Iconic guitarist, songwriter, vocalist and three-time Grammy-Award winner Brian Setzer and The Brian Setzer Orchestra exclusively premiered Rockin’ Rudolph – their first studio Christmas album in 10 years – on YAHOO! Music yesterday (10/12).
Due out this Friday via Surfdog Records, the album was produced by Peter Collins (Rush, Bon Jovi, Alice Cooper) and recorded in both Nashville, TN and Hollywood, CA. The 12-track Rockin’ Rudolph includes highlights such as “Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree,” “Yabba-Dabba Yuletide,” and “Rockabilly Rudolph” (premiered exclusively via Billboard.com last Friday), among other notable Christmas classic tunes, with Setzer’s trademark guitar work and vocal stylings matched with The Brian Setzer Orchestra’s rockin’ big-band horn arrangements. Watch a short sizzle video for Rockin’ Rudolph, available now to pre-order via PledgeMusic.com as a limited edition box set, CD, vinyl or download.
The 18-piece band will support the album with a major concert tour,the “12th Annual Christmas Rocks! Tour,” featuring music from the new album plus music off their three previous best-selling holiday albums. The outing will visit 31 cities beginning Saturday, November 14 in Minneapolis and stop in Detroit, New Orleans, Los Angeles and San Francisco, among many others. Click here for full tour itinerary and tickets.
“It’s been about 10 years since I made a Christmas record,” says Setzer. “It [Christmas music] just seems to get more popular every year. They’re classic songs and you wonder after a couple records how many of them are left. Once you dig in you find, wow! I’ve haven’t done ‘Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree,’ you know. I’ve never done ‘Here Comes Santa Claus!’ Ones that everyone knows and are still out there. These songs are great songs. It doesn’t matter if they’re holiday songs or when they were written, they’re just great songs. So the trick,” adds Setzer, “is to make them sound hip. Some of them are eternally hip, you know, so you don’t have to do too much.”
Track listing for standard edition of Rockin’ Rudolph:
1. “Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree”
2. “Yabba-Dabba Yuletide”
3. “Most Wonderful Time of the Year”
4. “Rockabilly Rudolph”
5. “Here Comes Santa Claus”
6. “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas”
7. “Swingin’ Joy”
8. “Carol of the Bells”
9. “Little Jack Frost”
10. “Hark! The Herald Angels Sing”
11. “O Little Town of Bethlehem”
12. “Yabba-Dabba Yuletide” (extended)
The Rockin’ Rudolph Deluxe Box Set includes:
1. Brand New Rockin’ Rudolph album on CD
2. Commemorative Sheet Music / Guitar Chart to “Nutcracker Suite” (just as Brian reads on stage!)
3. Custom Brian Setzer Die-cut Christmas Tree Ornament (3″ tall, alloy metal)
4. Brian Setzer’s Own Murray’s Pomade (Hair Product)
5. Commemorative BSO “Martini Logo” Stainless Steel Guitar Pick
6. BSO Christmas Album Cover Drink Coasters
7. Six Polaroid-style BSO Concert Photos
8. “Live in Nashville” 10×10 print
9. Reusable 8GB USB Credit Card w/ Extras, including:
– Hi-definition .wav files of full 12-track ROCKIN’ RUDOLPH album
– 2 New Bonus Instrumental Tracks Not Included on Album: “Deck The Halls” & “Little Drummer Boy”
– Album Cover Rough Sketches by Artist Derek Yaniger
– Brief Behind-the-scenes video footage of BSO’s Rockin’ Rudolph recording session (House of Blues studio in Nashville, TN.)
– “Jingle Bells” – Live Performance by BSO (previously released)
– “Nutcracker Suite” – Live Performance by BSO (previously released)
– Behind-the-scenes look at Brian writing entire big band arrangement from scratch (previously released)
