Christmas Songs (Bad Religion album)
| Christmas Songs | ||||
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| Compilation album by Bad Religion | ||||
| Released | October 29, 2013 | |||
| Recorded | 2013 | |||
| Genre | Punk rock, christmas[1] | |||
| Length | 19:01 | |||
| Label | Epitaph | |||
| Producer | Joe Barresi | |||
| Bad Religion chronology | ||||
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Christmas Songs is the fourth Compilation album by California punk rock band Bad Religion, released October 29, 2013 on Epitaph Records.[2] It is their first full-length Christmas album, featuring eight covers of seasonal songs and an "Andy Wallace mix" version of "American Jesus".[3] This is also the first Bad Religion album not to feature Greg Hetson on guitar since 1983's Into the Unknown, and the first time they recorded as a five-piece since 2000's The New America. Christmas Songs is also Bad Religion's final release with Brooks Wackerman on drums.
Background
Although Bad Religion had played many Christmas songs in the past, mostly during the KROQ Almost Acoustic Christmas shows,[4] the band had reportedly turned down offers to release a Christmas album.[3] After three days of speculation, the official announcement of Christmas Songs came via Epitaph press release on September 10, 2013.[3] 20% of the proceeds from Christmas Songs will go to SNAP (Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests).[5]
Cover
The cover picture comes from a picture titled "New Shoes" by Gerald Waller (Austria 1946). It is of an orphan boy who received new shoes from the American Red Cross.[6]
Reception
Critical
| Professional ratings | |
|---|---|
| Aggregate scores | |
| Source | Rating |
| Metacritic | 60/100[7] |
| Review scores | |
| Source | Rating |
| Allmusic |   [8] |
| Alternative Press |  [9] |
Christmas Songs received mixed reviews from music critics upon its release. At Metacritic, which assigns a normalized rating out of 100 to reviews from mainstream critics, the album has received an average score of 60, based on 15 reviews, indicating "mixed or average" reviews.[7]
Track listing
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Hark! The Herald Angels Sing" | Felix Mendelssohn, Charles Wesley | 1:59 |
| 2. | "O Come All Ye Faithful" | John Francis Wade, Frederick Oakeley | 2:04 |
| 3. | "O come, O come, Emmanuel" | Traditional, John Mason Neale | 2:07 |
| 4. | "White Christmas" | Irving Berlin | 1:49 |
| 5. | "Little Drummer Boy" | Katherine Kennicott Davis | 2:04 |
| 6. | "God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen" | Traditional | 1:39 |
| 7. | "What Child Is This?" | William Chatterton Dix | 1:53 |
| 8. | "Angels We Have Heard on High" | Traditional | 2:07 |
| 9. | "American Jesus (Andy Wallace Mix)" | 3:19 | |
Total length: |
19:01 | ||
Personnel
- Greg Graffin – lead vocals
- Brett Gurewitz – guitar, backing vocals
- Brian Baker – lead guitar
- Jay Bentley – bass, backing vocals
- Brooks Wackerman – drums
- Additional Musicians
- Greg Hetson – guitar on "American Jesus"
- Bobby Schayer – drums on "American Jesus"
Chart performance
| Chart (2013) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| US Billboard 200[10] | 101 |
| US Top Holiday Albums (Billboard)[11] | 7 |
References
- ↑ http://www.allmusic.com/album/christmas-songs-mw0002581000
- ↑ "Bad Religion: Christmas Songs: Music". Amazon.com. Retrieved 11 September 2013.
- 1 2 3 "'BAD RELIGION To Release 'Christmas Songs' On October 29". Epitaph Records. 10 September 2013. Retrieved 10 September 2013.
- ↑ "UPDATE: Bad Religion to release Christmas songs!". The Bad Religion Page. 7 September 2013. Retrieved 10 September 2013.
- ↑ "Stream Bad Religion's Christmas Album Now". 30 September 2013.
- ↑ http://www.flickr.com/photos/grammardog/505296833/
- 1 2 http://www.metacritic.com/music/christmas-songs/bad-religion Critic Reviews for Christmas Songs. Metacritic. Retrieved 23 December 2013.
- ↑ Christmas Songs (Bad Religion album) at AllMusic
- ↑ Ham, Robert. "Bad Religion - Christmas Songs EP". Alternative Press. Retrieved 6 November 2013.
- ↑ "Bad Religion – Chart history" Billboard 200 for Bad Religion.
- ↑ "Bad Religion Album & Song Chart History". Billboard Top Holiday Albums for Bad Religion. Prometheus Global Media.
External links
- Christmas Songs at YouTube (streamed copy where licensed)
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