3some: Xmas 2009

Photograph by Chris Ziebarth

Merry Christmas! Here’s our last installation of holiday cheer for the year. First up, a faithful rendition of The Three Wise Men’s (aka XTC) “Thanks for Christmas” by Ireland’s Pugwash. Led by Thomas Walsh, his band has a revolving cast of characters (Andy Partridge and Dave Gregory (XTC), Michael Penn, and Jason Faulkner. Watch for their U.S. debut next year. Next up, a song to remind everyone to keep their cool during the holidays by The Crookes. Cheerful on the surface with the ringing guitars and tambourines, but blue on the inside, relating the tale of a poor soul who gets the cold shoulder. Then a more traditional Christmas song from a band awfully generous to call themselves The Crookes. Check their 12 Days of Crookesmas for more holiday music. Hurricane Bells stuffs your stocking with a brief gem that I wish played through at least one more time. Songwriter Steve Schiltz, the former frontman for Longwave, has a new record out through Vagrant called Tonight is the Ghost. Last, but not least, London producer LJ Kruzer (Stephen Fiske) cranks out a bumping version of “We Three Kings” awash in heavy doses of synthesizer. Alrighty then, I’m off to celebrate Christmas Eve with sushi and the family. Peace and joy to you and yours!

Thanks for Christmas [MP3]
by Pugwash

Chorus of Fools [MP3] and
Oh Come All Ye Faithful [MP3]
by The Crookes

Christmas Don’t Be Late [MP3]
by Hurricane Bells

We Three Kings [MP3]
by LJ Kruzer