- Audio CD (28 Mar 2011)
- Number of Discs: 1
- Label: Ze Records
- ASIN: B0006G8KS2
- Other Editions: MP3 Download
- Average Customer Review: 3.0 out of 5 stars See all reviews (1 customer review)
- Amazon Bestsellers Rank: 126,857 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)
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Product Description
CD Description
Deluxe digipack cd. 16 page booklet . Though best known as the birthplace of the Waitresses libidinous, evergreen classic, Christmas Wrapping, A Christmas Record 1981 is best I can figure the first ever alternative Christmas album. This album was the first complete, coherent, full length record to arrive from left of the dial. At the time, actually, we might have called the music on A Christmas Record new wave, though no wave would have been more accurate. A Christmas Record is a fascinating listen, ranging from evocative, ambient meditations to bleating free jazz to tasteful, tuneful pop. Among the rarified crowd that has actually heard A Christmas Record, most comment on James Whites Christmas With Satan. White was the provocateur behind such no wave icons as the Contortions, but his droll, blasphemous, nearly tuneless piece of skronk belies the LPs true intention. Most Ze Records were, by their own admission, mutant disco twisted or tortured perhaps, but celebratory and kinetic at their core. Hence, A Christmas Record sounds like a party, albeit the strangest one ever thrown in honor of Old St. Nick. While resident Ze diva Christina and Detroit weirdos Was Not Was work up a propulsive head of steam, they develop a severe case holiday blues. Kid Creole & The Coconuts leader August Darnell, however, sounds positively gleeful celebrating Christmas On Riverside Drive, and the dense funk of Material vocals courtesy Nona Hendryx leaves no doubt that It's A Holiday. Even Alan Vega half of doleful, proto-industrial duo Suicide manages to sound almost cheerful, proclaiming No More Christmas Blues. Tracks : 1 LISI My Silent Night, 2 ALAN VEGA No More Christmas Blues, 3 CRISTINA Things fall Apart, 4 MISS OD & GENTLEMEN LEAGUE Bells of Christmas, 5 THE WAITRESSES Christmas Wrapping, 6 LIO, HELENA NOGUERRA & MARIE FRANCE Sleigh Ride, 7 CHARLELIE COUTURE Christmas Fever, 8 DAVITT SIGERSON It's a Big Country, 9 AUGUST DARNELL Christmas on Riverside Drive, 10 MATERIAL & NONA HENDRYX It's a Holiday, 11 WAS ( NOT WAS) Christmas Time in Motor City, 12 JAMES WHITE Christmas with Satan, 13 SUICIDE Hey Lord
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
2 of 4 people found the following review helpful
Format:Audio CD
I bought this on cassette when it first came out and played it religiously (no pun intended) every Christmas. I was into Was Not Was and Kid Creole and therefore was not going to pass up the chance of hearing songs from other label mates on Ze.
This CD features a slightly different line up. People who buy this should not expect to find standard pop fodder so those of you who like Sugarbabes and X Factor artists, look elsewhere. Those of you who are more adventurous in taste should find something of interest. Christmas Wrapping by the Waitresses is played every Christmas now yet at the time barely had airplay. My personal favourite is It's a holiday by Material.
The fact that you can listen to a sample of each song should give you an idea as to whether you'll like it or not. I'l be playing my copy again soon.
This CD features a slightly different line up. People who buy this should not expect to find standard pop fodder so those of you who like Sugarbabes and X Factor artists, look elsewhere. Those of you who are more adventurous in taste should find something of interest. Christmas Wrapping by the Waitresses is played every Christmas now yet at the time barely had airplay. My personal favourite is It's a holiday by Material.
The fact that you can listen to a sample of each song should give you an idea as to whether you'll like it or not. I'l be playing my copy again soon.
Most Helpful Customer Reviews on Amazon.com (beta)
Amazon.com:
3 reviews
5 of 5 people found the following review helpful
Not Just Another "Merry Christmas" Record
17 July 2005
Format:Audio CD|Amazon Verified Purchase
The album has its share of happy music (including the first recording of The Waitresses' "Christmas Wrapping"), and even has it nauseatingly sweet tune ("It's a Big Country," a song about a man's widely scattered family). However, some songs in this collection invoke darker moods, moods usually referred to only in talk shows: "No More Christmas Blues" does its best to fight the Christmas Blues the singer seems to be suffering, "Things Fall Apart" (Cristina) talks about loneliness, enuii and memories of forced cheer on the part of the singer and "Christmas Time In the Motor City" (Was Not Was, they also produced Things Fall Apart) goes further and hits upon joblessness and homelessness. The three christmas classics (not on the original release of this) lift the mood of the release in a good way, as they're done straight without being nauseatingly so.
3 of 3 people found the following review helpful
My All Time Favorite Christmas Album!
2 Oct 2011
Format:Audio CD
This CD reissue includes all the best songs from the original white vinyl LP and adds a few new ones. (Collectors note: the black vinyl LP has yet a different track listing). The standout tracks are "Christmas Wrapping" (Waitresses) of course, the sublime "Christmas on Riverside Drive", ex-Rolling Stone reviewer Davitt Sigerson's "It's A Big Country", and best of all the wonderful Cristina's "Things Fall Apart", my all-time favorite Christmas song. Cristina never got her due but she is worth searching for, especially her incredible version of Peggy Lee's "Is That All There Is" on a old Rodney on the Roq vinyl as a hidden track!
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful
Amazing alternative ZE album
17 Mar 2010
Amazon Verified Purchase
I'm Jewish, so I normally don't go out buying every Christmas CD, but this one is amazing. ZE records consistently produces brilliant talent, and this is no exception. It's a compilation of some of the best artists on the ZE label. Highly recommended :)
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