Turkey, mince pies and crackers may be the more familiar Xmas staples, but – musically at least – there's always a need for a 'what the fuck is THIS about?' moment of indie militancy at this time of year. Especially when we need to combat the mandatory evil meted out by the likes of Wham! and Sir Cliff.
And, courtesy of Ayrshire weirdos DUMB INSTRUMENT, we've certainly found 2008's Christmas counter-culture epic. It arrives gift-wrapped in fetching red and green tartan and comes bearing gifts of gold, frankincense and good, old-fashioned pottiness and it's all the better for that.
It's certainly not traditional sonic indie fare, mind. Lead track 'Dear Santa' boasts sleigh bells (yesss!), violins and jazzy woodwind and opens with “I woke up, smelt frying kippers and put on my best warm slippers” before going on to rhyme “skater” with “coffee percolator”. Imagine an Ivor Cutler album with lyrics supplied by Chris Difford, snatches of 'Jingle Bells', a dark subplot involving domestic violence and you're almost there.
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It all adds up to top-notch barmpot brilliance, although 'Boxes' (which also comes with a sparse, Celeste and harmonica arrangement called 'Big Boxes') almost matches it. This time, the subject matter involves a serious obsession with, er, cardboard boxes, yet somehow the storyline (“living with them is so secure/ I've got one hundred and eighty and I want more”) works beautifully and instead of a sad anorak's anthem it all sounds unfeasibly poignant.
But such is the elusive art of creative genius, eh? I'm told Dumb Instrument have one called 'Reverse The Hearse' too. How shaggin' brilliant is that?!!?
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