For real music fans, The Archies were shorthand for the whole concept of plastic pre-fab pop rock designed to separate teens from their money back in their late 1960s heyday. Of course, one must put the whole phenomenon in historical perspective. The Archie comic strip and comic book was popular back then, a half-hour animated series was spun off from the comic, and because in the 1960s it was assumed that all teens wanted to be in rock bands, the animated show put the main characters in a band. No doubt inspired by the success of the Monkees (not to mention the producer they had in common, Don Kirshner), the producers released actual records by the band, including such hits as "Bang Shang-a-Lang," "Jingle Jangle" (not a Christmas song) and their biggest hit, "Sugar Sugar." The actual recordings were led by The Cuff Links' Ron Dante and featured such folks as Andy Kim and Brill Building songwriters Ellie Greenwich and Jeff Barry, co-writers of, among other big hits, "Christmas (Baby Please Come Home)." Skip 40 years later to 2008 and we finally get a Christmas album from "the band," featuring only Dante from the original sessions, augmented by Danielle van Zyl and Kelly-Lynn, no doubt the Betty and Veronica from the album title. With the Archie comic way past its pop cultural relevancy (though it's still drawn), it's questionable whether a new album by The Archies is going to make record buyers lunge for the racks. That said, the album, consisting of 10 evergreen carols and two originals, is actually well-made, relying on any number of 2008 pop readymades for the arrangements. In fact, "Sleigh Ride" and "Holly Jolly Christmas" would actually fit on most folks' Christmas mixes. The two originals, "Archie's Christmas Party" and "Christmas in Riverdale," aren't terrible, but their self-referential nature makes them fit only for an Archies Christmas special that probably isn't going to be made.
The Archies Christmas Album Featuring Betty and Veronica, The Archies (Fuel 2000)
For real music fans, The Archies were shorthand for the whole concept of plastic pre-fab pop rock designed to separate teens from their money back in their late 1960s heyday. Of course, one must put the whole phenomenon in historical perspective. The Archie comic strip and comic book was popular back then, a half-hour animated series was spun off from the comic, and because in the 1960s it was assumed that all teens wanted to be in rock bands, the animated show put the main characters in a band. No doubt inspired by the success of the Monkees (not to mention the producer they had in common, Don Kirshner), the producers released actual records by the band, including such hits as "Bang Shang-a-Lang," "Jingle Jangle" (not a Christmas song) and their biggest hit, "Sugar Sugar." The actual recordings were led by The Cuff Links' Ron Dante and featured such folks as Andy Kim and Brill Building songwriters Ellie Greenwich and Jeff Barry, co-writers of, among other big hits, "Christmas (Baby Please Come Home)." Skip 40 years later to 2008 and we finally get a Christmas album from "the band," featuring only Dante from the original sessions, augmented by Danielle van Zyl and Kelly-Lynn, no doubt the Betty and Veronica from the album title. With the Archie comic way past its pop cultural relevancy (though it's still drawn), it's questionable whether a new album by The Archies is going to make record buyers lunge for the racks. That said, the album, consisting of 10 evergreen carols and two originals, is actually well-made, relying on any number of 2008 pop readymades for the arrangements. In fact, "Sleigh Ride" and "Holly Jolly Christmas" would actually fit on most folks' Christmas mixes. The two originals, "Archie's Christmas Party" and "Christmas in Riverdale," aren't terrible, but their self-referential nature makes them fit only for an Archies Christmas special that probably isn't going to be made.
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