Customer Reviews

New Wave Xmas: Just Can't Get Enough

5 star:		(4)
4 star:		(5)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I would rate this X-Mas compilation a 5+ on the strength of track #10 alone. Captain Sensible's 1984 single, "One Christmas Catalogue" is one of the best pop songs I have ever heard. It's synth pop intermingled with overdubs of sound bytes from distant Christmas movies of the past, create a nostalgic overload. I first heard this song on the radio in December of 1995 while attending Brigham Young University. And up until just recently I was finally able to locate this CD and buy it. "One Christmas Catalogue" is a classic 80's hit that deserves much more airplay during the holidays. It isn't every day you stumble onto a song this good! This is a must have single for any 80's alternative pop fan!

This is a good compilation of somewhat rare Christmas songs. It says "New Wave" in the title, but that's stretching it. I certainly wouldn't call Los Lobos, David Bowie or They Might Be Giants "New Wave". But there probably aren't enough Christmas songs by actual New Wave performers to fill a CD, so they had to stretch the definition a bit. Regardless of all that, this is an enjoyable Christmas CD. Any CD that features the great "Fairytale of New York" (my sister's favorite Christmas song) is worth purchasing. There are also great contributions by XTC, the Pretenders, Captain Sensible, They Might Be Giants and others. But not everything is great, alas. "Xmas at K-Mart" is pretty bad, in my opinion. But the good songs far outway the bad songs, so this is a worthwhile Christmas album. Here is the track listing:

1. Thanks for Christmas - The Three Wise Men [aka XTC]
2. Christmas Day - Squeeze
3. Fairytale of New York - The Pogues featuring Kristy MacColl
4. Rudolph the Manic Reindeer - Los Lobos
5. 2000 Miles - The Pretenders
6. Santa Claus - Throwing Muses
7. Little Drummer Boy - Miracle Legion
8. Xmas at K-Mart - Root Boy Slim & the Sex Change Band
9. Peace on Earth/Little Drummer Boy - David Bowie and Bing Crosby
10. One Christmas Catalogue - Captain Sensible
11. All I Want for Christmas - Timbuk 3
12. Shouldn't Have Given Him a Gun for Christmas - Wall of Voodoo
13. Santa's Beard - They Might Be Giants
14. Christmas - Buzz of Delight
15. Christmas Time - Chris Stamey Group
16. Mary Xmess - Sun 60
17. Careless Santa - Mono Puff

This is one of my favorite Christmas CDs! I play it over and over every year. Some of the rock n roll Christmas CDs seem to have the same songs, but this one has quite a few I haven't heard anywhere else. Christmas Day by Squeeze is probably my favorite, but I also love Santa's Beard by They Might be Giants, Santa Claus by Throwing Muses, Careless Santa by Mono Puff, and Mary XMess by Sun 60. And thrown in to round it out are some perennial favs like Peace on Earth/Little Drummer Boy by David Bowie and Bing Crosby, the great Fairytale of New York by the Pogues with the sadly deceased Kirsty MacColl, and 2000 Miles by the Pretenders. If you're looking for an alternative to tradition but only want to buy one or two CDs, this should definitely be one of them!

I really do love this CD but I do agree with the other reviewers who said that some of the artists on this CD are NOT New Wave groups. Specifically They Might Be Giants, The Buzz Of Delight, Chris Stamey Group and Mono Puff.
If these artists were replaced with the following:

Pet Shop Boys - It Doesn't Snow Often On Christmas
Erasure - God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen
Depeche Mode - Christmas Island
Max Headroom - Merry Christmas, Santa Claus (You're A Lovely Guy)

I, Pat, would be a great deal happier. Anyhoo, that's all I have to say for now. I might be back to edit this review later; but until then... Have a Happy Christmas and a... Merry New Year... is that right?

For the last 30 years I've been searching my local record stores at Christmas time for this CD, and I've yet to find a used copy, why ? because it's such great Christmas fun, you'll want to keep it. What criteria does Amazon.com use for converting CD's to Mp3's ??? I'd pay $10 for this CD in a store just for 'X-mas at K-Mart' by Root Boy Slim, so why can't I find it for 99 cents as an Mp3 ? maybe Santa will leave me a copy this year. Happy Holidays !

My husband had been looking for this CD for sometime. It is a great CD with a good mix of songs. :)

This is a good compilation of somewhat rare Christmas songs. It says "New Wave" in the title, but that's stretching it. I certainly wouldn't call Los Lobos, David Bowie or They Might Be Giants "New Wave". But there probably aren't enough Christmas songs by actual New Wave performers to fill a CD, so they had to stretch the definition a bit. Regardless of all that, this is an enjoyable Christmas CD. Any CD that features the great "Fairytale of New York" (my sister's favorite Christmas song) is worth purchasing. There are also great contributions by XTC, the Pretenders, Captain Sensible, They Might Be Giants and others. But not everything is great, alas. "Xmas at K-Mart" is pretty bad, in my opinion. But the good songs far outway the bad songs, so this is a worthwhile Christmas album.

I ordered this item for Christmas. Not only did it arrive before Christmas, but the recipient loved it, and it was in great shape! Thanks!

I finally found some of the hidden Yuletide Treasure that sparked the reason for seasonal searching. Under this X - mas title, you too will be able to dig up a goodly stash of songs with which to relive the lost days of youth. Tracks from the '70s, '80s, and '90s that could not {or would not} fit into mainstream rock format. Nevertheless with each year's Yultide season increasing requests into progressive AAA radio resulted in a swelling underground of enlightenment and poiqnant pleas of interest...Sometimes your wishes do come true, with supplementary songs you had no inkling you needed. Merrily Mix tracks 1,2,3,4,5,6,8,10,11,12,13,14,15,16. Post Script: Liner notes describe many a tune's odyssey from obscurity, Thanks ALOT to those respondsible for reconsolidatoin***buyit\shareit\giveit\donateit***

I had high hopes for this CD but was somewhat disappointed. To me, the spirit of "new wave" was fun and pop -- the bright side of punk.

But this CD tends to be cynical and downbeat - more like what I'd expect from punk.

But, if you have a programmable CD player or MP3 player, there are a few songs that deserve to be in a custom mix.