Electric Ornaments - An Idol Records Christmas Collection

You hate to let a good chance to sell some records over the holiday season pass you by and Idol Records are no different than anyone else. Hence, Electric Ornaments: An Idol Records Christmas Collection. Planted firmly in the indie rock mainstream, the 18 songs by bands on Idol and friends of the label include some holiday chestnuts and newly written songs too. The cream of the crop are quite creamy indeed; Centro-Matic’s wonderful “Fusilage (It’s Starting to Look Like Christmas Once Again),” the Death Ray Davies’ “I Got Coal,” the Adventures of Jet’s “Waiting for Christmas” and Ciao!’s “Just Fine” are the best new songs while Vibrolux’s moody “I’ll Be Home for Christmas,” Pinkston’s faithful “Father Christmas” and Falcon Project’s “Little Drum & Bass Boy” are fine updates of Christmas classics. Any indie rocker would be pleased as punch to find this tiny gem under their tree come X-mas morning. – Tim Sendra