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I wasn’t a big fan of
Christmas music until I found a band whose affection for it is extremely contagious.
The opening track, “Christmas Time,” starts with a rollicking mandolin
and remains upbeat throughout, ending with a gentle ringing of sleigh
bells.
“Christmas Medley,” is rich with lovely vocal harmonies and
impeccable horn and guitar stylings. The lyrics here are a wonderful combination of
humor and tenderness. This tune picks you up, twirls you around the room then settles
you on a virtual bed of auditory fluff, gently crooning a sweet interpretation of “White
Christmas.”
“Backwards Christmas” is playful, cruising the listener on a
reverse tour of what constitutes the classic sequence of holiday events for most
folks.
But this disc is not just about Christmas. The entire second half
of it is just good ole rock-n-roll. “Ivan in Paris” is a dance-friendly instrumental
with sax to die for. It’s followed by “Did You Ever Know,” which manages to be
simultaneously soft and upbeat.
Listening to “Not Unhappy” and “Crab
Napkin” is akin to being whisked away to a sun-drenched tropical island in the middle of
a bleak winter day.
This is a perfect disc to listen to while wrapping
presents or trimming your tree. Still, I often find myself craving it in the middle of
July.
