Search - Brian Setzer Orchestra :: Christmas Rocks: The Best of Collection

Setzer's Annual Christmas Visit - It Swings!

B. Baldwin | 10/07/2008

(5 out of 5 stars)

"The Brian Sezter Orchestra have come to associate themselves closely with the Chrismas Holidays, having recorded two Christmas CD's and making an annual Christmas concert tour.



This latest offering is, as the subtitle implies, a "Best Of" collection, along with a couple of new tracks. For those that don't have the BSO's previous two Christmas discs, this is a nice compilation of some of the best of the two.



The whole thing is upbeat fun, with Setzer and the boys delivering updated swing versions of some Christmas chestnuts as well as a few original tracks. Could there have been some changes in the track list? I think so, but overall, this is a solid set. The weakest of the tracks has to be "Baby, It's Cold Outside", which features a well past her prime Ann Margaret, who really detracts from what otherwise is one cool yule tune.



I would have liked to have seen some of the "Bonus Tracks" that were found on subsequent re-issues of the BSO's previous Christmas CDs make their way to this compliation, including "Run, Run Rudolph" and "Cactus Christmas". The version of "Jingle Bells" found on this compilation is the one recorded for "Boogie Woogie Christmas" CD.....The version recorded for the movie Jingle All The Way is the superior version, and that would have been a welcome addition to this CD, as would the instrumental version found on the obsure "Merry Axemas" CD.



Is this disc essential? No, especially if you already have the previous two BSO Holiday discs. With a few changes to the track listing, however, that assessment would be different. That being said, this is a great one disc set that will keep the Christmas Holidays "Wild, Cool, & Swingin'!""

Even the Grinch would rock out to this CD

R. Kyle | USA | 12/18/2008

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Let's face it, more than a few of us need a little Prozac during the holidays and this disk might just be the ticket. Brian Setzer does a very upbeat Christmas.



This is a compilation of his previous two Christmas CDs, so if you have them, you may not 'need' this one. I have one of the two, so I felt free to buy.



Favorites:



Jingle Bell Rock

Is that you, Santa Claus



To add to all of this, the CD is a very generous 20 tracks which is about twice what we are getting now in this age of iTunes and packaged disks.



Rebecca Kyle, December 2008"

A great party cd!

G. Ubardelli | 11/26/2008

(5 out of 5 stars)

"I love this Christmas compilation. You get real value for your money here. Twenty songs on one cd! The band's version of The Nutcracker Suite is worth the price of the cd alone. Angels We Have Heard On High is another highlight which mixes a sort of surf guitar sound with fantastic horns and a choir on the chorus. Ann-Margret duets with Brian on Baby It's Cold Outside. There is also the never been released Santa Claus Is Coming To Town. For me, the only real disappointment is not including Hey Santa! on this compilation, but the songs that are included here prove that this fun, upbeat collection of Christmas songs are done as only Brian Setzer can do them. Dig that crazy Setzer Claus!"