Each year brings a new mix of holiday fare, all dressed up with (hopefully) somewhere to go. So onward to the best and brightest of the season:
JANE MONHEIT – THE MERRIEST: One of jazz’s leading lights, vocalist Jane Monheit eschews vocal histrionics in favor of a relaxed approach that still swings and soars. “That Holiday Feeling” (a sparkling duet between Monheit and John Pizzarelli) and a similarly warm “(Christmas) Stay With Me” showcase Monheit’s gorgeous voice. “The Merriest” is a too-short treat, clocking in just shy of two minutes. Her unique approach to “Winter Wonderland” is another winner. Best of all is a heart-melting “What Are You Doing New Year’s Eve?” Monheit’s alternately understated and glorious vocal is accentuated but never overwhelmed by the swelling string section. Elegant, engaging and highly recommended.
LINDSEY STIRLING – SNOW WALTZ: Popsy violin maven Lindsey Stirling follows up her debut holiday album Warmer in the Winter with a new slate of seasonal tunes. She looked to create something in the same vein as The Nightmare Before Christmas or the Harry Potter movies: A feeling of holiday nostalgia infused with a touch of spookiness. The title track satisfies that requirement, with percussion, flute and glockenspiel(!) alongside her violin. The beat-heavy “God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen” showcases Stirling’s frenetic fiddling, offsetting her own hypnotic, heavenly vocals. The similarly bouncy “Feliz Navidad” melds flamenco and hip hop influences, while “Joy to the World,” with guitarist Gladiu creates a Celtic-inspired take on the 18th century Christmas carol that evolves from similar percussives to beats from the Riverdance playbook. For her flamenco-infused rendition of José Feliciano’s favorite, she enlisted the guitar-playing talents of Mark Ballas, who served as her partner on the Dancing with the Stars.
BACKSTREET BOYS – A VERY BACKSTREET CHRISTMAS: This is about what you’d expect from the onetime boy band. (Does that make the group a man band now?) Which is to say lots of multi-part harmonies, most all put to good use. Highlights include “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas” and “I’ll Be Home For Christmas.” “Winter Wonderland” is right up the group’s alley, err, lane – where snow is glistenin’ as the singers trade leads. An unfortunate lowlight is the version of Wham!’s “Last Christmas” with its insistent drum machine. For a group that’s prided itself on its soulful sound, there’s very little soul in this mechanized track.
JOSS STONE – MERRY CHRISTMAS, LOVE: The British Grammy-winning Joss Stone’s first-ever Christmas album was inspired by the likes of Frank Sinatra, Nat King Cole, Bing Crosby and Michael Buble. With its orchestral accompaniment and selection of holiday chestnuts, it fits right in that milieu – though it sounds a bit mannered at times, as on “Jingle Bells.” But her version of Mel Torme’s chestnut “The Christmas Song,” with its sweeping orchestral arrangement, is one of the best tunes on Merry Christmas, Love. The recording also features two new original songs written by Stone, “If You Believe” and “Bring On Christmas Day.” The latter is admittedly over the top, but the keening Celtic-influenced violin, bevy of background singers and Stone’s singing make it a joyful holiday tune.
CHRIS ISAAK – EVERYBODY KNOWS IT’S CHRISTMAS: Isaak’s singing, and indeed his entire musical approach, is often compared to country/rockabilly pioneers like Roy Orbison, Ricky Nelson, and the King himself. Such comparisons are apt. “I Believe In Santa Claus” could be direct from the Orbison songbook. “Help Me Baby Jesus” could be an undiscovered Elvis song from his gospel period. Chris Isaak’s vibrato-laden rockabilly style is put to good use on several other tracks: “Jingle Bell Rock,” naturally, and “Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree” are both perfect choices, as is “Run Rudolph Run,” a.k.a “Run Run Rudolph.” He concludes the recording with “O Holy Night,” on which he tries to bridge his style with a choir and string backing. Whether that’s successful or not depends on the listener.
JIM BRICKMAN – A VERY MERRY CHRISTMAS: A mix of originals and holiday favorites, A Very Merry Christmas finds longtime piano favorite Jim Brickman enlisting a number of singers. The album features vocalists including Broadway’s Kelli O’Hara and John Ondrasik (Five For Fighting) – and Brickman realizes his dream of recording with a symphony orchestra. The mix of tunes is effective and overall the recording is is engaging without ever demanding your attention. Whether that’s good or bad is also up to the listener.
CHRIS RUGGERIO – CHRISTMAS WITH CHRIS RUGGERIO: He may only be 23, but Chris Ruggerio’s music dates back decades. He’s enamored with the sounds of the singing groups of the ’50s and ’60s, but this Christmas recording doesn’t sound dated. Instead, Christmas With Chris Ruggerio sounds like a contemporary recording by the likes of Andy Williams, Robert Goulet or his hero, Jerry Vale. Think Michael Bublé with hints of outfits such as the Drifters or the Platters. The album opens with a slowed-down version of “This Christmas” before the band enters. He duets with the legendary Darlene Love on the original “Grown-Up Christmas List,” though it turns out it is actually one of the weaker tracks.
CELTIC WOMAN – CHRISTMAS CARDS FROM IRELAND: This brief four-track EP from the celebrated female group Celtic Woman opens with the original “The Toys’ Waltz.” While hardly singalong-able, it nonetheless sounds like a Christmas song. That’s no mean feat for a tune that must fit alongside the other three tracks here. “O Holy Night” swells with the voices of the group and orchestra, before bagpipes briefly take the melody. The bouncy “I Saw Three Ships” gets an even more over-the-top treatment, the orchestra and voices blending together in a big sound. “Silent Night” concludes the proceedings in a thankfully more relaxed mood. The accompaniment is uncharacteristically sparse, giving the voices more room to operate.
ANDREA BOCELLI – A FAMILY CHRISTMAS: Internationally renowned tenor Andrea Bocelli teams up here with his 24-year-old son Matteo and 10-year-old daughter Virginia for their first-ever album together. There’s nothing really new here, but that’s not a bad thing because it’s uniformly excellent. Highlights include an original, “The Greatest Gift,” written and arranged especially for A Family Christmas, and “Buon Natale.” One surprising, effective aspect of the latter is the section of Andrea (presumably) whistling. It lasts for less than 20 seconds, its brevity making it even more effective, balanced against the tender vocal and the sensitive string accompaniment.
DEBBIE GIBSON – WINTERLICIOUS: Once and future pop queen Debbie Gibson presents a mix of traditional favorites and originals on her first holiday offering. The orchestration and performance are a bit over the top on the opening “Let It Snow,” and “I Wish Everyday Was Christmas” is similarly overdone, its repetitive piano riff and echoey percussion bringing hip hop to mind without ever really going there. Similarly insistent beats mar “God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen,” though the soaring violin is a treat. Gibson duets with her father on the holiday staple “White Christmas,” one of the highlights, with unexpected harmonies and modulations. If your taste in holiday music leans toward more is better, then the bouncing piano, swelling strings, layers of vocals and Debbie Gibson’s vibrato-laden voice are just the ticket.
LYN STANLEY – NOVEL NOEL: Clued in by its subtitle – A Jingle Cool Jazz Celebration – Lyn Staley’s new record harkens back at times to the ’60s approach of holiday recordings. On the one hand, it’s reminiscent of sex kittens like Eartha Kitt, as on the opening “’Zat You, Santa Claus?” Other tracks, like “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas” incorporate the sumptuous sound of studio orchestras. “Little Drummer Boy” opens as “Take Five” before transitioning into the familiar holiday tune. Stanley’s rich contralto sits atop it all.
ALLEN AUSTIN-BISHOP – CHRISTMAS: London-based singer Allen Austin-Bishop reinvents a number of lesser-known holiday songs by the likes of the Sugacubes, Hurts, S-Club 7 and others. The single version of “The Little Boy That Santa Claus Forgot” melds honky tonk, rockabilly and jazz with Austin-Bishop’s raspy vocals, and if you think that’s an unlikely combination – you’re right. The album version hews much closer to the tone of the rest of the recording, a jazzy jaunt with electric piano and acoustic bass. Apparently “The Christmas Song” is required for virtually every holiday recording this year, and this one is a bit more on the jazzy side.
RICHARD WILLIAMS – HOLLYWOOD CHRISTMAS: Seems this also must be the year of re-invigorating the classic Hollywood-style approach. Here composer and orchestrator Richard Williams pulls out all the stops with his lush arrangements featuring strings, horns, and a boatload of vocalists. His deft touch keeps the proceedings from devolving into overblown excess. Best bets: a tear-jerking version of “I’ll Be Home For Christmas” and “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas,” the latter with strings that will sweep you right into that holiday feeling.
VOICES OF SERVICE – DECK THE HALLS: This vocal quartet of retired veterans formed in 2012, then a Top 5 finish on America’s Got Talent helped propel Voices of Service into the country’s consciousness. On Deck the Halls, “Sleigh Ride” is transformed into a soulful ride-along – “giddy-up, giddy-up, let’s go!” goes the refrain. Their version of title track borrows heavily from “La La Means I Love You,” while “It Came Upon a Midnight Clear” steers clear of new lyrics but is still so utterly reinvented that it sounds almost nothing like the version we’re all used to. Originals “Santa Don’t Let Me Down” and “At Christmas” fit comfortably alongside these re-arranged classics. A portion of the proceeds from download sales and streaming revenue of this unabashed soul recording will go to support various veterans service programs.
ANDY JAMES – BELLS ARE RINGING: Torch song holiday tunes, anyone? Andy James surrounds her burnished contralto with top-notch jazz musicians, such as Terell Stafford, Alex Acuña, John Patitucci, Vinnie Colaiuta, Joe LaBarbera and pianist Bill Cunliffe, who wrote most of the arrangements. Plaudits for soloists, including Bob Sheppard on tenor sax on the opening “Winter Wonderland,” Cunliffe and trumpeter Rashawn Ross on “The First Noel,” and others throughout the recording. Most surprising are the title track and “It’s Christmas Time,” originals co-written by James. Surprising because the singer wrote instrumentals featuring the band. The former is a lovely tune featuring Ross, while “It’s Christmas Time” is a tour de force for organist Ronnie Foster. The end result is more jazzy and less Christmassy than the typical holiday recording.
SWITCHFOOT – THIS IS OUR CHRISTMAS ALBUM: Switchfoot first gained recognition in the Christian rock scene before the hits came. So it’s somewhat surprising that this is the alt-rock band’s first holiday album. It’s also safe to say the Velvet Fog never envisioned such a dolorous version of his “The Christmas Song.” “O Little Town of Bethlehem” is taken at a similarly funereal pace. The more upbeat original “Hometown Christmas” is a collaboration with Christian artists Needtobreathe and JUDAH and more successful, combining indie-rock sounds with a holiday message.
JESSY J – CALIFORNIA CHRISTMAS VOL. 2: Bouncy smooth-jazz holiday music? With soul? Well, why not? That seems to be the overriding feeling on Jessy J’s California Christmas Vol. 2. It’s hard not to enjoy the music, though it’s difficult to reconcile semi-sacred fare like “Go Tell It On the Mountain” and “O Holy Night” with Jessy’s playful sax. The approach works altogether better on “Auld Lang Syne.”
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