New Christmas albums for the season

Holiday albums allow artistes to recontextualise themselves, play around in a nostalgic format, and reinvent tunes. Here is a selection of 2022 Christmas albums.

Louis Wishes You a Cool Yule

In this album, we hear American trumpeter and vocalist Louis Armstrong’s unmistakable voice in all its remastered glory on standards like ‘Winter wonderland’ and ‘White Christmas’.

‘What a wonderful world’, his most recognised song, isn’t quite a holiday tune but shows up on this compilation anyway alongside ‘A visit from St Nicholas’, a reading he recorded at home before his death in 1971.

My Colorful Christmas

American singer Regina Belle’s reggae-centered version of ‘O little town of Bethlehem’ evokes memories of hot sand and rum punch, and flips gospel standards like ‘The first noel’ and ‘O come all ye faithful’ into modern soul.

California Holiday

The EP by American soul singer Kadhja Bonet consists mostly of supple covers of ‘Keep Christmas with you’, and ‘Little Christmas tree’.

The Spirit of Christmas

Ray Charles’ 1985 album has been reissued this year as a set that includes favourites like ‘Winter wonderland’, ‘Santa Claus is coming to town’ and ‘Rudolph the red nosed reindeer’ and the cult classic ‘That spirit of Christmas’. But the American musician’s brilliance comes barrelling through on the down-tempo ‘The little drummer boy’, mixing the twang of country and the melodic stomp of gospel-soul.

The Estefan Family Christmas

One of the queens of Latin pop, Gloria Estefan shares top billing with her daughter Emily, 28, and grandson Sasha, 10, on her second Christmas album. Emily shines on a poignant ballad she wrote herself ‘When I miss you most’. A Spanish rendition of the Paul Williams tune ‘I wish I could be Santa Claus’ featuring the singing debut of Gloria’s husband, Emilio, is a surprise.

Santa Baby

In this Alicia Keys album, ‘The Christmas song’ begins as a piano-and-voice, mistakes-and-all version and suddenly sprouts strings and voices. The American artiste’s gospely version of ‘Please be home for Christmas’, and the eccentricity of ‘My favorite things’ are compelling. ‘Not even the king’ is about longing, and ‘You don’t have to be alone’ radiates affection. Throughout the album, she invites loved ones closer.

Snow Waltz

A millennial violinist from California, Lindsey Stirling’s ‘Sleigh ride’ and ‘Joy to the world’ are tasteful enough to resist gimmickry, and originals featuring pop vocalists are effectively cheery. The title track expresses wintry melodrama and childlike wonder. — NYT