The Christmas Album, The Annihilators (self-issued)

Here we go with still more holiday punk rock. There's a Canadian thrash-metal band called The Annihilators, but this isn't them; Bandcamp reveals that this 2021 album is the work of one Richard T Pflueger of Cleveland, OH, who notes this is the work of himself and "whoever's available." Nine originals and one version of "Auld Lang Syne" are on offer here, and I'd like to note these are pretty sharp originals, though their point of view ranges from jaundiced to snotty, as you'd expect from a punk album. It appears that "How Do You Gift Wrap a Throat Punch" is the breakout tune from this collection, judging by the track breakdown in the iTunes Store, and justifiably so given its hilarious premise. Things kick off with a Public Image Ltd.-sounding "Joyride to the World," "I Know What You Got Me" is a rant against overspending on the holiday, "Skip the Holiday" is a duet with Jenny Dangerously about blowing off holiday celebrations (good advice in yet another pandemic year), "Christmas Really Sucks (When You're a Dad)" veers more into traditional hard rock territory in its tale of keeping a family afloat while spending for Christmas, and "Uncle Stu" is a crunchy lament about an uninvited reprobate relative crashing the party. "Merry Christmas Baby" is a ballad, "Under My Tree" is a thrashy invitation to share companionship, and "The Christmas Tree Is  All Lit Up" is a bit of an oomp-pah number about the tree catching fire. Great fun and eminently listenable all the way through.