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I scarcely tolerate the holiday season. Sometimes, it is fun to hang out with old friends, but I approach the family holiday table with trepidation and armed to the teeth--with sarcasm, political arguments and a big chip on my shoulder. Even if I can get past the dessicated bird they call turkey--and even if the Cowboys luck into a Turkey Day win--I will retreat as quickly as possible into the one thing that rarely disappoints: holiday music. So, even though everyone was bahaving themselves this year and no familial blood was spilled, I was quite pleased, one day later, to crawl back into my cocoon, plug in the ear buds and crank the sound up to eleven. And who, you might ask, would be worthy of cranking it up to eleven? Of course, I'm talking about Yes Virginia, the seasonal rock band who's been sending me their singles and EPs since 1997, that's who.

And this year's offering The Essential Christmas Treasury, 1997-2005 is Yes Virginia's Big Kahoona. Sequentially arranged from latest to earliest releases, the 31 songs comprising The Essential include every song the band has regaled me with over the years, along with some new songs from years I had somehow missed. In this splendid two volume set, you may hear everything from the whimsical (You're A Mean One, Mr. Grinch); to rock holiday classic like I Believe In Father Christmas and Happy Christmas (War Is Over); to a couple ringers like Put A Little Love In Your Heart and My Favorite Things (there's actually two versions of this one: I liked the classy instrumental version better). Amongst this great variety is a full set of hard rockin' traditional Christmas carols.

A fair number of these numbers are performed as instrumentals. Vocalist Mario Padovani provides raspy rocker crooning where needed. A vocal highlight for me was the opener You're A Mean One, Mr. Grinch, a whimsical and almost rock-ironical remake of the Thurl Ravenscroft original.

These are competent and accomplished instrumentalists. Every song is played with enthusiasm and heart. Stylistically, I would compare many of these arrangements with the Led Zeppelin or possibly the Bon Jovi school of rock. But there is great variety, with every guitar part sweet and the drumming rock steady.

If you like rocking out to the holidays, or if you just need to spend some quality time in the cocoon this Christmas season, you could do a lot worse than plugging into Yes Virginia's ample and entertaining retrospective The Essential Christmas Treasury, 1997-2005.

--Richard Banks
(Reviewed in 2006)

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From the liner notes:

Yes Virginia is
Joe Merkel: lead guitar, vocals (disc 1, tracks 4&10)
Paul Janocha: bass, guitar, keyboards (disc 2, tracks 13-16)
Mario Padovani: keyboards, guitar, vocals (disc 1, except track 4)
Mick Fleetwood: drums (disc 1, track 1)
Mark Merkel: drums, percussion (disc 1, tracks 2&3)
Gregg Hoffmann: drums (disc 1, tracks 4-15)
Mac Hines: drums (disc 2)

Produced by Mario Padovani (disc 1) and Paul Janocha (disc 2)
Recorded and mixed by Paul Janocha at Ken-Del Studios except disc 1, tracks 8-15, recorded & mixed at Side Door Studio

Disc 1, Track 1 from the CD You're A Mean One, Mr. Grinch (2005)
Disc 1, Tracks 2&3 from the CD Christmas Is the Time to Say I Love You (2004)
Disc 1, Tracks 4-7 from the CD Father Christmas (2003)
Disc 1, Tracks 8-11 from the CD And So This Is Christmas (2002)
Disc 1, Tracks 12-15 from the CD My Favorite Things (2001)
Disc 2, Tracks 1-8 from the CD O Holy Night (2000)
Disc 2, Tracks 9-12 from the CD Yes Virginia (1999)
Disc 2, Tracks 13-15 from the CD Yes Virginia (1998)
Disc 2, Track 16 from the CD ZuZu's Petals (1997)

Yes Virginia

The Essential Christmas Treasury,
1997-2005
(2 Disc Set)

Artist site

Track List

Track List, Volume 2