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Our Review

What a wild ride! Universal Honey are Leslie Stanwyck and Johnny Sinclair, and these Canadian pop rockers put on an exceptional show for the season. When "Can't Stop Thinking About Christmas" was released last November, it immediately caused quite a stir, and I can see why! Leslie Stanwyck supplies the very cool vocals, and the overall sound is reminiscent of Stevie Nicks with Fleetwood Mac. The music is high-energy and unforgettable.

The title track is a show-stopper! "Can't Stop Thinking About Christmas" had me bouncing out of my chair. It opens with the scratch sounds of an old LP (or perhaps radio static?), then plunges into "i made a list i checked it twice/since you've been naughty you wanna make it alright" and "are you my baby? am I your sugar plum?" The lyrics are absolutely delicious. The song is so nice, the album includes it twice, bookending the CD at the front and back (the final cut is a heavier-duty "MixMas" remixed version).

There is nothing standard about these holiday tunes. With the exception of "Three Ships," the 12 cuts are all original Christmas songs penned by Stanwyck and Sinclair. The songwriting is exceptional, and the liner notes helpfully provide all the creative lyrics. Although the songs are largely hard-driving, a warm affection and gentle playfulness underlie the effort. You do get the sense that these two genuinely enjoy the holiday season; for example, Universal Honey's version of the traditional "Three Ships" (one of my favorite carols) is a touching treat. "You Still Love Me" is a great number that is not strictly a holiday number; it can enjoy guilt-free spins on your CD player all year 'round. In fact, this CD is so fresh and new that you may find you "Can't Stop Thinking About Christmas" in July!

Want a hard rockin' Christmas party of an album? "Can't Stop Thinking About Christmas" will take you on a joyful romp. It's terrific.

--Carol Swanson
(Reviewed in 2004)

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From the liner notes:

All songs written by Leslie Stanwyck and Johnny Sinclair (except the traditional "Three Ships").

From the promotional materials:

Universal Honey are:
Leslie Stanwyck: lead vocals, guitar, piano
Johnny Sinclair: bass
Craig Hunter: drums
Kristen Hudecki: harmony vocals
Ryan Demchuk: keyboards, vocals
Ian Chesal: guitar.

Warm and delightful, Universal Honey's "Can't Stop Thinking About Christmas" is a collection of brand new original Christmas songs which are a wonderful addition to this cheerful holiday season.

From the website:

band Leslie Stanwyck, vocals, guitars and keyboards Johnny Sinclair, bass guitars with Dave Bidini, lead guitar on "The Celebration"
Andy Maize, vocals on "The Celebration"
Tyler Stewart, drums on "The Celebration"
Peter Timmins, drums on "Shine A Light On The World"
Clayton Denwood, vocals on "Three Ships"
Gerard Popma, slide guitar on "Three Ships"
Dave Rave, vocals on "The Bells"
Ron Sexsmith, vocals on "Little Christmas Tree"
Clayton Denwood, vocals on "Let Me Be Your Santa"
Darrin Pfieffer, Drums on "Let Me Be Your Santa"
Andy Curran, vocals on "Shiny Star"
Kim Mitchell, guitar solo on "Shiny Star"
Darrin Pfieffer, drums on "Christmastime In The Summertime"
Steve Stanley, vocals and lead guitar on "Christmastime In The Summertime"
Jim Cuddy, vocals on "You Still Love Me"
Robby Takac, loops, samples, programming on "Can't Stop Thinking About Christmas"

Universal Honey

Can't Stop Thinking About Christmas

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Track List