HERE THEY GO A-CAROLLING
Every year, more and more pop stars tackle the Christmas album, hoping to soothe your ears with cheery songs and create timeless holiday music. Here’s a look at this year’s batch of brave souls who have taken on the challenge of creating original holiday
GARTH BROOKS AND TRISHA YEARWOOD, CHRISTMAS TOGETHER
Country superstar Garth Brooks and his singer-songwriter wife Trisha Yearwood have each done Christmas albums, but they haven’t teamed up on one — until now. Christmas Together debuts this holiday season with a unique selection of tracks that has the couple largely featuring diverse songs instead of holiday classics like Silent Night or Little Drummer Boy.
A highlight is a pair of Brooks and Yearwood duets on Baby It’s Cold Outside and I’m Beginning to See the Light.
Both artists, however, get a chance to shine.
Brooks has the fun song Ugly Christmas Sweater that features the humorous lyrics. Yearwood has her own fun with Santa Baby.
NEIL DIAMOND, ACOUSTIC CHRISTMAS
With his deep, gravelly voice, Neil Diamond sounds like one might imagine a crooning St. Nick — suffice to say, he sounds like Christmas.
Perhaps that’s why he’s a regular at making holiday albums — the newly released Acoustic Christmas is his fourth.
As the title suggests, this latest holiday record features Diamond singing classics like Silent Night and Hark the Herald Angels Sing in a stripped-down fashion, unlike some of his more produced Christmas music.
It also includes a few originals by Diamond: Christmas Prayers is a particularly poignant song that speaks to the feeling of missing loved ones no longer around to celebrate; Diamond refers to them as “Christmas angels.”
SHE & HIM, CHRISTMAS PARTY
She & Him, Zooey Deschanel and M. Ward, are enchanting on their second Christmas album, covering tunes from Frank Sinatra and Mariah Carey to Chuck Berry and Vashti Bunyan.
Carey’s All I Want for Christmas Is You, an instant classic upon its 1994 release, starts things off on a joyous note with its 1960s Brian Wilson/Phil Spector makeover. Must Be Santa is decorated with accordions and mariachi horns, a reminder that Christmas is a summer celebration in the Southern Hemisphere. Mele Kalikimaka brings Christmas warmth from Hawaii and Ward’s guitar solo heats up Berry’s Run Run Rudolph.
She & Him’s Christmas Party is a classy mood setter for You & Me & Everyone.
KACEY MUSGRAVES, A VERY KACEY CHRISTMAS
Kacey Musgraves’ girlish voice and bouncy beats bring some much needed levity to this year’s holiday season. The 12 tracks are an eclectic mix of old — Rudolph and Let it Snow — and new, including four self-penned tunes.
The highlight is A Willie Nice Christmas, honouring fellow Texan Willie Nelson, who adds trademark picking and smoky vocals on lines like “May we all stay higher than the angel on the top of the tree.” Leon Bridges adds soul to the pure pop sound of Musgraves’ Present Without a Bow.
A Western swing-y version of Mele Kalikimaka is a boot-scootin’ step above the tune’s traditional island sound. And kids will love the playful I Want a Hippopotamus for Christmas.