Celebrating its first anniversary and bringing in the festive cheer is KIDS record label proffering original Christmas tunes and versions of some familiar old numbers from some of the best of unsigned new talent. Limited to 500 bargain-priced cds but also available for download, the word could well get around before the first mincey pie is munched.
KIDS Allstars open with Slade's 'Merry Christmas Everybody' in a Sham 69 proto-punk garage-band style that would bemuse Noddy Holder, with Oppenheimer bringing a candy-coated take on Phil Spector's 'Christmas (Baby Please Come Home)' and tinkly percussion. Mighty Six Ninety throw a log on the fire with 'White Christmas' delivered by a sensitive vocalist with Ennio Morricone atmospherics, and Findlay Brown has an absolutely darling take on George Michael's 'Last Christmas' with whistling refrains and a vocal like Don McLean - oozing gorgeousness. Sam Elliott reworks 'Walking In a White Christmas' from The Snowman's 'Walking In The Air' and 'White Christmas' delivered with a Terence Trence Darby panache.
Rocking good tunes come from It Hugs Back with a Grandaddy-esque original tune 'Christmas On The Square' - all manner of skew-whiffery sonics and good verse - "...I've got suspicion/ of the Christmas edition..."; The Wombats blast out 'Is This Christmas?' in a catchy indie-vein asking - "...Is this Christmas/ my dear/ whatever happened to the festive cheer..."; and Captain Kidd celebrate the other Bank Holiday with 'Boxing Day Ride' complete with warbly sonics and a touch of Marc Bolan in the vocal.
Stocking fillers (unwanted socks) come from The Young Playthings with 'Whataya Want For Christmas?' [a Dukla Prague away kit, of course], plus spangly Euro-pop from two Swedish teenies West End Girls who specialise in covers of The Pet Shop Boys dangling the ersatz 'Always On My Mind' from the tree, and Popular Workshop with an angular cubist -interpretation of The Waitresses 'Christmas Wrapping'.
Burning of music is seldom if ever promoted by Gigwise - actual 'torch that disc burning', not copying; but some of the Christmas tunes we hear as we trudge through December would merit inclusion in a funereal undertaking. This release would rise from those ashes like a Partridge or Robin red-breast. It's a Chrimbo cracker that'll add stuffing to the goose the KIDS label is cooking. Good cheer to that house.
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