Bad Mary, New York punk veterans and tight knit family band composed of lead singer Amanda Mac, her husband, father and professor, released a video EP for their A Very Bad Christmas — three punk rock takes on classic Christmas songs. Their covers of “Silent Night,” “Angels We Have Heard High” and “Little Drummer Boy” juxtapose Blondie, Joan Jett-esque vocals against traditional medieval illustrations in the three-part video EP. The EP will release on all streaming platforms December 6.
The band has animated medieval paintings of Mary and Jesus, children’s choirs, angels and little animals in little two-dimensional movements so they mouth the lyrics and move their hands to the beats of each song. The short videos are so well executed because the aesthetics are consistent through all the songs, and though it might be sacrilege, it’s undeniably funny to hear pop punk renditions of “Silent Night” come from little baby Jesus’ mouth.
In “Angels We Have Heard On High,” an angel with the voice of Amanda Mac flies down onto the scene while singing to toga-clad farmers, as goats and puppies hop around, like paper dolls. The angel’s halo spins and the hooves of the goats are heard in the background, overlaid onto the song.
“Silent Night” has Mary holding baby Jesus, and lovingly rocks him to sleep with a screaming rendition of the Christmas classic. Halfway through, Joseph and Mary suddenly acquire a pair of sick shades and baby Jesus starts to go absolutely crazy on the electric guitar, all while enveloped by a heavenly light. The children’s choir joins in with an occasional “Woo” and “Yeah!”
The band, Mike Staub on bass, Bill Mac on Drums and David Henderson on guitar, specializes in using music as a force to find humor in the mundanity of life. Where Christmas songs could be called repetitive and boring, either overtly religious or overtly ambivalent, Bad Mary confronts the silliness of Christmas time, and has fun with its traditions. The medieval scenes portrayed are full of frollicking creatures, chaotic dancing and a love of music. The accompanying EP will be released on all platforms December 6, pre-save here.
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