Christmas Time Is Here Again

The Smithereens have released a Christmas album because, well, they can.

"THE SMITHEREENS set out to re-invent the Christmas album and turn the genre completely upside down with this record," says Pat Dinizio, the band's lead vocalist and principle songwriter. "We made a real Smithereens rock & roll record that stands on its own, yet somehow channels the ghost of Christmas past, and in the process, also pays tribute to and reinvents some of our absolute all-time favorite rock & roll Christmas records. I don't think it's been done quite this way before, and hopefully it's an album you wouldn't mind listening to the other 11 months of the year."

Here's the tracklist:

1. WAKING UP ON CHRISTMAS MORNING Smithereens original, written by Jim Babjak
2. SANTA BRING MY BABY BACK (TO ME) Elvis Presley
3. MERRY CHRISTMAS, BABY The Beach Boys
4. ROCKIN' AROUND THE CHRISTMAS TREE inspired by Bill Haley
5. CHRISTMAS TIME ALL OVER THE WORLD Smithereens original, a Christmas remake of "All Revved Up"
6. CHRISTMAS The Who (from "Tommy")
7. 'TWAS THE NIGHT BEFORE CHRISTMAS inspired by Art Carney
8. RUN RUDOLPH RUN Chuck Berry
9. MERRY CHRISTMAS (I DON'T WANT TO FIGHT TONIGHT) The Ramones
10. CHRISTMAS (I REMEMBER) original, written by Dennis Diken
11. AULD LANG SYNE inspired by The Ventures and Dick Dale
12. CHRISTMAS TIME IS HERE AGAIN The Beatles

Read more here. Download Christmas with the Smithereens here. Sample tracks at TheirSpace. Visit their website here. Evidently, according to iTunes, this album was originally released in 1994. News to me, and I'm a big Smithereens fan. Guess I'm just about 13 years late on this one.

In related news, the distinctive voice of the Smithereens, Pat Dinizio, has released another solo album.

Download the self-titled release here. Buy it from Amazon.com here. Sample tracks at HisSpace. Visit his website here.