We reviewed a "collection of collections," a two-disc set compiling the best of this charity's first seven holiday compilations, several years ago. They returned with no. 8 for 2005, with a heaping helping of 21 songs. Kicking off things is "Fall Leaves Fall," more of an autumn song by Jennifer Cutting's Ocean Orchestra featuring Annie Haslam, former vocalist for the folk-prog-rock band Renaissance and former wife of Roy Wood, he of "I Wish It Could Be Christmas Every Day." The song is quite ornate and operatic, in keeping with Haslam's past work. Susan Cowsill -- yes, those Cowsills -- offers "Crescent City Snow," a folky dirge for her home town of New Orleans. Esther Haynes and Mark Noone duet on the old jazz number "Hitch a Ride With Santa," Janine Wilson unearths a song from the old "Dick Van Dyke Show," "Santa, Send Me a Fella," performed originally by Rose Marie, and Timothy Bracken does a poppier take of the Ramones' "Merry Christmas (I Don't Want to Fight Tonight)." Noone returns with the Rhodes Tavern Troubadours on his original "Christmas Really Rocks," which has more of a Ramones flavor. Joe Uehlein and the U-Lines cover Steve Earle's "Christmas in Washington," Honky Tonk Confidential's "Santa Is a Working Man" is a roadhouse original for the labor advocates in the audience, Evan Johns and Ira Gitlin each offer banjo-based takes on the holiday, and Suzanne Ives and Bumpkin Pie perform their own "Party at the Stable," more honky-tonkin'. All told, this is an eclectic collection, though it leans a bit more folky and country than rock.
Holiday Feast 8, various artists (Hungry For Music)
We reviewed a "collection of collections," a two-disc set compiling the best of this charity's first seven holiday compilations, several years ago. They returned with no. 8 for 2005, with a heaping helping of 21 songs. Kicking off things is "Fall Leaves Fall," more of an autumn song by Jennifer Cutting's Ocean Orchestra featuring Annie Haslam, former vocalist for the folk-prog-rock band Renaissance and former wife of Roy Wood, he of "I Wish It Could Be Christmas Every Day." The song is quite ornate and operatic, in keeping with Haslam's past work. Susan Cowsill -- yes, those Cowsills -- offers "Crescent City Snow," a folky dirge for her home town of New Orleans. Esther Haynes and Mark Noone duet on the old jazz number "Hitch a Ride With Santa," Janine Wilson unearths a song from the old "Dick Van Dyke Show," "Santa, Send Me a Fella," performed originally by Rose Marie, and Timothy Bracken does a poppier take of the Ramones' "Merry Christmas (I Don't Want to Fight Tonight)." Noone returns with the Rhodes Tavern Troubadours on his original "Christmas Really Rocks," which has more of a Ramones flavor. Joe Uehlein and the U-Lines cover Steve Earle's "Christmas in Washington," Honky Tonk Confidential's "Santa Is a Working Man" is a roadhouse original for the labor advocates in the audience, Evan Johns and Ira Gitlin each offer banjo-based takes on the holiday, and Suzanne Ives and Bumpkin Pie perform their own "Party at the Stable," more honky-tonkin'. All told, this is an eclectic collection, though it leans a bit more folky and country than rock.
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