Warner Music Nashville LLC
Release Date: November 11th 2022
Reviewed by: Joshua Andre
Blake Shelton– Cheers, It’s Christmas (Super Deluxe Edition) (Amazon mp3/iTunes)
Track Listing:
- Up On The House Top [Super Deluxe]
- Cheer For The Elves [Super Deluxe]
- Holly Jolly Christmas [Super Deluxe]
- Jingle Bell Rock (feat. Miranda Lambert)
- White Christmas
- Oklahoma Christmas (feat. Reba McEntire)
- Let It Snow! Let It Snow! Let It Snow!
- There’s A New Kid In Town (feat. Kelly Clarkson)
- Santa’s Got A Choo Choo Train
- Home (feat. Michael Bublé)
- Winter Wonderland
- The Christmas Song
- Blue Christmas (feat. Pistol Annies)
- I’ll Be Home For Christmas
- Silver Bells (feat. Xenia)
- Time For Me To Come Home (feat. Dorothy Shackleford)
- The Very Best Time Of Year (feat. Trypta-Phunk)
- Savior’s Shadow [DELUXE]
- Two Step ‘Round The Christmas Tree [DELUXE]
- Christmas Eve [DELUXE]
I’ve mentioned this many times, but let me just reiterate this once again. Country music and myself originally didn’t get off to the best of starts. A number of years ago, I used to think that songs about cars and girls and beer and trucks and the American way of life… and these would be songs that I would not connect with at all. However, as is the case with God working in mysterious ways, I have in fact found out that despite not being an American, the country genre is essentially one of the few genres outside of CCM that I have connected and resonated with… weirdly and strangely. A deeper look reveals that it may not be that weird or strange after all- since country songs are all about storytelling and speaking about a way of life that is focused on your values, morals, ethics and your faith… that’s the kind of lifestyle and songs that I resonated with. Simple, yet effective story telling about the real issues of life.
Blake Shelton, a country singer for the past 20 years, has been an artist whom I’ve known to be around. I’ve heard a few of his songs, most notably the Dave Barnes cover “God Gave Me You”, the Michael Bublé cover “Home” and the semi-gospel worshipful and prayerful ballad “Savior’s Shadow”. But there hasn’t been anything really standing out for me and grabbing my attention as a ‘must-listen’ throughout the past few years. Blake’s last studio album of all-original music (prior to 2021’s Body Language) was in 2017, way before I started being heavily invested in country music… and so it never crossed my mind to listen to a Blake Shelton album from start to finish. However in 2021 I dove deep into Body Language, simply because I wanted to stretch myself musically. You can read my review of a semi-okay-ish album here (as well as my review of the deluxe edition of Body Language as well!); but as we are approaching December 2023, let’s revisit Blake’s 2022 released 20-track super deluxe edition version of his 2012 Christmas album Cheers, It’s Christmas.
Every year when December rolls around, the Christmas tree goes up (in homes and in shopping centres), Christmas sales have started once Black Friday finishes, while in cafes, grocery stores and other food places, you can buy fruit cake and other Christmas goodies. Perhaps the commercialisation of Christmas starts in October and November (and sometimes as early as September if ever there is a Christmas album that releases around the end of September!); but one thing is for certain. Michael Buble’s Christmas album from 2011 still reigns supreme. And no matter how much we cringe inwardly or outwardly at this album; the fact is that Michael’s holiday project has etched its way into Christmas folklore- for better or for worse. When you listen or re-listen to a Christmas album year upon year upon year; I’d have to say that it loses its replay value, and that is the same with Christmas from Michael. Thankfully, as with every year, there are plenty of alternative Christmas albums that you can listen to if Michael’s project doesn’t resonate with you. Artists like Pistol Annies, Robbie Williams, Joss Stone, Lady A, Amanda Shires, Darren Criss, Tori Kelly, Goo Goo Dolls, for KING & COUNTRY, Delta Goodrem and Pentatonix (6 Christmas albums and counting!), have all released holiday projects (plus many more artists!); and so the list is endless of artists you can listen to for inspiration and comfort around the holidays and around Jesus’ birth. Fast forward to now and here we are with another alternative to Michael’s ‘standard’ and possibly outdated Christmas project.
Blake’s project is more than 10 years old, with 3 new songs released in 2017 and another 3 released in 2022. Originally a 14 track album and now a 20 track album, we may at first think that this is an overproduced Christmas album bloated at 14 tracks (standard) and now 20 tracks (super deluxe) with a country artist with a distinguishable twang that makes it semi-hard to get into the holiday spirit. However, a sustained listen has turned my expectations of this project from minimal into one of the most inspiring and encouraging Christmas albums ever. Blake has immense passion, and his fun, happy-go-lucky and positive demeanour is extremely contagious and infectious in a good way! The Grinch will soon be a Christmas loving Grinch if he’s listening to Cheers, It’s Christmas this Christmas- that’s for sure! There’s a joy and an infectious bubbly happiness all throughout on this Christmas album that I haven’t heard much on any other recent Christmas album. That may not be your opinion though, and that’s ok… but if you take a listen to the positive and celebratory Cheers, It’s Christmas; I’m sure you’ll be grinning from ear to ear and singing along in no time!
We all know the tracks- there’s probably no reason for me to rehash what we already know. But what are the reasons to buy this album? Maybe it’s for the duet with Michael Bublé, or for the duet with Kelly Clarkson, or to continue your Blake Shelton collection, to complete your Blake Shelton collection, or to even start your Blake Shelton collection. When you buy this album, you’ll instantly become a country music fan- so be prepared everyone, because you’re going to be opened up to a wide array of music you’ve never heard before… in a very good way!
From what I’ve heard of country music, it seems like they’re the most authentic, honest, and vulnerable artists ever. They’re a special breed of artist- and it’s the same trend on Cheers, It’s Christmas. Blake is as vulnerable as ever here, especially on “Savior’s Shadow” where he sings about his faith in Jesus. Though a number of these songs are ‘holiday’ in nature, I’d say this album reigns supreme over Bublé’s Christmas every day of the week! As far as a Christmas-y atmosphere and the lyrical content goes; it has a country atmosphere, and a reworked Christmas verse/chorus for Michael Buble’s smash hit “Home”. There’s a few bells and whistles here and there (especially on “The Christmas Song”)… so could I say that the atmosphere is semi-Christmas-y? And lyrically, for whatever reason, this album is a holiday album through and through. But to be fair, “There’s A New Kid In Town” and the Christmas version of “Savior’s Shadow” are explicit about Jesus- which is very good for listeners to hear and think about matters of faith and whether Jesus was who He said He was.
Some would say that because of the ‘secular’ nature of Cheer’s It’s Christmas (Super Deluxe Edition) that it wouldn’t be good to listen to at Christmas time when we are celebrating Jesus’ birth. However, I reckon that this album deserves at least listening, for “Savior’s Shadow” and “There’s A New Kid In Town” alone! And for the compelling duet with Michael Bublé called “Home”! The newer tracks “Up On The House Top”, “Cheer For The Elves” and “Holly Jolly Christmas” adds much more depth and complexity to this moving and inspiring holiday album as well. While Christmas used to be synonymous with Michael Bublé’s Christmas, now I for one can hear a threat posed here. Can Blake invade the holiday season and compete with Michael on his own merit! Yep, of course he can! What is next for Blake? Nobody knows. Maybe it’s another studio album? Or it’s to sit back and enjoy life with Gwen and her kids. Maybe it’s to tour or to do something else. Maybe a gospel album or a hymns album. But even if Blake stops music, at least we have this epically awesome Christmas album. Cheers, It’s Christmas (Super Deluxe Edition) is incredibly awesome, and we all need to listen to this release pronto! No waiting or fussing around, just listen and be amazed!
6 songs to listen to: Cheer For The Elves, Savior’s Shadow, Home, There’s A New Kid In Town, I’ll Be Home For Christmas, Christmas Eve
Score: 5/5
RIYL: Miranda Lambert, Luke Bryan, Brad Paisley, Tim McGraw, Kelly Clarkson