Hello world on this always weird, often worrisome, yet sometimes wonderful day. John Lennon’s nonsense greeting ‘Happy Crimble’ really captures my mood. I mean, regardless of what you do or don’t believe can we all pause for some secular or nondenominational joy? Because let’s face it, we’ve not been rocking the ‘peace on earth’ thing lately. All this conflict definitely puts a crimp in the holiday suspension of disbelief that all those Hallmark movies require. Call me a cock-eyed optometrist but I’m still looking for a bit of peace, love and understanding to break out in this wicked world. Or you may call me a dreamer …

You know what might do the trick? A last minute holiday EP release combining themes like California, falling in love, and a medley of Beatles and Beatles solo material that touch on the season. Luckily here we can turn to Caleb Nichols’ December 21 holiday gate-crasher EP So This Is Crimble. Just three songs but oh what a timely trio. “Christmas, California” kicks things off with an insistent hooky urgency, the tune evoking a pleasant John/Paul melodic tug of war. Then Nichols assembles an inspired five-part medley taking bits from all four fabs, both together and apart. His “Crimble Medley” nicks parts of the Beatles fan club release “Christmas Time Is Here Again,” Paul’s “Wonderful Christmastime,” George’s “Ding Dong Ding Dong,” John’s “Happy Christmas (War Is Over),” and Ringo’s “Photograph,” effortlessly weaving them together into a medley/mash-up combo. Finally to wrap things up, we come to the delicate and touching “I Fell In Love Christmas Day,” a closer that puts the tempo into slo-mo in a Josh Rouse contemplative way. And then it’s over.

Crimble comes but once a year but you can enjoy Caleb Nichols anytime. Check out their bandcamp catalogue here. And hey, let’s give peace a chance this new year.

Photo of ‘Scar of Bethlehem’ by Banksy, displayed in the Walled Off Hotel in the West Bank city of Bethlehem.