In this CD cover image released by Island, the latest holiday album by Justin Bieber, "Under the Mistletoe," is shown. (AP Photo/Island)
It’s that time of year again. Christmas CDs are everywhere. Here’s my guide to the good, the bad and the ugly:
“Under the Mistletoe,” Justin Bieber (Island)
Puberty is not being kind to Justin Bieber. Voice changes? Paternity tests? And what’s with this new hair? I’ve never been a Bieber hater until I heard the newly mature-voiced Justin sing about being “Under the mistletoe with you, shawty.” Oh, please. Maybe castrati singers weren’t such a bad idea after all. Poor kid.
“Celebrating Christmas,” Marcus Roberts Trio (J-Master)
Marcus Roberts is one of jazz music’s modern piano greats and this album, which features Jason Marsalis on drums and Rodney Jordan on bass, is a stand-out. It’s simple yet inventive and regularly gorgeous. This is a Christmas disc that’s nice to let slip around your subconscious, but worth a hard listen. And, anybody who can make me like “Little Drummer Boy” has accomplished something.
“Send Me Some Snow,” Chris Standring & Kathrin Shorr (Ultimate Vibe)
Good new Christmas songs are few and far between. (The newest one to become a standard is “Grandma Got Run Over By a Reindeer,” if that tells you something.) This collection by guitarist/composer Chris Standring and vocalist Kathrin Shorr may not contain songs that will become standards, but 10 new Christmas songs that are really good is quite an achievement. Shorr’s style is a little reminiscent of Norah Jones (as much pop as jazz) and Standring’s songs don’t insult your intelligence for the sake of sentiment. This is a very, very nice Christmas surprise.
“Vintage Christmas,” David Ian (Prescott)
Many of my favorite Christmas discs come from artists I’m totally unfamiliar with. Pianist David Ian leads a jazz trio along with vocalists Acacia and Andre Miguel Mayo for relaxed and natural collection of Christmas standards and one likeable jazzy original.
“O Christmas Three,” Chicago (Chicago)
To show you how hard Christmas songs can be to write, even Paul McCartney failed at it with “Wonderful Christmas Time.” It doesn’t bode well that Chicago chose to open a third Christmas CD by covering McCartney’s misfire — and even Dolly Parton can’t help it out with a dialed-in guest vocal. If you like your Christmases dull, Chicago can help you out.
“A Skaggs Family Chirstmas, Volume Two,” Ricky Skaggs and Family (Skaggs Family)
Ricky Skaggs looks ever more like he could’ve been there at the first Christmas (get a haircut, hippie!), but his musical chops remain vibrant. This follow-up to the family’s 2005 Christmas collection (Skaggs, wife Sharon White and her family, and Skaggs children) is nice and homey and includes a DVD of the Christmas concert. Proving talent passes down in the Skaggs/White family, one of the disc’s highlights is Molly Skaggs’ lovely vocal/piano performance of the rarely-covered “What Songs Were Sung.”
“The Classic Christmas Album,” Tony Bennett (RPM/Columbia)
There is no shortage of Tony Bennett Christmas albums and this is simply a new collection of previously released material with a previously unreleased rendition of “What Child Is This.”
“Christmas Cookies,” The Oak Ridge Boys (Spring Hill)
The Oak Ridge Boys’ “Christmas Cookies” have corn as part of the recipe and after listening to this set (“Uncle Luther, Made the Stuffin’,” in particular) you might need a shot of the clear liquid variety.
“The Sing Off: Songs of the Season,” Various Artists (Epic)
I anticipated this to be one of the best Christmas discs of the season — great a cappella groups performing Christmas standards. A few acts give knock-out performances (the Dartmouth Aires, among them), but, overall, this is a disappointment due to unimaginative arrangements.
“The Gathering,” Laurelyn Dossett, Mike Compton, Rhiannon Giddens, Joe Newberry, Joe DeJarnette and Jason Sypher (Sycamore Road)
This humble little album brings friends together (including Rhiannon Giddens of the Carolina Chocolate Drops) to tell the story of a family coming together on Christmas. The story isn’t particularly important and disc doesn’t exactly start feeling like Christmas until the second half, but the sweet acoustic performances and casual delivery make this a low-key charmer.
“Tennessee Christmas,” Lindi Ortega (Last Gang)
Americana artist Lindi Ortega’s contribution to the Christmas music genre is a four-song EP with three new songs and a cover of “Blue Christmas.” Ortega is an engaging singer and the dobros and fiddles are on target on all the tracks, but it’s the new song “Christmas Eve With You” that might give you a nice warm feeling.
“Winter Wonderland,” Mandy Barnett (Rounder)
Mandy Barnett is still probably best known for performing the lead role in musical “Always ... Patsy Cline” in the mid-1990s. Barnett is still paying tribute to Cline on her new Christmas release. The disc hearkens back to style and arrangements of Cline producer Owen Bradley in the early 1960s and Barnett’s vocal similarities (more in delivery than her actual voice) remain striking. It’s nice for fans, but not essential.
“This Warm December: A Brushfire Holiday, Vol. 2,” Various Artists (Brushfire)
You gotta like a song that deals with the debaucheries of Christmas partying and this set opens with a fun ukulele/banjo-fueled number ("Party Hard") by Zach Gill. The rest of the disc, with contributions by Jack Johnson, ALO, G. Love, Matt Costa, Money Mark and others, is inoffensive, but uninspiring.
“My Kind of Christmas,” Dean Martin (Capitol)
Dean Martin died in 1995 at about the time the whole duets-with-the-dead trend was in full swing. Sorry, but Martin has plenty of good Christmas releases available without this new set featuring actress Scarlett Johansson dueting with Martin on “I’ll Be Home for Christmas.” This just makes Christmas creepy.
“A Farmhouse Christmas,” Joey & Rory (Sugar Hill)
Married country duo Joey & Rory made a excellent Christmas music first impression in 2009 with the single “It’s Christmas Time.” This full-length album includes that track and 11 others. It’s not bad, but none of the tracks live up to the promise of the single.
“Glad Christmas Tidings,” The Mormon Tabernacle Choir featuring David Archuleta (Mormon Tabernacle Choir)
I expected to not like this. I tend to like my Christmas either quiet or irreverent and I despise “American Idol.” This, though, with “Idol” star Archuleta and enough Mormon voices to populate a small country, is very good, but I’m not sure my house is big enough for it.
“Songs of December,” Paul Anka (Decca)
Hasn’t Paul Anka done enough to kill our spirit after his hit “You’re Having My Baby”? OK, he wrote some good songs, too. These are standards done well and 70-year-old Anka sounds good.
“Seasons Greetings: A Jersey Boys Christmas,” Various Artists (Rhino)
“Jersey Boys” is a musical that celebrates the music of Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons. This disc includes performances of Christmas standards by several different city’s casts of the show. If you like Valli and the band you might like it. It makes me want to pack my ears with snow.
“Wow Christmas,” Various Artists (Word)
This set brings 32 different contemporary Christian artists together on two CDs. It’s actually good sampler to the genre and a surprisingly good collection of familiar and unfamiliar Christmas songs.
“A Steinway Christmas Album,” Jeffery Biegel (Steinway and Sons)
OK, I can handle this. Ultra traditional instrumental versions of Christmas classics played on a beautiful resonant piano. Nothing flashy, just really nice.
“Ultimate Christmas,” David Koz (Capitol)
To some folks elevator jazz just screams Christmas spirit. If Scrooge had had this on the CD player he would’ve snored right through all three of those Christmas ghosts and remained a miserable old miser rather than becoming a music critic.
Wayne Bledsoe may be reached at 865-342-6444 or bledsoew@knoxville.com. He is also the host of “All Over the Road” midnight Saturdays to 4 a.m. Sundays on WDVX-FM.
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Comments » 1
brauhuff#295403 writes:
Elvis Presley made the best Christmas music bar none especially his 1971 Wonderful World of Christmas
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