This hunk of Yuletide rock from Universal Records offers a pair of real classics in the form of
the Beach Boys' eternally joyful "Little Saint Nick" and John Lennon & Yoko Ono's heartfelt "Happy Xmas (War Is Over)." Tracks from
Elton John,
Leon Russell, and
the Band also make for pleasant listening, but with all of classic rock's holiday-themed bounty to choose from, the two
George Thorogood cuts (not to mention the contributions from
Pat Benatar and
Billy Squier) padding out its already slim 11-song playlist make
Classic Rock Christmas feel a bit second-rate. ~ Timothy Monger