Not just for Christmas time
J. Sutherland | Southport, North Carolina United States | 01/23/2007
(4 out of 5 stars)
"One of the better Christmas albums I've heard. A certain Christmas feel permeates the album but it's not the cheesy traditional Christmas songs that you've heard way too many times. My Morning Jacket contributes their own tunes to this one and we are rewarded for it. They craft multi-layered, structured songs with lots of vocal harmonies. There are two gems on this one (not surprising for this band). They are "Xmas Time Is Here Again," and "I Just Wanted To Say." There is some nice harmonizing and Beach Boys-like vocals on the former. And the bonus track is something that if you've heard their first two albums, won't surprise you very much. It's a novel instrumental with three separate guitar melodies playing simultaneously, which pleases and challenges the listener at the same time. The Nick Cave cover is very well done. The Elvis cover "Santa Claus Is Back In Town" is decent but somewhat disappointing. They should've kept the same magical, mysterious, lonesome, country-ish, mood as on the shining standout "I Just Wanted To Say." It's a bit sad and lonesome sounding, but nevertheless magical and full of wonder just as Christmas time often is. Buy this if you're tired of the same old tired Christmas songs that everyone has heard a million times. Buy this if you like something different."