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After a five week layoff, it's back to the reviews. The stack beside my computer monitor isn't as large as this but it still has enough cool stuff to look over.

Figuring out which new Christmas CD in my collection would be the first to review was the main problem. However, when I discovered this little crumb a few days ago, I knew it'd be the perfect CD to begin with.

A little backstory though.

On March 16 of this year, I reviewed a homemade Christmas compilation sent to me. I did a track by track review and the very last track was:

26.) Asche & Spencer - Merry Christmas Fruitcake
Read the full story here... ANYONE HAVE THE FULL CD?

Last week, while reviewing this blog for possible selections for my annual Christmas CD, I looked at this yuleblog entry once again and reclicked on the link explaining the story.

It seems that an advertising company named Borders Perrin Norrander were hired by the Oregon State Lottery to come up with a clever ad campaign for their seasonal scratch-off game "Fruitcake Cash". 


BPN decided with a spoof on late-night infomercials with a Ronco feel to them, asking you to buy an album of fruitcake related songs entitled "The Spirit Of Fruitcake Volume Four". Some of these titles included "The Holidays Ain't Nothing Without My Fruitcake" and that lost 80s hit "What's That Fruitcake Doing Under My Tree?"

BPN contracted Asche & Spencer, an up-and-coming commercial production company, for creating the actual music. They have done spots for MTV, Nissan, Toyota, Saturn, Dunkin Donuts, Iomega, and HBO. In addition, A & S have composed film scores for four major movies, including "Monster's Ball" which gave Halle Berry her Oscar for Best Actress.

While I was visiting this link to read the story, I noticed the words "FRUITCAKE CASH" highlighted. I clicked and was taken to a website where you can download all FIVE fruitcake songs!

Each one of these spots are quite hilarious and cleverly captures the spirit and feel of the music genres they're spoofing. My favorite still remains "Merry Christmas Fruitcake" although the lost 80s hit is gaining strength here. Happy downloading and listening!

On to the next new Christmas CD in my collection...


Capt