Christmas 2011 ~ A Swinging Christmas (Michael Buble & so many others!)

There's something very classy about an un-bowed bow tie hanging round the neck of a dapper young fella singing swinging Christmas tunes. Or a loosened tie while he pours a glass of Bucks Fizz before limbering up for his next festive soiree. Miraculously in a country that doesn't often send festive albums to the top spot (did the Wilson Phillips Christmas set even chart?!?!), Michael Buble is sitting pretty atop the UK album chart. Here's what you get with his album...

Michael Buble ~ Christmas:

This isn't Michael's first foray into seasonal music. He's had a Christmas EP out, duetted with Anne Murray and joined the Barenaked Ladies for one of my most favourite modern Christmas tunes (more on that later!) However, his first full length Christmas album - simply titled Christmas - is a heartwarming belter. Of course he is tackling seasonal faves in his own style, and that's nothing new (see below) but the arrangements are sparkling and his (and singing partners) vocal performance is enthusiastic and engaging that it's hard not to want to tux up and sing along. The standouts are where he teams up with other folk - the Jingle Bells duet with my beloved Puppini Sisters is a sparkling, harmonised delight (and not just for the delicious "merry Christmas Mr Buble" that opens the track); after Shania Twain teased her comeback earlier this year, it's lovely to have her featured here on an adorably shuffling White Christmas where her vocal simply bounces around off the melody and jazzy backing. Elsewhere, I certainly can't get enough of album opener It's Beginning To Look A Lot Like Christmas and his interpretation of All I Want For Christmas Is You gives it a more morose, wistful feeling. The one original track - Cold December Night - is to be commended for standing up against such holiday evergreens. It's a perky, evocative description of Christmas round at Michaels and his vocal has never been so engaging. Understated arrangements, enough jingle bell effects to power a sleigh and an album full to the brim with tunes you'll be singing along to straight away - what more could you want?! Caution! Gap and Starbucks will be pumping this through the speakers non-stop through New Years... :)

If you like this, try these (the ghosts of swinging christmas past!)...

• Matt Dusk ~ Peace on Earth: I'll confess. I've always preferred Matt Dusk over Mr Buble. Just a matter of personal taste I guess (though I'm always insanely jealous of his hair and how good he always looks in a suit!). This is more of an EP than an album (and pretty hard to get hold of), but it's definitely worth getting hold of! It all kicks off with Christmas Is Finally Here, an original number that starts off as a slow, mellow jazz number before evolving into this huge orchestral, finger clicking production (with some really lovely piano and an elegant, understated vocal from Mr Dusk). Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas & Silent Night are very traditional "rat pack" renditions of beautiful songs that Matt excels at, while his merging of Peace on Earth with Little Drummer Boy is a stark, yet startlingly mesmerising duet that can be a little jarring at first, but then completely wins you over. Cool Yule and It's A Marshmallow Christmas pick up the pace (with the latter getting down with it's bad self thanks to sexy sax and funky bass). It's all wrapped up with a near perfect duet with Theresa Sokyrka on Baby, It's Cold Outside. Playful, flirty, insistent, it's a true gem of a rendition. Amazing...
• Mans Zelmerlow ~ Christmas With Friends: Ridiculously overlooked outside Sweden, this was a departure from Mans normal bombastic pop style, but one that suited him well - and MAN, he looked good in a suit :D Highlights include his duet with Bjorn Skifs (I Pray on Christmas - a rollicking, horn infused, flowing tune that is so natural and effortless that it feels entirely made up on the spot); his original track (December - a warm, engaging, swinging big band tune. There's something magical about hearing a festive song sung in Swedish and the melody is pure joy. Try not to explode with joy over the key change and sing-repeat finale :D); Baby, Please Come Home (This is a classy addition to any Christmas dinner party soundtrack and gets you fingerclicking along. Brilliant orchestration of the music too. I'm loving Mans formal Christmas look too - you can just imagine him coming home, loosening his tie and smooching the face off you under the mistletoe. Now, that's magic); and of course his now classic duet of the Mariah fave (good for Mans for turning the ebulliant original into something quite refined and dignified as a ballad version. His voices soothes like eggnog as he serenades the lovely Agnes Carlsson on this smooth, slowed down but equally lovely version. Click the link and see stills of Mans in all his winter finery. My fave ~ 22secs when his shirt sleeves are pushed up but he is still wearing a scarf. His neck is chilly but his arms are hot. Still totally snoggable under the mistletoe though!) Ultimately, his big band readings of yuletide faves are brimming with elegance and a genuine warmth and love for the genre and songs he sings.
• Puppini Sisters ~ Christmas with The Puppini Sisters; Hurrah! I have gorged on this album again with a vengence this year already as I am of to see them on Dec 7th at a Christmas themed concert they are doing :) On this album, they have stuck to their absolutely delightful Andrews Sisters for the new millenium mantra. This has led to an amazing album of jazz tinged, boogie woogie Christmas faves. Take their turn on the Elton John fave (Step Into Christmas) -it is a fizzy explosion of joi de vivre all wrapped up in their tightly knitted harmonies. So much fun yet put together so very cleverly, very carefully and very well. Check out their older christmas tunes too like Jingle Bells and Little Match Girl. Top drawer!
• Barenaked Ladies with Michael Buble ~ Elf's Lament: And so it comes full circle as I return to Michael and his team up with BNL on their festive album from several years ago. I bloody well love Elf's Lament. You know what Gregory Maguire did with Wicked - where he totally spun the world of Oz on it's head? Well that is what the Ladies have done in this song - taken our deeply ingrained image of happy little elves beavering (titter) away for the good of the world and given it an "up the union" type slant. Maybe working conditions aren't so great. Maybe the pay isn't as wonderful as it should be. Maybe the job satisfaction is minimal. It's all addressed here, with some grand harmonies, a kicking chorus and an infinitely catchy hook. And despite it being a good old moan (albeit with a slight wink), it certainly is one of the perkiest and upbeat (musically) Christmas songs of recent years. Quite simply marvelous.