Blame it on metal, but I've never liked Christmas music. Michael McDonald, Sufjan Stevens, Frank Sinatra -- it doesn't matter who's crooning about the Yule log. In Christmas tunes, talent is easily traded for stilted sentimentality, one-off jokes, or trite, hazy-eyed nostalgia. But maybe that's just my cold coal heart. There should be exceptions to self-imposed rules. It's the giving season. And Dallas' Here Holy Spain is in the spirit to grant holiday wishes, having recently released a Christmas single on iTunes.
Never mind that Here Holy Spain wrote "God-[expletive] This Christmas." Or that it got the Toadies' Mark Reznicek to play drums and other friends to contribute back-up vocals to the new single. The song is indebted to the Alkaline Trio, and in more than just its title. The core of hooky, dark pop-punk feeds on much of the band's sound and dynamic. Church bells chime in after the track's first seconds, echoing Alkaline Trio's "We've Had Enough," and quickly sync up with a choppy riff that sounds like Dinosaur Jr. stripped of J. Mascis' guitar heroics. It's a Christmas-themed breakup lament made for the Warped Tour. Depending on your taste and/or relationship status, that might not be a bad thing.
Thanks for giving some attention to our tune, Cole :) Glad you agree with the 2 inspirations I listed for it, though I can't tell if its a slight or you actually dig it. Either way, who cares. Thanks again and Merry God-"[expletive]" Christmas!