Christmas lit up turntables with its LPs In Excelsior Dayglo (1986) and Ultraprophets Of The Psykick Revolution (1989), both of which uncorked the dueling vocals of drummer Liz Cox and guitarist/personality Michael Cudahy, and a bushel of smug yet witty songs. Well, our favorite holiday has returned with Vortex, recorded in 1990 but not released until this year due to legal holdups. Lead vocals are handled by Cox, who escapes a coy, demure and sultry image in favor of one that's beautiful and strong-willed. Cox and Cudahy's vocal web rivals X's for its more-than-the-sum-of-its-parts energy, and the occasional tinge of rockabilly twang graces a few songs, most notably "Revolutions Per Minute." Bassist James McNew, more recently of Yo La Tengo and solo gig Dump, fills Christmas' unassuming but vibrantly catchy songs with rippling rhythms, effervescing like an overactive glass of 7-Up. Songs like "Painted Savages," "God Bless The Fireman" and "I Want More" evoke no immediate comparisons and are anything but simple, but still manage to stick mercilessly in your head. Since Christmas has all but ceased to perform normal band functions, Cudahy and Cox have formed Combustible Edison, a twisted, thrift-store lounge act, and Cudahy has donated his still fervent guitar licks to Urge Overkill's live shows.

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