New Christmas Music from Alexis Ffrench, Voctive, Jon Pardi, Chris Issak, Maddie and Tae, Forest Blakk, and Lola Kirke

 

Alexis Ffrench - Christmas Piano with Alexis

Lovely contemplative solo piano takes on two dozen , mostly, holiday standards. Ffrench is described as a "Classical Soul superstar' but this album leans more on the classical/jazz/easy listening side of things, a la George Winston. An excellent album.

Voctive - It Feels Like Christmas

I was all in on the acapella boom of a number of years ago that birthed the monster that is Pentatonix but after awhile I fell off the bandwagon, and out side of classic acts like The King’s Singers and Chanticleer, I don’t have a lot of it in my seasonal listening rotation. Voctive’s new album of Christmas tunes might change that slightly. Its good old fashioned vocal harmonies, nothing genre shattering and sometimes that can be a good thing.

Chris Issak - Everybody Knows It’s Christmas (Deluxe)

One of my faves from last year adds four “new” tracks.

Maddie and Tae - We Need Christmas

This one isn’t Deluxe, but Extended (does that mean we might still get a deluxe! Oh Joy!)I thought it was okay back in 2020 and the new additions are as decent and workmanlike as the rest.

Forest Blakk - Wake Up (It’s Christmas Time)

Solid 4 track mini-album (maxi-single?)

Jon Pardi - Merry Christmas From Jon Pardi

My favorite country Christmas album of the season so far, if only because it actually wants to be a country album. Plus he does a cover of All I Want for Christmas is You that doesn’t make e feel like raming candy canes in my ears.

Lola Kirke - Hard Candy Christmas

Hard Candy Christmas is becoming a tough one to cover, there are already a few really good ones and of course the original is a classic. Kirke does a nice job here but doesn’t really make the song her own. If you don’t already have a handful of go-to covers of HCC you could do worse.

New Christmas Music from Christian Sands, David Foster and Katherine McPhee, Julie Benko & Mykal Kilgore, Tyler Shaw and more...

 

Christian Sands - Christmas Stories

Excellent jazz Christmas album from pianist Sands. Absolutely going into this year's rotation. 

David Foster & Katherine McPhee - Christmas Songs

Expanded from last years mini-album. Excellent tracks crafted by an expert producer and a remarkable singer.

Julie Benko & Mykal Kilgore -  (I Never Had a ) Christmas with You

Nice soul tinged duet. I liked this one quite a bit.

Tyler Shaw - Christmas All Over Again

Perfectly good cover of Tom Petty’s holiday hit.

Lisa Biales - At Christmas

Solid Blues rock number.

Dami Im - Santa Claus is Coming to Town

Decent jazzy take. Part of the genre I think of as Hallmark Movie opening credit songs.

Jess Moskaluke - Counting Down Christmas

Okay pop/country track.

Justine Blazer -  Joy

Uneven album veering between teenybopper girl pop, and various shades of country. The closer the songs lean towards country the better. There’s only one song here that I  thought was half decent, and judging by the name I would have assumed I’d hate it, and that’s “Kitty Kat Christmas”

The Tenors - Christmas With the Tenors

Dull, generic, elevator music for wine aunts.

Alex Sampson - This Christmas (Feels Like Love)

Forgettable, generic pop.