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The JAC (featuring the Christmas Crew) - Won't Be Leaving Home For Christmas

from Just Not Quite​.​.​. a Christmas Album (Vol​.​2) by The JAC

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It's our 20th year of festive songs! Yes, 20 years ago in my small apartment in Stockholm I attempted my first ever home recording with the help of Stefan Johansson. The rest they say, is a lot of made up history.

Cheers, Joe

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“Won’t Be Leaving Home For Christmas” is this year’s holiday gift from Australian vocalist/multi-instrumentalist Joe Algeri, AKA The JAC. In keeping with his annual tradition, the song is available as a free download on his Bandcamp page. Algeri rarely takes a conventional approach on his Yuletide efforts, so it’s no surprise the 2020 edition is haunted by the ghost of COVID-19. The pandemic isn’t mentioned specifically, but you get the idea with lines like “You can smile and keep your distance/Let’s make a wish and split the difference.” The message may be melancholy but it’s delivered via Algeri’s usual clever wordplay.

As a long-time member of the international power pop band The Britannicas (these guys were doing the isolated recording thing before it was a safety measure), Algeri once again crafts a catchy arrangement. There’s also an impressive guitar-driven instrumental break. Fellow Britannicas member bassist-backup vocalist Herb Eimerman from America helps out, along with drummer Stefan Johanson and organ player Lars Brussel from Sweden; Andy J. Prinkkila from Finland; and Algeri’s daughter Hanna on backup vocals. “Won’t Be Leaving Home For Christmas” reflects on a tough 2020, but still can make staying in more enjoyable.

Terry Flamm, Broken Hearted Toy

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If power pop had another name it would be Perth, Australia, where the genre that defines cult prospers as ever in the steady hands of the great Joe Algieri and his Egomaniac Records, home for related exploits. Joe is a gifted songwriter and an outstanding musician, and for the past twenty years he has been dropping a Christmas song a year. I found a dilly from 2000 on Spotify “Computer Xmas” with the coda of a lifetime, “How do we turn off the drum machine?” before some Beatley psychedelia instruments like the outro to “I Am The Walrus” Outstanding, and given the right listeners would have become a perennial.

It did send a message to Joe, and 18 songs later here we are in 2020 where the way Joe has constructed his songs since forever, sharing files from across the world and piecing it together, is the new normal. 1000s of miles from Perth is Illinois where Joe’s The Britannicas member Herb Eimerman lives, and adds bass and backing vocals to 2020’s seasonal release “Won’t Be Leaving Home For Christmas”, to the Netherlands.

The song is a pure power pop bummer, all ringing guitars and sound songs, and it is clearly informed by Covid-19″

“I won’t be leaving home for Christmas
Fill the stockings with dreams
We can share in brighter days
You can a wear a smile and keep your distance
Let’s make a wish and split the difference
Hey, I want to believe again”

I guess when you’ve done it this many times it makes perfect sense to keep the sleigh bells out, but while thematically it clearly is Unmerry Xmas, the music has nothing to do with the season. Clearly this was Joe’s intention (God knows he has the skills to add reindeer braying right this minute if he had the urge), but it is an odd one. Still, the song doesn’t disappoint. The ringing guitar solo towards the end is so nifty and smart it is more like a lick (Andy Prinkkila is my bet) and Joe, who sounds as though he’s taken his licks this year, allows his joy in the season to emerge right there: the season lives in the sound of friends playing together while far apart. A great moment on an excellent song. Check it out here .

Grade: B+
Iman Lababedi, Rock, NYC

* * *

Joe Algeri has released his annual Christmas single. Joe's been at this Christmas thing for 20 years now (and, yes, you can still get them all free at Bandcamp). This one works on two levels. You could apply it to the Covid lockdowns or you can interpret the lyrics as applying to a snowed-in situation. In any case, Joe gives us a fine uptempo Jangle Pop sound as always on "Won't Be Leaving Home For Christmas" by The JAC (featuring the Christmas Crew).

Stubby's Stocking Stuffers (2020)

lyrics

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It feels so depressed
Got on my Sunday best
Have you kept the will
Or have I lost my way
A great big forest with no trees
A photo and no memories
They tell me it is fine today
It's not from my window pane

I won't be leaving home for Christmas
Fill the stockings with dreams
We can share in brighter days
You can a wear a smile and keep your distance
Let's make a wish and split the difference
Hey, I want to believe again

Everything that could go wrong
The sadness from my favourite song
Put into a dish unknown
That keeps for so long
So long
The year's been so long
There's nothing to keep or to give away
The year's been so long

credits

from Just Not Quite​.​.​. a Christmas Album (Vol​.​2), track released December 4, 2020
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JOE ALGERI - lead vocals, guitars, synth, tambourine (AUSTRALIA)

HERB EIMERMAN - bass, backing vocals (USA)

STEFAN JOHANSSON - drums (SWEDEN)

LARS BRUSELL - organ (SWEDEN)

ANDY J. PRINKKILÄ - lead guitar (FINLAND)

Special guest:

HANNA ALGERI - backing vocals (AUSTRALIA)


Written and produced by J. Algeri

Dedicated to Nicklas Öman (19.10.64 - 20.11.20)

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Egomaniac Music Perth, Australia

Egomaniac Music is the home for Joe Algeri and related musical interests. Joe is a songwriter and producer from Perth, Western Australia now known as the JAC. He is also a member of The Jangle Band, The Outryders (AUST) and the Britannicas (AUST/SWE/USA). ... more

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