Hear Me Out: ‘Is This Christmas?’ by The Wombats is indie music’s worst attempt at a Christmas song
There are some people who, when it gets to mid-November, start running down shopping Highstreets with their ears firmly pressed against their ears in a bid to escape the relentless Christmas music that persistently plays. Elton John, Mariah Carey, and The Pogues can be heard from one end of the country to another, and for a solid six weeks, whether you love it or hate it, there is no escaping it.
Of course, not everybody hates Christmas music; quite the opposite, the majority of people quite enjoy it. It’s oddly nostalgic, given that we hear it every year, and it reminds us of Christmas’s past. Additionally, the songs are generally upbeat, catchy, and easy to sing along to, so we have them blasting as we dance in pubs with those we love.
Christmas songs don’t subscribe to a specific genre; however, as a general rule, most tracks fall into the realm of pop music, often bordering on rock. This is the perfect style which allows them to be so catchy and easy to put into the mainstream. When you think about classics such as ‘Step Into Christmas’, ‘I Wish It Could Be Christmas Everyday’ and ‘All I Want For Christmas Is You’, it’s hard to escape the fact that these songs work so well because of the style of music they pander to.
Regardless of whether you fall into the camp of loving or hating Christmas music, it’s hard to deny the lucrative nature of making as much. The hits are a constant, appearing every year as people everywhere embrace the cold, put on some music and get into the festive spirit. Mariah Carey alone makes millions every year thanks to the repeated plays of ‘All I Want For Christmas Is You’, so you can’t blame other artists for trying to get in on the action.
Amongst those artists who have tried to make Christmas music to cement themselves as Holiday legends are lovable indie rockers The Wombats. Let’s preface these next few paragraphs with something: I think The Wombats are great. Their first couple of albums resonate with me on a deep level, as they were the soundtrack to dirty dancefloors, debut drinks and first loves. Not only that, but even now, they continue to push the boat out with the music they make and keep creative ingenuity at the forefront of everything. That being said, their Christmas song, ‘Is This Christmas?’ has to be the worst indie Christmas track ever made.
The Wombats are like a bubbling pot; it only takes a little bit to have them boil over the top and ruin everything around them in the process. The hyperactive instrumentation, along with emotive and incredibly recognisable vocals, are all well and good, but sometimes, if they’re pushed too much or used in the wrong context, they can become unlistenable.
Take ‘Our Perfect Disease’ as an example. This song opens with light synth tapping and The Wombat’s lead singer, Matthew Murphy, delivering his unique vocals quickly. This works incredibly well, as the listener is immediately hooked, and the song builds on that foundation. What the band does with their Christmas song isn’t too far removed from this formula; however, it doesn’t work this time around.
The track starts like a standard Christmas song, with gentle sleigh bells setting an atmosphere. Things start to go downhill once the verse, “Twas the night before Christmas, and all through the house, not a creature was stirring, except for… A Wombat?” is read. As hard as it may be to accept, things get even worse after that, as the whole song starts too quickly for you to even take in, the band playing at 100 miles an hour without giving us a chance to ease into the crooks of the song at all. You’re immediately taken off guard, and it’s impossible to recover.
The track continues in a similar vein: upbeat, fast-paced, and incredibly hard to keep up with. Despite the chorus being so in the listener’s face, it blends into the background because every part of the song feels like it has been dialled up to 11. There are a number of good Christmas songs that indie bands have managed to put out, but unfortunately, ‘Is This Christmas?’ isn’t one of them.
