A Santa Cause 2: It's A Punk Rock Christmas Review
by Patrick Muldowney
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With Christmas and New Year's right around the corner, holiday music is en vogue, which is generally the most dreadful element of the season. The world's worst artists clamor for the release that suckers will buy solely because their spirits cloud their judgment. New Kids on the Block did one, and that is proof enough. I even recall hearing "Santa's a Fat Bitch", or some title to that effect, to Blender's reigning kings of stink, ICP. Based on history, Immortal, in producing this compilation, does not have to concern itself with making a great holiday album, just not another nauseating one. They've achieved this end, although the mean of advertising this Christmas experience as "punk rock" is misleading, or just another effort to expand the term "punk rock" until Josh Groban becomes the genre's poster boy.
In the spirit of Christmas, we'll ignore the bands that brought a coal-filled stocking to the fireplace, though there is a definite share of those who chose the unoriginal and sentimentally pretty approach to the concept. Action Action provides an absolutely rocking version of The Kinks' "Father Christmas". The Format adds a little honkey tonk to "Holly Jolly Christmas", which, being traditional, lends itself comfortably to their interpretation. Further proof of their talent, considering this is quite a departure from their sound. MC Lars adds "Gary the Green Nosed Reindeer", a rap about Rudolph's half brother due to his father's extramarital affair, which made him an outcast until Osama Bin Laden kidnapped Rudolph. Like Rudolph, Gary saves the day in the most memorable holiday rap since Run DMC's "Christmas in Hollis". Plus, this may be the first rap song to utilize President Taft in a simile.
Santa Cause 2 is strictly available for download at $9.99, which is pretty economical for 26 tracks, and recommended over the $.99 per track deal. In the true spirit of Christmas, the proceeds benefit autism, which would make it redeemable even if it was another awful holiday recording, which it is not. So, if tranquilly smiling carolers make your teeth grind, and American Idol karaoke Christmas makes you punch walls, this "not quite" punk rock will medicate you enough to take part in the festivities without as much animosity. Track Listing
1. The Format - Holly Jolly Christmas
2. A Change of Pace - Christmas on the Coast
3. Tyler Read - New Year
4. June - A Wonderful Christmas Time
5. Haste the Day - Oh Come Emanuel
6. Hot Rod Circuit - Happy Christmas
7. Spitafield - It's Cold Out There
8. Meg & Dia - Joey Had A Smoke
9. It Dies Today - Feliz Navidad
10. Down to Earth Approach - Stay
11. Daphne Loves Derby - Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas
12. Brazil - Cities Made of Snow
13. Action Action - Father Christmas
14. Dave Melillo - All I Want for Christmas is You
15. The Umbrellas - Oh Holy Night
16. The Finals - Last Christmas
17. MC Lars - Gary the Green Nosed Reindeer
18. Brandtson - Christmas in Ohio
19. Far Less - I'll Be Home For Christmas
20. Agent Sparks (w/ Mike E. of Incubus, Sam F. of Phantom Planet)
21. Flee the Seen - Blue Christmas
22. Gone By Daylight - Tell Me Is It Christmas
23. Sugarcult - Santa Claus is Coming to Town
24. Rediscover - Not Giving In
CD Info and Links
A Santa Cause 2: It's A Punk Rock Christmas Label:Immortal Records
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