American singer Kelly Clarkson has a new Christmas album entitled When Christmas Comes Around. The themes are love, heartbreak and holiday celebrations.
The music is Holiday/Pop/Jazz with some Country. The album has modern sounds, especially the covers of classics. There’s also a nostalgic component of these classic hits that honours them. An example of that is the song It’s Beginning To Look A Lot Like Christmas. It has a perfect mix of traditional and new. The original piece Christmas Isn’t Canceled (Just You) has an upbeat sound representing the joy of finally moving from heartbreak. That also includes hearing jingle bells. An impressive Jazz version of Wham’s 80s hit Last Christmas expresses a relatable sadness. The piano in the background adds a nice touch. The beats are bold and dynamic throughout the record. The compositions are excellent, including beautiful ballads (i.e. Merry Christmas (To The One I Used To Know). The album has a concert vibe parallel to music specials or events similar to what one may have seen in movies/plays set in the 1950s or 60s. The musicians did an excellent job covering the various emotions and Christmas stories with depth and precision.
Kelly Clarkson’s voice is beautiful, with a marvellous vocal range. She has incredible duets with Chris Stapleton (Glow), Ariana Grande (Santa, Can’t You Hear Me), and Brett Eldredge (Under The Mistletoe). There’s a lovely harmony in these duets that complements the holiday vibe.
The album has seven original songs: Merry Christmas Baby, Christmas Isn’t Canceled (Just You), Merry Christmas (To The One I Used To Know), Glow (with Chris Stapleton), Santa, Can’t You Hear Me ( with Ariana Grande), Under The Mistletoe (with Brett Eldredge), and Christmas Eve. The lyrics are well-written and from the heart. Merry Christmas Baby is an incredibly upbeat song. The piece Christmas Isn’t Canceled (Just You) is an empowering one that tells the story of a woman moving on from a breakup and living her life to the fullest. The piece Merry Christmas (To The One I Used To Know) is a beautiful piece full of profound emotions and expresses people’s struggles during a time of sorrow and grief. The songs Glow (with Chris Stapleton), Under The Mistletoe (Bonus Track), Brett Eldredge, Christmas Eve (Bonus Track) are romantic. Under The Mistletoe is an upbeat and cheerful piece. The tune Santa, Can’t You Hear Me (with Ariana Grande) is cute and sweet. The original Christmas songs in this album are remarkable, full of heart and soul.
The album When Christmas Comes Around is available.
