Throughout the 2006 Christmas downloading season, a great number of sites and blogs went above and beyond the call of duty with Christmas shares.
Brainwerk's always hip and always fun blog entitled "Check The Cool Wax" contributed mightily to the festivities last year with a boatload of Christmas mirth.
Throughout the other eleven months of the year, Brainwerk posts some of the most incredulous vinyl finds on the planet.
For example, his latest post is a super ultra rare Bob Crane / "Hogan's Heroes" album that has Klink and Schultz hovering over Hogan behind a drum kit in Stalag 13!
(Bet I just lost about 1/4 of my readers... DIS missed!)
Back to last December. Brainwerk included among his Christmas shares the Mistletoe Disco Band's "Yuletide Disco", "Christmas With Melis" (Jose Melis), and an assortment of select MP3s and amazing artwork. Calm yourself - most of those links are down.
Two days before Christmas last year, he posted his Christmas gift to the world - a fabulous looking Christmas comp with 34 great tunes (79:55 - the maximum allowed on a burnable CD-R! Hot dog!). And yes, this comp is STILL available to download at his blog.
FYI, "Check The Cool Wax V1" is NOT Christmas related. It does have some wacky and wicked songs and it's still available to download!
While you're downloading all those glorious goodies, here are the standard set of questions I will be asking everyone who has a comp reviewed here:
1.) When did you begin creating your Christmas compilations?
My first ones were on cassette tapes, but last Christmas was my tenth year making them on CDs.
2.) Explain the process on creating your Christmas comp.
I make five to ten compilations a year for friends and family. One half have themes like Vintage Vegas, Classic Country, Birth Announcements, Halloween, Christmas, etc. The other half is new music, mostly punk, alternative and indie. The comps start out as ideas. I have a notepad next to my computer at work and I make lots of lists. When I hear a song that would fit in a particular category, I write it down. That way I have a good start when I get around to actually starting.
I'm a graphic designer so all my comps get artwork and labels. The Christmas comp that was posted at CheckTheCoolWax was a little unique for me. It wasn't necessarily my favorite songs or anything like that. There are tons of better Christmas songs out there. My goal was to make a fun mix with songs you may not have heard in a long time, or at all. I'm pretty happy with it. There are a few songs in there with lots of pops. It would have been nice to have cleaner records for them.
3.) Who do you share these compilations with? How many do you send out?
Friends and family. I usually make about 20. This comp however was only available on the site.
4.) What is it about Christmas music that appeals to you?
It just makes me feel good. It congers up great memories of childhood when Christmas was just magical. Christmas was just such a big deal. Circling things you wanted in the various Christmas catalogs... The way the lights reflected off the tinsel on the tree... All of the family being home together...
And, of course, getting a toy you have been waiting five months for. We always had Christmas music on. I now have two kids with the oldest being 2 1/2 years. It is great seeing him get into it now and the music is now playing for them.
5.) What kind of feedback do you get from the comp?
It was pretty good. Unfortunately, I didn't get it up until Dec. 23. I was also having mucho server troubles about that time. People were having trouble downloading. By the time I had everything hammered out, it was Christmas day and I think most people had already finished most of their Christmas music downloading. I'll have it up all next season so people can enjoy it earlier.
6.) What other projects/websites do you work on other than Christmas?
3 blogs - CheckTheCoolWax, BrainVsZed and a private family one. I also work on some consumer electronic websites for work.
7.) Anything you would like to share with people reading this review?
Thanks for stopping by my site. I have fun doing it. I only know a few people who like odd-ball music like this so it's great to get feedback from people all over the world. I know I'm not alone in my obsessions.
TRACK REVIEWS:
(Click on image to enlarge)
1.) You gotta like a theme song by the Beastie Boys...
2.) From the famous "Santa's Own Christmas" album. More on this one later.
3.) Holi-Dee! If you haven't heard Lenny Dee's outstanding Christmas album, you're doing yourself an injustice!
4.) "A Ding Dong Dandy Christmas" is an Internet favorite... rescued from obscurity (thank goodness) thanks to the sharing community!
5.) WOW! The "Viva Las Vegas" guitars drive this one and Al Hirt's gravelly voice and amazing trumpet is the icing on the cake!
6.) Gol-lee! I've only heard this song by Sammy Davis Jr. - hearing Nabors' big bravado voice throws me for a giddy loop.
7.) Liberace reciting "Twas The Night Before Christmas" in his soft bleating voice... Campy fun!
8.) Christmas disco was all over the place this year! This was from one of Brainwerk's shares in November!
9.) MMmmm! This is pure 1960s knock down, koo-koo, groovy Christmas music! My uncle's favorite girl group!
10.) Second time in two weeks that I've heard this one. Sergio Mendes & Brasil '66 never recorded a Christmas album? What a shame!
11.) Breathy song from Claudine. Not really a Christmas song... but are you going to argue with Longet? Ask Spider Sabich!
12.) The Border Brass once again! Brainwerk offered this one but the link is down. Did you try Jeffco Productions out?
13.) Another track from "Santa's Own Christmas". Santa talking about God? Can you imagine a record label trying to re-release this?
14.) The great Hank Snow doing his "Reindeer Boogie"! This album is available on CD... it's a fantastic album throughout!
15.) Buck-a-roo! Buck and Susan make magic together! Grabbed from their 1971 "Merry Christmas From" album!
16.) The Louvin Brothers were before the Everlys and were pure country! Pick up their Christmas CD while you still can!
17.) Fourth country Christmas single in a row! Grabbing my 10-gallon hat! A rare Faron Young Christmas single! WAHOO!
18.) I haven't heard this ole Tex Ritter song in ages! Very nice! Hard to believe Tex was the father of Jack Tripper!
19.) Hank Thompson's twangy version of "White Christmas". Six consecutive country songs - all old school country! To quote Wavy Gravy at Woodstock - "This must be heaven, man!"
20.) Another great Buck Owens & Susan Raye duet. I missed this the first time Ernie posted it at his blog in 2005. Expect a yuleblog review of this one soon!
21.) Charley Pride was not just the first (and sadly only) black country superstar, he was and is a damn good singer! This is a great tune! Thanks for this one Brainwerk!
22.) A big, BIG song from Tiny! You can find the album at Ernie (not Bert)'s blog and then read my yuleblog review!
23.) My grandmother would play mainly Fred Waring's Christmas album around the holidays. This one brought back some frightening memories for me!
24.) Line Material used to issue these promos yearly... Brainwerk offered this one last year, Lee Hartsfield had a bunch at his blog, and I had this Canadian version last year.
25.) Okay... I used to dismiss the Caroleers because it was a kiddie album... this is the third song I've heard from them and my mind is definitely turned!
26.) WOW! Nice to hear Les Baxter's "Santa Claus Party" stand alone! I've heard bad edits from the "Christmas Cocktails II" version!
27.) This is a fun, fabulous track off a wonderful and sentimental Christmas album courtesy of Captain Kangaroo!
28.) Sung to the tune of "Mister Sandman" - both songs written by the same composer! Who knew Lenny could sing?
29.) Another Christmas song from the Caroleers. Pulling this one out to listen to...
30.) "Twas The Night Before Christmas" was one of many Rankin-Bass Christmas specials (and one of my faves). Click the link to read the premise - this is the song the clock rings out!
31.) I was ready to get this Hanna-Barbera album on eBay but when I learned NONE of their characters appeared on it, I passed. Brainwerk posted this one - saving me $30! Thank you!
32.) A Korean child (???) singing "Silent Night" in Korean (obviously). Quite strange and reverent all at once.
33.) The reprise off the "Santa's Own Christmas" album. More on this album below.
34.) Recorded in 1967 for his daughter Jennifer, this Cary Grant hearttugger was written by Peggy Lee! In Marc Eliot's biography (pg. 355), Columbia Records wanted a FULL Christmas album from Cary & Peggy but thanks to his recent marital separation and pending divorce from Dyan Cannon, Cary lost interest and it was shelved.
What a trip! This comp was all over the map - lounge, Christmas disco, 60s Christmas kitsch, old school country, kiddie music, celebs singing, and some foreign music thrown in for good measure! Most importantly, this was a "best of" comp from all the music Brainwerk had offered during the 2006 downloading season.
The 2006 downloading season saw the best and worst of Christmas music. Sometimes its behavior as well.
Last year, I had found a copy of the "Santa's Own Christmas" album and was ready to offer it here at the yuleblog. Brainwerk then posted his version and I quickly countered with mine (leaving it up for a brief time). Chalk it up to resentment and eagerness - last year was my first year offering Christmas shares.
I publicly apologize to Brainwerk and anyone else whose toes I might have stepped on as a result of my decision. I learned quite a bit about myself during the downloading season. Knowing what I know now, I would have done it differently. I never mentioned it until now (another reason I'm kicking myself in the pants) and hope you'll accept this heartfelt "sorry".
Something else I've been saving for you Brain. I was set to issue a Christmas comp with full length songs from other CDs I had posted throughout the year. The lineup was full of songs from CDs I had reviewed over the past year - Jo Stafford, Brian Setzer, The 4 Seasons, Ann-Margret, Regis Philbin, etc. - and readily available elsewhere.
However, when I downloaded your Christmas comp two days before Christmas (and less than 24 hours before I was ready to post mine), I noticed your lineup of stuff that came from your shares. I quickly dumped my lineup and gathered a whole new selection from my shares - and that's how my Christmas comp ended up the way it did.
Thanks for the influence Brain and your colossal Christmas comp!
UP NEXT: Katya's Office Holiday Party 2005
Capt
Throughout the 2006 Christmas downloading season, a great number of sites and blogs went above and beyond the call of duty with Christmas shares.
Brainwerk's always hip and always fun blog entitled "Check The Cool Wax" contributed mightily to the festivities last year with a boatload of Christmas mirth.
Throughout the other eleven months of the year, Brainwerk posts some of the most incredulous vinyl finds on the planet.
For example, his latest post is a super ultra rare Bob Crane / "Hogan's Heroes" album that has Klink and Schultz hovering over Hogan behind a drum kit in Stalag 13!
(Bet I just lost about 1/4 of my readers... DIS missed!)
Back to last December. Brainwerk included among his Christmas shares the Mistletoe Disco Band's "Yuletide Disco", "Christmas With Melis" (Jose Melis), and an assortment of select MP3s and amazing artwork. Calm yourself - most of those links are down.
Two days before Christmas last year, he posted his Christmas gift to the world - a fabulous looking Christmas comp with 34 great tunes (79:55 - the maximum allowed on a burnable CD-R! Hot dog!). And yes, this comp is STILL available to download at his blog.
FYI, "Check The Cool Wax V1" is NOT Christmas related. It does have some wacky and wicked songs and it's still available to download!
While you're downloading all those glorious goodies, here are the standard set of questions I will be asking everyone who has a comp reviewed here:
1.) When did you begin creating your Christmas compilations?
My first ones were on cassette tapes, but last Christmas was my tenth year making them on CDs.
2.) Explain the process on creating your Christmas comp.
I make five to ten compilations a year for friends and family. One half have themes like Vintage Vegas, Classic Country, Birth Announcements, Halloween, Christmas, etc. The other half is new music, mostly punk, alternative and indie. The comps start out as ideas. I have a notepad next to my computer at work and I make lots of lists. When I hear a song that would fit in a particular category, I write it down. That way I have a good start when I get around to actually starting.
I'm a graphic designer so all my comps get artwork and labels. The Christmas comp that was posted at CheckTheCoolWax was a little unique for me. It wasn't necessarily my favorite songs or anything like that. There are tons of better Christmas songs out there. My goal was to make a fun mix with songs you may not have heard in a long time, or at all. I'm pretty happy with it. There are a few songs in there with lots of pops. It would have been nice to have cleaner records for them.
3.) Who do you share these compilations with? How many do you send out?
Friends and family. I usually make about 20. This comp however was only available on the site.
4.) What is it about Christmas music that appeals to you?
It just makes me feel good. It congers up great memories of childhood when Christmas was just magical. Christmas was just such a big deal. Circling things you wanted in the various Christmas catalogs... The way the lights reflected off the tinsel on the tree... All of the family being home together...
And, of course, getting a toy you have been waiting five months for. We always had Christmas music on. I now have two kids with the oldest being 2 1/2 years. It is great seeing him get into it now and the music is now playing for them.
5.) What kind of feedback do you get from the comp?
It was pretty good. Unfortunately, I didn't get it up until Dec. 23. I was also having mucho server troubles about that time. People were having trouble downloading. By the time I had everything hammered out, it was Christmas day and I think most people had already finished most of their Christmas music downloading. I'll have it up all next season so people can enjoy it earlier.
6.) What other projects/websites do you work on other than Christmas?
3 blogs - CheckTheCoolWax, BrainVsZed and a private family one. I also work on some consumer electronic websites for work.
7.) Anything you would like to share with people reading this review?
Thanks for stopping by my site. I have fun doing it. I only know a few people who like odd-ball music like this so it's great to get feedback from people all over the world. I know I'm not alone in my obsessions.
TRACK REVIEWS:
(Click on image to enlarge)
1.) You gotta like a theme song by the Beastie Boys...
2.) From the famous "Santa's Own Christmas" album. More on this one later.
3.) Holi-Dee! If you haven't heard Lenny Dee's outstanding Christmas album, you're doing yourself an injustice!
4.) "A Ding Dong Dandy Christmas" is an Internet favorite... rescued from obscurity (thank goodness) thanks to the sharing community!
5.) WOW! The "Viva Las Vegas" guitars drive this one and Al Hirt's gravelly voice and amazing trumpet is the icing on the cake!
6.) Gol-lee! I've only heard this song by Sammy Davis Jr. - hearing Nabors' big bravado voice throws me for a giddy loop.
7.) Liberace reciting "Twas The Night Before Christmas" in his soft bleating voice... Campy fun!
8.) Christmas disco was all over the place this year! This was from one of Brainwerk's shares in November!
9.) MMmmm! This is pure 1960s knock down, koo-koo, groovy Christmas music! My uncle's favorite girl group!
10.) Second time in two weeks that I've heard this one. Sergio Mendes & Brasil '66 never recorded a Christmas album? What a shame!
11.) Breathy song from Claudine. Not really a Christmas song... but are you going to argue with Longet? Ask Spider Sabich!
12.) The Border Brass once again! Brainwerk offered this one but the link is down. Did you try Jeffco Productions out?
13.) Another track from "Santa's Own Christmas". Santa talking about God? Can you imagine a record label trying to re-release this?
14.) The great Hank Snow doing his "Reindeer Boogie"! This album is available on CD... it's a fantastic album throughout!
15.) Buck-a-roo! Buck and Susan make magic together! Grabbed from their 1971 "Merry Christmas From" album!
16.) The Louvin Brothers were before the Everlys and were pure country! Pick up their Christmas CD while you still can!
17.) Fourth country Christmas single in a row! Grabbing my 10-gallon hat! A rare Faron Young Christmas single! WAHOO!
18.) I haven't heard this ole Tex Ritter song in ages! Very nice! Hard to believe Tex was the father of Jack Tripper!
19.) Hank Thompson's twangy version of "White Christmas". Six consecutive country songs - all old school country! To quote Wavy Gravy at Woodstock - "This must be heaven, man!"
20.) Another great Buck Owens & Susan Raye duet. I missed this the first time Ernie posted it at his blog in 2005. Expect a yuleblog review of this one soon!
21.) Charley Pride was not just the first (and sadly only) black country superstar, he was and is a damn good singer! This is a great tune! Thanks for this one Brainwerk!
22.) A big, BIG song from Tiny! You can find the album at Ernie (not Bert)'s blog and then read my yuleblog review!
23.) My grandmother would play mainly Fred Waring's Christmas album around the holidays. This one brought back some frightening memories for me!
24.) Line Material used to issue these promos yearly... Brainwerk offered this one last year, Lee Hartsfield had a bunch at his blog, and I had this Canadian version last year.
25.) Okay... I used to dismiss the Caroleers because it was a kiddie album... this is the third song I've heard from them and my mind is definitely turned!
26.) WOW! Nice to hear Les Baxter's "Santa Claus Party" stand alone! I've heard bad edits from the "Christmas Cocktails II" version!
27.) This is a fun, fabulous track off a wonderful and sentimental Christmas album courtesy of Captain Kangaroo!
28.) Sung to the tune of "Mister Sandman" - both songs written by the same composer! Who knew Lenny could sing?
29.) Another Christmas song from the Caroleers. Pulling this one out to listen to...
30.) "Twas The Night Before Christmas" was one of many Rankin-Bass Christmas specials (and one of my faves). Click the link to read the premise - this is the song the clock rings out!
31.) I was ready to get this Hanna-Barbera album on eBay but when I learned NONE of their characters appeared on it, I passed. Brainwerk posted this one - saving me $30! Thank you!
32.) A Korean child (???) singing "Silent Night" in Korean (obviously). Quite strange and reverent all at once.
33.) The reprise off the "Santa's Own Christmas" album. More on this album below.
34.) Recorded in 1967 for his daughter Jennifer, this Cary Grant hearttugger was written by Peggy Lee! In Marc Eliot's biography (pg. 355), Columbia Records wanted a FULL Christmas album from Cary & Peggy but thanks to his recent marital separation and pending divorce from Dyan Cannon, Cary lost interest and it was shelved.
What a trip! This comp was all over the map - lounge, Christmas disco, 60s Christmas kitsch, old school country, kiddie music, celebs singing, and some foreign music thrown in for good measure! Most importantly, this was a "best of" comp from all the music Brainwerk had offered during the 2006 downloading season.
The 2006 downloading season saw the best and worst of Christmas music. Sometimes its behavior as well.
Last year, I had found a copy of the "Santa's Own Christmas" album and was ready to offer it here at the yuleblog. Brainwerk then posted his version and I quickly countered with mine (leaving it up for a brief time). Chalk it up to resentment and eagerness - last year was my first year offering Christmas shares.
I publicly apologize to Brainwerk and anyone else whose toes I might have stepped on as a result of my decision. I learned quite a bit about myself during the downloading season. Knowing what I know now, I would have done it differently. I never mentioned it until now (another reason I'm kicking myself in the pants) and hope you'll accept this heartfelt "sorry".
Something else I've been saving for you Brain. I was set to issue a Christmas comp with full length songs from other CDs I had posted throughout the year. The lineup was full of songs from CDs I had reviewed over the past year - Jo Stafford, Brian Setzer, The 4 Seasons, Ann-Margret, Regis Philbin, etc. - and readily available elsewhere.
However, when I downloaded your Christmas comp two days before Christmas (and less than 24 hours before I was ready to post mine), I noticed your lineup of stuff that came from your shares. I quickly dumped my lineup and gathered a whole new selection from my shares - and that's how my Christmas comp ended up the way it did.
Thanks for the influence Brain and your colossal Christmas comp!
UP NEXT: Katya's Office Holiday Party 2005
Capt
Nearly two weeks ago, we travelled across the Atlantic to look at some amazing Christmas comps from Sweden - two from Anna-Lena Lodenius and two from Martin Klasch.
We quickly cash in some frequent flier miles and head back once again to the country that brought us ABBA, the Nobel Prizes, and Ann-Margret to find a blog that's... well, Ultra Swank.
A lad named Chris runs this amazing home of "playful lifestyle and design adventures from a happier time."
Since he began the blog in September, 2005, he has posted a treasure trove of stylish postcards, links to other design sites, and incredible music from the lounge age.
It was one of Chris' earlier compilations that led me to his blog. Last July, he issued the phenomenal comp "Retro Shopping Volume 1 - Music to Buy Toasters By" that featured brilliant music, including some of the famous Capitol Hi-Q recordings. This is the same stuff Ren & Stimpy used in their cartoons and it's STILL available to download.
Chris has also issued three "Space Age Lounge" volumes ("V1 - Ultra Swank Living", "V2 - Red Carpet Ride", "V3 - Love at First Flight") that are also still available to download. If that wasn't enough, Chris released this comp you're looking at last December.
Unfortunately, it's NOT available to download at the present time. I tried to contact Chris to ask him the standard set of questions I've asked everyone who sent in a comp. Sadly, my efforts weren't successful and as of press time, he hasn't responded.
TRACK REVIEWS:
(Click on image to enlarge)
1.) Snappy rendition from the man who sung the theme song to "The Love Boat". Smooth!
2.) Esquivel's space age version of "Frosty" hasn't aged one iota since its release many moons ago. Zu-zu , zu-zu, zu-zu...
3.) Not exactly James Brown but it doesn't get much lush than this, folks!
4.) From the 1969 James Bond movie "On Her Majesty's Secret Service" - vocals by Nina Van Pallandt.
5.) "Rudolph mith your nose so bright, Won't you guide mein sleigh tonight?" Only Dean could have gotten away with giving Santa a German accent!
6.) The Mancini sound is in full evidence - a great double bill of Christmas tuneage!
7.) Anything Christmas by Eddie Dunstedter will quicken the pulse and raise your temp. Guaranteed!
8.) Possibly the best Christmas carillon album around, John Klein's "A Christmas Sound Spectacular" is just that!
9.) An Esquivel recording is like a great painting by Picasso - you'll always hear (or see) something new! One of his best.
10.) Elevator music to some, but there is an inherent cool about the Hollyridge Strings. Lush.
11.) Listen to the small touches Mancini adds - the vibes, the piano, the glockenspiel - gives it a jazzy classy feel!
12.) The timeless sound of Bacharach takes this otherwise dull song and brings it to life!
13.) This is my favorite Christmas track by Esquivel - those guitar and electric harpsichord fills just kill me!
14.) The Strings throw in some drums and bass, giving this a trippy 1960s feel. This whole album is still available at FaLaLaLaLa.com ... just so you know!
15.) Henry Mancini trying to outdo Mitch Miller and Ray Conniff. The decision: a three-way tie!
16.) A great song from a better album! Why can't I find this on vinyl anywhere?
17.) Why does my gut tell me this was an edit from the "Christmas Cocktails 2" version of this one?
18.) 100 years from now, they'll still be playing Esquivel's stuff. Truly remarkable.
19.) Irving Berlin was a huge Dean Martin fan - the scuttlebutt was he preferred Dean's version of this over Bing's!
20.) GREAT JUMPIN' ICEBERGS!!! This is the standout track (believe it or not)! From a library of production music, this one's available on the "Retro Shopping" CD mentioned way above.
21.) The beginning trumpet on this one sounds like it was soaked in bourbon; a drunk weary feel that's oh so Mancini!
22.) The big band feel and carillons add a snowy touch to the song. "Winter Wonderland" was made for the carillon!
23.) I've used different edits of this very song for my own comp closing for nearly 11 years. To hear it in its entirety is rather frightening. I forgot how fun this one is... WOW!
24.) I just melted... Julie London has that effect on me! Lovely, lovely song!
25.) This is the second comp to end with Kenton's pastiche I've reviewed... here's the first!
Chris, you've put together quite the retro lounge Christmas comp! I applaud all your choices on the CD - it was good to hear the James Bond song again and all the Esquivel (four songs), Henry Mancini (four songs), and the Hollyridge Strings (three songs) - heavy yes, but I didn't mind one bit.
Good luck with your swingin' blog and I hope there'll be a "Retro Shopping V2" with more of that delicious production music, and more importantly, a "Retro Christmas V2" later this year! God Jul!
THIS JUST IN (24 HOURS LATER): Chris has left a comment regarding this comp - click on the comments section!
UP NEXT: Check The Cool Wax V2: Christmas Wax
Capt
Nearly two weeks ago, we travelled across the Atlantic to look at some amazing Christmas comps from Sweden - two from Anna-Lena Lodenius and two from Martin Klasch.
We quickly cash in some frequent flier miles and head back once again to the country that brought us ABBA, the Nobel Prizes, and Ann-Margret to find a blog that's... well, Ultra Swank.
A lad named Chris runs this amazing home of "playful lifestyle and design adventures from a happier time."
Since he began the blog in September, 2005, he has posted a treasure trove of stylish postcards, links to other design sites, and incredible music from the lounge age.
It was one of Chris' earlier compilations that led me to his blog. Last July, he issued the phenomenal comp "Retro Shopping Volume 1 - Music to Buy Toasters By" that featured brilliant music, including some of the famous Capitol Hi-Q recordings. This is the same stuff Ren & Stimpy used in their cartoons and it's STILL available to download.
Chris has also issued three "Space Age Lounge" volumes ("V1 - Ultra Swank Living", "V2 - Red Carpet Ride", "V3 - Love at First Flight") that are also still available to download. If that wasn't enough, Chris released this comp you're looking at last December.
Unfortunately, it's NOT available to download at the present time. I tried to contact Chris to ask him the standard set of questions I've asked everyone who sent in a comp. Sadly, my efforts weren't successful and as of press time, he hasn't responded.
TRACK REVIEWS:
(Click on image to enlarge)
1.) Snappy rendition from the man who sung the theme song to "The Love Boat". Smooth!
2.) Esquivel's space age version of "Frosty" hasn't aged one iota since its release many moons ago. Zu-zu , zu-zu, zu-zu...
3.) Not exactly James Brown but it doesn't get much lush than this, folks!
4.) From the 1969 James Bond movie "On Her Majesty's Secret Service" - vocals by Nina Van Pallandt.
5.) "Rudolph mith your nose so bright, Won't you guide mein sleigh tonight?" Only Dean could have gotten away with giving Santa a German accent!
6.) The Mancini sound is in full evidence - a great double bill of Christmas tuneage!
7.) Anything Christmas by Eddie Dunstedter will quicken the pulse and raise your temp. Guaranteed!
8.) Possibly the best Christmas carillon album around, John Klein's "A Christmas Sound Spectacular" is just that!
9.) An Esquivel recording is like a great painting by Picasso - you'll always hear (or see) something new! One of his best.
10.) Elevator music to some, but there is an inherent cool about the Hollyridge Strings. Lush.
11.) Listen to the small touches Mancini adds - the vibes, the piano, the glockenspiel - gives it a jazzy classy feel!
12.) The timeless sound of Bacharach takes this otherwise dull song and brings it to life!
13.) This is my favorite Christmas track by Esquivel - those guitar and electric harpsichord fills just kill me!
14.) The Strings throw in some drums and bass, giving this a trippy 1960s feel. This whole album is still available at FaLaLaLaLa.com ... just so you know!
15.) Henry Mancini trying to outdo Mitch Miller and Ray Conniff. The decision: a three-way tie!
16.) A great song from a better album! Why can't I find this on vinyl anywhere?
17.) Why does my gut tell me this was an edit from the "Christmas Cocktails 2" version of this one?
18.) 100 years from now, they'll still be playing Esquivel's stuff. Truly remarkable.
19.) Irving Berlin was a huge Dean Martin fan - the scuttlebutt was he preferred Dean's version of this over Bing's!
20.) GREAT JUMPIN' ICEBERGS!!! This is the standout track (believe it or not)! From a library of production music, this one's available on the "Retro Shopping" CD mentioned way above.
21.) The beginning trumpet on this one sounds like it was soaked in bourbon; a drunk weary feel that's oh so Mancini!
22.) The big band feel and carillons add a snowy touch to the song. "Winter Wonderland" was made for the carillon!
23.) I've used different edits of this very song for my own comp closing for nearly 11 years. To hear it in its entirety is rather frightening. I forgot how fun this one is... WOW!
24.) I just melted... Julie London has that effect on me! Lovely, lovely song!
25.) This is the second comp to end with Kenton's pastiche I've reviewed... here's the first!
Chris, you've put together quite the retro lounge Christmas comp! I applaud all your choices on the CD - it was good to hear the James Bond song again and all the Esquivel (four songs), Henry Mancini (four songs), and the Hollyridge Strings (three songs) - heavy yes, but I didn't mind one bit.
Good luck with your swingin' blog and I hope there'll be a "Retro Shopping V2" with more of that delicious production music, and more importantly, a "Retro Christmas V2" later this year! God Jul!
THIS JUST IN (24 HOURS LATER): Chris has left a comment regarding this comp - click on the comments section!
UP NEXT: Check The Cool Wax V2: Christmas Wax
Capt
Welcome to week four of our two month look at Christmas comps. Last week, we spent looking at various comps sent to us via our P.O. Box.
This week, we'll be looking at Christmas comps found online during the 2006 Christmas downloading season.
During that magical time last Thanksgiving to Christmas Day, I surfed many sites and blogs looking for anything Christmas related.
One said search brought me to a blog entitled Music For Maniacs. Their post of December 15th informed me "one of the Grand Poobahs of maniacal music" had just issued a holiday compilation. Who could it be?
You know him, you love him - the one & only Otis Fodder.
Otis has been involved in more online projects than I can count and has worn more hats than Kevin Smith during the filming of "Clerks".
Fodder was the main person behind the groundbreaking "365 Days" project in 2003. Every new calendar day brought an obscure or rescued MP3 offered to the public.
He's the director of Comfort Stand Recordings - one of the first Internet record labels offering free music to the discerning ear.
Watch as over the next ten years, the huge record companies will take a cue from Otis and strictly offer their music online - CDs will go the way of the 8-track.
If that wasn't enough (and proof that sleep is overrated), Otis also has his own website running where more Internet goodies can be found.
Such was the case last December when Otis presented these comps as his Christmas gift to the world. The links are still active so while you're downloading, here are Otis' answers to the standard set of questions that I will be asking everyone whose comp will be reviewed here:
1.) When did you begin creating your Christmas compilations?
The first compilations were on (60 and 90 minute) cassettes in the late 1980s and early 1990s. After that followed Christmas music on radio shows and then in 2002 I made my first Holiday Compilation on CD-R in 2002, Holiday Freakout.
2.) Explain the process on creating your Christmas comp.
A) Gather songs and shorts from CD, Vinyl, MP3, Tape
B) Rip CDs with EAC (Exact Audio Copy)
C) Record Vinyl and Tape (or open MP3s) using Cool Edit (Adobe Audition)
D) Normalize/Volume/EQ... Minimal, as needed
E) Throw them one by one into the multitrack and Edit/Trim files as needed
F) Mix down
F) Cut/Separate Tracks into WAV files
G) Encode WAV files with (win)LAME (for nogap encoding)
H) Tag files and file names
I) Create artwork
J) Zip up Audio/Art
K) Upload to site
L) Create web page
M) Share
3.) What is it about Christmas music that appeals to you?
I actually prefer to listen to no Christmas music around the holidays and play it throughout the year revolving in my iTunes. Not all songs of course as too much would, sorry to say, drive me completely nuts. But instrumentals along the lines of Ethel Smith at her organ are always welcome any time of the year.
4.) What kind of feedback do you get from the comp?
Little to none for Holiday Freakin last December, as this was the first Holiday mix to be put online. Holiday Freakout in 2002 was never put online and instead I pressed 100 2-CD sets and sent them out as Holiday cards. And cassettes a decade prior were sent out as well.
5.) What other projects/websites do you work on other than Christmas?
www.thebranflakes.com
www.comfortstand.com
www.365daysproject.com
www.otisfodder.com
6.) Anything you would like to share with people reading this review?
Thanks for listening.
HOLIDAY FREAK-OUT 2002 TRACK REVIEWS:
(Click on image to enlarge)
DISC 1:
1.) Title says it all. Santa's in and out in 48 seconds... he must have A.D.D.!
2.) S-A-N-T-A, C-L-A-U-S, Hooray for Santa Claus! Any song from the 1964 film "Santa Claus Conquers The Martians" is welcome here!
3.) Proof positive that Santa is addicted to crystal meth. Sam Ulano is out of control on this track - why I love it!
4.) This mash led off my 2005 Christmas comp - it stunned many of the long time recipients (achieving the effect I wanted). One of my personal faves.
5.) It's titled "Snowflakes" but you'll never hear a better instrumental version of "What Child Is This? (Greensleeves)" in your life!
6.) Another dramatic recitation of the famous "Yes, Virginia" letter. Is this actually Fred Lowery aka The Blind Whistler speaking?
7.) If you don't like anything Christmas by Arthur Lyman (like me), then you need medical attention.
8.) Been looking for this one forever! Written by Brian Doyle-Murray, Christopher Guest, and Paul Shaffer (that Paul Shaffer) - a perfect 1970s Motown parody!
9.) I made it into this song about eight seconds... a new personal best! To continue...
10.) The venerable Mae West doing her Beatle cover ("From Me To You") from her 1966 "Wild Christmas" album.
11.) "For a gourmet treat for your Christmas morning breakfast, butter a ring mold well..." Ummm, can I have some Raisin Bran instead?
12.) Thank you Otis! I'm addicted to surf guitar music in general but Christmas surf is a HUGE passion! What a track!
13.) Then there's this... I'm trying to hear the surf music behind Frankie & Annette's blah recitation of "The Night Before Christmas". Remarkably, their only record together!
14.) Ooooooooooo! Martin Mull's "Santafly" is a personal favorite since I heard it on "The Dr. Demento Show" back in 1978!
15.) From the 1981 "A Christmas Record" - an album ten years ahead of its time!
16.) A satirical record from 1958 that has grown stronger each year (sadly). A testament to the genius of Stan Freberg.
17.) I tried to listen to it all... but I had to stop it because I was going into epileptic sugar shock. Feeling light headed but I'll be okay.
18.) GREAT JUMPIN' ICEBERGS!!! Ever hear "Donde Esta Santa Claus?" with the sound of the Shirelles or The Ronettes? This is SO far better than the Augie Rios original!
19.) This one has the feel of the original Claudine Longet recording but not the Saint Etienne version.
20.) WOW! "Ritz" is Richard ("Riff Raff") O'Brien, and "Kimi" is Kimi Wong (played a tranny in the "RHPS" movie & was O'Brien's first wife). Recorded way before "Rocky Horror" - this version was from Dec 1974. An earlier, longer version of this was released in Dec 1973 - both for download here!
21.) Gotta love that pure, unadulterated 1970s Christmas disco! Great, great stuff!
22.) Like I said, gotta love that pure, unadulterated 1970s Christmas disco! Sung by "Mr. Las Vegas" himself!
23.) MOOOOOG! Taken from the landmark Sy Mann Christmas album "Switched On Santa".
24.) No, it's not Herb Alpert - it's the Border Brass and their great album "Tijuana Christmas" (click on "Switched On Santa" above and tell Jeff the Captain sent ya!).
25.) A haunting song from the first animated Christmas special. Predates "Rudolph" by two years - 1962!
26.) I've yet to hear a bad song from Ferrante & Teicher (that includes non-Christmas songs too)! This is magic!
27.) Refreshing to hear the original - Dickie's son Jon released a compilation album in 1997 that used sound-alike bands spliced with a not so great dub of the original 45 - nasty!
DISC 2:
1.) "This is a program for today's people; The Now Generation." Who can argue with logic like that?
2.) GREAT JUMPIN' ICEBERGS!!! Amazing sounds throughout! It must be heard to be believed! Adding their Christmas album to my wish list!
3.) The Blue Hawaiian's homage to Martin Denny! Their whole album is flavored with Hawaiian and exotica - not bad from the same guys who supply SpongeBob a bunch of music!
4.) If you're looking for one album that has everything from cha cha, polka, waltz, even a hora - Brave Combo's "It's Christmas, Man!" is it. But... the CD is getting hard to find - buy it when you can!
5.) Still the greatest Christmas mambo on vinyl, cassette, 8-track, CD, Edison Cylinder, whatever!
6.) Sweet Mother of God... make it stop, MAKE IT STOPPPP! I thought this was bad... but this takes the blue ribbon home!
7.) Say wha??? Who are Kirsten & Heather Mayne? Why are they singing "Silver Bells" at double speed? Why am I laughing outrageously at the whole thing?
8.) Otis is determined to break my computer... I actually prefer the dulcet tones of Little Marcy over Tammy Faye!
9.) Was this an edit? The only version of this I know is that one with Dr. Demento's duet with Wild Man Fischer... Quick, painless, funny!
10.) Esquivel's space age version of "Frosty" hasn't aged one iota since its release many moons ago. Zu-zu , zu-zu, zu-zu...
11.) The Velvet Fog is good form singing this old chestnut with a fair amount of scat! Sweet!
12.) Cash's decision not to sing the rum-pum-pums makes the whole song! Solemn and straightforward.
13.) Franklyn MacCormick was a Chicago radio legend - his voice was heard soothing Chicago as it went to bed. Some of my relatives still in Chicago are going to go nuts when they hear this!
14.) Sing it Jimmy! From the first 365 Days project (scroll down to January 27). I'm never going to be able to listen to "Eres Tu" without thinking of Jimmy.
15.) It's funny how George Lucas embraces everything "Star Wars"... with the exception of its Christmas related stuff! Sung by a then-unknown Jon Bon Jovi!
16.) This is Spike Jones? Where's the glug-glugs? The cowbells? The gunshots? Sounds more like Henry Mancini than Spike - snappy stuff!
17.) GREAT JUMPIN' ICEBERGS!!! "I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus" on the musical saw! I damn near woke up my kids due to my howling laughter! The only Christmas track of Pritikin's album sadly...
18.) Can Dickie Goodman be called "The Godfather of Sampling"? There's a cotillion of people who think so...
19.) One of the first crossover Christmas rap songs - not counting #15 on Disc 1 above.
20.) I miss the Ramones... what they could have done on a FULL Christmas album... WOW!
21.) A typical brilliant, sarcastic, catchy song by Neil Innes! At Beatlefest 1994 in Chicago, he gladly signed my copy of "The Rutles" twice - once as himself, once as Ron Nasty!
22.) Remember the cute kid they brought in on "The Partridge Family"? Bet you didn't. Ricky Segall's shining moment on record.
23.) WOW! "Wallace and Ladmo" was a hugely popular Phoenix kids show from 1954 - 1989. This is one of two Christmas tracks off their compilation album of all their musical highlights!
24.) A great surf guitar track from the same fellas who did "Wipe Out"! Crazy, man, crazy!
25.) I never liked Jan & Dean... maybe it's because I could never tell their stuff from The Beach Boys. Skipping ahead merrily...
26.) I always laugh at this one. Not because it's a rotten rip-off of The Chipmunks but because from that strangely familiar opening riff, I keep hearing the "Three's Company" theme song throughout.
27.) Only Red Sovine could get away with a song about Christmas and divorce. Sounds like Red's gonna have a nervous breakdown - laughing like mad here!
28.) WHOA! A Carpenters bootleg? Ignore the kids in the audience... focus on that breathtaking voice of Karen Carpenter - the very definition of perfection.
29.) Herman Apple must be proud man wherever he is - his Christmas album is a qualified Internet success!
30.) Psych! Thought Santa was leaving huh? That's why they call him Tricky St. Nicky...
HOLIDAY FREAK-IN 2006 TRACK REVIEWS:
(Click on image to enlarge)
1.) Introduced by the Cartwrights, we get a spirited Moog song by Roger Roger - where did this come from? Tell us more! Jan & Dean wish you a Merry Christmas at the end that leads us into...
2.) How... robotic... this... guy... sounds... and... sings! Only Otis can consistently come up with this stuff!
3.) MOOOOOG! A toe tapper of a Christmas song played on everyone's favorite electronic instrument!
4.) There's a whole genre of Christmas industrial promo songs - this one is an epic! Is that JoAnne Worley singing "The 12 Days Of Christmas"? WOW!
5.) There's not much of a call for Christmas songs in Cantonese... I'll keep this one on file for future reference! Was this from a full Christmas CD? If so, where? Don't leave me hanging Otis! And what about that space age kiddie record?
6.) Oscar The Grinch... err, Grouch singing why he hates Christmas. Poor Slimey... he'll never get any presents!
7.) What more can be told about Danger Woman? Was this her only record? Who unearthed this? Did she record any other Christmas songs? And you thought Gene Autry's "Rudolph" has a lot of reverb!
8.) Karen Gathercole recorded this and gave it to co-workers as a Christmas gift? Can I work with someone else? Go download the whole 20 minute message here. Nice segue with the Marc Bolan Christmas greeting.
9.) FRENCH CHRISTMAS RAP? Hints of "In Excelsis Deo"? Sacre bleu! My brother-in-law teaches high school French - bet he'll use this in the classroom!
10.) I've heard about this one for a long time - first time I've ever heard it. About as I imagined it.
11.) Noted Texas record producer Smith proselytizing about the decline of Christmas as Nancy sings "Silent Night" in the background... quite depressing in a funny sort of way
12.) The inmates are rioting, revolting, and... playing "Jingle Bell Rock"? Go check out Pastor McPurvis and get the entire concert at Vinyl Orphange.
13.) WOW! A French Christmas song that has the flava of 1970s blaxplotation movies! Mon dieu!
14.) A kid describes and la-la's about drowsiness with an organ playing in the background. Where's the Christmas at?
15.) Surprisingly good Christmas pop tune! Taken from the "Fantasia de Navidad" Christmas CD - sadly OOP.
16.) Ethel Smith tickling the Christmas organ ivories! No wonder Otis can listen to this 365 (pun intended).
17.) GREAT JUMPIN' ICEBERGS!!! An inspirational Christian song winds ups as an ten minute series of angry moments teaching us that love can change mundane things like driving, watching a baseball game, or... ODD!
18.) Hot, quick-tempoed instrumental version of "Christmas Night In Harlem"! Beat me daddy with that boogie beat!
19.) The title says all. Is this the famed saxophone player Eddie "Lockjaw" Davis by any chance?
20.) Ooh la la! Another French Christmas song sung to a tune that closely resembles "All My Loving" by The Beatles! Even has the Beatle beat and harmonies!
21.) Ah-one, ah-two... The inmates are back playing "O Come All Ye Faithful"! See number 12 above!
22.) OMG! 2 Live Jews singing about the Sabbath to the Bay City Rollers' "Saturday Night". If temple was only this fun...
23.) Just a hunch... but if Santa heard Mae singing this, I'm betting he'd steer clear of her house! West's high-pitched wailing might have thrown off the reindeer in any case. And it that didn't do it, the extra Tammy Faye Bakker song Otis tacked on the end ("Frosty The Snowman") would have damn killed them all!
It's about 12:15 AM EST, Monday February 26th... I purposely scheduled to review Otis' stuff tonight because my wife goes to an Oscar party every year and I don't. That's because a.) ever since Rob Lowe sung to Snow White, I refuse to watch b.) they never awarded Martin Scorsese an Oscar... until tonight (Congrats Marty!).
It's fitting I'm reviewing this on Oscar night because if I were to hand out awards for all the comps I've heard until now, Otis Fodder's "Holiday Freak-in 2006" would win the "Best Comp" award hands down. I'm guessing a majority of this music is being heard for the first time for a lot of people. The music holds up, surprises you, shocks you, entertains you, and makes you laugh seven chances out of ten.
It was a total departure from anything I've heard so far. It was a pure joy for me not to hear The Sisterhood not playing "Rocking Disco Santa Claus".
Otis' 2002 comp was a more traditional Christmas comp. However, he threw in some real diamonds (Sam Ulano, The Kaisers, Neil Innes, Kimi & Ritz, Toni Stante, Swingerhead to name a few) that elevated his great Christmas comp into a phenomenal Christmas comp. The pacing, the energy, and the total sound of the 2002 comp was a complete success.
When he returned the standard set of questions to me, Otis also added this:
"I also re-uploaded the two compilations and put the page back online here - http://www.otisfodder.com/share/holiday.html
"I will keep the page up, so add links for people to download the compilations. Much thanks!"
Otis is just a giver, isn't he? Thank you for the wonderful gifts of your comps last year and now.
Thanks Otis for continuing to scour the planet for new things sounding strange, weird, exotic, foreign, and mostly funny. May you continue your work until it becomes work. But please, PLEASE... don't wait another four years to produce another Christmas comp!
UP NEXT: Retro Christmas (Ultra-Swank)
Capt
Welcome to week four of our two month look at Christmas comps. Last week, we spent looking at various comps sent to us via our P.O. Box.
This week, we'll be looking at Christmas comps found online during the 2006 Christmas downloading season.
During that magical time last Thanksgiving to Christmas Day, I surfed many sites and blogs looking for anything Christmas related.
One said search brought me to a blog entitled Music For Maniacs. Their post of December 15th informed me "one of the Grand Poobahs of maniacal music" had just issued a holiday compilation. Who could it be?
You know him, you love him - the one & only Otis Fodder.
Otis has been involved in more online projects than I can count and has worn more hats than Kevin Smith during the filming of "Clerks".
Fodder was the main person behind the groundbreaking "365 Days" project in 2003. Every new calendar day brought an obscure or rescued MP3 offered to the public.
He's the director of Comfort Stand Recordings - one of the first Internet record labels offering free music to the discerning ear.
Watch as over the next ten years, the huge record companies will take a cue from Otis and strictly offer their music online - CDs will go the way of the 8-track.
If that wasn't enough (and proof that sleep is overrated), Otis also has his own website running where more Internet goodies can be found.
Such was the case last December when Otis presented these comps as his Christmas gift to the world. The links are still active so while you're downloading, here are Otis' answers to the standard set of questions that I will be asking everyone whose comp will be reviewed here:
1.) When did you begin creating your Christmas compilations?
The first compilations were on (60 and 90 minute) cassettes in the late 1980s and early 1990s. After that followed Christmas music on radio shows and then in 2002 I made my first Holiday Compilation on CD-R in 2002, Holiday Freakout.
2.) Explain the process on creating your Christmas comp.
A) Gather songs and shorts from CD, Vinyl, MP3, Tape
B) Rip CDs with EAC (Exact Audio Copy)
C) Record Vinyl and Tape (or open MP3s) using Cool Edit (Adobe Audition)
D) Normalize/Volume/EQ... Minimal, as needed
E) Throw them one by one into the multitrack and Edit/Trim files as needed
F) Mix down
F) Cut/Separate Tracks into WAV files
G) Encode WAV files with (win)LAME (for nogap encoding)
H) Tag files and file names
I) Create artwork
J) Zip up Audio/Art
K) Upload to site
L) Create web page
M) Share
3.) What is it about Christmas music that appeals to you?
I actually prefer to listen to no Christmas music around the holidays and play it throughout the year revolving in my iTunes. Not all songs of course as too much would, sorry to say, drive me completely nuts. But instrumentals along the lines of Ethel Smith at her organ are always welcome any time of the year.
4.) What kind of feedback do you get from the comp?
Little to none for Holiday Freakin last December, as this was the first Holiday mix to be put online. Holiday Freakout in 2002 was never put online and instead I pressed 100 2-CD sets and sent them out as Holiday cards. And cassettes a decade prior were sent out as well.
5.) What other projects/websites do you work on other than Christmas?
www.thebranflakes.com
www.comfortstand.com
www.365daysproject.com
www.otisfodder.com
6.) Anything you would like to share with people reading this review?
Thanks for listening.
HOLIDAY FREAK-OUT 2002 TRACK REVIEWS:
(Click on image to enlarge)
DISC 1:
1.) Title says it all. Santa's in and out in 48 seconds... he must have A.D.D.!
2.) S-A-N-T-A, C-L-A-U-S, Hooray for Santa Claus! Any song from the 1964 film "Santa Claus Conquers The Martians" is welcome here!
3.) Proof positive that Santa is addicted to crystal meth. Sam Ulano is out of control on this track - why I love it!
4.) This mash led off my 2005 Christmas comp - it stunned many of the long time recipients (achieving the effect I wanted). One of my personal faves.
5.) It's titled "Snowflakes" but you'll never hear a better instrumental version of "What Child Is This? (Greensleeves)" in your life!
6.) Another dramatic recitation of the famous "Yes, Virginia" letter. Is this actually Fred Lowery aka The Blind Whistler speaking?
7.) If you don't like anything Christmas by Arthur Lyman (like me), then you need medical attention.
8.) Been looking for this one forever! Written by Brian Doyle-Murray, Christopher Guest, and Paul Shaffer (that Paul Shaffer) - a perfect 1970s Motown parody!
9.) I made it into this song about eight seconds... a new personal best! To continue...
10.) The venerable Mae West doing her Beatle cover ("From Me To You") from her 1966 "Wild Christmas" album.
11.) "For a gourmet treat for your Christmas morning breakfast, butter a ring mold well..." Ummm, can I have some Raisin Bran instead?
12.) Thank you Otis! I'm addicted to surf guitar music in general but Christmas surf is a HUGE passion! What a track!
13.) Then there's this... I'm trying to hear the surf music behind Frankie & Annette's blah recitation of "The Night Before Christmas". Remarkably, their only record together!
14.) Ooooooooooo! Martin Mull's "Santafly" is a personal favorite since I heard it on "The Dr. Demento Show" back in 1978!
15.) From the 1981 "A Christmas Record" - an album ten years ahead of its time!
16.) A satirical record from 1958 that has grown stronger each year (sadly). A testament to the genius of Stan Freberg.
17.) I tried to listen to it all... but I had to stop it because I was going into epileptic sugar shock. Feeling light headed but I'll be okay.
18.) GREAT JUMPIN' ICEBERGS!!! Ever hear "Donde Esta Santa Claus?" with the sound of the Shirelles or The Ronettes? This is SO far better than the Augie Rios original!
19.) This one has the feel of the original Claudine Longet recording but not the Saint Etienne version.
20.) WOW! "Ritz" is Richard ("Riff Raff") O'Brien, and "Kimi" is Kimi Wong (played a tranny in the "RHPS" movie & was O'Brien's first wife). Recorded way before "Rocky Horror" - this version was from Dec 1974. An earlier, longer version of this was released in Dec 1973 - both for download here!
21.) Gotta love that pure, unadulterated 1970s Christmas disco! Great, great stuff!
22.) Like I said, gotta love that pure, unadulterated 1970s Christmas disco! Sung by "Mr. Las Vegas" himself!
23.) MOOOOOG! Taken from the landmark Sy Mann Christmas album "Switched On Santa".
24.) No, it's not Herb Alpert - it's the Border Brass and their great album "Tijuana Christmas" (click on "Switched On Santa" above and tell Jeff the Captain sent ya!).
25.) A haunting song from the first animated Christmas special. Predates "Rudolph" by two years - 1962!
26.) I've yet to hear a bad song from Ferrante & Teicher (that includes non-Christmas songs too)! This is magic!
27.) Refreshing to hear the original - Dickie's son Jon released a compilation album in 1997 that used sound-alike bands spliced with a not so great dub of the original 45 - nasty!
DISC 2:
1.) "This is a program for today's people; The Now Generation." Who can argue with logic like that?
2.) GREAT JUMPIN' ICEBERGS!!! Amazing sounds throughout! It must be heard to be believed! Adding their Christmas album to my wish list!
3.) The Blue Hawaiian's homage to Martin Denny! Their whole album is flavored with Hawaiian and exotica - not bad from the same guys who supply SpongeBob a bunch of music!
4.) If you're looking for one album that has everything from cha cha, polka, waltz, even a hora - Brave Combo's "It's Christmas, Man!" is it. But... the CD is getting hard to find - buy it when you can!
5.) Still the greatest Christmas mambo on vinyl, cassette, 8-track, CD, Edison Cylinder, whatever!
6.) Sweet Mother of God... make it stop, MAKE IT STOPPPP! I thought this was bad... but this takes the blue ribbon home!
7.) Say wha??? Who are Kirsten & Heather Mayne? Why are they singing "Silver Bells" at double speed? Why am I laughing outrageously at the whole thing?
8.) Otis is determined to break my computer... I actually prefer the dulcet tones of Little Marcy over Tammy Faye!
9.) Was this an edit? The only version of this I know is that one with Dr. Demento's duet with Wild Man Fischer... Quick, painless, funny!
10.) Esquivel's space age version of "Frosty" hasn't aged one iota since its release many moons ago. Zu-zu , zu-zu, zu-zu...
11.) The Velvet Fog is good form singing this old chestnut with a fair amount of scat! Sweet!
12.) Cash's decision not to sing the rum-pum-pums makes the whole song! Solemn and straightforward.
13.) Franklyn MacCormick was a Chicago radio legend - his voice was heard soothing Chicago as it went to bed. Some of my relatives still in Chicago are going to go nuts when they hear this!
14.) Sing it Jimmy! From the first 365 Days project (scroll down to January 27). I'm never going to be able to listen to "Eres Tu" without thinking of Jimmy.
15.) It's funny how George Lucas embraces everything "Star Wars"... with the exception of its Christmas related stuff! Sung by a then-unknown Jon Bon Jovi!
16.) This is Spike Jones? Where's the glug-glugs? The cowbells? The gunshots? Sounds more like Henry Mancini than Spike - snappy stuff!
17.) GREAT JUMPIN' ICEBERGS!!! "I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus" on the musical saw! I damn near woke up my kids due to my howling laughter! The only Christmas track of Pritikin's album sadly...
18.) Can Dickie Goodman be called "The Godfather of Sampling"? There's a cotillion of people who think so...
19.) One of the first crossover Christmas rap songs - not counting #15 on Disc 1 above.
20.) I miss the Ramones... what they could have done on a FULL Christmas album... WOW!
21.) A typical brilliant, sarcastic, catchy song by Neil Innes! At Beatlefest 1994 in Chicago, he gladly signed my copy of "The Rutles" twice - once as himself, once as Ron Nasty!
22.) Remember the cute kid they brought in on "The Partridge Family"? Bet you didn't. Ricky Segall's shining moment on record.
23.) WOW! "Wallace and Ladmo" was a hugely popular Phoenix kids show from 1954 - 1989. This is one of two Christmas tracks off their compilation album of all their musical highlights!
24.) A great surf guitar track from the same fellas who did "Wipe Out"! Crazy, man, crazy!
25.) I never liked Jan & Dean... maybe it's because I could never tell their stuff from The Beach Boys. Skipping ahead merrily...
26.) I always laugh at this one. Not because it's a rotten rip-off of The Chipmunks but because from that strangely familiar opening riff, I keep hearing the "Three's Company" theme song throughout.
27.) Only Red Sovine could get away with a song about Christmas and divorce. Sounds like Red's gonna have a nervous breakdown - laughing like mad here!
28.) WHOA! A Carpenters bootleg? Ignore the kids in the audience... focus on that breathtaking voice of Karen Carpenter - the very definition of perfection.
29.) Herman Apple must be proud man wherever he is - his Christmas album is a qualified Internet success!
30.) Psych! Thought Santa was leaving huh? That's why they call him Tricky St. Nicky...
HOLIDAY FREAK-IN 2006 TRACK REVIEWS:
(Click on image to enlarge)
1.) Introduced by the Cartwrights, we get a spirited Moog song by Roger Roger - where did this come from? Tell us more! Jan & Dean wish you a Merry Christmas at the end that leads us into...
2.) How... robotic... this... guy... sounds... and... sings! Only Otis can consistently come up with this stuff!
3.) MOOOOOG! A toe tapper of a Christmas song played on everyone's favorite electronic instrument!
4.) There's a whole genre of Christmas industrial promo songs - this one is an epic! Is that JoAnne Worley singing "The 12 Days Of Christmas"? WOW!
5.) There's not much of a call for Christmas songs in Cantonese... I'll keep this one on file for future reference! Was this from a full Christmas CD? If so, where? Don't leave me hanging Otis! And what about that space age kiddie record?
6.) Oscar The Grinch... err, Grouch singing why he hates Christmas. Poor Slimey... he'll never get any presents!
7.) What more can be told about Danger Woman? Was this her only record? Who unearthed this? Did she record any other Christmas songs? And you thought Gene Autry's "Rudolph" has a lot of reverb!
8.) Karen Gathercole recorded this and gave it to co-workers as a Christmas gift? Can I work with someone else? Go download the whole 20 minute message here. Nice segue with the Marc Bolan Christmas greeting.
9.) FRENCH CHRISTMAS RAP? Hints of "In Excelsis Deo"? Sacre bleu! My brother-in-law teaches high school French - bet he'll use this in the classroom!
10.) I've heard about this one for a long time - first time I've ever heard it. About as I imagined it.
11.) Noted Texas record producer Smith proselytizing about the decline of Christmas as Nancy sings "Silent Night" in the background... quite depressing in a funny sort of way
12.) The inmates are rioting, revolting, and... playing "Jingle Bell Rock"? Go check out Pastor McPurvis and get the entire concert at Vinyl Orphange.
13.) WOW! A French Christmas song that has the flava of 1970s blaxplotation movies! Mon dieu!
14.) A kid describes and la-la's about drowsiness with an organ playing in the background. Where's the Christmas at?
15.) Surprisingly good Christmas pop tune! Taken from the "Fantasia de Navidad" Christmas CD - sadly OOP.
16.) Ethel Smith tickling the Christmas organ ivories! No wonder Otis can listen to this 365 (pun intended).
17.) GREAT JUMPIN' ICEBERGS!!! An inspirational Christian song winds ups as an ten minute series of angry moments teaching us that love can change mundane things like driving, watching a baseball game, or... ODD!
18.) Hot, quick-tempoed instrumental version of "Christmas Night In Harlem"! Beat me daddy with that boogie beat!
19.) The title says all. Is this the famed saxophone player Eddie "Lockjaw" Davis by any chance?
20.) Ooh la la! Another French Christmas song sung to a tune that closely resembles "All My Loving" by The Beatles! Even has the Beatle beat and harmonies!
21.) Ah-one, ah-two... The inmates are back playing "O Come All Ye Faithful"! See number 12 above!
22.) OMG! 2 Live Jews singing about the Sabbath to the Bay City Rollers' "Saturday Night". If temple was only this fun...
23.) Just a hunch... but if Santa heard Mae singing this, I'm betting he'd steer clear of her house! West's high-pitched wailing might have thrown off the reindeer in any case. And it that didn't do it, the extra Tammy Faye Bakker song Otis tacked on the end ("Frosty The Snowman") would have damn killed them all!
It's about 12:15 AM EST, Monday February 26th... I purposely scheduled to review Otis' stuff tonight because my wife goes to an Oscar party every year and I don't. That's because a.) ever since Rob Lowe sung to Snow White, I refuse to watch b.) they never awarded Martin Scorsese an Oscar... until tonight (Congrats Marty!).
It's fitting I'm reviewing this on Oscar night because if I were to hand out awards for all the comps I've heard until now, Otis Fodder's "Holiday Freak-in 2006" would win the "Best Comp" award hands down. I'm guessing a majority of this music is being heard for the first time for a lot of people. The music holds up, surprises you, shocks you, entertains you, and makes you laugh seven chances out of ten.
It was a total departure from anything I've heard so far. It was a pure joy for me not to hear The Sisterhood not playing "Rocking Disco Santa Claus".
Otis' 2002 comp was a more traditional Christmas comp. However, he threw in some real diamonds (Sam Ulano, The Kaisers, Neil Innes, Kimi & Ritz, Toni Stante, Swingerhead to name a few) that elevated his great Christmas comp into a phenomenal Christmas comp. The pacing, the energy, and the total sound of the 2002 comp was a complete success.
When he returned the standard set of questions to me, Otis also added this:
"I also re-uploaded the two compilations and put the page back online here - http://www.otisfodder.com/share/holiday.html
"I will keep the page up, so add links for people to download the compilations. Much thanks!"
Otis is just a giver, isn't he? Thank you for the wonderful gifts of your comps last year and now.
Thanks Otis for continuing to scour the planet for new things sounding strange, weird, exotic, foreign, and mostly funny. May you continue your work until it becomes work. But please, PLEASE... don't wait another four years to produce another Christmas comp!
UP NEXT: Retro Christmas (Ultra-Swank)
Capt
Sure is quiet around the yuleblog on Sundays...
Many longtime readers of the yuleblog (around four I think) will tell you that I'm never here on the weekends. That's because I have forever reserved this time to be spent with my wife and three children.
Recently, there has been a spate of Saturday posts but a majority of these were written the Friday afternoon or evening before. It's then just a matter of a few mouse clicks on Saturday morning and nothing further.
So what got me charged up on a Sunday to sit down at my computer to bang on the keyboard?
Two weeks ago, I reviewed a Christmas comp from my friend Jonathan Melton entitled "Melton Mistletoe Mix 2006". RadioJonD has been busy with a number of Christmas projects this past year but an e-mail I received this afternoon reminded me of one of his other projects:
"Your reviews are hitting the ole Christmas audio g-spot for sure this year! Thank you for your tireless effort day after day, year after year!
"I hope that you don't mind that your yuleblog was, more or less, the subject of my monthly column for the February Christmas Place Newsletter. Check it out!"
If you don't want to click on the link, RadioJonD's article reads thusly:
"For February we have another one of those departures from radio columns. Oh, don't worry guys and dolls, we'll have plenty of music to explore! Most of you are familiar with FaLaLaLaLa.com. You have heard me go on and on about the place for some time now.
"One can hardly shake a candy cane at all the Christmas vinyl that the fine folks share over there! One of the prolific vinyl ripping elves of frequent contribution is a cat by the screen name of CaptainOT.
"The good Captain adequately and eloquently maintains his very own Christmas Yuleblog. There, he tirelessly sorts through the many CDs in his collection, including a mountain of Christmas compilations that he receives from his legion of contacts all around the globe.
"The good Captain's enthusiasm will engulf and infect even the most dull of readers as he ponders and comments on each and every track in his daily CD review. His skill with the English language ain't shabby either!
"February's offering is fresh from the pages of the Captain's annual review of comps he received last Christmas season. Santastic II – Clausome! is a mash-up mix of some of our favorite, and not so favorite, Christmas tunes reconfigured from the imaginations of the folks that re-mix them! Yep, it's still available to download.
While you are downloading and burning a CD of Santastic II, please do cruise by and salute the Captain at the Yuleblog and see what he has to say about this and many other works of creative minds of the Christmas music kind. Some will still be available by download. You may even see someone you know!
Grab a cup of coffee, some snacks, plenty of hard drive space and/or blank CDs and be prepared to stay a spell. Not one to hog the limelight, CaptainOT also provides links to other sites that will open up even more obscure Christmas and non-Christmas music for you. Leave a comment and tell the Captain I said "Howdy".
Needless to say, this gobsmacked me in the noggin. Thank you for the kind words Jon - you're pretty good wielding the words on the keyboard as well!
If you didn't click on the link above, The Christmas Place is a HUGE website made up of contributions from Christmas like minded people. Their forums and newsletters contain facts, trivia, giveaways, puzzles, stories, articles, Christmas tips, links, games, poems, recipes, and Christmas book and DVD recommendations.
It's a cornucopia of everything Christmas - an online North Pole! To those loyal Christmas Place people, thanks for visiting the yuleblog and I hope you'll stop back now and then. I'll be visiting you quite frequently!
What a pleasant Sunday surprise!
Capt
Throughout the 2006 Christmas downloading season, a great number of sites and blogs went above and beyond the call of duty with Christmas shares.
(Click on image to enlarge)
