Music Review: Christmas Cheers by Straight No Chaser

Stars: 4 out of 5
Pros: Many fun arrangements of classic songs
Cons: A couple tracks I don't care for

The Bottom Line: 

Not quite their first disc

Still lots of good arrangements

of Christmas classics

Let Straight No Chaser Give You Some Christmas Cheers

Last December, I jumped on the Straight No Chaser bandwagon, getting both their Christmas CD's in about a week.  I really do enjoy them both, but I will admit that Christmas Cheers, their second release, isn't quite as good as the first one.

If you aren't already familiar with the group, Straight No Chaser is a 10 member a cappella group that first formed at a college in Indiana.  They rose to fame when a video of their funny take on "The 12 Days of Christmas" went huge on YouTube.  (If you haven't seen it, search for it.  It's a riot.)  The first disc included that live version.  This one features a new, studio recording of the classic.  All the same jokes and other songs are included.  At first I was excited to get a studio version, but I've got to confess it loses something without the audience's reactions.  I actually prefer the live version.

Ah, but that's the final track out of 15.  There's still plenty of Christmas music goodness here.  They start out with the original track "The Christmas Can-Can."  This is an upbeat, fun song that basically mocks how commercial our Christmas celebration is here in the states.  When they sing lines like "Heard this song 20 times already and it's only Halloween," I can't help but laugh.  (And yes, this is coming from the guy who started listening to Christmas music in October this year.)

But there are plenty of more serious songs on the disc.  "We Three Kings" is a fun take on the classic.  They actually sing the song over a modified version of the "Mission Impossible" theme, or at least that's what the first few bars always make me think of.  They do four of the five verses.  My favorite is the last one where they give things a Jamaican feel.

Nothing will ever replace the original version of "Christmastime is Here" from A Charlie Brown Christmas for me.  However, the guys do a great job of covering it here.  Their harmonies are tight, and the way they sing it to echo each other is stunningly beautiful.  They get rather high as well, almost matching the falsetto the kids use on the special.

They also cover "You're a Mean One, Mr. Grinch" from that TV special.  Again, nothing can top the original, and their version won't be giving it a run for its money.  Their alternative melody at times and the lower range they use make this one seem slightly sinister.  That just makes some of the classic lines all the funnier to me.

Of course, if you want more traditional arrangements, you won't be disappointed here either.  "O Holy Night" is a very traditional take on the song.  All 10 of the guys are singing here, no vocal instruments or beat box to distract from the lyrics.  And their harmonies?  Outstanding.  This is the reason to get an a cappella disc.  They let a soloist handle most of "I'll be Home for Christmas" while various humming vocal instrument sounds in the background, but it is similarly beautiful.  Their "Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer" is very upbeat and fun with occasional flights of fancy that make me smile.  And they really take some liberties with the melody of "God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen," but it's an upbeat and fun take on the classic song.

The reason I don't like this disc as much as their first Christmas release are their attempts as additional humorous songs.  Okay, that's not quite true, "Who Spiked the Eggnog?" is an upbeat song likely to get stuck in your head.  Just imagine the looks you'll get walking down the street singing it under your breath.

The other attempts at humor really do show the range of the guys in this group.  I really do wish I could enjoy them more.  "Donde Esta Santa Claus" has a very Mexican flavor with their vocals doing a great job of imitating shakers and castanets.  I can't completely place my finger on what bothers me about the song, but maybe it's the various changes in tempo that don't quite work for me.

"Hey Santa!" is the best of the three songs.  It's got a Dixieland Jazz feel to it, with most of the guys singing the lyrics in perfect unison and harmony.  This one is kind of fun, although I get tired of it before I wear out the other arrangements here.

"Santa Claus is Back in Town" would be impressive if it weren't for the lyrics.  The lead vocalist does a very impressive Elvis impression.  You'd swear he was actually singing with them.  However, when he gets to the part where he talking about being lonely at the North Pole, it gets awkward for me.  Then there's the discussion of the food he's looking forward to eating like mayonnaise candy canes or spam gingerbread houses.  It pretty much loses me there.

So, no, this disc isn't perfect.  But there are still enough fun songs to make it worth your while to track down.  Just like the promise, Straight No Chaser will give you some Christmas Cheers.

CD Length: 39:31

Tracks:

1. The Christmas Can-Can

2. We Three Kings

3. Christmastime is Here

4. Let it Snow

5. Donde Esta Santa Claus

6. I'll be Home for Christmas

7. Hey Santa!

8. Rudolph the Red-nosed Reindeer

9. You're a Mean One, Mr. Grinch

10. O Holy Night

11. Santa Claus is Back in Town

12. God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen

13. Jingle Bells

14. Who Spiked the Eggnog?

15. The 12 Days of Christmas