Christmas is a special time of year, one we often spend in moments of quiet reflection, pondering the spiritual questions of the day. Questions like: Do we really need another recording of “All I Want for Christmas is You”? Or “Merry Christmas Baby”? Or “Blue Christmas”? Johnny Earthquake and the Moondogs, a Natchitoches outfit that functions as a shifting assembly of swamp pop vets, provides new versions of all three on its Reflections on the Cane CD. Indeed, this holiday collection starts off with a shamelessly perfect re-creation of the Vince Vance neo-classic and moves through standards like “Run Run Rudolph” and “Silent Night” as if they weren’t already engraved in our DNA. As it turns out, this is a Louisiana Xmas album worth owning anyway, and not just because the proceeds are headed straight for the state’s Special Olympics fund. Augmented by an impressive horn section and some excellent vocal work, the Moondogs ride a tight, fat groove that can only be generated by tireless bar-band vets. Which is why a warhorse like “O Christmas Tree” has a strange combination of urgency and warmth that still manages to evoke Yule gatherings past. (Granted, the rock treatment of “Silent Night” seems to, er, miss the point of the original.)
What few originals there are don’t seem like afterthoughts, either. The hangover lament “Funky New Year” is just that, “Hey Santa” rocks like an E Street Band outtake, “There’s A Child” is excellent modern gospel, and the surprisingly moody title track sports a haunting hook, albeit one that overstays its welcome. Like a Christmas TV special, however, the CD’s real secret weapon is the array of celebs that drop in for a visit—that’s Ricky Nelson sideman James Burton playing lead guitar on the “Blue Christmas/Santa Claus Is Back In Town” medley, and Luther Kent and John Fred trading lead vocals on “Please Come Home For Christmas.” Charitable intentions aside, projects like these usually come off gimmicky and/or glib, but Johnny and his crew somehow manage to pull these chestnuts out of the fire and make them seem new again. Tradition never sounded so good.
