Brian Setzer Announces First Christmas Album in a Decade

Brian Setzer will be joined by an 18-piece orchestra for his first studio Christmas album in 10 years. Rockin' Rudolph, due Oct. 15 via Surfdog Records, will be paired with a still-to-be-announced 12th annual Christmas Rocks! Tour.

Setzer, who rose to fame with the Stray Cats in the '80s, worked with producer Peter Collins (Rush, Bon Jovi, Alice Cooper) on the 12-song project, which includes “Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree,” “Yabba-Dabba Yuletide,” “Rockabilly Rudolph,” and others.

A complete track listing is below. Information on a limited edition, numbered deluxe edition is also attached.

Christmas music "just seems to get more popular every year," Setzer says in pre-release material. "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 is to make them sound hip. Some of them are eternally hip, you know, so you don’t have to do too much.”

Standard Track Listing:
“Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree”
“Yabba-Dabba Yuletide”
“Most Wonderful Time of the Year”
“Rockabilly Rudolph”
“Here Comes Santa Claus”
“Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas”
“Swingin' Joy”
“Carol of the Bells”
“Little Jack Frost”
“Hark! The Herald Angels Sing”
“O Little Town of Bethlehem”
“Yabba-Dabba Yuletide” (extended)

Deluxe Box Set Contents:
Rockin' Rudolph album on CD
Commemorative Sheet Music / Guitar Chart to "Nutcracker Suite”
Custom Brian Setzer Die-cut Christmas Tree Ornament
Brian Setzer’s Own Murray’s Pomade hair product
Commemorative Brian Setzer Orchestra "Martini Logo” Stainless Steel Guitar Pick
BSO Christmas Album Cover Drink Coasters
Six Polaroid-style BSO Concert Photos
'Live in Nashville' 10x10 print
Reusable 8GB USB Credit Card w/ Extras, including:
Hi-definition .wav files of full 12-track album; bonus instrumental tracks including "Deck the Halls” and “Little Drummer Boy"; album cover rough sketches by artist Derek Yaniger; behind-the-scenes video footage of BSO's Rockin' Rudolph recording session; unreleased live performances of "Jingle Bells" and "Nutcracker Suite"; and behind-the-scenes look at Setzer writing entire big band arrangement from scratch.

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