We Three Kings: Christmas Favorites

The Christmas album is by definition a contrived concept, but We Three Kings is such a perfectly perverse proposition that it suits a band as impish as Reverend Horton Heat. Jim Heath’s rusty croon turns out to be a perfect match for timeworn tunes like “Frosty the Snowman” and “Santa Looked a Lot Like Daddy.” His disarmingly sincere take on “Silver Bells” makes for a performance that's at once silly and poignant. The best songs are “We Three Kings” and “What Child Is This,” which draw a connection between holiday music and mystic surf melodies.