Bubblegum Christmas, 1910 Fruitgum Co. (Collectibles)

Bubblegum rock was considered a scourge back in the day when its practitioners ruled the Top 40 charts. That estimate has mellowed a bit with time, as some of those songs aren't all that bad in retrospect (and in small doses, I hasten to add). This isn't some overlooked minor classic from that era, however; it's a recent recording featuring two original members of the band, just out for 2007. It's mostly rock-era classics with a few originals thrown in, including the title song, which is kind of a wan carbon copy of the original band's style. That's pretty much the story of this whole disc -- it's OK from an oldies circuit standpoint, but it lacks the freshness of the original. That's understandable -- imagine what it would sound like if a 60-year-old Justin Timberlake got 'N Sync back together and went out on tour. The bubblegum bands were the boy bands of the late 60s and early 70s, and 30-year-older versions of those musicians just aren't going to sound the same. For evidence, check the non-holiday live version of the Fruitgum hit "Simon Says," and contrast to the original (if you're old enough to remember it, anyway).