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Album Review

Various Artists
12 Days of Christmas Bubblewrap Records

Article written by Ged M - Dec 15, 2009

12 Days of Christmas

“Christmas is a time for excessive drinking”. Indeed. There’s no sign of baby Jesus here and not much hope of peace on earth when Brontosaurus Chorus threaten “I would shoot you in the face” on their otherwise gorgeously jangly ‘Calling Birds’. The mostly Cardiff bands hand-picked for this new compilation by Richard Chitty (The School, Lucky Delucci, Little My) and Harri Davidson (The School, Little My) were given 31 days to write a song on the “12 days” theme, and they see both the upsides and downsides of the season. Allo Darlin’ highlight the tension between being with family and friends on ‘Silver Swans in NYC’ while the Loves are spending ‘Christmas All Alone’ with just their percussion blocks for company (very Hans Zimmer-ish). But Sweet Baboo provide the woozy sound of a winter carnival on the mulled-wine-fuddled ‘I See Geese In Your Eyes’ and The School roll out the full Spector-scope of Christmas signifiers from sleigh bells and harmonies in the best song here, ‘Drummer Boy’. However, it takes a Swedish band, Speedmarket Avenue, to pick up out a pantomime theme in ‘Where Maids Are Queens’. It’s a sweet pick‘n’mix of indiepop, folk and twee that would make a neat early Christmas present, if you’re lucky enough to have a secret Santa.

Links:
http://www.businessmanrecords.co.uk
http://www.bubblewrapcollective.co.uk

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