Holiday music might not be everyone's cup of tea, but with new records from Alicia Keys, Backstreet Boys and Debbie Gibson, there's something that might appeal to everyone at the table. So pull out the record player, light some candles and get festive 鈥� and thankful for new music.
Associated Press journalists unwrapped the latest new holiday-themed albums from Chris Isaak, Davis Causey & Jay Smith, Louis Armstrong, Pentatonix and more.
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Alicia Keys, 鈥淪anta Baby鈥� (Alicia Keys Records)
Alicia Keys鈥� Christmas album debut 鈥淪anta Baby鈥� is as cheeky, cozy and captivating, as the classic it is named after.
For a holiday fanatic like me, there is nothing more heartwarming than Christmas songs. However, Keys is able to take a holiday favorite and improve it with her vocals and R&B twist.
So, like a square of butter over a freshly baked tower of pancakes, my heart sweetly melts into a sugary puddle.
The 15-time Grammy winner wraps those beloved old Christmas songs with originals, sure to join the pantheon of the glorious jolly songs. In the , 鈥淒ecember Back 2 June," a joyous Alicia Keys wears bubble ponytails and a metallic suit, singing 鈥淐hristmas is all the time when I鈥檓 with you.鈥�
Ending with 鈥淎ve Maria,鈥� the artist risks it all, by taking a slow classic and adding a soul vibe with a recurring drum beat that makes an already solemn song into something fresh and beautiful.
Like that perfect black sweater in your wardrobe, this album goes with everything, whether you鈥檙e feeling like snuggling under a blanket drinking hot tea or preparing yourself for a winter date. This album has it all: The sexy, the homey and the nostalgic.
鈥� Martina Inchingolo
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Chris Isaak, 鈥淓verybody Knows It鈥檚 Christmas鈥� (Sun Records/Virgin UMG)
Fresh off a lifetime achievement award from singer Chris Isaak is in a festive mood. It only makes sense that his next project would be a holiday album.
On 鈥淓verybody Knows It鈥檚 Christmas,鈥� Isaak, who has built a career ranging comfortably between rockabilly and doo-wop, applies his distinctive talent to 13 holiday tracks in the Sun Studio style.
Isaak and his backup band, who are touring behind the album, take up familiar tunes like 鈥淲inter Wonderland鈥� and 鈥淛ingle Bell Rock鈥� with exuberant style, but they also dial up rockabilly cuts like 鈥淩un Rudolph Run鈥� and an original called 鈥淎lmost Christmas鈥� that fits right in. There鈥檚 not an earworm in the bunch, which can be a rarity for a holiday album.
Isaak鈥檚 music can feel lightweight, but he succeeds by never taking himself too seriously. He always seems to do things just for the fun of it, and this album is no exception. And hey, isn鈥檛 Christmas supposed to be fun?
鈥� Scott Stroud
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鈥淧ickin鈥� On Christmas,鈥� Davis Causey & Jay Smith (Strolling Bones Records)
More than two decades after it was recorded, 鈥淧ickin鈥� On Christmas鈥� again makes a lovely holiday gift.
In 1998, Athens, Georgia, guitarists Davis Causey and Jay Smith found themselves with little money for presents, so they recorded an album of eight instrumentals for a limited run of 100 CDs, and gave them to friends and family.
Now the set is available on the and it鈥檚 full of good cheer and interesting interplay.
With the help of overdubs, Causey and Smith trade licks and engage in creative counterpoint to generate plenty of winter warmth. The festive mash-up 鈥淪ilver Bells/Silent Night鈥� settles into a boogie rhythm pushed by drummer Jeff Reilly, and features what sounds like at least five guitars. Another innovative interpretation, 鈥淲e Three Kings/God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen,鈥� combines funky syncopation with three guitars improvising simultaneously.
There鈥檚 plenty of variety. The one original tune, the serene 鈥淔ollowing a Star,鈥� includes a synth guitar part by Causey that sounds like a cello, while Randall Bramblett contributes a sprightly soprano sax part on 鈥淲hat Child Is This?鈥� 鈥淟ittle Drummer Boy鈥� mixes Causey鈥檚 resonator guitar and Smith鈥檚 classical guitar, and several cuts feature blue notes and other jazz colors.
Causey has become a model of longevity, his 60-year career highlighted by work with Kris Kristofferson, Marvin Gaye and Waylon Jennings, among many others. Smith died shortly after these tunes were recorded, which makes the album a poignant holiday celebration of musical kinship.
鈥� Steven Wine
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Joss Stone, 鈥淢erry Christmas, Love鈥� (S-Curve Records)
Soul singer Joss Stone has released her first album of Christmas songs, to which the only natural reaction is: Why did it take so long to get these chestnuts roasting?
is a brilliant addition to the holiday cannon with Stone鈥檚 seemingly effortless takes on 13 classics, breathing new life into 鈥淲hite Christmas鈥� and 鈥淟et It Snow.鈥� She also wrote two nifty originals.
Though she has a Ferrari engine, her restraint is admirable, letting the song shine, like one of the prettiest versions of 鈥淚n The Bleak Midwinter鈥� you鈥檒l ever hear and an absolutely joyous take on Irving Berlin鈥檚 鈥淪now.鈥�
Stone shows exquisite control and tone on 鈥淗ark! The Herald Angels Sing鈥� and leaves the beauty of 鈥淎way in a Manger鈥� unadorned. One of the new ones, 鈥淚f You Believe,鈥� borrows a beat from 鈥淭he Little Drummer Boy鈥� but soars, at the end unleashing that Ferrari.
The album ends with a tricky one 鈥� 鈥淪ilent Night.鈥� And Stone absolutely smashes it, with sonic fireworks. This collection needs to be on repeat this holiday 鈥� and next.
鈥� Mark Kennedy
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Debbie Gibson, 鈥淲interlicious鈥� (Stargirl Records)
Writing your own Christmas songs must be a daunting, task but that hasn鈥檛 stopped Debbie Gibson. Thank goodness.
The singer who gave us 鈥淥nly in My Dreams鈥� offers 鈥淲interlicious,鈥� her first ever holiday album. It鈥檚 an eclectic set, mixing classics with originals, including a duet with her dad, a new Hanukkah song 鈥� big points for inclusion, Ms. Gibson 鈥� and ends with an emotional and super New Year鈥檚 Eve song, 鈥淐heers.鈥�
One highlight is a rare Christmas break-up song 鈥� she and New Kids on the Block鈥檚 Joey McIntyre co-wrote the terrific 鈥淗eartbreak Holiday.鈥� Other Gibson originals like 鈥滼ingle Those Bells,鈥� 鈥淐hristmas Star鈥� and 鈥淐hristmas Dreams鈥� deserve to be on your holiday rotation and her cover of 鈥淭he Candy Man鈥� is a great showcase for her Broadway-ready voice.
The duet with Joe Gibson on 鈥淲hite Christmas鈥� is painful 鈥� sorry, dad 鈥� but the driving, over-the-top and maybe even naughty arrangement of 鈥淕od Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen鈥� goes down well. This is an album that鈥檚 got something for everyone.
鈥� Mark Kennedy
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Backstreet Boys, 鈥淎 Very Backstreet Christmas" (BMG)
Backstreet Boys have released their first Christmas album and you can thank the pandemic for that.
During lockdown, while everyone was busy baking and working out from home, the boy band was harmonizing jolly classics.
They bring a nostalgic boy band pop twist to beloved songs like 鈥淲hite Christmas,鈥� 鈥淲inter Wonderland鈥� and while slow staples, like 鈥淪ilent Night鈥� and 鈥淥 Holy Night,鈥� give the singers a chance to show off their angelic voices.
In addition, the band gifts their fans with their own original Christmas song 鈥淗appy Days.鈥� They sing 鈥淲e鈥檙e gonna party like it鈥檚 鈥�99,鈥� and, honestly, there probably isn鈥檛 a more early 2000s pop holiday song than this.
While the album is offering a vast option of well-known classics, the band makes each song its own.
So, being a big Christmas enthusiast won鈥檛 just do it, you have to commit to that cheesy and sentimental pop beat. While I doubt that whoever is not into the boy band genre will curiously stumble into this album, the hardcore fans will definitely be satisfied.
鈥� Martina Inchingolo
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Pentatonix, 鈥淗olidays Around the World鈥� (RCA Records)
In what is becoming a steadfast holiday tradition, Pentatonix is back with new music on a new holiday album. The five-member acapella group released 鈥淗olidays Around the World,鈥� which explores collaborations with musicians from different cultures around the world.
Each track highlighted the cultures of the different featured artists on the album. Collaborations include Lang Lang, Shreya Ghoshal, Hiba Tawaji, La Santa Cecilia, Lea Salonga and more.
Pentatonix continues to put their own twists on traditional holiday classics, as they have successfully done in past holiday albums. The standouts are 鈥淚t鈥檚 the Most Wonderful Time of the Year鈥� and 鈥淟ast Christmas鈥� (feat. HIKAKIN & SEIKIN).
Out of the original songs on the album, 鈥淜id on Christmas鈥� (feat. Meghan Trainor) was the clear pop hit with its upbeat chorus. While Christmas seems to be the main holiday celebrated in this album, the uplifting melodies or jolly lyrics in each track will put audiences in the holiday spirit.
鈥� Karena Phan
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Louis Armstrong, 鈥淟ouis Wishes You a Cool Yule鈥� (Verve Records)
If Mariah Carey is the queen of Christmas music, then make space for its king, Louis Armstrong.
Fifty years since the legendary artist passed away, his fans received the best Christmas present they could wish for. Months before his death, the musician recorded himself reciting the poem 鈥淎 Visit from St Nicholas鈥� (also popularly known as 鈥淭he Night Before Christmas鈥�).
Now, the never before released recording, is accompanied by a musical underbed from New Orleans pianist, Sullivan Fortner.
The track is part of Louis Armstrong鈥檚 first Christmas album called 鈥淟ouis Wishes You a Cool Yule." Including nine holiday classics recorded by the artist, plus his memorable masterpiece 鈥淲hat a Wonderful World."
The musician鈥檚 work has been proven to pass the test of time and it鈥檚 still able to this day to keep that na茂ve and childish glow in us from dimming. With this festive album, we get to hold on to that feeling for a little longer and get back to it at every re-listen.
So, as he reads in the new track: 鈥淗appy Christmas to all and to all a good night . . . A very good night.鈥�
鈥� Martina Inchingolo
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