Holiday Music 2020: Dolly's Gift and Kenny's Enchantment
What a fucked up year! Am I right! Well, it’s time for some uplifting music in our lives and let's face it, more good news. This planet has been blessed with 2 Dolly Parton holidays albums in the last 30 years. I am happy to report, we are saying goodbye to 2020 with I hope for the best holiday album of the year. Dolly Parton has again gifted us creatures with a third holiday album to celebrate the season, giving us a trilogy. Normally I start this year post with overall synopsis of the array of holiday albums released this year. This year I am opening with praise of our Lady Dolly. Parton celebrated her 74 birthday before the whole planet went to shit. During shelter in place, she took to social media to spread her smile and amazing outlook on life. I need to go Dollywood, more than ever to cleanse me of all what quarantine has given me this year.
I heard early reports in the year that she planned on doing a third holiday album. In 1986, she and Kenny Rogers released their duet album of a few Christmas standards but the shinning stars of the album, were almost all written by Parton. My personal favorites “Christmas Without You” and “Once Upon a Christmas”. The album was reissued in 1997 with the single “Hard Candy Christmas” which was written by Carol Hall who was the lyricist for broadway’s Best Little Whorehouse in Texas. In 1990 I bought my first holiday album by Dolly and that was Home for Christmas, which to my surprise, Dolly actually wrote none of the songs on the album. The album was her foray into classic hymns and a few old standards. I’ll Be Home For Christmas” and “Joy To The World” are probably the most pla`yed songs on the album and have a sold place on my Holiday Playlist
That brings us to her holy trinity album. Back in September, Parton was already dropping singles like “I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus” and “Mary, Did You Know”. Like all good holiday albums, Dolly gives us a few duets. Her Holly Dolly Christmas album is laced with fun and inspiring rhythms and a celebration of the season. The title track “Holly Jolly Christmas” is such a refreshing take on such a big classic. And who doesn’t love when Dolly breaks out into a story in the middle of a song.
Then there is “Cuddle Up, Cozy Down Christmas”, written by Dolly and sang with Michael Bublé. What more could you ask for at Christmas time. A Bublé song is technically gold but pairing with Dolly Parton is such an amazing treat for the holiday season. Let’s just be honest, listening to “Christmas on the Square”is like being transported back to Dollywood for a Grand’ol Christmas picnic. Parton also shot a holiday movie, featuring her new album and titled after “Christmas on the Square”, to air on Netflix, on 11/22. You’re not going to want to miss this ghost of Christmas past, staring holiday veteran Christine Baranski (The Grinch, A Bad Moms Christmas). On the downside, I strongly recommend skipping All I Want for Christmas with that guy from late night, I can’t ever utter his name. Overall a must have album this holiday season and for seasons to come.
Sticking with country holiday albums, we move onto Carrie Underwood’s My Gift. While it’s her first album in the holiday genre, she’s pretty familiar with releasing singles during the holiday season. In 2007 she released Do You Hear What I Hear and then a duet time warp of I’ll Be Home for Christmas singing along with a dead Elvis Presley. Not a fan of either single. I was hoping that her first holiday LP would kick out of the falling asleep singles of her past. The album has a few good songs but the overall arrangements, sound more like cathedral recordings.
O Come All Ye Faithful is a beautiful song and the Little Drummer Boy duet with adorable Isiah Fisher was beyond cute. (Look up). Carrie battles it out with Dolly this holiday season with the dueling Mary Did You Know?. Dolly is the winner hands down! Underwood went for holiday gold wit her rendition of Silent Night. This is the first Silent Night I am grading this holiday season. I grade every Silent Night because it’s my second all time favorite holiday song. For Underwood’s version I give it’s a solid B. The song is a little slow to start but really does pack a punch in the gut towards the end. I’ll be honest I think this is the best song on her holiday album when she finally starts to melt it. The album is a soft Must Have for the season but I will say her Joyful, Joyful, We Adore Thee and her Hallelujah duet with John Legend are the Must Have song on your holiday playlist this year. It’s on mine!
This seasons shinning surprise album award goes to Terri Clark and her holiday album It’s Christmas.…Cheers. This album is another Must Have in your holiday album collection. Who knew combining jazz accompaniment with honky-tonk voice would be a great combination. There are a couple songs on this album that I would certainly be adding to my holiday playlist. The first two that pop in your head are Let It Snow! Let It Snow! a duet with Derick Clark. And then there is something about and I’ll be home for Christmas, that just really transports you into a country Christmas, that is being showered over the world this holidays season. Another great song is Jingle Bells which has such a happy sound to it, even my kids were dancing around in the car listening to it. Her honky-tonk voice really does a spin into a such a classic, most notable like other crooners or vocalists. Then there is her Silent Night duet with Vince Gill sadly gets a D score because, well let’s face it if she had taken Vince gill off the track she would’ve gotten a solid B. Overall the song is too basic and I didn’t like how her voice kept switching from honky-tonk to more angelic singing. Finally another song I am adding to my playlist is was Away in the Manger which Clark did a duet or a trio with Pam Tillis and Susie Bogguss. The trios rendition while simple and common is really set apart with the three women’s amazing voices in combination.
Is It really, Christmas All Over, the Goo Goo Doll’s first holiday album was a bit of stall for me. Judging from the album cover, I was expected a homage to 1950’s Christmas standards. Just from their first two singles that dropped This is Christmas and Let if Snow, it sounds more like they took classic Goo Goo arrangements and placed classic Christmas lyrics on top. This album was a pass for me.
This isn’t really a new album release but in October, Arista released Kenny G’s first and probably his best holiday album, The Holiday Album, for the first time vinyl. Don’t worry Kenny isn’t soaking up all the xmas cheer with another holiday album, the man has given us 6 holiday albums in the last 26 years. This album came to my attention upon the release of the 1994 movie soundtrack of A Miracle on 34th Street. His version of Have Yourself A Merry Christmas is still in my top 10 for the song. I also fell in love with his Silent Night is still at solid “A” for me as well as Silver Bells, both are holiday playlist worthy. So I am happy share that this classic is a Must Have in your holiday album collection.
Everything that Meghan Trainor got wrong, Tori Kelly, nailed perfectly in her first holiday album, A Tori Kelly Christmas. This album is probably the most magical and soulful album of the season. There are so many amazing new takes on Christmas Classics. Right off the bat I have to give her a huge shout out for her rendition of “Joy to the World” in a mashup with “Joyful Joyful”. This song really sasses you up and gives you hope this holiday season. Even the slower songs like Christmas Time is Here are beautifully orchestrated in the crowning glory of each song is that her lyrics come through loud and clear. Of course I’ve already purchased this album and I strongly suggest you add this to your holiday collection. It has a youthful nature to it but there’s so many great songs that are worthy of adding to your holiday playlist. My top pics from this album would be Joy to the World/Joyful Joyful, its the gift that keeps on giving, Christmas Time is Here, and last but not least the wonderful duet with Baby Face, Let it Snow. All three of those songs made it onto my holiday playlist. Finally Tori’s soulful and R&B roots shine bright in her rendition of Go Tell It On The Mountain. I gave Kelly a B- for her Silent Night. It does have its slow moments but stay for the punch in the end. Bravo Tori!
After I heard the first track from The Bird and The Bee holiday album titled Put Up The Lights. I was a little excited I was very excited to hear a new song with a fresh take, but then I started to listen to the whole entire album. It felt like the same auto-tune sound just washed over the whole entire album. If you are tired of the usual hymns and melodies of Christmas, then this is the album for you. One can easily see an alternative sound built into the album, but for me its not a ringing of the bells. Unfortunately the excessive use of auto-tune was to excessive.
Annie Lennox is celebrating her 10th Anniversary of her A Christmas Cornucopia album this holiday season. The album is listed as being remastered, who knew 2010 had such obsolete sound tech. The album has only one new song, “Dido's Lament”. I already love the original album and it has a permanent spot in my holiday album collection. Sadly a re-release is too soon.
Leslie Odom returns with his sophomore holiday album with The Christmas Album. His first album was a beautiful studio with Odom playing at a piano and his voice was angelic with songs like & My Favorite Things. This year Odom moves into a whole new sound and right out the gate he swallowed me up, with my love for holiday standards, with a smooth rendition of Last Christmas by Wham! The overall album hits on the jazz and R&B finer points but it’s Odom’s vocals that make this album great addition to your holiday album collection. I grabbed his duet with Nicollette Robinson Ma’oz Tzur and placed it on my holiday playlist. Such a beautiful rendition of the classic jewish poem/song.
If you haven’t heard of the sensational talent of Taylor Mac, then buckle up for a classic Mac journey through music and vocals. This holiday season, Mac showers the holiday music scene with Taylor Mac’s Holiday Sauce. Widely known for his 24 Decades of Music which showcased each decade in the span of an hour. Yes, that’s a 24 hours show! In 2017, Mac brought us the wonderful gift with his Holiday Sauce show which ran for two weeks in SF. Mac’s amazing voice and his unique musical arrangement talent are what made this show such a loving success. What I loved about the show and this album are the mashups, which have their ode’ to the Tommy musical, like with All Tomorrow’s Parties/Little Drummer Boy. Then there is theatrics of the of the show, and then the unique choices for a holiday album, like Bargain Day by the amazing Dinah Washington. Or Frank Ocean’s Super Rich Kids, which along with Bargain Day are highlight how consumerism is the route of the holidays.
Then there is Mac’s Silent Night, while I enjoyed the New Orleans vibe of the song, I have to give it a C-. I was really excited to see Mac had this song listed on the album and a little bummed with the offering. Overall the show’s album is lovely change to holiday albums. I added Bargain Day to my holidays playlist, but Christmas with Grandma does leave a smile on your face. Although it’s the kind of song, once you’ve heard it, you don’t need to hear it again. Think Sixth Sense, yes, that kind of song. The great news is that you will have the opportunity to enjoy. Taylor Mac will be hosting a livestream event of his show Holiday Sauce…Pandemic, showcasing his holiday album on December 12 at 7 PM though Curran Theater. From 12/13-1/7 Mac will make his performance available as pay-per-view through his website https://www.taylormacholidaysauce.com.
Ben Rector returns with a second holiday album this season, A Ben Rector Christmas, His new single off the album, The Thanksgiving Song is a solid effort for creating something that should have been created well back in the 50’s. One song I really like on the album is Rector’s soulful, This Christmas with what sounds like a cast of muppet back up singers. This is certainly top pick this season for all 12 This Christmas versions I listed to this season. What a like about this album is Rector’s vocals shine on the album, like Have Yourself A Merry Christmas, an all time favorite of mine and big measure of quality when I listed to these holiday album. This season I added both This Christmas and Have Yourself A Merry Christmas to my holiday playlist along with The Thanksgiving Song.
Matt Nathanson’s, Farewell December album does have some memorable renditions of popular classics. I like the song Snow. My favorite song on the album was his duet with the San Francisco Gay Mens Chorus singing Christmas Time is Here. It’s very rare to see a holiday album with River by Joni Mitchell. This is actually the only song I added to my Holiday Playlist.
Meghan Trainor, just shoot me right now. Listen, I loved Marvin Gaye by Charlie Puth but when I saw her name come up with a new holiday album expected out this season, I rolled my eyes and said, “please!” Then there was release of her album cover with her scantily covered with plastic bows and tinsel. The cover screams, I was styled by a man! Take that candy cane out of your mouth, Santa or Mrs. Claus are not those kind of people. Her first two singles are classics washed through the Trainor synthesizer. I think George Michael would roll his eyes to hear Last Christmas, it sounds like a stripper pole number. Another pass album this holiday season. Another pass personally.
Maddie & Tae’s, We Need Christmas holiday album gives you a little twang with a little sparkling apple juice. The album is super sweet, which means a lot of songs were are very familiar. Like the duos classic rendition of Holly Jolly Christmas which had some stiff competition to the legend noted earlier. Maddie Font and Taylor Karr put together a very nice amuse-bouche album this holiday season. Very Christian and Very Country. The only song that sang to me was This Christmas with it soulful roots shinning with a great studio band playing. Sadly no adds to my holiday play list.
For King & Country, A Drummer Boy Christmas is the brother duo groups’ third holiday album since they graced the Christian Pop scene back in 2008. The Australian born duo put together a beautiful orchestrated story of classic hymns. Joy to The World and O Come, O Come Emmanuel are a great start to the album and story telling continues throughout the album. The highlights of the album is there soft and loving version of Silent Night which I have to give a strong B+. I added Silent Night and Joy to the World to my Holiday Playlist.
Warren Wolf, and his Christmas Vibes holiday album is lovely nod to the great Vince Guaraldi. Wolf manages to tickle his fingers on some classic Guaraldi holiday standards. Skating is a wonderful arrangement with his great hands playing at a xylophone. Wolf put together a really great album you can easily turn on during a dinner party or at an event. I already purchased the album and added my favorite sone on the album, You Are A Mean One, Mr. Grinch. Which I am not sure if its actually Wolf singing. Several singers accompanying him but the liner notes are incomplete online. Then there is his rendition of This Christmas which is truly a xylophone song to its core. I added that song and O Christmas Tree, I am a sucker for a new Guaraldi song.
Honorable Mentions:
Katy Perry, Cozy Little Christmas single is classic Katy Perry sound.
The holiday season got a large number albums released. One thing is for certain is that This Christmas was the winning repeat on over 12 albums. Overall the ladies stole the holiday season, as usual. I am just happy Sam Smith didn’t release another single. For now I am going to enjoy Dolly, Tori and Terri’s albums.
Here is a list of my top 10 Singles for 2020 Holiday Season
1. Cuddle Up, Cozy Down Christmas - Dolly Parton
2. Christmas on the Square - Dolly Parton
3. Away in the Manger - Teri Clark
4. Joy to the World/Joyful Joyful - Tori Kelly
5. This Christmas - Ben Rector
6. Ma’oz Tzur - Leslie Odum (w/Nicollette Robinson)
7. Have Yourself A Merry Christmas - Ben Rector
8. River - Matt Nathanson
9. Let It Snow - Tori Kelly
10. O Christmas Tree - Warren Wolf
11. Joy to the World - for King & Country
12. Hallelujah - Carrie Underwood (w. John Legend)
Till 2021……Happy Holidays