Music review: Cheap Trick 鈥� 鈥楥hristmas Christmas鈥�
It鈥檚 certainly beginning to look and feel a lot like Christmas. And as is tradition, I am delivering my annual Christmas music review for the holidays.
Now鈥檚 the time for the Christmas decorations to go up and the official start of my holiday music marathon. With over 200 Christmas albums comfortably stored in my holiday music catalog, a marathon aptly describes the holiday soundtrack that will play around the clock throughout my family鈥檚 home during the next several weeks. I鈥檝e already added 15 new albums from this year鈥檚 releases that are ready to take their spin in the rotation.
This year鈥檚 featured selection is from a band that is near and dear to my heart. Inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2016, Cheap Trick is truly one of my favorite bands. You can imagine my excitement when the Illinois rockers released their first-ever Christmas album.
With 鈥淐hristmas Christmas,鈥� the quartet gives the holiday an enthusiastic makeover with a spirited set of seasonal sentiments guaranteed to get the blood flowing for those long stretches of shopping and visitations.
鈥淢erry Christmas Darlings鈥� is one of three original numbers with frontman Robin Zander merrily singing, 鈥淚t lifts me up this time of year/When hearts are full of yuletide cheer/So Merry Christmas darlings/Merry Christmas everyone now.鈥� And so it begins.
From there, the band jumps into rousing covers of Wizzard鈥檚 鈥淚 Wish It Could Be Christmas Every Day鈥� and the Jimmy Fallon and Horatio Sanz penned 鈥淚 Wish It Was Christmas Today.鈥�
Other reworked offerings include the Kinks鈥� 鈥淔ather Christmas,鈥� Slade鈥檚 鈥淢erry Xmas Everybody鈥� and the Ramones鈥� 鈥淢erry Christmas (I Don鈥檛 Want to Fight Tonight).鈥�
Additional noteworthy covers include 鈥淧lease Come Home for Christmas,鈥� 鈥淩un Rudolph Run鈥� and 鈥淪ilent Night.鈥�
As much as I love the numerous guitar-driven tracks, the moment that clearly stands out is Zander鈥檚 performance on the touching Harry Nilsson arrangement 鈥淩emember Christmas.鈥�
鈥淥ur Father of Life鈥� is another original tune with a soaring choir that gracefully captures the true focus of the holiday.
The title track brings the festivities to an exhilarating close by reminding us that Christmas is a time for family, friends and cheer.
This holiday season, remember to take time out to relax with a cup of hot chocolate by a cozy fire and count the various blessings received throughout the year. For me, it鈥檚 the perfect time to feel like a kid again.
Merry Christmas!
Clint Rhodes is the 缅北禁地 music reviewer. He can be reached at clinton43@me.com.