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In general, holiday albums do not get confused with vehicles for social change. If you don't like in-your-face, change-the-world music, then stop reading now. Far removed from the typical bouquet of carols, Jefferson Pepper's Christmas in Fallujah is a holiday music anomaly. This is protest music at its finest, exploring the dark underbelly of America's social and political landscape. As for the artist's unusual name, I'm imagining some cross between Jefferson Airplane and Sgt. Pepper, but I could be wrong.

Jefferson Pepper is one talented guy, providing all the vocals here, as well as guitar work and a little tambourine. He has tremendous support from a whole host of talented players (nine guys contributing on guitar, banjo, drums, pedal steel, keyboard, fiddle, etc.). The music is highly-charged Americana rock, with bits of punk, folk, and bluegrass tossed into the mix. Pepper doesn't have a "pretty" voice, but a "pretty" voice would an anathema here; instead Pepper's vocals are roughly Dylanesque, though more comprehensible and melodic.

Christmas in Fallujah is solid throughout--carefully crafted and well executed. Of the 14 tracks, all but two are Pepper originals. The lyrics are dense and intense; fortunately, every word is available on the artist's site. "Soldier's Joy" is a lovely traditional number and the only instrumental; its upbeat, bluegrass sentiment provides a nice contrast, and Pepper's raucous version of Woody Guthrie's timeless "This Land Is Your Land" matches the album's themes very well. As for Pepper's original tunes, the artist takes no prisoners, aiming effective shots at evil defense contractors ("when they find out what you've done, they might crucify your own son"), faithless lovers, the war in Iraq, profit-obsessed urban growth, and more. While doing so, the album somehow manages to maintain (more or less) a holiday theme, and the results are quite satisfying and impressive. The best songs here are probably the title track "Christmas in Fallujah," a touching ballad about the war from the perspective of a disillusioned soldier, and the memorable "Bethlehem, PA," a lover's lament with especially strong lyrics and a refrain that stayed with me long after the album ended.

Jefferson Pepper's Christmas in Fallujah is no mainstream holiday CD, but it is a compelling piece of protest music most appropriate for the season, especially for those seeking something a bit more current and relevant than the average album of traditional Christmas classics. Bravo, Jefferson Pepper!

--Carol Swanson
(Reviewed in 2005)

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From the liner notes:

Jefferson Pepper: Vocals, acoustic and electric guitars, bass, tambourine
Joe Allison: Mandolin and fiddle
Mike Argento: Electric slide guitar, electric guitar
Pat Bowman: Keyboards
Roy Eicher: Pedal steel
John Farmer: Dobro, banjo
Scott Fisher: Drums, machine gun
John Fritchey: Electric guitar
Doctor Mo: Bass
Chris Planas: Electric guitar, lap steel

Marshall Deasy: Mixer & Apocalyptic air raid guitar feedback sustain thing

All songs written and arranged by Jefferson Pepper (2005) except:
-- "Soldier's Joy" (traditional)
-- "This Land Is Your Land" (Woody Guthrie)

Produced by Jefferson Pepper

From the Web site:

Combining rock, country, punk, folk and bluegrass, Jefferson Pepper inhabits an eclectic, rootsy territory all his own. Expanding on the tradition of singer-songwriters like Hank Williams, Woody Guthrie, Bob Dylan, John Prine and Steve Earle, he exposes the fat, soft underbelly of conformity and the status quo and tears them wide open with biting, razor-sharp lyrics and straightforward vocal delivery.

Jefferson Pepper has been writing poignant songs about the American experience for more than twenty years but it wasn't till 2005 that he released his debut album, 'Christmas in Fallujah.' Growing up in a blue-collar environment in rural southern Pennsylvania, he identified at an early age with working people and the uphill battles they faced. His Baptist upbringing and art school education proved to be an interesting mix of influences in his formative years. Other musical mentors include Son Volt, Steve Forbert, Emmylou Harris, The Ramones, Tom Waits, Patti Smith, Bruce Springsteen, Uncle Tupelo, Neil Young, Lucinda Williams, Wilco, Iris DeMent, Bad Livers, Vic Chesnutt, Whiskeytown, The Flatlanders, Talking Heads, BR549 and Johnny Cash, among others.

The debut album from Jefferson Pepper explores the darker side of the American social and political landscape with songs that are both profound and undeniably catchy. Stories are told from the vantage points of, among others, a disillusioned soldier stationed in Iraq (Christmas in Fallujah), a bloated defense contractor growing fat on the breast of the nanny-state (M-16), a regretful lover lamenting a failed relationship (Bethlehem, PA), the collective restlessness of our culture (Interstate Highway), one man's loathing of dehumanizing, homogenizing architecture and short-sighted residential planning (Stranded), an unemployed factory worker (Back To 1999), a spurned lover (Christmas Tree), a disillusioned child (Deceived), and a soldier's grieving mother (Why?). An amped-up version of Woody Guthrie's 'This Land Is Your Land' puts it all into context. References range from Enron, Osama Bin Laden and Woodrow Wilson to Frank Lloyd Wright, Santa Claus and the Wizard of Oz. 'Christmas in Fallujah' is vital Americana music as a vehicle for social change.

Jefferson Pepper

Christmas in Fallujah

Artist link

Track List