by Emily Wemhoff
Cee Lo Green ”Cee Lo’s Magic Moment”
Release date: Oct. 26
The pop-soul singer and judge on NBC’s “The Voice” released a Christmas album featuring Christina Aguilera, The Muppets and Rod Stewart among others.
When I first saw the album cover, I was horrified by the fact that Cee Lo Green was riding shotgun accompanied by a reindeer driving a flying car pulled by magical white horses. I didn’t want to listen to the CD based on the strange cover alone. But cover art aside, this was surprisingly quality music. Cee Lo uses his Christmas classics to balance out his few disaster original songs. If you were worried that Cee Lo would lose his signature weirdness in a sedate Christmas CD, you were wrong.
The lows: The lows of the CD include “Baby, It’s Cold Outside” featuring Christina Aguilera who pretty much ruins the song, and “All I Need Is Love” featuring the Muppets, the most cartoonish, absurd track I have ever heard in my life.
The highs: “Please Come Home for Christmas” and “Merry Christmas Baby” are two very genuine and warm-sounding soulful songs that make up for the bad.
Grade: C
Scotty McCreery– “Christmas with Scotty McCreery”
Release date: Oct. 16
Scotty McCreery, 19-year-old “American Idol” season 10 winner, known for his low vocal range, released a full-length holiday album that captures his Christian roots and authenticity.
I actually really do not like Scotty McCreery, so this was painful to listen to (too much twang for me). However, most of the songs on the album are well-written, and there is just enough country twist on them to make them different from other Christmas albums. Scotty is a good singer, but I just cannot get past his twang and strangely distracting deep voice.
The lows: Low points of the album include “Holly Jolly Christmas” and “Jingle Bells” because he is trying too hard to make both songs his own and ends up making bad country/blues/Christmas carol mashups.
The highs: The semi-good songs on this CD include his original creation, fast-paced “Christmas Comin’ Round Again” and the classic, ultra-country “Mary Did You Know.”
Grade: C-
Colbie Caillat– “Christmas in the Sand”
Release date: Oct. 26
California-native Colbie Caillat uses her own experiences to create a CD that relates to those who don’t have white Christmases.
Colbie Caillat’s latest effort “Christmas in the Sand” includes songs that are familiar but has a sound that is brand new. The California native creates a beachy holiday collection comprised of eight Christmas classics and four originals. The title track “Christmas in the Sand” is a funny take on how Christmas appears to those who have summer year round. Lyrics include: “I saw Santa in his bathing suit/Tried to catch a wave, but he tried to soon.”
The lows: None. Caillat doesn’t stray from what works for her. But I’m a fan of traditional Christmas music, so that is why I gave it an A, no plus.
The highs: “Santa Baby” and “The Christmas Song” showcase the singer’s signature acoustic flair and breathy voice. Throughout the entire album, Caillat does not attempt to create modernized pop hits. She does her own take on classics like “Auld Lang Syne” and “Silver Bells” that are fun and interesting.
Grade: A
John Travolta and Olivia Newton-John- “This Christmas”
Release date: Nov. 13
The album marks the first time John Travolta and Olivia Newton-John have recorded music together in nearly 35 years. The album’s proceeds will go to their respective charities — the Jett Travolta Foundation and the Olivia Newton-John Cancer and Wellness Center.
I was pumped to listen to Danny and Sandy sing together in a Grease reunion for the first time in forever, and believe me, they didn’t disappoint. John Travolta doesn’t sound as fresh as he used to, and Olivia Newton-John may be a bit rusty, but them singing together makes me happy inside. If you are looking for a cheesy, classic Christmas CD, then this is for you.
The lows: In “Baby It’s Cold Outside,” “Rockin Around the Christmas Tree” and their original “I Think You Might Like It,” I just was not feeling the super-polished sound or the cheesiness. Either way, I did not enjoy these songs.
The highs: “I’ll Be Home for Christmas” is a classic and really stood out to me on this album. They both sound younger in this song which I thought was a good thing. My favorite track had to be “Auld Lang Syne/Christmas Time is Here.” This song shows off both of their strengths and truly brought out a genuine, warm sound.
Grade: B-
Lady Antebellum – “On This Winter’s Night”
Release date: Oct. 22
In their first full-length Christmas album, Lady Antebellum treats listeners to a collection that captures the essence of Christmas.
The overall sound for Lady A’s Christmas album is modern and polished. The CD includes holiday standards like “A Holly Jolly Christmas” and “Christmas Baby (Please Come Home),” as well as their original “On This Winter’s Night.” There is a vibrant energy to the entire album and Lady A sings the old favorites with a special chemistry. I think Lady Antebellum is truly at their best when they sing traditional, country-leaning songs.
The lows: “Christmas (Baby Please Come Home)” because it was a mixture of too many genres.
The highs: “Let It Snow, Let It Snow, Let It Snow,” “Have a Holly Jolly Christmas” and “Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas” have compelling vocal arrangements that make you want to keep listening. One of my favorite songs is “Silver Bells” because it has a different sound than the original Christmas classic and they manage to make it their own. Their song “On This Winter’s Night” is worth a listen as well.
Grade: A-
Christina Perri– “A Very Merry Perri Christmas”
Release date: Oct. 16
This short EP only has six songs, but it includes some of the best Christmas tracks I’ve heard all year.
Christina Perri’s sophomore studio effort pairs five holiday staples with one original, the lovely “Something About December.”
The lows: Perri only had one semi-bad song and it was her cover of John Lennon’s “Happy Xmas [War is Over].” She was unable to maintain the good production that was heard on the other tracks. This song just wasn’t quite right, but was far from being horrible.
The highs: Perri’s amazing songwriting skill is showcased in her original song, as well as her genuine heartfelt mood that is heard throughout the entire EP. The music in “Something About December” is so well composed and put together that it should be a modern Christmas classic. Perri’s effortless, easy pop vocals are refreshingly different, and her renditions of standards like “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas” and “Ave Maria” almost sound groundbreaking. I was seriously so mad this was an EP, because I wanted to listen to more.
Grade: A
Find all the music on iTunes.
