My Gift

Carrie Underwoods first Christmas album is a stately, sober affair. Part of this is due to the pomp and circumstance Greg Wells -- a Grammy winner for his work on The Greatest Showman: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack -- lends to the production. Everything on My Gift proceeds at a steady pace, adorned with very few bells and whistles, a sparse choice that helps highlight how Underwood chooses to sing primarily religious-themed material. The exceptions to this rule are the John Stephens/Toby Gad number Hallelujah, sung as a duet with John Legend, and the secular standard Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas, selections that highlight how the other nine songs are more somber celebrations, including her new original Let There Be Peace. Not all of it is tasteful -- having her young son Isaiah Fisher sing a bit of The Little Drummer Boy conjures memories of Clint Holmes Playground in My Mind -- but enough of it is to make this a soundtrack for an understated, rather elegant holiday gathering. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine

ポップ・カントリーの女王から冬の贈り物。別掲のジェイミー・カラム盤と同じくグレッグ・ウェルズがプロデュースを担当し、主役の清らかな歌唱力が存分に映えるトラディショナルな内容に仕上げている。オープニングの"Joyful, Joyful We Adore Thee"から冬の空気が似合う厳かな雰囲気で、聖歌隊を従えた力強いオリジナル曲"Let There Be Peace"などで徐々にハートフルな昂揚を表現していくような構成だ。愛息の拙い歌声が愛くるしい"The Little Drummer Boy"のほか、ジョン・レジェンドとの歌勝負なデュエット"Hallelujah"が聴きもの。
bounce (C)クリス益田