Album Review: Punk Goes Christmas – Deluxe Edition (Fearless)

Punk Goes Christmas: Deluxe Edition is the seventeenth album in the Punk Goes… series by created by Fearless. It is a re-release of the Punk Goes Christmas that was released back in 2013. It contains the same songs as the 2013 version with four bonus tracks added as well as a slightly different track listing layout.

A mix of original tracks and covers, let’s get this straight from the start. Punk Goes Christmas: Deluxe Edition should probably be called Pop-Punk Goes Christmas: Deluxe Edition. Yes, it’s being nit-picky but there’s a pretty clear distinction between the styles. Those hoping for something with a ton of raw, fiery punk energy will find themselves seriously disappointed here. Even more so when you see the track listing and find covers of Coldplay, ‘N Sync, Arthur Fiedler and the Boston Pops Orchestra, and Judy Garland on it.

Who cares though! It’s Christmas! Surely, we get upbeat jolly holly covers right? Well, that’s not quite the case with only a handful being worth your time. Those certainly don’t include Yellowcard’s version of Coldplay’s Christmas Lights (a tepid listen). Nor do they include The Summer Set’s electronica version of Donny Hathaway’s This Christmas or Issues’ horrible version of ‘N Sync’s Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays.

Elsewhere though Man Overboard deliver a kick-ass version of The Kink’s Father Christmas that doesn’t drift too far from the original. August Burns Red’s cover of John Williams’ Home Alone Theme is awesome (even if calling this band punk is stretching it). Being As An Ocean really make Judy Garland’s Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas their very own and William Beckett does a nice job of Do You Hear What I Hear? by Harry Simeone Chorale.

Of the original tracks, New Found Glory’s Nothing for Christmas is mellow and sweet. All Time Low provide one of the chunkiest and in turn, most festive sounding efforts with Fool’s Holiday. Sunrise Skater Kids embody their 12 Days of a Pop-Punk Christmas with amusing lyrics and a desperation to get the repetitiveness over quickly. Though the real highlight comes right near the end with Set It Off’s sinister and grandiose heavyweight, This Christmas Day (I’ll Burn It to The Ground).

There is some quality here but considering it is 16 tracks long, it misses the mark way more than it hits. Especially in regards to a lot of the covers.

Various Artists – Punk Goes Christmas: Deluxe Edition Full Track Listing:

1. Nothing For Christmas (New Found Glory)
2. Fool’s Holiday (All Time Low)
3. I Had a Heart (Real Friends)
4. 12 Days of a Pop-Punk Christmas (Sunrise Skater Kids)
5. Father Christmas (Man Overboard Covering the Kinks)
6. This Christmas (The Summer Set Covering Donny Hathaway)
7. There Will Be No Christmas (Crown the Empire)
8. Christmas Lights (Yellowcard Covering Coldplay)
9. Home Alone Theme (August Burns Red Covering John Williams)
10. Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays (Issues Covering ‘N Sync)
11. All I Can Give You (Jason Lancaster)
12. Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas (Being As An Ocean Covering Judy Garland)
13. I Don’t Wanna Spend Another Christmas Without You (The Ready Set)
14. Sleigh Ride (This Wild Life Covering Arthur Fiedler and the Boston Pops Orchestra)
15. This Christmas Day (I’ll Burn It to The Ground) (Set It Off)
16. Do You Hear What I Hear? (William Beckett Covering the Harry Simeone Chorale)