Herb Alpert & the Tijuana Brass
Christmas Album (Shout! Factory)
Although the trans-generational appeal of Herb Alpert’s signature sound propelled this album to No. 1 in 1968, the Tijuana Brass is often overwhelmed by saccharine Shorty Rogers vocal arrangements. Instead of nonstop uplifting vim, Alpert falls back on an elevator-styled TV-special approach. “Jingle Bell Rock” and “My Favorite Things” pack their punches, but this could’ve been a fiesta instead of a corporate office party.
This article appears in December 23 • 2005.
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Greg Beets was born in Lubbock on the day Richard Nixon was elected president. He has covered music for the Chronicle since 1992, writing about everyone from Roky Erickson to Yanni. Beets has also written for Billboard,Uncut, Blurt, Elmore, and Pop Culture Press. Before his digestive tract cried uncle, he co-published Hey! Hey! Buffet!, an award-winning fanzine about all-you-can-eat buffets.
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