If it weren't the exquisite taste and playing by the Campbell Brothers, this could all too easily fall into the trap of being close to a lounge Christmas album. But when you're working within a specific framework, it's hard to become too carried away, and seasonal albums don't lend themselves to the kind of jamming and unrestrained fervor so typical of a Campbell Brothers performance. So while a song like "God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen" might swing and enjoy a good solo, it's to the point and clipped, with a distinctly jazzy tone. The closest they come to really sounding like themselves is on "Go Tell It on the Mountain," which is more gospel than Christmas anyway. They do move beyond Christian celebration with a bopping version of "The Dreydl Song," guaranteed to get the feet moving at any Hanukkah party, although even then it never really takes off for the stratospheric heights the band is capable of. There is a nice diversion with "What Child Is This" set to the tune of "Greensleeves," but that's all it is.The main problem with this record is that it's pleasant. There's no edge, and there's certainly never the feeling of the players stretching themselves, or having to even break a sweat. This is the kind of thing they could do in their sleep. So while it's head and shoulders above most holiday records, it really doesn't compare to the rest of their oeuvre. But the chances are that it'll remain a perennial seller. ~ Chris Nickson