No need for silent nights

BRAD WHEELER

From Saturday's Globe and Mail

December 5, 2007 at 9:35 AM EST

Come each November, music-sellers clear space on their shelves for the inevitable crush of Christmas pop albums. Most of them are cash-grabbing compilations of previous releases, or by-rote rehashes — "We need more sleigh bells!" — of traditional material. Every year, though, a few albums manage to jolly our holly. This year seven discs — six strong, and one weak — provoke the strongest reactions.

Christmas, by Colin James & the Little Big Band (Maple Music): Not quite up to the level of the singer-guitarist's three previous orchestral-swing discs, but for bluesy-jazzy yule, the Prairie boy rules.

A Very Ping Pong Christmas: Funky Treats from Santa's Bag, by Shawn Lee's Ping Pong Orchestra (Ubiquity): Genius. Instrumental traditionals are funked up smartly, from the sitar-led country soul of Little Drummer Boy to the Dock of the Bay bass line on Silent Night.

Listen to the Little Drummer Boy, by Shawn Lee's Ping Pong Orchestra

The Gospel Christmas Project, by various artists (CBC Records): Conceived last year as an all-Canadian live program of carols done upbeat, the newly recorded studio version retains its onstage dynamics. With the Faith Chorale and soul-sister soloists like Jackie Richardson, why dream of a white Christmas?

Listen to Hallelujah Chorus, by Faith Chorale

Noël, by Josh Groban (Reprise): The puppy-dog-eyed pop-classical crossover star invites guest duet partners (Faith Hill discovers her inner Celine on The First Noël) and the London Symphony Orchestra for a collection of secular and sacred seasonals — all strikingly sincere.

Christmas' Greatest Hits, by various artists (Universal): An eclectic (but mainstream) compilation covers Christmas with some of the genre's top pop hits, including Burl Ives's A Holly Jolly Christmas, a swaggering Brenda Lee's Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree and John Lennon's peace offering, Happy Xmas (War Is Over).

An Instrumental Christmas, by various artists (Zunior.com): A Canadian indie-rock collection of songs new and old falls nicely in the twilight space between foreground and background music. The downloadable album, which benefits Toronto's Daily Bread Food Bank, includes a softly mesmerizing instrumental from Great Lakes Swimmers that's on our iPod wish list.

Listen to Seasonal Instrumental No. 1 by the Great Lakes Swimmers

A Classic Christmas, by Toby Keith (Universal): Merry Christmas has never been wished so blandly. Twenty traditional tracks (on two CDs), and none of them better than versions done elsewhere. This country crooner puts the "miss" in mistletoe.

A few more Christmas songs to sample:

Something Funny in Santa's Lap, by The Moaners from the album Oh Santa! (Yep Roc)

Your Christmas Whiskey, by Minus 5 from the album Oh Santa! (Yep Roc)

Tell us your favourite Christmas songs

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