth dance loop. "It's Really Christmas" is a mid-tempo pop song, heavy on the celeste and bells in evoking the joy of the season. The heavily vocordered "Robots Need Christmas Too" could have been an outtake from the horrific Star Wars Christmas TV show, but that's not a slam on the song, it's rather cute. It gets reprised as a different version, "Fishes Need Christmas Too," in which the industrial sound is more pastoral and gurgling. "Christmas in Vegas" takes a Pet Shop Boys approach to everyone's favorite Gomorrah in the western desert, "Little Miss Mistletoe" gets a guest vocal from Iuliiana as she spurns a holiday romantic advance, the group sings about a "Christmas Log Competition," and Depeche Mode turned around and said "huh" when they heard "The Bauble at the Bottom of the Tree." "NYE 1999" has the band not exactly partying as though it were the year in the song, and the guitars go to 11 for the song with the best title of the year, "The Advent Calendar Girl." Some of you are allergic to 80s-style sounds, but this collection is recommended without reservation.
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