Album Review: Michael Bublé - Christmas

Posted by Anthony - 30th November 2011

In the world of rock and pop Michael Bublé is a hugely successful throwback to the era of crooners and big band music. He seems to have created a niche market all to himself. His last album, Crazy Love from 2009, refuses to leave the charts and is a multi-million seller. Now we have his latest album - Christmas.

Christmas is available in two CD formats: a single CD with 15 tracks, and a double set with 3 extra tracks on the CD together with a DVD about the making of the album. This is, in fact, Michael's second Christmas project. In 2003 he released a 5 track EP titled Let It Snow. Two of the songs on the EP have been re-recorded for inclusion on Christmas. The rest of the songs are familiar Christmas titles with just one new one, Cold December Night, co-written by Michael Bublé.

The new album is exactly what you would expect. Michael Bublé sings well and he is backed either by a big band or an orchestra. He is joined by guests, Shania Twain on White Christmas, The Puppini Sisters on Jingle Bells, and Thalia on Mis Deseos/Feliz Navidad. The songs were recorded in 4 different studios with 3 producers but this does not show, the album having a cohesive feel to it. Production quality is good.

The songs are sung safely and by that I mean that Michael Bublé does not take any chances i.e. he gives a straight reading of each song. The approach is almost too respectful and I would have liked to hear him and the band enjoy themselves more and explore alternative arrangements to some of the songs. I do appreciate that this may have alienated some of the potential buyers of this album but I am sure his legions of fans would have been delighted. One track, Blue Christmas, does attempt to jazz it up a bit with a nice big band backing and Michael Bublé giving it more of an individual vocal.

If you are in the market for a Christmas album then you won't go far wrong with this one. It has already got to the top of the UK album charts, so continuing Michael Bublé's amazing run of success here.