Customer Reviews
Come on Anytime - By: thestaxman, 27 Dec 2003 
I've listened to Christmas albums by a Soul luminary (Al Green), the King of Rock & Soul (Solomon Burke) doing Gospel, the greatest band ever groovin' away (Booker T. & the MGs), & am, as most folks, very familiar with all the traditional Yuletide jingles done by various artists since the dawn of Rock 'N Roll, but this one is the best, & by far the most accessible, of them all.
After hearing Yoakam perform a stupendous working of the great "I'll Be Home For Christmas" on television, I knew I had to get this album. Lee Thornburg's great horn arrangements (right up Wayne Jackson's & Andrew Love's [Stax's Memphis Horns] alley), & typically superb work from Skip Edwards (B-3 organ) & guitarist/producer Pete Anderson, & of course Yoakam's crooning, made this the new definitive version of the classic. This great & unforced Southern Soul feel was totally uniquein 1997, & still is today. Nothing else on the album goesin this direction. But that's okay.
Opening & closing with two excellent original numbers, what Dwight Yoakam does with the eight time tested (or time wearied) standards is something I've never heard anyone else do. There just doesn't seem to be a throw away here to be found; all are extremely interesting. He explores several different styles of music, keeping the listener on his or her toes & anxious to find out what he'll do next. This is truly a showcase for one of the greatest instrumentsin music, the vocals of Dwight Yoakam.
From the fascinating "Away In a Manger" (so darn authentic, you'll think it was recorded pre-Hank Williams!) to the great rockin' remake of Chuck Berry's "Run Run Rudolph", Dwight & these fantastic musicians turn out a classic collection that everyone, Country fan or not, should own.
Forget the fact that these are Christmas tunes, & that all but two are Yoakam originals. This is a stunning album. And though you may have heard this said before, trust me, you can play this good & loudin July & it's just as great as on Christmas morning.
Why?? - By: , 09 Dec 2000 
Quite why Yoakam had to ruin his set of brilliant albums with this Christmas album is beyond belief. I have nearly all his records from "Guitars, Cadalacs, Etc." to his new acoustic collection & they are all wonderful. This album is Dwight Yoakam at the lowest pointin his career so far.
