Album Reviews

There never has been a spectacular-sounding reissue of this great Cream classic and there never will be. Unfortunately, the original recording was not particularly distinguished.

Ed. note: Bishop Allen's new album is set to release March, 2009. This review of the group's debut album ran here December, 2007. It gets better with each play and is highly recommended.

Elvis delivers the album opening “Santa Claus Is Back In Town” on this fall of 1957 release with bawdy, bluesly, burlesque-like delight. There’s nothing in his voice that’s even remotely subtle when he sings “Santa Claus is coming down your chimney tonight,” or any of the rest of the tune’s normally innocent lyrics. At one point in a break Elvis utters some guttural grunts not normally associated with Christmas no how! This probably had teenaged girls tingling and their parents repulsed.

World Music probably before there was such a term, this musical description of a dramatic, colorful Australian aboriginal dance ceremony told mostly with western classical musical conventions and instrumentation, though a ominous sounding primitive instrument called a bull roarer makes a dramatic appearance.

Good luck finding a copy. They're pretty much sold out and the price of used copies is only likely to rise for this iconic grunge-rock album with the "sell-out" cover.

In retrospect it’s easy to understand why these superstars would want to write and perform this codger-esque novelty stuff under assumed names. They must have figured that while writing and singing this lighthearted fare inspired by the music of their formative years was fun, they were hardly washed up artists and had more greatness within waiting to pour forth.

Whether the release of this album or Dylan's "plugging in" at Newport in 1965 enraged fans more is debatable, but whichever way you see it, everyone agrees that this record was reviled when first released back in the Spring of 1969.