Continuing on the road of the perhaps not-so-merry is this song from a band whose name implies its members are hunting one of Mr. Kringle’s famous reindeer.
I first came across Blitzen Trapper a few years ago when I downloaded their song “Furr” for free from someplace where you can download free songs (it was totes legal). I liked it. It’s the only song I’d heard of theirs until this one.
“Christmas is Coming Soon” is nice and melodic — but when coupled with the lyrics, the tone alternates between sweet, wistful, desirous and haunting. Each verse consists of a collage of images, some of which are curiously juxtaposed. It’s kind of like driving along a backwoods highway (perhaps to grandmother’s house…) getting glimpses of other people’s lives through frost-encrusted windows on a dark winter evening.
Donkey kong, candle wax
Muddy stains on brand new slacks
Ten o’clock and all is well
Messy hair and jingle bells
Christmas is coming soon…
The video exacerbates the peculiar juxtaposition by showing a series of looping vignettes that have nothing to do with the words being sung. The jolting, shaky, repetitive imagery enhances the arpeggiated picking style of the acoustic guitar.