Randy Bachman
, the hard-rockin' guitar hero behind
the Guess Who
and
Bachman-Turner Overdrive
, proves you can get in the holiday spirit without going mellow or mushy on this collection of seasonal six-string workouts. On
Takin' Care of Christmas
,
Bachman
features two new tunes, a Christmas rewrite of his signature tune "Takin' Care of Business," as well as an ode to ticking off the names on your gift list, "Shop Till You Drop." Elsewhere,
delivers revved-up adaptations of some of his favorite holiday tunes, including "Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree," "Do You Hear What I Hear?," "Run, Run Rudolph," "Happy Christmas (War Is Over)," and many more. The mood is fun and festive, and
proves the guitar skills that made him a Canadian rock icon are as strong as ever. Pour the eggnog, turn it up, and you've got an instant Yuletide party for the rocker in your household. ~ Mark Deming