If you aren't ready for a really good time, you'd better watch out. Steve Tyrell's THIS TIME OF THE YEAR could blow you away. If you are, grab your copy and run--don't walk--to the nearest CD player. Smiling starts here.
Here is Steve at his rowdy, bluesy, romantic, joyful, swinging best; opening with a rollicking "Santa Claus is Coming To Town." That "rascal" "Rudolph, the Red-nosed Reindeer" never had so much fun, with trumpeter Terry Clark as Santa and Tyrell`s son Nick and the whole gang joining in. A terrific production. It should come as no great surprise to anyone if "Rudolph, you red-nosed reindeer" becomes the call of the wild this season.
Tyrell's rendition of the title song, Clyde Otis and Brook Benton's gorgeous "This Time of the Year," already getting a lot of air play last Christmas and bound to be even more popular this year, is sure to be evergreen.
Tyrell swings "Let It Snow" and "Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas;" he gets low-down with "Merry Christmas, Baby" and "The Christmas Blues;" he romps joyfully through the snow on "Winter Wonderland" and grabs you by the heartstrings with "What Are You Doing New Year`s" and "I`ll Be Home For Christmas." And he puts the presents under the tree, where they rightfully belong.
Even sometimes-sulky Mel Torme would have to approve Tyrell`s handling of his treasure, "The Christmas Song." And Gene Autry himself must be grinning and tapping his boot at "Here Comes Santa Claus."
As with his two previous albums, A NEW STANDARD and STANDARD TIME, you can count on sparkling arrangements, the most fabulous band, and Steve doing that thing he does with his voice. And the by-now-famous Tyrell smile is evident throughout. You may want to start now and play this album all year.
If Steve Tyrell intends to keep improving with every album he records, in the anticipation inherent in the Christmas season, one can hardly wait to see what he's going to do next. So many standards, so little time. One only hopes he makes dozens of albums and that we all live long enough to hear them.
Merry Christmas, Steve. You sho did treat us nice.
