Customer Reviews

Before & After Christmas

5 star:		(3)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(0)
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As a huge Love Tractor fan since 1989, it's always wonderful to see Mike and the boys releasing new material. This Christmas album, recorded in the middle of their work on their upcoming cd "White Mountain", is a true gift to LT fans everywhere.

Love Tractor's previous two albums, "Black Hole" & "Green Winter" (the first two of a sonic trilogy, with the final installment being the previously mentioned "White Mountain") have been somewhat experimental, and a bit of a departure from the normal Love Tractor sound. Also, the theme of both cd's have been , for the most part, darker and more serious then previous albums. And while i have been enjoying their new sound, it's wonderful to see them going into a decidedly happier direction with this album of 24 Christmas songs. Listening to "Before & After Christmas", the one word that comes to mind, is Joyful. While there are a couple of darker moments ("Toys That Kill", "Jessica"...), the main vibe is all silliness and cheer. Mike Richmond channels Alvin Chipmonk in "I Want A Hippopotamus For Christmas", and with that song, as with most of the others on the record, you can hear how much fun it must have been to be in that recording studio while they were making it.

The highlight, for me is the "Seven Pieces Of Peanuts Candy" medley, where LT bring back the magic of "A Charlie Brown Christmas". It takes me back to my childhood, and makes me stop and remember Christmas' past.

With "Before & After Christmas", Love Tractor have created a modern day Christmas classic that my family and I will return to, year after year.

Love Tractor once again reveals their virtuosity and creative musical talents in this departure from previous Love Tractor recordings. Blending traditional and new, unique creations they show their versatility in sharing their impressions of the holiday season. Serious concerns vie with humorous insights into this season's musical offerings. Definitely worth adding to your Love Tractor collection!

What makes a Christmas Classic? How many new Christmas albums come out each year? The number is unimportant. Virtually all are given a cursory listen or two, filed away, never to see the light of day until they make the trip to Goodwill. We all turn to the classics for comfort, or to get the spiritual lift of Christmas.
A Love Tractor Christmas album is a surprise, and it's amazingly good. A fantastic song cycle that mixes LT originals with holiday favorites. It's unmistakably a Love Tractor album, but it's appeal is universal. It captures all the joy, excitement, fear and fun of Christmas. It's full of pop culture references. It brings back the memories of Christmas, while it brings a smile to your face.
I've got it in heavy rotation with Mahailia Jackson and Johnny Mathis Merry Christmas. Those albums have been on the Christmas playlist for 40 years

If you like rock music and Xmas music, this is a must to enhance your holiday season. I have about 100 Xmas cds and am always looking for something different (but still with good "Xmas feel"). This album is it!! I hope they release another Xmas cd someday.

This is a tour de force of an album. Love Tractor presents their own seasonal songs, plus everything from Vince Guaraldi to the Residents(!). Conceptually, it's brilliant--and almost seamless. Keyboard man Billy Holmes more than pulls his weight, showing a jazz sophistication I'd not suspected. He's the dominant instrumentalist a lot of the time. Guitarist/bandleader Mike Richmond doesn't hog the show here, as he lets it be a group effort. I'm a huge Guaraldi fan, so that medley alone was worth the price of admission. In my opinion, the CD is the best of the three recently-issued LT albums. It's a delight in any season. I greatly look forward to "White Mountain," the forthcoming record.
"Greedy dog, gonna have my fun, with a Cadillac and a homemade gun."