December 2005

Craig Chaquico
Holiday
Higher Octave Music

By Tad Hendrickson

When your career highlight is a stint with Jefferson Starship, artistic integrity wasn't ever part of the equation. Not that artistic integrity is a requisite for making good Christmas music, but Chaquico's new-age ambient backdrops are ponderous--just like his guitar work. "Angels We Have Heard on High" sounds like it was made by music-making software, and "Silent Night," which is the best track here, sounds a little like Bill Frisell rocking out--if he had with no interesting ideas.