Various Artists – Psych-Out Christmas – CD review

VARIOUS ARTISTS
Psych-Out Christmas
Cleopatra

I’m a traditionalist at Christmas. Turkey, Christmas pudding, wooly jumpers and Ecclefechan tarts, all to the sounds of Bing Crosby and Nat King Cole. However, I am aware that there are some heathens out there who fail to realise that Christmas is not for them, in the same way that Christmas isn’t for vegetarians. And they may be looking for something a bit different to listen to, so that they can maintain their too cool for school demeanour. Which usually means they’ve got a second class degree in English Lit. from a jumped up polytechnic and think that Jools Holland is a great bloke. They are, of course, wrong. But here’s a record you can buy them for Christmas, assuming you are foolish enough to spend time with someone unworthy at this time of year.

See, Cleopatra Records have got some of the more wayward musical combos out there to record some festive tunes in a suitably wigged out manner. Now you’re not going to want to play it when Granny takes her teeth out for a sing song. No, you’ll still need Singalongamax for that. But if your hippy uncle is there (assuming he remembered to wash), then give him a treat.

Here you will find all your festive favourites with the likes of ‘Silent Night’, ‘Little Drummer Boy’, ‘Frosty The Snowman’, ‘Run Rudolph Run’ and ‘White Christmas’ all beaten up by a bunch of freakbeats, stoners, hippies and speedfreaks. Which is respectively, Quintron & Miss Pussycat, The Movements, Quintron & Miss Pussycat again, The Candy Store, Psychic Ills and Iggy Pop. And for some reason, The Zombies ‘Time Of The Season’ gets wheeled out by Sons of Hippies.

It’s certainly interesting as it veers between the stunning and the awful, and makes a change from hearing ‘Stop The Cavalry’ for the 800th time this week.

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Tracks:
Christmas Monster Party Intro – Len Maxwell
Christmas Time – Elephant Stone
It’s Christmas Day – The Cosmonauts
Silent Night – Quintron & Miss Pussycat
Jul Song – Dark Horses
What Child Is This? – Sleepy Sun
No More Christmas Blues – The Vacant Lots
Time Of The Season – Sons Of Hippies
Santa Claus – The Fuzztones
Christmas Tears – Eli Cook
Little Drummer Boy – The Movements
Jingle Bell Rock – Quintron & Miss Pussycat
Frosty The Snowman – The Candy Store
Run Rudolph Run – Psychic Ills
Mele Kalikimaka – Dead Meadow
Jingle Bells – He 5
White Christmas (Guitar Stooge Version) – Iggy Pop

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