Christmas Crackers

Originally released as Christmas 1985's Crackers and utterly overlooked at that time, Slade's Party Album is simultaneously the most joyously raucous, loud, and singalong-able album in the entire Slade catalog -- and the single most detestable record they ever made. Callously designed around the seemingly annual success of "Merry Xmas Everybody," it is exactly what it says on the reissued packaging -- an album to play at parties, when all the guests want to do is shout and stamp, and bellow along to the songs they've known forever. "Merry Xmas Everybody" is here, of course, together with a career-spanning clutch of re-recorded Slade anthems. And there's no denying that "Mama Weer All Crazee Now," "My Oh My," "Run Runaway," "Cum on Feel the Noize," and "All Join Hands" will get the fists pumping the air, while the likes of "Let's Dance," "Okey Cokey," and "Let's Have a Party" will keep them there. The festive air is maintained by "Santa Claus Is Coming to Town" and "Auld Lang Syne," and we fade out with a massed singalong through "You'll Never Walk Alone." Crowd and party noises roar alongside the band, and the entire album is so buoyant and boisterous that even hermits could play it and believe they're having fun. But is it a proper Slade album, to file alongside Slayed and Rogues Gallery et al? That's another question entirely. ~ Dave Thompson|