It’s that time of year to grab some hot cocoa, don your coziest sweater and put on some festive tunes. Whether you’re dealing with holiday heartbreak or reconnecting with loved ones after an uncertain two years, there’s music for everyone this season.
Associated Press reporters sampled a variety of albums, offering an initial bounty of holiday release reviews for Kelly Clarkson, Pentatonix, Pistol Annies, Norah Jones, and others. ,
Pentatonix, Evergreen (RCA Records)
It’s not really Christmas until the gang at Pentatonix released new material and this year they’ve broadened the definition of Christmas material.
The a cappella quintet features classics like We Wish You a Merry Christmas and It Come Upon the Midnight Clear, but also tackles songs like Stevie Wonder’s I Just Called To Say I Love You and Joni Mitchell’s River. This is risky and means the originals are safe.
Better when they give the I Saw Three Ship a propellant beat and when they ask Alessia Cara to lead them on Frosty the Snowman. They also give the Beach Boys a run with their smashing cover of Little St. Nick.
Pentatonix contributed to The Beatles’ Paul McCartney’s Wonderful Christmastime and It’s Not Half Bad, as well as the title track Evergreen, a Twingie original song they owned, which would be released the following year for their Christmas album. Must be covered by another artist.
mark kennedy
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Kelly Clarkson, When Christmas Comes Around (Atlantic Records)
Dealing with holiday heartbreak?
Kelly Clarkson has you covered with When Christmas Comes Around…
The Grammy-winning 15 track Christmas album featuring Chris Stapleton, Ariana Grande and Brett Aldredge is full of covers and originals to get everyone through the holiday season. It’s an instant classic with songs that will certainly find radio time for years to come.
You ruined all my favorite things she sings on Happy Christmas Cancels (Just You). But you won’t take Christmas from me. The playful, defiant cheering songs make it an opening stand.
Another album highlight is Glow. Clarkson’s voice match with Stapleton’s is intoxicating. Nothing has changed, I still want you to spend Christmas with me wrapped in my arms as they sing.
Whether it’s reclaiming Christmas to himself or reminiscing about the ghosts of Christmas, Clarkson embodies all the emotions brought by the holidays with flare and fun.
Ragan Clark
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Pistol Annies, Hell of a Holiday (Sony Music Nashville)
Let’s face it, most Christmas music idealizes the holiday season to be more stressful than emotional at times.
Hell of a Holiday, the first Christmas musical from a trio of country singer Pistol Annies, is for those holiday survivors. Miranda Lambert, Ashley Monroe and Angelina Presley bring both humor and harmony to a collection of 10 original songs and three classics.
Harlan County Coal, inspired by the gatherings of the Presley Hillbilly family, complete with shotgun shell tree ornaments. The fun bop snow globe would be a great add to the holiday party playlist, while their cover of If We Make It Through December is perfect for those dark chilly nights. The trio ends their struggle to remember the cause of Ritu by singing Happy Birthday to Jesus.
If you are both excited and tired during the holidays, then fennel is enough to prepare you to face the new year.
Kristin M. Halle
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His Golden Messenger, O Come All Ye Faithful (Merge Records)
In times of pandemic it will be hard to find a better fit for Christmas than the new holiday released by their Golden Messenger. It is depressing, but not depressing, we are all fully aware of the difficulties, and yet it is encouraging. In many ways it feels like an extension of the band’s last album, Quietly Blowing It, which is a truly creative take on the tough times wrought by COVID-19.
It’s Christmas, Baby, Thank God We Made It, lead singer and Creative Force MC Taylor sings on Hung Fire, one of several outstanding spiritual new creations that could find their way into holiday rotation for years to come.
The album style is soulful, even majestic, on original Taylor compositions, spectacular covers and holiday classics, only gaining stature by re-working the band-back Americana style.
Ultimately, an excellent band that keeps getting better is the perfect match for the holiday season that comes to us in less than perfect times.
Scott Stroud
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Amanda Shires, For Christmas (Thirty Tigers)
Singer-songwriter Amanda Shires’ Christmas list includes beach vacations, a boat ride, Cold Hard Cash, and a date with comedian Larry David, but she’s not sharing her gifts, so let’s take a hike. Those Strangely Wonderful Feelings for Christmas appears on the Shire Holiday record, a collection of mostly original songs that sound like Christmas Eve dreams.
With his high-pitched vocals and his poetic lyrics on the piano, Shire wanders around the holidays, paying attention to the small details. She’s carving that pine tree into a real tree this year, and detailing a sexy holiday tryst on Blame It on the Mistletoe.
Her Silent Night is depressing and gloomy, which, if told honestly, isn’t an unusual feeling over the holidays, especially after the past two years.
But the best tracks are the ones where she’s always in sync with the influential McCurry Sisters, like Magic Ooh and Gone for Christmas.
Kristin M. Halle
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Norah Jones, I Dream of Christmas (Blue Note Records)
I wanna be Jolly Jones, Norah Jones sings on the opener of I Dream of Christmas.
And that’s a Jolly Jones.
On his 13-track debut holiday album, Jones’ sultry vocals lend themselves well to Christmas songs. She re-imagines some of the covers, bringing Latin influences to Rudolph’s Run with Bongo and Maracas and singing a ragtime rendition of Christmas Don’t Be Late.
On others, she pays homage to the roots of the original. Vince Guaraldi’s influence on Christmas time is in full swing here. Likewise, Norah Jones does little to distract from Elvis Presley’s bluesy blue Christmas.
Also on the album are six originals by Jones. After two years of uncertainty, Jones is ready to reconnect with loved ones and re-live the comforts of Christmas in Christmas Calling (Jolly Jones). In Eure Not Alone, she brings spiritual undertones to many people in times of loneliness (“If you’re tired / And you’re scared / You’re not alone”).
Perfect for a fire, snowy road trip or holiday dinner, Christmas Dream is easy to listen to Christmas jazz.
Ragan Clark
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Kristin Chenoweth, Happiness Is… Christmas (Concord Records)
Everything that Kristin Chenoweth has touched is magical and Christmas is no different.
Dozens of tracks on Broadway and TV actors Happiness Is… Christmas has a cast that can go from angelic to vixen, from funny to heartfelt.
This is his first holiday offer since 2008. A lovely way to spend Christmas and begins with a mix of joy (Christmas time) / Christmas time is here, one of his musicals, You’re a Good Man, Charlie. A sly tribute to Brown is included. Afterwards, try not to dance to another medley, Jazzy (Everybody’s Waiting For) The Man with the Bag/Jingle Bell Rock.
Her Merry Christmas Baby with Keb Mo is so sexy it might be raucous (and, yes, a raucous Christmas song is exactly what we need.) An aftermarket tune, a Christmas lullaby, is supernatural and celestial. His version of Carpenter’s Merry Christmas, Darling, has a little twig and deep sadness.
And it’s not all Christmas. For inclusivity, she totally shines, signing on to Stephen Schwartz’s The Chanukah Song (We Are Lights). Later she will follow you with Andrew Lips Santa, I have a bone to take with you! (I got a thong/but then my mom got the same). Chenoweth, Christmas, Classic.
mark kennedy
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