There will be gnashing of teeth. There will be rending of garments. And that’s just on seeing the band names. But if you only buy one festive-themed folk compilation this Christmas, make it this one. As is often the case with such records, the quality veers wildly: many songs sound like they were recorded in the hope of landing the John Lewis ad (we’re looking at you, Jessie Moncrieff & The Pollyanna Band), but there are enough flashes of oddball charm and whimsy – like Joe Innes & The Cavalcade’s ‘Santa Says “Relax”’, or the Radiophonic Workshop barminess of Emperor Yes’ ‘Time Frog 4000’ – spread across these 14 tracks to make it worth your while.
Barry Nicholson