BWW CD Reviews: John Schneider and Tom Wopat's HOME FOR CHRISTMAS Will Make Your Christmas Bright

It seems like Christmas albums are truly a dime a dozen. Everyone has one, and most of them get relegated to the $4.99 bins at Target, Best Buy, and Wal-Mart the season after they come out. Fortunately for consumers, John Schneider and Tom Wopat have released HOME FOR CHRISTMAS, a Christmas album that is sure to become a staple in the holiday collection of any discerning music lover. With snazzy, jazzy arrangements, the electric duo is bringing back "The Rat Pack" aura for our Holiday enjoyment.

Featuring arrangements by John Oddo, Tedd Firth, and Rob Mounsey, HOME FOR CHRISTMAS swings into our hearts, leaving our toes tapping and fingers snapping. From the opening chords of "Christmas Time Is Here" (Vince Guaradli/Lee Maurice Mendelson) to the closing notes of "Silver Bells" (Raymond B. Evans/Jay Livingston), the entire album transports listeners back to the Mod era, and has our spirits mirthfully hopping. The instrumentalists charm with their lively playing throughout the whole disc. Then Tom Wopat and John Schneider add icing to the cake with their dulcet voices, infectious cheer, and their charismatic banter on the handful of short interludes.

All of the tracks do just what we want them to, and that is to add joy to our holiday season. One of my favorite songs of the season is "Christmas Time Is Here," and their jazzy rendition serves as a great starting point for their album. Their interpretation of Steve Allen's "Cool Yule" is a delight. The duo presents listeners with a fun take on Frank Loesser's classic "Baby, It's Cold Outside" with their slightly re-worked version of the tune titled "Johnny, It's Cold Outside." With pizzazz and a lot of snap, "Blue Xmas" (Robert L. Dorough) is brought to life with just the right amount of bitterness and malice, reminding us of that unavoidable undercurrent of tension during the holidays. As the album draws to a close, we are treated to down-home, folksy feelings with their pop-country spins on "On a Quiet Christmas Morn" (Linda Hill Williams/Robert Murphy Williams III) and "Silver Bells" (Raymond B. Evans/Jay Livingston).

Just like John Schneider says about eggnog at the end of the album, HOME FOR CHRISTMAS is good. The album is perfectly mixed and engineered, giving spotlight to the vocals and the alluring warmth of Christmas music. This is the kind of album that will have you dancing in your living room then cozying up next to the fire. With a few days to go before Jolly St. Nick comes down your chimney, be sure to pick this one up. It's sure to make your Christmas bright.

John Schneider and Tom Wopat released HOME FOR CHRISTMAS online and in stores on October 28, 2014. The album also serves as a celebration their 35th Anniversary of the iconic TV Show that they both starred on, Dukes of Hazzard. It can be purchased from iTunes, Amazon, and elsewhere music is sold.

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