// Category Archive for: Holidays

Ten Valentine’s Suggestions For The Discerning Fannibal

By Less Lee Moore

“Hannibal-entine” by Brandon Bird

While recent developments in pop culture news have led Hannibal fans to believe that we might never get that fourth season of the greatest TV show of all time, it doesn’t mean we have stopped pining for it. We’ll never stop fawning over our favorite fancy cannibal, Hannibal Lecter, and his beloved empath, Will Graham. As Valentine’s Day approaches, we wonder: What kinds of rare gifts might this pair of murder husbands exchangeor even seek to acquire for their homicidal brethren?
(more…)

Tyler Talks Horror: Krampus

By Tyler Hodg

Hi, my name is Tyler Hodgkinson and I am a total horror n00b. In this series, I’ll be taking a look at classic, cult classic, and modern horror films with ignorant eyes. Its concept is scary simple. (more…)

Music Review: The Ventures, The Ventures’ Christmas Album

By Melissa Bratcher

Do you lament the lack of surf/Christmas music on your playlist? Are your instrumental Christmas albums just a little too staid? Did you know the Ventures put out a Christmas album in 1965? Did you know that it was called The Ventures’ Christmas Album and that Real Gone Records is reissuing it on CD? Did you also know that it is enormously, utterly fun?
(more…)

Music Review: Ray Conniff And The Ray Conniff Singers, The Complete Columbia Christmas Recordings

By Melissa Bratcher

Real Gone Music is here to save Christmas from oversinging, too-shiny production, and weird warbles with their reissues of classic Christmas albums. One of these? Ray Conniff and the Ray Conniff Singers’ The Complete Columbia Christmas Recordings. Collecting best-selling choral albums We Wish You A Merry Christmas (1962) and Here We Come A-Caroling (1965), The Complete Columbia Recordings has all of the classic Christmas songs you could possibly need, done with inspired choral arrangements and a tremendous amount of charm. It’s a retro trip back to the days of silver Christmas trees and really big record player cabinets, and it’s utterly enjoyable.
(more…)

Music Review: The Blind Boys Of Alabama, Go Tell It On The Mountain

By Melissa Bratcher

It took until 2003 for The Blind Boys Of Alabama to release a Christmas album, but the wait was worth it. Now, Omnivore is reissuing Go Tell It On The Mountain with bonus material (as they do and do so well) in time for your holiday playlist, and it is a welcome addition.
(more…)

Music Review: Tony Hadley, The Christmas Album

By Melissa Bratcher

As the front man of Spandau Ballet, Tony Hadley was the purveyor of slick, soulful songs. His rich voice was perfect for their tracks of intrigue, drama, and yearning love. And, as Tony Hadley’s The Christmas Album shows, he’s still soulful and slick.
(more…)

Popshifter Will Be Back After Christmas

Have a great holiday, everyone! We’ll see you on December 28!

Ho Ho Humbug: Christmas Music For Miscreants

By Less Lee Moore

If you have to leave the house at any point between November 1 and Christmas Eve, chances are good that you’re going to have to hear the same, tired, annoying, and cloying holiday songs over and over again.

Don’t worry; I’m not going to tell you to cheer up or anything. I do, however, have some musical suggestions for you to put on your iPod so that you don’t have to endure the billionth repeat of “Wonderful Christmastime,” but which will still allow you to maintain that air of cool, annoyed resignation that is the only way to get through the holiday season.

(more…)

Today In Pop Culture: 50 Years of “A Charlie Brown Christmas”

By Jeffery X Martin

Not only does it have the greatest dance scene ever committed to celluloid (you know it’s true), but A Charlie Brown Christmas is also one of the most well-loved television specials of all time. It works on many different levels and, even though it has definite Christian leanings, the cartoon crosses those potentially limiting boundaries with a sophistication that bursts through the lines of what was expected of a child’s entertainment.

(more…)

Music Review: Nat King Cole, The Christmas Song

By Melissa Bratcher

Nat King Cole’s album The Christmas Song is a masterpiece. Year after year, Cole’s dulcet tones fill the airwaves, kindling warm feelings of nostalgia through his tracks. The songs on The Christmas Songs are (save one, the little-heard “A Cradle In Bethlehem”) classics, and Cole’s performances are easy, understated treasures.

(more…)