Warner Music Nashville
Release Date: November 9th 2021 / November 4th 2022 / November 11th 2022
Reviewed by: Joshua Andre
Dan + Shay– Officially Christmas / Holiday Party / Pick Out A Christmas Tree (Single) (Amazon mp3/iTunes) (Amazon mp3/iTunes) (Amazon mp3/iTunes)
Track Listing:
- Officially Christmas
- Holiday Party
- Pick Out A Christmas Tree
About a week or so ago, we reviewed the latest studio album from country duo Dan + Shay. For this site, we’ve reviewed plenty of country albums in the past. Though there’s something about Dan and Shay’s most recent project Bigger Houses that is so easy to listen to, in a good way. Not that it’s better than albums from Alana Springsteen, Ashley Cooke, King Calaway, Brett Young, Dennis Quaid, Ward Thomas, Lauren Alaina, Carrie Underwood, Anne Wilson, Caitlyn Shadbolt, or even Thomas Rhett’s greatest hits album; but Bigger Houses is indeed something different, and that’s always something to champion. Yet some would say that both Dan and Shay are too pop and not ‘country enough’ to be considered a country artist. However even though they are walking the line between pop and country, their lyrics are still earnest, emotive, personal, and honest. Their music still tugs at our souls in different way to the rousing, declaratory and anthemic country albums… so does it matter what they sound like genre-wise in the grand scheme of things? And one listen from this breezy, bubbly, and laid-back project, will undoubtedly persuade you all to agree with me- that these guys are something special and their album is one that does bring a smile to our faces! And though you can all read my review of Bigger Houses here; let’s dive into some original Christmas tunes, shall we, as we approach Christmas 2023 within a couple of months? “Officially Christmas”, “Holiday Party” and “Pick Out A Christmas Tree” all released within the past couple of years; so how do these melodies get us into the Christmas spirit, and how to they encourage us or reinvigorate us during the crazy holiday season? And, do the songs speak about Jesus?
Considering that these are country Christmas songs… no, the ‘religious’ aspect here is pretty non-existent, and I suppose we’re not expecting them to be super-preachy and centred on Jesus. But the tracks here are nonetheless full of heart and soul and joy and cheer; it’s hard not to smile and be joyful and cheerful and in the holiday spirit when we hear these songs. “Officially Christmas”, a powerful and danceable country/pop melody about the sacredness and specialness of the holiday period spending it with friends and family with all of the quirky Christmas traditions, is a vibrant musical journey that hits you in the heart by the honesty and emotion and the general Christmas-y feel and atmosphere; while the laid back ballad “Holiday Party” is thematically in the same vein, with Dan and Shay longing to be in a ‘holiday party’ with their wives and their immediate family during the holidays. “Pick Out A Christmas Tree” though is pretty basic and seems pretty uninspiring, especially when the song is just about picking out a tree for the holidays and… that’s about it.
The other day I mentioned that lyric-wise Bigger Houses is a reinvention of Dan & Shay. They’re singing about the more important things in life and for that, I can’t be more pleased at this effort. There’s this sense of moving forward on this album and it seems that this project actually had them actively trying to switch things up. But I also mentioned a few things that frustrated me (inclusive of each song’s run-time and the melodies of a number of the tracks being too similar); and this thread extends to these Christmas songs. They’re just there and they’re not like “Behold” from Phil Wickham. But here we are still. These Christmas songs aren’t perfect by any means. There’s still work to be done. But as these melodies get us into the Christmas spirit, it’ll let it pass a bit. That’s all you can really ask for though- when thinking about ‘secular’ Christmas songs that are standalone singles that need to reach and touch people with a myriad of beliefs and world views. And so, let us say well done Dan and Shay for these three Christmas songs, so how about a full-length Christmas album next?
Score: 3/5
RIYL: Kane Brown, Thomas Rhett, Luke Bryan, Keith Urban, Maren Morris, Maddie & Tae