Nick Lowe Quality Street: A Seasonal Selection For All The Family (10th Anniversary) LP (Red Vinyl) & 45rpm 7" Vinyl

Michael Fremer Rated 9/10 Music, 8/10 Sound!

Since its release in 2013, Nick Lowe's holiday album Quality Street: A Seasonal Selection for All the Family has been critically lauded for "the retro-reinvention of the Christmas album" (Uncut) and was heralded by TIME and Rolling Stone as one of the greatest holiday records of all time.

Featuring original tunes by St. Nick himself, such as the witty "Christmas at the Airport" and tender "I Was Born in Bethlehem," to reimagined covers like an ironically bombastic, swinging rendition of "Silent Night" and the rearranging of Wizzard's "I Wish It Could Be Christmas Every Day" and Roger Miller's "Old Toy Trains." Some of Lowe's collaborators and admirers make songwriting appearances on the album as well, including the Ron Sexsmith-penned "Hooves on the Roof" and Lowe's co-write with his former Little Village bandmate Ry Cooder on "A Dollar Short of Happy."

Rolling Stone said it best that an album like Quality Street is "worthy of your holiday bonus."

For the album's 10th anniversary, Quality Street is being reissued on red color vinyl and includes a bonus 45 single of Nick Lowe's covers of "Winter Wonderland" and "Let It Snow." Nick's longtime tourmates Los Straitjackets are his backing band on both tracks and this marks the first time that either song is available on vinyl.

The 10th anniversary LP is limited to 1,000 copies worldwide.

This is such a charming set of tunes with understated but deft and tasteful production to match. It's got a 50's vibe without shining a retro light on anything in particular but you'll hear the elements including background singers neatly tucked within its smooth flowing rocking folds...As the inner sleeve rightly proclaims, 'All signs point toward a Happy Christmas for you!', especially if you pick up a copy of this record whatever edition you can find. If you play Christmas music this time of year this is sure to become an annual fave, if it isn't already.