Album: Various Artists - A Damaged Christmas Gift For You

Christmas albums can traditionally be slippery beasts with a whole host of quality control issues. This is not unlike the compilation albums that also make an appearance at this time of year, with one or maybe two previously unreleased tracks, which are targeted to separate long-term fans from their cash.

An artist may write a handful of tunes to celebrate overindulgence, inclement weather and, occasionally, a mythical birth at the eastern end of the Mediterranean. However, from there on in, it’s usually cover versions that sound like carbon copies of the originals and shockingly large amounts of low-grade filler.

Damaged Goods records has decided to side-step this problem by shanghai-ing the lion’s share of their roster to contribute a song each to this seasonal compilation.

Hence, we get a festive retread of a tune from the Courettes’ recent album, Back In Mono, and a vamp on the Premiers’ garage punk classic “Farmer John” by Thee Headcoatees. Holly Golightly lays down some quirky comedy Country’n’Western with “Christmas Tree on Fire” and Helen Love crashes into the Ramones’ “Merry Christmas (I Don’t Wanna Fight)” and adds a splash of Abba’s “Super Trouper”. There’s even a contribution from punk goddess, Poly Styrene, who’s not been with us for over a decade.

Inevitably, there are a few clunkers too. Not least, TV Smith’s Grinch-like “Xmas Bloody Xmas” and Wild Billy Childish and the Musicians of the British Empire’s “Christmas 1979”. But it’s all a bit of fun and not to be taken too seriously. That said, A Damaged Christmas Gift For You really is a welcome break from Wings’ hideous “Wonderful Christmastime” and the other musical horrors that will soon be getting thrust upon us whenever we venture out to our local shopping centres. It’s just a pity that it’s unlikely to be heard in any of those venues.

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