Prissteens Christmas EP!

I know what you're thinking: who reviews a Christmas record on Halloween?! Aren't I jumping the gun a little bit? I would ordinarily agree, but The Prissteens Christmas EP is really just one Christmas song with three bonus tracks. So I feel fully justified in reviewing it 75% sooner than I'd review any regular holiday-themed release. More importantly, this digital EP releases today and will only remain available until New Year's. Then it disappears from the face of the earth. So there's no time for dilly-dallying!

If you've been following all of my Girlsville related posts lately, you know that I totally lovvvvvvvve The Prissteens. They were one of the most criminally overlooked bands of late '90s garage and punk, and I continue to be delighted that Girlsville is getting some of their rare and unreleased recordings back into print. Headlining this Christmas EP is "Christmas is a Time For Giving" - an unreleased track from the Scandal, Controversy, and Romance sessions produced by the legendary Richard Gottehrer. It's an instant Christmas classic that ought to become a new staple of your holiday playlists. You could totally slide it onto the A Christmas Gift for You from Phil Spector comp, and it would fit right in. The "bonus" material consists of remastered B-sides from long out of print Prissteens singles. "Wildman" was the B-side to the band's classic debut 45 "The Hound" (1996). "He's Luckier Than You" backed the band's second single "Hercules" (1996). Perhaps the real prize of the bunch is "Teenage Dicks", which originally appeared on the privately-pressed "Oh Howard" 7" in 1998. I won't give away too much since I want you to hear for yourself. Let's just say that "Teenage Dicks" is a cover of a classic punk song with some very, uh, interesting alterations to the lyrics. I love it!

There are a number of things I like about Girlsville's latest unearthing of Prissteens treasures. My favorite part of that rarities compilation from earlier this year was that it included the A-sides to those essential early singles. That's my favorite Prissteens stuff ever (I like the album, but for me those singles are where it's at!). Now with the release of this Christmas EP, the B-sides are back in print as well! And given that "Christmas is a Time For Giving" is the featured attraction here, I must say it does not disappoint! Come Thanksgiving night when I pop open a pint of Troegs Mad Elf and break out tracks from The Yobs and the Dean Martin Christmas album, I will definitely be adding The Prissteens to the rotation! Download for The Prissteens Christmas EP is a bargain at three bucks. And if you still don't have the Demos and Rarities comp, get on that as well!



-L.R.

https://girlsville.bandcamp.com/album/the-prissteens-christmas-ep
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