Alan Cross’ music picks: The Christmas 2019 edition

The music industry is entering a month-long holiday hibernation period when very little is on the release schedule, but there are a few stragglers. Use ’em as you see fit.

1. Blink-182, Not Another Christmas Song

If it seems that there’s more Christmas music out there than ever before, you’re right. Someone’s gotta feed the appetite of all those radio stations that flip to all-holiday formats after all the Santa Claus parades are out of the way. But not all are necessarily composed with mall or office listening in mind. Case in point, this bit of festiveness from Blink-182.

2. Marilyn Manson vs. Mariah Carey, All I Want for Christmas is the Beautiful People

Twenty-five years after it was first released, Mariah Carey’s All I Want for Christmas is You finally reached the #1 position on the Billboard Hot 100 charts. When I checked Thursday, the damn song had been spun on North American radio 10,566 times in the last seven days and streamed 3.9 million times in Canada and 40.2 million times in America. This mashup cut with Marilyn Manson’s The Beautiful People may make it a little easier to handle.

3. Radiohead vs Mariah Carey, Creep But It’s All I Want for Christmas

And this is what happens when you crossbreed Mariah with Radiohead. Sorry, Thom.

4. Slayer vs. Wham!, Last Christmas/Angel of Death

Let’s see them make a holiday movie out of this.

0:40 Alanis Morissette announces ‘Jagged Little Pill’ tour dates

Ministry, (Every Day Is) Halloween (acoustic)

In 1984, Al Jourgensen and Ministry released a Goth/industrial song for the ages. Thirty-five years later, the song has been stripped down to an acoustic version for a seven-inch single that comes with a new coffee table book called Ministry: Prescripture. Perfect for Christmas gift-giving!

Bonus Tracks

Sorry, Rock’n’Roll Star

Here’s a woozy sort of song from a North London outfit with a shape-shifting sort of sound. This latest single would not sound out of place on a Sonic Youth album from 1992.

Sheenah Ko, Wrap Me Up

Sheenah, a core member of Besnard Lakes and a one-time touring keyboardist with Bedouin Soundclash, has a sophomore album entitled Nowhere in Time set for early next year. Instead of a traditional video, this lead-off single comes with a short film.

Crash Vegas, Inside Out

The band Crash Vegas was only around for three albums, but its members accomplished so much. Co-founded by Michelle McAdorey (daughter of Bob, a Toronto TV news fixture) and her then-romantic partner Greg Keelor of Blue Rodeo, the group also featured bassist Jocelyn Lanois (sister of Daniel), and Colin Cripps (later of Junkhouse). This was the first single from their 1990 debut, Red Earth.

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Alan Cross is a broadcaster with 102.1 the Edge and Q107, and a commentator for Global News.

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