Christmas Caravan
Artist: Squirrel Nut Zippers
Label: Mammoth Records, 1998
Time: 34:17 min / 10 tracks
I was very excited when I heard that the hot-jazzy Squirrel Nut Zippers were releasing a Christmas album. I was even more interested when I heard they insisted on doing original songs rather then merely rehashing old favorites. In the end they opted for an album which blends original tracks such as "Hot Christmas," "Johnny Ace Christmas," "Carolina Christmas" and "Indian Giver" with older winter-time standards from the Forties and Fifties such as "Hanging Up My Stockings," "Winter Weather," and the instrumental "Sleigh Ride." All the songs are well-done in their usual style, but the secular themes are disappointing--especially "Indian Giver," a song about someone who gives a present and then takes it back, and "Johnny Ace Christmas," which is about a boyfriend breaking a heart on Christmas Eve. There are also some highlights here, however, like "The Gift of the Magi" based on the delightful O'Henry story about a couple's sacrificial gifts for each other. Both that song and "I'm Coming Home for Christmas" are reminiscent of the Lost Dogs; "Winter Weather" evokes Billie Holiday, but "Carolina Christmas" and "Hot Christmas" with their upbeat jazzy vibes are my favorites.
Principal songwriter Tom Maxwell admits that, until the birth of his nephew, the consumerism of Christmas was causing burn-out. May the talented Zippers discover the true meaning of Christmas prior to their next Christmas album.
By Shari Lloyd (11/2/98)
