The Carpenters
Christmas Once More (A&M/Universal Music)
There are a ton of great holiday albums out there, but there's something decidedly special about Karen Carpenter's voice at this time of year. Curated by Richard Carpenter himself, this new compilation packages the Carpenter's greatest Christmas hits, and frankly it's beautiful.
The production, the harmonies, the angelic female backing vocals--The Carpenters have never sounded more magical than on the likes of "Happy Holiday," "Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas," "Little Altar Boy" and "White Christmas."
"In effect, the Carpenters came up with a modernized sound tapestry in which old and new traditions followed one another in surprising and pleasing ways," reads the press release. "Their concept of making Christmas albums artfully reflected the eclectic ways American audiences experienced the season and its joyful music in the years when the Carpenters’ generation was growing up."
Christmas and The Carpenters just belong together.
Barenaked Ladies
Barenaked for the Holidays (Raisin' Records)
The yin to The Carpenters' super-traditional take on holiday classics-yang is the Barenaked Ladies and their gloriously goofy, quirky, often perfectly silly take on other holiday classics.
That said, Barenaked for the Holidays (originally released in 2004) is no less enjoyable. And to be honest, there are moments that aren't silly at all but are in fact quite touching, like the very sweet "Snowman." "Elf's Lament," featuring the talents of Michael Bublé, offers a sympathetic ear to a disgruntled elf.
"O Holy Night" is given the organ treatment, while "Do They Know It's Christmas?" is hilariously earnest. There are a few of Hanukkah songs, and Sarah McLachlan pops up on "God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen/We Three Kings." The whole thing ends with "Auld Lang Syne," which seems appropriate -- a nervous eye cast at a new year.
Ed Robertson of the band says, “Barenaked for the Holidays is a record I’m very proud of. It was fun taking a stab at a few holiday classics, but I think the real strength of the record is the original songs. ‘Footprints’ and ‘Snowman’ are among my favorites I’ve ever written. It’s always fun to revisit these songs around the holidays every year. It’s the only original music that we ONLY play for one month every year!!”
Various Artists
Make a Joyful Noise (OMAD Records)
This, too, is wonderful. The good people at OMAD Records were able to convince the various artists in their ranks to record a holiday song--song new and some traditional.
OMAD is Peter DeNicola's label--he who co-wrote "(I've Had) The Time of My Life" for the Dirty Dancing soundtrack, a song which earned him an Academy Award.
DeNicola himself appears here on his original song "At Christmastime" with Cassidy Ladden. Other highlights include Moby Grape man Peter Lewis and his daughter Arwen Lewis on "Baby So Beautiful," and The Sighs' power-pop xmas anthem "Almost Christmastime."
"Of course, no holiday record is complete without a few familiar tunes, and OMAD artists naturally add their own spin: The duo Elizabeth and Jake deliver a hushed, jazzy, folky medley of the Robert Wells / Mel Torme classic 'The Christmas Song' and 'The Christmas Waltz,' written by Sammy Cahn / Jules Styne," they say. "Arwen Lewis brings her signature dusky sweetness to the lo-fi 'Let It Snow,' also a Cahn / Styne collaboration. And those nursing an inner drunken Grinch can revel in Fovea’s 'What’s Christmas?'"
All of it, however, is full of holiday cheer, sung for all to hear!
