Various Artists - My Pal God Holiday Record 2
(My Pal God)
Every Christmas, Jon Solomon, owner/operator of My Pal God Records, hosts
a 24 hour marathon of holiday music on Princeton University's radio station,
WPRB, covering everything from punk Christmas compilations to the theme of
the Cabbage Patch Kids Christmas special. In similar (holiday) spirits, My
Pal God has released its second compilation of Christmas songs from the
label's artists and other friends.
The My Pal God Holiday Record 2 is now the second Christmas record in my
collection, and it will make a fine companion to the timeless holiday album The
Jingle Cat's Meowy Christmas. Both sets of songs do a fine job of producing
that warm, happy holiday mood while still being serious, well-constructed songs,
avoiding the pitfalls of holiday schlock disposability.
There are no major bands on this compilation, but most of the bands I am
familiar with end up diverging a bit too much away from their normal sound.
Oxes turn in a traditional-sounding original song, the theme to a nonexistent
TV special about the elves, totally different than their normal music.
Atombombpocketknife also contribute something different than their normal
sound, although not at all traditional sounding as far as holiday music.
Their normal post-punk bombast has been removed completely, leaving
whispered vocals and a solid bass groove. Rebecca Gates of the Spinanes
takes her sparse sound one step sparser, using only a slow beat on the
piano and snare to back her syrupy vocals, backed by Sam Prekop.
The highlights of the album--and there are several--are from the more obscure
bands. In these cases, the bands are offering songs similar to their normal
sound (I'm assuming), only with a Christmas theme. Joshua Falken Trio's
"Ornament" sounds quite a bit like the old My Pal God favorites Hurl, with
very melodic guitar and vocals and a great Louisville-sounding bass interlude.
Pedal is a side project from fakejazz favorites
brian_and_chris, and they contribute a short but sweet song that seems well
suited to a Christmas day ride to Grandma's house. Emperor Penguin is
typically zany on their song, funking it up quite well through the first
few minutes before turning the song over to a canned, cheesy TV station
holiday jingle.
If you're looking at your record collection under "Christmas," and all you
see is singing cats, then this album is definitely worth checking out.
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