Bad Religion

Christmas Songs

BY Ian GormelyPublished Oct 25, 2013

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What the hell? The contradictions at work on Christmas Songs are almost too many to mention. Bad Religion's career has been marked by the steady rhythm of a new album every two to three years, with the occasional live release or DVD thrown in for good measure. This is the group's first EP since Back to the Known in 1985 — way to break the cycle, gang! Then there's the concept of a band called Bad Religion, who have used the Crossbuster logo for their entire career and whose singer is a declared atheist, singing traditional Christmas spirituals ("O Come All Ye Faithful," "Hark! The Herald Angels Sing") without a hint of irony or social commentary. It's almost too much for the mind to take. The music is textbook Bad Religion: buzz-saw guitars drenched in vocal harmonies, propelled by rudimentary 4/4 beats. The group's famed "oohhhs" and "aahs" suit the material, but the hopes of yuletide radio royalties are the only reasons behind this release. Oh, and the Andy Wallace mix of "American Jesus" is tacked on at the end; you know, just because.
(Epitaph)

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