Ball of Wax 58 Songs: Jesus on the Moon – “Festivus”

Puyallup’s Jesus on the Moon released a new album this fall, and this seasonal tune just happens to be the third track. “Festivus” combines a dirty, lo-fi production approach with some fine pop songwriting and arrangement. The first thing you notice is a restless slide guitar leading the charge, but there are more guitars under there, with scrappy bass and drums holding it all together. There are also sleigh bells, naturally – and even an autoharp toward the end. It all calls to mind the unhinged early days of the Flaming Lips in a way that definitely works for me. Jake Frye’s vocals are low in the mix, but it’s worth looking up the lyrics so you don’t miss gems like “Nostalgia is a horse from hell / If you couldn’t tell / This festivus gets the best of us / Every single time.”