FEARLESS RECORDS decided to get into the Holiday Spirit for 2010 with the digital release of their first-ever Christmas album. Released this week, the 8-song album features seven original Holiday tunes alongside GO RADIO’s version of “O Holy Night.”
Just a few years ago, it was pretty common to find indie labels and speciality organizations putting out some fairly solid non-mainstream Holiday records filled with punk, indie, and otherwise under-the-radar acts. As music sales have slumped, the market for Holiday music has been hurt particularly bad, so that makes ‘TIS THE SEASON TO BE FEARLESS even more refreshing a release, albeit digtal-only.
FOR ALL THOSE SLEEPING gets things started with “Maybe This Christmas,” which channels a bit of the vibe delivered by BLINK 182 on their 1997 track “I Won’t Be Home For Christmas” in that it takes a somewhat jaded approach to the Christmas Holiday. THE MAINE’s “Ho Ho Hopefully” is a heartfelt acoustic ode to missing a loved one during the season, while BREATHE CAROLINA’s “Mile High Christmas” manages to name drop JERSEY SHORE “star” SNOOKIE due to a similarly-shaped snowman.
SPARKS THE RESCUE talks of having “an axe for X-mas” and a “ghost that follows them around” on “Christmas Brings Me Down,” while AMELY, LET’S GET IT, and ARTIST VS. POET also check in with solid additions to the record.
It’s not ground-breaking, and a couple of the songs are almost a little too emo, but that’s ok because ‘TIS THE SEASON is a fun entry into the 2010 Holiday field, and “fun” is something desperately needed these days.
Rating: 3.5/5
