Christmas

This is Not a Test (1989)

Christmas was a true anomaly. With their dadaist sense of humor and restless musical exploration, they never fit into any scene comfortably and were hard to take seriously. And yet, the talent of main members Michael Cudahy and Liz Cox was undeniable, even on the early singles and compilation appearances. As a part of the Boston scene in the mid'80s, Christmas easily stood out from the packs of generic bar bands and REM clones, and Gerald Cosloy helped them secure a spot in history on his influential "Bands That Could Be God" compilation. Christmas seemed to have momentum as they released their debut full-length In Excelsior Day-Glo on Big Time, but the album fell flat and failed to deliver on the buzz.

Christmas fled to IRS for their second album Ultraprophets of Thee Psykick Revolution, a much-improved effort that propped up the band's offbeat lyrics with the catchiest melodies of their career. However, critics hated it and IRS dropped the band soon after the album's release.

Frustrated, Cudahy and Cox broke up Christmas and moved to Las Vegas, where they had more success with their new band Combustible Edison.