Any fan of pre-Nashville-sound country should know The Louvin Brothers: their ethereally brotherly harmonies and their status as arguably the apex of hard country's brother duet phase-the conduit from The Delmores to The Everleys and probably The Wilburns too.
Enough history, though. Christmas With The Louvin Brothers looks to have been recorded in the same late '50s to early '60s timeframe as the rest of their best sides for Capitol. What makes the album most fascinating is Charlie and Ira's deeply down-home harmonizing set against arrangements that cut the difference between The Louvin's harder country tendencies, traditional carol configurations steeped in English choraleers adding to (or distracting from) the brothers' natural charms.
The Nashville elements gel well enough with the classical base of many of the carols (especially fetching on "Good Christian Men Rejoice"), while the occasional loping weeping of pedal steel reminds the listener that the Louvins were going to keep things country; and they couldn't keep things more country than singing that Jesus was "borned" in Bethlehem on "The First Noel." Capping off the original album's twelve tracks are both sides of a collectably rare single. "It's Christmas Time" is good, but the real fun is the Louvins sounding actually somewhat happy on "Santa's Big Parade" and ole St. Nick calling the boys and girls, young men and women. If there was a picture sleeve with this one, it would have been a hoot. Speaking of pictures, those who have seen or own the Bear Family Records boxed set will recognize the photo from that cover as the same one on this Christmas album.
If you go to a family get-together, try slipping this into the stereo for some real country Christmas music.
Similar sounding releases
2005June Carter CashKeep On The Sunny Side: June Carter Cash-Her Life In Music
2005Johnny CashThe Legend of Johnny Cash
1969Nat Stuckey / Connie SmithGod Will
2005Fern JonesThe Glory Road
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1979Emmylou HarrisLight of the Stable
