Cover Stories: Christmas Edition!

Remember when I said I was going to go all out for the Christmas season this year on Harmony Avenue? In fairness, I’ve done much more than I did last year. Still, it hasn’t been quite all I’ve hoped…but that’ s OK. Since it’s only two days before the big day (and I still haven’t wrapped any of my gifts for my family…hey, at least I’ve got them all in the first place…), my planned Christmas Cover Stories series will be condensed into one wild, crazy post. Basically it’s going to be me sharing some intriguing holiday covers, in a disorderly, unorganized, possibly rambling fashion. In other words…business as usual. Let the Christmas cover-sharing commence!

Andrew Belle — “Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas”

This is one of my all-time favorite Christmas songs, so on paper it wouldn’t quite make sense that I love this cover so much, since it ends up changing a great deal of the melody and whatnot. However, Andrew Belle (the artist of a previous Song of the Day earlier this year) makes the right changes, in my opinion, and is a distinctive, talented enough singer that it really works. It’s both a subtly daring new reinvention of a classic tune, and a warm, heartfelt homage at the same time.

Feist — “Lo, How A Rose E’er Blooming”

With little more than a guitar (or two?), what sounds like a tambourine, and a small horn section, along with of course her delicate, gorgeous voice, Feist takes on a 16th century German Christmas carol and turns it into something altogether beautiful and new. It’s contemporary but traditional, soft but bold, and above all, peaceful and full of life. A chorus of humming and “ah”-ing atop a classy trumpet solo comes in in the last part of the song and ties it all up in a lovely, almost ethereal bow.

Grace Potter & the Nocturnals — “Please Come Home For Christmas”

I’ve never quite been a fan of this song, mainly because every time someone covers it, it’s done in almost exactly the same style…an inauthentic blues template. Not to be a Scrooge or anything, but it always seems like whoever is singing it is totally phoning it in against a background accompaniment that’s been passed on through the years or something. This version is the first in years that I’ve been able to get behind…there’s something about the energy that firecracker vocalist Grace Potter brings to the song that helps it feel fresh and new, even if it indeed sticks pretty close to the original on the surface. She really digs deep into the song, it seems like, and it comes through in her vocal. It’s fresh, dynamic, and I really love it.

The Puppini Sisters — “Last Christmas”

This actually isn’t the first weird jazzy cover of “Last Christmas” (the cheesy but lovable 80s heartbreak-at-Christmas hit by Wham!) I have, to be honest with you. I also own a version by an obscure…Danish? (don’t quote me on that…) jazz vocalist named Anders Blichfeldt. (It’s highly recommended, but I could find no way whatsoever to embed it. Just search for a compilation called “A Sound of Christmas” on iTunes, in the dead of night under cover of darkness, on the fifth Monday of the second week of…OK, never mind, just search for that compilation and you should be good.) This year (to save me from tears?), however, I found a great cover by a group I’ve loved for a while now, the Puppini Sisters. They’re kind of a throwback act, in a way…they specialize in close-harmony style music (much like the Andrews Sisters in the 1940s…the group was actually named in honor of them, from what I understand), but as a modern twist, they usually apply said harmonies to more recent fare. This is a great example of that technique, and it’s a slowed-down, fun, and also fairly gorgeous cover of a song that you can’t help but love.

Mormon Tabernacle Choir — “Carol of the Bells”

It may be the Mormon Tabernacle Choir, a group that’s been around since the mid-1800s, but this isn’t your mama’s “Carol of the Bells.” Well, I suppose it’s not THAT crazy. But it is a bit of a departure from many arrangements of the tune, in the most wonderful way. I had the great privilege of hearing this version of the tune (by Barlow Bradford, a former associate director of the Choir) for the first time live in the Conference Center, attending the Choir’s annual Christmas concert with special guest Renee Fleming back in 2005. I remember my mouth quite literally dropping open as the key changes kept coming, the piece kept growing, and it all just exploded into a beautiful crescendo at the end that took my breath away. Just when you think it’s going to calm down, it swells even more. Of course, this being the Mormon Tabernacle Choir, it’s all pulled off brilliantly. This is one version of “Carol of the Bells” that you simply have to hear.

Alice Smith — “Silver Bells”

This song, off the excellent “Hotel Cafe Presents Winter Songs” compilation from a few years ago, is stunning. There’s simply no other word to describe it. Alice Smith, a soul-influenced singer-songwriter with a jaw-dropping voice and songwriting skills to match, takes on this tune and makes you forget about anybody else who’s sung it. It’s that powerful, and that effortless.

Josh Groban — “It Came Upon A Midnight Clear”

Before Michael Buble’s outstanding piano-ballad version of “All I Want For Christmas Is You,” there was this similarly styled, but still quite unique take on the Christmas hymn “It Came Upon A Midnight Clear.” It’s a beautiful reworking of a timeless song, and it really brings a new angle to the song that’s very nice to hear. The gospel choir, and Josh’s excellent voice, really help anchor the cover and keep it moving, and even though it’s fairly radical a rearrangement, it feels natural, like this is the way it’s been done all along.

Pentatonix — “We Three Kings”

And to close it all off, it wouldn’t be a December post on Harmony Avenue without a subliminal “Sing-Off” reference. This track off the “Songs of the Season” collection released a month or two ago, by the Season 3 champions Pentatonix (you may have heard of them…), is both a fearlessly inventive resurrection of a Christmas carol I didn’t think could ever be this incredibly addicting to listen to, and proof positive of why Pentatonix has a bright recording future ahead of them. It’s the best of both worlds…the rock-solid a cappella sound that Pentatonix fans know and love, and the little additions that enhance the studio-recording experience. (I was delighted to find that this didn’t really fall into the overproduction trap…it’s certainly slickly produced, but in ways that bring out the a cappella element, rather than hinder it.) It’s a forward-thinking, infectious version of the unlikeliest of songs.

And…of course I end up closing my post with a thinly veiled manifestation of my Pentatonix love. Ah well. It’s only fitting. I’ll likely post one more Holiday Song of the Day before Christmas comes upon us, and after that, some end-of-the-year festivities await. I’ll make a “best songs” post much like I did last year (once again scientifically produced by way of iTunes play counts and the like), and also…I’m venturing into the “best albums” field as well! I’ve actually picked, all by myself without help of technology, 15 fine albums released this year that I’d like to proclaim my favorites of 2011. What will they be? Stay tuned in the final days of the year to find out. For now, thanks for reading, and in case this is the only post you get around to seeing while you’re here, a very Merry Christmas (or other lovely winter holiday) to you.

Sketches: My Favorite Christmas Albums

Remember last week when I said I’d get this post out “today or tomorrow”? Or earlier this month when I planned a grand round of Christmas-themed festivities (aside from the Holiday Songs of the Day that I’ve thankfully already posted, for your reading & listening pleasure)? Ha. Like I can be expected to hold to some crazy, unattainable blogging standard like posting regularly. Posting regularly is for the little people. I scoff at people who update their blogs regularly. Ready? Do it with me. Scoff in disdain. SCOFF, I SAY!

OK, so most of that paragraph was kind of ridiculous. Moving on…I’ll do my best to make this week of Christmas Eve/Christmas a lovely one, at least blogging-wise. Look for some Christmas Cover Stories to come before Saturday, something I’m holding myself to. You saw it here. If I do not deliver on my promise, feel free to send me copies en masse of particularly distressing rap albums or something. Unless, of course, you don’t know my address, in which case I shall be able to escape unscathed.

And I have now spent two paragraphs spouting nonsense. What else is new? Anyhow, this post is a (hopefully concise and pithy) exploration of a few of my favorite holiday albums. They’re not even close to touching even part of my Christmas music tastes (and they’re even farther from covering all of the wonderful, even definitive, holiday albums there are out there)…but they’re records that have touched me, inspired me, or warmed my heart in some way. It’s not a Christmas season for me without them, that’s for sure.

Harry Connick, Jr. — “Harry For The Holidays” (2003)

I’m a huge Harry Connick, Jr. fan, so when I got this album back in the day (early 2000s ftw!), it was pretty much a given that I’d enjoy it. However, years later, I probably never could have expected I’d still love it this much. Harry has recorded 3 holiday albums over his career, and while I like what I’ve heard of his first one (which came out back in 1993), and I own and enjoy his latest one (2008), this is the Christmas album of his that I keep coming back to. The selection of songs is top-notch, a great balance of holiday classics both secular and sacred. He includes an outstanding selection of original tunes (my favorites include his buoyant “The Happy Elf” and a heartstoppingly touching ode to the Savior’s life, “I Come With Love”). And best of all, his arrangements and voice are in peak form. From the opening trombone wails of “Frosty The Snowman,” I’m always absolutely hooked. Harry doesn’t phone anything in on this album…he brings a daring sense of reinvention and life to a fine collection of Christmas melodies, all while keeping the innate charm that made them chestnuts in the first place. You really can’t get much better than this, whether it’s Christmastime, or anytime in the year.

Check out a track from the album, “Frosty The Snowman”:

Ella Fitzgerald — “Ella Wishes You A Swinging Christmas” (1960)

It took me a scandalously long time after I fell madly in love with Ella’s voice in her music to discover this Christmas gem, but rest assured that after I did find it (and buy it on eBay) a few years ago, I have cherished it completely since then. Recorded at what was in many ways during the height of her career, this is a holiday album that’s darn near perfect. Accompanied by Frank DeVol’s orchestra (his arrangements are both thoughtful and timeless), she doesn’t do as much scatting here as her other work, but her improvisational skills are still on full display, and what’s more, her warm, captivating voice is an effortless fit with the Christmas music canon. You’d be hard-pressed to find lovelier versions of oft-covered songs like “Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas” (done here with a bit more swing than most takes on the song), “Sleigh Ride” (featured in the hilarious Will Ferrell film “Elf”),  and “Jingle Bells” (the album’s jaunty opener). Check out the 2002 reissue and you’ll also find a wealth of bonus tracks, including a lovely holiday obscurity, “The Secret of Christmas,” and 3 intriguing alternate takes of songs on the album that would have fit inperfectly had they been released instead. All in all, if you don’t have this album in your Christmas collection, you’re seriously missing out.

Want to hear a taste? Here’s Ella’s spin on “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas”:

Any Mormon Tabernacle Choir & Orchestra at Temple Square Christmas album (2000-2011)

A bit of a cop-out, I know, but they’ve released eight Christmas recordings since 2000 (a majority of them being live recordings from their long-standing annual Christmas concerts, a practice they experimented with in 2006 and began in earnest in 2007), and if I went over all of them individually, they’d overtake this list in a hurry. The Mormon Tabernacle Choir and Christmas have long been synonymous for many, but thanks in part to Mack Wilberg’s stunning arrangements (and since taking over the baton as director in 2008, his conducting), along with the richness that the Orchestra at Temple Square provides, plus a cornucopia of great guest artists (Angela Lansbury, Bryn Terfel and Frederica von Stade, Audra McDonald, Renee Fleming, Sissel, the King’s Singers, Brian Stokes Mitchell, Natalie Cole, and David Archuleta, oh my!), they’re better than ever when it comes to holiday music. Their performances of Christmas classics new and old are vibrant, dynamic, and full of warmth and heart. It’s bigger than a choir, than a song, than a season. They give us pure, beautiful, enduring music.

Just one of the many highlights of their Christmas repertoire…their traditional Christmas concert closer, a rousing arrangement of “Angels From The Realms of Glory” (Special Note: I was in attendance for this specific performance):

Jane Monheit — “The Season” (2005)

Jane Monheit’s vocals are rich, smooth, and dare I say sexy, but distinctive, top-notch vocals do not a great Christmas album make on their own. But when they’re paired with an excellent collection of songs and fine arrangements ranging from gorgeous to fun to everything in between, you’ve got a recipe for a holiday classic. From her delicious opening take on Donny Hathaway’s seminal “This Christmas” to a hauntingly spare rendition of “I Heard The Bells On Christmas Day” done with just guitar, this album is captivating, warm, and beautiful, and I really can’t get enough of it. Jane’s vocal skills are close to peerless, and here they’re certainly very well showcased. She includes a nice selection of uptempo numbers as well as ballads, and the result is an album I’m very proud to have in my holiday collection.

Jane’s sizzling rendition of “The Christmas Waltz,” coming right up:

She & Him — “A Very She & Him Christmas” (2011)

Seeing as I’ve only had this album since the end of October, I’ve been kind of asking myself whether it really belongs on this list yet. However, even considering the short time it’s been around, I think it’s worthy of inclusion. Yes, my great admiration for Zooey Deschanel is a big factor, but that aside, this is a lovingly crafted throwback to days of Christmas past that still has a lot to offer to the holiday music world today. Zooey’s voice has a real classic quality…I remember when “Elf” came out and she sang in it, that it reminded me a bit of Judy Garland’s in a way. It’s soft and fragile at times, but also very rich and distinctive as well. And the new spins on holiday tunes Zooey crafts with M. Ward are gorgeous and smooth. The only clear misstep is an awkward rush through “Baby, It’s Cold Outside” that seems like it was included only because this is a Christmas album done by a duo, but otherwise, this is a piece of Christmas gold that will last for years to come.

Haven’t checked out the album yet? Hear Zooey & M. Ward take on the Beach Boys’ sunny tune “Christmas Day” here:

Diana Krall — “Christmas Songs” (2005)

Backed by the incomparable Clayton-Hamilton Jazz Orchestra, along with her own top-notch piano playing, Diana Krall is an absolute delight singing a lovely assortment of Christmas tunes here. The album’s opening track, a firecracker of a take on “Jingle Bells,” is one of the best holiday tunes I’ve ever heard, and things rarely let up from there. Diana’s well-known for having a very sultry voice, but it fits like a glove on songs like “Let It Snow” and “Sleigh Ride,” as well as tender ballads like “The Christmas Song” and “What Are You Doing New Year’s Eve?”. The big-band arrangements are vibrant and dynamic (thank one of the best arrangers and musicians of all time, John Clayton, for those), and the intimate combo settings for the ballads work beautifully as well. There’s even a tune included at the very end that’s not often associated with the holidays, but closes the album nicely…a tender version of “Count Your Blessings Instead of Sheep.” This is a treasure of a Christmas record, a heartfelt homage to the past and a full-on embrace of the future, full of holiday warmth and spirit.

Hear the album’s ebullient first track, “Jingle Bells”:

Johnny Mathis — “Merry Christmas” (1958)

And I’ve saved the best for last. By “best,” I don’t necessarily mean that I enjoy this more than all the other albums I’ve listed…on the contrary, true to form, I love them all the same, for the most part. However, this album holds a special place in my heart, and that’s all thanks to my dad, who made it a Christmas tradition to have it played frequently each December. I’ve grown up with this album…it’s a holiday institution in our house (well, now it’s technically houses, but you get the point), and I haven’t gone a year without listening to it fondly. The nostalgia is a huge element in my love for this record…but it’s more than that. There’s a perfect storm of song selection (there’s not a bad track on the album), vocal delivery (Johnny was in peak form, and his singing is beautifully heartfelt and tender), and instrumental backing (Percy Faith & His Orchestra provide gorgeous, rich arrangements that stand the test of time, yet never seem phoned in) at play here. It’s the quintessential embodiment of Christmas spirit. When I hear the opening strains of “Winter Wonderland,” when I hear Johnny’s soaring high notes in “O Holy Night” (a song that you really can’t get wrong*), when I hear the tinkling sounds of “Silver Bells”…I’m home, and I feel Christmas in my heart. When it comes to holiday music, you really can’t ask for anything more.

Just one of the many terrific songs of this album…a lush version of “The Christmas Song”:

And there you have it. Just a taste of the Christmas music that soothes my soul. Feel free to take to the comments to share your favorite holiday music, or comment on my choices. I’ll see you later this week (remember…hold me to it!) with some more Christmas music goodness. Hope your holidays are going splendidly so far!

(*For someone who DID get it wrong, in the most awful but oddly wonderful way, click this link if you dare. You may have heard it already.)

Song Shuffle Game: Christmas/Holiday Edition!

Better late than never, eh? I’m cutting it a bit fine posting a Christmas-themed Song Shuffle Game on…Christmas Eve, of all times, but I’ve been meaning to post this for a while, so I might as well do it now. This time I’m coming up with the questions before I choose my songs, so it will be slightly less…crazy? Something like that. I’ll be picking 10 songs from my iTunes shuffle setting…5 from a search for “Christmas,” 5 from a search for “holiday.” (P.S.: Since my shuffle keeps trying to go back to MoTab, Ella Fitzgerald, or Harry Connick Jr., I’ve instituted a one-song-per-artist rule for my list this time. )

1. Once In Royal David’s City–Mormon Tabernacle Choir
2. Sleigh Ride–Ella Fitzgerald
3. Auld Lang Syne–Harry Connick, Jr.
4. Carol of the Bells–Natalie Cole
5. Deck The Halls–Pomplamoose
6. The Christmas Song–Diana Krall
7. Winter Song–Ingrid Michaelson & Sara Bareilles
8. Wish List–Neon Trees
9. The First Noel–David Archuleta
10. Silent Night–Sarah Brightman

 

1. When was song 6 added to my iTunes library?

December 20, 2008. So wow, a little more than 2 years ago.

2. How does song 3 convey the spirit of Christmas (to me)?

Bahaha…oh dear, that was probably not the best song to land on spot #3. Well…I guess it talks about being together and having good times as friends/a family. So that goes with Christmas being a time to spend with family.

3. When’s the last time I listened to song 5?

Yesterday, at…well, let’s just say it was at night. Sort of.

4. Name another version of song 7.

Well, I’m definitely proving I really did type these questions and assign the numbers before I chose the songs, aren’t I? There isn’t any other recorded version of this tune, because it was only written a year or two ago. If you were Facebook friends with me, though, you could find a version that me and someone in my dorm at BYU did for a talent show. But it’s probably best you don’t go looking for that too hard.

5. Who would be a good artist to cover song number 1?

Someone classical…or maybe not. I don’t know. Charlotte Church? Sure, that sounds good. (I really shouldn’t use this question next time… )

6. Quote the first TWO lines of song number 2. (That’s one more than I asked myself to quote the last time. I’m movin’ on up… )

Yes, an easy one! I could recite this whole song in my sleep. “Just hear those sleigh bells jingling, ring-ting-tingling too…c’mon, it’s lovely weather for a sleigh ride together with you. Outside, the snow is falling and friends are calling ‘Yoo-hoo!’ C’mon, it’s lovely weather for a sleigh ride together with you.” (That was kind of more than 2 lines. What can I say? I’m cool like that. )

7. Translate song number 8 into Spanish. (And don’t use Google Translate this time…)

La lista de deseos. (K, I totally cheated. My translation without resorting to Google was too badly botched.)

8. How did I find out about song number 4?

I’m a Natalie Cole fan, and once a few years ago (I think way back when I used MSN Music), I checked out her second Christmas CD, and listened to all the 30-second clips. I absolutely LOVED this take on “Carol of the Bells” from the clip I heard, but it took me a while to finally get the song on my iPod. (AKA I just put it on a week or two ago. Yeah. I’m slow sometimes. )

9. Describe song number 9 in three words. (Another upgrade from the last Song Shuffle Game, y’all. )

Pretty, but middling. (David Archuleta is terrific, but I felt his Christmas CD kind of let him down a bit. The arrangements were kind of bland and overblown, and it just didn’t jibe for me with David’s heartfelt, genuine artistic style. And yeah, that was way more than three words, but at least I used only three to start off this parenthetical ramble.)

10. How many times have I played song number 10?

Apparently, only once…in December 2008. Sarah Brightman’s version just isn’t one of my favorites of the song, I guess. It’s beautiful, and her voice is lovely, but it doesn’t really bring anything new to the song. (I have a few other versions that really turn the song on its ear and/or serve it well, and those tend to be a lot more played.)

Well, there you have it. A quick, painless Song Shuffle Game for your Christmas Eve delight. (Or horror. ) Make sure to play along in the comments (pick a few of your own songs, use some of my questions…or your own; etc.), and I hope you all have a very merry Christmas (or whatever holiday you celebrate). See you in a few days with some end-of-the-year Harmony Avenue goodness (I actually make a Best of 2010 list! I give you one more Artist Spotlight to close out the year!), and have a wonderful Christmas Eve.