Californian Blank Tapes teamed up with tons of bands from Burger Records to create a three hour Christmas-themed compilation. Among more than seventy new tracks, No Gifts This Xmas stands out with a gentle rock’n’roll atmosphere, filled with sleigh bells and delicate arrangements.
Telling the story of a man full of regrets at the end of the year, the track pleasantly flows on a speeded-up blues pattern, offering catchy melodies soaked in a melancholic mood. The entire song lays on an circular chord progression, combining bright guitar lines with soft drums.
The airy vocals help to turn this track into a Christmas song, with bluesy tones that slightly convert the jovial feelings into a bitter-flavoured confession. Indeed, describing the condition of a loner walking in a city full of gleaming decorations and fluffy snowflakes, this ballad stands from an outside point of view: at the end of the day the catchy jingles look more cynical than expected.
The band already proved a stunning songwriting on their latest album Vacation, entirely available via their Bandcamp account. Confirming once again a creatively inspired year, this Christmas song is one of the gems you can find on Burger Records Holiday mix.