A month or so ago Rox reviewed two new holiday CDs...Bette Midler's "Cool Yule" and Sarah McLachlan's "Wintersong." As it's now officially ok to play holiday music (Rox has been playing it since October, ho, ho, ho), I wanted to address new holiday music: Frankly it would seem that it would be easy to make a great Holiday album (there are only 12 songs that everyone records so it's not like it's difficult finding material!). But it's really about making sure the artist makes sense to do a holiday album (do you remember Destiny's Child's HORRIBLE "Eight Days of Christmas" or Jessica Simpson's awkward "Rejoyce"??). When such legends as Nat King Cole, Rosemary Clooney, Bing Crosby and others have captured the title of world's greatest holiday song singers, it's difficult to make your own mark without creating music that could be played all year long with just a few references to Christmas or Candy Corn being changed out for "My Ride" and "Bitches." Who recently has been successful, you ask? Ms. Aguilera and Ms. Carey come to mind, of course, with great blends of new and classic material -- without trying to be "hip" the albums just were. And Rox would love to see a Holiday CD by Ms. Clarkson at some point (bless your heart, Clay). But it seems the folks who have done it the best are the ones who have a little spirit in them all year long -- Amy Grant, Third Day, oh, and Barry Manilow all have had great success with holiday albums (yes, I know there's always the Carpenters as well but I meant people who actually are still making music). That's why Rox's picks for Holiday albums worth buying are Bette's "Cool Yule" with its big band sound, classic ballads and actually a whole lot of joy in it. Bette's never sounded better. And also, the compilation "WOW Christmas" from some of today's most successful contemporary Christian acts (and then some). There's some groove, some rock and a whole lot of festive spirit in this collection (check out Jars of Clay's version of "Little Drummer Boy"!). So check them both out to get right into the holiday groove. No such thing as a silent night if you play these tunes! Rox: out.
11.24.2006
Best Bette for Holiday Music
A month or so ago Rox reviewed two new holiday CDs...Bette Midler's "Cool Yule" and Sarah McLachlan's "Wintersong." As it's now officially ok to play holiday music (Rox has been playing it since October, ho, ho, ho), I wanted to address new holiday music: Frankly it would seem that it would be easy to make a great Holiday album (there are only 12 songs that everyone records so it's not like it's difficult finding material!). But it's really about making sure the artist makes sense to do a holiday album (do you remember Destiny's Child's HORRIBLE "Eight Days of Christmas" or Jessica Simpson's awkward "Rejoyce"??). When such legends as Nat King Cole, Rosemary Clooney, Bing Crosby and others have captured the title of world's greatest holiday song singers, it's difficult to make your own mark without creating music that could be played all year long with just a few references to Christmas or Candy Corn being changed out for "My Ride" and "Bitches." Who recently has been successful, you ask? Ms. Aguilera and Ms. Carey come to mind, of course, with great blends of new and classic material -- without trying to be "hip" the albums just were. And Rox would love to see a Holiday CD by Ms. Clarkson at some point (bless your heart, Clay). But it seems the folks who have done it the best are the ones who have a little spirit in them all year long -- Amy Grant, Third Day, oh, and Barry Manilow all have had great success with holiday albums (yes, I know there's always the Carpenters as well but I meant people who actually are still making music). That's why Rox's picks for Holiday albums worth buying are Bette's "Cool Yule" with its big band sound, classic ballads and actually a whole lot of joy in it. Bette's never sounded better. And also, the compilation "WOW Christmas" from some of today's most successful contemporary Christian acts (and then some). There's some groove, some rock and a whole lot of festive spirit in this collection (check out Jars of Clay's version of "Little Drummer Boy"!). So check them both out to get right into the holiday groove. No such thing as a silent night if you play these tunes! Rox: out.
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