Season's Greetings from moe. [Red/White/Green Pinwheel LP] in Bloomington, MN

With
Season Greetings From Moe.
,
moe
. has managed to do something unique: they've made a cool, totally sincere
Christmas
album. That's not to say that all of it is successful. Their versions of
"Blue Christmas"
(crooned by guitarist
Chuck Garvey
),
"We're A Couple of Misfits,"
and
"Oh Hanukkah"
crest with a
surf-punk
joy that's contagious. The band's two original contributions --
Rob Derhak
's
"Together at Christmas,"
Al Schnier
"Home"
-- aren't quite as good, though they carry a sweet earnestness that's hard to belittle. Certainly, there is a sense of camp about the band's covers, but it's not an ironic or demeaning camp. On one hand, it fits in neatly with the
jam band
scene where the band finds their home. On the other hand, most band's jokes aren't quite so serious -- at least to the extent that most bands don't record theme albums. With
. has provided a focus for their sense of humor and, in the bargain, integrated it perfectly (and, on average, tastefully) with their music. While the disc might be intended for fans only and was recorded semi-hastily, it could prove a subtly important stepping-stone for the band. ~ Jesse Jarnow