Artiste: Trisha Yearwood
Album: Christmastime
Nashville chops meet Yuletide spirit as Trisha Yearwood ends her year on a high note. She winds her way through 12 tracks recorded in just four days, singing live with an orchestra in Los Angeles. What you get are spirited arrangements accompanied by a voice strong enough to fill Nashville party balloons with emotion as she moves from Christmas Time Is Here to Santa Claus Is Comin’ to Town. The mix of traditional and modern songs gets a shot of originality in the form of Merry Christmas, Valentine, co-written and performed with Garth Brooks.
Highlights include the magnitude of the orchestra on Blue Christmas, the classic Elvis Presley song, and a cinematic reimagining of Pure Imagination from Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory. Her joyous interpretation of My Favourite Things and You’re a Mean One, Mr Grinch ensures you put up your Christmas tree on time, complete with every decoration available in the market.
Artiste: Kylie Minogue
Album: Kylie Christmas (Fully Wrapped)
Kylie Minogue updates her 2015 album with four newly recorded songs to help dial up festive spirit. Depending on the streaming service you use, you’ll get access to three of them — Hot in December, This Time of Year and Office Party — while Amazon Music subscribers get the fourth number, XMAS, a stocking filler from the Australian musician that may well become the talking point of the next few weeks.
The perception of the original album, however, remains unchanged. The opening trio — It’s the Most Wonderful Time of the Year, Santa Baby and At Christmas — are big-band numbers delivered with the energy of well-engineered Christmas adverts. But she shows no mercy on the soul with Santa Claus Is Comin’ to Town (featuring Frank Sinatra’s vocals), and the plot is lost with 100 Degrees (with Dannii Minogue). Nonetheless, wait until December 5 for the new tracks (XMAS is already out).
Group: Pentatonix
Album: Christmas in the City
It’s the kind of album that makes listeners long for a plate of cookies and a glass of milk as the a cappella band returns with their 11th festive project. The album has already stolen the show on Billboard’s Top Holiday Albums list, and why not?! The 16-track set features new original recordings and covers of familiar favourites like Silver Bells and Holly Jolly Christmas.
The group teams up with JoJo on Snowing in Paris, a number that’s certain to make you hit the replay icon, while the late Frank Sinatra’s voice returns on the classic I’ve Got My Love to Keep Me Warm.
But the crowning glory is the original Bah Humbug, which unfolds theatrically, giving each musician room to let their “character” shine in this witty retelling of A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens. Another thrilling ride is Moody Rudy, a mash-up of Chuck Berry’s Run Rudolph Run and Glenn Miller’s In the Mood. The album shows that no effort has been spared to make Christmas feel special.
Group: Jonas Brothers
Album:A Very Jonas Christmas Movie (OST)
There are always two things to love about Christmas albums (energetic spirit and recall value) and two things to dread (zero shelf life and limited appeal). The three “famous bros” manage to bring it all together with this original soundtrack to a film about overcoming “a series of escalating obstacles” while struggling “to make it from London to New York in time to spend Christmas with their families”.
The best parts of the album are the live tracks — Like It’s Christmas and Sucker — both shiny and frictionless. Coming Home This Christmas wins hearts thanks to Kenny G’s smooth sax solo.
Then comes the forgettable falsetto in Home Alone and the breathy whizzing of Feel Something. They redeem themselves with Better Off Alone and Time. Overall, the selection comes with a built-in expiry date: December 31, 2025.