These guys have a vision that can't be contained by mere rock 'n roll, but ironically enough, it took a rock audience to make this old-style swing band famous. Given their rollicking approach to music, I approached this 1998 release full of hope and came away a little disappointed. It's a good enough album, but it's just a little too eclectic to suit me; I was hoping for something like the Bonzo Dog Band and I came away with a bit more Leon Redbone. But give 'em credit, they cover a lot of ground in only 10 songs, seven of which are originals while two of the covers aren't all that familiar. Some of the tunes are period pop-jazz balladry, but "Carolina Christmas" is Western swing, "I'm Coming Home for Christmas" and "Gift of the Magi" are straight off the Grand Old Opry, "Sleigh Ride" is tamer Dixieland, "Indian Giver" is rock, the instrumental "Hot Christmas" is jumpin' jive and "A Johnny Ace Christmas" is flat-out blues. If this kind of a mix is what you're looking for, you've found it. Joe Clifford Faust notes that Sold Out by the Squirrel Nut Zippers, a limited edition, had a hidden track that went like this: "Santa Claus is smokin' reefer /Santa Claus is smokin' T / He's so high in the sky..." "It also features the melody from Beethoven's "Ode To Joy" on a rinky tink electric piano in the instrumental bridge. Quite a hoot," Joe says. Judge for yourself, as that disc is available again.
Christmas Caravan, Squirrel Nut Zippers (Mammoth)
These guys have a vision that can't be contained by mere rock 'n roll, but ironically enough, it took a rock audience to make this old-style swing band famous. Given their rollicking approach to music, I approached this 1998 release full of hope and came away a little disappointed. It's a good enough album, but it's just a little too eclectic to suit me; I was hoping for something like the Bonzo Dog Band and I came away with a bit more Leon Redbone. But give 'em credit, they cover a lot of ground in only 10 songs, seven of which are originals while two of the covers aren't all that familiar. Some of the tunes are period pop-jazz balladry, but "Carolina Christmas" is Western swing, "I'm Coming Home for Christmas" and "Gift of the Magi" are straight off the Grand Old Opry, "Sleigh Ride" is tamer Dixieland, "Indian Giver" is rock, the instrumental "Hot Christmas" is jumpin' jive and "A Johnny Ace Christmas" is flat-out blues. If this kind of a mix is what you're looking for, you've found it. Joe Clifford Faust notes that Sold Out by the Squirrel Nut Zippers, a limited edition, had a hidden track that went like this: "Santa Claus is smokin' reefer /Santa Claus is smokin' T / He's so high in the sky..." "It also features the melody from Beethoven's "Ode To Joy" on a rinky tink electric piano in the instrumental bridge. Quite a hoot," Joe says. Judge for yourself, as that disc is available again.
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