Santa's Got a GTO, various artists (Dionysus)
The subtitle to this 1997 album is "Rodney on the ROQ's Fav X-mas Songs" and it was assembled by Rodney Bingenheimer, the Georgie Jessel of the Los Angeles punk-pop music scene. It's kind of a benefit album, in that Rodney's using the proceeds to pay off the probate on his mother's estate. Nevertheless, there are 21 cuts on this album, which means Rodney's made a lot of friends in his illustrious career as LA scene-maker. Some of his friends are pretty well-known themselves, like Jane Wiedlin of the Go-Gos, who sings "Frosty the Snowman" with froSTed; Nina Hagen, who performs "Mary Xmas"; Redd Kross, making their second Christmas appearance this year with "Super Sunny Christmas; and Wednesday Week and the Cranes. Other notable cuts are Pencil Test's "Runaway Christmas," the only Christmas song dedicated to Joan Jett's first band; the title song by The Ramonas; "Santa Doesn't Come to Little Jewish Children's Houses" by the *** Kids, which earns a Hanukkah alert, along with Velouria's "Til Next Hanukkah"; and The Boss Martians' "Christmas Time," a Sixties homage although, liner notes to the contrary, it doesn't really sound that much like the Beach Boys. The Jigsaw Seen's "God Rest Ye Merry, Gentlemen" was originally on Stuff This in Your Stocking, but it's still good, as is Methadone Cocktail's "I Don't Believe in Santa Claus." Overall, a strong compilation, especially if your taste leans toward modern pop-rock.
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