These albums rock
Published: Friday, December 5, 2008 at 3:00 p.m.
Last Modified: Friday, December 5, 2008 at 2:24 p.m.
Last Modified: Friday, December 5, 2008 at 2:24 p.m.
Christmas albums from pop and rock artists often suffer a choice of fates: Either they’re overly reverent (i.e. boring and disposable) or they loosen the frame too much, sounding like self-aware elitists slumming it in the seasonal ghetto.
The glut of Christmas-themed albums released each year makes it difficult to find the ones that transcend that split. But some do.
We’ve selected a short list of the worthiest of 2008.
Los Lonely Boys, “Christmas Spirit” (Epic)
The aforementioned boring/schmaltzy divide is neatly skirted with soulful performances and arrangements from this Grammy-winning Tex-Mex band.