The Vandals

The Vandals: Oi to the World!Oi to the World! (1996)
Kung Fu Records

Reviewer Rating: 3.5

User Rating:

Contributed by: Neill_CawleyNeill_Cawley
(others by this writer | submit your own)
Published on December 16th 2008So it's Christmastime once again. This year I wanted to get in the spirit of the holiday in ways other than sitting on Santa's lap and licking super special candy canes, so I figured I'll get in the spirit by contributing a review to the Punknews community. And what better to review than Oi to the W.

So it's Christmastime once again. This year I wanted to get in the spirit of the holiday in ways other than sitting on Santa's lap and licking super special candy canes, so I figured I'll get in the spirit by contributing a review to the Punknews community. And what better to review than Oi to the World!, the Vandals Christmas album?

This is my first holiday season listening to this, and I must say it is a pretty solid one for the season.The title track is probably the best track, and the silly rhyming chorus can't help but put a Christmas grin on your face:

If God came down on Christmas Day
I know exactly what He'd say
He'd say 'Oi to the punks and Oi to the skins
and Oi to the world and everybody wins!'"

This grin is fairly consistent throughout listening to the album, as the Vandals' classic sense of humor is consistent throughout. A personal favorite is the track titled "Christmas Time for My Penis." Sure, it sounds like a junior high schooler wrote the lyrics ("I see you've / been feeling down / When I needed you, you've been around / So this year I've a Christmas surprise / that will make your spirits rise"), but that's the beauty of it. In this day and age, where chopping off your penis makes you an internet sensation, I'm sure penises everywhere welcome the warming thought; I know I do.

The Vandals continue to get in the spirit of the season with some appreciation of popular Christmas tunes. I can certainly see myself dancing along to the punked out version of "Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairies." Additionally, their version of "Here I Am Lord" is also a standout track, with lead singer Dave Quackenbush's classic, crackily voice. Sure, it might be more punk to listen to Bad Religion on Christmas, but, come on, it's Christmas. Why not be punk and festive?

While this record is the perfect background music while my stocking is being stuffed, it is not perfect. Some of these tracks are well-executed Vandals songs, but I can't see myself listening to some of these tracks at the beach in summer (especially "My First X-Mas (as a Woman)." I can barely listen to that now, and it's in season.

Fortunately, this is not meant to be more than a fun Christmas CD, and for that it delivers. However, don't expect a perfect one, or even a perfect Vandals album.

Merry Christmas!

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Fine Print: The following comments are owned by whoever posted them. We are not respon sible for them in any way. Seriously.

blanktapesemptybottles (December 19, 2008)

If anyone cares Warren is the one that sings 'Hang myself from the tree'

ryannn (December 19, 2008)

The Vandals totally have there moments. A gun For Christmas,Thanks For Nothing and the quintessential Oi To The World are the Vandals at their finest, perfect tracks for this time of year!

clamum (December 18, 2008)

Why? Incubus is a great band.

mevsall (December 18, 2008)

I wrote a review of this in my high school newspaper about five years ago. I thought I was cool for reviewing a random punk album. Really it was just unnecessary. Nobody cared about this album. It didn't matter that I said it was a good album. People weren't going to go buy it. Anyway, the next month I gave a good review to an Incubus album and have regretted it ever since.

Ravnos (December 18, 2008)

@Nameless: I'm pretty sure the BR Christmas tracks were all bootlegs from a Christmas show they played in LA in around 1993 or 94.

TahoeJeff (December 18, 2008)

I just started listening to this again the other day. It's a great album for the holidays. I appreciate how you can hear bits of classic christmas songs worked into Vandals originals throughout the album. A Gun For Christmas is such a great song to start the record. Also, Joe Escalante is definitely singing on Here I Am Lord.

Xote (December 17, 2008)

I dislike The Vandals but this album is fun.

Nameless (December 17, 2008)

Off topic, but since you kind of mentioned them in the review:

Haven't Bad Religion done a couple of Christmas songs? I know I've heard them do Silent Night before...

Neill_Cawley (December 17, 2008)

Now that I think about it, I'm pretty sure Jeff Rosenstock sings on Here I Am Lord.

maverick (December 17, 2008)

Album totally rules, and still holds up years and years later. I wish more bands did solid one-off goofs like this; no one really makes "funny" music anymore that is also artistically solid.

Also, I always thought it was Warren singing "Here I Am Lord."

-Scott

theonetruebill (December 17, 2008)

Oh shit I just saw who this was written by! Is this a return to the glory days!?!?!?

theonetruebill (December 17, 2008)

Joe Escalante sings "Here I am Lord"

TeaEssAre (December 17, 2008)

Welcome back

BarleyPat (December 17, 2008)

This is a really fun album. A Gun for Christmas is awesome.

Pretty sure that wasn't Dave singing on "Here I am Lord".

MN_punkmaster-skaman (December 17, 2008)

I'm surprised this hasn't been reviewed on this site yet! It's one of the few Christmas type albums I listen to... which is really two others.

Anarchypants (December 17, 2008)

Great album but I find the tracks he mentioned to be the weakest.

How about Thanks for nothing, A gun for Christmas, I don't believe in Santa Claus and Hang myself from the tree? Those are more clever than juvenile.

Neill_Cawley (December 17, 2008)

I wrote this a year ago, and apparently didn't proofread it once in 12 months. Yikes.

-Neill Cawley
AIM-Longlivetheduck2

-All I want for Christmas is my dick in a butt.

eazyd3 (December 17, 2008)

this album rules the christmas

ThisIsBostonNotLA (December 17, 2008)

Great album, and without the Vandals I never would have gotten into punk.

p.s. Joe Escalante is the singer for "Here I Am Lord" im fairly certain

blanktapesemptybottles (December 17, 2008)

this is album is amazing, I usually forget to take it out though, better get on that shit, the older album art is way worse