Review: Sweet pop treats from The Minus 5 on ‘Dear December’

The Minus 5 is Scott McCaughey’s version of the Plastic Ono Band, John Lennon and Yoko Ono’s group whose members changed from record to record, and even included their audience; as the two liked to point out, “You are the Plastic Ono Band!” That may not be coincidental, as McCaughey (who’s been undergoing some health struggles of late) is quite the Beatles fan, and even joined Ono on stage when she played the Crocodile in Seattle way back in 1996. McCaughey’s been the group’s mainstay, but you can usually count on R.E.M.’s Peter Buck, and Jon Auer and Ken Stringfellow of the Posies to be somewhere in the vicinity, with no shortage of other guest stars along for the ride as well.

And that’s the case on Dear December. It’s McCaughey, Buck, the Posies — and R.E.M.’s Mike Mills, Ben Gibbard (Death Cab for Cutie), Kelly Hogan (Neko Case), Colin Meloy (The Decemberists), Kurt Bloch (Young Fresh Fellows), and Chuck Prophet, among an assortment of others, shaken, not stirred. But Dear December is also a more intriguing holiday album than most, because for all its festive cheer, it’s something of a melancholy album as well.

That’s most obvious in a song with a title like “When Christmas Hurts You This Way,” a look at a sorry soul who has no one to share the holidays with, the narrator glumly concluding, “There’s no one to buy a present for/You couldn’t afford it anyway” (the music’s still on the upbeat side, however). And “Yule Tide Me Over” (which McCaughey sings with O’Connor) takes a decidedly jaundiced look at holiday romance, basically saying “Eh, I guess you’ll do, for now.” Gee, uh…thanks?

Other tracks, more hopefully, try to find that light shining in the darkness. “New Christmas Hymn” is a rollicking tune with a toe-tapping beat, and “See You In December” (featuring Prophet and M. Ward) is a real rave up. Yet both songs temper their high spirits by acknowledging that one’s troubles can’t simply be sung away, no matter how joyful the tune; while “See You in December” urges us to look after each other, there’s also a measure of uncertainty: “Here’s to the future shivering in its boots.” Brrrr.

There’s also a song about an alcoholic, with McCaughey giving a wistful farewell to his drink-swilling friend in “Merry Christmas Mr. Gulp-Gulp” — though lest you fear that signals a retreat into abstinence, it’s swiftly followed by “Your Christmas Whiskey,” a number celebrating that inner glow that only the best spirits can provide. And Dear December is an inclusive album as well, with a special Hanukkah song, “Festival of Lights” (while the tale of the rock ‘n’ roll rebel “Johnny Tannebaum” has him leaving town due to anti-Semitism).

But you’ll find some solace in the heartfelt “I See Angels” (with Gibbard), the prettiest song on the album. It all wraps up with the optimistically-inclined “I Still Believe in New Year’s Eve.” In common with the album’s underlying theme, that belief is maintained in spite of whatever else may have happened during the year. But, “No matter how messed up it gets/I’m not throwing in the big towel yet!” McCaughey vows. Now, that’s a sentiment everyone can raise a glass to celebrate.

(Check out ‘Dear December on Spotify and get more info about The Minus 5 at the website HERE.)

Gillian G. Gaar

Gillian G. Gaar covers the arts, entertainment, and travel. She was a senior editor at the legendary Northwest music publication The Rocket, and has also written locally for The Seattle Times, The Stranger, and Seattle Weekly, as well as national/international outlets such as Rolling Stone, Mojo, Q, and Goldmine, among others. She has written numerous books, including She’s A Rebel: The History of Women in Rock & Roll, Entertain Us: The Rise of Nirvana, Return of the King: Elvis Presley’s Great Comeback, and World Domination: The Sub Pop Records Story. Follow @GillianGaar on Twitter.

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