Last year, this long-running Americana band with the period 50s-60s sound dropped a single of "Christmas Time (Is Coming Round Again)" backed with "Christmas (Baby Please Come Home)," and for 2018 the single has sprouted an album featuring mainly original tunes. Along with the already-reviewed single A-side, we get the mid-tempo ballad "I Have Wanted You (For Christmas)," the Spector-esque "Santa Does," the love song "Christmas For Me (Is You)," the bluesy "Santa Wants to Take You For a Ride," a 50s pop take on lost love in "It's Christmas Without You," the swing-dancy "One More Christmas," and the rocking rave-up that is the title song. Besides the above-mentioned B-side, the only other cover on the album is the Irving Berlin easy-listening set-closer "Happy Holiday." This is working roughly the same side of the street as the JD McPherson album, and while I like that one better, this is a fine outing as well. Should remind everyone that lead singer Raul Malo was on the Christmas tip last decade with a solo holiday album, although that one was less rootsy and more Vegas-y in thrust.
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