Gold & Green
Label: Mercury Nashville
Release Date: October 13th 2009 (Amazon mp3/iTunes)
Track Listing:
- City of Silver Dreams
- Winter Wonderland
- Holly Jolly Christmas
- Coming Home
- Gold and Green
- Maybe Baby (New Year’s Day)
- Nuttin’ For Christmas
- O Come, O Come Emmanuel
- Little Wood Guitar
- Silent Night
Initial thoughts: Sugarland have been in and around the Country music industry ever since the mid-2000s, with their hit songs like ‘Baby Girl’, ‘Something More’, ‘Just Might (Make Me Believe)’ and ‘Stand Back Up’. Gold and Green was released in 2009, upon the heels of their successful 2008 album Love on the Inside. While now in 2023, it seems as though the duo have gone their separate ways, back in 2009 (when this Christmas album was released), Sugarland was in their heyday, with this album being a success on the Billboard charts (in particular, the Top Country Albums and the Top Holiday Albums chart). With 5 originals (and 5 carols/holiday songs), this is a very interesting and ingenious album from a very underrated country duo.
Reason to listen: Because of Jennifer Nettles’s voice alone. No seriously…Jennifer’s voice is perhaps one of my favourite vocals in country music…ever. Her ability to hit the high notes; and deliver enthusiastic passion with a strikingly familiar southern-esque accent that we all have come to know and recognise, is nothing short of heartfelt and impactful. Her presence as part of Sugarland, as well as being a solo artist, are reasons enough to show why 2000s Country music is arguably one of the most underrated decades of country music…ever. Gold and Green is a must listen if you’re a fan of Sugarland, Jennifer Nettles’s solo material, or both.
Reason to buy: Because of the 5 original songs. Because it’s super rare nowadays that you can probably only purchase this album at a boutique CD store, and even then, you’d probably have to special order it in. No seriously; if you can somehow find a way to purchase this album…do it. It’s that good.
Reason to skip: None whatsoever. 5 originally written Christmas songs in a track list of 10? Yes please. ‘O Come O Come Emmanuel’ and ‘Silent Night’ are the two carols present, while ‘Winter Wonderland’ and ‘Holly Jolly Christmas’ are the two holiday songs on this album. ‘Nuttin’ for Christmas’, an obscure Christmas song from long time ago, is covered by the duo, and is different enough, for listeners to hopefully allow themselves to listen to this album, at least once.
No. of carols/holiday songs: 4
No. of originals/covers: 5
No. of obscure songs: One- ‘Nuttin’ For Christmas’
No of guest artists: None
Does it have heart?: With Jennifer’s passionate voice, and her enthusiasm that is oozing and infectious…of course there is heart. Oodles and Oodles of it.
Does it have a Christmas-y atmosphere?: I think so. Because there’s only two holiday songs and two carols (as well as one obscure Christmas song), alongside 5 original songs, it’s hard to tell whether the Christmas-y atmosphere present in these original songs, are intentional or not. But as it stands, these 10 songs have an atmosphere akin to any Christmas album in the 1990s and the 2000s- a sense of awe and wonder that seems to be lacking on Christmas albums of now.
Uniqueness?: Yes. Definitely unique. 5 original songs. 2 holiday tracks (that don’t include ‘I’ll Be Home for Christmas’ or ‘Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas’). 2 carols (but unfortunately, one of them is ‘Silent Night’, a Christmas song that is perhaps the most covered Christmas song…ever!). 1 obscure song that even I haven’t heard before (prior to me listening to this album). There, enough said!
Christmas message: Aside from the two carols, there’s hardly much of a Christmas message in this album. Which is ok. I don’t think Jennifer herself (or even Kirstian Bush) is religious (or has any kind of Biblical faith) so I don’t expect this album to have any message. Maybe ‘Silent Night’ and ‘O Come, O Come Emmanuel’ are enough, though.
Closing thoughts: If you’re a fan of originally written Christmas songs, then this album for you. If you’re a fan of Jennifer’s music, then this album is for you. If you’re a fan of Sugarland, then this album is definitely for you. If you’re a fan of 2000s country music, then you’d most definitely love this music.
3 songs to listen to: City of Silver Dreams, Coming Home, Maybe Baby (New Year’s Day)
Overall rating: 5/5
Yes/no; why/why not?: Yes. Because it’s rare. Why? Because it’s Sugarland, of course. If you can buy it, then buy it. If you can only stream it, then…well, stream it as many times as you want on Spotify. This album is underrated. This album is thoroughly enjoyable. And this album is one of my favourite Christmas albums of the 2000s. Period.