You Make It Feel Like Christmas
Label: Interscope Records
Release Date: October 6th 2017 (Standard Edition) / October 26th 2018 (Deluxe Edition) (Amazon mp3/iTunes)
Track Listing:
- Jingle Bells
- Let It Snow
- My Gift Is You
- Silent Night
- What I Was A Little Girl
- Last Christmas
- You Make It Feel Like Christmas (feat. Blake Shelton)
- Under The Christmas Lights
- Santa Baby
- White Christmas
- Never Kissed Anyone With Blue Eyes
- Christmas Eve
- Santa Claus Is Coming To Town [DELUXE]
- Cheer For The Elves [DELUXE]
- Secret Santa [DELUXE]
- Winter Wonderland [DELUXE]
- Feliz Navidad (feat. Mon Laferte) [DELUXE]
Initial thoughts: Christmas pop music at its finest, with an equal number of original tunes to well known holiday favourites. Gwen’s vocals are powerful and impressive here, with this album perfect for getting into the Christmas spirit and for wrapping presents to and just jamming out in October, November and December (or at all times of the year if you are a Christmas enthusiast!)
Reason to listen: As a strong alternative to the easy-listening of Michael Buble’s Christmas and the overproduced pop of Justin Bieber’s Mistletoe. Gwen does pop well as well as easy listening well- so it’s the best of both worlds here- what other reason to listen?
Reason to buy: To gift to your grandparents so that you can persuade them to listen less to Bublé’s Christmas and more to this hopeful and joyous album!
Reason to skip: Because you hate the lack of worshipful Christmas tunes (only 1 in “Silent Night”!). But otherwise, this album should be a jam and a joy to listen to!
No. of carols: 9 (essentially 1 carol and 8 holiday tunes!)
No. of originals: 8
No of guest artists: 2 (Blake Shelton on track #7 and Mon Laferte on track #17)
Does it have heart?: Gwen’s passion and heart is abounding and overflowing here, and her duet with Blake is one of my favourite Christmas duets I’ve heard in recent memory.
Does it have a Christmas-y atmosphere?: Lots of strings and obligatory Christmas-y bells and whistles make this project one of the most Christmas-y Christmas albums I’ve heard this decade!
Uniqueness?: As unique as any other pop Christmas album- which is not really. But Gwen’s passion and impressive vocal range is more than enough for you to enjoy this project!
Christmas message: Hardly any message. “Silent Night” is beautifully sung but this album is primarily for those who celebrate Christmas for the family, camaraderie, and the friendship aspect. Gwen is a believer- this much is true, so maybe her next Christmas album will be about worshipping Jesus? One can only hope!
Closing thoughts: If you’re a fan of holiday music, this album is for you. If you explicitly dislike Michael Bublé’s Christmas (not because it’s a bad album, but because it’s been played to death!), then this album is for you. If you want an overload of original Christmas songs, then this album is for you. If you’re wondering how Blake and Gwen sound together in a song aside from “Happy Anywhere” and “Nobody But You”, then this album is for you. Do any of your fit these categories? I’m sure maybe that’ll be 99% of the population at least!
3 songs to listen to: My Gift Is You, You Make It Feel Like Christmas, White Christmas
Overall rating: 4.5/5
Yes/no; why/why not?: A resounding yes, simply because I reckon You Make It Feel Like Christmas is one of the most hopeful and inspiring Christmas pop albums this decade, as well as one of the most hopeful and inspiring Christmas easy-listening albums this decade. Lots of poppy songs and lots of laid back and reflective songs. What more could you want this holiday season?