Album Review: Bad Religion - Christmas Songs

The irony of a band so obviously opposed to religion finding beauty and energy in songs that are, by their nature, religious is the strongest trick in Bad Religion's Christmas Songs. An eight-track-strong mini-album of hymns and seasonal classics, the pioneering punks make each track their own without irony and succeed more often than not. In new guises, O Come, O Come Emmanuel and Hark! The Herald Angels Sing exhibit as much beauty as in their traditional forms. Intelligently arranged and delivered as only Bad Religion know how – quickly and abrasively.