Christmas comes earlier and earlier with each passing year. Last year, it seemed like they put out the red and green M&Ms and the cardboard Santa displays before the last trick-or-treater knocked at my door. So when I was given Darlene Love’s It’s Christmas of Course to review at the beginning of October this year I wasn’t exactly thrilled. Now don’t get me wrong; I like Christmas as much as the next guy but, anymore, I only enjoy Christmas music for the two weeks leading up to the big day itself, and that’s about it.

That being said, It’s Christmas of Course is actually a pretty cool album. I was kind of expecting some over-the-top Broadway production, but this album has an intimate, live-blues club feel with music that is reminiscent of that old Stax Volt rhythm and blues sound. Love’s voice is thick like molasses and comes from a deep place as she sings contemporary Christmas songs, making them sound like standards from decades earlier.

“Santa Claus Go Strait To The Ghetto” is a really fun song; it’s got a wonderful Memphis blues beat, and the horn section punctuates the verses in a nice way. “Christmas All Over Again” begins with spirited organ flourish that leads in to an early 60’s style rock and roll jam with Tom Petty fashioned electric guitar. The drums on this track sound great with the snare having a crisp snap to it, and the beat has an authentic golden-era R&B feel. I’ve always enjoyed Billy Squire song, “Christmas Is The Time To Say I Love You,” and these guys do a fine job on this version. The lead-in is a little weird though. I think they were going for a street corner a cappella sound, but the echo effect they used is phony and bad sounding.

It’s Christmas of Course is sure to get everybody’s hips swiveling at this year’s big holiday party. The album is mostly up-beat and the music is catchy and with a good vibe. My Christmas wish would be for all of these guys to get together and do a non-Christmas album that I could enjoy the other fifty weeks of the year, but for now I’ll be sure to add the spinning of this disc to my annual holiday traditions.

Artist: Darlene Love
Title: It’s Christmas Of Course
Genre: Christmas/Holiday/R&B
Label: Shout! Factory
Myspace
It’s Christmas Of Course Amazon Link
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Credits:
Gary Leonard: guitars
Zev Katz: electric and acoustic bass
Billy J. Stein: piano, Hammond B3, Wurlitzer, Rhodes and synthesizers
Nir Z: drums and percussion
Pattie Darcy Jones and Ula Hedwig: background vocals
Cissy Houston: guest vocalist on “Happy X-Mas (The War Is Over)”
Horns arranged by Steve Bernstein
Steve Bernstein: trumpet
Paul Shapiro: alto and tenor sax
Eric Lawrence: tenor and baritone sax

Tracks:
01. Christmas All Over Again
02. Who Took the Merry Out Of Christmas
03. Christmas Wish
04. Santa Claus Go Straight To the Ghetto
05. Please Come Home For Christmas
06. 2000 Miles
07. Christmas Is the Time To Say ‘I Love You’
08. What Christmas Means To Me
09. Christmas Must Be Tonight
10. Thanks For Christmas
11. Happy Xmas (War Is Over)
12. Night Of Peace

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– Chad Adams