This is a fairly audacious title for a holiday song, but Robert, brother of Marshall, carries it off nicely. The title song from this 2012 EP is a sweet pop-rock ballad, all instruments by Robert except for a guest appearance by Don Jones on flute, and the lyrics explain that "there never was much Christ in our Christmas ... we loved the Christmas songs, many written by Jews." Other lines emphasize family, sharing and community, emphasizing the traditional values while sticking up for the fact that however Christmas got started, it's just as much a secular holiday as a religious one and it's been that way for a very long time. Too bad Robert isn't a better known artist or Fox News might declare war on him, ensuring the financial success of this release. The other three songs on here are non-holiday, starting with two more originals by Robert, "Breakdown in the Passing Lane" featuring brother Marshall on guitars and Don Dixon on background vocals, and "23 1/2 Degrees," a poke at the science-phobia that seems to inform modern political arguments. Things wrap up with a cover of Neil Young's "Don't Let It Bring You Down" featuring another Crenshaw boy, John, on lead vocal. Available from Amazon, click the cover.
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