Post Tagged with: "Holiday Cheer"

Vinyl

Rockie Charles, “I Just Called To Wish You A Merry Christmas” from Born For You (1996): One Track Mind

The late New Orleans soul-blues great Rockie Charles stashed a dandy little Christmas treat deep within his terrific 1996 ‘Born For You’ LP.

Chicago, “O Come All Ye Faithful” from Chicago XXV: The Christmas Album (1998): Saturdays in the Park

Chicago, “O Come All Ye Faithful” from Chicago XXV: The Christmas Album (1998): Saturdays in the Park

“O Come All Ye Faithful,” featuring restrained, yet thoughtfully modern production from Roy Bittan, is one of my favorite Chicago Christmas songs.

Jackson 5 – Christmas Album (1970): On Second Thought

Jackson 5 – Christmas Album (1970): On Second Thought

‘Christmas Album’ finds the Jackson 5 interpreting smartly selected material with an emotional maturity and sincerity far beyond their young ages.

Kit O’Toole’s Top Beatles Albums, Books, Collectibles and Movies for 2017

Kit O’Toole’s Top Beatles Albums, Books, Collectibles and Movies for 2017

An expanded gift guide highlighting notable new Beatles-related items, with items that appeal to both the most-casual and hard-core enthusiasts.

Vinyl

Sia – Everyday Is Christmas (2017)

In its best moments, ‘Everyday Is Christmas’ challenges the notion of what a holiday album should be. Sia just needed more of them.

Chicago, “Feliz Navidad” from Chicago XXV: The Christmas Album (1998): Saturdays in the Park

Chicago, “Feliz Navidad” from Chicago XXV: The Christmas Album (1998): Saturdays in the Park

“Feliz Navidad” is an upbeat Latin-tinged Christmas carol from the legendary Jose Feliciano – or at least it was until Chicago got a hold of it.

Vinyl

Steely Dan’s ‘Black Friday’ provides a perfectly nonsensical soundtrack for today

Steely Dan’s “Black Friday” might feel a bit on the nose this morning, but what else comes to mind on the first day of the Christmas shopping season?

Halloween Heroes From Ramones, Queen, R.E.M. + Others: Gimme Five

Halloween Heroes From Ramones, Queen, R.E.M. + Others: Gimme Five

Here are a few super-powered considerations to explore before cutting eye holes in the spare bed sheets this Halloween.

The Band’s ‘Christmas Must Be Tonight’ Remains an Unjustly Overlooked Holiday Classic

The Band’s ‘Christmas Must Be Tonight’ Remains an Unjustly Overlooked Holiday Classic

The Band’s perhaps too ambitious “Christmas Must Be Tonight” never became the seasonal favorite it should have been.

Chicago, “This Christmas” from What’s It Gonna Be, Santa (2003): Saturdays in the Park

Chicago, “This Christmas” from What’s It Gonna Be, Santa (2003): Saturdays in the Park

Earnest and sweet, this update of Donny Hathaway’s “This Christmas” showcases one of Chicago’s longest tenured non-original members.