The Jingle Punx - Discomfort And Joy


Last year around this time, this CD found its way to me via my PO Box. Regrettably, my schedule last Christmas prevented me from giving it a proper review before last Christmas. So I decided to review it now and point the spotlight their way before this Christmas (you can never go wrong buying a Christmas music aficionado a Christmas punk album).

This isn't the first time with these Punx (and I say that in the nicest possible way). Back in January of 2007, I reviewed their smashingly good "It's What I Got In My Sack" album. I concluded at that time that "every Christmas music collection should have at least one punk Christmas CD to shake things up now and then (or to purposely annoy that neighbor with the obnoxious Christmas display)."

Well, there's no Christmas lights up next door (yet) and I do like our neighbors. So it must be time to shake things up.

Recorded and released in 2007, this album (according to the release that accompanied the CD) is an exercise in variations of styles; from Butt Rock to Garage to PsychoBilly. It also captures for posterity their very first live concert ever in the form of 27 bonus tracks!



These guys are great with the studio tracks (1-6) and raucous, extreme, and even charming live on stage (8-33). They grab ahold of your favorite Christmas songs and give it the full punk treatment. The end result is a loud, listenable new take on Christmas - and it's all good!

I especially enjoyed hearing their onstage banter (see the video above) and their original Christmas song (It's What I Got In My Sack") played live. They also had a wonderful poem written by Angela Yesson before the concert tracks that detailed how the Punx prepped for their first gig.

I hope the Punx continue appearing live and make more albums. Any band that has Santa give out gifts at a gig then jump into a mosh pit is uniquely special:



I'm pushing the other Jingle Punx albums higher on my Santa wish list. Here's hoping St. Nick will be in a punk music sort of mood when he fills my sack this Christmas!

Sorry this took a year to review Doug, Steve O., Rico, Eric, and D.K. - I promise next time I won't make you wait so long.


Capt

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