Christmas Album

What holiday spent roasting chestnuts 'round the fire would be complete without a tune or two from one of Germany's greatest disco exports? Why, none of course. And thankfully, although the handful of Yuletide singles Boney M. recorded often turned up slivered into their albums and assorted singles, in 1981 the band repaired to England, added London's Christmas Choir, and gave listeners Christmas Album. The resulting 12 tracks -- all bundled together in a festive blue, white, and gray sleeve -- bring back nostalgic memories of crackling apple wood, popcorn balls, highballs, and nights at the disco -- this is Boney M., after all. From their classic version of "Mary's Boy Child/Oh My Lord," which infused the Christmas spirit with Caribbean island spirituals and charted pretty much everywhere in 1979, to their interpretation of "Little Drummer Boy," which finds Bobby Farrell keeping the rum-pum-pums firmly in hand and sounding a little menacing to boot, this couldn't be mistaken for anything other than good old Boney M. magic. Elsewhere, the quartet reggaes up "White Christmas" and discos-down "Zion's Daughter," which at times sounds inexplicably like "Frosty the Snowman." Add to that a medley of "Holy Night," "Snow Falls Over the Ground," and "Hear Ye the Message," and that extra toddy to get you through the family dinner won't even be necessary. Nicely produced, pleasing to listen to, flawlessly delivered, and infused with an honesty that's too real to smack of phoniness, this album probably will be prized only by serious fans and collectors, standing as a mere novelty item for anyone else. There are certainly far finer contemporary holiday albums to be found, but Boney M. are, in their own effervescent way, disco's finest Yuletide elves. ~ Amy Hanson