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Do You Hear What I Hear?
October 28, 2016
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The Christmas album. Holiday album, if you prefer. When you think about the holidays and the influx of Christmas albums, it seems rare that a Country title immediately pops in to mind. Traditionally, we may get one or two holiday releases from Country artists in a given year, but 2016 isn’t like any other year, is it? No way. In a year that has seen the death of music legends, civil unrest, and an election so off the rails it has actually brought SNL back to life, 2016 could use a little holly, jolly peace on earth, right? Well, hot damn, have I got some great news for you! This year we have not 1, 3, 5, or even 7 holiday albums from Country artists – we have 15.
You read that right. We have 15 holiday releases from Country artists this year, including offerings from Chris Young, Brett Eldredge, Rascal Flatts, Kacey Musgraves, Jennifer Nettles, Garth Brooks with Trisha Yearwood, Reba, Loretta Lynn, Oak Ridge Boys, Gatlin Brothers, T. Graham Brown, John Berry, Home Free, Amy Grant, and even Todd Chrisley. I’m not even kidding – you can’t make that up. I asked a couple of peers why they thought 2016 seems to be The Year Of Country Christmas, and Silverfish Media PD and “Big D and Bubba Show” producer Patrick Thomas told me, “I don’t think there’s any reason other than coincidence. Or maybe we just need anything we can to distract us from the election.”
I concur, Patrick. Completely agree. In fact, I’ve been listening to several of these albums over the past few weeks, and my spirits have been significantly raised. And, while our format as whole might not be known for producing the Christmas standards that come from the AC, Pop, Jazz, and Classical worlds, we’ve certainly had a few great breakout holiday hits over the years. Willie Nelson’s “Pretty Paper,” Elvis’ “Blue Christmas,” Gene Autry’s “Rudolph The Red Nosed Reindeer,” Faith Hill’s “Where Are You Christmas,” Brenda Lee’s “Rockin’ Around The Christmas Tree,” Buck Owens’ “Santa Looked A Lot Like Daddy,” and more have all been crossover hits and are played in regular holiday rotation today. But, do any of these current releases have what it takes to break through? And what is special about each of these albums? How can you take the same set of holiday songs and make them unique, enjoyable, and even perhaps a hit? I’ll just go ahead and run down some of the finer points of a few of this year’s offerings. There is genuinely something for everyone this year, which should not only make you happy – but also your listeners.
STEP INTO CHRISTMAS
Of his recently-released “It Must Be Christmas,” Chris Young said, “Christmas is one of my favorite times of year, and it was so hard to narrow down the list of songs for this record. I’m excited to share my own version of many of the standards I sang as a kid every year at Christmas, plus I had the opportunity to write a couple of original songs to celebrate the season.” I have to tell you that I’ve probably spent the most time with this album of the six I’ve sampled. Chris has the classic baritone voice that so easily lends itself to “Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas,” “The First Noel,” and others he selected for the project. But his unexpected collaboration with Boyz II Men on “Silent Night” and the original tracks “It Must Be Christmas” and “Under The Weather” are also highlights of the album. Young also had the opportunity to work with Brad Paisley on “The First Noel,” and was even able to cut the Keith Whitley penned “There’s A New Kid In Town” with duet partner Alan Jackson. The production is slick but sparse, letting Chris shine on the vocals without overpowering musical arrangements. This album is for Country traditionalists who enjoy a classic Christmas song, long walks through snow, sipping hot beverages by the fire, and Bing Crosby’s “White Christmas” album.
The equal-but-opposite album would have to be Brett Eldredge’s “Glow.” Maybe you know, and maybe you don’t, but Brett grew up in Illinois and would gig in Chicago performing Frank Sinatra and Dean Martin numbers in full black-tie regalia. Fast forward a few years, and Brett has quickly become known around Nashville as The Guy With The Great Christmas Party, as he has spent the past two years putting on invitation-only performances of holiday standards in the stylings of Frank and Dean. So, when he had the chance to do a holiday album, New Blue Eyes took on Ol’ Blue Eyes. “I dreamt of the day I could record all these classic songs that I’ve loved since I was a little kid,” said Eldredge. “I recorded those classics in New York City and tried to give a tip of the hat to the ones that came before me – Bing Crosby, Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin, Ray Charles – by adding that swing and that soul to the best of my ability.” His ability is spot on, by the way. Beefy arrangements, full instrumentation, swingin’ strings and big band brass – Brett brings it all to “It’s Beginning To Look A Lot Like Christmas,” “White Christmas,” and “Let It Snow! Let It Snow! Let It Snow!” The title track is a standout original tune this season, and he even partners with Pop sensation Meghan Trainor for a killer take on “Baby, It’s Cold Outside.” Check out that cut on All Access’ Cool New Music here. This album is perfect for the holiday traditionalist who enjoys standards the way their parents played them on vinyl while hanging tinsel on the tree. It’s for lovers of swing, Sinatra, and Dean, and it’s for fans of Harry Connick Jr.’s “When My Heart Finds Christmas” album.
For the modern-leaning Pop sensibilities in all of us – yes, I know you have them, so stop denying it – Rascal Flatts gives us “The Greatest Gift.” I’m going to be really real with you right now and tell you that I still regularly listen to NSYNC’s “Home For Christmas” album, and I have no shame about it. Rascal Flatts reminds me of all the best elements of that 1998 classic, and frankly, that’s one of the greatest compliments I could ever pay. Flatts offers us everything from an up-tempo take on “Someday At Christmas” to a beautifully stripped down “Hark! The Herald Angels Sing.” The arrangements are modern and clean, and their vocal harmonies are – as always – on point. Check out both of the two aforementioned tracks here. The programmers of the world should be salivating over this entire album, as it is primed for cross-over appeal on both Country and AC stations and chock full of familiarity with a sing-along track listing. This project is an easy, multi-demo listen, just like my NSYNC “Home For Christmas” album.
Also on this year’s offerings list is Kacey Musgraves’ first go at a holiday project, “A Very Kacey Christmas.” Light-hearted and fun, just like Kacey herself, the album is best described in her own words: “I really wanted to create a whimsical throwback holiday record, one that evokes feelings of nostalgia and simpler times. Part Western Swing sprinkled with bits of classic Pop, hazy Hawaiian moments, and child-like fun, all coming to a nostalgic and melancholy end.” With effervescent takes on “Feliz Navidad,” “Mele Kalikimaka,” and “I Want A Hippopotamus For Christmas,” Kacey keeps it charming and fresh. Pepper in appearances from Leon Bridges and The Quebe Sisters, and top it off with a duet with Willie Nelson on the original “A Willie Nice Christmas,” and this album might bring the biggest smile and largest chuckle of any this year. The melancholy Kacey mentioned is brought in with an original track, “Christmas Makes Me Cry,” and her version of “What Are You Doing New Year’s Eve” to round it out. The entire project is fun for free-spirited and light-hearted holiday events, and many of the tracks are great for kids. The production sparkles, and the entire tone and cadence gives off vibes similar to that of another classic, “Elvis’ Christmas Album.”
Having become a holiday fixture as the host of “CMA Country Christmas” for the past several years, Jennifer Nettles has now released “To Celebrate Christmas.” What I love about this particular album is how very Country it is – Nettles voice, always powerful, is decidedly Country in every way – while adding in unexpected collaborations with Pop standout Andra Day and Broadway dynamo Idina Menzel. Powerhouse vocal arrangements highlight traditional cuts like “Go Tell It On The Mountain” and “Do You Hear What I Hear” as well as a Dolly Parton penned original, “Circle Of Love,” and – in my opinion, an underappreciated gem – “Count Your Blessings Instead Of Sheep.” Check out a couple of the tracks here. This project could be the soundtrack to a Broadway holiday production and would fair beautifully on stage with orchestral backing. I hope we get a taste of this project during this year’s “CMA Country Christmas,” and I not-so-secretly hope it involves backup dancers. This record is great for anyone who loves going to see The Nutcracker each year, lovers of musicals, believers in powerhouse vocals, and anyone who adores Reba’s hit “Merry Christmas To You” album.
Finally, let’s discuss the long-awaited duet album from Garth Brooks and Trisha Yearwood. While they’ve been teasing it for what seems like years, the husband and wife team have finally produced a duets album, and they decided to go with a Christmas record for the project. While they don’t sing together on every song, each track brings familial notes of love and joy. “She’s got three or four singles, I’ve got three or four singles, and we have three or four duets on it,” Garth said. “Even on the ones that are mine, she’s still doing background harmony stuff, like we always have our entire career.” And Trisha says that this wasn’t recorded like so many duets are now, with each person doing their part separately. “A lot of times people think when you do a duet, you’re never in the same room together, and sometimes that’s true. But we have always been at the mic together when we sing. We really feed of each other’s energy,” Trisha explained. The record is loaded with sentiments of genuine love and runs the gamut of holidays. “What I’m Thankful For” is a Thanksgiving-themed piece that features James Taylor. “What Are You Doing New Year’s Eve?” is Trisha’s take on a classic that was so well voiced by Trisha, Garth said he gave up trying to make it a duet. The album has duet classics like “Baby, It’s Cold Outside” as well as fun originals like “Ugly Christmas Sweater.” Listen to a few of those tracks here. But always, it comes back to the love, with the whole album summed up, for me, in one original track called “Merry Christmas Means I Love You.” The album features two of our format’s superstars, currently touring together and selling out arenas night after night. They also just so happen to be madly in love and married to each other – and this album really showcases their personal and professional relationship. The album is perfect for family gatherings, riding around in the car looking at Christmas lights, and wrapping presents near the tree – and it’s a no-brainer for anyone who loves a great holiday duet project like my favorite, Dolly Parton and Kenny Rogers’ 1984 masterpiece, “Once Upon A Christmas.”
A CHRISTMAS TO REMEMBER
So, we’ve got all these offerings this year, right? But what do YOU do with them? “There’s such an influx this year that we will have the ability to pick and choose the absolute cream of the crop and keep things fresh,” Cumulus Country KIIM/Tucson PD Buzz Jackson told me. And as far as which cuts to select from each album? “I usually stick to the classics from the most familiar artists,” said Jackson. “I’ve found that the listeners want that familiarity they get from the classics.” Great news! Plenty of classics on each of these new albums this year, which should feed the playlist and keep things fresh, yet familiar. Patrick Thomas agreed, but added, “I try to mix in the new stuff with the old, but the songs typically matter most.”
Whether you go full-holiday for one, two, or three weeks – or just pepper Christmas tracks in throughout the season – there is enough new music from 15 new albums to have you playing new material all season long. For the first time in many years, we have the opportunity to take instant familiarity and add a helping of new, fresh, and fun to the mix. I, for one, couldn’t be more excited. And I tell you this as I sip my egg nog with fantastic new Christmas music on a loop while wearing elf pajamas. You should really take my advice here, because the holidays are totally my thing. Give these albums a listen, and hit me with an email to share your favorite cuts – and your favorite holiday beverage recipes, too.
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