Yes Virginia Niles MI

Yes Virginia

Yes Virginia

Wise Guy Records, 1999

REVIEW BY: Christopher Thelen

ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED: 11/15/1999

As I write this review, we have 43 days until Christmas. I can deal with that, as well as the approaching holiday season - even if I don't know how I'm gonna pay for all the gifts I plan on buying for my family.

But I can't begin to tell you how depressing it is to start getting Christmas music in the mail for review - and it starts arriving in September. Sometimes, the road I travel in this job is a difficult one.

One disc which I can guarantee you won't find on the shelves of Target is from a small group, Yes Virginia. A three-piece group from Delaware, Paul Janocha and crew take traditional carols and put a little (not a lot, a little) harder of an edge behind them with electric guitar, bass and drums. Their 1998 self-titled CD brings back memories of how groups like Mannheim Steamroller got their start in the Christmas music juggernaut -- and though this four-song disc is far too short, I'd say it holds out more than just a little promise for this group.

The band -- bassist/keyboardist/guitarist Janocha, guitarist Joe Merkel and drummer Mac Hine -- carefully make sure that they're not treading on the traditions of each song they do while adding a bit of '90s kick to the songs. There is a spirit of reverence towards the original melodies -- and that's something that I think is rare in the modern approach towards holiday music.