The non-Michael Buble world of Christmas music is saturated with indie rock courtesy of She & Him and Coldplay, so it’s refreshing when the genre is approached with some tongue-in-cheek cynicism. Enter Los Campesinos!, whose penchant for glockenspiel and chiming bells has never been more appropriate.
This festive album of mostly original songs has something for everyone: the recently heartbroken, the Grinch, the sarcastic teen, those who genuinely love the most saccharine Christmas carols. On the surface it’s upbeat, with boy-girl vocal harmonies and sunny melodies, but the lyrics are darker and perhaps more realistic. On The Trains Don’t Run, Gareth Campesinos! sings, “We sit in paper hats / our stomachs gorged / we vow to get drunk / before we get bored.” On sad synth ditty Lonely This Christmas, he wails, “My tears could melt the snow.” The album highlight is Kindle A Flame In Her Heart, where Gareth deadpans, “Merry Christmas, I wish you were here,” followed by one of the best guitar riffs in any Christmas song.
Top track: Kindle A Flame In Her Heart
