Jugging it Up at Christmas

Christmas Covers (Independent)

Juggernaut Jug Band

By Kory Wilcoxson

It should tell you something about the JJB's holiday offering when the most conventional song on the album is the band's version of "Grandma Got Run Over by a Reindeer." In fact, that song is too tame compared to what else Gil Fish, Roscoe Goose, World Wide Webb and Big Daddy cook up for Christmas dinner.

The album, recorded live at Dollywood, is full of your Christmas favorites - after they've been Juggernauted. "Here Comes Santa Claus" is performed Elvis-style with increasing velocity. After singing about Rudolph, we hear of some of his lesser-known companions, like Bob the Alcoholic Reindeer. And "Santa Claus Is Coming to Town" starts off innocently enough, until "He's walking around in a Santa Claus cap/looking for a woman to sit on his lap/Roscoe Goose is coming to town." Ho, ho, ho.

The album also covers some more obscure Christmas tunes, including the Bobs' "Christmas in Jail" and the aforementioned King's "Blue Christmas." The JJB finish things off with their own take on "The 12 Days of Christmas," which displays such instrumental dexterity that the boys must have had smoke coming out of their ears. It's an antler-rattling finish to a belly laugh of a Christmas album. A few listens to this and you won't need eggnog.