Classic Christmas (CD - 2008)

Recording information: Starstruck, Nashville, TN.

Arranger: George Strait.

One of the most consistent and reassuring presences on the country charts since his mid-1980s breakthrough, George Strait makes a characteristically low-key contribution to the holiday album with the excellent CLASSIC CHRISTMAS. As the title suggests, this set consists solely of traditional Christmas favorites, ranging from the hymnal "We Three Kings" and "Silent Night" to more playful tunes like "Jingle Bells" and "Up on the Housetop." The songs are performed in Strait's familiar neo-traditional country style, making CLASSIC CHRISTMAS a guaranteed winner for fans.

For his third holiday album -- he releases one every decade, more or less like clockwork -- George Strait concentrates on the basics, something that's evident from the very title of Classic Christmas. There's not a new tune or obscurity among the album's ten songs, as Strait relies heavily on carols like "Silent Night," "Joy to the World," and "O Come, All Ye Faithful," adding a couple relatively newer standards like "Jingle Bells" and "Up on the Housetop" for balance. This makes Classic Christmas quite a bit different from 1999's Merry Christmas Wherever You Are, which concentrated on brand-new tunes and secular favorites like "Let It Snow! Let It Snow! Let It Snow!," "The Christmas Song," and "Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer" -- songs that he pulled off nicely, but the simplicity of these standards is well suited for Strait's warm, easygoing touch. Indeed, Classic Christmas is quite warm and easygoing, a relaxed collection of gentle acoustic numbers and subdued Western swing ("Jingle Bells" and "Upon on the Housetop" benefit quite a bit from the latter) that feels as true to Strait's sound as it does to the spirit of the season. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine minimize