'Tis the Season for Los Straitjackets

Los Straitjackets

Product Details

• Audio CD (October 8, 2002)
• Original Release Date: 2002
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Yep Roc Records
• ASIN: B00006JM99
• Also Available in: Vinyl  |  MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (17 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #10,457 in Music (See Bestsellers in Music)

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  #3 in	Music > Rock > Rock Guitarists > Surf Guitar
  #4 in	Music > Indie Music > Rock > Oldies & Retro
  #5 in	Music > Indie Music > Rock > Rock Guitarists

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com

The world would be a far colder place at Christmas without the electric guitar and Los Straitjackets' Tis the Season for is all the proof you need. Packed with 11 guitar-driven traditional songs and two originals, this memorable disc is a must-have for anyone who loves the sound of unaffected, basic guitar rock reminiscent of the Ventures and your favorite garage rock band. Adventurous, ambitious, and totally satisfying, the band takes on "Jingle Bell Rock" (making its guitars ring like a Byrds-fest) and a host of other chestnuts from "Rudolph The Red Nosed Reindeer" to the "La Bamba"-framed workout of "Feliz Navidad." Even the band's own "Christmas in Las Vegas" has those classic jingle-jangle guitar hooks that make this record a perennial holiday hit. --Martin Keller

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars An essential Christmas CD if ever there was one!, November 30, 2002

By	Eric Scott (Bloomington, California USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

Whether or not you're a fan of Los Straitjackets -- and if you aren't, get with it! -- this is a fantastic Christmas album!! The energy is relentless, the musicianship precise, and the sense of pure wild pleasure is infectious, shining through on practically every number. The band must have had a blast recording this.

The CD is only about 30-odd minutes of music (my only complaint), but pop it in and see if you don't get some serious Christmas cheer in a hurry! Although every song is a gem, I do have to observe that "Here Comes Santa Claus", "God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen", and "Frosty the Snowman" (with some seriously killer guitar work!) are fantastic and unique interpretations of these classic tunes. If you want some high-octane Christmas spirit, scroll back up and buy this CD right now!!

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars LOS MERRY STRAITJACKET CHRISTMAS!, November 25, 2002

By	Patrick Earley (Edmond, Oklahoma USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

I'm not usually in the habit of picking up Chritmas music cd's. Much less reviewing them. But afterall this is Los Straitjackets, and I collect everything that have those masked men on the cover. As it turned out, this is the best and most entertaining Christmas cd that I've heard since Evan Johns and his H-Bombs "Please Mr. Santa Claus" cd that came out over 10 years ago. If you can ever find that one, get it. It's like this one, a good year around listen. A few words about the songs here. These guys do a great play on these Christmas themed songs by playing them to a surf beat. For instance: "Feliz Navidad" is played La Bamba style. "God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen" is played to the song Pipeline. "Frosty The Snowman" has a big drumbeat like Caravan with an absolutely vicious guitar solo by Eddie Angel. "Christmas In Las Vegas" is played to Elvis Presley's Devil In Disguise. "Sleigh Ride is played like the Venture's Walk Don't Run. "Christmas Weekend" has the Link Wray Ace Of Spades guitar riff. And "Little Drummer Boy" has the Dick Dale guitar style, which could fit just about any of his songs really. Anyway you get the idea. It's a surfing Christmas album with some very clever arrangements like only the Straitjackets can do it. Get it, play it, and watch the kids go crazy. You may never stop dancing around the Christmas tree. Highly recommended!

6 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Yeah!, January 15, 2003

By	"volt25" (APO, AE USA) - See all my reviews

The masked men can do no wrong! This cd is a blast from start to finish. Somehow, LS have the ability to play strictly instrumentals and keep it entertaining and interesting from start to finish. Put this on the stereo when everyone's tired of boys' choir christmas music and it will be a hit.

My personal favs - Here Comes Santa Claus, Let it Snow, Jingle Bell Rock, and Frosty the Snowman. But there isn't a single weak track.

The interesting take on the whole album is how they linked these songs to classic surf songs, with exact riffs mixed in with the Christmas melodies.

Great stuff!