Reviews: Which new Christmas records are worth a listen
digg it!
Facebook
del.icio.us
Seed Newsvine
Fark It
Reddit
By the Lincoln Journal Star
Faith Hill
“Joy to the World”
3 stars
Faith Hill is a fine singer with a pure, clear voice who is the prototype contemporary country-pop star. But there’s not the remotest hint of a twangy or anything else country on “Joy to the World.”
Instead, Hill’s voice is set in soaring orchestration on the title cut, amid swing on “Santa Claus is Coming to Town,” backed by a boys’ choir on “Oh Come All Ye Faithful” and an adult choir and organ on “Silent Night, Holy Night.”
While the arrangements are slightly different from the norm, “Joy to the World” is a traditional, very mainstream Christmas record, filled with the usual songs sung well by Hill, but with very little to get excited about.
- L. Kent Wolgamott
Tony Bennett with the Count Basie Big Band
“A Swingin’ Christmas”
4 stars
You won’t find a Christmas record cooler than Tony Bennett’s “A Swingin’ Christmas.”
Recorded with his jazz-rooted quartet and featuring the Count Basie Big Band, the disc puts finger-snapping swing to chestnuts like “I’ll Be Home for Christmas,” “Winter Wonderland” and “Santa Claus is Coming to Town.” It mixes in a little saloon balladry with “All I Want For Christmas is You” and “Christmastime is Here.”
At 82, Bennett’s voice is, understandably, getting a little gravel-y and losing some range. But he can still interpret a song like no other. And the production of the legendary Phil Ramone ensures that “A Swingin’ Christmas” sounds great.
- L. Kent Wolgamott
Various Artists
“We Wish You a Metal Xmas and a Headbanging New Year”
1 1/2 stars
This entire album is as strained and awkward as its title would suggest.
The idea is obvious. Some people don’t like Christmas music, but perhaps they would if it were shot through a thrash ’n’ scream filter. The results are just stupid.
I can’t say I’ve ever wondered what “Santa Claus is Coming to Town” would sound like “metal-fied” and sung by Alice Cooper. Or “God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen” as performed by Ronnie James Dio. Yikes.
This is an abysmal, unintentionally parodic collection.
- Micah Mertes
Harry Connick Jr.
“What a Night!: A Christmas Album”
3 1/2 stars
Oh, Harry. Your once boyish good looks have turned creepy, but you can still croon like the best of them.
On this by-the-numbers collection, Connick turns on his Rat-Pack-like charm and swaggers his way through 15 Christmas staples. The music doesn’t stray too far from convention, which is a good thing. Jazzy beats and retro melodies abound.
A superior Christmas album.
- Micah Mertes
Various Artists
“The Essential Now That’s What I Call Christmas”
3 1/2 stars
This series has become quite popular over the past 10 years. It reminds me of the old K-Tel compilations I bought in the 1970s.
The latest “Now” release is the “essential” Christmas disc, with 25 cuts sung by the artists we associate with them, such as Gene Autry and “Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer” and “Blue Christmas” by Elvis Presley.
The disc is a nice mix of old and new, with artists ranging from Dean Martin and The Beach Boys to Carrie Underwood and Colbie Caillat.
Owners of the previous three Christmas “Now” CDs may want to pass because there’s some duplication. John Lennon, Paul McCartney and Burl Ives are repeated from the first release.
Still, it’s a nice mix. Where else will you find Brenda Lee and Wham! on the same CD?
- Jeff Korbelik
Brian McKnight
“I’ll Be Home For Christmas”
3 1/2 stars
Known for his R&B style, Brian McKnight puts his own stamp on holiday favorites. These are the mellowest of tunes, so don’t put them on for a holly-jolly time.
McKnight teams up for duets on five songs with a varied group from Vince Gill to Josh Groben. He stays true to his form on all but Groben’s “Angels We Have Heard on High,” which takes a more traditional turn.
- Kathryn Cates Moore
Neil Sedaka
“The Miracle of Christmas,” two-disc set
1 star
I grew up crooning along to “Breaking Up is Hard to Do” and “Love Will Keep Us Together,” so I have an affinity for Neil Sedaka.
This new Christmas set includes 12 original Sedaka songs on the first CD and 10 traditional holiday favorites on the second. Sedaka’s voice is as strong as ever. But as he sang about Christmas prayers, miracles and “Christmas ’Round the World,” all I could picture was a dreary, desolate cocktail lounge with Ethel Merman sitting at a piano.
I couldn’t shake the image throughout the first CD. Every song sounded alike — with the exception of “What a Lousy, Rotten Christmas,” Sedaka’s sad attempt at humor on a holiday where everything goes wrong. It was more disgusting than funny.
Much more pleasant was the second CD featuring Sedaka singing traditional Christmas fare, including “Silent Night,” “Winter Wonderland,” “White Christmas” and “The First Noel.” In fact, it made you want to sing along.
- Erin Andersen
Post Your Comment
Standards and RulesYour posted comment will appear after it has been approved.
Frequently asked questions about story commenting.