Following on the heels of 1994's The Coolest Christmas, Oglio Records returns to the holiday spirit with a cup of eggnog and some mistletoe on their most recent release, The Edge of Christmas.
Can we say "Hallelujah!"? Probably the "biggest" holiday song not to appear on a compilation CD is the Waitresses' "Christmas Wrapping", and that track is definitely the highlight of this 12 song compilation. While some of the tracks have appeared elsewhere (the David Bowie/Bing Crosby cut, also released by Oglio as a CD-Rom single, is fast approaching Elmo & Patsy's "Grandma Got Run Over By A Reindeer" as most overplayed holiday song), most of these cuts have rarely, if ever, seen the light of day on disk.
These obscure holiday tracks are the heart of this compilation. Where else can you hear the Cocteau Twins singing "Winter Wonderland" or the Smithereens singing "Rudolph, The Red-Nosed Reindeer"? Some of these only appeared on flexi-disc or MTV, but they've now been collected on one disc.
So, when you're going to relatives for Christmas dinner, and don't want to have to listen to the same tired music, pick up either Oglio compilation. Maybe it'll teach grandma how to be hip with some of the 1980's (and 1990's) cool alternative artists.
TRACK LISTING: Queen - Thank God It's Christmas, Pat Benatar - Please Come Home For Christmas, Pretenders - 2000 Miles, Kate Bush - December Will Be Magic Again, David Bowie & Bing Crosby, Peace On Earth / Little Drummer Boy, Cocteau Twins - Winter Wonderland, Smithereens - Rudolph The Red-Nosed Reindeer, Dave Edmunds - Run Run Rudolph, Payolas - Christmas Is Coming, Pogues featuring Kirsty MacColl - Fairytale of New York, Ramones - Merry Christmas (I Don't Want To Fight), Waitresses - Christmas Wrapping
