December 2005

The Brian Setzer Orchestra
Dig That Crazy Christmas
Surfdog

By Tad Hendrickson

Guitarist-vocalist Setzer mixes recognizable rock and big-band licks with his own hep-cat lyrics on songs like "Hey Santa!" and "Santa Drives a Hot Rod," while also covering classics like "White Christmas" and "Jingle Bell Rock." His retro-swing thing is lightweight and catchy, and it's hard to forget the band's warped version of "Angels We Have Heard on High," which is mixed with Buddy Holly's "Peggy Sue." This CD will kick the holiday parties up a notch.