Holidays Rule is a brand new Christmas compilation coming out October 30 and it looks and sounds fantastic. Composed of 17 brand new recordings of Christmas favorites from some of the most eclectic and original artists around, this festive free-for-all promises to put a little spice in your audible eggnog. The impressive tracklist boasts some pretty amazing indie rock, twangy Americana, simmering soul and even a couple of heavy hitters for good measure. I think what makes Holidays Rule special is that it perfectly strikes the balance of traditional songs interpreted by pretty non-traditional acts. So while there is familiarity in the lyrics and melodies, there is still a real freshness to the arrangements and sounds. Sometimes these kinds of compilations can have a little "too cool for school" pretentiousness to them, but there's nothing to worry about here. Holidays Rule steers completely clear of any of that.
After an early listen, the standout tracks for me are The Civil Wars' tender take on the hymn "I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day," Y La Bamba's latin-flavored "Señor Santa (Mister Santa)," Black Prairie and Sallie Ford's rootsy runthough of "(Everybody's Waitin' for) the Man with the Bag," Holly Golightly's retro-slinky "That's What I Want for Christmas" and Irma Thomas and Preservation Hall Jazz Band's vintage bounce of "May Ev'ry Day Be Christmas." Overall, the album has a relaxed, wholeheartedly holiday vibe to it and it feels strong enough to warm even the Grinchiest heart.
Take a listen through the samples below:
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