Big Bad Voodoo Daddy
Everything You Want for Christmas

(Big Band/Vanguard)

First Appeared in The Music Box, December 2004, Volume 11, #12

Written by John Metzger

Big Bad Voodoo Daddy is well-known for its feisty, brawling, big band, boogie beats, and for awhile, at least, the septet puts a touch of Yuletide cheer into its latest effort Everything You Want for Christmas. Its swinging, snazzy, jazzy style is well-suited for crafting an uproarious holiday party soundtrack, but unfortunately its first, full-length gambit in this niche market goes seriously awry. Although the opening Rockabilly Christmas succeeds in jump-starting the proceedings and the ensemble’s interpretation of Blue Christmas is significantly sunnier than Elvis Presley’s moody masterpiece, much of the collection sounds as if the band is merely going through the motions. Its cover of Mr. Heatmiser, playful as it is, lacks punch; its instrumental spin on We Three Kings may be pretty, but it also is fairly lightweight; and both of its renditions of Jingle Bells are utterly unaffecting. That’s not to say that Everything You Want for Christmas doesn’t have a few worthwhile moments — Last Night (I Went Out with Santa Claus) is full of impish revelry, the Latin-flavored A Party for Santa sparkles quite brightly, and the brassy blues of Merry Christmas Baby strikes the perfect sultry groove — but what could have been a truly incendiary set too often feels as if it is lacking in spirit.

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Ratings

1 Star:   Pitiful
2 Stars: Listenable
3 Stars: Respectable
4 Stars: Excellent
5 Stars: Can't Live Without It!!

Copyright © 2004 The Music Box