CD Review: Bob Schneider, “Christmastime”

Wasn’t I just talking about how impossibly prolific Bob Schneider is? Yes, I was, dammit — and here he is to prove it again, releasing the eight-song Christmastime just a matter of weeks after his latest full-length album, Lovely Creatures.

Given that we’re talking about a guy whose output runs the gamut from pure beauty (“Flowerparts”) to drunken nonsense (“The Sons of Ralph”), it’s fair to wonder what kind of Christmastime this is — and lovers of traditional holiday music will be happy to learn that Schneider keeps a straight face this time, delivering a batch of warm, understated yuletide tunes that makes room for seasonal classics young and old. The track listing is as follows:

1. Winter Wonderland
2. I’ll Be Home For Christmas
3. Christmas Time Is Here
4. The Most Wonderful Day Of The Year
5. Christmas (Baby Please Come Back)
6. White Christmas
7. Fairytale Of New York
8. Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas

Christmastime might be a little sleepy for some listeners — Schneider cut it over the course of a weekend, and perhaps as a result, the arrangements are sparse and the tempos slow — but it’s covered with a fresh blanket of holiday cheer; it’s the kind of album you can listen to in front of a fire, or during a grown-ups’ Christmas party. Schneider stays solidly in crooner mode, letting his voice drift gently alongside Guaraldi-style piano, bass, and understated drums. Have a behind-the-scenes look at the making of the album here:

[kml_flashembed movie="http://www.youtube.com/v/v_ncNdqnoPs" width="600" height="344" allowfullscreen="true" fvars="fs=1" /]

Christmastime is for sale either as a download or as a dual CD/mp3 package, both available from Schneider’s online store.