Continental Drifters: “White Noise & Lightning: The Best Of Continental Drifters” (2024) CD Review

This is a great time for Continental Drifters fans, what, with the release of a biography of the band and a two-disc tribute recorded by some outstanding artists. It’s also a great time to become a fan. Omnivore Recordings released a compilation of the group’s best material, titled White Noise & Lightning: The Best Of Continental Drifters. It contains material from each of the band’s four full-length albums, as well as a track from a single, and the disc’s liner notes do a good job of listing the band members for each of those releases, for there certainly were some changes in personnel. The liner notes, by the way, were written by Sean Kelly, the author of the band’s biography, White Noise & Lightning: The Continental Drifters Story, which was published in late September. This compilation includes one previously unreleased track, a live recording of “Who We Are, Where We Live.” Are there some great songs missing from this compilation? You bet there are. Hello, “Anything”; hello, “Snow.” But there is more than an hour of music here, and every song is a winner, this disc providing a damn good selection of the band’s material. This is a perfect place to start.

The disc opens with “The Rain Song,” a song written by Susan Cowsill and Vicki Peterson, and originally included on Vermilion. And, yes, if you are not yet a fan of this band, you probably still recognize those names from The Cowsills and The Bangles. The band at this point also included Mark Walton on bass, Russ Broussard on drums, Robert Maché on guitar and Peter Holsapple on keyboards. The song’s first line, “Well, I don’t think about us much anymore,” is interesting, because it’s a line that we don’t entirely trust or believe. After all, she’s thinking about the relationship enough to sing about it. And so an interesting tone is created from that very first line, drawing us in. And by the end she is singing, “Yeah, I remember you.” There is a hint of a Byrds feel to some of the guitar work. Also from Vermilion comes “Christopher Columbus Transcontinental Highway,” which was written by Vicki Peterson. There is a strong energy to this song, and it feels like a vehicle bearing down on us, threatening to lose all control. Part of it is that rhythm, but Vicki’s vocal performance also has that energy. There are moments when I’m reminded of Leslie Knauer. This song’s first line puts us in a specific time and place, a highway in Los Angeles after the 1994 earthquake. The lyrics also give both this album and the biography their titles. There is a seriously cool instrumental section, which begins after Vicki calls, “Go, Robert, go!” This is a good song to add to your road trip play list.

“Dallas” comes from Nineteen Ninety-Three, which was recorded before Vermilion but released after it. Actually, this is the last of the four albums to be released, but the first to be recorded. The band at this point is made up of Mark Walton, Peter Holsapple, Carlo Nuccio on drums, Gary Eaton on guitar, and Ray Ganucheau on guitar. The sound might be different, but it feels just as right. There is a glorious power behind this song. “Not old enough to know any better/But all roads led to Dallas/I remember it in black and white.” This song was written by Gary Eaton, and it contains some good work on guitar. It is followed by “Mezzanine,” a song that comes from the band’s self-titled album, which was the first one that was released. That was in 1994. The band then was made up of Mark Walton, Carlo Nuccio, Robert Maché, Vicki Peterson, Susan Cowsill and Peter Holsapple. This song was written by Carlo Nuccio, and it has a cool country flavor. “I reflect on the world that I’ve seen/Between the ground floor and the mezzanine.”

This collection takes us back to the Nineteen Ninety-Three album for “Invisible Boyfriend,” a song written by Peter Holsapple (and, yes, for those who are not yet fans of this band, Peter is from The dB’s). This is such a good song. It deals with grief, but grief observed rather than felt. It’s about how after losing someone, you carry that person with you, still wanting to share your experiences with him, to the point where others can feel that person. “Sometimes I think I can see him myself/With arms wrapped around her, the picture of health/Grinning at her just as they were/Before the impossible happened.” Yeah, this is a group of songwriters, all of them incredibly talented. And that line about the man of her dreams returning to a dream knocks the air out of me. “Match Made In Heaven” is also from Nineteen Ninety-Three, this one written by Gary Eaton. Check out its opening lines: “Things change just a little too fast/You’d better keep your eyes open/Or you’ll miss it/Who’s the man sleeping in your bed/Just a little boy with a gun to his head.” This is a band whose lyrics you want to listen attentively to. But even if you don’t, you can enjoy this song.

“The Mississippi” is the song that comes from a single released in 1992, the first release from this band. It was written by Carlo Nuccio and Ray Ganucheau, and was recorded as part of a six-song demo. The band then was made up of Mark Walton, Carlo Nuccio, Gary Eaton, Ray Ganuchea, and Danny McGough on piano. But Susan Cowsill, Vicki Peterson and Peter Holsapple are present, providing backing vocals. “I miss my family and I miss my friends/I’m sure someday I’ll get back to them.” I love Carlo’s drum work on this track. This track also contains a really nice guitar lead in the second half. That’s followed by “Get Over It,” a song from the band’s self-titled album. It was written by Mark Walton, though it is Susan Cowsill who sings lead. She delivers a fantastic vocal performance. Some of the guitar work has a 1960s flavor, like a slightly sped-up “Wasn’t Born To Follow.” Here is a taste of the lyrics: “Please don’t shout anymore/I can’t stand to sit around and watch you slamming my doors/Show some sense and respect/Learn to cope and get over it.” This is a song you’ll probably be singing along with soon enough, even shouting along with.

“Mixed Messages” also comes from the self-titled album. This one was written by Vicki Peterson, and it has more of a pop vibe. And a wonderful pop vibe it is. “You keep your thoughts to yourself/To keep me guessin’ as we’re undressin’/Then you’re gone for days on end/And here we go again/Here we go again.” That’s followed by “Don’t Do What I Did,” which was written by Peter Holsapple. This one comes from Vermilion, and begins with a strong beat that is ready to propel us all forward. This song has more of a raw, rocking thing happening, with a great energy, on the edge of punk. It’s a lot of fun. “If you’re miserable now, just wait/It only hurts all the worse/Like a presence that won’t leave/It makes it hard to breathe.” Just fantastic.

Then we get a few songs from Better Day, which was released in 2001. The band on this album is the same as on Vermilion. The first of these songs is “Tomorrow’s Gonna Be,” written by Mark Walton and Tom Boles. It’s a song dripping with sarcasm on lines like, “I know it’s okay/Tomorrow’s gonna be an even better day.” What’s strange is that even though there is a great bite to this song, we find ourselves believing those lines, or at least wanting to believe them. This is such a cool song. And I love the backing vocal work. The second of the songs from Better Day is “Na Na,” written by Vicki Peterson. “This is the story of my life/Somebody’s little girl to someone else’s wife/What happened in between/Is the dying of a dream/And that’s the story of my life,” she sings at the beginning. Wow. And then when it kicks in, it becomes undeniably catchy, and so you find yourself dancing to this story. And check out that guitar work. This is a really good song. It is followed by “Peaceful Waking,” which was written by Russ Broussard and Susan Cowsill. It’s a beautiful song, in large part because of Susan’s vocal performance. “And when your heart is cold/I will wrap you in the blanket of my soul/And when it’s all too much/You always know you got somewhere to go.” I also love that acoustic guitar work.

“Drifters” is a sort of theme song for the band, with lines like “It’s been a long haul/L.A. to LA” and “We are all drifters/Singers and sisters/Brothers and lovers and mothers and confidantes/We were born alone/We’re alone when we’re gone/So while we’re here/We might as well just sing along.” Those lines basically invite us into the group too, urging us to sing along. Might as well. This song was written by Susan Cowsill and Peter Holsapple, and was included on Vermilion. This compilation concludes with its one previously unreleased track. And first off, if you’re thinking that because you already own all the band’s albums, it would be crazy to purchase another disc just for the one song, let me tell you this track is twelve minutes long. So it makes up a significant portion of the disc. Plus, it’s one of the band’s best songs. It’s a live version of “Who We Are, Where We Live,” recorded at The Court Tavern in New Brunswick, New Jersey (the liner notes don’t mention the concert date, which is a shame). There is a bit of playful stage banter at the beginning. This song was written by Vicki Peterson, and the studio version of it is on Vermilion. Like the studio version, this live version eases in, and has a haunted vibe at the start. And while the energy soon increases, that haunted feeling remains. And when that guitar come rumbling over us, we feel completely immersed in the song. Interestingly, there is actually some more playful banter in the middle of the track, just before that gorgeous vocal part. The band, by the way, is the same as on Vermilion and Better Day. The song becomes a wild and fantastic jam. What a spectacular way to end this collection.

CD Track List

1. The Rain Song
2. Christopher Columbus Transcontinental Highway
3. Dallas
4. Mezzanine
5. Invisible Boyfriend
6. Match Made In Heaven
7. The Mississippi
8. Get Over It
9. Mixed Messages
10. Don’t Do What I Did
11. Tomorrow’s Gonna Be
12. Na Na
13. Peaceful Waking
14. Drifters
15. Who We Are, Where We Live

White Noise & Lightning: The Best Of Continental Drifters was released on September 13, 2024 through Omnivore Recordings.

The Blasters: “Over There: Live At The Venue, London – The Complete Concert” (2024) CD Review

There were several excellent albums released on the Black Friday version of Record Store Day, and fortunately some of those records are getting CD releases too. The Blasters’ Over There: Live At The Venue, London – The Complete Concert, put out as a double LP, is one that is getting a deserved wider release on CD. It contains the concert The Blasters performed on May 21, 1982. Six songs from that show were previously released on an EP titled Over There (Live At The Venue, London), which came out in 1982 (and had the date erroneously listed as May 22nd). And another four songs were included on Testament (The Complete Slash Recordings). But this is the first time the entire show is being made available on vinyl and CD. The album’s cover is close to that of the original EP, though for some reason on the back cover Gene Taylor’s name is missing. The band is made up of Phil Alvin on vocals and guitar, Dave Alvin on lead guitar, Bill Bateman on drums, John Bazz on bass, Gene Taylor on piano, Lee Allen on tenor saxophone and Steve Berlin on baritone saxophone. This show contains a mix of covers and original songs.

The first track includes a short introduction, and the band adds, “We’re The Blasters, so we’ll play now.” And they open the show with “This Is It,” a song from the band’s 1981 self-titled album. Immediately there is a great rock and roll energy, and lines like “We’re going to have a time tonight” make it a good choice of show opener. There is some excellent stuff on both keys and guitar. This band is off to a tremendous start. “Here’s a little number from Oklahoma,” they tell the audience, introducing “Crazy Baby.” The Blasters included it on their first album, 1980’s American Music. It has a delicious drum beat, coming at us at a fast pace. “Let’s rock again,” Phil says, and things rock even more at that point, this track featuring strong stuff on guitar and a fantastic conclusion. They return to the self-titled album with “No Other Girl,” written by Dave Alvin, one of the disc’s highlights, in part because of that outstanding lead on piano. This song comes moving along with an unstoppable force.

“What Will Lucy Do?” is introduced as a “swamp blues piece.” This is a song written by Frankie Lee Simms, and it is also known as “Lucy Mae Blues.” The Blasters do a great job with it. That’s followed by “Border Radio.” “Where we come from is next to Mexico,” they tell the audience in the song’s introduction. “And Mexico has more wattage than American radio stations, so everybody calls up Mexican radio stations and requests songs.” This is another song that was included on the band’s self-titled album. It was written by Dave Alvin, and is a great song. It was also included on Mandatory: The Best Of The Blasters, a compilation that was released last year.

“I Don’t Want To” is one of the songs that was included on that original Over There EP. It comes from American Music, and was written by Dave Alvin. “They try to get me to shut my mouth/They’re watching every move I make/Telling me that I’m going to regret every stand I take/They tell me that’s what I should do/But I don’t want to.” Oh yes, this is rock and roll, the attitude, the movement, the fun. This track features some delicious work on guitar, and is over before you know it. That’s followed by a seriously cool rendition of Edwin Bruce’s “Rock Boppin’ Baby.” Before they start the song they mention that the band’s drummer is in the dark. “Put a spotlight on the cat.” This song was also included on the 1982 EP.

“Right now we’re going to turn things over to Gene Taylor here,” they tell the crowd, and the band delivers a fun rendition of Rocket Morgan’s “Tag Along,” a song The Blasters would include on the 1983 album Non Fiction. Gene is totally rocking the keys on this fast-paced rendition. Oh yes, you can feel the heat from this track coming right out of the CD player. That is followed by a high-energy rendition of “I Love You So,” a song the band included on that self-titled album. Here Phil sings, “In the morning, she’s all right/In the evening, she’s still all right,” lines that make me smile every time I listen to this track. The band jams on this one a bit at the end. They then get into the blues, giving us a cover of Slim Harpo’s “Got Love If You Want It” that includes some nice stuff on harmonica. “We can rock a while/Stop teasing me, baby.”

“Turn it over to Lee, he’ll do some of that ‘Walkin’  With Mr. Lee.’” And yeah, now we get the horn section of Lee Allen and Steve Berlin helping to deliver a wonderful rendition of “Walkin’ With Mr. Lee,” an instrumental tune that Lee Allen And His Band released on a single in the late 1950s. This track is a total delight, one of my personal favorites from this release. That’s followed by another delicious cover, “I’m Shakin’,” which was written by Rudy Toombs. The Blasters do such a great job with this song. They included it on the self-titled album. This song was also included on Live 1986, which came out in 2011. “I can’t move around and I can’t stand still/I’m so jittery.”

“Here’s a little New Orleans-type piece about Hollywood,” they tell the crowd, introducing “Hollywood Bed,” a song Dave Alvin wrote. It was included on the self-titled album, and is a ridiculously fun number, one of my favorite Blasters songs. It was also included on Mandatory: The Best Of The Blasters. This concert version features some excellent stuff on saxophone, and is a highlight of the disc. Hell, it even has a cha-cha-cha ending. That’s followed by a cover of Roy Orbison’s “Go, Go, Go,” one of the tracks that was included on the original EP. Again, there is a ton of energy here. The fun continues with “Stop The Clock,” a song written by Bob Ehret and Damon Robertson, and originally recorded by Bob Ehret.

The Blasters then deliver one of their most popular songs, “Marie, Marie,” first acknowledging how someone else had a hit with it in the UK. This song was the lead track on the band’s self-title album, and was also released as a single. It is a totally enjoyable song, and it is over way too soon. That’s followed by the title track to American Music, written by Dave Alvin, and here dedicated to Brian Setzer of The Stray Cats. “Well, it howls from the deserts/It screams from the slums/The Mississippi rollin’/To the beat of the drums/They want to hear some American music.” I love the guitar work on this track. “How the whole world digs that sound from the U.S.A.” Then Lee Allen and Steve Berlin shine on “So Long Baby Goodbye,” a song that comes from the self-titled album. This is another that moves at a good clip and is a highlight. That’s followed by a cover of “Roll ‘Em Pete,” a track that was included on the EP, and one that features some great stuff on piano and saxophone. This one rocks and pulses and seems capable of lifting the entire venue at least fifty feet into the air. There is enough energy to power a couple of major cities. Just a fantastic performance. Apparently that was the final song of the set.

But the crowd was not done with them, and The Blasters returned for an encore, which began with a cover of “High School Confidential,” the Jerry Lee Lewis song, another of the tracks included on the original EP. As you might guess, there is some exciting work on keys here. Afterward, they tell the audience they’ll do a couple more. “We’ll do a little ballad, then we’ll rock out of here.” The ballad is a sweet and excellent rendition of Otis Redding’s “These Arms Of Mine,” featuring saxophone. They then seriously rock on their cover of Little Richard’s “Keep A Knockin’.” This one was included on the EP, and features more fantastic work on saxophone. After that song, they leave the stage again, but the crowd is still hungry for more, and so out the band comes again, wrapping up the show with “Barn Burning,” a song written by Dave Alvin and included on American Music. One last rockin’ number to please the eager audience. The audience is still calling out for more at the end, but the house music soon comes on. And that’s that. One hell of a good live album.

CD Track List

1. This Is It
2. Crazy Baby
3. No Other Girl
4. What Will Lucy Do?
5. Border Radio
6. I Don’t Want To
7. Rock Boppin’ Baby
8. Tag Along
9. I Love You So
10. Got Love If You Want It
11. Walkin’ With Mr. Lee
12. I’m Shakin’
13. Hollywood Bed
14. Go, Go, Go
15. Stop The Clock
16. Marie Marie
17. American Music
18. So Long Baby Goodbye
19. Roll ‘Em Pete
20. High School Confidential
21. These Arms Of Mine
22. Keep A Knockin’
23. Barn Burning

Over There: Live At The Venue, London – The Complete Concert was released on vinyl on November 29, 2024, and is scheduled to be released on CD on December 6, 2024.

Flamin’ Groovies: “Let It Rock: Live From The San Francisco Civic Center 1980” (2024) CD Review

I hope you all enjoyed the Black Friday version of Record Store Day and got all the records on your lists. As for me, I just couldn’t do it this time. I couldn’t bear the thought of getting up early and waiting for hours outside of a store. As a result, I didn’t get much. But some of the albums are getting CD releases too, so if you, like me, slept in on Black Friday, there is still a chance to obtain the music. One such record is Let It Rock: Live From The San Francisco Civic Center 1980, a new concert album from Flamin’ Groovies that comes out on CD in early December. The album contains the band’s performance from October 26, 1980, which was part of The Western Front, a ten-day music and arts festival held in various venues in the San Francisco area. And guess what? The CD contains three bonus tracks that are not on the record, those coming from the band’s set at the Old Waldorf a couple of days earlier, also part of that festival. The band at this point was made up of Cyril Jordan on guitar and vocals, Chris Wilson on guitar and vocals, Mike Wilhelm on guitar and vocals, George Alexander on bass and vocals, and David Wright on drums. And while these guys did write a lot of original material, here they decide to focus on fun covers.

The recording includes the band’s introduction by Dirk Dirksen, who approaches the job with a certain sense of humor. “For those of you that keep yelling ‘Boring, boring,’ the next group has been called that, so you should be very happy because your group is coming up,” he jokes. He then names the band, and some folks cheer. “Obviously, you know who they are, so there is no further use for me on the stage.” The band then kicks off the set with a cover of “Never Been In Love,” delivering some delicious rock and roll. This is a song that Dave Edmunds included on his 1978 album Tracks On Wax 4. These guys do a great job with it. The energy then increases for their rendition of “Dizzy Miss Lizzy,” a song written and originally recorded by Larry Williams. The first version I ever heard was that by The Beatles, and that is clearly the version that inspired the Flamin’ Groovies. The song was included on Help!, which came out in 1965, the year the Flamin’ Groovies started as a band. This is a seriously fun rendition. They stick with The Beatles then, delivering a good raw version of “Back In The U.S.S.R.,” the lead track from the White Album. In 1980, punk was hot, and this group does a great job of mixing 1960s sounds with punk vibes and attitude, this song being a perfect vehicle for such a combination.

I’ve heard (and seen) some fantastic renditions of “River Deep – Mountain High” over the years, and these guys really get into the spirit of it. The energy to the vocal delivery is perfect, taking things to the edge. The audience is clearly impressed too. It must have been something to have been there, dancing to this rendition. The Flamin’ Groovies then tackle a rock and roll classic number, Chuck Berry’s “Around And Around,” first urging folks to dance (did they really need any urging?), telling them there is a big enough dance floor. I love the way the bass is holding everything together here, as there is the feeling that things could go off the rails at any moment. The excitement of rock and roll! “We never stopped rocking,” they sing, and it’s fucking true. This band is still going like sixty years after its inception. How about that? They follow “Around And Around” with another Chuck Berry song, “Let It Rock,” and somehow this has even more energy and features some really nice stuff on guitar and another great bass line. In the song’s introduction they refer to Chuck Berry as “the king of rock and roll.” Certainly a strong argument can be made for him as king; same goes for Little Richard. Elvis Presley, as good as he was, can’t touch either of them.

The Flamin’ Groovies return to Beatles material with “A Hard Day’s Night.” These guys do such a great job with this song, recreating that sort of energy and joy of The Beatles in the first half of the 1960s. Think of all that famous live footage where the girls are screaming. This track has that kind of feel. Someone in the crowd calls out a request for “Shake Some Action,” but the band decides to follow “A Hard Day’s Night” with a rocking rendition of the blues number “Please Don’t Go,” inspired by the Them version. Here the band cuts loose, jamming on this song, and adding some vocal riffing too. “My baby’s leaving on that midnight train.” They give it a surprisingly sudden ending. They change directions then, delivering a good, and fairly faithful, rendition of The Byrds’ “I’ll Feel A Whole Lot Better.” That song is followed by “Paint It Black,” which has always been one of my favorite Rolling Stones songs. I love the way these guys throw themselves into it, and I love the guitar work on this track. I’ve never seen the Flamin’ Groovies in concert, but listening to this recording, I realize I’ve been missing out. There is some tuning and stage banter before the show concludes with “Juju Man,” a song written by Jim Ford and covered by Dave Edmunds, who included it on his 1977 record Get It. Before that, Brinsley Ford had recorded it for the Silver Pistol album. The Flamin’ Groovies deliver a high-energy rendition, with a wildness to the vocals.

Bonus Tracks

The disc’s final three tracks come from the show the Flamin’ Groovies did on October 24, 1980 at the Old Waldorf. I’ve heard a lot about this venue (it was mentioned in Laurie Kaye’s book, Confessions Of A Rock ‘N’ Name-Dropper, which I just finished reading), and wish I could have seen some shows there. It closed in the mid-1980s. “Here’s a little song for you,” they tell the crowd and then go into a cover of “Do I Love You,” a song that was a hit for The Ronettes. It might begin with a sweeter vibe, but don’t worry, approximately halfway through the energy increases. That’s followed by “Fall On You,” a song by fellow San Francisco group Moby Grape, who included it on their 1967 self-titled debut album. The disc concludes with “Shake Some Action,” the song that guy at the other show wanted to hear. It’s an original song, written by Cyril Jordan and Chris Wilson, the only original number on the disc. “Some of the older folks might remember this one,” they say in the song’s introduction, which is funny, as that album came out only four years before this performance. But we look at time differently when we’re younger, don’t we? Four years can be a long time. Now it’s a heartbeat. Anyway, this song is a great power pop number. “It’s taken me so long/To get where I belong/Oh, but, oh, please don’t send me back that way/For I will make you pay.”

CD Track List

1. Dirk Dirksen Introduction
2. Never Been In Love
3. Dizzy Miss Lizzy
4. Back In The U.S.S.R.
5. River Deep – Mountain High
6. Around And Around
7. Let It Rock
8. A Hard Day’s Night
9. Baby Please Don’t Go
10. I’ll Feel A Whole Lot Better
11. Paint It Black
12. JuJu Man
13. Do I Love You
14. Fall On You
15. Shake Some Action

Let It Rock: Live From The San Francisco Civic Center 1980 is scheduled to be released on CD on December 6, 2024.

Svetlana: “New York Holidays” (2024) Vinyl Single Review

All right, friends, Thanksgiving is safely in the past, which means it’s now okay to pull out those holiday albums and start listening to your favorite Christmas music. Before Thanksgiving, it’s just wrong, and you know it. But now is the perfect time to pick up a few new holiday records and CDs, and the first one you should grab is Svetlana’s new 7”, which is titled New York Holidays. It contains one original song and one classic number, though to my ears the original will one day be deemed a classic. Yes, it’s that good. And neither song on this record is strictly a Christmas song, but rather a winter song, so this is the perfect choice to kick off the season, no matter your beliefs or lack thereof. The record, by the way, is on clear purple vinyl, which just makes it all the more delightful.

The A side contains the original song, “All I Want,” which was written by Svetlana Shmulyian. Svetlana has a beautiful voice, one that feels like it would be completely at home in any decade, one of the reasons I think this song will become a classic. There is something timeless about it. It somehow transcends such ordinary concerns as time and place. “All I want is a kiss that’s soft and tender,” she sings, and the horn responds in a wonderfully playful way. This song was included on the 2016 Svetlana And The Delancy Five album Night At The Speakeasy. It was arranged by Wycliffe Gordon, who also plays trombone on it. The other musicians on this recording include Adrian Cunningham on woodwinds, Charlie Caranicas on trumpet, George Delancy on bass, Rob Garcia on drums, Vinny Raniolo on guitar, and Dalton Ridenhour on piano. All of them shine on this track. “In this winter city of my dreams/All I want is to find a summer solstice/In your arms that melt that winter freeze.”

The B side is the classic number “Baby, It’s Cold Outside.” And while, as I mentioned, “Baby, It’s Cold Outside” is not really a Christmas song, it often shows up on holiday albums, always a welcome addition. It’s a great song, and I think all the absurd controversy over certain lyrics has now been ridiculed into remission, and all copies of the terrible John Legend/Kelly Clarkson travesty have been destroyed out of embarrassment and shame. Those idiots just didn’t understand the song. This rendition by Svetlana is wonderful, with a totally delicious vibe. It’s everything we want from this song. Adrian Cunningham does the male vocal part, and also plays clarinet. This song was included on the 2012 Svetlana And The Delancy Five EP titled Baby It’s Cold Outside, which was made available on CD and digitally, but not on vinyl. The other musicians on this track included Brandi Disterheft on bass, Jim Fryer on trombone, Ted Gottsegen on guitar, Steve Little on drums, and Dalton Ridenhour on piano (that piano work is one of my favorite elements of this rendition). Get your holiday season off to a great start with this record.

Track List

Side A

1. All I Want

Side B

1. Baby, It’s Cold Outside

New York Holidays is scheduled to begin shipping on December 1, 2024. It is a limited edition release, available on Svetlana’s website.