Various - A Very Cherry Christmas 2 (Cherryade)

One that stands out in recent memory is the Low Christmas EP of 1999, which reminded the sensitively-inclined of the potential for truly soulful yuletide magic. Of course, beyond logical argument, the greatest Christmas record of all time is Half Man Half Biscuit's It's Cliched to be Cynical at Christmas - a heartfelt condemnation of the Curmudgeon Culture which this Cherryade LP does well to follow its lead.

The pivot of A Very Cherry Christmas 2 is the Zoltan Kodaly School For Girls version of Lewie's Stop the Cavalry, a humble bit of instrumental play from a band of collegiate recorder terrorists billed as "the world's first all girl post-modern recorder quartet." Pocket Gods had earlier got it all underway with the exuberant statement "It's Christmas Eve and I'm pissed again," their tune jangling away with abrasive glee, and now I'm listening to Paul Hawkins, who seems pretty pissed off too, in that festive way, about to Get A Divorce For Christmas.

Pretty insane stuff, and drowning their sorrows with them are ex-Hefner man Jack Hayter - still availed of the magic-mystery machines that created 2001's epic Dead Media. Jocky Vankataramen, ulogises Galloway spirit with a poignant social conscience. Jimmy from The Bobby McGees is wondering whether Santa can fit all the presents he wants under the tree, but his girlfriend, El, seeks a little more affection, perhaps a kiss under the mistletoe, which maybe she'll get when the world wakes up to the McGees' ukulele-inflected brilliance. Meanwhile Thee Cats Pajamas just want to crank up some atmospheric feedback with which to greet the mother-in-law.

Norwich's True Adventures lead a fringe group of melody-laden hipsters in an assault of the senses like fine wine and pudding, in the quintessentially pop rebellion with them the Low-like Chalkdust and Lucky Lucky Pidgeons. Their immaculately Swedish pop song Red Santa is at the time of writing possibly the finest thing I've ever heard, all jaunty rhythms and cute as hell girl vocals, speaking to the warmest, fun-most part of the human soul.

Is that Ryan Hardy accusing Santa of having an erection? Surely not. His I Saw Santa ushers in the lo-fi, festive whimsy of Beatnik Filmstars and Candy Panic Attack, who's On The Dole At Christmas is like a ceremonial parade of last years toys across the living room floor on Christmas Day, all condemned chugging and unwanted sadness. Uke Stanza' s A little Tree meanwhile has that same stunning air of redemption and, unbelievably, that very same voice as Johnny Cash, only it's his own, and I don't think he's fucking about. Amazing.

Life With Bells (not Without Buildings) provide the "all you need for Christmas is an atmospheric bit of electronica" thought, their Last Noel shimmering with downbeat charm like that lost second Waitresses hit, before pushing out the lo-fi we have Wizard-tinged rock 'n' roll, Dawn Of The Replicants taking on Simply Having A Wonderful Christmas Time with a different kind of box-of-frog madness and Captain Polaroid firing away like Graham Coxon in Hefner playing to a retinue of Santa Clauses.

A humble feast of festive creativity, A Very Cherry Christmas 2 2 reminds me of the only time I actually enjoyed going to Sunday school, albeit to render mischief, and while some old dogs fish around for the classics to fill loved ones' stockings this year, I'll stick with this. Tears, alcohol, divorce, Cash, Swedish pop and Santa's erection. Happy Christmas indeed.

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