Warner Records Inc.
Release Date: November 17th 2023
Reviewed by: Jonathan Andre
Goo Goo Dolls– It’s Christmas All Over (Again) (Amazon mp3/iTunes)
Track Listing:
- Christmas All Over Again
- Shake Hands With Santa Claus
- This is Christmas
- Christmas Don’t Be Late
- Better Days
- You Ain’t Getting Nothin’
- Let It Snow
- Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas
- Hark! The Herald Angels Sing
- The Christmas Party (feat. The Union Square 5)
- One Last Song About Christmas
- I’ve Got My Love To Keep Me Warm (feat. Kudisan Kai)
- Who’s Gonna Hear Their Wish?
We as a site wrote a blog about the Goo Goo Dolls in August 2020, stating their relevance, influence and importance in modern music history. It was perhaps one of the most out-of-left-field artists we ever listened to at that moment in time in a very good way; while right now, I’d have to say that one of the most out-of-left-field artists [genre-wise] that we as a site have listened to, and actually thoroughly enjoyed, would have to be artists like Jackie Evancho, Nickelback & Concrete Castles, as well as Goo Goo Dolls. Johnny Rzeznik and Robbie Takac have created a career that has reminded us of what it means to traverse the line of rock, and radio accessibility. While the band has moved from more of an indie-punk/rock band in their early days, to more of a radio-friendly pop-rock band of today (sort of similar to the transition of music of Sanctus Real over the years); the Goo Goo Dolls nevertheless are still some of the few bands out there that really stand out in all the right ways- creating songs that delve deep into the meaning of life, love and everything in between, all the while keeping up with the music game and presenting songs that the generation of now can still connect with. It was their 2019 album Miracle Pill that made me become a fan of the band- Miracle Pill was unveiled to us in September 2019, and once again in June 2020 (the former a standard 11 track edition of the album, and the latter, a deluxe 14 track collection). Over the years we as a site (and I mean my brother Jon!) have unveiled more than a few reviews of Goo Goo Dolls albums since upon hearing Miracle Pill– Jon has reviewed Miracle Pill: Deluxe Edition, and once again reviewed their Christmas album It’s Christmas All Over. We also reviewed their acoustic EP EP 21 that released in May 2021, alongside a review of their Rarities album that was unveiled in June 2021. In August 2022, a studio album follow-up to Miracle Pill was released- Chaos in Bloom was reviewed for this site here, with standout tracks like “Yeah, I Like You”, “Save Me From Myself”, “Superstar” and “You Are the Answer”, to name a few. We also voiced our opinions on “Run All Night”, a stand-alone single that heralds the start of a new era… and maybe a brand new album?
On the whole, both Jon and I have grown to love Goo Goo Dolls as a band– albums like Boxes, Miracle Pill, Something For the Rest of Us, Let Love In and Dizzy Up the Girl are just some of the albums that I’ve heard from the band, that has impacted each of our own journeys in rediscovering what it means for mainstream music being used by the Lord to bring people closer to each other and closer to Him in the process. And their new song ‘Run All Night’ is no different. But we’re not here to rehash “Run All Night”. For the group have dropped three new songs, and expanded their Christmas album. this past November, we were treated to It’s Christmas All Over (Again); and before we close the chapter on Christmas music until sometime in October or November this year, let’s see whether these new 3 songs are worth the wait.
The long and short of it is… they’re not. Sure, as individual singles they’re ok. But they’re still not as engaging enough; and if deluxe editions of albums are to be released many years after the original album, I’m of the firm belief that they should include way more that only 3 more songs. Another double disc of remixes and demos, most probably. But only 3 new songs? We all know the thoughts of this site about the first 10 songs (and my viewpoints are still the same!), and as a collection, the album stands tall. But in 2023/2024 when we’ve heard the songs before and there are only 3 new entries and not any of them are as powerful and impacting as any of the original ten songs? Original song “One Last Song About Christmas” is a piano ballad that speaks about the passing of time and trying to rekindle friendships and relationships with people you’re not that close to, and trying to recapture the spark during the holidays. It’s a track that is quite melancholy and reminds us that friendships and relationships can change and morph into something else entirely and that’s ok. “I’ve Got My Love To Keep Me Warm”, with Kudisan Kai, is a bouncy and jazzy melody that we normally sing around the holidays, but it isn’t really a Christmas tune; while the confronting and eye-opening rocker “Who’s Gonna Hear Their Wish?” calls out God and religion and Christians, with Johnny singing about homeless people this holiday season and asking if God is going to hear their wish this Christmas. It’s a hard-hitting, honest, vulnerable and emotional song; and no doubt we should be inspired to make a change in the world we live in, similar in theme to Matthew West’s “Do Something”.
The band has come a long way since the start in the 1980s and 1990s. And while I’ll never truly know how it’s like to enjoy this band from its inception; what I have known about them is nevertheless impressing me more and more, and reminding me that there are still bands out there that are willing to speak directly to the heart of the person, never compromising message, and never forsaking heartfelt poignancy and truth, for the sake of a ‘good’ popular song. The band have made a name for themselves, both musically and behind the scenes, and for a duo after 35+ years, their message still going strong, and a fanbase still active and vibrant- it’s all a miracle, if you ask me. And I know that all good things end, and all things end period. I guess sometimes when you’re in a business of giving oneself to the masses, either in the form of music or otherwise, there is never really a moment where you do ‘retire’ per se- you never have an ‘ending’ to your career- you just move on and your career can look a little different, but your message of connection, emotion, relationship, and themes like hope, asking the questions ‘why’, those things will still be the same.
And from looking at the still-going-strong career of Johnny and Robby, this is a reminder that even as Christians in this life, we must never look at life like as something that we need to finish- we’re always learning and growing, always admitting when we get things wrong, and exploring the things that we believe God has imprinted on our hearts to undertake. Goo Goo Dolls and their career and attitude to life has rubbed off on me in a good way. It has re-evaluated my love and appreciation of 1990s and 2000s music, and for that and that alone, songs like “Better Days” have shaped and influenced my own array and direction of music of late…which is a very, very good thing indeed! I would have loved more than 3 new tracks for their deluxe Christmas album, but this is still a good Christmas no matter which way you slice it. It’s not perfect, but does ask the hard questions, and for that we are grateful. Well done to both Johnny and Robbie for creating this great and confronting pop-Christmas album, an album that still stands tall this year alongside Michael W. Smith’s all-original Every Christmas and Jon Pardi’s country effort Merry Christmas From Jon Pardi!
3 songs to listen to: More The Merrier, The Greatest Gift, All I Want For Christmas
Score: 4/5
RIYL: Sanctus Real, Lifehouse, Matchbox Twenty, Daughtry, Echosmith