Released in 1994, It’s A Wonderful Record is an EP that was originally released on vinyl by Shadowy Men On A Shadowy Planet. This Christmas and holiday themed release featured SMOASP playing different holiday songs in addition to some originals. When it was originally released the album featured one side that was recorded at 45 RPM while the other side (side two) was recorded at 33 1/3 RPM. Side one, the 45 RPM side featured the instrumental track “Winterfresh” with its shuffle beats and frosty rhythms that are complimented with jingle bells towards the songs close and a choir. Track two on side A is actually a track by New Orleans band M.O.T.O (Masters of the Obvious). “Christmas is Coming” is a short garage pop track that is also jangly and catchy.
Track three starts side two. It is SMOASP’s take on the Christmas classic “Deck the Halls.” It is brief and also features the Vienna Boys Choir (as mentioned in the song). This coupled with the band’s trademark instrumental rhythms makes for a brief, but fuzzy feeling atmosphere that is captured on this holiday classic. It’s a Wonderful Record ends with longer track “The 12 Answering Machine Messages of Christmas.” This track is made up of both spoken word and musical parts. It is both hilarious and festive. The band launches through phone machine messages, brief instrumental tracks and even a message from Joey Ramone in twelve separate segments all composed into one collage of sounds. This track is one of the highlights of this release. It shows the band in all with their irreverent humour and instrumental prowess all in one track. It’s A Wonderful Record ends with the band’s take on “We Wish You A Merry Christmas.” Following the release of this EP, Shadowy Men On A Shadowy Planet did the soundtrack to the film Double Happiness (released in 1995) and are featured on three tracks of Fred Schneider’s Just Fred album (released in 1996). Shadowy Men On A Shadowy Planet did a reissue campaign of their albums in 2016, along with a reunion, not all tracks from their releases were present. It’s A Wonderful Record was also one of the last releases by the band before their original split in 1996. Shadowy Men On A Shadowy Planet has a myriad of different, unique and cool releases in their catalogue. This is just another example.
I wrote about SMOASP’s K Records EP Music For Pets recently. You can read about that here.
For more info about Shadowy Men On A Shadowy Planet visit:
Shadowy Site on a Shadowy Web
SMOASP Facebook Page
Show 914 Playlist (Originally Aired On December 25th, 2021)(2021 Holiday Episode):
1. James White - Christmas With Satan
2. Suicide - Hey Lord
3. Cristina - Things Fall Apart
4. Boris - Last Christmas
5. The Residents - Santa Dog '78
6. El Vez - Santa Claus Is Sometimes Brown
7. Iggy Pop - White Christmas
8. Arcade Fire - Jingle Bell Rock
9. King Khan & Friends - Christmas Time
10. The Galaxies - Please Come Home For Christmas
11. Mark Malibu & The Wasagas - Canadian Christmas
12. Surf Hermits - Santa's Rant
13. Low - Just Like Christmas
14. Descendants - Christmas Vacation
15. Duotang - Old Man Davie's Christmas Kingdom
16. The Ramblin' Ambassadors - Don't Fear the Reindeer
17. The Pointed Sticks - Power Pop Santa
18. Shadowy Men On A Shadowy Planet - Faster Santa Claus, Ho Ho Ho
19. The Damned - There Ain't No Sainty Claus
20. Shadowy Men On A Shadowy Planet - Santa's Compromise
21. Shadowy Men On A Shadowy Planet - Winterfresh
22. Thee Dundrells - Green Christmas
23. The Bell Peppers - I Can't Wait For Xmas
24. Deja Voodoo - Bugs For Christmas
25. Reigning Sound - If Christmas Can't Bring You Home
26. The Cosmonauts - It's Christmas Day
27. Quintron & Miss Pussycat - Jingle Bell Rock
28. Psychic Ills - Run Rudolph Run
29. Shadowy Men On A Shadowy Planet - The 12 Answering Machine Messages of Christmas
To hear this program, visit CJAM's schedule page for Revolution Rock and click the December 25 file to download/stream the episode.
Show 913 Playlist (Originally Aired On December 18th, 2021)(The Scarlet Drops, Radiohead Kid A Mnesiac, The Beatles Let It Be):
1. Squid - Clapping Music
2. Ducks LTD - As Big As All Outside
3. Yoo Doo Right - The Moral Compass of a Self-Driving Car
4. Look Blue Go Purple - Cactus Cat
5. The Scarlet Drops - Dogma Self
6. The Scarlet Drops - Strain
7. The Adam Brown Band - Spirit Tacos
8. Ex~Po - Constant Commuter
9. Dean Marino - Pieces
10. Teke::Teke - Corpse Pose
11. Courtney Barnett - Turning Green
12. Casper Skulls - Thesis
13. Daniel Romano - Novus
14. Brown Hornet - Atomic Wasteland
15. Obits - Talkin' To The Dog (Live)
16. James Sullivan - Get Our Sense Away
17. Atomic 7 - Loving Not Goughing
18. Bloodshot Bill - Guess What
19. La Luz - Metal Man
20. Radiohead - The National Anthem
21. Radiohead - I Might Be Wrong
22. Radiohead - If You Say The Word
23. Radiohead - Trans-Atlantic Drawl
24. The Beatles - For You Blue (Take 4)
25. The Beatles - One After 909 (1969 Glyn Johns Mix)
26. The Beatles - I Got A Feeling (Take 10)
To hear this program, visit CJAM's schedule page for Revolution Rock and click the December 18 file to download/stream the episode.
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