Christmas Everywhere

by Rodney Crowell

Overview

In the 21st century, the sizable majority of Christmas albums fall into one of two categories -- those made by artists with a sentimental streak who love celebrating the musical and social traditions, and the cynics who enjoy putting a snarky smirk on songs of the season. Rodney Crowell clearly lines up in the second camp judging from 2018's Christmas Everywhere, which in its first song includes the line "The season starts in August now, we'll see you at the mall," and in the second finds him crooning "Mama wants a kitchen sink, Daddy wants a stiffer drink, Grandma wants us to cut the crap, Grandpa wants a nice long nap." But if Christmas Everywhere is short on traditional reverence, Crowell sure seems to be having a lot of fun sending up the holidays. He digs into a smoky R&B groove on "When the Fat Guy Tries the Chimney on for Size," dips a hint of rockabilly into "Very Merry Christmas," and generates a classic country shuffle on "Christmas Makes Me Sad." Christmas Everywhere is also the rare Christmas album devoted entirely to original material written for this disc, and if this material doesn't rank with the best songs of Crowell's career, he's always been a gifted craftsman and his level of quality control here is impressive. Even the most playful numbers generate honest laughs and find Crowell singing with sincere enthusiasm, while he and his studio band pick up a storm. And the hardscrabble Yuletide tales of "Christmas in Vidor," the lonely heartsick nights of "Come Christmas," and the sad nostalgia of "Christmas in New York" are on hand to show Crowell can write seriously (if unconventionally) with the holiday in mind and make it stick. Christmas Everywhere won't replace that Mantovani Christmas album your grandfather has been playing for decades at family gatherings, but if you're tired of putting Robert Earl Keen's "Merry Christmas from the Family" on a loop for that party with your friends, Crowell and his pals will fill the bill with style. ~ Mark Deming

Product Details

Release Date:	11/02/2018
Label:	New West
UPC:	0607396527113

Tracks

1. Clement's Lament (We'll See You in the Mall)
2. Christmas Everywhere
3. When the Fat Guy Tries the Chimney on for Size
4. Christmas Makes Me Sad
5. Merry Christmas from an Empty Bed
6. Very Merry Christmas
7. Christmas in Vidor
8. Christmas for the Blues
9. Come Christmas
10. Let's Skip Christmas This Year
11. Christmas in New York
12. All for Little Girls & Boys

Album Credits

Performance Credits

Rodney Crowell   Primary Artist,Vocals,Guitar (Acoustic)
Zach Casebolt   Violin
Jordan Lehning   Brass,Strings
Jon Radford   Drums
Lera Lynn   Vocals,Featured Artist
Dan Knobler   Guitar
Mary Karr   Vocals,Featured Artist
Kristin Weber   Violin
Avery Bright   Viola
John Jorgenson   Sax (Alto),Guitar (Acoustic),Guitar (Baritone),Guitar (Electric),Piano,Guitar
Kim Keyes   Vocals,Vocal Harmony
Richard Bennett   Bouzouki,Guitar (Acoustic)
Brennen Leigh   Vocals,Featured Artist
Micah Hulscher   Organ,Piano,Wurlitzer,Vibraphone
Rory Hoffman   Organ,Piano,Accordion,Tambourine,Sax (Tenor),Guitar (Rhythm)
Grace Woodworth   Horn (English)
Daddy Cool and the Yule   Vocals,Featured Artist
Tony King   Vocal Harmony
Audley Freed   Guitar (Electric)
Kelly Willis   Vocal Harmony
Jen Gunderman   Piano,Toy Piano,Synthesizer
Becky Warren   Vocal Harmony
Dennis Crouch   Bass
Tommy White   Pedal Steel
Paul Leim   Drums
Vince Gill   Vocal Harmony
Jerry Roe   Drums
Tommy Sims   Bass
Jennifer Kummer   French Horn
Chris Rodriguez   Vocal Harmony
Tyler Summers   Flute
Jedd Hughes   Vocal Harmony
Tania Hancheroff   Vocals,Vocal Harmony
Bruce Robison   Vocal Harmony
Rod Fletcher   Vocal Harmony
Michael Rinne   Bass
Peter Knobler   Vocal Harmony
Austin Hoke   Cello

Technical Credits

Justin Francis   Engineer,String Engineer
Jordan Lehning   Engineer,Wind Arrangements
Chelsea Crowell   Composer
Dan Knobler   Mixing,Engineer,Producer,String Engineer
Mary Karr   Composer
Jacob Blumberg   Engineer
Zaq Reynolds   Assistant Engineer
John Jorgenson   Composer
Rodney Crowell   Composer
Brennen Leigh   Composer
Fetzer Design   Design
Caitlin Crowell   Composer
Daddy Cool and the Yule   Instrumentation
Hannah Crowell   Composer
Jacob Burrows   Cover Art,Cover Painting
Chuck Cannon   Composer
Jack Spencer   Photography
Alex McCollough   Mastering