Judging from the sound of it, Team Mint are a pretty cynical bunch. From
John Guliak's tears-in-my-beer weeper, "Daddy's Drinking Up Our Christmas," to the cash register that chimes during the intro to
Atomic 7's clattering instrumental "Señor Santa Él Es el Monstruo" to
Young and Sexy's ironic "Santa Claus Likes Rich Kids Better" to
David Carswell and Megan Barnes' sunny-on-the-outside, heartbroken-on-the-inside pop ode to unrequited love during the holidays, "I Wanna Kiss You This Christmas," there isn't a whole lot of holiday cheer to be found on
It's a Team Mint Xmas, Vol. 2. Oh well, at least there is a sleigh load of wonderful songs by some of the best artists the pop mecca of Vancouver has to offer. Along with the exquisite
Young and Sexy track,
Carolyn Marks' introspective shuffle "Song for the Girl With Two of Everything,"
the Ramblin' Ambassadors' rollicking "Don't Fear the Reindeer,"
the Smugglers' "Lonely Christmas," and
the Tennessee Twin's aching "X-Mas Is Past" lead the pack. Add to that the Vancouver all-star edition of "Do They Know It's Christmas?" and you've got a melancholy lump of gold that true indie kids would be quite glad to find in their stockings come Christmas morn.