Blue Rodeo is a summer favorite. But here the veteran Canadian band brings its rootsy vibe to wintry songs, including Jim Cuddy’s new “Home To You This Christmas.” The group also delivers such superb covers as a chiming take on Big Star’s “Jesus Christ,” a warm rendition of Gordon Lightfoot’s “Song for a Winter’s Night” and a stirring version of The Band’s “Christmas Must Be Tonight.”
With her four-octave range and taste for emotive r&b, it’s easy to see why Lewis became known as England’s Mariah Carey. The 28-year-old star rose to fame in 2006, after winning the third season of The X Factor. Since then, she’s sold over 28 million records and experimented with new styles like dubstep and electronica. Now Lewis has released a Motown-style album and it’s a bona fide holiday treat. “Every year in my house I play a lot of Motown music, especially at Christmas, and especially Phil Spector records,” Lewis explained, “so that’s where the influence comes from.” Technically, there’s only one song drawn from that tradition: “Christmas (Baby Please Come Home),” originally record...
Earlier this year, Morrison revealed his Broadway roots with Where It All Began, a collection of songs from his favorite musicals. Now the star of TV’s Glee shows his fondness for seasonal songs. Working with producer Phil Ramone, he recorded six tracks with a 60-piece orchestra at Capitol Records where Frank Sinatra made his best albums. “That’s why we called it A Classic Christmas,” Morrison explains, “because it’s very classic in the way they used to record.” Crooning his way through Yuletide nuggets like “Let It Snow” and “O Holy Night,” Morrison injects a fresh sound into those well-known songs. He even brings the kind of enthusiasm you’d expect from Will Schuester, his super-positive G...
“I love everything about the holidays,” enthuses Rimes—so much so that the Grammy-winning country star is releasing a trio of Yuletide-themed EPs over the next three years. The first finds her covering favorites originally recorded by Bing Crosby, Elvis Presley, Stevie Wonder and Dolly Parton, whose “Hard Candy Christmas” allows Rimes a chance to put her own sweet touch on the season.
Nashville loves a little twang in its Yuletide. On his fourth holiday album, Smith brings together the top names in country music, including Vince Gill and Martina McBride, to join him on their favorite festive tunes. The Grammy-winning singer also duets with Carrie Underwood and Lady Antebellum, but saves the biggest surprise for “The Darkest Midnight,” a traditional Irish carol read by U2’s Bono.
