carols his way into Christmas

By Hanna Asmerom | Web Editor

As a Christmas music aficionado myself, I can tell a good Christmas song from a bad one, and here is a comprehensive review of – spoiler alert – one of the best Christmas albums out there.

Michael Bublé, the jazz romanticist singer-songwriter, came out with a Christmas album in 2011. In the album simply titled “Christmas,” Bublé takes classics like “It’s Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas” and “Holly Jolly Christmas” and puts his own spin on them.

Bublé begins his album with “It’s Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas.” The song opens with a magical piano sequence, gently leading into his suave vocal accompaniment. The delicate mix of strings and piano creates a calm atmosphere, perfectly matching the energy I want when listening to holiday music.

The song is full of highs, lows and different tempos, keeping you interested but still relaxed. To conclude, the song ends the same way it started, with delicate vocals and a beautiful closing line: “It’s Christmas once more.”

Stars

Using a more upbeat tone later in the album, Bublé sings “Holly Jolly Christmas.” This is different from his typical music because it’s not a ballad, and it doesn’t have a lot of long, drawnout syllables. This means the song doesn’t match his voice super well but, the use of a bell sound restores the traditional Christmas flair.

In another high-energy track, Bublé sings “Christmas (Baby Please Come Home).” In this song, he has a choir echoing his words. This differentiates the song from the others on the album and makes it feel like it’s a live performance. Like the other songs, however, his voice complements the lyrics of the song and his additional riffs make it an instant classic.

Finally, Bublé hosts guest artist Shania Twain on his adaptation of “White Christmas.” The song leans a bit more country and is lighter and more playful than the original. This would have been the perfect opportunity for Bublé to display his deep and slow voice, but it is a welcome change from the classic.

As with “Christmas,” he uses a choir that sounds similar to acappella group

Pentatonix, making music vocals alone. This album trumps all other artists’ renditions of classic Christmas albums because Bublé’s jazzy syllables and inherently comforting tone were made for singing nostalgic music. Additionally, his classic, Frank-Sinatraesque voice gives the whole album a warm feeling, completing the ultimate cozy holiday vibe.

So, get a cup of hot cocoa and give this album a listen. It’s an oldie but a goodie!