Christmas time is coming back and Scotty McCreery has created a perfect collection of holiday tunes to satisfy any Christmas music lovers. His latest album “Christmas with Scotty McCreery” may have come out Oct. 16, but with Christmas so close now, the 11 track album truly exemplifies the holiday spirit.
Songs like “The First Noel,” “O’ Holy Night” and “Mary Did You Know?” keep their traditional sound on the album and are nicely accompanied by McCreery’s deep, sultry voice. Their contemporary feel makes them great additions to the other renditions done by numerous other artists on their own Christmas albums.
But if you’re looking for a new take on some Christmas songs, “Jingle Bells” on this album has a different sort of rhythm to make it less like a Christmas carol and more like an acoustic country tune. Another, “Holly Jolly Christmas,” has a great rock flair that will make you want to get up and dance while “Santa Clause is Back in Town” sounds like an old Elvis song that is perfect for dancing on Christmas Eve. Even my 2-year-old niece loves dancing around the living room to it with her Christmas hat and Minnie Mouse Christmas doll.
Not all the tracks are for getting up and dancing, though. McCreery gives “Winter Wonderland” a bluesy/jazzy tone that sounds like festive background music to a Christmas party or while the family is opening presents Christmas morning.
Others like “The Christmas Song” create a mellow, romantic atmosphere that’s almost sleepy yet is perfect for a slow dance with that special someone.
Not only does this album have traditional holiday tunes, it also includes two completely new songs by McCreery.
The more solemn of the two is “Christmas in Heaven,” which is about the loss of those who have passed away. McCreery sings about what it might be like in heaven during this time of the year. Its slow, serene sound isn’t for dancing but would almost fit perfectly in a sad scene of a movie while someone reminiscences about losing someone. If you’ve recently lost someone, maybe wait until next Christmas to listen to this song.
The second of the original songs is my personal favorite on the whole album, “Christmas Comin’ Round Again.” In it, McCreery sings of family difficulties like divorces or family members not speaking and how the holiday season brings everyone together despite those challenges. It’s about redemption, peace and happiness, just like what Christmas is about. The country-like sound makes it a typical McCreery song, yet its lyrics and meaning make it a Christmas classic.
The song is also the first single off the album and also has a music video which can be viewed here.
With variations of traditional and dancing songs, “Christmas with Scotty McCreery” is a great stocking stuffer for any Christmas music enthusiast but should really be played during the whole season of decorating, opening presents and spending time with family.
by SHAI NIELSON
