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Three originals are average and the most charming moment is an old, pre-success recording of "White Christmas." ETHER PARK AND FRIENDS - "The Island of Misfit Toys" (Wally Ballou). Confusing themselves with Phil Spector, producer Mark Hudson and teen-titans Hanson lay down soulful vocals over too-thick production, sounding like the Jackson 5 on "What Christmas Means to Me," the Beach Boys on "Little Saint Nick" and themselves all too often. When not being too clever for their own good ("Missing Miss December," the Woody Guthrie-esque talking blues, "Department Store Santa Claus Strike," the suicidal "And to All a Good Night"), these unrelated, non-Chinese brothers craft some lovely country-rock originals, including "Make the Rafters Ring" and "Making Angels in the Sand," while "Age-Old Story" is a rarity, a Hanukah song in a major key. Santa"), the standards are low enough to also include "Daddy's Drinkin' Up Our Christmas" and "Santa, Don't Do It." 5 CHINESE BROTHERS - "A Window Shopper's Christmas" (1-800-Prime CD). The third seasonal album from an ad hoc Mill Valley, Calif., skiffle/swing ensemble that includes a still distinctive Dan Hicks (lead vocalist on five tracks, composer of several) and hot licks on various acoustic instruments (washboard included, but no jug!).
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So, as Asleep at the Wheel puts it, "Merry Christmas, y'all and y'all, a good night." ROCK THE CHRISTMAS JUG BAND - "Rhythm on the Roof" (Globe). There may be only one "The" Christmas song, but there are thousands of others available this year, performed in just about every form imaginable, from the ancient instruments heard on the Christmas Revels' "Drive the Dark Away" to the little drum machine boys of "Acid X-Mas." You can find good cheer and good fellowship, or songs as bleak as any midwinter, and sounds ranging from the sacred to the secular. The 1997 crop includes more than 120 releases with, it would seem, 120 versions of "The Christmas Song," the Mel Torme-Robert Wells chestnut that hardly needs an open fire to bring a warm glowing feeling to ye old royalty account. Santa Claus were delivering all the new Christmas albums released this year to your house, he'd probably need a much bigger sleigh and you'd need a much wider chimney.