While
Larry the Cable Guy's first Christmas effort -- 2004's
A Very Larry Christmas -- was nothing but a collection of his syndicated radio "commentaries"
Christmastime in Larryland tries harder. At the beginning the album
Larry literally dreams of a different time and the listener is transported to an alternative universe where old-time radio lives on. In
Larryland Christmas specials are still variety hours hosted by squeaky clean, ultra-upbeat announcers and feature comedians along with musical acts, like the Tobacco Company Choir who sing through artificial voice boxes. If you think that last act is depressing, you probably won't enjoy the bleak "Dysfunctional Family Christmas" (granddaughter to grandmother: "Last year you gave me some long rubbery thing that smelled like vinegar") or the comedian Muhammad who offers, "What's fat, red, and flops around? Your American Santa Claus getting beheaded for Jihad!." This creepy kind of weird that doesn't agree with family gatherings is complemented by equal share of grossness, so you can just imagine how
Larry's friend Lonnie "messes" up farting the "Jingle Bells" tune. Separate it into two words and "Nutcracker" is equally as obvious, and even if
Larry is known for his purer than pure corn, "I know everyone makes fun of fruitcakes..." should not be followed by "but" and then another tired old fruitcake routine. Hackneyed moments like this or the two minutes of a mime on CD (groan) would be more tolerable if the interesting "old-time radio meets sick and disgusting" idea had more follow through. Instead it's just a loose concept holding together a mostly gross, often disturbing, and only sometimes funny Christmas album. ~ David Jeffries