Songs For Christmas

Performer: Sufjan Stevens
Distributor: Alternative Dis. Alliance

Notes: Never one to lack ambition, indie-pop hero Sufjan Stevens takes the tried-and-true holiday album to a new level with this 2006 five-disc Christmas box set. A mix of Stevens originals and Yuletide classics recorded between 2001 and '06, the collection presents the amiable singer/multi-instrumentalist performing festive self-penned tunes such as the bouncy, piano-driven "Come On! Let's Boogey to the Elf Dance!" and the White Stripes-referencing, ELO-influenced "Get Behind Me, Santa!" along with no less than three versions of "O Come, O Come Emmanuel." While five discs may seem exhausting to some, for those who adore both Christmas and Stevens, this lovingly assembled compilation makes for hours of smart, celebratory fun.

Rolling Stone (p.114) - 3 stars out of 5 -- "Stevens' fragile banjo-and-tenor caroling is lovely, and several of his own songs belong in the Xmas canon..." Entertainment Weekly (p.85) - "[His] rare combination of deep religiosity and dark whimsy makes SONGS FOR CHRISTMAS the season's most thrilling holiday release." -- Grade: A Q (p.152) - 3 stars out of 5 -- "Amassing 42 tracks, from the traditional to whimsical originals, it's testament to his prolific work rate. There's not shortage of seasonal cheer either..." Uncut (p.98) - 4 stars out of 5 -- "The tone is generally one of mild encouragement....The tracks offering a slightly askance look at the festive season are most entertaining..." CMJ (p.5) - "[T]racks meant to bring peace on earth and goodwill towards men....There isn't much not to like here." Record Collector (magazine) (pp.94-95) - 3 stars out of 5 -- "[I]t would be a great pleasure to hear these 42 tracks at any time of year....There are banjos, unexpected synths and, of course, sleigh bells galore."

Seemingly every year since 1963, a singer-songwriter is heralded as "the next Dylan." It's a tough title to live up to, but since his 2000 debut, singer/songwriter Sufjan Stevens has certainly traveled the musical highways of Dylan's Old Weird America. The Michigan-born Stevens plays a style of folk music that captures the full scope of Americana sounds, not just those based on traditional forms. Stevens is an intriguing figure: his 50 States project (an attempt to record an album for each state in the nation) includes 2003's GREETINGS FROM MICHIGAN and 2005's lauded COME ON FEEL THE ILLINOISE.

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