I'm back with ten more off the cuff, first listen, reviews of some of this year's new holiday releases. Your mileage is bound to vary.
Sia - Everyday is Christmas (Snowman Deluxe)
Listened to this a bit, and liked it well enough, when it first came out but haven’t found myself revisiting it much. Deluxe edition adds two new songs and a remix of the hit Snowman. Pin Drop starts off with promise but goes nowhere interesting while Santa Visits Everyone isn’t particularly memorable. Of the three additions the “slowed down and snowed in’ is the best but it’s still just a remix of a merely okay tune.
*******
Morgan James - A Very Magnetic Christmas
Singer / Actress Morgan James, who I suppose I best know from her work with Scott Bradlee’s Postmodern Jukebox, delivers a soulful album of holiday tunes both familiar and less so. While it’s not exactly in my wheelhouse taste-wise it seems like a pretty solid effort on first blush.
*******
Elle King - Please Come Home For Christmas
Wholly unnecessary cover. If a song has multiple perfectly good versions floating around, you best have something special in store for your version. There is nothing special about this version unless you are a fan or have never heard any of the other, superior versions.
*******
Lainey Wilson - Christmas Cookies
Another cover but this one’s rather good. It’s not an oversaturated song and the gender switch changes things up nicely. Probably my second favorite version behind the George Strait original.
*******
Anne Wilson - I Still Believe in Christmas
Christian artist Wilson’s new three track mini-album /maxi-single. For me, Kentucky Fried Christmas is the highlight.
*******
Amanda Shires - Gone for Christmas
Not feeling this one.
*******
Carrie Underwood - My Gift (Special Edition)
The long-awaited special edition follow-up to, umm, last year’s holiday release. I can’t wait for next year’s Deluxe edition and 2025’s Super Luxury Anniversary gift set version, by then we’ll have 5 or six extra songs more than the original.
The new additions, this time, are fine. Two new songs and a live track taken from her TV special.
The original album was really good and these new tracks don’t hurt it, they just make it longer.
*******
José James - Christmas in New York
Modern crooning done right, not a parody or an imitation just a wonderful performance with heart and soul. One of my favorites among the new stuff.
*******
Jaimie Miller - Home by Midnight
It’s almost unfair to sample this after the Jose James track. It’s not a bad pop song but I can’t imagine listening to it again, on purpose.
*******
Morgan Wade - Santa Claus is Back in Town
Country star Wade takes a crack at this Elvis staple and doesn’t embarrass herself. Not bad.
