Arne Hansen & The Guitarspellers
Reindeer Can Fly!
Perfect Pop

"This Christmas was a riot, and now I'm on a diet" might be a suitable lyric-line at the moment. Ok, this CD ought to have been reviewed in last moon's menu, but unfortunately I got hold of it too late. Though apart from such seasonal issues as Santa Is A Fake, Bad Xmas, A Christmas Gift For Iris, Xmas In Bed and Teenage Xmas Party, there are a few more general winter songs represented of current interest: Snowman In My Heart, Waiting For Summer and the instrumental Ski!. Anyway, this is first and foremost an album suitable for Christmas parties. 15 pills of pure Christmas energy! The lyrics deal with seasonal topics in a humourous way: the original gospel in Nativity, a slightly more modern myth in the title track and the ordinary earthbound problems. From my own childhood experiences, I know what Arne is at in No Fish On Christmas Eve and I quite agree. Duty-free Xmas is another highlight where Arne praises duty-free shops at foreign airports where he can buy all the gifts and goodies for his little lady and avoid the traditional Christmas rat race. The only problem is to get through the green customs gate at Fornebu airport in Oslo without being caught.

Musically Arne and his guitarplayers present a sort of one-man Hammond-and-rhythm-box-orchestra with some guitar in additions, tunes sounding slightly like XTC now and again and some vocals in the Monochrome Set vein thrown in for good measure. I think there are two guitarspellers, playing fuzz- and bassguitar, but once in a while they ought to have been louder when the rythm-box gets too annoying. On my own, 51 minutes in company with Arne and his gang might be too much. Anyway, Reindeer Can Fly! is intended as a joyful party-party album, and it is. We'll hopefully be blessed with Christmas in 1998, too. Why not start the preparations early for once by buying this CD at once? As Arne sings: Christmas is gone, remove all the gear, till Christmas returns in less than a year. Only 10 months and a few days to go before we're at it again...

Might be ordered from Tore S. at Perfect Pop.

Copyright © 1997 JP