A POP PUNK CHRISTMAS CAROL
Various Artists
(Gutter Pop Records)
By Mike O’Cull www.mikeocull.com
A Pop Punk Christmas Carol is a brand new compilation album from St. Louis’ Gutter Pop Records that makes the perfect gift for any rocker out there looking to heat up their holiday soundtrack. The set features punk bands from Russia, Japan, the USA, Germany, Canada, and the UK blasting through their favorite Christmas songs and doing their best to make the season loud, fast, jolly, and bright. A Pop Punk Christmas Carol includes tracks from punk luminaries including The Radio Buzzkills, The Vindictives, The Black Russians, Pavid Vermin, J Prozac, and many others who have rocked up a bunch of public domain holiday songs we’ve heard our whole lives and turned them into one of the freshest releases of the year.
The Radio Buzzkills get the party started with a crunchy and melodic version of “O Holy Night” that sets the tone for the rest of the record. The Buzzkills pump a lot of wattage into this holiday chestnut’s cottage and the band’s trademark male and female vocals add a brilliant bit of sweetness over the top. The Black Russians put down a scorching take on “Silent Night” that’ll light up your tree all season long and features the best punk guitar solo that’s ever been recorded for this legendary song.
The Vindictives deliver a cover of “Jingle Bells” that will blow the roof off of Santa’s workshop and goes places this eternal Christmas favorite has never gone before. Gutter Romance contributes an acoustic version of “I Saw Three Ships” that dials back the distortion for a moment and makes its bones with sweet female vocals and a festive vibe. J Prozac gives “Angels We Have Heard On High” a full-bore epic rock re-telling that’s both majestic and uplifting and will overheat any caroling session anywhere anytime.
Punk supergroup Jason V and the Casualties steal the show, however, with a full-throttle version of “Joy To The World” that begins with the rock guitar glory of Christmas morning and ends with the flush of a toilet. The band is comprised of some of today’s most crucial punks including vocalists Jason V (The Jasons), Aleksandr666 (TheBlack Russians), and Zac Buzzkill (The Radio Buzzkills), bassist/vocalist Jen Buzzkill (The Radio Buzzkills), guitarists Zenochka Khrushchev (The Black Russians) and Gene Buzzkill (The Radio Buzzkills) and drummer Comrade Mirko Sullivan (The Radio Buzzkills) and used all this firepower to capture what is arguably the greatest rendition of this Christmas classic humanity has ever generated.
A Pop Punk Christmas Carol contains more cool music than words can express and is a smashing success on all levels. Other stellar outfits appearing on it include Sad Sally, The Evil O’Briens, You Dirty Rat, and Publicity Stunt. Mad respect to Gutter Pop Records for dropping the ultimate Christmas compilation of this or any holiday season. It might be too much for Grandma but everyone else is gonna love it.
LISTEN ON BANDCAMP:
https://gutterpoprecords.bandcamp.com/album/a-pop-punk-christmas-carol